Hi there, so I had this thought that what if Regina wasn't the one who actually cast the curse but someone else did, and she and Henry want to break it. This is my take on the show, starts from s1 and will follow the show but things will obviously be different. SwanQueen is endgame, but it won't all be rainbows and unicorns. Apologies if I get major details wrong, I'm not completely going through watching it again as I write. Only some. Hope you like.
I am – Killing Heidi, I'm a Wreck – Every Avenue, Lanterns – Birds of Tokyo, Her Diamonds – Rob Thomas, Queen of Hearts – We The Kings
"Henry?" His mother's voice rang out through the house and he heard the tell-tale sound of her heels on the marble stairs as she made her way up to his room. "You're going to be late for school, Henry?" He did not look up from his hands and she opened his bedroom door and stepped into the room.
"What's the matter, dear?" Regina walked over to her son and sat beside him on the bed, worried by his silence. She placed a hand gently on his back and was surprised when he pulled away slightly, finally lifting his head to meet her concerned gaze. "Henry?"
"You're not my real mom, are you?" his voice shook, eyes glistening with tears threatening to escape. Had she been standing, his question would have brought Regina to her knees. Her heart dropped in her chest, pounding furiously as she struggled to get over the shock at what he had just asked. "Are you?" Henry demanded again, moving further away from her on the bed.
"Henry" her voice soft as she watched the hurt on his face grow, she knew she couldn't lie to him. "I am your mother" she whispered and held up her hand to stop him interrupting her, "but no, I did not give birth to you. You are adopted, but you are my son" She watched his face as her words hit him, emotions overwhelming the both of them. This was her little boy and as far as she was concerned she was always his mother, but she always knew deep down that he'd one day find out the truth. She just thought she'd have more time.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he managed to ask through the small sobs that were wracking his body. He'd known the answer before he asked, but it was still a shock to have her confirm it and now his whole world was changing.
Regina sighed and reached her arm out slowly to him, "May I please hug you?" A small smile graced her features at the small nod her son gave her, and she moved over to him, folding him into her arms and tucking his head under her chin. "I was going too, but I just never knew when the right time was. I wasn't sure how you'd handle it when you found out."
"I'm not a baby anymore mom, I'm ten now."
She chuckled slightly, holding him to her a little more tightly. "I know sweetheart, you're growing up so fast." She took a deep breath in, pressing a kiss to his head. "I'm sorry Henry." His only response was a sigh as he pulled away from her gently. Regina looked at him; they had the same brown eyes and brown hair, although hers was admittedly a lot darker. You wouldn't know he wasn't hers by birth just by looking at them. Wait…"Henry how did you find out?" she suddenly asked, a bit sharper than she'd intended. She had wanted to be the one to tell him, and it made her blood boil to think someone else had spilled the beans.
His gaze dropped to the floor and he started fiddling with the button of his school cardigan, "I can't tell you."
Regina sighed and closed her eyes briefly, remembering what Dr Hopper had told her about being patient with him and not losing her temper. "Henry" she started again, her voice softer now. "As hard as this conversation is for me, I've been honest with you; the least you could do is be honest with me." She bent her head slightly and gripped his chin lightly, making his eyes meet her own. She said nothing as they both looked at each other; she could see he was searching her eyes for something, but for what she did not know. Finally he nodded, "Okay, but you can't get mad alright. Promise me?"
Regina looked at him sceptically, "Henry Mills, you are only ten years old and I am your mother; you cannot tell me when I can and cannot get mad."
"Yes I can" Henry stated, his voice suddenly confident. "If you want to know, promise me." He kept his mother's gaze, never once losing eye contact with her. He was going to tell her eventually because he knew he would need her help, but there's no time like the present and knowing she was desperate to find out, he knew she'd agree to his terms.
"Fine" Regina sighed and accepted that she wouldn't be going after someone for this, "I promise I won't get mad."
Henry watched her for a couple seconds, before smiling and nodding with satisfaction. Standing and kneeling beside the bed, he reached underneath to pull something out. Regina watched him with curiosity as he lifted what appeared to be a big book from his hiding place and put it next to her on the bed spread. She ran her hand over the cover, fingers tracing the elegantly written script as butterflies started to invade her stomach. She did not have a good feeling about this.
"Once Upon a Time?" she asked, turning to him with an eyebrow raised.
"It's okay mom, I know." He smiled as he took a seat next to her, lifting the book onto his lap.
"Know what exactly?" Regina knew she was going to regret asking.
"I know you are the Evil Queen." She chocked on her breath at his answer but he continued talking, "I know everyone in this town is a fairy-tale character and I know it was a dark curse that brought you all here." He flipped open the book to a page with a magnificently colourful drawing on it and pointed to the image, "That's you."
Regina's gaze flicked down to the figure and her heart pounded harder in her chest, the feeling of intense nausea hit her and she jumped up from her spot beside Henry. That was indeed her in the picture book, the Evil Queen, but how did her ten year old son know this?
"Henry" she started backing away from him, "I know you like to read fictional novels and get swept up in the magic of the story" she visibly flinched at the word magic, which did not go unnoticed by her son who was watching her like a hawk, "But that's all they are. Stories."
"You said you would be honest with me" he said, "and I know it wasn't you that cast the curse."
Wait, what? "You do?" she gasped and then at his smile realised what she'd said. "Henry.."
"Don't lie to me"
Taking a deep breath she ran a shaking hand over her blouse, smoothing out the imaginary crinkles. "If you were right, and I'm not saying you are or you aren't" she looked at him, "What makes you think I didn't cast the curse? I am the Evil Queen, as you say."
Henry patted the spot beside him and waited for her to return to the bed before flipping through the book some more. "I know you wanted too, you threatened Snow White and Prince Charming to take away their happy endings forever" He looked up and frowned at the small smirk on his mother's face, "But the book says you couldn't do it, you wouldn't pay the price."
Regina sighed, flipping her wrist over to look at her watch. Henry was going to be late for school. She looked at her son and ran her fingers gently through his hair, loving the softness and innocence he still held in every way. She had been waiting so long to have someone to talk to about the curse, someone who wouldn't think she was crazy but how could she possibly burden her little boy with everything that came with knowing the truth? He was so young still.
Henry saw the turmoil on Regina's face and took her hand in his gently. "I'm sorry for saying you weren't my real mom, you are." Her face softened at his words, tears collecting in her eyes. "I know the book says you are the Evil Queen, but to me you're just my mom, and I love you."
"I love you too Henry" she kissed his head, "So much."
"Then you have to help me. I know you didn't cast the curse, but maybe we can break it." The hope in his eyes nearly broke her heart, but hadn't she been trying to figure out how to do that for 28 years!
"You're going to be late to school" she said, "We can talk about it later when you get home. " She noticed the scowl on his face, "I promise."
"And you'll tell me everything?"
"Not everything" she squeezed his hand, "but everything you need to know, no more lies."
"Okay" he got up, kissed her cheek and made his way out the door and down the stairs.
"Wait Henry" she followed him slowly, "I'll drive you." She had a lot of thinking to do if she was going to tell him about her past, about the curse and about the land they all came from. Her heart ached at the thought of how her own son may become terrified of her after he learns about who she was back in the Enchanted Forest, but if he was the key to breaking the curse that she'd been trying to break for almost three decades, then that was something she'd have to deal was.
Problem was, she was the only person in town with her memories intact and even she didn't know who had cast the curse, how they had done it or why.
The Enchanted Forest, around 28 Years Ago
As a cloud of purple smoke appeared outside his cell, Rumplestiltskin couldn't help but let out a little giggle, pressing his face up against the bars as he watched the Evil Queen step into sight. "That curse you gave me" she lifted up the parchment in question and sneered at him, "it doesn't work!"
"Oh the Evil Queen is worried, so worried" he pranced around his cell, his voice sing-songing "Just like Snow and her little Prince husband."
"What?"
"Oh they too have paid me a visit recently, seemed very anxious about you" The Dark One looked at her, "and the curse."
The Evil Queen stalked up to the cell bars, "What did you tell them?" she demanded.
"Oh just the truth, that nothing can stop the darkness" Rumplestiltskin giggled at the smirk overtaking her face and revelled in the moment of wiping it right off, "except their unborn child, of course." The Queen's face paled, he'd told her nothing about a weakness in the curse before. "You see, all curses can be broken no matter how powerful," he pressed his face as close to hers as the bars allowed and whispered; "their child is the key. Of course, the curse has to be enacted first."
"Well tell me what I did wrong?"
"There's a price for that, dearie" he giggled.
"What do you want?" The Evil Queen cocked an eyebrow, curious.
"In this new world I want a good life, comfort" he said, and held up a hand as she went to interrupt him. "Wait, there's more"
"With you there always is" The Queen sneered, "Well what is it?"
"In this new land, should I ever come to you for anything at all, you must obey my every request" At the look of disbelief on her face he continued, "As long as I say, please." His insane giggle filled the cave.
The Queen stepped closer, "You do realise, that should I succeed" she raised a brow at him to make a point, "You won't remember any of this?"
"Then what's the harm?" he sneered
"Fine" she smiled easily, "Deal. Now tell me, what must I do to enact this curse?"
"Easy" he giggled, motioning to his own chest. "You need to sacrifice a heart."
"I sacrificed my prize steed" she growled, jumping back in surprised as The Dark One suddenly leapt across the cell and reached through the bars, grabbing her by the throat.
"A horse?" he growled, pulling her closer to him. "This is the dark curse dearie, the curse to end all curses; you think a horse will do!" Rumplestiltskin looked into her eyes, loving the darkness and desperation he saw there. "Great power must come from great sacrifice. The heart you need must come from something far more precious."
"Tell me, what will suffice?" her coldness in her voice would've chilled him, had he not been the dark one.
"The heart of the thing you love most" he watched as her eyes darkened even more and she snatched his hand away from her neck.
"The one I love most died because of Snow White" she growled, feeling anger spread through her body at the memories that surfaced.
"Is there no one else you truly love?" Rumple ran a finger down her cheek, watching as realization sunk in. "This curse isn't going to be easy, vengeance never is dearie. You have to ask yourself one, simple, question" He leaned back, looking her straight in the eyes. "How far are you willing to go?"
The Evil Queen hesitated before moving forward, "As far as it takes" she declared, but her voice wavered and uncertainty had already made its home in her heart. Rumple was no fool, he could see a battle waging in her eyes.
"Well," he started, "Please stop wasting everyone's time and just do it" he growled, "You know what your heart loves, now go kill it" his voice was demanding, hoping it would push her buttons enough for her to do what was needed. He watched as she backed away without a word, disappearing in the whirlwind of smoke that she'd arrived in.
"You know she won't go through with it" a voice suddenly rang out in the darkness of the cave and he tensed in surprise, seeing slight movement off to the side in the shadows.
"Well well well, this is an unexpected surprise" he giggled, "How long were you standing there? I didn't sense you."
"Long enough" the voice snapped, and Rumple giggled as the figure stepped into what little light there was in his little piece of prison. "She won't do it" they said again, "And where will that leave you? Here, stuck in this little dark dank cell with nowhere to go and no one who cares."
The imp growled, "You don't know the darkness in her, she will succeed and the curse will take us to the new world."
A chilling laugh rang out through the cave, "Oh Rumple, so wrong you are." The figure walked closer, "You need someone else to cast your curse for you, the Evil Queen just doesn't have enough…evil, to get the task done."
"And what do you suggest?" The dark one raised an inquisitive brow, "You want to cast the curse to end all curses?"
"Yes"
The imp giggled, "No no dearie, did you not hear what was required? The heart of the thing you love most. Forgive me, but what would you sacrifice? You love nothing"
The figure shrugged, and with a snap of their fingers the very scroll that had been in the Evil Queen's possession appeared in their hand. "Change what is required" they pushed the parchment through the cell bars towards him. "You are the Dark One are you not? This is your curse after all. Change the need for a heart so that I can cast it."
"To what dearie?" he grabbed the parchment, feeling a little intrigued by the idea. "It still needs a sacrifice."
"Power," his companion smiled, "Change it to sacrifice power."
Rumple looked at the figure closely, "Why do you want to cast the curse?" he asked, "What are you after?"
"That's my business!" the figure snapped at him darkly, "Will you change it or not?"
Rumplestiltskin stared at them and contemplated their request. It wasn't hard to do, he had the scroll that held the curse and he could change it. "I can change it to suit your needs" he said darkly, at their nod he told them his terms, then warned "if the curse breaks, you will not have your power restored. It will be gone"
Their lips turned into a dark smile, "That" they whispered, "is not a problem."
The Dark One sneered, and motioned to the lever beside the wall for them to let him out. As the cell door sprung open and he stepped across the threshold he felt his magic return to him, shivering in delight. "So be it" he declared, and with a flourish of his hand the scroll flashed a dark red before returning to normal and he handed it over. "Good luck to you dearie, you know my terms." He stepped back into the cell, pulling the door closed with him and he saw them nod and disappear, leaving him alone once again.
"This should be fun" he giggled.
a/n: I know it's kinda strange how Henry figures out Reginas not his mum just by the book but I can't remember how it happens in the show, and they make such a big deal about how magical it is..restoring memories etc I figured hey hey shouldn't it magically zap that knowledge to him etc. he is special after all. And yes Regina has her memories, that'll be explained in due time.
