I really think this is the chapter that got me the most emotional since I've started writing this. I know that it's not as long and it seems a little repetitive in content, but I spilled it onto the page without a second thought. I just knew what I wanted here. Anyways, I hope that you're enjoying this and I plan on continuing this story for quite a long time so long as everyone stays interested. There will be "hot and heavy" times in the upcoming chapters and I want to warn anyone who isn't comfortable with this. Despite those chapters, the plot will always continue and involve more characters and adventures as the plot goes on. Right now I just feel like I don't want to rush it. You guys literally have no idea how much it makes me smile when I get e-mails saying that people reviewed/favorited/followed my story. It makes my day; writing is one of the biggest parts of me. Hope you enjoy.
The town before them covered in green fog and started to fall apart right before their eyes.
"Mom, please!', Henry shouted as he started to run towards her. It was the last look she would ever have of her son and his expression of pain would forever be etched in her brain. The thick air covered his body and the sound of his running footsteps disappeared right before he reached her. Regina put her hands down as the spell took over, her body now completely drained from today's events. She felt like she hasn't rested in weeks and the bags under her eyes told the truth. She hasn't eaten or slept in three days and her physical condition started to feel the punishment for that. She felt hot tears running down her cheeks as she gave one last smile in Henry's direction before everything in front of her evaporated. She still didn't know how she could do this; maybe like Emma she just wanted to give him his best chance. She wanted to give all of them their best chance. The town that was surrounding them just minutes ago now showed only deep layers of forest. Everyone besides the four queens had disappeared as if they were never there to begin with, leaving Regina with the feeling that her heart was literally breaking in two. In a state of exhaustion and grief, Regina fell to her knees and looked forward at the place that once lied before her.
She should have taken a picture; should have recorded a message, anything to remember her son just one last time. He was growing up so fast and getting so handsome and adult-like and now she'll never see him accomplish so many things. She'll never be there to see him graduate, have his first girlfriend or legally drive a car for the first time. She will never see baby Neal start walking or saying his first word. She'll never see Hook and Emma get married or maybe even have a child of their own. It's all gone. The moments of sheer regret that started to take over her dissipated for a few seconds as Mal knelt down beside her and gently touched her hand. As much as this killed Regina inside, a piece of her still felt liberated. All of the stress and fighting and years of battle between her, Emma and the Charmings' was now just a piece of the past. She hoped she could learn to live again without their presence but the idea of doing so seemed impossible. She didn't think she would ever be able to go an hour without their faces appearing wherever she looked.
"Are you going to be okay dear?", Mal asked with concern in her eyes. She moved closer to her face, taking a long look at her and tearing up at the sight of the woman before her. Mal hasn't cried since she lost her child and the watering in her eyes almost shocked her. She shouldn't have bothered to ask that question as she already knew the answer. She knew she couldn't expect Regina to be stable for a while but for now she has to do whatever she can to comfort her and make it easier. Helping her needed to start with her staying composed and not breaking down with her; she needed to stay calm and rational to make her feel like she would be okay. A warmth suddenly hit her body at the worst possible second and irritated her at her lack of self-control. She wanted to touch her along the neck and kiss her lips at that very moment but she knew that Regina wasn't in the mood for that kind of behavior. It would make her look ignorant and selfish if she acted on it and she couldn't believe that the thought even crossed her mind. Maybe it was because she was used to using passion as a way to help her cope, the way she had before during their late night meetings. She took away the pain she felt from her mother's abuse and her father's negligence. She fucked her tears away and held her tightly afterwards, letting her drift off to sleep in her arms. "Please talk to me Regina, are you okay?", she asked again while wanting to slap herself in the face.
"I don't know.", Regina said without looking up at the ground. She no longer possessed the energy to cry; she didn't think she had any tears left anyways. Mal noticed Regina's body become unsteady beside her and pulled her up to her feet, wrapping her arms around her waist and almost having to hold her up. It wasn't an embrace of sexual want or lust but an attempt to keep her from falling.
"You'll get through this darling. I'm never going to let you go remember?." Instead of responding to her words, the younger woman stared off into space as if she were in a daze. Her eyes looked hollow and her legs felt like they were going to give out. She wondered where her family was right at this second. Did they already forget about her or was the spell still working on them? Were they smiling or laughing? She felt a tightness form in her chest and she swore she was having a heart attack. Ursula and Cruella found their way towards them after spending the last few minutes staying quiet and sticking to themselves. Even with their bad attitudes they had enough respect to be sympathetic and understanding. Regina noticed Cruella and Ursula's hands lightly touching one another as if they needed comforting themselves. She never thought she would see the day that these two villains would ever reach out to her and make her feel secure; everything now felt strange and out of place and it was terrifying. Still lost in a trance, she snapped inside and felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness that was about to make her faint. The emotional outburst shot through her like a bullet.
"What day is it? What is the fucking date?!", Regina asked with a sudden panic behind her voice, almost yelling. The women looked confused by her question and startled by the loudness of her voice.
"It's March 2nd dear. Why?" Before she could find the strength to utter out the words she quit talking, feeling like she was going to vomit if she opened her mouth.
"You don't look so good Regina." Ursula interrupted.
"I…", after the first word of her sentence Regina began to see noting but darkness in front of her. 'Oh shit' was the last phrase she heard coming out of Cruella's mouth before she passed out into the older woman's arms. What they didn't know at the time was that she went from heartbroken to completely wrecked. In that second she literally lost consciousness as the realization hit her. How the fuck couldn't anyone tell her?
She was so busy with her infatuation with Maleficent and her own self-interest that she forgot her son's birthday.
A happily content baby Neal sat in his stroller as Emma's son and her friends enjoyed dessert at the local ice cream parlor. The sun shone through the windows and radiated a light on them, their location being warm and pleasant. Nothing could get any better.
"Mom can I have a banana split pleaseeee?" Henry begged her. Emma chuckled, knowing that he was always a sucker for anything sweet.
"You can have whatever you want kid." Emma smiled at him. "Tonight we're celebrating."