Chapter Two
"You okay pumpkin?" Regina asked Ajani. Ajani nodded, but Regina thought she looked off as she stopped at the last gas station before Storybrooke. Regina put the pump into the car and flipped the latch so that it stayed on its own. She had already paid for the gas at the pump, but she went inside for a little sweet treat for the children to share. When she came back out with the chocolate bar, Ajani was starting a seizure and Gus was barking from his place in the back of the Mercedes GLE. She hurried to the car making Cyann get up front as she removed his no back-booster seat, so she could put Ajani on a soft surface on her side. After five minutes, Regina gave her a preloaded shot of diazepam rectally. It was a bit challenging in the car, but she got it done. Five minutes later, Ajani was awake briefly before she fell asleep. Regina kissed her forehead and hugged her relieved that she was all right. She put her back into her car seat. She put her plush Elephant back into her arms. Once Regina was sure she was breathing, she got Cyann's booster seat back into position.
"Mommy can I stay here?" Cyann asked.
"Not a chance young man," Regina told him as he grudgingly climbed back over the seat and she put his seatbelt on. "But you can have some chocolate, save some for your sister." He nodded with a huge smile on his face. Gus whined from the back.
"I know you want to be with her Gus, but you have to stay in your kennel bud." Regina slipped him a dog treat. She checked on Ajani one last time before she continued driving.
"Mommy is this the long road to storybook?" Cyann asked.
"Storybrooke and it is honey, we're about to pass the welcome sign." Cyann frowned.
"I don't see it," He pouted.
"Don't worry once you pass it once you won't forget. Maybe you can tell mommy if you feel a tingle like maybe you have magic too." Cyann gasped and nodded his head vigorously. Regina slowed down, preparing herself for the influx of magic. At first as she drove over, she felt like she was going through syrup as if they were trying to keep her out. And her magic was slowly reaching for her. And yet all at once she popped through before Cyann gave a cry of distress, and he was finding also.
"You felt that too honey?" Regina asked as she paused the car. He nodded.
"I couldn't breathe, was that magic?" Cyann asked.
"Someone else's I think darling, but I'm not sure whose." He nodded. She reached back and stroked his forehead. She took another look at Ajani; she was still resting. Regina continued to drive into town as it started raining.
"That's odd it wasn't raining before. She got out of the car and looked out onto the road, beyond the town line, there was no rain, the sky was clear enough and there were no rain clouds, but over her they were thick and didn't look like they were moving any time soon. She got back in the car as the down pour got worse. She moved the car to the side of the road as visibility was non-existent.
"Mommy, are we safe?" Cyann asked.
"Yes, honey, there's too much rain and mommy just want to let it calm down for a minute so I can see properly." Cyann nodded. Regina looked at her watch it was nearly dinner.
"What do you say we get our stuff home, and then we'll go eat dinner at Granny's. I told you Granny is a real werewolf and her granddaughter Ruby I'm sure is going to have so much fun playing with you." Cyann nodded. He moved to the front to sit with Regina as they watched the rain. Eventually it calmed down and visibility returned enough to drive. Once in town she started to see that a lot of buildings were in disrepair, and had tarps protecting the inside from the rain.
"Mommy I thought you make everything nice?" Cyann said.
"I did, but you know mommy hasn't been in charge for a long-time sweetie," Regina pointed out just as she stopped at a stop sign on main street. Regina was just looking to her left just in time to spot a giant fireball rolling by. Cyann gasped.
"Where did…" Regina started. She turned back towards the direction the fireball had come from in time to see Emma fighting a large fire demon who seemed immune to the rain. Well if she weren't mistaken it was like the rain was falling away from him like he had a shield.
"Jesus Ms. Swan a gun is not going to help you," Regina grumbled as she watched Emma shoot at it uselessly. Even further a still small Henry waving a sword just as uselessly as David next to him. Mary Margaret was nowhere to be seen. Regina bit her lip as her heart seemed to be in her throat at the sight of Henry in danger, but she shook it off. She wasn't his mother anymore; it was Emma's job to protect him even if she was clearly doing a shit job. She waved her hand and disappeared. She reappeared on the sidewalk with Ajani sleeping on her back in a sling, and Cyann standing next to her.
"Mommy magic," Cyann gasped as she bent down and touched the ground. A thick line of ice snaked forward on the ground and headed for the demons hooves. Tendrils of ice quickly wrapped around it, just as she suspected the shield only protected it from the rain, but it was standing in the water on the ground. The tendrils of ice invaded the demons mouth and eyes until he was covered inside and out and shattered onto the ground. He melted away into nothing as the shield collapsed and the battle was over.
"Regina?" Emma asked in shock upon seeing her. Regina just disappeared with Cyann, taking her car as well. Gus wasn't too happy when she let him out at the house by the disappearing act, but mostly he was okay once he had checked on all his humans. Ajani slept through it all.
"Come on let's get inside and we'll talk about what mommy just did." Cyann nodded and hurried to the porch. Regina noted that the lawn was destroyed from heavy rainfall. She heard a tarp flapping nearby. Well if she were honestly nearly every house had a tarp on some part of their house. She had long since ditched her house keys, so she took them around back, her apple tree had dropped way too many apples that were all rotting. She'd have to put in a lot of care. She found her hidden key in a fake rock and opened the kitchen door; where she was immediately grossed out by the smell and sight of unwashed dishes. There was trash that clearly had been left to overflow some of it was uneaten food.
"Oh my God, whose been in my house," Regina muttered. She lifted Cyann up as the floor was filthy and sticky. She closed the door behind her. "Gus comes." They walked out into the living room where most of her good china was still in the case, but the dining room just held more dirty dishes and take outboxes. There was even a broken chair. She made it to the foyer and saw that most of the dust had collected on the chandelier and other places. There were dirty shoes or coats or socks all over her foyer and front living room. It was once all white and now she couldn't call it that.
"Mommy it's dirty," Cyann said.
"I know sweetie, someone has been staying here unauthorized." She didn't think it was someone rather than one Emma Swan if the faded blue leather jacket was any indication, she didn't think the woman had any more of those horrid jackets in other colors.
"God do I even want to know what the Den looks like," Regina said to herself, she was honestly just dumbstruck by the state of her house. "I don't even know where to start cleaning Cyann." Cyann didn't have a chance to answer as the front door burst open to show a soaked Emma Swan.
"Regina!" She exclaimed clearly startled that Regina was already by the front door.
"You moved into my house," was Regina's only reply as she tried to make sense of the pigsty in front of her.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, the loft was too much after a while for various reasons, and there weren't any listings, plus Henry refused to live anywhere else it was either here or the loft."
"The loft, the loft was still the answer," Regina replied rubbing her head.
"Yes, but this was his home too and you weren't here, well he expected you back home sooner, so he wanted to come home."
"This isn't his home," Regina replied frowning.
"Of course, it is, this is where you raised him, where I've continued to raise him," Emma told her.
"This is a pigsty Emma, you don't raise children in this," Regina told her before she grabbed Gus's leash and headed back outside into the rain towards her car. It was dinner time, her children needed to rest, particularly Ajani, not stay in whatever the hell her house had become.
"Regina will you just stop for a second!" Emma yelled. At that moment Cyann hugged Regina tighter as he gave a cry of fright, Gus growled at her, and Ajani woke up and was upset at Emma yelling as well. Emma was startled as she hadn't seen Ajani on Regina's back and the four-year-old on her hip well she'd had blinders on, she was so focused on the fact that Regina was finally there in Storybrooke in her house. Regina reached a hand back and patted Ajani's butt comfortingly.
"Shs baby," Regina told her.
"You have two kids," Emma stated.
"Yes, I do and fortunately Ms. Swan these two you can't lay claim too," Regina snapped.
"Regina talk to me."
"I don't owe you any explanations, Ms. Swan, the children and I will be at Granny's see if you can't clean my house up and leave the premises by tomorrow." Regina pushed pass Emma and headed to her car. She got Gus into the back along with Cyann who was watching Regina's back wearily, as she strapped first him in and then Ajani. She drove off without another glance in Emma's direction. They arrived at the inn in no time, it seemed to be one of the few buildings that wasn't missing something. Ruby was looking bored now if not tired behind the desk.
"Regina, so that was you I saw," Ruby said as she shot up from her seat.
"It was, Ms. Lucas, can we get one room please preferably without the shared bathroom." Ruby nodded as Ajani yawned on her hip.
"And who is this gorgeous girl, such pretty brown eyes and obsidian skin. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to adopt a kid that's got your beauty. She is just radiant."
"I think she's prettier than I ever was," Regina replied.
"I think I have to agree with you on that, such beautiful curls," Ruby told her.
"Are you the werewolf?" Cyann asked shyly appearing from behind Regina's legs.
"Oh, he looks just like you, handsome boy, and yes I am, but there's nothing to be afraid of," Ruby told him worried he was already scared.
"I'm not fraid Mommy say you protect me," Cyann told her matter of fact. "You protect Ajani too."
"Always kid, I hope your Mom lets me baby sit you sometime than I can show you all the fun stuff I know how to play. What do you like to do?"
"Hmmm…I like the spa," Cyann told her with a grin. Ruby grinned back.
"You and I are going to be best buds, I love playing spa at home," Ruby told him. He smiled big at her. Ruby gave them the key seeing as they were all soaked.
"Tell Granny we'll pay extra, but Gus is a service dog and he's quiet," Regina informed Ruby. Ruby nodded.
"She'll be more upset when you bring him into the diner. How long are you staying, you know there are no listings in town or are you just waiting to talk to Emma before you move back into your house."
"More like waiting for Emma to get out of my house," Regina told her. "See you later Ms. Lucas, we have dates with the shower."
"I know that feeling, see you later guys." Regina led the way up using magic to transport their stuff from the car. Once they were inside, she got them all out of their wet clothes, washed and into something dry. She kept her focus on the children that mattered, Henry wasn't in her life anymore, she had to continue to accept that even being so close.
"Are you hungry baby?" Regina asked Ajani. She nodded as she hugged her elephant plushy. "Yeah me too, let's go downstairs and get some food." Ajani raised her arms, and Regina carried her on her hip. Cyann eagerly led the way-out following Regina's directions, stopping in to say hi to Ruby again before following Regina into the diner. It went quiet except for the noise in the kitchen. She slipped into her usual booth as if she had never left and picked up the menu, very, very slowly the noise level returned if only because they were whispering about her.
"Who's this?" Granny asked appearing at the table with her usual coffee, but she paused in putting it down.
"I'm Cyann Mills," Cyann said introducing himself as he stood up again and held out his hand. Regina couldn't help but smile at him. "Are you Granny?"
"I am young man, and it is very nice to meet you Cyann, and is this your sister?"
"Yup that's Ajani, mommy says you make good chicken nuggets, but I like mommy's best," Cyann told her as he sat back down.
"Oh, do you, well I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a close second. Do you want fries with your nuggets?" Cyann looked at Regina.
"He'll have a side of broccoli and carrots I think, but we'll get a medium portion of fries to share," Regina told her. Cyann gave her a big smile. "I will have your smoked salmon with a kale salad on the side.
"For the little one?" Granny asked.
"She'll share with both, Cyann and I, everything tastes better to her from us," Regina told her.
"Reminds me of Ruby at that age, she never wanted to have her own," Granny chuckled.
"We'll have lemon water to drink, and they'll both have apple juice as well," Regina finished ordering. Granny nodded.
"Welcome back Regina, I missed you even if no one else did and congratulations on your son and daughter." Granny walked away before a surprised Regina could say anything. Granny took their order to the back and came back with a coloring mat for Ajani and Cyann as well as crayons. Regina moved Ajani to the booster seat though she could keep her hands free and take pictures of her children coloring together while she checked her messages from work, she had a few last cases to close up that could be handled from afar and didn't require travel or appearing in court. Other than that, it was just making sure her law firm was still running and making money.
"Mommy can I sit by you?" Cyann asked. Regina scooted over so he was closest to his sister. He moved over and resumed his coloring with Ajani. Regina sent an email for her assistant, but otherwise joined in on the coloring with Cyann and Ajani.
"Regina, glad you're back we can finally hold you responsible," David said stomping over with Henry. Regina let out a breath of annoyance. She moved Cyann over though, so he was closest to the wall and pulled Ajani out of her highchair and also put her body between her and David to protect them better.
"Look I just got back and we're just waiting for dinner, I've been here for the last hour, forty-five minutes up in my room, and the last fifteen down here minding my own business."
"Don't play innocent you trapped us here again, I'm still ten!" Henry yelled. Regina met his eyes for the first time, and her heart broke just a little that there was that same level of suspicion in his eyes. But it was true, he hadn't aged at all. She looked away from him and back to David as if he weren't there.
"I haven't done anything, I've not been here in five years, and I don't know anything about you all not aging. Maybe you should ask Gold."
"Gold left after you did, he found a way to keep his memories over the town line, I can't say the same for yet another dwarf," David said. "Only he got thrown back by a barrier."
"I don't know anything about the barrier, except it was odd to get in, I have no idea if I am just as trapped as you are, which I hope not." Granny brought over their drinks.
"Don't harass her in my business, she's been nothing, but pleasant, and I remind you, she saved you from that demon that has been terrorizing the town for weeks and you couldn't do anything about it. Take your bruised ego somewhere else, there's enough damage to this town, see about finding money to fix it." David stared Granny down before he left out leaving Henry standing before her, soaked and covered in mud. He should have been at home and changed already, hell he should have never been near the demon to begin with. Regina put Ajani in her lap and moved the coloring mat over so that Cyann could reach again as well.
"Mommy, he's still here," Cyann attempted to whisper.
"Just ignore him sweetie he will go away soon," Regina told him.
"Mom, why don't you hug me?" Henry asked frowning. Regina pretended not to hear him as she asked her children what she should help color with until dinner came. Then of course it was watching Cyann give his expert opinion on if Granny made the better nuggets.
"I still think mommy makes better nuggets Granny, sorry," Cyann told her.
"You don't have to be sorry, just as long as you enjoy mine too." Cyann nodded his head vigorously as Ajani stole one. She stood between them, with a nugget in one hand, veggie and fry in the other. Occasionally Regina fed them both some fish and kale.
"Why are you doing that with them, you did that with me," Henry said sitting down.
"Shouldn't you be at home, your mother must be worried," Regina told him hoping he would get the idea and go, this was torture for her.
"I am with my mother," He said.
"Not for a long time," Regina replied. She resumed ignoring him even as he got his own food and ate. She wasn't surprised it was a bacon cheeseburger with everything and onion rings, a typical Emma Swan food. Henry had put on some weight and it was obvious. They finished dinner and she set Cyann and Ajani to pay together while she finished her water.
"Mom when are you coming back home?" Henry asked as she stood up and walked away as hard as that was. She told Cyann he could keep the change for his wallet before they said goodnight to Granny and headed back up to their room. Back in the room, she took her medications consisting of her heart medication and her antidepressants. She got Ajani her seizure medication, before they fed Gus. Then it was story time and bedtime. While they slept Regina got some work done before she joined them as well.
The next day, she got up early with the kids, got them breakfast before the morning rush, but if she were honest it looked more like Granny was hosting an unofficial soup kitchen. Once she was settled back in, she'd figure out what the hell was going on. If everyone here didn't age, she only needed to make sure that Cyann and Ajani were free to leave Storybrooke one day and grow up. As much as she'd like to love them forever as children, they had to grow up and become their own person.
"Hey Ruby, you think you can watch Cyann and Ajani at the park maybe while I clean up my house?" Regina asked she knew whatever Emma attempted wouldn't be enough.
"Sure, but not outside, these days it's always rainy even if we get a pause in the morning, you might want to conjure up some rain jackets and umbrellas."
"We'll stop at the clothing store," Regina told her.
"Don't waste your time it's been closed for a month since the giant."
"Giant really?" Regina asked. "I didn't bring over any giants." Ruby shrugged.
"So, we all thought, but the thought of this a giant free land was put to rest. He's still out there by the way. But I do believe they can sit at the counter and help me cash those who can pay out." Regina nodded.
"That's acceptable, Cyann can practice his numbers."
"I know my numbers," Cyann pouted.
"Doesn't mean you shouldn't practice dear," Regina told him. He nodded as he licked the last of the ketchup off his fork. "Will you be good for Aunty Ruby while I see to the house?" He nodded.
"I will mommy, I no leave the diner without Aunty Ruby and Ajani. Will you call me later?"
"Yes, I will, mommy will call to check in on you okay, and Aunty Ruby will have my number if you need me before that. Remember I'm just a wave of my hand away." Cyann nodded. Ajani was a little less juiced to be left with a new babysitter, but Ruby was too good even for a stubborn Ajani, who fought the smile on her face, but either way was willing to stay on Ruby's hip. Gus also sat under her usual booth which held things for the kids if they needed them as well as a place to keep coloring or eat more food.
"Just keep a tab of whatever they eat, I got a major overhauling to do," Regina sighed. Ruby saluted her and got back to work with Ajani helping her take orders and Cyann at the register. Regina drove home hoping that Emma and Henry had already left. The familiar yellow bug was gone from her home. Grateful she parked and went inside and saw that the trash at least was gone, the dishes were cleaned and put away. She checked her refrigerator throwing out everything as it was all expired really or going. She threw out the junk in the cabinets that didn't expire. She'd have to restock her entire pantry properly. Regina rolled up her sleeves and pulled out her old cleaning supplies, even they had dust on it, but they hadn't been used. She got down on her hands and knees and started cleaning everything with a scrub brush and a cloth. She had to make sure she got every corner thoroughly. By the time she was done every room downstairs was spotless. She burned her couches down there was no point with all the stains and swept up the ashes, the tables and chairs she sent to Marco for restoration.
"If you can at least have the dining room table and two or three chairs back by tonight I would be grateful," Regina told him over the phone. "I'll pay extra for the fast work."
"Consider it done your majesty," Marco told her. He hadn't had a big order like this in forever and was extremely grateful. Regina headed back to the diner for lunch with the kids and to check in on them. She could take them home she decided, and they could play downstairs while she sorted out the upstairs. Ruby was of course right about the rain starting. It was bad while they had lunch but let up by the time Regina had paid for their room and food as well as Ruby's babysitting services.
"Regina, this is enough for a week's stay in that room." Regina shrugged.
"Keep it open for me just in case," Regina shrugged. "Anyway, come for tea later in the week, when we're all settled in." Ruby nodded and thanked her. When she got back home, she set the kids up with some toys they had brought along."
"There's no cable right now baby, so no cartoons, but mommy will call all right?" Cyann nodded as he rode around the floor on a pedal less bike, Ajani followed suit.
"All right call me if you need me, I'm cleaning up, upstairs, okay." He nodded. Once she was upstairs Regina assessed the damage. The hall was just as dirty. The two guestrooms were untouched if not dusty, but everything was still relatively covered and stripped. Henry had stayed in his room. There were clothes all over dirty or clean she couldn't really say. There was trash, ripped wallpaper, broken toys, some badly made armor, and that stupid storybook she hated.
"Well he didn't pack shit," Regina muttered to herself. She found Emma had been in the third guest room, she also had clothes everywhere, but they were for sure clean, Regina noted as she had a hamper that was full. On her bed were clothes that had started to be folded and then a spot where she had clearly passed out on. So that meant they would be returning unfortunately. She got her hallway cleaned up before she had to magically clean Henry's bathroom in disgust before she could even go over it by hand. Emma's bathroom was clean, so she didn't bother. She checked her own room which was left completely untouched except for a spot where a small body had clearly lay a few times. She still gave it a deep cleaning though.
"MOMMY!" Cyann yelled as Gus started barking viciously. Regina put her cleaning stuff down and hurried downstairs just in time to see Emma paused at the door with Henry.
"Gus down," Regina ordered. Gus stayed on guard but lay down as he fell silent.
"Holy Crap it's like a new house," Emma said.
"Please go pack up your rooms, I'd really like to finish cleaning today, so I don't want to have to bar the children from going where they want in their home."
"It's not their home, it's my home," Henry growled.
"Henry, we talked about this, Regina wants us to move out," Emma said. "We need to respect that."
"Why, this is my house, she can't just kick me out," Henry cried. Regina sighed as she came down further.
"Why don't you two come with mommy to the store for some chocolate milk, so they can pack in peace," Regina told Ajani and Cyann. They jumped at the chance instead of watching Henry.
"You know I thought maybe tonight you could make your famous lasagna and we could all catch up. It has been six years even if we all don't look like it."
"It's been five years, Ms. Swan, and no thank you, please just pack up and go, I don't want to make a big deal out of this," Regina told her as she got the jackets and hats on from her children as well as their rain boots.
"Okay we'll pack don't worry, but maybe you want to talk to Henry, he's still a ten-year-old kid," Emma whispered.
"No, not really if I remember correctly, he decided a long time ago that he would rather live with you, and you don't live here, so I'm not really sure what I the person who is not his mother must explain to him." Regina put on her jacket and grabbed her umbrella before she ushered the children and Gus out of the house. She left without another word leaving a shocked Emma. Regina went to the store and the children were well behaved for the chance of chocolate milk. When they returned home, Emma and Henry weren't gone, Emma was cleaning dirt from their shoes off the floor.
"I know, you wanted us gone already, but I'm having trouble getting the kid out, plus Mary Margaret just called and said we can't come back to the loft with all our shit, the nanny is already on the couch and the second nanny on the floor."
"Why does she have two nannies, don't tell me she's finally lost it, and gotten herself two nannies." Emma snorted a laugh.
"Really missed your brand of humor, but no she was pregnant with twins when you left initially, and she had one a year after that. She can't handle them by herself and despite that she keeps having them. She's pregnant now, convinced you've come back to kill us all."
"Jesus," Regina said before she just walked past, Emma and into the kitchen. She put everything away carefully and got the children their chocolate milk before sending them back to play.
"So, you think we could still crash here after all?" Emma asked. "As you probably know despite all the attacks there are still no listings."
"Nope, there's plenty of room at Granny's she could use the rent," Regina said.
"Yeah that's true if I had it. I've got enough money for household stuff, but most of it, David and Mary Margaret make me give away to let the people see we care about them enough to keep them from starving. Although a lot of it has broken down to bartering, money is almost useless."
"Can't believe people have let the fools stay in charge for this long, and the answer is still no, I don't want to live with Henry."
"Well maybe I can convince mom to take him, I still can't afford granny's."
"I wouldn't want to separate you two so no," Regina told her.
"You'd be doing me a solid honestly, he's been well a little hellion to be honest. Archie is convinced he's got oppositional deviance disorder now. He said he didn't have that with you because you had consistent parenting even if he acted out, there was a reason. But with me, I made the mistake of letting my parents think that they made parenting decisions for Henry, and because they're my parents what they say always trumps me in their opinion."
"Welcome to the world that is the Enchanted Forest, sorry you had to be awakened this way, but please get out, cry to your mother I don't care, but get out."
"Regina please, I know we weren't friends, but we can learn to share Henry, it's been four years since you've been gone, I think we can skip the suspicion of taking over again or killing Mary Margaret." Regina frowned at her.
"Oh, I get it because you've realized now just how difficult it is to be a single mother now, especially to a child battling a mental disorder, you want to share Henry now, you're not up to the task. Well Ms. Swan unfortunately for you and Henry, I have spent the better part of FIVE years coming to terms with the fact that my son was in fact not my son. So, if you will excuse me, I have two children who want to be around me to take care of. You know who are actually grateful I'm their mother." Regina snapped her fingers and the rest of the groceries were put away before she walked past Emma.
"Mommy's not a liar stupid!" Cyann yelled. Regina hurried into the den with Emma suddenly right behind her. Henry had exited his room and was now with the kids standing in front of Cyann. Ajani was watching them both.
"Yes, she is, she stole you from your real mother," Henry told her.
"Henry Daniel!" Regina exclaimed. Regina counted to five and lowered her voice. "Let me be absolutely clear about something before you leave this house."
"And what's that?" Henry asked sneering.
"Cyann is my real son, now go home with Emma, I'll have your things delivered to the loft," Regina told him. Henry's face went blank for a moment before he contorted it in rage. He looked at Emma.
"You did this, this is all your fault she had a baby!" Henry yelled at Emma before he threw a lamp. Cyann and Ajani cried as they ran for Regina who just missed getting hit. Emma also moved out of the way. Regina immediately picked up Ajani and pulled Cyann from the room. She sent them both upstairs to her bedroom.
"I hate you!" Henry yelled at Emma.
"Henry, please calm down," Emma cried. Regina came back into the room to see Henry was in a fine rage. It was more than his tantrums when she had raised him. She felt the pain in her heart in that break that was all Henry. But she couldn't go there anymore she was here only for Cyann and Ajani. So, she did the only thing she could, she transported them both to the loft. Mary Margaret may not want to take in her adult daughter now that she had several perfect princesses and princes as replacements. But that was tough shit time for her to do what a mother does. She was left only with the aftermath, she swept up the broken lamps and threw away the shards, so the kids wouldn't get cut before she went upstairs, and found the kids crying in the hallway that they didn't know where she slept.
"Oh honey, mommy is sorry I forgot I didn't let you upstairs yet." She showed them her room.
"You're going to sleep in here with mommy, and tomorrow we'll go to the store and pick out all the nice new stuff for your room, okay?" Regina asked Cyann. He nodded as he sniffled. She stroked his forehead and gave them both extra kisses and hugs before she explained that Henry was sick, and she was sorry he reacted so badly and scared them. She distracted them with play and in the evening since Marco said the table was too damaged in the end and he would make her a new one, she set up a picnic in the den before the fireplace. She made hot dogs to their delight and for dessert s'mores.
"Mommy is Henry my broder?" Cyann asked with a mouth covered in chocolate.
"Sweetheart, you know how mommy adopted Ajani and you remember what that means?" Regina asked him. Cyann nodded.
"Ajani gots two mommies and two daddies, but her mommy and both daddies dead now." Regina nodded.
"Yes, well I adopted Henry too as a baby, but he was even younger than Ajani. His other mommy, Emma the lady that was here, she gave him away because she couldn't take care of him. And then ten years later, Henry didn't like knowing he was adopted, that's why we don't make it a secret with Ajani. Mommy was wrong for that, but she didn't know how to tell Henry. Anyway, Henry chose to live with Emma again, because he thought I was still Evil, but mommy didn't want to do anymore bad things anymore because she had him."
"Henry no love you no more?" Cyann asked. Regina shrugged.
"He told me he didn't and just a little while before you were born, mommy just realized that it made her way too sad and it broke her heart."
"You still sad Mommy?" Cyann asked.
"I will always be a little bit sad, Henry was my little prince too, and I will always love him just as I love you and Ajani. But every day is a little bit better with you and Ajani in my life." He smiled.
"Mommy, my hair," Ajani said pulling at it.
"Oh, did you get a knot sweetie." She nodded. "We'll take care of it at bath time." After dinner she got them in the bathtub, making sure to detangle Ajani's hair with essential oils before she got in the tub and washed it. Afterwards she twisted it with conditioner in it to sit while they played in the tub and got washed. Cyann out of habit wanted to sit with conditioner too and wanted Regina too as well. Regina couldn't deny that following Ajani's hair regiment sometimes really added shine and health to her hair. Even if she had to take some light creams or oils for Cyann as he was not blessed with her natural curls.
"Rinse time," Regina told them. Everyone got clean and finished. She made sure to braid Ajani's hair down.
"How about story time in front of the fire?" Regina asked them. They nodded. Story time in front of the fire. She didn't want them going to bed with dripping wet hair and Ajani was rarely good for the blow dryer, which was why didn't often do her hair at night baring any knot emergencies like marshmallows in her hair. Once it was dry enough without extra help, she put a silk bonnet on her head before she sang her favorite song. She put her to bed first. Cyann was a little harder since he liked to fight her on going to bed. After he was asleep, she got the downstairs cleaned up of their dinner picnic. She used magic though to pack up Henry's old room going as far as to shrink his furniture into the box along with all the trash and that horrid book. She gave Emma all the bedroom furniture too. Her room was next to Regina's and she decided to give it to Ajani eventually. For now, though Ajani needed extra physical contact and slept with her.
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