Thank you for the likes and follows! I'd be happy to hear your thoughts about this story and criticisms to make this story better. Thank you, once again!
I just wanna warn you guys that I am really an angsty writer and this chapter is a proof of it...
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 2
"Henry, I told you let me handle it," Regina said as softly as she could. Henry bowed his head; finally realizing that maybe, what he said was too much for his other mother.
Now, they could only wait for Emma—the different Emma. She looks exactly like Emma yet she just isn't Emma. She now wears her hair short—just by the crook of her neck—which is groomed in soft waves. She's not wearing her red leather jacket, nor her tank top, skinny jeans, or boots. Nothing about the Emma they found screams the Emma that broke Regina's curse and brought the sleepy town of Storybrooke into life.
When Regina got a first look on Emma, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She should have been focusing on more important things, but, she couldn't help but notice the blonde was wearing makeup. She couldn't believe that Emma was wearing a floral long-sleeved shirt, or slacks. Most of all, she was wearing heels.
This really isn't her Emma.
But, when the pain in Emma's face caused by having her son tell her that he has another mother—somehow a replacement because she had not been good enough—she saw the old Emma. Sad, but that's what reassured Regina that her Emma was still in there: the brusque, simple, and brave soul who had been in many adventures with her and for her; the one who had saved Regina countless of times, risking her life just for the brunette.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for losing you."
What did Emma mean by that?
What changes were made with the spell she gave Emma and Henry?
As they were waiting for Emma, they heard a loud cry fill the entire apartment… a child's cry. Regina and Henry looked at each other.
They saw—heard—Hailey head towards them, and they noticed how she was carrying a 1-year old—by approximation—with her. The baby kept uttering "mama" and Regina's heart clenched as she saw the baby's tear-stained face and was wailing.
"Where's—Where's Emma?" There was a hint of slight panic and fear in Hailey's voice. Regina stood up, her instincts telling her to go and get the baby and… to comfort her.
"She went to the bath—"
Suddenly, Emma was with them and taking the baby from Hailey gently. Emma turned her back from them—obviously hiding her tear-stained face—and swayed, humming while rocking side by side. The baby just laid her head peacefully on Emma's shoulders and remained awake. Emma seemed to have been aware of this. As Regina watched Emma comfort her baby and still on her working clothes, Regina can't help but think that this was her… once upon a time.
"Would you…?"
"I'll take care of her. You can go back to your room if you want," Emma said to Hailey with a small smile. Regina saw how the teenager was reluctant before finally heading towards her room. Both Regina and Henry watched as Emma rubbed the baby's back unconsciously.
"Mom?" Regina felt as if she was punched in the gut when she heard Henry's voice. She had never heard her son's voice fill with that much hurt. She saw Emma look at Henry and there was regret and sadness in her eyes.
"Oh… uh, this is… this is Eliza." There was lightness in Emma's voice. Regina watched as Emma stared at the baby, Eliza, with so much love in her eyes. The same way she had seen the blonde look at Henry so many times before. The same way Regina knows she looks at Henry all the time.
It seems as though Eliza knows they're talking about her because she lifted her head from Emma's shoulders and said, "Mama." That brightened Emma's face, making the blonde say "that's right" and proceed to kiss Eliza on the forehead, just like what she did with Henry a while ago.
Regina practically felt Henry's jealousy emitting from him. She turned and saw how her son was turned away, jaw clenching and eyes blazing.
When she turned, she saw Emma looking at her. The only thing filling the silence was Eliza's babbles. Regina turned to the baby and saw Eliza's piercing blue-green eyes staring right at her and was babbling away, as if telling a story to her. She smiled unconsciously, immediately falling in love with the baby.
"She's talking to me," Regina said in wonder. She looked at Emma and saw that the blonde was smiling naturally at her.
"Eliza's a really friendly kid…" Emma gave her a questioning look which Regina caught on.
"Regi-na," Regina's voice broke because of too much emotion. She didn't think that the day would come when it would hurt her too much to know that the savior doesn't know her. "My name's Regina."
"Wow." Regina frowned when she saw Emma staring at her in wonder. When Emma seemed to have noticed Regina staring at her curiously, the blonde shook her head with a small smile of disbelief forming in her face.
"When I got Eliza, she was just 'Eliza.' I always felt like her name was missing something so when I put 'Swan' in her name, I also gave her a first name… which is Regina… which means 'queen'… but you probably know that already because, well, that's your name." Emma smiled shyly at Regina. "Eliza's full name is Regina Eliza Swan."
Regina felt as if her heart grew a thousand times larger. The baby has the same name as her. Maybe, after all, deep down in her heart, Emma remembers them, the true them, and it filled Regina with so much hope.
"You forgot about me." Henry's voice was hoarse and when Regina looked at Henry, her son was shaking, desperately trying not to cry. That seemed to spur Emma on, as the blonde let out a gasp of pain and a half sob, holding Eliza in one arm and reaching out with her free hand to hold her other child's hand.
Sometimes, Regina forgets how Henry is just 13 years old, still her little prince. Henry thinks maturely and speaks sensibly most of the time that Regina sometimes forgets how her little prince is still a child himself.
Regina offered to hold Eliza. It hurt to see doubt and reluctance flash across the blonde's eyes. Though, she knows how it feels. She was once like that too—anyone in Storybrooke who tried to help her with Henry sometimes received spiteful comments from her… though Emma is without the spiteful comments.
She relieved the blonde off Eliza's weight as soon as she saw the blonde's pained face struggle to form a smile. Regina sees it bright as day: if Henry didn't need Emma's attention, Regina wouldn't stand a chance holding the child. As she held Eliza in her arms, she watched as the blonde immediately turn to Henry, reaching for his hands.
"No. God, no, Henry. Never once had I forgotten you. Ever since I lost you, I searched for you for months. I… I didn't know what to think anymore. That was supposed to be a happy adventure for us, do you remember? We were supposed to enjoy that camping on my birthday and suddenly, I woke up in the hospital…
"Henry, I am so sorry. I should have done everything to protect you. I still can't remember… they said there was an accident and I can't remember anything right after we arrived at the camp site… I told them you were missing. They said that they'll look and they just… they didn't believe me. My papers and records said I don't have a son… I couldn't find anything to prove… It was like everything was wiped out—I don't know how that was possible, there was no proof you were alive so they thought that I was suffering from brain trauma or something… I still looked for you after that because Henry, no matter what they told me, I know I had you. I kept you, I raised you for 10 years. I know I did. I have the memories.
"When I lost you, it felt like the end for me. You're my rock, you know that? Even when you were still a baby, you were the one who kept me on my toes, who pushed me to do better so that I could give you your best chance. I kept you even though I had nothing in my name because I couldn't abandon you. I know what it feels like to be abandoned and I swore to myself I wouldn't do that to my child.
"I have never forgotten you, Henry. You have always been in my heart. You're my kid, I love you with everything I have. I love you, alright? Don't ever think that I'll forget you because I would never, no matter what happens, whether I lose myself, or for some reason, I forget, I know I'll always remember you. I know my heart will find a way to remember you, alright?"
It seems as if everyone in the room felt the shift in the atmosphere. Regina cried with Henry and Emma, as even she feels the raw pain and love Emma just expressed to Henry.
As Emma gave them a glimpse of what could have possibly "happened," Regina still bore lots of questions. There are missing pieces that the curse possesses… like Emma staying in this realm without Henry.
And, three years. How come three years? Regina is aware that the curse had to at least cope with Henry going in the Enchanted Forest. But… three years?
Even Eliza seemed to have felt the gloomy atmosphere in the living room as she laid her head on Regina's shoulder, with one hand resting on the crook of the other side of Regina's neck. Regina found comfort in the softness of the little blonde hairs that seemed to be tickling her bare skin. When she caught a whiff of Eliza's baby smell, she was transported back to when Henry was still a baby. It seems as though when Henry hit two, the child lost his baby scent.
"I love you too, mom," Henry sobbed, finding his way back to Emma's arms again. The two stayed like that for a moment before Eliza chose to break off the two.
"Mama." There was a hint of annoyance in the 1-year old's tone, making Emma chuckle and pull back from Henry. "Me! 'iza, me!" Both Henry and Regina couldn't understand what the toddler was trying to say. They only relied on Eliza's actions, which was stretching out both of her chubby arms towards Emma.
If Henry wasn't a little bitter, he would have laughed out loud at how annoyed Eliza was she held out her hands while uttering the syllables she keeps uttering, and how she keep bouncing on Regina's arms, making the brunette struggle to support Eliza's back with all the moving.
Emma just laughed quietly, wiping her cheeks first before relieving Regina off Eliza's weight.
"I think I've had enough tears for this night, don't you think so, kid?" Henry could count in one hand the number of times Emma had called him "kid" tonight. And he missed it. He missed being addressed to as "kid" because back in the Enchanted Forest, he had been Regina's "little prince." And, it felt different being called by David "kid." If Henry hadn't had any manners, he would have yelled at David to stop calling him that and tell him only Emma gets to call him "kid."
"Why don't we all sit down?" The three of them sat on the couch (Regina just noticed how they're all standing) and Emma set Eliza down, letting the 1-year old waddle on the carpeted floor. The child went on to babbling, looking around probably for some dirt to poke or squish. Because that seems to be Eliza's thing: look for some questionable dust and play with it. One of the reasons why Emma insists the apartment should be always sparkly clean.
"Care to explain more what you said…uh… a while ago, Henry?" Emma started, wincing a bit when she remembered how Henry addressed Regina as his mother.
"You have to go with us, mom. You have to," Henry said, his voice now firm. Emma raised an eyebrow, leaning back on the couch.
"I have to go with you…?" Emma turned to Regina for more explanation. Emma frowned at how Regina seemed to be having an internal debate. Then, as if a bad air breezed past the brunette, her face became stoic and her eyes set cold.
The brunette reached from her purse and pulled out a strange looking… vial. As if carrying a vial inside a purse wasn't weird enough. "Drink this."
Emma can't help but find amusement from both of the brunettes in front of her. She turned to look at her daughter to assure herself that nothing strange is going on as Eliza became quiet.
"I have to drink that?" Regina became pissed off at the amusement dancing on Emma's eyes. Clearly, the blonde thinks she is crazy.
"Yes, Em-ma. You have to drink this. You think all this is real? It's not. You don't wear that. You wear red leather jacket and tight jeans and knee-high boots. You wear your hair long. You don't wear makeup. This isn't you, Emma. I know you have just forgotten. If you drink this, you would remember. I thought sharing true love's kiss with Henry would work once again but it obviously didn't. You have to drink this. You have to remember."
The lady Regina described was her, Emma Swan. Only, that was a year and a half ago. She changed. She moved on. She stopped finding her son. She stopped before even herself would look at the mirror and see a crazed woman in a delusion of having a child. She stopped before she completely lost her mind.
She stopped before she loses herself and everything she had left.
To know that Regina knows made her skin crawl. She leaned and dragged Eliza towards her.
"What are you talking about?" Emma asked slowly, her eyes darting toward Henry, thinking quickly about what she's supposed to do in case she needs to take abrasive action when this woman, Regina, drops her act and does whatever malevolent action she's planning on doing.
"I know you think it sounds crazy—"
"Of course it does! What… who are you, a stalker? How do you know about how I looked? Wait…" Emma panicked. How could she have been such an idiot? Of course, this lady had been following her. What does she want? Now, Emma is sure this lady kidnapped her son… the only possible reason why. Maybe, Regina had put up some crazy act that she's a good guy in front of Henry.
"Henry..." Emma's voice was shaking, and she has a tight grip on Eliza, but not too tight to actually hurt the child.
"Mom?" Henry asked, confused. Though, Regina caught on.
She shouldn't have sprouted this on Emma. She should have known that a few smiles don't make someone trust you immediately. This Emma is a full-time mother, someone whose world only revolves around her child—children—and nothing else.
"No, Emma. I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not some stalker or whatever. Emma, you have to believe. You have a family. Isn't it weird that your memories are somewhat lose? You've had blank spaces inside your head, you feel as if you had missed a great deal on something you can't pinpoint. Emma, you have to believe. You have a family waiting for you. If you'd just drink this potion and I promise you, you'll remember. You found your parents, Emma. And they miss you."
Emma felt her head whirling. This woman is messing her up. She was about to lash out when Henry spoke.
"It's true, Mom. Gram and Gramps are waiting for us. They love you and they miss you. They would have gone with us if it were possible. Trust us, mom. I promise you, just drink the vial…"
Emma felt trapped. What was happening? All possibilities were now circling in her mind.
She's delusional, can't you see? The woman was an orphan all her life, of course she's gonna think she had someone after actually splitting her head in two!
Poor dear. I can't imagine how hard it is…
Frank, the woman has no child. She just thinks she has. Maybe it's her mind's way of coping with the loneliness…
Just… appease her. That's the least we could do.
She's alone. She has no one.
Emma was shaking her head. What was happening to her? What if all they're saying is true?
She looked in front of her, blinked a hundred of times, just to see if the two figures in front of her would disappear. Or maybe, they had been messing with her since a long time ago? Maybe that's why the woman, Regina, was familiar. Had they both been involved with her accident? The police did not find any…
Regina could see Emma's eyes widening in a crazed look. The woman was shaking, and clutching a crying Eliza close to her. Regina knows she shouldn't move, as that would just trigger Emma more. She knows the blonde is on the verge of breaking down, judging by the paleness of her lips. Regina has to do a quick damage control. She knows she should get Eliza before the blonde hurts her.
Emma suddenly moved, making Regina's stomach drop when she could only watch what happened next. The blonde grabbed the vial and threw it far from them, having the glass break by the kitchen. Regina jaw dropped and she turned to Emma. There was the hint of stubbornness and defiance painted on the blonde's face.
Regina was about to shout at Emma for wasting the potion (probably the only one she could brew, having lost all her ingredients because of the curse) when the door banged open, making Emma's face drop in horror.
Regina thought that with one more shove, Emma could drop unconscious.
"Emma… you're hurting Eliza," Regina said softly, cautious not to do any abrupt action to Emma. She cast a worried glance towards the hallway leading to the door. She cursed herself. Sure, the one time she needs magic is the one time she can't wield it.
"Who's that? You—what are you both—"
"Your majesty!" Regina shut her eyes in annoyance as soon as she heard Captain Hook's voice. The odds are not really in her favor. When had it been, anyway?
"I'm c-calling the po-police. All of you ge-t o-out of my apart-tment." Emma was holding her cell phone with trembling hands.
Hailey went out of her room as soon as she heard the front door breaking. She remained behind Emma, sensing the blonde's nerves even from afar. "Don't move, Hailey, you hear me?" Emma whispered to her back. "God, damn it. I wish I kept that stupid gun…"
"There's no need to call the police, Emma—"
"Your majesty." Regina hates that the pirate addressed her with so much disdain even though he looks like he's on a rush. "We should leave immediately!"
"What?!" Regina demanded. Everything is seriously not going by her pace. She saw the pirate's gaze flicker to Emma's trembling form. Regina noticed that Hailey was with Emma and both were looking at them as if they were about to behead their little family in just a few minutes. The younger woman noticed how Emma was trembling and she gently relieved the blonde from Eliza's weight. Emma stood in front of the two, Regina recognizing that look in Emma's face all too well. That's how Emma Swan looks when her savior complex is kicking in.
"He-Henry, beside me," Emma said, her voice slightly wavering.
"Regina, the crocodile's here with your sister. Snow sent me a message. She said that they sent both here. The blue fairy stripped both off their magic. They know that you are here with the princess and it's without a doubt that both won't stop at anything until they kill you and your family," Hook's voice was on a whisper yet everyone in the room heard it.
Emma doesn't know what to think. What are those, codes? She doesn't know what to think… and her son is with them.
Regina looked at Emma. There's an anger brewing inside her, wanting nothing more than to snap at the Charmings for choosing this specific time to let their idiotic thoughts go overdrive. There was in no way Emma would remember any minute later.
She decided to use a different tactic. She took determined strides towards the blonde, ignoring how Emma's face flashed with fear and took a small step back.
Regina grabbed hold of Emma's biceps (ignoring how firm they were under her grip and how it affected her more than it should have) and flicked subtly Emma's phone to the side.
"Emma Swan. You are in danger. Your family's in danger. Unless you go with us, someone's gonna come in here and somehow, kill you. I'm not the bad guy here, Swan. Come with us and I can assure you that you, Eliza and Hailey will be safe. I promise you." Regina looked directly at Emma's fearful green eyes and she saw hints of doubt flicker in those eyes. When had they become this mesmerizing?
Emma was gaping. She didn't know what to say. Killed? Them? Killed?!
Her mind was full of questions. Somehow, as she looked to the stranger's eyes, she didn't feel as if she was looking at someone she doesn't know. There was something changing inside her… as if these deep, dark brown eyes had been there all her life, making her feel safe and… home.
So, she believed everything Regina had just said.
Regina and Henry helped them pack, no one saying anything except a few orders here and there. Then, they were inside a taxi (Emma ignored the disbelief and pain in Regina and Henry's faces when she told them that she sold the bug) and were driving towards where Captain Hook's ship: "The Jolly Roger" was anchored at.