Author's Note: Taking a brief break from University Coursework to help me focus. I won't be updating SwanMillsCharmStiltskin Go To Hell for a while – my brain is too obsessed with SnowQueen to properly balance the other relationships. Hence this piece that is (should be, if all goes to plan) centered around Henry and Snow (who I headcanon can be either embarrassed by her feelings or a… jerk to say the least, there is no in-between; she's also a geek about birds and "good" literature (thanks Regina) and a nerd when it comes to digital games, she just hides her nerdiness better than Regina, Emma and Henry do). Pre-SQ. Hope you enjoy! SPOILERS BASED ON BTS.
It began in the Underworld, as most things seemed to recently – resolutions and healing parental relationships, it was beautiful to witness.
Until one day, she, David, Emma and Hook were facing Hades in his "domain" as he so grandly claimed, pre-planned at the loft, while Regina, Robin, Henry and Zelena were facing the last of the dead – a meeting called at the town hall if you could believe it, and from there they would lead them on to the bridge.
The plan seemed straight forward, with each soul that moved on, with each tick of the clock – Hades grew steadily weaker.
He was already sporting grey hair and had more wrinkles than clear skin – growing old might not be punishment for most people, it evidently was for him.
It wasn't even hard to contain him; collapsing into his chair defeated, even if Rumplestiltskin had abandoned them at the first chance to make things right with Belle. Two skilled swordsmen, an archer and a mage (the first and only time she called Emma and Regina that they both stared at her unflinchingly and she'd thought them confused so she pointed out that she may enjoy, ever so slightly, playing Runescape from time to time but that brought about nothing more than Regina trying to pretend she wasn't smiling – which wasn't bad at all, and silence from Emma which-).
"Where in hell did he go to?" Her attention snapped to Hook who was looking at the last of the blue smoke dissipating next to the grainy wooden chair in the otherwise empty room.
"Henry!" Emma was already tearing towards the door, the rest following closely.
They'd come too far to lose that boy, her grandson, Regina's son, Emma's son.
Little was said as they all seemed to have the same destination in mind.
David was the first to round the corner with a skid, almost falling over in his eagerness to get there.
The small group breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw Regina and Henry together, but unharmed. Robin decided to take Zelena up on her offer to see his child early after all.
"What happened to the blue guy?" And she couldn't help but smile really, even if they didn't know where he was. Her family was safe and that was all that mattered.
She changed her mind less than a minute later when she saw something she hadn't seen for a long time. "I just know you're going to love it there"/ "I'm going to be your stepmother and I couldn't be happier."
Regina was never subtle, she didn't think that Regina had ever learned this though. That theory had just been confirmed.
The hell is going on?
Miraculously, they found Charon was still willing to take them back to Storybrooke. She was careful to maintain the distance between Regina and herself, giving Regina the space she obviously needed.
…It didn't stop her from by coincidencehaving Regina and Henry in her peripheral vision the entire boat ride back. It was always easier to see them together when she remembered that while she might be able to read the tension in Regina's hands and the smile on her face threatening to break out– Henry could take one look at her and see that, plus all the lines in her face and every shade of her eyes and know the exact meaning of every one. Plus- she swallowed and tried to stop herself from coughing, eyes flicking down as they filled with water.
The boat drew up to the docks, Killian exiting the boat first, escorting Emma on his arm, brushing past the ginger-haired woman coming to greet them.
Her feet had started moving before she fully realised what she was doing.
"Snow, slow down! …What is it?" She felt David's warm arms encircling her but pulled away, he immediately let go and they walked side by side in silence back up to the loft.
"She'll-"
"-Don't, David." She went to lift Neal from his crib, only to remember that he was with the fairies, with Ro-. Shaking her head she walked away from the crib, and trudged up the stairs, feet and heart heavy.
The following morning she rose early as normal, left a note for David to pick up Neal, gathered her teaching materials and left… for Moe's flower shop before work. She knew she screwed up, with three of the most important people in her life. But it's not fair to Emma to apologise yet, not when I'm not sure what I've done. I don't want to hurt her more.
"Good morning Moe!"
"Ah, good morning Ms. Blanchar-"
"Actually. I've decided I'm to be referred to as Snow White again, I am her again."
"That's the best news I've heard in a long while… May I ask what brought it about?"
"One of the people I'm trying to apologise to."
"One? You take your name back for the first time in years and you pi-"
"Moe!" He let out a deep sigh.
"Annoy several people at once?"
"Reject them, hurt them. Annoyance is… an incredibly light way to put it." She could feel her cheek muscles rearranging herself into a self-deprecating smile as she spoke.
"…Alright, I can see you're serious. Come through to the back if you like and pick out what you think will go best for the…?"
"Two, well three, but I only know how to apologise to two of them."
"I thought the Underworld was supposed to be about closure, not starting problems? At least that's the way your daughter described it when she came through to buy roses for her pirate lover."
"Emma was here?"
"Curt with me? Has your chin? Not ten minutes ago… She didn't ask what I wanted to be called either." Her hand jumped back from the stems of lavender as if she'd been burnt.
"Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't even think."
"I know you didn't. And I didn't think to correct you either."
"But this was definitely my fault."
"…The lavender for your husband?"
"And some orange flowers, please, about… yay big, look kind of like sunflowers?"
"Ah! I think you mean, one second. Yep. Gerbera daisies. Just orange or assorted?"
"Assorted, please. Perfect! …And some of those flowers Regina has in the gardens at the town hall?"
"I take it this is your second basket?" She nodded, avoiding his eyes.
"Azaleas. Right, that'll be $125.00 with deliveries to your home and – Mayor's office or home?"
"To her home please Maurice."
"Righto."
"And Maurice? Thank you for, um-"
"-Taking the flowers to the Mayor? I won't lie to you. For what she did to my daughter Belle I want her dead, but… if Belle can forgive her, I can be cordial at best. And it doesn't hurt that you don't treat me like a monster for what I tried to do, and fortunately didn't do, to Belle."
"Put your daughter somewhere she had no control over going, leading her to a life she didn't want to lead? You're not the only one… I've learned, not to judge quite so harshly- well, I'm trying anyway. Thanks again."
"Good morning class! Today we're covering the air capillaries within the avian lung. So, basically what we have here are miniscule tubes, technically tubules-"
"Ms. Blanchard?"
"Mrs White. Yes Brandon?"
"Where's Henry?"
"I don't know, although I imagine with his mother."
"So is it true then? One of the spirits in the underworld stuck a sword in Robin Hood because they hate Mayor Mills?" Rumours flew around the classroom when she neither answered in the positive or the negative.
"Mrs White?"
"Yes, Susan?"
"Is it true that you used to be an archer, like Robin Hood was?"
"Since I was 15, still am."
"Mrs White?" She closed her eyes and nodded slowly.
"With all due respect, Mrs White, why are you here? It's- the death's in your family right?"
"Regina has been my stepmother for years. Technically she never disowned me… She became my stepmother when she was very young and- there'd been a recent death in her family too. Say what you will about her during the war but, when we lived under the same roof she, uh, she never once let me down. And… I don't know if I should be saying this but, despite the fact that it started out as a curse, we've got a good education system, plumbing… electricity," a tear started snaking its way down her cheek "and she never once took a day off, she's proud of the town. I don't know how many of you remember what it was like to live in the Enchanted Forest before The Missing Year but… she definitely serves people as Mayor. She's a strong advocate for not letting guilt rule people, at least not in the sense for doing things just to make someone feel better. Does that make sense, at all?"
"Mrs White?"
"Yes Kyle?"
"What were the capillaries called again?" She brushed the tears off her cheeks and opened the textbook.
"Alright. We'll start with page 73. Miniscule tubules Kyle thank you, in the Avian lung."
"Thank you sweetheart I love them." This time when David wrapped his arms around her as she stepped into the loft, she just sunk into him for several minutes.
"Well, you deserved them. I acted like an idiot last night!" Her voice was muffled against his chest and she felt more than heard him chuckle.
Eventually they pulled away from each other.
"How's Emma?"
"She needs time." She nodded slowly but the rest of David's words fell on deaf ears as she noticed the vase standing on the counter-top.
"They're nice aren't they? Regina brought them by earlier, I was wondering why the garden behind the hall looked… less pink. Now I know. You know, when you're not trying to kill each other, you're both kind of adorable with each other." Heat rose to her cheeks.
"David…"
"I know, I know. Don't interfere. That's between you and her."
"Exactly. Wait! Did you say that she'd cut off all the azaleas from the town hall?"
"Looks like it. What are you doing?" She was bent over the vase, pushing aside each flower head and mumbling under her breath.
"51, 52-"
"Snow! If she wants to give you flowers let her! What does it matter if she gave you 50 flowers or 20?"
"Because- now David? Now that she's lost Robin you want me to let her just cut off the only flowers that aren't funeral flowers and give them to me? Besides-" She reached for the phone in her pocket and strode over to the small phonebook that contained the numbers of every home and business within Storybrooke. "Hi. Maurice? Sorry to bother you. How many flowers did you send over? Sorry… 50? You're sure… No, standard price I believe you. Thank you bye." She stabbed the end call button and shoved her mobile back into her pocket.
"You're going out again?"
"…David I'm sorry."
"I'm not complaining, promise… Besides, I do love to look at the ones you gave me. They remind me of where I grew up. Thank you." A tired smile graced her face. "I'll see you when you get home. Oh! Don't forget the flowers."
"Thank you darling. You will absolutely see me when I get back."
She looked at the gold knocker before tentatively reaching her hand out. Can I do this? Should I do this? I didn't even turn up at the funeral. And I ran away… which is why I have to do this.
Knocking firmly three times against the door she took a single step back and waited by the pillar… last time I waited here I'd just ripped her heart out. She exhaled slowly and kept her eyes trained on the door.
She moved forward as the door started to open but froze in place as Henry's light brown hair and resentful expression came into view. I screwed up big time.
"Where were you today Grandma?"
"…Teaching your class, after- I mean, well after the flower shop."
"So you demand Mom stays with you in the Underworld, leave her alone to face Grandma, don't speak to her at all after- you knew Robin was dead and you left her completely alone! What? Were you afraid the Evil Queen was going to tear your heart out or some crap like that? She's not her anymore! She'll never be her again! Can't you understand that?"
"It wasn't about that!"
"What on earth is going on? Henry." Regina's eyes were rimmed with red and the hand on his shoulder was trembling.
"Grandma was just leaving." Regina turned her eyes on the woman barely holding it together on the porch.
"…Snow?"
"I came to apologise for acting stupidly, selfishly… cruel. And to give you back your flowers. You should have some flowers other than the ones that remind you of death." Regina sagged against the doorframe before standing tall and opening the door wider.
"Come in." Henry glared at her as she walked over the threshold.
Regina poured a cup of coffee each.
"Alright, dear. What did you want to talk about?"
"I already told you. I'm not interested in making excuses for what I did."
"And if I wanted an explanation?"
"I'm sorry… for taking you for granted, for leaving you alone, for demanding that you do things and for trying to take- actually taking your choices away."
"I am too, for doing the same to you, for a myriad of reasons, and in numerous situations. But that's not what I meant."
"I have no reason for demanding you stay in the underworld, or… anything else."
"I don't believe you, not about yesterday. We met in the caves, you weren't the same after that."
"It's stupid."
"I doubt that. After how long we've known each other?" She lets out a deep sigh, Henry still glaring at her, only fractionally less intense than before.
"In the caves you tried to pretend that everything was OK. After everything that's happened with us- not even with our whole family just you and me… you didn't trust me enough to tell me what's wrong. And I guess I just thought, that somehow… I don't know you didn't actually miss Snow White it was just useful to say at the time. And-"
"-it felt like that moment I stabbed you outside of the jail cell? That our whole relationship had been a lie?" She breaks then, surprised when small arms go around her shoulders and Henry's moderately heavy frame leans against hers.
"Mom, you go and rest again. I'll talk to Grandma."
"Bu-"
"-She clearly doesn't think that right now."
"No… no I'm fine Regina. I'm sorry for interrupting."
"See Mom, I've got this, go."
"Well… thank you for the flowers… and going into work. It, um, it means a lot… Love you." Regina leaves with a kiss to the top of Henry's head and a squeeze of Snow's shoulder.
Her sobs quieten considerably and neither of them move until they hear her bedroom door close, their shoulders slumping in relief simultaneously.
"Did you, uh-" Henry's head is bowed and he seems moderately chastised.
"She got sick only once, that I know of. It was hell getting her to go anywhere near a healer." Henry's laugh surprises them both, quickly dissolving into giggles as they meet each other's eyes.
Wiping his eyes and cheeks, which are flushed a more pleasant red now that he's not quite so worried for his Mom and angry at his Grandma, he stands up, hands awkwardly resting in his pockets.
"…Would you like to watch Robin Hood with me?"
"Are you sure?"
"Would I have asked if I wasn't?"
"You're seriously telling me Regina has never taught you to be polite for the purpose of unnerving people?"
"It's not as vital here as it was in the Enchanted Forest. So, taught me directly? No. Lead by example, you bet. I'm serious about the movie by the way."
"I'd love to, but wouldn't you rather it was Emma or David?"
"Exactly. We don't spend enough time together. And you just may be my only shot at ever having an older sibling- salty or sweet?" She shrugs.
"Whichever one you like." Henry rolls his eyes.
"I like both, otherwise I wouldn't have asked. I'm serious about popcorn."
"Fine then, whichever one you like best."
"Why didn't you say so in the first place? I'll be right back."
She looks around the living room, taking in the various symbols of nature, a smile tugging at her face as she does so.
It turns out that Henry's quite serious about being right back. She didn't think it was physically possible to make it so quickly.
"How?"
"Magic is chemistry." He gives a proud smile. "So is popcorn. OK, rules: since I did the popcorn, you put on the movie – over there."
"Beetlejuice?"
"It's strange, but I like creepy movies."
"B- she lets you watch this?"
"What can I say? I am a master negotiator."
"You mean, you smile at her and she melts."
"Yeah. It's Mom." She shakes her head with a fond smile.
"Found it!"
"You make it sound like the Lost Arc! The name's on the side of the box. Now, your real challenge to level up (which-is-what-upset-my-other-Mom-by-the-way-about-Runescape), you must turn on the te- Hey!"
"The curse, even when cast for the second time, puts the majority of electronic systems in the 1980s. I hate to break it to you Henry but they're all the same." The screen was currently displaying the menu for the Disney classic.
"I think that's what upsets Mom about you most you know."
"That I know how to use electronic systems fr-"
"-No… that you cast the curse, that you followed in her footsteps when she didn't want you to."
"…She was too stubborn to dissuade me, it wasn't her fault. Besides, you weren't wrong about me being selfish, which is rarely a trait of Regina's."
"Yeah but that wasn't really about you. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy about the way you hurt Mom but that should really stay between you two, after how long you fought… y'know."
"When you were talking about the Evil Queen, you were talking about the way you first reacted-"
"-when I read the storybook, yeah." She covers his hand with hers.
"Henry your Mom doesn't blame you for that!"
"I know. It's just, something I think I'll always… never quite be settled about I mean, whatever realm Mom's in she's amazing, kind, warm... And I'm so glad to have found my other Mom, and Gramps… even you. But I'll never like the way I acted as if-"
"-every bit of affection was a lie. I know the feeling. Neither will I. I don't think she will either for what it's worth – on her end. But… knowing her, she wouldn't want you to blame yourself for anything you can help blaming yourself for. She wouldn't want you to feel that you owe her anything."
"…I think stubbornness is our family trait. Even if I did owe her, I don't know if I would be the same if I didn't love her, but that would mean that she didn't love me and she didn't take care of me and she didn't raise me right. And that's not even an issue, for either of us – you and me. But there's just-"
"-some voices that you can't quiet even when you know they're lying to you. I know… that's why I had to send David a bouquet of flowers today as well." Henry snorts and presses play.
"Grandma! Grandma wait I want to talk to you!" He's running down the street, loose jumper jeans and comfortable (top brand) trainers.
"Henry you leave for the airport in less than 10 minutes! Don't you want to talk to your Moms instead?"
"I want to talk to you about my Moms. I fudged the timing a bit so they don't feel upset that I wasn't spending my last minutes with them. Just… take care of them?"
"You don't have to ask." She blushes as he beams and jogs back to the waiting car, raising a single hand in the air before he climbs inside and heads off to college.
Later on that night the five of them (Emma and Hook had broken up four years before when they realised they preferred being friends to lovers) are sat in the living room of the mansion. Regina had gotten out the album of baby photos and started sharing stories of what Henry was like when he was growing up, Emma had teared up when she realised that she had most of those memories from New York and David thought that the best way to distract them was to talk about what kind of dog Henry might like. Snow laughs through her tears, comfortable between David and Neal behind Emma and Regina who sit together on the floor, Emma gently stroking her little brother's foot.
It seems like both ten years and ten minutes have passed since Henry leaving for college and attending Henry's graduation.
His family glows with pride (smugly, they can't help it) as he steps up to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen… and agender, gender-fluid non-binary people who aren't yet recognised but will be in the near future.
I know it's not traditional to speak about your family at these things, I mean it's supposed to be encouraging to the students but hey, at this point we've all passed.
I'm… incredibly lucky to know my family, let alone have them as my family. Every single one of them is an inspiration… even you Neal, and my Dad, who now lives in a better place… I've seen them go through all manner of tough times and come back stronger, I've seen them fight and fall apart, only to come back closer and-and more loving.
They'd cross worlds for me and I'd walk into hell for them. And, although I just finished my Creative Writing course – I think I'll borrow the words from someone who writes under the pseudonym S. White, if I may?" Oh hell no.
"My family is kingfishers, starlings, thrushes, nightingales, and swans
I, myself am the Kingfisher, all over the globe somehow in all the places of privilege
I am also the Vulture holding closed the cage of
My stepmother a nightingale trapped inside with the most beautiful song
Who is also the Crow and bringer of death
My husband a thrush who has stood by me throughout every journey – but so have they all
And also the eagle who survived the danger of sibling rivalry
My son is still a cygnet but will one day become a swan like his sister
My daughter who once thought herself an ugly duckling shall surely see that she's levelled up.
Neither of them have my selfish tendencies – something which I'm forever grateful for.
And my grandson is a starling – constantly learning new things, getting ready to take on the world.
With the eyes of a hawk and the heart of a sparrow – spreading True Love wherever he goes."
The last thing Snow expects is to be tackle hugged by Regina, but it turns out that's exactly what happens. They're both more affectionate than they let on. She opens her eyes for a second and glimpses Henry giving a single nod. She's so proud of him.