Chapter Fourteen

A Release of Energy

Regina headed to the mausoleum, and went downstairs, and found herself back in the empty stone room.

She slammed the door shut and screamed. She began summoning magic and throwing it throughout the room. Regina wanted to cry, to shout, to just stop time, however she channeled everything to anger.

Even though she was drained from magic during the battle, she conjured spells, and threw them to the walls. She huffed as beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

"I don't think it's in your best interest to kill yourself."

Regina shot her eyes to find its origin. "Since when do you care?"

He turned around and went upstairs, leaving the mausoleum. She sighed and followed him out of the graveyard, to the bench by the street.

The cold air of the night brought chills down Regina's spine, causing her to hold on tighter to her coat. She sat down next to him.

As moments of silence passed, she spoke. "I really appreciated the things you said about me today. It was very... rare of you to do so."

He glanced at her and turned his gaze back to the street. "I don't think etiquette could've saved anyone."

Regina chuckled, causing Gold to arch his brow, "what?"

She smiled, "Rumplestiltskin without etiquette. I'm guessing, it's a one in a lifetime thing."

Gold laid back on the bench, "what I said was true. It was the reason why you were the only one who could've enacted the curse."

Regina leaned back on the bench as well, "what might that be?"

"A tainted pure heart."

She gave him a small smile, "well, thank you anyways for what you said."

He placed his cane on the side of the bench, and placed his hands on his lap, "I am sorry for your lost."

"You know-" she glanced at him, "I sometimes wish you would've taken me when I was a child."

He stayed silent.

She knew it made him uncomfortable to talk about that deal he made with Cora, so she talked about something else, "I finally found the answer I was looking for."

He arched his brow, "May I ask the answer to what question?"

She digged inside her pocket and pulled out a long velvet box. "Why do you spin so much?"

He scoffed, "Of course that question." He glanced at her, "I told you my answer."

"No. You gave me an answer, but not the truth. It's not for you to forget." She opened the the box, revealing a golden chain. She glanced at him, "it's for you to remember."

She handed him the golden chain. "I found it with the box of petals."

He held it up before his eyes, "is this..."

"-the first straw Cora had spun," she completed his sentence.

Gold placed it back in the velvet box, "thank you."

She gave him a small nod. After another short silence passed and she shifted in her seat. "You were right. Snow is a child, and Henry is emotionally damaged."

Gold placed the box in his pocket, "why are you avoiding your daughter?"

Regina bit the inside of her cheek, "I'm not."

He raised his brows at her, "are you sure?"

"No." She turned, facing directly to Gold, "I watched as my daughter crush my mother's heart. What if-" she hesitated, "- what if, she becomes like me."

"She won't."

"How do you know?" She asked, silently pleading for an explanation.

"Ebony has you for a mother."

Regina gave him a small smile. "I watched as she fell unconscious to the floor, and I ran to my mother. I went home and checked on Snow and Henry, and didn't check on Ebony because I was a coward, too afraid to see the damage my mother had caused before she died."

"Everyone is a coward at some point. Sometimes, you can't justify everything you do. Being scared, being weak is sometimes alright."

As both of them mulled over the words that were just spoken, a short breeze blew at them.

She conjured two cups of drinks and gave one to him. "The weather is cold."

Gold took a sip and looked at Regina with surprise, "tea with honey?"

She took a sip from her drink, "you were always complaining about your drinks back in the Enchanted Forest. Always tea with that very specific amount of honey. I really don't understand how Belle could live with you."

He glared at her, but release a small chuckle. He never thought of sitting on a bench in the middle of the night with Regina, chatting. It was when he sipped his tea, he realized how much history he had with his student.

She groaned, "if I could just go back in time."

Gold took his cane and stood up, "It's time to move on." He turned away, having his back face her, "this is a new beginning for both of us. I'm going home to Belle. You go home to your daughter."

A little while later, Regina stood up as well and began to head back home.

She was engulfed in her own thoughts, when she bumped into someone. "I'm so sorry." She looked up to see who it was. A man with blonde hair, and brown hazel eyes.

He looked at her with concern, "are you okay?"

Regina gave him a small smile, "I'm fine."

"Your hand. It's bleeding." he said holding onto her arm, inspecting the large cut.

"Oh." Regina pulled her arm away, "really, it's okay." The cut was from making Snow's medicine. Since she used so much magic, it must have faded the healing spell for her hand.

He led her to one of the benches. "Let me help you." He held on her hand and used a piece of tissue soaking the blood away.

"You look very familiar, what's your name?" She questioned.

His cheek grew to a shade of pink, "I'm A-" he bit back his tongue, "-Christopher."

She looked at him with suspicion, "If you don't mind, who were you back in the Enchanted Forest."

"I... um.. I was just a commoner, no one special, " he lied.

Regina pulled her arm back with the tissue pressed on the cut, "what are you doimg out here at 4 in the morning?"

He placed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, "I couldn't sleep. So I thought, maybe to take a stroll outside." He leaned back and looked at her, "Now that we're done with my interogation. It's your turn."

Regina checked her watch and turned to face him. "Fine."

He looked at her arm and back to her face, "are you feeling okay?"

She sighed, "I told you already, I'm fine."

"Not your arm. I mean, in general, after saving the whole town with magic and all."

This surprised her. Since the battle had ended, no one really asked about how she felt, or how she was doing. Yet this was a stranger, someone she had never known, was concerned for her. She quickly stood up, suddenly very aware that the person in front of her was a total stranger. "I'm sorry, but it is about time I have to go home."

Before he could say anything to stop her from leaving, she was gone.

A/N: Hey guys I hope you liked this chapter. The next chapter will include Ebony. Can you guess who the mysterious man was? I can assure you that the character is from a disney film. Please review and tell me of what you thought of the story.

-Cafe