A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first couple chapters. Your encouragement is really motivating!
Also, thank you to the other fanfiction writers. I've enjoyed a lot of your work and certainly drawn inspiration from it. If you recognize elements of your stories in mine, I assure you the theft was unintentional. That said, let me know if you think you deserve to be cited, and I'll be sure to do so in future chapters.
This chapter is on the long side, but David and Regina just would not stop talking, and I didn't want their conversation to spill into a third chapter.
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"Well, let's get started then," he leaned forward over the table. "Just how do you propose we get my wife and daughter back?"
"I expect you are trying to fix the hat?" Regina asked.
He nodded.
"Good," she continued. "And you have the dwarves mining for diamonds?"
"Wait," David protested. "How did you know that?" he asked suspiciously.
"They all came in here for lunch shortly after we sat down covered in dust and carrying their pick-axes. It seemed like the most likely conclusion," she responded wryly.
Mollified, and somewhat ashamed at his suspicion given that he had just agreed to work with her, David gave a sheepish shrug and confirmed her assumption. "Yes, they are looking for diamonds to make fairy dust," he confirmed.
She nodded, clearing turning over something in her mind.
"What is it, Regina?" he asked. If they were going to work together, he wanted to know what she was thinking. Besides, he was curious.
"Mining for diamonds is good. Definitely," she affirmed. "But, David—I know this is a lot to ask, for you to take on faith, but, when you find the diamonds, if you could hold off on allowing them to be turned into fairy dust until we talk, that could be extremely helpful." She looked at him earnestly, knowing it was awfully early in their tenuous relationship to ask him to trust her over the Blue Fairy, who was surely the one to suggest fairy dust.
"Why?"
Regina was encouraged, hearing only curiosity and no defensiveness in his tone. "Well," she began to explain, "Diamonds actually have many useful magical properties beyond acting as in input to fairy dust production." Sensing a genuine interest in David and recalling her own love for understanding the relationships among objects and their environment that was the source of all magic, she warmed to her subject. David marveled at the change in the former mayor as she explained the effect of the clarity of the gem on its ability to amplify and even store different types of magic and how the angles at which you cut the diamond could make it more useful for offensive and defensive magic. There seemed to be no end to her knowledge of the interaction between diamonds and magic, and her guileless enthusiasm for those natural laws radiated from her face and animated hands. She even drew a few diagrams on the paper napkins to illustrate her points. He was suddenly struck with the knowledge that this was the woman she could have been, should have been if everything hadn't gone so terribly wrong. It was stuck in that heavy thought that he realized she had asked him a question.
"So will you please hold off on crushing them into fairy dust?" She asked earnestly. "We may need to use at least some of them to amplify power from another source—me, the hat, whatever—to get Snow and Emma back."
Wow, he thought. Being the sole focus of this woman's attention is really something. Focus, David. Not half an hour ago you thought this woman was evil incarnate, no matter how beautiful she is, and you are discussing how to find your wife and your daughter. Wife and daughter, David.
"Yes, I think I can do that," he agreed, disproportionately pleased with the answering smile on her face. "If we even find any, that is," he commented.
"Oh, you'll find them. I know it."
Her confidence surprised him. She didn't seem like the optimistic type. "How do you know?"
"Because," she explained. The mayor's mirthless grin was back, he noticed. "Those dwarves always come through for Snow White."
Regina may not have been thrilled with her admission, but he had to admit that her observation made him feel better. Regina was right; those dwarves always did come through for Snow, especially when she needed them the most.
Before the moment between them had a chance to become too awkward, David asked, "What else do you think we should be doing to get them back?"
Regina shook her head, wanting to be clear that she did not possess a breakthrough strategy as of yet. "Other than commencing research on how to give ourselves the best chance of the hat working properly once we have diamonds, I really don't know."
"What do you mean, 'best chance of working'?" David asked worriedly. He had been so focused on making fairy dust, he had just assumed that someone could make the hat work.
Regina quirked an eyebrow in what might have been pity before explaining, "The hat is a very particular magical object, and its origins are not of this world . . ." She had begun speaking in her usual matter-of-fact tone, but as she observed the Prince growing progressively paler, she softened her manner. She placed a sympathetic hand on his arm and ducked her head to make eye contact. "David, we don't need to worry about the specifics of the enchantments right now. We will figure it out," she assured him. "And, Snow, well, you always find her." Ugh. She couldn't believe she had just used that line to make Charming feel better. She could feel the bile building in the back of her throat. As he perked up, however, she felt the bile dissipate and something else in its place . . . .
"That is what I will be working on," Regina withdrew her hand and regained her business-like tone. "Research." At his nod, she continued, "And, now, David, I have to insult you."
"What, do you have a quota or something?" he replied.
She laughed despite herself. "No, I don't have a quota," she gave into his teasing and then resumed a more serious tone. "I have a question."
"Shoot," he replied.
"Can you keep the hat safe?" she asked.
"Seriously?" he scoffed at the question. "You are the person I was concerned about keeping the hat safe from."
"Don't be ridiculous!" she countered. "Okay, maybe that wouldn't be ridiculous."
He smirked at her concession.
Pushing forward, she continued, "But I am certainly not the only one that would have a reason to steal the hat. Plenty of other people in this town might want to go back to our land, to their homes. Did you think of that?"
"Everyone knows we need to get Snow and Emma back." His protest sounded weak even to his own ears.
"Look, Charming." Despite the sarcasm she always used when addressing him by his last name, the accompanying sneer was nearly absent, replaced with a carefully neutral tone. "I know that thinking the best of people is imprinted into your very soul; it is, I suspect, a great contributor to your charm—but the fact remains that we cannot ignore the possibility that some of the other people in this town might have their own agenda. And," she emphasized, "It only takes one. One person to steal the hat or to destroy it."
He couldn't ignore the truth of her last statement as much as he might like to. And, now that she brought it up, he supposed there were a lot of people in Storybrooke that might want to use the hat to reassemble their own families and lives. Just because she was right, though, didn't mean he had to like it.
"So," he asked. "Are you suggesting I give you the hat for safe-keeping?"
"Hardly," she replied. "I don't expect you to give anyone else custody of the object that is key to retrieving your family." There was that bitter taste again—family. "But you could allow me to place some protective, or even cloaking, enchantments on it to make it more difficult to find, steal, or destroy."
Her honesty once again impressed him. He couldn't do it though. He shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Regina. It is quite possible that you mean well, and certainly possible that someone might try to steal the hat, but I just can't trust you. I'm not trained in magic. I would have no idea if you are performing the spells you claim to be performing, or if, as soon as I let you wave your hands and say an incantation, the hat would be gone along with my chance to retrieve Snow and Emma."
The walls that had returned to her eyes were the only indication he could observe that she was perhaps hurt by his lack of trust, but, to her credit, she merely teased him. "I wouldn't need an incantation," she winked.
Shocked, the Prince couldn't help but chuckle. The most intimidating woman in their world, whether that be Storybrooke or The Enchanted Forest, has just winked at him. His life had become very strange.
He supposed, though, that the implication of her point bore considering. She had the power. She probably could steal the hat if she so desired. The fact that she had even asked for his permission to enchant the hat could indicate that she was trustworthy . . . but he just couldn't take the chance.
"Is that it?" he asked suddenly.
"Is that what?" she asked, confused.
"Was that the entirety of your insult to me—questioning the quality of my guardianship of a mangy old hat—or is there more coming? I don't quite believe that you don't have a quota after all." David stated dryly.
"Oh, I have quotas," The Queen teased back. "But not for insults. They relate more to tangible evidence of havoc wreaked. You know, overturned cars and carriages, demolished houses and castles. Insults only help if they help me make my quota for the number of tears I cause to be shed." Her carefully casual nature belied the twinge of shame that, at one time, she had wreaked havoc of a magnitude beyond calculation. They needed to keep the mood light for the moment.
"Should we give up the table?" Regina asked. "I don't want to prevent them from doing more business."
"I suppose we should," David agreed, surprised at her consideration of Granny and Ruby.
With that, they both pulled out appropriate amounts of cash to cover their meals and headed for the door. When they reached the sidewalk, just as Regina was about to issue a salutation and head home, David interjected, "We still need to talk about Henry."
The shock was apparent on Regina's face. She longed to talk about Henry, but she hadn't wanted to push her luck with David too early.
"We do," she agreed.
David gestured for her to take a seat on a nearby bench.
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Ruby observed the couple through the blinds. She had noticed how long they sat and chatted after finishing lunch—like it wasn't already odd enough that they were having lunch together—so she felt some slight relief when they finally concluded their business and left the diner. Her relief was short-lived, however, when she watched them sit down on a bench together. What the hell? If she hadn't known better, she would have thought they were on a date. The earnest conversation, heads tilted toward one another, the teasing tone and laughter, and even the occasional grasping of hands! She hardly knew what to think. If it wasn't for the fact that they didn't do the awkward "who is going to pay" dance with the check, and for the fact that everything that was good and right in the universe revolted against the very idea of Prince Charming with the Evil Queen, she absolutely would have thought they were on a date. And a good one at that. She shook off the uncomfortable feeling that had settled in her stomach. Time to bus their table.
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"How is Henry?" Regina asked, eager to hear news of her son.
"He's doing well," David assured her. "Now that the town has re-opened the school, he is settling into a routine. He even seems excited about trying to make more friends. I guess, now that the curse is lifted, he knows that the other kids will start aging with him, so making friends has gained more appeal or something."
Regina forced down the twinge of regret at her selfishness for bringing an innocent, uncursed child into the cursed town of her making. She focused on the spark of joy that she felt at hearing how well her son was doing. "I'm glad," she said, avoiding eye contact. She wasn't ready for David to know just how important any information about Henry was to her. This was the last vestige of her pride, perhaps.
"What did you want to talk about?" she asked, chancing a glance toward his face. "Is something wrong with Henry?" she became immediately concerned as she considered the possibilities.
"No, no," David quickly assured her, placing a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you. Henry is absolutely fine. I just, well . . ."
"Yes, David?" Now that she was no longer concerned for Henry's safety, she found his discomfort and awkwardness amusing.
"I'd like your help," he finally blurted out the sentence in a rush of words.
Regina couldn't help a small laugh and touched his arm. "You really thought asking for my help would be fatal, didn't you?"
He just glared at her.
Still amused, Regina said, "Of course, whatever it is, I'll help. I do believe one of the themes of our conversation today is that I would do anything for my son. So, what do you need from me?"
Even though he felt a bit chastised at Regina's reminder of her devotion to her son, David still felt off-balance. He was unused to an accommodating and gracious Regina. He didn't quite trust this new terrain, and he kept expecting it to melt away from underneath his feet.
"I need your help to keep Henry away from magic," he braced himself for her defensive rage.
"All right," she replied.
"All right?" he couldn't believe his ears. The Evil Queen, prolific user of Dark Magic, not only wasn't protesting keeping her son away from magic, but was agreeing with him. A strange day indeed.
"Yes, all right," Regina snapped. "Do you really think I want my son meddling in something so dangerous? Of course I want him away from it."
"I'm sorry. I hadn't considered the issue from that angle," David placated the irritated queen. "But Henry's safety is my concern as well," he saw her anger dissipate somewhat at that statement and felt corresponding relief. He didn't want that new terrain dissolving beneath him if he could help it.
"Good," Regina replied.
"I could use your help," David continued cautiously. "Henry is obsessed with getting Emma and Snow back." He pretended not to notice Regina's wince and said, "I understand that he's scared for them and wants them home, but this complete fixation is unhealthy, and I'm worried it could be dangerous."
Regina's head snapped up to his at this statement. He had her complete razor-edged attention, and it was unnerving.
"Regina," David said. "It's like Henry is determined to be a hero from one of his storybooks, and I'm worried he's going to do something foolish and get himself hurt, or worse."
Regina was truly alarmed at David's words. She had harbored similar concerns when Henry was running around with Emma trying to break the curse. Though she would never admit as much to Ms. Swan, Regina had depended on her to curb Henry's wilder tendencies and keep him safe.
"David," she shook her head—how had her life come to this? The husband of the woman who ruined her life had custody of her son but still expected her to solve all of the parenting dilemmas. She was equal parts irritated that her help was required and gratified to be involved. "I don't disagree with your assessment, but I don't understand what you expect me to do about it. As you may recall, my son sees me as a caricature—The Evil Queen—and ran away to live with you."
He winced as the word 'caricature' left her mouth, but knew there was no way she would accept comfort from him regarding her relationship with Henry during this particular conversation. "Two things," he cut to the chase. "I was hoping you would condone a plan of mine for him to take safe, structured, parentally-approved knight lessons. Like learning tracking from Ruby, fencing from me, and horseback riding from you."
She was more touched than she cared to admit by her inclusion in David's plan. "That sounds good," she said. "Keeping him busy is clever, and I'm sure he'll jump at the chance to learn from you and Ruby, but . . . I only want to teach him to ride if he wants to learn from me," she spoke quietly but with conviction. "I am done making him do things he doesn't want to do, especially now that I'm not the one that has to make him go to bed and brush his teeth."
David cracked a smile at her attempt to lighten the mood. "Understood. Whether he wants lessons with you will be his choice."
"What's the second thing?" Regina asked.
"I could use your help emphasizing that it is sometimes a knight's duty not to rush head-first into danger, that sometimes the most honorable action is to pass the torch to someone else."
"Well stated, Prince Charming," Regina spoke genuinely. "I will do my best not to undermine your knight lessons and help when I can."
"Thank you," he said, holding her eye contact.
"Of course. He's my son."
Nodding, David was about to stand and be on his way, when Regina's voice stopped him.
"My turn for a Henry-related request," she said awkwardly. "As you know, I promised Henry that I would not use magic, but, as you and I have just discussed, I am most likely going to need to use magic if we are going to successfully retrieve Snow and Ms. Swan. Could you . . . that is, would you . . ."
"Would you like me to talk to him for you? Explain that you're working with the good guys now?"
The corners of her mouth twitched upward in a relieved, but brief, smile. "Yes. If you would." She was simultaneously filled with gratitude that David would help her in such a way and revolted by the fact that she was forced to rely on Snow White's husband to intercede on her behalf with her own son. These warring emotions were becoming too much. It was most decidedly time to conclude this extended negotiation.
"Thank you," she told him, as they stood up from the bench.
"And thank you," David replied. "I think everyone, especially Henry, will benefit from us working together."
"I hope you're right," Regina said with a small, forced smile. Years of associating 'doing the right thing' with having incredibly bad things happen to her made shaking the feeling of impending doom from her chest difficult. But she was determined to try. For Henry.
"I'll be in touch about the research and the potential riding lessons," David told her as he strode to his car.
Regina just nodded. This was for Henry.
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A/N: Thank you to those who made it this far! Please let me know what you think. Also, let me know if there are certain characters or scenes you would particularly like to see. I know where this story is going, but we still have flexibility in how we get there!