Author's Note: Hi All! I have no idea where this idea came from or why it simply persisted so much in getting out during a hot and miserable southern summer. But it did. And I have decided to go ahead with posting it. Obviously I own neither the rights to anything Once Upon a time nor anything related to Charles Dickens. I only wish. This is just for fun.
Also, there is some rough stuff ahead in the next chapter. I'm not going to give any specific trigger warnings because honestly I don't want to give away the plot. But, if you are sensitive to violence of any kind, you may not wish to read this piece.
That being said, I hope you enjoy it.
Part One
Why Must We Celebrate This Fairy Tale?
The sharp click and clack of heels on pavement rang out as a warning to anyone who might be nearby. Regina Mills, bundled up in the most stylish coat in Storybrooke, rushed down the street to try to seek temporary respite from the cold within Granny's diner. The Mayor always walked in the middle of the street with square shoulders. She owned the town and those who did not move from her path were simply knocked out of it.
Like Mary Margaret.
She spent so much time walking, head down humbly, as if she were looking for an ant kingdom to possibly lord over since she'd lost her own. Regina nearly knocked her down on that particularly crisp and bitingly chilly morning. And, as always, it was the school teacher who apologized.
"Oh! Goodness, Regina, I'm sorry," she stammered as the Mayor trudged on. "I didn't mean to get your way."
"You never do, do you, dear?" Regina fired back though she did not look.
She was in a foul mood as it was because everyone was so damned cheery over some frivolous and ridiculous holiday that had nothing to do with what they were actually celebrating anyway. Christmas had been stolen from the Germanic 'Yule' which was essentially a bastardization of the pagan winter solstice celebration. None of them had anything to do with a baby in a manger that was likely to have been born in the summer if he was ever actually born at all. It was all so ridiculous to the former queen.
Why celebrate one fairy tale above all others?
She didn't see anyone throwing parties for the day Aurora awakened from her eternal slumber. There were no ginger bread houses constructed as an homage to Hansel and Gretel's defeat of the blind witch. And there certainly wasn't an apple festival regaling the harrowing day she'd conquered Snow White for the briefest of moments. Why did everyone have to be so completely annoying and festive over the birth of a boy who later performed magic tricks and then became a zombie?
And why did they have to continue to incorporate that worthless tree into the mix?
Wrenching open the door to the diner, she entered, flipping her dark locks and ambling toward the counter. The lively chattering about Christmas Eve plans had died in the air as all eyes turned toward the obviously unamused Mayor. They all knew she didn't enjoy the holiday for some strange reason and, though many had tried to get her in the spirit before, none had prevailed. Not even Henry. Try as they might, Regina Mills would never respond in kind to the bidding of a Merry Christmas.
"Coffee, black," she barked at Ruby who answered with a nod and went to pour the hot beverage for her patron.
"Any big plans for Christmas Eve, Madam Mayor?" the waitress asked, placing the piping hot cup in front of Regina.
"Not that it's any of your business but I plan on cooking lasagna for Henry and then going to bed early due to the fact that, in the morning, I'll be awakened before the sun rises so that he can open his presents, turn on his Xbox and ignore me for the rest of the day," she said, bringing the coffee to her lips.
"Yeah, but it's all really fun and festive, isn't it?" Ruby said, with an overwhelmingly toothy smile. "There a kind of magic to Christmas."
"Magic does not exist," Regina scowled and looked down into the dark liquid before murmuring softly. "At least not in this world."
"Maybe not for some," Ruby replied, her face falling a bit before she walked away. "Merry Christmas, Regina."
The gorgeous brown orbs rolled hard at the parting words and the Mayor tried to simply inhale patience and exhale her frustrations. Frustrations that were only about to get worse. For, a few moments later who other than Emma Swan comes stumbling through the door with a Douglas fir tree as tall as she was.
"Hey Ruby!" the sheriff called a she approached the counter. "Merry Christmas Eve! Can I get a cocoa to go?"
Regina's eyes and mouth went wide in surprise at the blonde's idiocy and she stood to confront her.
"Ms. Swan, what on earth do you think you're doing bringing foliage into a diner?" she asked, placing her hand on hips. "You must be in violation of at least ten health codes right now."
Emma huffed out a chuckled and sighed as she moved the tree so she could see the woman admonishing her.
"Ease up, Regina. It's freezing outside and I wanted a little something to warm me up but I didn't want to leave the tree out there because the wind is crazy. It might have blown away," she said as she left a few dollars on the counter for Ruby and smiled at the waitress before taking her cup. "Anyway, I'm glad I ran into you because my next stop was actually going to be your house. It's for you!"
The sheriff smiled, hoping her act of kindness would help the soften the cold as ice woman before her but it certainly didn't seem to have that effect if Regina's disgusted features were any indicator.
"Sheriff, the annoyance you present to be has become both constant and ever excelling at topping itself," she placed one of her hands on the counter and leaned into it. "What in the world would give you the idea that I want or need your help in this matter?"
Emma furrowed her brow in confusion and looked down as she started to speak. "Well, Henry said that you guys didn't have one and he was telling me how much he likes the smell of them, and the way they just kind of light up a room when they're around, but that you always seem too busy to get one every year. So, I thought I'd get one for you that way you didn't have to worry about it. I can set it up for you and everything if you'd like."
"What?" Regina face puckered in confusion. "No, I would not like you to do that, in fact what I'd like for you to do is stay out of my life, and my son's life, in every possible way. But you simply won't accept that."
Confusion soon turned to frustration as Emma once again raised her gaze to meet Regina's. The entire diner was staring at them so she tried to keep her voice down.
"Regina, let me remind you that, on at least one occasion, if I'd stayed out of your life you would have died. Specifically of smoke inhalation in your own office building. I have tried time and time again to show you that I am not here to ruin your life. I'm trying to make it better so that we can get along for Henry's sake and every time I do something nice you demean me. Why are you making this so difficult?"
Regina looked at the tree and allowed the sadness of memory to sweep over her only long enough to awaken the darkness within. It comforted and protected the forlorn longing, until it was put to rest, and took over completely. Her mind had been conditioned to behave this way long ago. To destroy everything in sight when wounded. Her dark eyes flashed back to the green ones before her.
"Because you simply don't get it, dear," her tone dipped an octave as she spoke and her lips did that incredibly sexy thing were they bared her teeth a bit more. Emma had noticed that several times. "You are unwanted. You have been unwanted a great many times in your life so I can see how that might be troubling and burdensome but I am not the family that left you behind in an orphanage to rot nor am I the quick romp in the back seat of your Volkswagen that impregnated you and left you to give birth to your child while incarcerated. Those people had the choice of getting you out of their lives. I obviously do not because you have forced your way into my life at every single turn. The only option I have is to try to destroy all hope that you have of being a part of our lives and I will destroy that hope if it is the last thing I do."
She'd leaned in closer to Emma in deliverance of her last point. If they'd been any other pair in town, people would have thought they were about to kiss. Especially as Regina's eyes made a momentary flicker down to the blonde's thin lips right before she pulled back to leave. Nimble fingers reached into her purse for a few dollars to leave Ruby and her heels popped on the ceramic tiles as she tried to make her grand exit.
"No you won't," Emma said.
It made her stop in her tracks and wonder if the portal the blonde had fallen through deposited her head first into the world in which they now lived. Though Regina's head turned her body remained still and faced the door as she listened.
"You haven't done it yet and you certainly aren't going to kill my hope on Christmas," Emma took her stand with her head held high. "Christmas is a time of kindness, forgiveness and, above all things, hope. And I still have the hope of spending it with Henry around a Christmas tree."
"Then you are going to be deeply disappointed, Sheriff," she fired back. "Because Christmas is also a time of burglaries, drunken relatives throwing punches over politics and turkey exploding in deep fryers. We'll need 24 hour service from the Sheriff's Station and you are the only Sheriff in town. You can enjoy that squirrel's nest there alone. Because my son is not spending the holiday alongside the jail cells."
Emma swallowed the lump that had been gathering in her throat ever since Regina had pointed out how obviously unwanted she had been throughout her life. She knew better than to fight any harder about this. Things would only get worse and if that happened it would hurt Henry. And Emma would protect him from that at all cost.
"Merry Christmas, Madam Mayor," she managed to rasp out the words as she watched Regina exited the diner and felt Ruby place a hand over her own to try to comfort the poor, unwanted orphan.
Once the door had closed, and her nostrils took in a deep lungful of the freezing air, Regina adjusted her scarf and straightened her stance before speaking the most appropriate words for the moment.
"Bah humbug."
The Mayor had nearly finished working for the day when a knock at the door roused her from her paperwork and put a smile on her face. Henry's Christmas party for the volunteers at the hospital must have finished and he'd come to walk home with her.
"Come in!" she called as she stood and started to gather her things.
The boy entered with a somber expression on his face. It did not match the rage that was burning in his tiny body after hearing through the gossip mill that Regina had been so cruel earlier that day to Emma but he had hoped that it would guilt her into giving him what he wanted for Christmas.
"Hello dear," mocha hues took in the distraught expression and worry took over Regina immediately. "What's wrong? Did something happen at the hospital?"
"Yeah," he craned his neck to look up at her. "I heard what happened in the diner today. You told Emma I couldn't see her on Christmas. Did you really mean it?"
White hot rage enveloped the Mayor as, once again, she was put at odds with her son once again due to the meddlesome blonde.
"Yes, I most certainly did," she said without tempering her delivery. "Ms. Swan chose to serve this town in full as Sheriff the moment she put on that badge. That includes working on holidays. Therefore she'll be spending hers at the station, and it's no place for you to be on Christmas."
"But…"
"No 'buts', Henry," Regina cut him off, her tone holding the weight of finality as she gathered up her things and put on her coat. "Now, let's go. I need to make the lasagna and then I'll let you open up one of your presents like we always do."
"You can make the lasagna for yourself and keep the present," he argued, angry and saddened by her unwillingness to show even a modicum of respite in her war against Emma, even on Christmas. "I'm obviously not getting what I want for Christmas this year."
His words were harsh but no more than any of his other tantrums over the blond. Regina was honestly getting used to it by now. They still stung but they were also becoming monotonous in their frequency.
She followed him out and walked just a few paces behind him as they made their way home. Any time she tried to speed up so did he. He obviously didn't want to be anywhere near her at the moment. Then, true to his word, he went straight upstairs and slammed the door to his room. She knew good and well that he wouldn't be coming out tonight and there was no point in preparing a feast of carbs and fat just so she could eat alone. Instead, after divesting herself of her coat and scarf, she walked into her study and poured a tumbler of cider.
The sweet liquid burned down her throat and chest; it was like a warm hug but she didn't have to put up with a personality attached to it. She also took the time to light a fire in the fireplace. It had been a long day and the comfort of the flames reminded her of how it used to be back in the Enchanted Forest where fireplaces were a necessity not a luxury. Taking another sip, she stood there gazing into the flames and allowed her mind to drift back to the past only for a moment. They didn't have Christmas in her world but they did celebrate the trees. It was called the Evergreen Festival. People would gather together with their loved ones around evergreen trees to celebrate endurance even in winter. When all of the other trees had lost their leaves due to the cold, evergreen trees stood tall and proud with life ever present running through them.
Sitting in her chair, Regina continued to watch the flames and sip the cider until her body fully relaxed into the chair and she'd nearly fallen asleep. The sound of the final crackles and pops of the dying fire jolted her from the small respite and she nearly spilled what little cider was left in her glass. Finishing it off and moving to put out the flames with the poker, she let out a yawn and decided it was definitely time for bed.
"Long day, your majesty?"
The sultry voice startled her from her task and forced her to turn and hold out the fire poker in self defense. The dark end, forever stained from the char produced by burnt wood, pointed directly at a face she'd thought she'd never see again: Maleficent.
"I'm sorry, dear," the woman remarked softly with a smile. "Did I frighten you?"
Regina could only stare on, mouth agape in utter astonishment. This simply wasn't possible.
"Well, this is certainly new," the blonde stated with a chuckle as she circled Regina. "I remember your tongue being quite active back in the Enchanted Forest. Where has it run off to now?"
"You're not real," the Mayor finally spoke up. "I'm either still asleep or I shouldn't have had that drink on an empty stomach but there is no way you are in this room right now."
"I'm afraid you're wrong once again, old friend," the reply came from behind the brunette and soon she felt hot breath on her neck that moved up to her ear as the dragon continued to speak. "I'm very much here right now. And, though you may not believe it at first, I'm here to help you."
A shiver of both fear and reminiscent arousal ran down Regina's spine before she replied.
"And why would you do that after all that's happened between us?"
"You said it yourself a very long time ago," came the reply. "I'm your only friend."
Regina took in a deep breath and then moved away, keeping the poker in a tight grasp as she faced her 'old friend'.
"Let's pretend for a moment that I'm crazy enough to simply go with this ridiculous scenario," she said as she looked into the familiar blue eyes. "What have you come to help me with?"
Maleficent allowed a pregnant pause to hang in the air so that Regina might feel the importance of the matter. Once she was ready, she spoke plainly and diligently.
"Your happy ending."
An arrogant chuckle rumbled deep within Regina's chest.
"You're too late for that one, Maleficent. I already have my happy ending. I'm living it right now."
"Really?" the blond head quirked to the side in disbelief. "Then why do you seem so angry and miserable all the time?"
"There's been a hiccup," Regina clenched her jaw as she defended her position. "And once I get rid of that hiccup all will be as it should be."
"Emma Swan is no hiccup, Regina," Maleficent warned sternly. "That woman plays a key role in your happiness whether you'd like her to or not right now. You have visited hardship and pain on that girl that you don't even know about and it has to stop. With her, with Snow, with everyone. You reap what you sow, dear. And you have been incredibly unkind toward your fellow man. If you do not right these wrongs, you'll be doomed to solitude and pain. Just like me."
"Just like you?" Regina shook her head. "Before you went all soft over a unicorn you were one of the most powerful sorcerers in all the land."
"And now I'm a monster who lives alone beneath the streets," Maleficent corrected. "Look, I don't expect you to believe me right now. That's why I've employed a great deal of help from a few familiar faces. They will guide you through a series of events that will, hopefully, change your mind about the way you live your life."
"And just who might these faces belong to?" Regina asked, crossing her arms.
"All in good time, dear. All in good time," she studied the woman before her and truly hoped that at least one of the familiar faces sent would be able to get through to her. "Tonight you will be visited by three spirits not of this world. They will defy time, space and even death to guide you on your journey so you might want to listen to what they have to say. You should expect the first ghost when the clock tower strikes one."
"You have got to be kidding me," Regina stated angrily as she dropped her arms and moved into the blonde's space. "Expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one? This is not a Dickens novel, Maleficent, this is my life."
"And it will only continue to be a life of anger and loss if you do not take this night seriously," Maleficent warned before reaching out to cup Regina's cheek, sending yet another shiver down her spine. She pulled away to move toward the smoldering embers and reached her hand toward them to create a fireball. "I wish you luck, old friend. I do truly hope you get your happy ending. And remember, expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one."
With that, she lifted the fireball into the air and then sent it slamming down onto the floor in front of her, causing a blaze that took her from the room without a trace. Regina immediately ran to the spot where she'd been to examine it for any proof that she'd been there but there was none. And, once again, she was alone in her study.
"It was the cider," she reasoned with herself. "There was something wrong with the cider. I'll pour it out in the morning."
Placing the poker back on the rack and walking up the stairs, Regina settled into her room with a startled but weary mind. She took off her clothes and jewelry, washed the makeup from her face and donned a pair dark grey silk pajamas. A delighted moan escaped her lips as she settled into the comfort of satin sheets on a pillow top mattress. The cider had ensured sleep would come easy, but it made no promises that it would last. For when the clock tower stroked one a chill crept into the air, rousing her from her slumber.
Her eyes scanned the room, illuminated only by moonlight, and settled upon yet another sight she was sure she'd never again lay eyes upon.
"Hello, Regina," Daniel said with a soft smile as he looked down upon the woman who once held his heart. "It would appear that I'm the ghost of Christmas past. And I have many things to show you."