2.4

The day had turned out to be quite busy at the Mayor's office. Regina found herself extremely anxious with what seemed to be a never ending list of things to take care of on the day before Henry and Roland came home. Her anxiety had only been getting worse lately and the extra care that Robin and Emma seemed to give her just made it worse somehow. It just made her feel guilty on top of everything else. Now, she was dangerously heading towards feeling numb. Lost in her soundproof world, she hardly noticed when her assistant poked her head in and called out for her attention.

"Mrs. Locksley!"

Regina jumped. "Oh my God, you scare the hell out of me!"

"I'm sorry, but you weren't answering and I was worried. Your 2 o'clock meeting is here. Would you like me to send him in or reschedule?"

"Who is it again," she asked as she sifted through a stack papers in front of her.

"Baron Samedi, Madame. He's here for business, I believe."

Regina had a sinking feeling as she dazed off. "Would you like me to reschedule?"

Regina blinked her eyes and refocused, "No, thank you, you can send him in."

She began to straighten up her desk and ran her hand through her hair, shaking it out to perk herself up for mayoral duties. Truth be told, she wanted to be in the forest where she'd found Elisabeth just a few weeks earlier. All at once, she had this intense desire to be alone. Before she could revel in the thought, he walked in. The moment their eyes met, it was like a jolt to her system. Her mouth ran dry as she tried to process the reality of him being in front of her now, this specter from her past. His gazed pierced her like it had from the beginning. She had almost forgotten how to shield herself from it. She knew all his tricks. Suddenly, she found herself wanting to see him try them all.

"Madame Mayor, I'm Baron Samedi," he said as he took her hand, delicately kissing the back of it in a way that took her back to times long forgotten.

She cleared her throat and managed a diplomatic smile. "Welcome, Mr. Samedi. Please, have a seat. Shall I get you a drink?"

He grinned at her cordial behavior. "Thank you, Madame."

Once the door was shut and they were alone, Regina busied herself with making drinks trying to calm her racing heart. "You can call me Baron."

Regina didn't turn to look at him as she carefully considered this chess game they were playing. "Baron. How long have you been in Storybrooke?"

He chuckled at her as he accepted his drink. "Not long. Just long enough to consider doing some business and meeting the mayor of this fine town."

She raised her brow. "Well I'm glad you enjoy our town. I'm quite proud of it. Protective in fact."

"Of that I have no doubts."

"Then you'll understand my asking what business it is that you plan on conducting here in Storybrooke?"

"I'm a financial advisor."

Regina gave him an unimpressed look. "Financial advisor?"

"Yes."

"Do you use your tarot cards for that?"

"I don't know what you mean," he said with a gleam in his eye.

"Cut the act, Facilier," she said agitated.

"Ah, Regina, you could always see right through me."

She rolled her eyes, "If you think you're going to come into my town and stir up trouble with your dark friends and fucking cards, you're sadly mistaken."

He raised his hands in surrender, "I mean no harm. I'm not here to cause any trouble."

"Then why are you here?"

His whole demeanor suddenly changed as he walked over towards her. "Would you believe I just wanted to see you?"

"Me?" She allowed herself to look utterly confused though her heart was about to tear out of her chest.

"Yes, Regina. I knew you were staying in Storybrooke even after the curse broke. I'd often wondered if I'd ever see you down in New Orleans. I never got you out of my mind, so one day I decided to pay a visit. Now, here I am. You did a beautiful job with curse, darling."

"Thank you," was all she managed to get out.

"Did I hear right? Did I hear your assistant call you Mrs. Locksley?"

As if someone had dumped cold water over her head, she was suddenly grounded in the full reality of what was happening. "Yes."

"Congratulations, Regina. He's a lucky man."

"Thank you. I'm very grateful for my family."

His gaze became more thoughtful and distant as he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You finally got everything you ever wanted?"

She nodded. "Which is why you should probably head home," she said moving away from him towards her desk. "I appreciate the visit and the kind thought, but I'm extremely busy."

He looked down, a bit disappointed and sighed. "Of course. It was lovely to see you as always, My Queen," he said, bowing to her before vanishing into a cloud of smoke.

Regina sat back down at her desk completely stunned. "What the hell just happened?"

…..

After dinner, Regina shut herself away in the guest bedroom with a migraine. Truthfully, she just needed some time alone to process her feelings over her encounter with Samedi. She lay on the bed as the moonlight filtered in and found herself drifting through memories. The first time she saw Facilier was the first time she'd ever visited the land without magic. She learned quickly that this world wasn't entirely without magic, but it had become very difficult to find. She needed to find the right place for her beloved curse, and what better place than in a world where there are no tricks above what she herself knew? She'd been to several places, but was quickly intrigued when she'd heard about a place with a special type of magic and darkness running through it. New Orleans was unlike anything Regina had ever witnessed. The music that flooded the streets, the sights, the smells…it was an overload to the senses. There was one person in particular she was hoping to meet, and that was Marie Leveau. From one queen to another, she couldn't wait to meet the woman who reigned over such a colorful city. It was another sorcerer she would meet, however. Her luck in finding Marie was running low. Most people sent her to shrines and told her she no longer existed in this world. The ones she felt knew more than they were telling seemed too terrified to tell her anything of worth. Whoever she was, she certainly had an impressive hold on her people. When she went to visit her grave she smirked. She'd never considered keeping her vault in the middle of everything. As she made her way around the stone looking for a way to open it, she heard a deep sultry voice behind her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

She looked up at the man before her leaning against a stone with a smile that was magnetic to her. "Why is that?"

"Well, Marie doesn't like people who pry. When she wants to talk, she shows up on her own terms."

"Well that's helpful," she said as she dusted of her hands and sighed.

"Perhaps I can be of service? I am Dr. Facilier." He tipped his hat to her and there was that smile again.

"Doctor? Of what?"

"I'm a witch doctor," she said with a sly smile waiting for her reaction.

She grinned ready to play. "In that case, you might be of help to me. I'm the queen of another realm. The Evil Queen…as some would say. Though, I find that a bit harsh. I'm about to cast a very dark curse and I'm looking for a place to relocate. The idea of trapping my prisoners in a world without magic seems appropriate, but I'm curious as to the magic this particular part of land holds."

"In that case, Your Majesty," he began with a bow and a kiss to the back of her hand, "I would be honored to show you our lovely world of shadows."

Their love affair had been sparked almost immediately. It was the most passionate connection she'd ever felt with another human being. She'd never been touched the way that he'd touched her. She'd never felt so alive with anyone. As she lay in bed with flashes of their times together running through her head, she tossed her head back and forth. She wanted him to go away. She wanted all of it to go away. She wanted to forget again and never remember that feeling he'd awakened in her so long ago. She wanted so desperately to fight it awakening now. Sighing in frustration, whimpering in defeat, she touched herself. She let herself get lost in the memory of his mouth on hers, his hands on her, and the way he felt inside of her. It all came rushing back through her. Before she knew it, she was riding the waves of the most intense orgasm she'd had in a long time. She fell asleep almost instantly. The next morning, Emma was sitting next to her with a soft smile on her face as she ran her fingers through Regina's hair.

"Hey beautiful. How are you feeling?"

Regina closed her eyes, loathing herself. "I'm a bit better."

"I have everything laid out for you to take a nice hot shower. Your coffee is right here. When you're done, I'll have breakfast ready. If you don't feel up to going to the airport, I can pick up the boys myself."

Regina's eyes flashed open. Henry and Roland were coming home today. She'd almost forgotten. "No! I'll be fine. I'll get ready."

Emma chuckled. "I knew Henry coming home would perk you up. Take your time, babe."

Regina took her hand after Emma kissed her on the forehead. "I don't deserve you."

Emma furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about? I'm the lucky one here, remember?"

Regina intently kissed her and held her close. "I love you, Emma."

Emma held her for a moment. "I love you too, baby. Everything is going to be ok. We're all going to be home together again."

Regina nodded into her shoulder and just held her tight for another moment before letting her go. "Thank you for the coffee. I'm going to take that shower."

Emma smiled and watched her walk out of the room a bit concerned. Downstairs, she found Robin underneath the kitchen sink. "Almost done down there?"

"Almost," he called out. He let out a few grunts and shifted back and forth for a few more minutes before he crawled out triumphantly. "Well that's one dragon slayed."

Emma smiled and wrapped her arms around him, awarding him with a kiss. "Our hero."

"How's our queen this morning?"

Emma frowned. "I'm not sure. She has a lot on her mind right now, I can tell. I know she's looking forward to picking up the boys though. That brightened her right up."

Robin smiled. "It'll be good for her to have Henry home again."

"You know she loved Roland just as much."

"No, I know! But we know she and Henry have been through a lot together. He shares a special bond with her that none of us ever will. If anyone can help her feel all right again, it's Henry."

Emma smiled. "You're right. I'm so grateful they ended up together."

"Otherwise, none of us would be together."

"Ugh don't even joke. I hate remembering life before this."

Robin laughed. "Well you don't have to, darling."

….

Emma and Elisabeth held up the "Welcome Home" sign while Robin held on to a nervous and fidgeting Regina. Her eyes were locked on the corridor she knew her boys would be coming in through. She couldn't let herself think about anything else in the world right now other than having her sons in her arms again. When they rounded the corner and started making their way towards their family, Regina's breath was taken away. It felt like the first moment she'd laid eyes on Henry as a baby. Time slowed down and she saw him taking his first steps, walking to school on the first day, walking down the street with Emma, walking across the stage at his graduation… his life flashed before her eyes and she was so happy. Henry locked eyes with her and held her smile until she was in his arms.

"Mom."

"Henry," she cried as she held him tight, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Mom."

"I love you so much."

He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Mom."

She smiled as she watched him hug Emma before she turned and took Roland into her arms.

"Hello my sweet boy!"

"Hey mom!"

She rubbed her nose against his the way they did when he was a boy. "I missed you."

He smiled. "I missed you too. I'm really glad to be home!"

Henry and Robin hugged each other. "I'm glad to have the guys back. It's not easy being the outnumbered one you know," Robin said with a wink.

Regina and Emma rolled their eyes. Henry picked up Elisabeth and swung her around. "Baby sis! Excited for graduation?"

"More excited for the vacation after!"

"Vacation you say?" He looked at his parents and they smiled back at him.

Regina looped her arm through Henry's. "Come on, we'll tell you all about it in the car. Right now I want to hear all about your trip!"

The family walked through the airport content and reunited. For the moment, Regina had all she needed and nothing else in the world mattered.