I have a soft spot for Regina and Pongo. I don't know why, but my head canon says that Pongo adores Regina. It also says that Pongo is a unique dog because he comes from the Enchanted Forest. So, between the two head canons I have going on, this story popped up. It's really just a little character study on Regina, but it's done via showing how she deals with Pongo.
One Shot
Characters aren't mine. They belong to ABC, Disney, and other assorted entities of importance. I gain nothing from writing these stories but the fun of doing it. Please don't sue me.
"Doctor Hopper," Regina's voice held the slightest hint of distaste. She answered her door out of curiosity. Who would have the gall to bother her? The town was not under attack, therefore no one should currently be after her head. Henry was still with the Charmings, and he still hated her, so it wouldn't be her son at her door. There was no pressing political business to attend to.
The essential truth was there was no one in town who would need her or have need to interrupt her, so to find Archie Hopper standing at her door was both surprising in its unexpected ness and annoying all at the same time.
"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" She tried to hide the sneer that wanted to spread across her face.
"Regina, I cannot tell you how sorry I am to bother you." He winced. It was clear he wasn't over exaggerating or understating himself with that claim. "But I need someone to watch Pongo while I go in a for a day surgery." Before she could shoot back a reply, he held his free hand up to stop her. "Please hear me out. You know I wouldn't ask you without a good reason." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms by way of saying she was at least going to hear what he had to say.
"Thank you," he said with a sigh as he lowered his arm. "Pongo," at his name being said again, the dog looked up between the two humans. His little eyes settled on the woman ahead of him, and his tail began to wag happily, "if very picky regarding the people he'll allow to actually watch him. If he doesn't like the person, his tolerance is," the doctor ducked his head as he looked for the right word, "lacking."
The brunette raised an eyebrow in response.
Archie nodded his head as if that would answer the unspoken sarcastic comment the woman undoubtedly had hanging in her mind. "Don't get me wrong," he said, "Pongo's a good dog. He's very friendly, and he'll tolerate just about anyone. But, when it comes to specific caretakers, he's less than accommodating if it's longer than just a few hours."
"Is there a point to this little story of yours, or did you just come here to tell me about your dog's idiosyncrasies?" She rolled her eyes.
Archie gave a heavy sigh. "Before," he again bobbed his head. "Before, if I needed someone to watch Pongo, Sheriff Graham would do it. The sheriff was the only person Pongo would tolerate. But, now that Graham's no longer with us, I haven't had anyone who could look after Pongo that Pongo would actually allow to take care of him. I honestly thought there might not be anyone in this town. Well, that is until you started coming into my office. Pongo's taken a real liking to you."
As if on cue, the dog stood and walked forward, straining at his leash to try to get a bit closer to Regina. He whined and looked back at Archie as if to ask why he was being held back. His owner looked down at him with face full of apology before giving a tug and pulling the dog back down to sit again.
"How," Regina pursed her lips, "flattering."
"It's more flattering than you think," Archie said with uncharacteristic impatience starting to find its way into his voice. "Look, Regina, I need to have a day surgery that is going to keep me bed ridden at home for a few days, and I'm not going to be able to take care of Pongo. You're the only person in town who I think he'll allow to be his caretaker that isn't me. Will you please watch him? I'll owe you a favor."
The brunette cocked her head to the side in consideration. "There's really no one else?"
"No, not a single soul. A few weeks ago, I left him with Mary Margaret and David while I was working with Emma and Henry – which I probably shouldn't have just told you," he frowned at himself. Shrugging it off, he continued, "Pongo had Mary Margaret backed into a corner when I arrived back at their apartment. I'm still vague on exactly what happened, but suffice it to say the Charmings aren't Pongo's favorite family, except for Henry, and you and I both know Henry can't take care of my dog." At her pointed look of irritation, he said in an exasperated voice, "To be perfectly crude and blunt, Regina, if Pongo doesn't like the Snow White, the only person I know who can actually speak to animals, then…"
"He has extremely good taste in people," she cut in as she knelt down to look the dog in the eye. "Is she as annoying to you as she is to me, I wonder?" The dog stood up, tailing wagging excitedly as he took a few tentative steps in her direction. Reaching out a hand, she gave him a scratch behind the ear before reaching farther forward to take the leash from Archie as she stood to again address the doctor.
"How long do you expect it will take for you to recover enough to retrieve your animal?" Although her voice still held on to its irritated town, her eyes were far less harsh.
Archie breathed a sigh of relief. "A week? Perhaps a little more, but not more than that. I drove here. I've brought everything Pongo will need for at least three weeks just to be overly cautious." He gave her a grateful smile. "I cannot thank you enough for this."
"Don't thank me, Doctor," she purred as she stepped out of her front door to walk with him to his car. "You'll owe me a favor."
"Yes, well," he tried not to sound as nervous as he suddenly felt, "better you thank Mr. Gold, I suppose," he mumbled as he opened the trunk of his care to retrieve Pongo's items.
"The bug says I'll hardly notice your presence, dog," Regina spoke to Pongo as if he were another human being. She was seated in her study with a book in one hand and fresh cup of coffee sitting not far away on the side table near her. "I would say the coloring of your coat would lend credence to his claim." She smirked. "You match my décor."
Pongo, who had been aggressively chewing on a new rawhide Regina had given him before she had settled on her sofa, looked up with a quizzical expression in his eyes. Glancing around the room, he let out a heavy huff of air before standing, picking up his chew, and walking the short distance over to where Regina was curled up on the sofa.
"You don't seriously believe I'm going to let you on my furniture, do you?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Furniture is for people, and occasionally Ms. Swan. It is not for animals."
Sitting down on his haunches, he dropped his rawhide on the ground near her shoes and then looked back up to her.
"No."
He whined.
She rolled her eyes. "Why do you even want up here? Can't you see I'm attempting to read my book?"
As if to answer the question, he stood and quickly trotted over to the basket Archie had brought in that contained Pongo's toys. Using his muzzle, he rooted around for a moment and then proudly trotted back to Regina.
"What is that?" She asked the question as if he could actually answer, and had to quickly remind herself she was talking to a dog.
Pongo held up the raggedy and slightly dirty stuffed rabbit and watched her with expectant eyes.
"Well," she huffed, bookmarked her page, and placed her book beside her coffee, "what would you have me do with that grungy thing?" She wrinkled her nose. "It's probably covered in germs. When was the last time Hopper washed that thing?"
Pongo dropped the what was once white rabbit directly on top of Regina's shoes and the gave a happy bark.
A heavy sigh escaped Regina as she leaned over to pick the toy up. She looked at it, her mind flashing back to her time in Wonderland. She grimaced. "He couldn't give you a nondescript toy?" She shook her head and looked back down to the dog. "I suppose you want me to throw this?"
With another happy bark, Pongo began to turn in circles.
"Fine, but, if you break anything, I'm locking you up somewhere until the bug comes back for you," Regina said in an overly dramatic fashion before she tossed the toy down her hallway. She couldn't help the chuckle that came as she watched the dog launch himself forward to go after his favorite toy only to find that physics was not on his side when he attempted to stop running along her hardwood floors. "Well," she shrugged to herself, "this could entertaining."
"I'm going out for lunch," Regina announced some hours later. Now that she'd started talking to the dog as if he were a person, she found she couldn't really get herself to stop. "You can stay here, or you may come with me. But, should you come with, I expect you to be on your best behavior."
She was certain there was a time she's said that exact same thing to Henry. The thought made her suddenly and exceedingly sad. She felt sick, as if someone had sucker punched her, and her face contorted in physical pain from the emotional pain she'd accidentally given herself.
A cold, wet nose pushing against her hand brought her back from her thoughts. Pongo stood with his leash in his mouth and tail wagging madly about. He sat, waiting for her to take his leash and pop it on his collar.
"Option number two, then?" Despite herself, she gave a little approving smile. "If you happen to pee on the Charming's truck should we see it in town, I'll pretend to look the other way."
Pongo gave a quick barked and then obediently followed along by her side as they exited her house and made the walk to Granny's Diner.
"What have you done with Archie, and why do you have Pongo?"
"And good afternoon to you, too, Ms. Lucas." Regina stared down the other brunette with a look cold enough to freeze. "Not that it's any of your business, but I've done nothing with Doctor Hopper. He had to go in for day surgery, and I agreed to watch his animal," at the term 'his animal', Pongo whined. Regina looked down at the dog quietly sitting by her right side, rolled her eyes, and restated herself. "I agreed to be Pongo's caretaker until the bug was feeling better." Pongo nuzzled her hand again with his nose, and she absentmindedly began to scratch his head.
"You're kidding me." Ruby squatted to look Pongo in the eye. For a very long time, the two stared at each other, and, finally, she stood up again. "Of all the people in town Pongo could decide to be his other person, he chooses you?"
"What can I say?" Regina smirked. "The dog has a keener intelligence than most of the people in this town." She gave him a gentle pat on the head. "Now, may we order, or are you suddenly refusing to serve customers who sit outside on the patio to take their lunch?"
The younger woman pulled in whatever comment she wanted to make and, instead, pulled out her notepad. "What'll it be?"
"How about a walk, hmm?" Regina strolled along the sidewalk with Pongo still obediently at her side. She glanced down to him.
For his part, the dog simply trotted along.
They walked along, through the streets of the town, past the apartment complex where her son was currently staying with the two idiots and Emma, along the road with the home in which Pongo normally resided, and past Mr. Gold's shop.
Regina's paced picked up as they neared the front door to the shop. She really didn't want to speak to anyone, and the very last thing she wanted was to run into Gold himself.
Unfortunately, fate was never kind to the former queen, and, just as she passed by the door, Gold stepped outside.
"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" He looked from woman to dog. "Hello, Pongo."
"Gold," Regina answered in a bitterly cold tone. Pongo stood at full attention, a low growl starting to roll from the back of his throat.
Gold's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Where is Doctor Hopper?"
"Incapacitated," she answered as vaguely as possible. "And, as you can see, we're on a walk." She gave a very slight inclination of her head. "If you'll excuse us?" Without waiting, she began to walk again.
Pongo followed, but his body remained tense for several blocks.
"It's fine," she told him as they rounded the corner to her house. "He won't hurt you. I wouldn't allow him. You're safe under my care."
His leash pulled tight, and, for the first time that day, she was forced to stop to see why he wasn't being as obedient as he had been. His eyes watched her, and his tail drooped slightly. She frowned, not understanding the sudden change in the dog's behavior.
"You don't trust in my protection?" She was actually hurt at the prospect, which surprised her.
Pongo moved again, taking a few tentative steps to her with his head bowed slightly. Moving to sit in front of her, he pawed at her leg until she finally knelt down in front of him.
"What…" She began but was quickly cut off when a wet dog tongue swiped over her cheek. She made a face and wiped at the trail of dog drool. "That is disgusting," she said with an infliction to indicate she was more grossed out than angry.
With a whine, Pongo pawed at her again. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "What then? You're not worried about you?" The dog barked once. "You're worried about me?" Her voice went up a tick in surprise. The dog gave another solid bark. "Well, that's a first," she mumbled as she stood to continue on their way. "Don't worry about me, either. I can take care of myself."
Pongo gave another whine but again followed along by her side and into her home.
"If you think you're getting anywhere near my bed, you're mistaken, dog." Regina slid under the sheets and propped herself up, determined to finish the book she'd been reading off and on all day. "Beds, like other pieces of furniture, are for people, not animals."
With a huff, Pongo picked his rabbit up and went to the dog bed that had been set up against the wall not far from Regina's own bed. After walking in circles a few times, he settled, placing his rabbit down beside him before burying his nose under his tail.
"Until today I didn't realize animals could pout," Regina commented with wry smile on her face. "I think you may actually out do my son in that regard." Pongo looked anywhere but at her. "No matter, it doesn't work for him, and it won't for you. However, I should tell you, dog, that you don't get off without duties while you're here." His eyes looked at her, though he didn't move his head. "Do be a good dog and bark if I have unexpected visitors, will you? It would be nice to get advance warning for a change."
With a final glace at the still huffy animal, she smirked and turned back to her book.
She was running. In heels, a giant, fluffy white dress and along cobbled stones, she was running, and she knew she couldn't run far enough or fast enough to get away. She was going to try.
They were coming for her. He was coming for her, and she wanted out before he could get to her. She wanted to escape, to be free. She would rather die than be captured by him.
His foots steps were heavy and quicker than her own, but she ran anyway. Crying, screaming, and begging to anyone who might hear her and care, she pleaded for sanctuary. She beseeched the listening ears she knew could hear her to save her from a fate that was far worse than death.
She didn't want this. She didn't want to be married to this man, to be his slave until death parted them. She didn't want to forever be forced to do whatever he pleased. She couldn't imagine allowing him to do with her as he wanted whenever he wanted and however he wanted. It was too horrible for words. She didn't want to give herself up in this way. It was wrong. It was unfair. It was a violence she would never come back from.
Her breathing was becoming more and more frantic as she ran. She could feel his presence gliding up from behind her. She pushed herself, terror fueling her past her exhaustion. It wasn't enough. It had never been enough. His heavy hand fell onto her shoulder, and she faltered in her steps, falling to the cold ground below her while his weight began to pin her from above.
Regina woke up screaming in terror. Her sheets were a twisted mess about her, and her pillows had long since hit the ground below. She was panting and covered in a light sheen of cold sweat.
She sat up, looking around the room through large, round eyes, and she nearly flew from her bed when she met two beady black eyes staring at her. Pongo's whines were loud as he rose on his back legs and placed his front paws on the mattress.
"I'm fine," she said in hoarse voice while she tried to gather her wits. "It was only a bad dream." She slid from the bed, picked up her pillows, and straightened her sheets while the dog watched her intently. "Dreams can't hurt me," she said mostly to herself, but her tone was less than assured.
After a trip to the master bath, she returned to find Pongo sitting at the side of her bed with his rabbit securely in his mouth.
"What now? I'm not playing fetch with you, dog. It's 1:30 in the morning." She moaned as she slid back down in her bed.
Not to be deterred, Pongo took his position back up with his front paws on the side of her mattress and eyes staring steadfastly at her. He gently set his rabbit down beside her and nosed it until it was flush against her side.
"If I didn't know any better," she mumbled while she watched, "I'd say you were offering your stuffed animal to me for comfort." She picked the toy up to look at it in the muted light that came from her bedside lamp. "I suppose that's possible. You are, after all, an animal from the Enchanted Forest. It's entirely plausible you'd have a higher intelligence than the average dog from this land." She looked back down to the dog still watching over her. "Are you concerned I won't sleep again tonight?"
He let out a single bark, and it echoed through the quiet of the room.
She glowered at him. "What if I told you that it didn't matter if I went back to sleep or not?"
He let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a whine.
She groaned. "You do realize that I am supposed to be your caretaker while Archie is bedridden, do you not?"
At this question, Pongo dropped back down to the ground, backed up a few paces, and then took a running jump to land squarely on Regina's bed.
"Oh, for the love of…!" She let out her own growl. "What have I told you, dog? Get off the bed."
Pongo's reaction to her demand was to tug the rabbit out of her hand and move to the unoccupied side of the bed. Making a few turns to create a comfortable spot, he plopped down so that he could still see Regina while his nose was tucked under his tail. He dropped his rabbit beside him and gave out a huff as if to indicate he was done with their exchange for the time being.
"You know, I could just use my magic to get you off of my bed," she grumbled at him. He closed his eyes. Letting out an agitated sigh, Regina leaned over to turn off her lamp. "Fine, but don't hog up all the space on the bed."
Dog and caretaker fell into an easy rhythm. In the mornings, they would wake at sunrise, eat breakfast, and go for a run. For a few hours after that, Pongo would play and nap while Regina attended to household chores. They would either go to Granny's for lunch or eat on the back patio. The evenings would be filled with games of fetch and a long walk about the neighborhood. At night, Regina would make a vague attempt to keep Pongo off the bed, which inevitably ended with the dog curled up on the empty side of the bed with his rabbit tucked somewhere among the covers.
It was a routine Regina found she neither minded nor noticed, and, when someone knocked on her door a little over a week later, she found herself having to keep from pouting as she opened the door to find Archie's smiling face on the other side.
"Good morning, Regina. It's a lovely day today, isn't?"
"Doctor Hopper." She nodded toward him and noted the sound of Pongo's steps as the dog walked over to come sit by her side in the open doorway. "I trust you've recovered?"
He smiled. "Good as new, though still a bit sore." His smiling eyes looked toward the ground. "Hello, Pongo! Are you ready to go home?"
The dog looked between the humans and then lay down on the ground beside Regina.
She watched through a mask of disinterest even as Archie gave her a confused and slightly bewildered look. "Well that's funny," he said in a confused voice. "I thought that, by now, he'd be more than excited to be going home."
"As I've said before," she answered in an amused, though still cold, tone of voice, "he clearly has good taste."
Archie narrowed his eyes as he squatted to look at his dog. "Pongo?"
Lifting his head from the floor, Pongo grunted at him.
"Don't you think you've invaded Regina's home long enough?" Archie glanced up to give the woman in question an apologetic look.
Pongo gave another grunt, stood, and walked back into the house.
After a moment, it was clear the dog was not returning. "I'm so sorry, Regina. I don't know what's gotten into him. I'll go get him, and we'll be out of your hair."
"It's fine, Doctor Hopper." Both her tone and her answer surprised them both. She was neither snide nor condescending, though there was touch of sadness in her reply. "I'm sure, once you've taken him home, he'll quickly readjust."
Archie hesitated just inside the front door. Looking down the hall, he could see Pongo standing in the kitchen watching him, and it looked for all the world like the dog was squaring off for a fight. Looking back to Regina, the doctor could tell she, on the other hand, had given up the fight.
"You know," he said as he rubbed at his side, "I'm still pretty sore from my surgery." He winced as if the emphasize his point. "Maybe Pongo could stay here a bit longer?"
Regina's gaze was heavy with suspicion as she looked the man over. "I don't want your pity, bug. Take your dog and go."
"I'd love to take my dog," Archie said with a sigh, "But I don't think he wants to come. Do you Pongo?"
In response, the dog dropped down to lay on the kitchen floor as if to say he wasn't moving.
"Pongo's a special dog, Regina. He's not one whose owner chooses him." The doctor rubbed at the back of his neck.
"I never agreed to take care of your animal indefinitely," Regina snapped back only to flinch when she heard a growl come from somewhere behind her. Changing tactics, she asked in a harsh voice, "Why did he choose you?"
"He didn't. He chose to stick with me until there was someone he felt needed him to be around." The doctor shrugged. "I guess he thinks that's you."
"What if I don't want him around?" She sounded offended at the concept that a dog would feel pity for her.
He shrugged. "I don't know. I've never known of a time when the person Pongo wanted to be with didn't want him to stick around. I suppose, if you told him to go, he'd leave, but he wouldn't be happy about it."
Regina turned to look down the hall at the dog in her kitchen, a dog that wanted to be in her care. "Just until you feel better. That has been our deal. You're clearly not better. I can see you wincing in pain. How can you possible walk him and take proper care of him if you're still in pain when you move?"
Archie nodded to himself and sighed, accepting the inevitable fate that he had lost his dog to the former mayor. "You're absolutely right. I can't. In fact, I think I need to go lay down for a bit. I'll contact you as soon as I'm completely healed. How's that?"
She gave him a nod of approval. "That is fine. Until then, Doctor Hopper."
He gave her a nod good bye and left, closing the door behind him.
She stood in her entryway and stared at the shut door for a time before turning around to find Pongo sitting a few feet away from her with his rabbit in his mouth. He trotted over, dropped the toy at her feet, and sat down to look up at her.
"You're lucky you match my décor, dog. Otherwise, I'd never have agreed to this arrangement," she said as she bent to pick the toy up. "Come on, as much as I enjoy watching you attempt to run on my floors, you're bound to scratch them beyond repair. Let's go into the backyard."
He barked, bounding behind her, following her lead with a protective eye out on what was around them.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate reviews. They're almost as awesome as coffee.