So, there it is. After this chapter, there will be some jumps in time but it'll always be indicated.
I hope you like the chapter!
She takes a step forward and turns to face the crowd gathered a few feet around the coffin. She knows each and every one of these people. Most of them were brought in this world when she enacted the curse; others when Snow did. Snow and Charming are standing beside their daughter, half a step behind her. Emma's eyes are fixed on Regina though, as if she can see nothing else. As if there is nothing else to see. Regina's eyes flicker to the pirate, Hook, Emma's boyfriend. The fact still makes her nauseous. The two have been on and off for the past two years and they had been in an off phase right before the accident. Where do they stand now? Regina doesn't know. She's not even sure she cares. She used to, before, because of Henry. She needed to make sure that Hook didn't have a bad influence on her son. Now, it simply doesn't matter anymore.
Hook stands on Emma's right, but it's like his presence doesn't even register with her. Slightly behind, Regina sees Ruby, Tinkerbell, Gold, Belle, the widow Lucas, Archie and many others.
People are looking at her. They're waiting for her to talk but Regina's throat is constricted and she can't seem to get a word out. Once again, Regina looks at Emma and she knows she has to force the words out. Maybe what the former Evil Queen has to say doesn't matter to anyone but she knows it means a lot to Emma.
Regina lets everything else fade away as she starts to talk; her brown eyes riveted on the Savior.
"We shouldn't be here today. It doesn't make sense, because this is not how life is supposed to work. There is no worse thing in the world than losing a child. Henry was everything to me. From the moment he was first put in my arms I have loved him unconditionally. I knew he would be my undoing, I knew that eventually he would be the reason that the curse broke, that he would learn the truth, but I kept him because I couldn't bear the thought of not having him in my life. We've had rocky moments together, but even then my love for him did not lessen."
Emma's eyes urge her to keep going.
"Henry was a brilliant young man and I could not be prouder of him. I just wish you had the chance to get to know him better."
Regina doesn't really know if her words are directed at the crowd or simply to the blonde, whose eyes are now full of tears.
"Henry destroyed the Evil Queen. He showed me that I was capable of love; he showed me how to be alive again. Henry was the light amid the darkness in my life. I don't quite know what is going to happen now that he's not here anymore. I'm scared."
As soon as those last words leave her mouth, Regina notices that Emma takes a small step forward but it seems that the other woman is unaware of what she just did. To Regina, it means a lot. It's a promise that Emma will be here for her.
"But thanks to my son, I am no longer alone in my struggle. Henry brought me joy and happiness; he brought me a family."
She sees movement in her peripheral vision and she knows that it's Snow who just broke down in Charming's arms. She doesn't look at them. She remains focused on Emma.
"I wish I could have spent the rest of my life being a mother to Henry. I wish I would have seen him grow up and go to college, start his first job, fall in love. I wish I could have seen him get married and have children of his own. Henry once told me that I was not a villain but his mom. I believe I was both for a while, until his love for me and my love for him made me want to simply be a mother. The best mother that he could have."
Emma smiles, because she understands. She understands Regina's insecurity about her son's love, about Henry loving Emma more when he thought Regina was nothing but a liar and a villain. Emma doesn't resent Regina for wanting to be a better mother to Henry than she could. She smiles because she knows that Regina was the best mother Henry could have ever wished for. She smiles because she couldn't have hoped for her baby boy to find someone who loved him more than Regina did. Regina loved—loves—Henry with her whole heart and soul.
"I will continue to try to better myself because Henry made me want to do so. He made me realize that you can only receive love if you are open to it and willing to give love in return. My son taught me much more than I ever taught him. He was a blessing. He was everything."
Her voice breaks slightly on the last word but she keeps her head up.
"My son… our son," she corrects while looking at Emma and gesturing toward her, "had a gift. He believed in the power of love. He believed in the magic of it. And until it is my time to go, I will miss him, and cherish his memory."
She turns toward the coffin that is ready to be lowered into the ground.
"I love you, my little prince," she whispers.
She feels a hand on the small of her back and instinctively leans back slightly. It's Emma, of course.
"Henry would have loved what you just said about him."
"Thank you."
"I loved it. It meant a lot to me."
Regina doesn't answer. Instead, she takes a dark crimson rose, kisses it and sets it gently on the coffin. Emma does the same. They step back and, one by one, those closest to Henry approach to do the same.
"They're beautiful."
"Hmm?"
"The flowers that you chose. What are they called again?"
"Forget-me-nots."
"Suitable name."
"They were Henry's favorite. Those are magical. They will never die."
Emma sighs and glances over her shoulder. The last of the crowd is leaving the cemetery. She told her parents to go home to Neal and to get some rest. It's still early in the day. She ignored Hook.
"You didn't say anything," Regina starts again.
"I'm definitely not a good speaker. Besides, I think people already know that I love Henry and that I'd do anything to have him back and be able to protect him."
"They do. But it would have been good for you to say it out loud."
"I just did."
Regina turns to face Emma, but the Savior keeps her eyes firmly on the ground, where she can still somewhat see Henry's coffin.
"Emma."
"What?"
"Thank you for helping me through it."
"It was a beautiful speech."
"I don't think—"
"Yes, you would have given that speech regardless of whether I'd been here or not. Because you didn't say all of that to any of us, you said it to Henry."
Really, how is it that Emma understands her so well?
"Come on, we should go back to your place and have some coffee. We'll come back tomorrow once everything is ready for you to magic a vault here."
Regina doesn't resist when Emma's hand once again finds its place on her back and takes her away from the hole in the ground.
Was the speech okay? I hesitated a lot while writing it, about Regina's state of mind. Let me know what you thought about it!
Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
OTH-FOQ