This is brief one shot, based on JEssie J " I miss her". Enjoy...
" I miss her"
We hold each other's hand as we walk away from the mansion that once we all used to live in. All moved on grown up, we have our own families. The four of us though still have each other and our father; he can remember every single one of us, every moment that we had as a family as individuals. But my mother she has forgotten it all.
Ella squeezes my hand, as the boys say their goodbyes to go back to where they come from Boston. Ella and I the only ones left close brave enough to not run away from what was happening.
She started to forgot just after my high school graduation, it was just simple things like were they milk lived or how to make the coffee machine work. Then she started to mix up her grandchildren's names. Then one day she got completely lost trying to get to Ella's house, three doors away from our house, having to stay up all night hoping that Ella and Emma would be able to track her., which they did eventually at her vault. Dad thought it was time to take her to see the Doctor, after she had thrown a fireball at Ella after she had left the dinner table and reappeared.
" Same time tomorrow? Imi I promise she's remembers inside her somewhere. This is just what dementia does to a person. You have to think that she has hundreds of years to try to remember" Ella tries to reassure me as she kisses me on the cheek and walks towards Jack who is standing with their three children.
For me I slip into the car my mother used to drive the Mercedes a classic she used to tell me, as I make my way across town to see Neal. Neal the love of my life, my destiny I am often told.
"How was she today?" Auntie Snow asked as I forked my dinner, finding my appetite gone completely.
"Worse, the doctor said it won't be long till she forgets everything, forgets everything she has ever done, the family she has created." I turn to tell as I sigh. It's not the fact that my Mom was losing her mind; it's the fact that my mom, was forgetting everything that was part of her happy ending. The family that she was so central too, the children that she helped raise the grandchildren, that she loved to be around. For me she was missing out on the life Neal and me were starting to create. The life she always wanted us to have.
"Imogen, I will come with you all tomorrow. I never thought I see the day were Regina Mills would forget her happy ending. "
The next day we all regrouped, Henry and Roland are now planning on staying with Ella because Doctor Whale has told us that she now doesn't have long . That she is going to start to disappear completely. Auntie Snow holds my hand, and places a gentle touch on my heavily pregnant stomach, as we knock on the door.
" Hi Guys… how are we all?" Dad appears in the doorway flustered, and a nasty scratch on his face. Mom must have got spooked and forgotten who he was again, something that was a new and very scary occurrence.
"Robin.. is she okay?" Henry asks as he slipped past Robin to find her. I hold back and smile at my dad.
" I am really good, I am just going to use the bathroom." I tell him as Ella lifts her hand over Robin's face and clears the wound. Aware that our mother caused this again.
Ella follows me up the stairs as I lock myself in my old bedroom and silently sob.
"She's forgetting him, now isn't she? " I yell at her as she appears in front of me.
" Imogen, he is her soulmate. Your dad said he could do this, he said he could care for her. I told him I could take her with me, that I could help her through this. He refused and I love him for not burdening us with this, but now we have to face that soon she isn't going to the Regina Mills that we love anymore." Ella tells as the lock on the door twist behind my head. There she is… She looks lost; she doesn't look like my strong mother, the mother who could fight off anyone with the flick of her wrist.
"Imogen sweetheart come here…." I stand and wrap myself up in her arms, confused as she pulls me closer and extends her hand to Ella.
" Mom, are you okay?" I ask as Ella takes our mother's hand gently, scared of what is going to happen next.
" I just needed some time, I just needed my girls." I hold my breath just for a second. Zelena appears, my birth mother she smiles towards me, nods and walks away. She has done what I never thought she would do, she has given us all the chance to say goodbye to Regina Mills, not the mess that Dementia has made her.
" Mom.." Henry appears behind us and smiles at her.
" How are the boys Henry? Having any luck with your new book?"
Hours later we are all sat around the fireplace, Emma, Hook, Snow, Charming, Neal, Henry, Roland, Ella, Zelena and my father. Talking just like we used to, talking about our past adventures, talking about our lives now. The lives for years we haven't been able to tell her because she wouldn't understand. Dementia was taking a hold over her mind, over her body and she just hadn't been the same for five years. The Regina Mills that scared, supported, taught, ruled and loved each and every one of us. Zelena stood up and took Mom's hand.
"It's going to start to wear off now, you need to say goodbye." Mom's friends stand first telling cuddling and saying quick goodbyes. Auntie Snow leans into Charming's chest as she begins to cry, aware that it won't be long, until my mother fights again. Hook places a gently kiss on my mother's face, which she slaps him for.
" you look after my baby for me…" Mom tells Neal as he leans towards her and kisses her on the cheek.
"you are the best Step-grandmother a kid could ever wish for. Thank you for everything. " Neal tells her as he takes a hold of his mother's hand.
Emma's next and she leans into my mother kisses her and holds her for what feels like eternity.
"I could never be this good without you Regina Mills." She tells her as she turns to join the others.
Ella's next and all she can do is stifle
" I love you mummy…." As my mom pulls her close and kisses her on the cheek.
"You were everything I wanted you to be baby…." Next is Roland, who is holding that dammed stuffed monkey that she gave him years ago.
"you hold on to this for me moma, you're the best.." he tells her as she kisses him gently.
" keep looking after your sister's for me…" Then it's me, and I can't breath as she pulls me so close.
" I love you... What am I going to do without you.." I tell her as she kisses me gently.
"You're going to give this baby the best chance for happiness you have…" Then it's henry who is holding his copy of the Wolverine.
" look after this for me… I know deep down it's your favourite. You're my hero you know that?" My mother shakes her head as the tears fall.
Then it's my dad turn, we all step back as he walks towards her.
"You are my soulmate Regina Mills, you have given me the best life, the best second chance, you are the centre of everything. I don't know what I am going to do without you.. I love you." They kiss for what feels like forever as the lights go out.
Everyone has gone it's just as kids now with Dad downstairs huddled in the same spot as before. Mom is back in bed again, we know that she is going to leave us soon, but we are just trying to remember the good. That is until we hear a bang from the room. We all race the stairs.
There she is calling out, calling out for "Daniel" , and we know that its time. So Henry, Roland and Dad place her back on the bed and wrap her back up. Henry and Robin grab her hand as Roland curls up on one side and Ella on the other. I too pregnant to do that sit at the other end, watching as the tears fall down my mother's face.
" Let me go… Let me go…" She is yelling now as her eyes snap open and she looks directly at all of us.
"You were my happy ending."