"Ready?" Having parked near the house at Carnegie Hill, Gold turned to the Mayor of Storybrooke.
"I don't know.", Mills cringed. "I'm not sure that this could be a good idea at all."
"I called Regina with you besides me, she said she would be glad to see you, you heard that."
"And why would she?" She squeezed into the seat. "I wanted to get rid of her, destroy her. I tried to kill her several times. Why would she enjoy my visit?"
"I have already said that you do not know her at all." he took her hand. "Just give a chance to this untold story. At any time, you can walk beyond the threshold, take a taxi and leave."
"No, listen, it's all somehow ..." She did not have time to finish.
"Come on!" Gold got out of the car, gesturing for Miss Mills to follow him. The Mayor hesitated for a few more seconds, but then followed suit after him.
"Regina?" Gold called upon entering the house. Miss Mills pressed herself at the hallway corner. All of her self-confidence instantly run away from her and she felt confused in the house of Gold and her other half who she so diligently tried to get rid of. The Queen appeared with a curly haired, brown-eyed boy in her arms.
"Dad!", the child jumped happily.
"Gideon." The Queen winced a little, lowering the boy from her arms. "Do not jump off your mother."
"Don't carry him in your arms, he walks fine by himself" Removing his coat, Gold squatted down and opened his arms for the baby. "Come here!" The boy ran to his father. "Hello!" He hugged his son. "Did you miss me? Come with me, help me with dinner. What did you cook with your mom? Let's go finish it all up." He quickly kissed his son and stood up, grabbing the bags with one hand and handing the other to the boy.
"What about me?" The Queen hugged him from the shoulders.
"You too.", he smiled, kissing his wife. Miss Mills was still standing in the corner, clinging to the wall.
"Well, it looks like we have to go through this alone, right?" The Queen stepped towards her after Gold disappeared behind the kitchen door.
"Sounds like it." She finally peeled herself off the wall. "Listen, I think I better leave."
"No." The Queen took another step and took her hand. "Don't leave. Our relationship cannot be simple but, you must admit, we have no one closer to us than each other. We need to sort things out somehow. Didn't you ever think about it? Didn't you ever want it after we split up? Never? I know you wanted to get rid of me. Forever forget about me. And I wanted the same. I will not lie. When we left Storybrooke, I wanted to permanently erase you from my life. But you know, a year later I'm not so sure of that anymore. Time passes and everything change, insults are forgotten. You and I are one. We have a son. We cannot just forget about each other. And now that you have reappeared in my life, I want to help you."
"Help me?" She sarcastically arched an eyebrow.
"Don't get up in arms." The Queen raised her hands in a conciliatory manner. "Both I and Gold — we both want only what's good for you. You are dear to both of us. Just give us a chance."
Regina Mills was silent.
"Come." the Queen extended her hand again. "I will hang your coat and then we will drink a little and continue this conversation."
The Mayor hesitantly stepped towards her half.
"That's good." the Queen took the coat from the Mayor, which she still took off uncertainly, and hung it in a closet. "Follow me." They both went into the living room. The Queen, without asking, poured whiskey for the Mayor. For herself, a little red wine.
"I feel very stupid." The Mayor gulped down the contents of the glass.
"You're not alone." The Queen took a sip from her own.
"Is Gold really making dinner?" The Mayor nodded toward the kitchen.
"What surprises you so much?" The Queen shrugged. "Do you really believe the person who raised a child alone in the Enchanted Forest is not able to handle the stove?"
"No…", the Mayor shook her head, "It's just ... okay ... it doesn't matter ..."
"Don't worry, he cooks well.", the Queen smiled.
"I have no doubt." She handed the Queen her glass.
For a while, both were silent.
"This is all so unexpected.", the Mayor finally spoke. "You and Gold, you being together. Do you really love him?"
"Always.", the Queen replied. "I always loved only him."
"But what about Daniel? Robin?"
"No, that was all you."
"I didn't know…" The Mayor sipped a little from her glass.
"You don't know yourself very well at all. It doesn't matter." The Queen sat next to her. "It's not about that now. Has Rumple already told you that we want you to stay here with us? To make you part of our family?" The Mayor nodded. "And I will repeat it to you." She took another sip of wine. "You will be fine here. And Henry needs a firm hand that you cannot be: you love him too much. Both of you need a family. And we are ready to become just that."
"Why do you need it?" The Mayor carefully looked at the Queen.
"No reason.", she shrugged. "Consider this an irrational desire. You know ... we will always be connected with one another. Even though Rumple was able to completely separate us. We are flesh from each other's flesh and blood from each other's blood. We are like twin sisters. We've spent so many years together. And Henry ... I raised him with you and I do care about him."
"And you will be that firm hand for him?", the Mayor asked.
"No, not me.", the Queen shook her head. "Rumple. He is also worried about him. Although they were not close, Henry is his grandson. He is Bae's son. You understand what that means to him. But there is a huge gap between them. Give him a chance. Help him take the first steps. It will be useful for everyone. Henry never had a father but he may have a grandfather. He is at the most difficult age now; you cannot cope with him alone."
"Yes, because we all know how tough of a father he is." Regina grinned. "Are there any doubts that he will be the same "tough" grandfather?"
"He can handle it.", the Queen nodded. "He will be able to raise our son with you better than anyone else."
"It didn't work out with Bae." The Mayor sipped again from her glass.
"Do not add salt to his wound." The Queen got up from the sofa. "I warn you for the first and last time. Excuse me; I'll have to leave for a minute, find out what's the hold up with dinner." She slipped out of the living room.
In the kitchen, she pressed herself against Gold, who was standing by the stove. "Haven't you left us alone for too long?" She laid her head on his shoulder.
"Well, she's your half.", he kissed her temple. "I thought you'd want to be alone with her."
"I have already been." She looked into the pan. "And this sauce will burn soon. By the way, what is it for?"
"You will see." He stroked her hair. "Another five minutes, you can do the serving for now, you will both have something to do. Yes?" He winked at his son sitting on the kitchen table.
"Yes!" the boy answered eagerly.
"And take Gideon with you, he will entertain you both."
"Five minutes!" The Queen jabbed a finger at him. "I'm starting to count."
Soon they all sat down at the table.
"I don't understand, where's my lasagna?" The Queen asked, leaning on her arm.
"In the fridge." Gold said, meticulously slicing a salmon steak in her plate.
"You were supposed to put it in the oven." The Queen looked sadly at the asparagus with the cream sauce that accompanied the salmon.
"Yes? I didn't know." He glanced quickly at his wife. "You need to eat more fish, your child needs omega-acids and they won't hurt us either."
"That was the last time I let you into the kitchen." The Queen sighed.
"Oh, really?" Gold laughed. "Will you eat it by yourself or not?" He put a piece of fish on the fork.
"Give me the fork.". the Queen smiled.
"So have you reconciled with your fate?", Gold asked.
"Oh, really?" she mimicked her husband. "Is there any way not to "reconcile with my fate" dealing with you? Tyrant and despot."
"That's it." Gold agreed, pouring himself whiskey. "Do you want a pour?" He turned to Mayor Mills.
"Of course." She handed him her glass.
"Good decision." He poured her half a glass. "I hope it's not the last one for this evening."
"The evening promises to be interesting.", the Mayor muttered, drinking her whiskey in one gulp.
"So what did you decide on the matter in question?", Gold inquired.
"I don't know." She handed him her glass again and he poured her another. "All this is somehow strange. And unexpected. I'm trying to say ... I had a great plan. And it still is. I don't understand why it doesn't suit you, why you are being so stubborn. The plan is perfect. I'm taking everyone back to Storybrooke and they all become my problem. And you live in peace. And I live calmly, my usual life. Why is this bad?"
"Because of everything!" Gold poured himself one too. "We both already told you that we care about you. We don't want this to be your problem. We don't want you to continue dancing around Henry. And Henry is my grandson. It is time to educate him. I'm not trying to say that you've been a bad mother. You are a wonderful mother. You gave this child everything a mother can give. But now he needs a father. Which he never had. Bae was not by his side. You raised him alone. At least Regina used to be with you, but now you are all alone. And he is 16 years old. You can't handle him all by yourself. You need help."
"I suppose." Regina nodded. "I say it is "acceptable", because in reality it all sounds crazy. But, let's say I agree and retreat; I will not get involved in a war with you. And we even curb Henry. There is also David. You offer him to take a step back and reconcile? Resigning to the fact that his daughter will spend half her life in prison and his wife will be sleeping dead?"
"Now, it's not about him at all." Gold grimaced.
"How vain!" Miss Mills snapped. "Because he is your real problem. He is the sheriff of Storybrooke. And he can do no less than me."
"I don't give a damn about him." He filled both their glasses again. "Let him do whatever he wants."
"But Emma is my friend, I'm worried about her." Mills did not back down. "And Belle ..."
"Don't you utter this name in my house." Gold said very quietly but goosebumps ran down her spine from his tone.
"I won't.", said the Mayor conciliatorily. "But the fact remains: my plan solves all your problems; yours only adds more to you."
"We don't need you to solve our problems, we can solve them ourselves." Gold assured her. "We need you and Henry to live a normal life. That's all we need from you."
"But how can we all heal normally in this situation?" Regina continued. "Aren't these three too severely punished? I'm not speaking from the point of view of the American justice system, but ... well ..."
"Unwritten rules." Gold suggested.
"Something like that." the Mayor agreed. "They were just trying to get the baby back to his mother."
"His mother is sitting next to you.", Gold nodded at his wife. "And if you are talking about the woman who gave birth and abandoned him, she is not his mother. And no, I don't think they received too severe a punishment. They have taken advantage of other people in the name of "heroism" so many times that it was time for them to get a good lesson. You raised your son for ten years and then Miss Swan appeared. The one who left him, who abandoned him. And look what happened. And you call her your friend now? You are ready to fight for her? You're scaring me. Or do you think that Hook got too severe a punishment? Who ruined my family, who took Baelfire's mother away from him? Who repeatedly tried to kill me and my second wife? The one who became a Dark One and almost strangled you? Do you want to stand up for him? No, dearie. I won't move a finger to get this lot out. Forget it. As for David, you can console him: I will remove the curse from him and Snow White. So they can wait for Emma to come back and work on raising baby Neal together."
"You're arrogant." the Queen looked at her husband. "I like it."
"You are a first-class witch darling", he leaned toward his wife and quickly kissed her on the shoulder, "but it's me who taught you everything."
"And why do you think that I will let you go to Storybrooke to wake Snow White up?"
"You will go?" The Mayor asked in surprise, pouring herself more whiskey.
"Think of it as a goodwill gesture. And you know, if I were you, I would already start having a bite." He nodded at her untouched plate. "We, of course, will let you sleep here but if you plan to sleep in a bed and not hugging the toilet, then it's time to start eating something."
"No, what are you saying, I can't stay here. I need to go back to the hotel. Henry will be worried. By the way, where is my phone?" She ran her hands in her pockets. "I left it in the coat.", she concluded. "Henry must have called." She got up and headed for the hallway.
The Golds looked at each other in silence.
"Well", the Queen sighed, "she is such an optimist."
"Not the worst quality." Gold shrugged. "Eat more fish." He cut off a portion of Miss Mills' fillet and put it on the Queen's plate.
"Let her eat it!"
"She won't."
Regina Mills returned with her phone in her hands. "Strange." She raised her arm and moved it from side to side. "Perhaps there is a bad connection?"
"What, no missed calls?" The Queen asked.
"Not a single one." She once again held out her arm in the air.
"Call him yourself; tell him not to expect you tonight." Gold motioned for her to come back to the table.
"No, I can't." She sat in her seat. "What will I tell him? That I'm sleeping on your couch tonight?"
"Why on the couch?" the Queen was surprised. "There are enough bedrooms in this house, we will give you one. Furthermore, Rumple usually sleeps on our couch. Isn't that right, darling?"
"Oh, how vindictive you are." Gold grimaced. "It was just a couple of times I fell asleep. For how long are you going to remember that?"
"For long." the Queen said. "You know how lonely, sad and cold it felt for me all these "a couple of times." Look at that, Gideon takes after you." She nodded with a grin at the baby sleeping peacefully in the highchair.
"He is my son after all." Gold carefully took his son in his arms. "Hmmm, hush.", he shook the tumbling child slightly. "Come on, I'll put you in the crib."
"I really can't stay." the Mayor addressed the Queen. "All this is somewhat too much."
"Oh, stop it." she took her hand again. "Stay at least a little at home with your family. And don't call anyone. Let him worry. It will do him good."
Regina Mills was silent. She really didn't want to leave. Here, near the fireplace, behind the cream curtains, with these people, she, for the first time in a long time, felt at home. She was well and calm with them. A long-forgotten sensation. "You know, I want to stay." she said softly.
"Good." The Queen put her arm around her shoulders.
"What did I miss?" Gold returned to the living room.
"She's staying.", the Queen smiled.
Regina Mills lay awake in her bed for a while. Everything that had happened seemed like a dream. Everything around her was perfect. Even the smell of the bedding was perfect. And yet it was a strange house; one she fell in love with from the very first minute and did not want to leave from. The love of its owners warmed it. Next to them everything was good, quiet, warm and calm. Their love for each other covered everything around.
Regina got up, walked around the room and went out into the corridor. For a while she wandered aimlessly around the house until she heard quiet voices from the master bedroom. After hesitating a little, she came closer to the door, attracted by the thought that they were talking about her. The Golds though, contrary to her assumptions, were completely busy with their affairs.
"Can they do it?" The Queen's voice came through.
"We'll see." Gold answered. "Everything will be decided tomorrow ... A little higher, yeah, there ..."
"And how do they substantiate their demands? .. The knee too?"
"Yeah ... No, not so much ... They justify that it is a historical attraction."
"Like every building here ... Is this good?"
"Yes ... I don't think that they will succeed ..."
"And what will they do with this building if they get it?"
"The same as me – hand it over at the same corporation."
"So you won't go to Stern again tomorrow?"
"Nope ... Now is not the time for it ..."
"You know I don't like it."
"Me either. But I like the building on Fifth Avenue. I'm not going to give it to the municipality ..."
Regina walked away from the door. She reached the window at the end of the corridor and sat on the windowsill. It was snowing outside. Large flakes flew to the ground under the light of an orange lantern. Pulling her legs to her chest, she laid her head on her knees. She was home.