Ring. Ring. Ring.
The incessant ring and buzzing of the new phone that Henry had given to Esme woke her up. Rudely. She flung her arm in the general direction of her delicate white bedside table, but was greatly unsuccessful in her attempts to silence the peculiar alarm without opening her eyes. Thus it was with great anger that she abruptly shoved her hair out of her face, slowly opened her eyes and began to search for the cause of her annoyance. Once the blurriness had subsided and her eyes had grown accustomed to the light that was beginning to peak through her beautiful pink curtains, Esme was able to locate the irritant with ease.
7.45.
This was the time that appeared when she pressed the button Henry had showed her to press; the phones Esme had previously encountered weren't quite as sophisticated, or complicated, as this one. Today was the day. With that realisation, Esme was filled with so much excitement, and indeed a hint of apprehension, that she was able to run down the stairs and into the kitchen within mere moments of waking up. Today would be perfect. Esme was sure of it; and she was so sure of it because she would make it so. After everything that Regina and Robin had been through, they deserved one day.
It had been one month since Robin proposed. Four, short weeks within which so much had happened. Emma had forced Zelena into early labour the day after Esme returned home and so Robin's baby was born. Robin was, of course, utterly besotted and had been from the second he met her; the rest of the Hood-Mills family, however, were unsure. It was clear from the beginning that although they were all told that the baby was their sister and should be treated as such, Henry's alliance lay firmly with his mother, who was forced to hide her pain every second the baby was here. Roland was far too young to understand what was happening; he simply viewed her as something new to play with, even though he occasionally forgot that she was not a doll. Esme was more conflicted. She loved both Robin and Regina, but she also loathed Zelena. She knew that the circumstances surrounding the baby were difficult, to say the least, but she also couldn't pretend to understand why Robin had slept with her even when he thought that she was Marion. She loved that Robin had a daughter; a daughter that he would be able to see grow. She knew that this was something he was devastated about losing out on with her, but it also angered her at how little he seemed to care for Regina. After their experience in Messene, Esme had grown fiercely protective of her mother and, although she knew that it wasn't entirely fair, she felt greater sympathy for her mother than she did for her father. She knew that he was trying, and she understood that he was in an incredibly difficult situation, however she also felt that sometimes, his priorities lay in the wrong place. A prime example of this is that he insisted on baby Hope being a part of the wedding. Esme and Henry both knew that it killed Regina to hear that; how could it not? Gorgeous and cute as she was, that baby was a constant reminder of Robin's horrendous ordeal, a reminder of something Regina would never have and the true wickedness of her sister. And just to rub salt into the wound, his attacker was walking free and attempting to play mommy. It's not that Esme and her brother's hated the baby; they didn't. Nor were they jealous that there was a new baby in the home, like Granny had suggested. They simply hated Zelena; they had the situation that surrounded Hope, notHope herself. Robin continually insisted that people can change, and used Regina as an example. What he failed to realise was that Regina and Zelena were two very different people. Yes, Regina was an evil, horrendous person, but she knew that and that was in the past. She regretted that. Zelena? She was just as evil and equally horrendous, but she relished in it. While Regina was ashamed, Zelena was proud. While Regina cried, Zelena cackled. She saw nothing wrong with the way she treated people. She saw no wrong in her behaviour. What Robin failed to acknowledge was that you can't change someone, they have to change themselves; that wont happen if they don't see anything wrong to begin with. As lovely as Hope's arrival was for Robin, the rest of his family felt uncomfortable and this tension had been bubbling under the surface for weeks. Esme couldn't pretend to understand why Robin continually defended Zelena, perhaps it was in some way to justify his action, but she did understand that he loved Regina; she just wished that he had showed that a little bit more. Hope was born the night after Robin proposed to Regina; they hadn't even told Esme, Henry or Roland until they arrived at the hospital and saw the ring on Regina's finger. Since then, everything was about Zelena and Hope. The only time Robin and Regina spent alone together was at night, and even then they alternated shifts with Hope. This month had been particularly trying, for all of the family, but it did show Esme one thing; Regina had truly changed. Yes she could be cold and calculating, but that wasn't her personality, that was a facade; a side of her rarely came out unless it was in defence of her family. Henry always boasted about how proud he was of her and the person that she had become and Esme could tell how genuine he was when he said it. From what Esme had heard, years ago she would never have been able to deal with this situation; surprise daughter, evil sister, surprise niece who is also your one true love's daughter. But now? Now she was getting up in the middle of the night feeding her love's child or lulling her to sleep and she was doing it all with such grace. Esme was simply in awe of her mother. This is why she wanted today to be perfect. Regina deserved it to be perfect. As she began to make Regina's wedding breakfast, just like Granny had taught her, she found herself wishing. She wished that Regina was more excited about her wedding day, she wished Robin would show her the love she deserved, but most of all, she wished that Zelena would stay away. Regina locked her back into the prison the second she was captured after helping Hook. Although Regina allowed her some visitation with Hope, she was still a threat and a giant pain in everyones ass. She was unrelentingly and unashamedly wicked; something Esme simply could not look past.
Esme jumped as the toast popped up from the toaster and just as she began slathering it in butter and the jam Regina liked, she heard her phone buzz on the counter where she had left it. She eventually answered.
"Hello?" Esme asked.
"Esme?" said a gentle voice on the other end.
"Henry?"
"Yeah! We.. uh, we have a situation," Henry explained and with that, Esme knew that Regina simply was not going to get her special day. She had said so for months; she repeatedly told Esme that she always waited on something bad happening just when things were going well and Esme feared that this was it.
"What? What happened? I though you were just camping?" Esme asked. The plan was that Robin would take the boys camping and Regina and Esme would have a girly evening before the wedding. Esme did Regina's nails and they chatted and laughed till the early hours; it was such a lovely evening that Esme thought she had actually made Regina somewhat excited.
"We were. But Robin took Hope to see Zelena this morning and she.. well she said that she didn't want Hope at the wedding. She took her and she ran," Henry explained. Esme heard the gentle buzz of wind through the speakers so assumed that he was walking somewhere.
"She what? How is that even possible?" Esme asked.
"I don't know. Robin said she stabbed his arm with something, took the baby and ran out of the cell. Everyone was too confused to stop her," Henry explained. He heard silence on the other end of the phone and so felt it necessary to offer further explanation.
"Don't worry Robin is fine, and we don't think she would ever hurt Hope-"
"Don't you? Henry she still calls her 'the baby'," Esme feared. If anything happened that baby, Robin would be destroyed.
"Well yeah but that's because Hope was mom's suggestion," Henry explained.
"That's true. She's high security! What the hell did she even stab him with? Eugh! What difference does it make to her if Hope is at the wedding?" Esme demanded, but was quick to calm herself; she didn't want to wake Regina.
"Robin said he wont get married without all of his children there.. that includes Hope. Zelena knows that," Henry explained.
"She wants to the stop the wedding," Esme realised.
"Yeah, I think so. But we aren't going to let that happen! Esme our mom deserves one, perfect day. Especially after all the good she's done and everything she has been through. They both do!"
"I know honey. Don't worry, we'll sort it out. Where is Robin now?"
"Looking for Zelena."
"Well you go join him. I'll call Snow and Belle to come over and try and get mom into the wedding spirit and i'll try a locater spell. Give me 30 minutes?"
"Okay. Thanks sis," Henry said.
"No problem. Love you, bye!" Esme stated. She readily plated up Regina's wedding breakfast and just as she was waiting on the coffee machine to make her coffee, she called Belle and Snow. They weren't exactly happy to be called at 8am on a Saturday morning but they agreed to come over and help Regina get ready, which eased Esme's fears ever so slightly. As she slowly carried the tray into her mother room, she was relieved to see that Regina was still asleep. She carried the tray slowly to her mother's antique looking wooden side-table and carefully set the heavy tray down before jumping onto the beautiful, blue satin bed.
"Wake up!" Esme said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Regina would never find out about the events this morning; not until after the wedding.
"Oh! What time is it!" Regina asked as she slowly pulled Esme into a cuddle. With Esme's head resting on her shoulder, Regina very nearly fell straight back to sleep.
"Mom? Come on! It's your wedding day!" Esme exclaimed.
"Is it?" Regina said as she began to sit herself up. She smiled at the breakfast that Esme had lovingly made for her, but she spoke with such uncertainty that Esme's heart broke a little. The day was here, and she still didn't believe that she deserved to be happy.
"Of course it is! Nothing is going to happen today mom. I promise!" Esme said, before kissing her mom on the head and sliding of the slippery satin bed.
"Now, I am going to go check on your husband-to-be and sons. Snow and Belle are coming over to help you get ready-"
"Belle and Snow? What about you?" Regina asked, looking genuinely disappointed.
"I will be back in one hour, max!" Esme said as she walked over to her mothers side, took her hand and kissed it. She had promised Regina that she would be there to help her do her hair; Regina really wanted her to be a part of the wedding and Esme knew that. She wouldn't let her down.
"Good. I don't want to do any of this, not without you here. Okay?" Regina said. Esme relished every moment she had in which her mother was somewhat vulnerable. She adored her mother's fierceness, and respected her great intelligence, but she loved these little glimpses of the vulnerable, loving woman that she truly was; it made Esme feel closer to her. Like she had seen a side of her that few others had.
"You won't have to. I promise." Esme swore and with that, the doorbell rang.
"One hour, okay?" Esme asked and kissed her mother on the head as she ran to get the door.
"One hour and then i'll come and get you myself you understand?" Regina shouted. Esme laughed as she opened the door; she was surprised to see Snow, Belle and Granny.
"Granny?" Esme said with clear surprise.
"I'm here for you, no one else," Granny said as she walked past Esme and straight into the house.
"Oh. Well thank you but Granny i'm not getting ready till later," Esme laughed. Granny loved Esme, and Esme her, but she wasn't exactly Regina's biggest fan. And she certainly wasn't shy about making that perfectly clear.
"So i'll wait here till then," she explained as she made her way quickly to the kitchen. Esme smiled and ran upstairs to get ready as Snow and Belle had already gone into Regina and began to keep her occupied. After quickly pulling on some leggings and the first jumper Esme could find in her closet, she ran downstairs, shouted goodbye to her mom before she got a list of orders and then ran towards the town square.
It was after a mere 5 moments of brisk walking that she heard a horrendous bang and watched in horror as a huge cloud of bust and smoke rose into the air; it came from city hall.
"No," Esme whispered. That was the venue. The one thing Esme had thought was actually, definitely organised for this wedding had literally just gone up in a puff of smoke, and there was nothing that she could do about it. She pulled out her cellphone and immediately called Henry, who answered after only a couple of rings.
"Well, we found Zelena," Henry said, already well aware as to what Esme was ringing about.
"What the hell happened? That can't have been her; she has the cuff on-"
"Hook."
"Hook? I thought he was in hiding since the Dar- Emma started trying to vanquish the darkness or something?"
"True, but he's standing outside an exploded town hall beside Zelena so i'm thinking Zelena is team Hook," Henry explained.
"Is everyone okay?" Esme asked.
"Yeah. She still has the baby. Robin is trying to talk to her but she's just screaming about how mom doesn't deserve to be happy-"
"Keep her talking. I'm on my way," Esme stated.
"What are you going to do?"
"I dunno. Compel her?"
"To do what?"
"Give Hope to Robin, go to her cell and stay there. I'll think of something more permanent later."
"What about Hook?"
"I dunno. I guess i'll deal with him once i'm there. I'm like, two minutes away so i'll see you soon,"
"Okay. See you soon,"
With that, Esme ran. She had no doubt that Regina would come looking for her the second that one hour had passed; she needed this dealt with and she needed that done now. As she finally reached the street and turned the corner towards the town hall, she saw the remnants of what looked like a war-torn building and a defiant Zelena standing proudly with Hope in her arms and Hook by her side.
"Ah look, the long-lost child is here," Zelena cackled.
"What the hell is this? Hook?" Esme asked, completely baffled as to why there was now another player in this ridiculous game that Zelena had made her life.
"Don't think it's about you love. Your witch of a mother is helping Emma; i'm merely returning the favour."
"So in return for my mom trying to help turn you good, you what? Destroy her wedding venue? A giant pain in the ass, yes. But not particularly villainous, Dark One," Esme taunted. She knew that that probably wasn't the best tactic, but Roland and Henry were standing a couple of meters behind Robin and Hope was in the arms of a psychopath;she needed Hook to leave. The only way she could think of making him leave was to get him angry enough to hopefully poof back to wherever he came from.
"Perhaps not, but killing her daughter would be," Hook said and just as quickly as a smile had spread across his face, he rushed towards Esme with an outstretched hook and murderous eyes. Besides being somewhat startled at the speed at which he moved, Esme found it relatively easy to put him down; he may have had no conscience, but he also had no magic. Esme immediately floored him and knocked him unconscious, far away from her and her family. Zelena quickly raised her arm, probably an act of sheer instinct, but she was forced to reluctantly lower it when she was reminded of the cuff that was firmly placed on her wrist. As Esme slowly but confidently walked towards her, she watched as Zelena's plan slowly began to crumble. Yes, Hook was a dark one, but he was new and he didn't have magic, or at the very least, he couldn't use it yet. So Zelena was really quite ineffective without her magic. That, however, didn't stop her from using her mouth to spout her poison.
"Well, well, look who learned some things when she was away. So sorry I wasn't able to welcome you home, I was slightly busy having your fathers other daughter. Oh, that must be quite difficult for you. Seeing him with a little girl he is actually going to raise," she hissed, trying desperately to get some sort of a rise out of Esme.
"It's fine, you weren't very high up on my list anyway. Especially after you were the reason I was there in the first place," Esme responded as she stood in front of Zelena. Esme's arms were crossed and her body was relatively relaxed, but she was careful never to take her eyes off Zelena; not for one moment. Zelena wanted to play; Esme wasn't going to let her.
"Ah, well you see in my defence, they weren't actually supposed to give you back," Zelena teased. Esme raised her arm in fury. Although she was unsure about what spell she would use, she was filled with such anger that she didn't really care; she wanted so desperately to shut Zelena up. She would have done so, had Robin not grabbed her arm.
"Don't rise to her Esme," Robin told her and, as much as she hated him leaping to Zelena's defence once again, she knew that he was right. So she very begrudgingly lowered her arm.
"Yes, there's a good little girl. I wonder if our daughter will be as obedient Robin," Zelena teased. A villainous, sickening smile had etched its way across her smug face. She dripped poison into every word and watched with glee as everyone was forced to listen to her drivel. Esme didn't even have a tempter, not really. But as Zelena stood there taunting Robin, Esme understood why Regina had struggled so much recently.
"Give her to me," Robin said, looking at Zelena disgust and hate in his eyes. How could he find good even a glimmer of hope in a that mocked what she had done, a woman who was actually proud of what she had done. .
"Mmmm, see the thing with that is… well I don't really want to. You see, if I give you my daughter, Regina will go on to have her perfect little wedding day, and you two can run off into the sunset and live happily ever after. As i'm sure you know, I will never let that happen-"
"Surely you understand that if we don't get married today, then we will get married sometime else," Robin said, utterly perplexed at Zelena's wickedness. He wanted to believe that there was good in her, he truly did, for Hope. He simply couldn't discover any.
"Then I will ruin it that time too. And the time after that. And the time after that. Really, Robin i thought you were more intelligent than this,
"Love always wins, Zelena," Robin said defiantly.
"Ha! Does it? So Regina is more important to you than our daughter" Zelena cackled as she slowly began walking around as she bounced Hope in her arms.
"What? I love that little girl," Robin implored.
"But what are you willing to do for her?" Zelena hissed as she pranced around encircling Robin and his family.
Whilst Esme focussed on Zelena, she failed to notice that Hook had now regained consciousness and had made his way towards Zelena. Well, she noticed; but too late. Seconds before Esme could hurl him into the air, he was able to use his dark hook to break the cuff off of Zelena's wrist.
"No!" Robin called. Panic had spread across his face. Now, things were slightly more dangerous. Esme immediately went to Henry and Roland and told them to go to Granny's. Although Henry was reluctant to leave, he was an excellent big brother, thus when Esme reminded him they needed to keep Roland safe, he conceded. Once she watched as Henry and Roland safely turned the corner, she stood by her father's side, ready to defend or attack.
"What's wrong now little seer? Cat got your tongue?" Zelena cackled as Esme was stupefied with fear. She wasn't worried about Zelena's magic, she was worried that the slightest movement was cause Zelena to poof off into oblivion with Hope. Esme was quite content to let Robin attempt to diffuse the situation, but the more Zelena spoke, the more bemused he seemed.
"Zelena what do you want?" Esme asked. To be truthful, she genuinely didn't care about what Zelena want; she simply needed to stall her long enough so that she could form some sort of a plan.
"Oh well now you mention it, I would like world peace, an education for all women aaannnd… oh, and my sister's head would be quite nice," Zelena stated before throwing her head back and letting out a blood curdling cackle.
"She's my daughter too Zelena," Robin implored but the more he begged, the greater Zelena's hubris grew.
"Mmmm, but you weren't exactly a willing participant were you Robin. No, you didn't want her. I wanted her! And I wont have you, or my perfect little sister, take her away from me. It doesn't matter if you love her. You would choose my evil little sister over her!" Zelena screamed. Her confident exterior quickly disappeared; she seemed manic. Genuinely and worryingly manic. Esme couldn't tell if she loved the baby because she was her child or simply because she was something to hold over Regina; Esme guessed the latter.
"What do you want me to do, Zelena? Say i'll cancel the wedding!? Fine! Just give me my daughter!" Robin shouted. The second he said it, he regretted it. He didn't want that. He had never wanted that, but he hoped the threat would be enough. He had proposed to Regina because he loved her; with every fibre in his body yearning for her to call him hers. But he couldn't see another way out of this; Zelena wanted proof he loved Hope and that was the only way he could prove it to her.
"Robin?"
Esme watched as the heart-breaking events unfolded in utter silence, however her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach as quickly as a rock fell to the bottom of an ocean at that sound. Regina. As she turned around, she saw Regina standing mere meters away, with curlers in her hard and her white camisole on. However her clothes were wholly unimportant, for it was the look of utter devastation that was etched into her face that truly mattered.
"Regina. I-" Robin began as he tried desperately to explain himself but Regina had already poofed herself away in a cloud of purple smoke. Robin ran to where Regina had been standing, but she was long gone. She had left, and taken his heart with her.