Chapter 10: Sleepover (Part 2)
Regina usually has almost laser-like focus when she's studying, but not tonight. She seems to be growing increasingly restless and worried the longer they sit at the table. When Mary Margaret steps into the bathroom for a moment, she turns to Emma with wide, concerned eyes. "Emma, I hope...I hope you didn't misunderstand me earlier."
"What do you mean?"
"It's just...you said that I asked you to leave, and you seemed upset by that, and..."
"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry about it."
"It's not nothing! I obviously hurt your feelings in some way, and I'm sorry about that."
"Yeah, but I know you didn't mean to. That's on me: the shrink at juvie said I have abandonment issues. I'm working on it. You don't have to be the self-appointed protector of my feelings."
"No, I..." Regina's eyes glisten with tears as she takes hold of Emma's hands. "I'm sorry, I just thought maybe...you spent all day with me, I thought you might need a break. You're basically my only friend, but that doesn't mean I have to be yours. I should have thought about how you might interpret it."
"I thought you might have been mad at me because I didn't do much to help with Zelena," Emma admits. "Or because I told Mary Margaret about what happened."
"What? No! Of course not - it's thanks to you I'm alive. Zelena's a powerful witch, and you just started learning magic a few weeks ago. What else could you have done?" Regina looks shocked that she would even consider the possibility. "As for telling Miss Blanchard, everyone was going to find out anyway. She didn't exactly attack in the dead of night."
"Are you okay with it? That everyone knows now?"
Regina sighs. "No, but I'll manage."
"Well, then, if you're not mad about that, then I'm not mad about you sending me away. Though, for future reference, you can pretty much assume that I never want a break from you."
"Good to know. I've been told in the past that I can be excessively clingy, and I didn't want that to scare you away. Although," she adds with a wry smile, "my plan might have backfired with that whole sobbing-and-telling-you-never-to-leave-me-again bit that I put on."
Emma laughs and tightens her grip on Regina's hands. "That was a little clingy, but I liked it. By the way, did you and M&M have a good talk while I was out?"
"We talked some. Mostly, we just made lasagna," Regina says uncomfortably. She doesn't have time to go into more detail, because the teacher is already emerging. Both girls turn back to their homework, Regina's ability to concentrate restored to its former glory.
xx
"Okay, so Mary Margaret has Pride & Prejudice, which we've already watched, Titanic - ugh - and then basically every romantic comedy ever made. Oooh, and all the old classic Disney movies. Any of that sound exciting?...Regina...?"
When her friend doesn't answer, Emma stops rummaging through the DVD cabinet and cranes her neck around to see Regina lost in thought, delicately fingering a small framed photo on the bookshelf.
"What's that?" she asks, shuffling over to take a closer look. It's a picture she's glanced at plenty of times before, but rarely given a second thought. It's Mary Margaret, a decade younger and with much longer hair, in an adult-sized Snow White costume. She's sitting on a hospital bed, holding an obviously very sick little girl who nonetheless looks thrilled to be in the princess's presence. She's always thought it was a cute picture that really captured the essence of Mary Margaret, but now that she's looking more closely...
"Holy shit! That's you, isn't it?" It's not a resemblance one would notice right away, because the girl in the picture has puffy cheeks and no hair, and there are all kinds of needles and tubes sticking out of her bruised and entirely too-thin body, but Emma would recognize those eyes anywhere, and the tiny scar Regina has on her upper lip is much more prominent in this picture, like she'd just gotten it recently.
"Maybe," Regina hedges. "What's it to you?"
"I'm taking that as a yes. Come on, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You two look very happy together." It's true - Emma isn't sure she's ever seen Miss Blanchard smiling so widely in person, and Regina's gaze is so full of adoration she might as well be looking at a god.
"We were. This photo was taken in a very happy moment. I'm...I'm surprised she still has it."
"You two really were close when you were younger, weren't you?" Emma asks, and she almost feels the slightest twinge of jealousy because even though she knows Regina's childhood probably sucked in a lot of different ways, at least she had Mary Margaret, before that relationship went to shit.
Regina nods, blinking furiously. "I loved her," she whispers, and her voice cracks. "So much."
"And then...?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want to tell me about it? Not...whatever happened," Emma quickly clarifies. "I mean the photo."
"What do you want to know about the photo?"
"You said it was a happy moment, right?" Regina nods. "Okay, well, I want to hear about your happy moments. If you want, I can tell you some of mine, too. I mean, this entire day has pretty much been crap, so maybe it would be nice to talk about happy things? Plus, this is what people do at sleepovers. They talk - and watch movies and eat too much candy and popcorn and play Truth or Dare, but mostly talk."
"What's Truth or Dare?"
Emma almost gasps. "Wow, you really don't get out much, do you? So, basically, you pick 'truth' or 'dare,' and the other people in the game either get to ask you a question or dare you to do something crazy."
"Sounds interesting."
"So, let's do it. Choose: truth or dare?"
Regina sighs in resignation. "Fine, truth. I'll tell you about that picture."
"Are you sure?" Emma asks, noting the reluctance on her friend's face. "Because I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything you don't want to. This is a supportive BFF sleepover, not a catty mean girls sleepover."
"It's fine. As I said, it's a happy memory. It's just bittersweet because Miss Blanchard and I obviously no longer have that relationship." Suddenly, confused look passes over her face. "Wait, did you just say we're BFFs?"
"I...um...yeah, I guess I did. I mean, I haven't had many close friends in my life, but you're definitely the best."
"Same for me. And the second F? The forever part?"
Emma snorts. "I really do love your clinginess. But, yes, forever, or at least as long as you'll have me."
"So, forever," Regina says with a smirk. "Anyway, the picture," she continues, motioning for Emma to sit next to her on the sofa. "There are two pieces of background information you need to know for this story to make sense. The first should be fairly obvious from looking at the photograph: I had leukemia when I was younger. From ages five to nine, but I'm better now. Seven years cancer free," she states proudly.
"Wow, I had no idea."
"It's not exactly something I like to talk about. It's gone, and has been for a while, but people still find ways to treat me differently sometimes. I'm as healthy as you are."
"Of course, I just - four years? Couldn't your mom heal you with magic?"
"Mother actually...can't heal," Regina says uncomfortably. "It's not a power everyone has, so you should feel pretty proud of yourself. But, even if she could...magic doesn't necessarily work like that. Cancer is a completely different animal from a cut, or a broken bone. Anyway, modern medicine did the trick - I'm fine now."
"Yes, you are. In fact, you're better than fine. You're amazing. Now, what's the second piece of information?"
"That I wasn't allowed to watch TV or movies when I was younger. Actually, I'm still not really allowed to," she says with a chuckle. "But when I was in the hospital all the time...it's difficult to entertain a cranky five year old who doesn't have the energy to run and play like normal children. So, one day, my dad ended up buying me the Disney Snow White video."
"And it was love at first sight?" Emma teases.
"I was obsessed with it. I watched it every day, sometimes multiple times every day. I'm pretty sure cartoon Snow White was my first crush, embarrassingly enough. I actually looked forward to being hospitalized because that was the only time I was allowed to...see her."
Regina's face is now beet red, and Emma pats her on the shoulder. "I get it - I went through a Belle phase, myself."
"You would. Anyway, I typically had chemo on Sundays, for some reason - I think so that my dad could be there - and Miss Blanchard was always volunteering that day, and she would come to my room last and watch Snow White with me. It was the highlight of my week; when the movie was finished, she would give me stickers and help me color, and then she taught me how to braid her hair as practice for when mine grew back, and she usually brought homemade baked goods or some other exciting snack my mother would never have let me eat. In short, she made what should have been one of the worst experiences of my life truly wonderful."
"That's amazing. What about that picture? Was that taken on a particularly special day?"
"Kind of. Actually, it wasn't even a day - it was the middle of the night. I was six. I got a kidney infection, and I had a really high fever and more pain than I've ever had in my life, including today. My mother actually made a deal with Gold to take the edge off with a little magic, but it was still...severe." She shudders a bit at the memory. "My parents had no idea how to comfort me. The only thing that would make me stop crying even a little was watching Snow White, but unfortunately I'd rewound the cassette too many times, and it chose that night to break."
"Oh, geez."
"Right, so as you can imagine, I was inconsolable. And then...I guess my dad must have called Miss Blanchard, and she came at two in the morning, wearing that costume. The nurses somehow let her in even though it wasn't even visiting hours, and she held me all night and sang me every song from the movie over and over until I finally fell asleep. She even did all the different voices for the prince and the dwarfs and all the animals."
"Wow," Emma whistles. She already knew of course, about Mary Margaret's almost unbelievable kindness, but that story... "So, in your feverish delirium, did you think the actual Snow White was paying you a visit?"
"No, I knew it was Mary Margaret," Regina says with a far-off look in her eyes. "That's what made it so special. Just knowing..."
"Knowing that there was an actual living, breathing person who loved you that much?" Emma guesses. She's never actually had one of those herself, but she can imagine how amazing it must feel.
"Right." Regina clears her throat. "Anyway, story's finished. It's your turn. Truth or dare?"
"Um...truth, I guess. I don't really feel like moving from this couch."
"Hmm..." Regina ponders for a moment, then says, "tell me about juvie."
"Wow, and I let you tell a sweet, heartwarming story."
"Obviously, the supportive BFF rule applies to you, too," Regina says hastily. "If you don't want to talk about it, I can think of a different question, or just give you a hug and move on."
"Nah, I think I owe you one. Your truth was pretty personal. Umm...juvie. It was about a year ago. I was in a pretty awful foster home at the time, that I don't feel like getting into detail about. Suffice to say, I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. My foster father had a semi-nice watch, and one day I stole it and pawned it off so I could buy a bus ticket out. He found out and called the cops; I ended up doing six months."
Regina grimaces. "I'm sorry."
"It all worked out for the best, though. I mean, I got out of that house. Juvie wasn't the most horrible thing in the world. I got three square meals a day and some therapy, plus there was tutoring, which is how I managed to get up to grade level in most subjects. I even had my first girlfriend in juvie. All in all, it may have been a good experience for me."
"Your first girlfriend? Really?"
"Yeah, this crazy chick named Anna. I mean, it wasn't a serious relationship at all. We didn't have, like...an emotional connection or anything like that. It was purely physical. But I had never even kissed a girl before, and she was surprisingly respectful of that for someone typically not so respectful of rules and boundaries, so it was a pretty positive first relationship, I guess."
"That does sound positive. Are you still in touch with her?" It's difficult to decipher the tone of Regina's voice.
"Nah. Like I said - no emotional connection. We didn't have much in common except a desire to make out with each other, so once I didn't see her anymore...we're Facebook friends and all, but I'm in Maine and I'm pretty sure she moved to the West Coast."
"Have you dated anyone else?"
"Ha, I did have a boyfriend in eighth grade for, like, two weeks - that was ridiculous. As for people I'm actually attracted to, no. Nobody that I would give the girlfriend label to, anyway. After I got out of juvie, I moved to a group home where I had a long string of hookups that were probably not emotionally healthy, but I thought it was what I needed at the time. Then I came to live with Mary Margaret, and I've been quite single these last few weeks."
"I see. I guess I'm glad to know you had at least one relationship that was a positive experience."
"Yeah. Anyway, your question was about my run-in with the law, not my love life! Anything else you need to know?"
"No. I guess it's my turn, then," Regina mumbles, suddenly looking extremely guarded.
"Truth or dare?" Emma asks.
"I...uh..." Regina's hands have started shaking again, and Emma instantly realizes the problem.
"Hey," she says quietly, reaching over to still the trembling fingers by intertwining them with her own. "I won't ask about your love life. Supportive BFFs, remember? Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to answer."
"Right." Regina takes a deep breath and says, "Truth."
Emma thinks. She wants to ask something deep and personal that will help her know her friend better, but nothing that's going to trigger a panic attack. Finally, she decides to go with, "Tell me about your dad. I mean, he came up a lot in your last story, but you never mention him in the present. Is he...oh, shit! He's not dead, is he? Regina, I'm so sorry if-"
"No, he's not dead," Regina says quickly. "He's just...not in Storybrooke. He and my mother divorced when I was in first grade. Apparently, having a daughter with cancer is a really good way to destroy a marriage that was never on solid ground to begin with," she explains with a humorless laugh. "He stayed around for me, when I was sick, but they refused to ever be in the same room together. Then, I guess he couldn't even stand to be in the same town as her, because he moved to Boston as soon as the doctors said I was in remission."
"That sucks."
Regina shrugs. "It was fine when he was living in Boston. I would visit him on weekends, and we'd go biking along the river together and eat Italian food or something. But then his company transferred him to Shanghai two years ago, and I haven't seen him since. He calls and emails, obviously, but I miss him."
"Maybe you could visit him in China - eat some dumplings together."
"Mother says maybe for graduation, if he's still living there. She doesn't like me to spend too much time with him. She thinks he coddles me."
"Why? Because he bought you a movie when you were sick?" There are a number of choice words Emma would currently like to use to describe Regina's mother, adding this information to what Mary Margaret told her earlier, but she doesn't think now is the time or place to use them.
"Something like that. I wonder...I wonder if he knew about Zelena," she suddenly says thoughtfully.
"Isn't it hard to hide a pregnancy from your husband who sees you every day?"
"She hid it from the whole town," Regina argues. "Mother can shape-shift - like what Tink's learning to do with her hair, but she can change her entire face and body to look like another person. It wouldn't be that difficult for her to disguise a pregnancy."
Shit, that's scary, Emma thinks, reminding herself never to trust who anyone says they are ever again. "Well, you know them better than I do. What's your read on it? Did he know?"
Regina considers for a moment before shaking her head. "He couldn't have. He wouldn't have let my mother give her up, if he knew. He would have raised her like his own daughter. Maybe then, she wouldn't have turned out to be such a psycho."
"He sounds like a really good person."
"He is," Regina agrees. "I really love him. I just...well, I used to wish he had taken me with him when he left, so I wouldn't be stuck with her."
"But you don't anymore?"
"If I didn't live here, maybe I wouldn't have met you."
Emma's eyes widen. "Really?" She can't imagine anyone willingly choosing to endure all of the unfathomable crap Regina's mother must put her through on a daily basis just to hang onto a three-week-old friendship - and she's pretty sure she doesn't even know half of it.
"Really, you're worth it. Now, I think it's your turn."
Emma considers for a moment. She had initially hoped this game would make the night more lighthearted, but at this point, unless Regina asks her about the happiest moment of her life, things are probably going to stay a little rough. "Dare," she says with a sly smile.
Regina raises her eyebrows. "Really? So I'm supposed to dare you to do something crazy and embarrassing?"
"Yeah, let's see your evil side."
"Umm...I dare you to...hmm. This is hard. I dare you to sing a really embarrassing song in the middle of Main Street?"
"Really? That's what you're going with? I've done time, woman! I think I can deal with something a little more intense than that."
"With your shirt off? It's against local ordinances."
"Fine. What qualifies as an embarrassing song to you?"
"I don't know, anything by Justin Bieber?"
"Sold - but there's just one thing..."
"What's that?"
"You have to do it with me."
"You can't be serious. My mother is the mayor - I can't break any rules."
"Oh, but I am. Supportive BFF, remember? Friends don't let friends make fools of themselves alone. Although, I guess you can keep your shirt on if you want. I like how you look in my PJs."
Regina grins. "Alright, let's go," she says excitedly, grabbing Emma's hand and dragging her out of the apartment.
Once they're in the street - thankfully, there's rarely any traffic in Storybrooke, especially at this hour - Emma rips her shirt off and begins crooning, "Baby, baby, baby, ooooohhhh..." loudly and off-key. Regina tries to join, but she's laughing too hard to do much besides watch. Eventually, Emma also dissolves in giggles and has to stop singing for a moment.
"Hi, are you two having simultaneous mental breakdowns?" asks Henry, who has just come out of the library - out awfully late, Emma observes, though she supposes he's actually fourteen and just looks like a baby, so maybe it's okay. "Do I need to call Dr. Hopper?"
"No, we're fine."
"Good," he says fervently, wrapping his arms around Regina's waist. "I heard about what happened with Zelena, and I was worried about you."
"We're having fun," Emma declares. "Join us?
"I don't dance to Bieber," Henry says, wrinkling his nose. "Not much of a bad pop fan."
"Are Disney songs more up your alley? Because I can do those, too. Taaaaale as old as tiiiiime..."
"May I have this dance, my prince?" Regina giggles. She proceeds to spin Henry around in a very clumsy version of the waltz from Beauty and the Beast. Then Henry grabs Emma's hand, and they all dance and sing and shriek together until Granny comes out of the diner and yells at them to get inside before she calls the sheriff.
Still giddy, Emma and Regina return to the apartment and collapse, cackling, on the sofa. For once in her life, Regina actually relaxes, leaning back against the cushions and wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. Emma sprawls across the entire couch, resting her head on her friend's torso. She's still shaking with laughter and Regina complains that it tickles but pulls her back when she tries to move.
"Are you girls having a good night?" Mary Margaret asks, exiting the steamy bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head.
"The best," says Regina. "I think I like sleepovers."
"I like them when they're with you," Emma grins. Then she rolls onto her side so Regina can stroke her hair until they both fall asleep.
xx
Emma is awakened by a dull pounding sound from outside the apartment. It almost sounds like someone is knocking on the door, she thinks, groggily lifting her head from Regina's stomach. But that seems highly unlikely because it's - she quickly checks the clock on the DVD player - 5:27 in the morning.
"Regina, do you hear that?" she mumbles sleepily.
"Yes - get up." Regina's voice is a little raspy but fully alert. "Now!"
The two girls quickly scramble to their feet as Mary Margaret stumbles downstairs in her robe, eyes foggy like she's still half in dreamland.
She opens the door cautiously, then instantly snaps to attention when she sees who is on the other side. Next to Emma, Regina's back is ramrod straight and she's desperately trying to fix her morning hair.
"Good morning, Miss Blanchard," says a brisk voice from the hall that unmistakably belongs to Mayor Mills. "I do hope I didn't wake you, but I urgently need to speak to my daughter."
"Uhh...of course. She's right here. Regina-"
"Hello, Mother." Regina steps over to the door, a very fake smile plastered on her face.
"I trust you finished all the work for your presentation last night?"
"Yes, Mother," Regina says smoothly. "And I also studied for my biology test."
"I'm glad to hear it. Now, thank Miss Blanchard for allowing you to stay in her home - we have to go."
"Now? Why?"
Cora levels her daughter with an impatient glare. "I don't have time for your questions," she sighs. "Do as I say."
Regina nods. "Thank you, Miss Blanchard," she says politely. "And Emma. I had a lovely time. I'll see you both in school later?"
"Of course," Mary Margaret replies with a bright smile. "It's always a pleasure to have you over, Regina." She flashes Emma a pointed look like she's supposed to say something, too.
"Uh, yeah. Come back any time."
The Mayor gives both Mary Margaret and Emma a simpering half-smile that's offset by the coldness in her eyes, before turning back to Regina. She looks her daughter up and down with disapproval.
"What are you wearing?"
"Pajamas?"
"That top is too tight for you, dear; it's unflattering. Not to mention, you look like you just got out of bed."
"I did just get out of bed," Regina mutters under her breath.
"What was that?" Cora asks sharply. Regina shrugs and shakes her head. Cora gives a dismissive hand wave, and Regina's body is instantly surrounded by purple smoke. When it clears, she's dressed neatly in a sweater and pleated skirt, and her hair hangs in smooth curls down her back. "That's better. Come, Regina."
"Bye," Regina says quietly, grabbing her backpack and following her mother out.
As soon as the door closes, Emma and Mary Margaret exchange dismayed and frightened glances. Their alarm clocks aren't set to go off for another forty-five minutes, but there's no way either one of them can sleep anymore.