Chapter 9
Emma turned to her mother. "Mom, care to explain?"
Malificent turned to Ruby and stared at her as if communicating silently. She then turned back to Emma, "I was missing Ruby so I thought I'd show Haylee what mirror magic was like while contacting her."
"I see. And who is this?" She turned to motion to Regina.
Ruby ran up and wrapped her arm around Regina's shoulder. "This is my friend, Regina. Regina Swan."
Emma stared at the woman and the rest of the world disappeared. 'She's beautiful.'
Emma felt goosebumps run down her arms and a churning in her stomach. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck and her mouth went dry. She was speechless. 'Why is she looking at me like she knows me? There's hurt and sadness in those chocolate eyes.'
Regina's heart was beating out of her chest and her mind was racing. This was it. She finally gets to see her Emma. 'She hasn't changed a bit. She's still stunning.' The silence went on for a few more minutes while Malificent and Ruby watched the pair take the other in. Ruby finally burst the bubble and began to speak. "Ahem. Yes, and Regina, you've already met Emma's daughter, Haylee, and her mother, Mallory Drake.
Regina snapped out of her fantasy and turned to Ruby then back to Emma. "Yes. It's very nice to meet you Ms. Sw….Mills. Your daughter is absolutely adorable." Haylee blushed and looked at her brunette mother with admiration.
"Thank you, Ms. Swan. It's nice to meet you too. You don't seem surprised to be chatting through a mirror. As far as I know, my family are the only ones familiar with magic. You'll forgive me if I'm a little …. shocked?" Emma stared at Regina gauging her response, but Ruby quickly cut in.
"Em, Regina is one of the most powerful sorceresses I know. She could teach you something." Emma turned to Ruby surprised and then to Regina and just stared. She can't put her finger on it, but something about Regina is familiar. She feels warmth radiating from the gorgeous woman.
"Have we met before, Ms. Swan?" Regina's heart jumped into her throat. She wasn't sure how to respond knowing Emma was a walking lie detector. She swallowed hard and began to respond, "I….."
Malificent cleared her throat, "Emma, this magic won't last much longer and I was really wanting to catch up with Ruby. Can you take Haylee home and get dinner started? I'll join you shortly after I chat with Ruby."
"Of course! I'm so sorry. Where are my manners? It was nice meeting you, Ms. Swan. Catch ya later, Rubes. Come on, Hales." Emma put her hand on Haylee's shoulder to encourage her to stand and Haylee looked into the mirror. She stared at Regina one last time and smiled, "Bye."
Regina fought back the tears and simply waved with a closed smile. Turning to Ruby, "I'll leave you two alone. I still need to take my shower before we continue on our day. Can you order us something to eat?" and then Regina was gone.
Ruby sighed and turned to Malificent. "Well that was a cluster fuck."
"I believe the time to tell Emma the truth is fast approaching. From my conversation with Cora last night, it sounds like you're close to finding Lily plus that book of Henry's showed up for Haylee. Fate is pushing us down the final stretch. We may finally be done with this. I've missed you so much, Darling."
Ruby's smile softened and she placed her hand on the mirror. "I miss you too, Love. When this is finally over, we're buying that house in the forest that I showed you. It'll be perfect for when we start our family. I just need you here and in my arms."
Malificent teared up and placed her hand on the mirror where Ruby's was. "That sounds wonderful, My Love. Since you're so close to finding Lily, if you see the need to contact me right away, send me a message and I'll use the mirror. Please be safe, Darling. I love you." Malificent blew a kiss and Ruby blushed.
"I love you too, My Dragon. Now go take care of your girls."
Malificent ended the mirror magic and sighed. 'We're so close. Just a little longer.'
Emma was cooking in the kitchen while Haylee took her bath and got her pajamas on. Noticing she forgot to get a ladle out for the sauce, she opened a kitchen drawer to get it, but instead found a large, leather-bound book. Perplexed, she pulled the book out and sat it on the kitchen island countertop. "Once Upon A Time". 'Is this the book Haylee was trying to tell me about?' She began flipping through the pages and immediately noticed some familiar faces; Ruby, Malificent, Herself and…..Regina?
"What the actual fuck is going on here." She dropped her oven mitts and looked around the room to see if Haylee had returned so that she could ask her about it, but she could still hear Haylee upstairs. Pots were boiling and the kettle was beginning to whistle, but she paid them no mind. She just stared at the picture of Regina in the book. Her hands ghosted over the image of Regina with long, dark hair pulled up into an elaborate wrap and she was wearing leather pants, a white corset and a red velvet jacket. 'Dayam! Why couldn't she have been wearing that today when we met?'
Just then, Malificent walked in and heard the whistling kettle and boiling pots. She ran in and grabbed the oven mitts and began removing the food and turning off the burners. "What is wrong with you, Emma! Didn't you hear that? The food could've burned and the tea boiled over!"
Emma just kept staring at the picture in front of her. Malificent finally walked up to her and looked down to see what had kept her attention. Her eyes blew open and eyebrows shot up. She gasped, "The book!"
Emma turned to her, "You know of this book? What is it? Why are we in here? Why is Regina in here? What's going on?"
Letting out a heavy sigh, she took Emma's hand and guided her to the kitchen table. "Bring the book with you."
After they sat down, Malificent stared at the book for a few more seconds. 'This is happening too soon, but what else can I do?'
"I want you to use the 'book spell', as Haylee calls it, and then we need to talk. I'm going to put on some coffee because we'll be up for a little while. I'll tell Haylee that she can have an indoor picnic in the living room and watch a movie. That'll give us a chance to talk."
Emma nodded and began the spell while Malificent stepped away to get Haylee situated. When Malificent returned, Emma was gone, the book was left on the table. 'Shit'.
Haylee had just stepped out of the tub and was getting her pajamas when she heard her grandmother knock on the bathroom door. "Haylee, would you like to have an indoor picnic tonight? I'll get the movie ready for you. Your mother and I have some work to do so you get to have a cheat night in front of the TV."
"YAY! I definitely want a picnic! Can I watch Frozen?" Malificent rolled her eyes because she knew that's what her granddaughter would choose.
"Of course, Sweetie. I'll go downstairs and get everything ready for you."
"Thank you, MawMaw!" Haylee resumed getting dressed and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She thought a moment and then a wicked idea came to her mind. She grinned at her reflection, then made sure the bathroom door was locked. Turning towards the mirror, she recited the mirror magic that she learned just hours earlier, only this time, she put Elena's name in the incantation. Sure enough, an image materialized through the rippling mirror. There was her sister, Elena, standing with who she believed was her Aunt Zelena. She looked just like the images in the book. The fiery red hair and bright blue-green eyes."
"Hi there!" Haylee cheerfully said.
The two figures jumped and looked around for where the voice was coming from.
"Over here! I'm in the mirror."
Elena and Zelena turned to the mirror and their jaws dropped.
Zelena paled after realizing whom she was staring at. "Oh my God."
Elena looked from Zelena to the brunette girl in the mirror. "Who are you?"
Haylee smiled and then winked. "I'm your sister! Haylee!" Haylee then climbed onto the bathroom countertop and touched the mirror. Her eyes glowed a dark pink and then she stepped through the mirror and into Zelena's living room. Elena stepped back, thoroughly freaked out. Zelena, on the other hand, could only say "Holy Shit!"
"You swore, Auntie Z! Mommy is going to be mad."
"Not if you she doesn't find out, little monkey." She turned to Haylee, "How did you do that?"
" I don't know, I just did." Haylee shrugged it off like it was no big deal. Then the two little girls stared at each other. "You look just like my Mommy. You have pretty gold hair like she does." Haylee reached up to touch it, but Elena moved further back and latched onto Zelena's leg, still staring at Haylee.
Zelena, sensing Elena's fear, kneeled down to comfort her niece. "It's ok, Darling. She is your sister. Your other Mommy, Emma, has been raising her. They live in another country in order to keep Emma safe." She gently squeezed Elena's hand to reassure her. Turning to Haylee, Zelena then asked "How did you find out about Elena?"
Haylee proceeded to explain the book that she found in her bedroom and how she finally got to meet her other Mommy. Zelena was stunned, to say the least.
"Let me call your grandparents. Just sit tight." Then Zelena stepped out to get her cell phone and call Cora.
Elena turned back to Haylee, studying her. "You look like my Mommy too."
Haylee smiled as if it were the greatest compliment to ever have been given. She then walked up close to Elena, "I can't stay for very long. I snuck out so that we could meet. We need to get our Mommy's back together and help save my Mommy. We can do it!" Elena looked at Haylee like she had two heads.
Just then, a plume of red smoke materialized and when it dissipated, there stood Cora and Rumple.
"Grans! Gramps!" Haylee ran to them and dove into Cora's arms, squeezing her tight. Rumple walked and placed his hand on her back and bent down to kiss her head.
"We've missed you so much, Hales." Rumple then turned to Elena. "Have you met your sister?"
Elena stood wide-eyed, staring at the scene. She simply nodded her head, but chose to stay silent.
Cora walked up to Elena then and grabbed her hand and then held on to Haylee's hand. "Finally, my girls are together." Tears streamed down her face as she looked back and forth between the two. She kissed each of their hands, smiling, but then turned to Haylee. "Honey, I'm so happy to see you, but how did you do this? Does your Mother know that you're here?"
Haylee shook her head and looked down to the floor in shame, "No Grans. I stepped through the mirror after taking my bath. I'm supposed to go have an indoor picnic while MawMaw talks to Mommy. I just wanted to meet my sister is all!" Cora had heard from Regina after she had met Haylee so she was up-to-date on what had happened in New York.
"I know, Sweetheart, but you can't just leave like that. Your mother and grandmother will worry. You need to go back home. We can arrange a time for you to catch up with Elena later." Haylee was disappointed, but knew her Grans was right. She looked at Elena who still stayed silent. 'I guess she doesn't want to be friends.'
"Ok, Grans, I'll go back." She turned to Elena, "I'm sorry I scared you." And then ran to Rumple and hugged him. "I love you, Gramps. Don't forget our Marvel marathon the next time we get together."
Rumple chuckled, "I won't, Pumpkin. I love you, too. Now go before you get in trouble."
Haylee hugged Cora and then stepped back into the mirror and disengaged the magic. Cora turned to Rumple, "That girl's magic abilities are frightening. There's no end to what she can do." Rumple stared at the mirror and nodded in agreement.
Zelena went over to Elena and hugged her tight and looked over at Cora. They were both worried about Elena since she seemed to inherit Emma's propensity to internalize everything. "How about we have some chocolate chip pancakes?" The little girl's eyes lit up and she nodded, but still hadn't said a word. 'I'd love to know what's going on in that head of yours, Little Monkey.'
At the diner, Livi, Elena and Zelena sat in the far booth eating. Well, Livi and Zelena ate. Elena picked at her pancakes. After swallowing her last bite, Zelena looked at Elena, "Talk to me, Sweetheart. What are you thinking?"
Elena let out a deep breath, "Why didn't Mommy tell me I had a sister?"
Now Zelena understood. She put her hands on Elena's and patted them. "Monkey, your mother didn't know about Haylee. No one knew Emma was pregnant when she left. Your mother didn't find out until a few days ago. She's trying to help get Emma back safely so that you can be a family with Emma and your sister."
Elena sat and thought for a minute and then looked up across the table to Zelena again, "Haylee said she used the 'book spell' to read. I've never heard of it. How does it work? Can I learn it too?"
Zelena began to grin. 'Sibling rivalry starts early, doesn't it?' "I'm not sure what spell she was referring to. Perhaps Grandmama knows of it."
Elena nodded, pleased with the response and began to take a couple of bites of pancake. Then, with her mouth full, "How did she do the mirror magic?"
Zelena scolded the young girl, "Swallow your food and then ask me again. You know better than to talk with your mouth full."
After swallowing, Elena asked again about how Haylee did the mirror magic.
"I know how to use the mirror to communicate, but I have no idea how she travelled through it. Your grandparents are just as stumped."
Once Elena finished her pancakes, she seemed to perk up. "Can you teach me mirror magic, Auntie Z?"
Livi, having heard the question also chimed in, "I wanna learn too! Please, Mommy?"
Zelena rolled her eyes, 'Two against one. Dammit.'
When Haylee came out of bathroom, she ran downstairs to have her indoor picnic. Malificent had just walked out of the kitchen and into the living room appearing upset. "What's wrong MawMaw?"
Just as Mal was about to answer, she heard a toilet flushing and then a sink. Emma walked out of the bathroom drying her hands and looking at her mother whose hands were on her hips looking pissed.
"What?"
