A shadow descended from a dark alley, revealing the savior, wearing the same clothes as the night before, torn, as if she had run through the woods, which she probably had. She looked frightened, but also slightly insane in her eyes. Her focus went from Regina towards the now quiet baby. Emma walked closer, streaking the baby's cheek, when Danielle put her little fingers around Emma's. Emma smiled, looking back to Regina, who was watching her careful, but the look in Emma's eyes had changed.
"She beautiful Regina. Just like you."
On those words Emma raised her hand, cupping her hand around Regina's cheek. If only she hadn't. Because shock of magic blasted Regina into the air, torturing every part of her body, and suddenly she was back on the table, being tortured by Greg. When the image faded away, she could just see Emma standing there, crying, while looking frightfully at her hands. Regina heard Danielle cry from afar. And then she left.
She didn't know what to do. After a long time she stood up, walking to her home while soothing Danielle, who was calming down. At home she called Kathryn, who had taken Henry from school.
"Can you him bring home? We need to talk."
When the doorbell rang Regina rushed over and opened the door, revealing Henry, who embraced her so forcefully they almost left. Without anyone noticing Kathryn left, understanding Regina needed some time alone.
"Mom, are you okay? What happened?"
Regina ruffled Henry's hair.
"Come see for yourself. Henry, meet your sister, Danielle."
Henry gasped, looking at the tiny baby, and then smiled at his mother.
"I knew it. You had all this stuff and you eat so much and were cranky and now I know why."
Regina laughed. Of course he had figured if out, he was too smart not to notice. She gently streaked his cheek. If only she hadn't. Because what had happened before with Emma, happened now with Henry. Only this time Regina attacked, and Henry was hurt.
"No! Henry!"
"Ugh, I'm fine Mom! No problem."
"No. This is a problem. I hurt you!"
"But I'm okay."
"Okay. But please go to sleep now. I need to think."
"Yeah, sure. Goodnight Mom."
He walked up the stairs, just leaving out of sight when Regina broke down. She sat on the floor, crying. What happened? She lost control. She is not allowed to lose control. Her last thought before covering up her face and bringing Danielle to bed: Maybe I should leave.
8 years later
"Don't you dare, young lady! Nobody spats water on Regina Mills!"
"I do, I do, I do!"
Laughing a little girl with dark brown curls runs towards her brother, hiding behind his back. A woman with the same dark brown hair comes storming at them, screaming at the boy to move when she launches a big bucket of water on the little girl. The boy jumps away and the little girl screams when the cold water hits her.
"Ha! 1-72 for Regina!"
Danielle giggles, running into her mother, still soaking her clothes.
"Oh no! I have been attacked!" Regina says collapsing on the ground.
The little girl giggles, and moves her arms in smooth pattern, making a huge wave appear behind her. Regina looks horrified and tries to move but Danielle drops on top of her, splashing both of them.
"Okay, okay, I give up! You win, master of water."
The little looks very self-indulgent, and gets of her mother, who sees her chance and jumps on top of her, while remembering the first time she had discovered Danielle had control over water.
Five years ago
"Mom, Mom! Come look at this" Henry screamed, when Regina came rushing, searching for an emergency.
"What is it sweetheart?"
"Look at what Danielle did!"
He points at the floating bubble of water, precisely above Danielle's head.
"Oh my, it looks like someone just discovered a little magic."
"I don't think it's magic Mom, I think it's bending!"
"What?"
"It is from a TV-show I have seen, where people master the elements water, earth, fire and air. It's called bending."
"Aha. Well then I guess you will have to teach her how to use it."
"Awesome!"
They both flew through the air, but when they landed a big shock made Regina fly away from her daughter, right into a crack which had just opened up in the backyard. Danielle lay on her back, while thinking about what happened. Did she just move the earth? She was startled from her thoughts when she heard Henry yelling.
"Mom! Hang in there! Danielle, help me!"
Regina was hanging on the edge of a cliff. Danielle rushed over to help Henry, but they weren't strong enough.
"Mom, I'm sorry! Please don't let go!" Danielle cried.
"I won't sweetheart. Keep trying."
But on that moment Regina's right-hand glove, the one Henry had been holding, slipped off. (Regina had been wearing gloves to make sure she didn't touch anyone, the only one safe to touch had been Danielle). Henry only touched a miniscule piece of skin, but he was blasted backwards, and Regina fell unconscious by the shock. Only Danielle was holding her now, and she felt her mother slipping away when two hands appeared, pulling Regina up. Danielle looked up to thank her mother's savior, but she couldn't see a face, for the person was wearing a cloak that laid her facial features in shadows. The only thing Danielle was able to see, was a big amount of blond curls, coming out from under the cloak.
"Thank you", Danielle whispered, upon which the hooded figure nodded and disappeared in a cloud of white smoke.
Then Danielle returned to look at her mother, who had woken up. She embraced her mother strongly, which caught Regina by surprise.
"Hey, it's okay, I'm safe now. You saved me."
She softly opened her daughter's arms, after which she rushed towards Henry, who had woken up also, embracing him.
"I told you this would happen one day. If you hadn't been so stubborn, this wouldn't have happened. It's not safe for you here. You are going to stay with your grandparents until I have control over my powers again."
"But Mom, I'm fine!"
"No but, Henry Mills. I am your mother and you will listen to me. Shall we get dinner at Granny's? I don't feel like cooking."
"Yeah!" Danielle screamed, immediately forgetting about the lady and the moving earth. Henry mumbled something what Regina imagined was a yes. Sometimes she forgot how old he already was. 20. But he wasn't really. Time may not be frozen anymore, but the aging process of the original inhabitants was slower than usual, which also included Henry. Mentally and physically he was only 15.
Upon arriving at Granny's Danielle sprinted out the car to say hello to Ruby, one of the favorite 'aunties'. She had quite a lot, like Kathryn, Belle, and Regina tried to make Danielle like Snow, but for some reason she had a natural dislike of the Charming. Except for Neal. Secretly Regina was happy about it, but she didn't encourage it.
"Hey Ruby, have you got any seats?"
"Yeah, over here." The Mills family followed Ruby to a table in the corner. Ruby immediately asked questions on how their day was, and Danielle told excitedly how she defeated her mother once again, but leaving the earthquake part out. Smart girl.
"Ha-ha, did you beat her again? You must be a very powerful sorceress then."
Danielle nodded seriously, her chest puffed up proudly. But then Regina felt it. Those miserable Charming's. She felt sorry for their kids. She didn't need to turn around to know they'd come to her.
"Snow. What a surprise."
"Hi Regina", Snow replied timid, looking sad out of her eyes, as always. "Do you have-"
"No, not since yesterday. It has been eight years Snow. If she could be found, we would have."
Of course there was a way. The dagger. But Snow and her husband had refused to use the dagger, still believing their daughter would come back willingly.
"Oh. Okay." They just wanted to leave when Regina remembered something.
"Snow, I need you to do me a favor. You need to take Henry in."
Henry started to protest, but one glare silenced him. Snow looked confused, but then agreed.
"Okay, why?"
"My magic is too dangerous. We had another accident today."
Danielle who had silently been reading a book Regina gave her for her birthday then said: "It's true, Mommy can only touch me", upon which she continued reading. Regina chuckled, but then noticed that Neal, now nine years old, was staring at Danielle. She had suspected a slight affection, but of course they were only children, and nothing would happen. Especially not with the rules Snow had set. The children weren't allowed near each other.
"Danielle, that isn't very polite of you." Danielle shrugged. Though she loved Henry, she didn't really care if he would leave or not.
Then suddenly Henry stood up looking more angry then ever. "Why can't you love me like Danielle!? You have been caring more about her then about me these last few years! If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have her at all! You used to look at me like that!"
Regina was startled by Henry's sudden outburst, but not surprised. Then a sudden anger raise up in her.
"You dare to speak at me like that! You have not been loving me for three years because you believed I was evil! I have cared for you since you were a babe, and yet as soon as your real mother returned, you gave me up as if I was nothing! And how I tried to win you back, but in vain. Because you only cared about your hero's!"
There were waves of energy coming from Regina now, and everyone in the diner looked frightened at the sight of the angry woman. Snow tried to calm her down but it didn't work. Tears welled up in Regina's eyes, filled with anger and sadness she had contained over these past 8 years. And then she screamed.
Everything in the diner broke and started flying around in dangerous bits. The only one not startled by the explosion, was Danielle. She sighed, finally looking up from her book, which had been so interesting. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and Regina had trained Danielle for these situations. Danielle stood up and took Regina's hand, who was angrily shaking, and took the glove off. As soon as Danielle's skin touched Regina's, the magic waves stopped, and everything fell down. As quick as Regina's reflexes are, she waved her right hand, still holding Danielle with her left, and made all the bits of glass disappear.
"You okay Mom?"
"Yes Danielle, thank you. Those trainings have paid off, haven't they?"
Danielle nodded. She then returned to her seat, and her book.
"Wow, that was really cool!" Neal exclaimed.
"Yeah right, cool. I don't think so." Granny came walking up to them.
"Why is it when something happens, it's always you two? I won't have both of these families in my dinner, that only means trouble."
"It's quite alright. Come sweetheart, we're leaving." Regina gestured Danielle to leave, when Eugenia stopped her.
"Not you. You were here first. The Mayor and her family will leave."
Snow turned to face Granny, shocked. Meanwhile Regina was irritated by Granny's use of the word Mayor. Snow was indeed the Mayor, but a horrible one.
Snow puffed up her chest, and she, Charming, Henry and Neal left. Neal shyly waved at Danielle who excitedly waved back. When they were all out of the dinner, every customer resumed their conservations, but Granny looked expectantly at Regina, gesturing around her. Only then Regina noticed the still lying trash around them.
"Danielle, give me your hand dear."
Once holding her daughter's hand, she waving her hand cleaned up the diner, also giving it a clean. Granny thanked her, and took their orders. Regina still thought about the accident, when someone came walking up to her. Kathryn.
"Hey Regina. I saw what happened, are you okay?"
"Yes I'm fine, thank you."
"Good. Are you coming to the council meeting this evening?" When Regina looked up surprised, Kathryn resumed. "Snow and Charming have arranged a meeting to talk about the earthquake of this afternoon. Didn't you feel it?"
"Oh no", Regina exclaimed, "that was Danielle. She had an accident with her magic and caused the earthquake. Now I'll have to go.'
Kathryn laughed. "Yes, you do. Everyone thinks there's a giant walking around."
Regina sighed. "Fine. But will you come with me? I need to have someone who doesn't look at me as if I have destroyed their life, which of course I have, but still."
"Argh. I wasn't planning on coming. Now my lovely husband has to make sure Daisy doesn't destroy anything, and I'm not sure he can handle her."
"Sure he can. And otherwise he'll come as well."
"Fine. You devilish woman. Why can't I deny you anything? Well, whatever. See you at eight then."
"See you then."
Okay, before everybody goes nuts on me, no I didn't put this story as a cross-over, because personally I don't like cross-over's, and the bending will be the only thing. Please review if you have any remarks or other things to say! (Oh, and I am sorry for not finishing my other story, but I am really struggling with the plot so I can only promise that I will finish this story.)