So I am currently stuck in the land of writer's block on my other Once Upon a Time story, Danielle, but I'm close to getting back to it I promise. So I bring you this. Not sure if it should be just a one shot or continue. Let me know in the reviews. Also I say this a lot, but I write this stories to improve and feedback about how my writing can be improved is greatly appreciated. If you don't want to do that through reviews feel free to PM me.
I hope you enjoy the story.
The phone rang suddenly, its penetrating trill pulling Regina away from her murderous thoughts towards Snow White and back to the quiet Storybrooke street, and the interior of her Mercedes. She picked it up from where it sat in the center console.
The caller ID read 'Unlisted Number'
"Hello"
"Hi, is this Henry's mother?"
Regina couldn't think of the last time she heard that on the other line of the phone. Not since before Emma arrived and competition for the role entered her life. Before she received calls from the school if Henry was feeling ill or something notable had happened. But even then there was not a question. She was Mayor Mills, and Henry was her son, and everyone knew that.
"Who's asking" She answered, still slightly confused about the unlisted number.
"My name's Greg Mendel, the guy who crashed his car outside of town and I was out here hiking in the woods and he was by the white pine trail, and he was all by himself."
"Well what's he doing out there is he okay?" Her thoughts now completely on Henry, she should have known better to trust him with the two idiots and the woman who gave birth to him.
"I don't know he ran off, but he seemed a little upset and I thought you would want to know, that's all."
"I'm on my way." Regina hung up the phone, she had a new quest now.
She arrived at the side of the trail only 7 minutes later; who cared about speeding, and she was sure the Sheriff was probably occupied with something, although apparently it wasn't Henry. It didn't take long to realize that Henry was at the well, he always brought her there didn't he? But now he had dynamite and book of matches.
"Henry" she stepped out slowly, her hands raised as to assure Henry that she meant him no harm. Plus she didn't want to think about what would happen if his hand slipped and the match ignited the dynamite. "What are you doing?"
Henry turned around surprised to hear her voice, he hadn't seen her in days and was surprised to see she looked the same as ever. Neat and well dressed in one of her favorite black trench coats, she was in mourning after all. He shook his head, he had a task to do and it was important he saw it through, maybe it was right that she was here to see it done. Regina had always tried to do what was best for Henry, somewhere he understood that, now he had to do what was best for her.
"I'm getting rid of magic, it's ruining everything and you can't stop me."
"All that's going to do is get you killed"
Henry reached for another match, "You just say that cause you need magic, so you can cast that curse on me.
Was that her only motivation? Surely not; dynamite and matches are not something that are to be toyed with, especially not by an eleven year old boy, regardless of his motives. She wanted him to put down the matches because he could get hurt, not because it would destroy magic, which she knew very well it wouldn't.
But just then Henry struck the match and lit the dynamite.
"HENRY NO" Regina screamed knowing what was coming, she dove towards him, wanting to protect him from the oncoming blast. She completely forgot that with a wave of her hand she could make the whole danger go away. Henry was only able to nudge the dynamite closer to the opening of the well before Regina had pushed him to the ground and covered his body with her own.
The explosion shook the ground violently as Regina clutched Henry and felt debris bounce off her body. It seemed to last for ages as if it were raining plaster and stone, although in reality it was only ten seconds before everything settled down.
"Mom, I think you can get off me now?"
Regina pushed herself up slightly and turned to see that half of the wishing well was in ruins, with rubble strew at least ten feet from where she and Henry lay.
She stood up slowly and extended a hand to Henry, "are you okay, are you hurt that was extremely dangerous what you just did." Henry just stared at her, "Henry are you hurt, can you hear me?"
"Yes I can hear you, I'm fine, but you're…" he pointed to right side. She twisted around to see three jagged rocks poking out her the ripped fabric of her trench coat.
"Oh my…it's no problem I have had worse." She said trying to put him at ease as she swayed uneasily on her legs which seemed to be themselves undamaged.
Henry lunged forward as if to catch her, "I'm fine Henry, really." She reached her hand up to her head which was now starting to pulse with pain, and found that it was damp. And upon removing her hand she found that it was red.
She looked up at Henry, and found him looking more pale that before. "You're not fine, oh God I'm so sorry."
"Henry it's nothing see." She reached down to her side and pulled out the jagged rocks one by one dropping them to the ground. Trying to hide her discomfort and slight worry that the rocks where much longer that she thought once they were laying on the ground. "You see I'm fine, but you need to get changed, you're all dirty now." She moved forward to take his hand before feeling black encroaching on her vision and stumbling to the ground.
"MOM!"
Henry knelt down at her sides "You lied to me again"
"What?"
"You lied to me again you're not okay, so what do I do?"
Regina tried to push herself up again but found that she black moved in on her the more she tried to move so she settled back begrudgingly to her place on the ground. "Just stay and talk to me."
"How about you talk to me?"
"What?"
"Talk to me, tell me a story like you used to, until help comes."
"Help is not coming Henry."
"Someone must have heard the explosion, they will come and find us."
Regina smiled, Henry did always believe that a hero would come and rescue him.
"So you will tell me a story?"
"If that is what you want."
Henry just nodded and she thought for a moment. If this was the last time she was going to have with her son she would tell him a story he should have heard long ago.
"Once Upon a Time there was a woman who felt trapped. She had lost her love and her mother had promised her to a man and she did not want to be with. She tried to run but her mother would stop her…thinking it was what was best for her daughter. This young woman asked her father one day why her mother kept her, who had made her like she was. Her father told her of a man called Rumplestiltskin, who taught her mother magic. Now this woman did not want to use magic, she had seen what it had done to her mother, but she also wanted to bring back her true love Daniel, who had been killed."
At the mention of Daniel the darkness started coming back, perhaps he was calling her to him after all this time.
"Mom!"
"Henry." Regina opened her eyes coming back to the present.
"Continue with the story."
Regina nodded, "so this woman sought out Rumplestiltskin because she thought he could help her. But after studying under him she learned that magic could not bring back the dead. But that same day another man visiting Rumplestiltskin overheard of this woman's wishes and introduced her to a doctor who they said, could do just what she desired. And one night and attempt was made to bring back her love…but it failed. When she looked at him, laying there she realized that she had lost everything. She was without hope so she returned to the King and Rumplestiltskin taught her how to use magic to control and get power."
Regina found it harder and harder to find the strength to continue the story, and thinking about the past was much more painful than the damage to her body.
"Why don't you tell me a story now Henry, I'm tired of mine."
"Thank you, it was a good story."
"I love you Henry, so much."
"I'm so sorry."
"This isn't your fault, don't blame yourself. Just know that I love you."
And with that the darkness came back and a heaviness she felt in her head pulled her back to the ground.
So should I continue this or are people happy with it ending here?