Summary:
Regina leaves her dad and goes to look for her son
Notes:
Sorry for delay. It's school holidays and I have a 4 yr old to keep busy. Plus, I had my second vaccine and have been feeling rubbish.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Regina ended up leaving her dad just before dinner. He'd tried to persuade her to stay the night, but she didn't want to spend the night making small talk with a woman she detested. So he packed her a picnic bag full of food and gave her the keys to his truck.
Regina left just as she saw Cora pull into the driveway. She smirked to herself as she saw the look of recognition on Cora's face as they passed each other, gave her a quick wave and then drove away as quickly as possible - she wouldn't put it past her mother to follow her. She felt bad for her dad, putting him in a situation where he would probably be getting a tongue lashing from Cora and being told to explain things. She knew he wouldn't divulge anything to Cora, so she wasn't worried.
It was just after five-thirty when she made it into Seattle, where she stopped at a car dealership. She wasn't needing a new car, but she had an idea which she needed to try out
She had somehow managed to find the paper containing Marion's information which she had found in the school filing cabinet - the paper Emma had thrown onto her lap earlier. She'd forgotten that she had stuck it in her jacket pocket and it had somehow survived being in the water. She had found it as she was getting changed in her old bedroom. The ink was a bit smudged, but she was able to read Marion's social security number.
She parked her truck and got out, casually looking at the cars on display. The car dealership was still open and a balding salesman came out, hoping to make a sale when he saw he had a new potential customer.
"So. You're in the market for a B.M.W?" he asked, smoothly.
"Yeah. Who isn't?"
"Well, they're the best," he said, proudly.
"Right. I decided it was finally time to trade up. I've had my truck for too long. So, why don't you check my credit and see if I can finance this."
"Great. Let me have your social security number and I'll get the ball rolling."
Regina followed inside, gave him Marion's full name and read out the social security number she had memorized. She looked around at the cars as the salesman went into his office to do the credit check. He came out a few minutes later.
"Twenty Oriole Terrace, Evergreen, Colorado Is that your current address?"
"Twenty Oriole Terrace, Evergreen, Colorado? Sure is."
"Didn't you say your name was Marion de Rainault? 'Cause this says Hood," the man said confused.
"Oh, no. I said Hood. Marion Hood," Regina replied as she walked out the dealership back and to her truck.
"What about the car?" she heard the man shout after her as she ignored him and kept on walking.
SQSQSQSQSQ
Emma knew that to find Regina, she would need to find this Marion woman that she knew that Regina would be looking for. This woman had Regina's son, so it was obvious that Regina would go looking for her.
Unfortunately, Emma had given the paper with Marion's information back to Regina. Fortunately, she had a good memory and memorised Marion's social security number. And knew someone who could help her, so as soon as she left the hospital, she went to find her.
SQSQSQSQSQ
"Here. Fill this out and come back to me."
The person in front of Emma, in the queue, took the form, from the woman behind the counter, and then went away to fill it in. Emma was next so she walked up to the counter as the woman behind it typed something into a computer.
"How's tricks, Ariel?" Emma asked, smoothly.
The woman looked up as she recognised the voice. "Ah-ah! No way. No way, no way. I've been clean, Miss Swan".
"Oh, I know. I believe you. I do. What I need is a search on a lady named Marion de Rainault. I've got her social security number here. I'd like you to...
"Please, Miss Swan You know I'm not allowed to give out personal information," Ariel said, pleading for Emma to leave her alone.
"Oh, I'm so... I shouldn't have asked you that. I'm sorry," Emma said and then sighed dramatically.
"Uh-huh."
"Speaking of giving out personal information," Emma continued as she rested her arms on the counter and leaned forward casually, "does your employer know that you used to perform the art of fellatio for a living, went to prison, and you're on parole?" Emma asked as if she were just catching up with an old friend.
"Shhhh! Okay. Okay. Shut up!" Ariel pleaded as she looked around and noticed a few of her colleagues were staring at her.
"You're required by law to tell him," Emma continued.
"All right! Okay!" Ariel said as Emma gave her the social security number she had for Marion.
"You're looking good, Ariel," Emma winked at her.
"I know," was all Ariel said. She typed in the social security number and printed out the information she had on Marion, giving the printed sheet to Emma.
"Thanks, Ariel. I'll owe you one," Emma said gratefully.
"Yes, you will owe me one," Ariel replied, looking pointedly back at Emma.
Emma waved as she walked away from the counter, reading the information she had on Marion. It even had her picture, but the last name was different. Hmmm. And she lived in Colorado. "Hmmm, I better go pack a bag and head for the airport," Emma said to herself, wondering how Regina would get there.
SQSQSQSQSQ
Apart from pulling over at a motel for a couple of hours to sleep, Regina had more or less driven through the night. She was determined to get to Colorado as soon as possible, thinking nothing of a twenty-hour drive. Once she arrived, she quickly pulled into an outdoor shopping centre, bought some fresh underwear and clothes and then checked into a bed and breakfast to make herself presentable for when she finally reunited with her son. She was so nervous and excited in equal measures. Would Henry recognise her as his mom? How would he react? What had they told him about her?
Regina checked herself in the bathroom mirror, noticing how tired and pale she looked. She pinched her cheeks to get some colour into them, then quickly reapplied some lipgloss and brushed her hair. Again. It was longer than she'd had it in a while, just past her shoulders, and she considered cutting it herself but decided against it. She checked herself once more, then made a decision. She left the bathroom, grabbed a handbag she had bought, and the keys to her truck, and left.
SQSQSQSQSQ
Regina pulled up at Twenty Oriole Terrace and looked at the massive house she had parked outside of. How pretentious, she thought, rolling her eyes at the mansion. She always knew Robin liked the finer things in life. He was far more materialistic than she was. She preferred a smaller, cosier home. This was too big and impersonal. Her heart broke for her son, having to live here. Regina took a deep breath before checking herself, once more, in the rearview mirror. She had stopped by a salon she had seen earlier, at the shopping centre, and had her hair cut into a short style. Much like Demi Moore in the film "Ghost". She'd never had her hair this short before and she liked it; she'd needed a change.
Regina finally got out of the truck and made her way to the front door. She took a few deep breaths before she lifted her right hand and pressed the doorbell with her index finger.
She waited nervously before she heard some footsteps coming closer to the door. Finally, the door opened and a boy - with a buzz cut - stood there looking at her curiously as she looked at him in wonder. Herb looked to be around ten, and she was trying to see if she could see the young four-year-old Henry in him, but his features looked different. She was just about to say something when a woman's voice called out.
"Who is it, Sam?" the woman asked, sounding closer.
"Uh, some lady," the boy responded before a brunette woman finally appeared carrying a toddler in her arms.
"May I help you?" the woman asked.
"Oh, h-hi. I'm looking for my friend, Marion Hood. I thought this was her address," Regina said.
"I've never heard of her. But we've just moved in. Maybe you should check with the woman next door. She's been here 40 years."
"Alright, thank you." Regina turned around, dejectedly, disappointed that she wasn't going to see her son today.
She walked a few yards over, to the next-door neighbour, and found an elderly woman tending to her rose garden.
"Excuse me," she said, hoping this woman could help her.
"Dearie, whatever you're selling, I've already got two of them," the woman said in annoyance.
"Oh, no, I'm just looking for my friend, Marion Hood. She used to live next door."
"Oh, I... I'm sorry to be the one to tell you. But Marion was in the accident. She survived, but last I heard, she was in an induced coma in ICU. Her husband, Leo, put her in the best hospital he could find. I- it was three or four years ago. I've not heard from them since. It was one of those awful things. The...The, uh, brakes, of their car...failed. She crashed into a tree. She was very lucky to have survived."
All Regina could think about was Henry. God, please say he was okay.
"And, uh…" Regina gulped. "W- What about the boy?"
"Henry? He's such a dear child. No, he and Leo stayed at home. Poor Leo. I've never seen anyone so...Grief-stricken."
Oh, I'm sure, Regina thought to herself.
"Even though she did survive," the elderly woman continued, "the doctors weren't sure what her brain activity would be like."
"Oh, do you know where they moved to?"
"I'm afraid not, dear."
"Alright," Regina sighed after hitting another dead-end. "Thanks for your help."
Regina then returned to her truck and headed into town.
SQSQSQSQSQ
It wasn't long after Regina left Oriole Terrace that Emma arrived. She was told the same thing that Regina was and was sent to question the neighbour.
"It would really help if you could remember anything. What kind of car was she driving?" Emma asked desperately.
"Well, it was an old truck."
"Yeah?
"I don't know what year or make or anything," the elderly neighbour said.
"Well, what colour was it?"
"Umm, a blue-green? It looked old and a bit rusty. And she left that way, towards town, if that helps, dear."
"Alright, thanks, ma'am. Take care, now." Emma said as she left exasperated.
She couldn't believe she had just missed Regina by minutes, it seemed. She would just head into town and look for a blue-green rusty truck.
SQSQSQSQSQ
Regina had made her way to the local library to look at old newspapers from three to four years ago. The librarian had told her to look on the computer, and within moments, she found the article she was looking for.
LOCAL WOMAN IN HORRIFIC CAR CRASH AFTER BRAKES FAILURE.
Story by Aurora Ficent. Reporter for the Express & Star based in Colorado.
A woman was trapped for 90 minutes after her car crashed into a tree near Evergreen.
The crash involved just one woman, who was taken to hospital for potentially serious injuries. Her legs had been trapped under the steering wheel and dashboard that had caved in.
Emergency services were called to the crash at the junction of the B5013 and Moor Lane in Colton, near Evergreen, at around 2.30 pm on Tuesday. The Colorado Fire and Rescue Service had to make the drastic decision to amputate both her legs above her knees to free her.
It was later determined that her brakes had failed, causing her to lose control of her vehicle
"I told her often to get her car serviced," her husband, Leopold Hood, told the police in a later interview, completely distraught. "She was just going out to run an errand for me while I stayed home with our son. I can't believe this happened."
Marion Hood was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to the St. Anthony Hospital.
A spokesman from Colorado Ambulance Service said: "On arrival, we discovered a car that had suffered significant front end damage in the collision.
"There was one female patient, who was still trapped inside.
"Ambulance staff assessed the driver and continuously monitored her whilst working alongside colleagues from the fire service to cut her free, a process which took about 90 minutes.
"The patient received treatment for potentially serious injuries, but not thought to be life-threatening, before being taken to St. Anthony Hospital."
Regina kept reading till she got to the end of the article, where she found a photo of a smiling Marion pictured in her home. Next to that was the picture of the crash, which caused Regina to wince. How the hell did Marion survive that? She bet Robin wasn't too pleased. She had a strong suspicion that Robin had done something to the brakes in Marion's car.
She looked back at the photo of Marion, and something caught her attention. It was one of Robin's favourite paintings by Kandinsky. He loved the artist, though Regina always thought it looked like something Henry could have done in one of his nursery art sessions.
An idea suddenly struck her as she remembered driving past an art gallery on her way to the library. She closed the internet browser tab on the computer and quickly left the library, going on yet another quest: to the art gallery.
SQSQSQSQSQ
"Kandinsky? Hmmm," the art gallery owner -an elderly man - hummed. "It's a bit out of our reach, I'm afraid. I have a few Picasso and Chagall lithographs if that would interest you?"
"Mm, no," Regina persisted, refraining from rolling her eyes. It is Kandinsky that I'm particularly interested in, especially his blue rider period. I love that."
"Uh, well, uh… Let's check art scan." He led the way to his office and sat down at his computer. Regina stood close behind him as she looked over his shoulder at the screen. "Kandinsky's don't become available too often, I'm afraid. Here's a lovely little Miro. It's quite reasonable…"
"It really needs to be Kandinsky.
"Kandinsky... yes. Hmmm." The man kept on scrolling down. "Ah! Here is a lovely 1922 Kandinsky lithograph. It's not quite the…"
"1911 is all that interests me," Regina urged on.
"1911… hmmm," the man kept scrolling.
Regina kept her eyes peeled to the screen when she suddenly saw a familiar print.
"Stop! There. Yes. Yes, that's it!"
"We've missed that. It was sold to a museum in Munich six months ago, I'm afraid. Perhaps…"
"Do you think you could find who sold it? Perhaps they have more," Regina asked as she interrupted the man.
"Well, uh, why, yes. Yes, let's see. Hmmm." He clicked on a tab just as a bell rang, indicating he had a new customer. "If you'll excuse me a moment."
As the man got up and went to see his new customer, Regina sat down and started looking for information about the seller. Sage could hear talking in the background, though.
"Yes, Miss. Can I help you?"
"Yes. My name is Emma Swan. Actually, I'm looking for a young lady…"
Regina quickly managed to find a name and print out the information containing an address to a man named Leopold White. She would bet all the money her dad had given her, that was Robin's new alias. Damn bastard. When she heard Emma introducing herself to the gallery owner, she grabbed the printout and ran out through a side exit door in the office.
She ran to her truck but saw that Emma had blocked her in by parking her rental car right behind Regina's truck. What a shame, she thought as she got into the truck and reversed straight back into Emma's car, pushing it out the way. She saw Emma running out the same side door she had exited moments earlier.
"Regina! Stop! Let me help you!" Emma shouted out.
Regina didn't. In fact, she drove forward, then reversed back into Emma's car again. It was completely damaged now and she drove off as she watched Emma, in her rearview mirror, running behind her car at full speed. She was shouting something, but Regina couldn't hear her as she kept on driving towards the airport.
"She seemed so refined," the art gallery owner said as he caught up with Emma.
"I would like... to know what...that woman wanted... in your gallery," Emma said, panting, as she watched Regina get away from her yet again.
Notes:
Regina will finally see Robin again in next chapter