Lana made the comment at Comic Con that if she could meet Regina, she'd take her out for tequila shots. I decided to take this concept and run with it, but instead of writing RPF where that actually happens, I've kept it in the Storybrooke context - whereby, Emma is the one that thinks Regina needs to lighten up. Typically, as is everything with me and writing, this has become much deeper than intended. And a lot longer. The tequila shots is not in this chapter, but that threatens to be quite an emotional one when it comes up. So I hope you enjoy and hang out for it.

Emma meandered along the icy front path. Her boot hit a particularly resistant clump of ice, and with a near-obsessive need to dislodge it from between the cobblestones, it gave her yet another reason to procrastinate. She bit at her lower lip, determinedly keeping her hands tucked deep in her pockets as she centred her energy on kicking the ice free.

She didn't notice the door open ahead of her, nor did she register that she was being watched with a measured mixture of amusement and irritation, until the warm amber glow from within touched her cheeks and made her think of warm apple cider and log fires.

She looked up, stunned - her eyes were wide and her expression that of being caught red-handed. She swallowed, pulling her foot back that had paused mid kick and stood up straight at attention, clearing her throat.

"Can I help you, Miss Swan?" Regina's stoic expression never failed to rattle Emma. Though they'd reached an accord, of sorts, Regina's unflappable cold shoulder - be her guest friend or foe - was something that never failed to give Emma chills.

"Ah," She hopped up the step, internally wincing at the movement - overcompensating for her nervous tension manifested in embarrassing gestures and an inability to just stand still. "Yeah, it's about Henry."

There it was, the one phrase that never failed to soften Regina's countenance. Her eyes widened and the tension moved from her lips to her shoulders. "Is he alright?" Her brows furrowed and for a moment, Emma regretted the way she'd made it sound. Every now and then, those small glimpses into just how damaged Regina was, made her feel guilty down to her bones.

"Yes, he's fine. I just," She scuffed her boot again, looking down at her feet as if in search of that ice clump, even though she'd left it behind on the path. "I need to talk to you about his birthday."

"Yes," Regina nodded. "It's next week."

"Yeah, I know," Emma didn't intend on the edge that came to her voice and immediately regretted the pulled expression Regina made as she stepped back. The softness was gone, the tension had returned and she wanted to kick herself. She had been hoping to have the conversation with the almost kind Henry-Loving Regina, instead she was going to have to deal with the recently-accidentally-belittled Regina, which was so much harder to handle.

"Please," Regina's tone was calm, measured and almost too polite. For a moment Emma feared for her life, hesitating when the former villain held her arm out, gesturing into her home and the deceptive warmth beyond. "Do come in."

"Thanks," She winced, wishing her magic had the ability to let her make conversational do-overs.

"What did you want to discuss about Henry's birthday?" Regina spoke conversationally, but Emma knew from a few things, that she wasn't entirely up to having her in her home. She didn't offer her a seat - they simply stood across from each other, with the dining table between them and that palpable height difference. Regina hadn't even offered her a drink, which she knew was Regina for 'get this done as soon as possible and get out'.

"Well, he's made a request and he wanted me to run it by you."

"Why didn't he want to ask me himself?" The flicker of hurt in Regina's eyes almost made Emma feel sorry for her. "He knows he can."

"Yeah, of course he does," She placated, again overcompensating with her tone and internally screaming at herself. "It's just, it's a bit of a big request and I think he wanted me to explain the pros to you, after you flatten out the cons."

Regina crossed her arms over her chest, pressing down on her already tight-fitting décolletage and making her breasts bulge out the top of her charcoal grey pencil dress. "What is it?" The raised eyebrow was that one that raised the hairs on the back of Emma's neck and she took an unconscious step back.

"Nothing outlandish, just," Taking a deep breath she averted her eyes, focussing on a small Chinese porcelain figurine, resting on the end-table. "He wants to go visit his friends in New York."

Regina scoffed and Emma looked back up at her. "And what, I suppose you'll be taking him, will you? I don't think so."

"Actually," Emma threw her a lopsided smirk. "He's asked that we both take him."

Regina rolled her eyes. "What, you and Hook?" She scoffed again, with such fervour Emma was sure the woman had just concocted a diabolical plan in her head of the varied ways she was going to dispose of her body before taking their son for ice cream.

"No." Emma spoke resolutely, furrowing her brow. "You and me."

That silenced her. Regina stared at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. If it wasn't for her occasional blinking, she'd have been sure the woman was frozen, not even breathing. Her arms dropped to her sides and her blinking slowed; she took a careful step forward as if moving closer to Emma would clear the fog in her mind.

"Did you just say, you and me?" Regina gestured between them and Emma smiled, nervously.

"Yeah."

"You and me? In New York? With Henry?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "He said he doesn't want presents, he just wants us all to go together. He said he thought it'd be nice to get away, because he misses his friends and well," Regina suddenly looked into Emma's eyes with a fierceness that made her hesitate. "he thought it'd be good for you too, considering."

"Considering what?" Her tone was pure ice and Emma knew that the smart thing to do would be to draw back; she didn't heed her own advice.

"What's happened lately, with Robin."

"That is none of your business, it's none of anybody's business!" Regina's nostrils flared and her voice rose, Emma could see the corners of her eyes reddening as moisture pooled.

"No," She breathed, holding her hands up in defence. "I'm not saying it is, it's just, Henry wants this," She spoke gently, attempting to appeal to the hidden but valid gentleness in Regina's heart. "He wants to share this with you."

Regina swallowed and it was the first time Emma had been alone with her and seen her nervous.

Emma frowned, watching her. "Have you ever left Storybrooke?"

Regina glared at her. "Of course I have." She snapped.

"Sorry, you just seem nervous."

Regina softened, twisting her fingers in her hand. "I've never been to a big city, I've never been on a plane. How do they even work? Are they safe? Should Henry even go on one of those things?"

Emma chuckled and regretted it when Regina glared menacingly. She cleared her throat and donned a serious expression. "They're perfectly safe, you'll be fine. And Henry's done it before."

"Without my consent, I might add."

"I thought we were past that."

"Did we ever discuss it?"

"No."

"Then we're not past it, Miss Swan."

They were silent for a moment, neither making eye contact. Regina stood with her hands on the back of a dining chair and Emma raised her arms to cross over her chest. She was allowing Regina time to think, to mull it over; leaving the woman ample space to come to the decision on her own.

"If we do this," Regina spoke, startling Emma who looked up from her boots. "We do it my way."

"I'll book the tickets." Emma turned to dash from the room but Regina's voice stopped her.

"He's my son."

Emma turned slowly, her eyes gentle. "Of course he is."

"But those people," Regina hesitated. "In New York, Henry's friends?" Emma nodded. "They don't know that."

"We didn't remember you when we were there." Emma walked slowly back towards her, stopping with just the chair between them. "He asked specifically that you come, Regina. We were happy there, yeah," She smiled. "But he remembers you now and he's realised that there was always something missing, no matter how much he loved it there." Those tears that had threatened to fall earlier, were back again, glistening in Regina's eyes. "He wants to share it with you."

Regina opened her mouth to respond but the words died on her lips. She moved again to speak, but her thoughts silenced her and Emma smirked. In the end, all she managed to utter was an 'Okay' before she guided Emma towards the door.

Henry was practically vibrating in his seat. He was behind Regina in the little yellow bug, grinning from ear to ear as he watched the back of Regina's head. The initial argument about how they were going to get to the airport had been and gone but, to Emma and Henry's amusement, Regina was still silently fuming like a disgruntled five-year-old with her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

She stared ahead, lips pursed and eyes on the trees whipping past. She'd wanted to take her Mercedes; arguing that Henry spent enough time in the yellow deathtrap than he needed to, why couple that with the risk of air travel? She'd been overruled with Henry's innocent - older than she remembered - face, pleading that he wouldn't be able to point things out to her, if she was driving.

And there she sat, listening to the creaks and groans of the little old car and fairly certain that the loose spring digging into her tailbone was going to cause permanent spinal damage. When she mentioned this, Emma just chuckled.

They made it to the airport without the car blowing up, but that didn't hinder Regina's petulant slamming of the car door, or the way she stood there with hands clasped before her and insisted someone come for their bags.

Emma eyed her carefully, one eyebrow raised. "If you wait, Regina," She said as she hefted her duffle bag over her shoulder. "You'll miss the flight."

"This is ludicrous!" She boomed. "I'm expected to carry my own bags?!" Regina's voice lowered to a dangerous octave. "I am the Queen, remember."

"Not out here, you're not." Emma grinned, dropping Regina's carry-on into her unprepared hand. She barely caught it, groaning under her breath as her larger case was placed at her feet. Her anger softened a little, when Henry beamed up at her with his pack on his back and his small suitcase - that she'd bought so many years ago when she'd once dreamed of taking him somewhere far from Storybrooke - sitting next to him.

"Come on Mom, it's fun." He smiled brightly and she couldn't help the corners of her lips curling up. "You've gotta try and blend in."

"I don't know how to do that, Henry." She spoke frankly, in a soft voice, ignoring that Emma was still there for that brief moment of honesty. Emma knew that Regina was scared, she could see it from the way her eyes scanned the airport - Boston was a big place, but she knew Regina was mentally measuring it against stories of New York. It was much the way Rumple had reacted when they'd gone to New York to find Bae - not knowing at the time, that Neal and Rumpelstiltskin's son were one in the same - and the look in his eyes had been so human it had scared her.

She didn't expect any less from Regina. The woman was fearsome to be sure, but she was decidedly more human than Rumple, with a great deal less control of her emotions, which threw a spanner into Emma's plans if Regina decided to have a full-blown meltdown.

"Come on," Henry grinned up at Regina, no longer having to crane his neck so far to meet her eyes as he reached for her hand. She took it and the boy would never mention to Emma how his mother's fingers shook. It was their secret. "I'll help you."

He left his own bag at Emma's feet, grabbing the handle of Regina's and smirking over his shoulder at Emma as he led Regina through the automatic doors. Emma just rolled her eyes, hefting her own bag higher on her shoulder and grabbing Henry's with a growl about manipulative teenagers before following them inside.

The trip through the airport scanners was less traumatic than it had been with Rumple. There were no threats of impaling anyone on their cane, no worries over removing certain items of clothing. But the look Regina threw her as she kicked off her killer heels was enough to make Emma internally chuckle.

To be honest, she'd never seen Regina without them and the way she dropped down to barely a few inches taller than Henry - Emma had to turn her eyes away and fight her snicker.

"Say nothing." Regina growled over her shoulder as she snatched her shoes from the conveyer belt, her handbag and her carry-on and stormed after Henry.

Emma just laughed.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Regina's worried voice reached Emma's ears and she blinked her eyes open. She'd been dosing. It was a short flight, mercifully, but it had been windy when the plane took off and Emma had wanted to rest her eyes until the inevitable onslaught of questions started. And there it was.

"It's just turbulence." She sighed, readjusting her seat.

"Well I don't like it." Regina huffed and both women heard Henry's snort from the aisle seat next to Regina. She was in the middle - the two had planned it that way for Regina's safety, as well as the rest of the plane. She hadn't said if she could still use her powers once they'd crossed the town line and Emma was worried Regina might have a mini panic attack and set fire to the pilot, so Henry as a barrier was the best plan she had. So far, it was effective; mostly because Regina was too frightened to stand whilst the plane was moving.

"It's fine, mom." Henry grinned, gripping her hand on the armrest. "It's normal."

They hit a particularly hard patch of turbulence and the plane shook. Regina gripped Henry's hand and pressed her eyes closed tightly as the bell for the seat-belts sounded and the lights came on.

Henry ran his thumb across the back of her hand, patting her forearm with his other and rested his head on her shoulder. "We'll be fine, mom, I promise." Henry turned his head to look up at her and Regina hesitated for a moment, but met his eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, Henry."

"Good," He grinned. "Because we're going to be fine."

She took a deep breath, her eyes softening and her shoulders releasing some of the tension as she let out a whisper. "Okay."

Regina stood awkwardly in the hallway behind Henry who was bouncing from foot to foot as Emma fumbled with her keys. They'd made their way from the airport without a hiccup - Regina had stayed silent, listening to Henry babbling on and pointing out the window of the taxi at anything and everything. Emma had looked over a few times and seen the wonder in the Queen's eyes, but every time she'd noticed her looking, her expression had gone hard. She knew that for Regina, it was a lot to take in and the normally stoic woman - though warm when her son was looking - was even more tense than normal.

A few times over the course of the journey, Emma had wondered why on earth either of them had agreed to take the trip - she knew why, honestly - but it was a lot to ask when Emma was fairly sure that Regina would set her alight, were it not for Henry and the aftermath of such a thing. Occasionally, she was sure Regina was only barely holding herself in check. They didn't once talk about what stood between them.

Walking into the apartment, Henry bustled ahead, throwing his coat and backpack over the couch and dashing around a corner, disappearing from sight. Emma shrugged her shoulders at Regina, smiling nervously as she gestured for her to step out of the entryway and into the living room. Regardless of her silence, Regina's detached, aloof expression as she walked through, was not unexpected.

"Here we are."

Regina glanced around. "This is where you lived for the past year?" There was no disgust in her tone, which left Emma mildly surprised.

"Yeah," Emma smirked, dropping her bag at her feet and stuffing her hands in her pockets. "Home sweet home." She let one hand free and waved her arm around. "Bit dusty, but we can fix that."

Regina could feel her heart beating erratically in her chest. Glancing around she could see little trinkets here and there, weathered, tacky souvenirs from Disneyland, string lights, a battered leather sofa. This place was lived in, it was loved. Henry had good memories here. There were photos of Emma with Henry, photos of Henry in his school uniform or playing in the park. There were even photos of him as a baby and Regina remembered those moments, his face, the brief second she'd seen him walk for the first time and her heart twisted, seeing the fruits of her own magic, manifested in images touched with a life not lived. She'd created this, all of this, her magic had made those pictures and yet, there was not a single piece of her here.

"Perhaps I should go to a hotel."

Emma was about to open her mouth to respond, seeing the turmoil in her eyes, when Henry came bounding back into the room. "Mom!" He shouted, happily grasping Regina's hand and pulling her along. "You've got the guest room, it's not much," He grinned. "But it's right next to mine and there's a great view of the city," His voice trailed off as he and Regina disappeared down the hall and Emma smiled to herself.

To Be Continued.