Hey guys! I just wanted to say thank you to all who have reviewed, followed, favorited, or just read this story. It means a lot to me to know that even with my shotty updating, people are still enjoying this story. I would like to hear your opinions on this story to know how I've been doing, what you all like, what you didn't like. Your reviews help me to become a better writer and storyteller.
That being said, I'm sorry this is a day late, but this last week at school was just crazy hectic as I was teaching a couple lessons to the sixth grade class I've been working in, and then Thanksgiving is coming up on Thursday (Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it) and then my birthday (21st! Whoo!) is on Saturday, so I've had a lot going on. I do hope you like this chapter, and please let me know what you think. Enjoy :)
Chapter 13 (Twenty-eight weeks)
Found
After the New Year, and with Emma rid of the darkness, things got back to normal. Well, Storybrooke's version of normal anyways.
So far, no big bad had shown up, much to the relief of all, but there was still that niggling feeling in the back of everyone's minds that something was going to happen sooner or later.
Regina felt it most, but she shoved it to the far recesses of her mind, and instead focused on helping Zelena find her daughter. Which proved more difficult than she had imagined. They had tried numerous locator spells and potions, but with no luck. It had been nearly two weeks since Regina joined in the search, and she was getting frustrated. Beyond frustrated. She was aggravated. There was always the thought that she could just go to Rumpelstiltskin, but she quickly pushed that thought aside. Then there was the thought of involving her mother, but Zelena hadn't told Cora about her daughter, and Regina didn't want to be the one to reveal that bit of information to their mother.
"This is useless!" Regina exclaims one afternoon while sifting through her books. "There is nothing in these books or scrolls that even give us a clue as to what we should do." Regina had been sitting on the floor amongst a rather large pile of books, tossing one book after another off to her side before leaning against the wall behind her.
"I found it!" Zelena calls from somewhere in the back of the vault.
Regina sits up straighter at Zelena's declaration, looking eager to see what her sister had found. "What is it? What do you need? What do we need to do?"
"Well, it doesn't give specifics, but it does tell us of a way to find her. It's just the getting to her that might be difficult," Zelena informs, clearing a spot next to Regina on the floor before sitting down next to her.
"What is it?" Regina wonders.
"A frosted globe, that when a person drops a drop of blood on it, and thinks about who they want to find, a map will appear and will show where the person is," Zelena explains, but she needn't finish, because as soon as she said "frosted globe" Regina knew exactly what she was talking about. And where it was.
"So, all we have to do, is find the globe, I'll place a drop of my blood on it whilst thinking of my daughter, and it'll show us where she is. Simple," Zelena says cheerily, then her mood sours a bit. "But I have no idea where this globe is."
"I do," Regina says through clenched teeth, dreading what she is going to have to do next, while mentally slapping herself.
She knew about the globe, and could've saved her sister a lot of time by just telling her about it. But, she had been so preoccupied with the baby, saving Emma, worrying about Leopold and Arthur escaping their prisons in the woods, Zelena showing up out of the blue, and her parents' (namely her mother's) sudden arrival in town.
"You knew about this globe and didn't tell me?" Zelena asks, her voice rising an octave into that annoying tone she gets when she's either mad or jealous.
"Well I've had a lot on my mind recently, if you hadn't noticed," Regina says, gesturing around her for emphasis.
"Right," Zelena acknowledges, bowing her head briefly and then looking at her sister. "Thank you for helping me these last two weeks. And for letting me stay with you and use your vault. I really do appreciate it, Sis."
Regina looks up from her lap and at Zelena, shocked. "Did, did the Wicked Witch of the West just thank me? The one who turned green because of jealousy?"
"Don't look and sound so surprised. I do have some manners," Zelena sasses.
Regina smirks, "Really? I hadn't realized you did?"
"Oh, ha-ha very funny, Little Sis," Zelena mock laughs.
After a brief moment of silence, Zelena asks, "Where is the globe anyways?"
Regina sighs, then says, "In Gold's shop."
"Oh. Now I see why you didn't tell me about it."
"I forgot about it. Had I remembered, I would've told you sooner and saved the both of us time," Regina insists, turning her face away from Zelena.
"Regina," Zelena says, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder to make her look at her again. "I believe you. What with everything that has been going on, and add a pregnancy brain on top of it all…" Zelena trails off, having looked away from Regina, then she meets her eyes again. "I'd honestly be surprised if you could remember something like that."
Regina smiles slightly, grasping her sister's hands in her own. "Thanks, Sis."
"Of course. Now," Zelena starts, standing up and then turning around to help Regina off the floor. "Shall we?"
"Shall we what?" Regina asks, looking kind of worried about what her sister has planned.
"We are going to Gold's shop to get that globe," Zelena explains, about ready to wave her hand to transport them out of the vault, but Regina puts her hand on her arm, stopping her.
"How about you go to Gold's shop and get the globe. I will go find a way to get to wherever your daughter might be," Regina suggests.
"Oh," Zelena says, looking as if she realized she didn't think everything all the way through. "Okay. That sounds like a good plan."
Regina nods her head, then let's go of Zelena's arm.
"Meet back here in two hours?" Zelena suggests.
"Sounds good," Regina agrees, then Zelena disappears in a cloud of green smoke.
-OQ-
Two hours later finds Zelena waiting rather impatiently for her sister to arrive. As she paces up and down the vault, Zelena glances up the stairs leading in and out of the vault.
Where is she? Did that idiot thief she loves so much convince her to not help me? What if it was the stupid Charming's or the Savior that convinced her? With each thought, Zelena gets more and more worried and slightly angry.
She is so wrapped up in her thoughts that she doesn't notice Regina, Emma, and Snow walking down into the vault.
"Zelena?" Regina asks tentatively, noticing that her sister looks rather tense. "Zelena?" As Regina places her hand on her sister's arm, Zelena nearly jumps out of her skin.
"Bloody hell, Regina!" Zelena exclaims from nearly two feet from her original spot. "Warn a girl first before you touch her."
"Sorry, but I did call your name, trying to get your attention before I placed my hand on your arm," Regina apologizes, though trying to stifle the laughter that is bubbling up and out of her.
"It's not funny!" Zelena insists, her voice turning a bit whiny.
"Actually, it is," Emma says from her spot leaning against the wall, nearly doubled over in laughter.
Snow is doing a better job at hiding her laughter, as she is still standing up straight, but with her hand over her mouth. Though, it is quite obvious she is laughing because her eyes are closed and crinkling at the corners. The dead give-away is the occasional snort that escapes from her every so often.
"Oh what are they doing here?" Zelena asks, just now realizing Snow and Emma are there as well.
"We want to help you, Zelena," Snow insists, finally composing herself.
Emma, on the other hand, is still trying to stop laughing. "Yeah. We want to help," Emma manages between giggles.
"You are a child, Miss Swan," Regina chastises, causing Emma to stop laughing and glare at the former Queen.
"Why would you want to help me?" Zelena wonders, looking at the Savior and the Princess.
"Because, if it were me, I'd want as much help as possible. I know what it's like to want to find a missing child. Also, we are all mothers here. We all know what it's like to lose a child, and we wouldn't wish that on anybody," Snow explains.
Zelena genuinely feels touched at what Snow just said. "Thank you, Snow." Snow nods her head and smiles.
Emma clears her throat, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Shall we get going then?"
"Yes," Zelena agrees, turning to the globe that she had placed on a shelf. She takes a deep breath then pricks her finger on the spike and then drops a drop of blood on the surface.
The red swirls around before forming a map of some foreign land. The four women all hold their breath as the red starts to form a more defined land mass. As the red stops moving, Zelena gasps, recognizing the land where her daughter is.
"What? Do you recognize this land?" Emma asks, glancing up from the globe to Zelena.
"Yes," Zelena answers through clenched teeth.
"What is it?" Snow wonders.
"Oz."
-OQ-
After the initial shock had worn off, Regina had thrown a magic bean that she had gotten from Anton on the floor and the four women had jumped into the portal, thinking of Oz.
When they all landed (rather roughly) in Oz, they all began walking to where they needed to go. They had been walking for a few hours when Zelena stopped abruptly, causing Regina, Emma, and Snow to walk into her.
"Oomph. Watch it," Emma exclaims, taking a step back as does Snow.
"Zelena? What is it?" Regina asks worriedly.
"We're here," Zelena announces, not taking her eyes from the shack in front of them.
In front of the shack are five children, all of which look nothing alike, each one doing some sort of chore around the building. One boy was on top of the roof with a broom, sweeping the dust and dirt off it. Another boy was on the roof as well by the chimney, with a chimney brush. An older girl was raking what was supposed to be the front lawn, though there was only dirt and little tufts of grass here and there. A girl that looked to be only a couple years younger than the older girl is washing the windows, while a young girl, who looks about seven or eight, with bright red, curly hair is following her with a pail of water.
"Is that her?" Regina asks, nodding to the little red-headed girl.
"Uh-huh," Zelena nods, still not moving, her feet seemingly glued to the ground.
"That's your daughter?" Snow pipes up in her overly optimistic and high pitched voice.
Emma elbows her mother in the side gently, motioning for her to not sound so happy right now. At least until they figure out how Zelena feels about all of this.
Then, suddenly, Zelena seems to snap out of whatever trance she had been in when an older, mean looking lady walks out of the front door and starts yelling at the two younger girls.
Zelena looks at the older lady with her jaw set and a fire burning in her eyes. Regina notices and actually looks worried for the older lady, though if that were any of her children, the lady would probably be ashes by now.
"Oh, shit," Emma mutters when she sees the look on Zelena's face.
Zelena starts taking fast, purposeful strides towards the lady and the three other women follow hurriedly after her.
"Zelena, wait!" Regina calls, grabbing her sister's arm, stopping her and turning her to face her. "Think about this first."
"You've got to be kidding me! Really? You're gonna stop me, when you would've already turned that woman into ashes by now if she was treating Henry or Roland that way?" Zelena implores, looking at her sister with wide eyes.
"Yes, that would've been my first impulse. But then I would've thought about what Henry would want me to do. And I wouldn't want to scare Roland and make him afraid of me. Think about your daughter. You don't want to scare her, do you?" Regina asks.
Regina has a valid point. Gah! Why must my sister always be right? I'm the eldest, shouldn't I be the one telling her what to do? Zelena sighs when she realizes there's no point in arguing because she would be out voted and out magicked.
"Fine, what do you suggest we do then?" Zelena asks, looking at everyone.
"Well, we could wait until that dreadful woman has gone back inside and you could go talk to her?" Snow suggests, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.
"I almost thought you were going to suggest she just grab her daughter and run," Emma says.
"Or, I could just take care of the problem?" Zelena suggests.
"What do you mean?" Regina asks worriedly.
Zelena makes a motion with her hands and then the yelling has abruptly stopped. "That's what I mean."
Regina looks past her sister to see the last wisps of green smoke dissipate. "Zelena!"
"What? I simply sent her away to the city. She's fine. I didn't kill her," Zelena defends herself, throwing her hands up in a show of surrender.
Regina simply rolls her eyes before turning her sister around and pushing her towards the kids. "Go talk to your daughter. We will take care of the other kids and determine where they will live."
Zelena nods her head and walks up to the little red-headed girl. When she reaches her, she smiles and kneels in front of her.
"Hi, I'm Zelena. What's your name?" Zelena introduces, extending her arm out towards the girl.
"Kiara," she answers shyly.
Zelena smiles warmly, a tear escaping down her cheek. "It's so nice to meet you, Kiara."
"Nice to meet you, too," Kiara replies, still pretty shy, and a bit confused at who this woman is.
"Do you know who I am?" Zelena asks, to which the little girl shakes her head slightly. "I have been looking for you for quite a while now."
Kiara looks at Zelena confusedly for only a few seconds more before recognition crosses her face. She then runs into the building, leaving Zelena looking confused and a little sad, thinking this girl knows she is the infamous Wicked Witch and wants nothing to do with her. Zelena stands up and starts to walk out of the yard when she hears the front door open behind her.
"Where are you going?"
Zelena turns around and sees Kiara standing with her arms behind her back and looking sadly up at Zelena.
"Nowhere, sweetie," Zelena says, walking towards her.
"Good. I do know who you are," Kiara says, sounding more confident now.
"Oh?" Zelena begins to feel uneasy, wondering who this girl thinks she is. What if she recognized her as the Wicked Witch?
"Yeah," Kiara says then brings the piece of paper she had behind her back out in front of her. "You're my mommy."
If Zelena had denied the fact she was crying earlier, she most certainly was not now. She would refuse vehemently that she didn't have tears running down her cheeks. To anyone who knew Zelena as the Wicked Witch, they probably wouldn't recognize her now, because now she was near a blubbering mess. She runs over to her daughter and scoops her up in her arms, not minding that it was a bit difficult. She could care less. She was just happy to have her daughter back in her arms.
"Yes, I am, sweetie. I'm your mommy," Zelena murmurs into her daughter's crazy hair.
"Why'd you leave me?" Kiara pulls back and looks at her mom confusedly.
Zelena bites her lip, wondering how to best phrase her answer. She doesn't want her daughter to see her as a monster. She's trying to change and be a better person, but she also doesn't want to lie to her daughter just after meeting her.
"Mommy?" Kiara places her hands on either side of Zelena's face, making Zelena focus on her.
"Because I wasn't capable of taking care of you. I was. . . Not the best person and I didn't want you to get hurt because of me. And now I'm trying to be a better person, and I want to get to know my daughter. I want to get to know you," Zelena says, bopping her daughter's nose with her own, as she is still holding her.
"Zelena, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we need to get going soon," Regina says, walking up to the two newly reunited mother and daughter.
Zelena sets Kiara down, but holds onto her hand, and turns to face her sister. "That's alright. We'll have plenty of time to catch up when we get back home. Won't we?" Zelena looks down at her daughter who nods her head and smiles up at her.
"We're ready when you are, Sis," Zelena says, smiling.
"Alrighty, let's- "
"You're my mommy's sister?" Kiara interrupts, looking at Regina curiously.
Regina looks down at her niece and smiles. "Yes, I am. That means you are my niece, and I am your aunt."
"I have an aunt?" Kiara asks, shocked.
"Sweetie, you have so much family, you'll be beside yourself," Regina chuckles then looks up her sister who is also laughing.
"Your Auntie Gina is right. She has two boys of her own and a baby girl on the way. You have a lot of family," Zelena says, bending down to be eye-level with her daughter.
Kiara's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets with how wide they have gone. She then looks up at Regina and smiles. She nearly knocks Regina off her feet when she hugs her suddenly.
"Careful, Sweetie," Zelena gently admonishes.
Kiara pulls back and looks down at her feet sheepishly. "Sorry, Auntie Gina."
Regina rolls her eyes at the new nickname, but lifts the girl's chin up with her fingers and says, "It's quite alright, dear. I quite like hugs. You just have to be careful of your baby cousin."
Kiara smiles, "Okay!"
"We really do need to be going. I'm sure Robin is beside himself with worry at how long I've been gone," Regina jokes, though she knows, as does Zelena, that there is truth in her words.
-OQ-
"Robin, wait, you don't even know where they went. There's no way you'd be able to know how to get to them," Charming reasons, hurriedly following after Robin towards Regina's vault, Hook bringing up the rear.
"He's right, you know?" Killian calls from behind Charming.
"I don't care. I just want to make sure my wife and unborn daughter are safe and so-," Robin starts but stops when he sees Emma, then Snow, then Zelena and a little redheaded girl walk out of the vault. He is about to ask where Regina is when he sees her making her way out of the building as well not five seconds later, followed by four other children. "Regina!" Robin runs to his wife and engulfs her in a hug.
"Woah, Robin, what's the mat-?" Regina asks, but is unable to finish as Robin crashes his lips to her own.
When he pulls back they are both breathless.
"What was that for? Not that I'm complaining or anything," Regina inquires.
"I was worried something had happened to you," Robin replies.
"Robin, I was barely gone for a couple hours," Regina says.
"You were gone for six hours, darling," Robin replies.
Regina's eyes go wide, realizing that it is in fact pitch black outside, whereas it had been just after three when they had left.
"Auntie Gina? Who's that," Kiara asks, pointing to Robin from her spot next to Zelena.
Regina looks past Robin and at her niece and smiles, "This is your Uncle Robin. My husband."
Robin turns around and meets the little girl's piercing blue gaze. "Hello. Now you know my name, but I'm afraid I do not know yours."
"My name's Kiara," She answers, looking more confident as she steps closer to him.
"Kiara? That certainly is a very pretty name," Robin says, causing the little girl to giggle.
"Kiara, darling? I'd like you to meet some more of your family," Zelena says, gesturing to Killian and David. "This is Auntie Em's- "
Emma clears her throat in a silent way of telling Zelena she still doesn't like that nickname.
"Aunt Emma's," Zelena corrects, rolling her eyes at Emma. "Boyfriend, Killian. And this is Aunt Snow's husband, David."
"Hi," Kiara greets shyly, retreating behind her mother and Auntie Gina.
David smiles, "Hello, Kiara. Welcome to the family."
The other orphans from Oz, that had come with the women, follow Snow and David to the newly renovated children's shelter, where most of the kids from Neverland still live or visit quite often. They are going to stay there for the time being, and hopefully find a new home someday soon.
-OQ-
When the Locksley's, Zelena, and Kiara return to the Mansion, they are greeted with an anxious teenager and a worried five-year-old.
"Momma!" Roland exclaims, launching himself at Regina and latching onto her with a vise-like grip.
"Mom, thank the gods!" Henry says with relief, the tension leaving his shoulders as he relaxes. He walks over and wraps his mom up in his arms.
Regina notices how tall he has actually gotten, realizes with mild fear and sadness that her little prince is now taller than her in her flats.
"Oh, yeah, I'm so sorry to keep you all worrying," Zelena says in mock sarcasm, but stops when a glare from her sister gets thrown her way. "Kidding."
"Momma, are these Auntie Gina's and Uncle Robin's boys?" Kiara asks, tugging on Zelena's shirt sleeve.
"Yes, dear. These are your cousins, Henry and Roland," Zelena answers, indicating first Henry and then Roland as she says their names.
Roland unburies his face from Regina's side at the mention of his name and recognizing a new voice. He looks at Kiara who is maybe a couple inches taller than him, and smiles shyly.
Regina notices his hesitance and confusion. "Roland, this is your cousin, Kiara."
Roland slowly pulls himself away from Regina and looks at Kiara with a shy smile on his face.
"Hi," He says quietly, raising his hand slightly in a little wave.
"Hi, Roland. It's nice to meet you," Kiara says enthusiastically.
"You wanna go play with my toys?" Roland asks, to which Kiara looks up at Zelena, looking for permission, which she is given, then the two children are hurrying up the stairs, but not running. Never running. Regina would not have that in her house.
"Well, I am going to take a shower, and then head to bed," Zelena announces.
"Um, Sis?" Regina stops Zelena with a hand on her arm. "You forgetting something? Or rather someone?"
Zelena looks confused for a moment, but then realization colors her features. "Kiara."
Regina nods her head, "Perhaps when you get out of the shower, you can give her a bath? Lord knows when that girl has last taken one, if ever. I will try to find some of Henry's old pajamas for her to sleep in, and wash her clothes tonight. We should go shopping tomorrow for new clothes for her. Get some things that are her own. Something tells me she might like that."
Zelena smiles, as does Robin. They both know how great of a mother Regina is, and at this moment, it is abundantly obvious.
"What?" Regina asks self-consciously when she sees the two of them smiling at her. Even Henry has the same smile on his face.
"Nothing," Zelena says simply then turns and walks up the stairs.
Regina watches her sister go up the stairs with a confused look on her face before rounding on her husband and son.
"What?" Regina repeats, with the same confused and self-conscious tone to her voice.
"I should probably take a shower as well," Henry announces before hurriedly going up the stairs, leaving Regina and Robin in the foyer.
Before Regina can say anything, Robin turns and heads into the kitchen where he starts heating up water for tea. Regina follows him into the kitchen and stands just inside the archway, her arms crossed across her chest, and her eyebrow raised expectantly at Robin's back.
Robin can feel Regina's eyes boring a whole into his back but he continues to make them both a cup of chamomile tea. He honestly isn't trying to ignore her, he just knows that if he were to actually say why they were all looking at her like they were, she'd either blush and just brush it off as if it isn't a big deal, or she'd get upset with him. Upset with him because of his lapse in judgement and word choice at the hospital a couple weeks ago. Upset because, even though she has said she forgives him, every time he compliments her mothering abilities, or says what a wonderful mother she is, she always pulls away from him. And he is finding it harder and harder to get her to let him back in after each time. He spent an entire year in the Enchanted Forest just trying to get her to let him close enough to see a little past those walls she builds up so high around her. He doesn't want to have to start over. Not with a baby on the way and after everything they have gone through. So, even though he is avoiding it currently, he knows they need to talk about it. Soon.
"Robin?" Regina asks, this time her voice is softer and there is a question to it.
He turns around and sees that she no longer has her eyebrow raised, instead her forehead is scrunched and her eyebrows are pulled together. He walks over to her and rubs his thumb on her forehead, smoothing out the creases there.
"What's going on?" She asks, and she sounds genuinely confused, no more annoyance in her voice.
Robin hesitates again, but then decides he might as well do this now, seeing as how he has a perfect opportunity to do so.
"We were smiling because even when you probably don't intend to or mean to, you go into Mom mode and you do it so well," Robin says, awaiting the walls around her to build even higher for him to climb. But that doesn't happen.
Instead, Regina blinks a couple times, confused, before moving and settling down on one of the barstools, a contemplative look on her face. Robin gives her time to sort out her thoughts or whatever else she is doing, and goes back to getting the tea made.
After Robin's admission as to why everyone had given her funny looks, Regina is at a loss for words. She hadn't meant to sound so much like a mother, and yet, she had. And then there's Robin who had seen it and thought of how great of a mother she is, which is nice, but his words back at the hospital still ring throughout her mind. He hit the nail on the head on one of her biggest insecurities –that she is inadequate –and it still stings. Even after saying she forgives him. But, in truth, she doesn't. At least not completely. She wants to, so bad, but she just can't find it in herself to yet.
"Oh," Regina mutters in response to Robin, who had just placed a cup of tea in front of her. She wraps her hands around the mug, letting the warmth seep through to her hands, watching as the tea leaves steep into the hot water. "Robin, we need to talk."
Robin had his mug halfway up to his mouth when she said that and is now bringing it back down to the counter, suddenly not wanting the tea, fearing where this conversation may be heading, because he has learned that conversations starting with 'We need to talk' usually never end well.
Robin swallows then says, "Yes, I suppose we do."
"What you said to me at the hospital a few weeks ago, I know I said I forgive you, and I do, but I don't think I do completely. You, someone whom I love and trust with all that I am, you voiced one of my biggest insecurities, and then just dismissed it like it was nothing. Like what you said wasn't that big of a deal. And I think that hurt more than you saying I wasn't a good mother," Regina admits, looking up from her tea about halfway through her admission.
"I never said you weren't a good mother," Robin corrects, but then continues. "But I won't deny that I implied as such, and for that, Regina, I am sorry. As for me just dismissing that I ever implied as such, that was a terrible thing for me to do. I think I just hoped that you would forget about it, because I knew I made a mistake and I knew that by doing so, by questioning your abilities as a mother, I had inevitably made you build up your walls to me, and I hate when I make you do that. I want you to be able to trust me, but I also know it is kind of difficult to do so when I do things that make you think otherwise."
Regina shakes her head, "Robin, I do trust you, with all that I am, and that is what scares me the most, because that means you can hurt me the most. You can inflict the most damage without even meaning to, without even trying to. I know you didn't imply what you did on purpose, and I accept your apology, but only if you promise me to never do so again."
"I would do anything for you, Regina. Anything," Robin agrees, removing her hands from around her mug and taking them in his hands, making her look in his eyes. "I love you, Regina. And nothing will ever change that. I promise to make sure you know that every day for the rest of our lives."
"It will take time for me to fully forgive you, Robin, but just know that I will never stop trusting you," Regina says, grasping Robin's hands and looks into his ocean blue irises.
Robin nods his head and then leans forward to cover her lips with his own in a sweet kiss that has all of his love pouring into it. A kiss she returns with as much love, because even if she doesn't fully forgive Robin, she still loves him and trusts him with all that she is, and nothing is ever going to change that.
"I understand, milady. Just know that no matter what, I'm with you. Always."
They still have some things to work through, but that's something they will work through as they will do everything in life: together.
Penny for your thoughts? :)