[coda: swan song

"I apologized to your grandmother." Regina announced to Henry, face turned resolutely down to her food, cutting her steak into tiny bite sized pieces, the only visible means of detecting her nervousness, "For trying to kill her."

It was Friday, Emma's night to come over for dinner, though she'd started showing up most Wednesday's and Thursday's as well. But Friday was a sure bet that she'd be there, especially since Henry had talked Regina into getting the air popper and a subscription to netflix- and Friday was their night to watch movies with Henry.

Henry and Emma exchanged glances, and Emma tilted her head questioningly. Henry jutted one shoulder slightly and asked, "Uhm, that's really great Mom, but why now?"

Regina shrugged, and kept her face turned down even as she started eating her steak, "No reason. I just thought it would be a good step towards repairing our relationship."

"You were her step-mom," Emma pointed out with her fork, "Is that the relationship you're going for there?"

Regina shook her head, then sighed loudly, "I asked her to bring Neal over."

"You what?" Henry and Emma blurted out in tandem, Emma put her fork down on the table.

"Why would you do that Regina?" Emma wondered, seriously confused, "He's like, two and half and she hasn't even started potty training him."

Regina finally looked up, brown eyes bright, "I know, and it's high time someone started talking to her about it. I'm going to help her, I'm going to teach her to be a mother."

Emma and Henry sat back in their chairs, as Regina beamed at them, "I have it all planned out. He's going to love me."

They exchanged glances and Emma shook her head, "Not worth it, kid."

It isn't until much later, after Henry is snoring happily in his own bed that Emma and Regina talk about it. Regina is sitting on the couch, curled up around the half filled glass in her hand, and Emma suspects that she's partially buzzed but likes to see the other woman relaxed. She wallows in these moments, no one else ever gets to see Regina this relaxed, and the other woman is just glorious.

"So, you wanna help Mary Margaret with Neal?" Emma asks quietly into the darkness. They have all their conversations under cover of darkness and all their discussion end with the sun rising- she tries not to see it as a portent of their relationship, but time moves so slowly in small towns, and she can't help but wonder how long is long enough.

"Yes, I think I can offer a lot of advice on raising a beautiful little boy." Emma can see Regina's teeth gleam in the dark. Of course she'd be grinning. Emma wants to interrupt, and say something cheesy like 'you have galaxies in your eyes' or 'your smile reminds me of the desert after the rain' but knows better. She lets Regina continue uninterrupted.
"She'd also mentioned that she'd like a break, to maybe have a date night with David. I mentioned that I wouldn't mind helping her. After she stopped laughing, I told her I was serious and that she should call me. Then I apologized, and left."

Emma closed her eyes, and thought about it, Regina in their little apartment, sweeping in grandly and saying something just slightly less than rude about how to raise their son. Her mother laughing probably doubled over, really belly laughing until she realizes that Regina is serious. And then just to confuse Mary Margaret even more, Regina apologizing for trying to kill her so many times and sweeping out the door just like she'd entered.

"Oh yeah," Emma responded finally, turning to face Regina, "This is gonna be good, I wanna hear all about this."]