Pauley: Have tissues on hand! I own nothing!
She hadn't expected it to feel like this, euphoric.
She'd expected pain, burning and then numbness, but no, it was a high, a high she never wanted to end, but she knew it would end. It would end when she did.
Slowly, wobbling slightly, she moved from the bedroom, feeling the blood drip down her fingers as she stared at the door to the room she'd not been in for a long time.
It had been an accident, he never listened to her when she said stay put, and that time had been no exception. But standing up to her Mother would never have ended well.
The door was white, though it quickly developed red splotches as she pushes it open, swaying slightly in the doorway as she glanced around the room that held so many memories.
"Henry..." Her voice broke at the name she'd not spoken in so long as she stumbles towards the bed, collapsing onto the soft sheets that still smelt so much like her little boy.
Rolling so she was staring at the ceiling, she finally allowed the tears to come, hot and sticky down her face, though no sobs escaped her lips.
"Mommy!" The little voice sounded from the other room and Regina was straight up and through, scooping the small boy from his crib.
"What is it Henry?" She asked as his chubby hands clung to her hair tightly, his face hiding in her neck.
"Bad dream..." He says and Regina cradles him closer still, swaying gently as she kisses his head.
"It's okay baby, Mommy's got you. Nothings gonna harm you. Not while I'm around." She starts to hum the tune softly as she rocks her baby back to sleep, unable to handle putting him back to bed alone, she brings him into her room, curling on the bed with him carefully, stroking his back as she drops off to sleep.
She could feel everything becoming blurry as she moved again, staring at the picture Henry still kept on his bedside table of the two of them when he was about five.
"Happy Birthday Henry!" She'd exclaimed, waking him up with a bedful of presents and a cake.
He'd beamed and tore into the presents before the two of them had posed for a picture covered in wrapping paper and a smear of frosting on Henry's nose.
She finally let out a low sob as she stared at the picture.
"I love you Henry..." She whispered as her eyes drifted shut for that final time.
"Mom!" The voice made her spin round as her little boy ran to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing his face into her chest like he used to all those years ago.
"What're you doing here?" He asks after a moment, his arms still tight around her waist as she holds him close.
"I came for you Henry... I couldn't be without you." He doesn't stiffen, or get upset, as if he's been expecting this, he nods into her chest.
"I love you Mommy... I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." He says into her chest and she crouches, cupping his face and running her thumb over his cheek.
"It's okay baby, I love you so much." She whispered to him, kissing his head and pulling him close again.
She had her baby back, everything was okay now. Forever.
Pauley: I'm not sorry but I should be!