Abduction.
Regina was sitting at "Granny's." There was a cup of coffee in front of her that had cooled down long ago. Regina had been staring out the window for five minutes already. On the other side of the street, on a bench, was Emma Swan. She sat with her head turned, and a wind played with her blond hair. Emma watched something, without tearing her eyes away, and a slight smile touched her lips.
There was the sound of an engine, and a yellow school bus pulled up right next to it. Emma smiled wider as a dark-haired boy jumped out of the bus and dashed straight for her.
— Henry! — she exclaimed.
— Emma! — the boy was no less delighted than her and fell into the strong arms of the girl. — Something happened?
— Yes, something happened! — Emma answered seriously and sat down next to the boy. — I missed you.
— Emma, — the boy smiled and stomped his foot slightly, — I almost got scared.
— Nice view, — Regina heard from close by.
— What? — she turned in the direction of the voice with the intention to incinerate the insolent, but it turned out to be Gold.
— Outside the window, — Gold stood there, leaning on his cane. — Emma and Henry. Mother and child. What could be more beautiful?
— I just wanted to see Henry coming home from school, — Regina didn't even know why she was making excuses. — I was waiting for him.
— Apparently that's why your coffee is completely cold,— Gold gave her a half-smile.
— That's why, — Regina left the money next to the untouched coffee, got up and left the cafe.
— Rumple, has something happened? — a red-haired girl stopped next to the man and slightly squeezed his elbow.
— No, — the man smiled, — not yet.
— Rumple, — the girl took a step back, — what does it mean? Are you back to your old self?
— What are you saying, Belle! — the man was genuinely indignant. — I have nothing to do with it, I swear to you. Let's just eat as we planned.
— Would you like to tell me anything? — Belle glared at him.
— There's nothing to tell, —Gold shrugged. — I had one vision. But visions are always like that — you realize what they were about when they have already happened. What do
you want to try today?
Regina was rushing around her room like a wounded animal in a cage. Yes, they are now friends with Emma. Well, you could say that. Yes, she almost resigned herself to Henry
living with her now. Yes, she can come at any time and talk to her son. And ask him to come over for the weekend. Yes, she misses her son! Yes, she will call him now! Whatever the Dark One hints at.
Regina found her phone and called to the Snow White's apartment. The phone was picked up only after the sixth ring, and not at all by the person she would like to hear.
— Hello, — came the man's voice on the other end of the line, — I'm listening.
— Hi, Killian, — Regina spoke in a calm voice, but felt anger simmering somewhere in her belly, — I want to talk to Emma. Can you call for her?
— She went to the bathroom, — Killian said. — What should I tell her?
— Tell her to call me back, — Regina smiled as she squeezed the phone so hard that she nearly broke it.
She ended the conversation and threw the phone against the wall. It shattered into small pieces. Slightly calming her nerves in this way, Regina waved her hand and now whole
phone was laying next to her once again.
— Who called? — Emma entered the kitchen with a towel in her hand. — Something important?
— Regina, she wanted to talk to you, — the guy nodded at the towel in the girl's hand. — Wiped off the dress?
— No, — Emma sighed and removed her hand. On the lower part of her light dress, in the area of the hips, there was an orange-brown spot. — Looks like the dress will have to be thrown away. I'm going to change. What did Regina tell you?
— She asked you to call her back, — the guy answered, — nothing specific.
"So what?", Regina soothed herself. "Well, he lives there. With my son. With Emma. With my Emma. Stop!"
Regina, who was pacing erratically across the room, stopped abruptly. She sighed and sat down. For the umpteenth time she catches herself on such kind of thoughts. On
thoughts of what she really feels for Emma. She herself did not notice when it started. She wanted to be close to her son. And with Emma. They all could be a family. A real one.
The phone call has distracted her from these thoughts, and Regina picked it up.
"Emma is calling" was written on the screen. Regina's heart started to beat faster. She hesitated a little about answering, but still did it.
— Regina, — Emma's voice seemed to betray the slight worry of its owner, — something happened?
— No, — Regina pictured Emma's face clearly in her mind at this moment, — I just wanted to see Henry. I want him to come over for this weekend. May I pick him up tomorrow?
— Oh, Regina, it's wonderful! — Emma exclaimed suddenly. — I'll call for him now! Henry, your mother is calling.
— Wonderful, — Regina echoed as she heard her son's voice through the phone.
— Mom, hello! — the boy said.
— Hello, my dear, — her voice became soft. — Would you like to see me? On the weekend?
— Yes! Mom, may I stay with you for a whole week?
— Yes, even for a whole month, baby! — Regina was delighted at first, but suspected a catch. — Will Emma allow?
— She and Killian are going on some kind of hike for a week, and I am left all alone.
— How's that? — the woman was surprised. — What about Mary Margaret? And David?
— They also have left. Only tho the sea. For a kind of honeymoon, — the boy replied.
— I see,- Regina said. — Then I'll pick you up after school, alright?
— Okay, Mom, — Henry answered.
— I love you.
— I love you too. Should I call Emma back?
— Not, don't, — Regina paused. — See you tomorrow, son.
— See you tomorrow, — Henry hung up.
— Everything settled? — asked Emma and ruffled the hair on the boy's head.
— Yes, — the boy replied. — She will pick me up tomorrow. And Emma...
— Huh? — the young girl asked.
— If I were you, I would've changed dress, — the boy nodded to the spot on a fabric.
The next morning Regina stood outside the school and waited for Herny to come out. Her son spotted her first and rushed towards her.
— Mum! — he shouted.
Regina winced and gave the boy a half smile as he almost crashed into her, hugging.
— Come on, — she said. — Are you hungry?
— I'd like to eat something, — Henry replied.
— Excellent, — something predatory, something almost forgotten from that old Regina, the Evil Queen, flashed in her face. And then it was gone.
There was a huge limousine outside the school building. Regina stopped at its back door.
— Is this one yours? — Henry asked suddenly.
— Yes, — Regina replied and opened the door. — The Mercedes has broken down. It's being repaired now. So I rented this one.
— With the driver? — answered the boy and got into the car. — It's a cool car.
— It surely is, — Regina muttered to herself and got into the car too.
As soon as the car was out of sight, Mayor Mills's black car drove up to the school building. Regina got out of her car and headed to the school. She walked into the hallway and
went straight to class. There was another teacher instead of Mary Margaret, Regina gave her the widest smile of hers.
— Good afternoon, where can I find Henry? — She asked.
— But he was... taken away... — the teacher replied in surprise. — Just a few minutes ago…
— By whom? — Regina frowned.
— You... — the teacher widened her eyes.