Chapter 36. Surprise Guest
Emma struggled against David's hold as she reached out to grab Gold. After he revealed who was waiting inside for Regina, Emma had lost all control and punched him in the face.
David had quickly jumped to restrain his daughter as Mary Margaret confronted Gold.
"Of all the diabolical things you have done, this takes the cake. How could you?" Mary Margaret yelled as she tried to open the door.
"If you will all calm yourselves and refrain from anymore unnecessary violence I will explain." Gold replied as he rubbed his chin.
"Explain what? That you set Regina up." Emma screamed.
"And why can't I open the door?" Mary Margaret stated.
"I have not set up Regina. And you cannot open the door because it has been enchanted. It will keep out anyone who would interfere." Gold answered.
Emma made another attempt to swing at Gold but found she was held firmly in place.
"Emma calm down." David ordered. "And you, start talking or you'll have me to deal with."
Gold put up his hands indicating his acquiescence.
"Let me start at the beginning."
Greatly concerned for Regina's safety, Henry snuck past his mother and grandparents arguing to make his way into his home. It was lucky for him that when Emma struck Mr. Gold, his concentration on keeping the entranceway sealed suddenly waned. The moment he spied the door slightly ajar, he quietly squeezed through.
Creeping past the foyer, he noticed the study light on and as he got closer heard hushed voices. As he peaked into the room, he was surprised by what he saw. Sitting on the couch were his mother and another woman he presumed was Cora. So engrossed by what they discussed, they did not even notice his presence. He leaned against the doorframe and quietly observed them.
Henry read in his fairy tale book as well as heard many stories of the infamous Queen of Hearts. How she had terrorized villages and taken hundreds of thousands of hearts to manipulate and kill those who opposed her. However, as he looked at her sat alongside his mother, he only saw an aging woman conversing with her estranged daughter. The visual was less frightening than he expected.
Lost in his thoughts, he had not realized that the two brunettes had stopped talking and were looking at him.
"There is no need to stand there, sweetheart. Please come inside." Regina said.
Henry tentatively entered the room and stood beside his mother.
"Henry, I would like to introduce you to someone. This is my mother, Cora." Regina started.
Henry straightened his shoulders and extended his hand.
"I am very pleased to meet you." Henry replied.
"It is pleasure to meet you as well." Cora smiled as she took the young boy's hand in her own.
Henry regarded the woman for a moment before deciding to go ahead with his query.
"Excuse me, but what should I call you?" Henry asked.
Regina shocked by her son's question was about to say something when stopped by her mother's hand.
"You could address me as Ms. Mills. However since we are family, we can dispense with formality and you can simply call me Cora." Cora answered with a small smile.
Henry furrowed his brows then clapped his hands together.
"If we're family, then I should call you grandma. But wait, I already call Mary Margaret that so I should call you something else." Henry replied as he tapped his chin in contemplation.
"Mary Margaret?" Cora asked looking over to her daughter.
"Mary Margaret is Snow White and Emma's mother. Emma is Henry's biological mother." Regina explained.
"Ah yes, I recall the dizzying familial lineage." Cora scoffed.
"You do not know the half of it. Wait until I tell you of who the grandfather is. I guarantee you will be speechless." Regina joked.
Cora opened her mouth to urge Regina to divulge the information but was startled at Henry's shout.
"I got it!" Henry exclaimed.
"Henry, do not shout." Regina admonished.
"Sorry. It's just I found the perfect name." Henry beamed.
"Tell us, dear." Cora curiously asked.
"If you don't mind, I'd really like to call you Nana." Henry shyly replied.
Regina looked from her mother then to Henry. She had no idea how her mother would respond and feared Henry's reaction should it not be favorable.
"Is Nana an appropriate title here?" Cora asked.
"I'm not sure?" Henry sadly answered.
Regina placed her hand on Henry's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Actually, it is mother. A very special term of endearment." Regina replied winking at her son.
"Then I would be proud to be called Nana." Cora proudly stated.
Henry beamed and without thought, embraced Cora around the waist. Cora, surprised by the unexpected affection, nonetheless returned the embrace.
Regina stood to the side watching the interaction between her mother and son. Her heart warmed at the sight.
"Regina!" Emma shouted as she ran into the study.
"Emma, what's wrong?" Regina worriedly asked.
Emma pulled Regina behind her as she stood between her and Cora.
"Are you alright?" Emma searched Regina for any signs of attack.
"Emma, I am..." Regina replied.
"Are you hurt?" Emma patted Regina.
"Emma..." Regina frustratingly huffed.
"Do you still have your heart?" Emma placed her hand on Regina's chest.
"Miss Swan!" Regina swatted Emma's hand away.
"What?!" Emma held her hands up.
"If you are done overreacting, you can plainly see that there is nothing wrong with me." Regina sassed.
"I'm sorry. You can't blame me for worrying especially with her being here." Emma pointed at Cora.
"I will have you know Savior that I would never take my own daughter's heart. That is just barbaric." Cora stated.
"Oh that's rich coming from you." Emma sneered.
"Emma, look at me." Regina grabbed Emma's arm turning her around.
"I got my eyes on you." Emma gestured pointing from her eyes towards Cora.
"I am simply quaking."Cora mocked.
"You should be." Emma replied.
"Mother, do not taunt her." Regina directed at Cora. "And you...tell me why you charged in here as if my house was on fire?" Regina crossed her arms.
"I was worried about you being alone in here with your mother." Emma explained.
"Although I am moved by your concern, if you would have taken a moment you would have noticed that we are in fact not alone." Regina pointed to Henry who stood quietly beside Cora.
"What the hell Henry? I told you to wait in the car." Emma exasperated.
"But you were all fighting with Grandfather and forgot about mom. So I came in to see if she was alright. But all she was doing was talking to Nana." Henry explained.
"Nana?! Who is..." Emma asked before catching a glimpse of Cora smirking. "Oh hell no! You can't be serious?"
"The boy is quite serious." Cora replied.
Emma opened her mouth to impart some choice expletives when a delicate hand clamped over her lips. She turned to see Regina shaking her head.
"My mother has her heart and her capacity to feel again. We have spoken at length and I am willing to give her another chance." Regina stated.
Emma's eyes open wide as she shook her head, Regina's hand still over her mouth.
"And...I hope you will trust me and support me in my decision. Henry has already agreed." Regina continued.
Emma faced her son, who was nodding his head in agreement.
"Please mom, everybody deserves a second chance, right?" Henry pleaded as he took Cora's hand in his.
Emma watched as the older woman held her son's hand and shared with him a caring look. She would be hard pressed not to admit that there was something different about her.
Emma looked back at Regina, who waited expectantly. Releasing a deep sigh, she nodded her head.
"Thank you Emma." Regina said as she removed her hand.
"I trust you Regina. But the moment she tries anything I swear..." Emma's reply was cut short as Regina kissed her.
Regina was grateful not only for Emma's belief in her but of her unwavering need to protect her. She deepened the kiss relishing the feel of the Savior's lips. She would have remained locked in that place if not for the cough.
"Darling, as much as it warms my heart to see you enjoying yourself, I do believe we have company." Cora motioned towards the study door where Mary Margaret, David and Gold stood waiting.
"Don't just stand there, come in. It seems my study has become a meeting place." Regina stated as she wiped her lips.
"We came to check on you." Mary Margaret said as she stepped into the room.
Mary Margaret found herself staring at Cora. Although frightened by the woman's sudden appearance, she could not help but feel overjoyed that she was no longer dead. She carried the weight of that afternoon for so long and not a day had passed that she wished she could go back to change what had happened.
"Cora, I wish to apologize to you." Mary Margaret said as her head hung low.
"There is no need dear, my actions left you with no choice. Given the circumstances, I too would have done the same." Cora replied as she made her way closer to the brunette. She placed her fingers under Mary Margaret's chin lifting her head. "A mother will commit the most heinous act if she believes it will protect her child from harm."
Mary Margaret nodded, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
Cora's hand went up to her head as she swayed.
"Darling, are you feeling unwell?" Gold spoke softly as he placed his arm about Cora's waist.
"I feel a bit drained." Cora replied grasping onto his arm.
"It is no wonder, being brought back should have taken a lot out of you. You should rest." Gold tenderly walked her to the couch.
"True heart's desire." Emma whispered.
"What was that dear?" Regina asked while keeping an eye on Gold.
"Gold explained to us that Azael made a deal with him and in exchange he would grant him his true heart's desire." Emma replied.
Regina glanced towards Gold and her mother. She observed the gentleness in which he tended to her and the way Cora looked on him. It was clear what the two practitioners felt for one another.
"I never knew." Regina confessed.
"I don't believe any of us did." David stated.
"David is right. We all just assumed Belle was his true love. But seeing her with Ruby today, I guess we were wrong." Mary Margaret added.
"Love comes to us in many unexpected places." Regina replied as she gazed at Emma with a smile.
Emma returned her smile as she threw her arm around Regina pulling her close to place a kiss on the top of her head.
"Grandfather, will she be alright?" Henry asked as he sat beside Cora.
"Grandfather?" Cora gasped. "Why is he referring to you as such?"
"Well dear, that is a long story." Gold laughed.
"So help me Rumple, if you are going to confess to having bedded the White woman's mother I will..." Cora snarled.
"No Nana. My father is Baelfire, Mr. Gold's son." Henry quickly stated.
"Your son? The boy you lost all those years ago?" Cora asked.
"Yes, it seems the portal lead him here to this world where he met the Savior. They were together for a time and young Henry here is the result." Gold replied.
"And my daughter raised the boy?"
"Yes, I admit I acquired the boy for Regina as a part of my plot to find my son knowing it would lead the Savior here to break the curse. Although at the time, I had no idea who the boy's father was."
"And now, Regina is in a relationship with the boy's mother?" Cora attempted to keep the story straight in her mind.
"Yes mother, Emma, the Savior and I are together. In my defense, I did say you had no idea, how did you put it, dizzying, our family truly is." Regina laughed.
Cora held her head for moment, before breaking into laughter. Everyone stared at her, wondering if they had driven the woman mad.
"Mother, are you alright?" Regina asked.
"Darling, can you not see? It is all quite ironic." Cora replied.
"What is?"
"It seems you never needed my help. You found yourself a royal match all on your own. Although it is not a prince and instead a princess, she is still heir to the White Kingdom. All the more precious is that you love one another." Cora beamed with pride.
Regina stood mouth agape.
"Yeah, it only took 28 years and a curse." Emma laughed before sheepishly choking it back when her mother glared at her.
Cora stood from the couch taking Regina into an embrace.
"I am so proud of you, Regina and count myself fortunate that you are allowing me to share in your life. I promise I will not fail you my daughter, ever again. My only wish is that you are happy." Cora proclaimed.
"Thank you mother. And yes, I am very happy." Regina replied clutching her mother tighter.