Chapter 25
Several months passed in Storybrooke, everyone was friendly and I found myself becoming friends with Emma and Neal as well as Belle, not to say I didn't care for everyone else but we had a lot in common and they were easy to talk to. I missed OZ but having Terrence, Dorothy and Sawyer here helped, we would talk about it and laugh about the good times we had together. But they all understood my magic, living here in Storybrooke I learned something, people only pretend to like magic. Sure Mary Margaret and David still love Emma but we both know they fear our magic. And maybe for me it's because I'm the Evil Queen's daughter.
Despite this, I started working in a small ice cream parlor next to Grannie's that was run down but I fixed it up and the boys helped me do work on it to make everything work like it should. As much as I tried to do the traditional freezer's I found just freezing the back room solved all the problems I may face with melting ice cream. But today the ice cream parlor was closed till the afternoon and I was going to spend the day with Regina.
Regina drove down the road and I watched her from the passenger seat. She wouldn't tell me where we were going or what the big hurry was so I rode along in silence. Reaching a gate I realized now we were at the cemetery where she had her vault.
"Are we going to your vault?" I asked as she turned off the car.
"No, I thought it was time I introduce you to your father." Regina said looking at me.
"Did Terrence tell you something?" I asked my heart pounding.
About a month ago I started having these dreams of a cloaked man and Regina, much younger, kissing and being together. Regina was pregnant and they seemed to be talking quietly in the stables when the doors flew opened and a woman stormed in. Regina would scream and I would wake up when the hand was about to rip out the man's heart. I would wake up and up until last week I never told Terrence what it was about or that I thought it was the night my father was killed.
"He was worried, and I thought maybe seeing him would help you." Regina said as we sat in the car.
"He's here?" I asked looking out at the vast number of headstones.
"I brought him with me from the Enchanted Forest, but he never had a proper memorial so I gave him one." I could see tears welling up in her eyes. Reaching out I took her hand.
"We don't have to do this if you don't want to." I said, she looked at our hands squeezing mine softly.
"No I want too." Regina said with a soft smile. I nodded getting out of the car.
The morning air was crisp, dew still covering the ground as we walked into the cemetery. We walked towards a maple tree that stood alone with a headstone underneath it.
"Is that him?" I asked she nodded.
The marble sparkled in the morning sun his name carved in the stone, the letters coming to a sharp point. There was a red rose laying at the base that I could only assume was put there by Regina. Kneeling down I touched the stone running my fingers across his name, moving my hand I made a white rose and laid it with the red one. Standing back up I looked at Regina.
"How did you two meet?" I asked she looked at me and smiled.
"He was the stable boy and my mother was set on making me queen. But my father didn't care and let me focus on riding. When I first met your father I didn't think much of him but I remember there was this one night where my mother and I had got into a fight and I ran out of the house and into the stables. Daniel was there and he just sat and listened. We became really good friends after that and I found myself falling in love with him. I kind of wish I had known how much pain that would cause me." Regina sighed.
"Would you really?" I asked glancing at her.
"It would have saved me a lot of heartbreak and maybe I wouldn't have lost him or you." Regina replied.
"But wouldn't everything have ended differently? Or would you not care if you had ever met Robin or adopted Henry?" I asked.
"What would you do differently?"
"Tell Terrence I loved him sooner." I said looking at my wedding ring. "But one thing I learned is that everything happens, not necessarily for a reason, but we change the experiences we have. No matter how good or bad. There are plenty of times I wish that my whole life had been spent with Oswin and Aly. I wanted to block out the past and forget the first 7 years of my life." I could tell Regina had no idea what I was talking about. "My munchkin family wasn't the best. They use to tell me that you banished me to OZ because I was a nuisance since I was born and they kindly took me in and raised me because no one wanted the burden of me. When I was seven they took me to the Emerald City in hopes that they could get money for me. When Aly saw me she begged Oswin to let me come live with them. Oswin refused to pay them and from what I hear they haven't ever been allowed in the city since."
"I'm so sorry" Regina said breathlessly.
"It all worked out, and nothing they ever said was true."
"No it wasn't, your father was so excited when I told him, I thought he was going to hug me to death." She laughed.
"You always tell me I look like him; what did he look like?"
"Here" Regina reached her hand out and took my wedding ring off my finger.
Holding it up she waved her hand in front of it as an image of my father appeared in the ring. I took it from her carefully finally seeing my father for the first time.
"I can show you how some time" Regina said, I smiled holding back tears.
"Can you teach me how to do the mirror thing too?" I asked she smiled and nodded. "Oswin sent me a mirror, so we can see each other, it use to be Aly's and she wrote me a note before she had Anna but I never got it till last night." I said feeling a blank space where the ring once was.
"Are you okay?" Regina asked, I looked at her nodding slowly.
"I needed it" Regina smiled softly.
"I keep thinking of the day we met, I had no idea that my life would change like it did." Regina said not taking her eyes off of me.
"Honestly I was just glad to be out." I chuckled looking down at my arms where I still had scars where the metal shackles had cut my skin.
"Out of where?"
I sighed realizing I had never told her about my many years in the Enchanted Forest.
"Can we go somewhere to talk?"
"Sure" Regina said leading me towards her vault.
Inside she took me downstairs and into a room I had never been in before, it had a bed and a small table and chairs that we sat at. I tried to gather my thoughts on what I would tell her before I spoke.
"When I first came to the Enchanted Forest it was the same day you cast the curse, where I landed was safe from the curse and didn't really affect us like it did the rest of the realms. I kinda kept to myself most of the time, I had used my magic to make myself a place to live on the mountain. But the villagers found out and before I knew it I was their captive and they were holding me in a cave or something with metal cuffs on my hands to stop my magic." I shivered at the memory.
"How did you escape?"
"I didn't, I was set free." Regina looked at me and I nodded slowly.
"By who?"
"Cora. she said she wanted us to find each other again. She told me that I was sent away for the sake of the family's royal standings, I had no idea she was actually the reason I grew up in OZ."
"But she would have been dead if she let you go just before you and I found each other."
"I was set free long before you got there." I explained.
"I'm sorry for anything she might have told you about me and your birth." Regina sighed.
"I've had a lot of people avoid the truth in my life, to either protect me or hurt me, but I learned the truth eventually comes out and sometime's it's far better than you had ever hoped." I said with a soft smile.
"Who taught you how to use your magic?" Regina asked.
"Oswin, he's one of the only people who I knew that had magic besides Glinda and Zalena."
"Were people afraid of you magic?"
"Not really,but I think here they are" I sighed shrugging slightly.
"That's partly my fault, I don't really have my reputation on my side." Regina said looking around. "If I show you something promise you won't think any less of me."
"I promise" I said following her into another room, she stood in front of a large door and pulled out a key unlocking it. She pulled it open and I saw the many small boxes that lined the walls.
"Do you know what these are?" Regina asked running her hand down the wall.
"No" I said my eyes wondering unable to take all of it in.
"Hearts, I guess you could say it is my collection." I didn't know what to say.
"These are actual human hearts?"
"Yes, I would say I've never been proud of them but it's what gave me the reputation of the Evil Queen. People ran in fear when they saw my carriage."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"You keep talking about how I'm better than you expected, you deserve to know that I wasn't always like this because you're going to hear about my past and I would rather it be from me." I looked at her then back at the wall letting out a soft sigh. "Do you think less of me?" She asked, I swallowed hard feeling overwhelmed by it all.
"No" I choked out. "I don't know, I knew you were the Evil Queen but I didn't know about this." Regina sighed.
"I can't change what I've done in my past." She said not taking her eyes off me.
"No you can't, but you've changed." I said finally looking at her. "You're not the same person you were back then. But I'm the reason you even went dark." I said tearing up.
"Elsa don't ever think that. Yes I lost you and your father but I didn't become dark because of you. I did everything because I was so angry at my mother for not letting me have the life I wanted."
I sighed unable to look back at the wall.
"I don't think less of you Regina, but I am glad that I know." I said with a soft smile.
"You know you can call me mom, if you want."
"No, I can't, because the last time I called someone mom they gave me away and didn't care about me or what happened. But you do just like Aly did. I hope you aren't mad"
"Of course not, I am sorry that it's what you associate it with though." I sighed nodding slowly I shrugged not really sure what to say about my past anymore.
"Could you help me do something?" I asked she looked up at me.
"What do you need?" She asked I smirked.
"I need you to gather everyone in the town square tonight, I want to show them I'm not what they think I am."
"Essie they don't…"
"Please" I said interrupting her.
"Fine is that all?" She asked I need smiling softly.
"Thank you"
That night I stood in the small park in front of the mayor's office and looked around at all the people standing around talking among themselves, looking over I saw Terrence, Sawyer and Dorothy all smiling at me. Letting out a laugh I looked back at everyone.
"You ready?" David asked from the police cruiser, I nodded and her turned on the sirens quickly then turned them off getting people's attention.
"Hi everyone sorry about that" I said smiling at David. "I asked that you all come here today because, well I wanted to show you something. But most of all I wanted you all to see me for who I am. Not just the occasional snowstorm or a frost in the morning. I don't ever want you to run in fear of magic. So I want to do something for you all tonight." I looked at Terrence all of a sudden feeling nervous. He smiled at me with his big grin giving me butterflies. "You ready?" I asked looking back at everyone as they watched me.
Picking up my foot I forced my magic to the ground sending ice out around me, everyone cheered seeing they had ice skates childeren laughed starting to scare around the now frozen town. Sending my hand into the air I made a light snow and smiled to myself. Looking at Regina I smiled skating forward.
"I didn't get any skates" She said I smiled.
"I know" I smiled waving my wrist, she looked down seeing a pair of snow white skates now on her feet.
"This was amazing Essie" She smiled as Robin skated up behind her grabbing her waist.
"Thanks" I smiled laughing at them together.
"I'm stealing your mother away." Robin said I laughed as Robin pulled her away.
"Ok I didn't know you could do that, that was awesome" Neal said skating up to me.
"Well I'm glad" I said unable to take the smile off my face.
"She also makes castle's and rooms" Terrence said behind me laying his hand on my waist.
"He won't let me do the house" I said looking at Terrence.
"I would prefer to not live in a refrigerator." He said I rolled my eyes.
"I'm with ya on that one" Neal laughed.
"Don't you have a girlfriend to go annoy?" I asked seeing Emma with Henry.
"I do actually" He smiled skating off again.
Turning I laid my hands of my husband's chest. Even after months of being married the idea that he was my husband baffled me.
"This might be the coolest thing I've ever seen you do. What gave you the idea?"
"Just being here, I never had to show someone that I was a good witch before." Terrence chuckled.
"You're always a good witch."
"You better say that or you'll be on the couch tonight" I laughed.
"Well I would hate for that to happen." He smiled.
"Come on let's skate" I said pulling him away towards everyone laughing as he tried to stay upright. "Has it actually happened? Am I better than you at something?" I asked holding his hand.
"It's been a while" He replied quickly I nodded.
"Just admit it" I smirked.
"Never" He whispered skating away, he had gone no more than ten feet when he fell.
Holding back my laughter I skated over and helped him up.
"Carma" I said still smiling.
"Your husband just fell and you're laughing."
"I'm a terrible person I know" I said as he stood back up.
"Fine I admit it you're a better skater but Ice is your life"
"You're my life now" I said, I had no idea where that even came from but it fit.
"I'm so glad I married you" I laughed locking my fingers together behind his neck.
I bit my lit feeling nervous.
"Everything okay?" He asked brushing back a loose piece of hair from my face.
"I know you old Regina about my nightmares." I said looking at him.
"I was worried about and honestly I didn't care if you…"
"Thank you" I said quickly, he looked at me.
"I care about you Essie and I hated seeing you like that when I couldn't do anything to help."
"You help me all the time. I would have never gotten through these last few months without you." I replied with a soft smile. "Can we go somewhere we can talk?" I asked.
"Of course" We skated over to an area where no one was skating and I worked up my courage.
"I have something I need to tell you" I said looking down, taking his other hand in mine.
"Just tell me you're freaking me out." He said, I knew he was worried.
"You know how we've talked about having kids one day?"
"Yeah" He sounded hesitant.
"Well that day came a little early" I said biting my lip.
"No, your not" He said baffled.
"I am believe me" I chuckled.
"You're pregnant" I nodded as a smile ran across his face.
"Yeah" I smiled, he moved in kissing me hard on the lips. I laughed leaning back to look at him.
"And you said you wanted to wait" I laughed shaking my head.
"Are you okay with this?" I asked his hand moved to the small of my back.
"Es having you in my life has been the best thing to ever happen to me, having a baby with you will only make it better." Terrence said with a smile. "We're gonna be parents, our kid's going to be screwed." I laughed.
XXXXXXX
Laying in the hospital bed 8 months after that night I held my daughter looking down at her icey blue eyes and tufts of blond hair. She was perfect and had a bit of both her parents in her. I glanced at Terrence who was in his own World I chuckled watching him stare in awe at the tiny little girl in his own arms. I didn't know that I could feel this much love for someone let alone two people. Having twins turned my whole life upside down but in the absolute best way ever possible. Terrence looked at me and I smiled.
"I don't think I've told you how amazing you were today." He said, I rolled my eyes. He had only told me every half hour since I had them.
"Are you ready for visitors?" Regina asked poking her head in the room. Looking up at her I smiled.
"Of course" Regina walked in followed by Dorothy, Sawyer, Robin, Emma, Neal and Henry.
"Hi Essy" Regina said softly, giving me a soft kiss on my forehead.
"Hey guys" I smiled adjusting the baby so they could see. "This is your grandma" I said softly.
"She's beautiful Essy" Regina smiled. "They both are"
"Do we get to know their names? Or are you going to keep it a secret?" Henry asked, Emma smiled putting her arm around him.
I looked at Terrence who nodded.
"You want to go first?" He asked.
"This is Aly" I said looking down at her then to Terrence.
"And this is Anna" I smiled feeling the lump at the back of my throat.
Everyone I cared about from Storybrooke was standing beside my bed. But there were two people I wanted here more than anything.
"May I?" Regina asked. Pulling myself back I nodded and handed Aly over carefully.
Laying back on the pillow I felt Terrence take my hand but I didn't look at him. Maybe my new little family here in this small town could do, after all I had my best friend at my side.
A/N: Well, this year writing this has been nothing far from amazing. I was lucky enough to have my best friend as my fr"OZ"en buddy and writing partner. We have had the best time creating these characters and bringing Elsa and Terrence to life. This whole idea was born in a McDonald's in a small town in Ohio while on spring break and it has been the first fanfiction where I have loved doing it from start to finish. It has brought me to tears and made me smile every time I would sit down at the computer. I only hope that you have enjoyed reading reading it as much as I did making it. The story could go on but neither of us wanted to drag it out any longer than necessary and we felt this was a good way to end it. This will be the last chapter I will post and both Sammy and I wanted to take this time to thank you for being an awesome audience and sending us all of your messages and comments on the story, it makes our day when we hear you like it and are enjoying the story we have to tell. Keep them coming my loves. We have other ideas for a future one-shot is we get good reviews on the end. So PLEASE let me know what you think and would like something. It won't be for a few months due to life :/ but I would love to bring Essy back. Please share this with friends and other oncer's if you like this follow me on Spotify at eva_always I have a fr"OZ"en playlist as well as many others. It's been real my frozen friends. #TinIce
LOVE,
Eva