Snow
My phone buzzes. I look at it and I see that I´ve got a new text message. It´s from Regina. I read it and sigh relieved. I go through my contacts and call Emma. It rings. Please pick up your phone for once.
"Hey." Emma answers.
"Emma!" I state relieved. "Did you find Henry?"
"Yes, he is at the mansion. He is asleep in Regina´s bed right now and I am on the couch." I hear a yawn.
"Then get up, go to Henry, wake him and come back home. We´ve got a problem."
"I´ve tried to get him home but he won´t leave Regina´s room." She tells me.
"And what problem are you speaking about?"
"Okay I´ll grab my things and go to the mansion. Let him sleep. He doesn´t need to know right now. Cora is back!"
I hang up and leave David a note. -Meet me at the mansion, we´ve got a problem. And then I leave.
Regina
I drive as fast as I can and break every speed limit right now. I need to get back. I need to see my son.
"This is so not the way I wanted to get back." I say aloud. More to myself than to Tink but she replies anyway.
"So you wanted to return?"
"Someday maybe. But I wanted to work on myself longer than just two months and a few days." I state.
"What do you mean work on yourself?" Tink asks me.
I take a deep breath before answering.
"I mean I wanted to change. That was the main reason why I´ve left in the first place. I have tried to change in Storybrook but it´s like you´ve said. It´s hard when no-one believes in you. I knew I couldn´t change and stay in that town. So I left. I never thought that I would meet you and that we would become friends. That you would help me to find myself again and you staying by my side. I told you once and I will tell you again, I am so glad that we have met. That we talked and that I can now call you my friend. That you have my back even with the way I treaded you in our past."
She tries to say something but I won´t let her. I continue talking my heart out to the only one I know will listen carefully.
"Originally I just wanted to get away and find myself again without anyone interfering. Without people telling me what I should or shouldn´t do or say. Without people watching my every move and talking about me and my intentions behind my back. During those two months I´ve changed more than I could have in Storybrook. In those two months I´ve realized that I wasn´t mad at Snow. It was stupid to blame her more than my mother. I want to apologize to her."
"So you forgave Snow and Emma?" Tink asks shocked.
I look at her and then back to the street.
"No." I smile at her as I see her bewildered look.
"What?" She asks confused. I smile at her and start to explain further.
"Well I forgive Snow. Sure she played a big part in me becoming evil but she was one of the few people that still believed in me. She believed that I had good in me and would find it eventually. Also she apologized a lot for what she did and I realize now that it wasn´t intentionally. She didn´t want Daniel to get killed and she didn´t know how I´ve suffered during the marriage with her father. Until today she doesn´t know what the king did to me and what I went through. I couldn´t tell her and destroy the picture she had of her father. She was just a child and later on I didn´t give a thought about it anymore."
I look at Tink again and I see understanding on her face. I go on.
"Emma on the other hand never apologized. She thought it was her right to claim Henry as her son even though she gave him up in the first place. She still thinks that she is more a mother to him than I am. She thinks that it is okay to get back into Henrys life and be his full-time mom. To act as if she had never given him up. She is convinced that her childhood was the worst. Pour Emma who was given up and grew up in fosters care. She thinks that growing up with Cora was better than living in a foster home without even knowing what I´ve went through. She didn´t even ask me about my past. Like Henry she believes the book. She is so full of herself and thinks that just because she is the savior she is a better mother to Henry. So no, I won´t forgive her."
I look at Tinkerbell again and she smiles at me.
"Good. Because I would´ve punched sense into you otherwise. So I will be friendly and nice to Snow but I can say what I think to Emma and what I think about her. I can and will ignore her or lash out at her, I am allowed to do that, right?"
I can´t help it but smile at her question. I start laughing before answering.
"Yes, you can do that." I state and nod to corroborate my answer.
She smiles happily at me and I start smiling too. However, that smile fades as I see the ´Welcome to Storybrook´ sign nearing and I stop the car in front of the town line. Tink looks at me with an encouraging and warm look.
"Ready?" she asks.
I take a few deep breaths.
"No, but I can´t back down now. That would be weakness."
Tink looks at me with a frown.
"First, I will stay by your side like I´ve promised you. Nothing that they could say or do will change that. I am your friend and always will be." I smile at her.
"Second, we need to get that word weakness out of your brain. I really don´t want to hear you saying that ever again. You are not weak." She states.
Honestly I don´t know if that is even possible I think to myself but smile at Tink. One last breath and I start the engine again. Let´s go.
Snow
"What?" Emma yells at me. She is furious about the fact that Regina is on her way back.
"You´ve heard right. She is on her way and will be here in a few minutes." I tell her and stay calm.
"Why? We can defeat Cora without her, I can defeat her without Regina." She argues.
"No we can´t! You alone most certainly not!" she looks at me with a frown. She wants to say something but gets interrupted when the front door opens. Thank god! She is finally here I think to myself.
Regina
As I open the door I can hear an argument. In my house. Which normally should be empty. I go inside with Tink closely behind me. As I get into the dining room I can see the two idiots standing there. Snow looks at me with a smile and a relieved expression on her face. Emma looks annoyed.
"Regina, finally you're here. I am so sorry for everything but I had to call you."
Snow tells me and more surprisingly hugs me. As we let go of each other I look her in the eyes and start my apology.
"Snow, you don´t have to apologize but I do." I take a deep breath while she looks at me bewildered. I look behind me at Tink and she gives me an encouraging nod.
"I am so sorry for everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest. I am sorry that I´ve haunted you and that I´ve blamed you only. I shouldn´t have done that. You were just a child and more importantly you didn´t know Cora the way I did. You just wanted to help." I finish and I can feel a few tears running down my cheeks. I look at Snow and can see the same. She smiles and hugs me again. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment as I hear that annoying voice.
"Well welcome back Regina even if I could´ve handled Cora without you too."
At that statement I really have to brace myself to not start laughing at her face. Yup, Emma hasn´t changed one bit. I am about to reply when I hear laughter behind me. Tink.
"Sorry." She apologizes. Emma looks at her confused.
"Sorry but who are you?" Emma asks defensively. Before Tink can say anything I start speaking.
"She is a really good friend of mine and that's all you need to know." I tell her with a stern look. I look at Snow and I can see that she recognizes Tink. She wants to say something but Emma has to open her mouth. Yup I didn´t miss her one bit.
"Yeah well if you are one of Regina´s evil friends than you can leave as fast as you came." Snow, Tink and I look at her stunned before breaking out into laughing.
Emma looks at us as if we were crazy. I try to stop laughing so that I can talk again.
"First Miss Swan, don´t make assumptions when you don´t have a clue. I know you hate not knowing but guess what? You don´t need to know everything. Second, I can recall that this is still my house and I am the only one that can throw people out, matter of factly I want to do that to you right now."
I make my way to her so that there are only inches between her face and mine.
"Third, why are you even in my house in the first place?"
"I stayed here because Henry wouldn´t leave your room. And I hardly could leave him like you did."
I can feel anger build inside me and I want to lash out at her and rip her heart out! Unfortunately, that wouldn´t be good for my new self. So I take a deep breath, turn around and vow to myself that I will ignore her. I look at Tink and she nods again. I just want to get to my son as fast as I can but I know there are more important things right now. So I turn to Snow.
"Snow, tell me everything that happened with Cora here."
She takes a deep breath and starts talking. I listen carefully.
As she finished talking I take once again a deep breath and glance at Tink.
"So she wants me." I state. "That's nothing new. Tink I´ll get Henry and the both of you leave town."
Emma looks at me shocked at the revelation of Tink. Tink looks stunned too but for a different reason.
"The hell I am doing." She tells me. I want to say something but she keeps talking.
"Regina I have promised you that I will stay by your side no matter what and I intend to keep it." I smile at her and want to say something but I know it´s no use. She starts talking again.
"I know you think love is weakness and that that is the only way to protect Henry, who by the way is your son." She smirks and looks at Emma before talking again. "But we won´t leave. If he sleeps in your bed and refused to leave that means that he has missed you. He won´t go either if he knows your back. More importantly he is more save with you than with anyone else in or outside of town." I want to say something but hear Emma huff behind me. I roll my eyes and turn around.
"What?" I ask her.
"I think Henry is safer with me. After all I am the savior and therefor better than anyone concerning Henrys protection. I know Cora and I´ve defeated her in the Enchanted Forest before we came back and I can defeat her again." As Emma finished her rambling I start laughing again.
"You think you know my mother? What puts you under that impression dear?"
"I´ve met her." I want to say something but Tink does that for me.
"What? Just because you´ve met her for what, five minutes you think you know her better than her own daughter? Because trust me you know nothing about what she is capable of."
"Tink, enough. Please calm down." I tell her gently. She takes a deep breath and apologizes.
"Sorry, but that much arrogance makes my blood boil." I smile at her.
It is a genuine smile which fades as Emma speaks again.
"I am arrogant?" she asks bewildered.
Now I can hear a small voice. Snow.
"Well sometimes Emma…" she starts but gets interrupted.
"I grew up in foster care. I´ve spent my whole life getting sent from one family to another. I had the worst childhood you can imagine."
With having heard the last five words I can´t help but lash out. Who does she think she is?
"Oh, shut up Emma! You are not the center around Storybrook for once. You think you know what my mother is capable of? You think you had the worst childhood? You want to make that a competition? Well let me tell you something about my childhood then. I grew up with a mother whose mission statement is Love is weakness. With a mother that couldn´t live without magic and used it against her own daughter. Said mother strangled me with magic, kept me from leaving with magic. She used it against me when I was late for my tea hours, when I wanted to play outside, when I wanted to wear something different than she wanted me to or when it was Tuesday and she was in the mood for it. A mother that taught me that love is weakness and the only reason I am alive was for me to do as I was told and become queen regardless of what I wanted. A mother that ripped my fiancés heart out and crushed it in front of me because God forbid I could have been happy with a Stable boy! Who forced me into a marriage with a man who could have been my grandfather!"
I feel tears running down my cheeks but I can´t stop. It´s like a dam has broken and now I have to get everything out.
"So that in the end I could marry the father of the child that I´ve saved. Regardless of the age difference. Age isn´t important when he is the King and you can become Queen. I had to raise a child that was just a few years younger than me and that was partly responsible for my fiancés death. I had to play happy little family during the day when at night my living nightmare got worse. You know what they say about your first time? That it should be with someone you love and trust? Well mine was with a King who couldn´t care less about the amount of pain he put me through. He cared more for his daughter, himself and that he got what he wanted than for his wife lying in a pool of blood on the floor. When I wanted to end everything and just jump from a balcony so I could escape my miserable life Tink showed up and saved me. She believed in me but in the end I still got once again manipulated into casting a curse which should bring me my happy ending. I adopted Henry and for the first time since Daniels death I was happy. But then you showed up and it got ripped from me once again. I was once again miserable and if that's not enough I had to see my dead fiancé revived from the dead just so I could kill him once again with my own hands because he wasn´t the man he used to be. My whole life I was told what to do and say. I got manipulated all the time and couldn´t act on the things I´ve wanted. Everything and I mean literally everything about my life was decided for me. So yeah Emma your life was so much worse than mine!" I breathe out and wipe my tears away. I can see a stunned and shocked Snow. Shit. She shouldn´t know all that. I can see tears in her eyes. I want to talk to her but Emma starts talking again. Seriously, why can´t she just shut up?
"Okay you have a shitty past but that doesn´t give you the right to just pack up and leave town and your son!" She argues. Now I am the one looking stunned. I take a deep breath once again and calm myself before speaking.
"What? DO you even hear what you are saying right now? So now, all of a sudden he is my son? Didn´t you tell me otherwise on several occasions? Didn´t you tell me more than once that you are more of a mother to him than I am? I´ve left because I thought it was best. I thought Henry would be happier without me. I wanted to get back as a better person one day and be worthy of Henry. Because trust me when I say that changing is hard especially when no one believes in you. When every step or every word you say gets rated as part of an evil vendetta. So shut up and remember what I am about to tell you. Evil isn´t born, it´s made." I look bewildered when I hear someone else saying that sentence with me. I can feel tears making their way out of my eyes as I turn around. Henry. He runs to me and hugs me. I am frozen for a moment before I wrap my hands around him.
"I am sorry mom. For everything. For treating you the way I did." He cries with me and hugs me tighter before he continues. "I love you. You are my mom and you always will be. Please don´t leave me again. I want to live with you and never let you leave again. I am so sorry and you are my mom please never think otherwise again. Can I move in again?"
I pull back a little bit so that I can look at him. He won´t look at me, so I put my fingers under his chin so I can look him into his teary eyes.
"I´ve missed you too, my little prince. Of course you can move back in here." I tell him and he smiles at me before snuggling deeper into me again. I could break down and cry right now. He doesn´t hate me. He sees me as a mother again. He missed me and more importantly he wants to move back in here with me. I am so happy that I never want to let go of him again.
Henry
My mom is back. She came back and I can live with her again. There are a few things I want to ask her though but I don´t know if I should. Right now she is speaking with Emma, Snow and Tinkerbelle downstairs. Tinkerbelle is my moms best friend, so I´ve figured out. Of the former evil queen. That's so awesome! I smile. Right now I am in my room in the mansion. My old room but somehow my new room too because I will live in it again and I am so happy about it. Even though I really like my room and I´ve missed it really bad I make my way to my moms bedroom. I open the door and go straight to her bed. I make myself comfortable on the bed as I hear the door getting opened. I move my head to look who is entering and a smile grows on my lips. Mom. She smiles at me and walks to the bed and sits down beside me. I look at her and I can feel tears running down my cheeks. I hug her as tight as I can and let myself cry. She is back again. I still can´t believe it isn´t a dream. I can hug her and tell her everything I´ve planned to. She hugs me even tighter as she hears me crying and I desperately hold on to her.
"Don't cry honey." She tells me in a soothing voice. Hearing her voice makes me cry harder. I´ve missed it and hoped so much to hear it again. She brushes her fingers through my hair in an attempt to calm me down. I take a few deep breaths enjoying the feeling before I move my head so I can look at her but still keeping her as close as possibile.
"I´ve missed you so bad. Please don´t leave me again mom."
"I´ve missed you too, my little prince." I smile at her. She takes my chin in her hand as she always did and continues. "And I won´t leave again. I promise." She finishes and puts her forehead against mine to look me deeply in the eyes.
I smile again.
"Can I ask you something?" I look at her unsure of what her answer will be.
Regina
I take a deep breath and look at him confused.
"Sure honey. What do you want to know?" He looks at me unsure. I can see in his eyes that he doesn´t know if he should ask what he wants to know.
"I … ehm.."
"You can ask me anything you want honey." I reassure him with a warm smile. He takes a deep breath.
"What is your story? How did you become the evil queen? Who was the man at the stables?" he asks.
I look at him again and I can see that he really wants to know my story. That he is interested in my story but I have to make sure.
"Henry I will tell you everything if you really want to know. But my story isn´t a fairytale it´s rather a horror movie. It´s dark and unpleasant and painful. So you have to be sure that you really want to know." I tell him. He takes a deep breath and nods before speaking again.
"While you were gone I vowed something to myself. At first I thought that you were the evil queen and life would be better without you in town." Ouch. Hearing that hurts a lot and makes me doubt that coming back was a good idea. I look at my hands and try to keep my tears at bay so that I won´t cry in front of him. He takes my hand and squeezes it before talking again.
"I thought it didn´t matter that you were gone. But with time I ´ve realized how much I´ve missed you. So I sneaked out in the nights and went to the mansion. I´ve found your letter and I refused to read it at first. After a fight with Emma I ran here and read it. I started remembering all the things from when I was little and didn´t know I was adopted. I thought about the happy times we had and when there was no Emma. When there was just you and me."
He takes a deep breath and I look at him. He smiles a little and I can´t help but smile back.
"After that I started calling you mom again and Emma well Emma. I blamed her that you left but mostly I´ve blamed myself for treating you the way I did. For forgetting my childhood with you and mostly for not talking with you. For believing in a book rather than asking you about your history with Snow. There are two things in your letter I couldn´t forget about. Two phrases that I´ve thought about when I couldn´t sleep."
I look at him confused because I have no idea what phrases he means. He senses it and starts talking again.
"You´ve said that evil isn´t born it´s made and that not every story in the book is the way it seems or even in it. That yours isn´t in it. So I vowed to myself that I would ask you about it first chance I got. So I want to really know the truth and your story and not some version of a fairytale book. So please tell me." He pleaded. As he finished I realize that my eyes get watery and I have to brace myself to even find my voice to talk. I never thought that he would miss me. Never had I thought that my leaving would have such an impact on him. I nod at him and start my tale. He listens carefully. As I got to the end of my childhood and my mother he starts speaking.
"Who was the man at the stables?"
"His name was Daniel. He was our stable boy at my father´s estate and the only friend I had. I fell in love with him and he fell for me. My mother would have never approved of that relationship and by that time I knew what she was capable of. So we kept quiet. Once Daniel and I met on a hill to have a picnic. I told him that I couldn´t stay long and we got into a huge argument." I take a deep breath. "That was when I first met Snow. She was on a runaway horse and I helped her. I didn´t know who she was until the king came and proposed. My mother accepted for me and I knew that I had to get away. I couldn´t marry a man older than my father and certainly I couldn´t care for a child when I was just a child myself. I ran to Daniel and he proposed. I said yes and we planned to run away. Snow saw us and I made her promise to keep it a secret. Well your grandmother was never good at doing what she was told. My mother tricked her and she ended up telling Cora."
The next part was always the hardest part to tell. A tear escaped my eyes and I continued.
"My mother showed up as we wanted to leave. She took Daniel´s heart and crushed it in front of me. I tried everything to get him back but I couldn´t and the only thing that my mother said was that love was weakness. So I had to marry the King and I´ve blamed Snow for that and my miserable future ahead of me."
I look at him and can see his tears in his eyes and his voice quivers as he speaks again.
"I am so sorry mom. I didn´t know. Was that the turning point of you becoming the evil queen?" He sounds so grown up as he´s asking me this.
"Henry I know you´ve listened earlier. Before I continue I want to know how much you´ve heard exactly."
He looks at me and gulps.
"The first thing I´ve heard was you telling Emma how Tink saved you. Did you really try to kill yourself?"
I nod and start to talk again.
"I was in a dark place at the time. I lost my true love and was stuck in a loveless marriage with a man that could have been my grandfather. I had to care for the girl who I blamed for my fiancés death. I was angry, sad, broken and I didn´t know what to do. I never tried on purpose to die but I honestly wouldn´t have minded if that was the outcome. I pushed against the balcony fence and fell off of it in the end. Suddenly Tink was there and saved me just before I hit the ground."
I hear Henry sniff and I wipe my own tears away before looking at him.
"How could Snow do that? I hate her. I hate her for making you miserable."
I wipe his tears away with my thumb and shake my head.
"Don´t say that honey and don´t hate her. She was just a child Henry and she couldn´t have known the outcome. I´ve realized that too while I was away. Maybe I could have gotten my happy ending if I hadn´t been so obsessed with getting my revenge and blaming a child. But no-one knows for sure. My mother could have found out without Snow telling her. I´ve stopped blaming Snow so please don´t you start with it. Promise me." I tell him.
He sniffs and I can see that he is reluctant to agree. He has disappeared into his head and thoughts and doesn´t hear me. So I put fingers under his chin and make him look at me.
"Listen, it wasn´t her fault. I won´t deny that she played a part in me becoming evil but she was just a child. Cora was a heartless mother literally and no-one but me knew that. Because of that I am thankful that Snow called me. Despite what Emma may think she knows about my mother I am the only one that can get to her. At least in some way. I am the only one that knows what she´s truly capable of and what could defeat her."
"How do you mean she has no heart? If you have no heart you can get controlled by anybody! Is she getting controlled and where is it if not in her chest?"
"No honey and yes you can control someone through their heart but that someone can also put an enchantment on it to prevent that. If you have magic. My mother also hid it very well in the Enchanted forest. I just recently found it in a golden box in my vault. Do you understand?"
"Yes. But what I don´t get is why would someone do that willingly?"
I smile at him and he smiles back with his innocent smile. Sometimes I forget that he really is just a child. I am not sure if I should tell him but then I remember my promise.
"Honey, sometimes you just don´t want to feel. Sometimes, it´s better to feel nothing than feeling pain and misery. Sometimes, feeling nothing is a better way to live. You don´t want to feel heartbroken and lonely. You don´t want to feel pain and if you feel nothing you can´t get manipulated by others." He nods.
"Did you think about it?" he asks.
I look at him and start playing with the ring on my finger. It´s a nervous tick that I´ve put up. Henry sees it and puts his hands on mine to stop me. He knows that tick and smiles at me. A smile that tells me that he won´t judge me. So I take a deep breath. Something that I do more often I realize as I look him in the eyes.
"Once yes. I didn´t know what I should do. I just knew that I needed this consuming and not stopping pain to end. But then I´ve thought about you and my mother and I couldn´t do it. It was better to leave town and to change and coming back as a different person than to stay, feeling nothing and making you hate me even more. So I left." I look down at my hands and he starts playing with them.
"I´m sorry. I´ve never hated you. I thought I did but I didn´t. I´ve missed you so much that I´ve started to spray your perfume on your bed so I could pretend that you were here. Holding me as I fell asleep. I love you mom and I never want you to leave me again. Can you promise me that?"
As I look at him I can see the little boy again that holds my heart. The little prince that I´ve raised. My little prince.
"Henry I love you with all my heart and I promise you I won´t leave you again. Never. Now go to sleep my little prince." I tell him and kiss his forehead. He smiles.
"Can I sleep in your bed tonight? I want to cuddle with you like we did when I was little." I smile.
"Of course you can. Go and get changed and I´ll be right back too."
We smile at each other and he makes his way to his room. I go downstairs where Snow, Emma, Tink and now Charming too are gathered.
"Charming." I greet him with a nod.
"Hello Regina. Good to see you again." He tells me and smiles. I am a little confused but smile at him anyway.
"So what are we going to do about your mother?" Emma asks me. That question was is enough to make me want to punch her in the face. I look at Tink and she rolls her eyes. Yup, she thinks the same. I smile at Tink and look back at Emma.
"We, Miss Swan, won´t do anything. I as her Daughter am the only one she wants. Also it happens that much to your disappointment I am the only one who knows what she is really capable of. As much as you want to deny it you can´t play hero this time. You know nothing about her or her capacity of magic. So we won´t do anything other than wait. I know my mother and she knows about my return so she will come for and to me eventually. In the meantime I suggest that you, Snow and Charming go home to sleep. Tink you can of course sleep in the guest bedroom. Good night everyone."
"Thank you Regina." Tink says and makes her way to the bedroom. As I am about to make my way back upstairs I get held back by none other than Emma. I really should ignore her more. I sigh and look at her over my shoulder.
"What about Henry?" she asks. Can I punch her? Seriously she really asks for it.
"What about him Miss Swan? He wants to stay with me so he will stay with me. If there is nothing else I would really appreciate it if you let yourself out."
I smile a fake smile at her ansd pull my arm out of her grip. She wants to say something but I can hear Snow instead.
"Let´s go Emma." She tells her. Snow and Charming are already at the door waiting for their daughter and Emma looks at her. She glares at me and then back at her family.
"Good night Regina. See you tomorrow." And she goes to her family. Finally. When the door closes behind them I sigh. Welcome home, I think to myself and go to Henry who is waiting in my room. Hopefully asleep.
The next day. Still Regina
I wake up to banging on my door. Annoying banging on my door, I turn around and try to fall back asleep when I realize I am alone. Where is Henry? Was it all a dream? Was it all just a cruel… I can´t finish my thought because the damn banging continues. I take my pillow next to me, put it on my face and let out a scream. As I´ve finished I inhale a long breath and get out of bed. I put my silk robe on which hangs on the door to my ensuite bathroom and make my way downstairs to the front door. As I pass the kitchen I can see Tink preparing coffee and yawning. Thank heavens for that girl. She knows what I need. Before opening the door, I can see Henry in the living room. So it wasn´t a dream I tell myself and smile which fades as I open the door.
"Miss Swan, what do you want at that godly hour?" I ask her annoyed.
"Told ya see you tomorrow." She answers. Breathe Regina, just breathe. Don´t kill her that would ruin the process you´ve made.
"Yes but not that you would show up at 7am banging on my door and waking the entire house in the process." I tell her annoyed.
"Do you want to continue to argue outside and be pissed or will you let me inside?"
I think about it but know that I can´t do what I want.
"Honestly I want to shut the door with you outside staying outside my house and go back to sleep. But hey, nothing turns out the way I want it to concerning you. Also I can´t go back to sleep anyway. So I will let you in but I am still pissed at you for so many reasons." I tell her and step aside to let her in. She nods thankfully and I role my eyes as I close the door. It´s way too early for seeing her. Coffee. I need coffee. I go to the kitchen where Tink waits with hot coffee for me, of course with Emma following closely behind. I take the cup and smile gratefully at Tink.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" I ask Tink with a smile. She smiles back and replies.
"Yes and I love you too." She says happily. "Hello Emma." Tink continues not so happy anymore. I need to chuckle at that.
"Tink." Emma greets.
Tink and I look at each other and take a sip from our coffee.
"So how have you two met?" Emma asks. Clearly feeling uncomfortable.
"I believe I´ve already mentioned it yesterday, Miss Swan." I tell her and take another sip of my coffee.
"It´s Emma and yes you did but I´ve meant the second time." She states.
This time it´s Tink who answers.
"We´ve met at Starbucks the first day she was in New York. She needed a place to sleep and I needed someone to help me with the rent. We didn´t get along that well at first but after a bottle of wine and lot of talking we became friends. Happy?" She looks at Emma with a frown and smiles at me. I smile at her and want to say something when I hear Henry scream.
"Mom!"
Henry
I am sitting on the couch in the living room. I pretend to read comics when in reality I am thinking about last night. How I sneaked out of the house when I was sure that mom was fast asleep. After leaving the house I went to her vault and searched for the one thing I needed. After I´ve found it I ran back to the mansion and stayed awake for the rest of the night. Thinking about how I could give mom her happy ending. My thoughts get interrupted when I hear knocking at the door. I can see mom making her way to it and a few seconds later Emma and her join Tink in the kitchen. Suddenly I can see purple smoke in the corner of the room. I know who it is before the smoke disappears.
"Mom!" I scream as I back further into the corner of the couch to protect the box that I´ve hidden behind a pillow.