Chapter 5: Brave New World
Regina reached out, grabbing the handle of the tavern's door. All she had to do was open the door, step inside and go up to the man with the lion tattoo. Pixie-dust-approved happiness and love was only a few feet away. She just had to seize it.
She froze, though, unable to open the door. Daniel's death was still fresh in her mind-was she betraying him? Especially as the person responsible for his death had yet to be punished. Snow White continued to lead a spoiled and carefree life while Regina had to endure painful nights and depressing days as Leopold's neglected queen. Her anger flared up inside her again and she thought about Rumpelstiltskin's visit to her earlier-what did she have without it? Could she just walk away from her lessons, her one chance to punish Snow White?
Then she thought about what else the Dark One promised her magic could give her-her freedom. Running away with the man inside the tavern certainly couldn't give her that. They would constantly be on the run, looking over their shoulder and trying to stay one step ahead of Leopold's guards. He wouldn't let her go. She was his possession and he didn't like it when someone took something he believed belonged to him. Though he didn't love her and didn't really pay attention to her, he would have his men leave no stone unturned in his quest to get her back. Once she was back, she would either be executed or locked up and never allowed out of the palace again.
Her hand fell from the handle as she looked inside the tavern one last time. The man with the lion tattoo sat at a table in the middle of the room, people surrounding him as they drank their ale. He still glowed from the pixie dust and while she didn't doubt that he might be her soulmate, it no longer was a guarantee of happiness or freedom. Only her lessons with Rumpelstiltskin could do that as they would allow her to enact revenge on Snow White and finally free herself from her awful marriage.
Regina turned from the tavern and ran from it, racing through the town before anyone recognized her. She escaped into the woods and used the few skills she had learned from the Dark One to transport herself back to the palace, putting the man with the lion tattoo out of her mind.
"No, don't do that!" Regina pleaded with her counterpart in the book. "Go back for him! Being evil won't make you happy!"
She knew it wouldn't make any difference. Queen Regina was firmly on the path to becoming the Evil Queen and the man with the lion tattoo would probably just be footnote in her story. Though Diana was adamant that Queen Regina eventually found love and married another man, who supposedly fathered Diana with her. Was he the man with the lion tattoo? Did their paths cross again?
A knock at the back door startled her. She jumped up from the chair and left the office, heading toward it. Opening the door, she smiled at Diana, who stood there with a backpack on her back. "Do I want to know what your mother thinks you're doing?"
"Probably not," Diana said, stepping into the library. "Plausible deniability and all that."
Regina's comment about Diana sounding like a lawyer died in her throat when the girl hugged her. She squeezed Regina, pressing her cheek against Regina's chest. Regina hugged her back, holding her close as she closed her eyes.
Since Diana hugged her a few days earlier, it struck her that she couldn't remember the last time she had gotten a hug-or any human contact. Even though she knew she wasn't Diana's mother, she still loved hugging her. It made her feel loved and needed.
"You give the best hugs," Diana said. "All warm and comfy."
Her words warmed Regina and she held the girl tighter. "I don't get many hugs. So you can hug me whenever you can."
"I like that." Diana closed her eyes as she pressed herself closer to Regina, as if trying to become one with her. It felt comforting and familiar, as if they had being doing this for years. Something tugged at her mind but she shook it off as she released Diana.
Regina lifted up a lock of Diana's hair with a smile. "You ready to learn how to show off these gorgeous curls?"
Diana's eyes lit up. "I am!"
"Good," she said, taking her hand. "Come with me."
She led the girl to the back office and went to grab the chair behind the desk. She rolled it out and smiled at Diana. "Hop on."
Diana did just that, letting her backpack fall to the floor. She glanced over at the desk, eyes lighting up when she saw the storybook on it. "You were reading the book," she said, not even posing it as a question.
"I was," Regina confirmed, undoing Diana's ponytail. "I just read about Regina meeting Tinkerbell and going to the tavern."
"You've met the Man with the Lion Tattoo?" Diana asked, growing excited. It was almost like it was Christmas morning.
Her reaction was intriguing and Regina raised an eyebrow. "Yes. I take it he plays an important role later on?"
"He plays a very important role," Diana replied, sounding excited and smug about it.
Regina paused as she pulled out a brush and some ponytail holders. She glanced over at Diana, who was smiling so wide she thought the girl's face was going to crack in two. A thought pulled at the back of her mind and she found herself asking: "Is he the man you believe is your real father?"
"He's the man I know is my father," Diana replied. "He's your soulmate."
"Soulmate, huh? Don't really think I have one of those," Regina said, setting everything down on the desk. "Now, let's focus on your hair. Sit up straight and keep your head still, please."
Diana did as she said, though she frowned. "You do have a soulmate. You just don't remember him because…"
"Because of the curse," Regina finished, used to the girl's familiar litany by now.
"Exactly. He's out there, unable to remember us. We need to find him and I'm sure once you two see each other…"
"And what? We'll remember everything, rush toward each other like a romance movie and kiss as the camera whirls around us?" Regina said, knowing she sounded more cynical than she wanted.
She sighed as she started to brush out Diana's hair, ready to apologize when the girl spoke again. "You won't remember everything at first and we need to get him to believe too or else True Love's Kiss won't work."
"Really? And what makes you say that?" Regina reached for a spray bottle, wetting Diana's curls to make them more pliant.
"It happened to Snow White and Prince Charming. She took a potion to forget she loved him and so when he went to kiss her, it didn't work. He had to earn her love all over again. It'll probably be the same for you and my father because of the curse," Diana told her.
Regina paused as a question filled her mind. "Do you know who he is? The man with the lion tattoo?"
"Where? Here in Storybrooke or in the storybook?"
That certainly sounded like a tongue twister, Regina mused with a smirk. She then replied: "Both."
"I'm not going to tell you who he is in the book," Diana said, sounding smug. "I want you to find out on your own. And no peeking ahead!"
Regina found it funny that she was getting orders from a fifth grader but didn't say anything about it. She could tell it was important to Diana that she read the entire story and so she promised: "I won't."
"Good," Diana replied, sounding pleased. She then admitted: "As for here in Storybrooke...I haven't found him yet."
"Maybe he's not here," Regina said, spraying some more of Diana's hair as she continued to brush it. "If I were to cast a curse, I probably wouldn't want the two people who could break it to be so close to each other."
Diana shook her head and Regina had to hold her head still. "You can't move right now," she told her.
"Sorry. I know my father is here. Everyone else is. I doubt the curse would keep all of us here and send him someplace else," Diana said.
"Or maybe the curse didn't take him."
That gave Diana pause and she was quiet as Regina finished brushing her hair. As Regina moved to stand in front of her, Diana looked up at her. "No. He's here. I can feel it."
Conviction filled both her voice and her blue eyes, making Regina believe her. She nodded, crouching down in front of her. "Okay. Then I'm sure you'll find him."
"We'll find him," Diana insisted. "When you're ready. After you've read your whole story."
"That looks like it could take a long time. For a book that's supposedly about children's fairy tales, it's remarkably dense," Regina commented.
"I can wait. You need to believe before we find him so we can get him to believe together. Then you can share True Love's Kiss." Diana grinned as she smushed Regina's cheeks with her hands. "You'll break the curse and we can all live happily ever after."
Unable to help it, Regina smiled. There was just something about how hopeful Diana was about this and how happy she got when talking about it that was just contagious. It lifted Regina's spirits and was proving to be a bright spot in her life. She had even included it in her notebook for Dr. Hopper's exercises. Even though she was certain she wasn't Diana's mother, she hoped there was a way she could convince Mayor Nolan to let her have some sort of relationship with the girl. She felt it might be good for both of them.
Regina definitely could use some hope in her life.
Gently prying Diana's hands from her cheeks, Regina hugged the girl. "Promise me something-you never lose your hopeful nature. It will get you far in this life and make sure you are happy. That's all I want for you."
"I want you to be happy too," Diana said, holding her tightly again.
Tears pricked Regina's eyes as a lump formed in her throat. She kissed the top of Diana's head before running her hand over her hair, grateful for her presence in her life. It had brightened it considerably. And for the first time, Regina believed she could be happy.
She released Diana and swallowed past the lump, smiling. "Okay. Let's work on your hair before I have to send you back to your mother."
The bell over the door jingled as Regina stepped into Granny's Diner. People flocked there for the food and stayed for the company as it was never empty. Storybrooke's social life centered on Granny's and it was a hub of information. If you wanted to know about anything happening in town, it was the place to go.
Regina tended to avoid the dinner, despite loving Granny's burgers. They weren't worth the stares or the whispers she was subjected to whenever she did come inside. She could pick up on the other patrons' hatred of her and their unspoken wishes for her to leave. Regina had left many a half-eaten burger because she just got too uncomfortable and had just stopped coming completely.
Even now, everyone's head turned toward her and it felt as if their glares were like fire. She kept her head down as she moved toward the counter, trying to sit on the stood the furthest from the door. One patron, Leroy, bumped into her but let out a gruff: "Watch where you're going, sister!"
"You bumped into me," she said, frowning.
He laughed. "Ain't that like a Mills? Never taking responsibility for anything. Never their fault."
She stepped closer to him, crossing her arms. "I certainly take responsibility for things I do. Fuck, I've taken responsibility for things I didn't do since this entire town seems hellbent on punishing me for my mother's sins. No more. You were in the wrong. You need to apologize."
"Looks like someone has a mouth on her," he said, rolling up his sleeve as he swayed on his feet. "Someone should knock it off you."
"That's enough, Leroy." Granny pushed open the doors leading from the kitchen and strode toward them. She scowled at the man. "You need to go home."
He swayed on his feet as he pointed to Regina. Or at least tried to. It looked more like he was pointing to the jukebox behind her but they all knew who he meant. "What about her? Ain't you going to throw her out too?"
Granny shook her head. "Regina isn't the one making a scene in the middle of my diner and threatening my patrons. Go home, Leroy."
Leroy glared at Regina but nodded. "Fine. I don't want to be anywhere she is anyway."
He turned and left, a couple patrons joining him. Regina started to get the feeling this was a bad idea and she untucked some hair from behind her ear, hoping to use it to hide herself. "Maybe I should go too…"
"Nonsense," Granny insisted, taking her arm. "You came in here for a reason. You shouldn't let some drunk run you off."
Regina nodded, knowing she was right. Gathering her courage, she said: "I actually came to talk to you. You pretty much know everything that goes on in this town."
Granny stopped, turning to her with narrowed eyes behind her silver half-moon spectacles. "If you came here for gossip…"
"No," Regina assured her quickly. "I'm here for information. About me."
That seemed to surprise Granny and she looked Regina over before motioning toward the doors leading to the kitchen. "Come with me."
Regina followed her past the counter and through the swinging metal doors that led to the kitchen. Granny made a right and Regina realized they were heading to her small office in the back of the diner. It had been years since she had been back there, not since she had resigned as a waitress in order to take her job at the cannery. The room hadn't changed since then. Granny still had the same wooden desk laden with purchase orders and receipts, an ancient calculator sitting in a corner as a stream of paper with numbers on it reached the floor.
Granny motioned to the chair in front of her desk as she moved to hers behind it. "Have a seat."
Regina took the chair. "Is there any reason why you wanted to talk to me back here?"
"I figured the last thing you needed were hostile townspeople listening in on whatever it is you want to know," Granny replied. "You've been through enough."
Gratitude filled Regina. "Thank you."
"So what is it that you want to know?" Granny asked her, leaning forward with her hands clasped on her hands. "You know I don't know who your daddy is. Your mother kept that a well-guarded secret, even from the gossips in this town."
"I know. I'm not here about that," she replied. Regina had long given up her hope of every finding her father. She took a deep breath. "A recent medical exam revealed something, umm, intriguing. Apparently, I gave birth."
Granny laughed, leaning back in her chair as she held her stomach. Regina stayed still, just staring down the older woman and not even let out a hint of nervous laughter. She waited, watching as Granny's laughter started to die down. The older woman's eyes widened when she realized that Regina's demeanor hadn't changed nor was she backtracking from her statement. Amazed, Granny asked: "You're serious?"
"I am," Regina replied.
"You had a baby? When?"
"I don't know," she answered, her voice wavering. "I don't remember even having sex let alone being pregnant."
Tears spilled from her eyes and blurred her vision. She still could make out Granny's form as the older woman stood, moving toward her. Granny held out a tissue box. "Here you go, Regina."
"Thank you," she said, sniffing as she took a tissue.
Granny rolled her chair over, sitting across from Regina and taking her hand. "Are you sure that you gave birth?"
"That's what my body says," she replied, taking another tissue. "I'm working with Dr. Hopper to try to unlock those memories, to figure out why I suppressed them in the first place. And I'm trying to find answers."
"Of course you are. And you think I have them?" Granny asked, looking uncertain.
She paused before answering: "I think you might be able to point me in the direction I need to start my search."
"How?"
"Was there a time that I might have left Storybrooke?" she asked. "Or that I was wearing baggier clothing? Or acting unusual?"
Granny frowned, shaking her head. "No, not to my knowledge. Nor do I remember you being pregnant."
Disappointment flooded through Regina. "Oh."
"You know, there was a time you weren't feeling well while working for me," Granny pointed out. "Did you and Daniel…?"
Regina shook her head. "That's why we broke up. I wouldn't. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still a virgin. It's just...my body isn't saying that."
Granny scratched her head. "This is a puzzle. But maybe you suppressed it for some reason? What did Archie say?"
"That it's going to take time if there are any memories to recover," she replied.
"Understandable. You probably buried them for a reason," the older woman said, taking her hand.
Regina nodded. "That's what Dr. Whale and Dr. Hopper told me."
Granny tilted her head, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "I know you didn't like the convent and weren't particularly close with the sisters…"
"They didn't like me," Regina replied, bitterness seeping into her voice. "They just saw me as my mother's mistake that was now their burden."
"But surely there was someone in that convent you tolerated or trusted? Someone you may have confided in should something horrible have happened or if you found yourself in trouble?" Granny asked.
Regina frowned, shaking her head. "I wouldn't have gone to them if I was in trouble. They all would've turned me over to Mother Superior and she just would've lectured me."
"There had to be someone," Granny insisted, frowning. "Someone who maybe kept a secret or two for you? Or snuck you a treat? Maybe gave you advice when you needed it?"
"No…" However, Regina had dim recollection of a nervous sister with long brown hair and big brown eyes. Despite how scared the sister always was, she often snuck Regina new books and the occasional treat, especially when Mother Superior refused to let her have dessert for no reason. She also had been the one who helped Regina deal with her curly hair.
Granny smiled. "You're thinking of someone."
"There might be someone," Regina said, "though I don't know how to talk to her without Mother Superior finding out."
"I'm sure you'll figure something out," Granny told her, patting her knee.
Regina nodded. "Thank you, Granny."
"You're welcome. I only wish I could've been more help," she said.
"That's okay. I always figured that if people talked about me being pregnant, they would've done it to my face. It just would've proven them right, that I was just like my mother," Regina said, feeling a lump form in her throat again.
Granny paused and sat back down with a sigh. "You surely haven't had an easy life, have you? Everyone keeps trying to punish you for your mother's sins and that's not right. Her actions weren't your fault."
"You couldn't have told everyone that forty something years ago?" Regina asked, reaching for another tissue.
"I probably should've," Granny said, sounding genuinely contrite. "I'm sorry."
She stood again and clasped Regina's shoulder. "Come on, I'll treat you to dinner. It's the least I can do now."
"Thank you, Granny," Regina said, standing as well. She grew sheepish. "It's actually been a long time since I had a slice of your lasagna. I would love to have it again."
"Then that's what you'll get. Follow me," she said, leading Regina from the office and back out into the main part of the diner.
Regina finished up her lasagna, setting her fork down as she leaned back against the seat. Granny walked over to her, smiling. "I take it you enjoyed it?"
"Even better than I remembered," Regina told her. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Granny said, taking her dirty plate. "Can I get you some dessert? I'm afraid we're limited to only ice cream today."
Regina smiled, shaking her head as she rubbed her stomach. "I don't think I could eat another bite. Thank you, though."
Granny nodded. "You take your time. Don't feel like you need to rush off."
"I won't," Regina promised, sipping at her soda slowly to prove her point.
Laughing, Granny walked off as Regina just sat there and relaxed for a bit longer. She watched patrons come and go, most still giving her a sideways glance as they passed her. They made her a bit nervous but she kept reminding herself that she had every right to enjoy the diner just like they did. She didn't have to keep hiding away from the people of Storybrooke like she was some pariah or threat.
She wasn't.
The door opened and a frantic woman entered the diner. She looked around, her wide eyes settling on Granny and she rushed toward him. "I need your help! The bakery that was supposed to bake a birthday cake for my husband's party had their oven break down," she said, breathless.
Granny frowned. "And what can I do?"
"Don't you have cakes here?" the woman asked, sounding frazzled and annoyed.
The older woman shook her head. "The bakery supplies them for me to sell to my customers. So I don't have anything either. My dessert menu is just ice cream right now."
"No!" The other woman nearly collapsed onto the counter. "You were my last hope. What else am I to do?"
"Bake your own?" Granny suggested.
The woman shook her head. "I'm hopeless in the kitchen."
Granny sighed, placing her hands on the counter. "I don't know what else I can tell you. I'm sorry."
Regina didn't know what possessed her to stand up and walk over to the woman. Perhaps it was the lasagna or all the stories about Regina, the queen, she had been reading. She knew what she wanted and went after it, even if she didn't go about it the right way. Regina knew what she wanted and she was going to go get it.
"Excuse me?" she asked the woman. "I heard your problem and I think I can help."
The woman turned to her with narrow eyes. "How? Do you have cake in your bag you can give me?"
"No," Regina replied, "but I like to bake. I can make you a cake."
"You can? Really?" The woman looked her over, distrustful. "And it'll be edible?"
Regina nodded. "Everyone at work likes my cakes, so I'm sure you will too."
"You don't have much to lose," Granny said. "It's either Regina bakes you a cake or you don't get one at all."
The woman sighed and Regina knew she was giving in. She watched as the woman went into her purse, pulling out a pen and small pad of paper. "I'll write down the information. Payment will depend on how good the cake is."
"I think you should give her something for the ingredients at least," Granny said, leaning against the counter with a frown. Regina was grateful for her assistance. She doubted the woman would've taken well to her asking for any money up front.
"Fine," the woman sighed. She reached into her purse and pulled out a couple bills. "Here, will this do?"
Regina took the money. "Yes, thank you."
"I need the cake before seven o'clock tomorrow. Can you do that?" the woman asked, almost scolding her.
Swallowing her sarcastic reply and forcing a smile on her face, Regina nodded. "I'll have it on time. I promise."
"We'll see," she sniffed. She then turned and walked away after handing Regina the paper with her address and instructions on it.
"Wasn't she pleasant?" Granny asked, disdain dripping from every word.
Regina, though, wasn't paying attention. She stared at the paper and the money in her hands, amazed. Someone was paying her to bake them a cake. It was her dream job and though it wasn't the way she imagined it would happen, it was a start.
When the older woman called her name, though, Regina looked up. Granny raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Regina said, still dazed. She tucked everything into her purse, smiling at Granny. "Thank you for dinner. I have to go shopping."
Granny smiled, nodding. "Don't be a stranger. Now go."
"I want Regina!"
Snow White sat curled up in a corner, staring at Johanna in fear. Something was wrong-she just knew it-and she wanted her stepmother. "Please, get her."
Johanna pressed her lips together but nodded. "I will. Wait here, Princess."
She left the room and Snow White pulled up her legs, wrapping her arms around them. Rocking gently, she prayed Regina would know what was happening and would be able to help her. She hoped she wasn't injured or dying.
Tears ran down her cheeks. What would happen if she were dying? How would her father handle it? Regina? Would they comfort each other or would grief kill them? What would the kingdom do then?
"She won't listen to anyone else. She'll only talk to you." Johanna's voice filled the room and Snow sat up a bit.
Regina entered the room, stopping short when she saw Snow. She frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, Regina! It's awful!" Snow sobbed as she threw herself into Regina's arms, hugging her tightly. "I think I'm dying."
"What? Why?" Regina asked, patting her back.
Snow pulled away, sniffing. "I'm bleeding."
Regina's eyes widened and she started to run her hands over Snow. "Where? I don't see any blood."
"It's down there," Snow said, lowering her voice. "I saw it when I used the chamber pot."
Relief filled Regina's face and she breathed out a sigh. "You're not dying, Snow."
"But...But the blood…" She couldn't catch her breath. Perhaps Regina didn't understand how serious the situation was.
Her stepmother sighed and turned to Johanna. "Haven't you talked about this with her?"
Johanna shook her head before giving Regina a pointed look. "That's something a mother does for her daughter."
"Does what? What aren't you telling me?" Snow looked between the two women, frantic. She just wanted to know what was going on-why she was bleeding and why no one seemed to be concerned about it.
Regina sighed and urged Snow toward her bed. "Let's have a seat and talk about it."
Snow dug her heels in though, pleading with Regina: "Please just tell me if I'm dying."
"You're not dying," Regina told her. "What is happening is perfectly natural."
"Natural?" Snow shrieked, staring at her in horror. How was any of this natural? It didn't make any sense.
Regina nodded, sitting down on the bed. She patted the spot next to her. "Sit down and I'll explain it to you."
Snow did that, still confused. "What is going on?"
"You're becoming a woman," Regina explained. "You've reached an age where you can start to get pregnant, though I don't recommend it. You're still too young, even if your body doesn't agree."
"What?"
Her stepmother sighed before explaining about how a baby was made and that her body prepared for one every month. She spoke about how once month, the lining built up inside her would then come out and she would appear to bleed for up to a week during that time. It made Snow blanch. "A week?"
"It could be that long," Regina replied with a shrug. "It depends. Each woman is different."
Snow rested her hand against her stomach, just like she noticed Regina did from time to time. "And it happens every month?"
Regina nodded. "Yes. Unless you become with child. Then it stops until the child is born."
"What if I become with child? How will I know?" Snow asked, now wrapping her arm around her middle. Though she wanted to be a mother one day, she knew she wasn't ready just yet.
"Oh gods, I can't believe I have to have this conversation with you," Regina replied, pinching her nose. "It's too early in the morning for this."
Snow moved closer to her, taking her hand as she pleaded: "Please, please tell me. No one else will."
Regina looked around and Snow wondered what was so bad about how babies were made that no one wanted to tell her about it. It made her stomach hurt and she groaned, falling onto the bed. She curled up, clutching her abdomen.
"Fill a waterskin with warm water and a towel," she heard Regina order. "It will help her."
Snow frowned. "I don't think drinking water will help. Or a bath."
Regina ran her fingers through Snow's hair. "It's not for that. We're going to use it another way to help you."
"How?" Snow asked, fighting back tears from the pain coursing through her middle. She didn't think anything would help that.
"Here you go, Your Highness," Johanna said as Regina pulled her hand away, thanking the older woman.
Regina slid something between Snow's legs and her stomach, warmth immediately providing relief to her pain. She let out a soft sigh as she relaxed a bit. "That does help," she said.
"Good. Why don't you just get some rest for now while Johanna fetches you some linen to wear?" Regina suggested, her voice soft and soothing.
Snow felt herself start to drift off. "Will you stay with me?" she asked, not wanting to be alone.
There was a long stretch of silence before she felt the bed dip. Regina's fingers combed her hair again as she said softly: "Of course. I'll stay until you feel better."
Relief spread through Snow, both from the waterskin pressed to her midsection and Regina's presence. She still didn't know what was happening and she had a feeling an awkward conversation with Regina awaited her once she woke, but for now, she was comforted by her stepmother. With her support, Snow knew she could get through this.
"Mom? Are you okay?"
Mary Margaret woke up, sitting up on the couch. It was dark except for the light from the streetlights that managed to get pass her curtain. The small patch it created allowed her to see her daughter's form as Diana stood over her, dressed in her pajamas. She frowned down at her mother.
Rubbing her neck, Mary Margaret looked up at her daughter. "Diana, what's wrong?"
"I went to the bathroom and noticed the kitchen light was still on. When I came down here, I saw you asleep on the couch. Why didn't you go to bed?" she asked.
"I guess I fell asleep watching a movie," Mary Margaret replied, dimly recalling something being on the TV when she was last awake. "I should go to bed, though. I'll be more comfortable. And you should go back to sleep. Morning will come awfully fast."
Diana rolled her eyes but said: "Okay."
"Come on," Mary Margaret said, standing up. She wrapped an arm around Diana. "I'll tuck you in again."
They walked upstairs together and back into Diana's room. Mary Margaret watched her daughter climb back into bed before she pulled the covers over her, tucking her in again. She kissed her forehead. "Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams."
"Good night, Mom," Diana replied, her eyes closing as she started to drift back off to sleep.
Instead of heading to her own bed, Mary Margaret sat on her daughter's. She ran her hand through Diana's hair, gently untangling her curls as she did so. Mary Margaret continued to do that as the girl slipped deeper and deeper into her dreamworld.
Diana had recently returned home with a book from a friend who also had curly hair, saying it would help with her own hair so Mary Margaret didn't have to keep straightening it. She had been so excited, Mary Margaret didn't have the heart to tell her no and promised to read the book. It still sat on her nightstand though she had read about how to braid curly hair, which she had done the past couple days for Diana. It made her happy and so Mary Margaret figured she could give it to her for now. Maybe after a few more days, the novelty would wear off and Diana would forget about the book. Just like she forgot about that storybook.
At least, Mary Margaret hoped she forgot about that storybook.
She knew for certain that Diana didn't have the book anymore and so far, it seemed like Regina was honoring Mary Margaret's wish for her to stay away from the girl. Diana didn't mention Regina anymore but it didn't mean she stopped believing the woman was her mother. She probably was just doing so in secret.
All Mary Margaret wanted to do was to keep Diana from being hurt by Regina just like she was. It was inevitable, just part of who Regina was. Diana was better off being nowhere near Regina and having no part of her that could be associated with Regina.
Like her curls. Mary Margaret reached up and gently wound one around her finger. She knew Diana was excited about showing off her curls but they just were too much like Regina's. Though Mary Margaret knew it was a struggle, she believed in the long run it was better to keep straightening them so that Diana didn't look that much like Regina. And if she didn't look like her, she'd be less inclined to act like her. Every trace of Regina would be erased from Diana, saving her from the sad and painful life anyone associated with the witch had to stuffer.
Diana deserved only peace and happiness in her life.
"I love you," she whispered to her sleeping daughter. "And I mean it, unlike certain other people. One day, you'll realize that all she does is lies and you'll come back to me. And all will be forgiven."
She kissed her head before standing. It was getting later and she needed to get some sleep before facing another day. Mary Margaret left Diana's room, hoping she didn't dream about Regina again and only had good dreams for the rest of the night.
Regina checked the piece of paper again, confirming she was in the right house. The balloons tied to the gate should've been enough to assure her it was the right place but she didn't want to take any chances. She couldn't mess this up, knowing this could be a chance that could change her life.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Turning off her car, she stepped out and opened the back door. Regina carefully slid the cake she had made from her backseat and hip-checked the door closed. She balanced the cake as she approached the front door, her heart beating rapidly as she knocked on it.
The woman from the day before opened the door, looking frazzled. She glanced down at the cake and shrugged. "It looks edible. Bring it inside."
Regina tried not to feel too disappointed as she stepped into the house. She told herself it was unrealistic to have expected the woman to fawn over her cake without tasting it but it would've been nice for her to have said something besides that it looked edible. It had taken a lot of work the night before to get the piping just right along the cake border. She had also used extra care to write the message on the cake without messing it up. Acknowledgment of her hard work would've been nice.
"You can put it here," the woman said, pointing to her table.
Regina carefully placed it down and backed away. "So, about payment…?"
"I paid you last night." The woman glared at her, as if Regina was trying to scam her.
"That was for materials," Regina replied, "and there was an agreement that we would negotiate payment for my labor and the product now."
The woman sighed and pulled out her purse. "Okay, so would another twenty cover it?"
Regina bit her lip, arguing it out in her head. She had put in a lot of hours the night before to make the cake perfect for her but she didn't want to be seen as too greedy or overpriced. People wouldn't want her to bake for them if they thought that.
"Twenty is fine," Regina replied, taking the money from the woman. She forced the smile back on her face. "I hope you enjoy the cake."
"Thanks. I trust you can show yourself out?" the woman asked, turning away from her to continue with the party preparations.
Accepting her dismissal, Regina headed back to the front door and back to her car. She had done her best and she hoped the cake was everything the woman could've asked for. Hopefully, she could build a business out of this. Maybe then she could finally get a license from the town for a bakery of her own.
"So, Diana, what do you want to talk about today?" Dr. Hopper asked, sitting down in his leather chair. He held his pad on his lap and a pen in his fingers, studying her.
She shrugged in a non-committal way, knowing that he spoke to her mother after every session. That meant he was not to be trusted with any of her secrets but she had to come if she didn't want her "mother" to crack down on her even more. She wouldn't be able to see Regina at all if that happened.
He frowned. "There must be something you want to talk about."
"Not really," she replied.
"There must be something. It can be anything. What about Halloween? Have you thought about what you want to be?"
"No, because I'm the same thing ever year," she said with a frown. "Mom always dresses me up as Snow White."
He jotted something down. "You don't pick your own costume?"
"Nope. I've always been Snow White."
Dr. Hopper scribbled something else down before tapping his pen against the pad. He studied her with an odd expression on his face. "What would you like to go as? If you could pick for yourself, I mean."
She paused, knowing she couldn't tell him the truth. If she could choose, she would love to dress up as the Evil Queen from her storybook. Yet he would tell her mother and it would just be used to justify any further punishments.
Yet it didn't mean she couldn't choose someone else from the storybook. Someone who her mother probably still trusted, judging by their friendship. "I think I would like to be either Belle from Beauty and the Beast or Red Riding Hood," she said.
"Those sound like two interesting but good options," he replied. "Why don't you talk to your mom about being one of them?"
"Because she probably will still see it as some rejection of her," she answered truthfully. "She loves Snow White and so wants me to love her too. She wants me to like all the same things she does."
He tilted his head and frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
"All the activities I do are ones she likes to do-archery, studying birds, cleaning. My room is pink because it's her favorite color. I want to paint it purple but she won't. She insists pink is really my favorite color too. But I don't really think it's ever been my favorite color. She's just convinced me it is," she said, letting her feelings spill out. They had nothing to do with curse, she reasoned.
"Anything else?" he asked, scribbling furiously now. She wondered if that was a good sign or not.
She held out her arms and motioned to her outfit. Today, her mother had dressed her in a dark blue sweater over a white shirt with a Peter Pan collar and paired with a navy skirt. She wore white tights and black Mary Janes. "Do you think I dress myself like this? My uniform is bad enough but then she also dresses me in this because it's how she dresses."
"How do you want to dress?" he asked.
"I don't know," she admitted. "I've never been allowed to pick my own clothes when shopping."
He frowned. "I see. And what did your dad have to say about it? You know, before the accident?"
Diana paused, thinking of her cursed father. She knew most of the memories were false but she knew they had to tell her something of the man who people believed raised her. "He usually didn't fight mom on what she wanted but he was usually better about letting me pick things when it was just the two of us."
"What did you two do together?" he asked her.
She frowned, unsure what to say as she didn't know how real her memories really were. Were they all created by the curse or did it just alter one she already had, replacing her real father with her cursed one? Could she honestly answer that they did anything together?
"Diana?" he prompted, reminding her that he was waiting for her to answer.
"I guess...I guess I miss when we used to read together," she said, a hazy memory coming to mind.
"Did you do that often?" he asked.
She nodded, tearing up. "He would even come home if he was working late in order to read to me before bed. He even did the funny voices for the characters. I loved that."
Dr. Hopper smiled. "What else?"
"When my mom had Saturday town council meetings, Dad would take off and spend the morning with me," she continued as the memories rose to the surface. "He would make breakfast and we'd watch Saturday morning cartoons as we ate in the living room. Then we'd find something to do-like going for a walk in the park or a trip to the harbor-before Mom joined us for a family activity. We then have dinner together and play games until bedtime. They called it family time."
A lump formed in her throat as memories continued to bombard her. She tried to remind herself that they weren't really, that they were planted there by the curse her supposed mother had cast. Yet they still felt very real and she wondered if they were grounded in some truth with her real father just replaced by her fake one.
"Diana?" Dr. Hopper held out a tissue box. "It's okay. This is a safe space. You can cry here."
She pulled out a tissue, wiping her eyes as she tried to figure out why she was so upset. The memories weren't real. He wasn't her real father.
Right?
Or maybe she was crying for the father she no longer remembered. Maybe part of her missed him and what he used to do with her and for her. There had to be something deep inside her that still remembered.
Right?
Being cursed is so confusing, she thought as she pulled out another tissue to blow her nose.
"Do you need a moment?" Dr. Hopper asked softly, sounding concerned.
"No," she replied, sniffing. "I think I'm fine."
A quick knock interrupted them and they looked at the door as it opened. Mom stepped inside, frowning when she saw Diana. "What's wrong?"
"We were talking about her father," Dr. Hopper explained.
Mom's expression softened as she closed the door. She moved to the couch. "I know you must miss him."
"I do," Diana replied, though she didn't know if she was talking about her cursed father or her real one. She felt a dull pounding in her head and her eyes grew heavy as did her limbs. Once Mom sat down on the couch, she leaned against her and tried not to fall asleep right there.
"I miss him too," Mom said. "Sometimes I miss him so much I can only think about it and I forget you're in pain too. I'm sorry, princess."
Diana didn't have any strength to argue with her. Instead, she just mumbled: "That's okay."
"I would like to talk to you, Mary Margaret," Dr. Hopper said. It surprised Diana to hear someone call her mother by her given name rather than just as "Madam Mayor" or "Mayor Nolan."
"Can we do it at my session?" she asked. "I think I should take Diana home now."
Diana lifted her head as Dr. Hopper nodded. "That's probably for the best. We can talk another time. Have a good day, you two."
Mom helped her up and took her hand as they left Dr. Hopper's office. Before they got to her car, she stopped and cupped Diana's chin. "You can talk to me anytime you miss your father. I'll be happy to tell you stories about him. And, if you want, you can visit him too."
"Oh," Diana replied, unsure about that. She didn't know if she could sit by the bedside of a man she knew wasn't he real father. "I don't...know."
"We can discuss it later." Mom kissed Diana's forehead before unlocking the car. They climbed in and Diana closed her eyes, falling asleep as Mom pulled away from the curb.
Regina left the factory, pulling out her car keys as she stepped off the curb into the parking lot. She headed to the back, where she usually ended up parking, and was surprised to find a coworker waiting by her car. Her heart sank into her stomach, certain it wasn't a good thing. After all, her coworkers always avoided her unless they had something mean to say about her or her mother.
"Can I help you?" she asked, already mapping out a few escape routes in case she needed to make a run for it.
"My friend Kim wanted me to give you this," her coworker said, holding out an envelope. "It's payment for the cake you made for her husband's birthday."
Surprise filled Regina as she took the envelope from the other woman, especially as she thought she had received her entire payment earlier. "Oh, thank you. Was the cake good?"
"It was delicious! You're been the one leaving baked goods in the break room this whole time, haven't you?" the coworker asked her.
"Yes," Regina replied, frowning. "You didn't know?"
Her coworker shook her head. "We didn't. I'm sorry."
"That's okay." Regina opened the envelope and her eyes widened when she saw two more twenty dollar bills in the envelope. She hadn't expected her cake to be that good!
"Anyway, my son's birthday is next week," the woman continued. "He wants to bring cupcakes to school to celebrate but I'm lousy in the kitchen. I was going to get them from Granny's but after trying your cake, I was hoping that you could make them instead."
Surprise filled Regina and her mouth fell open. "You...you do?"
"Yes. And I'll pay you!" the woman told her. She held out a piece of paper to Regina. "Do you think you can do this?"
Regina opened the paper and saw that she needed twenty chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting. A Batman theme would be appreciated but necessary, which eased Regina's mind. She believed she could handle the order easily over the weekend.
"Yes," she replied, "I can do it."
"Thank you. I really appreciate it," her coworker said, sounding relieved. She pointed to the bottom of the paper. "I left you my name and contact information if you have any questions."
After thank Regina again, she headed to her car. Regina stood there, staring at the piece of paper in her hand. She had just earned a day's pay with one cake and had another order that could bring in just as much.
Yet this meant so much more to her. This was proof that she could make money with her baked goods.
She was a baker.
A/N: So here's the next chapter! Regina now has an idea of who her soulmate (and Diana's real father) is, which is a good start. She's also starting to get some customers for her baking and is building a relationship with Diana.
Will Archie be an ally to Snow or to Regina/Diana? Find out!
This chapter is dedicated to my awesome beta, Glindalovesshoes, as today is her birthday! Happy birthday, Eva, and thank you for everything you do!
-Mac