Regina loved having Henry around. Henry had a similar childhood to Emma's. Except he had his mother. He was incredibly close to both Regina and Henry Sr. Regina was eighty-eight, Henry Sr. was acting mayor, and Emma was the sheriff. One day, when he was ten, his teacher gave him a book to help cheer him up. That book would change everyone's lives forever.
Henry walked into the living room where his mom was sitting on the floor, looking at case files. "Mom, have you seen this book?" Henry held up the storybook.
"No, where did you get it?"
"Miss Blanchard gave it to me to cheer me up."
"Why do you need cheering up?"
"I'll tell you, but first I have to show you this," Henry sat and opened the book. "You're in this book and so is gram."
"Henry, just because someone named Emma is in a book, doesn't mean it's me."
"The Evil Queen looks exactly like gram. Plus, have you noticed that the three of us are the only ones who ever age here? In this book, it says that the Evil Queen traded her youth to cast the curse. It said on the savior's, your, twenty-eighth birthday, the queen would be eighty-eight. That can't be a coincidence."
Regina hobbled into the room, "what's that?" she asked.
"Nothing," Emma said, "just a new book Henry got from a teacher."
"Can I see it?"
"So you can destroy it?" Henry asked angrily.
"Whoa, kid, show some respect," Emma said.
"Henry, I really don't know what you're talking about."
"Maybe this will remind you," Henry opened the book to the page where the Evil Queen crashed Snow and Charming's wedding.
"What are you showing me?"
"Kid, she doesn't have her glasses on."
"I wanna move out," Henry said.
"We're not moving out," Emma said.
"I don't feel safe here with her anymore." Henry ran out of the room and Regina felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart.
"I'll talk to him once he's calmed down," Emma said.
Regina was shocked by what her grandson had just shown her. She made her way to the couch and slowly sat down, "what if I told you that it was all true?"
"What's all true?"
"That book Henry has."
"I would think you were insane. Although, he did make a good point about only the three of us aging." Emma looked at her grandmother and saw the guilt written all over her face. She realized that the woman was telling the truth. Emma looked at Regina with disappointment. "I can't believe this," she said as she stood quickly. "I trusted you and believed you."
"Emma, everything I've told you about how I feel is true. I love you and Henry more than anything. I've wanted to tell you so many times, but I was afraid you would hate me."
Regina reached for Emma, but she backed up, "no, this isn't just going to go away. You did this to get revenge on my mother. For what?"
"Emma, please, I need you and Henry."
"No, Regina, we're leaving." Emma had never called the mayor by her name. The woman was heartbroken. Emma ran upstairs and got her things and her son. They left to break the curse.
Once the curse was broken, a mob went to Regina's to kill her. When the elderly mayor answered the door, things changed. "If you're here to kill me then just do it," she said. Regina was leaning heavily on a cane and the hand holding it was shaking. Without saying a word, the mob turned and left. Regina closed and locked her door.
"You should have let me answer it," her father said.
"I'm sure they would have found their way in." Regina slowly walked towards the steps. Henry Sr. walked down to give his daughter a hand. "Have you heard from Emma?"
"No," he answered.
"So you have," she replied. "I can tell you're lying. I just want to know if they're okay."
"They are," he answered.
"She won't answer my calls. I think she blocked me."
"Try to not worry about this right now."
"Daddy, I think I just want to lie down. The couch is fine."
Henry Sr. helped his daughter get comfortable. The man had been able to get word to Cora about their daughter. He wasn't sure if her presence would help, but he was willing to try anything.
When Cora arrived, Henry Sr. took her to their daughter's room. Cora stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her daughter. She couldn't believe her eyes. Regina looked up, "mother, what are you doing here?"
"Your father told me you were having a tough time. He told me to put my heart back in and come over."
"You put your heart back in?"
"I brought it to show you so that you knew." Cora took her heart out of the box and placed it back in her chest.
Snow and David loved having their daughter and grandson living with them. "Emma, this past week has been amazing, but do you want to talk about it?"
"About living here?"
"About your grandmother."
"You mean Regina? She's not my grandmother. Not really, anyway."
"Would you mind if I went to see her?"
"Do what you want."
Snow did just that. Henry Sr. answered the door, "hi, grandpa," Snow smiled.
"I have missed hearing you say that," he said as he hugged his granddaughter. He showed her inside and to Regina's room. Snow was not prepared for what she saw.
"I didn't think I'd be seeing you," Regina croaked out.
"I figured we had a lot to talk about."
"How are they?"
"They're fine," Snow answered.
"I'm sorry for everything. I always wanted to tell Emma the truth, but I always feared she'd leave me. I was right."
"She just needs some time."
"Well, I don't have much of that left."
"I'm sorry I told your secret. I really was just trying to help you."
"I know," Regina said. Snow didn't know what else to say so she turned to leave, "I wanted to be your mother," Regina blurted out. Snow turned back around. "I loved you, but I was afraid after my mother killed Daniel that she would kill you one day if you got in her way. Even after I banished her."
"I really wanted you to love me. I needed you more than anything."
"I have to say this once before it's too late. I love you."
Snow rushed to hug the frail woman, "I love you too, mother."
"Go," Regina said, "remember me like this and stay away from what happens next."
"Why? What happens next?"
"My death."