Chapter 1 – 17 Years after the curse
Regina Mills is not someone who feels regret towards anything she does. But that brings us to the time when she started feeling something, but she's not sure what.
Regina's POV
It's been 17 years since I cast my curse. I thought it would bring me the one thing that I desire most, My Happy Ending. But so far, it hasn't. Now I don't know what I'm feeling. That's why I called Dr. Archie Hopper.
I'm sitting in my office filling out boring tax forms when he arrives. I'm already irritated as it is because I have to fill out such boring forms. He comes into my office rambling on about Pongos dog license. "That's not why I called you." I snap. "This has nothing to do with your dog." He looks shocked at my tone but recovers quickly. "Is everything all right Madame Mayor?" I want to scream at him that of course everything's not all right. I have to talk to a Cricket because I can't decipher my own feelings. It's making me feel weak and I'm not weak.
"I'm okay." It comes out calmly but I'm anything but. "Pardon me for saying so but you don't seem okay." He looks kind of scared when he says this. Which he should be, I'm his queen. Or I used to be. But I'm still the mayor and I let him know it. "I don't tolerate that sort of bluntness. I'm the qu… the mayor." I can't believe I almost slipped up. Now I know something is definitely wrong. I never slip up.
The Dr. has a concerned look on his face. "But I am a Therapist. That's why you asked me here, isn't it? What's bothering you? What are you feeling Regina?"
"Nothing" I reply incredulously. With a sigh I tell him I'm feeling nothing. He tells me that I'm a driven women and that sometimes leaves a hole. That same incredulous tone comes back when I ask him what he just said. "A hole, an emptiness. There's more to life than work. And maybe that's why you feel dissatisfied. " He says the ending with a look of realization on his face. "I'm not dissatisfies." I have a look of determination on my face when I say this. "I love my life." And of course he has something to say to my points. "Well what's the point if you've got no one to share it with?" What would he know about having someone to share life with. All he has is his dog. I don't need anybody. Man or Woman. "There's that bluntness again." He's really starting to work on my nerves. I'm starting to regret calling him. "Has there ever been a time in your life when you haven't felt this way?" I don't know why but I answer immediately and truthfully. "When that little boy visited, Owen." I say his name with a happy smile. The first one in a while. " A child. That can provide so much meaning." He says this like it's the answer to everything. Like it's that easy. I can't just make a child appear, I don't have magic anymore. I dismiss him with a regal wave of my hand. For the rest of the day I try to concentrate on my paper work. But it's no use. All I can think about now is a baby. I can't think of any other options than adoption. I can't have one the old fashion way. The downside to being a lesbian. And single. So my only option is adoption. The rest of my day was spent on the internet looking up adoption agencies. Who knew there were so many and so much paper work to fill out for it. But now I'm determined to have a child. And nothing can stop me when I'm this determined.