A/N: AHHHHH! Unfortunately, it's not before midnight here, but it is still night-so I guess it still counts. This flashback is a lot longer than previous flashbacks, but there's a lot going on. Hope you like it! :)
aaaaaaand now I should go do some actual homework. Meh-maybe.
serendipity:
(n.) the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
SQSQSQSQSQSQ
*FLASHBACK*
"It worked!" Zelena explains, looking into the portal.
"Oh no you don't," Emma yells as she jumps at Zelena.
"Don't worry my dear, after this you won't even remember your precious Regina because she will have never existed," Zelena cackles as they tumble through the portal together.
"No!" Regina screams as she tries to go after them. It's futile. The portal has already closed. Her girlfriend is gone along with her insane, long-lost sister she never knew existed. Little did she know that what she remembered about her childhood was all a farce that went far deeper than even her mother knew.
Zelena and Emma fall gracelessly out of the portal and onto a grassy field.
"Get off of me!" Zelena yells as she tries to push the fallen Savior away from her.
"I won't let you hurt Regina."
"Well, good luck trying to stop me dear," Zelena says as she stands. Emma gathers herself and gives chase only to run right into Zelena's back, as she freezes mid-step. "No," Zelena whispers.
Emma peers around Zelena to see two young girls maybe 5 and 3-one with hair the color of fire and the other as dark as night. She's stunned. Regina always said that her mother had never mentioned having any other children, but here it was clear as day that they knew each other. They even played with each other as children. "Wait. I thought you grew up in Oz?" Emma asks as she steps up next to Zelena.
"I did," she says, eyes never leaving the two girls in the field. They were laughing and squealing as they chased each other round and round.
Zelena reaches her hand out as if to squeeze the air out of a toddling Regina. Seriously? She's going to kill a toddler? Of course she is, Emma thinks. What else would she do? Crazy Bitch. Suddenly, there's magic filling the clearing, dark violet in color. Emma grabs Zelena and drags her into the shrubs and out of sight.
"Hey-" Zelena exclaims until Emma puts a hand over her mouth and silences her.
"No talking," Emma whispers, "Cora is near. Look at the magic. If we're found we're as good as dead."
Zelena doesn't respond as Emma removes her hand from her face. She simply lowers herself to the ground and looks back out at the girls who remain completely oblivious to the magic surrounding them.
"Lena! Come on!" Little Regina squeals as she takes off running towards the hidden figures that move further into the shrubs to remain hidden. Emma smiles, never thinking she'd ever see her girlfriend so young and carefree. She trips over her long dress and falls on her face right in front of them.
"Regina!" Little Zelena yells as she runs to her. "Are you alright?" she asks kneeling in front of her sister.
Little Regina nods but her lower lip is protruding like she's a breath away from tears.
"It's alright, Sissy," Little Zelena says as she wraps her arms around her little sister, "you're alright," she says again rubbing her hands up and down Little Regina's back.
"What is going on?" a voice booms.
Both Little Zelena and Little Regina jump to their feet and face away from the hidden figures and towards the approach figure.
Big Zelena gasps and grabs the grass as if that can ground her.
"I asked you a question." It's Cora. Of course, Emma thinks. She sees Little Regina discretely wipe tears away from her eyes.
"I tripped, Mother," Little Regina says taking a step forward.
"Oh my darling daughter," Cora coos as she steps forward and grasps Little Regina (who flinches away) and pulls her close, "are you alright?" Apparently Cora at one time had perfected the pretense of caring of her young daughter. Emma saw right through that act. Spending time in more foster homes than she could remember taught her what a fake-mother looks like, someone who has ulterior motives and strings attached to their 'love'. Cora is probably worse than all of the foster moms Emma has ever had to deal with because Regina actually does love her in ways that Emma never loved her own foster parents.
Little Regina nods and responds, "I believe so, Mother."
"And what of you?" Cora snaps at Little Zelena.
"I am unharmed, Mother," she says with her head down.
"Look at me when I am talking to you, Child." Little Zelena lifts her head and is immediately thrown back by magic.
"Lena!" Little Regina screams as she tries to go to Little Zelena.
Cora holds her back and says, "You are supposed to be protecting your sister and teaching her how to be a lady, a princess, a queen, not encouraging her to ignore her responsibilities and ruin her perfect dresses. The only way you stay here is if you take your responsibilities seriously."
"Yes, Mother." Little Zelena says hanging her head in shame.
Big Zelena looks at the scene in barely contained rage. What is going on? Why isn't little me fighting back? Why is Mother treating me this way? I should be the one being prepared to be queen. Not Regina. She is nothing. I am the perfect daughter. Why can Cora not see this? Zelena thinks.
Emma looks on in a similar fashion as the Zelena sitting next to her-with barely contained rage towards Cora. But Emma couldn't care less that Zelena was still jealous of Regina, even as she was a toddler. A freaking toddler! Zelena is jealous of a toddler, Emma thinks she's totally off her rocker, she has to be. . But Emma was fuming because Cora was punishing a child for another child ruining a dress. What does she think children do? Children play, they get dirty. Although Emma knows she had been punished for less in the foster system, she never imagined Regina being punished for something so trivial. How could she be so naïve? Regina grew up with the Queen of Hearts before she had that title to soothe her anger. Regina was probably punished for much less, and Zelena too if this place they were actually was the past instead of an alternate universe. Where did Zelena send us? And if this is actually the past why don't Regina or Zelena remember?
"Enough wallowing Child, you will go straight to your quarters when you return and you will spend the evening fixing your sister's dress."
"Of course, Mother."
"And you!" Cora seethes as she turns and wraps Little Regina in a magic hold. All but dropping Little Zelena to the ground-completely forgotten. "You are destined for greatness my dear daughter, and yet you spend your time running amuck and ruining your nice things. How can you be queen when you refuse to learn."
Little Regina is crying, tears streaming down her face, as the magic grows tighter. Emma wants nothing more than to barge out of her hiding spot and show Cora that it's not okay to treat a child like that ever, and maybe she should show her someone who will fight back, but they cannot mess with the timeline. Who knows what could happen. So, she turns to look at Zelena to see the woman grinning wickedly. It's official, she's bat-shit crazy. She's enjoying watching a toddler being squeezed by magic.
"Regina!" Little Zelena yells as she gets to her feet. Suddenly, the violet magic surrounding Little Regina and holding her in midair is gone and Little Regina is gently placed on the ground-surrounded in a green glow-gasping and coughing and crying as Little Zelena has her in her arms whispering soothing words, "It's alright. You're safe. I have you."
"What?" Big Zelena whispers angrily, "she was getting what she deserved, it was her fault!"
Cora turns towards the shrubbery where Emma and Zelena are hiding and Emma pushes her magic out to conceal them. "Shuddup!" Emma whispers as she smacks Big Zelena. Zelena doesn't even flinch; she's too engrossed in what is going on outside their little magic bubble.
Cora gives one last glance to the shrubs before turning back towards her daughters. "Oh enough!" There's green magic everywhere and Emma realizes it's not from the full-sized version next to her. "Stand up and wipe your tears. You will go back to the estate and change your clothes. No children of mine will be seen in such a state." And with that she was gone with a dramatic flip of her hand and a puff of violet smoke.
The girls remain in each other's arms until Henry Sr. makes his way on his horse a short while later.
"Girls?" he asks as he dismounts.
"Oh Daddy!" Little Regina exclaims as she wraps her arms around her father's neck when he bends over.
"What's the matter, Mija?" he asks picking her up.
"Mother-" as soon as she starts her chin starts wobbling and the tears start falling.
"Shhh" Henry Sr. coos as he sits in the grass and motions for Little Zelena to join him leaning against a log near where Emma and full-sized Zelena are hiding. Little Zelena hesitates for only a moment before she goes and leans against Henry Sr. as he wraps an arm around her. "What happened, Chiquita?" he asks looking at Little Zelena.
She's looking at the ground. Emma turns to the full-sized version next to and sees tears in her eyes but wisely doesn't comment. Maybe this'll be good for everyone involved. Maybe no one will have to die. And maybe, just maybe, Regina won't have to lose another person in her life. Whether she thinks she needs them or not. "Regina fell," Little Zelena says burying her face in Henry Sr.'s shoulder, "and when I went to help her up Mother came and was very upset that Regina's dress is ruined. She used magic, Father-"
Big Zelena gasps. Even Emma was having a hard time keeping up, and she wasn't the one filled with (apparently) false memories. "This must be an alternate reality," Big Zelena says shaking her head, "there's no way any of this is real." She moves to stand but Emma is quick to pull her back to the ground.
"We wait until they leave, then we get the hell out of here before Cora comes back to sniff us out." Emma turns back to Little Zelena who is still talking.
"-not just on me, but on Regina this time."
Henry Sr. looks down at his sobbing daughter clutching to his shirt like a lifeline. "Oh, Mija," he says squeezing her tighter. "I'm so sorry."
"You have to do something!" Little Zelena yells, "It's not fair."
"Cora is just doing what she thinks is best for Regina," Henry Sr. says with a shake of his head.
"Well, she's wrong," Little Zelena says with conviction, "and if you won't do anything, I will protect Regina."
"Oh, Chiquita," Henry Sr. says pulling Little Zelena closer, "you know that that is very dangerous. Follow your Mother's rules and she won't have to hurt you."
Emma is disgusted. How can a man say these things? These are children! Innocents! If ever there was a case that fit the definition of Stockholm syndrome it would be this one, Emma thinks. However, the protectiveness in Young Zelena is shocking. Anyone with a brain can see that she loves her sister very much. She was ready to take a magical punishment for her little sister. She was protecting Regina from their mother's magic.
Before the scene unfolds further, Emma and full-sized Zelena are surrounded in a black smoke-magic, Emma thinks and suddenly she can't see a thing.
She blinks and she's inside a home. No, not just any home, a huge home, an estate. Oh god, she's inside Regina's childhood home isn't she? Zelena is next to her and as Emma turns to look at her she is shocked to see she is transparent. "Whoa," she whispers.
Zelena looks around until her eyes land on Emma, "oh great," she says sarcastically, "we're invisible." But before she can say anything else two girls run into the room. As soon as Emma sees them she knows that it's Little Regina and Little Zelena again, only this time they must be 11 and 13. Emma grabs Big Zelena and moves them against the wall. "We don't have to move, you idiot," Zelena says with an exaggerated eye roll, "we're invisible."
"Just a precaution," Emma says looking back at the girls.
"Zelena, give it back!" Little Regina grounds out as she chases the redhead.
"Or what, sis?"
Before Little Regina could respond someone else walks into the room.
"Camilla?" Little Zelena asks as she stops running. Little Regina uses this distraction and grabs for the diary.
"Do not instigate, Zelena," this Camilla says with a small shake of her head, she moves towards Little Regina who is looking pretty smug, "and you" she says turning Little Regina and sits her in front of the mirror, "if you yell like that and your mother hears, what do you think will happen, hmmm?"
Both Little Zelena and Little Regina hang their heads and mumble apologies.
"Now, Miss Regina, your mother is expecting you for tea before you accompany her into the village," Camilla says as she brushes out Little Regina's long hair.
Little Regina groans and slouches lower in her seat. Little Zelena moves closer and rests a hand on her shoulder, "don't slouch, Sissy, Mother won't approve." Little Regina sits up straight and looks at Zelena with an expression of fear.
"Will you go with me?" she asks.
"You know Mother will not allow that," Little Zelena whispers sitting next to her sister.
"But I need you," Little Regina whispers back as Little Zelena wraps her in a hug.
"You can do this, Regina. You know Mother will not hurt you. She loves you," Little Zelena says into her sister's hair as Camilla watches from behind them.
Emma scoffs, "Love?"
Big Zelena turns to her, "She kept her," she whispers with venom.
"Apparently she kept you too, you just don't remember," Emma says with a shrug.
"This is just a ridiculous notion. A side effect of the spell, I'm sure."
"Yes," Emma rolls her eyes, "the spell you cast that sent us into the past so you could kill your sister is obviously lying to us. You know, for all your 'wicked ways' and evilness you certainly are dense."
Before Zelena could retort, the doors of the bedroom magically flew open and Cora walked in.
"Camilla! I asked you to prepare Regina, not allow her to ruin her face with useless tears," she says flinging her hands in the direction of her daughters, "and Zelena, what are you doing in here? You do not belong in these quarters."
Big Zelena gasps, "Of course Mother, my apologies," Little Zelena says stepping away from Little Regina.
"No! Zelena should come with us today, Mother."
Cora looks at Little Regina with barely contained rage.
"I-I mean if you think it would be smart, Mother," Little Regina retracts as she steps back and bows her head in submission.
"I do not think that would be smart, my darling daughter," Cora says as she grasps Little Regina's chin. "I need you to make sure everyone sees you today. That you make everyone fall in love with you."
"Why?" Little Regina asks as she tries to pull away from her mother's grasp.
"Because, my dear, a queen needs her subjects to love her, to adore her. If your subjects don't love you they will not obey you."
"I'm not a queen, Mother. I'm barely a Lady," Little Regina says shamefully, with tears in her eyes.
"Enough!" Cora says as she squeezes Little Regina's chin tighter, "You will be queen. Now clean yourself up and prepare for the carriage. Camilla, I expect her to look perfect," and now she is turning to leave. She pauses and looks right at Emma and Zelena against the wall. They both hold their breath as she stares and then is gone in a flourish. They exhale, "holy shit," Emma whispers, but Big Zelena is already staring at the girls again. Little Zelena has Little Regina in her arms as she weeps.
"I don't want to go. I don't want to be Queen," Little Regina sobs.
"Shhh," Little Zelena coos as she rubs circles on her back, "you will be fine. Keep quiet and smile politely. Everyone in the village will love you and then Mother will be happy."
"You would make a better Queen, Zelena, you always do everything right. I just want to be happy. I don't want to be Queen."
"Hush now," Little Zelena says pulling back to look Little Regina in the eye, "do not ever let Mother hear you say that. She will punish you. Follow her rules, Sissy, and everything will be okay."
Camilla moves up and clears her throat, "Miss Regina, we must be quick before your mother returns."
She barely finishes her sentence when Cora comes back in the room and faces Emma and Zelena. As she moves towards them Big Zelena wraps them in her magic and they're gone. Emma blinks but they haven't moved. However, the room is empty.
"Where did they-" Emma starts; but before she can finish the door is flung open and Little Regina runs in. She is in a different dress and it's torn on the bottom. She falls onto the bed sobbing. Little Zelena comes in soon after. She is much calmer and simply sits on the bed next to Little Regina.
"We've moved ahead again in the timeline it seems," Big Zelena murmurs as she steps closer to the younger girls. Emma notices what Zelena is talking about because now Little Regina seems to be about fifteen or sixteen.
Little Regina continues to sob but moves until she is curled around Little Zelena. She cries until her sobs turn to hiccups and then Little Zelena asks, "would you like to talk?"
Little Regina nods and sits up a little so they are both resting against the headboard still wrapped in each others arms as Little Regina lays her head on Little Zelena's shoulder. "Mother is trying to marry me off."
"Regina," Little Zelena sighs, "we've talked about this, and it is your job. Become Queen and make Mother proud."
"No Zelena!" Little Regina says as she sits up and pulls away from her sister, "I do not want to be Queen."
"Of course not, but it is what Mother wants, and she always gets what she wants," Little Zelena says dejectedly.
"I do not wish you to go," Little Regina says quietly looking into her sister's eyes. Well, that took a strange turn, Emma thinks. And by the look on Big Zelena's face, she was thinking the same thing.
"Nor do I, but it is what Mother wishes, so it is what shall come to."
"Why must you go to this Dark One? Does Mother not understand how dangerous he is? I hear whispers in the village, Lena."
"They are nothing more than whispers, Gi. Truly, he is not as terrible as his name suggests."
"You have met him?" Little Regina asks looking up at her sister.
"Yes, and he is going to teach me how to control my magic."
"You do not need him, Lena. You are perfect how you are."
"I am a danger to everyone around me when I lose my temper. I am a danger to you."
"NO!" Regina says pulling further away from Zelena, "you have never harmed me Zelena. You are the only one that has ever protected me," she adds quietly.
Little Zelena sighs as she wraps her arms around her little sister again, pulling her close, "it will not be as bad as it seems, we will always be sisters, even if we are not so close in distance, Sissy. I will always be here for you."
Little Regina sighs and lays her head back down and says quietly, "she used magic on me again."
"What?!" Little Zelena asks trying to pull away to look at her sister, but Little Regina just holds tighter.
"She was angry when I tore my dress and wrapped me in magic again to teach me my lesson. However, I soon fainted from the grip and we had to leave the ball. I believe she was even angrier at me and I feared the trip to be dangerous when we were leaving; that is until a prince stopped us on our way out."
"Oh?" Little Zelena asks quietly.
"Yes. Apparently he was quite taken with me," Little Regina scoffs and adds an eye roll for good measure.
Little Zelena smiles, "of course he was, Mei Mei. You're beautiful."
"Not like you, Zelena," Little Regina says quietly, cuddling closer to her sister.
And that's how they stayed, quietly contemplating their futures. Two sisters on two very different paths predetermined for them by their mother.
Emma turns to look at the Zelena from her time to see her distressed and staring at the two sisters. "What are you thinking?" she whispers.
Zelena jumps and whips her head around, "that this imagery is incredibly pathetic and even in a fake world we cannot plausibly be friends."
Emma scoffs, "look closer than friends to me, Zelena. You look like sisters."
"Shut. Up." Zelena growls as she turns to look back at the younger version of herself calming Regina.
Before Zelena can add another scathing remark, Emma jumps in and asks, "What does Mei Mei mean?"
Zelena looks at her like she is the dumbest creature she has ever laid eyes upon. "You truly are dumber than I initially assumed. And that is most definitely not a good thing, Savior," she drawls out the title like it leaves a bitter taste in her mouth. "However, Mei Mei is the Mandarin term for 'Little Sister'"
"When did you learn Mandarin?" Emma asks trying to imagine what Oz is like, but then she realizes that Zelena actually did not grow up in Oz and that she probably learned it here in the Enchanted Forest.
"I remember learning it in Oz, but as you can clearly see, that has to be false because I never grew up in Oz." She's furious now, she grabs for Emma's hand and tries using magic again. This time when Emma blinks they are in a great room. They are standing behind Regina and Cora. Regina is in a pale blue dress, looking positively stunning, Emma thinks. As always, she adds with a smile. That's when Emma notices that Regina isn't moving. She quickly looks to Cora to see if she is using magic, but there's no magic. Regina simply isn't moving. Emma moves closer to Zelena and sees that a man is in front of them down on one knee. She gasps. This must be her grandfather. Oh god, this is so weird-definitely the weirdest thing to ever happen to me. And a lot of weird shit has happened to me. I mean, come on, my parents are Snow freaking White and Prince Charming, my son is related to the Dark One because I slept with his son, and I'm dating the Evil Queen, who just happens to be sisters with the Wicked Witch and daughter to the Queen of Hearts. I didn't think it could get any weirder than that. Whelp-I was wrong.
Cora grabs Regina's arm and accepts his proposal. Emma thinks she's going to be sick. Regina looks like she's going to be as well.
Emma blinks again and they're back in Regina's bedroom. She's standing at the window crying. Little Zelena-should I even be calling her little anymore? She is the exact same size as the Zelena I traveled here with. Hmmmm...now her brain isn't even listening to what they're saying, but Current Zelena is moving closer, and she seems genuinely concerned now instead of envious or angry.
Emma looks to see Zelena and Regina hugging in front of Regina's balcony. Zelena seems to be whispering into her ear and Emma and Current Zelena both unconsciously move closer to hear what they are saying.
"It will be alright," Zelena is saying, "you can do this. You saved his daughter, he is probably just looking for a mother for that little brat."
"Lena!" Regina exclaims, "She's a child. She couldn't have predicted that her father would be so happy that he would ask me to be his wife and raise her."
"Sounds like an obnoxious princess to me," Zelena mutters into Regina's hair. Current Zelena chuckles and Emma rolls her eyes. Snow couldn't have know-could she?
Regina is speaking again, "what about Daniel?" she whispers.
"What about him?" Zelena asks pulling back to look into her sister's eyes.
"I love him."
"And?" Zelena asks perplexed.
"I do not wish to be Queen, Lena."
"Regina!" Zelena exasperates, "We have talked about this. You do not have a choice; it is Mother's choice in what we do. It is why I am in training and why she does not know yet that I visit you. It is why you will do this. You were always meant to be Queen, Sissy."
"I do not want that title," Regina sneers as she turns away from her sister to look out at the sky. "I wish to be free. I want to run and not be punished. I want to love without it being weak. I want to marry Daniel and live an innocent life filled with love and happiness. Do you want this as well? We can do this together, Lena."
Zelena looks like she is contemplating this offer until she shakes her head and says, "No. This fantasy cannot continue, Regina. You are to marry the King and become Queen. It has always been your destiny. You have been groomed for this your whole life. Mother chose you and you must respect her wishes. She loves you and will do anything to make this dream come true."
"This is not a dream!" Regina screams, rounding on her sister, "this is a nightmare. You know as well as I, Zelena. I want to be free," she says as an after thought. "Why can I not choose happiness?"
Zelena smiles sadly, "You were never destined for happiness, Sissy. You were destined to be Queen, and Mother will stop at nothing until she wins. You know this."
"Lena, we need to leave. We can be gone by morning and Mother will never be able to stop us. We can finally be happy. No pressure to be Queen or to be Powerful. No one to force us into things we do not wish to do. We could finally be free. Please?" Regina begs as she grabs her sister's hands with a hopeful smile.
Emma looks at Current Zelena and sees her hands clenched tightly. Then she looks to her face and she sees the hopeful look there. Interesting, Emma muses. Zelena actually wants this. About damn time she's figured it out.
"I will help you and Daniel to safety," Zelena says with a small smile, "but I cannot promise myself, but I will do my best to help you, Sissy."
"Thank you Lena. I love you," Regina says wrapping her arms around Zelena tightly.
"I love you too," Zelena whispers into Regina's hair and she clings tightly to her. Emma looks back to Current Zelena and sees tears in her eyes. We must be almost there.
Emma blinks and they are in the stable. She sees Regina and Daniel locked in a loving embrace. I should not be jealous, she thinks, Regina didn't even know me yet. And this was who she thought was her true love. God, I'm jealous of a dead man. This is a new low, Swan, a new low indeed. Now, Emma looks around and she realizes where they are in the timeline. Cora is about to kill Daniel-and there's nothing Emma can do to stop it. The invisibility is still in effect. She looks to Zelena who is incredibly confused. She either doesn't know what happened or didn't actually think about the repercussions, Emma thinks as she turns back to Regina.
She and Daniel are smiling at each other as Zelena clears her throat from the other side of the barn.
"You must go," she says, "Mother will know."
"Know what dear?" Cora asks as she steps out of the shadows, "That my daughter is trying to run away from the marriage I procured for her? That you are an accomplice? How pathetic. You are pathetic. You are all pathetic."
Emma watches the scene unfold. Cora steals Daniel's heart, Zelena tries to stop her, but she's too late, and when Zelena tries to comfort Regina she is stopped by Cora's magic.
Cora gets into Zelena's face and hisses, "you have ruined everything. This is your fault. You are the reason Regina does not obey; but by taking her memories she will not have to worry about a sister she's never known."
"You can't do this," Zelena grits out, fighting against the magical bonds holding her away from Regina, who seems completely oblivious to what is going on.
"Of course I can, dear. I already am." Just then purple magic swirls around the barn. "And the beauty of this is, that no one will not remember this. When you wake up you will be in Oz, where you would have been raised by an abusive father who never loved you because you are different, never truly belonging," Cora says with a mock pout. "You will figure out you have a sister and spend the rest of your life envying what she has and what you will never have. Simply because your father is a no one and hers is a prince."
"Mother, be reasonable," Zelena pleads as she looks to see if Regina has looked up yet.
"Do not call me that," Cora growls as she tightens the magical holds on Zelena.
Current Zelena gasps.
"You are not my daughter. You were a mistake. I should have never kept you. I should have sent you to Oz when I had the chance, but my dear husband has a kind heart. Even if he is completely useless, you should be grateful, he is the only reason you are here today."
Current Zelena falls to the ground watching everything unfold. Emma would have been concerned if she wasn't too busy looking between Regina sobbing over her fiancé's dead body, or the fight unfolding between the two off standing witches.
The magic is getting overwhelming and Emma reaches out blinding for Current Zelena. She may loathe the woman, but she'll be damned if she winds up stranded in the past without the psychopath.
"No!" and it's difficult for Emma to distinguish which version of Zelena has screamed.
Let me know what you think :)