Chapter 4

This should be the last chapter of skipping, and after this I'll probably depart from canon altogether.

Regina stared down at the illustration, brow furrowed, odd, unidentifiable emotions welling inside her. Her eyes skimmed over the story that accompanied the picture and she felt a pang of sorrow. This couldn't possibly how her son saw her, could it? What had she done, what had gone horribly wrong in their relationship for Henry to see her as the Evil Queen? At the very least it explained why he had never discussed his fairy tale theory with her. Apparently eager for more punishment, she slowly flipped through the rest of the book, her mood sinking lower with each mention of this awful character. When she flipped the final page she looked down and realized that the last three pages were missing. Had Henry torn them out?

"Henry?" Regina called out a few minutes later. Rather than waiting for a response she entered his room to see him fixing the buttons on his shirt in the mirror. He met her eyes in the reflection. "Why are there pages missing from your book?"

"It's an old book. Stuff's missing. What do you care?"

"Henry," Regina reached out and grabbed Henry's arm. Not roughly, but could feel an internal struggle not to squeeze as tight as her muscles would allow and it scared her. "I know those pages were torn out, and recently. Did you tear them out? Is there something in them you're trying to hide?"

Henry rolled his eyes and wrenched his arm to free it from Regina's grasp. When she didn't let go he looked up at her, eyes wide, and his fear made her release him instantly. They stared at each other for a moment, Regina's mask hiding her inner turmoil, Henry's expression changing from one of alarm to one of anger and hatred. "I'm gonna be late for school," he said. With that he yanked his backpack off the bed and slung it over his shoulder as he ran out the door.

Regina waited, feeling numb, listening to his footsteps thundering down the stairs. When she heard the door slam her knees buckled and she sat there on the floor, in the middle of his room, tracing the raised lettering of the cover of his book. She might have stayed like that forever were it not for a very strange sound bringing her to her senses just minutes after Henry left: the chimes of the old clock tower. She couldn't explain why, but something deep in her gut seemed to twist at the sound, choking the breath from her for a moment.

Emma groaned as she stretched her arms high over her head. She carefully opened her eyes, blinking rapidly in the morning light now filtering through her window. It took her a moment to get her bearings in the unfamiliar, very floral room, but she quickly remembered where she was and why. She also realized what had awoken her: loud pounding on her room door. Eyes narrowed, she slid out from under the covers and crossed the room in a few quick strides. After a quick look through the peephole she rolled her eyes and yanked open the door. She didn't even flinch as a fist very nearly collided with her face. "Good morning, Madam Mayor."

Regina quickly withdrew her hand, though she seemed to do it somewhat reluctantly. "What are you doing here?"

"Um..." Emma looked down at her state of undress, then back up at the mayor - whom Emma couldn't help noticing was once again looking powerful and very much in charge. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

Regina shoved past Emma, banging the door shut behind her, and whirled to face the blonde. She clearly had zero concept of personal space. "Take my advice, Miss Swan: get back in that piece of yellow junk you call a car and leave this town."

"Your breath smells wonderful. Do I detect a hint of orange? What is it with you and citrus, anyway?" Emma said, tilting her head slightly as she smiled, unphased.

Regina blinked. 'Damn I'm good,' Emma thought. "Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan," Regina said, her tone low and menacing. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm taking a vacation in a quaint little seaside town, Madam Mayor. I hope this isn't how you treat all your tourists."

Regina scoffed. "You think I don't see what you're doing? Biding your time here until you can worm your way back into Henry's life?"

Now Emma's humour vanished. "Something made that kid run away, and if no one else in this town is gonna stand up and ask why then I will."

"Any problems Henry has are being taking care of," Regina snapped. At the look on Emma's face she instantly regretted speaking the words, but she wouldn't allow her mask to slip. She would not give this woman the satisfaction of seeing her slip. Again.

"What does that mean?" Emma said, looking shocked.

Regina drew herself up, though she felt more like she was deflating. "It means I have him in therapy."

"He's ten," Emma said flatly.

Regina threw up her hands. "Yes, Miss Swan, he's a ten year old boy who was abandoned at birth, has no father figure, and has trouble making friends. He needs someone to talk to."

"Maybe if his mother wasn't the town tyrant he'd have an easier time making friends."

Once again Emma found herself with zero personal space, but she was no longer face to face with the cool, unflinching mayor. The woman in front of her now was practically pulsing with fury, eyes blazing, breathing heavy. Emma took several steps back out of shock, but Regina mirrored her movements and she quickly ran out of space to retreat. She could feel the moisture of Regina's breath on her cheek.

Regina's mask was gone. She didn't care, couldn't care; all she wanted was to grab Emma by the throat and throw her out of town for good. But as she stood there, blood pounding, terror fuelling her anger and twisting it into pure rage, something clicked: Emma had said his mother. Emma had called Regina Henry's mother. No mention of 'my kid' or 'birth mother' or even 'adoptive parent'. Emma truly saw Regina as Henry's mother. Emma's kinship with Henry was certainly fuelling her decision to stay - of that there was no doubt - but perhaps the woman simply saw herself as trying to protect a child, pure and simple. She quickly stepped back, mask sliding back into place so fast it made Emma dizzy. "I expect you gone by this afternoon, Miss Swan, or I will show what a tyrant really looks like."

Shaken and frustrated, Regina went straight home after her encounter with Emma. She felt completely out of sorts, her emotions flying high, scattering in a thousand different directions. All of the turmoil of the last few days was making Regina feel like a dam had burst inside her and there was no patching it up. She kicked off her heels and raced up the stairs, nearly tripping in her skintight dress, and hastily closed the door. Thankful that Henry wasn't home she burst into tears, moaning and shaking, terrified and confused. Why was this hitting her so hard? She'd always known Henry's birth mother was out there somewhere. She'd always known he might be curious, might try to seek her out. And she'd always reassured herself that the law was on her side and no out would ever take Henry away. So then why was she being so thoroughly broken down by this woman, like a sugar cube in hot coffee? Regina could feel a deep ache inside of her, a deep need to make this woman GO AWAY.

Suddenly the phone rang and she jumped, banging her elbow painfully against the bedpost. Hissing in pain, she made her way over to the phone and, taking a moment to compose herself, answered it, "Mayor Mills."

"Regina, it's Graham."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. "Graham...I told you not to call me here."

"I know, but I thought you'd wanna know that Henry just left with that blonde woman. Is that something we should be worrying about?"

"We don't need to worry about anything, Graham. She's leaving town." Regina hung up without waiting for a reply. She stared at the phone for a minute, mind racing, trying to calm herself. A few minutes later she was dialing the phone without even having made a conscious decision.

"Dr. Hopper," a voice answered.

"Hello, Doctor. This is Mayor Mills," she said, feeling oddly detached.

"Ah, hello Madam Mayor. How's Henry?"

"Fine. Listen, I need you to do me a favour."

"O-of course." He failed to hide his surprise.

"Miss Swan is going to be visiting your office at some point today. I want you to give her Henry's file." Regina searched her memory and realized that this was in fact a very real possibility. The fact that this plan had come to her so quickly, so naturally, was unnerving.

"You want...but Madam Mayor, those files are confidential."

"I am Henry's mother, Doctor. His legal guardian, and I want you to give his file to Miss Swan. Am I making myself clear?"

"Y-yes."

"Good. One more thing, doctor..."

Regina stared down at the contents of her glass, nearly drained. She could practically see Emma Swan's face in the amber liquid, face framed by bars. She felt hot guilt twisting her gut. Had she really strong-armed Dr. Hopper into framing an innocent woman? Granted, the Storybrooke jail was hardly the worst place to spend a night. Hell, it probably wasn't even the worst place in town to spend a night. Still, she was innocent. Not only of stealing, but even of coming into Storybrooke. It had been Henry who brought her here. Regina could understand her fear, her fear of losing Henry, something she had lived with since the first day she held him in her arms. But why was she so angry? Why was she filled with such hatred towards this woman she didn't even know? She was rough around the edges - the woman answered the door in her underwear for god's sake - but that hardly warranted Regina's hatred. It was Miss Blanchard all over again, but this time Regina suspected it would be much more difficult to avoid the target of her rage.

Regina glanced at the phone, fingernails drumming against her glass. Perhaps she had acted too rashly. Perhaps a bit of rational action would put things right, maybe ease the tension so Regina could finally relax. But just as she reached out to pick up the phone, she heard a noise outside. She sprang to her feet, looking down from her window, and the sight in her yard made her blood boil.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina screamed, racing across the lawn as fast as her dress and heels would allow. She was breathing heavily, eyes wide, unable to believe what she was seeing. Was this woman seriously on her lawn with a chainsaw?

"Picking apples," Emma said, flashing a cocky grin.

"You're out of your mind!" Regina yelled, incredulous.

"No, you are. You think some shoddy frame job is gonna send me skittering outta town with my tail between my legs? Think again." Emma tossed the chainsaw down at the base of the tree.

"There is nothing here for you, Miss Swan. Why don't you just do us both a favour and leave?" It was meant to sound threatening but Regina found her tone transforming into one of genuine curiosity. Why was she so determined to stick around?

"Gee, I dunno, maybe because some crazy woman is so determined to throw me out of town that she sent me to jail. What exactly are you hiding around here, Madam Mayor?"

This is my happy ending.

Regina gave her head a sharp shake, eyes squeezed shut. She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, trying to ease the sudden twinge of pain. "I don't care what your intentions are with Henry." She dropped her hand to meet Emma's gaze again. "You not only gave up your right to be his mother, you gave up your right to be in his life. Period. He is my son and I will not have you hanging around her confusing him. If the threat of a criminal record isn't enough to convince you, fine. I'll file a restraining order. It's up to you, Miss Swan. Of your own free will or by force, you will leave this town."

"You're-"

"No!" Regina cut her off, closing the gap between them. "No, Miss Swan. Clearly I haven't made my point yet so let me clarify it for you: come between me and my son, and I swear to the Gods I will kill you." With that she turned and went back inside, not even bothering to see whether or not Emma was leaving.

"The Gods?" Emma muttered, grabbing the chainsaw before making her way out of the garden.