Disclaimer: Only the plot belongs to me!
Isaac Fisher was a man always in search of a good story. Every day, regardless of the weather, he got in his car and drove around, trying to find someone, anyone, who had an interesting tale to tell. This is what he was doing one rainy afternoon when his car stalled just outside the gates of an old mansion that looked abandoned, but was rumored to be the home of the once famous but now very reclusive film actress Regina Mills. It had been the popularity of her stepdaughter and rival Snow White that had done her in. With Snow's cheery pictures winning audiences left and right, no one wanted to see Regina's darker pictures. So she'd retreated into obscurity, being just the faintest blip on anyone's radar.
Isaac smiled to himself as he stared up at the towering mansion behind the tall, wrought iron gates. If this was Regina Mills' house, she'd have quite a story to tell.
It was at that moment that an old man came toward the gates. "Excuse me," he said. "May I help you?"
"My car's stalled," Isaac replied and got out to stand next to it. "And could you tell me, does Regina Mills the actress live here?"
"Yes, she does," the man replied, his face softening a little. "Are you a fan?"
"Oh, yes," Isaac replied with a smile. "I'm a great fan of Miss Mills' work."
"Well, why don't you come in, then?" The man replied and opened the gate. "She gets so few visitors these days. I'm Henry, sir, Miss Mills' trusted butler and confidante. What's your name?"
"Isaac Fisher," Isaac replied. "I'm an author. I tell stories. You think Miss Mills would be willing to share hers?"
"Oh, I'm sure she will," Henry replied with a smile as he led Isaac inside. "Especially to someone as fond of her as you seem to be."
When they got inside, they found a woman dressed in a flowing black silk gown with her dark hair put up in an elaborate hairdo and her makeup heavy. She looked like someone from a bygone era, and if this was Regina Mills, she certainly was."
"Ma'am?" Henry got out as they got closer to the sofa. "Someone is here to see you. He says he's a writer."
"A writer?" Regina turned to face Isaac and Henry, her eyes wide. "How marvelous! I've been wanting to find someone competent enough to tell my story for the longest time." She studied Isaac closely, getting up and circling him so that she could look at him from every angle. "So… since you're a writer," she said, "have you ever written a movie before?"
"I did a long time ago, but I suppose I could do it again," Isaac nodded. "Did you have something in mind?"
"Something grand and spectacular!" Regina cried. "Like the sort of thing I used to do. I've actually begun adapting Macbeth for the screen, but with Lady Macbeth as the star, you know. Henry's seen my draft and he thinks it's wonderful."
"Of course it is, Miss," Henry replied. Then he said, "If you'll excuse me, I have some mail to get. More fan letters, I'm guessing. We can't go a day without getting a whole mailbox full of fan letters."
"I'll come with you," Isaac told him. "If there's as much mail as you say, it'll take more than one person to handle it."
"Don't take too long," Regina told him as she took his hand. "And since you'll be living here while we write my comeback, I'll have Henry prepare a room for you."
"And would it be too much to ask to have my car looked after?" Isaac wanted to know as she loosened her grip. "It stalled outside the gates. That's how I ended up here."
"Well, isn't that lucky?" Regina smiled. "Yes, you go along with Henry and I'll make sure your car is fixed."
"Thank you," Isaac told her and then met Henry as he was coming back in, amazed at all the letters the older man held."
"Wow!" Isaac exclaimed. "If she has that many people writing her letters, you'd think more people would stop by to visit."
Henry gave him a look and then motioned for him to come closer before saying quietly, "I'm about to tell you a secret that you must never tell the Madame. All these letters…they weren't written by fans. I wrote them, so she would still think she was loved. It would break my heart if she knew she hasn't had a genuine fan letter in years. And it might drive her to do something drastic."
Isaac nodded. "I won't tell her, I promise."
"Good," Henry nodded. He and Isaac then went back to the living room where Regina was still reclining on the sofa.
"Here are your letters, Ma'am," Henry said, handing her the bundle. "Enjoy them."
"Oh, I believe I will," Regina replied, reaching out a black-gloved hand to take them and then tearing the envelopes open and smiling as she read each letter. "These are so sweet," she said when she'd gotten through the last one. "It's so nice to know that there are still people out there who appreciate me. I wonder why none of them ever come to visit."
"They're probably too intimidated by your beauty and talent," Henry guessed.
"And who could blame them?" Regina smiled. "That Snow White is nothing compared to me!"
Without thinking, Isaac blurted out, "Did you get that many letters when you were big?"
Regina's face took on an expression as if Isaac has just slapped her. Her lip began to tremble and then Henry sat beside her and took her in his arms as she cried. "She's still big," he told Isaac firmly. "It's the pictures that have gotten small!"
"Right," Isaac nodded, realizing his error. "Of course. I haven't been to the movies in years. Those Snow White films repulse me like you wouldn't believe!"
"They do?" Regina asked finally, sitting up and wiping her eyes. "What a sweet thing to say."
"Why don't we get working on your script now?" Isaac suggested. "Would you like that, Miss Mills?"
"Yes, I would," Regina nodded, taking the handkerchief Henry handed her and blowing her nose. "But first I have to wash and dress. I must look absolutely frightful."
"Of course not," Isaac shook his head. "You're beautiful."
They spent the next several weeks working on the script, and in addition to being paid a salary, Regina also bought him new clothes and a new car. He didn't mind so much though because he needed these things and Regina really was quite a character.
When they finally got the script done and sent Max to give it to people at her old studio, Regina declared that they should have a party to celebrate, and that he should dress up in his nicest clothes. When he came downstairs, he saw Regina striking a pose near the fireplace while Henry held a tray with two glasses of champagne on it. Regina brought a glass to Isaac and said, "I think we should toast to us. May this be the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration."
"Sure," Isaac replied and clinked his glass with hers. After they both drank their wine, she proceeded to kiss him. "I have such plans for us," she said when she pulled away. "It's been so long since I've had someone around here to love."
"Speaking of which," Isaac said, "Who do you see playing your leading man in this new movie?"
"Well, if you've seen my films, you must know the answer to that."
"Ah, yes," Isaac nodded. "Robin Hood. I'm sure we can get hold of him. And that he'll be more than happy to play opposite you again. But before we do that, we have to go talk to your old director and see what he thinks about the script Max gave him."
"When do we go to do that?" Regina asked.
"In a few days," Isaac smiled. "Just be patient."
In truth, when they went to talk to the bigwigs at the studio, it was only the fondness people had for Regina that stopped them from getting thrown out, since neither Isaac or Henry had made an appointment beforehand. When they were finally ushered into the presence of the great film director Rumplestiltskin, it was all Isaac could do not to pass out from excitement.
The director greeted her warmly and treated her with respect, but much to Regina's frustration, no matter how often she tried to bring up the script, he always changed the subject, not wanting to tell her that anything as dark as Macbeth wouldn't make money, since light and peppy was what was popular in film now, and the only way Regina would be able to make a comeback was to star in a film with Snow White, something he knew she would never agree to.
Eventually, Regina gave up on the studios and announced, (rather unwisely, Isaac thought), that she would produce the film herself. With that decision made, she began a rigorous beauty regimen so that she would look good for her first go in front of the camera in so many years. To her delight, Robin Hood agreed to play her love interest in the film for old times' sake and on the day he arrived, Regina was excited.
However, when Robin arrived, her excitement dwindled when she saw he'd brought his wife Marian and his son Roland with him, a reminder that things outside had gone on while Regina had stayed isolated in her little bubble. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "Does it bother you to have my family here?"
"Oh, no," Regina sighed. "They might as well stay." But it turned out that Regina was more distracted by Robin's family than they all realized and when she grabbed a gun and threatened to shoot them both, it took both Isaac and Robin to wrestle the gun away.
"Are you insane?" Robin shouted. "Regina, what in the world is the matter with you? You used to be a beautiful and talented woman. But now…"
"Now what?" Regina asked, her tone biting.
"Now you're just a pathetic person trying to cling to the past when everyone else has moved on," Robin got out, breathing hard. "No one will come to see this picture. You know that. The only reason why I'm doing it is cause of some lingering pity for you. If you want to have any hope of a career at all, come to your senses. Make peace with Snow. Cause what you're doing now, it'll never work."
"You're wrong!" Regina cried. "I'm still famous! The only reason why you had to get this new life is because no one likes you anymore! I don't need you. I can do this movie myself! And it'll be popular. You'll see!"
"You should go now," Henry told Robin firmly but quietly. "That would be best."
"Yes," Robin nodded, staring at Regina and shaking his head. "I really think it would." He took Marian and Roland away, and when his back was turned, Regina shot him, then watched him drop to the floor. Fearful they would be next, Marian picked up Roland and ran, leaving Henry and Isaac to console a once again sobbing Regina. After a short while, Henry asked Isaac to help him with the body, which they buried by Regina's apple tree.
"Would you like some wine, Ma'am?" Henry asked when they returned.
"Yes," Regina nodded. "Isaac, you go with him. I don't want you to see me like this."
Not really wanting to leave her alone, but wanting to obey her wishes at the same time, Isaac went with Henry to get the wine.
"So that didn't end well," He told Henry.
"I knew it wouldn't," Henry replied and took a bottle of red wine from the cupboard. "No one appreciates her anymore. And only certain directors have been able to handle her. Even I couldn't, and I'm her father."
"You're Regina's father?" Isaac asked in surprise. "Really?"
"Yes," Henry nodded. "It was her mother who pushed Regina into show business. Cora had grown up poor and wanted Regina to have everything she never did. So when she was a little girl and an agent pointed out that Regina had a good look for films, Cora pushed her into it. She knew that since I was a director, Regina would get in pictures and become popular for sure. And for a time, that's what happened. Then Cora died and Regina lost her direction. I retired from directing and I've been looking after her ever since, waiting for the day I could watch her shine on that screen again."
"And you think she'll be able to do it?" Isaac asked.
"I don't know, honestly," Henry sighed. "But I hope so."
A few days later, Regina's murder of Robin Hood was all over the papers, courtesy of his wife. Reporters were swarming the old house to ask Regina why she'd done what she'd done. Regina was more than happy to meet with them, but instead of talking about what she'd done to Robin's family, she talked about her picture instead. When a pair of policemen showed up to arrest her as the camera's clicked, she refused to submit until she gave them both autographs, and as they took her away, Henry looked at Isaac. "It's a shame this is what she'll be remembered for when there's so much more to her."
"Yes, but I think that what she's remembered for doesn't matter, as long as she is," Isaac replied.
"Will you be going on your way now?" Henry asked him as they headed away from the throng. "There's obviously nothing more for you here."
"I suppose not," Isaac nodded as he got in his car. "But no story I get in the future will ever be as good as this. The story of Regina Mills will be one I won't be able to forget as long as I live."