you all still reading? i'm a little nervous you all might actually hunt me down and murder me for this chapter. ps, please dont xxx
Emma came into her mother's apartment, seeing her curled up on the sofa with a book. It was David's day with Neal, so the place was quiet save for the sound of the rain outside. Snow looked up from her comfortable position at the sound of her front door, putting her bookmark down to save her place with a smile.
"Hey, what are you doing out and about on a dreary day like this?"
"Just stopping by. I hadn't seen you in a while," Emma gave a casual shrug as she made her way in, "Why didn't you show up at Killian's birthday last weekend?"
"Oh, I am sorry about missing that," Snow's lips pursed and she let out a sigh as her daughter made her way to sit down beside her. "I just wasn't in the celebrating mood that day. I hope he understands."
"Yeah it's fine, I get it," Swan nodded, trying to read her mother's expression. She sometimes wondered if the tethering spell Zelena had enacted on herself and Snow White had some lasting effects. Her mother seemed to be struggling with darkness and Emma wondered if it was traces left by Zelena while inhabiting her body. "I saw you come out of Gold's that day…"
"That? Oh," Snow averted her gaze and shook her head quickly, "Just seeing how much I could get for my old wedding band."
"..Mom," Emma bit her lip, "It doesn't have to be like this. We can all still be a family…"
"Oh, of course Emma. Regina and I could be sister wives and share your father," She mocked before frowning and shaking her head at her half joke, half scold, "He gave me divorce papers the day of the party."
"He did?" The sheriff shifted and felt her stomach sink for her mother. It was a tough situation for everyone and she wasn't the best at comforting anyways, let alone with such a sensitive subject.
"Yeah...So," Snow reached up and dabbed the back of her hand under her eyes, "Regina was behind the divorce papers, no doubt. You know your dad, Emma. He was used to me wearing the pants and making the decisions, Regina is probably eating him alive. She's one hundred times more manipulative than any of us."
"I think Dad is more than capable of making his own decisions," Emma suggested with a weak smile. She tried to avoid engaging her when it came to Regina. Nothing her mother suggested was accurate but she understood where it was coming from. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism that there was no sense in fighting about. "You gonna sign the papers?"
"I already have," Her tone had a hint of bitterness to it that didn't escape Emma, "They're on the table. I trust you'll take them to him so I don't have to?"
"Of course," She said quietly, looking down towards the floor, "I'm heading over there this evening to pick Henry up. I'll take it with me."
Regina made her way down the sidewalk, smiling as she carried Violet on her hip who was jabbering away. None of it was intelligible but the little sighs and coos coming out of her daughter were sweet and innocent and made her heart melt. Her girl had been so well behaved this morning at her office, keeping herself entertained with her toys in her play pen while Regina worked. It made her proud.
Her arms ached a little after walking from her office to Granny's and now towards the station to surprise David for lunch. Things were finally getting back to normal and Regina was feeling good about the future for once. Something that was incredibly new to her.
She'd lost any extra baby weight she'd put on, finally able to fit comfortably into her old pencil skirts and fitted tops and blazers without them feeling too tight. Today she chose her favorite pair of black high waisted paints, a red corset top tucked into them and a blazer. Of course, her outfit was accented in a pair of heels, black boots to be exact and a simple pendant necklace.
It felt good to look like her old self. She'd even went to the salon and gotten a haircut that had her feeling refreshed. It wasn't as short as she once wore her hair, but much easier to handle than how long it'd gotten in the Enchanted Forest. Besides, Violet had discovered it recently and wanted to get her hands in it whenever she could.
"You ready to go see Daddy?" Regina attempted to catch Violet's attention as she began to grow restless in her arms and squirmed. Her daughter was constantly on the go since learning to crawl and was captivated by all of the new sights in town. It was endearing to watch her explore new things that Regina herself had long since taken for granted.
She smiled as Violet perked up at the thought of her father and began to look around for him, "He's in here," Regina nodded as they turned to go into the police station, pushing the door open with the side of her arm that she carried the takeout from Granny's with.
"Say 'hi, daddy'," Regina whispered to her daughter with a smile when they came in the door, seeing David look up form his work and give them a surprised but happy smile in return.
"I wasn't expecting my girls today," He shut his laptop and got up quickly to come over to them, laughing when Violet squealed and held out her hands.
"Little trader," Regina's mouth fell open at how quickly her daughter scrambled to get to him, chuckling when she practically dove to his arms once he was close enough. David squeezed her playfully, attacking the baby's neck with tickling kisses that made her giggle.
"I brought lunch," She couldn't help the stupid grin on her face at the sight of them together, turning to his desk to setting down the takeout bags to get everything out.
"Thanks Mommy," He smiled and leaned over her shoulder to kiss her cheek, "You look good today." David glanced her over, raising an eyebrow at the way the pants she wore hugged her ass. He looked forward to peeling those off later.
"Thanks," She pulled out her salad and then David's sandwich, "I got cheese fries to share."
David caught the grin she gave him at the memory of the early stages of their relationship when they had sex so long they'd worked up an appetite. She'd made him get dressed and go to Granny's to get food and then sat and ate an order of cheese fries in her bed, naked. It was an ongoing joke between them since then, especially after how much she craved them during her pregnancy.
"Mmmm, perfect," He teased, carrying Violet over and grabbing Emma's desk chair with his free hand to bring it over to his own for Regina, "Here, babe."
"How's she been at the office?" He asked, sitting down in his own chair and pulling Regina towards his a little more so she could use his desk as a table, too. Violet sat in his lap and had pulled his badge off of him, playing with the star as he reached over her to grab his sandwich and leaned back in his chair.
"Good, she kept herself entertained all morning," Regina smiled proudly, lifting her chin in a defiant nature after David hard argued with her that taking their daughter to the office would never work.
He watched her for a minute, saw the smug grin on her face before she took a bite of salad and leveled with his gaze, "Just say it, Regina."
The corners of her mouth turned up as she chewed her bite and swallowed before blurting out to him, "Told you so."
He chuckled at her spunky nature and had thought to himself how he couldn't wait until she was his wife. This woman, capable of cursing realms and mass destruction, was also the adorable mother of his child who brought him lunch and got sentimental over cheese fries. It brought a smile to his face and he noticed her glance up from her salad to catch him staring.
"What? Do I have salad in my teeth?" She gave a grin and showed the beautiful, big smile.
"No, I just love you is all," David smirked before taking an obnoxiously large bite of his sandwich, causing her to blush at his words before rolling her eyes at his intentional lack of manners. All to make her smile.
"Zelena's wand," Snow grit out, laying it on the counter and seeing Gold's eyes instantly possess an evil glint at the realization that she'd pondered his proposition and ultimately accepted it. "Now, your end of the deal. I want it now."
"I have to say, this version of you is definitely an upgrade from that hopeful dimwit you used to be," He studied her from behind his counter before picking up the magical wand, running his hand over it slowly in admiration, "I've been waiting to get my hands on this for a long time."
"What do we do we do now?" She clenched her fists in determination. She had stewed about what she'd return to Storybrooke to find for a while now. On more than one occasion she'd tried to come to terms with it and accept that David had moved on. She even tried to be happy that Regina finally had the family she always longed for, but she couldn't get over the fact that it was her family. Hers.
"Ah, yes…I did tell you I'd help you get your life back," He let out a breath, motioning her with a curl of his finger towards the back room of his shop where he kept his truly potent magic.
"I didn't suffer those lessons with you for nothing," Snow rolled her eyes, flexing her wrist. Having magic was thrilling, even if it was from Zelena. Somehow after using her body as a vessel, some of the witches power remained in her. She'd went to Gold to help her learn to harness and control it, and of course, make this deal.
"You do remember the consequence of this, don't you?" Gold eyed her as he rounded his cauldron, gathering contents from nearby shelves, "To rewrite everything, to play with people's memories...If anyone finds out, you're dust."
"This curse won't be broken, how could it be?" She raised an eyebrow with a simple shrug. He'd warned her that she was only alive because Zelena had brought her body back as a vessel, and when she died and went to the Underworld, Snow's soul was returned to her own body in order to keep the balance.
Because of the fragile reason Snow was even alive right now, if she enacted this curse and it failed, the price of magic would be her obliteration. To her it seemed worth the risk compared to how she was living now. She was going to get her life back and no one would be the wiser. She was going to do to Regina what she'd done to everyone else.
"Very well," Gold watched her with a dark expression before he started adding things to the cauldron before them, "A strand of your hair," He ordered, watching her run her hands through it and drop them in.
"Did you manage to get a heart from Regina's vault?"
"The night of Killian's birthday party," Snow smirked, pulling a drawstring velvet bag from her pocket, opening it and handing over the bright red heart. She had no clue who it belonged to, for it was one of the many in the Evil Queen's collection. Just another reminder of the monster she really was. If anything she was saving her family from this woman.
"Hey, where is everyone?" Emma came into David and Regina's home, seeing her dad and her baby sister on the couch in the den. The house had changed to fit the growing family. A couple of the stiffer, decorational pieces of furniture had been replaced with more functioning ones. Soft throws and pillows accented the furniture and baby toys were scattered over the rug.
"Henry's upstairs getting a bag together," Her dad smiled up at her from playing patty cake with Violet in his lap, "Neal's napping and Regina went to her vault for a while."
"She's growing like a weed," Emma smirked and nodded towards Violet before sitting down on the couch beside them, "Mom sent these," She held up the papers before putting them on the coffee table.
"No way, really?" David's eyes widened, not expecting Snow to give in that easily. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was free to marry Regina now and complete their family, as it should have been months ago.
"She wasn't happy about it, but I think she's accepting it."
"I want to marry Regina straight away, but I know she'll insist on waiting a respectable amount of time for Snow," He glanced at Emma with a frown, "I know she feels guilty. I wish she wouldn't, I've tried everything."
"It's Regina, you know she takes it all on herself," Emma nodded, letting out a breath, "It'll all work itself out in time. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we'll wake up and it'll all be fine?"
"Yeah, maybe," David shrugged before feeling a faint vibration and rumbling noise coming from outside. The sound seemed to be approaching at a rather swift pace as it began to get louder rather quickly. "Do you hear that?"
"Yeah, what the hell is it?"
A dull ache in her chest brought her from her slumber and Regina opened her eyes and ran a hand through her hair as she slowly sat up in large bed. Empty, as always. She groaned tiredly as she pushed herself to the edge of the bed and stood, walking over to peer out her bedroom window, crossing her arms over her chest at the chill in the air. It was another beautiful, sunny day in Storybrooke but she couldn't appreciate it. It was just another annoying reminder of how she'd failed.
She watched the people of the town go about their mornings, living their happy existences. It made her sick. She hated all of them with a passion and should've killed them all when she had a chance. Technically she did have her magic now that the curse was broken, but what good would it do? She'd failed in her attempt for revenge multiple times. Villains don't get happy endings and she'd lived with the rage this long. Why part with it now? It was all she had.
Her will to fight was dwindling and she'd resigned herself to a life of unhappiness. How many years had she been living in her own nightmare that she had created? Her curse to transport them all to this land without magic had failed terribly, leaving her living the life she'd intended for Snow. Her home was a decrepit loft apartment while Snow and David enjoyed the lifestyle of the Mayor's mansion as reigning heroes of the town.
Even in an alternate realm, Snow White got everything that she wanted. The imbeciles had no clue as to how lucky they were, either. She was supposed to be the happy one in this realm. She was supposed to have it all while David and Snow couldn't even remember they'd been together. While all of these idiots had no clue who they really were. But somehow it had all been reversed and they lived obliviously happy until the day their obnoxious daughter and grandson came to town and broke Regina's curse, giving them back their Enchanted Forest memories.
They'd been ready to lynch Regina when this happened, but Snow had graciously convinced David to let Regina's punishment be to watch them all live happily. And punishment it was. The condescending stares from the Charming family were enough to make her want to set fire to the grand home they all rested their arrogant heads in. To top it all off, the townspeople had voted their daughter in as the new sheriff of the town. And upon learning of Regina's past with her parents, Emma Swan had made it her mission to make Regina's life hell.
She managed to block out her simmering rage long enough to get dressed and put on her facade for the town. These people had mocked her failed attempt to ruin their lives and reveled in the way she lived with the consequences. They had wanted to see her hole herself away and live in misery, but she'd be damned if she gave them that. She was miserable, yes, but she refused to show them. There was a council meeting today that the Charmings had requested her presence on, considering her prior experience with financially managing a kingdom. This shitty town was a piece of cake, and she intended to go there and consistently point out how stupid they were for mismanaging it. Making them look like fools was the only thing that brought her joy.
The buzz started as soon as she walked into the town council but she kept her head high and her shoulders squared. The dwarves were the worst, especially Grumpy. She'd have fried him a long time ago if she thought she could get away with it.
"Here comes the Queen of Failure," She heard him mutter to the other dwarves and some of the townspeople chuckled, but she pretended that she didn't hear it.
"Regina, glad you could make it," A sugary soft voice called out from the head of the table where Snow and David sat.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss this," She gave a menacing smile before sitting down at the corner of an empty table, crossing her legs and sitting back in the chair. She felt the eyes on her but she didn't care. Let them stare. Usually she'd give them a piece of the real Evil Queen's sharp tongue, but today she was tired. Her pathetic existence had had her experiencing painfully real dreams lately. Dreams that involved someone at the head of the table whom she intentionally did not make eye contact with because of them.
Dreams were torture and she wished she had the ability to turn them off. Typically she'd mix up a little potion, but her supplies were running low lately and she'd been forced to try to sleep the old fashioned way. Which led to her have dreams that were taunting glimpses of what life must be like for Snow. She glanced up at David then and almost winced at the way her heart ached. The dream had felt so real.
"All right I'm calling this meeting to order," David announced in his best mayoral tone, glancing around at all of the faces that had gathered for the town meeting, "We want to discuss what our plans are for the town for this year and we're open to any suggestions."
"First on our list is the town hall," Snow gave a curt nod and a cheery smile as she lifted her list up. "We want to propose a remodel. It's a project that could put a lot of people to work for at least a year and we would all benefit from the updated amenities. We're thinking a larger town center where we can host events. Granny's is getting a little crowded."
"I second that," The old wolf jested from her seat and Regina rolled her eyes as they all chuckled. These people were so stupid they gave her a headache.
"Why would we remodel the town hall when our roads are falling apart?" She interjected and crossed her arms, "Not to mention the old playground near the shore that is a death trap for children."
"I'm surprised you don't want to keep it then," David retorted with a smug smile and for some reason it actually hurt her feelings. The memories of the dream she had where she and David had been together, expecting a child haunted her. She'd actually felt love for him in the dream and she'd been so happy. The impact it had on her confused her and she felt stupid for letting his dig get to her.
Snow pressed her lips into a line to keep from smiling at her husband's dig, though she was aware no one was watching her. It was merely a week into the curse and the new reality was taking off without a hitch. All eyes were on the Evil Queen as she squirmed in her seat, her jaw clenched tight and her eyes downcast. "Everyone's opinions are valued here, David," She gently reprimanded her husband and reached out to take his hand into hers.
"Are they?" Regina scoffed with a raised brow at her enemies.
"Everyone that matters, that is," Emma spoke up from the opposite side of the room where she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed.
"I'm sorry, didn't you get into town like two seconds ago?" The Evil Queen tilted her head and scrunched up her eyes to demonstrate how irrelevant she felt Emma Swan was, "When did you get so opinionated?"
"When I realized that I had to protect this town from the evil in it," The sheriff replied with a glare. Regina watched the sheriff's son look up from his seat beside her and mirror his mother's expression. Gangly brat, what did he know anyways?
"All right, all right," David lifted his voice to get everyone's attention, "Let's settle this with an old fashioned vote so we don't take all day here."
Regina zoned out as the sheep around her undoubtedly agreed to whatever Snow and Charming suggested. She was too distracted by the unsettling feelings over David's remark. It was downright idiotic she should care of his opinion of her, but the damn dream had shaken her. It had been so long since she felt love in her heart like she had in that dream. It filled her with longing, made her sick to her stomach. And the glimpse of what it would feel like to have a child of her own threatened to break what was left of her blackened heart. She really had to get something to help her sleep.