I don't own these characters; Disney/ABC does.
9: Wrath
Ice cream after school became a habit for Regina and Mikey. Mikey was comfortable at Granny's and she did need to get out more. So, after school, they would go to Granny's and then they added going to the park as part of the ritual. Emma met them there a few times, but Henry refused to come. He still refused to talk to Emma about what was troubling him, so she did not understand why he did not want to join them, except maybe to avoid Mikey. Usually, with their trip to Granny's, he would be there when Regina and Mikey came in and just glare from across the room, but today, Mikey and Regina got there first.
"Oh, my god, you can't be here already!" Henry walked in the door with Neal at his back.
Mikey groaned. "I guess they just let anyone in here, huh?"
Henry snorted and threw his arms out. "Obviously!" He stormed over to their table. "This is my thing with Dad! And we always get a few minutes before you come in here and stink up the place!"
Regina flinched and was about to scold Henry, as that was out of line. Not for the usual reason either. Mikey probably listened to people tell her that she "reeked of goblin" every single day. But, she did not get the chance to reprimand him because Mikey shot right back before she could open her mouth.
Mikey waved her hands around. "It's a big place that you don't own. Go sit in the corner somewhere we can't see you like always and everything will be fine."
Henry scowled. "She doesn't even care about you, you know?"
Regina gasped. "Henry!"
He continued on as if she had not said a word. "She's just using you because I'm living with my real family! You're just a replacement for me!"
Mikey scoffed and was unmoved. "You're so sad."
"Mikey," Regina said sharply. At least one of these children would heed her tone.
"What? It's true. His whole identity is wrapped up in this make-believe family that doesn't exist," Mikey said.
"Oh, you mean yours?" Henry said and the air was sucked out of the room.
Mikey flinched and Regina turned to give Henry the most reprimanding stare she could muster. "You are both way out of line. I don't know what the issue is between you, but you're being extremely rude and I happen to know for a fact, that you were both raised better than that. Now, apologize immediately."
Mikey snorted and growled, turning away for a long moment. Then, she looked back at Henry, made it a point to look him in the face. "I apologize for hurting you, Henry." The words were said as if she was gnawing on broken glass, but she said them.
Henry looked just as pained, but then something happened. Neal put his hand on Henry's shoulder. Henry turned and looked at him.
"Look, kid, you don't have to apologize if you don't want to. She started with you. This is our thing," Neal said.
Mikey's mouth dropped open. "I started with him? He's the one who went out of his way to come over here! He's the one who called me a replacement for him, like the freaking world revolves around him!"
Ruby came over and cleared her throat. "Guys, you do realize you're causing a scene, right?"
"No, Miss Lucas, we obviously thought everyone would mind their business as the children screamed at each other," Regina replied with a deadpan.
"Look, I'm just telling you how it is. Besides, you know Granny will be out here with her crossbow if this keeps up and she'll likely kick you out for the disturbance," Ruby replied.
Regina sighed, as that was true. No matter what happened, once Granny came out, she would be the root of the problem and asked to leave at the point of a crossbow bolt. Mikey slapped the table with her palm, rattling the sugar, salt, and pepper.
"This isn't fair! This whole stupid place isn't fair! He started it, yet he gets off scot-free and we're blamed. Why? Just because she's Regina. Well, screw all of you stupid people! Regina's been better to me than everyone here combined!" Tears poured down her face as it turned bright red and a hiccup escaped her.
Regina stood up. "I should get her out of here." She tucked her hand under Mikey's to help pull her to her feet. She followed with no protest.
Regina's insides twisted. She hated this, but not for herself. She hated it for Mikey. Mikey had the potential to grow up to be someone great and Storybrooke was intent on crushing her until she turned into… well, an Evil Queen. Regina would not let that happen. As soon as they were on the street, she pulled Mikey into a hug and Mikey wept into her chest, needing to bend down to do that.
"It's all right. It's all right," Regina said, rubbing her back.
Mikey did not respond, only cried more. Regina started walking them toward the sheriff's station. It was close, after all, and Mikey might need her mother's touch at this point. Mikey remained cuddled into her as they arrived and it looked like there was something going on between Emma and the shepherd, so Regina did not enter. Thankfully, D'Artagnan noticed her and trotted out.
"What happened?" D'Artagnan took Mikey to her and wrapped her in a hug that calmed Mikey immediately.
"She had a hard time at Granny's a moment ago. I thought it best to bring her to you," Regina replied.
D'Artagnan caressed Mikey's hair and kissed her forehead. "It's okay, kiddo. I'm here and you're okay."
Mikey did not say anything, but she cuddled closer to her mother. Regina's chest suddenly hurt and memories of a toddler Henry burrowing into her for comfort flashed through her mind. She just wanted to wrap him in her arms and chase all of his pain away. It took her a moment to realize she was hugging herself. She dropped her arms to her side.
Regina glanced inside the station. "What's going on in there?"
D'Artagnan shook her head. "David wants the station to endorse Snow's run for mayor. Emma had a few choice words for him that he didn't appreciate."
"Sounds like Mikey and Henry."
D'Artagnan sighed. "It's sad they're not getting along. I had hoped our kids could be friends."
Regina had not thought about it, but it would have been nice. Henry could use some friends and Mikey was so strikingly loyal. Guess that would have to wait for another lifetime. Mikey looked up and turned to look at Regina, but stayed pressed against her mother.
"I'm really sorry I was so rude to Henry, but I get my fill of him in school. He goes on and on about his dad like the guy actually did something great and just ignores the fact that Emma doesn't even like the dude," Mikey said.
Regina arched an eyebrow. "How do you know Emma doesn't like Neal?"
"Because whenever Henry tells stories about his great dad and them doing stuff together, whenever someone asks him where the sheriff is, he gets all quiet and fidgety about how she didn't want to come. Doesn't take a genius to understand Emma doesn't want to be around Neal, especially since she had no problem coming with Henry to the park to meet up with you. She likes Henry, so it must be the other guy," Mikey replied.
"Wow." Regina had nothing to say to that spot on assessment. "Henry's just trying to work through something."
"Which I get. Okay? I told him I get that it's crazy to be the guy who helped break the Curse. It's crazy to find out your mom is the Evil Queen and the Savior and your grandparents are Snow White and her prince. It's crazy to find out who your birth parents are. It's crazy to meet your dad that you didn't know existed. It's crazy to get kidnapped and dragged to another realm where he apparently died and got brought back to life. What isn't cool is him throwing you away because he has these other parents and family. You don't get to just throw people away and pretend they don't exist after everything you've been through and if he doesn't know that, he's just as bad as the rest of the assholes around here," Mikey said.
"Hey!" D'Artagnan slapped Mikey in the back of the head. "Not in front of us."
"Sorry." Mikey was well enough to give a sheepish shrug.
D'Artagnan glanced behind her into the station. "I should get back in there before it comes to blows. Emma's really fed up with the campaign stuff already and he doesn't seem to get it, like so many other things with her apparently. He's going to be so surprised when she finally decks him."
Regina nodded. "There's a lot her parents don't seem to get about her and they're going to be surprised when she explodes." There was only so much Emma would allow things to fester, even if she had Regina to talk to.
D'Artagnan shrugged. "Couldn't happen to better people." She clapped Mikey on the shoulder. "You okay now, kiddo?"
"I'm good. We'll see you later, right?" Mikey asked.
D'Artagnan scoffed. "Of course. I gotta come home sometime, right?" She rushed back in, more likely to watch than to break anything up.
Regina turned her attention to Mikey. "So, what would you like to do?"
Mikey sighed. "Can we go to the park? There's a tree I need to climb." That was becoming Mikey's therapy. Regina had no problem with that.
What she did have a problem with was as Mikey climbed the tree, Regina could see Nanette in the distance, watching, but never approaching, never saying anything. Maybe Regina had her pegged wrong. Maybe she was not strong enough, but for some reason, Regina could not accept that.
-8-8-8-8-
Emma had never desired to throw a man through a window more than she did right now and it was quite jarring that the man was her own father. Instead of sending him through the front window, she put her boot through her mother's campaign poster and David looked like it was the worst thing she had ever done, but she got enough of this shit at the loft. She did not need it at work, haunting her, looming over her.
"What's your problem?" David snarled as she ripped her foot from her mother's face.
"A freaking lot, obviously, and you'd know that if you ever bothered to fucking listen!" Emma was one word away from kicking him in the knee, and meaning it. "I need to get out of here."
She rushed the door and kicked it open, moving before she even realized where she was going. She ended up at the park and luck would have it, Regina was on the bench they shared days ago, but it felt like a lifetime ago. It took all of her willpower not to run there. Regina turned to her as soon as she sat down.
"Battle over down at the station?" Regina asked as she slid close enough to Emma that their bodies touched.
Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "Huh? How's you know?" She took Regina's hand and her fury began to calm. It no longer felt like her body would shear in two. Instead, it was like she was being pieced back together to be whole.
"I came by earlier after Mikey and Henry had an unpleasant exchange. She needed to see her mother. Meanwhile, I saw you and your father…"
Emma sucked her teeth. "Father." She shook her head. "You know he expects me to hang a stupid campaign poster for Snow in the window and when I said I didn't want to, he immediately jumped to 'don't you love your mother?' Like what kind of fucking leap is that?" At this point, she was coming to understand how a person could love someone, but not like them.
"Your parents have been known to make incredible leaps in logic. I guess he took your rejection of the poster as a complete rejection of them as parents. It's possible underneath it all they understand what a horrible job they're doing with their second chance of you and this whole thing just confirmed that for him."
Emma had not thought of that. "You think so? We're all pretty terrible at communicating, huh?"
Regina gave her a small shrug and held up their joined hands. "You and I seem to be getting better and if that's not a miracle then one doesn't exist. If we can do it, then I'm sure you can do it with your parents."
That did not seem possible. She was close to physical blows with David at this point, not counting she had already pushed him. It just seemed like he was always there with his opinion and she could not breathe because he was stealing all of her air. They were stealing her air.
Emma sighed. "I think it's because we're all under each other. I see David all damn day and have very little I want to talk to him about at this point. Whenever we're home, his attention is all on Snow. And, if they're not all about each other, then they're all about Henry, which is fine, but the only time they talk to me is about Henry or Neal. And, apparently, I'm a crazy person for wanting a space where I can just exist without them like that for a moment."
Regina nodded. "There's a lot of that feeling going around. Perhaps, to talk to them, you should get them away from that environment. You need your own space to breathe. They might need a different space to listen."
That kind of made sense. "It worked for us, right?"
"Well, that and collective trauma." Regina smirked.
Emma chuckled and patted Regina's hand before holding it with both of hers. She could not hold in the sigh as relief washed over her from something so simple. The wind blew and she inhaled. She could breathe here. She just stared out into the park for a while.
Holding hands was not new for them at this point. Emma hardly thought about it when she did it. It was a gesture they adopted in Neverland. It helped calm them down when the panic set in that their son was kidnapped and being held by a psychopath. They sought each other out and this connection proved they found each other, they had each other. She never felt more settled in her life than holding Regina's hand and since Regina never let go, she assumed it had to be something similar for Regina.
"Thank you for still being here for me, despite how I fucked up in Neverland," Emma said.
"Thank you for still being here for me, despite how I fucked up your life," Regina replied.
Emma gasped. "You said a swear word! I'm corrupting you."
"Says the Savior to the Evil Queen."
"Yeah, but you don't usually do serious swears. That's all me." Emma put her chin up, feeling both silly and proud. It seemed like it had been forever since she had been able to let loose like that. She glanced at the tree. "Mikey really loves that thing, huh?"
"Would you believe at home she plays the violin?"
Emma's mouth dropped open. "Right! I heard her playing when I called you that one time. I guess that kinda makes sense because D'Artagnan is a noble, right?"
"Yes, but you have to remember this is from their Cursed lives. She's a very good mix of both mothers and that's why she's hurting so much. She's missing a piece of herself and that piece is off in the distance not bothering to correct the matter." Regina nodded ahead of them.
Emma looked out into the open meadow part of the park, near the pond. She could see a figure on the opposite end. Tall, regal even, just standing there. Emma could not see her face, but in the few pictures she saw while helping D'Artagnan, she knew "beautiful" sort of sold Nanette short.
"Does Mikey know she's there?" Emma asked.
"She does not and she doesn't need to know. She's not handling this as well as it appears. She puts on a good facade, but seeing Nanette and sharing space with Henry seem to be the cracks in her dam," Regina replied.
"That sucks. What's the deal with her mom, though? Okay, you don't wanna be with D'Artagnan for whatever reason, but just abandoning the kid? Seems so harsh. Unless, this is something you guys just did back in the Enchanted Forest."
"Well, unfortunately, it was a common practice to abandon children for various reasons, but Nanette's laboring under the delusion that she'll be happy playing the role her parents want her to play, like this is the Enchanted Forest."
Emma frowned. Was Regina messing with her? "What role do her parents want her to play?"
"Princess, I imagine. It's sad that they want to push her into something when the Curse played her in the perfect position to be loved by someone who would let her be herself and is in a much better position to take care of her."
"Meaning what?"
"Nanette's the princess in the story 'the Princess and the Pea.' Are you familiar with that one?"
Emma shrugged. "Kinda." She never really read any fairy tales as a kid, as they seemed to make out like happiness was just around the corner and that was a lie. But, if there was a cartoon of it, she might see it. She probably saw this one on that HBO fairy tale cartoon show, but the details escaped her.
"Well, what you need to know is that she's a person who is very delicate and rather timid, I've learned. This is the type of person D'Artagnan is attracted to. D'Artagnan's whole thing is she wants to take care of such a person and protect them from the world to allow them to blossom into whoever they want to be."
Emma side-eyed her. "Is that what she did with you?" The question was out before she realized what she was saying.
"That's what she thought Queen Regina was. She thought I was delicate and needed protecting."
Emma rubbed Regina's hand with her thumb. The skin was so soft it was hard to believe the things this small hand was capable of. "From what you told me about Queen Regina, I don't think she was wrong. You should've been protected."
Regina sniffed. A little insulted, of course. "Yes, well, had I let her live that delusion that she would protect me, she'd be dead at this point. I ruined her life, even though she blames your mother. Meeting me was the worst thing to happen to her."
"She doesn't seem to think that."
Regina shrugged. "I think it's a leftover emotion from when she was in love with me."
Emma patted Regina's hand again. "I think she knows there's good in you. And, there is good in you."
"I was able to find it again thanks to you, which is why you should hang in there. I know times are tough and these people don't make it better, but don't let them drown you in their nonsense. Don't lose yourself in their sea of insanity."
"I'll try." It would be easier if she could just talk to Regina. Hell, if she could just sit with Regina. "Can we do this more often?"
Regina smiled. "I doubt I'd have to bribe Mikey to come to the park. Would you like to make this daily?"
"Yes, please."
"Then so it shall be."
Emma could not help smiling. They sat there in silence. Regina watched the woman at the end of the meadow, but Emma focused on Mikey. Mikey was at the top of the massive tree, staring in the opposite direction of where her mother stood. It almost seemed on purpose. Emma might need to learn to ignore things like Mikey if meeting with Regina did not work out. But, for now, she had what she needed and she appreciated it.
-8-8-8-8-
Regina was a little behind in making dinner. They had stayed in the park longer than she had expected and even when it was clearly time to go, she did not want to release Emma's hand. But, Mikey had homework and practice, as she reminded Regina. So, they had to go. She and Emma squeezed their hands together by way of a farewell. With a wave of her hand, she and Mikey were back at the condo.
"Regina, you like the sheriff?" Mikey asked as she put her book bag by the dining room table. She rushed to the bathroom and washed her hands.
"Of course I do," Regina replied, going to wash her hands as well. She had dinner to prepare.
Mikey sat at the table and pulled out her notebook. There were all sorts of handouts sticking out between the pages. It did not look like she had a system, but each page was with the subject it belonged and it sticking out reminded her to either do the work on it or reread it.
"So, are you gonna move in with the sheriff eventually?" Mikey asked.
Regina opened the fridge to pull out what she needed. "Why would I move in with her?"
Mikey shrugged. "I dunno. It just seems like it'd be the right thing, you know?"
"I'm not sure what you mean." It never occurred to her to live with Emma, but it would make it easier to coparent. It would give Emma space to breathe.
"I dunno. I guess I'm just worried where you'll go once you leave here. I mean, I know you're not going to live with us forever."
"No, I'm not, but I'm not sure where I'll go right now."
"You'll visit us, though, right? And we can still get ice cream and go to the park?"
Regina smiled. "Of course."
Mikey smiled at that and then got buried in her homework. Regina put the food on and then found herself taking in the pictures around the house for the first time. There were several hanging on the dining room wall and by the door. Pictures of Mikey at various ages alone, but most of them with one or both of her mothers. Regina reached into her pocket and pulled out her picture of Henry.
Regina ran her thumb over the burned photo and imagined a household full of his pictures. It was not hard, but instead of just the two of them, there would be three. Why? Why would you even think that? You're letting a twelve-year-old put silly ideas in your head. Still, it did seem right.
"Regina, your pot is boiling over," Mikey said.
"Oh, no!" Regina shoved the picture back into her pocket and moved the pot from the open burner. Breathing a sigh of relief, she tried to keep her mind on making dinner. But, instead of the usual three, she imagined Henry and Emma sitting down with her. Again, it was a silly idea, but it seemed right. You've let Mikey get to you, but maybe it's only fair. You filled her head with fantasies of her mother coming back, so now she's filled your head with fantasies of a family. But, try as she might, she could not get rid of the thought, the what-if, the possibility.
-8-8-8-8-
Emma was on her way home after spending more time with Regina than she meant to, but it did her good. There was a weight off her shoulders and her steps felt light when she walked to her car. Henry texted her to let her know he was home already, so that was one less thing to worry about. Then, she got to the loft and her wonderful feeling was ripped from her like burnt flesh. Once again, she held the weight of the world on her shoulders like she was goddamn Atlas, who was probably wandering around Storybrooke considering their interim mayor.
Neal was there, in the loft, sitting on the couch as if he belonged. He looked more comfortable there than Emma did at any given point in time. Is no place sacred?! Of course, if there were sacred spaces, she knew this would not be one.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Emma pointed at Neal with all of the disdain she could muster.
"Oh, Emma!" Snow's face was bright as she rushed from the kitchen to greet Emma by the door. "Your father told me you had a trying day at work today."
Emma scoffed. "Really? Did he say why it was trying?"
"We just thought a nice family dinner would cheer you up," Snow replied.
"And so you invited Neal?" Emma threw her hands up in frustration, in defeat, in surrender. What the hell was wrong with these people?
"Yes. He's Henry's father and your True Love." She actually fucking giggled as she said those words.
"You know what, nope. Just nope. Fuck all of this. Fuck whatever it is. Just fuck it." Emma turned around and walked right out of the door. She could hear them calling her, but she dared not wait for them to figure out she was not coming back. She rushed back to the street and took off into a light jog. She had no idea where she was going, but was not surprised to find herself in the park, sitting on a bench she had left not too long ago.
With a shaking hand, she pulled her phone from her pocket. She did not know why, did not know who to call. Regina was busy with a kid that was not theirs. Who else was there? What was she even doing out here? It was not like she could run from her parents and Neal for the rest of her life.
"Emma, are you there?" Regina's voice came through her phone.
Emma yelped. "Regina, what're you doing on my phone?" Did she use magic? How the hell would magic let her know I'm all messed up?
"You just called me." And while it was left unsaid, the "idiot" at the end of her statement came through loud and clear.
"What?" Emma looked at her screen. "I didn't mean to."
"What's wrong? You should be home right now being unwillingly sucked into your mother's mayoral campaign."
"I was and the second I walked through the door I saw Neal and they were talking about a family dinner and he's my True Love."
"Oh, Emma." There was that empathy people swore Regina did not have. "Where are you now?"
"The park."
Regina appeared next to her. "Are you all right?"
Emma blinked. "Why did you come? You didn't have to come."
"Yes, I did."
"What about Mikey?"
"She's with D'Artagnan. We're eating dinner if you want to come. I cooked, as always."
Emma sighed. "No. I feel like I'd just bring the vibe down. Besides, I still don't know D'Artagnan well enough to pop up in her home, even if you invited me."
Regina nodded. "So, what do you want to do?"
"Sit here. With you. For a little while."
"For as long as you need." Regina grabbed her hand and held it, like she would never let go. Emma sighed and laid her head on Regina's shoulder. Meltdown avoided for another day.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: D'Artagnan tries to get Emma to see what's going on between her and Regina and tells the story of why she doesn't like Snow White.