Disclaimer: I don't own 'Once Upon A Time' or any of it's characters, nor am I making any money off this project. However, I do enjoy vacations to Storybrooke, Maine and the Enchanted Forest on occasion. The landscapes are magnificent and it's a joy to play with the natives.
The Heart of a Savior
May 12
Morning
Emma woke the next morning with a mild headache. Groaning, she rolled over to grab her phone off the nightstand wondering if she had any additional messages from Ruby. Nothing since last night.
True to her word, Ruby's text had hit her phone about an hour after she and Henry had left the diner the previous evening. They had found Regina and she was safe. Ruby also assured her she would stay with them, making sure they got home safely. Emma had wanted to ask Ruby more, but didn't think she would be willing to tell Emma anything or even if there was anything to tell. So she simply responded with a "thank you".
Emma was torn. She kept rolling the words Regina had said over and over in her head, the words about not remembering Marian being in her dungeon. Emma was concerned she and Hook had affected more in the timeline than she realized. She needed to talk through what had happened and there were only two people who understood the ramifications of tampering with time: Mr. Gold and Regina. She didn't want to go to Gold unless she was absolutely left with no choice. Staying in bed seemed preferable to doing what she knew she had to attempt this morning. She briefly considered talking to Henry first, to ask him to intervene for her with Regina, but that seemed the coward's way out and put Henry in too much of an awkward position.
She groaned at the inevitable, as she pushed herself out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. After waking up with a cold shower, she got dressed in her skinny jeans, boots and tank top. She grabbed a light jacket and headed out the door to the sheriff's station where Graham was already neck deep in paperwork.
He saw her walk in and mumbled good morning as she grabbed a cup of coffee and flopped down into her chair.
"How is she, Graham?" Emma didn't question Graham would know who she meant as Ruby would've told him everything. Her desire to know Regina's condition was coupled with a tinge of trepidation.
Graham didn't respond at first. Instead, he raised his head, conflicting emotions playing across his normally passive face. "To be honest, I don't know. Last night, Ruby texted me that they were at the dock, so I drove over and picked them all up. We dropped Regina and Henry back off at Regina's car, then Ruby and I followed them home and made sure they were safely inside. Regina didn't say much, she just stayed close to Henry."
"So…you haven't checked on her this morning?" She watched him carefully as she drained about half the cup.
Graham leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen on the armrest. "No, but I'm sure Ruby has. I would have been sleeping alone if Henry hadn't been there. Ruby didn't want to leave Regina. But... a very determined Henry said he would take very good care of her."
"Graham, I need to talk to her, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I don't want to ruin what we've managed to build over these last few weeks. But I can't fix this. I can beg her forgiveness and hope that one day, she can. I don't want her to slip back into her old ways because of what I did."
Graham leaned forward putting both elbows on his desk. Although his eyes blazed, his face was otherwise devoid of all emotion. "You give yourself way too much credit, Miss Swan. She's not who she was nor does she want to be. Unlike any other time in her life, she has the support of people who care about her and we won't allow this to set her back. If she wants to speak to you, she will. Apologize, let her know she can come to you, that you'll do whatever you can to help, then back off. Give her time, Emma. That's the best advice I can give you." Graham settled back in his seat having said his piece.
"Thanks. I don't know... after last night, I'm not so sure Regina's the one I need to worry about. Ruby and Henry were pretty upset too."
"Actually, Ruby may be angrier at you than Regina, but she also knows you didn't do what you did to intentionally hurt her." Graham must have seen the questioning look in her eyes. "Yes, Ruby said that to me."
"I do appreciate your honesty, Graham." Emma sighed and rubbed her eyes, her headache bearing down in full force. She reached into her desk, pulled out some aspirin, popped them into her mouth then chased them down with what was left of her coffee.
Graham had bent down over his desk studying a series of reports. She picked one up and tried to read it, all the while fighting the pounding in her head. "What are you going over here, anything I can help with?"
Widely sweeping both hands over the span of paper before him, he leaned back again. "These are all reports from various people all over town reporting strange happenings. Temperature drops, dogs running wild, barking at shadows, feelings of being watched. I don't know...It's Storybrooke, so it's hard to know how to classify 'a feeling'. " He finished off the last two words in air quotes.
He paused, appearing uncertain as to whether he wanted to say more, but his apparent desire for her input outweighed his hesitation. "It may not be anything, but Ruby felt something last night too. She asked me to be on the lookout for anything strange. I didn't see anything, but I trust she felt something. Regina and Henry didn't mention anything, so I don't know that they had a similar experience."
Emma laid the report she was holding back down in front of him. "Hook and I felt something weird when we were talking outside the diner. It was just after Ruby and Henry went to track down Regina, so…probably not long before Ruby felt something at the docks?"
She spoke the last as if asking a question, attempting to put a timeline to the occurrences.
"What did it feel like?" Graham asked.
Emma concentrated, digging at the memory. "The first time, was like a cold wind just swept over us. Not even a minute later, the temperature dropped so fast I shivered and... I felt… I felt fear. Almost like something walked over my grave. I hadn't thought about it again until now."
"Yes, that fits the general description from most of these. Others reported dogs incessant barking, while a few heard wolves baying. I have a report from Little John, one of Robin's band, that the woods went silent, but something was moving through the forest. Something that left all the foliage dead in its wake. I went out there earlier this morning and sure enough, it was like the forest in winter, only it stopped suddenly like whatever was causing it disappeared."
"Well, first thing I would normally consider is asking Regina what her thoughts on the matter are, but I suppose that's out of the question, so I guess we should talk to Gold." Emma didn't want to go to Gold, but if this was something relating to the realm of magic, she didn't have much choice.
"Actually, talking to Gold or maybe Blue is a good idea, but let's put that on hold for the moment. We'll talk to Regina first. I think having something else to occupy her mind would be very helpful. I'll text Ruby to meet us at the manor. She'll be of help tracking whatever might having been traipsing through the forest. Anything to see if we can get a handle on this. Come on, I've forwarded the station calls to my cell phone so let's go." Graham opened his desk to get his gun, then stood and moved to the door.
Emma never moved, frozen with indecision, despite wanting to mend her damaged relationship with Regina. "I don't think I should go with you. Regina's not going to be very receptive to helping us if I'm there."
Graham stopped and turned back to her. His demeanor did nothing to disguise his apparent aggravation. "You are something else, Swan. A minute ago, you were begging to know how she was doing and wanting to make amends. Well, allow me to point out that this is the perfect opening you need to apologize. You'll both be working toward a common goal and that is to protect Storybrooke from…whatever might be going on. She loves this town and you two have proven you can work together...and very well I might add."
Emma knew she had to swallow her pride and take the option Graham was presenting her. "Ok... how 'bout you and Ruby pick up Regina and I meet you at the camp."
"No...how 'bout you get your ass out of that chair and into my cruiser? No need putting it off, it won't get easier."
"You're a prick, sheriff."
"And you're an idiot." Graham pointed at the door, his accent getting stronger as his temper appeared shorter. "Shall we go?"
"Fine." Emma grudgingly stood up, retrieved her gun, then proceeded out the door to the waiting cruiser. She would cling to the assurances that Hook and now Graham had given her, hoping Regina would allow her to somehow rectify the devastating reality that Emma's act of misguided heroism had made of Regina's life.
Regina hadn't slept well. As a result, she was awake and dressed with a pot of coffee already brewing when she heard the anticipated knock. She made her way to the door and opened it to find her expected guest.
"Somehow, I just knew I'd find you on my porch this morning. It doesn't do to be that predictable, Miss Lucas." Regina thoroughly enjoyed teasing her friend.
"So, you've already got the coffee in my cup fixed just like I like it then?" Ruby shot back with a wolfish grin.
"Not quite, it's still brewing." Regina pulled back to allow Ruby entrance and they made their way to the kitchen where Regina started fixing omelets for breakfast.
"I guess the little man is still sleeping?"
"I just came down from waking him. I decided he could be a little late for school this morning as I kept him up last night. It was selfish of me, but I couldn't help it and I don't think he would've listened if I told him to go to bed anyway." Regina smiled at the thought of Henry wanting to stay up with her.
Henry had taken her mind off her heartache as he regaled her with more stories of his time in New York. As she listened, she devised ways to give him some of the same experiences in Storybrooke that he enjoyed in New York as she lived his year vicariously through him.
In all his young life, Regina had never felt as close to Henry as now. His faith and love soothed the damage her heart suffered at the appearance of Robin's supposedly dead wife. Sighing, she chastised herself for dwelling on the matter when there was nothing she could do. But that thought led her to one that left her more bothered. One that she was going to have to address. Emma.
She knew Emma. Despite wanting to strangle the woman, she understood Emma's heart was in the right place even if her head wasn't.
Ruby must have sensed her troubled thoughts. She disrupted Regina's musings as only someone who had a great deal of practice doing just that could accomplish.
"So... I'm not going to ask how you're doing, but I will ask what you have planned to do today and is there anything I can do to help?" Ruby seemed to know what to say without upsetting Regina. She knew when to push and when to back off. The ever observant younger woman asked this question in a way that did a little of both while giving Regina space to answer as she needed.
"You think you know me so well." Regina laughed with more ease than she would have thought possible given her mood. But then, Ruby always found a way to lighten the former queen's mood, even back in the Enchanted Forest.
The depth of their friendship and magically induced connection was still secret from those who would be hurt by the information. At the top of that list was Snow White. Given her penchant for telling secrets, what Snow didn't know wouldn't hurt anyone.
"Well, dear, I was going to drop Henry at school then head to the office to dig through those endless piles of paperwork. There's one particular project that piques my interest. The school board has asked for money to buy equipment for a new science lab and I'm trying to find some funds for it. And before you ask, it was Henry's idea to go, even though he's missed the entire school year here. I think he wants to see his friends and I don't mind. It will be good for him as he settles back here."
She finished Ruby's omelet, flipped it onto a plate and slid it across the bar. It stopped right in front of Ruby as she picked up her fork. Regina was an excellent cook and she had perfected those skills over the years, using Ruby as her primary taste tester. The ease of their normal routine released some of the tension she felt.
"Ah, so you're preparing the next generation of magic users in the proper art of cooking up potions?" Ruby giggled as she cut up her omelet.
"Of course not, Little Wolf. I'm not about to teach classes and I'm the only one certified to teach potion making in this town, thank you very much... well, other than Gold. I guess he could instruct our young, impressionable minds on that particular subject." Regina raised her eyebrow at her friend with a knowing smile.
"Umm, no, I don't think so. From what you've said, his teaching methods are rather antiquated and direct to say the least." Ruby's nose turned up as she spoke, eliciting a full bodied laugh from her friend.
Regina had just started her own omelet when she heard the commotion upstairs. Henry was awake and would be down shortly. She grabbed another skillet to start the bacon for him while getting the orange juice from the refrigerator. With her omelet finished, she put it to the side on a warming plate and proceeded to finish Henry's omelet and toast as he bounced into the kitchen.
"Hi Ruby! Morning Mom!" Henry hugged her, surprising Regina with a light kiss on the cheek before he took his seat across from Ruby. "Wow, these smell great."
"Well you're in a good mood, dear. Hungry?" She was happy with his greeting and didn't try to hide it.
"Starved." She put the plate and juice glass down in front of him, then smiled even wider as he attacked his breakfast. She had really missed him.
They had barely finished eating when the doorbell rang and Ruby offered to go answer it. Henry jumped in to help Regina clean the kitchen and between them, they cleared it in no time. Wondering what had happened to Ruby, Regina sent Henry upstairs to get his backpack so they could leave.
Ruby was standing in the door, protectively holding it shut against whoever was on the other side. She knew Ruby was aware of her presence when the woman stiffened up, muttered something, then slammed the door. Turning to Regina, she leaned back against the door and let out the breath she'd been holding.
"I told them to wait there until I had a chance to talk to you." Ruby didn't seem nervous, more annoyed as she crossed her arms.
"Well who is it, dear?"
"Graham and Emma. They want to discuss some strange things several of the townspeople experienced last night." Ruby bit her lower lip, a sure sign she was worried about Regina's response.
"Any other reason?" Regina was proud her voice stayed even.
"Well, Emma might have mentioned she wanted to apologize… again. She says she wants to try and make it up to you. I have no clue how she thinks she can, but that's what she said."
"Then by all means, let them in."
As expected, she felt Ruby reach out through their connection. Apparently satisfied with Regina's mood, she allowed the sheriff and his deputy entrance into the manor.
"You have five minutes. I have a busy morning and I'm already running late." Regina wasted no time with pleasantries, although the statement was directed at Emma not Graham. She would've given him all the time he needed.
Graham opened his mouth then closed it again as Emma cleared her throat.
"Speak!" No one disobeyed Regina when she used that tone.
Graham immediately repeated what he had told Emma earlier. After he was done, Ruby added her own experience while at the dock.
"You felt this last night and didn't tell me?" Regina was hurt her friend wouldn't confide something so important. Her stomach tightened as Ruby's sheepish look caught and held her gaze.
"You had enough going on and I didn't want to add to it considering I wasn't sure there was anything to be concerned about. I only found out about the other incidences when I compared notes with Graham after we dropped you off. You know I would never keep anything from you." Ruby reached out and squeezed the former queen's hand.
Regina relaxed. She wordlessly conveyed her understanding to Ruby before she released her hand and turned back to address the group.
"Is there anything you left out? It doesn't matter how small."
"Nothing. We want to investigate further and would like for you to come with us. If you prefer, you can teleport to Ruby once we're away from the camp. I don't want to pressure you, Regina, but your insight would be invaluable if there's any magic afoot," Graham said.
Regina stood lost in thought after he finished, well past the five minute time limit. She appreciated Graham's thoughtfulness as he knew being in Robin's camp would make her uncomfortable. By asking her to come at all, she understood how badly he needed her help.
"Alright, you've convinced me. I will meet you outside the camp after I drop Henry off. If you would see yourselves out?" She turned to head upstairs and see what was keeping her son.
"Wait, Regina, please. I…can I speak to you…alone? I promise I won't keep you long." Regina looked back at the deputy. Emma's sincerity was hard to fake, so Regina nodded and pointed to her study.
Regina silently followed Emma into her study and closed the door before turning to face her. The tension in the air was palpable. Regina sighed, not wanting to drag this conversation out any longer than necessary. "You wanted to say something to me?"
"Regina, I don't know anything to say other than I'm sorry and if I can do anything to help you, I really, really want you to let me." Emma maintained eye contact with Regina. As she held her gaze, Regina could tell the deputy was genuinely remorseful. The Evil Queen would have made Emma suffer for what she had done in the most egregious ways, but Regina was no longer that person. If she was ever going to lay the Evil Queen to rest, Regina had to let this mistake go. But she did have a price, one to which she knew Emma would ultimately agree.
"There is one thing you can do. If you are sincere in your intent to make amends, then you won't fight me on this."
Emma didn't hesitate. "What do you need me to do?"
"It's simple, Miss Swan. You will permit Henry to stay with me for as long as he wants, whenever he wants with no disagreement or discussion. Also, you will not allow your parents to make any decision that will alter or interfere with this arrangement. In case you've forgotten, the only reason I've allowed you to have Henry at all was because I was attempting to regain his trust... on his terms. Need I remind you, he is still legally my son and all parental rights to him are mine. Despite the belief that the people in this town thinks he belongs to you because you're their savior, you and I both know that isn't true. Now... you're going to allow me to prove I am his mother and that I love him, to Henry, to everyone. That's my price."
Regina had thought of this idea during the sleepless hours before dawn as she realized her heart wasn't hurting as much because her beloved son was sleeping in the next room. She felt justified with this demand, but only as long as Henry was okay with it. She wouldn't jeopardize her new found relationship with her son by demanding he stay if that wasn't what he felt comfortable doing.
Now that she had the deputy's attention, she softened her tone. "I don't want Henry to feel pressured. This is all up to him. You don't have to encourage him to do so, Miss Swan, I simply want no dissension from you or your parents if he chooses to spend time with me and wants to stay with me. Do you understand?"
Regina patiently waited for Emma's response, allowing nothing to show on her face as she watched the conflict playing across the woman's features.
Emma nodded, breathing deeply before responding. "I can do that. Is there anything else I can do?"
Regina studied her rival and realized Emma was remorseful about the pain she caused. She felt the tension in her shoulders and chest begin to ease. "Emma, I know you didn't do what you did out of any malicious intent to hurt me. But make no mistake, your actions have cost me dearly, just as your mother's did. I will put aside our differences while we figure out if we have a problem, for the good of Storybrooke. We need to learn what the repercussions are from your little journey and if these anomalies are related."
"Regina…" Emma obviously thought about what she was about to say. "Yeah, you're right. I should never have brought her back. Thank you, for giving me a chance...and thank you for helping us."
"And Emma?" Regina said as she walked over to the door. "This isn't over, not by a long shot, but we've come too far and I'm not willing to screw up the progress we've made because you're an idealistic know-it-all with a hero complex."
Emma said nothing as Regina opened the door motioning for Emma to precede her. Regina followed her back to the entryway where Henry had joined Ruby and Graham.
The youngster appeared anxious as he looked first at Emma and then his mother.
"Everything okay?"
Regina could hear the apprehension in his voice.
"Yes, Henry. Emma and I were just discussing letting you stay here awhile, if that's okay with you." She had difficulty keeping the hope out of her voice.
Henry smiled brightly. She could tell he was relieved as his entire frame relaxed. "Mom... that would be awesome! So when can I move back in?"
Regina was flabbergasted. Shooting a quick look at Emma who seemed to be equally speechless, she looked back at her son.
"You want to move back in? Like to stay? Here?" Regina couldn't let herself believe what her ears heard, but his next statement removed her doubt.
"Yeah, Mom, is that okay?"
Regina reached out, taking his head in both hands. "Of course you can move back in, this is your home. It has always been your home."
Henry leaped into her arms and hugged her tightly. She kissed his forehead as she returned his embrace, happier than she had been since Emma Swan's first appearance in Storybrooke. The pain of the previous evening dissolved as she held her son, the only true love in her life that mattered.
{End of chapter}