Title: Under Cover of Dark
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Characters: Regina Mills, Henry Mills
Spoilers/Warning: None.
Summary: It is the middle of the night, so what is Henry doing in the lair of the 'Evil Queen' all by himself.
Disclaimers: This is purely fictional. I own none of it.
[...]
A/N: This was basically inspired by the bts pictures of Lana and Jared except that it is nighttime here and Henry isn't actually airborne magically. Written purely because I really, really wanted some post-curse Regina-Henry fluffy interaction with magic involved. Swan Queen if you squint, though if I decide to continue (the beginnings of an idea are there, admittedly) it will eventually be Swan Queen. Feedback will be appreciated.
After successfully entering and navigating the house, he fell over the stupidest thing: his own sneaker lying on the bottom-most step. He yelped as the floor disappeared from beneath his feet and he found himself blinking up at the chandelier, his backpack cushioning his fall. It couldn't cushion the sharp pain that assaulted his ankle, though. His thoughts had just reached 'Ow! This really hurts!' when the light above the staircase was flicked on and Regina appeared at the top — mussed hair, wrinkled pajamas and — a fire axe gripped firmly in her hands! Her eyes widened when she saw him lying at the foot of the staircase, but it wasn't even close to how wide his eyes were — wide and fixed on the axe.
"Henry?" she said.
"I came under a parlay!" he squeaked out.
"What are you doing here?"
"Uh," he said, finding it hard to concentrate on anything else. "The axe—"
She looked at the axe as if she'd forgotten she had it in her hands. A flick of her wrist was enough to put it back in its place. Henry gulped and raised his empty hands.
"Peace," he said.
"What are you doing, Henry?"
"I think I hurt my ankle," he said in a small voice.
She was hurtling down the stairs, barefoot, two at a time, even before his sentence was finished. She knelt down beside him and he couldn't keep himself from flinching when she touched him, and he saw the pained look in her eyes.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Henry. I would never do that."
"I know," he swallowed. "It's just — my ankle hurts."
This time he let her roll up his jeans on his left leg.
"What happened?" she asked as she examined the already purpling mass, a cut at one side oozing blood.
"I — uh, tripped — over—" he glanced shamefacedly at the responsible sneaker.
Regina followed the movement of his eyes and sighed.
"This is precisely why I always tell you to never leave your shoes lying around."
He couldn't help the pout that formed on his lips and Regina shook her head as she sighed again.
"Come on."
She helped him get up. Inadvertently he put pressure on his hurt ankle and the flash of pain caused him to gasp and tear up.
"Foolish boy," Regina said, but not unkindly. "Come here."
She bent down, wrapping her arms around his waist, and picked him up.
"You're getting too big for this," she said as he wrapped his arms around her neck and she settled his legs around her torso, distributing his weight more evenly. He sniffled and buried his face in her neck. She smelled of apples and her night cream and the faint, spicy scent that was her own, and it was very comforting and — homey. It made him tear up even more and he sniffled into her neck. She rubbed his back soothingly as she carefully climbed the stair.
"It'll be okay, hush, it'll be okay in a minute." She tilted her head to plant a soft kiss on his temple. "I'll make it better in a minute, baby."
"You could've magicked me up," he said through his sniffles when his eyes fell on the fire axe at the top of the stairs she had magicked into place earlier.
"I could have," she agreed but her arms tightened around him just a bit, and he turned his head away from the wall and let it rest on her shoulder.
Her room was bathed in the golden glow of the lamp, and a book lay on her bedside table. She lowered him onto the bed.
"I'll get the first aid kit — don't move your leg, all right?"
He nodded and she disappeared into the bathroom, emerging moments later with the first aid kit in her hands.
"You realize it is way past your bedtime?" she said as she settled herself, cross-legged, at his feet and slowly, gently began to take off his sneaker.
"Ouch," he said in reply.
"Sorry, baby," she stopped at once. "This will hurt a little."
"Can't you use magic?" he sniffled.
She shook her head and gently caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers.
"Magic here is unpredictable. Who knows what might happen."
He gave her a look of beseeching misery and her resolve weakened.
"Okay, I'll use the tiniest bit for the pain, fine?"
She took off his sneaker, a small trickle of her magic keeping the worst of the pain at bay.
"It tickles," he told her.
She looked up at him, amused, a smile lifting the corners of her lips, but didn't say anything, concentrating on the small bit of magic she was using. After taking off the sneaker and the sock, she deftly cleaned the cut and put a band aid on it. Then she took a hold of his ankle and palpated it gently. He hissed in pain.
"Well, nothing is broken, thank heavens. Henry, can you see a blue bottle on my dresser?"
He looked over her shoulder.
"No," he said.
"Look closely," she told him.
He squinted at her dresser, concentrating on the myriad of bottles that lay on top of it. In a flash she twisted his ankle to put it back into its place.
"OW! Mom!" he snatched his leg away from her hand. "That hurt!"
His childish hurt face made her smile.
"But it doesn't anymore, does it?"
He contemplated his ankle thoughtfully, flexed it a little.
"No," he said, sounding surprised.
"There you go, all better," she smiled up at him and he smiled back. And then Regina was abruptly very serious. "What are you doing here, Henry, at this time of the night?"
"I, uh, I—" he stammered, turning red under her steady gaze.
"How did you get in?"
"I have my key."
"You do?" she sounded surprised. "They didn't take it away from you?"
"They asked," he said, swinging his uninjured foot lightly. "I told them I didn't have it."
"Why did you lie to them?"
He ducked his head, not meeting Regina's eyes.
"I — they — they—" his voice shook a bit and he took a deep breath. "You need to run, Mom," he finally said.
Regina gazed at him, her mouth hanging slightly open.
"What?"
"They are planning war, Mom," he said earnestly now as he slipped from the bed and knelt in front of her. "I heard them talking — Prince Charming and the dwarves and — he, Charming said they should attack you now because you're still weak, and they should — take you out, and — Mom, please, you need to run and hide, and—"
His voice shook, as did his whole body.
"Henry!" Regina gathered him to her and settled him in her lap, holding him tight and rocking him gently until he calmed down; he clung to her. "It's going to be okay, baby."
"They will hurt you! They will k-kill you!"
Regina rocked him gently, shushing him, her lips against his hair.
"Well, I am the Evil Queen. That's what you were saying all along, isn't it?
He shook his head.
"But you're my mom! I don't want them to do anything to you!" He cried out. "I don't want you guys to fight! I don't want you to hurt them, either!"
"Oh, Henry," Regina sighed against his head.
"They're breaking their promise! They promised Emma! Emma promised me she won't let them attack you!"
"Did she?" Regina's intake of breath was sharp. Henry nodded against her chest.
"She promised no one will hurt anyone."
Regina sighed again.
"Apparently, Miss Swan still hasn't learned that she should not make promises she cannot keep." She looked at his distraught expression. "I won't hurt them. I will just defend myself if they attack."
"They have the Blue Fairy with them. She is in on their plan."
Regina's eyes flashed with anger.
"Then, dear, I cannot promise. I have a few scores to settle with that — creature. But I won't harm the rest of them. And I won't let them hurt me. I may be weak right now, I may be rusty, but I'm still magic." She smiled widely at him, and he gave her a watery smile back. "Now, won't you be my little man and stop crying?"
"I'm not crying!" He hid his face in her chest and she hugged him closer.
"I brought you some supplies," he said after a while. "I wasn't sure what you'd have so I got what I could. I can bring back more later."
"Oh, baby, that's so sweet! But I do have supplies here."
"Oh," his face fell.
"All right, show me what you brought."
Henry's supplies consisted of a piece of pumpkin pie wrapped in his handkerchief, a bottle of water, a small box of juice, a couple of Apollo bars and a crumbling cookie.
"Well," Regina smiled, and she could not stop smiling as she pushed back his hair and kissed his forehead gently. "How about I keep the pie — and your handkerchief, I'll wash it for you — and the juice, and we throw away the cookie and you can keep the rest?"
"Are you sure you won't need them?"
Regina nodded. "I'm good." But she couldn't stop smiling and holding him, caressing his face.
"You won't come here like this again," she said after some time, her tone brooking no argument.
"But Mom!" he whined.
"No, Henry, it isn't safe. Who knows what Rumplestiltskin is up to?"
"But he disappeared!"
"Oh, he'll be back. He won't let me go like this."
"Why do you have to fight with everyone?" He sounded exasperated.
Regina looked at him and shrugged helplessly. "Well," she said. "I made some bad decisions, I have to pay for them."
He sighed. "You don't even have any defenses around the house."
"Says who?"
"You didn't know I was here until I tripped."
"Well, you," she touched his nose lightly, "are my son. They are designed to let you through."
He regarded her for a moment. "You didn't know I was coming in peace, I could've been on a mission to bring you down or lead a sting operation—"
"I was willing to take the risk," she said softly.
"Oh," he thought over it. "So what will happen if someone else crosses your defenses?"
"Nothing will happen, exactly. It'll just warn me of their arrival."
"Will it help?" he asked.
She stared in the distance for a few seconds before smiling at him. "Yes, it will. It helps."
They sat there in companionable silence for a while then, her on the carpet, him in her lap until Regina broke the moment.
"You should get going," she said and reached over to pick up his sneaker and put it on his foot. He wiggled his toes and laughed as her aim went awry.
"Behave," she told him, but smiled despite the stern voice.
"I miss—" 'you' he wanted to say but couldn't as he watched her tying his laces. "—my room."
She released a breath she had been holding. "Do you want to take something from there?"
He thought over it. "Can I take my nightlight? The one you got me last year?"
"Of course," she smoothed down his jeans. "Come on."
They got up and walked over to his room.
"I miss you," she said as she packed his nightlight in a box and zipped it into his backpack. He turned around and gave her a fierce hug before pulling away. The wordless gesture said a lot of the things he couldn't give voice to. They finally made their way downstairs, Regina stopping over in her room to put on slippers and a robe.
"Do you have a torch I can borrow? It's dark outside," he said as she adjusted his jacket, zipping it up.
"No need for that," she said, combing his hair with her fingers, getting him ready for the outside world. "Miss Swan has been waiting outside for you for quite some time."
His mouth hung open. "Did you call her?" he said accusingly.
"No, but I'm glad she's here. You didn't think I'd let you go out alone at this time of the night, did you?"
"But how did she know?"
Regina gave him a look. "Give your mothers some credit, dear. Of course she knew."
"How come you haven't turned her into a rat or something if you knew she was outside?" he said.
Regina smiled in spite of herself.
"She is the only reason I'm letting you go there right now. I know she will take care of you, and you will be safer there. Besides," she smirked. "Miss Swan would make an awful rat."
Henry made a face. "No rats."
"No rats," Regina agreed. "Come, let me walk you to her car."
She held out her hand and he grasped it, and they walked hand in hand towards the yellow Bug where Emma stood slumped, leaning against the driver's side, looking at her watch. She straightened when she saw them coming, striding forward to clasp Henry to her once, before standing him in front of her and glaring.
"Kid, what were you thinking?"
Before Henry could answer, though, Regina spoke up. "Henry brought me supplies."
Emma looked startled, and then slightly concerned. "Do you need supplies?"
"Apparently," Regina smoothed his hair. "I was in dire need of some pumpkin pie."
Emma sighed and looked at Henry.
"I came to warn her!" Words tumbled out of his lips. "They're planning to attack her and kill her!"
Emma knelt down in front of him, frowning. "Who told you that?"
"I heard them talking in the War Room!"
Regina raised a delicate eyebrow. "You have a War Room?"
"Why didn't you come tell me?" Emma asked him.
"You were out."
"I would've come back, Henry," Emma said, exasperated.
"How did you find me?" he said.
"I do have training for that," said Emma with her half-smile, standing up. "Next time you hear anything like that, you come to me, okay? Instead of running out into the night."
"They won't listen to you!"
"Oh, they will listen all right, trust me. They owe me."
"Don't be too sure of that, Miss Swan," said Regina, her voice mild.
Emma stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. "We'll see. You sure you don't need any supplies?"
"Not yet," Regina said. "I'm good for quite some time."
Emma hesitated for a moment. "I'll see if I can bring him again in a few days."
Regina's smile was genuine and grateful. "Thank you, that'd be wonderful."
"Come on, kid," Emma unlocked her car.
Henry gave Regina another hug around the middle before rushing into the car which made Regina tear up a little.
"Good night, Regina," Emma said.
"Good night, Miss Swan."
Emma rolled her eyes at the formality but got into her car and began the short drive back. Henry kept looking back until Regina was a grey blur, and then until the grey blur was lost in the darkness of the night. Only then he finally turned his face forward and slumped dejectedly in his seat.
"I promised, Henry," Emma said softly. "I won't let them do anything like that. You have to trust me."
He nodded and closed his eyes. By the time they reached their destination he was fast asleep.
~fin~
A/N: I might continue this. I mean, I do have a vague idea where it's gonna go (even if it is the most clichéd story in the history of fanfiction), I just need time to sit down and put it into words. Your thoughts and suggestions will be appreciated.