May 1st 2013
David smiled as he saw the two women heading down the driveway. He could not make out their features but their gait told him all he needed to know. The moon was completely obstructed by the dark clouds. It was going to storm, to David's delight. The rain would make it harder for anyone to try to find them.
As Red and Granny reached his car, he got out. "Thank you."
Red did not look him in the eyes. "You helped me once. I'm just repaying a favor."
David sighed. "I know you disapprove of Regina and I…"
"I do. Snow was my friend." Her tone was sharp. "Regina had tried to kill us so many times… and why? Because Regina was jealous of her?"
David closed his eyes and shook his head. They did not have time for this particular conversation. "It's a lot more complicated than you think. Snow… Snow did things to Regina that I would have never thought she'd be capable of doing."
Red chuckled. "Like what? Step on her dress?"
David lost his patience. "No. And this is not the time or place to have this discussion." He grabbed the suitcase and put it in the truck's bed.
Granny felt something was amiss. They were all grieving and David was right: this was not a good time to have the discussion they all needed to have. The only reason she had agreed to help him in the first place was that Emma seemed convinced Regina did not kill Snow. And it was good enough for her under the circumstances. Regina should not be executed for a crime she did not commit. But what about the crimes she had committed? The Evil Queen's actions were unforgivable; yet David was ready to forgive her completely. She placed her hand on her granddaughter's arm. "You should both go get the rest of the supplies while I put the blanket in the truck."
David looked toward Regina's sleeping form. She had not moved since they had left the hospital. Granny followed his gaze. Regina laid on her right side, her head towards the driver's seat and her back to the windshield. She was curled up under the thin hospital blanket, shivering despite the warmth provided by the truck's heater. Granny looked at her carefully, as if she was seeing her for the first time. And in some ways, she was. She had never seen Regina without makeup before but the Queen appeared younger, almost innocent in her sleep. It struck her then how young Regina truly was. She could not be much older than Red or Snow. Her pale, cracked lips were parted and the hand lying near her head was twitching in her sleep. She was a far cry from the woman everyone feared. "David, go help Red. It will be faster." She saw the hesitation in his eyes. "I'll stay with her."
David looked at the woman he so desperately loved. He had promised her he would stay by her side but Granny was right. They needed to hurry and he trusted the old woman implicitly. He thanked her before following Red up the driveway.
Granny walked around the car and opened the passenger door. She placed the basket containing a thermos of warm soup and some crackers on the floor. She was about to lay the warm blanket over it but she thought better of it. She climbed in the cabin and arranged the blanket around Regina.
The Queen's eyes opened suddenly. She whimpered and looked around frighteningly. Granny sighed. She had seen this look before, too many times in fact. Before she was turned into a wolf, she had worked as a nursemaid for one of the most affluent nobles. She had considered them family but when they had learned about what she had become, they had thrown her in the street. Granny had moved north with Red's mother, eventually settling in the village she had lived in for most of her life. But her training had not been wasted. The owner of the local tavern would let their clients buy time with 'his' girls. More often than not, the girls would end up in her home, bleeding and scared after one of the patrons got too rough. The owner did not seem to care and the pattern repeated itself night after night. Different girls, same eyes.
These same eyes were staring at her right now. "Regina, child, you're ok. David will be right back." She tried to talk soothingly to the Queen but Regina was not listening. She cried out softly and tried to move. "Regina, calm down. You're ok. But you need to stay still." The porch light came on and Granny turned toward the two individuals coming down the driveway. "David!"
Upon hearing Granny's tone, David rushed toward the car. "What happened?" His answer came in the form of soft cries. He ran to the driver's side and opened the door. Regina was writhing on the seat, clearly frightened. He reached for her hand. "Regina, everything is fine…. We're at Granny's. She and Red are helping us." Regina gripped his hand and he continued to talk to her soothingly. He leaned over the seat and kissed her temple. He gently stroke her hair, trying to get her to settle on the uncomfortable seat. "I'm getting you somewhere you can rest."
Red had placed the second suitcase, the food supplies, and the generator fuel in the truck's bed. She pulled the tarp to protect the supplies from the impending storm. She then stood at a respectful distance, trying to ignore the cries and whimpers coming from inside the truck. Tears were threatening to fall. She was a good person. And good people didn't stand by when someone was as frightened and in pain as the Queen seemed to be. She approached David carefully. "What's wrong?"
David sighed. "I don't know, Red. Maybe it has to do with the fact that she has absorbed a death curse to get Snow and Emma back, lost her baby, had two surgeons cut her open, been moved all day for no valid reason, ripped her stitches, was sawn back up without anesthesia, and is still being threatened to be burned alive in the morning. And that's just the past week for her. We don't have time for a longer life history. One that Snow was perfectly aware of."
Red stayed silent. Regardless of her own feelings toward Regina, David truly loved her. And she wished he did not have to see the person he loved like this. "David, I'm sorry."
David shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, Red. I know you're trying to help… it's just…"
Red placed her hand on his back. "I understand." And strangely, she did. He loved her. She may not comprehend why he loved the Evil Queen but she understood the feeling of loving someone so completely and the desperation of seeing them suffer. She looked across the car at Granny. "Anything else?"
Granny looked at the Queen. She was starting to settle down but her shivers had become more violent. Regina was not cold, she was still in shock from everything that had happened to her. "Yes. Get a few extra blankets. And get a hot water bottle."
Red nodded. "I'll be right back." Red glanced at Regina for the first time and gasped audibly. The woman looked nothing like the one she had seen entering Archie's office in the morning.
Granny frowned. "Red, what is it?"
Red shook her head. "Nothing." She left quickly toward the bed and breakfast's.
David placed his head on the seat so Regina did not have to turn her head to look at him. Although most of the adrenaline had flushed from her system, Whale had warned him that she would feel anxious for the next few hours. "Close you eyes, sweetheart."
Regina shook her head, crying. "I don't want to die…."
Granny looked away, hiding her own tears. Despite everything Regina had done, no one deserved to be burned alive. David caressed her cheek. "We're going somewhere safe. I won't let them touch you."
Regina took a shaky breath. "I don't want to burn… please… please…."
Granny gently stroke her covered legs. Regina jumped at the touch. "No one will let you die this way, Regina." This statement seemed to appease her slightly. David realized she had needed to hear it from other people in town and not just him. He would not be able to defend her against the entire town, but they had a chance if they did not stand alone. He smiled at Granny and mouthed a 'Thank you.' The old woman nodded in understanding before turning her attention back to the Queen. "You're going to get some rest and get strong. And you're going to help us defend you."
Regina was losing her battle against sleep. Within minutes of closing her eyes, her breathing evened out once more. David rose to face Granny. "Thank you."
She was still looking at the sleeping woman. "You're welcome. David, what happened?"
He sighed. "Short version: George wants her dead and Snow's death is getting him the excuse he needs to have her executed."
"So you think he killed Snow?" Granny frowned. Her granddaughter would have never lied to her about seeing the Queen despite her resentment toward the woman.
David shook his head. "No. Whoever did it glamoured themselves as Regina. And according to Rumple, only he and Regina have the ability to do so."
Granny closed her eyes. "How do you know she didn't do it?"
David gestured toward the sleeping woman angrily. "Look at her! Do you really think she had the strength to do it? Besides, she had no reasons to."
Red had been standing in front of the truck for the last part of the exchange. "David is right. The woman is that truck looks nothing like the one I saw this morning. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think it was Regina."
Granny looked at Regina. She did not look like she would be able to sit on her own, let alone kill someone. And David was right on another point. Regina had no reasons to kill Snow. She had what she wanted either by revenge or actual love. "How can we help?"
David's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to help Regina?" He looked toward Red for confirmation. She nodded slowly.
Granny chuckled. "Let's say that you've convinced us of her innocence."
David gave her a small smile. "I'm not sure I want either of you looking for a powerful magic practitioner on your own."
Red walked toward her Granny and handed her the hot water bottle. "I think we can take care of ourselves… Besides Regina is not the only person that George has tried to frame recently." She had an old debt to settle with the man and for once, she was on the same side as Regina.
David nodded his thanks. Granny pulled the blanket off Regina, who groaned in her sleep. David let out a choked breath, between laughter and relief. He did not think he could bear more whimpering. Granny smiled at the sleeping woman. "Not happy, Your Majesty?" She gently placed the hot water bottle near Regina's stomach on top of the hospital cover and rearranged the warm blanket. Regina curled into the warmth and moaned in her sleep. "You're welcome." She rubbed the Queen's shoulder before climbing out of the truck. "We'll get you more food in a week. Be careful, David."
"I will." He looked toward the sleeping woman tenderly. Maybe she would get the sleep she needed after all.
Red placed the extra blankets on top of the basket as well as two pillows. She handed one to David. "It might make the ride a little bit more comfortable."
David took the pillow gratefully and placed it under Regina's head, careful not to wake her. Regina immediately buried her face into the pillow, sighing in her sleep. "I don't know how to thank you for everything."
"Try not to get yourself killed."
He smiled. "I'll see you in a week." He climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door. Red did the same with the passenger's door. The two women waved and he backed out of the driveway.
David drove quickly; they already had wasted too much time. He stopped in front of the town line and got out of the car with the plastic bag containing their bloodied clothes. He just hoped that Whale and Sarah would be convincing enough for his plan to work. He walked to the edge of the line and scattered the clothes on both sides. He then ran back to the truck and drove into the woods. He knew the incoming storm would help erase any tire marks.
He drove for another thirty minutes through the woods until he reached the cabin he and Snow had hid in when a storm much like the one currently brewing had surprised them. He sighed. This sounded like a lifetime ago. He looked down at the still sleeping woman next to him. He hated to have to move her but she would be much more comfortable in a bed.
He gently lifted Regina and her blankets and carried her inside. The cabin was small and consisted of a main room, a small kitchen, and a separate bedroom with a small bathroom. It may not be as comfortable as the mayoral mansion but they would be safe here. At least for now. David carried Regina to the bed and laid her down carefully. The Queen groaned and writhed on the cold bed. David kissed her cheek. "I'll be right back." He was not sure whether Regina heard him but she settled once again into a deep, drug-induced sleep.
David first grabbed the fuel and looked for the generator. Granny had thought of everything and had provided him with flashlights and batteries as well as candles in case the generator was broken. He found what he was looking for in the back and filled the generator with the fuel. He let out of a huge breath of relief when the generator sprang to life as soon as he started it. David then rushed back to the car and started moving its content into the house. Halfway through his trips, the much needed rain started to sprinkle. Within a few minutes, it worked itself into a downpour.
David grabbed the extra blanket and the pillow. He needed some sleep, he could get the rest of the supplies organized in the morning. He climbed besides Regina on the bed and arranged the extra blanket on top of them. He pulled the sleeping woman into his embrace and soon fell into a deep, restful sleep.
EC
It was still raining when David finally woke. The soft light informed him that it was probably morning. He glanced at his watch: 9am. He had slept for about six hours. Regina had not moved during the night and was still sleeping besides him. She would probably wake soon, in need of some painkillers.
As carefully as he could manage, David slid out of the warm bed into the cold cabin air. He shivered and reached for the jacket he had dropped on the floor last night. He hoped that Granny and Red had packed warm clothes for the both of them. They would not be able to use the fireplace unless they wanted to alert everyone of their presence here.
David walked to the main area where he had left all the supplies in his haste last night. He surveyed the small cabin that would be their home in the foreseeable future. The kitchen area was on the far right corner from the door and consisted of a sink, a couple of overhead cabinets, and a small counter where he had placed the food supplies. A small dining table with two chairs was placed along the wall. David smiled at the microwave and coffee maker sitting on top of it. Two loveseats were placed on a rug in the center of the room, directly facing the fireplace. A bookshelf - with no books - occupied the far left wall. David placed his hand on top of it. They would be able to store some of their food supply on it. He turned around to face the bedroom. Regina had buried herself into the covers, in search for warmth.
David first inventoried the food supplies. They had enough to last two weeks without rationing. David silently thanked the old woman. Most of the dishes had already been baked and just needed to be reheated. David looked at the old coal stove in the corner of the room. He had not seen one of these in a long time, almost thirty years to be exact when he had left his mother's farm. He smiled when he found the pancake mix and apples. At least, he would be able to cook Regina her favorite breakfast.
David moved toward the two suitcases. The first one contained only sweaters, the ones he had left in his room at the bed and breakfast. He was suddenly glad he had been too lazy to move everything into Regina's mansion. The second one contained undergarments for both of them, wool socks, his jeans, thermal shirts in his and Regina's size - the latter probably belonging to Red along with the warm exercise thighs and all-weather jacket. He carried the two suitcases into the bedroom, placing them near the small closet.
A huge smile spread across his face when he opened it. The closet was filled with blankets and at the bottom, he found two small space heaters. He grabbed one and plugged it in, closing the bedroom door behind him as he walked back into the main living area. He found what he was looking for in the large loveseat near the fireplace. He opened the first bag and smiled when he saw the essential toiletries: toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, razors, and a hair brush. The second bag contained the supplies Whale had given him at the hospital. He grabbed both bags and headed toward the bedroom.
The bedroom was small enough for the heater to warm it to a comfortable temperature within ten minutes. David used this time to inspect the bathroom. He found towels in the cabinet under the sink along with additional soap. He then tried the shower. To his surprise, the water warmed to a scorching temperature after running it for a few minutes. The generator must be connected to a hot water tank. They needed to be careful, however. Although he - and surely, Regina - would appreciate a hot shower, they had only a limited supply of fuel for the generator.
In the meantime, he was going to enjoy the comfort their new home had to offer. He showered quickly so Regina would have plenty of hot water when she woke. He wrapped a towel around himself and stepped into the bedroom, looking for clothes.
EC
Regina felt warm. The pain in her abdomen was reduced to a dull ache. She could hear the shower running not far from her. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She did not know where she was but for some reason she felt safe. She could feel David's presence and it was enough to reassure her.
The man in question came out of what she assumed to be the bathroom. He was only wearing a towel and Regina let her eyes wander over his body. She watched as a droplet of water rolled down from his clavicle, in-between his perfectly defined pectoral muscles, and over his muscled stomach before getting lost on the towel. She licked her lips unconsciously.
David smirked as he watched Regina. She had no idea he had seen her awake. When she smacked her lips, he could not hold the chuckle any longer. "Enjoying the view?" Her eyes snapped to his face as she blushed a deep shade of red. She bit her lips and hid her face in the pillow. David kneeled besides her on the floor. "It's ok. I guess it's only fair you get your turn." He clarified upon seeing the confusion on her face. "Yesterday… in your bathroom."
"Oh." She blushed a deeper shade of red.
David did not wish to embarrass her further so he switched their topic of conversation. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm ok."
David sighed, some things never changed apparently and admitting her pain was one of them. "Is your abdomen hurting?" She averted his eyes. She hated to appear weak. Years of conditioning at her mother's hands had made sure of that. "Regina?" She nodded, still unable to look him in the eyes. David rubbed her arm. "I'll get something."
David reached for the bag he had left on top of one of the suitcases. He grabbed the morphine, a needle, and a syringe and laid them on the floor in front of him. Regina whimpered. "Pills?"
David sighed. He had hoped that her fear had been mostly due to the adrenaline Santo had injected her with. "I'm sorry, honey. We did not have time for them. This is all I have."
Regina looked around the room. "Where are we?"
As he was filling the syringe, David told her about most of the details of last night's events. He approached her and dabbed her skin with disinfectant. She whined and moved away from his touch. "Regina?"
"I don't like needles." Regina took a steadying breath. She looked into his questioning eyes but he held his tongue. Regina closed her eyes briefly. She had never been in a relationship before but she knew that it needed to be based on trust. There were many skeletons in her closet, some secrets darker than others, but she needed to learn to trust David enough to let him in. So she told him why she was so afraid of needles.
David rubbed her back through her story. Once she finished, she buried her face into the pillow, afraid of his reaction. She was broken and unlovable. David laid down on the bed besides her and pulled her into his warm embrace. Regina immediately relaxed into it. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. If I had known, I would have insisted on getting the pills."
Regina shook her head. "You're not mad?"
David frowned. "Why would I be mad?"
"It's such a stupid reason."
David kissed the crown of her head tenderly. "It's not your fault."
Regina nuzzled his shoulder. "Why did you choose me?"
David closed his eyes. They had had this conversation several times during her stay at the hospital. At first, she had not believed that it was real. Why would Prince Charming choose her over Snow White? She had waited for him to tell her it was all a joke, a cruel joke in retaliation for everything she had done. Then, she had tried to push him away. She was afraid of getting hurt. Finally, she had settled on just waiting for the other shoe to drop. David had talked at length with Archie about starting a relationship with Regina and he had been happy to discover that the psychiatrist was more worried about her getting hurt than him. Archie had told him to take it slow, or at least as slow as they could, considering he would be helping her during her recovery. Yesterday, he had hoped she was over her doubts: she had envisioned a future with him. And she had told him that she loved him. He repeated the words to her. "I love you."
"But why? My soul… it's as dark as they come."
David rubbed her back. "That's not true. I've literally seen your heart, I've seen that bright red spot at the center. There is a lot of good in you, Regina. And you just let me have a glimpse at it." She held him close, not saying a word. "I want more. I want you."
Regina sighed. "David? I… I might never be able to… to have an …. intimate relationship with you." She swallowed hard. "Not after…"
"I think we are already pretty intimate, sweetheart."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know. But there is a lot more to intimacy than having sex… it's about knowing the person… what they like… how they think… what they desire." He held her closer to him. "It's about building trust."
"I'm not sure I'm capable of that, David."
He broke their embrace and cupped her face with his hands, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "You let me hold your heart, Regina. I don't think it gets any more trustful than that."
The tears were falling freely down her cheeks. "What about you?... Do you trust me?"
He placed her hand on his chest. "Take it."
Regina looked into his deep blue eyes, gasping in shock. "David… I…"
"Take it."
Taking a heart did not require a lot of magic, especially if the person was willing. She closed her eyes and summoned the little bit of magic she had left. She slowly sank her hand in his chest and took out his bright red heart. It was perfect, unblemished. She placed it in the palm of her hand, careful not to squeeze it in any way. David smiled at her, trying to relax on the bed. The feeling of not having his heart beating in his chest was unsettling.
Regina's eyes never left the organ beating strongly in her hand. She had taken so many hearts before. She had taken them for control and for revenge but never out of love. Remembering what David had done to her own heart, she gently caressed the side of his. David gasped at the feeling of serenity and love that washed over him. He closed his eyes and moaned. His entire body was tingling at each stroke of her thumb. This was definitely more intimate than anything he had experienced before and he was glad she was the only one he had shared this with.
Regina's voice brought him back to reality. "I should put it back." David did not want her to. The sensations were slightly addicting. He felt her hand on his chest and before he could protest, his heart was back where it belonged.
ECECEC
March 18th 2013
Regina was playing with her hands nervously.
"Regina?"
"Mmhh?" She looked toward the man sitting in the oversized armchair across from her. His legs were crossed, a journal laying on his lap. She knew he was recording their sessions. He had explained the process to her several times but she was still slightly uncomfortable at the prospect of having her most intimate thoughts recorded. She used to keep a journal once. It had freed her in several different ways. She shook her head to keep the dark thoughts at bay. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?"
Archie shifted in his seat. He had seen Regina twice a week for the past month and like most patients she had good and bad sessions. But unlike most patients, she saw therapy as a test and she had put undue pressure on herself to not fail. "We were talking about Henry."
Regina smiled softly. "Yes. I had lunch with him and David again last week."
Archie smiled back. He knew she was wasting time. She had been using the same routine during all of her sessions to avoid the subject at hand. He had let her but it had led nowhere He needed another tactic. So he confronted her directly. "After you and David decided to work together?"
She nodded. She had described to Archie the events of that day but she had refused to talk about her feelings or Daniel. "Yes."
Archie leaned toward her and took her hand. Regina tensed but she let him hold her hand. "I'm here to help you."
Her lower lip quivered. "I haven't… I haven't used magic…." The tears were falling uncontrollably from her eyes. "...not since Daniel."
Archie squeezed her hand. "I know. And I know how difficult it is for you."
"Henry…. Henry wants it."
"I know, Regina. But stopping using magic is a lot more difficult than starting in the first place."
Regina looked down at their joint hands through her tears. "No. Not for me. Henry is giving me the strength to stop. But… I also remember… I remember hating magic when I was younger."
Archie tried not to let his surprise show. Magic had given Regina control, something she had been stripped of her entire life. She had chosen dark magic because it allowed her to protect herself. He knew better than anyone how seductive dark magic could be when there was no hope left. And Regina had all her hope taken away from her. "What do you mean?"
She sobbed quietly. "My mother…" Her voice was barely above a whisper and Archie had to strain to hear her. "She was a practitioner." She snorted. "One of Rumple's apprentices actually. He often compared my skills to hers during our sessions." Her voice was becoming more detached as if she was telling someone else's story. She was trying to disconnect the woman living in Storybrooke from what happened to her younger self.
Regina took a shaky breath before continuing with her story. "She used it to punish me." She wiped her tear with her index finger, futilely trying not to spread her make-up in the process. "She had very high expectations for me. She had always wanted to be Queen. But my father was far in line to the throne and after a series of unsuccessful transactions, my grandfather lost his kingdom, merging his and Leopold's." She looked up toward Archie. "I was not what my mother expected. She disapproved of all of my choices and she forced me into a lifestyle designed to groom me for the future she had chosen for me."
The tears had stopped but her eyes were glazed over. Archie knew Regina was no longer with him in Storybrooke but back in another time in the Enchanted Forest. "As I grew older, I learned not to defy my mother. Her 'lessons' were always painful. Most times, she would hold me in the air, choking me slowly to death. On those days, she was merciful. Other times, her punishments were more severe. At first, she had used her hand." Regina unconsciously traced the scar over her lip. "Then, a whip and a stick. But they would leave my skin with blemishes and she was not skilled enough in the art of healing to make the marks go away."
Regina looked away from Archie, ashamed of having been so weak in her youth. The doctor was frozen in place; it was a miracle Regina had not turned to dark magic sooner. His admiration for her grew in that instant. After everything that had been done to her, she was trying to walk away from the only form of protection she had ever had. She squeezed his hand harder, grounding herself in the present. "She needed a better way to punish me…. one that would still inflict pain but would not leave any marks."
Her grip on his hand was painful but Archie dared not move. This was the first time Regina opened up to him about the abuse she had endured. She had talked to him about her own crimes and how they haunted her at night. But she had never let herself be vulnerable enough to show him her scars. "She practiced the spell over several months. At first she used it on animals to perfect it….. and not kill them in the process. Then she used it on the servants. I… I still remember their screams."
Her lower lips starting to quiver. "I was ten or eleven at the time and I was supposed to finish reading the book my mother had assigned me for the week. But it was a beautiful day outside and I wanted to go play with the other children. So I snuck out. My mother had been invited to a tea party and I knew I had some time… but I lost track of it. When I got back to the estate, she was waiting for me."
Her entire body was shaking. "She grabbed me and dragged me to my bedroom. I knew the drill. I leaned over the table and waited for the spanking. But she… she told me to stand up. I did…." Regina sobbed. "She took the book I had been supposed to read and started asking me questions. At first, I could answer and I started to relax… but soon, soon, I did not know."
Regina looked at Archie, her eyes searching for someone to save her. Her heart was beating widely in her chest as the memories of that day were particularly vivid in her mind. She continued, her voice near hysteria. "She asked the same question repeatedly. But I had not read that far ahead in the book. I didn't know… I didn't know the answer."
Regina started moving back and forth on the couch. Archie placed his free hand on her arm. "Regina, you can stop if you need to."
But Regina did not hear him. She was lost in her memories, in the nightmare that came to her in the night. "She lost her patience. I felt my cheeks grow hot. I knew the punishment was coming. She… she flicked her wrist and used the spell." Fresh, hot tears had sprung from her eyes. "There was only pain…. like hot tiny needles inserted in my flesh. It hurt so much…"
Regina screamed. Archie sat next to her on the couch and tried to comfort the hysterical woman. He tried to talk to her in a calm, even voice. "You're in Storybrooke. Your mother is not here with us. You're ok." He kept repeating his mantra until she stopped shaking from head to toe. Once he was sure she was back with him in the present, he laid her down on the couch. "I can't let you go home alone."
Regina looked at him through her tears. "Can you call David?" She just wanted to be held.
As we enter the last few chapters of this fic. Please mind the trigger warnings: major (minor) character death(s), graphic depiction of violence and abuse. It's rated M for a reason.