CHAPTER 9
"Ready?"
Regina looked around the place that she had once called home. Now all the furniture was covered with sheets. All of the precious mementos she'd collected over the years of a life being spent had already been transported to her new home. The moving van had left moments before taking with them everything that belonged to Henry. A boy who she had shared her life with but was her son no longer.
Regina finished her protection spell. This would ensure that no one would be able to come and go as they pleased in her home. She was intimately acquainted with the saying of never say never. Even though the only thing she wanted now was to be far away from this place, it had once been her home for years and served her well. She'd raised her son here. Despite Henry's insistence on pretending otherwise there were some happy memories here.
She turned back to Cora and nodded solemnly, "Yes Mother."
Cora walked over to her and Regina dropped her head onto her Mother's shoulder. She allowed her to poof them to Regina's vault where her sister was awaiting their return.
Regina had made the decision to leave days before. There had been no question in her mind when she'd awakened from the nightmare of having Daniel ripped away from her the second time that she wouldn't be staying here. She'd looked around her bedroom as she lay curled in her Mother's arms for the first time in her life and knew. This was no longer her home.
The next decision was equally easy. She had known she had a sister for such a short time. Zelena had already explained that though their time in the netherworld had seemed to last for weeks the truth was they'd only been there for 4 days.
Regina had avoided her sister while they were in the other world. But here there was no Daniel nor her baby Blue to act as a buffer to her and her Mother. She'd had no choice but to interact with them.
She hadn't gotten much of her sister's past life which was to be expected. They'd only been back for a few days. But her accent did intrigue her. Zelena had explained that she was actually a mogul. She ran a few businesses and was based mostly in Europe. She had homes throughout different countries but had spent the majority of her time in London which was where the accent came from.
Zelena had offered a chance for her and her mother to spend time with her while they sorted out the next steps in their lives. Maybe together, they could become the family that she and Regina had been cheated out of their entire lives.
Regina had instantly accepted. There was nothing left here for her. Emma had instantly retreated into becoming a Charming since the curse had broken. The first time she'd seen her since the night they'd spent together was when she'd handed her the papers claiming guardianship of Henry for what she deemed his own safety.
Regina had allowed it even though she knew it wasn't right. But this was Storybrooke. It was a part of the new world but mentally everyone was still stuck in the Enchanted Forest. Even if she'd tried no one would stand beside her against the Charmings. So she'd allowed the farce of going along with them if it meant they'd be able to keep the peace. And though she didn't want to admit it to anyone it was a break that she'd wanted just as much as everyone else.
Henry was thrilled that he was part of the good guy heroes that he idolized so much. He seemed to prefer her to be forgotten as well. Regina was tired of the fight. So she'd just given up.
Now she had positive proof that her life wasn't over. It was the only thing that had gotten her moving out of the bed since her return. She knew her little girl was out there waiting for her. She just had to find her.
Zelena assured her that the child wasn't a Storybrooke child. And with that worry taken care of Regina saw no other reason to continue to tether herself to this place that had caused her so much misery.
"Ready?" Zelena asked as she, Cora, and Regina stood in a circle. She had already poofed Regina's beloved car over to her home. Regina had been adamant about not leaving it nor her other treasures behind.
Again Regina went through her incantations to seal and protect the vault. She knew it was silly. They were taking all of its contents with them. But the thought of someone vandalizing the place still made her queasy.
Regina looked around at the emptiness. It seemed so much smaller with all of the furnishings gone. Again her answer was a solemn nod.
Cora kissed her atop her head. She wrapped an arm around her as Zelena wrapped her arms around the two of them. She poofed them all over to home in the England countryside.
Regina shook her head in amazement. "I still can't believe you can do that," she said as she looked around at the stylish yet comfortable home. "Magic isn't supposed to exist outside of Storybrooke."
"There's plenty you don't know about me yet, sister," Zelena pinched her cheek. "But you will learn all there is to know," she smiled at her before giving her a hug.
And Regina accepted. Until her stomach began to act up. She clutched at it as she bent over. "Bathroom," she managed to get out before clamping a hand over her mouth.
Her sister looked at her alarmed before pointing down the hallway. Regina took off at a run. She barely made it on time. She slammed the door behind her before emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet.
Zelena turned to Cora, "When are you going to tell her that she's pregnant?"
They both grimaced as they listened to the upheaval happening behind the closed door.
Cora looked worriedly after her youngest daughter. She pulled Zelena into her arms and gave her a kiss, "When she's ready to listen."
CF
Emma cursed and berated herself as she hid behind a shrub. She watched from her hiding place as her Mother and son walked down the street on their way to school. She'd already seen David heading for the station a few minutes earlier.
Emma was still doing all she could to avoid the family. It was just so – overwhelming. She needed her space and yet all they wanted was for her to be the perfect daughter, princess, and with Henry some leaping buildings in single bounds super hero. It took a lot out of her to placate them. Instead she chose to be at work all night citing the safety of the town as an excuse for why their peaceful little town needed a full time lawperson on duty.
The night duty which seemed to consist of patrolling around while she did her best not to think of her wreck of a personal life or the woman who even in her absence was still the center of her thoughts. She'd swear she'd only do one drive around her block just to make sure things were alright there. But each time she'd be awakened by the morning sun she'd known she'd screwed up again.
She'd recently taken to parking the car and staking out the house from a covert location a few houses down. She'd wait and watch all night but nothing. And she was beginning to get genuinely worried. As far as she could tell no one had seen hide nor hair of her former lover anywhere. Not even at the grocery store.
Emma swore she'd give her space for one more night. Then she'd bang on the door and demand to know what was going on. The only thing that had stopped her so far was her own guilt and shame. She'd been blowing off Regina ever since the curse had broken. They'd spent that one last night clinging to one another desperately knowing that by morning everything would change. And it had.
Her parents had immediately cornered her and made it clear that they expected her to be on their side of the battle line between them and Regina. And Henry's reaction was worse. She'd actually felt queasy at the glee that he took in joining them against the only Mother he'd ever known his entire life.
She told herself it was a good thing that he was adjusting so well. But when the idea of Henry staying with them had first been floated it was merely meant to be temporary. Until they could build trust in allowing Regina into their lives.
But Emma knew there was no turning back once the deed was done. And knowing that she was the cause of so much pain to a woman who'd done all the things for her son that she herself couldn't and hadn't tore her up inside. But she was a Charming. Regina was the Evil Queen. That was just the black and white world they lived in now.
Emma waited until Henry and Snow were at least a block away before making her way to their apartment. The place was too small for the 4 of them but she didn't want to rock the boat. Her parents swore they all needed time to get to know one another. And apparently being stuck in a tiny apartment like sardines was the only way to go. So as usual Emma went along with them without complaint while she swallowed down the hate she was feeling toward herself and feelings she still refused to name toward them.
"Emma!"
Emma's head swung around to see who it was that was speaking to her. She was still learning people in the town. Their real names and their characters were all a bit of a blur though hugging her and randomly talking to her seemed to be something all the citizens felt comfortable with.
"We were just on our way up," Moe French stepped out from the back of a moving van. He handed her a clipboard, "you need to sign here. You're in apartment 4b right?"
"Yes," Emma said tentatively. "What's going on?"
"The Queen said these were Henry's things. She left strict instructions that if they weren't received that would be donated to the church."
Emma's heart rate sped up. She shook her head to clear it, "I – I don't understand."
"Henry's things. If he doesn't want them then she said we could take what we wanted of what was left and donate the rest. We figured we'd drop them off here and you all can sort through it then let us know and we'll drop by and pick up what's left and take it to the church."
Emma quickly penned her signature and handed back the clipboard. Tears stung her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "I'll just open up the place. Your men can follow along," she turned and jogged up the 2 flights of stairs before pulling out her keys and opening the door.
Box after box became stacked in living room. She thanked the moving men and closed the door staring at them. They were all neatly labeled. She remembered once lying in bed and teasing Regina over her OCD. She really wished she could turn time back to those days.
As she looked at the boxes that contained Henry's life she began to get angry. Who in the hell did she think she was?! The curse was broken. She was the Queen no longer.
Emma slammed her way out of the apartment. She jumped into her bug and made her way over to the mansion. She jumped out of the car and made her way to the door. But when she was close to the front porch she was thrown backward by some invisible wall.
She cradled her nose as she let out an 'owww!' She was surprised as she drew her hand back that it wasn't bleeding. She tentatively put a hand in front of her trying to find it and sure enough she pulled her hand back quickly from the shock. "Screw this," she said as she rose and wiped her sore backside. She knew that fall was going to leave a bruise there. Her nose still hurt but it obviously wasn't broken.
She picked up handfuls of grass and threw them at the barrier. She managed to mark that it went all around the house. When she got to the side of the house she almost lost it. Regina's beloved apple tree was missing. Emma tried walking forward and ended up being shocked by the force field again. She stood and stared forlornly at the empty spot where the tree should be that mirrored how she felt inside.
She walked back to her car slowly still confused. "She wouldn't," she said under her breath. This was Regina's home. It just wasn't possible for her to be gone. Then she remembered her vault. She put the car in drive and made it there as fast as she could. When she got to the vault she encountered the same force field.
Emma stood staring for a while. She was barely breathing because when she took a breath it came out in a gut wrenching sob. She was gone. Her Regina was gone. Her girlfriend who'd made her swear before the curse broke that things would never change between them as they lay whispering together as lovers did had just left without a trace.
She wiped furiously at the tears that continued making their way down her face. She walked back to her car and got inside. She hung her head on the steering wheel and just cried.
