Chapter Text
Chapter LXIV
Staying In
AN: There is some graphic description of gore at the end of the chapter.
Regina sat at the high center table in her kitchen. She hadn't even dressed yet. The patio doors were open to let the morning breeze and sunlight freshen the room. She could hear birds fussing over the seed in Henry's birdfeeder.
She was trying to prepare for her day. She had her planner, journal, and files spread around her. Emma often teased her for keeping so much on paper. She was, Emma and Henry joked, very old fashioned. They were very funny. She preferred pen and paper. Some habits, she supposed, died hard.
She'd ruled a kingdom and later Storybrooke the same way. She liked the feeling of writing. It allowed her to have a physical record of what she had done, was doing, and had yet to do. It allowed her to set goals, plan, and clear her mind. That's what it usually did, at least. She couldn't focus this morning.
She had her second cup of coffee of the day cooling by her elbow. The mug was an apple that had a smiling caterpillar for a handle. Henry had given it to her when he was six, and had thought it was beautiful.
He was still asleep, or he had been when she'd checked on him. She would let him sleep a little longer. He was still suspended from school, so there was no rush.
Granny was hosting a soft-opening party tonight to show off the new and improved diner. Henry and his friends were her staff for the evening. They would bus tables, wash dishes, and learn about an honest day's work. Another part of their "punishment".
Esmeralda had placed several protective wards on the diner.
The people helping Granny were another layer of protection. Jack and Jill Hill, Mulan, and David would be there. They were all armed, capable, and trustworthy.
Regina had a full day ahead of her too. She did not look forward to it. There were meetings, appointments, and-
"Honey-"
She turned in her chair. Emma limped through the hallway in socked feet. She looked exhausted. Her shirt was untucked and had a greasy stain on the middle of it. Her hair was scraped into a messy ponytail, greasy with sweat. She had her duty-belt slung over her shoulder.
"-I'm home."
She deadpanned and offered a weak smile.
It was an awful joke, but Regina was so glad to see Emma that she didn’t have a sarcastic reply.
Regina didn’t have time to stand up. She barely had enough time to turn around in her chair. Emma darted across the room. She buried her face in Regina's neck and shoulder, and wrapped her arms around her waist.
"Baby."
The word had a little bit of a whine in it.
"Night shift sucks."
Storybrooke had never needed a night shift before. They’d barely needed a deputy.
Now? They needed a bigger station, a bigger staff and at least three more vehicles. More than that, they needed a break. Emma, David and Ruby were run ragged.
"I'm starting to think that the curfew thing might be a good idea. That or I'm setting up a satellite office down at the Rabbit Hole.
Regina pressed a kiss to Emma's temple.
"That bad?"
Emma grunted then sighed.
"I should put Wolf Girl on nights. See how she likes it."
She could feel Emma's smile against her neck.
"You can't punish Ruby forever, Darling."
"Yeah I can!"
Emma snorted then slowly straightened up so they were eye to eye. She had a crooked grin on her face and a spark in her eye.
"If anyone got to mess up the station with wild office sex, it should have been us."
If Regina had fantasies of seducing the sheriff in her office, it was her business.
Emma collapsed on the chair next to her own. She sat her duty belt on the tabletop with a clunk.
"I'm tired! We had 7 people in the cells when I left. Plus David had another on the way. He had to pull apart a domestic in their building. Apparently mixed loyalty relationships don't mix so well any more."
Regina sighed. Her perfect little town was a pressure cooker and it was about to blow. No amount of planning, strategizing, and politicking in any realm could stop it. She didn't want everything to fall apart. She wanted the life, and family that she'd made in Storybrooke to survive, to flourish. She wanted Storybrooke to flourish.
Which was why she had such a busy day ahead. She had meetings, conferences, and other annoyances to deal with. For Storybrooke. For her family. For herself.
She patted Emma's arm and rose to make her coffee.
"I'll only need you for an hour today."
Emma grunted.
"And R&R needs me for two. David and Rubes need me to sign off on the payroll. I also may have promised to help Granny. Also we have a suspended kid to wrangle.”
Regina pulled a mug out of the dishwasher. She filled it with coffee, three sugars, and a pump of cinnamon dulce syrup.
"You don't have to worry about Granny's or Henry. He will be working off his debt to society there today."
She held the steaming cup of coffee out for Emma.
"Mulan will fill in for you at R&R."
She winked.
"And your boss filled out the payroll paperwork for you."
Emma took the cup with a smile on her face.
"So as I said, all I need is an hour of your time and a few of your chicken scratch signatures."
Emma tipped the cup and drank deep.
"God, I love you."
Regina's heart skipped a beat.
"Are you talking to me or the coffee, Miss Swan?"
Emma startled, blinked, and swallowed.
"Both."
She sat her mug down and took a deep breath. The exhaustion evaporated from her face.
"Not how I intended to say it the first time, but yeah. You more than the coffee, but it is really good coffee too."
Laughter bubbled up in Regina’s chest.
Love.
Love again.
Emma loved her.
She'd actually said the words. Accidently. It was so perfectly Emma. How could Regina not love her too?
She twisted on her stool to face Emma.
Emma’s face had changed from serious and confident to a little worried. She opened her mouth to say something.
Regina didn't wait to hear her out. She reached out and planted her hands on Emma's cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss.
"I love-"
They were still close enough for their lips to brush together with every syllable.
"-you too."
Emma wrapped her arms around her and tugged her closer still. It was awkward and Emma paused.
"Hold on, Baby."
Emma stood, spun Regina's stool around and lifted her up. She deposited her on the high marble topped table. Regina felt a small squeak slip out at the sudden change.
She saw the devious grin on Emma's face and remembered the mess on the Sheriff Office's floor. She had no desire to clean coffee and pages up.
"Don't even think about it, Miss Swan."
Before she could say anything else, Emma was on her. She stood between Regina's knees, settled her hands on her waist, and kissed her.
That kiss sparked a fire in Regina. She grabbed at Emma's shirt and pulled it out of her pants. She slid her hands under the tight waistband of her work pants. Emma's rear was a work of art, muscular and perfect. She sank her nails into Emma's ass and got a nip to her bottom lip in return.
Emma grinned at her and started to unbutton her gray silk pajama top.
"Destroy it-"
She remembered the destroyed shirt and scattered buttons from the office.
"-and I'll destroy you."
These were her favorite pajamas and her clean kitchen after all.
Emma kissed her again, and carefully finished with her buttons. Warm palms and tweeking, fingers found her breasts.
Oh Spirits!
This woman drove her wild and she couldn't get enough of her.
Emma broke off their kiss then dropped her mouth to the side of her neck.
"Promises promises."
Emma kissed and nipped down her neck.
"Oh My God!”
Her head snapped to the side and Regina was horrified to see Henry standing in the kitchen doorway.
She jerked her hands out of Emma's pants and Emma jumped back and away from her.
“Gross, Moms!”
Regina pulled her shirt closed over her bare breasts. Humiliation and horror rushed through her.
"Henry!"
"Kid!"
Henry had clapped his hands over his own eyes.
"Eeeew! I eat there!"
He whirled around and ran away.
"My eyes!"
He yelled as he stomped back upstairs.
"Someone curse me!"
She and Emma stared at each other for a heartbeat. Then they laughed.
Emma threw her head back and laughed hard. So hard that she grabbed a stool to stay balanced.
Emma took a deep breath.
"We are officially parents. I mean you’ve always been his parent but me? This is amazing! We are real parent-parents! We just scared him for life!"
She started laughing again.
"I'm tempted to unground him to make up for it!"
Emma held out a hand and helped Regina down off the counter.
"He's still grounded."
Regina flicked her hands and redressed for the day. Emma pouted when she realized she was covered.
She’d chosen her most conservative pants suit, with a vest and her shirt buttoned to the collar.
"Damn!"
Emma threw her hands up dramatically.
“This-”
Emma stared pointedly at her covered chest.
“-has to be a part of the curse. Punishing everyone with eyes. Especially me. Hiding those-”
Emma pouted.
“-is a crime. You're depriving people of your-”
Emma traced her figure in the air.
“Evil Clevagetm !”
Regina shook her head and forced herself not to laugh. How Emma sped from sexy to silly had to be some strange sort of sorcery.
"Just for that-"
She teleported out of Emma's reach.
"You will go talk to our son."
Emma's face cycled through several emotions.
"Fuck!"
Regina laughed and gathered the ingredients she needed to make French toast.
"One hour, in and out."
Emma looked around the council room and tugged at her tie. She repeated the mantra she’d been chanting since breakfast.
Emma looked magnificent in her uniform, no matter how much she complained about it. If she thought khakis were bad, she would have never lasted in armor or worse, a corset.
Regina pulled herself back to reality. She looked around, taking in the council chamber. The last time they'd been here, they'd been fighting for their lives. For Storybrooke.
"Then I'm taking a freaking nap."
Emma grumbled to herself.
The last time they’d been in this room, they had been fighting for their lives.
Regina suppressed a small shiver. She didn’t like to dwell on that part of the evening.
They were still fighting for Storybrooke, but in a different way. Not with spells or potions or grandiose sacrifices.
"Unless-”
Emma reached for her hand.
“-you want me to stay."
Regina linked their fingers together and squeezed, grateful for the support.
Emma would stay if she asked. She would stay all day long then go to her shift half-asleep and miserable.
She shook her head. Even if she did desperately want Emma to stay, she wouldn't ask. Emma needed rest, and she needed to fight her own battles.
"Madam Mayor. Sheriff Swan."
Andy Tremaine, Townhall's IT genius, walked up to them.
"Everything is good to go. We've got all the usual suspects in the building. Oison's already read them the riot act."
He grinned boyishly and scruffed his hands through his spiky hair.
"In his own polite way."
Regina was tempted to tell him to behave, but she bit her tongue. Her face must have said it for her, though.
"Sorry, but you know what I mean. They know the rules. Thirty minutes for the meeting then a tight fifteen for questions. He gave them a list of no-go questions. Everyone is here and good to go."
Everyone.
She'd gathered as many level-headed town leaders she could for this ad-hok council. It was a motley mix of people, some had served on the city council or as royal advisors. A few were loyal to her. A few called for her head. They had all come together on one issue. Storybrooke.
She inclined her head to them all as she moved to take her seat at the center of the council table.
Emma sat to her right and Reverend Myka Wells (head of Storybrooke Luthran) sat on her left. The reset spread out on either side.
Normally a council meeting like this would be in the evening so the entire town could attend. Unfortunately, nothing was normal these days. A large gathering would be too tempting a target for her mother. Additionally a large crowd could quickly turn into a mob or a brawl.
So they were doing a live-broadcast instead. It felt artificial, like she was playing the part of a mayor on television. She didn't enjoy it, but the precautions made sense.
She and Emma had discussed it at length. Using the technology available to them was not weakness, it was a tactical decision. It allowed everyone in Storybrooke to have the information. It cut down on possible problems.
It also kept Mother out of the loop. She doubted Cora knew what a television was, let alone how to use it.
Emma and Henry had pointed that out to her at dinner last night. They’d been ridiculous and telling jokes at Mother’s expense. Cora had killed people for less, but neither Emma nor Henry was afraid of her. That, in itself, was both terrifying and wonderful.
They’d spent the better part of an hour laughing about The Queen of Hearts. They'd joked about her watching Lost, Bob's Burgers, and even American Idol.
Emma and Henry had even acted out a ridiculous skit about how Mother would react to Sixteen and Pregnant.
She and Esmeralda had both rolled their eyes, and hidden their smiles.
Regina opened the sleek black leather padfolio she'd brought from her office. It held the meeting agenda, her notes, and a wallet sized photo of Henry from Kindergarten. She'd tucked it in the folder years ago to give herself something to smile about during meetings.
She looked at the picture, and felt Emma's hand squeeze her thigh under the table. It was time.
She looked up.
Andy was standing with his tablet ready.
"Let's begin."
One of the news teams turned on bright lights to get the best shot. Another held up a hand and counted them down to signal when the cameras would go live.
She pasted on her best political face and took a deep breath.
"Good Afternoon, Storybrooke. I am Acting-Mayor Regina Mills-"
She held up her hand to quiet an angry response that didn't come.
"- and this is the first meeting of the Storybrooke Interim Council."
She paused for a moment.
"We have several topics to go over today, but it is best to start at the beginning. I said acting and interim because myself and this council are temporary.”
She’d explained this to the current employees , both hired and elected, already. They'd had a mixed response. Some grumbled that they were going to lose their jobs. Others commented that it would clear the way for promotions. The biggest concern was the only one everyone shared. At best it would be a popularity contest putting incompetent people in office. At worst, they would be fighting a civil war. Again.
“Storybrooke has operated as a representative democracy since its founding.”
Which was a very diplomatic way of saying cursed into being.
“That is not changing. We will have free and open elections as scheduled. I would also like to say that I have always sent our state and national ballots too.”
She held up her hand again.
“-And don’t ask me how that works, because I do not understand it myself. But I assure you, we’ve voted from Reagan to Obama.”
She wanted everyone to remember that they’d been voting for their leaders for years. Presidents, Senators, and more. They had choices and would continue to. Whether they liked it or not.
“So we will continue to participate in Maine and US. Locally we will have every elected position, along with some new ones, on the ballot. We will start in July with primaries and proposition votes and go from there. We are planning for several debates and run-off contingencies.”
She paused to let that set in.
“Yes.”
She answered the obvious question and allowed herself a wry smile.
“The mayor too.”
If there was a crowd present, she assumed they would be cheering. There was no way in hell that people would vote for the Evil Queen.
She had no idea what she would do then. That was a problem for another day. There were countless points to go over and she didn’t have time for a career crisis.
So she went down the long list of topics. She spoke about some of them. Other council members took point on items that fell under their purview.
Emma discussed plans for expanding the Sheriff's Office and jail. Manpreet spoke about the city taking over the upkeep on the training grounds. He pitched his plan to revitalize the community center. He reassured everyone that Storybrooke's usual summer activities would still happen. They would have softball in June, fireworks in July, and summer camp in August.
Whale spoke about the hospital and the updates and necessary changes.
Tobias Waldo, the principal of the Middle School, spoke about several things. The schools had become a secondary battle ground. So Tobias talked about rules, curriculum, training, and a new school board to oversee it all. He also announced an open forum about adult education options.
So it went, on and on. Medieval or modern, bureaucracy was a tedious and necessary evil. Most meetings were to talk about and schedule other meetings. Which would require follow up meetings and so on and so forth unto eternity. At least they had email and telephones now.
The most divisive, and her least favorite, topic was the last one.
"Finally, I understand that some members of our community want to return to the old world. We have reports that the realm is intact."
She took a deep steadying breath.
"But twenty-eight years have left it in ruins. It will take years of hard work to get back to what it was."
She had no idea why anyone would want to go back. It was madness.
"Other people want to be able to leave Storybrooke in a different way. They want to explore this world."
That made more sense, and between the two options, Regina knew which she preferred.
"We should all have the choice. To stay, to go back, to go out. So I am going to work with every magic user in town, even Mr. Gold should he want to assist, to make it possible. I do not know how long it will take, or what steps will have to be taken."
This was an important step in repairing herself. She wasn’t comfortable saying it, but it had to be said.
"I stole everyone's choice when I brought us here, and I will not give up until I restore that freedom.”
She closed her padfolio and folded her hands on top of it. She tried to find her calm, but felt anxiety inching in. Emma squeezed her thigh again and smiled at her. That made her heart flutter and the anxiety fade (if only a little bit).
It was time for a short Q&A and Regina knew it would be brutal.
"We have a brief time for questions now. Please keep in mind that this meeting in its entirety will be posted on the city's website tomorrow. I would like to thank Andy Tremaine and his team atTown Hall. They worked countless hours to get the website expanded and up-to-date.”
She didn’t see Andy, her gaze was fixed above and to the left of the tv camera, but knew he was blushing and scruffing his hair,
“There will be contact information for everyone on this council.”
She assumed that their phones and computers would be blowing up within the hour.
“And information about every point we have discussed today. There will also be printed information at the library and here at city hall tomorrow. Miss French is happy to help people with the computers, internet, and email."
She paused for a moment.
"Or if you have children, ask them. My son knows far too much about computers already."
Regina hated talking to the camera. Hated smiling. Hated forcing unfunny jokes. She felt ridiculous. She was good at her job, but would never like shaking hands and kissing babies. At least today's spectacle was almost over.
Almost being the key word. She still had a one-on-one interview with Namazzi Azikiwe to survive. That was Kathryn's brainchild. It was a way to introduce her true self to the people. Emma thought it was a good idea and encouraged her to do it. So had Granny, Red, Belle and Henry. Esmeralda hadn't said anything, but she had smiled when Regina had finally agreed.
Emma squeezed her thigh again and Regina blinked. It was time. She looked out to Andy and signaled him to start taking questions.
Henry and Esmeralda were at Granny's. Emma was getting ready for another night shift, and Regina would be fine by herself.
Granny and her Nan had become good friends. They shared nostalgic stories of Anita. They also traded embarrassing stories about herself and Ruby. Henry, Emma, and Belle
Henry had friends now too. Something she had never had at his age, or for most of her life. Thank the Spirits that Emma could help him with social situations. Despite being suspended from school, he was happier than he’d ever been.
He and his friends were serving out their “punishment” at Granny’s tonight. She, and the other parents, told them it was a learning experience. Away from little ears she and the other parents were more worried about safety than learning.
She and Esmeralda had cast powerful protection spells around certain buildings. The schools, the churches, the hospital, library, and of course, Granny's. Regina had also used blood magic for an extra layer of protection. No one of her blood could enter a protected zone. So she couldn't attend the gathering at Granny's, but neither could her mother crash it. It was, in Regina's mind, a fair trade.
Fair, but a little disappointing. Henry and Esmeralda were out, Emma had work, and she had a long evening in an empty house ahead of her. She would catch up on laundry and paperwork. Thrilling.
"Hey Baby."
Emma, fresh from a long nap and a short shower, padded down the stairs.
"Did I leave my duty belt down here?"
She was only wearing green boyshorts and one of her white tank tops.
"I thought I switched it off of my fancy pants, but it's not on my khakis."
Regina smiled, she couldn't help herself.
"Your gun is in the safe-"
A steel box in the locked drawer of the bedside table on Emma's side.
She and Emma had designated sides of the bed. Each of the matched bedside tables held little pieces of them. Wildly different, but it brought a personal warmth that the room had always lacked.
"-and your belt is in the top drawer of the accessory drawers in the closet, left side."
She'd cleaned out space for Emma in the closet and loved seeing their clothes hanging side by side.
Emma's grin said everything she struggled to vocalize. She had a place for her things. She wasn’t living out of boxes, bags or her bug. She had a place to stay. She was home.
She turned to head back up the stairs.
"Thanks, Baby!"
Regina sighed.
"Do not call me that!"
Regina was about to follow her upstairs to gather up laundry, but the doorbell rang.
"Who on Earth?"
Few people were brave enough to approach her door. Most of those people were at Granny's.
She raised her hand to magically redress herself. She wasn’t dressed for company or even shouting at a mob. She had long since abandoned her jacket and vest. Her shirt was untucked and her sleeves rolled up above her elbows. She was barefoot. She'd wiped her makeup off hours ago. She couldn’t possibly-
Regina stilled her hand and took a deep breath. She was in her own home and did not have to put on a show.
It had been an almost-automatic act. One drilled into her psyche by years of the expectation of perfection. First her mother, then the King, then herself.
Not anymore. She made a conscious decision to be kind to herself. Regina dropped her hand back to her side and went to the door without even checking her hair in the mirror. She opened the door and her mouth dropped open.
Of all the options she had considered, she had never expected what she saw.
Kathryn, Mikel, Bastian, Mandy, and Rory were at her door.
They all had armfuls of bags.
"Surprise!"
Rory grinned at her.
"A little birdie told us that you were going to miss the party, so we decided to bring some party to you."
Regina felt a blush bloom on her cheeks. She looked over her shoulder. Emma was half-way up the stairs and grinning like a mad woman.
"Did that bird happen to be a swan?"
Bastian didn't answer or wait for an invitation.
"Do you know how hard it is to get a babysitter these days?"
He pushed right past her and headed towards the kitchen. He'd probably brought enough food for an army.
"Both of us being free at the same time is practically-”
Mik flicked his hand in the air in an over-the-top impression of her.
“-magic."
He grinned at his own ridiculous joke.
Kathryn chuckled too.
"Can we come in?"
She opened the cloth tote bag to show several bottles of very good wine.
Regina opened the door wide and stepped aside. Kathryn and Rory both entered and gave her a quick hug.
It looks like she had plans whether she'd wanted them or not.
Mandy, hair short and dark now, bumped his shoulder against hers.
"Eugune is losing money at pool. Cass is teaching a self-defence course at R&R. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a night away from pizza?”
Mandy had always been friendly.
“We're going to get wine-drunk and-"
She held up 3 DVD cases.
"-hate watch Shrek."
Emma stayed just long enough to eat some of the tapas Bastian brought and kiss her.
Regina lingered at the door when Emma left.
"Be careful."
Emma kissed her one more time.
"Behave."
Her heart fluttered in her chest. Happy. She was happy.
"Your Majesty!"
Bastian called in a sing-song voice.
"Stop making out like a teenager and take care of your guests!"
She waved at Emma one last time then closed the door. She rested there, a little overwhelmed with everything. She had friends?
She smiled. For the first time in a very long time, she had friends.
"Coming!"
First they'd emptied all the bottles that Kathryn brought. Then Mikel raided her wine cellar. That was where he’d discovered the large television in the basement. So then the party moved downstairs where they might have gone a little overboard.
They ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves in a way that Regina had never experienced. There were no roles, no rules, no expectations or hidden agendas. There were pretzels and kernels of popcorn all over the floor. The hate-watching had turned to boo-ing and pelting the screen with snacks.
Rory and Mandy were lightweight and giggly drunks. They made quite the pair. It was nice that she was making friends. This happy giggling girl was a nice change from the sad and confused struggle she’d been battling.
Kathryn wielded sarcasm and snark as well as she did a sword. The more wine she drank the more scathing and humorous her remarks became.
Regina had spent hours and days drinking with Mikel and Bastian, but those had rarely been good times. Now she was happy to see them laughing and putting on silly voices to argue with the movies.
The movies were awful, crude, and became funnier the more they drank. She especially enjoyed the part when Snow White ended up in a dungeon. Though she was confused by the cat in boots and a hat.
By the end of the third movie, they were all plastered. She had drank to excess before, but not for many years and never like this.
Cass arrived around eleven. She buckled Mandy into the backseat of her car beside an equally tipsy Euguene. She nodded in Regina’s direction before leaving.
She poured Mik and Bastian into the backseat of Jim's SUV when he came to pick up Kathryn. Jim fought to hide his smile and promised to get them home safely.
"I can fit the little princess-"
He motioned to Rory, who was hanging onto the doorframe for dear life.
"-in here too."
Regina, a little unsteady herself, waved him off.
"Mulan should be here soon. She's escorting Esmeralda and Henry home."
Jim nodded, and as he drove away, he slowed and swerved to make plenty of space for people to walking
"It's Mulan!"
Rory shouted, waved, and almost fell over.
Oh. She should let Rory and Mulan stay in the guest room tonight. It would be cruel to expect them to walk all the way to Belle's apartment. Mulan would have to all but carry Rory.
Henry, feet dragging, ignored everyone else and came right to her.
"Mom!"
He wrapped his arms around her middle and held tight.
"I’m so tired!”
He looked up at her.
“But you did really good on TV tonight."
Now it all made sense. The interview. Between the wine and her friends (still an odd concept) she had forgotten about it. Which, Regina realized fuzzily, had probably been the point.
He held tight, and she hugged him.
"Thank You, Sweetheart."
She looked at the other women around her.
Mulan was speaking softly to Rory, adoring and slightly amused.
Esmeralda smiled at her.
"Did you have a good night with your friends?"
Regina nodded, because she really had.
"I think we'll have guests tonight-"
She turned her head.
"Come inside, Mulan. You and Rory are more than welcome to stay."
She kissed the top of Henry's head.
"And did you have a good time at Granny's?"
She ushered them all inside.
"Eugenia had the children marching like a pint-sized army. They certainly earned their keep."
Nan's face softened. "And every single one of them took the paper money she gave them and handed it to Ashley. For her husband and little Alexandra."
Pride welled up in her chest. Henry was a sweet boy and had chosen good friends. That was something they were learning about together.
"That was very sweet of you, Henry. Speaking of sweet, I think Bastian left some panna cotta in the refrigerator for you."
He deserved a little treat.
She turned to Mulan and Esmeralda.
"Did you get enough to eat at the diner? I have plenty of food.
She indicated the containers spread across the kitchen.
"And even Emma-"
Whose absence made her chest ache.
"-can't eat it all alone."
Rory was wrapped up in Mulan's arms.
"It was all delicious!"
Mulan shook her head and smiled a little.
"No, but we accept your offer for a room. Thank You, Yo-”
Mulan inclined her head.
“-Regina.”
Rory was swaying on her feet.
"Stay?"
Rory snorted.
"They don't even have dental."
The non-sequiter, a quote from one of the Shrek movies, made Rory giggle and Henry grin. Mulan and Esmeralda were both baffled.
Esmeralda showed Mulan and Rory the guest room.
Regina sat with Henry while he ate his dessert. She floated on a wine-induced cloud of happiness. Everything would be perfect if Emma were with them.
She tucked Henry in, kissed his forehead, and promised him pancakes in the morning. She shared a goodnight with Nan, Mulan, and a mostly unconscious Rory.
She should clean, but decided that she could do that tomorrow. She needed to lay down. Regina went to her room, and only wobbled a little. She flicked the light on and gasped in shock.
Emma’s side of the bed was covered in what looked like-
Regina stepped closer.
-Post-It notes.
There were dozens of post it notes. Yellow, red, and blue squares laid out in the approximate shape of a person. Emma.
She came closer and realized that each sticky note had something written on it.
Some were doodles of hearts, stars and moons, hearts, and an odd 3D S. Others were little love notes. Compliments about her eyes, her voice, and the way her scar made her lips look. Some were sexual, but most were unbearably sweet. She had no idea when Emma had done this, but it made her love her all the more.
She laid down on top of the covers beside her paper bedmate. Regina traced her fingers over the notes until she drifted off to sleep.
It was dark, a true and perfect dark. She couldn't move, not a finger, not an inch. It was cold, painfully frigid cold. Every breath burned her lungs. It hurt so much that she couldn’t scream.
No.
It was dark, a true and perfect dark. She couldn't move, not a finger, not an inch. It was cold, painfully frigid cold. Every breath burned her lungs. It hurt so much that she couldn’t scream.
No!
No.
No!
She thrashed and fought against the freeze. She reached for her magic, to call fire to free her. To warm her. To light her way. There was nothing. It wasn't there. She twisted, kicked and threw her elbows until something broke loose. She fell through the endless void.
Down.
Down.
Down.
She looked around, frantic to find something. Anything!
Lightning, painfully bright bolts, cut through the dark. The power of the strike reverberated through the dark and shook her. Thunder rolled seconds later. It was so loud that her bones vibrated with it.
The lightning lingered and she could see herself. Countless images of herself falling. Reflections upon reflections. A thousand hers in a thousand mirrors.
Thunder rumbled, ricocheted, and reverberated.
It became laughter. Hauntingly familiar laughter. The Imp's laughter.
Lightning flashed and showed her visions of herself. Of blood soaked hands. Of burned effigies. Of broken hearts and broken necks.
She kept falling until up and down meant nothing. Until the laughter made her want to scream. Until the quicksilver mirrors bled like crimson stars pulsing against the darkness.
No.
Not mirrors.
Not stars.
Hearts. Stolen hearts. Hearts that she'd ripped out and hoarded. Her victims. Her countless atrocities.
Regina stopped and floated in place. It was dark, it was cold, she couldn’t move, but at least she wasn’t falling any more.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Regina fought against her invisible bonds and turned. turned around and the movement was odd, like the air was jello that she had to fight against.
Cora stood behind her, like she’d stepped out of the darkness. Like she was part of the darkness.
Regina recognized the black cloak she wore and the dark red gown. Regina recognized the way she stared. She recognized the malicious grin on her face.
"So many victories."
Cora reached out and cupped her face. Sharp red nails dug into her chin to hold her in place.
"Like mother-like daughter."
No.
She flinched away from Cora's touch.
"No!"
The darkness melted away and left them floating in the colorless silver void. It and they existed between here and there, a space without a place or time.
Regina knew, somehow, that they were in the mirror realm. How they’d gotten there she didn’t know. Was afraid to know.
"I am not like you!"
Not anymore and never again.
Cora's face twisted into a snarl.
"You are nothing without me, you foolish girl."
Cora's fingers were hard and tight on her jaw.
"You are weak, insolent, and still frightened by true power. You don't know what you want, what you need. Love? Love is weakness.”
The snarl softened into a sickeningly sweet smile.
"I'll show you."
Then Cora lunged forward and pushed her. Regina flew backwards into a swirl of black and shimmering quick silver.
"See?"
Cora's voice sounded again, and her words started a chain reaction.
Regina found ground beneath her feet, as if she’d been standing there the entire time.
The darkness receded and the silver reflections faded away.
"Glorious!”
Cora’s voice rang out, smug and victorious.
A new world formed around her, bright and real. The sky was a sharp cloudless blue. The grass was vivid emerald green.
She was in an ornate garden. It was part of a vast estate. It stretched, she knew, from forest to sea. There was a castle that dominated the skyline. It was bigger, taller, and grander than anything else in Storybrooke.
She was, Regina knew, in Storybrooke. She could feel it in her bones. When she looked up, though, there was only one flag flying from the castle turrets - The Evil Queen’s.
"They all kneel to us.”
Cora stood by a heart shaped topiary shrub. The red blooms on it looked like blood splatter.
It made Regina think of the Disney Alice cartoon. She'd watched with Henry before she'd realized who the villain was supposed to be.
“No riots, no demands, no voting, or compromise. Just power. Our power.”
Regina turned away from her mother and her poison words. She would prefer the ridiculous cartoon trying to kill her. She turned away from the woman who had hurt her in every way possible. Yet, somehow, what she saw behind her was worse. An ornate mirror, the mirror she’d pushed her mother through so many years ago.
Regina stared at her reflection and her stomach twisted and soured.
The Evil Queen stared back, smirking and triumphant.
Regina felt heavy. She wore stiff leather, heavy gilded armor, elaborate brocade, and jewels. Even her hair was heavy, long, and pulled tight.
Regina felt ice cold. The memories of her atrocities, her madness, her loss and the sadistic joy she’d taken in causing sorrow.
Regina was disgusted.
Regina was furious.
Regina was terrified.
She was exactly what Cora wanted her to be. She was a queen, The Evil Queen.
"This isn't me."
She was desperate.
“I am returning to the balanced path! Redeeming myself!”
She was trying so hard!
"This isn't what I want!"
No.
No.
No!
She ran and the soles of her ornate boots sparked against the cobblestone path. She smashed through the mirror. Glass shredded her skin and caught in her clothes and hair. She didn’t feel pain, only the crushing weight of a crown she’d never wanted and a past she couldn’t escape.
She heard more laughter. High pitched and manic giggles. Hedges reached out to her, grabbing and twisting, trying to catch her.
She recognized the path that she ran down. It was her mother’s maze from Wonderland.
Regina kept running, she had to escape. Escape her mother. Escape the Evil Queen. She had to find Henry and Emma. She had to-
She came to the center of the maze. It was her own backyard or what had been her yard. It was vast now, a garden and orchard larger than the local soccer fields.
This had been her sanctuary, a place of peace and joy. It had been corrupted. Even the sunshine felt cold and wrong. She couldn't feel any magic or smell any flowers. There was only death.
It was not a garden, it was a graveyard. A grisly monument to her savage, bloodsoaked crusade for vengeance.
Bodies, familiar bodies, her friends. They were scattered around the garden like morbid ornaments.
Kathryn was hanging, tangled up in ivy, thick green cords. There were several vines wrapped around her crooked and twisted neck.
Belle and Ruby were wrapped in each other, tangled bloody limbs akimbo. Ruby's wolf head had burst through Belle's abdomen, destroying them both.
Mulan and Rory were reaching for each other, but their fingers couldn't touch. The leaves, blooms and dark berries of Bella Donna grew through and between them. They were connected in death by poison.
The roses had grown wild, weaving and cutting through David and Snow's bodies. A red rose bloomed through Snow's left eye-socket. Small rosebuds were eating through David's arms and legs.
The grand fountain was the centerpiece of the horror show. Heads floated in a frothing pool of blood. Their familiar faces were twisted in pain and terror. She knew them all too well. Jack, Jill, Merida, Esmeralda, Bastian, Mikel, bobbed and floated in blood. Even the children had not been spared. Tiny faces, the faces of Henry’s friends, stared up with unseeing eyes.
Beyond the fountain was one more sickening scene. She didn’t want to see it. Her feet moved forward without her command, without her consent.
Her tree, the same honeycrisp tree that she’d tended to for her entire life, stood waiting. Her apple tree and her lover. Emma, sweet brave amazing Emma.
She had been crucified in the most painful way imaginable. Limbs had grown into her, piercing through flesh, shattering bone. Her chest ripped open, split wide by the same branch she'd once sawed away. A single apple grew where her heart should be.
"Your revenge! At last! Aren’t you happy, Dearie?"
Rumplestiltskin stood there, Emma's toes only inches above his head. He stood in all his impish glory. His wide smile was twisted and malevolent.
He was not alone. His hands rested heavily on Henry's narrow shoulders. His sharp talon nails dug into Henry’s flesh, drawing blood.
“Henry!”
She couldn’t take a step, couldn’t run, couldn’t take him into her arms. She fell to her knees, reaching until her shoulder burned. She couldn’t save her son!
"Foolish girl."
He furiously parroted her mother's precious words.
"He's mine. He's always been mine. Never yours.”
Henry wore all black, rich silks and linens. A small diamond circlet set on his brow. He looked like a prince, but not her little prince. There was something wrong with him.
Gold patches of reptilian skin crawled up his neck to his face. His eyes were black pits, devoid of the cleverness and kindness that should be there.
"Henry!"
She still reached, desperate to reach him.
This was a fate worse than death, The Imp had her son. He’d turned her baby boy into his puppet.
"Long Live-"
His voice was wrong - warped and ragged - not Henry.
He held a horrible crown in his hands. It was made of daggers-wavy and etched with elaborate black designs.
"-The Evil Queen."
He placed it on her head. The iron daggers bit into her skin. The crown tightened around her head like a vice, burying itself into flesh and bone. Blood spilled down her face and marked her as irredeemable, as a queen of death and destruction. Henry was her prince, her heir, a little boy she’d abused and corrupted. She’d ruined him, just like Cora had ruined her.
She hadn’t cast the curse. She was the curse.
Regina screamed.
Regina screamed, thrashed, and sat up in bed, still screaming. Her throat burned from the strain. She was crying, and had started to hyperventilate.
She kicked her duvet away. She felt feverish and was coated in a slick sheen of sweat.
Regina touched her face, terrified of what she’d find.
She found nothing. There was no crown, no blood, no horror.
She was still herself. Her hair was short. Her pajamas were simple and silk. She was in her bedroom in Storybrooke. It was calm, quiet, and blessedly normal.
Then the door burst open.
"Nightingale!"
Nan flew into the room, dressed only in a long white nightgown. She had a ball of energy in her palm, crackling and ready to throw.
"Mom!"
Henry quickly followed, he had his Little League bat gripped in his fists.
They both immediately relaxed when they saw that she was alone.
"I'm sorry. I-"
Mulan joined the crowd at her door. She couldn't see her sword, but Regina knew the woman had it.
"It was just-"
She realized that her hands were shaking and hid them by her sides. put them down by her sides.
"-A nightmare. I'm sorry."
She needed to permanently sound-proof her room.
Mulan inclined her head.
"I will go check the doors and windows, just in case."
Henry rushed in, bat forgotten on the floor.
He clambered onto the bed, not caring about the disheveled duvet or scattered post-its. He threw his arms around her. He was real. She could feel his warmth, feel his messy hair under her chin, hear his words. She was not that dark and disturbed boy from her dream, he was her little prince. He was safe in her arms.
"It's okay, Mom. Whatever it was-it wasn't real."
He let her go.
"I can stay here if you need me too. Sleepovers just like when I was-"
He looked around.
"Why are there so many sticky notes?"
Esmeralda extinguished her magic.
"Are you well, Little One?"
Regina nodded shakily.
"Would you like me to-"
Her lips quirked.
"-sleepover too?"
She missed Emma, but having her son and her Nan right with her sounded amazing.
"If that's okay with-"
Henry was already stacking up the notes and putting them on Emma's bedside table.
"Duh."
It had been a dream, a nightmare. A combination of wine and worry. It wasn't real. The most important people in her world, minus one, were right here.
She was safe.
She was sane.
She was home.
She was not alone.