„Shut up! You were WHAT?!", Emma couldn't believe what she had just heard.
„Why are you looking so surprised? I was a bartender, and a bar owner, so what?"
„... and the best in the Heights", Henry declared proudly.
Ella nodded. „She made the meanest Long Island Ice Tea."
„And she was a super cool rock chick!", said Lucy.
„My my", Emma nodded in admiration, „I have to say, she sounds way more fun than you, Madam Mayor. What was her name again?"
Regina and Hook said in unison: „Roni."
„Right...", she lifted her glass, „To Roni!"
„To Roni!", the others replied.
„She was a special lass", said Hook, smiling, but to whoever cared to look closely, it was easy to see that there was sadness in his smile.
Eventually, the large group dispersed into many smaller chats, while Emma got a hold of Regina. „Hey!"
She turned around and looked at her, Emma raised her glass. „Welcome back! Happy to see you again."
„Likewise!", Regina smiled and hugged her.
Then Emma pulled her aside and asked in a hushed voice: „What's wrong with him?"
She nodded in the direction of Hook, the other Hook.
„What do you mean?"
„He seems off, somehow. I don't really know him well, I only met him once, briefly, and he was half dead."
„Well, can you blame him? He's never been here before, he doesn't know any of you..."
„But that's the same for Henry's family?"
„Yeah, but then also, there already is a Captain Hook here. No wonder if he feels left out! But he's okay, trust me. At least he will be. He's with his daughter now! Alice. It's all he's ever wanted. And with a new heart... Rumple's heart, he can finally be with her."
Emma looked over to the man who looked so eerily familiar to her – but was still a complete stranger. „I don't know... I just don't want any trouble here for once. Unlike all the rest of you, he looks sad to be here. Disappointed. Especially when we were talking about your cursed identities... like your Roni."
Regina sighed and looked down at her glass. Barely audibly she said: „Can you keep a secret? I mean... not like your mother, but, for real?"
„Of course!"
„I don't want this to become the talk of the town, I want to give him the chance for a fresh start."
„What happened?"
„Well, the reason why he might get emotional when it's about Roni, is... Roni and Rogers, his cursed character, they had a thing, for, like, a few weeks. Well, for a few weeks they had been dating, they had been together, romantically, a real couple, but for much longer than that they had been... we... well..."
„Oh my God, you were sleeping with him?"
She nodded. „We had an affair, as our cursed selves. Eventually it turned into something more serious. We... they... Roni and Rogers... were really happy together. She... or I", she took a deep breath, this was all so complicated and utterly confusing, „my gosh, how to say this, Roni was deeply in love with him. She was secretly dreaming of a future together. And, I think, it was the same for him. As soon as I was awake and remembered, I immediately ended our relationship. He was devastated, he didn't understand, of course! But I told him he will. And now he does, but still. I'm sure it feels weird. It feels weird for me too."
„Geez... that is... wow! I can imagine", somehow the thought that her former arch nemesis, now good friend, had been sleeping with her husband, in a way... and had had feelings for him too made her feel uneasy, „And now, are you still..."
„No!", she interrupted her hastily, „No, we're not. It's done. We were cursed. That's it, end of story. That's why I don't want anyone making a big fuss about it and..."
Suddenly she heard Snow's voice yelling from across the diner: „Oh my God, Regina, is that true?"
Lucy, who was sitting next to her great-grandmother nodded with a beaming smile. „Yeah! Regina and Hook were together, as Roni and Detective Rogers, they were soooo in love and so cute together!"
„Awwww!", it came from the others.
„Lucy!", Regina scolded her, but she couldn't really be angry with that girl.
Hook on the other hand was trying to smile but looked as if he was barely present at all. Alice didn't notice and smiled at her father. „Oh my God, papa, I didn't know! You two would make such a great couple."
„Yes, aunt Regina", said Robin.
And Henry added: „You really were crazy about each other. You always told me how you..."
„I think that's enough for one night", said Regina to cut him off, „The day was more than intense if I may say so. I at least am extremely tired and I cannot wait to be back in my old home."
Luckily, the group dropped the topic of her old relationship and quickly agreed with her.
„Mom", Henry said to her, „I was wondering... maybe we could stay with my mom, Hook and Hope for a while? I haven't seen them in so long, and Ella and Lucy haven't met them at all."
„Of course, Henry, no problem at all!"
Alice looked at her father. „Papa, if it's okay I'd go with Robin and her mom to their place?"
„Sure", he smiled, then asked Zelena, „You don't happen to have two guest rooms?"
„Unfortunately not. But, you could sleep on the couch...?"
Regina shook her head. „My house is big enough. I'm the mayor. I have more than enough bedrooms, you can even choose which color wallpaper you prefer. If you don't mind... you could come with me. At least then I'm not all alone in the house during my first night back here in Storybrooke."
„Why, Your Majesty, I don't think you have any reason to be afraid to be alone, but thank you for the invitation. I'll gladly accept if that's alright with you."
„Of course! Come, we can walk, it's quite close."
They said their goodbyes, left the diner and turned to walk down Main Street.
„How do you feel? I'm sure it's a lot... all these new people. A new town... a new heart."
„Aye. It is", he put his hand over his chest, „But I'll be fine."
„I know", she smiled, „It'll need much more to bring down Captain Hook. Speaking of..."
She stopped for a moment and took his left arm into her hands. She looked up to him. „Do you want it back?"
„I, uhm", he was taken off-guard at first, then he laughed uncomfortably and scratched his neck with his right hand, „I haven't thought about it yet. But... yeah, I guess so. Now that I remember who I am, I do feel somewhat naked without it."
She nodded with a smile, then moved her hand over his stump, and in midst of a purple glow appeared a shiny new hook, gleaming in the light of the street lamp. He lifted it up to admire it, and there it was again – his distinctive smirk that could be so charming and annoying at the same exact time. „Thank you!"
„Welcome back, Captain!"
After they turned a corner heading into a quieter side alley, it wasn't long until they saw the mayor's mansion at the end of Mifflin Street. His eyes grew wider, the closer they came. „THAT is your home?"
She nodded, looking up to it in awe. How long since she'd last been here? Then she looked over at him. „Why are you so surprised? I created this town, of course I have the largest castle."
She squatted down to reach for the key that was usually hidden under the mat... bingo! Then she unlocked and opened the door with the number 108 on it and turned on the lights in the spacious entrance hall.
She was so happy to be back home, but she also felt a lump in her throat and a knot tied tightly around her heart. So many memories... good and bad. But so many more of them good. She saw Henry running down the stairs as a little boy to greet her when she came home from work, smelled the delicious scent of her famous apple turnovers, or lasagne, coming from the kitchen. Ever so softly, and lost in thought, she let her fingers run over the lines and numbers on the door frame where she documented her son's height at the beginning of each new year of school.
„Your Majesty?", Hook stepped up next to her and gently put his hand on the small of her back, „Regina? Are you alright?"
She startled up from her walk down memory lane and nodded. „Yes! Yes... I, uh... I'm thirsty, I'll get a glass of water, for you too?"
„Aye, thank you."
He followed her into the kitchen. „This place is marvelous! Quite an upgrade from Roni's one bedroom apartment right above the bar."
„Indeed it is. Still though... it had its charm. I liked it there."
„Me too."
„You can stay as long as you want. I can show you all the guest rooms."
He laughed and shook his head. „I spent most of my life in the cabin of a ship next to my filthy crew of gentlemen. Whichever room in this house will likely be the best I've slept in since Tiana's palace."
She had to laugh as well. „Right... then why don't you take the first door to the left right around this corner? It has an ensuite bathroom. I'll make sure that you'll find everything you need on the bed. Clothes, toiletries..."
„Thank you. Where... where do you sleep?"
„Master bedroom's upstairs."
He looked at her with an almost gentle concern. „Are you gonna be alright?"
She nodded and gave him an equally gentle smile. „I will be. I just need a good night's rest." When she finished her glass of water she set it down in the sink. „Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow. Just let me know if you need anything else."
„I will. I, uhm... I'm really sorry, Regina. Sincerely."
She turned around and looked at him in surprise. „For what?"
„Facilier. I know you cared a lot for him. He was a good man... somehow. My condolences."
She briefly lowered her gaze and bit her bottom lip to fend off the dark thoughts and the memories, then swallowed her tears before forcing a smile onto her lips. „Thank you, Killian. That means a lot. Really. Good night then!"
„Good night, Regina."