Emma and Regina's behaviour is getting more erratic by the day. Henry decides to face them down.
The Nolan Farm
He held the phone in his hands, nervous about finally making the call.
It had been Henry's third night staying at the farm. And three days since he'd arrived back in Storybrooke after his Harvard induction, to prepare him for his first term after the summer. Although his family had weathered many storms in the past, they were now going through a crisis he'd never imagined. The break-up of both mothers' marriages and that of his maternal grandparents.
Regina had changed the most since Robin's return from apparent death, itself the direct result of him sacrificing his life to save her. Renowned for her cantankerous, tetchy manner, Regina had been transformed after his return, and had, until a few days ago, been in what Henry thought was a pretty brilliant relationship. She also adored Roland, Robin's now eleven-year-old son. And the famed outlaw's return gave her another chance to once again take on the role she enjoyed the most. Being a mother. Emma also seemed to be in a very happy marriage to Killian Jones, her own true love. They even had a daughter, Hope, now three herself. And Emma had even talked to him recently about how he would feel about her having one more brother or sister to complete the family. In short, both Henry's mothers now seemed blissfully happy. But that was before he left for Harvard, just over a week ago.
Since then, everything had changed! Drawing a heavy breath, he finally plucked up the courage and tapped on Regina's number. But it went straight to voicemail. Not leaving a message, he tried Emma, who answered after several rings.
"Hey kid."
"Hi ma. How are you?"
"Better than ever." Emma's voice sounded…different? "Where are you?"
"At the farm. I got here-"
"Monday morning, yeah, I know…" She sounded colder. "Why are you over there, not here?"
"I had things to do, first. Grandpa David needed to-"
But she interrupted again. "Have you forgotten who you're talking to? I can spot a lie a mile away, you should know that by now?"
"Well the truth is, I wanted to find out what the hell's been going on, before I went over to your place." Not 'our' place? Not 'home'?
"I see. So someone's already told you about me and your mum?"
That caught him on the hop. "Sort of. What's going on?"
"Why don't you just come and find out? We don't bite."
He already felt didn't sound like Emma. "Yeah, erm, okay. Where's mum? I tried her line, but she didn't pick up."
"She's running a bath upstairs. I was about go join her when you rang." Ugh, he definitely didn't need to know that! "So unless you want something urgent, you should give us at least a couple of hours before you call back, or call in, okay?"
"Yeah, of course, I-" But he stopped when he heard the loud lick at the other end, Emma abruptly terminating the call. "Right."
The Gold Mansion
"Rumple, what on earth is that almighty stink? It smells like rotting fish in here! What are you doing?"
Belle had just walked into his workshop and study at the back of the mansion, to find him surrounded by several dozen bottles and jars, containing what looked like plants and liquids.
"It's one of several reasons I suggested you and Gideon stay over the shop last night? Veritas serum is always rather pungent."
"They never mentioned that in Harry Potter!" She rolled her eyes, long used to his eccentricities. "You didn't see Barty Crouch throwing up after he drank it!"
"What on earth are you talking out?" He finally stopped to look up. "And who the hell's Barty Crouch?"
"Never mind, it's not important. What are you doing making a truth serum anyway?" She tried to look stern. He'd promised he was going to cut down on making potions, hadn't he?
"Firstly, I'm not sure what you've been reading dearie, but Veritas serum isn't a truth potion. Despite its name, it's a discovery potion for the mind. Secondly, I'm doing something for my grandson. Henry's concerned about his mothers' recent eccentric behaviour. Both mothers. Which reminds me, how'd you get on with the she-wolf? Any news?"
"Ruby wasn't there. I just got a coffee and left."
"Hardly surprising as I gather the old wolf evicted her? She and Snow White have now moved in together, resuming the secret and rather passionate relationship they once had in the old realm. It would've caused a great scandal at the time had anyone suspected. I understand she's divorcing the Oz woman and am told the news was rather brutally delivered? Quite a blow for the girl, apparently."
"So Snow's left Charming, too?" Belle shook her head, astonished. She now no longer asked how he acquired all his information these days, because it tended to be accurate. "I heard about Emma and Regina yesterday. You think they're all being controlled? Manipulated somehow?"
"Henry seems to think so too. Hence the reason I'm trying to uncover a root cause. It won't be easy. Charming's already provided me with his estranged wife's hairbrush, as has Henry with Emma's. I ran tests, but the hairs showed no signs of any recent external magical influence. We'll keep digging."
But Belle was no longer listening, walking away, upset by what she'd learnt about Ruby.
Mifflin Street
It was a good three hours after speaking to Emma, when Henry finally turned the key in the front door. Walking through the house, he called out.
Hearing no answer, he walked through to the living room, to the sight of both mothers, still wearing dressing gowns (at two in the afternoon?) with Regina lying on the sofa with her head resting on Emma's lap, both apparently watching TV.
"Hi mums."
"Good afternoon, Henry. Finally decided to come visit us then?" His brunette mother arched a brow, looking him up and down.
"I wanted to spend some time with grandpa. I told mum already."
"And she told me." He hadn't seen her look so coldly towards him in ages. "It's now three days since you came back. Anyone would think you're trying to avoid us?"
Henry had been expecting something like this. His mother trying to put him on the defensive, as usual. But he was older now, less inclined to be intimidated. "Yeah well, from what I've heard, you've both been acting really strange. I wanted to find out what was happening, before I came over."
"Find out from who? Gold?" It was Emma's turn to give him a withering glare. "I know you've seen him. What did he tell you?"
"That for some reason, my two mothers, who were previously in fantastic relationships when I left here a week ago, have ditched two great guys, to have an affair? To screw up their lives completely? That's what."
"Fantastic relationships?" Regina glared at him. "It's hardly an affair and you have no idea what you're talking about. What do you think you know?"
"I know that Robin sacrificed his life to save yours. I know Killian did the same thing to save ma and this town. That he gave you Hope, who was sobbing into her pillow last night, because she doesn't know why her mum ran out on her. Or Roland, who can't figure out why the woman he regarded as his mother became vile, threw him out on his ear, and-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Regina suddenly yelped, unexpectedly, as Emma took her hand, sitting up.
"Why? Because you don't like hearing the truth?" It was Henry's turn to be angry.
"The truth? Oh, do grow up, kid!" Emma joined the attack. "Couples fall in and out of love all the time! Your mum and I just finally acted on feelings that've been there, lying under the surface, since the day we first met. The moment I realised this week that Regina was as in love with me,as I was with her, was the best moment of my life! She completes me. She makes me the woman I want to be."
"Yeah? The sort of woman who tries to choke her husband to death in front of her own daughter? Yes, I know about that too! What sort of woman does that make you, ma? Do tell me?"
She almost snarled back. "He disrespected the woman I love."
"Because you disrespected your own marriage! You-"
But Henry's voice was suddenly silenced. Regina, her hand now raised and in a claw shape, clearly having just used magic to mute him.
"I said enough! Whatever you may think Henry, we're still your mothers and require respect! We've chosen to be together, and that's the end of it. You should be happy for us, not angry? And as for Hope, she'll be coming to live here from tomorrow. And that's our final word on the matter. Roland will get over it in due course, as will Guyliner and Robin. Now, are you going to control that temper of yours, or do I have to keep you quiet until you can be civil?"
Even though he'd been silenced, Henry was still furious at their attitude after what'd happened. These weren't his mothers; these were two women he barely recognised. But despite his angry scowl, he wouldn't get anywhere without a tongue. So regretfully, he slowly nodded.
"Good. That's better!" Regina twirled her fingers, cancelling the spell on his throat. "Now, for the record, you should know that your mother and I have discussed this at length. I've arranged for lawyers to finalise divorce proceedings as soon as possible, so Robin and Jones will be free to do whatever they want. We've even arranged a little financial settlement to help them, even though we're not obliged to do so. Hope will be moving in here this week and, before too long, your mother and I will be making arrangements for our own wedding, sometime next year. And yes, that does mean I've proposed to her, and she's accepted. As I said, you should be happy for us."
"Not like this!" He nursed his sore throat. "Not this way."
"And why ever not?" Emma put her hands on the brunette's cheeks, turning her head to deliver a soft kiss on her lips. "I've finally found my true love, not some fairy dust version. Don't you want us to be happy?"
It shouldn't have, but for some reason he found their intimacy nauseating. And Emma spotted the disgust on his face. "So that's what's wrong? It's because we're two women, is that it? You're just yet another homophobe, admit it?"
"It has nothing to do with that," he shook his head. "After my dad died, I once imagined you two being together. And we'd make a home, just the three of us. But this? The way you ditched Robin and Killian like that? You were horrible! I don't know how anyone could do that."
Regina shrugged. "Whatever, it's over now, and we need to move on. You can either accept it, accept us, or-"
"Or what? You'll silence me with another spell? Strangle me for criticising you? No mums, this isn't love. It's just…sick!"
"Choose your words carefully, kid!" Emma now stood, facing him. She seemed to be threatening him? "If you don't like it, you know where the door is."
"Yeah, I do. And you know what? I'm going to use it."
The Jolly Roger – an hour later
"And then she just stood there, challenging me to walk out the door? So I did."
"You were right the first time, Henry. It's not them. What do you suggest we do next, lad?"
"I don't know. Grandpa Gold couldn't find any traces of controlling magic on the hairbrushes. He said if we could get some blood samples, we can use that dream catcher I found. But how we do that, I've no idea! Sorry."
"Well you did your best." Robin sighed heavily, standing up. "Still, I'd better get back to the Sherwood. John's been looking after Roland for me. You said you're meeting Gold again tomorrow?"
"Yeah. In Granny's at ten. He's working on some sort of truth serum, or antidote, or something."
"I'll come join you, if I may?"
"Sure. You heard about what happened with Ruby and Snow in the park yesterday? It went right around the school after one of the older kids said something to her. Snow thumped him around the face, according to Clive, one of the guys who saw it happen!"
"Snow hit a child? What the hell's got into her?"
"No idea, but I think it's the same thing as my mums. Nothing else matters, apart from them! Even though mum mentioned moving Hope in to live with them, I don't think they're even really interested in her being there."
"Aye lad, I heard you saying. I'm thinking of staying offshore with the lass. Emma started by telling me she'll make sure Hope shares her time between us. But since then, the messages seem to indicate she's changed her mind and insists on having all responsibility. Sorry, but I can't risk being denied access to my little pirate, so I'm thinking I might take her away from here, till she sees sense."
"Be careful," Robin cautioned him. "Seeing as Emma nearly choked you to death just for being rude about Regina, taking her daughter away might tempt an even bigger fate with her current temper?"
"I've thought of little else, mate. Well, it looks like for the moment Henry, we're in your hands. Let's hope the old bastard thinks of something by the time he sees you tomorrow?"
The Diner - The following morning
The Dark One had secreted himself in one of the corners of the café, at a larger table, to await his grandson. For once, he'd left Belle and his son behind at the pawnshop. Belle had been unusually quiet since yesterday, and she'd admitted it was partly due to worrying about all the recent problems surrounding one of her closest friends, Ruby Lucas. So seeing as her friend would no doubt be discussed, probably not in the best light, she stayed behind.
"Morning, grandpa!"
"Good morning, my boy." Looking up at his grandson, Rumple couldn't fail to notice how he was starting to look more like his beloved Baelfire, as he grew older. The intense, scrutinising gaze. His mannerisms. His smile. The young man had gained more influence over the Dark One than he could ever imagine. "Come, sit."
Henry pulled up a chair. "I went over to Mifflin Street last night. It didn't go well."
"I can imagine. Tell me everything."
Over the next ten minutes, interspersed by an increasingly curmudgeonly Granny delivering their late breakfast, Henry told him everything that'd happened since they last spoke. About the awkward time with his mothers. The threats. And how Regina had used a magical muting spell on him.
"She actually did that, to you of all people?" Rumple was rarely rendered speechless, but the thought of Regina casting what she must've known was risky silencing magic, sometimes with irreversible results, on his grandson annoyed him, prompting dark feelings he really needed to suppress these days.
"Yup. And what's more, she made it clear there's more of that to come, if I speak out of turn in future about either of them. Emma just agreed with her, and basically said I could go live somewhere else if I didn't like it. So I did. I stayed at grandpa David's farm again. Dorothy Lucas is now staying there too."
At that point, an unusually sombre-looking Robin Locksley arrived with his son.
"Hello again Henry, Mr. Gold. May we join you?
~oOo~
The next ten minutes were spent listening to Robin's version of recent events. And all agreed there was something external making Henry's mothers act completely out of character. Rumple told them about his thoughts regarding the dream catcher, and whether its use could uncover something, anything, to give them a clue as to what'd happened.
However it was just as he was about to explain a way to get the required blood samples, when the front door of the diner flew open, Regina striding in, head held high, closely followed by Emma.
Instead of going to a table, the first Elected Queen of The United Realms walked into the centre of the room, hand-in-hand with her new lover. She scanned their audience, giving them all a haughty look worthy of the Evil Queen in her worst days.
"Ah-hum! If I may have everybody's attention?"
Robin and Henry looked on, as most diners stopped what they were doing; although about a third of the café continued eating and talking. Emma stepped closer to them, her eyes flaring.
"HEY, YOU LOT! SHUT THE HELL UP! YOUR QUEEN WANTS TO SAY SPEAK! ARE YOU DEAF?"
That seemed to do the trick! All eyes were now on them, the pair exchanging a smirk as Regina gave her a silent 'thank you'.
"Thank you Emma, my love. Now, where was I? Oh yes…" She winked at her lover, taking her hand. "Citizens of Storybrooke. It's come to my attention that my personal life has been the subject of much idle speculation over the last few days? Now this sort of thing wouldn't bother me normally, having long been used to being a subject of tittle-tattle and gossip among the stupid and ill-informed for many years." She looked down at Leroy, who looked back up at her like he was chewing wasps. "However, as your Mayor and Queen, in addition to my many other responsibilities, I feel the need to finally end speculation once and for all."
She stopped, dusting off her dust-free jacket with her palm, before looking around and, once she spotted Henry and her husband at the far table, giving them a look of distaste.
"I wish it to be known that I have terminated the relationship between myself and my husband, Robin of Locksley, from whom I will be seeking a divorce at the earliest opportunity. As such my name will now revert back to Regina Mills, or Mayor Mills, forthwith. Furthermore, it gives me immense pleasure to confirm that I'm now in a committed relationship with Sheriff Emma Swan, previously known as Swan-Jones. Emma is currently seeking to divorce her own husband at the earliest opportunity, too."
Robin knew already, but it still hurt to hear the words spoken by the woman he loved.
"Now I know most of you will be delighted to hear about this recent development; after all, Sheriff Swan is your Saviour. No, our Saviour, and one of our most popular citizens. We can assure you this change will have no effect whatsoever on either of us being able to carry out our duties. However, should any of you have concerns, I suggest you make an appointment to come see me at my office in person. That's all I wish to say on the matter. Good day to you all."
She turned away, pointing towards a table at the opposite side of the room from Robin, before walking back to the main counter. But a scowling, clearly unimpressed proprietor was already waiting for her.
"And you're another bloody marriage-wrecker, Mills!" Granny growled back at her.
"I beg your pardon?" Regina's smile was instantly replaced by a cold, hard stare.
"You heard me, well enough." Then she scowled at the blonde. "And you? You're just as bad as your mother."
Emma stepped right in front of her. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"You've got two good husbands you've screwed over, and two decent kids! For what? A bit of fun?"
"This has nothing to do with you!" Emma fists clenched as she barely suppressed her anger. "I'd choose my next words very carefully if I were you, you old bag!"
But the old wolf wasn't to be intimidated so easily. "I meant every word! Call yourself the Saviour? You should be ashamed! I no longer want you in here. Either of you. Get out, both of you! You're banned!"
Regina's face morphed from anger to a malicious smirk. "You seem to be forgetting who you're talking to, Eugenia Lucas? I seem to recall you need to have a licence to trade? And another license to sell food? Licences granted by the Mayor's office, as I recall?"
"Don't try intimidating me, Mills! I ain't scared of you. You, or your blonde puppy!"
"No?" Regina stepped threateningly close, baring her teeth, reminding the old wolf of their former nemesis. "Well perhaps you should be?"
Henry, along with the rest of the diners, had been watching the dramatic stand-off between the old lady and his mothers in disbelief. But he knew Regina well enough to know she was reaching the point when she would blow. So he quickly stepped out from the table, skipping across to get in front of her, in a possibly useless attempt at preventing the old woman getting seriously hurt. Or worse.
"LEAVE HER ALONE! STOP IT, THE PAIR OF YOU!"
Now Henry found himself faced by not one, but two angry mothers. He was nearly a foot taller than either of them, but they could be intimidating, and the sight was unnerving.
"Why Gina, it's our son? You know, the one who walked out on us last night? get out of the way Henry, this has nothing to do with you."
"Have you any idea what you two have become? Threatening Granny? Throttling Killian? Silencing me? I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you right now, but it stinks!"
"Don't talk to your mother like that! I'll-"
But during their blazing public row, nobody noticed that an angry twelve-year-old had got up from his seat, ran over to the woman who had made him so wretched these last three days, and kicked her as hard as he could, in the shin!
"AARGH!" Regina growled, buckling, wincing in pain, looking down to find a red-faced Roland Locksley staring angrily up at her.
"That's for being horrible to dad!"
But Regina's reaction was as nothing compared to Emma's!
"WHY, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Emma instantly cuffed him, hard, around the side of his face with the back of her hand, making him instantly recoil, falling back and onto the floor, raising his hand to his cheek as loud howls of outrage and astonishment came from all around the room, several people now standing up to move over and help the stricken child.
"ROLAND?"
His father now appeared beside him, utterly shocked by the savage blow. Granny was already there, helping the boy to stand. And as the old wolf shielded the boy, Robin, now purple-faced with rage, turned to face the culprit. "How dare you strike my son? You-"
"Oh fuck off back to the forest, Hood!" With a twirl of her fingers, Emma's magic pulled the former outlaw clean off his feet, spinning him nearly upside-down, before slamming him hard against the wall, where he subsequently crashed down heavily onto a small table head first, breaking it and landing in a crumpled heap.
Nearly all the diners were mortified by what they were seeing. But it wasn't over yet!
"STOP IT!"
Henry grabbed Emma's wrist, yelling into her face, as several dwarves helped Robin back to his feet. "Hitting a child? Is that what you've sunk to, now? Are you serious?"
"the kid hit her first, didn't he?" Emma looked down at the boy, who was now being tended by Granny, not showing any hint of regret for lashing out.
"So that's how it's going to be from now on? When someone says or does something you don't like, you use your magic to hurt them? Is that it?" But as he looked between his mothers, he could see they were both completely unmoved. "Granny's right, you need to leave. You disgust me!"
A moment later, he felt the blisteringly-hard slap on his right cheek! The sting followed a second later, as shocked voices were heard from all around.
"NEVER TALK BACK TO ME LIKE THAT! EVER!" Emma's hand was still raised.
But surprisingly, Henry was also unbowed.
"Do it again? I said you disgust me! So do it again?"
Emma brought her hand back, ready to deliver another fierce slap, when she suddenly felt her entire body freeze up, solid, unable to move.
What in the hell?
"Sorry dearie!" The Dark One now appeared in front of her, his overly large eyes boring back into hers. "I couldn't allow you to strike my only grandson a second time now, could I? It seems a tad...excessive? And hurting a young child, too? My word, how the Saviour's fallen."
Henry looked over to see Regina had also been magically frozen in place. But she could still move her mouth and eyes.
"Take it off, imp!" The queen glared angrily back at him. "This has nothing to do with you! Take the damn spell off, now!"
"Maybe in a little while?" He looked up at Henry, raising his hand. "That cheek's going to bruise, my boy. May I?" Within seconds, a burst of energy left his hand and sank into the young man's cheek. "Better? Now, where were we?"
"Thanks grandpa," Henry rubbed his face, the sting having now left it. "You remember what we talked about last night? Those new cuffs?"
"Of course…" As the Dark One spoke, he held out his cupped hands and two silver bracelets, both adorned with small, coloured stones, appeared within them. "Would you like to have control?" Henry nodded. "Very well. You remember what you have to do?"
Henry carefully picked up one of the bracelets, examined it and turned towards Emma, before sliding it around the wrist of the very same raised arm that had just hit him. But this cuff was very different to the one they'd used when Emma was a Dark One. The moment the little clasp was fastened, the bracelet started to move by itself, instantly transforming, adjusting and tightening to Emma's exact wrist size, the clasp disappearing completely to form a seamless band. As soon as it was in place, she felt the immediate drain on her magic, and realised what it was.
"A blocking cuff? You're kidding me?"
"We kid you not, Mrs. Jones. Sorry, should that be Miss Swan again? You'll already recognise what it is, but this time, I've made certain…enhancements?"
From the corner of her eye, she saw Henry attaching the second bracelet to Regina's wrist. "I don't know why you're doing this, Gold. You know we're going to get them off, right?"
"Maybe, maybe not. But currently, they'll only come off when my grandson deems it safe to do so. Until such time, they'll remain in place. It'll be his decision, not mine, dearie. Now Henry, are you ready for me to take off the freezing spell?"
"Please grandpa."
With a theatrical swirl of his fingers, Emma and Regina found themselves able to move once again.
"You're going to regret this, imp! I swear!" Regina snarled, her fingers already trying to get behind the band that had now sealed itself perfectly around her wrist.
"Perhaps..." Rumple turned to see Roland rubbing his cheek, and Robin having a cut on the back of his head tended by Doc. "Now, can I help anyone with cuts and bruises? How about you, young man?"
As Rumple tended to them, Henry stepped closer to his mothers, both of whom were still purely focused on trying to remove the cuffs.
"You need to leave. Now!"
"Get these damn things off us, Henry, or else!"
"No. You'll be wearing them till I find out what the hell is wrong with you, no matter how long it takes. But I am going to get to the bottom of this. Now go!"
Realising there was nothing more they could do, and faced with a see of hateful looks, both women turned to leave, glaring back at him.
But they now found their exit blocked. By Robin.
"Emma, I believe I owe you something?"
In the next second, the normally mild-mannered former outlaw delivered a blistering punch, straight into the side of Emma's nose! It was so bone-crunchingly hard that her head flew to the side and she was spun completely off her feet, twisting and landing heavily in a crumpled heap, out cold, next to the feet of a stunned Regina!
"EMMA!" Her lover screamed, dropping to her knees as Robin now stood over the pair of them.
"I'll just put the destruction of my marriage down to both of you then?" He growled down at them. "Nobody, and I mean nobody, hits my child like that, and gets away with it!" He then turned back to Roland, rubbing his red knuckles, the boy's cheek having now been fully restored by the Dark One's magic. "Thank you, Mr. Gold. Roland, let's get out of here, shall we?"
A minute later, having collected their jackets from their table, father and son had almost left the café when Regina, still kneeling on the floor next to the bruised and clearly still-dazed blonde, looked up at him, with a maniacal snarl.
"You better get the hell out of this town, Locksley! Because at some point, I'm going to get this thing off me. And when I do, I'm coming for you! If I ever see you again, you're going to be one very dead thief! And this time, dead for good, mark my words!"
For the first time ever, Robin saw the face of the woman so many had told him about, but the one he never witnessed himself. The Evil Queen.
And it was also in that same moment that the love he felt for her, died. Along with any hope of bringing back the woman he sacrificed his own life for.
~oOo~