Here's chapter two of my first Regal Cricket fic. Dedicated to you guys, because we see something possible in this ship. I am posting 2 more chapters tomorrow, this is seriously addictive and I know if you are hopefully enjoying this fic, you'll be happy to have quick chapter posts.-Uni
They had been re-united for at least thirty minutes now. About twenty of them was spent with Regina crying into Archie's shoulder, while Archie just held her as it seemed like the only thing that would help. He couldn't ask her to let go of him, she was letting out everything, and this seemed like her way. Or she wasn't really aware that she was crying into the towns therapist that they all believed she had killed. In between her crying, she told Archie how they found 'him dead' on his office floor and that the blame was immediately placed on her. Then how after seeing Pongo's memories (which led to Archie remembering Pongo's reaction when 'Regina' walked through the door the day he was kidnapped) they had been right. Her cries got louder when she mentioned watching Emma tell Henry that his mother had killed him.
Archie felt bad for her. She really had been through a lot. He had never seen her breakdown like this before. It was to the point of hysterical. She had been broken. Broken into pieces and pieces. So he let her cry into his shoulder.
After twenty minutes,she slowly lifted her head off his shoulder, and looked at him. Her eyes were red from all the tears. The tear stain trails could be seen easily. Archie reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of tissues.
"Here," he said kindly,with a small smile on his face. She took the packet out of his hand and took a tissue out. After she had done wiping her eyes, she looked at his shoulder. The evidence of her good cry had been shown on Archie's shirt.
"Oh, Archie I am sorry about your shirt, you should of told me to just get off instead of waiting.," "You needed to let it out, I feel that you haven't had the best week and crying helps.," he said. "Well, my weeks not been bad as your week. What did she do to you?," Regina asked.
Archie knew who 'she' was. Regina's mother. Oh she was a nasty piece of work, it was clear to Archie on Regina's life when he became acquainted with her mother in the most brutal fashion. She had tortured him in so many ways. Burned, his binds on his wrists had been pulled til his hands turned purple, and Hook had beaten him occasionally, hoping he'd give in, or for his amusement.
"She tortured me, tried to make me tell her everything.," said Archie. " Did you tell her anything?," asked Regina. "No, I just...tried to focus on not speaking at all.," he said.
He saw new tears in Regina's eyes, she still had lots of pain to let go of. "I'm fine, really Regina, I'm ok. Please don't wind yourself up about something that you haven't caused.," he said, trying to look her in the eye, but she had put her head in her hands.
She shook her head as he tried to tell her how she had no part in his kidnap. Didn't he realize Cora was her mother. The mother who she had sent to Wonderland, the first time she had used magic.
"Yes, I am, no, don't even try to tell me I am not the cause of it, cause I am.," Regina said, her words barely getting out. " You're here because she saw you talking to me, she knew the perfect way to frame me Archie, she knew it and she used you as part of it".
"Regina, look at me," said Archie. Regina shook her head in her hands. "Look at me, please," he begged. Regina slowly lifted her head.
"Whatever reason Cora wanted to do this, which to her is you, you're not to blame. You wanted to get rid of her cause of the abuse you suffered. I would know, because I made a deal that went wrong, just to get rid of my parents.," Archie said.
Regina looked at Archie, taking in the confession. He suffered from the hands of his parents too? Who'd have known this kind man would have had to deal with such a thing as horrid parents.
"W-what did they do to you?," Regina asked, a little cautiously. "They made me steal from people while they distracted them with a puppet show. I would go around in the crowd, taking what I could. I didn't want that life, but they just ignored me and left me to do it anyway. Whenever I told them of what I really wanted to do, they shrugged it off and laughed. That's how they were. I got desperate and decided to ask for Rumplestiltskins help. He offered me a potion, told me once it did it's work, he'd collect them. My parents and I went around, taking money from people as subtle as possible, we made up this tale about a disease going round, this one couple payed us. We gave them the tonic that would save them. After I tried throwing the potion onto my parents, it didn't work. My parents tricked me. The deals consequence meant a little boy who's parents had turned into puppets.," he said.
Regina was about to tell him how sorry she was, when a huge banging sound made them jump, turning their heads above them. They heard shouting, and in the middle of the shouting, there was a bang. They heard a woman yelling to stop.
"That sounds like Rumplestiltskin.," Regina said. The banging and yelling stopped. "Yes it must be, we must get his attention, he can free us...I hope.," said Regina.
They both shouted, banging on the top of the ceiling, hoping it will get his attention. The latch opened.
"This looks cosy," said Rumplestiltskin with a hint of sarcasm and anger in his voice. He looked at Archie, but didn't react shocked. "I knew it was too good to be true, the cricket lives. Now, do we have to wait for you, or are you both going to get up off the ground and surprise Storybrooke with the news that you live another day?," asked Rumplestiltskin.
A figure walked to the side of him. Oh, it's his betrothed. I wonder what happened to Hook? , Regina thought. Judging by the state of his cane and the face his love was pulling, it had been something that hadn't required magic or a deal.
Regina tried to get up, as did Archie, who successfully managed. They hadn't broken his bones, she was glad for that. The moment Regina got up, she felt dizzy and fell, Archie managed to hold onto her. Oh, yes, she almost forgot. That pirate had hit her pretty hard and she had lost probably a lot of blood. Archie looked at the back of her head and noticed.
"We need to get her back and healed quick," said Archie to Rumplestiltskin. "Well don't stay here on my account, what..you want me to carry her? I believe you should do that, you have all hands and feet I believe.," he said in that bored tone he used when he wasn't in a mood. "Rumple, please.," said a quiet voice that was filled with fear. Belle was holding onto his arm, looking at him. Rumplstiltskins face immediately went soft at the sight of his beloveds face. He took a phone out of his pocket and was dialing. "Who are you calling?," asked Archie.
"Emma. I am letting her know that you are alive and to let everyone know. Also that we have a psychopathic mother on the loose.,"Rumplestiltskin replied. He followed with Belle out the door.
Archie looked at Regina, her eyes were going back. She was losing consciousness. He'd have to carry her, there was no arguments there.
He picked her up into his arms, and her eyes closed as she lost her consciousness. She wasn't heavy, quite light, so he'd be ok holding her on the way back. He felt the blood on his hand coming from the back of her head. With that, he walked out, following Rumplestiltskin and Belle, on his way back to Storybrooke, with Regina in his arms.