Last second decision

It was a last second decision one that wouldn't be remembered hopefully if her magic was strong enough. She wanted to live for once not like she had been since the day she was born but truly live. In the mists of making the curse to take everyone she choose to a new realm she focused on each detail she wanted. Her home disappearing the more time she spent making this dream real. All her anger turned to joy knowing she'd never have to live as what her mother made her, what snow made her, or what Leopoldo made her. Actually now that she really thought about it it bothered her how lucky everyone would be to live better life's forever without remembering. Snow wouldn't know she sent her child through a portal, her and charming wouldn't remember their struggle to be together, maybe they could just be together, but what about herself. Without anymore thought to it she built up her magic for the final detail in her new world. She didn't want to be the only one to remember, so she forgot.

For 18 years she hadn't had any problem being Regina mills the young innocent mayor. She worked hard lived happily in her own home that she got from her parents. She frequently spent time out on the weekends with her friends. A few local spots they all enjoyed and they all really loved her company. After all this time in her small town Storybrooke there was never a problem, never anything different. It eventually seemed to bother her feeling like forever but really it was only few years. She assumed growing up she'd meet someone in this small town but she never did. Once she was all grown up she thought finally as a woman a man would come to her and she would have a family she always wanted.

Well if she was honest with herself she never was attracted to anyone around. Once or twice maybe but she never expressed interest do to her reputation as mayor an being with another woman. She always blushed more around ruby but knew she was already taken. Lacey wasn't so bad herself but they were best friend and she only had eyes for ruby. Though nothing ever happened to bring them together. Her interest never went farther than that just a friend who looked good in tight clothes that should only be worn at a club not a diner.

She waited in the diner each morning for breakfast with her second best friend Mary Margaret. Today she began to truly ponder what she could do if no one caught her interest, if she had no one to make a family with, and if she could or should do it alone. She figured she could ask Mary and see what she thought.

"Usual regina?" Ruby asks standing over her table ready to take her order.

"Yes, and Mary Margaret should be in just minute would you get her food too please?" She gives her usual sweat smile and let's the woman walk away to make the order now. She was right per usual Mary Margaret enter the diner no more than five minutes later.

"Hi ruby, Lacey. You working the bar tonight Lacey?" Mary asks sitting in front of Regina.

"Yeah you three coming by later?"

"Maybe. David's got night shift for taking care of the animals again. I might be caught up on grading."

"How about you Regina?" Lacey's asks her thick accent picking up.

"Perhaps. You guys love doing this bar stuff when I work early in the weeks don't you." It's rhetorical but She still get a cheery yes from all three. With a chuckle she turns to Mary and offers a hello.

"So you said you wanted to talk what's up?"

"Well I need your opinion, I know I'm still young but Im not getting any younger I should have a family by now right. I mean look at you and David you two have been together since I can remember you'll be having a family in no time. No one catches my eye." Regina lays it on think not noticing ruby subtly putting Mary's drink down.

"Now that's just not true and you know it. I think your just afraid to admit what does catch your eye." She gave Regina a wink and walks away back to her girlfriend.

"What's that mean?" Mary asks seeing Regina blushing and down casting her gaze to her own drink.

"N-nothing. So what if I went abroad, out of town?" Mary gasps.

"You'd leave us, the town!? Why?"

"Just to I don't know I was thinking adopt. I had mr gold look into it for me."

"Mr gold the pawn shop guy that likes Lacey even though she's with ruby." She asks Regina.

"Yeah but he's got a law degree and I looked at his lists there's a good place and one has a really great kid I thought was an amazing choice. I guess I'm just nervous. I want this though."

"Of course you do I know you do but are you going to be ok with a kid. I mean what if they are troubled?"

"I'm looking at baby he's 2-3 weeks old now."

"Oh really!" Her surprise was very evident. "I think that's wonderful then. When are you getting him?"

"Next week they said I seemed more than fit to take him in and gives me time to get ready. I just have to go out of town a couple days I'm sure and get him." Mary promptly stood and scooped Regina into a hug. She herself laughed since this was a rare thing and though surprise affection always got her nerves she was happy for them as well. After breakfast she made her way to work feeling more sure about her future.

The next week flew by, she got her baby boy, her prince, her world. More weeks went in a flash. It was a joyous time for her and she strongly believed her happy ending had everything to do with the little boy that gave her such love in her heart. From the moment she brought her son Henry home she couldn't believe how fast things were progressing. Soon enough he wasn't a little bundle of joy he was her grown boy.

When he was 7 years old things actually for the first time got hard. He wasn't to happy about knowing her was adopted but he was happy to have a mom. She thought that he was ok until he started getting down. Not that she didn't understand it just broke her heart to see him hurt at the news.

At 10 years old things got a little better but he wanted more adventure. She wasn't sure why the town wasn't exciting enough for him it had been enough for her and everyone else for as long as she could remember. She figured if could influence it to be better for him she would. So she went out with him more ice cream, more dinners at the diner, and more nights over at his friends. She tried yet when he was still down an though now she knew why she still didn't have answers. There was nothing she could think of. One morning before taking Henry to school she sat with Mary for breakfast trying to work it out between them while Henry was in the bathroom.

"I just don't know what to do, I want to keep him happy. This place has never been too lively and for us it was fine but for him it's not." Regina sounded sad like she wasn't doing a good job as his mother. "Maybe you could talk to him he loves you, your his favorite teacher." Mary nodded and gave her a caring smile as she walked with Henry out for school. She hadn't known about what her friend would do to help. Didn't know that the next day at school Henry would find something that changed his whole life. Though Henry came home confused and upset she never found out why.

It wasn't until one day she found him in his room mumbling about her. She assumed he was upset still about her not being his birth mom until she caught something. 'Evil Queen.' With that she entered his room with a knock. He fumbled around before facing her.

"Henry? What's wrong dear?" She moved in a little an sat at the end of his bed like she always did when he was upset. He simply shook his head not answering. She never did figure out what he was going on about. She simply went to Mary Margaret and confessed her concern. Her curiosity made it hard to not ask what she had tried to do to help him. Her response was a riddle. She "gave him hope" with book so endlessly she wondered what the book had been but decided if she had to wait for her son to reveal that to be closer to him she would wait then.

Shortly after giving up pursuit to let him come to her she entered work to find three missed calls from Mary. Upon calling back to find out Henry had ditched school after she dropped him off that morning she walked out of work leaving explicit instructions to leave anything and everything till tomorrow. She set out around town to look for him unable to find a trace. What troubled her most was that by the time she made her way back through town and found he had still not appeared anywhere it had been to long to not be a sign something bad happened. Without anymore delay she called graham making sure her came quickly. He had been with her about an hour going over everything that might help.

After that hour he spent time asking around an returned saying Henry had left town someone say him catch a bus they all thought never left town. She feared for her sons life so much more. He had never left town with her let alone been on his own. She would risk anything and was going to send graham to follow where ever this bus took him when her heart stopped at the sound of a car in her drive way. Looking out she instantly knew they were not from around town the car was never seen before. She quickly ran out side and capture her son in her arms rambling all her fear to him. She pulled back to question him only to be shouted at and told just exactly where he had gone and who he was with in one full swoop.

"I found my real mom!" The words rang in her ears long after he ran out of her hands and to his room. She could hardly think straight as she stood up properly. Before her a blonde, tall, thin goddess stood nervously. Regina's heart quickened and thumped loudly. If anything her first action was to lick her lips due to her suddenly dry mouth he second was a gulp that held her fear and desire in one sitting. Finally she found her voice and almost like a whisper she asked.

"Yo-your Henry's birth mother?" With an internal smack in the face at how she fail to say hi first or introduce herself she gave an uncharacteristic lop sided weak smile. 'Ugghh pull it together.' She berated herself. Looking at the blonde in front of her and hearing her practically squeak out 'hi' she melted. 'Oh god I just met her and I feel like this.' Having spent far to much time outside by now with a shiver, though not sure if it was do to the wether or the sheepish smile she caught on the other woman's face, she attempted to invite her in. "How would you like the best glass of cider you ever had?"

Weeks ago Regina had first met Emma an now everything she did was all so unlike her but instinct. One minute she liked Emma enough to let things slip, like Henry sneaking of to see her. The next she became to protective to care that most of these incidences where not her idea and defiantly her sons. Now a few weeks since Emma had shown up and Regina stood at her front door speaking plainly with Emma. She was giving an apology, a very sincere one at that, but all she could do was get lost in her eyes.

"I admit I've stepped on your toes Regina I have no right to be here to know Henry let alone trying to be your friend but I want us to try." 'Friends?' The thought pulled Regina back to reality. It was what she wanted all along to be friends and here she was with option. Very easily she nods with a smile.

"I'd like that Emma. I can call you that now right if we are friends?"

"Yes I want you to if you think we are I have been trying to make nice with Henry and you." She had been an she hoped that doing so she could get to the Regina that was past all the animosity. Regina admitted that Emma had been trying and she thanked her before say goodbye.

Saying they were friends was nothing close to what Regina would have liked to have made them. If seeing her everyday men drooling after her hadn't made her realize that. Finding out graham and her had kissed certainly did. She more than shaken when she woke up a day later not remembering anything only to learn graham had died of a heart attack. By now Regina had heard about the book Henry was reading and now he blamed her for the sudden death of sherif graham. Emma scolded him but nothing seemed to help. Regina couldn't help but begin doubting herself since she blacked out.

When Emma ran and won for sherif Regina was happy to see her working hard and setting roots even if at first it scared her. She felt like she could connect and understand why Emma was so closed off. Then again she didn't have a idea why it was just some familiar feeling in her gut. When she realized how much closer Emma and she was, how close Emma and Henry got, and how far away Henry was with her it became unsettling. Somewhere in side Regina feared herself. Though she didn't know what happened to graham she almost believed Henry now. She couldn't prove it or let Henry know that he might be right but she remembered seeing him kiss Emma the rage she felt and then she blacked out. That wasn't the best sign for her to trust herself. Again with jealously she blacked out lost a day only to wake to another incident.

Her truest friend disappeared. Evidence pointed to Mary Margaret, David, but just like David she had blacked out and she too could be a suspect. Emma wouldn't listen to her when she said she feared she did something she couldn't remember. In fact Emma assured her it was her with a kind voice and tender hold. That was the first time Regina had ever been held she thought the first time someone really was there for her, on her side, and it better than the connections she had made all these years. Once again she was wanting more with Emma than she could probably get. Her skin burned at the soft touches Emma shared with her.

Every time Regina tensed at an evil queen comment from Henry Emma slipped her hand in her and rubbed the back of her knuckles. The first time it surprised her and she blushed so hard Emma gave her a small smile and peck on the cheek. Any other time it was a hug a kiss on the forehead that followed the hand holding. The last black out Regina had changed everything. Nothing should have bothered her by now at least when it come to Emma comforting her. But it wasn't out of comfort that Emma sat at dinner every other evening. It was when Emma put Henry to bed and sat with Regina for little bit. When she left though Emma without much warning kissed Regina square on the lips.

Henry who was suppose to be in bed was listening in and peek out when he heard silence at the door. It was him who was shouting the sent Regina into a shouting fit when her stormed off after blaming her. It was Regina's fault though that Emma left tears in her eyes that she had ruined everything. This time Regina lost more than a day even if she remember bits she was so lost what had happened in between.

Regina didn't find out until Regina got a call in to the hospital about Henry. The whole drive she tried to force herself to remember. She was terrified that her almost two days missing was tied to her call. In nothing but tears when she enter the room Emma broken and furious dragged her into a closet. It was a brutal throw around before Emma pinned Regina to a wall crying as she blamed Regina asking if the curse was true. Regina was shocked unsure what was going on.

"The Apple turnover you made, you gave me, he ate it. I was leaving Regina why couldn't you just let me go." Nothing registered, none of that made sense and Emma could see it. "He told me you poisoned it and then he ate it to prove it to me. Now-" she drifted off at the memory.

"I don't know I don't remember anything since you left my house the other night. I'm sorry Emma I wanted to kiss you back I wanted to but then Henry...then I don't know I really want him to see me differently than he has and that kiss... Made it worse." Regina's voice shook but Emma could tell it was the truth. "I'm sorry I want you i do."

Letting Regina go Emma caught her carefully and held her they both cried for a while. Stepping back into the room they found determination seeing Henry sick. Her gut told her what they should do and without a second thought she filled it Emma close behind asking where they were going.

"If it true.. The curse, I don't remember but gold he's the only one not like everyone else in town. He's the one I can think of having power to help us." Emma nods as if it's not the strangest idea ever. It may have been strange but it was true and gold told them what to do. Said it was to help save Henry. Giving Emma a sword that was supposedly her fathers and telling Regina to take Emma to the library and open the elevator.

"You know you not remembering the curse is a big issue right now." He grumbled as they left his shop. It proved to Emma and her internal lie detector that Regina didn't remember but more importantly that this Regina was what Regina wanted when she made the curse. That was one more thing she felt in common with her. The desire to forget a lifetime and start over. That was something she remembered after the curse broke no thanks to golds betrayal. When Henry awoke from true loves kiss it broke that damn curse that she never believed in. Regina in moments gasped and gripped the end of the hospital bed violently. Her face blank. Emma move close to her held her face and whispered that whatever she remembered didn't matter.

"I know what you did forget for. I know what you were but you don't have to be. Whatever you remember it's not you. Not the real you." Emma didn't hesitate when Regina tried to pull away. She held her tighter. "I love you anyways I'm not leaving you alone for anyone to say you're evil." When Regina sags into Emma's hold she turns them to face Henry and his appalled face makes her smile. He's awake and he'll understand she hopes.

"What are you doing she's..."

"Henry- don't she not don't you see the curse broke she remembering too. She forgot that life because there's a reason she because that evil queen you think she is. She wanted to leave that person behind. I don't think she imagined that side of her coming through when things got tough."

"She killed graham,"Emma's heart drops. "She framed your mom, and she tried to poison you." Regina looks up at Emma her eyes shimmer with fresh tears ready to break out. Emma shakes her head at them both.

"No. Your mom was kind and loving to us both. The evil queen didn't like that and took over... Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. You know who that is right kid." Henry nods.

"Like the hulk?" Is is example.

"Exactly."

Tbc.

review