Reset

Emma sat in the armchair and watched as Henry massaged Regina’s shoulders like an old pro while they got into a debate about what aspects of Ironman Regain could conjure up. It was obvious to Emma that this was a frequent occurrence in the Mills’ household and she could easily see Regina spending countless hours working and Henry kindly helping his mother with the pain.

“Did you think about Mary Margaret’s offer?” Emma asked casually and in a way that Henry wouldn’t push the subject.

“I did,” Regina said with her eyes still closed and an occasional wince passing across her features when Henry’s hands came across a particularly tight muscle, “I was thinking tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow what?” Henry frowned.

“Your grandmother is going to babysit your sister for a night,” Regina told him and opened her eyes when he abruptly released her.

“Can I go too?”

Regina turned around to look at him with confusion, “you want to sleep over at Mary Margaret’s and David’s?”

“If Grace is gonna be there, sure,” Henry smiled.

“You do know that Mary Margaret and David are perfectly capable of looking after a baby on their own?” Emma asked him.

“Yeah, of course,” Henry shrugged, “it’s just they might not know that she likes her giraffe bottle better than the elephant one and in the bath she doesn’t like water on her hair.”

Emma looked at Regina and raised an eyebrow and Regina smiled as she said, “you’re welcome to say over there but as Emma says they are capable, even if I do hate to admit it, they would figure those things out for themselves.”

Henry shuffled nervously as both his mother’s looked at him, “I’d like to go,” he admitted.

Regina nodded, “that’s fine,” she said and looked at Emma who also nodded as she said, “I’ll call Mary Margaret in the morning.”

Regina looked at the clock, “Henry, it’s time for you to go to bed, there’s school in the morning.”

“I know,” Henry sighed and walked around the sofa and leaned down to hug Regina, “night, Mom,” he said and then walked over to Emma and repeated the procedure before disappearing up the stairs.

“Someone’s overprotective,” Emma commented and was surprised when Regina laughed, “what?”

“Charming genes, you’re all the same,” Regina said with a grin, “I’ll find you, I’ll save you, I’ll always be there for you,” she mocked with a wink.

Emma picked up a small throw cushion and went to throw it at Regina and then paused, “is your shoulder okay?”

“Yes,” Regina said casually, “just some tightness, I get it all the time.”

“Okay,” Emma said and launched the cushion through the air and laughing when it hit Regina softly in the face. Regina laughed and threw it back, waving her hand so it dispersed as it hit Emma’s head into hundreds of droplets of water.

“Regina!” Emma cried out as it rained above her head and dived to the side to try to avoid the cushion slash cloud that was hovering above her.

“Haven’t I told you to never underestimate me?” Regina asked with a small smile as she waved her hand and the water evaporated and Emma instantly dried and the cushion appeared where it had began it’s journey.

“What can I say? I like playing with fire,” Emma grinned as she placed her hands on her clothes to check if she was dry.

“You wouldn’t have lasted five minutes in the Enchanted Forest,” Regina scoffed.

“Probably not as you were on your way to kill me before the curse was enacted,” the words were out of Emma’s mouth before she had a chance to stop them and her head snapped up and she could see Regina stiffen, “shit, I’m sorry, Regina, I didn’t think..”

Regina nodded slowly and swallowed as she said, “no, don’t apologise, you’re right,” she looked at Emma with a haunted look, “I would have killed you when you were a new-born.”

Emma attempted some humour, “but you’ve kinda learnt to tolerate me now, right?”

Regina let out a breathy laugh, “something like that..”

“Will you tell me?” Emma hesitantly asked.

“Tell you what?” Regina asked while picking invisible fluff from the sofa.

“About the you,” Emma said, “what happened, everything.”

Regina shifted, “I don’t see what good it would do..”

“I don’t feel I know much about you,” Emma admitted, “just what I’m told.. and what’s in the book but that doesn’t explain anything.”

“Maybe it’s indefensible?” Regina pointed out.

“I don’t believe that,” Emma shook her head, “the person in the book and the person sat in front of me are so far removed from each other.”

“People change,” Regina shrugged but winced due to her painful shoulder.

“Not that much,” Emma said, “I don’t think you were actually evil..”

“That was a name given to me,” Regina said, “not self-appointed.”

“Precisely,” Emma said, “I want to know who the real you is.. was.. whatever.”

“Maybe,” Regina said distractedly, “I think I am also going to go to bed,” she stood and looked at Emma, “do you need me to help you?”

Emma’s eyes went wide with confusion until she understood what Regina meant, “oh! Erm, no, thank you, I think I’ll be okay tonight.”

“Are you sure?” Regina frowned in uncertainty.