"H-how could you-" the princess snaps her magical fingers once again, fading everything out into an oblivion.
"I think you forget, Regina, I know you better than anyone. You may have once been the Evil Queen, but I knew you long before dark magic consumed you. I knew the real you, the good you. The young woman who was kind, gentle and once saved my life," Snow's ghost sincerely claims as she waves her hand in front of them for the second time, her fingers wiggling with excitement.
Thick white snowflakes rain down from the inky sky, painting the scene for their next visit in its awake. The extravagant carriage waits patiently in front of the castle, where King Leopold says goodbye to his precious ten year old princess. Regina is lingering awkwardly behind, still unsure where her place is in this tight knit family. She attempts to stand regally, posture straight, hands resting calmly in front of her lower abdomen, but her fingers are fiddling nervously.
The King and young Regina were just wed and he's already leaving her alone with the brat who had her Daniel killed. The hatred that fills her blood and the revenge that consumes her mind is far too much to ignore and the last thing she wishes for in this callous world is to spend Christmas with Snow White alone.
The spirit and the mayor watch as the King offers Regina a small smile and climbs into his carriage, waving goodbye to his daughter one last time.
"He didn't even hug you goodbye? You were his Queen. I-I never noticed-"
"Of course, you didn't, you were ten and your father was your hero. You would never acknowledge his blatant disrespect and neglect toward me, even if everyone around in your presence told you," she states with conviction, watching as the spirit snaps her fingers again, transporting them inside with the younger versions of themselves.
Regina remembers walking back into the castle and leaving Snow to do as she pleased, locking herself in her room to avoid another disappointing Christmas. After an hour had passed one of their servants came to her, explaining that they couldn't calm young Snow down and she had been crying since her father's departure.
So, much to her dismay, she stomped through the castle toward the princess's room ready to scold her for crying just like her mother had always done to her. The only problem was, once she saw her red, blotchy, face soaked in tears, she was smacked upside the head with reality. Too many haunting memories of her mother's firm hand came rushing back to her, along with the vow she made to herself; once she was out of her mother's castle and had children of her own, she would celebrate this holiday to its fullest potential.
"Why did daddy have to leave today? Doesn't he love me enough?" Snow cries, thick tears soaking her puffy, elegant dress.
"Of course he does, sometimes there's just somethings that need to be addressed right away," she vaguely responds while sitting down beside the princess on the four post bed.
"But it's Christmas," the little girl sobs even harder and all she sees is herself in Snow and how many countless times she was let down by the silly holiday.
"How about we spend the rest of the evening celebrating?" Regina suggests hoping to put an end to all those annoying tears.
A faint smile crosses Regina's lips as she watches the interaction play out before her. Despite her younger version's broken heart and boiling anger deep within, she still appears genuinely excited about her proposal. Regina glances to her right and notices how Snow's spirit is elated, just beaming like this is her most favorite memory.
"We could stay in your room and have the servants fill this bed with scrumptious treats."
Snow sniffles dramatically, her tears slowly dissipating as the seconds tick by. "And you'll stay?" She suspiciously inquires with those big doe eyes glistening in tears.
"Of course," she softly replies.
Soon the room is swarming with servants sweeping through the room with different treats for them to try. Regina and Snow stuffed their faces and actually held a decent conversation, despite the young girl's insistent claim on true love.
"Snow, of all these wonderful desserts, you choose to munch on an apple?" Regina playfully teases the younger girl who is smiling brightly around her bright red apple.
"I love apples. They are so sweet, they are a dessert all on their own," she giggles.
"Oh my god, Regina!" The ghost beside her squawks, causing the mayor to jump slightly beside her. "Is that why you poisoned an apple, because you knew it was my favorite food?"
"Of course, just a cherry on top to my plan of revenge, ruining your favorite food as well," she smugly replies and watches with amusement as Snow scowls at her. "I have yet to see you eat an apple in Storybrooke."
"I was going to compliment you on this memory, but you could forget about it now."
"Oh, come on, Snow, how could you have not figured that out until now?"
"We are done here."
"Don't be mad."
The bitter phantom snaps her fingers, more aggressively this time and sends them back to the comfort of Regina's bedroom in Storybrooke. Brown eyes dart around the room, inspecting every inch for something that might be out of place. When she comes up short, she sighs in relief that she is finally home.
"Regina."
She whips around, discovering Snow with her arms folded across her chest. "So, I didn't offend you enough to leave?"
The princess exhales a sorrowful breath, her arms falling to her sides and Regina believes she's running almost out of time...or patience.
"Regina, even when you were bitter and cold from Daniel's murder, you were still very sweet to me that evening. You pushed all your needs aside and focused on cheering me up, because you would never wish your atrocious Christmases on another human."
Her mouth pops open to spew some snarky comeback or to just flat out deny that accusation, but her mouth is quickly snapping shut.
"You are good. Inside, you have a big heart and I've always known that about you. That's why I could never harm you, even when I had the perfect opportunity. I know the real you and she's still in there."
"I don't need your validation, Snow. I know I am a good person. That's why I've been working so hard to change for Henry, but as always, I am the one who suffers in the end."
"Just because the door with Robin closed, doesn't mean that there isn't another door just waiting to open." She smiles softly, curling her fingers around Regina's bicep while her thumb soothes her worries. "Happy endings aren't always what they seem."
Regina's brows pinch together as she recalls the real Snow White, stating the same thing to her earlier that day. "Wait, why do you keep-"
"Goodbye, Regina," The ghost sadly cuts the mayor off as her body slowly lifts off the ground.
"Wait, no, I just-" Regina reaches out to stop the woman from completely floating away, but her fingers slices through the woman's arm as though she doesn't exist at all. "Stop! Why do you keep saying, happy ending aren't always what they seem?" She rapidly questions as her body starts to fade away, becoming transparent as she floats toward the window. "Wait!" She calls out in a frenzy from the fear of never understanding what this ghost is hinting towards. "Snow, stop!"
A broad smile slowly slips away from her ruby lips while she offers a small wave. Her body slowly disappearing before Regina's very eyes, crossing the barrier of her closed glass window. White shiny sparkles, resembling pixie dust, shimmer just outside her window, completely vanishing Snow White's presence.
"Snow!" She bellows, bolting upright in her bed, gasping for any oxygen to fill her deprived lungs.
She shuffles frantically out of bed, scrambling on her hands and knees and wrestling with the comforter and sheets along the way. She clambers out of the bed, tripping over her feet as she rushes toward the window.
Her palms smack against the thick cold glass, her hot breath fogging up the window as she searches for Snow White. She's huffing and puffing, watching the fog expand and vanish, over and over again as her eyes take in the quiet town below.
Abruptly, she spins around on her heels and glances at the soft green glow of her alarm clock. It's only nine o'clock at night, she must have dozed off for an hour. It was all a dream. A stupid, insignificant dream.
So, she tells herself.
Yet, memories of the horrific nightmare are still clinging to her like a staticky, itchy wool sweater. She cringes involuntarily, the chills turning her blood cold from the sweat drenching her back. She flicks her wrist, changing her clothes into black jeans and a soft cream colored sweater, while fixing her hair simultaneously.
She runs, as far and as fast away from her haunted room as possible. Her feet raging against the stairs as she hurries down them in record time. When she reaches the bottom, she slips into her black boots and tosses her pea coat on.
She's out the door in a matter of seconds, rushing toward her car and backing out of her driveway in a blink of an eye. The leather in her car is absolutely freezing and her body is trembling from the bitter temperature, but she keeps driving. To where? She hasn't a clue. She just knows she needed to vacate her home, filled with vile haunting memories of her past.
Her car zips passed Marco's home, his lights are all off, informing her that he's most likely still at Granny's celebrating this cruel holiday. Her eyes flick toward Gold's shop, all shut down because she knows Belle is enjoying her evening as well. A blinding light illuminates every detail of her car as she drives by Granny's, the place still hopping with cheerful patrons. Her foot slams on the gas, speeding right passed the diner because she can still feel the embarrassment wash over her from her poor behavior earlier.
She doesn't know how or why, but soon her hands are turning the steering wheel into a vacant parking lot, except for one yellow bug, sticking out like a sore thumb. She throws her car into park and rushes out of the still freezing cold car. She shoves her hands into her pockets and scurries inside the sheriff's station.
The moment she steps inside, two very distinct voices boom through the quiet evening air. She tiptoes down the long hall, thankful that she's not in her heels that would instantly sell her out. She creeps along in the shadows and listens as two people converse, oblivious to her arrival.
"Come on Swan, lets just go back to Granny's and enjoy what's left of the evening," Captain Guyliner whines, just as he always does in the presence of the savior lately.
"I told you Killian, no, I'm busy," she flatly argues back, not expressing enough force to make her point.
"But see the problem is, you're avoiding me again. I thought we've been through this?" He accuses and for once, Regina detects a hint of the old Hook making his appearance.
"I thought we had too," Emma exasperates just before Regina hears a loud thunk against the desk.
"Are you still feeling guilt? Over Regina?"
Regina can practically taste the venom dripping from his lips as her name leaves his mouth.
"Killian," Emma sighs heavily, "I promised to help her find her happy ending. I can't just...I-"
"You what?" He snaps back, like he doesn't actually have time to wait for her to explain her true feelings.
An overwhelming surge of rage burns below Regina's skin, her fingers begging to curl around his throat and squeeze the oxygen right out of him for always being so damn pushy with the savior.
"It's not fair, none of this is fair," Emma whimpers as Regina peeks her head around the corner.
Her eyes are immediately drawn to the bright red leather jacket draped over the back of the chair and for some peculiar reason, warmth and what she thinks feels like comfort, washes over her. Her eyes crawl away from the leather to find the mess of golden locks. Emma is running a trembling hand through her hair before she grips the back of her neck like all her tension is knotting painfully in that one spot.
Regina winces because Emma looks so utterly exhausted and it's all her fault. It's because she's constantly snapping at her and forcing her to work harder to find this stupid author. An author who might not even grant her, her wish of a happy ending after all the damage she has caused.
Regina's feet are shuffling backwards before she can even tell them to get the hell out of there.
XXXXXXX
"Why won't this day end?" She groans to herself, tossing her keys with a heavy clank upon her table.
She kicks off her boots, hangs up her coat and trudges up the stairs feeling more exhausted than she has ever felt in her life. Her hand glides up the banister, supporting her tired limbs until she reaches the top.
She glances to her left and breathes out all the air within her lungs when her eyes fall upon Henry's door. She wishes her son was there right now to distract her from this awful holiday.
"Hey mom," his cool sweet tone resonates around her like one of his loving hugs.
She quickly whirls around to discover her son leaning casually against her doorframe. "Henry," she breathes in shock and rushes to envelop him in the tightest hug she can produce.
Except, her arms slice through the thin air and she is left with nothing but his smirk smiling back at her, full of mischief and amusement.
"Awe, come on, mom, you didn't think I would really be here did you?" He laughs lightly, pushing himself off her doorframe and strolling effortlessly into her bedroom.
"Henry? What's going on? Why can't I touch you?" She panics, her quivering hands reaching out to try and feel her baby boy. Again, her wiggling fingers sweep right through his body, pulling at her heartstrings because she just wants her son.
"Didn't you learn from grandma?" He hooks a thumb toward the window where a young Snow White disappeared from without a trace. Regina blinks with her mouth slightly agape. "Ghost Of Christmas Present," he proudly states while pointing at his chest. "We have to get a move on, so much is going on in Storybrooke, right now!"
"Henry, I-"
"We don't have all night and we don't want to miss out on all the fun!"
"No, please. I'm so tired and today has been so long and strenuous and please I don't want to-"
He smirks, folding his arms across his chest. He raises one hand slowly and snaps fiercely in her face.
