A/N: I am very sorry for the long wait between updates and I thank you all for your patience! I'd like to mention that in the last chapter, I wrote that Cora's name had a curse attached to it (kind of like Voldemort's). That was silly and had the potential to be confusing, so please disregard it. Now, please enjoy this new chapter!
"Henry! Henry, sweetie, please, talk to me." Regina leaned over her son, shaking his shoulders wildly. Normally, her first instinct would have been to use magic, but she had long since given up on that dream. She would have to wake up her son a more natural way. "Henry, please wake up. You're everything to me." Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears so that she could barely see through the watery mess. When it looked as though Henry wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, Regina gently picked him up and laid him across the bed. She laid next to him, looking over him and pushing his hair away from his forehead. He wasn't dead. He didn't have any injuries from what she could tell. He looked completely unharmed. That was a start, wasn't it?
Not far away, Cora stared jealously into a mirror that depicted her daughter coddling that foolish son of hers. "My daughter will never love me the way she loves that boy." She growled, her words laced with envy. Zelena stood slightly behind her, a glass of wine in her hand that matched Cora's.
"I wish I could have killed the boy, or at least, hurt him a little during the capture." Zelena complained. "For what it's worth, Mother, I think Regina is a fool for not appreciating all you've done for her." Her hungry eyes never left Cora as she spoke.
"I told you never to call me that!" Cora snapped, tearing her eyes away from the scene to glare at her other daughter. "Regina must never find out that she is, regrettably, related to you."
"Of course," Despite wanting to shout back, Zelena bowed her head in apology. Her long hair hid the angry and hurt look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."
"It'd be in your best interest for it not to." Cora turned back to the disgusting display of motherly love. "We can't kill the boy. I need Regina receptive to my will. Which won't happen if she's angry with me."
"We only needed him for his hair. We can make her forget about her precious son too."
"No, no." Cora swished around the wine in her glass, finally leaving the mirror for good as she went to lean back on a sofa in the middle of the room. Zelena followed, but didn't get too near. "Knowing her, she'd do something drastic before we got the chance to give her the potion."
"Kill him after, then?" Zelena offered hopefully.
"Let it rest, dear. It may shock you, but I want my daughter to be happy. I can't have a miserable princess." She stared thoughtfully into her glass, ignorant of the indignant look on Zelena's face that always showed when Cora called Regina her daughter. "It's those good-doing fools that have done this to her. I want to snap the neck of the pretty blonde one," She mused, flexing her hand in the air.
"I call the prince. He's handsome, don't you think?"
"Yes. It's a pity we're going to slaughter them all. If only Rumple weren't protecting them somehow. I don't understand. He shouldn't have magic and he most definitely shouldn't be alive."
"Cora is a monster. We need to raid the castle now." Snow paced back and forth in the dark room. The little light that came through the windows highlighted her tired features and a small baby bump that was just beginning to show. Charming stood next to her, equal in his concern for Henry, but showing it in a different way.
"If we do that, we might as well line everyone up for the slaughter. We need time to prepare, Snow." He warned, watching his wife. The only two in the room not speaking were Rumplestiltskin and Emma. They were both off to the side as the two rulers had their argument..
"Mom, Dad is right. We need more time to prepare." Emma finally spoke. She glanced at Rumple before continuing. "We know that Cora wouldn't just kill Henry. Regina wouldn't allow that. So let's be rational, and think for a moment." Snow turned her worried eyes to her husband before facing Emma.
"You don't know that woman like I do,"
"And you don't know Regina like I do. Henry means everything to her." Emma said. Snow threw her hands wildly in the air. It must have been the pregnancy.
"You're acting like Regina is being held captive, like she's on our side."
"She's certainly not on her mother's!" Emma shouted.
"Miss Swan, may I speak to you in private?" Rumple interjected, his eyes locked on the savior. Emma stomped out of the room, not looking at either of her parents as she did so. Rumple closed the door behind them.
"Cora is a vicious woman. She will destroy everything, including what Regina loves. Regina may be keeping Henry alive for now, but Cora's patience with her daughter won't last."
"Give me one good reason to trust you," Emma countered, watching Rumply carefully.
"You know as well as I, that two people with a common enemy can accomplish great things. A power hungry Cora on the loose is no more in my interest than it is in yours." Emma pondered this for a moment, considering her options, before answering.
"What do we have to do? I'm not from this world. I don't have to play by its rules." Rumple smirked at the blonde's sudden willingness.
"Such determination. That's what I like about you, Emma." He looked back towards the door. "Your parents are no doubt listening. Follow me."
It was several hours before Henry's eyes fluttered open. Hours in which, Regina had been worrying constantly. It was with great resistance that she fell asleep next to him. It wasn't until natural lighting showered the room in pieces because of the vines covering the window that Henry poked Regina hard in the shoulder to wake her up.
"Mom?" He whispered, poking her shoulder. Regina shifted to face the other direction. It was a weekend and Henry had no business waking her up before seven, even if he wanted pancakes to eat while watching his morning cartoons.
"Just a little longer, Sweetie. Let Mommy sleep." She murmured, burrowing her face into the pillow. Henry looked at her oddly then gave her a gigantic shove. Regina finally jolted awake, but instead of seeing her pristine bedroom in her manor with a six year-old Henry on top of her, her eyes fell upon a room that wreaked of Enchanted Forest and her much older son.
"Henry? Oh, Henry, you nearly scared me to death!" She sat up and hugged him tightly, nearly suffocating him.
"What happened to you? Where are we?" He groaned, struggling to get free and finally managing it. Regina glanced down as she suddenly crashed back into reality.
"I... We're in my mother's castle. She's confined me to this room. How long has it been? Since we came back to the Enchanted Forest." She grabbed his hands, looking desperately into his eyes. Henry was at a lost for how to feel about his mother's behavior. She was always so strong. Nothing could break her, but she was clearly not the same as before.
"Uh, five months, I think." He answered, staring imploringly at Regina. "Mom, are you okay?" He asked. Regina forced a strained smile.
"Of course, I am, sweetie." She said, placing a hand to his cheek. "Come, sit at the table with me. How's Emma? And the others? I already know about Ruby." She said as she guided Henry to the small table in the corner, avoiding eye contact with the wolf's head that hung on the wall, not by her choice.
"Mama is... Well, she's adjusting." He sighed, looking troubled. "They're probably so worried about me..." His eyes suddenly widened, and he glanced around before leaning in. "Mom, is it safe to tell you... Secret information?" Regina's expression turned serious.
"No, it isn't. Unless I can help, it's best you don't tell anyone anything while in this castle." Henry nodded. "Sweetie, I don't want you to worry about anything while you're here. Especially your safety or my own." Regina said tenderly, using a motherly tone that Henry knew well. "We can be happy here. There's a library right down the hall that I'm sure you can use, and I can convince Mother to let us join her for meals again. And maybe we can even go outside. It will be... Almost perfect." She offered a smile that Henry couldn't return.
"You're a prisoner here." Was all he said. He was trying to choose his words carefully because his mom looked like she could burst into tears at any moment.
"My mother would never keep me prisoner. I'm only here for my protection." Henry was about to say something, but the door burst open and Cora strutted in.
"Good girl, Regina. You're finally learning." Henry looked from his grandmother to his mom and noticed the immediate change. Regina's eyes had turned cold and hard. Henry could tell she was tense, just waiting for her mother to attack. And Henry was just noticing her long hair. He'd have to ask her about that later.
"Welcome to the castle, Henry." Cora smiled, though Henry thought it looked more like a sneer. She stopped right in front of them and that was when Regina's cold exterior shifted. She became distant and Henry didn't know if it was intentional. Regina was looking at her hands, but Henry stared right back at his grandmother. He would not let her brainwash him.
"I don't feel very welcome." He retorted.
"Oh, Henry. You will soon enough." His grandmother said, running sharp nails through his hair. He pulled his head away and looked to his mom for help. Regina looked as if she wanted to say something, but was being quiet for some reason. "The rules have changed." Cora said, only letting her frown at Henry's behavior show for a moment. "Henry, you have a room next to your mother's, so you may visit her whenever you like." Regina looked up at this, then glanced at Henry. He saw it in her eyes, that she didn't want him to say anything. It was the only thing keeping him from speaking up. "Regina," Cora had a look of disdain on her face when looking at Henry's mother. "You may join me for meals again. Henry, as well. But know this." She held up a finger. "I want you on your best behavior while your son is here. He doesn't have to stay. I'm doing this because I love you." Regina nodded, not meeting her mother's eye..
"Of course, Mother, thank you."
"Roaming of the castle is not permitted, though this wing is at your disposal. You should have everything you could possibly need, Henry." Her voice was suddenly more strict. "I have eyes everywhere, so do not try any heroics, understand?" Henry stared at the ground angrily. He wanted to shout back at Cora and tell her it wasn't fair and to let them both go, but he knew that that would have consequences.
"He understands, Mother." Regina said for him. Cora's dark eyes swept over the both of them, squinting distrustfully and sending chills down Henry's spine.
"He better," She threatened, then exited the room swiftly. With her gone, Henry finally felt like he could breathe again, but it was nothing compared to what he imagined his mom felt.
"Mom, you can't seriously be okay with this?" He asked after the echoing of Cora's footsteps vanished. Regina had a look on her face that was so desperate and hopeless that it confused Henry even more.
"Please be good, Henry."
"I think I know of a way to get us out." He said with a proud smile that fell at once when Regina sighed.
"Emma, the others, they will eventually lose hope. My mother will win. The safest place for you is here." Henry stood from his chair, not believing what he was hearing.
"You're not going to fight back? You've just been sitting here this entire time, waiting for everyone to give up?" He felt disgusted. This wasn't his mom.
"You don't think I've wanted to leave this castle?" She snapped. "To join the rebellion? I can't, Henry! I tried to escape and I paid dearly for it. You will too if you disobey your grandmother."
"I hate her." Henry gritted out angrily. "I thought you were a hero. I thought you'd be the one to save all of us..." He wiped his eyes then turned and ran out of the room, ignoring Regina's shouts. It looked like he'd have to be the one saving them. Operation Jackrabbit was now underway.
A/N: Once again, sorry for the long time between updates! I will try to update more frequently. Please review and let me know if you enjoyed this chapter!
Chapter 5: Emma and Rumplestiltskin have their own plans to get Henry back, and it might just take a little scheming behind Snow and Charming's back to make it happen. Regina reflects on Henry's words about being a hero and tries to keep her son out of trouble, but Henry is determined to save his mom from Cora's clutches.