Title: In His Eyes
Warnings: Talk of child abuse
Summary: Henry asks about Regina's scar
A/N: I've read a lot of stories where Emma asks about the scar, but never Henry. I thought it would be interesting and I needed it. I'm definitely not a writer, but I do enjoy it, so there ;). This was also kind of an excersize in writing in present tense. I'm stalling because I'm nervous to post this. Okay, here we go.
Regina can't help but smile as she watches her groggy, almost teenaged son walk into the kitchen. It has been ten months since they'd come back from Neverland. Ten months since Henry decided he wanted to spend half the week at the mansion and half at Emma's new apartment. She is still grateful for that, so happy that he has forgiven her, that he still loves her.
"You know, when you smile like that that scar on your lip stands out even more," he casually observes as he takes the box of cereal from the cupboard. When he notices the frown on her face, he quickly adds: "That's not a bad thing, I like that scar, it's like your trademark or something." He doesn't like to see her sad. Her heart melts when he beams up at her, "you're beautiful, mom."
"Thank you sweetheart," she kisses the top of his head before resuming her previous task of cleaning the counter.
Henry is eating his breakfast quietly when he realizes he doesn't know how she got that scar. In fact, he doesn't know very much about her at all. Sure he knew the basics, like her favorite food and what music she likes to listen to, but he doesn't know anything about her past. Not the stuff that wasn't in his book. His mother doesn't really share and although their relationship has improved a lot over the past months and they have been talking more than they'd ever had before, it seems difficult, almost scary to ask.
No time but the present to start he decides, swallowing the last of the milk in his bowl. Start with something small. "Mom?" he waits for her to turn to him before continuing. "How did you get that scar?"
Regina opens her mouth, the lie ready to fly out before swallowing it. She wouldn't lie to him, she'd promised him, never again. She smiles softly before sitting down next to him. God, where to start. "You've heard about Cora, right?" she asks him.
"Yeah", he replies, "Emma says she was even more evil than y- Rumpelstitskin." He swallows his comment a little too late and Regina pretends it doesn't break her heart.
"Yes", she starts, "I know you think I used to be too strict with you and I think maybe I was, but my m- Cora was even stricter. She wanted me to be a lady, a queen, so from a very young age she expected me to behave as one. She had so many rules and if I disobeyed her, she punished me."
Regina has to pause to take a deep breath, how do you explain this to a child. He can't, shouldn't have to understand. "The punishments I got… it wasn't like it was with you, she wouldn't ground me or take away my toys." With a final sigh she finished her thought. "Cora would hurt me. She'd restrain me with magic, choke me or hit me." Regina pauses to check Henry's reaction.
When she sees her little boy stare up at her with big eyes and his mouth slightly agape, it takes all the strength she has not to start crying. He gives a small nod, silently telling her it's okay to go on.
She touches the patch of skin that started this conversation. "This scar… it happened when I was twelve. I was late for tea and when she started scolding me I talked back to her. She was so upset with me that she punished me right then and there, in her anger she lost control of the whip. It curled around and hit my mouth. When I cried out it didn't even stop her." That's when she breaks. The feeling of hopelessness coming back to her as if it happened just yesterday. Regina can't control the sob that escapes from her mouth, nor the tear that rolls down her cheek.
Henry doesn't speak right away. He simply reaches up and wipes away the tear from his mom's face, before tentatively resting his fingers on the small line above her lip. Suddenly seeming so much older than his age. "I'm so sorry mom." She sits up straighter at his words, whipping away the rest of her tears with a forced smile. She's the mother; she's the strong one, that really shouldn't have to be him. "It's okay Henry, it was a long time ago."
She glances at the clock. "Weren't you meeting Emma at ten?" His head whips around to check to time. "Oh right!" He runs into the hallway and grabs his coat.
Regina closes her eyes for a second, trying to compose herself. Just as she is getting up to go on with the rest of the day she suddenly feels his arms wrap around her waist from behind. "I love you mom", he grips her a little tighter before giving her a peck on the cheek and running out of the house.
"I love you too", she whispers as she watches him go.