Emma Swan sits at her desk filing paperwork, so incorporated in her work for the day didn't hear the clicking of heels headed her way. Mayor Mills keeps her eyes focused on the Sheriff striding forth waiting for a response from the Miss Swan whom didn't appear to notice her entry kept staring at the documents in front of her. One foot at a time she approached the Sheriff wondering what has the woman so in depth with her work, studying the blank expression on the Sheriffs face.

Emma hasn't stopped thinking about the Mayor since she arrived in Storybrook; everything seems to loop back to her, whether it's her son or her job. Her name was everywhere and the sheriff could not escape her. She had tried desperately to avoid the Mayor in the beginning but she found it was nearly impossible to avoid the beautiful brunette. First she works for the woman and had to show up for mandatory meetings which 'duh' the Mayor attended. And second is Granny's, everyone seemed to flock to the café especially now during the holidays, even the infamous Mayor would show up almost every lunch break, order a coffee and sit alone in the corner finishing up some paperwork. Emma would secretly watch the Mayor scribbling notes on papers, memorizing the content face, the pursed lips and the mysterious scar on the lips of the woman she shared a son with. Although the Mayor did give up a fight to keep Henry away but she ultimately decided his happiness was to be first above all else, even her rage and jealousy were selflessly set aside for the son she loved. Even if the kid didn't show his love for his own mother, she still felt the need to give him his happiness even if it meant she would never have her own. Emma saw through the stone faced woman and saw the sadness in her eyes and even more so as Christmas approaches. Emma ached to make the woman see that she, the one who didn't mean to be the cause of the brunettes pain actually cares for her and wants to rid her of the pained look in her beady brown eyes.

Regina cleared her throat in an attempt to gain the blondes attention. Emma looks up startled by the fact that the person she was just thinking about was in fact right in front of her.

"Oh..um Mayor Mill I was just um.." 'Thinking about you.' She added in thought. "How can I help you?" She asked with more confidence as she stared into the hard brown eyes of the brunette.

"Well as you may or may not remember, our son has his Christmas recital tomorrow." 'Oh sh-! How could I forget that? Henry has been ranting and raving about his lead role in the play ever since he got the part.' Emma thought. "..And was wondering if I should save a seat for you or not." The Mayor continued. The surprise Emma felt towards the notion must have shown on her face as the brunette continued with "It was Henry's idea, he wanted to be able to see us easier so he suggested we sit together." Clearing the idea that Regina had actually wanted to sit by the blonde. The idea made Emma's heart flutter but quickly squashed by the Mayors admittance.

"Yes of course I'll be there; you can't get rid of me that easily." She said before thinking. The Mayor stumbled a bit at the answer as did the blonde but both recovered quickly. Emma smiled at the brunette as a nervous habit.

Regina leaned towards the blonde gracing her with lips close to her own, she felt a pull but ignored the feeling. "Good I will see you tomorrow then." Regina smiled at her turned on her heels and walked back towards the front door. Emma watching her the whole way to the door with eyes on the brunettes swaying hips as she made her way to the exit. 'Wait! Did that just happen?! It must have been a mistake. I surely must have been daydreaming.'

"The Mayor seems to be in a good mood this morning." Mary Margret stated as she waltzed into the station "She actually said 'Good Morning' to me. Whatever your doing keep it up, she has looked a bit under the weather lately and it's nice to see a smile on her face." Mary Margret says as she walks over to the coffee machine pouring a cup of coffee. 'Yeah it is isn't it?' She silently thought "Do you want any? There seems to be one more cup left."

"I'm fine, thank you." The blonde says as she looks at her still full cup from earlier. She was unable to take another sip for fear of her heart bursting. She wasn't crazy; the exchange between the women actually took place.

After their little chat the holiday season became a bit different to say the least, 'Regina had actually been cheerful and dare I say, happy. I always imagined her to be a Grinch during this time of year but the actual smile she wore around Henry' led the blonde to believe otherwise.

Henry always blamed Regina for cursing Storybrook into an unhappy bunch of depressed townsfolk. The blonde just couldn't believe him, that this small town of smiling cheerful band of people has been cursed into oblivion by Regina let alone his own mother. 'So why is it different now? Why has he chosen now to become a happy little child? To get more presents from his mother? Now that's a smart kid. But she began to wonder why his smile happened to be genuine also. Was he starting to believe his logic of a cursed town to be insane? I know Archie told me not to use such words, but magic and curses seemed to be pretty farfetched in the real world.'

"Hey kid, what's with the sudden changes with your mom? I mean not that I mind it's nice to see you two happy together but you just seemed to change overnight. What are you up too?" Emma questions Henry.

"She's been helping me rehearse for the play lately." She thought 'he must be kidding' "We actually have fun when we're acting." He added with a smile. 'Well that's a good step in the right direction. I wonder what she's like when she's having 'fun'.'

"Would you be willing to Emma? I know it's a lot to ask but it would really help me" Henry asked with a puzzled look. 'Oh god, I spaced it. What did he say?'

"Yeah?" She added trying to figure what he just asked.

"Really? That would be so cool! I know you two don't really get along but it's definitely going to help if we have more people rehearsing. I'm so glad you agreed! I'm going to tell mom that you're coming over tomorrow to help rehearse before the play." 'WHAT?! Oh gods she actually agreed to help him with Regina there.' Emma felt the pressure rise in her chest. 'Can I get out of this? NO! It'll help Henry with the play, I can't back out now with his hopes high.' The kid ran out of the room leaving a helpless Emma behind figuring what she's going to do. 'What do people wear to rehearse a play?'

It's three o'clock and Emma is standing at the Mayors house about to knock, she took a few breaths and finally gave it a couple taps. The Mayor opened the door with a smile "come in Miss Swan we've been expecting you." She adds with a hand gesture. The house was beautiful inside, decked with Christmas decorations, tinsel and a beautifully decorated tree near the fire place of the living room.

"Henry! You have a guest!" Regina yelled to the stairs. They soon found each other staring at one another intensely Emma's heart beating fast in her chest and wondered if the other woman felt the same. Her thought process was broken by thumps Henry made flying down the stairs. "Don't go so fast down the stairs Henry, it's dangerous. Someone could get hurt." The brunette said breaking the silence between the three. As soon as Henry reached the bottom he ran straight to Emma almost running her over in a huge bear hug.

"Emma! You came!" Emma looked to the Mayor seeing a jealous flash through her eyes.

"Yeah, you need some help on the play and I would gladly help you." She looked to Regina, she looked back. "Well I'll leave you two to it." As she started to walk away. "Wait. You're not going to help us?" Emma found herself saying. Regina turned around peering intently into green eyes wondering if she heard right. "Do you want me to help?" The brunette asked with a puzzled look on her face. Emma opened her mouth to say something. "The more the merrier!" Henry added before Emma could get the words out so she concluded with a nod and a simple smile. Regina looked down to her son like he was an alien and smiled. "I thought you would be sick of me by now." She added. "Nonsense! It'll be fun plus it's nice to hang out with both of you without the fights." Emma looked to Henry then to Regina and found her looking back with an apologetic look.

"Let's get started then." Emma added with a smile aimed at the brunette which she returned in kind.

As they started to rehearse with their son they managed to stand next to one another, Regina handed the plastic baby over to Emma, their fingers lightly brushing. Emma blushes slightly looking into Reginas eyes. The brunette says her line. "Your first son Mary." "Your son also Joseph." Emma looks at the script then back up to Regina. "Not mine, but I will raise him as though he were." Emma smiles at the coincidence between the script and her life. She looks at Henry and see him smile ear to ear at the two of them. Regina steps closer to Emma placing the baby back in the blondes hands lingering a second longer than normal. The phone interrupts the recital; Henry makes a mad dash for the door claiming he will get it.

"I think he's trying to tell us something." Emma says as she places the plastic baby back on the nightstand. She moves to the door to peek if Henry was coming back. The blonde turned to close the door and as she did she heard loud footsteps, but it was too late."MO-.." Henry was barging through the door successfully clocking Emmas temple knocking her on her back and unconscious.

"Oh My Gosh Emma! I'm so sorry I didn't relize you were behind the.. Emma? Emma!" Henry pleaded for the woman to wake up, Regina ran to his side touching her palm to Emmas' red face trying to get her to come to.

"Ugh.. What happened?" Emma says reaching for her face but reaches something unexpected, Regina's hand. She laced their fingers together. "Henry, go get some ice for Emma." She turns her attention back to the blonde. "You called me Emma." She looks up to Regina to see her smiling down at her. She moved her palm up, cupping the woman's cheek. Regina leans down capturing Emma's lips. She pulls back after a moment. Staring into Emma's eyes. "Merry Christmas Eve Emma."

"Emma? Are you okay?" She sees Henry head poking through the door making sure he didn't hit anyone else with it. He hands Regina the bag of ice and she makes a point of taking good care of Emma by placing the bag gently to the red mark. "I am now Henry."