Three weeks had gone by and Regina still hadn't heard from Sydney. She tried showing up at his place of residence only to find out that he had moved to an undisclosed location a little over a year ago. She tried tracing the phone number, only to find it blocked and now, disconnected.
She didn't know what else to do, she didn't have the authority to unseal the adoption records, or the authority to make some calls to the old adoption facility on behalf of the kid she gave up willingly. She felt hopeless and so alone.
"Hey my queen, I came to drop you off some lunch on my way to pick up grumpy for disorderly conduct, again." Emma sighs walking into Regina's office.
"Thanks, just set it down on the desk. I'm not really hungry and I had a ton of work to do." Regina says with a wave.
"You haven't been eating a lot lately, what's on your mind?"
"Just the usual work stuff, nothing to be worried about my dear, I just can't wrap my head around a certain situation."
"Nothing like a fresh pair of eyes to help if I can." Emma said with her beautiful smile manifesting against her pale skin.
"That's sweet, but no, this is something I need to figure out myself, I just wish I had another lead."
"I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for soon, anytime you put your all into something, you achieve success."
"Not every time, as you well know. I think this is one of those times. I screwed up, I mean, something is screwed up in this paperwork, and I don't think it can be fixed."
"You're going to find whatever it is soon, a loop hole of some sort. You're pretty good at finding those, if I recall. But you need to eat something, please. Granny made you a special lunch. Just have a few bites."
Regina opens the bag to find a bowl of beef casserole, her favorite. She removes the lid and takes a bite. And then another. And another. She didn't realize how hungry she was. She really hadn't thought about anything other than getting her daughter back safe and sound for the past few weeks.
"Yup, granny said that you'd eat that, even if you'd eat nothing else." Emma laughs.
"Well granny sure does know what she's doing in the kitchen. This is delicious. Tell granny I said thank you and that I'll stop by tomorrow to thank her myself." Regina says between bites.
"Okay, will do. I'm sorry love, got to run. I'm not sure what grumpy is doing right now, but his neighbors say he was causing a lot of ruckus. I love you. I'm really glad you've finally eaten something. I'll see you at home tonight." Emma says walking out the door.
"I love you too. Be careful!" Regina calls after her.
She finishes her bowl of casserole and minutes later she's back to work. "There's got to be something I'm not seeing" she whispers to herself, typing heavily against the keys.
She sorts through every online legal document she still had possession of from the adoption, cursing herself with every dead end. Just as she was about to close her laptop she notices an email time stamped ten minutes prior.
-Two weeks until she's eighteen. Now if you would be a good queen and meet me at the old toll bridge, I have an old fashioned bartar for you. Don't try to trace this. It's set to erase itself ten minutes after you've opened it. Do not alert anyone. Meet me there at 5pm. Don't try anything or you'll never see your daughter again.-
Regina reads it twice and slams her laptop shut. She was furious that he held all the cards. Furious that she couldn't say a damn word about this to Emma. Furious that it was only 2 o'clock and she still had 3 hours until she could convince Glass that she was worthy of redemption. This was a start. She was more than willing to give Sydney what she knew he really wanted; Money. More than anything Sydney loved his money.
4 o'clock rolled around and she was already in her car driving to the toll bridge. As soon as she got there she sent a text to Emma saying that she had to work late and not to wait up. She didn't know how long this would take. But she wasn't taking a chance of her wife asking her anymore questions causing her to tell many more lies.
5 o'clock rolls around. 6 o'clock rolls around. . When 7 gets there, she curses herself for falling for Sydney's petulant games. She starts up her car and just as she put the car in drive, Sydney appeared out of the shadow.
"Leaving so soon, Regina?"
"Of course not Sydney, just getting some heat. It was starting to get a bit chilly." She said with a smile.
"I'm glad to see when I have something you want, your whole tone changes." Sydney says laughing.
"You're right Sydney. I'm sorry about the other week, I was wrong, it's just 'our' daughter needs to know that her mother isn't dead. And I'm willing to give you anything you want in exchange. You said something of a bartar." Regina says feigning niceness through the acidic contents in her stomach threatening to come up.
"Yes, the bartar. It's simple. You want Jas to know you're alive? You want Jas to know your name, your address, and meet your lovely family? You want all this yes?"
"More then anything in the world. I have money. You know I have money. I'm willing to give you every last penny in me and Emma's life savings. It's all yours."
"You really think I'm going to sell our daughter to you for money? You really think that I want your money at all? No. What I want is my dignity back. You took my dignity the day you saved the town and made me look like I was a villain."
"Okay, what are you saying exactly Sydney. You want me to help you get your dignity back?"
"Not help, you will get me my dignity back. These last two years have been shit. I can't even go to the grocery store without people thinking that I was rumplestiltskins main man."
Regina's mind inadvertently flashed back to the days leading up to the dark ones demise.
Rumplestiltskin had located malificents hide out. She had decided to use Ursula's old aquarium at the edge of the town. He could hear raised voices as he walked up to the back of the house. "Ah, so this is where Ursula had been since she found her voice. It'll give me no greater pleasure than to take her aquatic power, and rip her throat out forcefully." He says to himself smiling. He snaps his fingers and the door silently unlocks. Opening the door, he quietly sneaks in. He tip toes through the hallway, towards the kitchen. Making his way to the kitchen he instantly halts when he hears not three, but four sets of laughter.
"Oh cruella dear, you always did know how to tell a story." Regina says through her laughter.
"Yes, and I still can't believe she's single." Malificent says also laughing.
"Well, when it all boils down to it, nothing is more important than my furs and pearls." Cruella says pointing at her chest and twirling around.
"Girl, you know you want love, you're just scared to admit it." Ursula states laughing.
"Love is overrated my darling. I'm entirely to needy." Cruella says, blushing.
"I don't think that being needy is such a bad thing, as long as it's completely reciprocated." Malificent says, also blushing.
"I think all four of us deserve love." Ursula says standing.
"After what I put Daniel through, I don't think I want nor deserve any kind of love." Regina confesses.
"I definitely don't deserve love after what I let happen to Lily. But I do adore watching other people fall in love." Malificent admits.
"And I've done to many unspeakable things to even fathom falling in love. I've come to the realization that love wasn't meant to be in the cards for me." Cruella revealed.
"That's where all three of you are wrong. I have something to confess, something that will make you gals reconsider your views on love, but only if you guys promise to give up yours guilt about lost loved ones and reprisal on Snow White." Ursula warns, nodding her head towards Regina and Malificent.
"What are you going on about Urse, my dear?" Cruella asks, eyes focused on the book in the sea witches hand.
"Get ready to meet the author, get ready for your happy endings." She says opening the book to a page bearing a door.
"The author lives in there? Like literally?" Regina asked shock registering on her face.
"Yes, and as an extra apology, hook gave me this key."
"So, when exactly did you plan on mentioning this to us?" Cruella asked, with a slight attitude.
"When I was certain that you guys were ready to put revenge to rest and focus on finding happiness yourselves." Ursula says in her soothing voice. "Plus, I had to make sure that he was the real deal, and he is."
"Why is he willing to help us?" Malificent asked.
"Because he is also on the road to redemption. He is sure that after he grants us our happy endings, he will be free from writing another word ever again."
"And your sure that we deserve love?" Cruella inquires.
"As sure as I am about anything. So are y'all ready?"
They all nod as Ursula turns the key inside the lock. A blinding fluorescent white light immediately consumes the room. Just as they caught the glimpse of the scrawny old man, the room fills with black smoke and they are whisked away into darkness.
"I see that you do understand the importance of what I am saying to you, it's registered on your face Regina."
"Of course I do Sydney, just tell me how I can help." She asked, pulling her thoughts back to the present.
"For starters, I want you to leave your wife."