Chapter Thirteen
"How's your shoulder?" Regina asked as she rotated Emma's shoulder gently. She'd had to heal it slowly to make sure it was done properly, without magic, Emma might have lost the use of her arm completely. Until she could prove medically that her arm was functional Snow said there couldn't be a vote.
"Much better thank you, she's going to be so angry tomorrow, I'm almost grateful for that sack of shit convincing her to hold the election already while I'm broken as he put it."
"He's the one broken," Regina replied. Leopold looked miserable about his hand. Unfortunately, it didn't stop him screaming at her to fix it outside of her house, usually in the middle of the night so it was disturbing or calling her cell. She'd changed her cell number eight times since she had left him.
"Hey, I got you something," Emma said as Regina still applied a healing cream to her shoulder.
"You didn't have too, why did you get me something, the dream catcher was already really nice," Regina said.
"I wanted too, it's over there in my bag," Emma said. Regina finished with the cream before she wiped her hands on a cloth she had brought. She opened the bag and pulled out a leather-bound book. "I noticed you were really taking off with the drawing but were doing it on scraps of paper. I also got some farbe castile pencils they're supposed to be really good in Europe. But it was too big for the bag, it's this really big wooden box, I had Ruby hide it in your closet while you were in the garden. Regina turned and went into her closet, she brought it back out and placed it on the bed.
"Wow there must be every color here imaginable," Regina said delicately running her fingers over the pencils.
"Yeah, I hope so," Emma chuckled. Regina chuckled as well.
"This is really lovely thank you, I'm interested to see how this holds up with charcoal, but I may keep that for when I actually start using oil paint," Regina said nodding.
"You really like it?" Emma asked.
"I love it, thank you, no one's ever really gotten me a present like this before, Mother always controlled what I was given."
"Well she's not here, and you deserve a gift you like," Emma said standing. Regina looked up. "Well I'd better get to bed now too…" She turned to go but paused. "Oh, you never told me if the magic in my dream catcher worked."
"To be honest I don't know, I haven't slept in three weeks, you were in the hospital and I was scared, and then you were back, but you needed to stay in your room, because of the surgery you had, I couldn't have you getting up."
"How are you even awake right now?" Emma asked.
"I spent most of my life unable to sleep, this is nothing really," Regina shrugged.
"What did you do the entire night?" Emma asked. Regina raised her arm sleeve and Emma prepared herself for the cuts, but instead saw marker forming a pattern on the skin.
"Archie said I should try drawing instead of cutting although I'm not sure he had even this in mind."
"No, no Regina this is great, you didn't hurt yourself, this was nonviolent, I'm proud of you," Emma said giving her a big hug.
"Really?" Regina asked. "You don't think I'm crazy." Emma shook her head vigorously.
"No, never," Emma replied. Regina nodded.
"You think maybe you could stay with me?" Regina asked. Emma nodded.
"I can do that, you know I even think I love Lucy may already be on," Emma said. Regina smiled. "I'll just go change." Regina nodded. She got ready for bed too a little self-conscious at Emma seeing just how much she had drawn on her skin. Her legs were covered, she had resorted to shading in bits.
"Whoa is that your apple tree," Emma asked jumping onto the bed and bouncing a little.
"Yes," Regina said. She'd spent hours turning one leg into her apple tree
"Man, with body paint I might not even know it's a leg," Emma said. "Can I?" Emma indicated Regina's shirt and she nodded. The tree extended up to her abdomen. "This looks like the sickest tattoo."
"Sick?" Regina asked looking at her skin.
"No, no, it means like really cool," Emma said. Regina nodded. "What did you do on the other side. There was a random car burning rubber, clearly covering three places where Regina had cut herself.
"Magic is emotion, it turned the marker into a razor before I realized it," Regina murmured.
"It's all right, look how much you didn't cut," Emma pointed out. The other leg had some random patterns or shapes. It was the same with her arms, except for a nice likeness of baby Henry.
"Oh, the kid, you really should turn that one into a tattoo though," Emma commented as she sat back.
"Hmm…maybe someday," Regina said handing Emma the remote. Emma grinned and turned on I love Lucy. Regina snuggled up to her after she got comfortable and dropped off quickly to Emma's amusement, but she realized this was the first time Regina had relaxed in the last few weeks most likely. Emma gently stroked her hair from her face, glad to see it looking so peaceful just once. She wanted to give Regina the world if she would have her. Emma let out a breath, would Regina have her? She supposed not, not after Leopold. Maybe they'd had a slight chance if Leopold hadn't come back but after all this why would Regina want her. She too was unfortunately related to that man. In another time in another place, they could have been perhaps Emma thought as she fell asleep.
While Regina may have looked peaceful on the outside, the inside was turning to anything but. She was gardening not in Storybrooke, but back in the Enchanted Forest. She was picking flowers out for her room to give herself a small bright spot outside of her books, something to mask the horrors that took place within. She didn't often have time to pick her own flowers, hell she wasn't allowed to play in the dirt as Leo said. It was unbecoming of a Queen to get filthy. But it was late afternoon, most nobles at least the gossipy ones were still out hunting or resting until the evening. Which meant just enough time to pick fresh roses for her room. As usual last night had been brutal and she just needed a bit of sun and air. Some quiet out in a space she had designed around her apple tree. Apparently, Eva had loved to garden so when the King and Snow realized she had changed it, they had been furious. She'd paid for it with a broken rib, but Leopold hadn't done much of anything to restore the garden in his opinion.
"What have I told you about playing in the dirt like a whore?" Leopold growled from behind her just as she snipped the last yellow rose.
"I'm sorry my King, the gardener wasn't around today, and I had wished to return to shortly to my rooms," Regina told her him she turned and curtsied deeply. She didn't look at him, couldn't look at him. The rage in his eyes was always striking fear into her heart.
"And you still chose to disobey me?" He asked.
"I just thought Snow would really enjoy the surprise, they're quite beautiful today like her," Regina replied. These flowers would not make it to her rooms. There would be no bright spot not for her, not today."
"Take them to a servant to set up in her rooms immediately and go to yours."
"Yes, my King." Regina curtsied once more even lower if possible. She kept her eyes down as she lay down the last flower and the sheers were carefully left out of sight in the rose bush, because she didn't want him to get any ideas and then send for Blue to heal her. Once they were in her room, she could already feel the tears on her cheek before he even struck her and yelled about disobeying him. He ripped her her skirt and petticoats. She'd spent more on petticoats then she cared for, he'd caught her just mending them and threw it in the fire said she was meant to be pleasing to him and wouldn't be if she looked like a peasant with mended coats. So, she donated the ones not covered in her blood to lesser women in need.
"Please my King no," Regina pleaded.
"How dare you tell me no!" He raged. Regina screamed and cried as he hurt her. He always hurt her, what had she done to deserve such torture? First her mother and now this, but if she had to choose, she'd run back to her mother any day. She would rather study for hours on things she had no interest in and forego riding then be this King's punching bag.
"HEY!" Someone yelled. Regina's eyes went wide as Leopold was pulled off her. That alone made her cry out in fear, that someone had dared to try and stop him. Leopold was of course raging as she sat up to get her first and what she assumed would be her last look of the person that tried to save her. As soon as she saw her Regina shook her head. She was dreaming, Emma was here, Emma wouldn't even exist yet, but here she was punching Leopold into a bloody pulp, her own personal savior.
"Emma, stop he's gone," Regina said. Emma stopped and realized as much.
"Are you all right?" Emma asked. Regina nodded.
"Thank you for saving me," Regina said. "I guess your dream catcher is working after all." Emma blushed.
"I don't know it was supposed to give you sweet dreams not this, never this," Emma sighed as the world around them began to change. They were back in her bedroom she noted. They were in pajamas again and in bed. She wasn't hurt anymore; the pain of the last dream was receding.
"I'm having one now," Regina told her.
"Or maybe I'm having the bad dream, I saw it all you know on the tv, and I was so angry I couldn't get to you sooner," Emma frowned as she pulled Regina closer. "I hope you're sleeping peacefully and I'm the one with nightmares."
"I am now I promise," Regina said hugging Emma. They turned their attention to the television and Carmilla started to play not their usual I love Lucy marathon. Neither said a word though until eventually when both were calm their dreams separated once more.
"How did you sleep?" Emma asked coming down nervously the next morning. Regina was already awake making a breakfast of egg whites and spinach with toast and sausage. Neal was in his highchair, shirtless and playing with some shapes.
"Good actually really good for the first time in a long time," Regina answered.
"You look better rested," Emma said. Regina nodded. Emma was about to ask about the dream when the sound of glass breaking startled them both. Regina moved the eggs off the fire and they went to the front. The glass on either side of her doors was shattered as well as all the front windows in the living room and dining room were broken as well. Emma opened the front door to see the dwarves peeling off.
"Mom?" Henry called.
"Henry stay upstairs for now, there's a lot of glass."
"But my window is broken," He said.
"They threw bricks into your room kid?" Emma asked upset. Henry nodded.
"And mom's or they wanted mom's," Henry shrugged. Regina went up the stairs and lifted him.
"I'll just take you into the kitchen, you can have breakfast there." Henry wrapped his arms around her, and Regina didn't say a word as she focused on getting her son a healthy breakfast before she picked up her broom and dustpan and got to work. Emma was furious and called her father, but she knew right now his hands were tied. It was bad enough Ruby was technically in hiding. Snow had literally called old guards to hunt her down, but they hadn't found her according to them. Emma had been glad when Ruby had shown up for dinner as if everything was fine. She was taking refuge with Kathryn since it seemed the least likely place, and she didn't want to bring more negative attention to Regina from Snow and Leopold.
"They cannot be allowed to get away with this any longer," Emma growled.
"And they won't, you'll be in charge soon," Regina reminded. Emma sighed.
"I hope so, but honestly really half the people are too scared to defy him and the other half thinks he's in the right just because he was King."
"Thankfully it's a private vote, and they only have to slip a paper in a box in front of everyone. I assume that means she'll try and change the votes. So, you need to make sure it's counted in front of everyone."
"Will you come?" Emma asked. Regina nodded.
"I need to support you; I will sit in the back with Granny and Ruby. Since he's not effected by my magic, I'm going to ask you to put that black cuff on me."
"What why?" Emma asked alarmed.
"So, she can't say I changed the votes, that's why, I will be in the very back don't worry. Kathryn will be closer to you and in charge of counting the votes along with Judge Oberlan so there won't be any lies told." Emma sighed and nodded.
"I don't like it but all right," Emma said.
"It's fine really, well we'll have Ruby put it on so she can take it off, that way if anything happens, I can have my magic back quickly."
"Mom?" Henry called. "Can I have some more?"
"Sure honey." Regina swept up the last of the glass and took it to the bin. She gave Henry more food and gave Neal some too. Emma followed a few minutes later after running the vacuum.
"Should I call the window installer?" Emma asked sitting down.
"No, no I can do it, I bought a couple of extras, I expected this sooner to be honest," Regina said. Emma frowned and nodded.
"Mom, Emma is he going to hurt you today?" Henry asked biting his lip.
"Oh no love we're perfectly safe. They can't get here, so they did that, especially because tonight Emma gets voted back in as Sherriff and they don't want that."
"Oh, you will win right?" He asked Emma. Emma nodded.
"I'm sure of it kid, things haven't been great around here since Snow took office, they'll be wanting a change. I hope I can get your mother back into office."
"Oh, really Emma it's fine, let's just look for the ingredients and when the time is right I'll figure out Gold's potion and we'll free the rest of the town, really," Regina said. "Well maybe not the rest, but you know."
"Ugh I hate myself, why did it have to be him," Emma sighed. "Why couldn't I bring back someone's lost wife and ruin their current relationship."
"Even better if you didn't mess with the past at all," Regina pointed out.
"I know, I know," Emma moaned as she put her head down on the counter. After a moment Regina gently lifted it and slid a plate under her nose. Emma let out a sad sigh and started eating. Regina stuck to eggwhites with a side of veggies. She would easily burn these calories off during her workout she knew and she took a larger portion so no one was the wiser about her eating habits. With Emma out until later, she would skip lunch and just tell Henry she snacked while she cooked him whatever it was she did. Or she might allow herself a smoothie or just broth, anything she could consume without jeopardizing her weight.
"Oh, what about Neal, we cannot take him there," Emma said.
"Oh, I'll drop him at Ashley's, David's been saying he's with her, so we're going to stick with that, after I showed her how Snow neglected him. She won't tell her that the child she's forgotten hasn't been home in weeks.
"That excuse has really been working for three weeks?" Emma asked. Regina nodded.
"Yeah, and it will keep working when she sees him clean and happy with Ashley." Emma looked at Regina with her mouth hanging open.
"You know what thank you for casting the curse, I'm glad I never had a mother growing up, the kids who already came from crap homes were always the worst off. Things were low for me, but never that low. I'm glad Neal has us, and Dad is doing his best and coming over to see him."
"More like sneaking," Henry sighed. "Grandpa shouldn't have to sneak off to see his son."
"Poor man can't even go home because Leopold either questions why he's not at the station during a time he refuses to pay him or Snow basically like jumps him so they can have an heir."
"I'm like lowkey tempted to have a son with him just to trump her and say he's the true heir, but I just don't have enough spite left to suffer for that kind of power," Regina sighed.
"That's the most you thing, you've said in forever and it is music. How else can we spite her?"
"Getting you your job back, that's why I'm putting on that stupid cuff so she can look stupid in her accusations, the look on her face when I hold up that cuff will just have to do," Regina shrugged.
"All right fine if that's ALL you wanna do," Emma whined as if this was boring. Henry chuckled.
"Mom are we doing school today or taking a break?" Henry said.
"The morning is yours; I need to pick up your school packet for this week, and then I think I would like you to get two hours of reading done from a chapter book not your comics. And that's all I will require today since when we sit down you've been very good about paying attention." Henry grinned.
"Can we get a new comic today on the way and lunch at Granny's please?" He pleaded. "Please please." She smiled at him.
"Sure sweetheart, but we need to use magic, we can't be seen out and about with Neal." Henry nodded his head vigorously as he pumped his fists in the air.
"Good, well you guys do that, I am going to do some last-minute door to door visits showing myself all fit and ready for duty." After breakfast had been cleaned up and children dressed. Regina called to have her windows delivered. She also cleaned up Henry's room. They hadn't hit her room after all just Henry's. Henry spent time in the backyard with Neal while she saw to the windows before they popped over to the school. She deliberately showed up in the principal's office.
"Here you are, I just went through the packet for you, and I got an advanced set of math worksheets as requested.
"Perfect, thank you Principal Chu." Regina went through it though just in case she had her own questions for the teachers, but it was pretty straight forward what was required, and she still need to supplement in some arts and music. At this age Henry had started the piano before, he hadn't enjoyed it, so she'd need to pick a different instrument for him.
"Everything in order Madame Mayor?" Principal Chu asked. She always got nervous that Regina would be upset.
"Yes, thank you I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to confer with his teachers. Oh and did they grade his previous packet, we dropped it off on Thursday."
"Ah not everything has been returned to me just yet, and oh I nearly forgot, the science fair, shall I tell his teacher to expect an entry from Henry?" Principal Chu asked.
"Oh yes please," Henry said. Regina nodded.
"Yes, you can expect an entry from him. How long do we have?" Regina asked.
"Three weeks, I will send reminders out through the PTA." Regina nodded. They left and appeared in the comic bookstore. Regina even browsed a few she found interesting as she let him read and finally decide on which comic he'd like to buy. Lastly Regina appeared in a back room at Granny's. Leopold often came in demanding food and wouldn't leave until he was served. David often had a large bill to pay off.
"Henry go get Granny," Regina said. Henry nodded and went out to find Granny without drawing attention to himself.
"ARE YOU HIDING MY WIFE IN THIS GODFORSAKEN ESTABLISHMENT!" She hear Leopold yell. She nearly let her bladder go as she disappeared in a cloud of smoke into the kitchen. She could hear Henry yelling at Leopold not to go back into the room near her and Granny saying he wasn't about to start a fight in her diner. She gave Neal to the cook.
"Do not let him out of your sight and hurried out of the kitchen, the entire diner was looking their way." She was grateful when Granny heard her and redirected Henry who kept yelling but let go of Leopold's coat. He walked backwards before running to her and they disappeared into the kitchen. He was raging of course, as she took Neal back, picked up her bag, and they disappeared.
"I'm sorry mom, he saw me," Henry cried.
"Oh, Henry no, sweetie it's not your fault, I should have known that if he saw you he would know I was nearby. Absolutely none of this is your fault okay?"
"Okay," he sniffled. He hugged her tightly and she hugged him back careful of Neal who hugged them both. "I…I wet myself." Regina kissed his forehead.
"That's okay mi amor sometimes fear overwhelms us and we lose control."
"I was so scared that I let him get to you," Henry said.
"I heard him coming and was able to leave in time," Regina reminded him. "We're okay, I'm okay, all right?" Henry nodded. After awhile he went to get changed and Regina made him brownies for lunch, so he'd fill better. She put Neal down for a nap before they went outside to enjoy the garden. Regina wanted to cut so instead she opened the new leather-bound journal she had been drawing in with charcoal for weeks. She had a larger drawing book she used her color pencils on, but this so far, she liked drawing with charcoal inside of. She drew Henry this time, his crying face because it was her pain to see him so. She had shown Archie her body art mostly or one- or two-colored drawings that she had mostly just practiced her still life on, a flower or a bowl of fruit. Nothing too serious. Maybe when she finished with the journal, she'd be ready to show him these, but for now it was like her diary in picture form. And she needed to get this all out now because tonight was going to be a tough one.
Please leave a review. Also feel free to follow me on my tumblr page, Phantomofthefiction, where I will be giving updates on chapters and when I will post again. :)