Chapter notes:
I don't own anything from OUAT.
Chapter 3:
The Chest
Neither of them knew how long they stood there holding each other, but they were both startled out of their daze when they noticed a certain Pixie haired woman stand in the doorway.
"Emma?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. There was her daughter, embracing her former nemesis. She could see that Regina had been crying and hoped that Emma was only trying to comfort her.
Emma and Regina quickly realized what had made the woman so shocked and let go of each other as fast as they could. Neither of them wanted to be the first to speak as neither of them knew what they needed to say. They both ran with options through their head.
"We have been looking for you. Even your father is out there looking. I saw your car in the driveway and ..."
"Emma came to show me the cake that you made." Emma realized that Regina had settled on the lying option and Emma was definitely relieved.
"And you were so enthralled by its beauty that it brought you to tears." the teacher said almost as sarcastically as the mayor ever could.
"She wasn't invited to the wedding." Emma quickly added and this earned her a scorn from the Mayor. She knew that she will be hearing about this a little later when they were both alone.
This comment however actually made sense to Mary-Margaret and she accepted it as fact. "I thought I said no pit stops."
"I just wanted her to see the cake. I thought she deserved at least that." Emma said which earned her another scornful look from the Mayor.
Emma walked to the cake and started lifting it. "I'll get it to granny's as soon as possible." She was about to completely pick it up when Mary-Margaret stopped her.
"Don't bother. I'll have your father take it. At least he won't keep me waiting." If Regina wasn't in such a sour mood she might have actually laughed at that comment. But she just rolled her eyes and watched as the pixie haired woman got her phone and walked out of the kitchen.
"What are we going to do?" Emma whispered to Regina and the mayor could see that she was freaking out.
"I don't know." Regina whispered back a little firmer than the blonde.
Emma took another look at the cake and realized that she couldn't leave the cake topper as is. She doubted that Ashley or her husband would be content with a wooden version of Henry on their cake. She looked at Regina, back at the cake topper and back at Regina. The mayor knew what Emma was asking and nodded in agreement. Emma took a peak to see if Mary-Margaret could see her and then quickly grabbed the decoration off the cake. She held it in her hands but couldn't get Henry separated from the couple.
"What now? He's stuck on there."
"Give him here." Regina commanded in a whisper. She noticed that he was indeed stuck but luckily it was just glue. The same glue that held the carved couple together. Regina got out a knife which made Emma freak out even more.
"What are you doing?" She still whispered but her voice hitched as she said it.
"Getting him off." The mayor proceeded to shove the knife into the glue and Emma was still shaking but calmed when Regina actually succeeded without damaging the wooden boy. They heard Mary-Margaret return and Emma quickly placed back the topper, now Henry-less.
Mary-Margaret noticed how much they looked like they were hiding something but attributed that to them still being embarrassed.
"Where is Henry?" The teacher asked. Both women were startled by the question. "His bag is outside so where is he?" Emma came to the realization that the kid was probably struggling with the bag and came running in to ask Regina for help.
"Bath." The mayor answered. "He's in the bath."
"And he just left his bag outside?"
'Oh she was on to them' Emma thought.
"He wanted to show me something outside, and left it there." Mary-Margaret wasn't fully buying it but she knew how much stuff he packed in that bag and thought it could be possible.
Regina got a playful grin on her face. "I made him take a bath. Since he has been living under your roof after all." This time Regina was the one on the receiving end of a scorn. From both Emma and the princess. But this only made her smile wider.
David broke the tension by strutting into the house. He came into the kitchen and saw the hateful looks flowing between the women. "Nice cake." He commented and pointed towards the creation on the counter. The awkward silence remained for a few more moments.
"Bring it David. We're leaving." The teacher turned her back to them and started walking out.
"Regina." David said as a greeting before picking up the gigantic dessert and half stumbled after his wife.
Regina took a peak to make sure that she and Emma were alone and when she was sure that they were, she turned and gave Emma a slap in the face.
Emma just held her cheek not expecting it at all. A sassy comment maybe but not a slap in the face. "What was that for?" she yelled out.
"First you use Henry as a bribe, then you cause him to be turned into this and then, to top it all off, you tell your mother that I was crying because I didn't get an invitation. Do I look like Maleficent to you?" Regina was clearly pissed and Emma was actually a little scared of her. So she decided to accept her punishment and be grateful she still had a face to be slapped.
"Sorry." was all she could say.
Regina just rolled her eyes, took Henry and started to walk out the room. "I trust you can show yourself out Miss Swan." she waved towards the front door.
Emma wasn't going to leave with Henry still under the spell. So she ran to Regina and grabbed her arm. "Oh no I'm not leaving. Not with my son still in this state."
Regina looked at the hand that was holding unto her arm and again she just rolled her eyes. "Fine Miss Swan."
"What can I do? To help I mean." Emma said as she let go.
"You can start by bringing in Henry's bag. He would never forgive me if something were to happen to one of his precious comic books."
Emma just nodded and did as she was told. She was also surprised to see that all the cake that she messed was gone. She should have figured as much as no one commented on it.
"This is going to be a long day."
Emma ducked just in time as a book came flying towards her head. "Not in that one either huh?" She said as she put down the two cups of tea, she was carrying, on Regina's desk. This time on the coasters. She had made the mistake before and Regina went on an insult rampage. She and Regina had spent most of the day scouring through the books in Regina's study but they haven't found anything yet. Although Emma's version of 'help' had been to make the Mayor tea and make sure she had no distractions. That was the biggest joke because Emma was the worst distraction of all.
"No. Nothing." Regina sighed and paced around her study. She took out another book and flicked through a few of the pages before throwing it on the desk among a stack of other books.
Emma sat down on one of the chairs and paged through some of the books lying on the desk.
"I've already checked those." Regina reminded her and continued searching for another book.
"Yes and I would know exactly what to look for." the blonde said to herself.
"Well maybe if you embraced your magic you would know what to look for."
"I don't see that happening."
"Apparently it already did." The mayor said as she threw down another book.
"You heard what happened with your mother?" Emma asked not knowing how Regina would react to the topic.
"Yes I did. Everyone did." The roll of her eyes told Emma that the Mayor didn't care much for the topic so she just continued to page through the book, even though she didn't even understand the language.
"Wait." Regina stopped and looked at Emma. "My mother." Emma had no idea what was going on in the mayors head, even though she almost never does. This time she never got the chance to ask. "I'll be right back." Regina said as she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.
Emma had never felt more awkward. She was all alone in the mayors mansion. It had been a few minutes since Regina disappeared and Emma was getting bored. She walked to the kitchen to see if there was anything for her to snack on. When all she could find was rye bread and apples, she gave up on her mission.
She was heading back to the study when a photograph on the mantle caught her eye. It was one of Regina and Henry and they both seemed so content in the picture. Emma figured that the photo must have been taken before Henry got the book since he didn't seem to mind being close to the queen. Emma didn't realize she had sat down. All her focus was on the picture that she held.
Regina had returned to an empty study. She went in search of the blonde and found her sitting in the lounge. She was about to give Emma a lecture on personal property when she noticed what the blonde was holding.
"That was before he got the book." Regina said with an almost sadness that tainted her tone.
"I figured as much." Emma said to her with a saddened smile.
"I found it."
"You did?" Emma suddenly lightened up at the prospect of getting their son back.
Regina held up the book. "My mothers spell book. I went to my mausoleum. We do have one problem, though for once I believe you will actually be useful in solving it."
Emma was intrigued and sat waiting for Regina to continue.
"We are going to need to steal the cake."
The two women had spent a few more hours finalizing their plan. Regina forced Emma to call her parents and make an excuse for not going home that night. Emma decided to rather phone David instead of Mary-Margaret as she was still a little embarrassed by the events earlier in the day. Oddly enough David was very accommodating. He assumed that Emma was staying to keep an eye on Henry and he agreed to tell his wife the same.
"How did they take it?" Regina asked when Emma returned to the study.
"Very well actually."
"Well that's a surprise." And Regina was really surprised. She had expected Mary-Margaret of busting through her door and demanding the Mayor to release her daughter from what ever spell she put her under.
"Do you have anything to eat?" It seemed like a random question to the queen until she realized that Emma hadn't had the chance to eat lunch and her regular time for dinner had already passed. They had to wait until the diner closed for them to go through with their plan so the two of them would have to share each others company for a few more hours.
"What do you want." Regina asked.
"I could go get us takeout." Emma said but Regina gave her the same look she did when Emma didn't use the coasters. "Barbarian, I know."
"I was thinking I could make us dinner."
"Really? You would cook for me?" Emma said with a bit of a flirt and she had no idea where it came from.
"I'd cook for your stomach. Last thing I need is a hungry growl waking the diner guard dog." Emma knew that Regina was referring to Ruby but couldn't help but smile. "So what are you in the mood for?"
"lasagna." Emma said smiling.
"Twice in one week? Was my lasagna that good?"
"Actually I never got to taste it. By the time I got there it was gone. Everyone complimented you on it. Well everyone except Leroy. He was still convinced he was going to turn into a rock or something." Regina laughed. She was actually surprised that anyone in this town would compliment her on anything.
"I'll make you some." the mayor smiled.
Regina was in the kitchen making the lasagna. She had put the television on hoping that it could keep Emma entertained. It did for a few minutes until the blonde got sick of it and joined Regina in the kitchen. Regina considered cooking her relaxing time and wasn't in the mood to argue. So when Emma came in, she just sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Nothing to watch Miss Swan?"
"No." Emma plopped down on one of the stools and just sat there watching Regina cook. 'This was much more entertaining than anything on T.V.' she thought to herself.
Regina estimated that it must have been at least half an hour before the blonde said anything.
"What was he like?" Emma asked.
"Who? Henry?"
"Yes Henry. I mean you said that photo was taken before he found the book and that means that he wasn't always so..."
"So... what? Against me?" Emma could hear the sadness in that question. She too wasn't in the mood to argue so she decided to take a safer route.
"So... ten." Emma smiled as she said it and Regina surprised her by returning that smile. Emma couldn't understand what had changed Regina's demeanor. Before she found her mothers spell book, she was ready to turn Emma into wall paper. Now she was bearable... no, pleasant. The blonde attributed it to the fact that Regina could take a little breath as they have found a way to save Henry. Regina started grating the cheese and Emma could see that the queen was thinking of something to say.
"Why don't you spend a few more minutes channel surfing and I will tell you all about him." She finally said. Emma was content with her answer and left her to finish the dish.
It really was only a few more minutes. Emma had abandoned the television and sat in front of Regina's computer. The thing was old and the internet slow. Emma was reminded that everything in this town were practically antiques.
Regina came in to the study with a beautiful carved wooden box. She sat down on one of the seats and beckoned for Emma to join her. She opened the box and Emma saw a bunch of photo albums. Regina opened the first one and the first photo was one where Henry was just a little baby. Regina had him cuddled in her arms and a big smile across her face.
"This was taken at the adoption agency. This was right after I had signed the papers and Henry was officially mine." Regina said as she touched the photo, trying to remember what he felt like. "He never stopped crying though. Luckily he was fast asleep when they took this."
"He cried a lot as a baby?"
"For a while yes. I actually realized that he must be sensing the presence of the evil in me. So I took him back."
"What do you mean you took him back?" a shocked blonde stared at her, waiting for the answer.
"I thought I wasn't worthy to be loved, so I returned him." Emma could see how much the memory hurt. "But I couldn't leave him. He was my son, and I wasn't going to let anything happen to him."
The wooden version of Henry was still sitting on the table where they had left him. They had decided that the tiny figure should stay in one place where they both could easily find him. Emma looked at it and leaned back into the sofa. "Do you think he can hear us or maybe even see us?"
"If he could I am sure he would be wishing he could leave right now."
"Why?" Emma asked.
"Because he didn't know about it. He didn't know that I almost gave him back." Emma went silent for a moment and then decided that she wasn't going to let this be a sad moment.
"Show me more." she almost demanded.
The women had sat there, sometimes laughing and sometimes quiet as Regina told Emma stories of Henry's past. She was almost angry when the timer in the kitchen went off to let her know that the lasagna was ready. She disappeared for a few minutes and left Emma to browse through the rest of the chest.
Emma found a folded piece of paper. She opened it and found a drawing that must have been made by Henry when he just started at school. The crude drawing was of Regina, or mommy as Henry had written it, and himself. A big house was drawn in the back and Emma assumed that it must be the mansion. In big writing at the top stood the words: 'I love my mommy'. Emma was suddenly reminded of the letter Henry said he wrote. She thought that after dinner she would tell Regina about it.