Live as Regina

by Mac NorthSea

On the way to Neverland,Emma is troubled by the moments in the mines she and Regina had at moment of Regina's self-sacrifice that changed everything,even Emma herself.With understanding her upbringing gave her,the Savior decides to save not only Henry but his mother as well. Doing so will take her and her family through harrowing challenges of love,duty,conflict,and magic.

26. Chapter 24

Another chapter right in time for the holidays. Enjoy!

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Chapter 24

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice pierced through the crackle of the inferno and the sizzle of the evaporating sleet, making the sorceress turn in place, her magic already on defensive. She recognized the droll tones of the man instantly, narrowing her eyes at him, ready to eviscerate him any second now, aware that with each moment she spent worrying about him, the field was getting more and more destroyed. "Nothing like a good bonfire in a cold winter night to warm a man's soul, right?" Again, the man spoke with some humor and stepped closer toward the Queen, his countenance changing instantly as the orange blazes reflected of his sleek and wet leather. "Now stop staring at me, your Majesty, and put this damn thing out. As much as I love a good pillage and destruction, I would like to get back to the Enchanted Forest at some point!" The pirate gestured to Regina to get on with it already, the uneasiness of the devastation shown in his tight expression.

"What did you do?" Regina screeched at him, murderously stalking toward him, her magic already summoning the downpour to extinguish the roaring fire, as she extended her hands to catch him in her trademark charmed grip.

Killian raised his arms in front of him, trying to impart his innocence upon the enraged Queen, knowing the dangers of the woman's magic, having felt it himself once upon a time. "Wasn't me, lass, I just came from me ship," his voice was barely heard over the torrent of water coming over them, but it was earnest enough to make Regina reconsider his guilt in this tremendous crime. Turning away from him, she watched the rain cover the blazing inferno, the meeting of the two natural forces creating mist that rose high into the night, engulfing them, making the visibility already impaired because of the smoke even worse.

As she could do nothing more than let the magical shower put out the fire, Regina walked toward still downed giant, and with Killian's help, pulled him up into a sitting position, to prevent him from drowning in the puddles quickly created by the rain. Not even a minute passed when David and Neal joined them, their faces grim and tortured at the sight of the damage before them. Leaving the giant in their care, the woman stepped away not able to stand still in the wake of her crushed dreams. And, yet, the shower of conquering water was loud enough to dull the desperate screaming in her head, leaving her in the state of numb shock, watching her only connection to her Savior disintegrate right before her eyes.

The iciness of the numbness clenched her heart and she did not, could not, believe what she was seeing right before her eyes was real. There was no way that the picture in front of her was part of her reality, the irony of it hitting her hard. The thoughts started swirling in her mind – the thoughts of Emma never getting home, never coming back. The thoughts of another twist of the Fate's dagger in her heart, as the hopelessness and powerlessness brought her to tears, the hot liquid mixing in with the freezing rain falling over her. She stood there, her eyes helplessly sweeping over the destroyed plants, charred beyond recognition and usefulness, as the seconds seeming as long as hours turned into minutes, and then into the hours. Pounded by the downpour, choking in the acrid smoke, Regina stiffly stood, not moving, as she guarded over the ruined land, like a sentinel made of dark stone, the eerie stillness bringing cold into the hearts of men behind her.

The men, in their rare wisdom, understood that their approach would not be appreciated, huddled around the slowly coming to gentle colossal, their hushed whispers heard only by them. "What are you doing here?" David asked the pirate, suspicious look in his eyes as he passed a scrutinizing glance over the soaked leather clad man, noticing that he hadn't been injured but the strong stench of wet smoke still clinging to his clothes.

"Anton and I had a meeting this evening," the pirate answered succinctly, avoiding mentioning the real reason he had been there, without the expressed permission of the person under whose orders he was acting. "When he didn't come to the road, I stepped under the dome to look for him. I found him here, with the fire already devouring most of the plants. Nothing I could do, mate, and Regina came right after."

Accepting the answer with mistrust, David let it go for the time being, doing what he could for the still unconscious giant. They couldn't move him as the ground was more than just slippery, the rivulets of water sinking into the sludge and mud, but there was also a concern for Anton's injuries, not knowing that Regina had already somewhat healed him. He also knew that any help that had been supposed to come would be prevented by the pouring skies, making the treacherous road impassable. So, they hunkered down, oddly warmed by the mist from the fire and waited for the rain to stop, or Regina to join them, Neal making an offhand comment that they would see the light of the new day in that cursed field. And, they waited, the lightening of the sky announcing the morning, almost unnoticeable in the steam rising of the scorched ground.

In that moment Tiny opened his eyes, still dazed by the blow to his head, protected from the rain by Neal's jacket thrown over him. "Killian?" the giant spoke in soft murmur, almost unheard by the others as his eyes focused on the pirate, recognition sparking in his dark eyes. "I was late," he spoke again, this time to himself. "Fire!" he startled right then, his move dislodging him from the supporting grip of the interim Sheriff, sliding down into the mud. "That bastard!" the honorary dwarf yelled into the night as he tried to right himself, before giving up and looking at Killian and the others. "You have to find him, this cannot pass unpunished."

"Who was it?" David asked but the answer came from unexpected source, as Regina's voice pierced the howling sounds of tapering rain in the early hours of the morning, the first reaction from her in a long time.

"Sidney?" Regina saw the familiar man lurking in the shortening shadows, the contrast created by the dying fire and vapors hiding him perfectly from the others, but it was only due to him slipping in the silt created by the rain that the Queen even realized that he was even there. Instantly her magic pulled him toward her, immobilizing him in the air, his hands still holding on to the blowtorch and a canister of gasoline, the damning evidence of his crime bringing fire into Regina's eyes, the coldness of the shock and devastation withdrawing from her heart.

Then the rage came, wild and thirsty for blood, filling her up with the desire to shred the man apart, the need to quench the licking heat of fury with the man's life. The wind rose as the air crackled with power, while Regina stalked toward the still hanging former henchman, his limbs spread in the air, as the tools of his betrayal fell to the ground, the sloshing sound of them hitting the mud oddly disconnected from the scene. And, Neal gasped at it, because for the first time in his life he saw the Evil Queen in her full glory, for the woman before him was not Regina, not even the cold and aloof Madam Mayor, not even the woman he had reluctantly started considering his family – it was the picture of terror that haunted the Enchanted Forest, the form of the monster that his father had molded from his own blood in order to cross realms.

"Why?" Regina spoke, her voice more of a growl encompassed by the icy demeanor that frightened everyone that stood to witness the scene, the blood leaving their faces, retreating before the terror of their nightmares. Her eyes glowed with her power, the wind getting stronger, whipping her hair around her face, clearing the mist and the clouds, letting the light of the day encroach the destroyed field.

"So you can get what you want," the former Mirror spoke proudly, ignoring her scoff as he continued on. "The Savior stuck away. And, now you can claim your boy and then, we can finally be together!" he spoke, the clear edge of obsessive madness coloring his voice as his unsteady and shifting eyes showed his lunacy quite vividly.

Regina laughed, the sound of it cold, bringing shivers and razor sharp in the wake of pointless devastation, as she motioned with her hand, bringing Sidney closer to her. "You insignificant blubbering insect, why would I ever deign to be with a pest like you?" she spoke calmly, despite the rage shining out of her obsidian eyes, before she plunged her hand into his chest, her intention of murder clear.

"Regina, no!" Neal shouted, reaching the woman in one insane scramble, sliding over the silt, just as the sound of her hand passing through Sidney's flesh was heard. "This is not who you are anymore! This is not Emma's True Love!" he spoke imploringly to his kin, trying to keep his promise to Emma, an oath he had started to consider as his utmost duty, apart from being there for Henry. Seeing a flicker of something alike recognition in Regina's dark orbs, he timidly reached for the arm sticking into the other man's chest, his fingers gently squeezing her forearm, lightly stopping it from going in even more deeper. "Think of Emma," he said firmly, knowing that it was the only thing capable of reaching to his sister in that state. "Think of that wonderful boy you have, of the toddler who loves you. Would they want this for you?" The man spoke, his beseeching voice overpowering the Genie's incoherent mumbles and whines, as he moved in front of her, his other hand reaching for the olive skin of her wet cheek, directing her still cold eyes toward him and away from her prey.

While Neal was talking to Regina, Killian came from behind Sidney and hitting him with his hook, knocking him out, but keeping him upright, he looked over the limp body to the two siblings. "Listen to him, luv. Swan would not want you to surrender to the darkness, especially not on her behalf."

Slowly, in the time that seemed like an eternity to the two men in front of the former Evil Queen, the cold fury left the dark eyes, gentling them with sorrow and desperation as a fresh wave of tears covered her face. She blinked. And, blinked once more while her mouth spoke only one word. "Emma." As if the utterance of the word had broken the spell over her, Regina was back, the last vestiges of terrifying creature of the Enchanted Forest pushed down once more. Pulling out her hand out of the insane Genie's chest, she allowed Neal to guide her away, tucking her into his arms, his only way to support her being of lending her strength to stand until she found her feet. He didn't take her away from the field, or even to the cars, knowing she would need to stay until she knew the full scope of the damage, beyond any doubt. Not even bothering to wince at the fists clenching his completely soaked shirt, he held the woman to his chilled body, saying nothing – for nothing could be said, and he was not one for the platitudes, as he waited for Regina to regain her what was remaining of her composure, sharing in her pain acutely. It was only minutes after that the woman pulled out of his arms, her own going around her middle as she turned away with only a barely visible nod of appreciation for Neal's help.

In the meanwhile, David and Anton slowly rummaged through the still smoking charred lumps where once stood proud stalks, looking for any surviving beans, their hope withering with each new discovery of completely disintegrated plants. The Prince crouched down and picked up a small clod, his heart thumping heavily in his chest as the nugget crumbled in his hand, leaving nothing but ash behind, the gray powder coloring his hand in grim outcome. Looking to the side, he saw the eyes of his daughter's chosen close slowly in bleakness, the impact of the destruction hitting him all over again. The only way to his daughter, the one remaining way of crossing realms was gone, leaving them stranded away from the rest of their family.

Rising slowly to his full height, he wiped the sooth of his hands of his jeans and stepped toward the woman, shaking his head, his proclamation, though silent, reverberating loudly in each one of them – it was all gone. "We will find another way," he spoke softly as he drew near to the brunette, careful not to infringe on her personal space, because it seemed that the strong woman before him was holding on only by a hair thin thread.

"There is no other way," Regina murmured, her voice quiet. She looked into the gentle blue eyes and smiled, the quirk of her lips broken and perfectly portraying the loss the woman was gripped with. "This was it," she added unnecessarily, her hand swiping over the blackness of the ravaged field. "And, now everything is destroyed."

The soft spoken words brought Neal's and David's eyes together, both surprised and extremely worried with the seemingly calm countenance of the woman who on the best of days was passionate, and on the worst the force of nature. It was so out of character for the woman they had expected to rage against another turn of Destiny, to fight with everything she had, to the death or victory. But, this soft and quiet resignation could only hide much more dangerous beast, turned not toward the Fates, or the external enemies, but to herself, and if Regina brought all of her might upon herself in a bout of guilt and self-recrimination, there would be nothing left. The sheer dread of that realization made both Neal and the Prince step toward the Queen, but someone was faster.

"Aye, that is not entirely true," Killian spoke as he scratched his chin with his hook, clearly uncomfortable about something. Behind his feet the still unconscious former reporter was bound, left in the mud. He glanced toward the woman and unable to keep the contact for more than a part of the second, he bowed his head in supplication as if what he was about to say next would very well end his life. "Young lad may have a solution, Your Majesty."

"Henry?" Regina blinked as the name of her son slipped her mouth, clearly surprised that he would have a way of helping, when she couldn't think of one, without asking the meddling mosquito about it. "My son?" She asked again, glancing toward David and her half-brother, judging their faces to see if they had an idea what the pirate was talking about.

"Yes, Henry." Hook raised his hand before David could interrupt and looked into the Queen's eyes. "It would be best to ask him," he spoke clearly, his eyes darting toward Anton, making it obvious that there was something else at work there, something that seemed to have Henry right in the center of it. Narrowing her eyes at him, Regina waved her hand over the Genie, the purple mist taking him away, before she turned away, stalking toward David's truck, passing the men on her way, her posture reminiscent of her imperiousness but hollow and empty, a broken reflection of the might that once existed. It took only one impatient clack of her tongue to make the others jump right into the action, Hook and Anton rushing toward the patrol car Neal was now driving.

"He is at the station," Regina murmured, looking through the window as David made a U turn in the middle of the road, feeling his glance directed toward her, her voice barely heard over the squealing of the tires on the wet asphalt. "Under the lock and key," she added softly, closing the subject. The rest of the ride toward the white Mayoral mansion was passed in the silence, Regina left in the strange sort of emotional flux, where nothing made sense and yet everything was her fault.

Not even remembering how she had gotten out of the car, Regina passed beside Snow through the open door into the house, her eyes zeroing onto her son standing at the landing of the stairs looking down over the entrance wearing his pajamas, his still sleepy eyes tracking her movements. In no time she climbed up to him and leaned down, taking him into her arms, needing a tangible reminder why she was still holding on. Sinking to her knees, Regina felt the boy's hands go around her back, holding her firmly in silence as she tried to swallow her sobs, hiding them from everyone but from the one who knew her best, and the one she needed to remain strong for. But, she didn't care, or couldn't care that she was vulnerable before him, the emotional toll of the night flooding her completely.

Mary Margaret took David's hand, her eyes beseeching answers from the rest of the men entering the house. "Glass set the fire," David murmured for Snow's sake, explaining it quietly. "Nothing survived."

The news caused the boy to grow still, the tensing noticed by the woman in front of him. He looked toward the last member of the party having entered the house and raised his eyebrow. The last of them, Killian, closed the door behind them and watched the scene on the landing, his eyes connecting with the inquiring yet understanding green ones, so alike his mother's.

"The beans are gone, lad," Hook spoke, making the rest of them look between to them in surprise, and yet they all shared another glance of bewilderment when the boy nodded and sighed, his face turning toward his mother who looked at him with suspicion and worry.

"Everything is going to be alright, mom," Henry spoke softly, wiping the tears of his mother's face, his expression seeming ageless at the moment, wise beyond years and looking so much like his birth mother, the kind reassurance shining out of his eyes toward the brunette before him. "I'll explain everything, but first you need to change and eat something. Grams will make breakfast, and I'll see if Kyle is awake." In a purely caregiving motion, the preteen patted his mother's shoulder, nudging her to stand up and step toward her bedroom, his mouth showing a gentle smile. "Go, we'll manage for a few minutes," he said, shooing her off before his eyes found Mary Margaret. "Can you…?" He saw his young grandmother nod silently, still taken by the surprise in the view of him taking control over the situation, as she had never seen him so forceful before. But, David had, right after the curse had broken, and he smiled at the boy who had obviously been a natural leader, a pride of his whole family, joining Snow in the kitchen to help.

With a passing glance Henry nodded to Neal and went back upstairs to dress and to take care of his brother, knowing that his mother would need a moment, or several, to compose herself. As he walked beside his bed, he took out his backpack and nodded to himself, after he had checked the small notebook he had stashed inside, placing it into the back pocket of his jeans. It was in this moment that he felt so powerful and righteous for applying the thing his father had said to him in their conversations around the town – always have a backup plan. In fact, why don't have several of them? He had known why Emma had stayed behind, and why she had been so worried about using the beans as a means of transportation, therefore he had installed his own insurance, as it were, remembering the trouble that Regina had instigated when she had demolished the first field of beans.

Hearing the water turn off in the master bathroom, signaling that his mother was finished with the shower, he went to Kyle's room, finding the young blond siting up in his crib, smiling up to him. "Hey, there, Kyle," he murmured to the child, taking him out of the crib and placing him on the changing table.

Only seconds after that, he heard his mother walk in, taking over the changing duties from him, her gratified smile weakly lighting up her face. Together they walked down to the dining room, Kyle in Regina's hands. The toddler's high chair was already set beside the head of the table, with a puree of fruits ready for his consumption, while there were eggs and toasted bread for the adults along with pitcher of coffee. Henry picked his chair beside his mother, and following his example, the others sat down, forming an impromptu round table. But, before anyone could ask any questions, the boy dove into the breakfast, his intent of getting the meal out of the way first clear. Only when he was finished, he looked up at the others, his hands intertwined on the polished wood of the table.

However, when Regina opened her mouth, doorbell rang out, startling everyone as they looked toward the entrance. "Oh, for the love of…" the Queen snapped, rising up, but Snow got up first, not only because she wanted to be helpful, but because she wanted to spare whomever was at the door from the painful end. Opening the white door she raised her eyebrows in surprise at the person standing there, glancing back at Regina to see what to do. It took only one exasperated nod to let the Mother Superior and Grumpy inside, who immediately came into the dining room and they settled, Blue taking a chair David had freed for her, while Grumpy leaned against the side table beside Anton, his heavy pat meeting the giant's shoulder in expression of relief to see him alright.

"I heard about the fire," the fairy spoke softly as she looked up to Snow, her eyes glancing toward the Mayor, somehow encompassing them both in the sympathizing look that made Regina grind her teeth.

"Surely there can be another way to cross realms?" David asked the Mother Superior, the question he had asked once before, and the one he had known the answer for, but he had to try. And, receiving only a slight shake of the petit woman's head, he sighed heavily, aware of Regina's pursed lips for the unnecessary delay.

"There are no portals in Storybrooke," the Mayor spoke, her gaze passing over each person gathered in her home. Most of them she didn't mind, having gotten used to them in the past weeks, even growing to appreciate them, but she did mind the presence of the odious flying pest. "No magical mirrors, no spinning hats that work, no shadows consisting of the pure evil. And, even if there was a curse powerful enough to cross realms, just like the one that created this town – it would require too great of the price, the price I am neither willing nor ready to pay! That is why we need the beans." Regina grounded out, her palms pressing onto the polished wood of her table lest she started flinging fireballs through her dining room, as her eyes focused onto the Prince, pinning him down. "And, that is why we are here, upon the pirate's request." She then looked at her son, gentling her gaze, but still keeping it insistent. "Which brings us back to Henry."

For a moment no one spoke, no one moved, all eyes turned to Henry as he waited for something. His permission came in the form of his mother's eyebrow rising, the prompt evident, especially for him as he knew her the best of the people gathered there. "You have something to share?" Regina added softly, not sure if her impatience was shown properly to the sneaky boy.

Henry nodded and glanced toward the pirate leaning against the wall beside the entrance to the kitchen and started his story. "Remember the day I was late from the school? I said that I got held up at Granny's because of the rain…"

Henry walked into the diner, scowling at the sky, as the thunders rumbled in the distance. He was supposed to go to his mother's office before going to Archie, however his decision to stop by the Granny's had not been as impulsive as he had made it out to Regina, in the text he had sent her only minutes before. As he had walked by the glass window, he had seen the pirate he had been inconspicuously looking for in the past week drinking at the bar. Ducking inside he walked straight to the counter, waving to the old lady in greeting, knowing that he didn't even need to tell the widow Lucas his order. But before he stepped away from the counter to find a place to sit, he tapped the pirate's forearm, his imploring eyes speaking for him as he gestured toward the empty booth in the middle of the diner. Shrugging off the surprise, Hook followed Henry's directions and taking his glass of spirits he sat at the indicated seat, waiting for the boy to join him.

The boy slid onto the padded bench, throwing his backpack beside him and taking off his jacket, his deliberate moves serving as a good stalling strategy, while he waited for one of the waiters to bring his drink, not willing to start anything while someone could overhear him. Luckily, he had learned the schedule of the diner perfectly, knowing that Granny Lucas would be too busy to listen to him at the moment, the late lunch crowd making its way into the diner only moments after the boy sat down, and the others would not think that the pirate would do anything to him in front of all the White supporters. When a waitress that had been standing in for Ruby brought him his chocolate with cinnamon, offering him a smile before walking away, he grasped the warm cup, his eyes scrutinizing the man sitting across of him.

"What is it, lad?" the pirate spoke softly, his hand playing with the glass as his hook was resting at the table, the whole town pretty much used to it. He had to smirk at the boy and his conniving expression, his eyes sizing him up, just like Emma's always used to. When the boy leaned toward him, he almost unconsciously followed the gesture, waiting for the boy to start.

"I need a favor," the preteen spoke calmly, his eyes never moving from his. "And, I need your help."

"How can I be of assistance, young master Henry?" Killian asked, intrigued with the boy's words. It seemed rather odd that the preteen would come to him, among all the people ready to cater to his every whim, not only because he was the son of the Savior and the Evil Queen, newly appreciated as the Madam Mayor, but lovely young boy who had guided the Savior to save the whole town and break the curse. And, Hook decided that he would go along with this conversation, if only to keep Henry from other seedier people, intervening if need be by informing his mother or father if necessary. After all, he did have a debt to pay to the boy, a debt of his conscience he intended to pay, one way or the other.

"You are going to help me organize an operation, the one no one can know about; not even my family," the boy said softly before he took a sip of his chocolate. "First, I need you to swear upon Jolly Roger that you will keep this a secret."

"Now, look here, lad, I don't think this is a good idea…" Hook blanched at the mention of his ship, for it was his most prized possession. He admired the boy for finding the perfect snare for him to keep his word if he ever was to agree to this, but he couldn't help but be wary of the secret the boy exuded with.

"If you do not swear, I will walk away and find someone who can agree to my terms," Henry said, lowering his mug, the determination shining through his every move. After a moment of scrutiny, the boy moved to take his jacket, smirking when the pirate jerked across the table, his hand patting at the table in surrender. "Swear it," Henry reiterated, his eyes boring down the man who was centuries older than him, a pirate used to dealing with the scum of the many ports – the man who was bested by a twelve year child.

"Alright!" Killian hissed, as he took up his glass and drained it in one swallow. "I swear to uphold your secret, and to help you with your operation. I swear it upon my faithful ship, Jolly Roger, young Henry." After receiving a satisfied nod from the boy, the pirate leaned onto his elbows, and waited for the next part. "What is this about?"

"My mother proved how easily one can do something to the beans. I want you to help me make sure that if something like that happen, it doesn't delay the plan. A backup plan."

"What makes you think that someone would want to tamper with the field?" the pirate asked, his apprehension easing into eager interest, as he considered the boy's words. "Surely, no one would want to anger your mother, or your grandparents."

"Things happen," Henry added sagely as he sipped his lukewarm chocolate, his eyes passing over the clock hanging above the counter, calculating the time. "It wouldn't be the first time that the things would turn for the worst before the end," he said, knowing that he was running out of time. "Look, I know no one here wants to get on my mother's bad side, but I just want to have insurance."

"Why keep it a secret? I would think her Majesty would love the idea." Killian watched the boy and smiled at his roll of the eyes – as both of them knew that the Mayor had too much to deal with already. "Alright, lad. Why me? I am a pirate, a non-desirable. No one trusts me in this town, lad."

"That is why you are perfect. No one would consider that you would be the secret keeper for the Charmings or my mom, since she doesn't like you and David threatens to kick your butt regularly." Putting on his jacket, Henry leaned further forward. "And, you owe me."

Not even bothering to deny the boy, the pirate nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

"Go to Tiny, and find out how to properly care for the stalks. Just be friendly." Rising from the table, Henry swung his bag onto his shoulder, leaning toward the leather clad man. "Figure out how to steal several stalks without anyone noticing. The operation Back Alley is beginning." And, with those last words, the boy rushed out into the downpour, his quick gait taking him toward the Town Hall to his mother.

In the next several days he managed to put the intricate plan in motion, impressing even himself with the parts of it, as he had involved his friends in the project, never giving them the complete information, excusing his need to secrecy with an assignment from Emma, which in truth, if he really thought about it, it kind of actually was. Grace and August came to him, not even asking about it, drawn to the boy's dedication and know-it-all attitude. The girl would often offer suggestions based on the biology knowledge or something like that, helping Henry with details, while the former puppet was the handyman of the group.

The next phase was to find a proper place for growing the stolen beans, somewhere they wouldn't be found that easily and where they wouldn't be exposed to the elements. Blue had placed the protective dome over the field, but he couldn't ask her to do the same, nor could he ask his mother to teach him magic, so he had to find a place with climate control. With some masterful manipulation, Grace followed his instructions and managed to get a free pass to the Storybrooke Park botanic garden, citing an experiment for the science class at school. Of course, the town workers allowed the children in, giving them one sequestered part of the glass house to do as they pleased. But, Henry also decided to plant one of the stalks into the protective casing his mother had used for the same purpose, now stashed away at the home garage, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to have a backup of the backup.

With Killian and Anton's help, he learned much about caring for the crops, carefully noting every step, crosschecking everything in his preparations. So when he finally obtained the crops two weeks before the Thanksgiving, the whole deal went without a glitch. All that was left was to water the plants, check their progress and wait.

Henry was pleased that during his operation Tiny and Hook managed to form a tentative friendship, often spending evenings together playing cards, on the ship or at Anton's place, sometimes joined in by the dwarves. The pirate was not considered so much of a pariah in the town, now that he had someone to call a friend, and the change in the attitude toward him also managed to ease the scrutiny over the meetings with the boy.

"You think this is connected to your plan?" Killian asked Henry quietly over his drink when they 'accidentally' met at the diner, the news about District Attorney Spencer's murder turning the town abuzz with the excitement. He caught the boy's shrug with the corner of his eye while he sipped from his glass.

"It feels like a distraction," Henry replied solemnly after a minute of consideration. "Keep watch?" he asked as he pushed away from the counter.

"Of course, lad," Killian winked lazily at the boy, making him smile in the appreciation. He truly liked the boy, his inventive mind and scheming plans, but also, the boy had earnestness about him, something reminding the pirate of long forgotten innocence he once had had. As he watched the boy slip out of the diner and enter the black Mercedes of the Mayor idling at the curb, Hook focused on the conversations around him, gathering as much information as he could for the young Prince.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that you have the beans?" Regina asked incredulously, only then finding her voice, faced with the full scope of Henry's plan and the work he had put into the operation. "That you actually have transplanted some of the stalks and that now we still have a way over?" She didn't know whether to smother him in a proud hug, or yell at him at the secret keeping, sneaking around and underhanded dealing with the pirate. She decided she would do neither, kissing his forehead gently, as she sighed, letting him sink into her arms, feeling him preen under the admiring gazes of his family as he nodded in reply to her surprised questions, feeling accomplished for a very good reason. Regina didn't like the fact that he had went behind her back, but with all the work she had put in the town and searching for the guiding relics for Emma's gates, as well as taking care of her family, the idea of creating a secondary source of beans would be postponed most likely, or delegated to someone incompetent, probably achieving none of the results Henry had.

"He truly is your son, your Majesty," Neal spoke softly leaning into her side as he patted his son's hair. In fact, he could recognize all three of his parents in him, Emma's staunch need to help out and to expect the worst, Regina's machinating and detailed mind and his own need to know all the exits and alternatives. The woman agreed in a soft murmur, but worried slightly at the connotations of Neal's words, not willing to let Henry soil his heart for them, despite his good intentions.

"Then, you will show me after we're done here?" the Mayor inquired softly, her whisper heard only by the boy in her arms as her light breath passed over his ear. He only squeezed her hand in response, not drawing attention to her secretive approach.

"So, nothing has changed," Mary Margaret spoke with relief, her eyes watching her grandson with affection.

"It would seem so," the former Queen replied gently. "But, there is still the matter of Sidney Glass to deal with."

"He cannot stay in the Sheriff's office forever," David spoke gently, his eyes connecting with the father of his grandson, their agreement on the subject obvious. "And, stashing him up in the hospital seems cruel."

"Doctor Whale is with him now, at the station, trying to assess him, along with Doctor Hopper," Neal spoke as he looked down at his phone, having received the update he was looking for. He had asked the men to see to the lunatic in their holding cell, advising extreme caution in dealing with him, while he had driven on the way to the Mayor's mansion, correctly guessing that his sibling would've had the mad man under the lock and key shortly.

"Then, what do you suggest, as he cannot be left to roam freely," Regina spoke, needing to rise, to step away from the stifling expectation filling the room. With elegant steps she brought herself to the side bar of the room filling a crystal tumbler with her prized cider, the refreshing and familiar taste relaxing her somewhat.

"Who was he, before the curse?" Neal asked after the silence enveloped them, only then realizing that he had no idea who the dark skinned man had been in the Enchanted Forest.

"Mom's Mirror," Henry replied, as he had known the role of most of the people involved in the Mayor's everyday life. Seeing his mother nod at him in confirmation he smiled at her, pleased to see that the hand that held the glass no longer shook with emotional exhaustion and surprise. Firmly deciding to force the brunette into bed right after the others left, he turned toward his father. "But, before he was a freed Genie."

"A Genie?" Neal frowned at the information; not doubting that Henry told him what he constituted as truth, but in his knowledge of magic, releasing Genie from the lamp would have been next to impossible. He glanced up at the other woman of magical authority, his eyebrows making his question for him. "Is that true?" he asked the Blue Fairy, ignoring Regina's scoff from her perch.

"Yes, my father set him free," Snow added helpfully, the warring emotions about her parent clear in the rumpled forehead, as she glanced toward her former step-mother, not missing the shadow pass over the dark eyes. "He had found a lamp washed up on the shore beneath our castle, and released the Genie from it, inviting him to my birthday."

"And, nothing happened?" Neal insisted with his questions, having a point, and by the interested lean of the Mother Superior's head, he knew that the woman understood where he was going with it, even though no one else did, least of all his sister. "But, the lamp would never allow to be emptied, there is always a price to be paid – at least, that I learned from my father."

"I don't understand," Mary Margaret spoke, leaning into David who had placed his hands onto her shoulder as he stood behind her, her eyes darting from Regina to Blue than to Neal and back again to her former stepmother. And, it seemed that she was not alone in the confusion as everyone's eyes looked up to the lost son and the Blue fairy, waiting for them to explain, Regina included.

The Mother Superior glanced toward her former charge and sighed heavily, knowing that she would have to reveal something that could potentially be used against her, especially with the newly formed bond between the White Princess and the Queen. Honestly, she focused her gaze on Snow for she was afraid to look into the judging and hard brown orbs of the woman standing across from them, still sipping the apple scented drink. "It is the magic of the Genies that prevents them from ever becoming free, because a vessel containing them must always have a Genie inside, regardless of the wishes made. Ordinarily, when a wish for freedom is made, the power of the magic entraps the wisher, taking life for a life, but even such instances were rare for the greed of men is well documented. However, most often than not, the lamp would ignore the wish, as it was woven into the caveats of the magic of the lamp – the vessel can interfere with the Genie if the future of the Genie himself is in question. So, obtaining freedom without a steep, and often insurmountable price is unheard off, and when King Leopold bragged to me about doing just so, I warned him, Snow. I warned him that the magic always extracts the price and it is often not the one we are ready to pay."

"What did he do?" the pixie haired woman asked, involved with the storytelling, making Regina snort.

"What he always did," she said bitterly, seeing no point in interrupting the moth's story previously. "He sneered and thought that he was better and smarter than everyone else, thinking that his kingship was a protection enough." It was hard to miss the cold scorn and blatant hatred for the man in the brunette's voice, although she did attempt to control herself for her son's sake. "He ignored you," she added, addressing the Mother Superior directly.

"He did," Blue nodded, not oblivious to the suffering the former Queen had suffered at the King's hands. "And, in the end, he did pay the price for his wish, and in a way that I had warned him about – a life for a life." Still keeping her eyes connected to the dark ones, the fairy pushed on. "You may have orchestrated some of it, but he died in the direct consequence of his actions by messing with the powers he did not understand."

"So, you're saying that it was his fault Regina sicced Genie on him?" Mary Margaret hissed suddenly, before she managed to clench her jaw to prevent more scathing words escaping her. She turned toward the woman in question, her eyes apologetic, but Regina only raised her eyebrow imperiously, coolly watching Snow shift in her chair, cold smirk tilting over her lips.

"Genie was never meant to be free, the magic in him and the isolation of the lamp practically made him too unstable to exist without a binding force placed upon him by the lamp. So, when he was released, Genie found another master, influenced by his romantic notions of saving the girl from her prison and mistreatment from the King, unwittingly creating the bond between himself and Regina, such as it was between Genies and lamps." Blue continued on, deciding to break the stalemate between the Royal women. "It was his very own freedom that caused his emotional instability, that he would do anything to be considered a hero by his newly chosen mistress."

"And, really, it wasn't like I twisted his arm to do anything," Regina added nonchalantly, placing down her glass. "My father only had to say that he had found a way and he was already neck deep in the preparations to set me free." She looked back to Snow, allowing some spite to return to the dark eyes as she spoke to her former step-daughter. "It was the King's own arrogance that killed him, Snow. His own belief that he was above the laws of magic and simple human decency!" She did not mean to lose her temper but, the topic of her much hated husband was still very sore, and discussing it like that in the open, before all those people did ravage her ability to stay calm. It was Snow's accepting nod that helped her regain her control, the understanding clear in the overshadowed green eyes, the look so potently reminding her of her time with Emma in the Enchanted Forest that it unwittingly eased the sharp edges of her anger, making her breathe in deeply.

"So, when he wished to remain by your side forever, the magic of the bond forced him into another object because Genie could not interfere with the power of his lamp, in this case you?" Henry spoke softly in the silence following his mother's outburst, his words said evenly, with great deliberation as he looked up to his mother, wanting to see if his reasoning was right. "And, because he was never meant to be free, he was placed in the mirror, as your faithful servant, his mind restored, but his freedom denied," he added, sounding oddly too mature for his age, the wise tone surprising most of the people in the room, but not his mother – who had known all along that she had a very smart boy for her son. She smiled at him with a nod, the gentling of her eyes award enough for his clever supposition. "And, when he was here, the constraint of the curse was keeping him more or less balanced, but still enthralled by you, which you used for your purposes. He only started getting crazier with the weakening of the curse." He placed his hands onto the table, the slap of them loud in the silence following his words, as he continued on, like it was a no-brainer at all, and his incredulous look encompassing all of the adults around him. "So, return him to his previous form," he spoke, offering the solution, which was pretty obvious in his mind. "Put him back in the mirror."

"Henry," Regina started to explain that it wasn't all that easy, before Blue interrupted with a calculating look in her eyes as she looked toward the Queen.

"Young Mister Henry might be upon the solution, your Majesty," she offered. "I am certain that if you and I combine our magic, the feat would be quite surmountable," she added, interpreting Regina's reluctance properly. "However, I am convinced that you are quite powerful to do so all by yourself."

"Even so, it is just another form of imprisonment," the Mayor spoke exasperatedly, somewhat unnerved with the ease the others accepted Henry's proposition. It wasn't the fact that he was right, but the motion of denying one's freedom that bothered her, as her son, as a child, should have no say in deciding over the fates of people around him, for it was a responsibility not many adults could deal with, least of all children.

"Mom," Henry rose from his chair and walked to the Mayor, his eyes only seeing her consternation and worry for him. Once upon a time he would have attributed it to her desire to keep Sidney useful, but now he knew that it had nothing to do with the insipid man but with him and his participation in this council of sorts, her desire to keep him a child a while longer quite visible in her caramel turned eyes, their gentle countenance shown only for him. He remembered the words she had told him only days before, about keeping his innocence, quite vividly. "He is hurting people, mom."

"He did threaten Emma, Regina," David said, helping his grandson. "As the Mayor and the Sheriff of this town, the safety of its residents rests with us, and from where I am standing the choice is clear. It is not an easy one, and I understand that, with your histories, but it is an obvious one, Madam Mayor." He tried to remember the words of the Sheriff's charter, the passage that Emma had shown him as a main guideline for his work. "If a person, or persons, presents a danger to himself or others in his vicinity, the duty of the Sheriff's office is to remand the said person, until such danger passes or is dealt with in accordance to the laws and the bills of rights."

"There is no need to quote the handbook to me, I wrote the damn thing," Regina snapped at the interim Sheriff, scowling at his attempt of handling her.

"Then, you know that it is either returning him to the Mirror, or the room in the Hospital basement." David did not even blink at her biting retort, crossing his arms at his chest. "I personally think he can be of some use as the Mirror, but, ultimately, the choice is yours." With that, he moved toward her and bypassing his grandson, he placed his hand onto Regina's shoulder, leaning his head to catch her eyes. "Whatever you decide, I will stand by you," he spoke softly, his tribute of loyalty and trust saying more than any words he could have said, only further reminding Regina of the fact that now she had Charming as a friend, the fact she still wasn't used to. Then, after he smiled gently at her, his kind blue eyes twinkling with kindness, he stepped away, gesturing to others to vacate the property, the council meeting effectively over. And, he knew that Regina would be much too glad to let him deal with the others. He walked outside, followed by Neal and the others, and stood by the door waiting for his wife and Mother Superior left inside.

"What a night," Baelfire commented as he closed his jacket, waving to Leroy and Tiny leaving by foot from the Mayoral Mansion. Then he turned to Hook. "And, you, what was that all about?"

"The lad came to me," the pirate said softly, looking at the man he once had known as a boy. "I figured it safer for him to stick with me than go off with someone else." Then he leaned toward the two men, his eyes imploring them to believe him. "I wouldn't allow any harm to find him." Seeing a grudging acceptance of his words in the policemen beside him, he nodded and tucking his chin, he started walking, not even bothering to ask for a ride, used to the scorn he was getting from the town people. "If you need me, I'll be on my ship."

Mary Margaret quickly motioned to Henry to help her clear the dishes, giving Regina a moment with Blue, having a feeling that there was something to be asked and that it wasn't for the young ears around to hear.

"I have a problem," Regina started, guiding the woman into her study, deciding to use the opportunity speak with the fairy presented to her, and after the troublesome events of the previous days, she was rather reluctant to risk her mission because of her pride. She appreciated the Mother's silence, as the smaller woman understood that this was likely never to be repeated, letting her explain what she needed in peace. "I believe you are already familiar with Emma's goal," Regina spoke slowly, leaning against her working desk, looking at the woman seated in front of her and seeing the confirming nod, she continued, still unnerved with what she was about to do. "Our Sheriff has tasked me to find a guide for the doors, something that would connect the portals, preventing the outsourcing of the power and creating a tunnel of sorts for the gates to work. So far, I have been unsuccessful in getting anything close to the required specifics, and I have searched Rumple's shop along with my mother's belongings."

The fairy smiled kindly at the Mayor before her, the nonexistent question apparent in her words. However, she did not begrudge the former Evil Queen the hesitance to ask for help, especially from her, who by her own testimony had abandoned to the evils of her life. If she was as petty as the Queen considered her to be, she would have enjoyed the woman's embarrassment over her need to ask for help, needling her further and demanding from her to demean herself even further and actually beg, but firmly deciding to attempt creating a more or less working relationship with the present part of the Storybrooke Power Couple, Blue only nodded in understanding, before she clasped her hands into her lap. "You are more than welcome to look through our archives, your Majesty, but I do not think it necessary for the moment," the small woman offered gently, careful to keep any kind of tone that might have been interpreted as gloating or even smirking. "You have the most powerful guide in the world available to you. You only need to capture it in a more tangible form."

"What are you talking about?" Regina asked, confused with the vague answer from the holly woman.

"True Love, Regina. You do not need anything else to guide the portals to each other, for the force of it is quite strong, the only magic capable of transcending Realms." Blue's pointed remark reminded Regina of the Hat's incidence when Emma's protective magic stabilized the portal. "And, that is something that you have in abundance around you," the woman spoke gently, her kind smile truly shown to the Queen for the first time in… ever, and the very presence of it told Regina that the patron fairy of the Charmings had buried the hatchet with her. "I am here if you need me," Blue offered before excusing herself with the business at the convent, leaving the woman to herself in the home office.

It was only minutes later that Regina was brought out from her thoughts with a hand gently landing to her shoulder as her former nemesis stood before her, the worried eyes searching her face for some sign of something. Not one to easily accept such manhandling, even though Snow had been quite tender, Regina shook the hand off, her eyes looking over to the closed door of the study. "He is in the living room with Kyle," Mary Margaret answered knowingly, her prompt answer bringing some ease to Regina's tight features. "You need to rest," the younger woman whispered kindly, ignoring the expected roll of the dark eyes. "I know you have a lot of things to deal with, but it will not help if you run yourself to the ground with it."

"I am fine, Snow," Regina replied weakly, too tired to argue. "I am not a weakling, and I have been dealing with things since you were just a child."

"I know you are not," Snow said wryly, her hand once more reaching for Regina's shoulder, this time squeezing it lightly in support. "You are by far the strongest person I know, and that includes my daughter, but I also know that you are not fine, and that is alright. You won't be, not until she is in your arms once more, real and okay." Snow spoke from experience, as she caught Regina's eyes, her reassuring touch lowering the walls the woman had tried hastily to keep up because of the presence of so many people in her home. "Today has not been easy, and despite your obstinacy, I don't think you can push yourself much further without some real rest and relaxation. So, go, spend the day with my grandchildren and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and the worries can wait for, or better yet, the next day." Smiling at the woman that one day might be her daughter in law, Mary Margaret murmured her goodbyes, ready to leave, but a soft whisper stopped her at the door of the study.

"How did you do it?" Regina murmured, her eyes focused onto a new picture laid over the mantle in the office. It was one of the candid shots of Emma and Henry in the town, Mary Margaret realized - the topic of the question suddenly all too clear. "How did you endure?" Regina directed her eyes toward her former nemesis, the brown chocolate glazed with glittering liquid.

"I had hope," Snow answered softly, returning to her previous position by the other woman. "I had faith that our love was strong enough to reunite us once more. I believed." Hearing the brunette scoff lightly at the overly romantic words escaping her, Snow tried a different approach. "You have gone through more than a month without her, Regina, and we have passed the half mark of your separation. I know you, and I know that your fierce heart will help you survive whatever is necessary to be there when Emma comes back, or when the time comes for you to get her back. I have no doubt that you will be together and rather soon, at that. But, until then, focus on the people around you, on yourself, on the world you live in." Thinking of a proper distraction, the pixie haired woman continued on, with a light teasing in her voice. "I can come by these days with Kathryn and we can have a girls' night, or something of the sort if you want."

"Oh, please, don't," Regina groaned before she chuckled, the heavy and pressing atmosphere broken by the comment. She did not mind the idea of the girls' night, but all three of them had way too many issues with each other, and only time would help them deal with it. However, it was nice having friends, perhaps for the first time in her life, and she could not deny that she enjoyed Kathryn's sharp tongue, especially as the woman had taken over Spencer's office after his murder. "On the other hand, I wouldn't mind a lunch or two," she said as she walked Snow out, knowing that the younger woman would organize something of the kind in the name of the distraction from missing Emma so much. With a light nod she greeted David and closed the door behind the pixie haired woman, turning toward the living room, wanting to meet her boys.

"Hey, mom," Henry spoke from the couch, plenty of blankets around him as he held Kyle in his lap. "Come, lie here by us," he patted the comfortable seat as he took the remote, chuckling when Kyle decided to climb over his mother to stretch out over her chest, his head leaning onto her clavicle, as she leaned her head onto the hand rest, her body prone over the length of the couch, Henry joining her as a small spoon, boxing her in place. "We're watching Batman trilogy today," the boy informed his parent in no nonsense tone, as he brought her pinned arm to his front, allowing her to gently hold him to her side, as she used her other arm to caress the toddler's back. In a way, it was just what she needed after the terrible events of the night, suffusion in love from her children, and a time to unwind, watching a movie she had seen before. "You can sleep if you feel like it," the boy whispered as he turned his head toward her, their noses touching, and making Regina smile at his caring manner, deciding to take him upon his offer, the sounds of the movie lulling her in a restful doze, warm and safe.

The rest of the day passed in ease, spent with the children, enjoying them as she watched their interplay. In the afternoon, Henry took her to the garage and showed her the home stash of the beans, involving her in the serious conversation about Emma's idea, demanding to be included in the process more, and with a soft smile directed at him, Regina agreed, knowing that he, as well as she, needed to feel useful.

The next morning, Regina walked into the Sheriff's office, her purposeful stride heard from afar thanks to her heels. Nodding in greeting to her brother, she walked toward the cells, watching the sleeping man in the cot, with a cold but determined expression on her face.

David, having heard her approach, came to the door of his office and leaned against it, watching the woman dressed in her professional attire, the sleek lines of her black pencil skirt and pea coat only enhancing the sense of danger that emanated from the woman. As he was still unsettled by the fact how easily he could have lost the way to his daughter, and still more than angry with the man who had facilitated that, David knew that Regina was in a turmoil herself. Walking out to her, he placed a hand onto her upper arm in light greeting and support as he stood behind her, waiting for her to speak.

"I am taking him to the Vault," she spoke clearly, looking at the prisoner, before she glanced up at David.

"He is still heavily sedated, though. Do you need help?" the interim Sheriff asked, pleased that the woman had made the decision. He was aware that it wasn't the one she was happy with, however, it did seem that it was for the best, at the moment. The fact remained that Sidney Glass was too dangerous to be left alone.

"No, I can manage," Regina replied softly, leaning slightly into David's hand in appreciation of his offer, before she stepped away to Neal's desk. "Henry has a free afternoon today," she spoke to the father of her son, watching him as he turned toward her in his chair, "and, as I need to stay in the office a bit longer than usual, can you take him?"

"Of course," the man spoke, leaning back in the chair, looking up at his half sibling. "Whatever you need," he added earnestly, catching her eyes, as he had noticed the troubled shadows passing over her face. "We can take Kyle to the park later, if you want?"

"I'll let you know," Regina said after a moment, blinking at the man in front of her, feeling strangely raw after his offer. "He is with Kathryn now, and they will stop by my office later." Then, she straightened up, and once more turned toward the cells, hesitating slightly as she called upon her magic. "Good day, gentlemen," she spoke before she disappeared, along with the sleeping prisoner, in the swirl of gentle purple.

"You think she'll be OK?" Neal asked his boss after the smoke cleared.

"No." David walked by Neal's desk and shook his head, as he continued on to his office, worried about the dark haired woman. "Not until she gets to Emma."

---

The moment Regina entered the vault, several candles placed around the dark, cavernous space flared to life, not only providing light but lessening the dismalness of the room, throwing it in the soft shadows, hiding many dangerous objects from possible interested eyes. All, but one. A mirror, hanging proudly of the wall on one side of the inner chamber, reflected the flickering light of the candles. Beneath it, a man appeared in swirls of warm tones of purple, still bound and unconscious, lying prone on the cold and damp floor, his features obscured by the shadows falling over him, but the owner of the mausoleum knew very well who he was, as she was the one to bring him there.

With one hand on her hip, Regina observed both the Mirror she had kept all these years and the man who had once dwelled in it, and was about to inhabit it again. Although she was still feeling discomfort over entrapping the man again, she knew with certainty that it was truly the best solution of all, and with a heavy preparatory sigh she raised her hand and touched the cold surface of the mirror, making the glass turn liquid, her other hand in the air above Sidney's still unaware body. One flicker of her fingers made the cuffs disappear and with her eyes narrowed in concentration, Regina let the magic flow, following her direction, as it wrapped around the man and turned him into a silver reflective mist that, under the woman's instructions, flew into the now rippling glass. After several seconds the mirror solidified again, announcing the end of the spell and Regina stepped away, lowering her arms, one of them going around her middle, meeting the other on the hip, as she glanced around to find something to occupy herself with. It was done, and what remained was to wait and see if it worked. The first time the Agrabahni had ended in the mirror had been due to a wish, so she had no point of reference for the magic, forced to extrapolate the process from her knowledge and do 'an Emma' and just use her instincts, hoping for the best.

Taking a seat on one of the trunks in the room, Regina picked one of the books she had left lying around the last time she had been there, carelessly flipping through the pages filled with elvish script, her mind taking her to the one person who was never far from her thoughts, as minutes passed by.

The past two days had been such a rollercoaster of emotions for her, and she was still feeling off balance, the destruction of the field had left her shaken beyond measure. The idea that her only way to Emma had been destroyed, so easily…. That she would never see the courageous blonde, or feel the connection she had felt whenever they had been close to each other, that her hands would never pass though the golden tresses and over the pale soft skin, tracing the defined muscles… It did more damage than anyone knew, but the brunette had a very strong suspicion that her son had a pretty accurate idea, hence his almost suffocating cossetting of her, practically never leaving her alone, always there to offer a heartening hug, or a caring smile, helping out more than usual. She did appreciate his support and caring, but it left her feeling guilty for burdening her child with her problems, so she tried to put a stop to it, quite unsuccessfully. Despite her telling him stalwartly that she was the parent in their relationship and that she was the one to be all mothering, Henry would smirk at her in the manner he had apparently inherited from his absent mother and say "I know", before continuing on just the same.

"It's what you do for people you love. You help them." He had said that morning, having brought coffee and apple porridge into her bedroom right before her alarm had rung. The caring affection in his eyes had told her that he hadn't been talking about breakfast or him taking on more responsibilities around the house. He had meant his help with Regina's momentarily devastated heart. "Not long ago, I was the one to put that look in your eyes," he had added guiltily, hiding his face from her as he had played with the edge of her comforter, not seeing the tears appearing in her eyes at his admission. The words he hadn't said but clearly had meant Regina had heard in the silence that followed. This is my apology. With his softly spoken name leaving her lips, she had pulled the boy to herself, her meaningful and honest words of forgiveness bringing her son to tears, as he had gripped her desperately. In a way, that had been long overdue, pushed aside for a random crisis happening, but finally they had had the talk about it, where she had made a point of telling and showing Henry that she had never blamed him for it, nor hated him.

A cough broke her pensive mood, and she looked toward the now filled mirror, and saw the familiar shape looking back at her with undecipherable expression on it.

"You're awake," Regina said evenly, rising from her place and walking several steps toward the mirror. During the time she had with her children, she had an opportunity to think and let go of her anger and hatred toward the man. She had come to a conclusion, that, in the end, it had been her fault, as she had cultivated his obsessive infatuation with her for her nefarious purposes and then, left him to be consumed with it, spiraling off to the madness she had witnessed the in the field. Like a camp fire, left unattended turning into a raging forest blaze. She had played with him, and as always, there were consequences.

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," Sidney replied flatly. "I would've thought my punishment would be more… deadly." There was a question in his words, underlined by one of his eyebrows going up and the head tilting to a side. "I do remember you reaching for my heart."

"That is not who I am anymore," Regina said softly, wringing her hands. Although she had spoken the truth, it did worry her how easily she had slipped into the Evil Queen, and only thanks to the man she shared blood with she hadn't killed the dark-skinned man, nulling all the good progress on her redemption.

"You have changed," the Mirror spoke after several moments of thoughtful silence, having regarded the brunette thoroughly, accepting her answer for the truth. Then the shape of the head flickered, dissolving and reforming, before he spoke for a second time. "You love again," he noted with resigned wonder as he disappeared once more, and a memory of Emma started playing out. Regina recognized the event, it being deeply etched in her mind, her lips unconsciously tightening before turning up in a barely there smile as her eyes fell on the familiar jacket and David's sword. "Does she make you happy?" he asked as the image of the blonde turned into his misty form.

"That is of no concern for you," Regina replied with a pointed bite to her words before allowing one mercy on him, as he had asked with honesty. "But, yes." Then, she remembered she had more important things to deal with. "Did you kill Spencer?"

Her question might have been random but Sidney wasted no time in answering it. "Yes."

"Why?" Logistically, it made sense because he had been the only one the Sheriff's department couldn't account for, but she could not think of a reason for Sidney to kill the vitriol filled man as they had no quarrel with each other.

"He wanted to take your place as the Mayor." At the woman's confused frown, the Mirror continued. "He reappeared after you had left, demanding new elections. And with the Charming Royals out of the picture he was gaining public support. However, you came back just in time to stop him cold. He was about to instigate another witch hunt."

"And, David? Why implicate him?"

"It was a convenient way to move him out of the office, giving you the opportunity to place someone you trust."

"You," Regina finished for him, able to follow his logic despite the madness that had forced him to do it.

"Yes. I see now that my actions have hurt you deeply, and for that I am sorry." His voice was apologetic and earnest. "I was never meant to be free, your Majesty," he offered as a poor excuse.

"I am not the Queen here," the brunette remarked, silently acknowledging his apology but not accepting it. She couldn't, not just yet, probably not until Emma was by her side.

"You will always be my Queen," he replied, a slight trace of his sycophantic whine evident in his voice, making Regina bristle. The ingratiating way he had spoken her title clashed so violently with her clear memory of Emma speaking those same words with love, cherishing and loyalty, without a bit of flattery or groveling.

"I was and will never be yours, Sidney," Regina said clearly, her sharp tone and piercing look getting the point across.

With contrite incline of his head, the Mirror spoke once more. "You are my Mistress, and I am forever your faithful servant. Such is the way of Genies, your Majesty." However, he had noticed how the way he had spoken earlier had made Regina wince, so he decided only to use most neutral honorifics, avoiding any possessives that might have been understood wrongly.

---

In her office, Regina cradled the phone on her shoulder while dialing the Sheriff's station with one hand, and other bringing the papers she needed to look over and approve before the end of the work day. As she waited for the call to connect, she closed her eyes, already feeling exhausted, the Sidney situation taking out of her more than she had assumed it would. Not the magic but the emotional toil it had taken. Expecting David's brisk but professional greeting, she was startled when a gruff "Yeah?" reached her. After a rebuking lecture on proper answering the official line of a public service, she informed Neal about what Sidney had said, knowing it would close their only open case, mentioning also the fact that George had been rallying up the masses again – something she hadn't known before. The guilty silence that followed told her that it had been kept from her, but that they had known about it. "It doesn't matter now," Regina let Neal of the hook, but not until listening to his hapless tries to justify himself or his boss – as she was very well aware that they had done their best and were not obligated to share every tenet of their investigation with her. A knock on the glass drew her attention to the door and seeing the ten month old toddler holding himself to the doorframe with one chubby hand and waving vigorously at her with the other made her smile, as she shifted the phone, pulling the mouth piece of her face. "Hello, sweetie," she cooed, as she waved the boy over, knowing that the blonde in charge of him was hiding behind the wall. "Come in, Kathryn," she added pointedly, her eyes pinned to the proud but halting steps Kyle made over to her, his hands waving in front of him in effort to balance. "I have to go, come after lunch," she spoke into the receiver, before blindly placing it into its place at the desk, not even waiting for Neal to confirm.

"Hi, my baby boy," she said gently, lifting the blond toddler into her lap, as she smiled in greeting to the woman that had taken a seat in front of her desk, pushing the stroller with Kyle's things beside her. "Were you good for Kathryn?"

Just as he nodded exaggeratedly, the blonde spoke. "He was perfect." Sharing the small details about their morning, the former princess watched the woman she was starting to consider her friend play with the child in her arms, not caring that she was dressed in a business dress, or that the toddler was pushing against the papers on her desk. She was amazed to witness the softness in the Mayor's eyes whenever her children were around her. But, if what Snow had said at the dinner she and Jim had made, inviting the Charmings, Regina's eyes truly shone when around Emma and the kids together, making her seem years younger and alit with happiness.

"I wanted to run something by you," Kathryn spoke after a while. Seeing Regina look up and hum, she took out an envelope out of her jacket pocket and gave it to the woman. "I know that I don't have the best qualifications, but…"

Regina read the job application and smiled when she saw the precise handwriting noting the position. "No, no, don't worry about that," the Mayor spoke reassuringly as she looked back at the woman in front of her with interest. "Are you sure? You are about to be a mother, and it can be very stressful, especially in such position. Trust me, I know."

Relieved that her idea was not dismissed outright, the blonde considered the words spoken in concern. "I am," she said with absolute confidence. "I can manage, and Fredrick will be there to help out with the kid," she added, her voice gentling as she placed her hands over the bump in her middle. "It's what I want to do."

"Alright," Regina conceded easily, convinced by Kathryn's insistence and sureness. After all, Princess Abigail had been quite capable woman, whose sharp mouth and keen mind had been famous in the old land. "The Town Council appoints the District Attorney, but I see no reason why they would pass this by. And, I don't think there are other applicants, so it is pretty much guarantied you will have it."

"Thank you," the blonde spoke gratefully, putting on her jacket.

"Oh, it has nothing to do with me, Kathryn." Regina smiled kindly, tapping the application with her finger. "You did all the work and seized the opportunity."

"Still, you haven't laughed."

"Why would I laugh?" Regina blinked in bewilderment before shaking it off. "Actually, I think this is a superb idea." Then, she sighed and focused onto the woman, needing to add something else. "But, I must admit, I have an ulterior motive for supporting your application." Hurrying with her explanation, Regina watched Kathryn's face, noticing the dimming of the blue eyes and felt a prick of remorse for causing that, but soon she hoped it would be rectified. "You see, in the absence of the Mayor, for whatever reason, the duties of the office fall on the Council, where the DA assumes the title of the Interim Mayor dealing with any emergencies or urgent decisions." The way she spoke made the blonde frown, not able to understand what it had to do with her, so the Mayor continued. "As I am soon to leave for the Enchanted Forest, I won't be comfortable with leaving this town in anyone's but your capable hands, regardless whether Snow and David come with me."

It took a minute for the future mother to understand the full implication of Regina's words but then she gasped, bringing her hand to the mouth, awed by the amount of trust she was granted. "You mean…" Kathryn uttered with disbelief, unable to finish.

"I do mean it," the Mayor confirmed it sincerely.

Not knowing what to say, Kathryn smiled widely in appreciation and gratitude, her eyes shining happily again, as she rose from her chair. If Regina hadn't been particular about her personal space and if she hadn't been holding the boy, the blonde would've hugged her, but instead she had to be satisfied with a heartfelt whispered "Thank you," before she left.

"We certainly made aunt Kathryn's day, didn't we?" Regina spoke with a teasing tilt to her voice as she tickled the child in her lap, relishing his delighted giggles, and nuzzling into his soft hair. It had surprised her how quickly she had gotten back into the swing of things related to the care of babies, her experience with Henry being a tremendous help. But, she realized that the patience she had only had for the toddler Henry, had returned, helping her manage all the necessary duties of the Mayor with the squirming child in her arms. The skill of writing, while using her other hand to amuse Kyle, she had perfected years before. And, so, they sat at the desk, Regina dealing with the reviews and proposals, and the baby happily babbling while leaning against the brunette's chest.

Several hours later, Neal and Henry came, the boy instantly walking up to his mother, catching her in half hug. "Hey, Mom," he murmured with affection as he straightened, his hand going to Kyle's hair.

"Henry," Regina answered softly with a welcoming smile, her eyes scrutinizing his face for the traces of unsettling sadness she had witnessed that morning – but it seemed that their talk had done good. Letting the preteen take the toddler out of her lap, she helped him get a good hold. As he walked toward the play pen in the corner Regina had set several days before, she turned toward the Deputy standing in front of her desk awkwardly, her eyes immediately falling to the bag of take out in his hand, the familiar logo visible despite the half crumbled bag. "He insisted, I presume," Regina said quietly, as she rose, gesturing toward the large table to their side.

"He is worried," Neal murmured, taking his seat perpendicular to Regina's, letting her have the unobstructed view to the children, and pushed the bag toward her in the silent invitation. "I am, too," he added, leaning onto his elbows as he peered into her tired eyes.

"I am fine," Regina spoke pointedly, before starting to eat.

"You know, I once heard that fine stands for frustrated, insecure, neurotic and emotional," he added conversationally, his eyes directed to his fingers tracing the veins on the marble top of the table.

Rolling her eyes at the man, she swallowed her bite. "What does you inaccurately quoting Aerosmith has to do with me?" Neal looked at his sister in surprise, the question obvious in his eyes. "I had a lot of time on my hands, and evil plots only get you so far," she added before going back to her meal, internally chuckling at his expression. It was funny how people often forget that she hadn't spent twenty eight years in haze but fully aware of the passage of time, and susceptible to boredom as any other human being. Watching her nemesis wander around the town as a hapless school teacher had been interesting only the first time. The new world offered so much new knowledge, and she did believe in the old adage – Knowledge is power. Although the curse had filled her in on the general knowledge of the world, it didn't bother with nuances and details, so she had explored, learned, conquered.

"Do you know that, all things considered, you have been here longer than me?" he spoke after a while, something on his mind. "I mean, I did grow up here, but you have been here, unchanged, for several years more than me."

"What's your point?"

"It's just weird, that's all."

"Did you consider the fact that if your father had bothered to verify his information on your whereabouts and had seen that you had been in the Neverland for the most of your exile, which is a magical realm and not so impossible to reach, none of this would have happened?" Regina said conversationally, her eyebrow lifted in challenge, waving her hand around the office but encompassing the whole town, before narrowing her eyes at him. "How did you leave that place, anyway?"

"Tink helped me," Neal spoke after a moment, spreading his palms on the table. Snow had told him that the pixie had turned on them and had died as a result, his heart heavy with the news. He hadn't expected the small creature to become so desperate to believe Pan's lies, but he had guessed that time and fear had been hard on the pixie folk. "She'd been collecting the pixie dust for years to gather enough for me to fly home," he explained, ignoring Regina's scrunch of distaste at the mention of the pixie's nickname. "We tried to capture the shadow first, to make it take me back, but it was too strong." He still had nightmares of his time on the island, but thankfully they had gone rare in the years he had reached adult years.

Having finished with her meal, the brunette glanced toward the boys playing, the excited chatter reaching her. "While we are on the subject of that island," Regina started in a whisper, still looking at her sons. "Does he ever talk about his time there? You are the only one who knows what it was like." Henry had had several rough nights, but he had shrugged them off easily, being his cheery and inquisitive self in the morning. However, she couldn't help but worry. The talks with Dr. Hopper seemed to help, and judging from the information Archie and Henry both shared with her, the good doctor and her son were working on dealing with all the things that had happened, not only the kidnapping.

"We did have several chats on the topic, but he didn't seem too interested to discuss it." Neal reached for the concerned mother, his hand falling over hers and squeezing it lightly, drawing her eyes toward his. "He never lost hope you would come for him. He knew, beyond any shadow of doubt, that his mothers would save him, and I think that made a lot of things easier for him to cope with. His faith has protected him, Regina." His earnest and soothing whisper made the worried lines around her mouth lighten. "His faith in you. In Emma." Then he leaned toward his sister, their shoulders touching. "I sometimes envy him for his belief, the security he has, the ultimate knowledge that his parents love him so fiercely." As he lifted himself from his seat, he pressed his hand to the slim shoulder in front of him, his gesture meant to provide comfort and congratulation at the same time, for raising such a wonderful and strong boy. Then, he turned slightly. "It's time to go," he spoke clearly, his words meant for the boys in the corner. Giving them several minutes to say bye to Regina, he tinkered around the stroller.

Before Regina could remind him, he smiled at her, Kyle already strapped in the chair of the stroller, Henry beside him. "I know the rules. In the house before sundown, and stay with them until you come home." His self-satisfied smirk brought out the narrowed but teasing look from Regina, as she waved them out of her office.

Needing distraction from all the heavy talks of that day, Regina delved into the financial statements, knowing that the repetitious yet demanding task would keep her busy for a while. As it was the first working day of December, she needed to prepare all the documentation of the year, and she wanted to do it before she left, not knowing what kind of mess would crop up in the absence. So, flexing her shoulders, she started reading and placing notes where necessary. A document by document, she got lost in the world of her duties as the Mayor. The hemorrhaging town budget, due to many fix ups needed in the last two years, was her main concern, but even that was solvable, especially with an influx of her personal funds and creative managing of the departments. However, it was a short timed solution, and Storybrooke needed something more permanent.

So deeply concentrated on the work in front of her Regina was that she didn't hear the knock on the door, nor it opening to show Mary Margaret's worried face peaking in. "Regina," the woman spoke softly, not wanting to startle the woman, her eyes noticing the furrowing brow and focused look.

The Mayor blinked at the voice and looked up, wincing when her neck pinched, having been strained for too long. She hissed, placing her hand over it, before she looked at the intruder, surprised to see the teacher in front of her. "Snow?" Regina murmured in question, looking at the clock on the wall above the fireplace, her eyes widening as she took in the time. "What are you doing here?" she asked, as she started stacking the papers, deciding to leave the rest for the next day. She hadn't even noticed that the dark had fallen over the small town, and she had home to get to.

"You didn't answer my text, and I was in the neighborhood?" the pixie haired woman said with uncertainty, not sure what to make of Regina's unusual absentmindedness. On Saturday morning, she had left the woman to get her bearings, and she had kept away the whole weekend - not wanting to intrude on Henry's plan of caring for his mother. She had, however, called the boy in secret, asking him if he had needed help or anything, but it had been her way of checking up on them. On Regina. David had told her of the empty expression she had worn in his car, and the way she had reacted to Sidney's betrayal, and she knew that despite the woman's stubbornness and self-reliance, the shock of it all would take time to dissipate.

"If you ask me if I am alright, I will throw a fireball at you," Regina growled in both exasperation and warning, feeling the scrutiny of the younger woman as she packed her briefcase. Then, with a tired huff, she left it on the desk as her shoulders sagged. As quick as her temper had flared, it had fizzled out, leaving her drained, and she, for some reason, felt bad for snapping at the woman's concerned look. It chafed. The fact that she couldn't erect her walls as good as before, the fact that she could not hide her wounds or that people could see she was vulnerable. She didn't mind it with Henry or Kyle, but others…

"I wasn't going to," Mary Margaret spoke softly, as she came closer to the older woman. "I wondered if we could talk?" The slight imploring edge denied the calmness that Snow was projecting, and Regina looked at her, her eyebrow going up in inquiry, as she crossed her arms, leaning on the side of her desk. "The text was about me coming to your house tonight."

"Don't you have a husband to go home to?"

"I don't think this is something that can wait," Snow added, the plea now unhidden.

Regina sighed and let her head bob in a barely there nod. "You drove here?" she asked shortly, as she picked up her things and waved the woman out, locking up the office behind them.

"Walked," Snow replied succinctly, stuffing her hands into her coat, as she followed the woman down and out to the car. After a silent invitation for a ride, she went into the Mercedes, she wondered aloud. "Where is the Bug?"

"At Tillman's," Regina spoke after pulling out of the parking spot, driving toward the Mifflin Street. "If she insists on driving that monstrosity, at least I can make sure it's safe," she added unthinkingly, pursing her lips after she heard a chuckle from the other woman, realizing how she sounded. But, despite how protective she did sound, she didn't feel ashamed for it, or exposed. The short ride passed in silence, Mary Margaret walking obediently one step behind the Mayor.

Regina opened the door, ushering the younger woman in first, before she entered in, placing the coat and the scarf in the closet. Quickly, she waved Snow to go in to the kitchen while she dropped the briefcase into her study, before she walked into the living room, the rapid staccato of her heals announcing her arrival, but she doubted she was heard as the loud music with sound effects obviously coming from the gaming console.

She found the children sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch and playing a game, their eyes pinned to the large TV screen only four feet away. And, yes, she counted Neal as one of the children, for the expression on his face rivaled Henry's – the concentration portrayed in the narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows, a tongue sticking out to a side, and furiously fast fingers button pressing. But, what brought a smile to Regina's face was the fact that Kyle too had a controller in his hand, sitting in the middle, imitating the boys on the both side of him. It was one of Henry's old and useless ones, wrapped in protective plastic, for hygienic reasons most likely, as the boy tried to stuff one corner of it into his mouth as she was watching them. Suddenly, there was a loud whirring noise, and Henry dropped the remote as he exclaimed happily, his hands going up in the air in triumph. It was then that he noticed her leaning against the doorframe, her arms lazily crossed over her chest, and half smile playing on her lips.

"Mom, hey!" Henry spoke in surprise, jumping to his feet. "When did you get here?" he asked as he walked to her, graciously accepting her half hug and kiss on his cheek.

"Several minutes ago." Turning to Neal, she left her arms around Henry. "Thank you for staying," she said appreciatively, as she watched him get to his feet, careful not to jostle Kyle from his seat, and then he lifted him into his arms, stepping toward his sister.

"Of course," the man spoke, understanding that he was free to go. "We ate, there are some leftovers for you," he informed the woman, as he came to stand beside her and his son. "The little man here was a little bored before Henry had an idea," Neal offered softly, transferring the boy into his mother's waiting hands. "Alright, then. See you tomorrow, big guy." Patting his son on the shoulder, he passed them, putting on his jacket.

"Your grandmother is in the kitchen, if you want to say hello," the brunette whispered to her son, as she followed the Deputy to the front door. "Mister Cassidy, a moment, please," she said as he opened the door, wrapping his shawl around his neck.

"I do hope I didn't do something to anger you, Regina, as I thought we were past that," the man spoke with a large smile, as he turned to look at her, his hand on the door he pushed closed so the heat wouldn't leave.

"Yes, Neal, we are," Regina acknowledged before she pressed on with the request she had for him, hesitating only for a moment, but enough for him to notice. He didn't comment on it, letting her speak. "Can you take a look over Rumple's records, and come to me with the general idea in the next couple of days? He does own most of the properties around here, and the town is in need of influx of money."

"You want to see if he can pay taxes, of sorts?" Neal asked, as he considered the idea. The Dark One had caused considerable damage to the town, with his ideas and revenges, so it stood to reason that he should be the one to pay for the repairs. And, he had been meaning to go through all the rent deals, to see if they could use some modification. There were a lot of things he could do, now that his father was not in the immediate control of his assets. Regina nodded, pleased that he had immediately understood what she had in mind. "Sure, I'll look, and let you know. How urgent is this?"

"It's nothing immediate, but I would like to deal with it before the holidays." She shifted the toddler on her hip, resettling him in more comfortable hold. "And, with the beans almost ready…" She let her sentence taper off, as it needed no more explanation.

"Yeah," the man murmured with a nod, before reopening the door. "I'll take care of it," he added, placing his hand on her upper arm in reassurance and goodbye, and left, closing the door behind him. She watched him walk down the pathway through the panes, and as soon as he left her sight, Regina went to the kitchen, following the amused chatter of her son.

"I hope you don't mind," Snow spoke as soon as she saw the woman holding the toddler in her arms join them. "I made him a hot chocolate." Her words were calm, unapologetic, but the way she was playing with the spoon in her hand and the slightly sheepish expression on her face belied their tone. Regina narrowed her eyes at the pixie haired teacher. The woman seemed nervous, almost guilty. So, after enduring several more minutes of small talk between her and Henry, she sent the boys into the living room, while she marshaled Snow into the study, feeling that this conversation was something to be kept out of the reach of young ears.

As she made a motion to pour them something to drink, Mary Margaret stopped her with careful "None for me, thanks," causing suspicion in Regina to rise. Resting her bottom on the desk behind her, she braced herself with her hands on the edge of polished wood while she looked at Snow, waiting for the woman to explain why she had usurped her evening. But, the moment the younger woman placed her hand over her belly protectively as she floundered with the way to start, Regina blinked. Having seen the very same motion only that morning brought the answer to her, quite vividly and she gasped in realization, startling her former nemesis.

"Oh, Snow," she spoke, her voice containing a multitude of emotions, but the strongest of them was compassion. However, she could not help but slip a slight rebuke and sadness. She knew that this information was going to bring up so much unresolved issues, and honestly, she was afraid. Afraid that it would bring only pain to her beloved, having seen everything Emma had been through. "How far along are you?" she asked softly, rising from the desk and gently stepping toward the other woman, joining her on the sofa.

"Eight weeks," the reply came in tremulous whisper, as the green eyes refused to focus on anything, circling around the room, as if looking for possible ways of escape. But, then, it seemed that the woman gathered her courage and squared her shoulders, taking a deep breath and releasing it resolutely, before she turned to the woman who had once been her stepmother. "I found out today. No one knows yet." She had felt off kilter lately but with everything going on, she really hadn't thought that could even be a possibility. Having heard the words from the doctor that day, all she felt was shock and surprise. Yes, she was happy about it, overjoyed actually, but… And, it was a really big but. It felt like cheating, like it was a betrayal of her daughter. As she had been looking at her test results in the doctor's office, she couldn't help but remember the sad face of the blonde as she had told her the story of the first family sending her back.

"What are you planning to do?" Regina asked sensibly, feeling Snow's trepidation. The woman wasn't daft, despite all the monikers she had thrown at her, and knew the consequences. But when a bashful yet hopeful look showed in the determined green gaze, she knew what the answer would be, and spoke it out loud, sparing the other woman of doing so. "You are keeping it," she murmured softly, not surprised at the decision.

"I missed everything with her, Regina," Snow felt the need to explain even though Regina had not done anything to suggest she was disagreeing with her choice. "Her first laugh, first words, steps…" Lamenting voice spoke softly, showing regret. "I love my daughter, and I wouldn't change her for the world, but she is all grown up…"

"So, what, this is some kind of a second chance for you and David?" the older brunette couldn't help the slight edge of sneer creep into her voice.

"You've taken Kyle in. Why should this be any different?" Snow spoke defensively but before Regina could respond, and with all probability she would have said something harsh and true, judging by the flashing eyes and flaring nostrils, the pixie haired woman raised her hand in apology. "I am sorry, it was uncalled for." After several minutes passing in terse silence, Snow tried again. "I know that the timing of it is…" she didn't speak the words, but her frowning brows said enough. "But, I want this. David will too."

In slow gesture of resigned acceptance, Regina leaned back and sighed. She really could not fault the woman for wanting this child, as it was already there. It wasn't like they had been actively trying to get pregnant, or so she thought. At the unbidden image in her head she scrunched her face in disgust, hiding it as she rose to pour herself a drink. She surely needed one after the day she had. Which brought her to her next question. "Why me, Snow? Why did you come to me with this?"

"I hoped you'd have an idea how Emma would…" Snow started, wringing her hands, as she watched the other brunette carefully, not surprised when the somewhat capricious woman turned to her with a snarl barely restrained on her face.

"Are you honestly asking me how to handle your own daughter?!" the Mayor hissed at the still seated woman in outrage and incredulity at the woman's nerve, slamming down the half-filled tumbler of liquor over the surface of her desk, ignoring the wet stain spreading over the forgotten papers. "Just because I have her memories, doesn't give you or anyone else the right…" she started but Snow rising from the sofa stopped her.

"No, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking." The woman offered contritely, her shoulders slumping as she took a step forward, but then she changed her mind, and turned around, going for the door. However, as she reached the door, she leaned her forehead against it for moment, too briefly to seem anything more than a too deep of a sigh, before glancing over to Regina, her eyes shining sadly. "I guess I hoped for some insider knowledge on how to tell her… But, you are right, it is not fair to her, or to you."

"Snow." Regina sighed, regretting her earlier outburst, aware that the woman was struggling to find a balance between her joy for the new child and fear that Emma would resent her for it. And, she knew how the woman had wanted a child, since before she had been married to David. She had known what it meant to Snow, and in some way, she was glad for the woman. However, she couldn't speak the words she wanted to say, not then, for they would seem false and contrived, even though they wouldn't have been. Their eyes connected during the meaningful silence, understanding passing through the look, and Snow nodded in slightly dejected acceptance, before the younger woman left the study, calling out briefly to her grandson in the living room, and walked out of the house, too quickly for Regina to stop her or to offer her a ride home.

Suddenly feeling exhausted, Regina surveyed the damage on her desk, waving her hand over it with a sigh, before she took the tumbler with her to the kitchen, pouring the remaining drink down the drain. She hadn't eaten since impromptu lunch, and drinking on an empty stomach, especially with the children in the house, was not a good idea. Quickly, she heated the dinner and sat at the counter to eat, thinking about the day. It was only Monday, and Regina felt like a whole work week had passed.

Two hours later, after a ridiculously long bath she had taken once she had put the children to bed, she put on the grey silk pajamas, her eyes gliding over the things she had put up on the other side of the closet. There weren't many things. She had regarded that fact with melancholy, knowing the reasons behind the lack of clothing. Her fingers slipped through the blue shirt, hanging in the middle of the rack, not fitting to either side, and yet belonging to both. The shirt itself had become a memento of the blonde, first worn in such capacity when the wraith had taken Emma to the Enchanted Forest. The last time she had worn it had been after her mother had been killed, day after she had destroyed the curse for Henry. As she had been alone, again, with the pain of loss so strong, she had needed any kind of comfort, even if it had been about the woman she had been utterly furious with.

But, what she needed now was not comfort. She needed to know if Emma was alright, and no piece of cloth would ever be able to tell that. While she had been in the vault, she had asked Sidney to try and look to the Enchanted Forest, but he had failed, telling her neither he nor she had had the power to do so. All that was left was her connection to the blonde, and she hoped fervidly that the absence of painful tugging on her heart meant that she was fine. Or, at the very least, alive. Walking toward her window, she passed the bed and the night table, picking up the photo Henry had placed there, tracing the familiar contours over the glass. "Why do I get the feeling that you are in trouble, Sheriff?" she whispered with apprehension, looking down at the brilliant smile the woman had had the moment the picture had been taken. Because you have learned from your experience, her mind supplied helpfully, making her scowl at herself.

The sound of her door opening brought her face up to look at her son peeking in the room. Accepting her gentle half smile as an invitation, the boy sleepily stumbled in, walking toward her. "Are you OK?" she asked him softly, immediately touching his forehead. It was pleasantly warm and dry, meaning he didn't have a fever, nor a nightmare. At least not one terrible enough to cover him in sweat.

"Had a dream. About Ma." He murmured as she led him to his room, dropping the frame on her bed. "Saw the light on." As soon as she covered him up, he patted the spot beside him, his pouty look insistent. Placing herself on top of the covers, she leaned onto her elbow, pushing Henry's hair of his face, remarking that he seriously needed a haircut. "You're thinking about her, too," he said softly, his knowing eyes finding hers. She only smiled at him in confirmation, never stopping the hand that was passing through his locks, the motherly gesture relaxing the boy with ease. "I miss her," he mumbled, turning to his side, as he placed his head right below her elbow, his ear leaning against her heart. It had been his comfort seeking gesture when he had been a small child, the soft cadence of her beat easing his fears and worries. "I know you are worried," he continued, suddenly his drowsiness gone from his voice. "About the Evil Queen coming back," he elaborated as she looked at him in askance. Her frown confirmed his suspicion and he offered a comforting and trusting smile, his hand rising to her forehead, as he glided out the furrows. "You've been weird since Friday, about magic and anger," he explained how he had reached his conclusion, thankful that she hadn't even tried to discount his words, but letting him speak. "And, you've been too careful, cautious around me, as if I would do something…" Even though she had been there for him that morning, he could feel she had been pulling away, her distance tinged with fear. And, as soon he had realized that it started after the fire, he had known why she had been afraid – of him. The guilt he had felt over causing her such pain had brought him to tears that morning, and they had a talk about their feelings. However, she had deftly closed the subject as soon as he had been about to bring the past incarnation of her up. "Is that why you stopped calling me your prince? Because you thought it would remind me that you were the Evil Queen?" He glanced up at her, wanting to know, but there was nothing malicious or righteous in his look, nothing but warm appreciation, and softness in his eyes that showed his sleepiness.

Regina sighed softly. "No, not because of that. Or, only because of that." But, to lie there and explain to him why she had stopped – she couldn't do it, no matter how grown up he seemed to be. To explain to him that she had been afraid that he would throw the sobriquet she had given him in affection back at her with furious loathing, in one of his temperamental rebellions, as he had so many others, forever tainting it. To explain that she had been afraid that it would remind him not only of the Evil Queen but of the fact that she had lied to him. And, there was the fact that he had no longer been that little boy that needed her protection and love, having discarded it so easily before. Yes, he loved her, she knew that beyond doubt, and he had insisted on her being his mother, but the damage of those cold and cruel months was hard to overcome, and there was a small part of her that was reticent to trust him. It was something she needed to work on, but with everything else, it was pushed back as it wasn't the greatest priority…

As she wasn't forthcoming with the answer, Henry looked at his mother, recognizing the sadness in her eyes in the second he had seen them, before she turned away from him, hiding her face from his perceptive look. He didn't push. But, he needed to say something before he fell asleep. "I would like to be your little prince again, Mommy," he mumbled tenderly as he nuzzled into her shoulder, letting the sleep he had been fighting claim him, feeling the warm arms of his mother hug him lovingly. But, he was too far gone to hear her breath hitch or to feel a tear land on his forehead.

It wasn't the words that brought her to tears, it was the voice. He had sounded so young and innocent, cuddling up to her, reminding her so vividly of a seven year old boy who had adored her. With a kiss upon his forehead, filled with so much love and affection she held for him, Regina slowly left his bed, then his room, closing the door behind her silently, all the while her eyes filled with tears, but not of sorrow. His words had moved her deeply, and her already overwhelmed control of her emotions was completely destroyed.

So she went to her own room, got into bed and pulled out the black tank top from beneath her pillow and pressed it against her face, hoping it still retained some of the familiar and soothing scent, but more than a month was long enough for it to evaporate from the soft fabric. However, the very motion on clutching something of Emma's close to her brought a sense of security, a tiny bit of it though – but she didn't mind, as she needed something. It was hard, not to sink into the mattress and cry her eyes out as she missed the blonde daredevil too much for words to express. She missed the woman's candor, gentle regard, hopeful tenacity… But, most of all she missed the woman, whole of her.

Sometime later, Regina fell asleep, her hands still clutching the black cloth close to her, her tear stained face sinking into the pillow, as her body relaxed from the tension it held during waking hours. But even in the deep resting state, the tautness of her muscles did not leave completely, showing the stress she was under. The restless shift and turn of her sleep lasted until the early hours of the next morning, until a preset alarm woke her for the day.

---

It was silent in the mayoral home. The fact itself would not be a strange one if not for the simple truth that both children and the mistress of the house were in it, despite being Thursday around lunch. As it were, the elder child was laid up, sleeping of the fever, while the younger was simply sleeping, his afternoon nap slightly longer than usually.

Regina closed her eyes tiredly, as she moved the pot with boiling water of the stove, her hand already reaching for pre-prepared tea mixture, her knowledge of herbs coming in handy as she sought to alleviate Henry's cold symptoms. The boy had a hard time, his stuffy nose preventing him from breathing properly, and the running fever only made things worse. The night before had actually been a hard one, with the boy's temperature rising up to triple digits, and Regina had stayed with him the whole night, cooling him down with wet towels and making him take the medicines.

Putting a dollop of honey into the steaming liquid, the brunette took the cup and brought it up to Henry's room, opening the door slowly. As soon as her eyes fell on her boy, she sighed in sympathy, carefully lowering the mug on the nightstand beside the bed. The boy was huddled in the middle of the bed, his cover bunched around him, making him look like a giant ball. Thankfully, Regina noticed, he was not murmuring in his sleep neither his face was scrunched in pain or fear, but relaxed. As much as someone perpetually cold could be. With utmost care, Regina lowered herself beside his head and started tenderly to pass her fingers through his hair, rousing him slowly and gently out of his dreams.

He was calm and sluggish as he opened his eyes, unlike the previous night when the terrible nightmares haunted his rest every time he had closed his eyes. He would not remember his dreams afterwards, but the mumbled pleas and cries would forever be burned in Regina's memory, as she had been there for each and every one of them, in her caring vigil. Henry looked up and smiled weakly at his mother, lifting his head to place it in the crook of already positioned elbow, helping him sit up so he could drink his tea.

As she tucked him back down, Regina kissed Henry's forehead, not only to soothe the boy but to see if his low grade fever had spiked as it had done previous afternoon heralding a tough night. Luckily, he was only slightly warmer than usual. However, it had its own drawbacks – it was making Henry weak and sluggish with aches through his body, so he had spent most of the two days in bed.

It had started on Tuesday afternoon when Henry had complained about a headache and heaviness in his body. He had come to her office after the session with Dr. Hopper and had dropped in one of the chairs in front of her desk, his legs and arms ungainly spread over the seat, his posture drawing a light chuckle out of the tired Mayor. But as she had touched his forehead to push his wild hair of his face, she had noticed the slightly elevated temperature and barely there flush of his skin, her eyes crinkling in worry. Henry hadn't been prone to sickness, except from a case of running nose here and there, but when he had been ill, it had tended to be devastating, taking a lot out of her boy. So, she had made him tea, and checked his temperature and sighing when it had showed that he indeed had had a fever. Sending him to bed after a light supper, she had mentally gone over the files she would need to bring home as she had had no intention of being away from her house for long while Henry had been under the weather. The next morning had found the boy in bed, with all the symptoms of cold, unable to get up.

After having informed the school that Henry was having a cold, Regina looked down at her phone considering who to call next. She needed someone to stay in the house in case Henry wanted something and to watch over Kyle. Mary Margaret was in school, as she had just finished talking with her, David was in the station, or on patrol – so, apparently busy, and Kathryn was settling in her new office, her new appointment approved by the council the day before. There was one person she could call, she realized as her finger hovered over his name in her contacts list. So, she leaned against the kitchen counter and pressed the screen before she brought the phone to her ear. She expected to be greeted with the voicemail, as Neal had been on call the night before, so she was surprised when the call connected and a gruff voice greeted her with simple acknowledgement of her name. She couldn't decide if it was a pleasant surprise or not, her feelings about her half-brother still fluctuating from light hearted affection to teeth grinding annoyance. But, she did not despise him anymore, so that was a plus…

"Did I wake you?" she asked, before she rolled her eyes at herself. There had been a time when she hadn't cared about propriety or intruding on someone's sleep time, especially regarding the son of the damned imp. But, times changed.

There was a pause before Neal answered, and Regina could imagine him blinking in wonder at the question, before opening his mouth. "No, I just left the station." She could hear the bell over the door at Granny's ring out as he apparently entered the diner. "Do you need something?" he asked, his tone suggesting that he actually wanted to phrase that question a bit differently, but didn't want to come off as rude. She was aware of the fact that she only called him to confer about Henry's schedule, or if she needed something, and even then it was regarding only two topics – the town and the children. It might have seemed a bit cold, but she still didn't know how to deal with him in her life as a relative of hers, or even only as a friend, so she dealt with him as Henry's father and the town official. Well, initially, as the man seemed to find a way to involve her in personal conversations, making it just a little easier for her to talk to him each time.

"Henry is ill," she spoke, straight to the point. "And, I need someone to watch him and Kyle while I go to the office and pharmacy."

"Sure, I am on my way." After a moment, and another bell, he asked, "Do you want something from the diner?"

"No, thank you." Regina could hear that he was already outside by the change in sounds coming through the phone, along with the brisk footsteps on the pavement, no doubt on his way to the Mifflin Street.

"Alright then, see you in a few."

As she had obviously pulled him away from his breakfast, the brunette turned toward the still hot stove, turning it back on and placing a skillet on it, deciding to make scrambled eggs for her kin, as it was the least she could do for him as he had readily agreed to watch over her children with no questions asked about the time he would spend in her home. As soon the eggs were ready, she turned on the toaster and the coffee maker with a fresh batch of dark sustenance, expecting the man any minute now.

As if he was summoned by her thoughts, the deputy opened the door she had left unlocked for the very reason, gently calling out her name. Placing the plate and toast on the counter, she directed him to the kitchen, and only seconds after that the man walked in, his jacket absent, as he greeted the boy sitting in the raised chair beside the counter. His eyes immediately catching the sight of food, he glanced toward Regina in askance and getting her permitting and inviting gesture in return, he pulled the stool out of its place and sat on it, digging into his meal heartily with no words spared, his eyes asking questions instead.

"He is upstairs, in bed. It seems he caught a cold." And there was one instance where he could have caught it in Regina's mind. The time he had spent outside in the cold weather of Maine winter with his father and brother. Not that she blamed Neal for it, children got sick all the time, even with the best protection, but still she could not completely curb her admonishing tone. "They both ate and the tea for Henry is on the stove, already prepared. You should be all set until I get back."

Having scarfed down the breakfast already, Neal accepted the mug of coffee from the brunette nodding his head in understanding. "Bud and I are going to have an awesome time together," he said as he used his fingers to draw out a giggle out of the blond boy, tickling him on the neck, not seeing that his antics caused Regina to smile at her boy, enjoying his sweet twitter.

So with last instructions for Neal, Regina left the house, determined to return as quickly as possible, uncomfortable being away from her ill son for too long. Rationally, she knew both Henry and Kyle were in good hands, but still her mother instinct was flaring up, but she did not know if it was because for the first time in more than two years, Henry actually needed her to take care of him. She wasn't the Evil Queen, or the Mayor, Emma's True Love, or even Regina – she was simply Mom, the only person who had been there for him in the years of his childhood, and that was the fact she cherished deeply, despite the reason why it was occurring. Therefore, after a short visit to her office, Regina hurried off to the pharmacy, oddly unnerved by the fact that the child Tylenol she had had in her medicine cabinet had expired. The stark reminder that Henry had not been home for more than several months had hit her suddenly that morning, their newly established rapport making her not quite forget that time, but to put it aside, away from reminiscence. On her way back she stopped by the grocer's and rushed home.

The afternoon Regina spent checking on Henry, spending some time with Kyle and Neal who had kindly offered to stay and help, despite his sleepless night, and working on papers from the office. However, there was a moment when she just leaned against the wall beside the entrance to the living room where both boys, yes because she did consider Baelfire an overgrown boy most of the time, were asleep on the couch, lost to the world after the whole morning spent playing and the hearty lunch she had made. The blond boy was covered in afghan she had left nearby just for such occasions and cuddled between the man's chest and the backrest. And in that too brief instance in time Regina could simply imagine that there instead of her brother was the blonde Sheriff, after an all-nighter at the office, sleeping with the boy, her arms circling him protectively even when she was relaxed in sleep. It was the picture of domesticity that she hadn't even known that she wanted, but yearned for deeply. It was moments like these that brought forth Emma in her mind, easily imagining the blonde in her home, her family, her life.

She had come in to take Kyle to his bed, but seeing him rest peacefully on his uncle, for the lack of better descriptor, she decided to let them be, and walked upstairs to her son's room to check on him, surreptitiously wiping an errant tear that dared to appear at the image of her True Love superimposed over the sleeping Deputy. She was more than aware of the fact that where she had Henry, and Kyle and the Charmings, Emma was on her own family-wise in the Enchanted Forest, and knowing the woman, she knew that the distance and loneliness would be hard on the blonde, her heart breaking doubly – for the pain she was feeling missing Emma, and the pain she knew Emma was feeling in the other world.

Later in the day, Neal and she worked out a suitable solution for Gold's properties. They did it specifically in the way that would benefit the both parties, not willing to risk Rumplestiltskin's wrath even though he was no longer the Dark One, and yet willing to help out the town. After hours spent on calculating the costs, they agreed that the rent on the properties would be lowered somewhat, and a small percentage of the remaining rent would go into the town budget as specially appointed tax, leaving enough of the money in Gold's accounts to maintain the successful business.

"Did you check the stalks?" the man asked, leaning back in the sofa in Regina's study, a mug of steaming coffee in his hand, resting on his raised thigh, his legs crossed at the knee, left one hanging in the air. He was looking the woman sitting on the sofa next to him with the child in her lap. But, it wasn't the child that was drawing his attention but the clothes his half-sister was wearing. Sometime during their nap, Regina had changed out of her dark business suit into a pair of comfortably worn jeans and a sweater he could have sworn he had seen on Emma several months back. It was the first time he had seen his estranged sister wear anything remotely casual, and he was surprised by the effect it had caused in him. She was no longer the powerful Mayor, with prim suits and dresses, but a woman, who still radiated power, but in the muted fashion, the ordinary clothes making her seem softer, more approachable. And lighter. This was the woman who had raised his son, he realized belatedly, feeling ashamed that he ever doubted her devotion to her children. He had seen her with Kyle, and with Henry, but he had figured it was only after the curse and that only then she was able to love truly, as he could not comprehend the idea of the Evil Queen being a good mother to his boy. However, since his healing in the Enchanted Forest, he had been constantly proven wrong and this last instance served to completely dissuade him of the notion that Regina had ever been anything but a good mother, the kind of mother both he and Emma would have wanted in their lives while they had been children. Putting the issue to rest in his mind, he smiled at his sister gently, allowing the budding affection he was feeling for her to show on his face.

Not blind to the silent regard the man watched her with, she let it slide, focusing instead on his question. "Yes," she spoke, looking at the boy in her lap, her hands holding his tiny ones as he smiled widely at her, clutching her fingers and babbling gleefully, the only recognizable word in his speech was 'Mommy'. "They need a week or so more to reach their full potential before we can use them safely," Regina added, her eyes glancing toward the man beside her. "I was thinking of leaving as the holiday break starts, as they would be ready by then."

"Sounds like a plan," Neal agreed, after taking a sip of his drink.

Regina rose from the bed, leaving her son to healing sleep as she remembered the previous afternoon she had spent with the deputy, the time spent with him used to find out something more about the boy who once had been Baelfire. In turn she had shared some of her own stories – nothing too important but just moments of her life at her father's property. Later, after the light dinner they had shared with Henry in his room, Neal had stayed with his son, while Regina had taken care of Kyle's evening ablutions and eventually putting him to sleep. The deputy had stayed with them until the start of his shift, urging Regina to call him anytime she might need him.

The knock on the door stopped her rumination of the previous day, and she looked up to the mirror in the foyer, frowning at the rumpled look she was presenting, but without much of thought she continued on to the door, opening it.

"Hi," she was greeted by the mother of her True Love, carrying bags of groceries and followed by the blonde newly appointed DA. "Are you going to let us in?" Snow asked after several seconds passed as Regina watched them blankly. It was very cold outside with fresh snow covering the ground, and standing there with the warm air blasting out of the house was not making things easier on the pixie haired brunette, despite her being bundled in the winter clothes with inescapable knit hat. "We bring offerings," she added teasingly, knowing that the Mayor was beyond tired and probably had not left the house that day.

Blinking out the surprise, Regina only stepped back opening the door wider as she allowed the women inside. She should have known that the woman would muscle in trying to help, despite her insistence that she could handle Henry being ill on her own. Not even trying to muster up the scowl she had patented only for Snow, she followed the women to the kitchen, hiding the yawn that suddenly overtook her behind her hand.

"What are you doing?" Regina spoke after a minute passed in silence, watching the women put away the things that they had brought in. She realized that Snow hadn't brought fruits and milk but also premade home meals, obviously wanting to ease the burden on the lone parent. Regina's voice was not reproachful as she had intended, but with tired interest, as she watched the younger woman putter around her pristine kitchen, preparing to put on the kettle for tea.

Mary Margaret just glanced at her over her shoulder, her eyes gentling in compassion as she saw how tired the older brunette really looked. "Why don't you grab a nap," she said softly, changing her mind about reminding Regina about the promised drinks with Kathryn, "and we will take care of everything." Including the blonde beside her with the glance, Snow leaned against the counter as she offered Regina a mug with freshly brewed tea. But, when the former Queen frowned at her, irritation obvious in the way her nostrils flared and her mouth flattened, Snow placed her hand on Regina's forearm. "We can handle it for couple of hours," she whispered to the woman, her eyes imploring her to listen. The next step was to tell Regina that she looked haggard and that wouldn't go well for either of them, and she wanted to avoid that. "I already took care of the dinner," she offered hopefully, seeing reluctance in the dark eyes, and when Regina blinked slowly in surrender, it took everything out of the younger woman not to smile in victory, knowing it wouldn't be received well.

"You take too much liberty, Snow," Regina cautioned as her eyes focused on her former nemesis. She could and did understand the woman's drive to take care of her family, but she had been independent for all the years in Storybrooke and some of the ones spent in the Enchanted Forest, and it was the independence that she had fought hard for – accepting help, even when it was warranted, was still hard for her, especially from the woman in front of her. Yes, she had called the goody two shoes to watch over the children, and Snow, as Henry's grandmother, had some rights to it – but anything regarding her personally rubbed Regina uncomfortably. Particularly when Emma wasn't there to play intermediary if things escalated. "I do not appreciate the intrusion, no matter how justified it may be. Keep that in mind, Snow." The odd sharp tone she had spoken the name with made the pixie haired woman swallow, her nerves taut, as it reminded her of various instances the Evil Queen had addressed her with sneer.

Seeing that she got her point across, Regina released the woman from her glare, and raised her mug slightly in recognition. "However, I think it can be forgiven this time, taking circumstances into the account." There was still a slight edge to her words but not as strong as before. Then, with a nod, she left the kitchen, walking upstairs to her room, stopping by Kyle's bedroom on the way, checking on him. Seeing that the baby was still asleep, she stepped into her own room, closing the door behind her. With two subsequent motions of her hand she divested herself of her clothes and darkened the room, slipping under the duvet and sinking to sleep instantly, her mind too tired to fight the exhaustion.

She was woken up by a light tap at her door, soon after followed by Mary Margaret's soft whispering voice, calling her to dinner. Having had a quick shower, she pulled her hair into a low ponytail, gathering it of her shoulders as she peeked into her son's room, already hearing Kyle's excited titter from downstairs. Regina found Henry sitting up in his bed, reading an Alex Rider novel.

"Oh, hey," he greeted her with light excitement when he noticed her standing in the doorway. "Look what Kathryn's gotten me," he added, pulling himself into more upright position, inviting his mother to sit by him.

Sliding in beside Henry, Regina leaned against the pillows, smiling at the boy, pleased to see him better and livelier then he had been several hours before – a true sign that his fever had gone. "I thought you were still reading Pullman?" she asked, noticing the last part of the Dark Materials lying on the cupboard beside his bed, on top of many comics they had bought the week before.

The green eyes connected shortly with the dark ones before fleeting away, as the boy closed the book in his hands, suddenly his excitement gone. "Maybe when we bring Emma home," he mumbled after several minutes of silence, Regina letting him answer in his own time. As soon as he mentioned his other mother, Regina understood the difficulty he was apparently having with the series – the different worlds and the characters' inability to bridge them must have hit Henry strongly.

"Okay," Regina murmured into his hair, feeling him relax as he realized that she wouldn't ask him anything more or comment on his confession. "How are you feeling?" she asked instead.

"Did you know that Grams brought homework with her?" he said incredulously, pointing toward his working desk where new spreadsheets were placed. "Said, it was important to catch up before the holidays."

"School is important, Henry," the brunette spoke gently, looking at him with gentle look in her eyes. "And, seeing that we would most likely leave during the break, she is right," she reminded him as she touched his nose to emphasize her point.

"I know," he said grudgingly, before he smiled at her. "You think we should buy her presents? To wait for her when we get back?" When she agreed with his idea, they spent several minutes thinking of the things they could get for the blonde. Although they knew that they most likely wouldn't be at home for the Christmas, Henry thought that it would be a nice gesture to welcome his mother home with presents already bought.

Several minutes later, Regina came down, finding the two women in the dining room, plates already set and meal served. She joined them, indulging in a quiet meal as she sat, enjoying how the silence was making the others squirm in their seats while they ate. Elegantly bringing her fork to her mouth, Regina smirked with superiority as her eyes connected with Snow's, her regal upbringing more than evident, even after comparing it to the two princesses sitting beside her. It was petty in a way, but it still brought her slight joy to see Snow blink and fumble in self-consciousness, trying to dodge the haughty scrutiny as she turned to the tyke sitting in a high chair beside her, closer to his mother. At the same time, it served to remind her that Emma would not care about her table manners as long as she wasn't being unnecessarily crude – the brunette had learned to find it charming. She understood where the blonde had been coming from, but she also admired the Sheriff's refusal to conform.

She almost laughed at the collective sigh of relief when the dinner was finished and she rose from the table, taking the dishes to the kitchen. As others followed her, she accepted her role as a hostess and put on the water for tea, offering it to the women, aware that they probably should not drink caffeinated drinks. Gesturing to Mary Margaret that she would deal with the dishes later, Regina prepared the tea, giving Kathryn a light smile as she placed a mug of hot beverage in front of her on the counter. Striking up a conversation about their days, Regina deftly avoided answering questions about her feelings on Emma's absence, wishing for a moment that the women before her were not prenant so she could have plied them with alcohol in effort to avoid the conversation. However, her respite came in a form of Kyle fussing in Snow's arms, reaching out to her. And, in appearance of her elder son who had come to take some juice.

Regina noticed him hovering by the kitchen doorway, unsure if he should interrupt them, but catching his mother's eyes, he entered, going immediately to her side, greeting Kyle on the way. "Everything okay?" the brunette murmured as she felt him snuggle into her side. He nodded before he took a sip out of her mug, sighing in content as the fruit flavor of the tea reached his tongue. Regina did not mind him claiming her drink, and after two days of drinking health related beverages, she understood the need for something different – as it was most likely the reason why he had come down in the first place.

As the conversation slowly resumed, Mary Margaret asked Regina about Henry's first days after the adoption. Only after the boy's insistence did she deign to tell the story.

"When I brought you from Boston, you were sleeping, so peacefully," she started, deciding to tell it to Henry, as if others weren't there. So she leaned against the now cold stove, Kyle in her arm, his head lazily resting on her shoulder as he was soothed by her voice. Directing Henry to sit and drink the commandeered tea, she smiled as he leaned into Snow's hold, his eyes glued to her face, entranced by her words. "I couldn't understand how your mother could let go of you, but at the same time I was glad she did, for it gave me you. However, after several hours in my custody, you started crying, and you wouldn't stop. I tried everything, the walking, the jostling, driving around with you in the car… I even went to Whale to see if something was medically wrong. As he couldn't give me any real answers I ordered Sidney to find out about your mother – perhaps she had a condition and your crying was a symptom. I know now that it was a new mother paranoia syndrome, but then…" She smiled gently at her son, the love she felt for him evident in the caramel eyes. "I was used to losing things I loved, and I thought it was just another instance where fate was going to make me suffer." For one short moment her eyes moved away from her son's face to the woman holding him in gentle hug, saddened green eyes meeting her. "It was Eugenia Lucas who actually offered me an advice that actually helped. She told me to talk to you, tell you a story, so you would get used to my voice. So, I used what I knew and created a tale I used to tell you every night…" Her voice tapered off as she mused about the past. "Do you remember?" she asked Henry after a moment of silence.

"The Queen and her little prince," the boy responded softly, his eyes widening as he consciously made the connection between the story and his life. The knowledge was always there, in the back of his mind, especially since the curse breaking, but he never really considered it until that very moment.

"Hmm," Regina agreed quietly. "However, by the time I created the story, Sidney managed to track Emma down and I learned that she was Snow's child that escaped the curse. She was the Savior. And, you were her son."

"You knew?" Snow's shocked gasp interrupted the older brunette in her telling, but with pointed look toward her former nemesis, Regina continued.

"After several agonizing days of thinking, making decisions, changing my mind, and back again… I knew that I couldn't keep you and constantly worry about the Savior coming for you, and me… So, I made a choice, one that I do not regret even after everything." Shifting the sleeping kid into more comfortable position, Regina looked at her son with affection, and stepped closer to him, her hand coming to his cheek. "I knew I wouldn't be able to be a good mother to you with the knowledge I had, so I brewed a memory potion from the supplies I brought over."

"You chose me over the curse?" Henry spoke amazed at the story his mother told him. It wasn't a lie, he knew, and it made him feel loved even more.

"I will always choose you," she replied softly, before she bent down and kissed his forehead.

"When did you remember?" Kathryn asked after a while, allowing a tender moment between the mother and the son.

Regina looked at the blonde and smiled, as she tried to remember the exact moment, but all she could come up with was the True Love's Kiss she shared with her lover, because she had become aware of the particular memory after the manticore's attack. She mentioned briefly, skimming over most details because Mary Margaret and Henry already knew the facts, but the boy was more troubled with them as he could have lost his mother that day.

Somehow, the conversation wound back to the children and babies, and Kathryn revealed that she was expecting a girl. Surprisingly, Henry joined in the conversation, entertaining the women with his opinions, bringing Ashley and Alex in the conversation, noting that all three of the royal women were having daughters for a first born. Then he turned toward his mother, his eyes calculating as his look encompassed the child in her arms. "After Emma is home, perhaps we could have a baby girl in this house?" he offered softly, not noticing the painful narrowing of Regina's eyes. "You could give birth to her…" he added with a nod, pleased that he had thought of that. But, then he did notice a wince that passed over her face, making him frown as he didn't understand what happened.

"You want a sister, Henry?" Kathryn asked.

"Henry," the brunette started as she saw her boy nod hesitantly, because she knew it wasn't only the sister he wanted but for her to be her birthmother, providing a certain balance in the family. Not able to continue, she only shook her head in sadness. It was enough to make him drop the subject and leave the room dejectedly, not understanding why the topic was so painful for his mother.

He deliberately climbed the stairs and closed the door of his room, knowing that Regina would listen for the signs that he was away before continuing the conversation, most likely dissuading Snow from exploring the topic. Slowly he crept back, avoiding the creaky floorboards, leaning against the wall in the hallway beside the kitchen, right beside the doorway. He was glad that he had put on his robe over his pajamas, for standing there only in his PJs would make him more ill. So, with the skill born of many times eavesdropping on his parents, he listened in.

"He is right, you know," Snow spoke after a while. "You could do it, be a mother…" she started but then she fumbled on the words, not knowing how to explain, and that pause in her speech made Regina furious.

The older woman leaned toward her former nemesis, her tone suddenly cold and harsh, but low, as she pinned Snow with her icy glare. "Are you suggesting that I am less of a mother because I didn't give birth to my children?" She didn't yell, not even raised her voice, but it dipped lower, making it all the more terrifying.

"Regina, no, I only meant that the experience is different."

Pulling away from the aggravating woman, the former Queen tried to rein in her anger, knowing that Mary Margaret had not meant to insult her with her unwitting insinuation, but only made an unadvised comment, not fully realizing the issue. How could she, when she didn't know… "Well, that may be, but it is one experience I will never have, at least not personally." She did remember the pregnancy and birth of her son, Emma's memories of that period quite vivid, and in many ways she was grateful for the opportunity to see it.

"There are ways, you know," the pixie haired woman insisted, ignoring the warning hand landing over her forearm as Kathryn tried to stop her from making things worse. The blonde had seen the anger for what it was – the pain. However, the princess insisted. "The medicine of this world is astounding, Regina. It's not too late."

"I cannot!" The sharp explosion of the previously low voice startled the child in Regina's hands and Kyle started wailing, afraid of the commotion. Turning away from the unrelenting woman to soothe him, Regina started whispering softly to her boy, her lips passing over his forehead, kissing him lightly. Her fingers passed gently through the blonde tresses of his hair, as she tried to calm her thundering heart. "Drop it, Snow," she spoke slowly but empathically, as she shifted the boy to sit on the counter, too afraid that she would squeeze him if the younger woman kept pushing at it, and knowing Snow, she was nothing if not persistent.

"You have two beautiful children," Kathryn interjected before her friend could speak another word. "And you are a wonderful mother. One should just look at how you treat Henry and Kyle and know that boys have should be envied." The clear blue eyes caught the dark ones as Kathryn smiled gently at the woman in front of her.

"I just thought that a child of your own would only make it better," Snow could not but say it, reminding Regina of a petulant and spoilt child she had been once long before.

"The children that I have are my own, Snow. I would not love my own blood more than I love them." Regina sighed before she looked at her former nemesis. "I cannot bear, Snow. Some things can never be cured, only healed." The soft whisper of pain brought Mary Margaret to the day in the Enchanted Forest when Emma and David had forced her to listen to Regina tell her about her father, the king. In that moment Snow understood that the torture her former stepmother had endured under the hands of the man the little princess had cherished the most had been so much more horrendous than the woman had let on.

"Oh," Snow gasped in horror, her face flooding with sympathy. Glancing toward the blonde, she saw the grim but knowing expression on her face, as if it had been something that Kathryn had expected to hear. Had everyone known her father as a monster, but her? No wonder Regina had relished calling her an idiot… "Is that why you adopted Henry? Because you couldn't conceive?"

Regina had to roll her eyes at the woman. It would appear that Miss Swan's denseness was not only inherited from David. "No, it was during the curse, we were in the time loop," she mentioned slowly as if speaking to a child, before she chuckled with a sneer. "Have you forgotten you perpetually eight month pregnant friend?"

"Right."

"Well, it was a lovely evening," the blonde spoke again after a terse silence, the dryness of her tone making Regina chuckle again, but this time it was warm and friendly as she glanced toward the DA rising from the chair. "But, I think it is time for us to go home, Mary Margaret, and leave Regina be."

Not able to think of a reason not to, and afraid that she might say something more to hurt the owner of the house, Mary Margaret kept her silence, only nodding in assent as she too rose from her seat and followed the lawyer to the foyer. Realizing that Kathryn wanted to say something to Regina in privacy, the pixie haired woman mumbled her apologies and goodbyes before leaving the house and rushing toward the station wagon parked in front of the front gate of the mansion.

"Despite the last topic, I enjoyed this…" Kathryn said softly, as she put on her coat. "Do you think we could repeat it?" At Regina's raised eyebrow in incredulity, she snorted shaking her head, fixing her collar. "Perhaps, not repeat of this, but have another meal together?"

"I would like that, too," Regina offered with a timid smile, touched that the blonde still wished to be her friend.

"Well, then. Good night, Regina." Patting the brunette's upper arm, Kathryn inclined her head in parting, before stepping out onto the porch. With the last glance toward the Mayor, the blonde put on her hat and gloves and walked away, her steps careful over the path leading toward the street and to the car, where Mary Margaret already waited.

Closing the door, Regina shook her head in gentle incredulity at the women who had just vacated her home, sighing as she turned to inner space of her house. Right at the top of the foyer she found her son, his green eyes looking at her with oddly sad expression. But, the next moment the sadness was gone as it was never there and he smiled at her. "I am hungry," he said, answering her silent regard.

In truth, he couldn't even try to sneak upstairs so she had just walked up to her, hoping to distract her with newly reawakened appetite. As she climbed the three steps of the foyer and placed her arm around his shoulders, kissing his forehead with affection he surrendered to her guidance, knowing that she would not deny him food, not after two days of eating barely anything. So, settling himself in one of the chairs left behind by the two women, he liberated his brother out of her arms and watched her whip up a quick meal for him and Kyle, engaging her in talk about their plans for the weekend, putting out the things he had heard out of his mind – trying to forget them.

---

"Hey, you busy?" The blonde head popped in through the somewhat ajar door, glancing at the studious Mayor at her desk. Kathryn had a suspicion that this was where she would the former Evil Queen, given that the woman had missed several days of work in the office, and despite it being Saturday, Regina was nothing if not conscientious official, especially after the curse had been broken, her judicially trained mind saving the town from the notice of the government of this world.

"Nothing that cannot wait several minutes," Regina replied as she motioned Kathryn in, placing down the paper that had held her attention the moment the blonde had knocked. She waited for the other woman to settle into the chair in front of her desk before curving her eyebrow in question, intertwining her fingers at the desk.

"Who do you plan to be at the Sheriff's office after you leave?" the DA asked without preamble, leaning back in the chair.

It was something that Regina had considered, still smarting over the argument she had had with Neal over it the evening before. It had been the first time they both raised their voices since their truce, and it had unsettled her, even though she had pretended that it hadn't, not willing to give the satisfaction to her half-brother.

"You cannot be serious!" Neal slammed down the glass he had been drinking from, the sharp liquid spilling over the rim onto the desk, the moment she had informed him of the plan. "You are not seriously considering leaving behind, Regina," he spoke through his teeth, as he stepped closer to her, his posture threatening as his anger colored his face.

"You are the only one I trust to stay in the office. I cannot leave the town without the two key members of its governing body." Regina's placating tone did nothing for the man's fury as he growled at her. With a warning glance she cautioned him to lower his voice as he would wake the children.

"Fuck the town, Regina. They all can go to the hell, for all I care!" His dark eyes burned while he clenched his jaw in effort to control himself. Rubbing his face in frustration he spun on his feet and started pacing the length of the study. "You said yourself, you don't know when you are coming back, and you will be taking Henry and Kyle with you." He then walked up to her, not caring that she was leaning against the desk and point his forefinger at her chest. "I am part of this family, too," he whispered, all the anger and pain rolled into the cracking voice as he spoke.

It was the burning look he directed at her that finally convinced her that she had no right to leave him behind. As he said, he was part of their family, and he belonged with them, regardless of her personal feelings. And, she would need to figure out the other arrangements… So, she nodded at him, conceding the point, noting that the simple gesture from her brought a relaxation in his posture as he sighed in relief.

"I don't know," Regina answered honestly.

"I ask because Jim offered, along with two more knights, one from Snow's court and the other from your own."

"Really?" the Mayor asked with her eyebrows lifted in surprise. Having gotten the confirmation from the blonde, she nodded in acquiesce, knowing that she didn't have much of the choice. "Provided they can work together and submit themselves to the training instituted by David and Neal, I see no problem in temporary assigning them the post." Then Regina tilted her head in interest. "I thought your husband was happy with his employment at the school?"

"Oh, he is," Kathryn replied quickly with a smile. "He feels like he owes David for saving his life and is willing to offer his services until Emma, and David, are returned to the office."

Pleased with the explanation, Regina allowed the lawyer to divert the conversation to Henry, asking her where he was that fine morning. "He is with his grandmother, talking a walk – to clear his lungs, he said. I think they are at the beach right now."

In that very moment Regina winced as she felt a strange pulse of oddly familiar magic radiate through the town. As soon as the first wave of it passed, the cell phone in front of her started ringing, the number of the convent flashing on the screen. "This can't be a coincidence," Regina murmured as she picked the phone and answered it. "Blue?"

"Someone breached the barrier, but I cannot sense from where," the Mother Superior spoke frantically as she stepped hurriedly through the abbey on the grounds, her heels clicking of the stone covered floor. "You might have more luck." Breaking of the connection without delay, Regina focused onto the barrier, pulling her magic to guide her toward the intruder, but she was interrupted by a familiar ringtone of her cell.

Grabbing for it, Regina did not even murmur in dissent at the interlude, her son's safety the paramount. "What?"

"I think you should come to the beach by the docks. A friend showed up." Snow's cryptic answer caused Regina to frown. "The mermaid friend," the younger woman stressed, needing Regina to remember before coming down.

"That fish is still alive?" the Mayor gasped in understanding. However, it did not explain how the girl was able to penetrate the wards. "What does she want?"

"Apparently, she is on her mission to find Prince Eric, and with the Savior's blessing." Waiting a moment for Regina to grasp the situation, Snow continued. "And the Savior had given her something to pass on to Henry's mother."

If Emma really had had her hand in this, then that would be a plausible explanation as to how the mermaid had managed to enter the town, and it would also explain the familiar feel to the magic. She had forgotten about their ability to travel through realms connected by the magical waters of the Endless Sea, but, it would seem that Emma hadn't, using Snow's once friend to pass on a message. Quite ingenious, Regina had to admit, because Emma had realized that addressing Regina as the Queen, or by her name would made the mermaid to balk from her task – however, stating that she needed something delivered to the other mother of her son… It played on the sympathy of romantic hearts. "I will be there shortly," she murmured into the phone before she broke the connection, and with a glance at Kathryn, she silently asked her to watch Kyle, currently playing in his pen in the corner.

"Go, we'll be fine," Kathryn replied sensing the urgency in her moves, shooing the woman off. And, with a smile she watched the brunette's magic envelop her in the purple cloud before taking her away.

---

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!