This was another story I never intended to continue, but oh well, here we are. Funnily enough it's also another one of the prompts I suggested.

Friday: Out of Storybrooke

"Why do you want me to look after your children? You've already said Eva normally does it?"

Trina sighed over the phone as if it was physically paining her to explain to Regina why it was a good idea to drive over a thousand miles to baby sit Trina's children.

"I've already told you, Eva has some doctor thing to go to. She can't just drop what she's doing and come babysit. Besides, she lives further away than you do."

"Once you hit a thousand miles another hundred isn't exactly that much further. And what do you mean she can't just drop what she's doing? You think I can? I'm the Mayor! I run a town."

"You could fly out, it'd take less time."

"And then be forced to drive one of your cars, or worse, some badly looked after rental with gum under the seats? No thank you."

"What will it take to get you here to babysit my kids?"

Regina paused, considering her options. "A limousine. You will pay for my plane tickets over and then you will have me driven from the airport to your house in a limo. You will also have rented the exact make and model of my car for me to drive for the time you are away."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous is asking someone to travel half the country to babysit."

"Fine. I'll do it! Christ woman why are you so hard to deal with?"

"I have to put up with you!"

Regina dropped the phone into its cradle, leaving Trina to listen to the dial tone. She had better find a way to release this frustration before she left for Chicago. Trina's children didn't deserve her wrath, no three and six year old did. Regina picked dup the phone again, dialling the sheriff's station.

"Take your break, now. I want you in my office in ten minutes."

"Yes, ma'am!" Emma said enthusiastically.

Regina could almost imagine Emma's dorky salute and Ruby's eye roll.

At least the flight would be first class. And being away from home gave Emma the perfect excuse to ask for phone sex. She had been rather shy about asking considering they lived together and the only times they spent any time a part was when they were at work and Emma was not going indulge in phone sex while her father and Ruby were in the next room.

/-/-/-/

Regina understood almost as soon as she saw Andy why Trina had wanted her to babysit. Andy hadn't let Trina's side for a moment since Regina had arrived. That night, after Tom put Nathan to bed Regina joined Trina in Andy's room. Andy had spent most of the afternoon staring at Regina in wonder. He obviously knew she wasn't Trina, or even Eva for that matter and the similarity threw him a little. He was clingy; never leaving Trina's side and always holding her hand or pant leg. Trina started Andy's night time regime by getting him in his pyjamas and brushing his teeth. After that they settled onto Andy's bed and Trina told his story after story until he was unable to stay awake any longer though until his chin had lowered to his chest in exhaustion he had spent most of the time watching Regina as Trina talked. She gently levered herself out from underneath Andy and left the room, Regina trailing behind her. The settled down in the lounge and Trina poured both of them a glass of cider (specially bought for Regina, but Trina wouldn't tell her that).

"What happened?"

Trina looked away for a few seconds before answering. "Andy had a nightmare and he called for me but Tom and I had gone out for a party and the baby sitter couldn't get him to calm down. He called for me and I wasn't there and since then he's been having this recurring nightmare where I'm gone and it's my fault."

"It's not your fault, Trina." Regina said firmly. "It hurts like it is because you're a good mother. But this, you couldn't have stopped this if you had tried."

"I could have been here!" Trina started to tear up, and she started blinking to try and control it. "Instead I was at a party. A party was more important than my son! And now I have to leave him again of get fired from the first job I've worked in ten years and Tom's flying to Australia."

"Stop it and listen to me. You didn't know that he would have a nightmare and there is nothing in the world that makes this your fault. And if you really wanted me to I could yell at your boss for you."

Trina chuckled weakly. "That might cheer me up a bit."

"Listen, I'll call you so that he can talk to you. It is one night and we'll all survive it."

/-/-/-/

It took a lot of effort for Regina not to jump out of her bed the moment she heard Andy crying, but Trina was still there for one more night and soon enough he quietened down, happy to attempt to go back to sleep; completely unaware that his nightmare was more likely to keep Trina up than him.

/-/-/-/

Regina's eyes fluttered open. Something was wrong. The soft cries from Andy's room started a few moments later but Regina was already halfway down the hall. She scooped him into a hug and sat on his bed with him until he stopped crying. When Andy was only sniffling she carried him to the guest bedroom she had been staying in and called Trina.

Trina and Andy spoke softly for close to half an hour before Trina hung up and Andy carefully handed Regina her phone back.

"How would you like to hear a story about a little prince?"

Andy nodded and walked hand in hand with Regina back to his room where she tucked him in and started her story.

"Once upon a time there was a Queen who was very lonely. She didn't think anyone loved her, and it made her very sad so she travelled to a different land with her younger sisters. But she couldn't keep her sisters with her otherwise they would never have grown up because in this new land all time had stopped. So the Queen sent them away and that made her even sadder."

Regins topped when Andy's eyes closed.

"Your Mama loves you very much, you know?"

Andy nodded slowly.

"And your daddy, and your big brother, and your Aunty Eva, and me. We won't let the bad things get you. Okay?"

Andy's breathing evened out and Regina returned to her own bed, but she doubted she'd get back to sleep. Maybe she'd have to call up Emma first to entertain her until she needed to get up and make breakfast for the boys.