Perspective

Chapter 18

"Almost there kid. You ready?"

Silence.

"Henry?"

Silence.

Emma glanced over at Regina who's concern seemed to have blown through the roof of her bug.

"Henry what's wrong?" Regina asked. "Are you nervous?"

"No."

"No?"

"Nope."

The blonde zeroed in on his face through the rearview mirror, catching the lie slip right through his teeth. "You do remember about my superpower right?"

"I'm not nervous," Henry insisted.

Another lie.

Regina turned in her seat to face their son who stared directly out the window, his face so drained of color he may as well have been a ghost. The seat belt dug into her neck as she reached over to grab Henry's knee, giving it a tight squeeze, followed by a playful shake.

"Henry," was all she needed to say as the sparkle in her eye and the smile that quirked her lips spoke a thousand words.

He looked up at his mother before shooting his gaze right back down again to his clasped hands. "I'm not nervous I—what if she says no?"

Emma's heart sunk at the genuine worry that sounded from his voice. "Kid you don't have to—"

"Wait just a minute," Regina interrupted, her index finger rising up to her side. "Why on earth would she say no?"

If Emma didn't know any better, her majesty seemed a tad offended, if not ticked off. Brown eyes widened in disbelief and the soft, supportive, motherly look that complimented her face earlier, quickly shifted into the defensive, vexed one Emma was all too familiar with.

And the award for most protective mother goes to...

"Well I dunno...I'm different from the other boys at school," he admitted timidly, sinking into his shoulders.

"If you mean being raised as an intelligent, well-mannered and brave young man, then yes, you are different from those incompetent fools."

Offended may have been a bit of an understatement.

But the mama bear trait that was already so prominent in Regina from the moment she heard about Violet, crept its way into the blonde. There was no arguing that any girl would be more than lucky to have Henry. And if that girl was crazy enough to turn down her sweet, loving, genius of a kid then—words couldn't even describe how bad that would be. The only word Emma could think of was "hell." And even that barely came close to a sufficient description.

"No it's not that..." Henry denied.

"Then what is it dear?"

"I...I was born here."

Through the rearview mirror Emma could see him tense at the words, almost ashamed of the fact. Maybe even embarrassed.

She couldn't understand how that was a problem but with a side glance at Regina, all-knowing as per usual, Emma could tell that the brunette understood him exactly.

"And the rest of the boys come from the Enchanted Forest or Camelot..." she said, completing Henry's statement. "Am I warm?"

—

"Oh...yea...I-I was Hook's guest. He got an invitation and asked for another," she lied.

"I see."