"You. You did this?"
"I just wanted to save her life."
"You're just like your mother, never thinking of consequences."
"I didn't know."
"Of course you didn't. Well, you just better hope you didn't bring anything else back."
Those last words still linger on her mind, stabbing her with the cold memory of losing yet another True Love.
A broken sigh escapes her lips as she descends from her heels, her feet finally meeting flat ground. Regina's hand reaches for an empty glass and a bottle of cider. The scene at Granny's has been repeating in her mind since then, that dreadful night were her happiness was stolen one more and, hopefully, last time. The last time indeed, because she will not look for it again. It had been so long since she felt real love that she had forgotten also how much it hurts when an idiot decides to do something that would, accidentally, crush it just before her eyes.Crushed like the countless hearts she has and should have. She doesn't know why she bothers to hope anymore in the first place.
The liquid touches her lips. It is soft and sweet, like a hug from an old friend. Apple-trees were her refuge in the past and it seems they will be in the future. Her only friends. There is no one else.
The door bell rings. She sighs.
Days have passed since Marian came back from the dead to find that her -so she thought- dead husband was merrily seeing the one supposed to have killed her decades ago, the Evil Queen. Their happy little family was reunited thanks to the Savior and no one would ever believe it was not her fault. She did kill Marian in the past but not on the purpose of stealing her husband, was it? For all she cared back then, it had been Snow White's fault.
"Well, it does not matter anymore, does it?" she sighs out loud before taking another sip of her cider. Hers is the only voice she has heard ever since.
"Emma, you have to do something. She is hurting, she doesn't know that we know she is innocent. I need to talk to her. Please. Please."
"She actually killed her, kid."
They are at Snow and David's place, sat at their not-so-comfortable sofa while deciding what to do next. Regina has been missing for a week now and no one in town is willing to help them find the former Madame Mayor. They want the Sheriff to do it, of course, but not out of pity or comprehension. They fear her.
"I know, but... It was in another past." Henry insists for the nth time. "And... and she did not even knew it! I mean, how could she possibly know that it was the wife of the boyfriend she was bound to meet like, I dunno, thirty years later? She knew her true love would be someone with a lion tattoo but... still..."
"I know," she caresses his cheek and pats his shoulder. " I shouldn't have brought her back."
"Oh... Emma... you saved her life. That is not something to regret." Snow places a hot cup of tea in her hands and a warm look in her eyes. "You couldn't have known either."
Emma sighs and looks down at the black liquid. The guilt is eating her alive. There is nothing wrong on saving someone, of course, but she was bound to die anyway. She can't help but wonder: was it really worth it? Her boy's mom is missing, probably thinking everybody hates her.
She remembers having a cup with the Queen days ago, after Zelena had been encarcelated and the world seemed to go back somewhere where they both could coexist and be parents to Henry together. Real parents, not the fighting kind. She had not told her she was thinking about returning to New York, but that was not a topic for that moment. It was a truce. A real one.
And she has screwed it up.
"She has changed," the Savior finally nods, "but the kid's right: she doesn't know we think that. I've texted her, called her, but she does not answer her phone."
David places little Neal in her mother's arms and sits beside her on the couch. He has not spoken since the topic began. His face, though, reflects all the hatred a protective parent could have for someone who had stole their first born in the past.
"Have you been to her vault? Maybe she is there." Snow says with high-pitched tone and a broad smile meant only for her second child.
"She's not for days. Her father's flowers were withered." Emma sighs again.
Henry does too as two silent tears run down his cheeks. His hope fades further each passing day and that is something even the blindest can notice. The fear in his face was always there, hoping his mom won't suddenly go crazy and kill everyone or something. Henry isn't alone on that thought but one can never know. It is Regina they are talking about, after all.
"You will find her. And she will understand, I'm sure. Don't lose your hope. I know she is been..."
"Evil?" David points out, unabled to hold himself any longer. "Because she was and I can bet she still is, Snow."
"Grandpa!" Henry sobs.
"It's the truth."
"No, it isn't! Maybe she did want once to kill us, David, but you know this town has changed her. How could you say something like that?" the deep hurt eyes of Snow look up at him. "We must have hope. You know that has served us both in this realm and the other."
"I am just saying. Once evil it's hard to go back."
"You're wrong!" his grandson yells suddenly, standing on his feet.
"Henry!" his mother tries to calm him down by putting a hand on his shoulder.
"He is wrong," he cries. "I know it. Emma, please. Please, find her. Find her, explain it to her, bring her home and prove him wrong!"
"I've tried, kid." she sighs, standing too. "But, even if I did..."
"Then let me go with you! You hurt her, she will listen to me. Please, I know she will!"
"I know I hurt her. I wish I hadn't. I wish she would understand that, I wish everyone would see what we see, that she is innocent." She kneels before him and looks him right in the eyes. "But they don't."
"And I don't think she will come out until then." Snow says, caressing the soft cheek of her new born. "We've talked to them, but they won't listen. They're too scared to see that she has already chosen good instead evil."
"Then try harder! Isn't she family? Isn't family supposed to be together? How is she ever going to know? How are we supposed to protect her if she is not with us?"
"Of-of course she is family," Emma stutters and looks at her parents. David makes a face. He doesn't agree but says nothing. "No one wants to take you back to your mom harder than I do, believe me, but I can't find her. I've tried everything. If she doesn't want to be found... well... you know your mom, kid, no one ever will."
"Then I will." he steps back, determined. "And you will apologize, and everything will be ok."
The thirteen-year-old keeps moving back, slowly, until he is far enough, and then he runs before anyone can stop him.
"Henry!" Emma calls but it is too late. She sighs.
"I can't believe you saidthat, David. He is our grandson, he deserves some credibility and respect, don't you think? It was his believing what broke the first curse! And the second!"
"I only told him the truth!"
"But it isn't!"
And thus a heated discussion begins between the two elder Charmings. Their daughterlets out a frustated sigh before following the path Henry has taken. By the time she reaches the street he is long gone. She knew he would be. Maybe keeping him apart from the search was not a wise decision after all. She isn't worried about that, anyway. He's done that before. A lot. In fact, even if it is wrong to use one's son as bait, she knows Regina would never allow anything bad happen to him. The Sheriff is sure that somewhere, somehow, the Queen is keeping an eye on him.
Where could she be?, Emma wonders watching the town folk walk by.
In the other side of the street Robin and his found -and so much modern- wife walk along with their son. They seem happy, so happy it stings her heart a little bit to know that, unknowingly, she stole that from Regina. She can't blamed her for hiding, Emma would have also done so if her True Love found another soul mate.
But I would hide at home with a bottle of whatever I could find. I've been there, no one answered the door. Maybe I should try the... back door?
She surely hadn't tried that before. Breaking into someone else's apartment was as much as her past life's as it had been Marian of Regina's. Maybe not the best comparison to make in front of this last one, though.
She sits into the Bug and rotates the key. After a while, her old friend finally cooperates. Fortunately the mansion is not that far away and traffic is almost not existent. It appears that the fairytales' characters prefere to walk rather than drive. She can't blame them. A sad smile appears on her lips at the memory of the Enchanted Forest. How deeply had she missed the Real World a week ago.
The mansion looks abandoned when she finally arrives. The garden has not been taken care of and the windows seem dirty enough for a week of bad weather. Henry was right. It certainly is strange for someone as maniac with cleanliness and order as Regina is.
She has tried before. She is been at her door every afternoon since the incident. What does her believe it will different now? She does not know. But she has to insist, even if it is not for her, but for Henry.
The Sheriff takes a deep breath and rings the bell. A long minute passes, nothing happens. She tries once more and the another one. Still nothing.
She sighs.
"This is stupid."
She is about to turn away when the sudden image of a crying Henry fills her mind. She swears under her breath.
"Regina?" she yells looking at the door. "If you are in there open the door."
Five minutes pass. The Sheriff can't take this nonsense any longer. O.K., so Regina is hurt, does that give her the right to ignore every person who still cares for her in this town?
Maybe she felt guilty before, maybe her embarresment was enough to keep her from doing everything on her hand to reach her. After all, if Regina does not want to see her, who's the Sheriff to make her? It is not illegal. But does Henry really deserve this?
"Nope, he doesn't" she resolves walking to the back gate and forcing her way in.
Emma looks around. The back yard is in no best shape that the front one. The grass is taller than the regal Queen would ever allow. The apple tree, on the other hand...
She smiles walking to the porch. She tries the back door, and it opens. The former Mayor would never leave it open if she weren't home.
Got'cha.
Inside the mansion is cold and dark but no sign of dust is to be found. It is as neat as ever. She is here, she can feel it.
"Regina!" she yells. "Regina, I know you're in here."
Emma walks through the over-arrenged rooms until she reaches the main hall looking for her.
"I need to talk to you." she insists.
"But I do not want to, Miss Swan."
The cold voice of the Queen startles the Sheriff. Emma turns around and catches a glimpse of her in the balcony of the upper floor. She takes a step.
"Regina."
"Leave. Immediately."
"I'm sorry."
"And I am sure you are. If that is all you had to say, Sheriff, you have trespassed my propierty in vain. Now leave."
"I am serious." She takes another step.
A wry snort cames from the shadow upstairs.
"I didn't mean for this to happen!" she continues even if she knows that the woman won't listen to her. She has to try. For Henry.
"You didn't mean what, my dear? To destroy my happiness everytime I find any? I would be touched if this wasn't the fifth time you or your family do this to me."
Her mask falls for a second and the pain filters to her voice. Emma is close enough now to see her. Surprisingly enough she seems alright. Her make up is perfect, her black dress impecable and her face is the one of a Queen. A perfect mask, once again.
"Here's the thing: I know I hurt you, and I am sorry. If only I could go back and tell myself that... that she was... you have to believe me, Regina. I didn't want this. Why would I?"
The former Mayor does not answer immediately, her eyes fixed on the bottom of the empty glass on her hand. Emma knew she couldn't be that different from the rest of the world.
"Regina..." Emma whispers. "Henry misses you, we all miss you."
"You all miss me?" she laughs and her voice comes out bitter and sad. "Your skills at lying are just as bad as your parenting ones, dear. I heard what they said, I saw the look in my son's face, Miss Swan. I know what he thought."
"But he didn't! He is looking for you. Ok, maybe not all the town believes you're innocent in this one. Can't blame them, right? But what's the point of hiding when your family is looking for you?"
"Family? What family? The one you keep stealing from me?" Regina turns around and walks into the shadows. Emma follows her without, not giving up.
"Listen to me, if there was anything I could do to make this up to you, if there were -"
"Would you kill her?" Regina interrupts her stopping in the middle of the corridor and turning to look at her. A ray of sun breaks through the courtains to light her calm expression.
"What?"
"Would you kill her, Miss Swan?" she archs a brow. "You said you would do anything. You heard him, you heard what he said."
"Don't Robin me. How could you lie to me like this? You knew, I know you knew from the very beggining. You are indeed the Evil Queen, Regina."
The words are hard to forget. She had tried so desperately to try make him understand that, for the first time ever, everyone had been able to see a part of her that was only meant for Robin and Henry. She hadn't mean to. That was weakness.
"Would you kill her?" Emma just looks at her, shocked. "I thought so." And the Queen resumes her gracious walking.
Emma bits her lower lip but still follows her.
"I can't do that."
"Then you are of no use to me."
"Henry still misses you."
"Does he?" and her tone states she doesn't believe her.
"Of course he does, you are his mom."
"A fact you have tried very hard for him to forget."
"That's... not anymore. We called it a truce, remember? At Granny's, that morning..."
"That truce was betrayed twice that same day, Miss Swan. Do you expect me to forget that you were going to take him to New York, away from me at the very first chance you got? I am not as gullible as they are, my dear."
"We're not going anywhere. Not anymore. We are staying in Storybrooke."
"Yes, I'm sure you are."
"ENOUGH!"
She has got enough. Enough of the sarcasm and selfpitiness.
She takes her arm and forces her to turn. At first Regina seems impressed and a little shocked, caught off guard, but the mask rapidly slips on again. The indeference mask that is driving the Savior mad.
"He misses you, he does, and we are staying. He's just as stubborn as you are, you know? He's ran away just to find you and now he's missing too, so take your ass downstairs becauseyou and I are going to find him!"
Regina pulls her arm free, her lips trembling with fury as she studies the face of the Sheriff with a wary look.
"How dare you." she hisses steping back and grabbing the door to her studdy. "You have said enough lies for a day. Oh, and don't you worry. I know you only came here to see if I would seek revenge, but I won't. See yourself out of my house, Sheriff, and don't come back ever again. Because, if you do... well, I might have a swan's heart for dinner."
"Regina..."
"Don't. I saw Henry talking about the docks. You will find him there. Now leave me alone."
And with a flick of her hand the door closes and Emma finds herself out.
I really hope I didn't bring anything else from the past, she thinks with an exasperated sigh.
They were ugly, disgusting creatures. Their purpose was no other than to disturb peasants, stealing their valuables like the evil magpies they were. Fortunately, that was just what she needed; a magpie. Someone who could obtain for her the last, hardest ingredient, something so difficult to be found that even seers needed months just to find a remnant of it in the traces of the future: the first thread of light on the heart of a dark soul.
But trolls... They only cared about precious things, bright things to trade with. What they really used them for was none of her business, anyway. What mattered was their cheap usefulness.
She placed the money on the bridge barrier, enough gold for a poor family to live for a month but just a caprice for a powerful witch like herself. She waited. Did they even know how valuable was the item they were dealing with?
"I summon thee."
A silent minute passed in the Troll Bridge, a bridge far, far away from her home. Luckily for her too, the witch that reigned over the lands she stood on was her friend. She couldn't imagine how much trouble she would go into if they weren't, if the Evil Queen came to know her little affairs with the trolls. That jealous friend of hers would surely rip her heart out in a matter of seconds and force her to submit the rare thread of light. She trembled.
Two musty hands reached the top of the stone barrier, closely followed by two other pairs. The three wet trolls jumped over and looked at her. One of them took the coins and, slowly as he were, counted them.
"This is half you promised."
Maleficent smiled.
"I will pay the rest upon delivery. Do you have what I requested?" she asked confidently, supporting on her draconic staff.
"We do."
"Good. Were there any problems?"
Not asking would be just rude, wouldn't it?
"Snow White." One of them said. His simple eyes lighted up with hatred. "And a prince."
"Snow White... who would have guessed that?" she laughed.
"They had dark fairy dust, they threatened us. We escaped. We would have been killed."
"Oh, I'm glad you were not. Now, give me the light thread." She extended her hand.
"Not so fast. Snow White raises the price."
Trolls were such crybabies when performing simple tasks. Any reason was good enough to raise the price. Stories were told about sunny days being one of their many stupid ones.
"Of course, of course..." she sighed.
The only female troll showed her the thread, floating sulkily on a muddy jar.
"Double it."
"I will quadruple it" she answered, "if you tell me what happened exactly with that annoying girl."
The trolls looked at each other, and they smiled.
It is not the first time Henry has escaped from somewhere. In fact, he has done so repeatedly. Running through the shadows so no one would see him, climbing sheets up and down just to be back on time, he even asked his teacher -Mary Margaret, back then- for her credit cart just to find his real mother, his birth mother. But it is certainly the first time he has done anything alike to be with his adoptive mother.
Henry runs to her favorite places, her secret places, the mausoleum, he even dares to look inside The Rabbit Hole and the dark alley behind it. His mom is nowhere to be found, though.
People hides in the last place where they think anyone could find them, don't they? Where would my mom hide...?
The wet tongue of Pongo licking his hands distracts him, barking happily to get his deserved attention.
"Hey, buddy" he greets caressing the dog's head playfully. Pongo barks.
"What are you doing here, Henry?" a concerned Archie asks after having seeing him coming out of the bar. "This is no place for children." The cricket looks up to the Rabbit's Hole's sign with a disgusted smile. He still remembers the Valentine's Day back when the first curse was still active. It has changed for the worse since then.
"I'm... I'm looking for my mom..." he admits shyly. "I thought she might be here but... she isn't."
"I see." He sighs and smiles softly. "Don't worry, Henry. She will be fine. Regina, she has always been... Well, she's a complicated woman. Maybe this is good for her, you know? Maybe she just needs to be alone and have some time for herself. A lot of harsh things have happened lately. Just think of it: losing you for a year, her sister Zelena trying to kill us all, then Marian reappeared... to think about what she's-happened" he quickly corrects, "may be what she needs and... she'll see who is really there for her. She surely just needs time to process things but... she will come around, I'm sure. You are what she loves most, remember?" He places a reassuring hand on Henry's shoulder. The kid nods silently.
"You were her therapist for a long time, she trusted you. Maybe you know where she may be hiding?"
"Have you tried her vault?"
"Yep."
"Her house? The town hall?"
"Both, she's not there. I've also been to the well in the woods. I've looked everywhere this week but I was hoping to look in less likely places today... I've been to the woods, to Zelena's house, to the mines, Toll Bridge..."
As the list goes on and on Archie begins to realize in how much danger this kid could get in. Henry has demonstrated before the deep roots for stubborness and sometimes lack of thinking of his family.
"I-I'm sorry, Henry. Why don't you go home? I'm sure Emma will find her eventually."
"You believe her, don't you? You know my mom wouldn't do something like that."
The therapist doubts for a moment. He sighs. He is afraid of her powers, just as anyone else, but after treating the Queen for thirty years he can hardly say a change on that woman has not happened.
"Of course I believe her, Henry."
"Then help me, please. She thinks we all hate her. I've been trying to think of a place I haven't looked in yet but... OH! That's it!" he smiles. "The docks. She hated my secret place, I don't even remember seeing her there since the Home Office. She must be there. C'mon!"
Archie can't say no to those bright eyes full of hope. And he still remembers what happened at the mines the last time no one heard him. Not helping him would only lead to disastrous consequences.
"Henry! Wait!"
The sun is low in the sky when Emma finally finds them sitting in the wharf. She breaths, relieved.
"Hey!" she greets jogging towards them.
"Oh, Emma, thank goodness" Archie gasps, perking up.
"What's happened to you?" she frowns. "You two look awful."
Archie's jersey has been ripped in several places and his shirt is showing out of his pants, both full of the kind of fuel spots that won't be easy to wash out. His hair and face are dirty too, his glasses seem a little bit off their usual axis. Henry is not better.
Pongo barks quietly from his lying position between the two of them, his head resting tired on the floor.
"We were looking for my mom." Henry answers with an unfriendly stare.
"He's taken me inside boats, below the wharfs, inside the cannery storeroom..." the poor therapist starts listing, almost begging her to make her son stop running.
"Wow, wow, wow, wait a minute there, you let him inside the cannery? I thought you were some kind of good conscience, not the devilish one!"
"I tried to -"
"That was my fault." Henry interrupts him. "He was only trying to help me. He told me no to got to those places but..."
"You didn't listen." Emma sighs. "I'm sorry, Archie. Thank you for taking care of Henry."
"I-It's okay, Sheriff."
Emma nods and Henry asks:
"How did you find us?"
Emma smiles softly and pats her child's shoulder.
"Regina told me, kid. She heard you say something about it. Through one of her weird mirrors, I'd guess."
"You saw her!?" he stands up as fast as a thunder. "Where!?"
"Was she alright?" Dr Hopper stands up too, relieved that the run-after-Henry nightmare is over.
"Not... quite. I dropped by the mansion, just in case. She did not answer the door, so I went through the back one. She was in there, upstairs, crying over a glass of that apple liquor of hers. Wouldn't believe me when I told her some of us still believe she didn't do it, though."
"That's cider. She loves cider, you know." Henry states looking at her with that same tired look Regina used to give when she would say something wrong, back before the time travel. "Then I have to go there, I have to see her. Maybe if I talk to her then..."
"Hey, not that fast, kid."
Emma's hand intercedes in his new running attempt, stoping him just in time.
"But I have to go see her!"
"I'm way ahead of you on that. Tomorrow you'll crash there. Until then, you're grounded, young man."
"What? Why!"
"Do I have to explain it? Really?" Emma archs a brow staring at him, then at his ruined clothes. "Plus, we still have to convince her. Get in the car. Archie, you too. I'll take you home. Would you later come with me to Regina's and...?"
"Yes, yes, of course."
"Great. Let's go."
"He's crashing on the couch tonight."
"I don't know, Snow... are you sure this is not just the lack of sleep talking? Babies can be... well... babies" Ruby wides her eyes after a deep, deep breath.
Saturday dinner at Granny's has become kind of a traidition for the Charming's family and almost every friend of them. The place usually boils with life that night of the week because, you know what they say: there's no party without a dwarf on the karaoke. And dwarves have discovered they love karaokes.
However, today it seems dead. Just a couple of souls wander in the tables, silently drinking their problems. Since last week's celebration about Zelena's defeat and Marian's return, the town has fallen apart into some different groups, most of them inciting heated arguments about wether or not taking action concerning the "Regina issue", as they have been calling them. Most of those groups are harmless, but there is nothing to celebrate.
"I... I know" Snow sighs. "But he was so... mean, you know? Like... he doesn't care at all if Regina lives or dies. I know he almost had her killed, once a long time ago, but he eventually came to his senses. Killing her would be... He's been there to defend her ever since the Curse broke. I just don't know what's wrong with him!" she exclaims, dropping her arms heavily upon the encounter.
"He cares about Neal, sweetheart," Granny, who has been cleaning around and picking up every now and then on their little chat, states shaking the cleaning rag in front of them while keeping the other hand at her hip, bossy-like, "and nothing will ever change that."
"We have hurt each other, Granny, but she is been there during my pregnancy. Why would he ever fear she hurting our little boy?" almost without noticing, she rests her hand on the sleeping little one. "She stood to her own sister trying to stop that wicked witch from hurting us."
"He is a real father now." The elder answers.
"Maybe he needs to feel he is a father, you know?" Ruby says, taking her best friend's hand. "You didn't get that chance with Emma."
"Maybe but... he's still sleeping on the couch tonight." Snow smiles shyly and both her and Ruby laugh together.
"Talking about Emma, how's she? How's Henry? Have they found Regina yet?"
"Oh, yes, they have! She's been all this time inside her house. Thanks." She adds when Ruby finally puts her chocolate in front of the -now in parent leave- teacher.
"Really?"
"Yeah. She didn't want to talk with anybody. Emma and Archie have been to her place this evening to talk her out but... apparently she was... drinking."
"She was drunk?" Ruby exclaims, incredulous. From the other side of the counter Granny shakes her head, disappointed.
"No! Not drunk... I don't know. Tipsy? Maybe? They said her magic kept changing her drink."
"Why? Didn't she noticed?"
Mary Margaret shrinks and tastes her chocolate, then shakes her head.
"She didn't want to talk to them, not at first, not with Emma there. She left her with Archie for a therapy session and went to Mr Gold's. Rumplestilskin said she might be losing control over her magic because of the last... events. Something about light and dark fighting over which takes control within her heart. Supposedly the easiest magic spell consists in transforming liquids and moving objects from place to place, so..."
"Wow."
"Yeah."
"Now the Evil Queen's place is also haunted? Creepy."
"Red!" Snow exclaims but smiles. "Don't call her that."
"Sorry," the werewolf grins. "Old habits die hard."
"Yeah, I guess. Anyway... Henry will sleep there tomorrow. He's grounded until then."
"Do you think it's safe? I mean, with her magic going crazy and all that."
"Regina would never hurt him. Being with him will only help her calm down. Mr Gold said she needs to get distracted from her own thoughts for a while."
"Should we trust him?"
"I guess not... completely, at least. But he wouldn't do soemthing that could upset Belle," and they both share a look of understanding. Some secrets are better off unspoken. "and Belle believes Regina."
"Here." Dr Whale, who has been sitting on a table near them for a while, approaches and hands Ruby the money for his coffee.
"Perfect." She smiles.
"Goodnight, ladies." He bows his head before leaving the dinner, hiding a wicked smile.