"What are you doing here?"

Regina looked to the small baffled voice that came from the chair outside the hospital room. Henry sat there, his eyes confused and narrowed in suspicion. Daniel was at home asleep, quiet, sweet and obedient, where Henry had become the opposite.

"I could ask you the same question," she almost snapped.

Instead she bit her tongue and looked away the boy who refused to see himself as her son.

She walked to the glass wall and looked in. They'd just rushed him in by the looks of it. There were doctors and nurses swarming around him, fiddling with pipes and drips and needles. She watched as they thinned out, as the hospital staff steadily emptied out of the room until only Dr. Whale was there, asking David questions. He nodded and spoke, Regina couldn't hear him. Whale replied, looked at his clipboard, then said something again and walked out.

"Madame Mayor," he greeted, walking directly to her.

She turned so that Henry would only see her back and spoke lowly so that he couldn't hear her.

"How is he?" she asked.

He gave a small disbelieving laugh. "Amazingly enough... He's fine. Some scrapes and bruises from his 'midnight stroll' but other than that everything's in order."

She nodded and absorbed the news in silence, was about to ask another question when she heard: "What are you doing here?"

Like mother like son, she thought bitterly. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Emma a pointed look, indicating behind the blonde by jutting out her chin. She looked over her shoulder and winced at the sight of Henry. Then she turned back, her eyes wide and expression suddenly apologetic.

"Listen, he just ran off earlier and I swear I told him to go home-"

Regina held up a hand to cut off her rambling then ignored her and turned back to Whale.

"How long before he's released?"

He shrugged. "I'd suggest a few weeks physiotherapy but by the looks of things he probably won't need it. I'd say... about a week at most."

A nurse came by and offered some forms to the Mayor. She accepted the clipboard and pen.

"I assume you'll want him released into your custody?"

She nodded. "If he agrees." She hesitated. "May I?" she inclined her head toward David's room. The doctor nodded and Regina walked forward.

The room was made of glass so privacy was a pipe dream. Tomorrow, she'd request for a private room for him. He watched her as she approached him. Gingerly, she sat at the foot of the bed and faced him, her back to the glass.

"Hello, Mr. Nolan," she greeted, tone neutral and expression polite. "I'm-"

"Regina," he said, cutting her off.

She composed herself quickly. "You remember. That's good," she said, forcing a smile. "How much do you remember?"

He frowned. "Why are you talking to me like that?"

"Like what?" she asked, faux curiosity as she tilted her head to the side.

"Like you don't know me. Like..." He looked around, features pinched in confusion and frustration. "Regina, what's going on?" he asked desperately.

She steadied herself with a deep breath. "You've experienced some slight trauma. It's understandable that you're confused. You were in a coma-"

"For twelve years. I know. I landed up here after the car accident. After... After our last argument. I know. I remember. So, can you please cut the crap and just tell me what's going on?"

He wasn't going to back down, she saw. There was a burning intensity in his dark blue eyes. His features were hard. She looked down at the forms and clipboard in her hands, and nodded. She sighed and looked up again.

"Fine." She stood. "I'm going to fill these out and when I get back, I'll answer any questions you have."

"You can answer them now," he growled.

She kept her face blank as she stared at him. He looked more like Charming now, with that almost sneer. His expression softened into frustration after a few seconds. He was about to speak, she cut him off with an admission of: "I need a moment."

He nodded. She turned, saw Emma Swan looking at her, brows furrowed, though the glass, and left the room. She sat on one of the hospital chairs far from her son and his birth mother and completed the forms. It went quicker than expected, not even five minutes. She returned it to the nurse who'd given up to her, then bought two cups of coffee and a cranberry muffin.

Breathe, she told herself as she made her way back to the room. Calm down. Henry was still sitting where he was when she'd arrived. Emma was next to him. The two were talking but stopped when they saw her. Stalling, she went to them.

"Ms. Swan," she said, her tone professional. "It's late. Would you mind driving Henry home?"

Her brows shot up in surprise. "Erh S-sure," she said. Henry eyed her suspiciously.

She turned and went for the door, moving the cup holder and paper bag containing the muffin into one arm as she opened the door. David sat straighter and made to get off the bed to help her. She held up a hand. He stopped. She approached him and handed him a coffee cup and the paper bag. She took her own cup and pulled the chair closer to his bed, adjusting it so that her back was toward the glass again.

"Cranberry," he noted, opening the bag. It was his favourite. "Thanks." He looked at her thoughtfully. "You look exactly the same," he observed, taking a sip of his coffee. "I guess that's proof of the curse."

His tone showed he still didn't fully believe her. She bobbed her eyebrows and, lips pursed, took a sip of her own coffee. She nearly burned her tongue and hissed.

He chuckled. "Still drinking it black and burning?"

She wiped her lip then put on a wide grin. "Like my soul."

He snorted. A moment passed. He turned serious. "Has it really been twelve years?" She didn't answer, instead picked at the imaginary lint on her skirt. "Regina," he prodded.

She sighed and looked over her shoulder. Henry was still there, still watching her, still that same distrustful expression. She turned back to David.

"There's a little boy outside," she said softly. He followed her gaze. "One of my sons." David's eyes widened. "I adopted them ten years ago."

"Them?"

"Him and his twin brother, Daniel."

He absorbed the news quietly, with small nods, sipping coffee then absently biting the takeout cup as he thought. He met her eyes, wanted to say something, then looked out the glass again. A small smile graced his lips.

"What's his name?"

She smiled, looking down, and said, "Henry."

"After your dad."

She nodded and wiped at the unexpected moisture forming in her eyes. "Yeah."

...

"Your mom knows the coma patient?"

Henry looked up, his face adorably scrunched up in confusion. "She's just his emergency contact," he said, trying to convince himself. "I... I remember we visited him a few times when Danny and I were smaller. Like... before first grade. I think."

Emma quirked a brow at this new information. Henry turned back. "They're talking about me," he said, frowning.

She looked at the Mayor's back for a moment longer then back to Henry. "Come on, kid. Gotta get you home." He shook his head and continued watching them. "Henry," she sighed, touching his head. He didn't budge. "It's been a long day, kid. Aren't you tired?"

As if on cue, he tried to hide a yawn. Gotcha. "No," he said into his hand.

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "Come on."

He groaned and stood. He picked up his backpack and placed it on his shoulders. Emma turned to leave, saw Henry wasn't at her side, frowned and looked around to see him walking to the glass room. "Kid," she whisper-shouted. He turned around. "What are you doing?"

"Saying goodnight."

More like looking for an excuse to go into the room, Emma thought, though she didn't try to stop him. He turned around again with a cheeky smile of victory. It fell quickly. Brows furrowed, she followed his sight and saw the Mayor hugging the coma patient.

...

Henry moved before he thought, was inside the room before he'd processed even walking.

"...home," he heard Prince Charming say.

The Evil Queen nodded against his shoulder. "It hasn't really been home without you."

Henry froze at that. Felt an odd and unexpected hurt in his upper chest. The blonde man noticed him, smiled warmly and loosened his hold on her. Henry immediately disliked him. But that was okay, he reasoned with himself. Some of the heroes were cursed to be bad people here. Prince Charming was... He was hugging the Evil Queen so that meant he was bad here and would only be good again when the curse broke.

He took a step around the bed to her. "Mom."

Her spine stiffened and she turned to face him. "Henry. Where's Emma?"

Again that weird hurt thing in his chest. "Outside," he answered. "Can I wait with you instead?" Henry asked, putting out his bottom lip, knowing she wouldn't refuse, that she craved time with him.

She hesitated, Henry smirked internally. A smirk that fell when she shook her head. "No," she said, apologetically. "It's late, sweetheart. Go home and get some sleep. You have school tomorrow."

His surprise turned to outrage and then anger. "Fine," he gritted out.

...

David chuckled after the boy stormed out. "He takes after his mother."

"He hates his mother," she muttered. "No, that's not true. He worships Emma. It's me he hates."

"Emma?"

She looked up. "His birth mother." She hesitated. "And also the Saviour."

"The Saviour. You mean... M-my daughter?" She nodded. He leaned back. "Wow." He laughed a bit. "Well... Th-That makes things... kind of... messy."

She snorted. "That's an understatement." They spent the next few moments in silence, then it spilled from her mouth, "I've been horrible to him lately. So horrible." David looked at her questioningly. "He figured it out," she explained. "The curse. Who everyone is. Who I am."

"Who you were," he said firmly.

She shook her head, tears fell at the movement. "I tried to convince him he was crazy. I sent him to a shrink." Her head fell into her hands. "Oh my god, what is wrong with me? I called him delusional. I called my son insane."

David's shock grew with every word. He wanted to ask about the other one, about Daniel, but a sob shook her shoulders. He touched her back, brought her to his chest again and held her for a bit. She may look exactly the same, but this was not exactly the same woman he fell in love with.

"You were afraid," he said. "To tell him the truth."

"I am afraid," she corrected. "The last person I was completely honest with ended up in a coma." He felt her tears seep onto his chest through the thin material of the hospital gown. "I'm just like her," she whispered.

"No." He shook his head. "No, you're not."

She stared at him, her eyes flicking between his, then breathed in relief and pressed her head firmer against him. He rubbed her back and leaned down to inhale her scent. Different shampoo, he noted. Same perfume. A few minutes passed. She shifted, looked at him and brought her hand up to his chest over his heart. She curled her fingers over it, watching his face for his reaction. He brought his hand over hers and kissed her temple.

"You need to tell him," he said against her head. She nodded reluctantly. He could feel her unwillingness and dread. "Does the other one know? Daniel?"

"He uh... I heard the two of them arguing one day. Henry was going on and on about the curse, about the Evil Queen, and how they had to save everyone from me. Daniel..." she wiped at her eye and looked away, voice emotionless. "Daniel said he didn't care whether or not the curse was real. Whether or not I was evil. Because..." she took a shaky breath. "Because I was his mom."

"Sounds like a good kid," he offered after a few moments. He lifted the paper bag and took the cranberry muffin out of it. "Want a piece?" he asked, offering it to her.

She broke off a small piece and they switched to lighter topics.

...

Henry was sulking in the passenger seat, clearly upset and angry at the world. She thought back to Boston. How it was his brother who was in this mood where he was talkative and excited. Henry snapped at her earlier when she told him to put his seatbelt on.

The teenage years are going to be great, she thought, rolling her eyes. The teenage years... Am I even going to be here for those? Emma wondered.

If Regina had it her way, she would have been driven out of town by police escort and banned from ever returning. They really needed to have a civil conversation about that one of these days she decided.

She pulled up on Mifflin street and drove to house 108. Henry undid his seatbelt and left in a huff. Emma sat for a moment then killed the engine and got out the car.

"Kid," she jogged up to him and put an arm around his shoulders.

He looked up, confused, but didn't shrug her off, so she smiled and took the key from his small hands. She unlocked the door and imagined what their life would have been like had she kept them. She'd slug back home after a long day, the two of them yawning by her side, after she picked them up from their babysitter, and then she'd open the door, walk them upstairs to his room, tuck them in and maybe tell them a story or just watch her twins sleep for a bit.

Henry frowned when she walked with him to his room.

"Go put on your PJ's."

"Are you gonna stay?" he asked, cautiously optimistic.

She smiled at the idea but shook her head. "Just to tuck you in."

His face lit up, he grabbed a pair of pajamas and ran into the bathroom across the hall. Emma sat on his bed and looked around. Nice room. Colourful and bright. A lot of toys and comic books and novels. She'd taken Henry claims of evil without much proof, especially after the Mayor tried to frame her, but she saw another side to the bitchy woman tonight and had begun to wonder if maybe evil was a bit extreme. Harsh, defensive and stuck-up was true, but maybe evil was an overstatement. Henry bounded out and jumped onto his bed. Emma smiled at him and pulled back the covers for him to crawl under.

He smiled. "Night Emma."

The illusion broke and her smile became smaller. She was Emma, not 'Mom.'

"Night kiddo."

She ruffled his hair then pulled back.

He frowned. "Aren't you going to kiss my head?"

"Y-yeah," she said quickly. She leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to his temple.

He yawned sleepily and turned to face his window, curling up like a little kitten. She got up, turned off his light and shut the door. What if he preferred it parted, she wondered, and opened it again. She left it parted so that the bathroom light would shine through. What if he slept with the door closed? What if he was afraid of the dark? Or thought up monsters? What if he turned in his sleep and the bathroom light woke him up? What if he had a nightlight he usually used? Or a favourite toy? And what about Daniel? What if he woke up in the middle of the night? What if he woke up now? What would he do? What would he say?

All these questions emphasized one simple truth: she didn't know. She didn't know any of those things. Emma. She was Emma. Not Mom.

...

"I need to go home," she said regretfully, detangling herself from him.

"No." His arms tightened. "Stay."

"Visiting hours ended two hours ago," she chuckled. "I have to get home for the boys." His lips pulled together in what could only be described as a pout. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You will?" he asked skeptically.

She sighed. This wasn't the first time she'd broken a promise or gone against her word. "Yes," she said. "I'll bring you a cup of cream and sugar with a dash of coffee."

"Some people actually prefer their coffee not to scald their tastebuds."

She rolled her eyes and stood. "Goodnight David."

She was by the door when he asked, "Don't I get a goodnight kiss?" She swallowed down her mild and irrational fear and turned, a practiced and slightly teasing smile in place.

"Not tonight, shepherd."

"What if I asked nicely?" he asked, giving her a smile that was too similar to her sons'. He batted his eyelashes and dramatically sighed out, "Please."

She shook her head and walked forward. She leaned down and took his face in her hands. She hesitated. "Goodnight David," she said again, a whisper against his forehead before she pressed a kiss to it.

He held her elbows and breathed in deeply. "Not what I meant," he said, "but I'll take it." He leaned up and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight Regina. I love you."

"I... I..." She was struggling to form the words. "David, I-"

"It's okay. I know."