Firstly, I'm so sorry I didn't update for a while. I've been busy :/ I hope this chapter can make up for it. However, I wanted to upload this as fast as I could for you so I haven't had time to read through it yet, so if there are any mistakes, please ignore them and I will fix them at some point soon. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
Regina didn't really know what to expect as she made her way back to Mifflin street to collect her car. She didn't know how Cora had managed not only to cross realms, but resurrect her self as well. However, she knew what ever it was Cora wanted, she probably didn't have Regina's best interests at heart.
When Regina got back to Mifflin Street she sat in the front of the car and stopped for a moment to decide what to do about her mothers sudden appearance. If she went in guns blazing, there was a chance it would backfire and she or someone else would end up getting hurt, which could conclude in the townspeople thinking that she had something to do with it and isolating her again. After five minutes Regina came to the conclusion that it would be best to be civil towards her mother and try and find out what she was doing before she had a chance to cause any damage to either her daughter or anyone else in Storybrooke.
Whilst on the way to the corner of the wood she knew bared the well, the brunette wondered about how she would protect snow from Cora who would obviously want revenge for murdering her. She knew protecting Snow was key to retain her relationship with Emma, and there was no way she was going to let her mother take Emma away from her. She guessed she would have to cross that bridge as she came across it. For now all she cared about was finding out why Cora was here and what she had planned.
Upon entering the woods Regina instantly felt uneasy; she could feel the presence of dark magic.
"Mother?" She called out, conjuring a fire ball not only for safety, should Cora try anything. But for warmth as she felt an icy chill wash over her. "Mother?"
"Regina? Is that you?" The mayor jumped and brought the fireball closer to her. "Yes. It- it's me, where are you?"
"Well darling, I'm right here." Regina watched as a trail of black smoke made its way out of the well and evaporated in front of her. As the smoke cleared, it revealed Cora exactly how Regina remembered her. She was even wearing the same clothes as the day she died, it was like no time had passed. She allowed her fireball to disappear.
"You're alive? But, but how?" Regina tried to put the non-existent pieces together in he head. "There's no way.."
"Oh Regina" Cora smiled "you can do anything with magic, you just have to know how." She reached out and took one of her daughter's hands in her own. "And you have to be willing to make a sacrifice, you know that"
Images of her father flashed through her mind. "Thankyou mother, I wish to not be reminded of that time in my life. See, with out you, everything has been so much easier to...control" She quickly praised herself for bringing the cuff that was used on her by one Greg Mendell, and snapped it onto her mothers wrist.
She allowed her eyes to meet Cora's and smirked as the older woman tried to remove the black cuff by herself. "Oh there's no use trying that, it doesn't work, trust me."
"Oh come now Regina, what have I done to deserve this?" Cora eyed her daughter, still trying to remove the cuff. Regina scoffed. "I would count the many deeds you have done against me, but I'm afraid I don't have enough fingers."
"I've told you before, I'm sorry I made you marry-"
"Another time I'm still trying to forget, come now mother, I have a fully prepared breakfast to get back to, the croissants shall be cold by now." She flicked her wrist and Cora became bound to her by a translucent glowing rope.
"You have a breakfast to get back to? Cora asked, trying to keep up with Regina whist struggling to navigate her way over the root covered forest floor. "With who?"
"The Charming's" Regina smiled, allowing herself picture Emma's face if she could see Cora right now.
"Them? With her?" Her words held pure hatred.
"Yes and you'll be even happier to know that I'm dating her." They reached the edge of the woods where Regina's car was waiting.
"You're dating..wait are we talking about the same people here?" Cora scrunched her face up as Regina pushed her into the passenger seat and re-cast the binding rope to attach itself to the inside car door handle. "I'm talking about that scheming Snow White, who were you talking about?"
Regina slammed the door and walked to the drivers side of her car trying to figure out how to speak to her mother about this. She raised her eyebrows "oh this is awkward..."
"Go on.." Cora prompted as Regina started the engine.
"I'm with Emma." She spoke as quickly as possible, narrowing her eyes and bracing for a shitstorm.
"The saviour? You are dating the saviour? Regina, are you a- a lesbian?"
"I thought the words 'I'm dating her' made that pretty clear. I love her Mother." She glanced sideways before turning her gaze back to the road.
"You love her" a twisted plan clicked into place in her head. "Okay."
Regina looked side ways again. "Okay? You killed Daniel because he wasn't royalty, but this, this you are okay with?"
"Road Regina." Cora pointed, Regina huffed and looked back at the road. "I'm sure I'll get used to it. The main reason I came back is you, I saw how happy you were just before that wretched woman took my life, and I want to see you happy again. If the saviour makes you happy, then I guess I'm happy."
"Okay..but don't think this means I trust you. You will spend the night at the sheriff station, while I figure out how to handle this."
"Whatever it takes for you to trust me again." Cora smiled, out of Regina's view.
As they pulled up to the sheriff's station, Regina linked Cora back to herself and locked the car.
"Welcome home" Regina announced as she walked her mother into the cage, bound her to the bed and locked the door. "Eat up" she waved her hand and a bowl of breakfast cereal appeared on the bed. "I'll be back in a few hours"
Cora exhaled as she watched Regina leave. "Thankyou sweetheart" her face contorted into a twisted grin.
"Regina!" Before the brunette had a chance to close the door, Emma had her arms wrapped around her. "How did it go? Where was she? What happened? How did it go?"
"Woah, slow down 'twenty questions', it went surprisingly okay..actually. She doesn't seem to be here to hurt anyone" she moved to point at Mary Margret, who shrank away into the kitchen "However she does have a personal vendetta against you" Emma sighed.
"Anything else?"
"Erm well actually..she knows about us" Regina cringed away from the look on Emma's face.
"She knows, what happened? 'Oh hey mom I hope you aren't here to kill everyone but just so you know, I'm gay and I'm dating the daughter of the woman who killed you' seriously, you don't think she will find a way to use this against you?"
"Actually, she seemed pretty okay with it...she said she was happy that I am happy" Regina sat down at the table.
"I don't buy it" Emma took a croissant from the table and took a bite before taking the seat next to Regina.
"So?" David appeared from the kitchen.
"So?" Regina asked through a mouth full of waffle.
"Where is she?" David pressed, folding his arms over his chest.
"I let her go, she's probably at Granny's right now with a kale salad and root beer" Regina rolled her eyes at the expression on Mary Margret's face. "She's at the sheriff's station in the cage, I am not an invalid."
Mary Margret breathed a sigh of relief. "So what are we going to do with her"
"That, I haven't decided yet" Regina held Emma's hand under the table. "Emma, why don't we go and see how she enjoyed her breakfast" she winked at the younger woman.
"Sure, I'd love to go and explore her intentions" she squeezed Regina's hand before letting go and standing up. "We'll be back in about half an hour"
"An hour" Regina corrected causing Emma's eyes to widen.
"Okay" Mary Margret and David smirked.
The two women got in Regina's car and headed in the opposite direction to the sheriff's station, back to Mifflin Street.