Regina paced the floor of her office, unable to concentrate on anything. Emma had just told her that a certain Storybrooke citizen had awoken from a coma, which was supposed to be impossible. The Dark Curse was supposed to have had a static effect on the town, keeping people in their designated, unchanging forms. Only powerful magic could have woken 'John Doe' from his coma.
The only problem was, there was no magic in Storybrooke. Over the past twenty eight years, Regina had tried countless times to cast a spell, brew a potion or summon a magical force and had failed every time. She had gone through each page of every magical book multiple times and came up empty handed. Regina had theorized, calculated, and experimented with every piece of information she had about magic, but to no avail.
There was only one other possibility. Only one thing had changed in Storybrooke. Emma.
Regina tried to suppress it, but the words from Rumplestiltskin echoed in the deepest recesses of Regina's mind: "This child could be your undoing."
Twenty eight years ago Regina heard those words. Twenty eight years ago she cast the curse. Twenty eight years ago Snow White gave birth to a child and sent it to an unknown realm.
Emma was twenty eight.
Regina grabbed her purse and strode out of her office. There was only one person who could give her answers.
SQ
Regina marched towards Mr. Gold's pawn shop. She hated having to come to the man for help, especially since it required a favor from her in return, but she had no other choice than to swallow her pride if she wanted to know the truth.
The bell above the door rung loudly as the Mayor entered the store.
"Gold!" Regina called, demanding the man's presence.
The store owner emerged from the back office, limping slowly towards the counter.
"Ah, Madam Mayor. What can I do for you?" he asked casually.
"Emma's file. I want it." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying not to look like she was giving in.
The man smiled smugly. "Alright dearie. It's all yours, as long as you remember your end of the deal."
"Fine. Just give it to me."
"Very well." Mr. Gold reached under the counter and pulled out an accordion file marked "Invoices". He selected a single Manila envelope and handed it over.
Regina smirked. "I assumed it would be under lock and key."
"Sometimes the best hiding place is in plain sight," he said. "I hope you find what you're looking for."
Regina snatched the file away. "I'm only looking for the truth."
As she departed the shop, Mr. Gold's parting words followed her. "Be careful what you wish for, dearie."
SQ
Regina closed the door to her study and poured a glass of Scotch. Emma's file lay on the desk in front of her like Pandora's box; god only knew what secrets lay inside, but the curiosity to find out was overwhelming.
Slowly Regina opened the folder.
First was a series of photographs taken at different stages of Emma's life. Most looked like school photos or pictures taken by social workers to document Emma Swan, ward of the state, starting at age three. Regina flipped through one by one as big, sullen eyes peered back at her. Her heart wrenched as Regina realized then Emma wasn't smiling in a single one. She looked scared, detached, and underfed. The last photo was of Emma, age 15, with a familiar defiant look on her face. Regina couldn't help but smile imagining Emma as a rebellious teenager, no doubt a hell-raiser.
The following pages described the various foster homes and group homes Emma had been placed in. There were a total of twenty two over the span of fourteen years. It broke Regina's heart to know how many times Emma had been passed off, handed over and abandoned during her childhood. No child deserved that kind of life.
There were notes jotted down under some of the listings. Comments included a range of adjectives like "quiet", "reserved", and "withdrawn", to "angry", "unwilling to compromise" and "doesn't play well with others". Other comments went into greater detail, including one entry that read, "Emma refuses to talk to or play with the other children. She states that she does not trust adults, and she spends most of her time alone. Emma is resistant to school and her teachers report she does not participate in class. Emma is unresponsive to socializing attempts and is disruptive in the house. Recommend that Emma Swan be placed in a different foster home."
Regina clenched the paper. How could these people not see? How could they not recognize a suffering child in need of love? It made Regina think back to how she treated Emma, how many nights she dismissed the blonde from her house when Emma clearly wanted to stay. How she pushed and pushed Emma away when she had done nothing wrong. Yet Emma took all of Regina's abuse and kept coming back.
I don't deserve her, a voice whispered in her head.
Then Regina came to the final page in the folder, Emma's birth certificate. Attached was a police report. One look at the information and Regina knew the truth.
Emma had been found on the side of the road as a newborn baby just outside of Storybrooke the night the curse was cast. It all made sense. Magic and fate were always intermingled, struggling to maintain a balance. In this case, the darkest, most powerful curse in existence was coupled with the one person who could break it: the product of True Love, the child of Snow White and Prince Charming. And Regina was falling in love with her.
The page fell to the floor as Regina's world came crashing down.
SQ
For the second time that day, Regina stormed into Gold's pawn shop. The door practically flew off the hinges. Regina was a tempest, raging with emotions.
"You knew, didn't you? You knew this whole time!" she practically screamed across the store.
"Knew what, dearie?" the man asked casually, polishing an antique silver teapot. He acted completely unsurprised at Regina's sudden appearance, as if he expected her.
"Emma. You knew who she was. Who she is!"
"Can you be a little more specific? I'm not exactly sure what you mean," he said coyly.
"Stop it! You know exactly what I mean, Gold."
The man smiled deviously. "You and I know both know that's not my real name," he said in a low, steady tone. The man had been waiting twenty eight years for this moment. The moment of truth.
Regina glowered at the man. For some time she had expected Mr. Gold knew more than he let on. Sly looks, off-hand insinuations and just a general aura of sneakiness had Regina's suspicions aroused the past few months.
Fine. If the man wanted to go there, she would go there. At the moment she was preoccupied with more pressing matters. She had questions that needed answers.
"Ok, if you want me to say it, I'll say it. Rumpelstiltskin. Your real name is Rumpelstiltskin," she sneered.
The man gave a theatrical bow and waved his hands. "At your service, Your Majesty."
"So you've known this whole time?" the irate brunette gritted out. "How?"
"Surely you wouldn't think I would just subject myself completely to the curse? Have my memories erased?" The man giggled. "I tampered with the curse so my mind would stay intact. It was simple enough, actually. I thought you would have anticipated that," he explained condescendingly.
"So why? Why did you give me the curse? Why go through all the trouble?"
"I needed to come to this realm, but was unable to cast the necessary magic myself. Thankfully, you were all to happy to do it for me. The one thing I didn't anticipate, though, was the magical barrier surrounding this town. I need to leave Storybrooke, but have been unable to do so these past 28 years, despite all of my efforts. I realized that I needed a savior, someone with inherent magic powerful enough to break the curse; the product of True Love. So I tracked down Emma, and in doing so, Henry." The man looked quite pleased with himself.
"You brought me Henry when I wanted to adopt, knowing that eventually it would lead Emma here," Regina concluded.
"Exactly!" he clapped.
"So why do you need to break the curse? Why do you need to leave so badly?" Regina questioned, her head spinning with so much new information.
"That's my business. What you should be worried about is Henry. Tell me, your Majesty, what happens when Henry grows up and wants to leave Storybrooke and you can't go with him? What happens when he starts a family in another place and you are still stuck here? What happens when Henry dies, and you remain here, perfectly frozen in time? You didn't't think this one through, dearie."
Regina realized the man was right. Henry was born of this world, while Regina was statically preserved per the magic of the curse. She would outlive him, and the thought of that inevitability almost brought her to her knees.
"I'll find a way," the Queen stated.
"No. You won't. Magic is impossible here. It doesn't exist. Your only hope is to break the curse."
"How?"
"I have a plan. I'm calling in my favor. What I ask of you is to tell Emma the truth. Tell her that everything Henry has said about the curse is true. Everything in the book really happened. You have to convince her that it's all real."
"Wait, how do you know about the book?" Regina asked.
"Who do you think gave it to him?" he stated with a reflexive wave of his hand.
Regina narrowed her eyes. Apparently Rumplestiltskin had manipulated this from many angles.
"So why? Why do you want me to tell Emma the truth? What will that accomplish?"
"The only thing that can break the curse is True Love's kiss. But, true love can not exist without transparency. Each participant must know and love everything about the other; all their best, and all their worst. If Emma can love you despite your treacherous past, then you may have a chance at breaking the spell."
Regina's heart sank. There was no way that Emma would be able to love Regina after all she had done, all the people she had hurt, all the lives she had destroyed.
"What about Snow and Charming? Apparently he just woke up from his coma. If they kiss…" Regina tried.
"No," Rumplestiltskin cut her off. "Like I said, transparency. While the two of them may be drawn to each other, they have no idea of who the other is, thanks to the curse. You and Emma are the only ones capable of True Love. And from what I've seen, you're well on your way," he said with a smirk.
"I can't…there is no way she'll believe me."
Mr. Gold sighed. "Then we are all doomed."
SQ
Regina paced in her mansion, unable to sit still. She had helped herself to a glass of scotch, hoping it would calm her nerves. So far, no such luck, but the burn of the liquor did help dislodge the lump of nausea in her throat.
There was no way Emma was going to believe her. She wouldn't be able to break the curse. Regina was trapped in Storybrooke for the foreseeable future, possibly the rest if Henry's life and beyond. The thought of her son brought tears to her eyes.
Henry was due home from school at any moment. She had to keep some level of composure until she figured out a plan.
As if on cue, the front door opened and Henry and Emma came galavanting through the door. They were laughing about something, and the noise thundered throughout the previously silent house. Normally Regina would have been happy to hear the jovial sounds between her girlfriend and their son, but currently her distress was outweighing any other emotion.
Emma and Henry halted when they saw Regina in the study.
"Hey mom, did you get home from work early?" Henry asked.
"Yes. Work was slow so I decided to come home to greet you from school. I wasn't expecting Emma though," she said with a forced smile.
"Well work was slow for me to so I decided to walk Henry home. This is a nice surprise though," she said stepping closer and leaning in to give Regina a kiss. At the last second Regina turned her head so Emma's lips fell on her cheek.
"Ew, gross. I'm going up to my room," Henry teased and scampered off.
"Hey babe, what's wrong? You seem a bit off," Emma asked, running her hands up and down the brunette's arms. Regina's posture was stiff, and her eye looked worried and distant. Emma noticed the glass of Scotch on the sideboard.
"Starting early today?" she asked, trying not to sound judgmental. Normally Emma wouldn't care if Regina was drinking, but hard liquor at 3:00 in the afternoon, right when Henry got home from school? That was weird.
Regina sighed. "I've just had a rough day. I needed something to take the edge off."
Emma smiled. "I can help take the edge off," she insinuated, reaching out and pulling the brunette against her body. Emma's warm mouth covered Regina's, and for a moment the brunette forgot about everything else. Emma ran her hands up her girlfriend's body, brushing the sides of her breasts with her thumbs. One hand went to the small of Regina's back while the other to the back of her neck.
Normally the Mayor loved it when Emma held her like this. It was comforting and sensual. Emma tried to deepen the kiss, working her tongue past Regina's lips before the brunette pulled away suddenly.
The thought of Emma as Snow White's daughter invaded Regina's mind. On one hand it made Emma more appealing. Regina had seduced and corrupted the daughter of her enemy, and she took vengeful satisfaction in that fact. On the other hand, this was the child Regina was hell-bent on killing back in the Enchanted Forest. It was her quest for revenge that caused Emma to be sent away and suffer through a painful childhood.
I can't do this, Regina thought to herself. She looked away from Emma, unable to make eye contact.
"Hey, what's wrong? Talk to me?" Emma implored.
Regina took a deep breath. "I just have some things on my mind. I'm sorry."
"That's ok. Do you want me to leave?" Emma asked. Of course the blonde didn't want to leave, but Regina seemed like she needed some space.
"No, Emma, I just…I don't know…"
The blonde smile reassuringly. "It's ok, Regina. It's fine if you need a little space. I know things are changing pretty fast, and it's normal to need time to adjust. I just wanted to pop in real quick and get a little sugar," she grinned and leaned in for a chaste, lingering kiss.
Regina's heart swelled. I'm going to miss this, she couldn't help but think.
"Ok, I'm going to go. Can I call you later?" Emma asked after pulling away.
"Yes, of course dear," the brunette replied with a genuine smile, almost choking on the emotion rising in her chest. She was going to lose Emma. There was no way she would stay once she heard the truth.
Emma turned to go but Regina grabbed her and pulled her close. The brunette pressed her mouth against Emma's, moving her lips slowly and parting Emma's lips with her tongue. Regina moved her hands into Emma's blonde waves, stroking through her soft, long hair. She pressed her body against the warm curves of her lover, enjoying her closeness one more time. Regina wanted to remember everything about Emma; the way she tasted, the way she smelled, the way she felt, the soft sounds she was making in the back of her throat.
Emma responded in kind, deepening the kiss and winding her arms around Regina's torso. Regina reveled in the warmth and comfort of Emma's embrace, terrified that this may be the last one.
When they finally pulled apart, it was as if someone was ripping a part of Regina away from herself.
"Wow. Thank you," Emma grinned, obviously floored by the passionate show of affection.
The brunette smiled. "I'll talk to you later?"
"Absolutely."
One more kiss, and the pair separated. Emma left the house with a parting glance over her shoulder, throwing one of her best megawatt smiles at her girlfriend.
As soon as she was gone, Regina crumbled into a heap on the floor, trying her best to hold in the sobs with threatened to escape her aching chest.
SQ
Later that night Emma received a call from Regina.
"Hey babe, how are you?" she answered.
"Fine. I'm much better now, thank you." Regina's voice was calm, stoic. Completely unlike how it was earlier. It was eerie, and Emma's instincts buzzed sharply.
"I was wondering if you would go somewhere with me? I want to show you something," Regina asked.
"Umm, sure. Where?"
"The corner of Tenth and Maple. Can you be there in fifteen minutes?"
"Sure, I'll see you then. Are you sure you're ok, Regina?" Emma asked concerned.
"Yes. I'll see you in fifteen minutes," she answered quickly and hung up.
Emma was bewildered. She had never hear Regina use that tone of voice before. Something was definitely up with her, and Emma needed to find out what it was. Slipping on some shoes, Emma grabbed her car keys and headed out the door.
SQ
Thirteen minutes later, Emma was coming to a stop at the corner of Tenth and Maple. Regina was already there, standing against the side of her parked car.
Emma came to a stop next the the Benz and cut the engine. Stepping out of the car, she looked quizzically at her girlfriend.
"Sooo, what's going on? What do you need to show me?" the blonde asked, nearing the brunette.
Regina smiled weakly at her. "I come here once a week. My father is buried here, and I come by to bring flowers to his grave. I know it's not the most romantic spot, but this place is special to me, and I wanted to share it with you."
It was then that Emma noticed they were at the town cemetery, and a chill ran down her spine.
"Oh, well, yeah, that's nice." Emma stumbled over her words. She felt jittery about the whole situation. This was not what she was expecting.
Regina smiled, reading the blonde's nervous energy. "It's fine Emma. Nothing to be afraid of," and stepped closer to take her girlfriend's hand.
Emma instantly felt calmed by the close proximity of Regina, and gripped her hand tighter. "Ok, but if we get attacked by ghosts, or zombies, I'm going to be pissed."
Regina laughed and tugged at the blonde's hand. "Come along dear, I'll protect you."
Emma smiled sheepishly and let Regina take the lead. The brunette lead them towards the center of the cemetery, and Emma had to admit the place wasn't as creepy as she imagined. The lawn was meticulously groomed, the headstones were smooth marble and most of them were adorned with fresh, colorful flowers.
Eventually they stopped in front of a mausoleum, an impressive structure made of stone and heavy wooden doors. Regina pushed against one of the doors and it swung open freely.
Inside was a stone sarcophagus, the remains of Regina's father resting inside. The brunette moved around the small room, lighting candles and placing a fresh bouquet of white roses on his tomb. They stood there silently for a few minutes, Emma assumed this was one of those 'moment of silence' things where you're supposed to reflect respectively on the life of the deceased.
Emma noticed the name on the tomb: Henry Mills. She smiled, understanding the significance of her son's name.
Finally Regina spoke up. "My father was one of the kindest people I knew. My mother was harsh and strict, but my father protected me as best he could. He used to tell me stories every night before bed, and slip me treats when my mother wasn't looking. When I would get sick, he would stay up all night with me, singing songs and tending me with herbs and cooled linen to soothe my fever."
"Herbs? You didn't use Tylenol?" Emma asked.
Regina grimaced and wrung her hands. "We didn't have Tylenol, where I'm from." Regina looked squarely at Emma. "I have to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you're going to take it. Actually, I have a pretty good idea, which is why I brought you here; so I can show you as well as tell you."
Emma was utterly confused. "Um, ok. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine Regina," she tried to reassure.
Regina took a deep breath. "I know that Henry has that Fairy Tale book. I know he thinks I'm the Evil Queen, and that Snow White and Prince Charming and everyone else are real people. I've tried to convince him it's not true, that it's all made up, all imaginary people and places. But the truth is, Emma, that Henry is not wrong. That book is an account of real people, real places, and real events. Everything in that book actually happened."
Emma just stared at Regina, dumbfounded, waiting for her to laugh, crack a joke, do something, because what she was saying couldn't possibly be true.
"Ok Regina, this isn't funny. I don't think it's polite to have a laugh at your father's graveside," she responded after a minute of silence from the brunette.
"I'm not. I am who that book says I am. I ruled as the Evil Queen, I had magical powers, and I cast a curse that sent everyone from my realm to this one. I know you wouldn't believe me, so that's why I brought you here, to show you this…" and the brunette placed her hands on the stone tomb in front of them and pushed. The sarcophagus moved surprisingly easy, sliding forward to reveal a hidden staircase underneath, stone steps descending down into darkness.
"What the fuck!" Emma jumped back in surprise.
Regina, unfazed, started down the steps, knowing Emma would follow. Sure enough, the blonde began to stumble down the staircase after her girlfriend.
The stairs went down a good thirty feet and ended in a small chamber. The walls were damp stone, shelves carved out holding various vials and bottles. Old wooden cabinets took up some of the floor space, containing think dusty books with leather bound covers. The air in the room was stagnant, stale and damp.
Regina moved to light more candles around the room, revealing more curious objects and books. Emma just gazed around the room, taking everything in.
"This is my vault, where I keep my favorite relics from my past life," Regina started. "I used these to cast spells and curses, brew potions and magical elixirs. But in this world, there is no magic, so they are all useless."
Emma just stared dumbfounded around the room. She was speechless. She didn't know whether to run, or laugh, or start yelling any number of the questions flying around in her head. Regina waited patiently for Emma's reaction. In the silence, Emma heard a faint, rhythmic thumping sound.
"What's that noise?" The blonde started with a question that may have a tangible answer.
Regina hung her head. "I'll show you."
Along the farthest wall were dozens, if not hundreds of boxes carved into the wall. A red light shone from the cracks along their sides. The noise was coming from these. Regina reached into one box and pulled out a red, glowing object.
Emma walked closer. It looked like a heart. She felt sick.
Regina cradled the thumping heart carefully in her hands. "This was how I used to control people. I would take their heart out of their chest, a spell preserving them in the meantime. They would have no choice but to obey my every command, or I would crush their heart. I've taken so many I've lost count."
"What are you saying? That you're a magic fairy tale character who stole people's hearts!? Regina this is insane! Why are you saying these things!?" Emma was beginning to panic. None of this made sense.
"I'm telling you because it's the truth. Emma, you have to believe me. I know this sounds crazy, but if you can't believe what I am telling you, I'll lose Henry. I can't leave this town. I can't age. I've been exactly like this for 28 years, and if I can't break the curse, I'll stay like this forever, but you and Henry won't. You are they only one who can save me, save all of us. Your parents, Snow White and Prince Charming, they're here as well…"
"Stop!" Emma cried, placing her hands over her ears. She couldn't take any more lies. Not from the woman she loved.
She tried to tap into her instincts, to see if she could tell Regina was lying, but there was nothing indicating that Regina wasn't telling the truth.
"Emma, I swear, I wish I was lying. I wish I could change everything, but I can't. I need you to believe me," Regina pleaded, taking a step towards Emma.
"No, no, no. This isn't happening," Emma ranted, stepping away from the brunette.
"Emma, please. I love you…"
"No!" The three words Emma had been desperate to hear her entire life. The one thing she wanted more than anything, and it was happening like this?
This was all wrong. Everything was wrong. Emma started to feel claustrophobic. She needed air. She needed space. So she did the only thing she could think of. She ran.
SQ
"Henry! Henry! Where are you!?" Emma burst into the mayoral mansion. She had fled the cemetery, leaving Regina behind. Her only thought was to get to Henry and get out of this town.
Emma ran up the stairs to Henry's room. He was sitting on his bed, that Fairy Tale book spread open on his lap. He look up at her in total surprise, shocked to see the wild expression on her face.
"Emma. What's wrong?" he asked.
"We have to go. Your mom, she…she isn't feeling well, and I need to get you out of here," Emma replied hastily and starting grabbing clothes at random, stuffing them into the kid's backpack.
"What? No! I'm not leaving. What's going on?" Henry demanded.
"I don't have time to explain, we just need to go." Emma wasn't exactly sure where they would go, she just had an overwhelming urge to run. It's what she did when she was scared, or angry. Regina just told her she was an Evil Queen with magical powers. She had just shown Emma a wall of beating hearts, and Emma was freaking out.
"No, we can't! We have to stay. My mom, she needs us!" Henry protested.
"Henry, your mom is not herself. She's confused. She told me…she told me some things and I think she needs help. I just want to get you some place safe until we can sort her out."
"She told you, didn't she? She told you the truth. About who she is? The Evil Queen?"
"Henry, it's not real…"
"Yes it is! It's real! We have to help her! You said so! You said we could break the curse of we loved her and she loved us back!" Henry was crying now, moving away from Emma, clutching the book to his chest.
"I'm sorry! I just said those things to make you happy. Fairy tales aren't real, Henry!" Emma yelled desperately.
"Yes they are!" he screamed back, thrusting the book into Emma's hands.
Immediately, flashes of people and places Emma had never seen before invaded the blonde's mind. A woman with dark, long hair was sobbing as she handed over a baby to a handsome man. A castle. Dozens of Knights in dark armor running with swords waiving. A dark, beautiful woman with fire in her eyes cackling as she stood over the handsome man lying motionless on the floor, blood spilling form his side.
Everything came rushing all at once. Memories, feelings, emotions. So overwhelming that Emma fell to the floor. She suddenly realized that she recognized each of the people in the visions. She knew their stories. She felt their fears, their hopes, their despair.
It was all true. Everything in the book was real. Emma felt it as surely as she felt the hard floor against her knees. She squeezed her eyes and tried to will everything away. It was all too much.
The only thing that mattered to her was Henry. She had to protect her son, she had to get him away from the craziness of Storybrooke, away from the Evil Queen.
Regina. The thought of her thundered in Emma's mind. This whole time Regina was the cause of Emma's painful childhood. It was Regina who forced Emma's parents to send her away.
The images from the visions juxtaposed the recent memories of the brunette woman. The malice in the Queen's eyes compared to the love in the Mayor's. The hateful laughter that swirled in the winds of the curse versus the soft smiles and genuine chuckles that Emma could remember clearly only a few days prior.
It was almost impossible to take everything in at once, so Emma settled for grabbing Henry and shoving him towards the door. She could figure out everything later.
Henry protested, trying to wriggle out of Emma's grasp as they left the house, but Emma was stronger and fueled by the desperation only a mother can have for the safety of their child. They crossed the front lawn to Emma's car as headlights illuminated the driveway.
Regina's Mercedes screeched to a halt and the brunette woman emerged from the car. Her face was streaked with tears and her eyes were wild.
"Emma please, let me explain…"
"No! Stay back! I know who you are and what you've done! I'm taking Henry and we are leaving Storybrooke so you can't hurt him the way you've hurt everyone else," Emma yelled, shoving Henry protectively behind herself.
"Mom!" Henry cried, trying to reach for the brunette.
"It's ok, Henry. Everything is going to be fine," Regina tried to reassure her frightened son.
Emma pushed Henry into her car and locked the door, preventing him from escaping. She turned to face Regina, eyes blazing.
"You! You did this. You made me an orphan! You tried to kill my parents, you tried to kill me!" she accused.
"Emma, please listen. Yes, I have done some terrible things, but I am not the same person that I once was. I know what I did was wrong, and I would give anything to change it. But please, don't take Henry away."
"You think I'm going to let him stay here, with you!? You're evil!"
"No! Emma, I would never do anything to harm Henry, or you. I know that you think I am what the book tells you I am, but there is more to the story. You have no idea what I've been through, the evils that I have had to face. All I ask is that you listen. Please, just listen to what I have to say," Regina implored.
Emma looked at the brunette, pain etched in her face. A voice in Emma's head screamed for her to stay and listen to the woman, but Emma's fear was overwhelming,
"No. I'm taking Henry someplace where you can't get to him. Where you can't get to me." With that, Emma lowered herself into her car, shut the door and roared out of sight.
Regina could only watch in horror as her True Love and her son drove away from her, and there was nothing she could do to stop them.