You guys ready for the twist of the century? Yes? Well, here we go then! Love to my wonderful beta Courtney, who have made this story even more awesome!
When Regina finally opened the door to the guest house, Emma practically flew from the couch. As if she and Regina were magnetically connected somehow.
Emma ran up to her girlfriend and smothered her with a ridiculous amount of kisses and hugs, before she noticed Cora behind her. She stiffened.
"What is she doing here?" Emma snarled, feeling overprotective.
"It's okay, Emma. She's not angry with you, me, or anybody else here. We have actually had a long and much needed talk." Regina explained with a careful smile.
Emma was glad that this conversation seemed to calm Regina a little, but she refused to trust Cora, and knew the rest of her family felt much the same.
A person just couldn't change like that so fast.
Maybe you can fool your pregnant and hormonal sensitive daughter, but I'm a hard nut to crack. the blonde thought to herself as she gripped Regina's hand protectivly.
"I'm not throwing any of you out, Miss. Swan, and I want to apologize for my behavior earlier." Cora started with a careful tone in her voice.
"I just wanted to say goodbye, and goodnight and, to tell you I'll be back tomorrow. Speaking of that, does anyone need anything from town?" the woman attempted to extend a pleasantry, in hopes of...well, she wasn't sure, but it got her nowhere.
None of the girls answered, and Emma's eyes didn't leave Cora for a single second. She studied her body language, and tried to read between the lines.
Emma knew all this 'nice Cora' could just be an act. That was something Emma was used to.
She remembered all the foster parents she had lived with throughout the years, that had put on that exact act when the child protective services had made home visits, as they had suspected Emma was being mistreated.
Sadly, every fucking idiot could fool them, with just acting like they were wonderful people. Due to that, Emma was more suspicious than the others.
Ruby felt protective (as usual) over Emma, so she took a step closer her sister, and knew Emma was ready to attack if the situation turned sour. Had she been a dog, she would probably been growling and showing her teeth.
"I think we're good, Mother." Regina replied and Cora nodded. "Thanks though. See you tomorrow."
"Yes, dear." Cora smiled dejectedly as she took her leave.
As Cora got into her car, then closed the door gently, it hit her seemingly suddenly. She had finally felt something. Something that wasn't soul crushing. Cora had finally connected with someone.
Her daughter.
Cora smiled fully as she fastened her seatbelt, then pulled away from the house, and headed down the road. She finally felt a sense of ease coming over herself.
She kept smiling as she traced the heart shaped pendant that dangled from her neck, now free from the confines of her shirt. Proudly on display.
Through Cora's life, all of the pain, and helplessness. All of the utter despair that she had suffered through, had finally felt justified. There truly was a reason for everything. And she really felt ok with that idea.
It was then. In that moment of clarity. As Cora drove down a normally busy road, headed back to town, that something else happened. Something else life altering.
A loud smash sounded as Coras car was tboned from the passenger side, and skidded toward the other side of the road.
Cora gasped as everything seemed to move around her in slow motion, before the vehicle stopped. It bounced up onto the left driver's side tires as the drivers side landed level with the ground.
After what seemed like long minutes, that was really only a fraction on a second, the car landed on all fours. Cora looked around confused. Her body felt fine, but she knew she was probably just in shock.
She looked for the vehicle that had struck her, and found a small red truck with front end damage. She couldn't see much, just a deployed airbag and a head of short, dark hair.
Cora noticed that the person driving seemed to be in a far worse state than her, so she decided to see if she could get out to check on the person.
It took little more than normal force to get the damaged door open, but she simply unbuckled and got out, making sure to grab her cell phone from the strewn items amongst the car.
She dialed the local police department and gave them details of their where abouts and what she knew, as she made her way to the red truck.
It was a girl. Not much older that her Regina.
"Excuse me! Hey! Can you hear me?" Cora tried as she moved towards the open window. The girl wasn't moving, but seemed to be breathing.
Sirens finally sounded as Cora moved her hand through and laid her hand on the girl's head.
"Hey! Come on now! I need to know that you're ok! What happened?" she tried and finally noticed movement. "Have you been drinking? Does anything hurt?" she tried to get a reaction but the girl seemed weak.
"Mm fine.." the girl seemed to mumble as she took a deep breath and sat up a little. "Mm sorry Miss." she mumbled again. Paramedics finally came up beside her calmly
"Madam Mayor? Are you ok?" a blonde boy, that Cora had met quite a few times, but always had a problem remembering his name, asked
"I'm fine, dear, but I think she may have a concussion!" Cora rushed to admit her worry and the boy nodded, quickly getting to work.
"What happened here?" Sheriff Graham asked as he rushed to the ex mayor's side. She was afraid to walk too far away from the truck.
"I really don't know, but I think this woman needs medical assistance before any questioning." the sheriff seemed to nod, then directed a couple of guys to take pictures and secure the scene, before the cleanup began.
"Madam Mayor…"
"I'm not the mayor anymore."
"Right. Sorry. I think you should ride with us to the hospital. Do you need anything out of your car?"
"No. I'm ready. Is she going to be ok?" Cora had already began walking toward the ambulance with the same blonde boy following closely.
"She's fine. She probably just had a concussion like you said, but she says she lost control of the car. Thinks her brakes were cut or something…" he explained as the two climbed into the back.
Cora examined the girl laid out in the stretcher, already strapped down. She wore loose jeans and a tank top.
Her hair looked to have been cut very recently and dyed a beautiful mahogany brown color. She could tell the woman was a natural blonde from her roots though.
"Please don't take me to the hospital. I really can't afford the bill right now." the woman groaned, sounding annoyed.
"Miss, If you can't afford the bill, I'm sure they will offer you a payment plan of some kind." the blonde boy offered and the clearly irritated woman sighed. It took a few minutes but Cora finally spoke up. The girl seemed to be spooked by her presence.
"Why on earth would someone cut your brake line?" after the shock wore off, the woman rolled her eyes
"No. Rusted. I think my brake like was rusted" She groaned again. This time, seemingly from a pain in her head.
"I was on my way to Michael's repair to get it fixed. I swear I didn't know it was that close though. I'm so sorry Miss!" the woman stated, like she already knew this woman hated her.
That hurt. This girl, who Cora was sure she had never met, seemed scared. Scared of Cora.
Of course she understood that Regina wasn't the only person that saw her as a monster, but this was different. This girl was hurt, and scared of Cora Mills.
"It's fine. As long as you're ok." Cora tried out her comforting tone. The two occupants in the back just stared dumbfounded at her.
"Are….are you ok?" the girl asked, and this caused Cora to smile as she placed her hand atop of the girl's.
"I'm actually better than ever." she promised as their eyes met. "I'm sorry, but I don't really know your name."
"Oh, yeah. Hi. I'm Mal." the girl introduced and the two shared a small smile as the boy busier himself giving details to someone over a radio.
"Cora." she needlessly introduced as the ambulance came to a stop.
"Female, 36, concussion with minor.." the blonde spoke after he hopped out of the car. First helping Cora, then unstrapping and helping someone else unload the stretcher.
36? She's 36? Cora wondered to herself as she studied the girl before they rolled her in through the ER.
Their eyes met as the rolling stretcher was placed evenly on the ground. Her small smile was genuine. Her blue eyes held hope. Her arms looked perfect. She must work out. Cora examined her own arms. I should go to the gym...
As they heard Coras car pull away, Belle couldn't keep quiet.
"What the fuck just happened?" she said and Ruby turned around and shrugged.
"I don't have a fucking clue." the redhead shrugged and swung an arm around her girlfriend as they left the room. Granny soon followed and left Emma and Regina alone.
"So you're best friends now, hm?" Emma said with a low growl and met Regina's eyes. "I don't trust Cora. Not for a second."
"I don't either, Emma, but I think your…. outburst was something she needed to hear. I also just think it was something you just needed to get out." Regina said and grabbed Emma's hands.
"Aside from Daddy, you're the only one who has been able to speak to mother like that, without getting a bitchy respons. It was like she heard you on an emotional level or something. Daddy would have been so proud of you." Emma frowned and pulled away.
"I'm so fucking tired of hearing that Cora needed to hear what I had to say. I just spoke from my heart, because she needed to get off her fucking high horse! Actually.. I. Regina I don't know what I should think about all this." Emma shrugged and bit her lip.
Everything just felt like a really fucking chaotic roller-coaster to Emma.
A horrible ride that she had been on her entire life. She was just so fed up with it. She just wanted a normal life for once, and even though she had seen glimpses of it, it was always just out of reach for her. And that was because of people like Cora Mills.
"Emma, please don't leave, we need to talk." Regina tried as the blonde opened the door and closed it with a bang behind her.
Granny was quiet. She was thinking, Ruby knew that and tugged on her bottom lip. Belle was laying with her head in Ruby's lap.
"So….Granny, what do you think about all this?" Ruby asked her grandmother anxiously as she ran her fingertips through soft brunette hair.
"Oh, I wish I knew, my dear daughter. I wish I knew. I have actually not seen Cora act as human as she did today, you know? Not since Henry's passing at least."
"I don't trust her though." Ruby shrugged.
"Me either." Belle added under her breathe and Granny took off her glasses.
"Oh, I don't trust her, not at all, but I think her response to today was genuine." Granny took a deep breath. She was used to providing answers for everything. This though, was uncharted territory. "I just think we should wait and see how this plays out, but Ruby?"
"Mm?"
"Let Emma handle this. I know you love her, as do I, but Emma needs to handle this on her own, okay?"
"Yeah, sure." Ruby replied with a pout. I just wanna be there for Swan, goddammit.
Emma chose to go for, yet, another run. She needed fresh air and even though she also wanted Regina's closeness and comfort, that wasn't something she was used to.
Even if Emma knew eventually she would have to learn to deal with problems like these, instead of running.
She was just used to running when the problems became too hard to handle, and hoped Regina would always understand.
Unfortunately, Ruby didn't, so when Granny hadn't noticed, she had snuck out and followed Emma out into the woods.
"Swan? Everything okay?" Ruby asked carefully and Emma got so scared, hearing Ruby's voice, that she actually lost her balance.
She faceplated into the ground, and had to spit out leaves from her mouth as she sat up. Both sisters burst out in laughter as Emma used her shirt to wipe the dirt taste out of her mouth, and Ruby helped Emma stand up.
"Sorry, Lil sis. I didn't mean to spook you."
"Well, that's kinda what happens when you sneak up on someone in the middle of the woods!" Emma groaned and rolled her eyes affectionately.
"Yeah, well, I saw you jog away, and it didn't feel right letting you do that alone after all this, you know.."
"And that's why I chose to run when stuff gets too complicated." Emma shrugged and sat down with her back against a tree. "I don't know that the hell I'm feeling. I guess I'm just sick and tired of always living in chaos"
"I know, Swan, but you have to learn how to handle hard stuff like this without running away, right?" Ruby asked as she sat down beside her sister. Emma sighed and laid her head against Ruby's shoulder.
"I know… I just want to be happy. Like actually happy, you know? I don't want to fight my whole life. I have done that for as long I can remember, and I'm so fed up with it." Emma stated with a shaking tone in her voice. The tears were stinging in her eyes.
"Rubes, I'm so fucking tired."
"Life is unfair mostly, sis, and it has been too unfair to you, but you can't give up now. Regina loves you, isn't she worth fighting for? Isn't your future with Regina worth staying for?"
"Of course it is!" Emma snapped, but Ruby didn't even react to her sister's sudden change in her tone.
She knew Emma so well now. Knew that she was bad with feelings. Ruby just swung her arm around her, pulled her into her side, and kissed her temple.
"And think of the baby too, Swan. Just listen to me okay? You can do this. Life will never be easy," she began and Emma sighed as the tears fell
"But I think that having a partner like Regina. Someone to share all the bullshit with, someone who loves and accepts you, like she does. Well, I think that's worth staying, and going through more bullshit."
"Regina? Are you okay?" Belle asked carefully as she found Regina sitting alone on the beach. Regina just nodded, she had been crying and was a total wreck. "I guess Ruby followed Emma out, because she isn't inside either."
"I suppose." Regina said as she dried her eyes.
"Are you sure you guys are ok?"
"No. Yes? No. I don't know.. Emma's upset with my mother."
"Yeah, well, Emma is used to being stepped on, and I guess she finally got tired of it. It's probably more that she's upset with the world in general." Belle shrugged. She had never seen Regina this broken, fragile and afraid.
She had always been a strong person, even as a kid. Now she had broken down into millions pieces.
"You really love her, don't you?" Belle asked carefully and nudged Regina's shoulder.
"I love her so much. Almost as much as I loved Daddy. It scares me a lot," Regina admitted with a shaking voice.
"But I'm afraid she's gonna give up on us…" Regina breathed out and laid her hands on her stomach, wondering if she could raise this child on her own if Emma left her.