Operation All Realms Chapter 8
"They've made it out of Hyperion Heights" Henry said over the phone, the next day.
Regina looked around the quiet mayor's office, and sighed with relief. "I'll call Robin and let him know. Have you called anyone else yet?"
Henry grinned "Nope, you were the first, as always."
"Call your grandparents then. It'll be all over town by lunchtime."
"Town hall?"
"Of course. Already looking when to schedule it."
"Should we still do patrols?"
"Yes. This was just the first step. Keep an eye on our counterparts, make sure they safely make it back to their Storybrooke. We'll still need to fix their timeline once they get there. We'll have to get all the other realms to help. That's major magic and has to be done exactly right."
"Okay, mom. Love you."
"Love you too, my not so little prince."
Henry chuckled "Still pretty short, so guess that qualifies as little."
"Taller than me."
"Sorry." He laughed. She joined in, and ended the call.
After he called his grandmother Snow, Henry decided that their counterparts needed a bit of extra help, and that it would come from a bit of justice done to the malicious authors.
"Let's see if I still have it, and can do it across realities, no less." Henry spoke aloud to himself. He wrote a few sentences in their storybook and then turned to his computer. "Yes! I'm in. Probably won't last long so have to do this quick." A bit of hacking- and nine million dollars from the author's and the TV production company, were transferred. The authors had so damaged the lives of their counterparts in the chaos reality. The money was transferred to that Regina Mill's bank account. Henry chuckled. Her account pin was the same as his mother's had been- until Robin got her to change it and her passwords every few months.
"They deserve it after what the authors did to them. Roni/Regina will know how to use it to get back home, and use it to help everyone in Storybrooke when she gets back. Now I just have to let that Henry know about the money." Henry wrote a few lines to the other Henry. Within minutes he got a reply.
"Hah! Great! Thanks, Mom will know how to use the rest, once we get back home. Your other grandpa rubbed off on you a bit!"
Henry grinned sheepishly. It was kind of a Mr Gold worthy action, but for the best of reasons. The book allowed it, so likely considered it something like the price the authors and company needed to pay for their actions. Henry covered his tracks extremely well, making it look like just a computer glitch, and as it fell within the three day window of the reality being in flux, the money would be permanently transferred and for the authors it would appear as if they never had that money. As far as they, the production company, and the bank knew that was how much had always been there.
The longer and further they got from Hyperion Heights the clearer everyone's heads got. To his disgust Henry realized the authors had been manipulating his, and he could tell from Jacinda's looks to him, hers as well. In truth, they had never had romantic feelings for each other. He could tell from the way Jacinda and Sabine looked at each other that the true romantic love was between them.
At their next rest stop Henry nodded at Jacinda, and they walked a bit off to the side; making sure Lucy had already gone inside with Regina and Eudora. Sabine saw them walk off together, and guessed Henry had realized what she and Jacinda had. The authors had been manipulating their feelings for years- taking Henry and Jacinda's friendship and distorting it into a fake romance. And squashing the romantic feelings, not that successfully- even in Hyperion Heights, she noted, between her and Jacinda.
"I'm angry at them all over again, Jacinda."
"Me too. But what can we tell Lucy? I think your mother and Sabine's mom will understand, but Lucy's a kid. She's believed in the fake storybook for most her life, now."
"I know. This is way worse than anything that happened in Storybrooke, to me."
"It's horrid. Not that it was terrible being married to you." Jacinda chuckled.
"Thanks, needed to hear that. Even though we were manipulated, I still feel guilty. I'm glad I wasn't a terrible husband. It wasn't bad to be married to you either. It's just-"
"We don't need to be now. We were never married in Hyperion Heights, so I don't think we need to do any kind of divorce, right?"
"I'll talk to mom, pretty sure that's the case."
"What should we tell Lucy, though?"
"The truth. But I'll assure her that I still love her same as before. And if it's okay with you, I want to stay as involved as her dad as I did back in the New Enchanted Forest."
"Of course, I want you to. I should talk to Sabine now, let her know what's going on."
"I'll go talk to my mom, before we get back on the road. When we get to the hotel tonight, we'll let Lucy and Eudora know."
"I knew something serious was up, when I spotted you two talking on the dog path."
"Yeah. You don't sound surprised though."
"The authors manipulated me romantically too, that thing with Gold back in Storybrooke, just a few months after-" She shuddered.
"That was mostly the Evil Queen you, though."
"Yeah, but I felt it, kind of." Roni grimaced with disgust. "I didn't actually have those feelings. I think he lusted after me some, when I still was not full on Evil Queen, and I sensed that a bit from him when I started redeeming myself. He was jealous of my deep love for Robin. I don't know if the authors manipulated Gold to bring those feelings out or not, though."
"The other Henry told me we are free now, whatever we feel is our actual feelings."
She nodded. "I can tell. It feels different."
The rest of the trip cross country was uneventful. As they neared Storybrook, Henry said "Mom, once we cross the town line pull over to the side of the road."
"That's when they are going to fix the timeline?"
"Yeah." Henry didn't tell her, but the other Henry told him the other realities had figured out how to bring back their Robin Hood. That came first. Then, after Roni/Regina had had her reunion moment with Robin, they'd do the time shift work. They would be taken up to 2026, a week after Regina left for the New Enchanted Forest. Apparently, that was the best time point.
"Should be right around the next curve." Regina informed the others. She smiled when she saw the painted line with her magic.
Henry touched the talisman in his pocket as they crossed the line. "Home at last"
"Almost, but we're still in 2019." Regina pulled over to the side of the road. Then she felt an odd sensation and shuddered.
"You okay, mom?"
"Fine now, just felt a cold chill or something."
"Okay". Then he grinned when he saw Robin walking out of the woods with a confused expression. "Mom, take a look outside my window."
"Wh-" she began to ask. "Robin!" she cried, and threw open the driver's side door and ran around to the other side.
Robin saw her and they both ran to embrace each other.
"Robin?" Sabine, Jacinda and Eudora chorused in confusion.
"That's not Zelena's daughter." Jacinda added.
"That's the father of Robyn, my mother's soulmate."
"Then why-"Eudora began to ask.
"Better not to talk about the details, it's bad and connected to why Robin was dead. Just know, Zelena was at fault. " Henry said with a touch of anger. A little part of him still hated Zelena.
"Okay, momma, sounds like its better we stay out of that business" Sabine cautioned.
"Hmph, never liked that Zelena woman, anyways, something wasn't quite right about her." Eudora said in a tone that she considered the matter closed.
"Yep, that about sums it up." Henry said.
"So that's grandma Regina's soulmate?" Lucy piped up.
"Uh huh." Henry smiled as he watched them approaching. He awkwardly climbed over into the driver's seat, then reopened the book, propping it up on the steering wheel. Mom was too over the moon to be driving, she deserved to have her attention on Robin. Sabine and Jacinda moved over in the middle seat, so Robin or Regina could sit there. He saw words appearing. "We saw it work. Relieved! If you can get Regina back in the SUV with Robin, we can move you up to 2026."
Regina opened the passenger door and gave Henry an amused look. "You knew they were going to do this, didn't you?"
"I confess, I did. But I wanted to be sure it happened. I didn't want to say something and then they couldn't."
"I know."
"Welcome back, Robin." Henry smiled.
"Good to be back. So what's this about time travel? Isn't that dangerous?"
"Not when it's a correction of a timeline."
"Ah. Well, I'll leave the magic to the experts. What do we need to do?"
Good, Henry thought, Robin just made it that much easier. But he was good at that, even back early on in mom and Robin's relationship. "Just get in and probably we should all be sitting down. Might be a bit of a jolt."
Jacinda reached over and opened the second row door. Robin leapt up and gracefully landed on the seat. And then grinned cockily.
"Show off" Regina teased, as she stepped up and sat down in the front passenger seat. And with a wave of her hand closed both hers and Robin's doors.
"Now who's showing off, milady" Robin laughed.
Regina grinned back at him.
"Okay, they're ready to go, get us to 2026, A week after mom left Storybrooke. We're still going to be a bit older than we should be, but they said, this was the best opening point. Everyone get ready".
With a somewhat dizzying and nauseating jolt they arrived.
"Ugh. Hope I never have to time travel again." Regina mumbled
"Agreed. I feel like I have a bad hangover." Robin responded.
"Did it work?" Lucy asked.
Henry pulled out his phone. After a crazy mess cleared, the date popped up. 6:36 PM, Friday, March 27, 2026. "Yep! We're in 2026." He showed Regina the date, "That look about a week after you left?"
She thought for a moment. "Yes. I left on the Spring Equinox."
"Okay, well let's get going, getting close to sunset." Henry reached to turn the car ignition-
"Wait!" Robin cried out. "There's someone coming out of the woods, on the other side!"
"Yes, two people, a young man and a girl. The young man is waving. I think he wants us to stay. He…looks familiar…" Regina responded.
"Oh my god, it's Roland! My boy!" Robin wasted no more time and flung the door open. "Roland!" He cried joyfully and raced to him.
"Papa." Roland says softly. "She was right, you really were here."
Robin hugged his son tightly "Oh Roland! I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you." Then he looks at the girl warily gazing at him.
"Papa, this is my sister, Rowan."
"But-"
"This isn't your daughter."
"I think I know who her parents are." Regina says. "The Queen and Wishverse Robin."
Roland nods, but then looks anxious. "We'll explain everything on the way. But we were sent to bring you back with us to the Old Enchanted Forest."
"You know about the New Enchanted Forest?" Henry responds.
"Yes. The Queen was able to see some things. She especially wanted to know what happened to you." Roland looks at Henry.
"Mama and Daddy are dying!" Rowan cried out, tears welling up in her eyes and her lower lip trembling.
"And there's the price of bringing Robin back." Regina said too softly for the others to hear.
"Robin and Regina aren't going alone. I won't risk us getting separated again." Henry says firmly.
"She'll be happy to see you." Roland says to Henry.
Henry nods. He turns to Eudora, Sabine, Jacinda and Lucy. "Um, I said that, but I don't have the right to make your decision for you. If you don't want to come, wait for us by the car. If we don't-"
"Hush, Henry, of course I'm coming along.' Jacinda says firmly. This is part of Lucy's family. "
"And I'm coming too!" Lucy said boldly.
"Well, if they're going, I am. Sabine responds
"And if my daughter is going, I am." Eudora says, bluntly.
What way are we going? Magic bean, portal?" Regina asks.
"Portal. It takes Rowan and I both to open it."
The two siblings touch fingers and a portal opened. Regina and Robin immediately stepped through. The others followed, with Roland and Rowan being the last, closing the portal behind them.
Roland explained what happened from when he met the Queen and Wishverse Robin. Regina explained to Robin and the others how she came to be separated from the Queen and how Wishverse Robin ended up with her.
When they arrived the Queen quickly ushers everyone into a bedroom, where Wishverse Robin lay on the bed.
"We're doing this for her" nodding toward her daughter. "She has to know we're still there, inside of both of you." She looks at Regina and Robin.
"And Roland too." Robin says, gently.
"But he's your son." Wishverse Robin says, with surprise.
"That you raised, when I couldn't. Thank you." Robin replies
Wishverse Robin made a dismissive noise, which turned into a cough. "Showing again, you're better than me." Then he sticks his hand out gruffly "Okay, let's get this on with before I'm gone."
Robin nodded and took his hand. A flash of light, then only the original Robin remained.
Regina pauses, while Rowan's tears become soft sobs. Roland hugged his sister and the Queen brushed her hand gently across her daughter's back. Then the Queen stepped back and turned back toward Regina.
Regina reached out her hand.
"No, we'll do this like in Storybrooke."
"Fighting?" Regina raised an eyebrow questioningly.
The Queen laughed. "No! We end this with a hug." Her eyes reflect a softness rarely seen, outside her husband and children. "This was a gift of time. A gift of a life I would have never otherwise had. Only to be returned to you and Robin.' Then the Queen smiled mischievously. "Besides, I have a gift for you, that you'll appreciate sometime soon."
Regina looked skeptical "What kind of gift?"
The Queen laughed, "Now that would be telling. You'll just have to trust me."
Normally, Regina would have backed off at those words, at any other time. But she looked at her mirror self, straight in the eyes, and saw not mischief or danger, but a hint of wistfulness. Regina stepped into the embrace. Light flared again, going from deep purple to a soft red. When the light cleared it appears the Queen, not Regina is standing there.
"It's okay, it's me." Regina says in her distinctly gentler voice. "The Queen gave me her younger body." Regina quickly changes her appearance back to her own.
Robin and Henry sigh with relief. It hadn't been a trick, it was a sincere gift.
Before they left, Robin and Regina met with the council the Queen established. They were pleased to find very few people they worried about. Many were Robin's former Merry Men. If, not perfect morally, their hearts were in the right place. The others were people Regina recognized and cautiously approved of.
"The Queen must have gotten more of me than I thought, none of them are that liable to be tempted into darkness." She whispered to Robin."
The Queen laughed inside of Regina's head. "Still here, remember? And no, I didn't want anyone likely to betray me. I knew who to pick. And Robin's men would be better as allies. The old nobles weren't too happy, but my old reputation kept them in line."
Robin smirked at Regina and whispered back, "I assume you got a mouthful from your other self, like I did?"
"Yes" Regina chuckled. Then she turned to the council. "I assume the Queen told you what was going to happen?
Nods and affirmatives were the response.
"Good. Robin and I will be returning to the Land Without Magic. For now, you are in charge. You can continue to rule as a council, or appoint a new King or Queen to lead you. I trust your judgement. Be wary of the surrounding kingdoms. They will see the lack of a ruler as a weakness. It isn't, but you can make it that, if you don't show your unity to each other."
With that brief statement Regina rose from her chair and left the room. She gave Robin a few minutes to have a reunion with his former Merry Men and any advice he wanted to leave with them. She returned to the Queen's quarters and asked her other self if there was anything she wished to take with her.
"Look in my dresser drawer, the bottom on the left."
Regina saw part of an arrow shaft with a note tied to it. She grinned, knowing what it was. "Yes, his marriage proposal. Despite his rough, cynical ways, he was, deep down as sentimental a romantic as your Robin."
Regina shrugged "Maybe more. He got his second chance later and after a lot more painful a life, than my Robin."
"Hmm, maybe so. He was quite to the point when he admitted he desperately loved-"
"And lusted"
"Oh, yes, I remember that night quite fondly. My Robin, he liked me to take the lead, most times." The Queen laughed lustily.
Regina reflected on that, they had mirrored the other. She loved romantically surrendering her trust to Robin, giving him the lead there. But then he would follow her willingly in their public life. Well, once they got past the missing year. And he'd never hesitate to get her back on track if she was dragging herself down into a self-hatred rut.
"I don't have your self-hatred, so that was never an issue. My Robin, he just moved forward once we got here. 'Leave the past in the past'."
"Not quite 'everyone deserves a second chance', but kind of a version of it."
"Perhaps."
"Is there anything of Rowan's, baby things, you want me to take?"
"We do share that part of our hearts. Yes, right upper drawer, everything in it that was hers."
Regina smiled wistfully at the infant clothes, a ragged doll, a tiny bow and arrow set (decorative), and a roughly stitched tiny stuffed horse.
"Yes, she inherited our love of horses. Sadly, her first real horse died this past winter. She loved it so. So much she hadn't been able to tolerate us looking for replacement yet. Do get her one when you take her back to Storybrooke."
"I will, when she's ready. This may set that back a bit more."
"I think so."
"Roland missed you" The Queen abruptly stated. "Although he came to care for me, you were his real second mother."
"Those awful authors played with my depression and made me unable to act until it was years too late."
"I thank whatever that they had no interest in me or my Robin. We were able to have a life free from their interference."
"Is there anything of Roland's?"
"He already has it. He's helping his sister get some of her own things right now."
"We probably should leave tonight. Not let the other kingdoms know the Queen and her consort, as well as their heirs, are leaving."
"You haven't forgotten strategy."
"Oh, believe me, I had to use it plenty in the New Enchanted Forest and Hyperion Heights."
"Ugh, I couldn't bear to look at you when you thought you were Roni."
"Not exactly refined." Regina laughed.
An hour later they left the castle, on the border of the castle lands Roland and Rowan opened the portal. They all emerged where they left. Everyone squeezed into the minivan. Despite her subdued grief, Rowan was curious about the minivan.
"I saw these vehicles in mama's magic mirror. She told me how they worked. I never thought I'd ride in one." She said to Lucy.
Lucy was sad for Rowan, but happy she now had sort of a relative that was almost her age. Rowan was just two years older than her. She spontaneously hugged Rowan. "I'm glad you're here. I haven't ever had any family my age."
"Not my age either, not at home, just my brother Roland and he's lots older. Your dad is kind of my brother and I have a half-sister, sort of-"
"Yeah, Robyn Mills, I knew her as in Hyperion Heights as Margot. She went with her fiancé Alice to the New Enchanted Forest"
"But she's here, around our age in Storybrooke."
"Yeah!" Lucy grinned. "I can't wait to meet her!"
"Maybe tomorrow." Henry said, overhearing the conversation.
Regina nodded. "We all need a good night's rest right now. We're headed to my house for tonight."
"We'll get everything sorted tomorrow." Robin added.
"Thank you!" Eudora responded. "I hope you have a few spare bedrooms for all of us."
"Taken care of." Regina was glad Henry was driving. That bit of magic tweaking, adding a few extra bedrooms, dropped her energy level down far enough she was now craving sleep.
Robin saw the exhaustion in Regina's face and drew her upper body against his.
"Umm, might go to sleep right here." Regina smiled and closed her eyes.
Robin was tired too, but thought he could make it up to Regina's bedroom, not sure if he had the energy to carry Regina up the stairs with him though.
Regina recovered enough in the half hour drive that she opened the front door, manually, no magic, and after Henry went through and turned on all the lights, directed everyone to where their bedrooms were. Lucy and Rowans would share a room, as would Sabine and Jacinda. Eudora had the room next door. Henry had his old bedroom and Roland had a room right next to the one Lucy and Rowan shared. Sabine & Jacinda's room was across from that. Robin didn't even question where he was sleeping. Regina took his hand and they walked into her old bedroom.
"So good to be back, especially with you." Regina smiled tiredly.
"Absolutely, my love. Now, I believe sleep is calling both of us." Robin tenderly pulled her toward the bed.