Emma Swan felt a small hand clasp around her jeans and giving a slight tug. Looking down she is met with a pair of green terrified eyes looking up at her.

"Hey kid, what's wrong." She says kneeling down to meet the young boy eye to eye.

"I lost my mommy. She told me not to talk to strangers, but you don't look strange." The young boy said with a shaky voice.

"Well do you know where your mommy could be?" Emma asked looking around for a sign of someone panicking. Then she looked back at the boy, who shook his head. "Ok, well how about her name? What's your mommy's name?"

"Regina, my name is Henry." The boy said holding out his hand for a handshake.

Emma smiled at his manners before taking the hand and responding with, "I'm Emma."

Emma glanced at the small hand and noticed something written on the inside of his wrist. "What this?" She asked pulling the wrist into a better view.

If I'm lost please call

There was a number written below and Emma immediately put two and two together.

"Well Henry I think I know how to find your mommy." Emma said pulling the young boy up in her arms as she stood. "Now let's find a phone."

Emma scanned the area and her eyes landed on a pay phone on the corner of the park. She walked over to it digging whatever change she could out of her pocket.

There were two and a half rings before it was answered.

"Regina Mills" came a panicked voice on the other end.

"Yes, this is Emma Swan and I believe I have something of yours. Henry would you like to talk to your mommy?" The boy in question nodded and yanked the phone to his ear.

"Mommy I got lost and I couldn't find you anymore. I know you said not to talk to strangers, but Miss. Emma didn't look strange." He rambled on.

"It's ok Henry dear, I'm just glad you're safe. Will you please give Miss. Swan the phone?" Henry nodded as if his mother could see and gave the phone back to the woman holding him. "I'm still at the play area if you would like to head in that direction. Where are you? I'll head your way. Thank you so much."

When Emma had hung the phone up she looked at Henry who had placed his head on her shoulder. She couldn't pin point the exact feeling but something was different about this kid. She didn't understand why he was so comfortable with her.

"Henry!" Came a voice after they had walked several yards. Henry's sleepy head popped up and he wiggled free from Emma.

The blonde watched as mother and son were united by a big hug. She walked closer to the scene placing her hands in her back pockets grinning from ear to ear.

"I'd usually ask for some ID but I think that is proof enough." Emma joked and the brunette finally looked at her.

"I don't think I can thank you enough, I'm not sure what happened. One minute he was going down the slide and the next he was just gone. I've never been so scared in my whole life." Regina said pulling Henry even closer.

"Don't worry about it. You know, that whole number on his wrist thing is genius." Emma said motioning towards Henry's arm.

"Well he's a runner, so I like to be prepared." Regina chuckled reaching her hand out similarly to the way the young boy had several minutes ago. "Regina Mills."

"Emma Swan." Emma said grasping the hand tightly.

"Well Miss. Swan is there anything I can do to thank you for returning my little runaway." Regina asked tickling Henry's tummy.

"No thank you, I'm just trying to be a decent person, you know good karma and all." Emma said smiling.

"Nonsense, why don't you join us for supper, my treat? Anywhere you'd like to go." Regina's voice left little room for argument.

"Well if you don't mind it's been a while since I've had a home cooked meal. Then you wouldn't have to spend money. But I don't want to over step." Emma said sheepishly looking at her boots.

"Perfect I was thinking of making lasagna for supper anyways. What do you say Henry should our savior come to our house for supper?" Henry nodded frantically and beamed at Emma. "Then it's settled. Now Miss. Swan where are you parked you can follow us."

"Actually I don't have a car, I usually walk everywhere." Emma looked into chocolate eyes hoping that the new information wouldn't change anything. There was something comfortable about the other woman, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. It was definitely nothing she had felt before, not with anyone.

"Even better, we can all ride together." Regina smiled, and Emma thought she could get used to seeing that. She followed Regina into the parking lot and awkwardly stood by the passenger seat and watched the toddler get strapped into his car seat. Finally Regina opened the driver's side door to get in and Emma followed suit.

Emma's eyes widened when she recognized the house they were pulling into.

"Wait, you're the Mayor?" She asked eyes never leaving the mansion.

"Yea, Mommy's in charge of the whole world." Henry exclaimed stretching his arms out to make a circle.

Regina chuckled. "Not the world." She said winking at Henry in the mirror. "Yet."

"That's crazy. I always thought the mayor would be, I don't know-"

"Older?" Regina asked cutting the blonde off.

"No." She said blushing as she exited the car.

Regina followed and helped an eager Henry out of his seat. Once he was free he ran over to Emma pulling on her hand towards the front door. Regina grabbed her things from the car and made a quick movement to pass them, and unlock the door.

Henry led Emma through the front door tugging on her arm to move faster.

"Emma, you have to come see my room. Mommy and I just painted it, its green." Henry continued to ramble on the details of his room. Emma glanced over at Regina who gave her an approving nod.

After about thirty minutes of meeting stuffed animals and action figures, reading a few books, and playing a quick game of hide and seek Regina called them down for supper.

"Mmm, smells awesome Regina." Emma said taking a seat across from the brunette.

Henry crawled into his seat and began happily eating his meal.

"Thank you, it's a family recipe. I grew up eating it, and so is my son." Regina said smiling down and Henry. "What about you Emma do you have any family traditions?"

"If I did I wouldn't know." Emma said. "Meaning that I didn't grow up with a family. I was in the system until I was seventeen. My parents left me on the side of the road when I was a baby."

Regina looked at Emma apologetically look but Emma waived it away. "Hey don't worry about it. Life goes on, right?" She smiled before taking a bite.

"I guess, so what are you up to these days?" Regina said taking a bite herself.

"Not much, looking for a job mostly. Not many places will hire-" Emma cut herself off and looked and Regina to see if she noticed.

Regina was looking into her eyes waiting for the sentence to finish, but gave up after a few moments.

After supper was finished and Emma had helped clean the kitchen; the two women made their way to the front door. Emma pulled her ratty back pack over her shoulders.

"Well thank you for supper but I'd better get going." She reached her hand out for Regina to shake but was confused when there was a knock on the door.

Regina reached passed Emma and opened the door allowing an elderly woman in. "Thank you for putting Henry down for me tonight. This shouldn't take too long."

"Don't worry about it Regina, you know you can call anytime. It helps that your child is well behaved, and as adorable as ever." The older woman gave Regina a hug and kiss on the cheek before making her way into the living room where Henry had settled in for a movie.

Regina grabbed her keys off the hook and led Emma out the door.

"You don't have to give me a ride. I'm okay to walk really." Emma said following the brunette back to the car.

Regina said nothing as she got into the driver's seat and started the car. Emma pulled herself into the passenger's seat and buckled in, her backpack resting between her legs.

"So which way do you live?" Regina asked.

"Head west I'll direct you as we go." Emma smiled.

After a few minutes and a couple directions later Regina finally broke the silence.

"Earlier you said you could find a job because no one would hire, what exactly aren't they hiring?" Regina asked trying not to sound too intrusive.

"To be honest, they won't hire me because I'm a high school drop out." Emma said but the arch in Regina's eyebrow showed she knew there was more to it. "When I was seventeen I tried to steal a bunch of watches back for my boyfriend, but I got caught, and he split. I was put in prison. Like not a few weeks later I found out I was pregnant."

Emma stopped talking abruptly wondering what gave her the courage to talk about that. She never told anyone about the baby, not even her "closest" friends. She glanced over at Regina whose face hadn't changed; she was fully content in listening to this other woman's life story. Soon Regina spoke up.

"So what happened to the baby? You don't have to answer, just curious." She said shrugging slightly.

"I gave him up. I wanted him to have his best chance; I knew I couldn't be the mother he needed." Emma looked down and felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.

"I can't have children." At that statement Emma lifted her head and shot Regina a confused look. "When I was in college I had a bad infection, so they had to perform a hysterectomy."

"So Henry is adopted?" Emma asked.

"Yep, I was feeling empty, my father had just passed away and I felt a whole in my heart. So I made a few calls and not three weeks later Henry came into my life. He has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty; I just want to assure you that there are good people out there who would love to adopt a child." Regina smiled and placed a hand on Emma's thigh.

Emma felt a tear run down her face and quickly wiped it away. She noticed an apartment complex up ahead and pointed it out. "That's me. You can just drop me off on the corner."

Regina pulled over and reached into her purse before Emma could leave the car. "Here," She said handing the card to the blonde. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you Regina, really for everything." Emma said opening the door and climbing out.

"I do believe it is I who should be thankful; after all you did find my son." Regina smiled and Emma just nodded.

Emma watched as taillights faded away, and she began to walk in the opposite direction of the apartment complex. She rolled the business card over and over in her hands as she made her way to a park nearby. Her mind raced through the events that had happened that evening, how open and welcome Regina had been to a stranger. You don't look strange. Henry's voice rang through her head causing her to smile. She threw her backpack on a bench and laid her head on it for a pillow.

"One more night jobless, without a home." Emma whispered into the business card before shoving it into her back pocket. "Maybe tomorrow will be different." She moved around until she found a comfortable position and allowed herself to fall into a light sleep.

AN: Thanks for reading, I have a few chapters done already but I want to see what people think of this idea. I'm hoping to post a chapter twice a week. But don't hold me to that. Let me know what you guys think. :)