Reset

“She said that my stuff is in the garage,” he told the blonde, “can we pick it up sometime and bring it here? Put it in my new room?”

Emma nodded, “sure, I’ll talk to her about it when I next see her.”

“Cool!” Henry said excitedly and picked up a handful of things to take to his new room.

As he left Emma let out the breath she had been holding and leaned forward to put her head between her knees and control her breathing. She searched for that inner strength, she wouldn’t let the feelings inside her get the better of her, she had to be strong for Henry.

A knock on the door tore her from her thoughts and she quickly stood up and checked her face in the mirror by the door before opening it.

“Regina,” she said with confusion as she saw the older woman standing before her with a dish covered in foil in her hands.

“Miss Swan,” Regina smiled at Emma and looked at her for a few moments before continuing, “may I come in?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” she stood to one side and gestured for Regina to enter the apartment.

Regina looked around and smiled before looking at Emma, “I won’t keep you, you’re clearly in the middle of unpacking but I wanted to give you this.”

She handed the dish to Emma and Emma took it and frowned.

“It’s a chicken bake, I’ve included cooking instructions,” she indicated the little sticky yellow note on top of the foil, “it will save for a couple of days if you have plans this evening but I thought you and Henry would need a sturdy meal after the move.”

“Thank you,” Emma said with a small smile as looked down at the dish she held in her hands.

Regina looked at the blonde and then began to look around the apartment, “I’ve seen your car on patrol a lot the last couple of nights,” she commented, “is there a problem?”

“No,” Emma shook her head and turned towards the fridge to put the dish away, “we’re trialling twenty four hour policing.”

Regina laughed, “in Storybrooke? Is that necessary?”

“I think it is,” Emma said seriously.

Regina shrugged, “you’re the Sheriff.”

“Are you keeping an eye on me?” Emma asked with a frown.

Regina chuckled, “no, Dear, I simply have a baby who requires feeding throughout the night so I notice the one and only vehicle doing endless loops of the neighbourhood.”

“Mifflin Street is on my patrol route,” Emma shrugged defensively.

“It’s quite all right,” Regina replied as she examined the CDs on the shelf with interest, “I feel marvellously safe.”

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, she didn’t know if Regina was making awkward small talk or mocking her.

“Where’s Grace?” Emma questioned lightly, hoping to move onto safer territory in an effort to find out Regina’s mood.

“With Katherine,” Regina answered as she rolled her eyes at the collection of leather jackets on the armchair, “she’s been wanting to spend time with Grace for ages so I’m.. at a loose end.”

“So, you thought you’d come here,” Emma stated as she folded her arms.

“I thought you’d appreciate the meal,” Regina frowned as if unnerved by Emma’s defensive manner, “I can leave if you like?”

Emma unfolded her arms and shook her head before rubbing her face with her hands, “no, no, it’s fine, I’m sorry.. I’m just tired. Long day, move and all that.”

Regina looked around the sparse amount of boxes, “yes, it must have been a trial,” she quipped quietly before looking Emma in the face with chocolate brown eyes that Emma thought could read her mind like a barcode scanner.

“Are you well, Emma?” Regina asked softly, “you look..”

“I’m fine,” Emma cut her off quickly, “you.. you best see Henry’s room, he’s very excited.”

Regina continued to stare at her for a moment longer before nodding, “absolutely.”

Emma swallowed hard at the not so subtle analysis and gestured for Regina to follow her down the hallway towards the two bedrooms.

Chapter 19

Henry was excitedly walking around his, admittedly sparse, bedroom as if he had never had his own bedroom before. Regina considered that he had lived with her for ten years and Emma for one year, though due to his young age that could still be counted as nearly a tenth of his life which was a not inconsiderable amount of time. With all the turmoil in his young life it wasn’t unusual that he had forgotten, or chose to forget, about the past and was now attempting to rebuild in its likeness in the present.

Regina smiled at his animatedly planning of where he would put his posters and his other belongings and occasionally threw in a piece of advice. Emma had guided her to Henry’s room and then instantly left and Regina kept looking up as if expecting the blonde to join them again but she never did.

“Henry,” Regina used a calm tone to slow the boy down, “is Emma okay?”

Henry frowned and Regina didn’t know if it was because he was also wondering the same thing or if it was more confusion that Regina had been the one to ask, “she’s sad,” he replied simply.

“Oh,” Regina nodded, not expecting an answer from him at all, “do you know why?”