Chapter seventeen
"You should tell her how you feel," Snow chuckled.
"I accused her of murder, what makes you think she'll ever like me back," Emma sniffled.
"Well it kind of makes sense."
"Why do you mean?" the blonde asked with a furrowed brow.
"As horrified as I was when I realised that you love her, it makes sense that the saviour has to save everyone," she reasoned, while putting her arm around her daughter.
"Horrified?" Emma laughed, "don't you think you're being a tad dramatic?"
"Your father went looking for his sword when he found out," she countered.
Emma's mouth fell open.
"I hid it," she chuckled, and Emma let out a sigh of relief.
"Emma," Mary Margaret lightly shook her.
"Mom," she said, before shaking her head, "I meant Mary Margaret."
"Because they sound so alike," she smirked, "don't worry, someone calls me mom at least once a day."
Emma rubbed the side of her face, "I'm not a ten year student."
"Why were you asleep?" she asked, while walking over to pick something off the desk.
"I must have dozed off, what time is it?"
"Lunch time, I forgot to take these reports to school," she explained.
Emma nodded, grabbing her phone; she saw that she had no texts from Henry.
"The kid must still be with Graham," she frowned.
"He just needs time," she assured.
Emma shook her head and sighed, "no, he needs his mom, she would probably know exactly what to do."
Mary Margaret nodded, "I wouldn't lose hope, a lot can happen in a week. Just think about the last few days," she laughed.
"Your suggestion is to have hope?" Emma asked with an exasperated look, "and you wonder why Henry thinks your Snow White."
"What harm could having hope do?" she chuckled.
"Ever heard of false hope, "Emma sighed.
Mary Margaret frowned, and came and sat next to her. Emma had the urge to put her head on her shoulder as she had done in the dream, but resisted it.
"My point is that you shouldn't just accept that she's going to die, and neither should Henry."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you should try every option, Henry will regret it for the rest of his life if you don't try everything. Even the magical suggestions," she replied with a supportive smile.
"So you're saying that I should pretend to believe?" Emma sighed.
"I'm saying that believing in a little magic isn't going to hurt Henry, but pushing him to not believe will only waste his remaining days with his mother," she smiled sadly.
Emma nodded, "how do you know all of this stuff?"
"I'm a teacher," she laughed.
"Most teachers don't care that much to try and understand every kid."
Mary Margaret thought about it, "I guess I just always wanted to be a mother."
Emma gulped and thought back to her dream, "you're going to be an amazing one."
"So, we're just going to, like set her like an reading assignment," August laughed.
"No, I'll just ask her to read to mom," Henry replied, as he looked through the book for the best section.
Graham sighed as he watched Regina's chest rise and fall, he couldn't believe that he was wishing so hard for her to wake up.
"Do you think she can hear us?" he asked after a moment.
Henry nodded, "I hope so."
Regina smiled as she watched the exchange, wishing that she could reply.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see her mother.
Her throat instantly went dry, "h-how?"
"You didn't think I would miss a chance to talk to you?" she smiled softly.
"But...you're not dead yet?" Regina choked out.
Cora shook her head, "not in this time line, but we are between realms, so I am able to be here."
"There's only one purgatory for every realm and timeline?"
Cora chuckled, "it's more of a personal concept."
Regina nodded and stood there awkwardly, there were so many things she wanted to say to this woman, she just didn't know where to start.
"Do you..." she began, but couldn't finish the sentence.
Cora chuckled again, softly she took her daughters hand and brought it to her chest, where she felt the very distinct feeling of a beating heart.
Regina smiled, and tentatively hugged the other woman, she had to admit it was a very strange feeling.
"So why did you want to see me?" she whispered.
Cora pulled away, and wiped a stray tear that had fallen down Regina's face, "well, the next time you see me may not be very amicable."
Regina nodded, "I suppose your right," she frowned.
"I just wanted to tell you something that I should have said a million times," Regina looked at her expectantly, and Cora wondered whether this would be good enough, "I love you."
Regina took in a sharp intake of breath. Bringing her mother into a tighter hug she laughed, "I love you too."
Cora returned the hug, "I should also apologise."
"Why?" Regina sniffled.
"I ruined your life. I know now that a mother should never project their issues upon their child, you didn't want to be queen and I should have respected that."
Regina nodded, "what made you realise that?"
"My heart," she replied, looking at her daughter curiously.
"So if I give you your heart back in this timeline, you can live," she said excitedly.
Cora shook her head, "that would not be very clever."
"Why?"
"I was always a terrible mother, you would be better off without me," she said with a downward look.
"I got a second chance, so should you," Regina replied, while bringing her mother's face up.
"Yes, but you deserved it, you're an excellent mother" she answered with a sad smile. "I want you to be happy, and no one in that town would accept me anyway."
"Henry would, I told him about you."
"What could you possibly have told him?"
"The good things, like...you brought me a horse, you always tried to protect me, granted in a slightly more...acquired way than most parents."
Cora just let out a laugh, "you make quite the politician."
"When the time comes, I will do anything to return your heart."
"Just promise that you won't allow me to hurt you or your family."
Regina nodded and hugged her again, "I promise."
A/N I think that my alerts are sorted, good to hear that you guys are getting the alerts (even if they're a little late lol), hope you like the chapter, and let me know whether you want Cora to live in this timeline