A/N: Thank you so much to Kay and Em' for your beta reading, your patience and your support. Even if it's beta… I'm still French so all the mistakes still there are mine.
A/N2: I came up with this idea while I was brainstorming to find inspiration. I asked some prompts on tumblr, some inspired me but I wasn't totally satisfied with how it turned out in my head, so my brain finally came up with … well this. Hope you'll like it =)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is just for fun, please don't attack me my poor little shipper heart wouldn't support it! *out*
Memories
"Who are you?" Emma frowned, a little worried by this stranger knocking at her door at 9 in the morning.
"Emma" was the only word the woman could manage to whisper. Her eyes were watery and her smile held something like sadness and relief all mixed-up.
"How … who are you?" Emma was at loss of words. This dark haired woman knew her name, and she was clearly holding back a sob as she started to close the door.
"Wait… please" Pleaded the stranger. "I know you don't know me, I'm sorry to show here at this hour and without any good reason to make you trust me, but please… give me a chance!"
She was taken aback. She couldn't feel any real danger from this woman. She seemed so desperate to talk to her, it seemed so important, like it was a life or death matter. Emma looked back at her son at the breakfast table and took a second to think.
"Ok… there's a dinner two blocks away from here, it's called "The Beer Claw". Just meet me for lunch, I have to deal with … some stuff" Emma shrugged, looking back again at her son. "And I'll join you."
Regina looked down for a few seconds, shoving her hands in the pockets of her coat. She looked back at Emma, a weak smile reaching her lips. "Thank you."
Emma entered the dinner at noon. She managed to leave Henry with a friend of hers to have all the afternoon to talk with the woman. She saw the brunette at an isolated table, an apple salad and a hamburger with fries just delivered by a waitress. She came to sit on the opposite bench to the woman, surprised by the orders on the table.
"Hi?" Emma greeted, not really sure how to talk to the stranger.
Regina pushed the unhealthy food toward Emma, smiling lightly. "Your usual. Right?"
"Ugh!?...mmh yes, I guess yes!" Emma frowned pulling the plate to her. She picked some fries, eating them. "How…"
"You don't remember" Regina cut her "but I know you, we've known each other for a little while now, but you don't remember me or anything else."
"Ugh… okay?"
"Regina Mills" the brunette offered with a smile.
"Emma Swan, but if I'm right you already know that." Emma stated sternly. "So, who are you, cause your name don't tell me anything, and you're the one who showed up at my door unexpectedly."
"My my… learned some intelligible vocabulary have we Miss Swan?" Regina smirked, unable to hold back the snarky comment.
Emma's eyes grew wide open. "What?"
"I'm sorry." Regina looked down. "Old habits die hard … I guess."
An awkward silence fell between them as they slowly ate their lunch. After a few moments Regina looked back at the blonde.
"What do you remember since Henry's birth?" Her voice flinched a little at the name of her son. She burned with desire to ask Emma if he was okay, and happy.
"What the hell?" Emma hissed, "How do you know about my son, who the hell are you?"
"Like I said, you don't remember, and that's okay, but we've known each other for a while." She responded calmly, sadness quickly flashing in her eyes. "Again, what do you remember?"
Emma frowned, searching in her memories. All she could remember was only related to Henry. His fist steps, his first word, his first day at school, the first time she took him to the sea… everything about Henry, only related to Henry. She couldn't remember anything really personal, or professional, and random. All her memories were exclusively related to Henry.
"I…" Emma looked disoriented.
"Why did you give Henry this name?"
"ugh… I don't know … I guess it felt right?"
"Of course… You don't know." Regina smiled. "In an another life… Henry was my father." She whispered the last word, this memory still too tainted for her to talk about it without any reaction.
"I… beg your pardon?" Emma dropped her hamburger back in the plate. "Okay" she said starting to stand up. "Enough, what the hell am I doing here with you?"
Regina reached for the blonde's hand. "Just give it a try." She locked eyes with the younger woman, lightly squeezing her hand. "Please!"
"Why? Just why would I do that? I owe you nothing! Why would I stay to listen to your nonsense knowledge of my entire life?"
Regina let go of Emma's hand, looking away she wrapped her arms around her middle. Emma was stopped in her tracks, startled by the sudden vulnerability of the dark haired woman. Slowly, she sat again, clasping her hands together on the table.
"Why?" The blonde gritted her teeth, waiting for the brunette to get out of her thoughts.
"Because…" Regina sighed, keeping her eyes away, fixing an invisible spot somewhere on the ground. "I miss you. I miss you both. It's almost unbearable."
Emma stood up, walking to the door of the dinner. "I need whiskey." She said, opening the door, looking back at Regina who stayed still on her chair, looking like she was about to fall apart. "Don't you come with me?"
"What?" Regina asked, surprised by the request. She expected Emma to leave and never let her have any contact with herself or their son.
"We need a private place!" Emma explained. "And whiskey." She noted, getting out of the dinner. "A lot of whiskey." She said again, through her clenched jaw.
Regina dropped some bills on the table and quickly got out of the dinner. She followed Emma staying a few feet backward. She could tell the woman was exasperated, her fists were clenched and she walked rapidly, her steps rigid, her feet hardly hitting the floor.
They made it to Emma's apartment. Regina entered it slowly, taking in all the details, the frames with Emma and Henry's photos, the green plants near to the windows, Henry's backpack dropped against the couch, the smell of cinnamon in the air, the apples on the a plate on the kitchen bar. She smiled lightly, unable to help herself with satisfaction. She gave this to them, a good place to live, a confortable place to witness their good life and shared happiness. She hoped so.
"Please!" Emma said as she motioned toward the couch as she went to the kitchen, reaching for two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
Regina took a seat on the couch, leaving her coat on a chair on her way. She looked up at Emma in the kitchen, lightly pursing her lips.
"I'm sorry, but… anything lighter than whiskey?" She smiled apologetically.
"Hum…" Emma thought a few seconds and grabbed another bottle. "Apple cider?" She showed the bottle to Regina. "I never drink it, but I always have some bottles in here, I don't really know why." She shrugged.
The brunette smirked, nodding her head to the younger woman.
"Apple cider is perfect. Thank you."
Emma came to sit beside Regina, filling a glass for her and giving it to her. She poured herself a full glass of whiskey, already downing half of it in one gulp, slamming it back on the coffee table. Regina smiled weakly, thinking that Emma didn't change since the curse swallowed Storybrooke.
"OK" Emma said. "So Henry was your father's name." She prompted.
"Yes." Regina calmly swirling the cider in her glass, sometimes taking a sip as she let a silence settle for a while.
"It's a coincidence." The blonde stated. "Many kids of Henry's age are named that way."
"Yes, a coincidence. Like apple cider is my favourite drink, and luckily you keep saving some bottles when you never drink this kind of alcohol."
"Yeah well, you've been lucky." Emma said as she downed the end of her whiskey.
"Don't get totally drunk dear! It won't help you on processing what we're about to discuss."
Emma groaned as she filled her glass again, defiantly looking at Regina.
"I'll be okay."
"Of course. And the fact that I ordered you your usual favourite food at the dinner was also a coincidence I guess."
"You could have asked the waitress what's my usual."
"And how would I know "The Beer Claw" is your usual dinner?"
"Come on, I told you to meet me in a dinner two blocks down my apartment!"
"Fine. Let's talk about Henry then."
"Ugh. Hum, okay…" Emma took a sip of her drink.
Regina looked down at her glass, hypnotised by the swirling golden liquid. She took a deep breath, straightening her position.
"Henry's first steps." She breathed. "For me, it was under the apple tree of the mayor mansion in this little town named Storybrook, in Maine." She locked eyes with Emma. "For you, his first steps were in the park, four blocks down here. He took one little shaky step, and then fall to the ground. You went to reach for him, but he's stubborn, just like you, and by the time you reached his side, he was standing again, taking the second step of his life." Regina smiled softly.
"You… what? For you? What do you mean?" Emma trailed off, starting to fear what she was listening to.
"In another life…" Regina started. "You gave Henry away for adoption, and I happened to be his adoptive mother."
"What the fuck?" Emma jumped off of the couch.
"Emma please…" Regina tried to calm her down.
"No way, how could you even know that I even thought about giving him up? Seriously?"
"Please, calm down. And come back to sit." She patted the couch beside her.
Emma took several deep breaths, drinking one gulp or two of her whiskey. She came back to sit on the couch.
"Okay." She breathed deeply again. "Okay." She repeated.
"So… I've been blessed by becoming Henry's adoptive mother. And his first steps where exactly the same for me as they were for you. Except you were in a park, and I was in my backyard under my apple tree." Regina calmly explained.
"I don't get it. I'm lost. What are you talking about?" Emma leaned her elbows on her knees, nervously swirling her whiskey as she tried to process what Regina was telling her.
"You're not exactly who you are Emma. And me neither…" Regina sipped her cider. "More than 3 years ago you stormed in my life because Henry had found you and brought you back in Storybrooke. Because you were The Savior. You were… You are the one able to break my curse, the only one capable to see me as who I am, the only one willing to believe Henry when he told you that you were the child of Prince Charming and Snow White."
"Okay." Emma stood up abruptly. "Seriously, what are you expecting? You really think that I'll believe … THAT?"
"Henry's the Truest Believer. Let me talk to him, and you'll remember." Emma stood still, chocked by Regina's words.
"No. There's absolutely no way you get to see and talk to my son while you are a stranger throwing around some fairy-tale shit at me like it's all normality."
"Language Miss Swan." Regina snapped, unable to hold her words back.
The brunette tightened her grip around her glass as she watched Emma pacing nervously in the living room.
"I'm sorry." The older woman breathed. "Old habits…"
"Die hard. I get it!" Emma cut her off.
"Yeah… I guess." Regina downed the last of her apple cider, thinking that maybe she should change her drink for a glass of whiskey. "Emma, just let me see him 5 minutes… Please… 5 minutes and if he doesn't get it I'll leave." Regina's eyes were shining with tears. "If I can't make him remember me then I'll leave and you'll never see me again, I promise."
Emma frowned. Why was this woman so desperate to see her son. She seemed so broken at this instant, tears filling her eyes, struggling to keep them there, not willing to let them mark her pale cheeks. The blonde woman crossed her arms on her chest, thinking about all this crazy day she was experiencing. Henry was a smart child, she thought, maybe he could handle to see this woman for a few minutes and then she'd be out of their lives. Yes, maybe it was the way she could get out of all of that.
"5 minutes?... And you'll leave us alone? I have your word?" Emma asked sternly.
"I promise…" Regina smiled, relieved to be given a last chance.
"Okay. Stay here." Emma said as she went to the door.
"Fine…" Regina breathed, not really sure of what was coming next.
A moment later Emma came back with Henry. The boy was a little taller than the last time Regina had seen him. Emma ruffled his hair affectionately as she gently pushed him toward the living room.
"Hello!?" Henry said as he saw Regina on the couch.
"Henry!" Regina breathed, smiling warmly at him as she stood up. She anxiously straightened her clothes, taking small steps to her son.
Henry stayed still, dumbfounded by the emotions plastered on this woman's face. He slowly turned to his mother, looking at her expectantly. She told him as she brought him back at home that someone wanted to talk to him. Emma silently nodded at him.
Regina approached till she was able to extend her hand to Henry's cheek. Her fingers went an inch apart from her son's skin. The young boy could see the lower lip of the brunette slightly tremble as she stopped in her track before pulling her hand away from him. She looked up at Emma whose hands were protectively set down Henry's shoulders.
"Would you mind if…" Regina cleared her throat from the knot in it. "Would you mind if I take a minute or two alone with Henry?" Her eyes locked with Henry's as she asked this, totally aware the boy had as much right as Emma to answer this.
"Ugh…" Emma looked down at her son, searching for some fear or negation. She saw nothing of it. "Henry?" She prompted.
"I think it's okay." He shrugged. "You'll be right here right?"
"Of course kid! I'll be in the kitchen, just lead Miss Mills to your room!" She said, squeezing lightly his shoulders.
Regina smiled faintly, but couldn't help the little ash in her heart as she heard the formal name. She nodded her thanks to the blonde as she followed Henry to his room. She entered it the same way she did for the apartment earlier. She felt something like relief as she pictured some comic books on Henry's bed, a smile reached her lips as she understood Henry was the same boy she left one year ago. She succeeded, they were the same people, they just had a different background, but they were the same.
Henry sat on his bed, making some room for Regina by throwing away his comics. The brunette swallowed back a comment on his behaviour. The young boy patted the bed next to him, inviting her to sit.
"So… what am I supposed to do?" Henry frowned as he watched Regina taking place on the bed.
"Just listen to me I guess." Regina answered softly.
"You guess? I don't even know why I'm here with you, and you seem like to don't know what you're doing." He pointed out, letting as short silence settle between them. "Who are you?" He asked genuinely.
"Regina." She answered looking at him. "I know you don't know me but it's because you can't remember." She smiled warmly.
"Are you an old friend or something? We met when I was a baby right? That's why I don't know you?"
"Well, Henry… Yes we met when you were a really little baby." She paused. "But that's not why you can't remember me."
Henry frowned, intrigued by this woman. He felt something like a pull toward her and he didn't know why. He was deeply touched by the emotions of the brunette, and he had the feeling that he knew her for a very long time.
"So… you're here to make me…" The boy seemed to struggle a little to process everything. "Remember?"
Regina smiled warmly as she slowly stood up.
"Yes Henry. At least, I'm here to try…" She nervously slid her hand down her thighs, straightening her skirt. "Henry…" She breathed shakily. "I'll need you to trust me. Would you please lay down on your bed for me?"
"Ugh…" He cocked his head looking at her questioningly.
"Please." She pleaded, tears filling her eyes. "Trust me. It'll take only one minute, and if nothing happen, I'll leave as I promised to Emma."
"Okay… I guess I should give you a chance. Right?" Henry shrugged.
Regina slightly nodded as a weak smile reached her lips. Henry slowly lied down on his back, crossing his hands upon his stomach. The brunette came to sit by his side covering his hands with one of hers. She gently ran her fingers through Henry's hair as she smiled reassuringly at her son. Henry looked back at her, trying to give her a small smile.
"I need you to trust me… You'll have to close your eyes sweetheart, and please let me do what I need to do. I promise it won't hurt you." She gently played with his hair. "Is it alright?"
Henry frowned, his heart picking up his pace as Regina leaned in to kiss his forehead. He closed his eyes, surrendering to the woman's request. She pressed her forehead to Henry's, locking her eyes to the boy's closed ones. As realisation hit her, she shocked a sob out, closing her eyes tightly to let her tears stream down her face before falling on Henry's eyelashes. He won't remember, at least not this way.
"What the hell are you doing to my son?" Emma angrily asked as she stormed in to room.
Regina started with surprise, standing up as quickly as she could she took a step away from Henry's bed.
"As I told you, I was trying to make him remember." She quickly wiped her tears away. "It didn't work, as you can see." She breathed looking at the boy who had opened his eyes.
"Henry, are you okay Kid?" The blonde asked worryingly.
"Yes Mom." He answered as he sat on his bed looking at both women in the room.
"Hum… I know I promised I'd leave but…" Regina walked toward Emma. "If I could convince you to come back with me in Storybrooke I'm sure you'll both remember everything there."
Emma's fist clenched. "Get out!" She shouted. "Leave us!"
Regina raised her hands in surrender, stepping back. "Fine." She breathed, looking down. "Maybe one day you'll come to visit our town then." She added with a small smile to Henry.
The boy frowned. He couldn't help it, but he really felt something about this woman. She seemed so sincere, so desperate to "make them remember". How could she be a danger for them? How could she lie to them with so much genuine emotion filling her eyes?
Regina slowly left the room, walking past Emma looking at her one last time. She disappeared through the door and they heard the front door slam shut a few seconds later as the woman left their lives as she promised.
A/N3: So here it is… this his my fist SwanQueen fic, and my first fic ever in English. Actually I've already written a second chapter and I'm working on the third one… So let me now if you want more or if I should give up the idea to write in English!
Reviews are highly appreciated =) Thank you so much for reading.