A/N: So... this took forever to write because it got really long and my muse started crying for breaks in between. And I was clearly being waaay too optimistic in the beginning of this fic when I said I'd release the final chapter by 25. *sobs* There's no way I'm going to be able to write and post a chapter a day, especially since they get longer with each one. So, uh. Please bear with me, because I'll probably still be updating this fic up 'til the New Year. ...I mean, that's better than leaving it incomplete, right?

Also, warning for some more mentions of Regina's unhappy and abusive marriage to the king. Nothing explicit, so idk if it's enough for me to up the rating for it?

Though Regina was born royalty and grew up as nobility in a foreign kingdom after their own fell, she has always been a simple girl at heart. Once, when she'd been a foolish girl with more hopes than sense, she'd been ready and willing to sacrifice all manner of luxuries for the dream of being a stablehand's wife.

That had not come to pass, and years after, Regina grew enough to recognize that even if she had been able to run away with Daniel, it would not have been all sunshine and roses. It would have been hard, it would have meant scraping every last penny they had, struggling to find work and home as poor travelling peasants, and always looking over their shoulders for Cora.

They would have fought, likely, over matters large and small, as they they struggled to chart a life with each other as equals, in a world that was nothing like a fairytale, no matter what the tales here say. Regina, no matter her heart's desires, was used to being nobility and all that entailed. Growing up sheltered (trapped) as she was, had no practical knowledge of the outside world and would have had to rely on Daniel greatly, as well as on the charity and goodness of other people, as they ran further and further away from the kingdom.

Still, the brunette thinks they would have been happy. Not all the time, certainly, but overall, yes. Certainly, compared to the life she'd ended up actually living, as a queen only in name, who was in actuality little more than a trophy and a bauble (a whore ), a poor replacement of a mother and wife, who was condescended to and forgotten in turns.

Regina will never breath a word of it out loud, but she feels a creeping sense of dread over today's gift. There is a flutter of anxiousness in the pit of her stomach when she considers the theme of five golden rings . There are only so many ways to interpret such words, and she is worried that Emma will be gifting her with all manner of glittering jewelry today.

Though her hands are bare now, and have been for years, she can still recall the press of a heavy gold ring on her finger. There had been the weight of fine-stitched, many-ruffled dresses, the cold press of metal on her wrists and neck, choking and chaining her in place. It had all been a shining gilded cage, and she had been a trapped bird. Just the thought of it all makes her breath catch, a heavy weight pressing against her chest. She can almost feel the ghost of heavy fabric settling onto her skin, the thick golden bracelets like shackles on her wrists. Then there's the somewhat more literal ghost of her ex-husband too, and she shivers in heated room because she swears she can feel his rancid breath on her neck again-

There's a loud noise coming from downstairs again, and the darkness of her demons dissipates in the wake of her startled shock. Her heart is still racing, and there's a tremble to her steps when she walks, but she takes a breath, deep and calming, and manages to leave the skeletons back in her closet, or at least in her room, when she heads down the steps towards the kitchens, which she approximates to be the source once more.

It's not as startling, the second time, to find noise coming from downstairs and to find someone in the kitchens before her. But still, her brows rise up all the same and she cannot help but ask, "Henry, what're you doing here?"

The teenager isn't doing anything, as far as she can see, other than looking like he'd rather be in bed instead. Considering he came home rather late last night, after a tiring day of babysitting his energetic uncle (though that ended before dinner and he's remained rather suspiciously quiet about what he did after), she is not surprised.

Right now, he has his head on the table, but he lifts it when he hears her enter and question him. "Oh, hey Mom," he greets sleepily, with a lazy wave of his hand. Briefly stifling a yawn, he explains. "I'm here to make sure you don't cook anything."

Perhaps it is her nerves, still a little shaken up from a reacquaintance with her past that makes her hear what she does. Because this doesn't make much sense. Regina blinks confusedly at this response. "...What?"

"It's for ma's gift." Henry says, as though this explains everything. Perhaps it does. It made sense when she commandeered the kitchen to cook old favorites from her grandfather's kingdom, though there's none of that now. Has she cooked a meal elsewhere, then? Or will they all be dining out? She knows from experience that he will not divulge any more details for fear of "ruining the surprise", as he calls it.

She would ask Emma to explain it all herself, but the blonde is nowhere to be found. The rather conspicuous absence sends a fissure of worry through her, though she tries her best to mask it. At best, it will lead to teasing from the teenager, at worst, she will infect him with the same anxieties. So, she asks, as neutrally as she can, "Where is she?"

"She's on the way." Henry replies with a shrug, though the way he checks his phone a few moments later when she has her back turned betrays his own worry.

In any case, the words calm her some, so the brunette focuses on the somewhat pointless task of cleaning up her already spotless kitchen. It's something to do with her hands, at least, so she rearranges a few things to keep her patient. As she does, she asks, a thin sheen of amusement to cover any lingering anxieties, "So, I'm not allowed to cook anything?"

He nods, before pausing. "Well, except coffee."

"Ah. How kind." Regina says drily, though she concedes there's a wisdom to such an amendment. The mayor takes that as her cue to move towards the coffee machine, in any case. Having this part of her daily routine to do does a good job of making her facade of calmness a little more sincere, too.

The alluring scent of her imported coffee beans starts filling the kitchen and Regina soaks it in with a deep breath. The taste of it is just as good, and the caffeine provides a much needed jolt to sharpen her senses this morning. Her son is still too young for it, in her opinion, though she knows Zelena likes to let him sneak tastes and he likely orders it himself elsewhere. Still, she wants to think he's still her little boy as much as she can, and sends him a stern look when he tries to pour a cup for himself.

"No es justo!" Henry complains, and part of Regina is tempted to respond that life isn't fair, but she stills her tongue. "Ma me permite hacerlo." There's a moment where he stumbles over what to call Emma when they speak Spanish, but he seems to decide just to call her the same thing, at least for now.

Regina frowns at this admission, and resolves to speak to his other mother about giving their young son coffee that will stunt his growth. For now, she only shakes her head and reiterates. "No hasta que tengas dieciocho." When he is an adult, he can make his own decisions. For now, he is still her son, and living under her roof (at least, half the time).

Before Henry can complain about the unfairness of this, Zelena comes in and immediately frowns at the lack of food. Robyn is held in her arms, looking far less concerned about the missing breakfast.

Never one to miss out on her snark, the redhead asks drily, "Did the fat man come early and eat all the food?"

"Very funny." Regina compliments sarcastically, before she shakes her head and explains. "No. Emma has something planned, so all we have is coffee at the moment."

Her sister appears skeptical, though she takes the proffered cup of coffee, taking a languid sip. For a few blessed moments, she says nothing, busy placing her daughter in a high chair while she goes to get a bottle to feed her. Henry looks a little envious at the fact that someone is already eating breakfast, and starts typing away even more furiously at his phone. Regina is busy looking at the toddler with a vaguely misty-eyed look of nostalgia to notice.

She pats Robyn absently on the head, vaguely trying to arrange the soft baby hair into some semblance of order, while her sister prepares the bottle. Regina looks at the scene wistfully, musing, "I remember when I used to do this for you, Henry."

Her son scrunches his nose, eying little Robyn with a curious brow. "What was I like, as a baby?"

Regina smiles, utterly earnest. "You were a little devil." At the pout this pulls from her son, she laughs lightly. "Oh, you cried a lot and never seemed to do what I wanted. It took forever to feed you or get you to sleep or just settle down."

"Was I really that bad?" Henry asks, wide-eyed. The question is light, but she senses some deeper hurts buried in it.

Quickly, Regina shakes her head, and says, very firmly. "You were wonderful ." At the skeptical look, she explains. "For so long, it felt like I was barely alive, just going through the moments. Everything seemed so grey and dull and, well, boring."

It hadn't exactly been the victory she had imagined. Curse was the right word for it, and honestly, in some ways, she'd been the most cursed of all, forced to remember every single dull and endless day for years on end.

"I was going insane trapped in such an endless loop." Regina admits, with some of the hardwon honesty that has managed to save their relationship. Looking now at her bright, beautiful boy, she says with a smile. "But then, you arrived, and everything just burst to life. I think I actually enjoyed the fact that you refused to do what I want because that was the first time in a long time someone did that." She adds this with a wry twist to her lips and a short laugh that Henry copies.

In the corner of her eye, she sees Zelena seemingly busy feeding her daughter, though she doesn't doubt the other woman is also listening to every word. The brunette stands up and heads for her son, placing a hand on his shoulder and pulling him into a side hug. He reciprocates it easily.

"I loved every infuriating, ridiculous moment with you, and I continue to." She pressed a kiss to his forehead, before she pulls away and adds, drily, "Though I hope by now, you are past your terrible twos and more willing to do as I tell you."

Henry smiles at her, before it turns into something more cheeky as he replies. " No hay promesas, Mami. "

Regina only sighs, shaking her head. "Definitivamente eres nuestro hijo." What else would the product of former villain and young delinquent say? This too, is part of honesty, she supposes.

Sitting back down on one of the chairs, she finds that her sister is now eying her with a strange look in her eyes. Uncomfortable with this attention, Regina coughs lightly, "Yes, Zelena?"

The redhead seems to startle for a moment, before she regains her composure and asks lightly, sending Regina a slight smirk, "And where is your personal Santa Claus?"

This is not what she intended to say, she's sure. This is also not a topic she would prefer to discuss. The mayor sends her a look, but it's Henry who answers.

"Ma's on the way." The teenager repeats for his aunt's benefit. Holding up his phone, he adds, "She'll be here in a few minutes, she says."

The pronouncement brings Regina some relief, though it also brings some worry. Just what does Emma have planned now? Considering the circumstances, whatever gift she has in mind likely has something to do with food, so that is at least one worry put to rest. But she's still wary, especially after the bird choir she was just subjected to yesterday. Admittedly, it was Snow's fault, and Emma gifted her a beautiful statue of a raven instead (she cannot help but cut a glance towards the living room, where it stands proudly on her mantle), but she has worries that this has the schoolteacher's fingerprints all over it too. Regina knows better than most just how easily Snow White can drag you into doing something you don't want to do.

Thankfully for Regina's nerves, before she can start picturing a ridiculous Enchanted Forest-style feast and ball planned by former stepdaughter, she hears the sound of a door being jangled open and then slammed shut comes from the hallway. Emma has arrived it seems, and taken advantage of her key to boot.

In the corner of her eye, she sees twin smiles alight from her two companions, though Zelena's is more of a smirk. Settled on a high chair, Robyn gurgles happily, too busy enjoying her breakfast to pay attention to any interruptions.

"Sorry I'm late!" The blonde says in lieu of a greeting, looking rather harried, with a suspiciously familiar looking paper box in one hand and a bag in the other. She places it all on the counter, where everyone else stares curiously at it (except Henry, who only grins excitedly).

The mayor decides to bite the bullet, so to speak, and check on the gifts that Emma has apparently brought. She starts with the box, which she lifts open. It's exactly what she suspected but hoped wasn't.

"Donuts?" Regina asks, frowning skeptically at the contents. Though she is glad there is none of the accursed jewelry in sight for today's gift, this was not exactly what she had in mind either. For one, she doesn't quite get the connection to the theme (not that the blonde is strictly following it anyhow, she reflects, so perhaps this is a moot point).

"Yep." Emma confirms, grinning brightly as she adds, "A dozen donuts, all different flavors so you can try them all."

The way Regina's lips purse speak about the likelihood of that happening. Henry, on the other hand, is eying every piece like he could finish the whole box himself. Clearly, a teenage boy's appetite on top of his mother's genes are a deadly combination for food products (especially of the junk variety). Zelena is more wary, but also more curious. Judging by the vague look of confusion, especially at some of the more interesting varieties in the box, donuts weren't something she encountered in her time here yet. The things a quest for revenge stops you from noticing, Regina muses absently, before she focuses her attention back onto the blonde.

Shaking her head, the mayor asks sarcastically (though the slightest twitch of her lips betrays her amusement), "Is this gift for me or for you?"

The blonde pouts at this accusation, feigning a wounded look that reminds her of their son (or is it the other way around?). "Of course it's for you! In fact, you haven't even seen your other gift yet."

With this, Emma moves back towards the table and opens up the other bag on the table and takes out the boxes inside it. This one, she doesn't need to open to know its contents, since it's plastered all over the packaging. It's not donuts, but it's not exactly an improvement, the brunette thinks.

"And… you have cereal too." Regina, looking even more unimpressed.

"Yep." The blonde confirms unneededly once again. "I was going to bring just the Fruit Loops, but I figured you'd like Cheerios better so I got that too. And fresh milk, of course."

Admittedly, the sheriff is right on that count, but also very wrong if she thinks she wants any of it at all. Regina frowns. "Have you been taking gift giving tips from your mother, dear?"

The food aspect does just scream Emma, admittedly, but the blonde should really know, after all the lectures she's given, that Regina hardly feels the same way about her beloved junk food.

"No. But speaking of, she wanted in on this too, so she's going to be bringing some by she made later." Emma says, the look in her eyes suggesting this was not her plan, at least.

Regardless, the news does not exactly fill Regina with excitement. The brunette does not think it can get more ridiculous than a bird choir, really, but with Snow, she knows better than to assume such common sense. She supposes she should have expected the same of her daughter (but that's not true, she knows, and Emma has been doing a surprisingly good job with her gift choices). So, raising a brow, she wordlessly demands an actual explanation.

Emma assents, looking a little sheepish as she begins. "It's for five golden rings, you know? Well, the connection is pretty thin, admittedly, but it's all food that looks like rings!" She waves to the donuts and cereal and Regina supposes she can concede that point.

A little more seriously, Emma adds quietly. "I figured you wouldn't really want actual gold rings or any other jewelry as a gift." It's an astute observation, especially considering how her typical image would not support it.

The brunette flinches a little at the accuracy of the remark, wondering again just how much the blonde sees when she looks at her. About as much as she sees now, she supposes, because she stares into green eyes and feels understanding reflect back at her.

Coughing lightly, Regina concedes, equally quietly, "True enough." The other inhabitants of the kitchen are seemingly engrossed with the food, though she sees her sister throw her a sharp look that she very steadily ignores. Neither of them are ready for that talk yet, she thinks, and if she's honest, she's not sure they ever will be. Some wounds are just best left alone.

"Plus, I spoke with Ruby," Emma then says, tone markedly lighter, as a sly look enters her eyes. "She has quite a few memories of you eating a lot of so-called junk food during the curse."

"What?" Regina startles at this information, enough that she doesn't even try to deny it, and the blonde smirks, clearly picking up on this. Flushing slightly, she coolly lies, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

By now, the other two are no longer pretending not to be listening, though Henry also has a half-eaten chocolate-frosted donut in hand, while Zelena has a matching one in pink instead.

"Mom, is that true?" Her son asks, eyes alight, and she wishes in that moment he were a little less like her, because he has the look of a shark scenting blood in the water despite a thin facade of innocence.

Gritting her teeth, she says again, more firmly. "Ruby is clearly addled by the aftereffects of the curse, because I have no idea what she is talking about." All blatant lies, but she was once the Evil Queen, and one did not get to become a villain of her caliber without being a practiced liar.

But Emma only grins wider, not at all fooled. "Werewolves are kinda like elephants, you know, they've got great memories-even while under a cursed identity."

Clearly, neither her son nor her sister are any easier to fool, and Regina starts to wonder she acquired family member who could actually look beneath her words (she thinks even Snow is getting better at that, which is not something she had thought possible). So, she relents.

Rolling her eyes, Regina decides it is easier to just give in to the point, as she explains with a huff, "The curse was still fairly new then, I did not have enough knowledge of this realm's cuisine to know what I was eating."

There's just enough disdain in her tone that the blonde pouts at the familiar insult to her beloved junk food, but she also sees through the comment for what it is.

"But you enjoyed it, before you realized that." Emma points out, hitting the mark with her truths with unerring accuracy. Though the brunette remains skeptical of the Saviour's supposed lie-detector abilities to this day (considering the amount of times it failed against some villain or another), it seems to work rather well on her at least.

Faced with such a point, Regina isn't quite sure what to say.

Regina remembers the smells of the kitchen in her grandfather's kingdom, and the lush foods she had eaten until she'd been full to bursting, the staff all too willing to indulge her sweet tooth and snacks. She remembers too, that she had been rather chubby as a toddler, with a round face and full cheeks. Cora had never liked it, but she had not much say about it, then. But the kingdom fell, and they were forced to leave.

Now master over home and her unruly daughter, Cora had been quite strict about all aspects of her life, including her diet. Going without it had been a typical punishment (along with being locked in her room), but even when she was being "good", food was restricted. It had been made clear to her, from a young age, exactly what kind of path was meant to her, and queens did not eat like savages, and they were not fat .

Even after Cora's whispered hisses and strict commands were gone, there was a king and a court, who never failed to side-eye her every move like each one was a mistake. Every meal time was a forced reminder of the farce of a family she was meant to be a part of, and she had little appetite for anything, let alone the extravagant feasts prepared for royalty on the backs of the starving masses.

Not to mention, the fact that the few times she did decide to indulge , the king would eye her just as pointedly as her mother did. Mother did have a point there (or perhaps, she simply knew her kings, she would later realize, after learning the story there), it turned out, because the only kind of fat his Majesty wanted on her was that of a pregnant belly (this wasn't actually possible, she had made sure of it, but he did not know, and he tried anyway).

Perhaps, after, she could have indulged herself, and she did, to some extent, in the beginning. Not a week after her dear husband's death and Snow's subsequent exile, she made the kitchens prepare all her favorite foods, many according to half-remembered recipes from the old kingdom, and she ate it all with a wild abandon until she was sick with it, having her own personal celebration of her newfound freedom.

But it didn't last. Nothing good ever did. Snow was still on the run, and there was always some new bitterness to consume instead, like the fact that she was being called evil by the unwashed masses for the terrible crime of exacting her revenge on those who had so wronged her.

The curse had just been another in a long string of mistakes and disappointments. In the beginning, it had been a celebration, an exploration of this curious new land. She had sampled its food and she'd indulged in this world's penchant for overly sweet and salty foods like a child. Granny's Diner had been one of the places she'd so indulged it. At the time, she'd even felt some petty sense of victory in having a celebratory feast right in front of their ignorant faces. Later, when the ghosts of her past starting whispering in her ear about just what was proper , she felt safe in the knowledge that no one would remember thanks to the curse. Eventually, she'd stopped because even this minor victory felt hollow, and she felt herself slipping back into old habits almost unconsciously.

Regina says not of this out loud. Can't really, because she has never been the kind of person who could lay her weaknesses bare for the world to see (sometimes, she thinks, if only she had been, perhaps Daniel and Snow would have realized just the kind of person they were dealing with). But, as always, Emma seems to understand it anyway. Though both Henry and Zelena continue to wait for some response from her (and both are just a little worried at the lack of it), the blonde takes charge of redirecting the conversation and their attention.

"So, I had the great idea to tie it to this theme. There are actually a surprising amount of ring-shaped foods, you know? Enough for five, anyway." Emma explains with an easy grin, and Regina feels something in her loosen in response. "Henry helped pick too, though I think he was mostly just looking for stuff he liked."

"Hey! Between the two of us, my taste is totally closer to Mom's so it is totally valid." Their son quickly rebuts, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "If we'd left it all to you, you would've just chosen a bear-claw shaped into rings!"

Zelena snorts at this, noting mildly, "The boy has a good point."

At the sight of the three of them like this, Regina feels herself loosen a little more,the easy atmosphere banishing away the dark cloud of her past. It is enough that she approaches the table and looks into the box of donuts the ridiculous blonde has brought. She hesitates for just a moment, but only because she cannot decide which flavor she prefers best. In the end, she chooses a purple frosted one that she guesses is actually meant for her if the approving grin Emma sends her means anything.

Under that gaze, as well as Zelena's raised brow and Henry's eager look, Regina takes a delicate bite. It's sweet, and just slightly tarty. Some kind of berry, perhaps? It's good, she has to admit, and though she wants to criticize it for being too sweet and fattening out of habit, she cannot quite bring herself to.

"It's good, isn't it, Mom?" Henry asks, grinning, before he chomps down on his own donut.

She chooses to take another bite in lieu of an answer, but when her son only continues to gaze expectantly at her, she gives in and says lightly, "It's alright." It's not exactly a ringing endorsement, but the teenager seems to take it as one (and it is one, in its own way).

"It's better with coffee." Emma suggests, and Regina takes the hint, taking a sip of her own before she goes behind the counter to pour a cup for the blonde too. After handing it over, with a brush of fingertips that causes a faint shiver she very determinedly ignores, she decides to sit down and enjoy the gift she has been given today.

"There's cereal too, Mom!" Henry says, which is evident as he is busy pouring some into the bowl. It's the Froot Loops one, of course. Emma does the same as soon as he is finished, which doesn't surprise her at all.

Regina takes the Cheerios one, and pours a fair enough into an empty bowl. When she places it back down, she sees Zelena take it and pour as well, into a bowl already filled with the more colorful cereal. At her raised brow, the redhead defends, " Your son assures me this is the best way to taste both."

"It's true, Mom." Henry confirms, and she can only shake her head in response.

Deciding not to bother replying, she focuses on her own bowl instead. Compared to the donut, the cereal is less sweet, though it's still more sugar that she typically inhales in a week.

"Now, don't eat too much, because we still have three more tasty treats to eat." Emma announces, with a giddy song-song that makes Henry snicker and Zelena roll her eyes.

Regina is a little more concerned with the content of the notice and not its delivery (though part of her does think it is both hilarious and adorable). "There's more?" She asks, a little alarmed.

"Today's theme is five rings, you know." Emma answers amusedly. "So, consider this your first food trip."

"A food trip?" Regina repeats incredulously, brows hiking up to her forehead in disbelief. The unfamiliar word makes her feel even more lost, though she supposes she can guess at the meaning well enough in this context.

"Yep." Emma only confirms, grinning. "The kind filled with unhealthy yet utterly delicious food."

"How… nice." The brunette manages to say, though her expression no doubt speaks a different story.

As she's already admitted to having her own taste for all this junk food, there's little point in objecting to these gifts (and the sentiment behind it), but this is still a lot all at once. Unsurprising, she supposes, because oftentimes, being with Emma feels like she's been strapped down and forced into riding a roller coaster. The only thing you could really do was scream in frustration, but even though she might not be eating like a lady at the moment, she does still have some manners (and she's not even that angry about it, not really)

"Well, it's really just brunch." Emma amends, shaking her head a little as she explains. "Since there are only three-well, alright, four if we count Snow's extra-and we can really find it all in one place, it's not your typical food trip."

It's a confusing explanation, if you can even call it that, but Regina nods her head along anyway. She'll find out soon enough, she supposes, and she doesn't really want to ruin the identical grins on Emma and Henry's faces. Shaking her head, she decides it's better just to let this roller coaster ride run it's course. At least this time, the most dangerous thing they are facing are the untold calories they'll need to burn and the possibility of a heart attack.

Regina supposes she should not be surprised to be led to Granny's after. There aren't many eating establishments in Storybrooke to choose from, after all. At least the diner is familiar territory, as are its owners. Such familiarity comes with its own cons, however, as the knowing smirk on Red's face as she greets them shows. Remembering Emma's words, she has little doubt about what is going through the waitress' mind.

"We've got the table saved for you guys." Ruby says, almost as soon as they enter.

Their arrival has drawn other eyes to them as well. Most look away after a second or two, though some continue to stare, clearly aware that something different is happening, if only by the way Emma and Henry are grinning eagerly.

Regina is suspicious, and though she fights it, just a little self-conscious. The brunette has been on both extremes of attention, as a "queen" forgotten and ignored by most of the kingdom as a pale replacement of their beloved Eva, and as the infamous Evil Queen who drew fearful looks everywhere she went.

This is something different, she knows, because the expressions directed at her amused, not hateful or dismissive. But still, it stirs at her, and she feels her stomach twist unpleasantly all the same. She thinks she would be more comfortable if they were just angry or scared of her again (it's better than being angry or scared herself, she knows).

But her family is there: Emma and Henry are grinning conspiratorially and speaking in hushed whisper, planning, she suspects, future gifts, while Zelena has a facade of cool disdain around the masses, it breaks when her daughter pulls at her hair and gurgles at her. They are there, and nothing else matters. So Regina slides into the booth with then, hiding a smile behind a menu that she doesn't need, because the diner hasn't changed anything even after the curse broke.

"No need for a menu." Emma speak up, echoing her thoughts, though she gives a different reasoning. "I've already placed an order with Ruby beforehand." She directs it at Zelena too, who is eying everything in the menu disdainfully.

Regina sets the menu down, feeling just a little more exposed without it. Raising a brow, she asks, "You ordered ring-shaped food, then?"

" No arruinar la sorpresa ." This time, the reminder comes from Zelena of all people, who smirking smugly at her, as she says this in terribly accented Spanish. It's still a minor accomplishment, she supposes, that she managed to use all the right words, at least, though it is likely just the fact that Henry has spoken this exact sentence so many times over the course of two days.

Regina merely raises a brow as she replies with a flourish, rolling her Rs with aplomb, "Lo que digas, querida hermana." She relishes in the annoyed look that crosses Zelena's face because she does not understand but assumes an insult. It is all the more amusing considering she was merely agreeing with her statement.

Thankfully, before a fight between sisters can occur, the werewolf approaches the booth.

"Here's your order." Ruby announces as she arrives, carrying two large plates with her. "Onion rings and calamari!"

The plates are quickly placed on the table, the scent of oil and spice wafting through the air. Zelena looks even more skeptical than she pretends to be. Henry doesn't bother with a pretense, and merely starts to dig in. Before he can though, his other mother laughs and places a hand to stop him. "Wait up, kid."

Their son huffs exasperatedly in response, but listens to the direction. She can tell he's as curious as she is, so it seems this part of the plan, at least, was not something he was informed about.

Emma grins, and takes the time to add a little dramatic flair to her next pronouncement, "And! For our side dish, instead of french fries, we have-" The blonde waves her hand and a familiar-looking package of chips appears. It looks rather different too, however, and Regina almost suspects something went wrong with the spell if only for the expression on the blonde's face.

"Woah, I didn't know they made Cheetos like this." Henry exclaims, grabbing the bag for a closer look. "Are these knockoffs or something?"

"Cheetos X's and O's-without the X's. These were discontinued years ago, actually, but I remembered eating them as a kid, and well, I couldn't resist." Emma explains, looking rather wistful.

Regina knows, much like herself, the blonde doesn't have many good memories of her childhood. She wants to know what has brought that expression on her face, and thinks herself of rare moments alone with only her father, of quietly tending to an apple tree seedling and watching it grow, oh so slowly, and of being astride her horse, galloping through the field with the wind in her hair. Part of her wants to ask, but she hesitates, aware of their audience, of the fact that Emma rarely talks about her past, especially her childhood. She knows, even the good memories can cut deeply, how it can sometimes hurt even more than the bad ones.

Besides, she thinks that their present is a good enough memory in the making that there's no need to bog it down with ghosts. There are enough of those, she thinks. So, she smirks at the way Henry tries a few and remarks that the new ones taste better, and tries not to laugh too hard when Emma pouts and the two descend into a far too fierce fight over cheese-flavored chips.

Regina tries one herself, and has to agree with her son (and not just because of motherly obligation). "Hmm.. I think Henry has a point here. The new ones are more… flavorful, I think."

The sheriff raises a brow at this, before she asks teasingly, "And when did you become such an expert on Cheetos flavors, Madame Mayor?"

This gains her a mere noncommittal shrug, but Henry gasps and says accusingly, "I knew you were sneaking bites from my Cheetos bags!" Regina flushes slightly at this, aware she has just given herself away, but she quickly turns in around when she notes pointedly, "Cheetos bags that were not even supposed to be in the house."

Thankfully, before the argument and devolve some more (and embarrass her further), they realize that someone at the booth has been suspiciously silent. With the three of them distracted by Emma's conjured side dish, Zelena has taken the opportunity to hoard the onion rings and calamari to herself, it seems. Clearly, not even having a baby on her lap is enough to keep her from enjoying her spoils evidently.

"Aww, no fair, Aunt Z!" Henry complains, when he finally notices, and quickly takes some for himself. Emma copies him, and the two briefly fight when they end up spearing the same piece of calamari, while Regina shakes her head and takes some of the free pieces for herself.

Their booth is blessedly silent for once, as they all dig into the food, some with more gusto than others (Henry and Emma). But the silence doesn't last for long, because the door chimes when they're nearly done with the meal (that's one small mercy, she supposes), and the way Zelena' expression breaks into a startled smirk of incredulous amusement gives her a big hint as to who it is. Turning around, Regina sees the all too familiar face of a beaming Snow White and resists the urge to sigh.

The woman is carrying a large box with her, and she is immediately suspicious. Especially once she approaches and announces eagerly, "I've brought dessert!"

"We're not finished eating." Regina can't help but point out.

This makes Snow's face fall, which is her intended goal, but it doesn't last long, because the other woman has always been a font of vaguely delusional optimism. "Well, I don't mind waiting." She replies, and the former Evil Queen wants to say something about waiting in the next booth or maybe back at the loft completely, when Henry pipes up.

"Why don't you join us, grandma?" The teenager suggests with an easy smile, and, as always, she cannot begrudge him. Sighing faintly, she nods faintly in agreement and tries not to frown when Snow takes the opportunity and slides into the booth next to her. Because, of course she does. She rolls her eyes slightly, but chooses to say nothing, taking a bite out of an onion ring instead. At least it's got a vegetable instead it, she supposes, though the deep fried batter cancels out any kind of health factor she's sure.

Snow looks wide-eyed at her, she bristles at it. "What?" Regina bites out, a little more harshly than intended, but the younger woman seems too stunned to even notice the ire.

Shaking her head, she replies, "I'm just surprised to see you eating this kind of food, I suppose." There's a faraway look in her eyes, and Regina wonders if she is remembering meals taken in a palace together, where a young queen always ate little of the rich fare they'd been served. Shaking her head ruefully, Snow sends a brief glance at her daughter as she admits. "Emma told me what she was planning, but I didn't think you'd actually agree to it. ...I guess she really does know you better than I do."

The last admission is coupled with a searching look that makes her feel intensely uncomfortable. Regina looks away, and tells herself that's not an admission of defeat, as she says flatly. "You don't know me at all, Snow."

It's an exaggeration, perhaps, and yet it's not, because there are plenty of moments where it seems like Snow still looks at her and sees someone else entirely. So, this is a familiar accusation she's aimed more than once at the other woman, but this might be the first time her former stepdaughter understands exactly what she means. Or, at least, more than the fraction she usually gets. For all that they've spent years in close proximity and have had their lives entangled with each other for seeming all of eternity, she thinks Snow knows still knows her the least out of everyone in this booth. Hell, if she's being honest, she thinks the two werewolves who are likely eavesdropping on their conversation probably know her better too.

There's a moment of long, awkward silence, where even little Robyn seems to sense the mood and merely gnaws quietly on a strand of her mother's red hair. Regina wants to curse Snow for her infuriating ability to always say the wrong thing at the wrong time, because the easy atmosphere had vanished, filled by the tense anticipation that has always characterized the air during a fight between the infamous Evil Queen and Snow White. Only, that's not what this is. This is, perhaps, one between a lonely, heartbroken queen, and the oblivious princess she'd been forced to play stepdaughter too. Theirs is a relationship fraught with old wounds, and sometimes, Regina wonders how they can ever be in the same room at all without hurting each other.

It's Snow who breaks the standoff first, hands going towards the box she brought, as she says, uncharacteristically glum, "I made this for you."

The box is carefully opened up, and a giant cake is revealed. It has alternating layers of purple, brown and yellow (meant to be gold, she assumes), and there's a large hole in the center of the topmost layer of cake, which just happens to be colored yellow. To Regina, it looks ridiculous and rather tacky, but it's par for the course for Snow White, and she's honestly a little impressed the woman managed to bake this all in one day.

She says as much, because it is true, though mostly because she wants this day to stop being marked by old scars acting up (it's hard to avoid, but she wants to at least try). It succeeds, because Snow brightens, though she quickly deflates again as she frowns. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Of course the fool refuses to grasp the olive branch she's been given. Regina releases an aggrieved sigh, and she says pointedly. "Why on Earth would I do that, Snow?" The frown slips into something more like a pout, but she quickly cuts off whatever comes out of that damnable mouth next by addressing everyone, "Let's eat."

Henry and Emma thankfully do not need more direction than that, while Zelena is much more wary about tasting it. She chooses to entertain little Robyn instead, whose happy gurgles do a good job of making Regina's shoulder loosen from their tense position. It allows her to take a small bite of the cake herself, even with the heavy weight of Snow's anxious stare on her

It taste better than she expects, and Regina allows herself to show some of it in reaction for Snow's benefit, though she only tells the other woman mildly. "It seems you've finally learned something after all." She means more than just the cake's taste, and even the princess' thick skull seems to absorb this implication.

Breaking into a grin, Snow tells her, more serious than bubbly for once, "Thank you, Regina."

None of this addresses their lingering issues or the state of their complicated relationship. But this isn't the time or place for that, and both of them know how to compromise for the sake of their family, by now. So, Regina gives a small smile in return, and slowly, the comfortable atmosphere returns.

It's easy enough to forget about such things, when a competition sparks up between Emma and Henry over who can actually finish the most out of the ridiculous tower of cake, or when little Robyn gets too excited over the commotion and ends up making a chunk of the cake fall over with her flailing hands. It's chaotic and it's beautiful and Regina wishes it could last forever, that she could erase the past with her present. When she manages to share a commiserating look of understanding with Snow White over Emma's antics at one point, she can almost believe it's possible too.