Chapter Five

Henry Mills' optimism had been infectious, waking up to her son cuddled up to her side even after she told him so much about the past filled Regina with hope that she hadn't experienced in a long time.

At first, she thought that it somewhat approximated the elation she felt whenever she came close to ending Snow White, but it was different.

Being allowed to hug her son again was not at all comparable to an empty pursuit of revenge.

This reflection was what led her to the sheriff's loft a few days ago.

She couldn't think of any other way to make sure that she would ever get to interact with her next child, so hoping that the saviour's belief was only being held back by Henry's age was all she had.

Mary Margaret's embarrassment was what destroyed that notion.

If Snow White stumbled upon her daughter straddling the Evil Queen, she could picture her sheer rage summoning a bow to 'protect' her child.

It would have been more awkward certainly but at least she wouldn't have to spend days avoiding Emma.

Henry assured her that she had to try again, that she couldn't give up on getting Emma to believe so that they could be a family.

His surety was not quite as infectious this time around, in fact, it was almost overshadowed by doubts.

What if she was wrong?

What if Emma wasn't the problem here? For all she knew, the saviour had really believed in what she was told but she wasn't her True Love.

That, of course, had it's own problems.

She couldn't see Emma lying about not being with anyone else, why would she? It seemed as though the sheriff would probably prefer there to have been some faceless man partly responsible for this.

It would be the rational explanation that the clearly struggling woman was in desperate need of.

As the days went by without interacting with the woman that she once wanted to be rid of, she decided that there was no reason to think that she wasn't right about everything.

If Emma Swan wasn't her True Love, why was it that she missed her so much?

Despite this, she knew that she couldn't just try to convince Emma verbally again. Even if the sheriff was so enchanted by their kisses, proposing that again didn't seem like it would help in the slightest.

Rather ironically, Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter required actual, physical evidence in order to believe in the True Love that created her. Then again, she had to suppose that sharing True Love with the Evil Queen was outlandish in itself.

The tenuous fact that Emma was still in town meant that she had to move faster than she had been.

From what she knew about Emma, she only had so long until she gave up her quest for answers and fled Storybrooke.

It was this that led her to finally embracing her only option and was how she found herself in her office on a Saturday afternoon.

That option was taking his sweet time to show so she filled in some paperwork absently as she periodically glanced at the door that no one had knocked at yet.

This deafening silence was cut through by a crackling. She dropped her pen after jumping and then she rooted through her purse in search of the source.

She pinched her brow as she released a walkie talkie from inside, but once it was free, she could clearly hear her son's voice.

"Come in, come in…"

It took her a moment to press the button and reply, "Henry? Did you put a walkie talkie in my purse?"

"It's essential to Operation Cobra," came through as though it should be obvious.

Regina prepared to question that, but she registered the tinge of panic to his voice, so she asked, "Does that mean that there has been a…development?"

"I overheard Emma asking Archie about getting custody," Henry replied, and Regina could just see him chewing at his lip as he made the admission.

Regina had to take a second to grip her desk and take some deep breaths.

The vein in her forehead was likely protruding as her mind conjured ways to destroy her son's birth mother. To make sure that she would never get the chance to claim that she was an unfit parent.

Then she could move onto making the cricket wish that he'd never agreed to have that discussion with Miss Swan.

This anger flowed away, however, as she remembered the fact that had disarmed her vengeful tendencies in the first place.

Emma Swan was pregnant and it was becoming increasingly difficult to pretend that she did not care about her.

She couldn't entertain the future she wanted while plotting revenge, not anymore.

"Mom?" Henry urged and she let go of the desk as she composed herself.

"And where did you overhear this?" Regina asked the walkie talkie.

Bashfully, Henry replied, "Granny's."

"Didn't we agree that you would do your homework until I return home?" she admonished.

"Mom, come on," he whined, "This is more important."

"You're right, Henry, but I do have a plan to make Emma believe. Custody battles are long processes, I won't let it come to that."

Regina released the button and waited for the static to give way to his voice, it took a few seconds for it to filter through again, "What's your plan?"

"There is one other person in Storybrooke who remembers the Enchanted Foest, he can help me show her the physical evidence that she needs," Regina explained.

"Jefferson?" Henry said, audibly brightening.

"Exactly," Regina smiled and at that moment the knock she had been waiting was delivered to the door, "I will tell you exactly what he says when I get home, I promise. But please, do your homework?"

"I will, mom," Henry promised, "Over and out."

The line went dead and Regina had to laugh as she returned the device to her bag before she called, "Come in, Jefferson."

The door parted to reveal the scruffy recluse who was never best impressed by the sight of the mayor.

Usually, Regina would pretend not to understand the disdain, only frustrating him further, but today was different.

Frustration was no longer her goal.

"You summoned me?" he grunted.

"Yes, I need your help."

Jefferson narrowed his eyes critically, "And why would I ever help you?"

"Because," Regina replied, trying to appear casual as she rearranged some papers, "If it goes to plan, the curse will break and you will be reunited with Grace."

Jefferson's hatred was wiped into a blank stare but Regina was sure not to blink. SHe was becoming used to the understandable shock that came with the Evil Queen openly discussing her curse.

"How?" Jefferson asked, stepping forward eagerly.

"Bring your hat to my office first thing on Monday morning and you will see."

The Mad Hatter nodded.

S

Sunday mornings in Storybrooke used to be one of Emma's favourite things, as long as she didn't have work, of course.

It was relaxing, and quiet, it could almost have her believe that she could face staying here long-term.

It wouldn't be the worst place in the world to get to know her son and raise her next child.

These thoughts didn't feel quite so plausible after her talk with Archie.

Assuming that she could jump through all of the bureaucratic hoops and somehow prove that Emma Swan was a better mother than Mayor Regina Mills, it wasn't as if they could stay in this town.

Would she go back to Boston? Her apartment didn't have enough space for two kids, right?

There was also the fact that Henry hadn't appeared to announce his periodic bouts of 'Regina is evil' since the day she told him she was pregnant. Then again, Regina had told her that she was the Evil Queen so perhaps the boy no longer felt the need to?

Going to Granny's before a walk to clear her head of wondering how old everyone would be by the end of the custody battle that she wasn't even sure she wanted to incite seemed like a good course of action. She was allowed one cup of caffeinated coffee a day and today she was having it first thing.

Her craving swallowed itself with the bell's ring as her eyes instinctively sought out of the occupied booths.

Henry sat on the same side as Regina should have been an odd sight, especially as the boy was talking animatedly with his 'Operation Cobra face' on as Regina listened attentively and chewed.

It was completely irrational but Emma felt a crash of jealousy.

Was it that Regina was with her son or was it that she was wishing that she was sat with them, as an actual family, the kind of thing that she'd thought she'd given up on wanting.

As if sensing her thoughts, Regina looked up from the papers that Henry must have sprawled across the table.

The mayor swallowed her food and smiled at her in a way that constricted Emma's throat. Did Regina want her to join them?

She was once again aware of the sensation of her lips against her own and it was this that forced her to about face and leave the diner.

It was all too confusing!

Not long ago, this woman was vowing to destroy her and now she apparently believed that they had the ability to create a child and had given up her attempts to banish her from Storybrooke.

Or had she? For the first time, it occurred to the sheriff that this was part of her plan.

Had she figured out how to use her fear of commitment against her? Did she think that she would flee this town at the thought of having a family?

It was sort of brilliant if it was the case. If it was Emma who left with Regina telling Henry she wanted to break the curse, then he would have no reason to run away from her again.

Emma rubbed at her forehead with a shaking hand. It popped into her head that she couldn't let this woman win, but such childish thoughts were not becoming of something who believed that they stood a chance of getting her parental rights returned, right?

The bell rang behind her and she cringed.

Her frazzled brain instantly conjured images of Regina Mills convincing her that she should kiss her again.

It probably wouldn't have taken much persuasion as it should have.

Thankfully, the voice that reached her ear was young and male.

"Emma?"

Emma puffed out her cheeks and then swivelled around to face her son.

"Hey kid," she greeted, strained but she did relax a little upon finding that Regina had allowed him to follow her alone.

"Are you avoiding us?" he asked, hopping off the step.

"Not both of you," Emma replied.

"Mom told me what happened at your loft," Henry said and Emma flushed.

She shoved her hands into her pockets but decided that Regina would have hopefully presented the kiss as more innocent than it was.

Surely, Regina didn't want Henry to know how eagerly his birth mother had tried to remove her shirt after the slightest display of care?

"Well then you know that what she suggested didn't work?" Emma bargained, "You get that the curse isn't real now?"

"Nope, mom said it's all real," Henry replied, confidently.

"And now nothing will change your mind, right?" Emma sighed, it was exactly what she was afraid of.

"Can't you see how hard she's trying? I really think she's looking for redemption."

"She was like pure evil last week," Emma pointed out, grateful that no one had walked by yet to listen to their public conversation.

She was certain that Regina wouldn't want any of her townspeople to hear this.

"I was wrong," Henry shrugged, "It's kind of awesome that she's trying to change for her family, right?"

"It's not that simple…" Emma argued, not at all prepared for the talk that she would have to have in order to convince him that the baby growing inside her had to be partly made by someone with equipment that his adoptive mother lacked.

If she had to, though, she figured that she could at least try.

"It could be," Henry replied, close to desperate, "Would it really be so bad?"

Vibrations in Emma's pocket saved her from having to respond and she pulled her work phone to her ear.

"Sheriff Swan," she answered.

"Hey Em," Ruby replied, "I know you're not working today, but Pongo got away again…"

"It's okay, I got it," Emma replied, never before so grateful for the slippery dalmatian, she hung up and began to retreat, "I gotta go kid, you should go back to your breakfast."

She was gone before the boy could ask for her answer and she was intensely relieved.

It saved her from agreeing with his impossible sentiment.