Losing Home
By Carolyn McBride
Regina stood on the balcony and watched the stars twinkle in the inky sky above her. She'd had that dream again. The one where she was holding Emma's hand and talking about her gift. Then holding Henry. The crushing weight in her chest had stolen her breath and no matter how she gasped, there was not enough air in all the Enchanted Forest. All magic came with a price, and this was hers. Her price to pay, her cost but she had dragged them all along again, hadn't she? Only this time to save their lives.
Henry and Emma were most likely in Boston or New York, but Regina had no idea how to get there. It had been Rumple's curse, with her additions, that had transported them all from this land in the first place. She had created Storybrooke, but it was gone too. Jefferson was the one skilled at moving between worlds, but no one knew where he was. Rumple was gone as far as anyone knew and they all looked to her to get them back. Or get Emma and Henry back.
There were whispers that Hook had somehow found another bean and gone looking for them. There was always one last bean and then there was always another. Hook had simply gone without a word to anyone.
Regina hoped he was successful, but nothing was that easy. She knew he would not only have to convince Henry and Emma who they were but then they faced the issue of how to regain the family they had lost.
It felt as if Pan's curse had stolen everything that Regina had worked so hard for. The green mist had, in a roundabout way, taken the woman she had come to care for and their son. Snow and David had not only lost their daughter again but also their grandson. Baelfire had lost his father once more, but this time in an act of heroism, not cowardice. Belle had lost the love of her life. Regina could still see the heartbroken woman falling to her knees in the street.
Regina had thought The Dark One untouchable somehow. Sure, she had to set him straight in Neverland, but he had seemed his old self after that. She had been surprised to find him related to Pan at all and stunned when he stabbed his father in the back. She had lost an ally and possibly the person who understood her best.
Except for Emma Swan.
Now they were both gone.
Henry was gone.
Her family was lost, her home was gone.
As far as she knew, she was the most powerful magical practitioner left in the Enchanted Forest. Fairy magic was powerful, but magic tinged with anger, fear and desperation would do more than good wishes. That put the onus on her to get them back.
Which meant re-creating Rumple's curse and her Storybrooke, and hoping Hook could bring Emma and Henry to a place that should not exist.
Author's Note:
This will be a complete work in itself. I think. My muse is curled up in a corner sobbing and eating a tub of ice cream after last night's winter finale, so she's a little useless to me right now. As she crawls out of her corner, I'll add more, possibly as sequels and stand-alones. Thanks for reading.
Stay tuned!