Author's Note: This is a fic written as part of a giveaway I did recently. It's a gift for one of my buddies! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, aside from the words. Everything belongs to Addy, Eddy and the person who sent me the prompt.
"How could you let him just play around near that place?!" hissed Emma, as she stared down at it, trying not to crouch too close. She was exasperated that Regina had just been so careless and allowed her -their- son to just wander so close to a portal, that had now sucked him inside.
"If you think this is my fault, Miss Swan, you can think again." Regina stood, nayloomed over her, arms crossed over her chest as she watched the blonde examining the portal. The Mayor felt a slight flicker of a smirk cross her mouth as she thought about booting the blonde down the rabbit hole, and using her magic to bring Henry back.
Turning her head slightly, Emma glared at Regina before she huffed and stood, turning back to eye the rabbit hole, checking to see if there was a chance she could fit herself down there. There was no way she could go there. As she crossed her arms over herself, mirroring Regina's stance, her red leather jacket squeaked at the tension when her sleeves caught each other.
"So, what do you suggest, Madam Mayor?" she challenged Regina, cocking a brow as she stared the Queen down.
"Since it's back in Storybrooke, maybe magic will do the trick. Pun not intended, Miss Swan."
"If you think this is all a game Regina, so help me—"
"I don't think that'll be necessary." Regina eyed Emma. The blonde had her hand raised, poised and ready to draw back to slap her across the face for losing her kid down a magical portal to another land. It all seemed a little farfetched to anyone not from Storybrooke and/or the Enchanted Forest. The Mayor took a step closer to Emma and gave a small smirk, "Remember who you're dealing with Miss Swan. While Henry's not here, I'll go to any lengths to bring him back. And, I mean any lengths."
Emma glared as she watched Regina turn on her heel and walk away, leaving her to come up with a plan of getting her son back to Storybrooke unscathed. She wondered if Regina had actually planned it; Henry falling down the rabbit hole so she'd go down it also. It wasn't unknown that Regina didn't like Emma, and Emma knew it. She had seen the brunette's face at the hospital when she, The Saviour, had broken the curse.
"Regina, come on!" Emma found herself calling after the Mayor, "I know I'm new to all of this…magic stuff, and portals, and ogres…but surely there's no way you cast some evil spell across worlds, that'll bring Henry back safely."
The brunette turned to glance at Emma briefly before she spoke up, "No, Miss Swan. And, as much as I hate to say it, that's where I need you." she pursed her lips a little as she semi glared to the blonde.
"If you think I'm going to just join in with your—" Emma cut herself off before she turned to Regina and swallowed, "What do you need me to do?" If Regina thought she was going to magic Henry back without Emma having something to do with it, she was barking up the wrong apple tree. Emma knew that being between them wasn't the best place for Henry, but she knew she wasn't going to let Regina take all the credit for bringing the kid back safely.
"Follow me…" Regina stated, haughtily.
Cursing everything she could think of, Emma followed behind Regina, like a petulant child, scorned by its mother. Yes, they didn't see eye-to-eye on pretty much everything, but one thing they could agree on was Henry's safety. And, for that, Emma would do basically anything Regina told her to do.
"You might want to call Jefferson, he could come in handy for this." Regina stated, somewhat out of the blue after a couple of minutes silence between the two women.
"Can he help get Henry back?" Emma questioned incredulously.
"Well, we can try. If we don't ask him, we'll never know now, will we? Besides, he has his hats, we could use one to get through the portal and bring Henry back to Storybrooke before my mother figures out who he is."
Emma glared to Regina before she huffed and gave a small nod, "Where do we need to go?" she questioned, digging her keys out of her pocket, ready to drive herself and Regina in her bug.
"If you think I'm getting in that thing, Miss Swan, you are more deluded than I'd originally thought." the brunette stated before she shook her head and cleared her throat, "But, it's quite the walk, so I guess I'll have to trust your driving. I can only hope it's better than your parenting skills."
That was low. Even for Regina. But, right now, Emma was more focused on getting her son back than throwing digs back and forth with Regina. She waited until the brunette was in the car with the door closed before she took a moment to herself, taking in a huge breath, letting it wash over herself before she exhaled and pulled open the driver's door, and slumping into the seat.
"So, to Jefferson's place?" Emma questioned, knowing the route having saved her mother from his weird plans, in hopes she would come and help him make his hats.
"Yes, I'm assuming from your tone, you know where he lives…?"
"I'm assuming from your tone, that this is a surprise, Madam Mayor?" Emma countered her, with a small yet satisfied smirk when Regina didn't respond right away.
"Just drive, Miss Swan." Regina hissed slightly.
The journey over to Jefferson's place was a silent one. Neither Emma nor Regina uttered a word to each other, but there was an undeniable tension between them. The tension that Regina wanted nothing more than to rip out Emma's heart and crush it, like she had wanted to with Snow White's. And, Emma wanted nothing more than to 'accidentally' veer off the road, and fling Regina down a ravine.
After a short while though, Emma couldn't handle the silence any longer, and she was worried about Henry. While keeping her eyes on the road, she asked Regina, "So, your mother, is she—"
"The Queen of Hearts."
Well, that explains everything! Emma thought to herself before she nodded and sighed a little, taking the turn off for Jefferson's place. She glanced sideways and furrowed her brows a little, "She won't hurt him, will she?"
"I…don't know." Regina replied. She was actually unsure. The Queen of Hearts was very different to her mother, to Cora. She didn't know what could happen should Henry be found. And, he would be found.
As Emma parked the bug up outside Jefferson's front steps, she shifted slightly in her seat, and turned to look at Regina. It took her a couple of moments before she spoke up, "How likely is it that he's going to cooperate here? I don't want to be wasting time on him if there's a way you can bring Henry back, without…him!"
"Will you relax, Miss Swan?" Regina all but chuckled at Emma's obvious panic, "If Jefferson knows what's good for him, he'll help us bring Henry back. The safety of his daughter rests upon it." she told the blonde, as she pushed open the passenger door and flitted off, up the steps of the mansion.
Relax, really? Emma couldn't help thinking to herself, is she really telling me to relax?! As she pushed open the driver's door, Emma huffed and furrowed her brows before she looked up at Jefferson's place, and shuddered a little. The last time she had been there, he'd drugged her and tied her up before she'd cut herself free and tried to rescue Mary Margaret, before being held at gunpoint and forced to make three dozen hats for him.
"Are you having second thoughts about using magic to save Henry, Sheriff?" she heard Regina ask. She could hear the smirk in the Mayor's tone, and it made the blonde frown even more. Turning her focus to Regina though, she gave a sarcastic smirk of her own.
"Of course not, like I said; I'll do whatever it takes to save my kid."
As Emma joined Regina at the top of the steps, and Regina pulled out her ring of skeleton keys, and let herself into the house, the blonde couldn't help but think about Henry and how scared he must be in Wonderland. And, as they crossed the threshold to his place, they heard his silk voice, purring from the edges of the reception hall.
"Come to find your lost dog again, Emma?" there was a sneer in his voice.
As Emma made to retort, Regina cut in and glared at Jefferson as he stepped out of the shadows he'd been lingering in, "We don't have time for your games, Hatter. Your hat is required." she began, her tone had completely changed from mocking and somewhat jovial rivalry with Emma, to downright authoritative with Jefferson. Regina was taking no jokes. She continued when she realized she had his undivided attention, "My s- the boy. He's fallen down that damn rabbit hole, into your world. We need your hat and knowledge of the place to bring him back safely, to Storybrooke."
Emma saw how Jefferson's face turned up into a smirk as he spoke, "Now, I'm needed? Now, my hat is needed for your plights?" he chuckled, slightly menacingly. He took a brief glance to Emma, pouting his lips a little as he looked over her appreciatively before turning his focus back to Regina, and his glare returned, "And, what would I gain from this?"
"Your daughter." Regina didn't miss a beat.
Emma glanced sideways, slightly confused at Regina's price. A child for a child, interesting. Who knew the Evil Queen was so caring. The blonde knew Regina cared for Henry's safety, deep down, but love him and care for him in general, she wasn't so sure. From the things he'd told her when he'd arrived at her apartment on her birthday, she figured that he was just abandoned, left with others (mainly Mary Margaret), due to Regina's work commitments as the Mayor.
As she zoned back in on the exchange between Regina and Jefferson, she saw the nods and Regina's extended hand, ready to settle the deal. She saw the shake of hands, and Jefferson turned to stalk off to his 'hat room', where he would collect the one hat out of many Emma had made that actually worked. Regina turned to Emma with a cocky smirk and the blonde was slightly disconcerted at the expression across the Mayor's face.
"You promised him his kid?" Emma raised her brows, her tone hushed.
"If the idiot manages to get the damn hat to work, and doesn't screw this up, then sure." Regina gave a shrug.
"But…?"
"But, nothing Miss Swan."
"No, Regina. There's a but there, I can hear it." Emma tried again.
"Okay, fine." Regina huffed, "But, he won't be getting Paige back. The amount of people who enter Wonderland must return, remember?"
"So…?" Emma narrowed her eyes slightly.
"So, you take the Hatter with you, use him until you find Henry, then leave him there. It's where he belongs, after all." Regina gave a nonchalant shrug as she tucked back her hair.
"I'm not travelling with that crazy son of a bitch!" Emma hissed before she regained her composure and stared blankly at Regina. She shook her head before she frowned at the Mayor, "And, you can't go promising you'll give him back his kid, if you're going to just leave him in Wonderland!"
"I think you'll find I can, Miss Swan. After all, I am the Evil Queen, remember?"
As Jefferson returned with the hat, Emma shifted on her feet slightly and swallowed before she crossed her arms over herself, displaying both her Sheriff's badge and her gun. She glanced over the hat in his hands and gave a minute nod before she turned to Regina, awaiting instructions.
Regina gestured the floor to Jefferson and gave him a nod of approval, "You'll be taking Miss Swan. You'll help her navigate the world, and bring back the boy. Safely, understand?"
With a gleeful nod and slightly demented smile, Jefferson flung the hat to the ground, spinning it. As it whirled faster and began to open up the portal to Wonderland, Regina leaned closer to Emma and quietly murmured, "If he puts you in danger, or pisses you off…shoot him."
With widened eyes, Emma glanced across the portal to Jefferson and turned back to Regina before she saw the Hatter jumping through the portal, out of the corner of her eye. As she glanced back, she felt Regina shove her, and she fell, tumbling through it with Regina's words ringing in her ears; portals don't stay open for long, Sheriff!
As they reached Wonderland, Emma made sure to keep her distance from Jefferson, after what had happened last time. She swallowed and glanced around before she looked to him, on edge about being near him. After a few moments though, she asked him, "So, how long until they know we're here?"
"They probably already know…" he smirked a little before he turned to her. He glanced over her once more before he edged a little closer to her, "They probably already have your son."
"What'll they do to him?"
"Well, if he speaks…" Jefferson gave a small smirk before he ran his hand across his neck, "Off with his head…" he shrugged. After a moment, revelling in Emma's obvious fear, he pulled down the scarf he wore around his neck to show her his scar, "How do you think I got this?"
"You mean, The Queen of Hearts? She really does that?" Emma swallowed before she glanced around, trying to get her bearings in the new surroundings. When Jefferson didn't answer, she looked to him, "So, which way do we go?"
After what seemed forever, walking along an oddly familiar yellow brick road, Emma heard something, a rustling up ahead. She immediately felt on guard and swallowed, her hand poised on her gun, ready for any trouble or danger than might ensue. She felt Jefferson's presence lingering beside her before the rustling grew louder and she pulled out her weapon, aiming in the direction of the noise.
"Emma!" that sweet, boyish voice called out as he appeared.
"Henry!" Emma gasped, and holstered her gun. The blonde beamed as she rushed over to her son and swept him into her arms, clutching him tightly against her. She took a moment to hold the back of his head against her abdomen, her other arm around his shoulders as she clung to him, like a life raft. The mothering thing, slowly but surely beginning to come to her.
Aware of Jefferson at her side, Emma released Henry and swallowed, ready to speak up when she heard the clatter of boots on the brick road. She shoved Henry behind her, ready to protect him from any impending danger. When she saw the Queen's guards, she held onto Henry with one hand, slowly backing them away from Jefferson. It was almost as though she and Henry were invisible to the guards, all of their focus was on the Hatter. As a precaution, she un-holstered her gun, and had it ready, safety off.
When the guards seized Jefferson and turned their attention to Emma and Henry, she glanced down to him, "How fast can you run, kid?" she asked him, turning on her heel slightly. With Jefferson kicking and screaming blue murder, Emma saw Henry take off along the brick road, heading for the door that led into the chamber, which housed the other doors. As she saw the guards lunging for her, she fired off a couple of shots, hitting one guard and wounding him, and scaring the others, sending the scattering, and releasing Jefferson and giving her enough time to catch up with Henry.
As she reached the door with Henry, she grabbed onto his hand, glancing to him before glancing back over her shoulder, at the sound of nearing steps. It was Jefferson. How in hell did he get loose? was all she could think about as she guided Henry closer to stepping through the portal. She stepped through first, holding tightly to Henry.
"No!" Jefferson made a dive, and grabbed at Henry's jeans. He clung to the leg, pulling Henry back, knowing that if Henry left with Emma, he wouldn't be able to leave and it had all been a trick.
"Mom!"
Emma turned back, feeling the pull against Henry. She frowned and raised her brows;did he just call me mom? Now wasn't the time. She flew into angry mom mode with a hint of panic etched across her face, "What is it?" she could see the blurred outline of something attached to his leg.
"It's Jefferson. It's Jefferson, he's got my leg! I can't move!"
Goddamnit! Is there anything he doesn't cling to?! With her free hand, Emma aimed the gun through the portal at Jefferson, "Let go of my son!" she hissed, "This was all Regina, if you want to be pissed, you be pissed with her!" she hissed a little more, shaking her gun a little for effect.
"Please, my daughter…" Jefferson begged, looking up into the barrel of Emma's gun, "My Grace needs me. I need her. Regina promised me I would have her back with me." he gave a cry, hearing the guards storming up behind him, ready to seize him once more, "Sheriff, please!"
She could see the guards nearing him, before they stooped down and grasped at him, pulling him free of Henry's jeans. Emma was still tugging at her son, and as Jefferson gave one final plea, Henry fell through the portal, crashing into her, before they found themselves whirling in the purple dizziness she had found herself in on the journey to Wonderland.
The two came careening through the hat in Jefferson's mansion, spilling out on the floor, sideways and in an indignified heap. It took Henry little over three seconds to shake himself off and jump up, noticing Regina and now, Mary Margaret and David, in addition to Ruby all standing over them, waiting to help. He smiled and latched himself around Regina's waist, clinging onto her, "Mom! I'm sorry!" he whimpered, burying his face in her stomach.
As Emma shifted and groaned, Mary Margaret rushed to her side and all but cradled her, with David hovering close by, his hand on Mary Margaret's shoulder as he smiled down to Emma. The blonde frowned and glanced over to Henry, seeing how Ruby had her hand on his shoulder as the brunette smiled across to them before Emma turned her focus to Mary Margaret and David, "We left Jefferson there…" she whispered.
It was as Mary Margaret went to speak that Henry beamed, smiling up at Regina. He crossed to Emma as she began to stand with the help of David, and he stood beside her. The blonde wrapped her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close to her side as Mary Margaret changed her expression, "This calls for some lasagne and pie at Granny's!"
As the others moved to exit Jefferson's place, and head on over to Granny's, Emma smiled across to Regina, slightly awkwardly but she gave a nod, "Come join us?" she questioned lightly, earning a surprised look from both Regina and Henry.
Within a couple of second, Regina's surprise turned into a smile, and -was that gratitude- she gave a gentle nod, "The lasagne's on me." she allowed her smile to brighten as she glanced to Henry.