CHAPTER 10

Regina stared at her reflection in the mirror. If she didn't know better she would say that the glint in her eyes meant that she was happy. It had been so long since she'd last seen it that she was a little afraid of it. She had thought that carrying misery and guilt around with her would always be a burden to her mind and body. But by giving up her quest for vengeance, she'd gotten everything she'd ever wanted. Her burdens had now been lifted.

She'd been blessed with a beautiful son. Everyday there was something more to delight her about Gizmo. He was funny, warm, affectionate, kind, and compassionate. He was also a little wild. He still hadn't gotten used to being fully clothed all the time. He still preferred to go around barefoot as much as possible. But those quirks only made her love him more.

He'd adjusted to life with her and her family well. It had amazed her at how fast she'd gotten attached to him. She was still sometimes fearful of rejection from him. But when she looked into his eyes that sparkled with mischief and intelligence she'd remind herself that the Evil Queen never existed here. And that she was worthy of the love that she gave freely being returned to her in kind.

She'd missed being a Mother to a receptive child. Henry had been using her as a punching bag for the past year and she could barely remember life before his storybook. But she was definitely embracing life after it.

She still sometimes felt a small pang over the loss of Henry. But she'd instantly remind herself that Henry wasn't the boy she'd raised. He'd turned into someone that she honestly didn't even like. She had spent the past year making peace with the fact that he was gone. She mourned him as any grieving parent would a child they'd lost. But her life had moved on. And that chapter of her life was over with forever.

Still their situation was a unique one and it left her with an odd feeling. She knew he wasn't dead. Technically he'd just never existed. But it was more than that. It was more an understanding that she had released him. She'd freed him to go forward with the life he wanted while she was free to pursue the happiness that had eluded her for so long.

Everything here felt different than it had before. When she'd taken her Father's life to cast the curse, she'd spent the years following that forever weighed down by guilt, torment, and anguish. She'd murdered her own father for a chance at happiness that never really came. Her Henry had taught her to open her herself up to love again. But then he'd thrown everything she'd offered him back into her face as he embraced his 'real family'.

In return for releasing him she'd gotten her own Father back. And he roared with laughter when she'd told him the story of casting the curse and then taking it back. He seemed to believe it was just a bad dream or maybe the result of bad mead she'd drank. She'd insisted that every word she'd said was true but he refused to hear it. His daughter didn't have a drop of evil in her.

Her relationship with Mother was also coming along well. In the beginning it had been difficult. Cora had been inconsolable as the truth of her deeds had washed over her. Now that she had her heart she couldn't deny the grief and suffering she'd caused to her own family. It had almost driven her to madness again.

But Regina had taken care of her. Everyday she made sure her Mother was washed, fed, and clothed. And her work paid off. Little by little her Mother had slowly begun to heal. She still apologized profusely. But Regina could see the gratitude that washed over her as she too understood this was a new beginning for them all. It was the love she saw reflected in her Mother's eyes that let her finally begin to see the woman beneath the monster.

She knew and trusted that her mother was genuinely sorry for everything she had done. And Regina had honestly forgiven her. That wasn't to say that it vanquished all of the nightmares that were the sum total of her childhood and young adult experiences. Childhood scars tended to run deepest and last the longest. And they were only just now starting to heal. She was trying to leave the past in the past and continue to move forward to embracing whatever the future had in store for her.

Some days were harder than others. But everyday was a chance. A new opportunity to try again.

Her Mother walked into the room, "are you ready dear?"

Regina turned from the mirror and eyed her Mother in the beautiful blue silk dress that went down to the floor. Her hair was done in a beautiful upswept hairstyle that ended in a knot at the side of her neck and Regina could see the happiness she was getting used to seeing in the mirror looking back at her in her Mother's eyes, "almost Mother." She smiled at her warmly through the mirror of her vanity. She grabbed her necklace that would complete her outfit and began to fasten it around her neck.

"Let me dear," Cora walked over to her daughter and took the ends of the necklace from her. Regina gathered her hair and held it up so that her Mother could fasten it around her neck. After it was fastened, Cora bent over and stared at their reflections side by side in the mirror, "You are truly beautiful my dear."

Regina stared at herself. She had never understood what the fuss was with her looks. She knew she was attractive. Her Mother had instilled in her practically since birth to always look your best. And Daniel had made her feel like she was the most precious thing in the world. But she had never really given her looks too much thought herself. As she truly studied herself in the mirror for the first time she actually felt as if her outsides matched her inside.

She was happy and it showed. There was a radiance about her that had never been there. Even with Henry her eyes had always carried a heaviness to them. She'd had to use a lot of under eye concealer to cover up the dark bags that resulted from sleepless nights and the torment of sweat covered nightmares that would haunt her. Here she couldn't even really remember the last time she'd had a nightmare. The only stress she'd found here was being on the alert for the wild card Rumplestiltskin.

Her mother had more experience with the imp and knew him better than her. When she'd told her about the curse and how she'd reversed her Cora had worked with her daughter to strengthen the protection spells she'd put around the castle and grounds. So far it had been working. He still had as yet to make another surprise appearance. Aside from that, their magics were reserved for entertainment purposes only.

She grinned at her Mother's reflection in the mirror, "happiness will do that to you. It's taken years off of my appearance."

Cora tilted her head to the side as she regarded her, "And are you?" At the puzzled look on Regina's face she elaborated, "happy I mean?"

Regina turned herself away from the mirror to face her Mother. She grabbed ahold of her hands while holding her grin. "Yes Mother. I think I really am," she nodded.

Cora kissed her daughter on her forehead, "Then that's all that matters dear."

There was a knock at the door and Henry popped his head into the room. "Are you girls about ready?"

Cora straightened up and faced her husband, "Yes dear."

Regina just sat back and watched in rapt delight. This was the Enchanted Forest. There was no divorce here. When you were married it was literally until death do us part.

They didn't share a room. But they had begun courting one another. And Regina had been happy to see the other signs of the two of them becoming closer. They danced more, laughed more, talked more, and lately were touching more. Regina knew it was just a matter of time before hormones kicked in.

Henry held his arms out to the two most important women in his life. Cora and Regina each flanked him as he escorted him down the stairs and to yet another of King Fernando's fiestas. This one featured delicacies created by Regina from her new discoveries that she called coffee and cocoa beans. Before Regina had showed them how to harvest and refine the beans they had never been of any value to anyone. Now they were the Kingdom to envy. It had really put their Kingdom on the map as a place to be.

Regina had spent the past couple of weeks tutoring the staff and teaching them to cook. Along with some of the Kingdom's delicacies that they were proud of, the menu for tonight included chili con chocolat, cakes, cookies, pastries, and candies of all kinds, espresso, lattes, and macchiato. All kingdoms, except the White one, had been invited to enjoy the festivities and hopefully open the Xavier Kingdom up to more trade and commerce. This could mean more wealth, more jobs, and more happiness to be shared within the kingdom.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs they could see the party going in full swing. As usual the decorations were elaborate and colorful, the wine flowed freely, and everyone was thrilled to share in the festivities. Regina smiled as her Father asked his wife for a dance.

She was just looking over the dinner table when Gizmo walked by with an éclair in his hand. He knew that he wasn't allowed sweets without expressed permission from his Mom. Regina narrowed her eyes at him but couldn't find it in her to be upset when he wore a cream covered grin and his eyes twinkled up at her so. She ruffled his hair and gave him a playful growl. He laughed before leaning into her as she wound her arms around his shoulders.

They were about to join the party when the door opened and the greeter's voice rang out across the room, "From the Midas Kingdom, here are King Midas and his lovely daughter Abigail."

Regina froze in midstep. She turned back toward the door, "Kathryn?" Like she did her old friend appeared younger but still wore the open friendliness that had managed to get past some of the walls that the former Evil Queen had erected over time as Mayor.

Abigail's face showed her confusion, "Excuse me?"

Regina shook her head before offering up a smile. "I'm sorry. You just remind me so much of someone I used to know."

"Well I hope that's a good thing," Abigail's voice held a touch of laughter in it.

"A very good thing," Regina smiled at her. Abigail returned the smile as she continued, "I think you and I are going to be the best of friends."

Abigail gave her a small laugh, "I think I'd like that."

During their time in Storybrooke Regina had kept almost everyone at arms' length. She convinced herself that Henry was all that she needed. She accepted Kathryn as something of an acquaintance because she didn't get on her nerves the way some of the other town folk did. But she had always held back from her even though Kathryn referred to them as best friends.

With her past behind them, Regina was learning to embrace a new future and take things as they came. But even she had to admit that their talks were something she had missed, "so will I," she nodded.

CF

It was official. Emma was in hell.

Her days were filled alternating keeping watch over her Mother and watching Regina in the mirror. She had no need for sleeping or eating. She wasn't sure if she was a ghost from the future or what. And she had no help to try and sort it out. Sometimes she screamed in the guard's faces just to remind herself she was alive and could. Aside from the occasional outburst when the silence and being ignored became too much for her; she was usually in as much of a numbed fog as her Mother now appeared to be.

Snow had begun to deteriorate mentally even as her body became rounder physically. She was now fully showing. Emma thought she looked like the kool aid man with her rounded midsection and her tiny arms and legs sticking out awkwardly around it.

When she realized that she was pregnant Snow had begun to find ways of hurting herself. Emma had been horrified watching the woman she'd come to know on so many different levels purposely trying to miscarry. She'd watched her throw herself down the stairs and even run into walls belly first.

To combat what he saw as her willfulness and force her into acquiescence King Leopold had decreed that a chambermaid and two guards would stay with Snow at all times. Unfortunately for Snow this didn't mean that he would actually stop assaulting her. They had started sharing a bed as a married couple not long after the execution of the young boys.

She no longer cried for her Mother nor did she ask for help from the heavens. She just slowly began to shut down over time. She no longer fought her father in bed and the light that Emma had seen in her eyes when she looked at her had dimmed. Snow White was losing it and Emma had no idea what this would mean for her in the longterm.

She had been busy watching Regina when she felt a strange crackle in the air. Her skin began to itch and she felt herself practically clawing at her skin to make it stop. Then a pop of color caught her eye.

She turned her head toward the window and stood watch. She finally leaned over and tried to find what it was that had caught her attention when she heard a cackle that made the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end.

Rumplestiltskin.

Rumplestiltskin was outside with her Mother. She couldn't hear the conversation or see precisely what they were doing but she knew this wasn't going to be good for anyone.

"Oh no," she said softly to herself as tears began to form behind her eyes.