Author's Note: Hey, all I know it's been a very long year since I have updated. Last year, my computer completely died on me, and while I thought most of my work was backed up unfortunately it was not. So I've spent most of the year trying to write without trying to remember exactly what I wrote before as it comes out rather shallow and rushed. So worry not I have not abandoned my stories, we are just having horrible technical difficulties, and of course, in these times of Corona, I do and don't have a lot of time on my hands.
Chapter Four
"Thank you, yeah if you could give them my answer that would be great," Regina said as she sat in her study. Ajani was in her lap coloring and Cyann was messing up all her papers as he sat on the desk in front of her. Kallo was not any better when she was around, but thankfully today was a school day. Regina had sunk money into the school getting them supplies they needed and paying teacher's salaries that would get them through until after tax season so that they paid taxes and those taxes went back into the school. Most government workers like the trash collectors were on building duty, they were paid, and Marco supplied wood. This led to others opening back-up shops that sold other goods, that they could now get restocked in since Regina had brought the shipments back in of various materials including half the food.
"Hey Regina, you in?" Emma called through the house.
"Cyann stop go get Emma," Regina said. Cyann jumped down and ran to get Emma. Regina finished up her phone call and hung up. Cyann's grandparents were trying to get custody of him claiming that Regina was mentally unstable, but that was just not true. Emma came in with Cyann and a woman whose face looked like it had seen better days.
"This is Marbo, Kallo's sister," Emma told her. Regina stood up with Ajani. Gus looked at her but remained in his bed. They shook hands.
"You've certainly taken your time in coming to the Sheriff about your parents, sister, and baby brother," Regina said. The woman frowned.
"He wasn't my father," Marbo told her. "Anyway, I'll bury my mother no worries about that she'll have the grave she deserves with her son, but him I'm afraid I won't see to that bastard."
"That's fine, I can see there's bad blood there, and I understand it," Regina said seeing the look on Marbo's face. "But about Kallo…."
"I don't want her, I don't care, she's always been the pretty one, the clever one, I want nothing to do with her."
"Right well, unfortunately you are her legal guardian, you'll have to give up your rights to her," Regina said. She didn't mention that she'd be taking Kallo in, Marbo was so angry she'd take the girl to keep her from a good home."
"Where will you be sending her, I won't take care of her, but for mother's sake I'll keep an eye on her." Regina and Emma glanced between one another, there was nothing in town for orphans really.
"Well when you give up guardianship she'll stay under our care," Emma told her. Marbo frowned.
"No, absolutely not, I'll take her home then Sheriff don't worry, I guess I will stick with the brat."
"Marbo, you understand that I will arrest you if Kallo is abused in any way?" Emma asked her.
"Of course, Sheriff," Marbo replied. "If you could pack her things, I'll pick her up from school."
"I will check her school attendance," Regina told Marbo. "And I'll know if she loses any weight from withholding food."
"Yes, your majesty," Marbo sneered.
"Good you may pick her up here tomorrow evening, Kallo will spend that time with us saying a proper goodbye." Marbo stalked out without another word. Emma waited for the front door to slam shut before she spoke.
"I thought for sure she'd sign away her rights, I'm not eager to leave Kallo with her."
"Nor am I, but we'll keep an eye on her none the less, but a girl like that was bound to refuse as soon as she knew Kallo's fate wasn't a terrible one." Emma nodded as she took Ajani who was reaching for her, but Ajani just went for her phone once she was in Emma's arms.
"Aw buster, I should have known you just wanted to play candy crush," Emma groaned.
"And she knows she's had more than enough screen time today," Regina told Ajani, who pouted. "No, Ajani, you have so many toys that you refuse to play with today."
"Mommy I want the phone," Ajani cried.
"No, now you and Cyann take Gus in the backyard to pee," Regina told them. Emma put Ajani down and Cyann took her hand. They went out with Gus, and Regina sat down with a sigh. She looked exhausted.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked. "Something more than Kallo."
"Cyann's grandparents want to take him from me, there's a reason his last name is Mills, anyway they're suing the mental hospital, which my lawyers are representing and then maintaining that I raped him, so my son can't be with me."
"Yay," Emma said sarcastically. Regina frowned.
"It's not true you know, Jack was there long before me, and he was lucid enough and they all consented to our relationship. They had been considered stable for their condition for a very long time compared to their past behavior. If anything, I was properly the unstable one at the time, but I don't regret one minute of my time with him."
"I believe you Regina, I know you wouldn't rape anyone."
"Good," Regina said. She wasn't sure why she cared what Emma thought, but these days it seemed to matter that she knew she was innocent.
"How are you holding up financially, you're single handedly supporting a town full of people including their wages all alone except mine, I've given up mine to the city since I live with you."
"We're fine, I wrote it off as donations from the company. so, I'll get a big tax break this month, and my own personal funds are holding. I had to saturate the market though with my less experienced lawyers taking on large divorce cases or settlements to sue large companies that are guaranteed to settle with major amounts of money outside of court."
"Why not your top lawyers to guarantee a win?" Emma asked.
"I'd have to pull them from very important cases that handle asylum seekers or rape cases or domestic violence cases not only in the U.S. but in third world countries."
"That's really cool that you're doing that," Emma told her. "Also, I think I may know who doesn't belong around here."
"Oh?" Regina asked perking up.
"There's a midwife in town and I don't think she was here before," Emma said. "She delivered nearly every baby after Gemma and little dude." Emma had learned quickly that saying her brother's name would get her in the silent treatment even on Regina's bad days full of fatigue.
"I'll look into it, there were several midwives in the Enchanted Forest, so it's highly possible you've never seen her before, but I unfortunately have met with nearly every midwife from your mother's Kingdom." Emma frowned.
"Why now, I mean why did it work with Cyann, but not any others if you saw so many?" Emma asked.
"I never wanted his children, so I never gave birth to his children, I took an herb that prevented it. And then I cursed myself to prevent my mother from trying to get me to sleep with some guy for a male heir. I shouldn't have Cyann, but he's my little miracle, and all I can think is the curse must be null and void out there."
"I'm surprised you adopted Ajani, not because she's not wonderful or anything, but just because you wanted a second child that was your own."
"They're all mine, it didn't matter to me with Henry and it didn't matter to me with Ajani even after I had Cyann."
"Don't be upset, it's just when I was in foster care, the people who adopted me they gave me back as soon as they realized they were having their own baby. I thought I had a baby brother, but really he was never going to be." Regina frowned.
"That's horrible, even if I had somehow found out I could get pregnant and everything was perfect with Henry, I would never cast him out. I would never promise to be a child's mother only to discard them, because I know what it's like to feel as if your parent never loved you at all."
"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to accuse you or anything. I just thought that's how it worked in families."
"Good parents don't give up their adopted child just because one of their blood exists, you are not a place holder, you are not a doll they got to practice on until they got pregnant." Emma let a tear fall.
"Thanks, I needed to hear that one day more than I realized," Emma said. Regina nodded. Her phone rang again. She picked up and sighed as she searched through the papers that Cyann had mixed up.
"Give me a minute Luce, Cyann's mixed up everything on my desk again."
"Oh, how's the little guy, I miss him mixing up papers on my desk if you can believe it." Regina smirked.
"He was your best bud, I believe it, you were a pain in my ass together, you never got anything done." Emma chuckled as the woman named Luce gave a noise of indignation.
"Ma'am how can you expect me to get anything done when you bring in the cutest little baby, and then let me practically raise him at my desk?"
"Hey, you did not raise him at your desk we aren't savages, for God's sake you think I never let you in our house." Emma chuckled again quietly at the exchange.
"Better if you had let me take him home," Luce replied as she shuffled some papers. Regina snorted.
"Not a chance, you've probably already got a room picked out for him and furnished, as well as enrolled him in school."
"Well now that you mention it, it is time for my little buttercup to be enrolled in the school next to my house, only a block away, walking distance, he's easily picked up and dropped off, and I've checked not one pedophile in a fifty-mile radius at least ones that like little boys. So pretty please let him come to my house." Regina gave a groan as if Luce did this to her all the time, made her want to laugh and cry all at the same time.
"Why am I not even surprised, and no because what about Ajani, she is a little girl." Luce scoffed.
"Not a problem, I'll be dressing her as a little boy for her younger years, she's a lesbian in the making anyway and when she's too old for the pedophiles, she's going to be a Swan Princess when she steps onto the scene."
"Yeah, I honestly don't think there's enough boy clothes to hide her features, one look at her eyes and everyone knows she's a beauty."
"That's true, well I guess I will just have to homeschool her," Luce said. "So sad but you know for her I will make the sacrifice."
"Of course, you will, am I correct in assuming you're googling contractors to turn one of your rooms into a classroom." Luce snorted.
"No, I wouldn't dare...I mean unless you're going to drop her off too," Luce replied as they heard clicking.
"Ï found the paper Luce, I'll fax it right over."
"Wait but my children," Luce said.
"Goodbye Luce, I will have them call you, but they are not coming to live with you."
"Oh, but Regina they're too cute not to have me for a mother."
"That's why they have me," Regina replied. Luce huffed.
"Fine, be a family of drop dead gorgeous people. Meanwhile I'll be over here looking like a mutt with my four cats, like a typical lesbian."
"You could always adopt," Regina reminded.
"I'm trying but you keep saying no," Luce replied.
"You're aggravating you know that, right?" Regina told her. "Who tries to steal other people's children?"
"Uh only your new best friend in the entire world," Luce said.
"And who says you're that?" Regina asked her.
"Well Laura declared it as soon as she was upset with you. And well I've just declared it, and when you return, I'm taking the kids to church so that I can be made their godmother officially.
"Don't they have to be baptized for that; I don't want my kids baptized."
"Oh, you're totally mistaken, this isn't about them, they won't be baptized cause it's not your belief, but I'm writing this whole Godmother ceremony thing and I expect you to take care of the party and what not celebrating their luck at having me for a Godmother." Regina didn't answer as she just stared at the phone in utter disbelief before putting her face in her hands. "Reg you there, are you putting your face in your hands?"
"She is!" Emma called out not being able to keep her amusement quiet any longer.
"You must be Emma, no one else would even say anything or would have left out. You had better be nice to Regina, she's nice to let you stay in her home."
"I am, she's a Saint and I'm so grateful," Emma told her.
"Well, I'll let you get back too it, don't forget about the celebrations." Luce hung up.
"I can't with that girl," Regina said
"You're lucky to have her, she seems very nice, like she'll be a good friend."
"She's a great friend, I never realized we were friends until we lost Jack and the others. She came through. I mean she was always close with the kids and we bantered at work, but I never knew her opinion on me until recently. I felt terrible because I realized I had missed all the signs that we were friends, good friends. Despite what I say she's very efficient." Emma smiled.
"Well, I'm glad she's your friend, because that means you circle of friends is bigger than you thought with me, Luce, Ruby, Granny, and Archie too."
"Hmm…you really think anyone here could be my friend when they're all just desperate after the Charmings."
"Don't say that, maybe a good chunk of the masses like Whale are like that, but Granny and Ruby they missed you when you didn't come back. You know how many times I caught Ruby shooing people away from your booth, and holding the coffee pot ready for you to walk in at your usual times?"
"Zero," Regina answered as she faxed a paper.
"Too many to count, at some point she knew you weren't coming, and she couldn't help herself. Ruby can't start her morning right without you getting your morning coffee. Hell, even now she gets so disappointed when I walk in alone for my bear claw and coffee. I have to keep reminding her you're working from home right now."
"Mommy, Mommy!" Cyann said ran in covered in mud along with Ajani and Gus. "We made mud pies for lunch come eat it." He grabbed Regina's hand with his muddy one to pull her out.
"Come Ms. Emma," Ajani told her grabbing her as well. They followed them back out of the office to the dining room where they had compiled mud pies onto her plates and set out silverware with muddy prints. Emma laughed and encouraged them to already sit down and positioned Gus so she could take a photo with her phone.
"Oh, dear God, who's in charge in daycare?" Regina asked Emma who was laughing so hard.
"Mommy eat," Ajani said right before she pulled a worm out of the mud pie and ate it. Emma looked sick.
"Ajani, no we only eat the ones that mommy knows are safe," Regina told her. Ajani spit it back out. "We can't just eat the ones we dig up unless we're desperate we aren't desperate honey. Okay?"
"Okay Mommy."
"Regina what the…you fed her worms?" Emma asked.
"Well, I hadn't personally, but she likes bugs, so whatever keeps her from eating the ones outside randomly while they're alive," Regina told her wide eyed like she'd seen horrible things that had made her panic and die a little inside.
"Your face tells me I should drop this." Regina nodded.
"Mommy you don't wants your mudpie?" Cyann asked spitting out his own worm.
"Um…this is a little too authentic for mommy, so why don't we take the outside back outside and mommy will make you her take on a mudpie for after dinner, okay?" He nodded. Emma helped them clean up the mess before Regina stripped them in the laundry room as Emma looked at them grinning on her phone and chuckled. She made it her screen background without a second thought. Removing the one she had kept of Henry in his castle. Once the soiled clothes were in a basket, she got them all cleaned up in the bath and then her floors, by the time she made it back to her office, they were dancing in her study and singing with Emma who was having the time of her life with them.
"Okay children, mommy has to call back all the people she missed," Regina told them turning off the music.
"Aww," They said.
"Regina come on its lunch time, the kids obviously have a lot of energy, we can walk to Granny's have lunch, and maybe the park, afterwards you can get back to work." Regina frowned it wasn't that work was appealing, she just had so much to get done.
"I guess I could make some of those calls on the way to Granny's," Regina compromised. They cheered. They got their jackets and shoes on and the walk to Granny's Emma was chasing both Ajani and Cyann pretending to be a monster. Regina couldn't help but smile at them as she made her calls. It reminded her of when they would play with Caty, although with more adult awareness. By the time she was at Granny's she had an entire list of things to do when she got back home. Ruby gasped when she saw her and nearly cried as she ran for the coffee pot. Soon there was a hot chocolate with cinnamon, black coffee, and warm milk and honey for the kids which she had learned was their actual preferred hot drink.
"Thank you, Ms. Ruby," Cyann beamed as he drank happily. Regina smiled at him to let him know she was proud of his manners as usual.
"Tank you Ms. Rubee," Ajani told her earning herself a smile. She smiled back at Regina as she hugged her and gave her kisses. Which Regina returned.
"Thanks Rubes!" Emma told her happily.
"Thank you, Ruby," Regina told her.
"Okay now you're just being mean, she didn't get the Ms. Lucas, but I still get Ms. Swan," Emma pouted. Ruby laughed as Regina smirked at her with a shrug.
"What will it be for lunch?" Ruby asked.
"The three of us will have your fish specials." The diner had been serving more fish lately from their waters. There were plenty of people like the Charmings mostly who weren't thrilled thinking they should get more than fish because they were royalty, so Regina was making a statement just by eating it or even ordering it to go.
"Uh the chicken burger for me," Emma told her since beef was in short supply. Ruby jotted down their orders and went to the kitchen. "See I told you she was waiting for you."
"I guess so," Regina said. They didn't sit undisturbed for long as several people thanked her for all she had done, and the town was starting to take on the pristine glow it once had. They believed in her will to change now.
"And who pray tell told the townspeople that my money was actually funding everything?" Regina asked Emma. Emma gave her nervous smile.
"Well, you know I may have mentioned to Ruby that it was the simplest way to dig us out of financial ruin to restart the economy. And you know Ruby," Emma said sipping her hot chocolate.
"Hmm…so I do know Ruby," Regina said sipping her coffee. Their lunch arrived, and Regina spent more time deboning the fish for Ajani then eating her own lunch. Cyann however declined all help as he just used his hands to find the bones first.
"Sorry should have deboned hers," Ruby said passing by.
"No worries, it was intentional, she's gotta choke once to learn," Regina said with a shrug. Emma looked at her wide eyed before checking Cyann.
"I already choked last year Ms. Emma," Cyann told her matter of fact as he expertly ate his fish. Regina chuckled. Cyann was so unconcerned.
"Regina that was a joke right you're not going to let Ajani choke?" Emma asked.
"No Ms. Swan I'm just knuckle deep in her fish for fun," Regina snarked. Ruby chuckled.
"I missed your brand of humor," Ruby told her. Ajani got impatient and just grabbed a piece and she choked a little before she managed to spit the bone out.
"Now you see why mommy takes her time, here now you do it, find the bone so that doesn't happen again. It wasn't a nice feeling I know, and this will prevent it from happening again." Ajani followed Regina's lead and took her own time finding the bones to be sure. Regina wiped her own hands and kept a close eye on Ajani as she began her own meal.
"I know Ruby thinks it was a joke, but you were serious," Emma said.
"Well to be fair I was just waiting for her to get impatient to learn patience and learn to search her own fish. It's how my parents learned to eat fish with bone, how I learned, how Snow learned, how Henry learned, Cyann learned, and now Ajani. Except I probably watched them a lot closer than my mother watched me. She didn't even explain about bones, I choked right out of the gate." Regina was able to carefully search her own fish with a knife and fork though because god forbid, she used her hands.
"Can you really blame me dear you were oh so eager to put everything in your mouth." Regina's fork and knife clattered onto the table as her body went tense. Emma frowned and was suddenly on alert. In the booth behind Emma an older woman with red hair suddenly stood up. Her mother tsked. "Regina dear what have I told you about your knife and fork clattering against your plate it's unbecoming of a Queen." Regina was in full on panic mode, the noise of her dropping her utensils had gotten the attention of everyone in the diner she was grateful when Ruby appeared and put herself between her mother and Cyann, but also very afraid for Ruby's heart in that moment. Thankfully a werewolf's heart came with its own protections and nothing short of silver was going to kill Ruby. Granny came out of the kitchen, her crossbow just out of view, but very much ready to be fired.
"Step aside werewolf I am speaking with my daughter," Cora told her as if Ruby were nothing but dirt. Ruby's eyes narrowed as she caught her grandmother's eye, they gossiped enough between them only these days about Regina in the past to know that her mother wasn't someone Regina wanted to be around.
"No, I think I will stay here, you've clearly upset her," Ruby said.
"Regina, remove your guard dog at once," Cora said.
"No mother," Regina said finding strength. "How did you even get here?"
"Your curse brought me here dear," Cora told her innocently.
"That's a lie if I ever heard one, I know everyone in this town, their cursed identities, their real identities, and their jobs. You didn't come over in the curse, because no way I would have let you wander around free." What Regina didn't say was no way she'd have ever adopted Henry or Ajani and given birth to Cyann without making sure he ended up adopted in a safe and loving family. Hell, she probably shouldn't have even made it out of Storybrooke to have Cyann or adopt Ajani. "No way you stood idly by as soon as Gold brought back magic to this town, while the Charmings ran it into the ground."
"Why not, dear, you did," Cora said.
"I didn't stand by, I didn't know what they were doing, either way I am fixing it," Regina said. She didn't say she had more important things to worry about. Her mother would only make digs about Henry, and that hurt enough. If hope was dangerous for her, doubt was even more her enemy now that some of those blackened strands had turned Gold. And doubt spread far quicker than hope. "So, I ask again mother how you got here?" Her mother just gave her a smile.
"How I got here dear girl is irrelevant, but I see the shock is too much for you. Invite me for tea when you're ready to talk to mother." Her mother disappeared in a cloud of red smoke. The citizens were visibly shaken to see a magic user that even the Evil Queen didn't trust. And worse yet it was her mother would she suddenly turn back to her evil ways. They fled the diner none the less to warn others.
"That woman is a piece of work, invite her to tea," Ruby growled. Regina took several deep breaths trying to calm herself.
"Mommy was that grandma?" Cyann asked.
"No, you don't have a grandmother Cyann," Regina told him. "Come on we have to go, that woman is not safe you are not to talk to her." Cyann nodded as Regina stood up took Ajani with the promise of her phone later if you abandoned her half-finished meal. Emma stood as well and put money on the table for Ruby, at least one table didn't need to screw her on their bill.
"Regina what can we do?" Granny asked.
"For now, be on the lookout, you two know everyone in this town as much as I do. My mother is here with someone, I doubt for a moment the Charmings were stupid enough not to recognize Cora posing as an unknown midwife. Well David might, he hasn't met her, but Mary Margaret shouldn't be able to forget my mother."
"I know I wouldn't."
"Get anything you can out of them about her, find out if she really is from the Enchanted Forest or not prior to the curse." They nodded. "She is likely responsible for the barrier, I'm surprised I got out, I probably wasn't meant too."
"Then I hope that means you're stronger," Emma said. They departed, and Regina led them to the cemetery, weary all the time of her mother's partner or her mother.
"Are we visiting daddy and mommy Claire and Vivien?" Cyann asked.
"Um…no honey we're not here to visit, we're going to my special room where I keep magic stuff that can help me protect you. I don't want you to touch anything okay. You're not big enough to use this stuff." He nodded. Regina opened the doors, the outer part of her vault had always been open to Henry, she refused to keep him from his grandfather, well at least she hoped he'd visit his namesake in her stead. But she still saw the remnants from the last roses she had lain on his coffin.
"Mommy?" Cyann asked as she ran her hand over the roses and wiped a tear, it had been too long, but now was not the time to grieve or introduce him to his grandchildren.
"Yes, Cyann?" Regina asked. Emma stood back a bit realizing Regina needed a minute.
"Who that?" Cyann asked.
"This is where my Daddy is buried," Regina told him. "He's why you have the name Henry in your name."
"Oh." Cyann touched the coffin and it clicked open.
"Old world DNA tests, nothing a little blood magic can't confirm," Regina said. Emma snickered.
"Nice," Emma said. She came over and helped Regina push the coffin out of the way. Well with Ajani in one of Regina's arms she did all the work. They walked down the stairs as the lights came on. None of the water had gotten in, to Regina's relief. They walked down the hall and entered a large room full of stuff in Emma's opinion from magical items to just simply clothing from the Enchanted Forest.
"You kept your wardrobe?" Emma asked.
"Just some of my favorites, I thought I would probably modify it for the world we went too, but it was all too different. And then I learned about shopping and well I just loved my Prada, Gucci, and Chanel a lot better." Regina looked around and went to a worktable. "Here take Ajani, don't let her down, she will touch…Cyann Theodore Henry, hands in your pockets now." Cyann was reaching for a vial. He pulled his hands back and shoved them into his pockets.
"Sorry Mommy." She shook her head at him as Emma took Ajani and then pulled Cyann close to her in a half hug. He smiled up at her gratefully.
"Hey kid, I wanna touch too, but it's not good to touch magic before you know what it does, all right?" Cyann nodded.
"Okay Ms. Emma." He hugged her leg and stayed there while Regina mixed several things.
"What are you making?"
"A potion that will allow me to enchant an object so that the children can call us to them if they are in trouble and help us track them. This potion will give me magical strength if I need it. This one will help Henry and I's hearts towards physical healing in that the black can't spread more than it has. But you know we will have to reconcile eventually for true healing. And this last one here is going to protect the house and school. No doubt she'll go after Henry, will have heard things." Emma nodded.
"Maybe we should just keep him home for now?" Emma asked. Regina shook her head.
"I need him to go to school, I need to see him doing what he's supposed too. When I'm ready to spend time with him, don't want it to follow a string of horrible behavior on his part. But good behavior meaning school on time, homework finished, respect towards the adults he encounters, no fighting. I doubt school is pleasant since it was gone because of his grandparents. If he can control himself there, I'll be pleased."
"Or he may be fine because you're his mother," Emma said. Regina shrugged.
"Either way I'm going to make school safe too. It's also the second largest place one can gather in the event of a disaster so citizens may need to find refuge there."
"Ah good point," Emma said.
"Put this on the cells of the Sheriff office. Should be enough to hold my mother until the dwarves build her a prison similar to the one that kept Rumple in the Enchanted Forest." Emma nodded. Once Regina had bottled and carefully labeled each potion as well as packed up more than a few items into a suitcase that seemed to fit everything from her potion kit and books without increasing the weight.
"Wow that's straight out of Harry Potter," Emma breathed.
"It's probably real," Regina murmured.
"I'm sorry what?" Emma asked as she led the children out of the vault.
"Harry Potter, it's probably real, if fairytales have their own world, and the stories have bled through to this land, why then would Harry Potter not have its own world?"
"Regina, I need you to do something very important for me as soon as the threat of your mother is taken care of."
"What's that?" Regina asked.
"I need to get to Hogwarts, Regina, I need to get the kid his Hogwarts letter, we have to go before his eleventh birthday.
"But, by all accounts Henry is likely a Squib," Regina pointed out.
"Maybe here or maybe it just takes him longer, I don't know but you, me, Gemma, Ajani, Cyann, and Henry need to go to Hogwarts. Kallo too if her sister doesn't treat her right."
"She will if she knows what's good for her," Regina said frowning. She used magic to close the vault. Cyann raised his arms and she picked him up. She sealed the vault behind her, but honestly, she had refused to leave anything for her mother to take, if she hadn't already been there. She didn't detect anything missing, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything missing. They left the cemetery and headed straight for the school.
"Starting to wish we had brought the car," Emma complained. Regina nodded as she had to put Cyann down to his annoyance. He complained that he was still hungry.
"Okay, how about this let me put up protection for Henry at school, and then while we go home Ms. Emma is going to go back to Granny's and grab you a whole basket of French fries." Regina didn't mention he was going down for a nap too as soon as it was done.
"That's an acceptable compromise Mommy," Cyann told her. Emma chuckled. Once they had spoken to the school about the threat, Regina spread the potion around the perimeter with magic. They then excused Kallo but were told her sister had already come to pick her up.
"The little shit," Emma grumbled as they waited for Henry. Regina sighed as Cyann was getting wiggly, and his eyes were on the move for something to mess with. He was not going to be a well-behaved little boy for much longer, and Ajani had asked for the phone, twice now so she wouldn't be far behind.
"We'll go see her tomorrow and explain everything," Regina said indicating that the children were antsy. Emma nodded. Henry finally showed up looking confused to see his moms there.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing at all, just taking an early day for us," Emma said. They left the school since they had left the office on purpose wishing to be alone in the hallway. On the walk home Cyann started dragging his feet and crying.
"Could you hold that please," Regina said to Henry handing him the suitcase. He took it. Regina bent down to Cyann's level well she would have he wasn't lying on the ground and crying.
"Cyann, sweetie get up we need to get home, so you can have your nap."
"No nap!" Cyann screamed. "I want my French fries!"
"I know you do, but unfortunately you need to have your nap first now, I thought you could make it, but mommy was wrong." He just cried. Regina gave him a moment before she lifted him up under his arms. He wrapped his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist. She rubbed his back and hummed as they walked, and he was out before they reached their neighborhood.
"Henry I've decided you'll take a nap whenever you have tantrum," Emma stated after Regina had rejoined them from putting Cyann to bed. Ajani now had Emma's phone and was happily playing candy crush.
"Oh Emma," Henry groaned.
"One thing to address, have you been calling her mom or Emma while I've been gone?" Regina asked.
"Emma," Henry told her. She raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes Ma."
"I think you should stick to Ma out of respect, and it's a compromise, still Emma, but closer to Mom. You can't just take it back that's hurtful." Henry lowered his head in shame and nodded.
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh, Regina it was fine really," Emma muttered.
"It hurt you and it doesn't help if you pretend like his behavior doesn't hurt," Regina told her firmly. "Now I need to put protections up around the house. Over the house it will be a shield just like the school. Only we can allow people through. Cyann and Ajani won't be able too, we can't trust that they won't be easily tricked so I hope that you two will be more careful yourselves and not as gullible, as toddlers." They nodded.
"But mom what about Kallo?" Henry asked. "You didn't pick her up from school." Both of his mother's frowned in that moment.
"We wanted too, but her sister came and claimed her. She refused to sign away her rights. We'll be paying her a little visit tomorrow though now that we know who she is." Henry nodded.
"Why not, I thought you said she didn't like her," Henry said.
"She doesn't," Emma said. "But the thought of Kallo becoming the adoptive daughter of the Mayor was too much for her, Kallo would live in the lap of luxury in her mind." Regina snorted.
"And the Sheriff you don't get off easy I have two children under five, you were sharing the load of raising another small child."
"Oh, but Regina, I'm broke, I don't even afford Henry you let me live off you."
"Not my problem," Regina said snapping open the briefcase and pulling out the protection potion. She erected the forcefield and even managed to help coax Emma do her first bit of magic by adding another layer.
"My mother will be familiar with my magic but add the Savior's magic and she'll be in for a bit of surprise," Regina chuckled evilly thinking about her mother flying back from the shield. Emma chuckled.
"You're cute when you evil chuckle." Regina frowned and stalked back into the house. Emma followed her back in. "What?"
"There is nothing cute about me Ms. Swan."
"Oh, come on you called me Ms. Emma earlier, can't we do that, it's a step closer to you using my actual name."
"No," Regina told her firmly as Ajani started crying. They headed into the den where Ajani was sitting on the couch corner next to Henry.
"I'll get the game back don't wor…." He paused as he stared at Emma's home screen. "Where's the photo of me?" He looked up, but he was looking at Emma. He stood up and Ajani was all tears as he still hadn't got the game back or given her the phone.
"Oh, they were just so cute this morning, look at them all covered in mud and Regina was just so horrified I had to preserve the memory," Emma told him.
"They aren't your kids, why are they your home screen, I'm always your home screen."
"Yeah, and I cherish that picture Kid, but they were cute, it has nothing to do with them being my children."
"No, you're just going to replace me too," he accused. He was so worked up he smashed Emma's phone. He was about to go for something else too, but Regina stopped him with magic from moving.
"Emma, take care of it, the magic will release when it's been handled," Regina told her as she picked up Ajani and left the room. She went into her study and unfortunately gave her phone up to Ajani because she did promise. With Ajani very distracted she started on her work again. The mystery of her mother would have to wait until new information filtered in. The woman was of course planning something, but the question was what exactly that was. Regina sighed and sat back in her chair. She thought about giving Luce a call convincing her to temporarily relocate to a nearby town or something, so she could visit the kids, but keep them away from her mother. She had been sitting for an hour just watching Ajani really wandering what plans her mother had when a knock came.
"Come in," Regina said. Henry poked his head in as she sat up straight. He shut the door and came forward slowly.
"Ma sent me to my room for my behavior, but I'm still really angry and I can't calm down," Henry admitted. Regina nodded.
"Please have a seat Henry." Henry sat down on one of the leather couches. Regina picked up Ajani and took her to the door. "Honey go find Ms. Emma and tell her you need the charger and she should sit with you and share some chocolate pudding." Ajani paused the game and ran off on a mission without further ado, her precious phone could not die, and she wanted that chocolate pudding.
"Ms. Emma, Ms. Emma," Ajani called running down the hall.
"You know what finally helped me settle and get a hold of my anger?" Regina asked him when she sat down. He shook his head.
"It may seem typical but meditation and yoga." Henry looked confused. "I should be clearer why it worked. When I left here, I was in a really bad place like you are mentally. So, I decided to see a therapist, but I felt really down so I opted for around the clock care."
"You stayed in the hospital?" Henry asked. Regina nodded.
"I did and in the mornings for some of us they started the day with yoga. So eventually yoga helped me put my mind in focus for the day. You just find a rhythm in the movements and the steady breathing really brings you a sense of calm. This was significant for me because I woke up every day feeling angry and anxious and depressed. And while you brought me some calm for nine years, you were like a band-aid, and you ripped yourself away before I was healed. So, for me it was like I was gushing out of that wound, or at least my pain was. Anyway, I found myself looking forward to that calm after yoga, so all those bad feelings I woke up with didn't bleed into the rest of my day and cause me to explode and hurt someone else."
"But what about right now, I'm still angry." Regina nodded.
"Yes, I know I just thought maybe you'd like to start joining me in the mornings for yoga." Henry nodded. "As for the right now, normal meditation, and I'll do that with you right now. It can help us get our current state of emotions under control." Henry nodded. Regina motioned for him to join her in sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"How do we do this?" Henry asked.
"Two ways, the normal way of closing our eyes and imaging peaceful places and focused on our breathing. But I'm a nerd and fire is my thing, so I tend to like to stare into flames if I can. I can't always have a flame though. Thankfully if I'm in a place I can take for a moment to meditate, it's a place I can get a flame going. But you've always gone to you castle by the water to feel better, so I think you may have a water preference. When it's safe you may consider going to the docks to be near water and just breath." Regina conjured up a sound machine that sounded exactly like Storybrooke harbor to Henry's delight. She led him through how to breathe during meditation. When they exited the study, Emma was giving back rides to both Cyann and Ajani. Frankly, Regina was surprised that Ajani had abandoned the phone so willingly.
"Mama you said you'd make mudpies for dinner," Cyann squealed when he saw her and had run over for a hug before going back to climb onto Emma. "Come on Pony, time for dinner."
"Not time for dinner, you three continue your game, and Cyann you know pies are for after dinner not before." Regina nudged Henry to go apologize and perhaps even play with the others. She went to the kitchen and prepared a simple dinner quickly by ordering pizza. As for the mud pies, she found brownie batter and conjured up some safe bugs like grasshoppers and some edible worms that were safe to eat. She mixed it into two circular pie forms. Then she made normal brownies for the rest of them.
"Pizza?" Henry and Emma asked surprised as she sat the boxes on the table.
"Thought all might enjoy Ajani's first taste of pizza."
"Yeah, like we're not going to record her coming over to the dark side," Emma huffed. Regina chuckled.
"Hands washed first everyone," Regina ordered. They all headed into the kitchen and got their hands washed before Regina gave Henry and Emma their meat lover's pizza. She herself had a cheese pizza covered in chicken, spinach, and jalapenos. And a smaller one for Ajani and Cyann which was just cheese and spinach half with chicken and the other half with sausage.
"Mommy, can I have hot sauce?" Cyann asked.
"Hot sauce on pizza?" Emma asked scrunching up her nose.
"Definitely," Henry said. Emma turned to him to see he already had the hot sauce bottle.
"Kid, since when do you eat hot sauce on your pizza?"
"I always put hot sauce on my pizza you never noticed?" Henry asked. Emma frowned and searched her memory, but she had obviously not been paying much attention to her son. Henry passed the hot sauce bottle.
"Thank you, Henry." Regina put hot sauce on her and Cyann's slices. Eventually, though it was Emma recording Ajani having her first taste of pizza. The delight on her face was one that made them all smile even Henry. She liked it even better when Cyann got her to try with hot sauce.
"Too bad Kallo isn't here," Emma said.
"She will be missed but we'll see her tomorrow," Regina said. Emma nodded. Soon it was dessert time where Cyann and Ajani were delighted with their neat mud pies and even happier to pull out worms and grasshoppers with their hands. Emma however was now looking at her brownie suspiciously.
"You wouldn't put bugs in my brownie, would you?" Emma asked her after complaining she had gotten one slice while Henry got the entire pan so that he had an equal share like Ajani and Cyann.
"Why have you done anything to deserve me playing such a dirty trick on you?" Regina asked as she magically pulled out a real looking worm that was still moving but was actually just a gummy worm. She didn't break eye contact with Emma as she tilted her head back a little and slowly dropped it into her mouth. The horror on Emma's face was everything she wanted it to be as she closed her mouth and began to delicately chew the gummy worm.
"I think I'm gonna faint," Emma said as her stomach was now rolling. She ran of the dining room to the downstairs bathroom.
"Ms. Swan I take it you don't want your brownie anymore?" Regina called innocently.
"NO!" came the reply.
"Okay great thanks." Regina finished off her piece and promptly took Emma's which Henry noted did in fact not have any bugs in it.
"Mommy you used magic that was mean," Cyann told her mouth covered in chocolate.
"You saw my magic?" Regina asked him. Cyann nodded as he chewed a real worm and swallowed.
"Yups, you had candy worm," He grinned. Regina chuckled. "You don't like worms."
"No, I don't," Regina replied. "But don't worry Ms. Emma didn't need her share of the brownie." Henry chuckled.
"What constitutes need?" Henry asked her.
"Well, I just learned that my mother isn't trapped in the Enchanted Forest, and she really is evil. So, I feel like my need tops Ms. Swan."
"Fair enough," Henry said as he cut another slice from his and handed it over to Regina.
"Thank you dear," She said. Henry seemed to beam at the term of endearment. It wasn't little prince, but it was something and she hadn't done that something in a while. Emma eventually came back when they were done.
"I don't think I ever told you this, but you're a horrible person," Emma said still looking quite ill. Regina just evil chuckled in Emma's opinion as she made Henry clear the table. Emma glared at her.
"Oh, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Regina replied sarcastically.
"Ms. Emma, mommy not horrible she just misscevious," Cyann said. "Mommy ates a gummy worm."
"Mischievous," Regina gently corrected as she wiped his mouth and Emma glared at her. She gave her a smile. "Now bath time for you and Ajani instead of telling all my secrets." She tickled him and he ran out. Regina stood and lifted Ajani up.
"There's cookie dough ice cream in the fridge Ms. Swan," Regina said.
"Emma, and thank you, but you're still mean," Emma said going into the kitchen. Regina headed upstairs and got her two youngest in the bath. They were playing with dinosaurs when Emma knocked at the bedroom door.
"Regina?" Emma called.
"Yeah?" Regina asked rising from her knees and going to the bathroom door. "Something wrong?"
"Henry says he's not finishing his chore until you supervise him," Emma shrugged. "I don't know what his deal is." Emma walked away without another word. Regina frowned. One she was annoyed that Emma had failed to be a parent and two at Henry trying to force her to hover. She went back to Cyann and Ajani.
"Mommy play," Ajani insisted as she got resettled on the floor and picked up her pterosaur, she was always the flying one dropping shampoo poop on their heads. Or sometimes just water depending on how she had done Ajani's hair or if it wash day. Although it didn't matter today, Ajani had gotten her ponytail out. Eventually, she let them play longer while she detangled Ajani's hair before parted her hair in the middle. She did three small braids in the front leading up to the first ponytail, with one larger one French braided up the back before she secured it all with a band and continued braiding to the ends of the hair. She twirled the end and it stayed together. Regina grinned at her work and paused the you tube video, while she did the other side. Ajani whined but bared it as Cyann was great at distracting her. Once Regina had both braids in it was time to get dried off and dressed. While Cyann was dressing himself and Ajani was on the toilet, Regina watched the rest about how to slick down Ajani's edges. Once that was done, she put her in a silk bonnet and got her footie pajamas on.
"Cyann Theodore, I didn't hear you use the bathroom," Regina said as he came out.
"I didn't have to go mommy," Cyann complained. Regina raised an eyebrow at him, he went back into the bathroom and sure enough, he had to go. When he came back with clean hands Regina looked at him.
"What was that about not having to go?" Regina asked him. Cyann gave her a big smile.
"Oh, mommy it's okay you were wrong, I still made it," He said. Emma who was walking by snorted.
"Um…I'm going to walk Gus, or do you need him nearby?" Emma asked.
"No, thank you for walking him, he hasn't been out much here, usually he gets a run along the beach." Emma nodded. She left out calling Gus, who eagerly followed when he saw her grab the leash. Regina read two stories to Cyann and Ajani.
"Mommy I don't wanna go to bed," Cyann yawned.
"Who said anything about the bed, I thought we were reading?" Regina asked him. Cyann looked at her suspiciously.
"You put me to bed," He said.
"Nope we're just in bed reading a story is all," Regina replied. Cyann glared some more as she kept reading but her soothing voice put him out for all of his fight. She tucked him in alongside Ajani and kissed their foreheads before she turned out the lights except one on the bedside. She left the door ajar as she headed back downstairs and went into her office. She stopped short when she realized Henry was there sitting in front of the fireplace. He looked at her when she came in, but he didn't speak so she didn't either at first.
"Did you finish the kitchen?" He huffed and nodded. "Good then when you're done meditating, I expect you to get ready for bed and do your homework." He stood up and left out without a word. Looking for all the world as if he had something to say but couldn't. Regina let out a breath, she had to stop keeping him at arm's length, but she didn't know if she was ready yet. She got some work done and was just shutting everything down when Emma came back with Gus. It had been quite a long walk she had taken him on, but Regina didn't comment. They were both in their bedrooms by the time Henry came out hoping to spend time with Regina but found her gone. He sighed and went back upstairs, he knocked lightly on her door after no answer he peeked in and was able to hear the shower. He glared at Cyann really sleeping where he used to, Ajani he could accept, but Cyann was the evil replacement. He closed the door and went to Emma. She said goodnight but seemed to be ignoring him. He went back to his room that he had forcibly taken back from Cyann, by unboxing his entire room, Regina had walked by told him to clean up his mess, her house would not return to its previous state. So, he had spent the day cleaning and doing laundry. When it was cleaned, he found the wallpaper back up but told her he didn't like it anymore so now it was bare white walls. Except for one spot, no one came in his room, so he had a picture of Cyann up that he hit with darts angrily. He was supposed to be Regina's little prince. He threw a dart at the photo before he lay down on his bed and glared at the photo until he had fallen asleep. Regina poked her head in a bit later to tell him to go to bed as his light was still on. She tucked him in and couldn't help kissing his forehead, he looked like her son again when he slept. She was just turning off the light when she spotted the picture of Cyann full of darts. She frowned as she hit the light switch and walked out. She was up all night worrying about if Henry's behavior towards Cyann would change, what her mother was planning, being mayor, and running a law firm from a far. One thing was for sure their first family therapy session was tomorrow. It was going to be an all-day affair that was for sure. She wasn't leaving until they addressed Cyann and Henry's relationship for the future.
Leave a Review