Chapter Nineteen: We Held
A/N: PREPARE TO BE SHOOK (lightly). That is all.
Regina stands on the front stoop of her mansion, Kat by her side. They watch the limo pull up to their driveway, because of course mother is so extra that she feels the need to arrive by limo. Next thing she'll have a red carpet and trumpets announcing her arrival too.
Regina plasters on a fake smile but inside she is seething. This woman is her enemy. Instead of wanting what's best for her daughter, instead of letting her choose, she's only ever bullied Regina into the decisions she's made. And now, she's here to exert control over Regina once more. On issues related to Emma.
Regina didn't bother to tell Emma about this. There was no need to worry the blonde once more. Besides, if she saw Cora was back, would she run away again? Regina couldn't risk that.
The limo stops and Cora gets out, dressed to the nines as usual.
"Darling, there you are. I see you've put some weight on," she said derisively in greeting and Regina thinned her lips until they went bloodless.
"I wish I could say the same about you, mother," Regina began as Kat worriedly looked from one to the other. "But honestly, you're so thin these days that a stiff breeze might tip you over. You should take care of yourself more."
Anger flashes in Cora's eyes, but she's always been good at hiding it, waiting for the right moment so she could strike with it full force. Regina keeps this in mind. She will not lose to Cora.
"Kat, I see you look splendid as usual," Cora switches to a cheery tune to greet Regina's wife.
"Thank Miss Mills," Kat says hesitantly and shifting her eyes away as if she had done something bad. Regina barely pays any mind to this, turning over in her mind what could have drawn Cora to town now. Emma had been here for a while, and the timing seemed to coincide right at Regina's realization that she still loved Emma and had never stopped.
They enter the house, Regina feeling stiff as a board, and wanting nothing more than to have her mother gone and on the other side of the country by now. But she needs to settle this. Once and for all.
"Kat, could you please serve us, and then leave?" Regina whispers into her ear. Kat looks startled by this request but acquiescence's to it with a nod of her head. She moves on and Cora and Regina sit down in the living room, across from each other. Two enemy generals, trying to scam the other side into losing.
They size each other up in silence as Kat brings out the tea and fruit that was prepared before hand. She sets it down, casts a worried look at Regina and then leaves, presumably out of the line of danger.
"You have a lot of nerve, coming here. To my town," Regina says, voice colder than she ever thought possible. She crosses her legs at the knee, folds her hands on top to keep them from curling up into fists. She never resorts to physical anger but she can understand why some do. it would feel good to break her mother's nose in, same way mother has broken Regina's spirit before, both with her hands and with her actions.
Cora picks up the tea cup, sipping on it. "Nerve? What ever have I done?" she affects innocence. It does not fit her face well.
"You know what you did with Emma. You ruined her life!" Regina tried to bite back her anger but it was really hard to do when she wanted nothing more than inflict the pain her mother had caused her, onto her.
Cora laughs. It's an unsettling one. "You really think I was solely responsible for Emma's removal from town? Then you are surely naive."
"What are you talking about?" Regina questions, a cold sweat coming down her body. She had not expected this.
Cora smiles malignantly and begins to speak.
10 years ago
"I think we should break the marriage arrangement between me and Regina," Kathryn said, looking down at her feet as she spoke to her parents and feeling so small and helpless; but having a broken heart would do that to anyone. They were both caught off guard by the statement. Frankly, it had come out of nowhere, but to Kat it hadn't. She had thought about it ever since that dinner. What they were doing wasn't right.
"What? Why?" Her father glared at her, having a hard time comprehending this. "You like her, don't you?"
"Yes, but it doesn't matter," Kat said, fighting hard to not make her voice crack, to not break down in tears. "Arranged marriages are wrong. We should be able to love who we love."
"We can't do that, Kat, the documents have been signed. It's all set in stone," her mother said, a bit more sympathetic to her plight.
Kat's hands fisted in the edges of her skirt. "It's not too late. It can be changed. Please," she whispered at the end. Her parents exchanged confused looks.
"What is going on?" her mother asked.
"It's not important. Just cancel the arranged marriage!" Kat exclaimed, feeling uncomfortable to be in this situation. She knew it would be hard to convince them, but she had hoped foolishly they would have just given in by now. To spare her anymore heart break.
"It is important if you're behaving like this!" her father spat, losing patience.
"She likes someone else!" Kat said, remembering all too well how she had watched Regina's body press into Emma. Emma who didn't deserve Regina. Emma who only ever caused Regina trouble.
How could Regina love someone like that, and not like Kat? Kat who was good and kind, and neat? And had good grades and money, and was respectable. Not some orphan!
Her parents were startled by this. "Who? Who does she like?"
Her mother was by her side, holding her and this time, Kat did break down. It hurt too much to keep it all in. Her heart was broken. "She likes some blonde soccer player at our school. And she didn't even tell me anything about it!" The fact Regina hadn't even come to her, as a friend, and told her about it, hurt her too.
Everything hurt about this situation.
"We need to talk to Cora," her father rose up but Kat shook her head, sending tears flying. "No, don't tell Cora. I don't want Regina to get in trouble. Regina doesn't even know she has an arranged marriage to me."
Her father looks aghast. "Did Cora not tell Regina? What the hell is she thinking?"
"Just don't talk to her, please. I don't want Regina to be unhappy and hate me if anything happens to her girlfriend."
Her parents looked reluctant to agree to this but did so. "Okay darling. We won't tell anyone. We won't."
And Kat had trusted them. Trusted them to keep their word.
But as often is the in the case of a parent who thinks they are doing the best for their child, they told someone. They told Cora.
"Don't worry, Mr. Midas," Cora cooed on the other end of the phone line while her grip was practically murderous on the phone in her hand. "I'll straighten things up. Regina just needs to get her head on right. The little tart probably seduced her. You know how kind hearted Regina is. She can easily fall for the traps of shameless people like that tramp!"
"Do you know who it is? Kat mentioned it was blonde soccer player."
"Don't worry, I'll find out."
"Don't tell Kat about this. We don't want her to know we are handling things for her. She's too upset to be involved."
"Of course," Cora assured, black eyes glinting readily. "I won't mention a word of this to her. And by the end of the week, the blonde girl will be gone."
Emma stared in horror at the pregnancy test in her hand.
What. The. Fuck.
She'd taken after heat pills, and she'd used protection when she was with Regina. How had this happened? Something must have slipped through the cracks.
Ruby's face is as pale as Emma's is in the bathroom of Ruby's house. "Oh shit," she voices. "Is this for real?"
"It's the fifth test I've taken. It can't be wrong," Emma admits in a small defeated voice. She feels sick to her stomach, but maybe it's the pregnancy.
"Shit, what are we gonna do? Does Regina know?"
Emma shakes her head. "Obviously, no. Should I tell her?" Frightened sea green stare into brown.
"To be honest, I don't fucking know," Ruby shrugs. "I've never been in a situation like this before."
"Fuck." Emma lets her head hit the cool tile. She doesn't want to ruin things with Regina. How can she tell her, when she's got college coming up? And a whole future ahead of her? Emma's just some orphan. Will Regina be mad? Be happy?
Ruby's hand is on Emma's back. "We'll work on this together. First, you have to figure out if you want to keep it."
That's another pressing issue. Emma feels sick at the thought of having to choose. Can she even choose? "Right," she mumbles out.
"Come, let's get you some bee- er, water," Ruby corrects and guides Emma over to the bed.
It's not hard to find information on Emma Swan with a bit of digging. And it's even easier to approach her best friend, Ruby Lucas. Cora finds her in the diner during closing hours. It's an establishment that Cora never visits for fear of contracting something from the sticky booths but she has a mission. A mission to save her daughter.
The bell jingles merrily over her head as she walks in.
"We're closed!' comes the shouted reply as Ruby has her back to the front door, picking up a stack of Styrofoam cups.
"Ruby Lucas," she speaks up as she enters the diner.
Ruby whirls around now, confused by who would call her by her full name. Her eyes go wide and she drops the stack in between her hands and chin when she sees who it is. "Uh-oh."
Cora arches an unimpressed brow at the girl. "I need to talk to you. It's about your diner."
"The diner?" Ruby states uncertainly, as if not sure how to react to all of this.
"It has recently come to my attention that it's not doing that well. High costs, not enough people buying your sloppy food," Cora says, swiping a finger on the counter and grimacing when it comes back sticky.
"Okay..."
"It would be a shame if it got shut down," Cora said, making direct eye contact with the girl. It seemed she wasn't too bright because she had to ask, "what are you going on about?" in an aggressive manner.
Cora exhaled through her nose sharply. Why was it there were so many imbeciles in this town? Did she have to do all the work? "I'm saying I can and will shut this place down. I even have the paperwork all done, I just have to submit it." And she pulled the paperwork out of her bag with flourish, holding it in front of Ruby's nose.
She knew the girl wouldn't understand the jargon on it. The girl's eyes just bounce and skipped over it, predictably. She grasped the counter tightly. "We'll fight it."
"I doubt you have the money to drag out a battle with my lawyers," was shot off crisply.
"What do you want from us. We didn't do anything to you."
"You didn't. But Emma did," Cora said and finally saw the cogs click in Ruby's head.
"Oh," the brunette paled and looked horrified by this.
"Oh, indeed. It has come to my attention Emma has been leeching my daughter's time away from her studies. Muddling up her mind with absurdities even though my daughter has an arranged marriage. I don't need Emma getting in the way."
Ruby swallowed nervously, before asking, "and what are you going to do to her?"
"That's none of your business. In return for me not shutting down the diner, you will tell me anything I need to know on Emma."
Ruby tightened her lips. Looked like she would be stubborn. "Don't be like this Ruby. You and I both know friendships are a fleeting thing. Besides, it would break your grandmother's heart to lose this diner. It's your only source of income."
Ruby's lips only got tighter and she looked angrily on at Cora, as if she could kill her with her eyesight alone. Sighting, Cora dug into her purse and took out a thick stack of hundreds. She placed it down on the counter between them. "Five thousand dollars, with no strings attached. This could be all yours. And it could help your diner immensely."
When Ruby didn't budge, Cora added to the stack. "Another five thousand. Consider your college. It will help with the cost." Cora didn't think Ruby could even get into college, but it wouldn't hurt to give her false hopes and dreams that could be used to Cora's advantage.
Ruby was shaking now, her eyes hungry on the money. Cora knew the family desperately needed it. She'd rather not pay these cretins, but it seemed Ruby was more loyal than thought. Unfortunately, not loyal enough to Emma.
"She's...pregnant," Ruby said through stiff lips, like she wishes she could eat her own words up. Cora's eyes light up. The perfect ammunition she needs.
"Excellent. And thank you for your help Ruby. I'm sure the business will do just fine now." Cora purrs, patting Ruby on her hand. The brunette barely reacts. She only lowered her head shamefully as Cora left. She couldn't believe she had just sold out her best friend to keep her Granny's business afloat. And she also couldn't believe what a monster Cora was. "Oh, and not a word to Emma, or else I may have to go back on my word," Cora throws over her shoulder as she leaves Ruby staring at her counter. At the dirty money on it.
Ruby goes to her phone, wanting to text Emma to warn her about this, but she stops herself. Part of the deal was not mentioning anything. Ruby clenches her teeth and drops the phone. She hates herself right now. But she's about to hate herself a lot more when she finds out what happens to Emma.
"But you know who actually ruined her life the most?" Cora finished up, taking great relish in the open anguish on Regina's face. She leaned in, like a viper before the killing strike. "You did," she hissed out and Regina felt her heart drop out of her chest.
"If you hadn't fallen for her, if you hadn't slept with her, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have had to intervene and chase her out to save your own future, because you were so stupid you couldn't see that that girl would ruin you. Your reputation, in tatters. You would have forfeited college, all to be with her. And then where would you be? The Mills family name would be ruined and you would sweeping floors instead of making city wide change."
Regina's hands curled up tighter as her mother's words assailed her, each a sharp dagger in her already wounded heart. "And don't even pretend like you could be happy like that. Like you would give up everything for her, because you wouldn't. You're not cut out for that life. And Emma wouldn't have been cut out for ours. So, it was best to break you apart before anything deeper could develop. Before the two of you could ruin each other. This way, the both of you still have a semblance of a life left," Cora wrapped up and they both sat there. One a confident scheming queen who had just gotten everything she wanted, and the other a lifeless husk. The clock ticked in the pallor as Cora finished her tea and set her cup down.
She got up, ready to leave. "I thought you wouldn't be foolish enough to do this again. To start something up with Emma. And I thought her to have more common sense than to come back here. But I've come here to fix things. Because you have a proper wife, a wife who cherishes and loves you. And you have a family to protect. You can't let some two bit whore stand in the way."
Regina looked up at her, eyes pleading. "Why...why do you hurt me like this?" she whispered out, because that was all she could manage right now.
Cora arched a brow but said nothing.
"Why can't I just be with Emma? What is so wrong with that?"
Cora looked down in disgust at her daughter. "You truly are like your father. A spineless git who believes in true love or true mates. The world is a cruel place. It will take anything you love too dearly. I learned about that the hard way." Cora's voice softened here, if only a bit. "Before your father, there was a man named Daniel that I grew to dearly care for. But life took him in a twist of fate and it broke me. It broke me like nothing else had ever broken me. Because I had dared to love anything so much. Which was why I vowed never again to love anything with my whole heart. Or to ever love it at all." Her mother's eyes are black. Have they always been this black, Regina wonders as her mother says something else. Regina didn't think her heart could get anymore broken, but it did. "Which is why I never really loved your father. And why I never really loved you, Regina."
Regina's lower lip trembles and her hands shake. She knew her mother didn't love her like mothers were supposed to, but to hear it out loud? To hear how little at all Cora cares for her? She sucks in a shaky breath. Cora's hand cups her chin, pulls her head up so she can see the pain in her daughter's eyes. Regina wants to slap her mother's hand away. To run away from her.
But her eyes are blurry from unshed tears. She can't even see the sick satisfaction on her mother's face. "I will be back here tomorrow, Regina. And I expect you to do something about Emma. If you don't take the imitative, then I will do it myself and you really will not like what I do. What I did last time will pale in comparison to what I will do this time." With that, Cora left the house.
Regina sat on that couch, slumped over, head in her hands. She didn't know how much time passed, all she knew was silent tears kept falling down her cheeks. Tears born of hurt and frustration. And longing and sadness.
She didn't know what to do. She had started this off, wanting to hurt Cora. Wanting to best her. But Cora had come in like a blustery wind and extinguished Regina's flame.
"Regina...are you okay?" a tentative voice called out. It was Kat, standing in the doorway.
Regina didn't look back at her. Kat didn't dare approach. "Did you call Cora to our town," she asked, in a stuffy voice.
Silence. Regina's patience shreds. "Tell me!" she roars out and hears the shocked gasp at the volume. "I...uh...I did," Kat admits at last. Shamefully.
"Why?" Regina croaks out.
"Because I love you."
"That's not a good enough answer. Why did you call her, Kat?"
Another pause, and then, "because I was worried about Emma. I know...I know you don't love me. But I love you so much." Her voice is wobbly. "I know you cared for her in the past. I know you loved her. And once she came back, I hoped that maybe you didn't love her still. But impossibly, you did. And I was scared. I didn't want to lose you because I love you so much," and now Kat was crying but Regina couldn't even feel a shred of sympathy about it. She was numb. Too numb. Cora had sucked the life out of her.
"I wish you hadn't done this, Kat," Regina states as she gets up. She feels weak, tired. She doesn't want to fight anymore. She turns to look at Kat. "I'm taking my things and I'm leaving."
"Leaving?" Kat hiccups, rubbing away at some tears on her face. "Where?"
"It doesn't matter," Regina concludes on, because she really doesn't know where she'll go. She just has to go anywhere that's not here right now. "Don't try to follow me or stop me," she warns and then disappears upstairs.