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Secrets and Lies
By Ros Sawyer
Regina Mills had always known she was a mess, she had long ago accepted that point. She had been called evil far longer than she cared to think about and yet there was something in the way Henry now flinched away from her that hurt, it hurt a lot.
He had been bad enough to be sent to his room and he had gone, surprisingly easily for once. She had thought nothing of it, accepting that he might finally be growing up. She had grown frantic however upon finding he had snuck away, she might have been 'evil' but he had been her only chance at having a child.
She had been entirely surprised when Henry was returned to her, not just alive but unharmed. She had straightened up as he ran inside, wearily eyeing the woman who had come back with him.
She had forced herself to be polite and yet all she wanted was to chase the woman away, she didn't need to be fighting with some other woman when she was already fighting to fix herself. The woman had spoken, her voice shockingly warm. Regina had pulled back further, angry that the woman could cause her to melt when she nothing of her.
Emma Swann, Henry's birth mother, apparently, had long blonde hair and gentle brown-grey eyes and spoke with a quiet calm to her voice that Regina sorely needed in her life.
Regina had been cold, quiet as much as possible and yet rough. She had sought to be rid of the woman, needing peace and to think. She had hated that Henry had brought this woman home with him and she had been even angrier when she finally left.
She had asked Henry why he had felt the need to bring the woman home with him and his reply, although angry, was somewhat warming. He seemed to think she was lonely, lonely and just a little sad.
When Emma had returned to her the next morning, supposedly to say goodbye she had been speechless, unsure how to say the words 'Please don't leave'. She had watched Emma leave, sinking onto her knees silently as the door closed.
Henry had run past her and, although she heard nothing of what Henry said she had become aware of Emma's slight smile, the younger woman ruffling her son's hair before returning, her touch soft on Regina's wrists as she pulled her up and into a long and honestly tender kiss.
The End