DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to the ABC studios and OUAT creators. There is no copyright infringement intended in this story.
I want to thank my beautiful Beta Sultry Sweet whom I owe so much for her help.
Chapter 1:
Storybrooke's sky was gray and pretty crowded with lots of dark clouds and that could only mean one thing, a storm was coming and it was going to be a tough one.
It was getting dark when Emma and Henry crossed Storybrooke's limits after their long day visiting Boston's museums.
The contrast between being outside or inside the limit line was just ridiculous. It was getting dark on both sides, but out there, the sky was so clear there wasn't even a little baby cloud anywhere, but then when the limit line was crossed, reality just hit like the little bitch she is.
It was as if that was the universe's only way to remind them, they didn't belong to that land. Transforming Storybrooke into Maine's wallflower, the town nobody has ever heard about, so fictional and magical it might be better that way.
And yet, maybe this incoming storm has nothing to do with destiny or casualty, maybe it was just Regina or Rumplestiltskin playing wizards again.
"Can I stay with you tonight, Mom," Henry started. "I want to show all the cool stuff we bought today to my grandparents, can I, please?"
"Sorry, kid, but we told your mom we were staying in Boston tonight and the fairest thing is that I take you home now that we didn't, so she can know we came back earlier, okay?"
"Please, Emma…"
"Oh no, little boy, you are not using those puppy eyes on me. See this face?" she asked pointing to her own expression. "This is my 'not gonna happen' face."
"Okay, whatever you say, Mom," Henry said rolling eyes. "I had to try, anyway," he added, shrugging.
Normally, she would surrender to his puppy eyes and would allow the kid to stay with her, but today she had something important to do and that included taking Henry to Regina's – as part of the ambush she had planned – to make the mayor speak.
The truth was, she only wanted to know why Regina had refused to go on the trip they had been planning together for weeks, and why she had insisted for them to stay the night in Boston. The brunette had said she had a last minute issue at the Magistry and that she couldn't go with them to Boston, but she was lying. Emma knew it, but then the mayor just pushed them into Emma's bug, practically kicking them out of Storybrooke, before the blonde could do anything about it. That was the reason why Emma had ended their trip earlier than expected.
Emma drove all the way to the mayor's house, but when they arrived there, there was no one at home. So she asked Henry to stay in the house while she looked for Regina around town. He didn't complain since he was too busy playing with the stuff that Emma had bought for him in the museum giftshop. It was better that way. There was something wrong in the town that day. She could feel it. Call it her sheriff super sense or whatever you want, but something was happening there and she was going to figure it out at all costs. Besides, she had the feeling that Regina was the key to get the information she needed.
She entered the Magistery and saw a slight light seep out of the door slit from the mayor's office, so she assumed the brunette was still there.
"Madame Mayor, I just wanted you to know that Henry and I… " Emma started, bursting in Regina's office without even announcing herself just as she used to do. "Regina! What happened? Did someone attack you? Are you okay?"
She rushed to Regina's side as soon as she casted a glance in the direction where the brunette sat.
Regina's shirt was ripped open, exposing several marks and bruises on her chest and stomach. She also had grip marks around her arms and jaw and dried blood and teeth marks on her lower lip, "Regina? Can you hear me?"
The brunette showed no sign of even noticing the sheriff presence, her eyesight lost somewhere behind the window.
"Hey, come here, it's okay." Emma took off her jacket and covered Regina's body with it. "What happened, Regina? Talk to me. It's Emma. You're safe now."
"Emma?"
It was like something had clicked in Regina's head and suddenly she fixed her gaze on the blonde, who now was just inches away.
"Emma, I told you to stay in Boston! What are you doing here? Why didn't you listen to me?" She desperately asked, grabbing Emma's wrists so tightly it hurt.
"Well, now I'm glad I didn't! You needed me here, not in Boston."
"You don't understand! It isn't safe here, for you or Henry." Her grip around the blonde's wrists got tighter, if that was even possible. "Henry! Where is he?"
She started to look around desperately. "Where is my son!?"
"H-he is safe. I just left him at your house." That seemed to calm her down a bit. "What's happening, Regina? Why are you saying that Henry and I are in danger?"
"If he is in my house, he is no longer in danger, but you are, Emma. Listen to me, you need to get to my house and stay there until tomorrow morning."
"There's no way I'm leaving you here like this," Emma stated.
"I will do nothing but delay you. You need to listen to me for once, Miss Swan. Please, just go…"
"If you want me to be safe in your house, you'll have to come with me because I'm not going anywhere without you. Understood?"
Regina simply nodded while she tried to build up the strength she needed to stand up.
But then, when she finally managed to get up, an unbearable pain ran all over her body, making her stumble and almost fall to the floor. Thankfully, Emma held her up before that happened.
"I can't, Emma. You have to go without me. He's going to be here soon. Please… just leave," the brunette begged. "He can't hurt me anymore, nobody can…"
"Who? Who wants to hurt you? Or me? Or whoever? Who did this to you, Regina? What aren't you telling me?"
"Don't you see I'm just trying to protect you? Why won't you listen to me?"
"Because you aren't telling me anything!" Emma yelled in frustration.
"I'm telling you that you have to leave now!" Regina yelled back, but the effort it took made her hold her ribs in pain and bend forward.
"Look, Regina, you're clearly not okay and I'm not leaving you here like this. I'm the fucking sheriff of this town, right? And I'm the one in charge of your safety. So I'm taking you with me, no matter what. Even if that means I have to carry you in my arms."
The mayor's simple answer was to get away from the blonde's grip and start walking on her own, but every step she took made her weaker and weaker. It was obvious that she wouldn't even make it to the door, not alone at least.
She was about to fall once again when Emma caught her, wrapping an arm around her waist and placing Regina's arm around her own shoulders so she could lean the brunette's weight there.
Regina was practically dead weight then. She couldn't endure the pain any longer and her complete weight rested on Emma's shoulders, literally. She couldn't stand on her feet by herself, so the blonde had to drag her all the way to the stairs.
By the time they got downstairs, the brunette was struggling to breathe and was holding her ribs as if her life depended on it.
"Maybe I should call an ambulance," Emma offered.
"I-I'm not t-that bad, Miss Swan," she hissed.
"No, you're even worse than that, Regina. I really mean it. We need to take you to the hospital."
"No! We need to get to my house now!"
"Okay, I'll take you there. Just don't force yourself to the limit."
Emma remained silent after that. There was no point arguing with Regina. Yelling just seemed to worsen the mayor's delicate state of health.
Somehow, Emma managed to get to her Bug, dragging the brunette across the parking lot. She then quickly sat Regina in the passenger seat and ran to her own seat. She sat in the driver's seat and turned on the car, but she didn't start it. She simply sat there, hesitating about what she was supposed to do.
She knew that Regina, for some unknown reason, wanted her to take her home, but she also knew the brunette needed a doctor immediately. She didn't feel prepared to help her. She knew nothing about first aid and she still remembered how useless and frustrated she had felt when Graham was dying in her arms and she couldn't do anything. She didn't feel like going through all that again.
She cast a final glance to the brunette. Regina had her head leaned back against the seat. Her chest moved up and down with difficulty as the air seeped slowly into her lungs and her hands shook uncontrollably.
The hospital... It was decided.
"I know what you are thinking, Swan, but please don't. Please just take me to my house. I promise if you do, once we are there, I'll explain everything to you and answer all the questions you have."
"Okay, but if you get worse I'll call Doctor Whale, no matter if you want me to do it or not. Got it?"
"Okay! Just stop wasting time. We don't have much of it. He probably already knows you're back in town."
Emma didn't even bother to ask who Regina was talking about because she knew Regina wouldn't say a word until they reached her house. So instead, Emma started the car and headed to the mayor's house.
"Okay, we're here. Wait there. I'll help you down," Emma said before she rounded the car and opened Regina's door. "Here, give me your hand."
Emma helped her get out of the car.
"See? We're in your house. Save and sound, right?"
The brunette didn't answer. Instead, her gaze was once again lost in the distance.
"... Regina?"
"Emma, get onto the porch. Now," Regina suddenly said.
"What? I'm just gonna help you and then..."
"No, now, Emma!" Regina freed herself from the blonde's grip then pushed her away so hard she threw her through the air and the blonde landed on the porch stairs.
As soon as she touched the ground, a big black shadow tried to pounce over her, but there was some kind of force field around the porch that didn't allow it.
"That's right, you bastard, you can't get to her because I'm protecting her. You might have had me, but you will never have my granddaughter. Not while I'm alive!" Regina shouted to the shadow and it just tried to lash out against the force field once again before it turned around and pounced against Regina.
Regina bent forward and landed on her knees, after the shadow crossed through her body.
"Regina!" Emma stood.
"No! Stay there, sweetie pie. Grandma's okay. Just stay on the porch. I'll go in a second," Regina said while she tried to stand up.
"Wait, what? 'Grandma'? Like, what the fuck? 'Sweetie pie'? Seriously, Regina? What the hell is really going on here?"
Regina shook her head before she came to Emma's side.
"Can you just forget I just said that?" Regina asked as she opened the door.
"Hell no! Like, some kind of monster just tried to attack me and then Regina Mills, also known as my personal biggest hater, just called me her granddaughter and a sweetie pie and you are asking me to forget it?"
"Basically, yes."
"Mom? Is that you?" Henry asked, yelling from his bedroom.
"Emma, you can't let him see me like this. Please," Regina begged.
"You want me to cover your back? Well, you better start talking and the first thing you can tell me is what the hell was that shadow back there?"
"It isn't a what. It's a who... Emma Swan, let me introduce you to your grandfather, King Leopold. Or at least what's left of him."
"Wait, that was my what?"
"Your grandfather, yes."
NA/: If you like it and want me to continue it, please leave a comment, reviews help me to get inspired and write faster.