Chapter eighteen
Emma stared at her phone for an hour, before it lit up with a text, can you meet me at the hospital?
The blonde sighed with relief, be right there, she shot back before grabbing her jacket.
Five minutes later, she strode into Regina's room to find Henry sitting by her side, "are you alone?" she asked cautiously.
"Graham and August brought me, they left after I got your reply," he answered.
Emma nodded, standing silent for a moment. She knew that Mary Margaret was probably right, but she just didn't feel comfortable even pretending to believe.
"So..." she began before noticing the book he had shown her a few days ago, "reading to your mom?"
Henry looked down at it, and nodded, "could you carry on, I have homework to do."
"You didn't go to school today."
"I asked Miss Blanchard to send me the work," Emma looked at him sceptically, "my mom will not be happy if I fall behind."
"Fine," she laughed, grabbing the book, she opened it to the book marked page. As soon as her hand touched its surface she felt a jolt of energy run through her hand, staring at it for a moment, she gulped and sat down next to Henry.
For a few moments she didn't speak, just simply stared at the depiction of the Evil Queen at Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding. She ran her hand over the face and whispered, "Regina."
Henry looked at her with a small smile, before she shook her head and began reading.
Henry sighed, pretending to do some fractions as his birth mother read, did I chose the wrong section? He thought.
Twenty minutes later, Emma had completed the chapter, and made to close the book.
Henry groaned in frustration, "seriously, nothing?"
"What?" she asked in shock.
"How can you still not remember?" he shouted.
"Remember what?"
"That you're living in the past."
Emma made to make a retort, before the words died on her lips, that explains the dreams, but she just shook her head, "what do you mean?"
"The day after you showed up, Mom said that she had already lived through all of this and that curse had already broken. She said that something you and her did sent you both into the past."
"Let me die as Regina,' images of a flashing diamond burst into Emma's mind.
Clutching the sides of her chair she allowed the book to fall to the floor, "I am sick of this town!" she shouted, before making to leave the hospital room.
"NO!" Henry shouted, running in front of the door, "you are not running away, you're the saviour and you have to save my mom."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"You need to slay Maleficent and get the source of magic to sustain the sleeping curse," he shouted back.
"What is this place?"
"Would you like a tour or..."
"Lead way."
"You're remembering," Henry said excitedly, noticing her faraway expression.
"No, I'm going insane," she said taking a sharp intake of breath; she brought her hand up to her forehead, trying to see if she had a fever.
"You know it's real, so why are you fighting it?" he cried.
"Because, I know that it's not real. I don't care what hallucinations tell me, there is no such thing as sleeping curses, True Love, happy endings, and no magic from a dragon is going to save your mom. You need to stop wasting time on hope and just say goodbye, while you still can."
Tears began to fall down the boys face, "you saw her eat the turnover, if she was 'allergic' or whatever, don't you think that the doctors would have found it by now."
"Not everything can be explained, Henry."
"So why do you need everything to have an explanation," he retorted.
Emma shook her head, "I don't, not for science, but magic is just a child's idea of reality."
"I may be a child, but you're the one denying what's right in front of you. I know that you have déjà vu, that you felt an instant connection with people, it's because you have already lived here. You're just too stubborn to let yourself fully remember, and I will hate you forever if you can't even try!"
Emma swallowed hard, "think about what you're asking me to do Henry," she begged.
"I'm asking you to do what you were born to do," he countered.
Emma sighed and plopped down onto the chair, putting her head in her hands, "you can't blame me for what's happening to your mom," Henry looked at her in shock, "I don't want her to die," she said in a small voice.
Henry felt guilt, "tell me why you can't believe," he said in a calmer voice.
Emma let out a shaky breath, "I used to believe in all of this fairytale crap like every other kid. But being bounced around from family to family makes it hard to believe that Snow White and Prince Charming ever really did get their happy ending."
"They haven't, yet," August said.
Emma looked up to see the intruder who was closely followed by Graham, clutching a sword.
"Seriously, you two as well?" she sighed.
Graham offered her a small smile, "it's the truth, Emma."
"Is that a sword?" she asked cautiously.
Graham nodded, "it's your father's sword."
"Who is her?"
"Someone you should be prepared for, where you're going you'll need this," Gold smirked, holding open the case.
"What is that?"
"Your father's sword."
"Please, Emma just believe, for me? For my mom?" Henry begged.
Emma felt tears begin to trek their way down her face, turning she looked at the comatose woman. A flash went through her mind, and she saw Henry lying in the same position.
She blew out a breath and looked away from the bed, only to see the book on the floor. Another flash went through her mind, and she saw her hands reach out to pick up the book, with a crying mayor nearby.
Emma's eyes closed, and she tried to steady her shaky hands as she reached down to pick up the story book. Taking in a calming breath, she thought you can believe, Swan, before opening her eyes and looking straight at the cover.
As soon as her eyes opened, a stream of memories began to race through her mind. She saw Charming place her in the wardrobe, she saw herself talking to Henry at his castle, saving Regina from the fire, cutting down a tree branch. She saw the moment she fell for the mayor, that day at the mine she had realised just how much Regina cared about her son, it was the day that she began to believe that she was much more complex than simply being evil. She saw the curse break, saving Regina from the mob, the wraith, travelling to the Enchanted Forest with her mother, Cora, Hook, Greg and Tamara.
"You may not be strong enough, but maybe we are."
Dropping the book she stood up with a start.
"Oh my God, Regina," she said as she placed a hand on her love's arm.
A/N Hope you liked the chapter :) Please let me know whether it's too soon for Emma to remember, I could change it if it doesn't feel believable. Also, someone mentioned they would like to see Cora meet Zelena, so I was wondering how far into the OUAT seasons you guys would like to see this fic go :)