Regina opened her eyes with a sudden rush. She looked at her white ceiling. This was not her castle, no, this was her mansion. She was in her mansion.
"What the hell?" She murmured. Something moved from the other side of the bed. She turned her head and found unruly blonde curls. She knew who they belonged to. She woke up exactly to this view tons of times. It was a lifetime ago. She once loved these unruly curls so much.
She couldn't decide which was more shocking, that she was back in Storybrooke or Maleficent was in her bed. She shifted in the bed and looked at the beautiful woman at her side. How did this happen? She thought to herself.
The last thing she remembered was she said 'goodbye' to Henry and she was in Enchanted Forest with everyone. Something wasn't right. They were definitely under a curse. She toyed with Maleficent's hair without disturbing the woman. How did she end up with Maleficent in bed? How were they in Storybrooke again? What happened? What was going on? Her head started to ache. The curse she cast was successful, she was remembering being in the Enchanted Forest with Snow and David. She knew who she was but is that applied to everyone?
What if no one remembered who they were, especially the woman who was still sleeping in her bed? What if Maleficent woke up in some curse persona that believed she was with Regina. She didn't know how to act like that. She could, she cared for Maleficent deeply. She was her only friend for a long time. But she didn't want her to believe some lie.
The only thing she found comfort was that Henry was safe. She was with Emma in New York and they were happy. They didn't have any idea who she was but they were safe and right now that was an important part of this puzzle. She can focus on solving without thinking about them. She missed him so much but his safety always came first.
"Regina," Her thoughts cut by a velvet voice that the last time she heard years ago.
"Mal" Regina whispered, somehow if she spoke loudly Mal was gonna run away. Blue eyes met with brown.
"Where are we?" Mal looked around and tried to understand.
"We are in Storybrooke, at my mansion." Mal looked quizzically.
"How? Did you cast another curse?" Her words were accusatory but her tone was nothing but a joke.
"No, but everybody is going to think that, right?" Mal knew who they were, thank the gods, but now she realized the other problem. Everybody is going to think she cast this curse.
"Can you blame them?" Mal shifted from the bed and laid against the bed frame next to Regina. Mal chuckled and looked at herself and where she was sitting. "Why am I in bed with you and wearing this?"
"For the first time in my life, I'm glad you are wearing something to bed." Regina laughed, she really laughed because Mal never liked wearing something to bed. Right now, she was wearing silk pajamas just like Regina's but Mal's was in navy blue, hers was gray. Mal joined her laugh.
"But really, why are we in bed together?"
"I don't know Mal, whatever happened, we ended up together. In bed." She smirked. She would have gone crazy already if Mal wasn't with her. "When I planned the curse, I gave everyone's houses, jobs, names whatever you think of and if someone cast the same curse as mine or something similar but in the first curse you were in your dragon form because I forced you to. If you were in your dragon form when this curse was cast, you would be in the dungeon under the library but magic fills the holes, you were in your human form probably and I think the spell thought you fit here." Regina smiled because she really thought Maleficent fit there, in her bed, in her house, in her life. "Do you remember anything?"
"I remember dying but then I was in my castle."
"Probably you came with us. Peter Pan cast a curse to destroy Storybrooke and all of us so I took everyone to the Enchanted Forest."
"Where is Henry?" Regina was shocked by this statement. "What? You thought I forgot. You came and talked about him, Regina. You were so happy whenever you talked about him. Of course, I remember."
"He is with his other mother, Emma. They don't remember us or here. I gave them new memories. There was no way for them to come with us. They are safe, Henry is safe at least." Regina smiled sadly. "I think we should go and find others and check them before they storm in here." They got up from the bed.
"Umm, Regina, do you think you can find something for me to wear?" Maleficent looked at herself.
"I think so," Regina entered her walk-in closet with Mal behind her. She immediately noticed the new clothes and checked them. "Mal, I think these are yours." She grabbed one of the gray suits and looked at it. There is no way in hell, her legs were that long. Mal magically wore the suit and it fitted her perfectly. She posed for Regina. "You look good in those."
"Thank you."
"So, not just we woke up together, we are also living together?"
"It seems so. Do you think I have other possessions here?"
"We'll check. Let me make you a coffee first because trust me, we will need it before Snow White." Mal shivered at the name. They looked around to see what changed but everything looked the same except some of the things were clearly Mal's. Regina started the coffee machine and grabbed two mugs from the cabinet, one white one black. She looked at her friend who was sitting on the kitchen island. The magic couldn't fill the holes like this. Mansion was now planned to be Mal and Regina's home. The coffee machine made a sound, she came back to earth. She offered the mug to Mal.
Mal smelled the coffee. "It smells nice."
"Drink it, you will like it." Mal took a sip and made a pleased sound. Regina smiled. "Mal, whoever cast this curse, they planned for you to live here. This house is not mine, it's ours." Mal smiled.
"Is that a problem?"
"No, of course not. I'm just trying to think who would do that."
"We will find who. Don't worry, little one." Regina smiled at the nickname affectionately. She gazed at her oldest friend. Glad that she was here with her. If she wasn't, Regina would go crazy.
Doorbell rang. Regina rolled her eyes because she knew who was at her door. She opened it slowly.
"What did you do?" David asked assumingly. Regina rolled her eyes.
"To your information, I did not do anything. I woke up clueless as you are, Shepherd." Then, her gaze moved to Snow's huge belly. "How did that happen?"
"We don't know." They said inusion.
"Come in." Regina said even though she didn't want to deal with two idiots right now. They followed Regina to the kitchen.
"Welcome." Maleficent smiled at them, masking her true feelings.
"I thought you were dead." They looked at Maleficent like they saw a ghost.
"I was, by your daughter." Maleficent rolled her eyes. "But we have bigger problems right now." She shivered again.
"Do I say 'Congratulations'? or is this part of the curse?" Regina said, giving them coffee too.
"We don't know what happened. We were saying goodbye to Emma and Henry then we woke up." David told them.
"I remember us being in the Enchanted Forest. We went there but other than that, I don't remember anything."
"Something took me to my castle. I was at the Forbidden Fortress then we woke up here. I don't remember much." She said stiffly.
"Wait, you guys woke up together? In the same bed? In here?" Snow went wide eyed.
"I don't know if it's the time but my dear Snow, I cheated on your father with a dragon." Regina smirked to her step-daughter's way.
"I know that, Regina. Not the dragon part but I wasn't actually expecting the faithfulness. That marriage should've never happened. I'm sure we can talk about that any other time." Snow shook her head and rubbed her belly. "So, you and Maleficent…"
"Maleficent will be staying here. Clearly, this is her house too now."
"You sure you didn't cast this curse?" David asked again.
"If I casted any curse my son would be here with me, Shepherd. I'm clueless as you are." Regina growled.
"Okay, calm down. We need to know what happened and who casted this curse. I trust you, Regina." Snow eyed Maleficent. "Do you think you are able to help us, Maleficent?"
"I'm with Regina." Maleficent looked at Charmings with disgust in her eyes. Snow and David were reluctant to even look at her.
"Could you please stop with your looks? I know we all were on different sides but right now we happened to have a common enemy. We don't remember what happened. We said goodbye to Emma and Henry and I cast the curse to go back to Enchanted Forest. We did because Maleficent remembers being in her fortress and I remember being there with you. And Snow is pregnant. Are you sure you weren't when we were saying goodbye?"
"Yes, I couldn't be. So, if something magical didn't happen, at least 8 months passed. Can someone make pregnancy faster or impregnate them with magic?"
"Only a few powerful witches can magic a pregnancy or speed up one. Do you know anyone that is powerful except us?" Maleficent asked.
"Well, it took you to teach me that spell. No, I don't think anyone can do it but us."
"Other realms?"
"Who do you think?"
"That witches from Oz. They have some kind of sisterhood and they are powerful."
"You traveled too much."
"Yes, dear. I had too much time then someone decided to put me in a cave for 28 years."
"Oh, now we are gonna talk about this."
"No, it's not the time and we have guests." Snow and David curiously eyed the couple who were bickering like an old married couple.
"Get used to it, they are gonna be here always."
"Mmm, I can think of some ways to scare them." Maleficent kissed her queen's cheek.
"Can we go back to our main subject?" Clearly disturbed David cut the moment the pair was having.
"It can be magicked but if it didn't, that means we don't remember a year." Regina realized and they all nodded. "If this is a new curse, we need to find Emma and Henry. Can we leave the town?"
"I guess we should gather the council and decide our plan." Snow added. Regina had to attend. Even though she didn't want others to interfere, she knew she couldn't find the pieces herself. She needed to know what the others remembered. "You are welcome in the council too, Maleficent. I'm sure we can use your help." Maleficent nodded politely.
"We can gather in the town hall at lunchtime." Charmings nodded at Regina. It was decided. Then they left the mansion. Regina let out a breath. This would be hard. She then eyed the other woman in her kitchen. Maleficent was looking at her mug like it was the most important thing.
"What is going on?" Regina touched the woman's shoulder hesitantly.
"Nothing." Maleficent brushed her tears with the back of her hand.
"Are you okay?" Regina asked while taking her friend in her arms. Maleficent clutched to her.
"No." She started sobbing and Regina let her dragon come apart in her arms. She whispered sweet nothings to her ear, left kisses her hair, circled her back soothingly. They did this before, maybe a lifetime ago but they were here. When Maleficent's sobs turned into whimpers, Regina finally spoke.
"What happened between you and Charmings?"
