Chapter 13 — Henry and Regina

Henry opened his letter. He pulled out the papers inside and when he did, a photograph fell on his laps. It was a photo of him and Emma, in the castle. They were both wearing a matching grin on their lips. Henry's tears shed again. He hasn't read the letters yet but his heart already clenched so hard it hurt. He started reading.

Henry,

I love you. Please always remember that.

Let me begin by… telling you that if I could change all this, I would. But I already asked Zelena and your mother about the curse and True Love's Kiss, and if you're reading this, I guess I didn't find any solution. The curse happened when Zelena tried to take your heart that morning on the loft. You didn't remember why Zelena wants your heart. But I'm glad you didn't. You regain your memory after that event.

If you've tried to kiss me and it didn't work out, it's okay. I'm telling you it's okay. I'm sorry. Our love will always be enough for me, but it can't be used to break the curse because Zelena made it so. Please don't be mad at Zelena. She already received her proper punishment.

Please Henry, it's okay, and it will be okay. You have your mother, your grandparents, and your baby uncle. They will love and cherish you every seconds of your life, and I will live through your memories.

I hate that I wouldn't be able to meet your girlfriend (or boyfriend) and humiliate you in front of them. I hate that I won't be there to see you be a Charming spawn that you're destined to be. You always are the best of us all Henry. You are our hero. You are the truest believer.

But I'm grateful that you appeared on my doorstep two years ago. I'm grateful to have known you as a very bright little boy who is in his journey to become a brave young man. I'm grateful that you grew up being loved by Regina, and I'm grateful that you will continue to grow up surrounded by the love you deserve. I'm grateful to have spent these two years being your mother. It is a privilege, Henry.

Always be good to your mom, okay? She has been through so much, and she deserves her happy ending. It's about time for her. And please take care of her, she will try anything and everything to bring me back, but remind her that not every problems have solutions. Don't let her forget that she deserves her happy ending, kay?

Learn to love from your grandparents, they know so much about it. But I think you already know that. They're great, sometimes a bit cheesy, but they meant good. And remind them that your baby uncle will need them every steps of the way. Don't let them let go of their son, like they did me.

If there's time, the answer was actually simple, Tink will know. If there's not enough time for me, remember that you are loved Henry, and it's okay, and it will always be okay.

Remember Henry, we are what we choose. Choose wisely, always.

I love you, above and beyond.

Love, Emma.

After Henry finished reading his letter twice, Henry ran to his mum's room only to find her a sobbing mess on her bed. Henry approached cautiously, not wanting to spook his mum accidentally and made her threw a fireball or something. Henry climbed the bed and sat next to her before he put his arm around her waist and snuggled close to her side.

When Regina's breathing became regular again, Henry softly started, "Mum, we need to talk to Tink."

"Why, Henry?"

"Emma told me so."

Regina gasped at Emma's name but recovered quickly. "You could use my phone to call her, dear. Please open the door if she rang, okay?"

"Okay Mum. Is it okay if I stay here for a while before calling Tink?" Henry looked up. Her mother looked so sad, so broken.

"Of course, Henry. I would love nothing more."

They fell into comfortable silence, with Regina still trying to calm her breathing every once in a while because her tears seemed to have a mind of its own. Everytime she thought about Emma, her tears was threatening to fall down.

"I have a feeling Emma will wake up Mum," Henry said softly while he burrowed deeper into his mother's side.

"I— I don't know Henry. It seems impossible, but I would love it if she woke up." Regina uttered her broken hope.

"I think she will, but it won't be by my kiss."

"I hope you're right Henry."

"I will call Tink. I'll call you down when she has arrived." Henry kissed Regina's cheek before letting go and started moving to grab the phone.

Regina smiled sadly while she watched her son moving around her room. When he's out of sight, Regina's eyes fell upon Emma's letter and the photograph inside the envelopes.

It was of her and Emma kissing Henry on both of his cheek simultaneously while Henry scrunched his nose from the affection his mothers gave him. Regina forgot who took that picture but they looked happy. They looked like a family. It was taken aboard Jolly Roger, so much for irony.

Her eyes went to the letter. The scrawl that is Emma's handwriting stood there. Threatened to spill her tears over and over again. She started to read it, again.

Regina,

I'm sorry I don't get to be your happy ending. For what it's worth, I think… No, I know you're mine. You're my happy ending Regina.

When you said that you want me to be yours, I couldn't help myself. And I will forever regret that I didn't regret that moment, not one bit. If I know how to get out of this curse just to be with you for one more seconds, I would give anything Regina, everything. But I don't know how. And I don't think I would live long enough for that to happen. I'm sorry Regina, I truly am.

If you ever talk to Tink, she will give you another letter from me when it's time.

I'm sorry I lied to you about my said curse. I did it because I don't want to break your heart, but I knew now that I'm a coward and an idiot. I already broke your heart by succumbing into eternal sleep, or worse, death. There's not enough words in this world to enunciate how sorry I am that I broke your heart, Regina.

I'm sorry that I won't get to kiss you again. I'm sorry that I haven't experience the privilege of seeing you when you get up in the morning, or taking care of you while you sick. But I hope you find love again, Regina. Even if it's not with the forest vigilante dude.

If you could, please forgive your sister? She didn't know the cure either. She made it so that I was immune to Henry's kiss. That's why Henry's kiss didn't work (if you have tried). Not to mention there's a piece in my heart that needs to be magically removed for the curse to undo.

Thank you for being such a good mother for Henry. It ease my guilt for giving him up, even though I still felt the guilt every now and then. You are the best mother anyone could ever imagine to have. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise, Regina. Please take care of him for me. Henry loves you, you know. I just realised it now, but I think when we were living in New York, he always was the one who subconsciously knew there's something wrong, a piece that didn't quite fit, a hole that was missing, when you weren't with us. He loves you deeply Regina. The kid has infinite capacity to love. And that's because you raised him up.

I know I'm reaching here but if you wouldn't mind please keep an eye (or two) on my mother and father. I love them, but God, they are magnets for trouble. Don't pout now, I know you love them too. Once again, thanks for saving my parents every now and then. However much they fault me, I will always love them. Parents have that effect on you, you know.

And please visit Little James if you have time. I positively believe he would adore you. He's such a sweetheart, and basically he's a mini me, but a boy. Please take care of him like I would?

And lastly… Thank you Regina. For everything. You are this one constant in my life that I ever had. You are my rock.

And know… that you're loved.

Love, Emma.

Regina wiped her tears away. Stupid idiot. If Emma knew the kiss wouldn't work, why didn't she tell Regina earlier? Stupid ignorant fool. Regina remembered Henry was contacting Tink and she took relief on the fact that she ordered everyone to read their letter in detail. Well, as best as they could, considering the messy scrawl that is Emma's handwriting.

Regina scoffed.

She wiped the rest of the tears away and cleaned her face before moving downstairs. As expected, Henry was waiting anxiously for Tink's arrival while bouncing his legs impatiently on the sofa. The second the doorbell rang, Henry jumped out of the sofa and ran towards the door. He opened it enthusiastically and let Tink in.

"Hey Tink," he greeted.

"Tinkerbell," Regina greeted the former fairy.

Tink smiled sadly, took a step forward and went inside the mansion. "Where's Emma?"

"She's in the hospital." Henry started to explain. "She's cursed, and I tried waking her up but I don't think I can. I think it has to be her True Love like Grams and Gramps True Love."

"Yeah she told me that much, Henry. How much time do we have?" Tink encouraged Henry to continue.

"I don't know, about one or two days? I think it's because the sleeping curse works differently here with magic being weaker than it is in the Enchanted Forest."

Tink nodded. "It makes sense. That's why Emma was telling me things," she mumbled.

"So do you have any idea who her True Love is?" Henry asked. "Is it Mum?"

Regina's eyes went wide at Henry's confession. "I— I don't know Henry. I haven't figured it out, to be honest."

Henry smiled sadly. He didn't want to push it. He knows his mum was trying to sort out her feelings for Emma. For a second Henry thought back to the day he held his mother's heart on his hand. When he has asked about Emma, the heart spread its warmth and beat faster, as though the heart understood his question better than the owner.

"I think that's all I know. I'm gonna call Grams and Gramps, maybe they have new information from the letter," Henry said wisely. "I'm going to be on my room, Mum."

"Okay, thank you sweetheart," Regina nodded at her son who has grown so much since she last saw him.

As soon as Henry was out of sight, Regina squinted her eyes at the blonde fairy. "Spill it out, Tinkerbell."

Tink tried to look at everywhere but Regina's eyes. This is what she dreaded. The queen's pressure. "I can't."

"Tink."

"I seriously can't. I promised Emma."

"And she's lying helplessly in a hospital bed. She broke my son's heart. The least you could do was telling me what she told you." Regina hissed angrily.

"Calm down, Regina. I— if you're serious about all this, I need to ask you a question." Regina glared at her, but Tink decided to continue. "Do… do you love her?"

Regina was stunned. She expected her son to ask the question, but not the fairy. She took a deep breath before she started her train of thought. Sometimes it's hard to see behind all the facade they sported. But underneath all that, she cares about the infuriating blonde. If she didn't, she wouldn't answer Emma's question with such honesty. She wouldn't say it out loud that she wants her to be her happy ending.

Feeling so small, Regina whispered a soft "Yes" to Tink, as her tears fell down when she realised the stupid idiot broke her heart and mended it at the same time, if that's even possible.

Tink handed Regina an envelope with her name written on top of it.