The Birdcage
Disclaimer: I do not own Once or ABC or any of the following characters. My curse to take over is still in the developmental stages, unfortunately. I also don't own La Cage Aux Folles, as much as I love Albin.
Author's Notes: Okay, so I've been wanting to do a multi-chaptered Swan Queen story for a while now, but I didn't want to get into anything until I came up with a plot that I really liked. This started out to be based on the wonderful classic film, La Cage Aux Folles, but I'd say it's drifted a bit from that as I developed it more around the characters. I hope you all like. I'm quite busy with college and finals coming up soon, but I'll try to stick with an update schedule of at least once a week.
It's not exactly AU, but it does take place a while after the curse and everything broke.
Also, this is SWAN QUEEN, so be warned that there will be femslash in this story.
Chapter One: Simplicities
Storybrooke, Maine was once more aflutter with citizens moving about the routines of their everyday lives. To most, it was no more than a simple town, filled with simple people leading simple lives with their simple jobs and ever so simple families. That much had not changed, as the town still held such a charm as to keep it from ever resembling anything more.
There were, however, some members of this simple place that lurked in the shadows at night, protecting secrets from the outsiders that now seemed to dominate the society of their small town. These were the people that, if ever found out, would likely cause the world to erupt in chaos. After all, people don't tend to take well to finding out they've been under the spell of an evil queen.
Of course, there was no such spell. The mayor of this small town was merely a charming woman with a past that only a few remaining in this world knew about, but that wouldn't stop those wandering minds from believing they were. The people of this world were truly no different from the old citizens who had chosen to go back home, still apt as ever to point the accusing finger her way without even so much as a second thought. Some things, it seemed, truly would never change.
Once the breaking curse had reached its completion and a portal between the worlds had finally been opened, most of the citizens of Storybrooke had decided to go home. Some took the chance they were given at a fresh start and stayed around town or ventured off to explore the rest of the world that had previously remained quite the mystery, but a majority had chosen to return to their lives in the Enchanted Forest and try to pick up where they last left off. Nostalgia can be a fairly powerful thing.
For Snow and Charming, the answer had ultimately been simple. They were expected to lead their people and rule over the White Kingdom, so they fulfilled their duty and led the masses home. The pair, of course, had wanted their newly reacquainted daughter and grandson to travel with them, but there was something holding Emma Swan back.
Regina's punishment for the curse had been quite merciful, in the terms of their land. Rather than death for her crimes, she was faced with banishment from the Enchanted Forest. She would be permitted to visit Henry, as even Snow could not bear to cause another woman to experience the separation from her child as she'd felt, even if it was the woman who'd inflicted the pain on her in the first place. When the curse had broken and time had come for a final battle, Regina had fought alongside them, ultimately bringing about the defeat of the Dark One. While no truce had ever been made, it had garnered her a great deal of leniency. She would spend her days running the town, using her magic to make sure no wandering outsiders found their way to the portal.
This had all been agreed upon, unfortunately, before anyone thought to ask Emma about coming back to the forest. She didn't even have to think about it to know that she had no desire to live in the strange land. They had all continuously called it home, and maybe for them the Enchanted Forest was home, but Emma only thought of the place as a bad dream in which she wanted no part.
Then there was the problem of her parents. She wasn't ready to go play princess in a castle with her parents Snow White and Prince Charming; it was all too much for her to handle, if she was being honest with herself, though she'd never have said so to Snow. Emma had gone from growing up with nothing more than a constantly crumbling dream of a family to being a part of one of the most insane families she could have ever imagined. She really needed some space from it all to think things through.
Ultimately, Emma had informed her parents that, while visitations were nice, Henry needed to grow up with both of his mothers. She hated using the kid as an excuse, but the hurt on Snow's face had deterred her from explaining her true need of space. Besides, Henry did need both mothers, and the kid had agreed to stay behind with Regina.
Another interesting addition to the mix had been, surprisingly, Cora. With the defeat of the Dark One, Cora had finally been able to confess to Regina the whole story. She'd told her about the deal she had made as a young girl who feared her life, about how she had signed Regina's fate over to Rumplestiltskin for his plan before she knew what was happening. There had been nothing she could do to get out of it, for the man's manipulations and trickery knew no bounds, but she apologized for all she had done to her only child and begged for another chance. Reluctantly, Regina had agreed to try, seeing as she'd been recently given a similar chance for redemption. It was a long battle, but they eventually grew to have a closer relationship, once the pain and lies came to an end.
The only other who had actually chosen to remain in Storybrooke was Archie. He had decided to live out the rest of his life as a human, realizing that Gepetto no longer needed him, now that he'd been reunited with his son. He quite enjoyed Storybrooke, and wanted to spend his time helping a multitude of people as he had been during the curse. Regina was his top priority.
A year after the curse broke, things in Storybrooke were relatively the same. Regina had regained her position as Mayor and had worked to bring people from the outside into town. Her efforts, mixed with Emma's knowledge of the rest of the world, had brought a lot of lives together in their quaint little town. Outsiders weren't the only ones brought together though.
With only a few of them remaining in the town, the previous citizens if the Enchanted Forest had all grown considerable close; some closer than others. A few months after everyone went back found a romance quickly brewing between Emma and Regina, who had spent many moments together under the guise of making things work for Henry. The relationship between the mayor and the sheriff was well known to the members of the new Storybrooke, but the lack of communication between there and the Enchanted Forest, due to the latest ogre wars that Snow and Charming were readily fighting, kept word from spreading between worlds for the time being.
That is, until a little bird paid them all a visit through the hidden portal.
As per the usual routine, every Wednesday Emma and Regina would travel to the crypt under the guise of bringing flowers to the late Henry Mills. In reality, they were going underground to check the portal for any signs of intruders or trouble. The Dark One may have been gone, but there would always be ten more wishing they were just like him to cause trouble, so one could never be too safe. Normally, Emma and Regina would spend a few moments looking around, Regina casting an enchantment to see if anyone had passed through. With all the commotion happening on the other side as the people tried to readjust and protect their land from the ogres, it was rare that any visitations happened.
On this particular day, however, something was different.
"Regina, what is it?" Emma whispered, eyes widening as she reached for her girlfriend who had suddenly stiffened quite noticeably.
Regina held up an elegant finger in a sharp movement, effectively shutting the blonde up. Glancing around the vast space of the room, Regina's eyes zeroed in on a pitch black crow sitting perched a few feet away. In its beak was what looked to be a letter of sorts.
"Can we help you?" Regina inquired to the bird with a commanding tone, ignoring the look of utter confusion from her girlfriend. She was used to the blonde's constant questioning of everything by now, and she wasn't in the mood to explain why she was talking to a bird.
Silently, the crow cut through the air, landing on Regina's outstretched arm and effectively dropping the letter into her gloved hand. "It is from Queen Snow for Princess Emma," the crow spoke in a crackled tone.
From the side, Regina could hear Emma gasping in surprise, causing her to smirk.
"Did that bird just talk?" Emma asked, gaping at the pair with eyes wide.
"Of course, dear," Regina replied as if it was nothing, which to her it really was. She paid the messenger quite extravagantly, with something shiny that Emma was unable to identify. "Thank you for your services. If you will remain here, we shall bring back a response for you to deliver tomorrow."
With a respectful bow, the crow squawked and flew back to its original perch, apparently content with the plan.
Regina clutched the letter in her hand, noticing the elegant writing on the outside that said "Emma" in a familiar loopy script. Turning briskly and gliding up the stairs, Regina wasted no time in her haste to return home. Emma trailed along behind, her jaw still barely hanging on by its hinge.
"Babe, what is it?" Emma questioned, effectively breaking the silence that had fallen between them as Regina was lost in her thoughts.
As they had almost returned to the mansion by now, Regina chose to remain silent, milling things over in her mind. She didn't need to open this letter to know what it would be. It was the first real form of communication Snow had tried with her daughter since leaving, and the brunette dreaded to think what it might mean.
Did she want Emma and Henry to come to the forest now that they had settled in? That was a very real possibility, one that Regina did not want to entertain. Emma was her family now, her everything. Their love had grown so strong; the thought of possibly losing her was almost too much to bear.
"Regina?" Emma pushed.
The brunette simply locked their eyes as she kept walking before glancing at the mansion in the near distance, signaling that this conversation should wait until they were away from prying eyes.
Emma, being the ever impatient child that she was, all but bolted up the driveway, standing anxiously in front of the massive white front door as she waited for Regina to hurry up and let them in. She was beginning to understand why the brunette always chastised her for forgetting to bring her house keys with her. The antics normally would have made the brunette laugh, but her nerves were completely focused on the unknown contents of Emma's letter for the time being.
As elegantly as ever, Regina took her time getting to the door where Emma awaited with fidgeting hands. Once both were inside the door, Regina carefully locked it to make sure no unwanted visitors could enter.
"Babe, what is it? Is that letter really for me?" Emma tried again.
"Henry!" Regina called, still choosing to ignore Emma's pleas.
"In here, Mom!" came Henry's voice. The two women followed it to the family room, where Henry was sitting playing video games with Cora, who had taken to watching her grandson after school once things had improved between her and Regina. On the couch sat Archie, at no surprise to the two women.
Once the majority of their friends and family had all went home, Archie had begun spending his time with the family. Cora was especially interesting to him, as the woman had yet to realize he was trying to psychoanalyze her. Emma and Regina just found the strange interaction between the two amusing, and Archie had quickly become family.
She smiled at her son in greeting. "Henry, I need you to go upstairs to your room and finish your homework, please," Regina ordered. She could see the rebuttal forming on his lips, but then Emma stepped in.
"Yeah, kid, just for a little while. Then maybe I can talk your mom in to getting a pizza for dinner, deal?" Emma bargained. The boy looked reluctantly between his two mothers, clearly knowing that something was about to happen that he'd rather not miss. In the end, he paused the game and headed upstairs, the prospect of pizza winning out.
"Is everything all right, dear?" Cora asked once the bow was out of hearing distance, her brows knitted up in concern.
Regina was still staring at letter in her palm, quickly moving it every time Emma made a grab for it.
"Gina," she whined, using the nickname she knew her girlfriend detested, "I thought it was for me. Gimmie my letter!"
With a heavy sigh, Regina handed it over, confident that they were in a safe location for whatever information was contained inside. "Fine," she whispered. Cora and Archie were looking at the two of them expectantly. "When we got to the portal, there was a messenger bird with a letter from Snow," she explained.
She watched as her girlfriend greedily tore into the envelope, pulling out a letter with the same curly handwriting as the one on the envelope.
After a few minutes of nervous silence while Emma read over the letter with no expression, Regina couldn't take the tension any longer. "Emma, what does it say?" she asked, a little more harshly than intended.
"Here," Emma spoke in shock, acting as though she'd just seen a ghost. Regina snatched the letter to read for herself, reaching out with the other hand to rub small, calming circles on the blonde's back as she read the letter.
"Dear Emma,
My darling daughter, I do hope you and Henry are well. Your father and I miss you so much here in the Enchanted Forest. I could tell you wanted your space, and we decided to give it to you while the war for our land against the ogres was being fought. I hope that you've had enough space for me to be sending you this, but it has been a year, and each day is like a constant reminder of how we've lost you again. I don't think I could bare another second of this silence.
Today marks the end of the war, as the ogres are finally off our land. Things here have actually gotten running quite well; It is much different from the broken kingdom you encountered on our brief trip through the hat all those months ago. There is a gentleness moving though our kingdom, as people have begun incorporating parts of the Storybrooke world into our lives here. I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that.
Your father and I were hoping you all would come join us for a celebration of the end of the war. It would be a good chance for us to get to see each other again, as well as to finally present you as the princess to the kingdom.
I miss you very much, Emma. We both do. I understand if you are not ready yet, but I do hope you feel comfortable joining us for a while. I'll be anxiously awaiting word from you.
Love, Snow"
"They want you to come visit," Regina spoke quietly once she was finished reading.
"They want us all to come visit," Emma clarified, looking at the other adults in the room and then pointedly at Regina.
"And do you think you're ready for that?" Regina asked, reaching a gentle hand up to cup her girlfriend's cheek as she awaited an honest answer.
"I… I think it would be nice to see them," Emma answered hesitantly, "but…"
"What is it, love?" Regina asked softly, her finger's stroking the blonde's gentle cheek.
Emma seemed to look down for a moment, almost nervously, before bringing her gaze back up to the brunette's. "What are we going to tell them about us?"
"What do you mean?" Cora interjected, not understanding how any of this was a problem as of yet.
Emma looked around, then back to Regina sheepishly. "It's just, the last time I saw them, we weren't together, and now…" Emma trailed off.
"And now we're in love and your oblivious parents hate me." Regina nodded in understanding. She did know what Emma meant; reuniting with one's parents after a year and showing up madly in love with the enemy of said parents wouldn't exactly be an ideal situation.
"Hate may be a bit strong…" Archie added hesitantly.
"My daughter tried to kill Snow and cursed everyone for 28 years, I think she may have a point," Cora said, a bit of pride highlighting her voice that the rest chose to ignore.
"Look, maybe we should just write back and say we aren't ready. They'll understand…" Emma suggested.
"No, Emma, you know you want to see them," Regina reasoned, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist. "Maybe we can pretend, for a few days, that we aren't together. I don't want to make this harder on you than it already is."
"You would really do that for me?" Emma looked up tearfully. Regina sighed and leaned in, capturing her girlfriend's lips with her own in a tender kiss.
"Emma, I love you, and I know you love me. I won't be offended if you don't want to put too much on the table this time," the brunette spoke softly.
The two were lost in each other's eyes when the sound of a throat clearing brought them back to reality. "Uhm, girls, I get what you are trying to do here, but what about the, you know…" Cora questioned, gesturing to get her point across.
"Oh," Emma said, suddenly remembering the final predicament. "Well, I think we should be okay, as long as nobody says anything."
Regina turned away, not wanting to Emma to see her biting back tears. True, it had been her suggestion, and she did understand the blonde's reluctance to add more into the jumbled relationship she already had with her parents, but that didn't take away the sting she felt of knowing her love didn't want to acknowledge it to them.
"Don't you think lying to Snow and Charming might be the wrong thing to do? They're your parents, Emma. I'm sure they'll understand," Archie put in, always trying to be the conscience of every discussion.
Three stares locked on him, all with raised eyebrows. There was no way telling Snow that would do anything but bring further strain on the relationship between mother and child, and even Archie sighed as he acknowledged that they were correct.
"All right, so if we all agree, I'll go write a letter back to Snow saying that we'll all be there in two days. Sound good?" Emma asked, looking around to gauge their expressions.
Cora and Archie nodded, leaving the final decision to Regina. All looked at her expectantly.
"I suppose I should go explain to Henry how he can't tell Grandma and Grandpa anything about us," she sighed, not planning to fight this.
"Thank you, beautiful," Emma said sweetly, reaching in for one final kiss. "I promise, we will tell them about us. I just want to lay some sort of foundation first, but then they can know all about how in love we are, how happy we are with Henry, and even the other thing."
"Then we should all probably start getting ready, shouldn't we?" Regina said, plastering on a smile before leaving the room. She did plan on filling in Henry on some of the details, but first, there were some tears seriously threatening to fall, and she didn't want Emma to have to feel the burden of them.
So, opinions, thoughts, complaints? I'd love to hear them all. This is intended to get funnier as it goes.