Chapter 3

After a sleepless night of tossing and turning, Regina woke the next day still angry over her son finding out about his parentage through idle gossip at his elementary school. The decision was made by the time she prepared herself a mug of coffee that she would be paying the principal, Mother Superior, a visit that day to see about getting Mary-Margaret suspended at the least. The memory of her son's tear-streaked face fills her with rage, and that rage is about to be unleashed.

Barging into Mother Superior's office, after several attempts by the office secretary to stall her, Regina, in full wrath mode, shouts, "I demand your pet teacher be put on administrative leave until a full investigation can be completed!"

The petite brunette behind the desk rolls her eyes and waves off the apologetic secretary that followed the Mayor into the office before asking lazily, "I beg your pardon?"

"That loose-lipped woman has irrevocably damaged my child's psyche! I want her ass fired once and for all!"

"I don't think Miss Blanchard had anything to do with damaging your child's psyche! I heard, from credible sources, that he was the one who started that fight!"

"That bully who pushed my son too far is not at all what I'm talking about, and you know it!"

"Your witch hunt investigation will go nowhere. Mary-Margaret has done nothing wrong!" Picking up several folders scattered about her desktop, she straightened them before tapping their edges on the wooden tabletop. "I am not wasting resources and depriving the children of their proper education simply because you deem it so, Madam Mayor."

The smug smirk of the older woman rubbed Regina wrong, and as if she were calling her bluff, she resorted to blatant threats, "If you don't do it, Sister, I'll go to the board of directors! That whore of a woman has spilled her last secret!"

Laying down the paperwork, the woman centered the silver cross around her neck, laying it over her habit, before informing, "The boy overheard, from my understanding. She didn't deliberately seek out to harm him!"

Regina folded her arms and rebutted, "But she did harm him!"

Contempt-filled eyes masked with boredom looked up at the towering Mayor when the Nun asked with condescension, "Do you really want to kick this adoption thing up, Regina? It's an election year, after all. If you can't be honest with your own child, what makes us think you can be honest with the town?"

"You think you can blackmail me? You have no idea who you're dealing with…" A smug smirk followed before finishing her sentence, "…Blue."

Visibly alarmed, the older woman asked, "Excuse me?"

With a lick of her lips, Regina explained herself in no uncertain terms, "The Blue Fairy. That's what they call you, isn't it? Because you make their dreams come true?"

Looking away toward anything other than those knowing black eyes, "I think I'd like you to leave, now, Madam Mayor."

"Oh, I bet you would," Regina replied smugly. "Mary-Margaret isn't worth jeopardizing your little side business, is she?"

With a deep breath, Mother Superior answered quietly, "No."

Folding her arms in her obvious gloat, Regina stated, "I didn't think so. I want her disciplined." Leaning into the desk, she added quietly, "I trust you can find an appropriate… punishment?"

Anger flashed in the older woman's eyes when she barked, "Get out!"

With a wide victorious smile, Regina stood once again to her full height. Turning toward the door, she replied, "Always a pleasure." Opening the door, she turned back toward the Nun and winked, "I hope I can count on your vote, Dear."

After a fairly grueling day of election strategy meetings, Regina comes home late, well after dinner, and Henry is already in his room doing his homework. After paying the sitter and escorting her out, Regina settles into her home office and pulls out the meeting minutes from the last several hours, and wonders why exactly she is going forward with the election.

It's what's expected of her, but it isn't what she truly wants. Her entire life was designed by her parents, specifically her mother, from the moment she was born. She was never asked if this life was the life she wanted, and now that she has absolutely no one to answer to, she contemplates the need to continue with the façade. The late nights will continue for the foreseeable future, and she wonders how that's affecting her son. Although the last few weeks have been better, there was still a distance between them. Fearing the drumming beat of this election has seemed to make that distance greater.

Pulling out a piece of paper, she scribbles Pro's and Con's at the top and proceeds to list everything she is dreading about the next year of her life under the con's section of the page. The tally is extensive, and when she has trouble adding more things, she moves to the pro's side and struggles to put down even one item.

Financial security.

It's familiar.

Being the Mayor of a sleepy east coast town was not her dream, but after doing it for most of her adult life, it was security. She knew what she was doing and had the tenacity to do what needed to be done. She'd been a good mayor for the people of Storybrooke despite the emotional distance she had from the town; she didn't like them. There were complex hierarchical structures in place that prevented her from ever feeling like she, too, was a part of something. That separation fed into her resentment, and now that she was essentially free from any obligations, what was stopping her from making a break from this toxic relationship she had with the residents of Storybrooke.

Could she leave? Biting her bottom lip nervously, as if the mere idea of leaving this life would resurrect her mother by way of sheer disappointment. The head of the local property investment firm, Mister Gold, would give her a fair market value for her home and cottage just outside of town. The family had some hiccups in the market in the early 2000s, and the property would cover all of the outstanding debt and bring her enough for a down payment on a new house somewhere. Couple that with the life insurance policy she was getting for Graham's death; she had a bit of wiggle room before she had to figure out what she was going to do for a job.

Could she get into politics somewhere else? It was all she knew how to do. No one had ever asked her what she wanted; it was always what was expected. Could she do something else? Schooling perhaps? She wasn't under anyone's control and could literally choose whatever she wanted. Was it fair to upset Henry's life in such a way? Could he handle it? Would he even want to leave Storybrooke? This has been his home for his entire life. Was she being selfish?

Noticing that it was Henry's bedtime, she got up from her desk and made her way to his room to say goodnight. Poking her head in, she saw that he was sitting on his bed reading a comic. "Time for bed, Darling."

Still engrossed in his story, he said, "I'm brushed. I'm going to finish this chapter before turning in."

Uncertain if that was a statement or asking for permission, she nodded her understanding then said, "I'll be working late, so I'll say my goodnights now, okay?"

Looking up from his book, he shrugged his shoulders, aloof, "Okay. Goodnight."

She took a hesitant step forward and awkwardly kissed him on the head before he went back to reading, then said, "Goodnight, Henry."

Closing the door behind her, she felt the distance between them hurt within her chest. If only she could reach within and pull out the heart that ached. Life would be so much easier, wouldn't it?

This was the real world, not some fairytale, so she was going to have to do something to fix their situation.

The next morning, Regina woke up early, despite staying up late going over her personal finances and making plans and lists of what needed to be done to withdraw from the race, sell their homes, and where they could live. Seeing a plan down on paper had her confidence high, and she couldn't remember a time when she felt so light and free.

Now all she had to do was discuss it with her son.

Making his favorite breakfast, French Toast, she busied herself with kitchen duties and pushed aside her anxious feelings about bringing the plan up to Henry. Worst case scenario is he is angry again. She hadn't enjoyed the hostility she'd gotten from him since he found out he was adopted, and it has gotten better, but it hasn't gone away. She definitely didn't want to fan those flames, but she also felt as though she needed to do this for her and for them. This was the right move; she could feel it in her bones.

Henry came down, already dressed for the day, and sat at the table just as Regina carried the plate full of the boy's breakfast and placed it in front of him.

He looked up at her with suspicion and said, "French Toast, huh?"

Blatantly caught, Regina huffed as she went back to the kitchen for her own plate. Sitting down at the table, she answered, "Yes, I thought we could have a nice breakfast together."

Pulling back his side-eye, he focused on eating his breakfast in silence. After a few moments, Regina broke that silence with, "So, Henry…"

He dropped his fork onto his plate and said, "I knew something was up! What happened? You can't make it to parent-teacher night? I thought it would be different now that I have a new teacher!"

Pushing aside any residual guilt over torpedoing Mary-Margaret's career, she waved him off and reassured, "No, nothing like that. I wanted to talk to you about something important." Looking at him carefully, she adds, "A decision we need to make together."

The shock was evident when Henry exclaimed, "You're asking me what I think?"

"This affects your life as well, Henry. Of course."

With a guarded look, he asked, "What is it?"

"I've decided that I'm not seeking re-election, and since my job was the only thing holding us here, I think I'd like to move."

Surprise melted into anxious worry, "Move? Like out of Storybrooke? What if something bad happens?"

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Darling." She places her hand over his and says in no uncertain terms, "If you don't wish to move out of town, it's okay to say so."

With a gaping look, he stares at her for a moment then asks, "Where would we move to?"

Realizing she hadn't given the destination much thought, where all of her focus was on whether or not they COULD do it, she answered, "I have no idea."

"How about Boston?"

Stunned that the boy was not angry in any way, she asked, "Why Boston?"

With a shrug of the shoulders, he asked, "Why not?"

She considered it for a few moments and said, "There are some nice schools there, and it is a bit more big-city than we're used to."

Henry added with excitement, "They've got science museums too and a planetarium!"

Startled with Henry's behavior, she asked, "How do you know this?"

He holds up his cell phone with Boston googled on the screen. "Can we ride the subway?"

"On occasion," she considered for a moment and added, "But I don't wish to get rid of the car." Looking at him with concern, she asked, "Are you sure you're okay just leaving your school and your friends and everything?"

Making a show of actual consideration, Henry finally replied, "I'm sure, Mom." With a nod of his head, he added, "If it means you're leaving politics behind and we can be together, then yeah. Let's do it!"

Riding high on how smoothly things went with her son, she arrived at the office to find Katherine Nolan was waiting for her, coffee in hand. As Regina passed, she grabbed her cup and led the way into the office with a brisk, "We need to talk."

All the good morning cheer left the blonde woman's face as she followed her friend into the room and closed the door behind her. "What's wrong?"

Dawning her best political mask, she turned and stated, "I'm resigning as mayor."

A laugh escaped the taller woman before she studied the serious look in her friend's eyes and demanded, "What?"

Folding her fingers together over herself, she stated plainly, "I quit. I can't do it anymore, Katherine, and frankly, I don't want to."

"What's this about, Regina? The scandal? It's barely a blip!"

Shaking her head, Regina answered, "No, it's everything. I think we need a fresh start. A new career, a new life."

Concern crossed her face before she slipped into friend mode; Katherine stepped closer and asked, "Wait, you mean, leave town?"

Closing her eyes, Regina tried to explain, "I just…" sifting through the reasons she had for wanting to leave and coming upon one that Kat would understand, "…I can't live under the scrutiny of being The Mills' Daughter anymore."

"Regina," Katherine breathed as she wrapped her arms around her, knowing she wouldn't be a good friend if she tried to talk the woman out of this decision, and if she tried, it would be solely for selfish reasons. "Where will you go?"

Pulling back from the embrace, Regina answered, "Boston."

Confused, Katherine asked, "Why Boston?"

"Henry wants to move there, and I genuinely don't care, as long as it isn't Storybrooke."

Eyebrows crinkled in upset when the blonde whined, "What will I do without you?"

A wide smile crossed the darker woman's face when she instructed, "Come and visit, often. It's a four-hour drive, and I expect to see you entirely too much!"

"Oh god, where will you live? What will you do?"

"I haven't figured all that out yet, but with the insurance money, I'm sure I can keep us comfortable until I figure it out." Taking a deep breath, letting go of some of the tension she was feeling, she said, "But first things first, I'm dropping out of the race. Can you coordinate with Diana for me?"

With a stunned look, Katherine shook her head and exclaimed, "The press is going to have a field day!"

"Let them," Regina said, resigned. Lifting her hands, she shrugged. "At this point, I'm no longer living my life at the service of the masses."