Chapter 5: Light and dark
„Are you absolutely sure?"
„Yes. The security cameras were off long before it happened."
"We need to tell Regina."
"No. What we need is to let her rest. Besides, she's not..."
"I'm not what?"
They all went silent and looked up at the stairs. Regina was walking down in her velvet dressing gown. She had messy hair and dark circles under her eyes. She was not used to greeting people at her house looking anything less than perfect, but she didn't have any magic now, therefore she needed a litte more time than usual to get herself together.
She looked around at the gathering that was taking place in the dinning room. It was not something she'd expect to see. Robin, The Charmings, Hook and even Henry... They were all sitting or standing by the table and they were clearly in the middle of a discussion. It was a meeting... she was not invited to. It made her wonder and she glanced at the clock hanging in the living room as she walked by it and it only confirmed her suspicions. It was almost midday... she slept longer than she thought.
"So?" She crossed her arms and looked at everyone in the room one by one. "I can see something's wrong and they fact that all of you decided to shut up only proves my point."
"It's about Zelena. She... She escaped." Emma said calmly.
Regina felt like something's punching her in the head. She took a step back, for a brief moment hoping this was just some sick joke.
"What?" She said quietly and unconsciously put a hand on her belly in attempt to secure it. Robin noticed that and jumped by her side.
"It's okay."
"It's not." Regina's voice almost broke. "How did this happen? When?"
"We don't know exctly." David said shaking his head. "The hospital staff noticed it in the morning and that's when we got a call. Someone cleared all the recordings though. We know nothing more."
"There were no signs of breaking in, either. Or breaking out, for that matter." Emma added.
"Someone helped her." The former queen nodded with a frown. "She would've never get out on her own, she was supposed to be drugged... Why did no one tell me sooner?! What were you waiting for? We're all in danger, she could be anywhere!"
"We're not in danger here. I already put a shielding spell on this house. My own blood magic to make sure she won't be able to get in."
"You did what?!"
"Before you get angry..." Emma raised her hands. "Don't forget my son lives in this house as well. This bitch is unpredictable and I'm not gonna take a risk."
"Emma told us you have some troubles with your magic, Regina." Snow turned to Regina. "So I really think it's a good idea for you, Henry and Roland to stay here until we figure something out."
Regina moved her eyes from Snow to Emma. If a look could kill, the savior would surely be dead by now.
„Your family just naturally doesn't have the ability to keep a secret, does it?" Regina hissed.
„Regina!"
„You just locked me in my own house while my sister is running loose around the town and probably killing people! You don't know her as much as I do. Besides, I'm still the mayor, I'm the deciding voice, especially when it comes to this!"
"Except now you're responsible for someone other than yourself!"
This managed to shut Regina's mouth. Shit, they were right. They all were right. She was helpless and she hated this feeling.
„You're right." She said quietly after a while of silence. „Dammit."
She slowly pulled a chair and sat on it, hiding her face in her hands. Robin hugged her spoke for the first time since she came down.
"I don't know what's on this witch's head, my love, but we can only assume the first thing she'd want to do is to hurt our baby. The very first thing she'd do is to come to you. So this is a smart move."
"I know." Regina looked at Robin. "I know, but… If she wanted to hurt me or the baby... why didn't she already? She had plenty of time during the night. This doesn't make any sense."
"I'm not trying to make sense out of it all anymore" Robin shrugged. „Maybe she thinks you still have your magic in full force. You fought her once already and it cost you a lot, but she doesn't know that. Maybe that's our leverage. Maybe... she's scared."
Regina laughed ironically and shook her head.
"I wouldn't count on it. She doesn't fear anything. Anyway..." Regina looked at Emma. "You were certainly right about one thing. We need to protect the kids. All… all three of them. Thank you."
"It's fine." Emma nodded and smiled. "I was prepared for this outrage."
"Now that we have discussed short term plans, I have to ask... what are we doing next?" Killian seemed to be somewhat annoyed. "Her majesty is right, the green witch could be killing people as we speak."
"I think we need to find out who let her out in the first place." David spoke, turning on the sheriff mode.
"And what was the motive." His daugher followed him and started thinking, crossing her arms. „Who else in this town has a history with Zelena?"
"If you think that Gold..." Regina started.
"Who else?" Snow opened her arms.
"He did his best to make sure this baby is safely transferred into me. He wouldn't let Zelena out and even if he did, the only reason he would do that is so he can kill her. But… he's not so sloppy. I get that the two of us always get blamed for everything wrond happening in this town, I will admit we worked hard to deserve it... But for one I have to defend him. Because let's be honest, if he truly wanted to kill her, he would come up with much more refined way to do it."
„I agree with Regina." Emma said, surprisingly. "This is clearly a job of someone with no magic... If magic was involved, no one would go through the trouble of deleting the camera footage."
„We're going about it all wrong." Robin said quitly and everyone looked at him. He was looking at Regina with concern, because he just realised something terrible. „Why do we look for someone who has a history with Zelena? Everyone knows her only goal is to hurt us. To hurt… you. If someone let her go now, they'd know the first thing Zelena would do is to come to you. We shouldn't be looking for people with connections to Zelena… We should be looking for someone who has a history with..."
„With me." Regina looked at Robin and noticed her own fear reflecting in his eyes. They were thinking the same thing. And Regina... Well, she knew that this day would come. But she did not think it would happen so quickly.
„If what you're saying is true then we should question the entire town, Robin." Regina spoke with a very calm and accepting voice. „Because I hurt all of them."
„No." Snow shook her head in disbelief. She definitely did not agree with this theory. „No, I'm sorry, but that's bullshit. Regina, only yesterday people were cheering for you! You can't honestly believe that anyone would just go and free Zelena the same night."
„The town is big enough, Snow. The person who did that didn't even have to be at the party."
„No one else knows about your pregnancy."
„Really? You said it yourself, they word has spread. People of Storybrooke already started talking. There are probably loads of people who realise how vulnerable I am right now."
„Whoever it is, I'll protect you both." Robin said firmly, grabbing her hand. „No one will get close to you while I'm still alive."
„You don't get it, do you?" Regina looked down. „It's not just one person. I've been hurting people my entire life. Years and years of pointless deaths and unnecessary suffering. I caused this. I'm… I'm sorry, Robin, but our daughter will never be safe. This is my fault."
Regina moved her hand away and rose up. Before anyone said anything she just walked away and went back upstairs.
„I'll talk to her." Henry got up and ran after his mother.
„Well, she's kind of right." Killian rose one of his eyeborws and Robin clenched his fist under the table.
„Hey!" Emma gave Killian a slap in the shoulder.
„No, that's true Emma." Snow looked her her daughter. „I mean... She did those things. I know it better than most. But... Robin, that doesn't mean everyone will seek revange on her now. She's done horrible things, but she owned every single one of them and she also made so much good over the last few years. People let go and move on, she's just not used to being forgiven."
„It doesn't matter." Robin stopped her, because he couldn't bear hearing this any longer. „There is someone who's a real danger we know about and it's Zelena. We need to find her."
„We're on it." David said and grabbed his gun. Emma nodded to him and they both left the dinning table, Hook followed them as well. Snow stayed behind and approached Robin who was still sitting by the table and thinking. She gently put a hand on his shoulder and then she spoke. Robin didn't see her but he could hear a smile in her voice.
„She said… a daughter. You're having a girl."
It didn't matter if this was a question or not. He didn't answer. He didn't have to.
xxx
When everyone left Robin went upstairs to check on Regina. He found them in their bedroom, but at first he didn't really know what he was looking at. Regina and Henry weren't talking at all, which was something Robin expected them to do. Instead Regina was tucked in their bed in semi-lying position and Henry was sitting on the edge of it. He had one of his hands placed on her stomach. They both looked at Robin when he entered.
„What is -?"
„Come, quickly." Regina reached out to Robin. He did as he was told. She took his hand and placed it on her belly, a little above Henry's.
„Regina, I'm -"
„Shh!"
Even though there wasn't any logical explanation to why they all had to be quiet for this, Robin realised by now that what they were waiting for was the baby's kick. He felt a small bump from inside Regina right at the top of his fingers.
„There!" Regina smiled widely to him and Robin needed a while to gather his own thoughts. Her smile was so bright it could lit the entire town.
„Hey, that's not fair." Henry frowned. „I've been waiting for so long and you get a kick right away!"
„It's okay, Henry." Regina turned to her son. „She's still very small, we can't expect her to do flips in there. Maybe she wanted to say hi to dad and that's all we get for now."
„Whatever." He got up. „But that was cool, though. Like aliens or something."
„Yes that's exacly how I would describe it, too." Regina laughed.
When Henry left Regina noticed Robin hasn't stopped staring at her. He was overwhelmed with emotions.
„Are you alright?" She asked.
„More than alright." Robin touched her face. „You're so beautiful when you're happy."
Regina smiled again softly. She put a hand on top of Robin's which was still placed on her belly.
„This was the first time I felt her move. I just..."
Finding the right words wasn't easy. Until now she obviously loved their baby more than anything in the world, but feeling her inside made it all even more real. Only a week ago she wasn't even pregnant yet and now she was feeling the baby kicking… She could only presume it's a special event for every woman, but for her it all was just happening so fast.
„You don't have to say anything. I'm happy to see you smiling. When you left the meeting, I thought..."
„Robin." She interrupted him. „Can you please stop worrying about my feelings? I was The Evil Queen, do you really think I didn't get used to being called out on my mistakes? Yes, hearing the truth hurts, but knowing that because of me your child won't have a safe future hurts me a lot more."
„That's what you're worried about?" He forwned. „That I'm mad at you because you have... a past?"
„Aren't you?"
„Regina, of course I'm not. I know all about your past and I have known from the start, we haven't met yesterday!"
„But we kind of got pregnant yesterday." She rose her eyebrows. „This changes a lot. You can take care of courself, but this baby..."
„… is mine as well. You're not the only one with enemies, you know."
„You can't be serious."
„Regina, you have no idea how many times someone wanted to hurt Roland back in the day. Neither me nor Marian ever held it against one another, instead we just protected him together, because that's what parents do."
„You can't honestly compare your past to mine. If someone will want to hurt her..."
„We'll face it together." Robin put a hand of her cheek again to force her to look at him. „I'm not going anywhere. The only thing I want now is to put that beautiful smile back on your face."
It worked. She smiled again and they both laughed through the tears. It was an emotional moment for both of them, not only because their baby's first kicks, but also because they both reassured each other about their mutual acceptance. Good or bad. Regina needed that more than he could know.
Robin got closer and kissed her gently. Their lips united once again sending sparks to their hearts. The baby moved inside Regina again, as if she wanted to let them know she was still in there and that she doesn't like being ignored. Even though they were still kissing, Regina laughed at that tought, which made Robin frown. She just shook her head and put both of her hands on his face, bringing him closer. They were now both on the bed and stopping this was becoming harder with every second. But they had to stop eventually.
„The kids are downstaris." Robin said.
„I know." Regina tried to reach his lips again.
„I have a job to do."
„I don't care." She grabbed his shirt and forcefully brought him closer.
„Okay. This is getting out of hand." Robin laughed. „Your hormones are clearly going crazy, but I need to help with a certain witch hunt. I need to go."
„Wait, what?" She suddenly stopped and held him at her arm's length. „That's not your job."
„You're wrong." He finally got up from on top of her. „If it's anyone's job at all... it's mine."
xxx
Regina hated being on lockdown in the house, but she knew this was the best way to protect the most defenceless. Not only didn't she put her baby at risk, she also had her eye on the boys. It somehow made her calmer. On the other hand, she wished she wasn't so useless, especially now when she didn't have any magic. It was simply annoying.
The day has passed and there still weren't any signs of Robin coming back to the house. She tried to call him three times, but there was no answer. She made some food, watched Henry and Roland eat it and then she cleaned up the kitchen. Soon she realised that she's washing the same plate for the third time, so she put it away and took a deep breath. They're okay. He's okay…
„Oh."
She gasped when she felt a massive movement inside her. She put one hand on her stomach and smiled. Then she grabbed a glass of water and started walking to the living room… And then she felt it again, only stronger. It wasn't painful, but for a split second she lost her focus and she dropped the glass, which smashed all over the floor with a noise.
„Mom?" She heard Henry running down to her.
She frowned and grabbed her stomach. The baby was moving like crazy, it became uncomfortable and somewhere in the back of her head she knew it wasn't normal.
„Are you okay?"
„Don't come any closer!" Regina stopped Henry before he stepped on the glass. „You could get hurt."
Henry just rolled his eyes and carefully moved the glass away with his foot. He grabbed his mother by the arm and practically forced her to walk until she was safely placed on the couch in the living room.
„I keep forgeting you're not a baby anymore." Regina was somewhat astonished by her son's maturity. She's been treating him like a little boy while he was already a caring young man who didn't need that much attention from her anymore. It made her sad as a mother, but as an ambitious individual it was relieving to know that she already managed to raise at least one person well.
„Well, I assure you, I'm not. At least when I last checked. Will you tell me what's going on?"
„Nothing's… wrong. She just moves so much, I'm just not used to that."
„Are you, like, in pain?"
„No. No, I just – Jesus!"
The baby inside of her kept twisting and turning impatiently, as if she wanted to rip her way out. At this point Regina held both of her hands on her stomach, trying to somehow calm her daughter down, but she knew it wouldn't work.
Suddenly they both heard a loud crash and something flew into the house. The object was stopped by the door frame and scattered into pieces. Henry instinctly covered both of them with his arm but thankfully none of the pieces flew far enough to reach them. Only then Regina realised the scattered object was the entrance door to the house and it took her another solid minute to realise they're in danger.
She got up and slowly walked outside the living room.
„I was wondering where you're hiding, sis." Zelena clapped her hands and laughed wickedly.
„No..."
„I figured you took a sick day, but your forest squad forgot to mention you're quarantined. There's no need, dearie, I'll take this shield right off and free you!"
„Henry." Regina touched his arm. She spoke fast and direct. „Go upstairs. Find Roland and hide. There's a white potion in my bedside drawer, use it on both of you."
„But..."
„Do it!" Regina basically screamed at him, but she was too terrified to argue. All this time she thought that keeping an invisibility potion in her bedroom was silly, but this was the only protection she could give her kids at the moment.
Henry frowned, but listened to his mother. He ran upstairs and this is when Regina realised she should draw Zelena's attention to anything other than her son.
„Don't trouble, Zelena." Regina walked closer to the place where the entrance door used to be. „This isn't my blood magic. You don't really think I'm that stupid, do you?"
Zelena clenched her teeth and growled. She sent another wave to the house, but it bounced right off.
„I told you!" Regina opened her arms. „Why are you here? To kill me?"
„Let me answer a question with another question. Why are you in here and not out there with others?"
Regina narrowed her eyes but said nothing.
„That's what I thought." Zelena started walking back and forth outside the door frame, but she couldn't take a step inside. „When I saw the hunt party I was surprised you're not leading it. After all you, like no one else, want me dead."
„I don't want you dead." Regina said honestly.
„And when I saw you here..." Zelena continued after a few seconds of silence. „...cooking dinner, cleaning up, being a good housewife… I realised… you do that because you don't have any other option. You… don't have your magic."
Regina opened her mouth and took a step back.
„Which saddens me." The witch faked an awful worried expression. „Because where is the fun in killing you like this?"
„So you do want to kill me?" Regina walked closer again. This time it was so close she could touch Zelena if she wanted to. The baby in her belly was jumping and kicking to the point it actually became painful. Regina realised the baby was... afraid. She just continued talking, trying not to pay attention to it for now. „Why? Is it because I took what is mine? You didn't even want this baby in the first place!"
„Oh sis, I couldn't care less about your brat. What I cared about was making you as miserable as I possibly could."
„Why?!" Regina screamed and fought back tears at the memory of that. „Why were you ready to kill an innocent life for this?! Robin and his baby had nothing to do with us!"
„That's it!" Zelena jumped in excitement. „That's what I need! Let her out, come on!"
And then it finally hit her. What Zelena was counting on was for the Evil Queen to show up. She wanted a real witch battle. Regina took a deep breath to calm down. She wasn't gonna give her sister what she wanted.
„Nooo! Come on, sis! You were doing so good!"
„I'm not that person anymore..."
„Oh, but you are. I've seen it. I only wish others would see it as well. I know you don't have your magic anymore, but she does. The queenie is more powerful than you have ever been, which is why it's going to be so fun to kill her..."
„Make no mistake, I won't step out of this house. I won't loose control either. It happened once, but it's never gonna happen again. There's no evil inside me anymore."
„Who are you trying to fool?" Zelena smiled widely and looked into her eyes. „Anyways… I may not be able to break in and you may not want to leave this dog-hole now, but with a little motivation..."
Regina's eyes widened when she saw Zelena take out an arrow from behind her back. It was Robin's arrow.
„You didn't -" Regina growled and clenched her fist.
„I'll make this short. Since you don't have your magic now I'll give you a head start, but if you want to see your baby daddy breathing again, you'll do exactly as I say. Meet me under the clock tower in ten minutes. And don't be late, their lifes… let's say, they're literally hanging by a thread. Ta-ta!"
There were a few things Regina realised before he sister disappeared in a green smoke. Zelena didn't want just to kill her, she wanted a show. A spectacle. A battle of two evil witches. Another thing was hidden behind her words. She might have had Robin's arrow, but she spoke plural… She had them all. Who knows what she did to them during the last hours. The most horrible images started running through her head.
There was no time though. Regina quickly looked into the house. It was quiet. The kids probably already took the invisibility potion and were hiding somewhere like they were told. She trusted Henry to take care of Roland, but she didn't have anymore time to think about it. She didn't have time to look for them and explain either. They were safe as long as they stayed in the house and she believed they were smart enough to do it. With a heavy heart she ran towards her coat and grabbed the keys to her car. Without thinking, she stepped outside the house and ran towards the car, opened it and started the engine. She glanced at the clock. Seven minutes.
The queen has never driven a car so recklessly. She never took her foot out of the gas pedal either, she only wished she wouldn't hurt anyone on her way there. During the drive to the Main Street she felt her daughter calming down, which was something she couldn't say about herself.
She entered the road with a screech. It was dark and empty. She softened the press on the gas a little. Looking around, there wasn't anyone who might get to see the fight she was about to have with her sister. Was it really how Zelena imagined that?
She forcefully hit a brake as a green smoke appeared before her mask. It's not like she wasn't expecting it, though. Maybe she shouldn't have stopped…
Until now the streets were empty, but the sound of Regina's car just might have caught some attention. She slowly opened the door with her hands in the air. Zelena was standing still a few meters away with her hands on the hips. She was wearing a green dress and she looked strong and healthy. She didn't have she cuff on her wrist either, so someone must have taken it off her. This is why she looked as herself again, she healed herself and she was in full force right now.
"Zelena." Regina started. "I'm here. Tell me where Robin and the rest of them are."
"Don't you worry about that now. They have front seats."
"What?" Regina frowned.
People started to gather around them. It was stupid of them to do that, but everyone knew exactly who both of the sisters were and Regina could imagine the possibility of those two evil witches fighting could be somehow exciting. Zelena knew this would happen and she wanted this.
The Wicked Witch looked up at the clock tower and smirked. Regina yet again opened her eyes widely. She realised Zelena kept them in there, inside the clock, where everything started. And she made them watch. She felt a sharp pain inside her, but this time it wasn't her baby. It was the guilt. Robin did so much to keep her safe and she's willingly giving herself up to her sister.
„We won't be bothered now, sis."
„Zelena." Regina repeated, taking a few steps back as Zelena got closer. „You don't have to do this. We can figure this out."
„I doubt it. You had your chance."
„Did I?" Regina rose her eyebrows, truly surprised by that statement. The baby moved again in her stomach. „Did you ever give us a chance? For real? Because I did. For a moment."
„You locked me up. You couldn't even let me die in piece!"
„And let you kill Robin's… my baby? How could you even steal it from me?!"
„You came down to the basement that day. You did want me dead. Don't deny it. You didn't hold back then."
„I did hold back. This is why you're alive today. I never wanted to harm you, Zelena. I lost control once and it won't happen again. I promised myself that no one will ever see me like this ever again."
Regina looked up at the clock tower again. She couldn't see him, but she knew that if she lost control now, not only Robin would see it, but the entire town.
„You want a show. I get it!" Regina continued. „But you won't get it from me. Let's just try to figure this out before it's too late."
Regina reached out to Zelena. It was a huge risk, but it was literally the last thing she could do now to try and save the situation. Zelena looked at her hand with a frown. Then she relaxed her face and sighed. Regina thought it was a good sign, but she couldn't be more wrong.
„Oh, sis… I really thought you'd be more fun."
„Wait, just…. listen..."
„Did you really think that I would just give up my revenge only because you refuse to show your evil side? I admit, it would be more fun to kill you in a battle, but..."
„Don't. Zelena -" Regina took another few steps back. She held one hand in the air and another on her stomach, which was on fire.
„… But now that you came here so willingly I just have to kill you. I'll take what I got, I'm not picky. Last chance to let the queen come out and play. Maybe we'd have some fun."
„Stop this, please!"
„No?" Zelena kept walking towards her faster and faster. „Okay then. Goodbye, sis. I hope we'll never meet again."
Zelena started running towards Regina with her hand forming a green fireball. Regina's heart was racing and the last thing she managed to do was cover her face. This is why at first she didn't see that some kind of shield is forming around her. It was made of light and it was growing stronger. The warmth inside her stomach intensified. It all happened very quickly. When Zelena reached to her, a bright light burst out of Regina, hitting Zelena and throwing her 20 meters away from her. It was strange, because Regina did not call for any spell, she didn't even think of one. Not to mention, something that protected her was made of pure light magic, which she didn't possess... Not in this amount. When Zelena fell on the ground, Regina looked down quickly and saw that the light is forming back around her again and coming back to her stomach. She touched it and lost her balance. The force was too strong, even for her.
Zelena groaned and got up from the ground. She was bleeding and she was furious. She started walking towards Regina again, covered in blood.
„Is this some kind of trick?! Do you think you can fool me?! I'll show you how to fight a witch!"
„What about a wizard?"
Zelena stopped walking and opened her mouth. She turned around and saw him at the same moment as Regina did.
„Rumple." Zelena was shocked at first. And also maybe a little scared… But she quickly got herself together and smiled. „I didn't expect you here. Coming to save your favourite student? Again?"
„Oh, I just came here to watch. But I'm too late."
„Watch me kill her? You're not too late... for both of your deaths!"
„I doubt it, dearie."
„What –?"
„What the hell?" Regina whispered.
Zelena was melting. Literally.
„What is happening to me?!" The witch screamed as she was losing her fingers and then the entire hand.
„To me it looks like you're getting what you deserve." Gold said and walked closer. He was smiling. Zelena fell on the ground. Her face was starting to melt as well. She looked like a wax figure.
Zelena screamed and tried to reach for him.
„What did you do to me?!"
„I told you I did nothing. I think you just met someone stronger and... you lost. Poetic, isn't it?"
„Who?!"
Gold said nothing, he only looked at Regina and then down at the hand placed on her stomach. When his eyes met with Regina's she already knew who he meant. She's known for some time, she only didn't want to admit it, because the thought of it seemed too scary.
Gold looked back into Zelena's eyes and then turned around. She started screamingm but her screams quickly became distant and within a few seconds the only thing left of her was a pile of clothes and a steaming green stain on the ground.
„Oh my god..." Regina covered her mouth with her hand and started shaking.
„Regina!"
She turned around and she couldn't believe her own eyes. Robin ran into her and she found herself inside his arms.
„You're okay. You're okay." He kept saying.
„Y—yes… Robin, how are you here?" She asked, speaking into his arm, still shaking.
„What do you mean?"
„She… She told me she's holding you hostage in the clock tower… I came here to save you. I thought..."
„We never found her. She mislead us to some abandoned house in the woods. By the time we realised it was a trap, she already got to the house. I thought I was too late. Henry told me you left… Regina, why our sons are invisible now?"
„So it was a lie." Regina ignored his last question. "It was all a lie and I fell for it!"
„We all did."
Emma, Hook, Snow and David ran to them as well. Regina looked at all of them, she smiled as they all seemed okay.
„She had your arrow." Regina turned back to Robin, holding onto him close. „How did she have it? I was sure..."
„She stole it." He tried to calm her down. „Regina, why the hell did you leave the house? Even if you thought I was in danger, you should've stayed there! That was the whole point!"
„It doesn't matter now." She said quietly and looked at the green pile a few meters from them. „It's over."
„What?" Emma couldn't believe her own eyes.
„She's… dead?" Snow gasped.
Regina turned her head to Robin once again and looked him in the eyes.
"I told you this wasn't your job."
Robin just smiled and kissed her passionately. As they were kissing, David rolled his eyes and walked past them. He crouched over the green pile to take a closer look. After a while he turned back and nodded to Emma.
„It's really over. At least for now."
Robin and Regina didn't stop kissing.