Regina's emotions knocked the wind out of me. "Regina? Is everything okay?"
"I'll head that way."
She's numb. What happened? "Regina?"
"Henry's in the hospital." Her voice cracked. "I need to go." The call ended.
Gold must have gotten to Henry somehow. Grabbing my jacket, I tossed a twenty on the table and ran. "Keep the change!"
Sirens on, I peeled out of Granny's parking lot and sped towards the hospital. Thankfully, the roads were nearly empty. The few cars that were out, moved out of my way.
Parking, I ripped the keys out of the ignition and ran into the hospital. Glancing around, I saw Dr. Whale. "Where's Henry?"
"Follow me."
Entering the ICU, I saw Regina standing by Henry. "What happened?"
"He's been poisoned but isn't responding to any medication." Dark eyes glistened. "His vitals won't stabilize. He keeps seizing. If this keeps up, we're going to lose him. His body can't handle it."
Taking the frazzled woman into my arms, I held her tightly. "Is there anything besides TLK that can save him?"
"No," Regina choked. "Magic acts differently here. This isn't how it's supposed to work." Moving to the bed, she brushed damp hair from Henry's sweaty forehead. "Please, don't leave us. I'll do anything…" Becoming still, Henry flatlined. "Henry!"
My stomach dropped hearing Regina scream and the heart monitor buzz. Sparks. There are sparks! "Kiss him."
"What?" Regina looked back at me.
Kneeling beside the bed, I whispered. "Sparks. Your love for Henry created small sparks. This is an emotional time. Trust me, Regina."
Wiping her face, Regina cleared her throat. Hovering above Henry's forehead, she whispered. "I love you, Henry. Please come back to us." The moment Regina's lips touched Henry's forehead, a burst of energy pulsed through the air.
"It worked…" My voice trailed off.
Henry gasped for air. "M-Moms?" His voice was raspy.
"Henry!" Regina cupped our son's face. "You're alive." She kissed his forehead again and sobbed.
"You saved me," He beamed. "You broke the curse with True Love's Kiss."
"Your Majesty," Mother Superior stepped closer. "If I were you, I'd find a place to hide."
"She's right, Regina." Before she could argue, I took her by the shoulders. "Go. I'll make sure Henry is safe." Hugging the woman close, I whispered. "Keep to the plan. We'll be there as soon as possible. There are rations in the old trunk. I love you." Leaning back, I kissed the shorter woman. "Now, go."
I watched as Regina ran towards the main entrance. It took every ounce of self control I had to not go after her. "Mom?" Henry leaned forward.
"She'll be safe, Henry. Trust us." Turning my attention to Dr. Whale, I spoke. "Make sure he's fit to leave."
"Yes, Deputy."
As Henry was being looked over, my phone buzzed. A few calls from Mary Margaret and a text from Regina. Thank God she's safe. Once Henry is clear to leave, we'll meet up with her.
Mary Margaret and David pushed open the ICU doors. "Emma!"
Oh, God. They remember everything. Dodging hugs, I stepped closer to Henry. "Hey, guys…." This is awkward. "Uhm…" What the hell do I say to them?
"Emma, what happened? To Henry? To you?" Mary Margaret was frantic with questions. "I've waited for this moment for so long."
"Where's Regina?" David demanded.
"You lay one hand on her-" Remembering our son, I checked my tone. "Look, I know you have your issues with Regina but she's the mother of my child and the woman I love. We will handle this family dispute after she's safe." I have a family. Blood family. Not just a chosen one.
"He's free to go." Dr. Whale left as a nurse came in with Henry's things.
Turning towards Henry, I helped him with his shirt. "We need to go."
"What can we do?" Mary Margaret pleaded.
"We?" David scoffed.
"Yes, we." Turning to her husband, Mary Margaret continued. "Everyone has their own issues with Regina, especially me, but we need to help our daughter. The daughter we weren't able to protect. Now we can."
David studied us. "Fine."
She's telling the truth. She wants to help us. Or at least me. David's going to be a problem though. "The townspeople are going to go after Regina. Probably at home first. Keep them away as long as possible. Don't let them destroy our home."
"We'll do what we can." She paused. "Can I hug you? I know you need to go but…" Her voice trailed off.
Unable to spend too much time in thought, I agreed. "Yeah, sure." Feeling arms around my neck, I hesitantly reciprocated the embrace. This feels so weird. "We need to go."
"Right." Mary Margaret wiped away tears. Turning her attention to Henry, she smiled. "I'm glad you're better."
"Me too." He paused with a crooked smile. "Grandma." David's stoic stare faltered at Henry's name for his wife.
"Ready, Kiddo?"
"Yeah." Tossing the covers away, Henry got to his feet. His step faltered slightly.
I knelt down to his level. "You okay?" Studying my son, I tried to figure out the best course of action.
"I'm good. Let's save Mom." Henry hugged David and Mary Margaret. "Thank you for helping us."
"You're welcome, Henry." Mary Margaret kissed his hair. "We'll catch up later."
"All of us will." David added, hugging us both. "Now, go."
"Every minute counts and I don't want you to over exert yourself." Crouching down, I allowed Henry to get on my back.
"Good luck, Deputy." Mother Superior held the ICU door open. "You'll need it."
"Thank you."
Starting the cruiser, we buckled before I pulled out of the parking lot. "What did you say to Mom when you hugged her?"
"I told her to stick to the plan." Seeing David's truck behind us, I tried to keep calm. If I'm calm Regina will be calm. We're on our way.
"What is the plan?"
"To keep you and her safe at all costs." Pulling into a parking lot, I grabbed the duffle bag from the backseat.
"Mom's in an ice cream shop?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at Henry's confusion. "Nope. She's in the vault but I don't want the car to give up our location." Lacing my arm through the handle of the bag, I let Henry climb on my back. "Hold on tight."
My thighs burned as I ran the half mile to the cemetery. Almost there. Why did I wear these boots today? I don't know what hurts more: my legs or my feet. Ugh!
Reaching the mausoleum, I made sure no one was around before entering. Pushing the coffin away, I allowed Henry to go first so I could close us in. "She's in the second room."
Walking down the stone hallway, my body buzzed. I wonder if this is what magic feels like. Placing my hands and foot in the right positions, I pressed. The gears started to shift and the door opened. "Mom!" Henry called as he ran into Regina's arms.
"Oh, Henry. I'm so glad you're okay. I'm so sorry."
Closing the door, I turned to see Regina holding Henry. My chest swelled with the love I felt for my family. "We made it." Pulling the older woman into a tight embrace, I let my chin rest on her shoulder. "I'm so glad you made it here safely."
"Me too." Leaning back, Regina kissed me. "Fill me in on what happened after I left."
Needing desperately to sit, I made myself comfortable on the floor. "Henry got checked out by Dr. Whale, people are obviously remembering things, Mary Margaret and David are helping us-"
"They're what?" Horror washed over the Mayor's face.
"I didn't believe it either at first. I stood my ground that I needed to protect you and Henry. Mary Margaret asked how they could help. She wasn't lying." I grinned. "Henry calling her "grandma" may have helped some."
Regina smiled as he came to sit beside her on the couch. "He does have that effect on people."
"He does." Rubbing my legs, I continued. "I asked them to keep people away from the house. Partly to make them think you were there and to keep our home safe."
"Thank you. We can always rebuild or fix the damage. You and Henry are the most important things."
I've never been someone's most important thing before. "How's your magic?"
"Spotty." Flexing her hand, Regina tried creating her signature fireball. A small flame appeared but fizzled out a second later.
"That's so cool," Henry mumbled.
"How do you feel? You keep rubbing your legs."
"I'm buzzing. My legs hurt because I ran half a mile from the ice cream shop to here."
"The buzzing is magic. Eventually, you get used to it. Have you tried using it yet?"
"No. I was too focused on making sure Henry was okay and getting to you." Shrugging, I leaned back on my hands. "I'm also worried I'll set something on fire or blow something up."
"Probably for the best." Looking around the room, Regina sighed. "I wish we could find out what was going on out there. In the Enchanted Forest, I could use a mirror to see others. I can't do that yet."
"I can go up and check things out. I need to take Henry home soon anyway."
"Mom.."
"No, Henry," Regina began. "You can't stay here. There's only one sleeping bag and you need a bed."
"Luckily," grabbing the duffle, I rummaged through it. "I have some UHF walkie talkies. You can keep one and we'll keep the other. Phones are useless underground. " I gave one to Regina and the other to Henry. "Hopefully these will work."
"Thank you." Taking the radio, Regina inspected the device.
"You have food, flashlights, a small generator, heater, water, and a sleeping bag down here. It won't be like home but it'll do for now. Obviously, I'll get you home as soon as it's safe."
"I know you will."
We kept Regina company for a few hours before heading back to the surface. I hated leaving her alone but I needed to get Henry home. Glancing around, I made sure no one saw as we left the mausoleum. "We're good." Henry dashed ahead as I closed the heavy door.
"Do you think Mom's going to be okay?" Henry shivered in the January air.
"I hope so." Shifting him upwards, I got a better grip on Henry's legs. "She's safe. That's what matters."
"Do you think Snow and Charming kept their word?"
"I think so. My superpower told me they wanted to help." I just hope they could actually follow through.
Reaching the cruiser, we sat and waited for the car to warm up. Pulling out the radio, Henry pressed the side button. "Mom? Can you hear me? Over." Please let this work. Not only for Henry but for me too.
"It works. I can hear you. The signal is a little scratchy but it works." Regina paused. "Over."
"That's great. How are you holding up?" I shrugged at the nod Henry did. "Over."
"Good." She's lying. "It's about sixty eight degrees in here. I got a few books from the other room to brush up on magic. Over."
"Make sure to eat something. Over." Pulling onto Main Street, I tried keeping my emotions in check. I'll breakdown once Henry is asleep. I'll get the radio and actually talk to Regina.
"I will. Over."
Pulling into the driveway, I groaned seeing a window boarded up. "Great." Not sure what's worse: the fact that someone broke a window or that there will be an abundance of questions since my…are here. That's going to take awhile to get used to.
"What is it? Over."
"Townspeople were here. One of the windows was broken. David or Mary Margaret boarded it up. I'll fix it soon. They're still here so let me call you later, okay? Over."
"Okay. I love you both. Over."
"We love you too. Over." Henry laughed after realizing we spoke in unison.
"Are you going to be okay meeting your grandparents?"
Smirking, Henry retorted quickly. "Are you going to be okay meeting your parents?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Turning off the car, I took a calming breath. I got this.
Entering the house, we were met by the savory smell of chili. If Regina finds out someone other than her cooked in her kitchen, she's going to be pissed. Hanging our coats, I tried to prepare myself for anything that could possibly happen.
"Oh, they're home!" Mary Margaret started towards us from the kitchen. "You're here!" Wrapping us in a hug, the schoolteacher squeezed. "I'm so glad to see you guys." Looking around, she frowned. "Where's Regina?"
"Safe." I paused, realizing my tone. "She's safe. Thank you for fixing the window."
"You're welcome. David made chili. Are you hungry?"
"Starving!" Dashing towards the kitchen, Henry greeted David. "Smells awesome!"
"I know it'll take time for you to trust us. But is Regina safe? It's cold at night. She's not staying in a car or something, right?"
Why does she care so much? Regina tried to kill her. She took me away from them. But she's being genuine. "She's in a safe place." Feeling my stomach growl, I realized how hungry I actually was. "Let's eat and talk."
"Okay."
Entering the kitchen, I nodded at David who was serving chili into four bowls. "Thank you for boarding up the window and making food."
"You're welcome."
The air was heavy and none of us knew what to say. We ate in silence at the table. Being in the house without Regina was strange. I'd do anything to take her place right now. I'm used to sleeping like that. Regina's not. I'll be glad when she's back in our bed. We have to start somewhere. "What do you want to know about me?"
David and Mary Margaret shared a glance before turning their attention back to me. "Uhm," Mary Margaret stammered. "There are so many questions. We've talked before but we didn't know we were talking." A nervous laugh escaped the schoolteacher.
Knowing what she was probably thinking, I cringed. "Let's not dwell on that please."
"Yeah…" Mary Margaret chose her words. "Are you happy? With Regina? Are you really happy?"
Out of everything, that's what you ask? "I am, yes. She's not the same woman who cursed everyone. She has changed."
"How do you know though?" Mary Margaret studied me over her glass.
"You've seen it. You pointed it out to me when I found…" Realizing Henry was listening, I reworded my statement. "Out that Graham was seeing Regina." What's a way to make fairytale characters actually believe? "She saved Henry with True Love's Kiss." Shock covered the schoolteacher's face. "The Thanksgiving dinner was my idea but the Christmas one was all her. Being Henry's mother has changed her."
"Being your soulmate has changed her too," Henry added. "I think the soulmate versus True Love is why your kiss didn't work last night."
"How do you know you're soulmates?" David finished his bowl and leaned back in his chair. "That was great."
It is really good chili. "Do you know what the red string of destiny is?" Both Mary Margaret and David shook their heads. "It's a red string that only two people who are destined to be together can see. The string is long and can be endless."
Over the next hour, I explained everything about my childhood, adulthood, and everything that happened once I arrived in town. I kept it PG since Henry was present. Everyone was in different states of awe at my life. At least everything is on the table now. Well, almost everything. "Who led the charge earlier?"
"Whale," David smirked. "He's not exactly one of us."
"It figures," I groaned. "He's always given me a weird vibe. Where's Gold? I need to pay him a visit." Anger boiled inside me. He went after our son and nearly killed him. He won't get away with that. A calmness washed over me from the string. I can almost hear Regina telling me to calm down and take a breath.
"Probably in his shop or home. I'm sure he's found Belle by now." David took our bowls and silverware to the kitchen. "Be right back."
"What did you tell the townspeople when they came here?"
"That Regina wasn't here. That we're better than this. Graham let David take over as Sheriff." Mary Margaret laughed. "I guess the police station is going to be a family business now. David as sheriff and you as deputy."
That's going to be awkward. "I guess so."
"We'll figure it out." David took his seat. "The town thinks she should be locked up." My fist instantly clenched. "But, maybe once they see that she really has changed, they can start to move on." I smirked. "I said maybe."
"We'll see." Where she's at now is punishment enough. "How long can you guys stay? I need to get Henry to bed."
"We can stay a bit longer."
"Alright, Kiddo. Bedtime." I grabbed the duffle before heading up the stairs.
Once Henry was in bed, I sat beside him. "She's going to be okay."
"I wish we could say goodnight or something." Pulling out the radio, I clicked and held the side button down multiple times. "What was that?"
"We love you" in Morse Code. Hold my hand and think about Mom. She'll feel it through the red string." Doing as I said, we thought about Regina. Soon, warmth filled my chest. "She felt us."
"Good." Henry smiled, snuggling into the covers. "I love you. Thank you for keeping your word about keeping Mom safe."
"You're welcome, Henry." Kissing his forehead, I stood. "I love you too." Closing his door, I made my way back downstairs.
Joining my parents in the kitchen, I opened the bar cabinet. "Thank you for going easy on the Regina talk while Henry was down here."
"You're welcome." Mary Margaret finished loading the dishwasher. "Some of the town was angrier than others. It's almost equal between Regina and Gold."
She put the dishes away while I was gone? I guess she had to do something while David boarded up the window. "I knew they would be angry but I wasn't sure how angry. All I know is what was in the book and what she's told me."
"With time, they might start to forgive. Life here wasn't horrible but she ripped everyone from their home and lives. Made us forget who we really were."
"I understand that." Mixing a whiskey sour, I took a long sip. "Want one?"
"Yes." They spoke in unison.
"How did you learn to forgive Regina?" David put away the leftovers.
"Love, I guess. Regina and I were at odds at the beginning but then we let each other in. Our love for Henry brought us together. I got to see the side of her that no one else gets to see. The real Regina. The loving side that she hid away after Daniel was murdered." Mary Margaret winced at the mention of his name. "I know, you were only ten and didn't mean to cause trouble. You were naive."
Placing her hand on David's, Mary Margaret spoke softly. "David and I talked before you and Henry arrived. We can see how much you both love Regina. We will start forgiving her for what she's done because we love you and we want to spend time with Henry as our grandson." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "And if she's to become our daughter in law…"
The blood drained from my face. I'm going to have to explain these emotional reactions to Regina as soon as possible. "Eventually, yes." Calming myself, I smiled wearily. "Thank you. I really wasn't sure how this was going to go." I don't fully trust it but we'll see what happens.
"We weren't either." David replied with a half shrug. "I wonder why we didn't go back though. Or why our kiss didn't break the curse."
"My best guess is because you didn't know who you really were. As for going back…" My voice trailed as I thought. "No idea."
The three of us talked for a bit longer before they decided to leave. School was obviously postponed for a while so Henry would be home more often. I wasn't sure how it would be working beside David. I had unofficially taken over the sheriff duties at the station so I'd have a few words with Graham later. All I knew is that I needed to update Regina.