Chapter 5

When Regina stopped talking nearly 20 minutes later I felt as drained as she looked. Another land, with magic? Fairies that stole children? A 28 year curse? And, weirdest of all, an adopted younger brother? It was overwhelming to think about, so when I opened my mouth the question that popped out didn't seem to surprise Regina.

"Why would the blue bitch take me in the first place?" I questioned, searching her face for answers. Regina shifted in her seat and sighed.

"I wasn't a good person," she started, gazing into her nearly empty cup of coffee. "at least, not by anyone in the Enchanted Forest's standards. I couldn't be a hero, hell I couldn't even be a normal person with a regular life." She stared wistfully out the window for a moment, stuck on a past memory, before shaking her head. Regina straightened in her seat and faced me head-on. "So, I resigned myself to the role I was cast in. If they wanted to see me as a villain, then I was going to be the evilest bitch in the entire kingdom." She smirked, pausing for a moment. "Not including your father of course."

"Rumpelstiltskin, right?" I questioned, unbothered by her assertion that she was a villain. After all, I was in no place to judge after the Darquesse fiasco all those years ago. I still got death threats for what I did as her.

"Yes," she said, frowning at my lack of reaction. "He's in New York right now looking for something with Henry and Emma."

"Emma is the bio mom of Henry, right?"

"Unfortunately."

"Good to know who to avoid in town."

She smiled at that, the corners of her eyes wrinkling slightly. "You're taking this all surprisingly well." She said quietly.

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. "Well, I kinda have a lot to catch you up on about my life, you'd be surprised at how little surprises me anymore." I said, muttering out the last half.

"Where have you been all these years?" she asked, a frown coming across her face. "And however did you find us? I was certain that we would have been the ones to search for you."

I opened my mouth to speak when my phone started beeping incessantly. Glancing down at the device, I registered the newest text in a series from Skulduggery. I groaned quietly. Regina peered over at my phone as it started to vibrated with a call from him.

"Do you need to take that?" She asked, raising her mug to take a sip of her now tepid coffee. I sighed deeply, knowing that I did in fact have to answer, I owed him at least that.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I wouldn't except that it's my partner." Her eyebrows rose and I hurried to clarify. "Not like that, I'm a detective back home- back in Ireland. I'll be right back." I scooted out of the booth and out of the diner, the bell above the door jingling as I went.

By the time I was outside, my phone was no longer ringing. I went to call Skulduggery back, when a call from Tanith came through. I sighed, resigning myself to a call with far more questions, and pressed the answer call button.

"Val?" Tanith's smooth voice echoed over the phone. "Where the hell are you?!"

I winced at her tone. "I'm not entirely sure."

"Excuse me?!"

"Don't be mad."

"We are far past mad Valkyrie Charlotte Cain!"

I let out a snort. "You know that isn't my middle name woman, for Gods sake you've seen my birth certificate, you'd think you would choose something closer to my actual name."

"Val-" Tanith started.

The bell above the door rang as Regina came rushing out of Granny's Diner. I turned towards her approaching figure.

"Gotta go Tan." I said hurriedly. "I promise I'll call as soon as I can, ta." And whatever she began to say was cut off as I hung up and Regina reached me. "Everything alright?" I asked, taking in her ruffled appearance. She gave me a tight smile.

"Nothing for you to worry about sweet." She said, brushing a featherlight hand over my cheek. "I'd just need for a Mayoral issue. Shouldn't take long."

"Right." I drew out, seeing straight through her lie, but unwilling to ask. She rummaged through her purse for a few moments, pulling out a set of keys and quickly pressing them into my hand. I started. "What-"

"I want you to come stay with me, for as long as you want." She said, daring me to argue with her eyes. "If anyone finds out who you are to me, you'll be in danger. You'll be protected at my house." After a moment I held my hand up in defeat.

"Who am I to argue with my newly found mother?" I said, grinning at the affectionate look Regina sent me.


In the end it really wasn't all that difficult to find Regina's house, even with her number newly plugged into my phone. I parked my bike on the road in front, and made my way up to the towering two story white house. A sudden tiredness hit me as I unlocked the front door, and I could barely appreciate the elegant decor and structure of the house before collapsing face first into the guest bedroom's bed, toeing my boots off as I went. My last thought as I drifted to sleep was one of curiosity, as I pondered what my life would have been like if I had remained with my parents in the not so Enchanted Forest.

General POV

Later, when Regina returned home and peeked her head into the guest room she was met with a sight that melted her heart. The child she had longed to be reunited with for so long was sprawled across the soft white sheets, her dark hair a messy halo around her head. The thought that this girl was truly a stranger floated across her mind, but she dismissed it almost immediately. For now, Regina was determined to enjoy her time with her Valkyrie, before Rumpelstiltskin returned to Storybrooke, and she would be forced to break her daughter's heart, one way or another.