Reset

Regina took a deep breath and stared into the distance as she attempted to build up the strength to tell Henry he had to leave. Then she noticed that Henry had bent down and picked up an empty glass sweet jar that he must have put down on the ground in order to knock on the door. He held it in both hands and handed it to her, she put it in the crook of her arm and looked at him with a confused frown.

“Remember when I used to have nightmares?” Henry explained and realisation started to dawn on Regina’s face, “you’d make me write down what they were about and then we’d put them in the jar and put the lid on to keep them locked up..”

Regina nodded and frowned, “are you having nightmares again?”

“No,” Henry assured her with a small nod of the head.

“This is a very big jar,” Regina commented, “we used a jam jar..”

“This is different,” Henry explained, “I think.. I think we’ve both forgotten all the things we liked about each other. So I think we need to put them somewhere so they can’t get out again. I know.. I mean, I understand that you’re not my Mom anymore..”

Regina felt a painful clench in her heart and damned Rumple for not making the potion stronger.

“.. but,” Henry continued, “I don’t want to forget what a great Mom you were to me and I don’t want you to forget either. So I’m going to write down stuff and I’ll bring them over, I’ll just post them through the door if you don’t want to see me, and then you can put them in the jar. If you like. Or not,” Henry shrugged, “I’m gonna keep writing them anyway.”

“Henry,” Regina said gently as she placed the jar on the floor in the hallway and balanced the crocodile toy on top, “don’t you think it’s better for both of us to.. have a clean break?”

Henry shrugged in a way that reminded Regina that he was still a young boy, “you can if you want, I don’t want to forget the good times. And I don’t think you really want to either..”

“You know that nothing will change,” Regina questioned, “you are legally Emma’s child now..”

“I know,” Henry smiled simply, “you’re just.. the Mayor.. and a cool person I know.”

Regina smiled and chuckled, “cool person?”

Henry grinned back but then his face fell, “oh uh..”

Regina frowned and was about to ask him what was wrong when she saw a yellow Bug skid to a halt outside the front garden gate.

Emma jumped out of the car and Regina stood up and folded her arms across her chest as she looked down at Henry with a serious look, “I think you’re in trouble..” she observed.

“Yeah,” Henry nodded as he turned around to see Emma stalking up the path.

“Henry! You can’t be here!” Emma called out to him, “do you have any idea how worried Belle is about you?”

“Sorry,” Henry looked contrite.

“It’s quite all right, Miss Swan,” Regina told her with a small smile.

Emma looked at Regina with an apologetic expression, “I.. I had no idea..”

“I know, its fine,” Regina told her.

“Henry, car please,” Emma said as she pointed at the Bug. Henry didn’t hesitate, he could see Emma wasn’t in the mood for a conversation on the matter and rushed down to the car.

“I’m sorry,” Emma told Regina sincerely.

“As I said, it’s quite all right,” Regina replied as she examined the stressed face of the blonde in front of her.

“No, I’m sorry for.. waking Grace, tackling you to the floor and arguing.. I’m sorry for being a.. well.. I’m just sorry,” Emma nodded and then turned on her heel to walk away.

Regina frowned and called out, “Emma?”

Emma paused and slowly turned around and looked at Regina with a sad expression in her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Regina asked softly.

Emma nodded quickly, “yep, I’m fine,” she replied and quickly turned around and got into the Bug.

Chapter 14

David had spent the last two hours speaking with Leroy and the other dwarves about the new building plans and was heading back to town via the park. He was practically through the park when he saw Regina's black Mercedes parked up on the kerb by the park entrance, the woman herself was standing behind the car with Grace in her arms and looking at the stroller in the car with a frown as she pondered how to remove it.

Without a thought David sprinted over to the car and greeted Regina with a smile as he said, "let me help you with that."

Regina looked at him with suspicion as he reached into the boot of the car and removed the stroller and placed the flattened item on the sidewalk. He looked at it with a frown as he looked for a way to unfold the stroller to make it usable and Regina held back a smile as she watched him struggle.

"There's a red button," she commented and when he looked confused she added, "on the handle."

He looked at the wrong end of the stroller and she rolled her eyes and she added, "the other handle."

David looked at the other end of the stroller and then found the button and clicked it and lifted the stroller into place. He went to let go of it and it collapsed again and he laughed as he lifted it again, "tricky," he smiled at her.

"Regretting leaping to the rescue, Charming?" Regina queried.