I Run This Town.
Disclaimers: Don't own Once Upon A Time, or ABC. If I did "they 'red be some CHANGES 'round thar!"
A/N: After a few of the comments, I realized it was too confusing to split the chapter up the way I did…this explains Emma's shock at seeing regina's magic in the last chapter and clears things up a bit, hopefully.
Chapter X. The Awful Truth
"Oh my fuck," Emma groaned, struggling to sit up.
She immediately grabbed her head, the headache she was currently sporting so severe she thought her skull had possibly split in two.
"Ughhhhhh." She whimpered, blinking and adjusting to the light around her.
She was not in her bedroom…interesting.
She was, however, somewhere familiar. Soft sheets, plush purple duvet…four poster bed…
Ah, of course.
Regina's room.
Then, remembering the events that brought her thus, she bolted upright, looking around, frighteningly alert.
"Regina!" She hollered. "Where the fuck are you?"
The silky smooth voice seated directly behind her caused her to jump slightly, in surprise.
"Right here, Ms. Swan. The same place I have been for the last twelve hours since you nosedived on my living room floor, and I brought your unconscious self hither."
Emma whirled around, pointing. "You! You…."
Regina arched her eyebrows, but said nothing.
Emma was growing angrier, by the second. She finally spluttered out, "You stole my memories!"
Regina cocked her head.
Calmly, she mused, "That is one way of looking at it, I suppose."
Emma clenched her fist, ready to spring. "There is no other way of looking at it, you vapid bitch! You fucking bitch, Regina! You STOLE MY MEMORIES!"
Regina said nothing, merely tapping her fingers together, observing Emma, intently. "We've established that, Emma." She sighed.
The blonde was standing up, and barely registered she had been changed into silk pajamas. She was so busy pacing, as the flood of 28 years of memories racing back into her cerebrum at a frightening pace, and the reality of what the Evil Queen had stolen from her came to her realization.
"You…you…erased my knowledge of magic….."
"Yes."
"Past and present."
"Yes, Ms. Swan. And future use, too, as well."
She ran her fingers frantically through her blonde hair, the depth of Regina's deceit overwhelming her; Emma felt like she was suffocating. She looked up at Regina, her eyes wild. "What does that mean?"
Regina spoke slowly, explaining. "It means, you didn't remember magic happening…regardless of who cast it. You don't remember spells I did, right in front of you. I suspect, and have for a great while, that you yourself are capable of magic. Unfortunately, the cur-ah, the spell," Regina corrected, "…prevented you from realizing that you did it."
"So…if you did magic say…last week…I wouldn't remember it?"
"That is correct. I believe I was not unclear." Regina said, tersely.
Emma narrowed her eyes, with quiet fury. "And now?"
Regina sighed. "Now, you have your memory back. Now, you will remember."
Emma lunged forward, grabbing Regina by the collar, and shook her, hard. Regina did nothing to stop the frantic woman, merely waiting until she was done.
"Why?" She yelled, growing frantic. "Why would you do such a thing to me?"
If Emma had been slightly more level headed, she would have noticed the sorrow that passed through Regina's expression before she quickly schooled it into something more austere.
A Queen couldn't show weakness, after all.
"Because, you imbecilic…idiot!" Regina spluttered, with bite. "Because…you asked me to."
SQSQSQSQSQ
After two hours of back and forth, with Regina growing increasingly frustrated at having to explain the same thing over and over, she finally put a moratorium on Emma's irrational line of questioning, and decided she needed to eat something before going forward.
Regina hoped some sustenance would bring a modicum of sanity back to the crazed blonde in her bed.
So with that goal in mind, she brought up a tray of homemade chicken noodle soup, with apple slices and cheese and Italian bread, and placed it front of the blonde.
Complete with an open bottle of Sam Adams, her favorite beer.
Emma eyed it immediately, and grabbed it first, downing a large swig of the lager.
"Ahh." She said, as though it were a life saving balm for her soul. "Damn, that's good. How did you know I liked this beer?"
Regina paused, finally deciding to answer. "I'll tell you if you eat some actual food, Emma."
The blonde eyed her suspiciously, as she tore into the Italian bread, chewing vigorously. Regina rolled her eyes.
"You eat like a child."
"Yeah…you've mentioned that, before."
After the brunette was satisfied Emma had actually put enough nutrition into her body, she sighed, and said quietly,
"You told me on the first night I met you, that you loved Sam Adams beer, and would give anything for one, that moment."
"When we first met?" Emma said, looking confused. "At town hall? I don't remember anything that civil on our first meet and greet, Madame Mayor." Emma chuckled, thinking back to their instant love/hate meeting.
Regina shook her head. "No, Emma. When you were eighteen…when you had just given birth to Henry."
The bread dropped out of Emma's hand, falling into her soup. "What?" She gasped.
Then, the memories started to return, as she squeezed her eyes closed, tightly….
SQSQSQSQ
"Ugh. What I wouldn't give, for a Sam Adams, right now?" A very exhausted looking, much younger Emma Swan moaned, looking up at the hospital ceiling, in her sweaty johnny.
"What is that?" The gorgeous brunette in a tailored suit and heels asked, with a frown.
Emma rolled her tired head in the direction of the adoptive mother of her just born infant. "It's a beer, Ma'am."
The brunette looked horrified. "Tell me you didn't drink, while you—"
Emma cut her off, immediately. "Of course I didn't drink, are you crazy? I've already ruined my own life…I'm not gonna screw up someone else's! I didn't drink…I didn't eat soft cheeses, I took my prenatal vitamins. And, I didn't…and don't….smoke."
"Well…that's something then, Ms. Swan."
Emma peered up at her, with one eye open. "You always this formal, Mrs...?"
"Ms." Regina corrected.
"Ms."
Regina smiled. "It's Ms. Mills. And yes, I have been told in no uncertain terms that I'm rather…formal."
Emma gave her a tired smile. "Maybe you could use a Sam Adams, too, then…Ms. Mills."
They sat in uncomfortable smile, while the social worker quietly excused herself to complete some paperwork and answer several calls.
"You two going to be okay?" She asked, hesitantly.
"Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" Regina said, with a formal smile.
"Sure. Whatever." Emma agreed, looking out the window.
When the social worker left, Regina went and locked the door. Walking back towards the blonde who had her head turned, she tapped the younger woman on the shoulder.
"Here," she offered.
Emma turned, her eyes widening at the offered ice-cold Sam Adams stout.
"What the-?" She said, her eyes growing wide. Looking up at the formal Ms. Mills, the adoptive mother of her child, Emma's mouth dropped.
"How did you…?"
Regina shrugged. "Eh…magic, I guess." She chuckled. Her eyes grew serious. "Ms. Swan, you do realize this is a closed adoption, yes?"
Emma looked down. "Yes."
"That means no contact…do you understand?"
Emma nodded.
Regina patted her on the shoulder. "Good."
Emma just looked out the window, and mumbled, "it doesn't mean I'm happy about it, though."
Regina snorted. "Happiness is overrated, my dear. The quest for the mythical happiness makes people do…foolish things, I'm afraid."
Emma looked at her. "You sound very cynical, Ms. Mills."
The older woman merely arched an eyebrow. "This…coming from you?"
"Just because I've made bad choices, doesn't mean I don't have hope. That I don't want a happy ending, someday! Don't you?"
Regina sat on her bed, looking at the blonde. "Ah, you're quite the optimist, Ms. Swan. Suffice to say, I don't believe in finding my happy ending. I believe in creating MY happy ending."
Emma paused.
"That's not a bad philosophy, I guess."
"Not everyone would agree with you, I'm afraid…" she chuckled, darkly. "Especially if it comes at the expense of others."
"What do you mean?" Emma eyed her, curiously.
"Take your baby, for example." Regina begin, thoughtfully. "Some would say his rightful place is with you, Emma Swan. That its not my right to take him from you."
Emma shook her head. "That's nuts! I…I'm giving him…to you."
The regret in the young woman's voice was palpable. It caused Regina pause. The young woman's regret was so thick, that even the callous Regina Mills had to ask.
"Why?"
Emma looked at her, responding with, "Because, Ms. Mills. I want him to have a better life. He'll have that….with you."
"Are you so sure about that?"
Emma nodded firmly. "Yes. And don't make me second guess myself. It's hard enough not to rip up those papers…" Emma shook her head, and grabbed the beer, finally, from Ms. Mills.
She took a long swig. "Oh my God….that's orgasmic!" She closed her eyes, ignoring the amused chuckle from the room.
"You're quite entertaining, Ms. Swan."
"Please. Call me Emma, damn it! We're practically….family, in a way." She drank a long drink, noticing the grimace from the brunette.
Emma laughed. "Don't worry. I won't be showing up for Thanksgiving dinner, lady."
Regina looked at her. "You have no idea what a true statement that was, that you just made, my dear…Emma."
She stood up, smoothing her skirt out, and walked to the door. She gave a reflective look back towards the girl on the bed. Much to her surprise, the girl was crying, softly; and more surprising, it actually bothered Regina that she was doing so.
"Ms. Swa—uh, Emma? Everything…okay?"
"No, everything is NOT okay! I'm eighteen, I'm giving away my baby…to a stranger!" She grimaced. "This is so fucked up, on so many levels…"
Regina paused. "If it helps, I promise that your baby will want for nothing, Emma."
"No, it doesn't." She said, frowning. "What would help, is if I could just forget this. Forget all of it. Forget I gave birth and gave up…forget that I met you, Ms. Perfect-I-Can-Do-Better-For-Your-Kid-Than-You! Forget it fucking all!"
Then Emma looked out the window, her jaw quivering, silent again.
Regina spoke after a long moment. "Do you mean that, Emma?"
"Yes!" She blurted out.
"If I could make you …. Forget, say? Would you want me to?"
Emma looked over at the immaculately dressed woman. "What, are you like, God?" Emma snorted.
Regina smiled. "Something like that. But just say it were possible…would you really want that?"
"I said yes…I meant yes!"
Regina nodded. "So be it."
With a wave of her hand, a large billowing cloud of purple rose from the ground, to the surprised expression of the blonde in the bed.
"Holy crap!" She exclaimed, gripping tightly to her lone bottle of beer.
TBC