Chapter Two

Regina

When Henry had come to me, asking questions about my days as the Evil Queen, my first instinct had been to lie. To get him in to see a shrink in the hopes that he'd think himself crazy and drop the whole subject. But the bigger part of me, that part that was crying out for redemption, wanted him to know the truth. And so I told him the truth. I told him even the details most mothers would have hidden from their child. He listened carefully and - when I'd finished - asked if I still wanted Snow White dead, if I was happy with the curse. I was honest again. I could have said that I wanted her dead now just as much as I did then. But I didn't. I told him that I was sick of fighting. That I had realized, after becoming a mother, that she'd only been a child. I shouldn't have hated her for not doing something that most children can't do: keep a secret. Henry took this all with a nod before stating that he knew how to break the curse.

I was shocked. How could he know how to break the curse when even I couldn't have done it? The curse had been cast with magic. I couldn't break the curse without magic. But Henry only smiled at me, explaining that he'd been doing research. Not surprising. When Henry got something in his head, he researched it until he'd exhausted himself. He told me he'd found that only my true love could break the curse. Ridiculous, of course, villains didn't get happy endings. At this, Henry rolled his eyes at me. Of course they did, he said. And besides, I wasn't a villain anymore. It was nice to have him treating me like his mother again. For the past few months, he'd been treating me as an enemy. Now he was treating me like his mother again and it made me smile.

When I asked him who my true love was, he smiled and said that it was his birth mother, Snow White's daughter. Which meant that I was screwed. Snow would never let me anywhere near her daughter. Henry laughed when I said that, saying only that Snow was more forgiving than I thought she was and anyways Emma was a grown woman who could make her own decisions. And then he smiled, looked down at his watch, and left the room. Henry came back with his shoes and jacket on, saying only that he'd figured out where Emma was. He said he'd be back soon and ran off before I could even think of stopping him.

He returned an hour later with a petite woman with long blonde hair and green eyes. She wore a pair of jeans and a white tank top with a red leather jacket. Her long hair was down around her shoulders ad she was smiling softly. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen and I was hoping that what Henry had said was the truth. I was hoping that she really was my true love. Not because of her beauty but because you could see in her eyes that she was a really, truly good person.

We ended up talking for over two hours that night. Emma was every bit as beautiful in personality as she was in looks. I knew I could fall in love with her and that it would only be a matter of time before it happened. While the idea of falling in love scared me, I knew that it would happen regardless of what I said or did. Pushing Emma away would do nothing but make Henry angry at her. It would not break the curse and it would not help me. Ever since the woman I loved had been murdered by my mother, I'd had a problem letting people in. But I could not do that with Emma. I had to let her in.

The next morning, Snow was coming over to see me for the first time since I had cast the curse. She came in and I was shocked at how...the same she'd looked. So the curse had affected her as well. She hadn't aged a single day. Her hair was cut short but she was still Snow White, the most beautiful woman in all the land. I'd been worried at first that I would feel the same hatred that I'd always felt. Thankfully, I felt nothing aside from remorse. Remorse for all I had put this woman through. Tears filled my eyes almost before I'd fully seen her. She hugged me tightly, pressing her face against my shoulder. I held her for a long moment, standing in my front yard with cars passing by.

"I didn't believe you'd changed at first. When Henry came to find Emma, I honestly thought he was just a child wanting to believe the best of the woman who had raised him. But you really have changed, haven't you?" Snow said when we'd gotten into the manor.

"I have. It's because of Henry. I adopted him when he was a baby and I've always tried to be the best mother I could be. When he realized the truth, found out that I had been the Evil Queen...I didn't know what to do at first. I could have lied to him, told him I didn't know what he was talking about. But he told me that, if I lied, things would turn out badly. He said he'd read it in a book but I doubt it. Our boy is a Seer. He's done it before. Told me things that will happen before they do. So I told him the truth. All of it. I told my son every rotten thing I'd done."

"How did he react?"

I smiled. "He told me he loved me and that he knew how to break the curse. He told me that my true love was out there somewhere and he knew just who she was. I almost cried when he said it was your daughter. After all, you hate me and I...I didn't think I had a chance in hell with Emma."

"But you do have a chance with her. My daughter is the kindest person I know. She has a forgiving nature. Besides, when she came home last night all she could talk about was how beautiful and kind you'd been. She was the one that urged me to come and see you."

"I know that now, of course. But when he first told me, I was convinced that I'd never break the curse. I will, though. I will break this curse."

Snow smiled. "I hope so. I miss my husband."

"You could have him, you know. He and his wife have been split up for over a year now. He's asked who you were a few times. Even in another world, the man is drawn to you."

Snow's eyes widened. "Really?"

I laughed. "You're his true love, Snow. Of course he's drawn to you. He asks about the pretty school teacher all the time. In fact...Emma said you and her would come for dinner tonight. I'll call and invite him."

"Oh you don't have to do that."

"He eats dinner at Granny's diner in town every night. I think he'd enjoy having a meal with others. Especially that pretty teacher he asks about all the time. Besides, I'm making lasagna and he loves it. I was friends with Kathryn, his former wife, and my lasagna was something he'd always liked when they came over."

"Then call him. I...I would like to at least talk to him. It's been so long."

I looked at my watch. "I'll go call him now. Emma will be here in ten minutes and I'll start dinner once she and David get here."

I left the room to call David. As I expected, he was excited to come to dinner to meet Snow. He said he was on his way and, by the time I'd come back to the living room, Emma had arrived with Henry. It was a Saturday evening and she'd taken him into town to hang out and get to know each other. She hugged me and kissed my cheek, smiling as I blushed at the contact. A few minutes later, David knocked on the door and I answered it.

"David, this is Mary-Margaret Swan. Mary, this is David Nolan."

"It's nice to meet you David."

The two shook hands and, as their fingers touched, a shudder ran through David. We watched in utter shock as he dropped to the floor, clutching his head. When he stood up again, his eyes were dark with rage and he stepped towards me. I took a step back, knowing that he'd remembered.

"My wife may not remember what you did but I do. You cursed us!" he shouted.

Snow laughed. "Of course I remember. I went through the wardrobe, didn't I? Stop being foolish Charming and sit down." she said.

"Snow, what are you saying? She cursed us. Separated us for twenty-eight years."

"And now she's changed. I believe her Charming. She cried when she saw me. Hugged me even. Not to mention that she is our daughter's true love and if you kill her you will make Emma a very unhappy woman. Now sit your butt down and listen to reason. I have not waited twenty-eight years to be reunited with you only to have you be an idiot."

Charming sighed and sat down. I sat down on a chair, Emma sitting on the armrest of my chair. Henry sat at my feet, staring at his grandfather with wary eyes. When we were all seated, Henry explained everything to Charming once again. At first, Henry's words seemed to go in one ear and out the other for Charming but soon, it seemed to get through to him. Charming looked to me curiously and I explained my part as I had to both Emma and Snow. Finally, he seemed to believe me. He only had one question.

"Why did you hate Snow so much? She never would tell me. She'd only tell me that it was partly her fault."

"It wasn't. I was in love with a servant girl named Danielle. We were planning on running away together before I had to marry the King. Snow wanted to help me by convincing my mother that I shouldn't have to marry the king. Snow told my mother that I was in love with a servant girl and mother...I've never seen her like that. She ripped Danielle's heart out and crushed it right in front of me. I was young...and I blamed Snow unfairly. I realize now that she was only trying to help."

"Why would your mother do that to you?" Charming asked.

"She didn't like that I was...well the term they use now is gay. She wanted me to be attracted to men, to marry the king and have his heir and be what she wanted. You have to understand that Cora, my mother, was a very...evil woman. She practiced magic under the Dark One himself, she was...well she loved power. When I learned magic, I banished her to another realm. I haven't seen her since."

"Regina...I never apologized for that. I should have kept your secret. I was old enough to do it but I didn't know how cruel your mother was." Snow said.

I shook my head. "You don't have to apologize, Snow. My mother would have gotten it out you no matter what you did."

Henry smiled. "Mom you should go make dinner. I'm starving."

I smiled. "I'll go cook dinner, love."

Emma followed me into the kitchen and we cooked dinner together while Snow and Charming had their reunion in the living room. We had a good dinner that night and, by the end of it, I knew that I'd found my family again. We would break this curse. I knew it. Emma opted to stay at the manor that night after Henry begged her to move in with us. She said she'd stay for a few weeks and see how she liked it but she winked at me when she said it and I knew that she'd decided to stay indefinitely. I was so close to my happy ending I could taste it.

Author's Note: Originally, I was planning on Charming not remembering until a lot later...but it works better with the plot this way. So I hope you like it. Next Chapter: Emma and Regina spend some time alone.

Jezza