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Chapter Text

Shattered

By

Lady Razeli

Chapter One

                Regina rushed around preparing a lovely dinner for two of lasagna and garlic bread. Henry had requested that she make it and said he would be around at their usual dinner time. Regina had been so ecstatic, she hadn’t seen her son in weeks despite fighting for him in Neverland, despite breaking her own curse and returning them to the Enchanted Forest.  It was like she could do absolutely nothing right. Henry had seen her breaking the curse and leaving him and Emma stranded in this world as nothing but abandonment when he had gotten his memories back, but what was she supposed to expect now from an eight-year-old boy. Emma had really fucked that one up for her, while twelve-year-old Henry hadn’t yet said much after Emma had been sucked into her half-sister’s Zelena time spell.  She had taken precautions to make sure she got to Henry sooner, and even stopped Neal from dying. Instead of sacrificing himself, he’d sacrificed some poor unsuspecting soul instead. Thankfully Zelena was determined so despite Emma’s meddling the time spell still happened and Gold had still killed her as even though Emma had saved Neal, she had still caused his death previously.

                “Okay everything is just perfect for my prince,” Regina muttered. She thought about all the changes how her six-year-old had ended up hiding in the luggage trunk on a bus to Boston. She had vomited at that news, what if he had frozen to death.  Thankfully he had gone out well bundled like she had taught him and taken water and snacks. This time Regina had followed Henry to Boston furious as a six-year-old wasn’t as good at disappearing without a trace. Emma had of course followed them back to storybook after one look in that kid’s pretty green eyes.  It had broken her heart endlessly to have so much of their progress gone. Naturally it had caused so much trouble, she’d had to call the Boston Police Department after Henry made the national news. She had assured them of his current safety and even had Dr. Hopper send a report saying he was more disturbed than he was, so it would not prompt outsiders to try to get to storybrooke. She had enough trouble with Emma at the time. It had all been a nightmare.

                Soon it was dinner time, Regina was expecting Emma to drop Henry off right on time, but she had reasoned it was Emma Swan they were talking about, so she would be late not including any extra time Henry and Emma would both need to argue with the Charmings about Henry spending time with her.  She hadn’t been allowed unsupervised visits with her son, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t hope. In any case she’d set a place for Emma in the kitchen, just so she could pretend just for one evening that everything was okay.  At half past six, she called Henry’s cell. He didn’t pick up.  She called Emma and she didn’t pick up either.  So, she waited, and she wait until the lasagna got cold. She tried again to call Henry and even sent a text. He eventually responded to the text after twenty minutes.

                Oh, sorry I forgot about dinner, Emma and I got side tracked at the arcade and then dinner at grannies with grandma and grandpa.

                Regina let out a long breath as she texted her son that it was okay she’d drop off some lasagna in his locker at school for lunch. She knew how much he preferred her homemade lunches. It was all he would let her do for him. So, she made food and put it in tuberware for him in the refrigerator or dropped in his locker.  She usually found it empty and the container in the dishwasher. Otherwise there was no contact. With a sigh she picked up the lasagna and went to the kitchen she separated it into containers making sure to put it in a clearly marked container for Henry. She would warm it and take it just before lunch when he was in class.  She dumped the garlic bread, Henry only ate it fresh anyway. She cleared the table putting everything back in its place before she methodically cleaned the kitchen until it was spotless and the rest of her house too. She didn’t want it dirty if Henry ever came home. He had to come home one day, right? 

                Once her home was spotless she made her way upstairs, out of habit she started to go into Henry’s room to wish him a good night and tuck him in. It didn’t matter how long he hadn’t been there her legs moved on autopilot and she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Still she opened the door and looked into the dark room, she flicked on the light and moved to the bed. Empty as usual and properly made, and as usual she slightly rearranged his pillows, so it looked as if a little lump was curled up under his blankets. She backed away and turned out the lights and for a moment she imagined him all tucked in and passed out slaying monsters in his sleep.  A tear rolled down her cheek as she quickly closed the door and retreated to her room keeping her eyes on the carpet. There was so much emotion swirling inside of her she didn’t know what to do with it. She shut her room door and undressed down to her bra and panties. It didn’t take her long to simply head straight for her bathroom. She pulled open a drawer and ran her hand along the underside where her hand connected with a razor.  She pulled it out and stared at the small silver blade for what felt like an eternity before she looked up at herself on her arms were traces of cuts from weeks ago down to the ones she had made two days ago. Two days she had managed not to self-harm.

                Two days was a lot for her these days. In the original time line, she hadn’t self-harmed for most of the twenty-eight years under the curse, most of Henry’s life until he had started to call her the Evil Queen.  The days had been repetitive then, but she had been at peace, there was no bad stuff just emptiness and lack of change. But if she wanted change she could simply cross the town line without problems.  However, to fill the void that something was missing that required her baby boy, her little prince. He was gone now too though. Emma had taken away her last two peaceful years with her prince, she had taken away the last days spent cuddling, everything had been pushed up to five years old where he began to push her away and think she was evil and a horrible mother. Emma would never really know what she had done to her, she thought she had just given them both extra time with Henry. But she had stolen so much more. If Regina hadn’t realized what was happening when Zelena’s spell had shot into the air and secured the memories of those that mattered mainly herself, Kathryn, Ruby, and Granny. She had soft spot for those three women even if they didn’t know it sometimes. Lastly the Charmings, but it had done nothing to really change their opinion of her in general.  Gold had also secured himself and Belle.  And Regina had just remembered Dr. Hopper at the last minute, as she felt things changing she knew she would need him eventually.

                 Regina took a step back until she was up against her bathroom wall. She slid down to the floor as she now began to trace the healing cuts she had formed into a feather pattern. She had been slowly completing the pattern over the last few weeks. Organizing her madness as she liked to think of it. She sighed a little missing the days when the need hadn’t been there, but with Henry pushing her away so much, she just couldn’t help it. Besides it was better than burning the town to the ground in her grief, right?  The pain was just simply too much now just as it had been when she was a child and again when she was forced to be married to the King. She shuddered at the thought of the King as she made her first new cut of the night.  There was no difference between back then and now not anymore. For a little while in between when Emma had first shown up and there had been no magic, she had worried about scarring though she didn’t care, the lasting physical pain for a day or two after seemed to give her more from the experience. Every time the fabric ran over it and elicited a slight wince from her she felt a release of the constant pain she was feeling. She had been very careful though slowly cutting herself, she didn’t want to scar herself too much, but now thanks to Gold bringing magic back she could cut to her heart’s content, burn herself even.

                At that thought her index finger began to glow red so she burned the flesh of her cuts. She barely reacted except to let out a long breath.  She added a few more burns to her thighs before she moved to add that day’s fresh cuts to mark that day’s pain. Why didn’t her son love her anymore? She had done her best in all this time to show she had changed. That year without him had been the worst of her life she thought, but this, this now was worse than ever.  She was desperate to do anything for him, and he hurt her. He had forgotten all about her multiple times, he had convinced her magic was so bad that it made her bad.  It had hurt her so much to hear him say that, and so she had stopped using it, and still he hated her. And now he was saying all sorts of things to gas her up get her to think she could be as heroic as those stupid Charmings. Now that they needed her power magic was okay it wasn’t bad.

 What more did she have to do aside from the ten years of loving him she’d put into raising him to prove she loved him? Or she guessed now six years technically until Emma took him from her.  Regina was strict but no more than any mother in this realm and certainly a lot less than her own mother.  She thought of Cora, she’d come back through the portal after Emma and Mary Margaret only a year ago. If she hadn’t been cutting before, she was cutting, then. As if that weren’t hard enough, Mary Margaret had convinced her to put her mother’s heart back into her chest to finally get the love from the woman she had been craving in every cut she had inflicted upon her body as a child. And just like that she was gone, and just like that she was burying her mother alone, just like that Rumple was alive, and just like that instead of Henry maybe coming home with her, comforting her, he was off comforting Snow fucking White who was feeling bad. She had cut every inch of her body she could reach that time by the time anyone had thought to check on her.

                Regina just barely pulled the razor away from her skin just before she got to her wrists. There were several diagonal lines from her joint to her wrist. Blood dripped down onto her bathroom floor. She followed the drops of blood onto the floor and was lost in memories of the things that hurt her for a while.  For a moment she contemplated slicing her wrist it would pool more of that beautiful red liquid on her white floor, the contrast was startling, and it was beautiful to her. She had always been a little mesmerized by the blood.

                She didn’t know how long she stayed like that staring at her blood and making cuts on her thighs or arms. But it wasn’t until she heard her alarm going off that it ended her own fascination with her blood. Almost as if a switch flipped, she turned and got into the shower like she did every morning. Last night’s shame didn’t happen, her mother would have erased all the evidence from her body, but Regina took pleasure in the pain it gave her against the shame and guilt she often felt afterwards.  The hot water left her wounds stinging but she felt so alive, the feeling of release was always so short lived before the shame of what she had done to herself set in. But by not healing her wounds right away as her mother had well that alone made her feel deviant against her mother and of course gave her little moments of life. She brought a hand up though and ran her finger over the one scar on her body she had been allowed to keep, forced to keep even. She had eaten too much while her mother was away once and had received a beating for it. Her lip had swelled from the injury. She still remembered her mother’s words.

                  “Oh, my sweet dear girl, perhaps if you are pained every time you open your mouth you won’t be compelled to put so much food into it. Mother knows it hurts, but you have to learn, you will be Queen one day dear and you cannot be fat.”

                 ‘Queen,’ Regina scoffed in her head as she got out of the shower. ‘Some Queen I am.’  Once out of the shower she took a moment to stare at her scar and thought about finally using her magic to erase it, but she’d had it so long now since she was about ten, that it was as much a part of her appearance as her brown eyes. She simply could not imagine her face without it. She brushed her teeth and cleaned her face before she dried herself off. She left the bathroom briefly to put on a matching burgundy lace bra and panties set before she cleaned up the blood in her bathroom. She methodically cleaned her razor and hiding it. If Henry ever came home, she didn’t want him snooping. He had a bad habit of snooping around her things convinced she was always up to some evil plan, he had relented a bit after the year apart, but this was just one thing he could never find.

                She sighed as she pulled her hair back and began to apply the days second face. She remembered the days when she put make up on because she found it fun to heighten her features. Now it just served as a mask to cover her pain just as it had when she was Queen. Her face had been the only part of her body she loved and now she had a hard time seeing even that. She only looked to make sure that the dark circles were no longer visible and that everything looked as if she hadn’t a care in the world. 

                She finished her makeup before moving on to straighten her hair which she had recently grown out to her shoulders.  As usual she didn’t glance at her body. The stress of Henry in the curse breaking had caused her to drop weight quickly for which she was grateful she had gained weight during the curse, but with every day being the same really, she never gained nor loss. So, she had found herself incredibly fat, and she had learned to deal with it.  It didn’t stop her from weighing herself a few times though.

                “One benefit I guess,” Regina muttered after one last look at the scale before she stalked out of the bathroom and began to pull the bedcovers taunt over her bed out of years of habit. She hadn’t slept last night at all. Once her room looked perfect as if nothing was wrong, she picked out her outfit for the day a tight-fitting black dress that forced her thighs to connect and cause her discomfort only because of her cuts. Even better when she decided stockings were a must with her outfit, they did nothing to stop the pain. It also had long sleeves and although the days were warmer, no one cared about her enough to question it anyway. She found her jewelry before walking downstairs, her coffee was on a timer, so it was ready and waiting for her when she arrived. She drank it black knowing it contained less calories and it was a diuretic. Her stomach growled but soon quieted down by the amount of coffee and water she drank to start the morning.

                “All right Regina another day facing the ungrateful masses, you think they would be grateful for the medical advances, electricity, and cleanliness,” Regina grumbled as she gathered her purse. Regina took a deep breath put on signature resting bitch face and walked to her car as she did every morning she worked. Once in her car she sent a glare at the perfect building meant to give Henry a wonderful childhood, so many memories and they were all for nothing as he would rather be cramped up in that tiny waste of a loft apartment with Snow White and Prince Charming with their imbecile daughter. She didn’t know what was best for Henry, his favorite meals, what to do if he had a nightmare, none of those things! Anger welled up inside of her and Regina took a moment press down hard on her thighs, those wounds had crusted over mostly so she didn’t worry about blood on her dress, with her arm however she did a bit. Even so the pain was just what she needed until her anger had gone down to an acceptable level.

                “Maybe I should trade him in, he traded me for a new mom, maybe I should just get a new kid,” Regina grumbled as she backed out of her driveway slowly. She kept an eye out for any neighborhood children, but they shouldn’t be passing by for school for another few minutes or so. She drove straight to work, she wasn’t surprised to see the uncharming clan heading to breakfast and Henry absent his school uniform. The other kids were already lining up to get on the bus and they hadn’t even glanced in that direction. You would think living with his real mom and his teacher that he’d make it to school. Not to mention Mary Margaret should have already been there.

                “Surprise not taking him to school again, Swan,” Regina grumbled. God only knew that the only reason he had attended school in New York was because of her influence. She drove to the town hall and parked in her usual spot before she got out of the car and went inside. She passed by her secretary, Clara, with a short nod of hello. It was her silent cue to the woman that she was in no mood for mistakes or unwanted interruptions at work. She loved her secretary as the woman had been efficient even in the enchanted forest. They weren’t friends, but they understood each other and when the curse had broken, and the poor woman had gotten sick for the first time in nearly three decades, Regina had made her soup to last her a few days, brought over tissues and whatever other necessities she could think of. The secretary had been extremely grateful and returned all items with a tubaware full of oatmeal raisin cookies, a favorite of hers as a child that her father had made for her. How could her mother say no to cookies made from oats and raisins?

                “Madam Mayor it’s lunch time, shall I head to Granny’s and bring you back something?”  Her secretary asked. Regina noted that only Clara seemed to note if she skipped lunch and so had made it a point to ask if she should pick something up.

                “Um…no Clara, I actually need to go drop off lunch for Henry, so I’ll grab something at the diner myself. Thank you, though you can already head out for lunch.”

                “Thank you, Madam Mayor,” Clara said, but she noted that Clara didn’t head out until she headed out. In the beginning Regina would tell her to already go and skip lunch all together. So just to be sure Clara always bought food back or made sure Regina at least left the office. Regina walked to Granny’s first out of habit, it was Wednesdays, Regina had always surprised him with a chocolate milkshake for lunch, she didn’t care how much it hurt she could never stop herself from doing the little things anything to remind her prince that his Queen still loved him more than anything else in the world.

                “Hey Regina, Hump day milkshake?” Ruby asked when she had walked in. Regina nodded. 

                “Yes, and can you warm this up for me?” Regina asked passing her the lasagna.

                “Sure, no problem,” Ruby told her. “Can I get you a coffee or anything?”

                “Yeah um… a small salad would be good,” Regina told her. “And bottle of water.”  Ruby saluted her and went to take care of her order. She was perched on a stool checking her work emails when she felt a presence next to her. She frowned wondering what citizen had a problem now.

                 “Can I help you with something?” Regina asked without looking up. No one was stupid enough to threaten her here, but they were stupid enough to approach and she just wasn’t in the mood. “But make it quick I am on my lunch break and it would be proper for you to observe the town hall hours in this instance.”

                “Is that the way you talk to your King, my Queen?” Regina visibly paled as she stopped her movements on her phone screen just as Ruby came back over with everything packed away except the milkshake cup, which was a plastic iron man cup that Regina left at the diner on purpose.

                “Can I get you something else sir?” Ruby asked as Regina just shakily pulled a twenty out of her wallet and gave it to Ruby.

                “Keep the change Ruby,” Regina told her. She refused to look at him because if she did, she might not be able to keep her composure at all. She grabbed her stuff and quickly left before he could do or say anything else to her as he tried to get Ruby to go away. She made her way back to the town hall only to get to her car. She sat in it a few minutes breathing hard.

                “No, you’re having hallucinations, you’re tired Regina, you are going to take an early day and actually sleep,” Regina told herself. She just managed to start her car and make it to Storybrooke elementary. She gathered the things for Henry, she just had a few minutes before lunch started, that meant she could at least stay hidden around the corner and watch his little face light up at the sight of the milkshake and know for once she was the cause of that beautiful smile again. She was just about to shut his locker when a little body ran into her full force.

                “Mom,” Henry moaned into her legs. She winced at the pain from her cuts, but it was nothing compared to the pure joy she felt at the feeling of her son hugging her. Nothing could top that feeling not even her fear that she had been next to Leopold of all people again. He was dead, but her prince, he was right here, and in her arms when she went down to hug him back because damn it nothing was going to keep her from that feeling of her boy in her arms once more.

                “Hey Regina.”  And just like that Emma’s voice cut through her bliss.

                “What are you doing here Ms. Swan, checking I didn’t poison his lasagna?” Regina complained.

                “No, he got sick I came to pick him up,” Emma said. “Anyway, we were going to head to your office anyway, he wanted to pick up a few things from his room for when he’s sick.” Regina’s mothering instinct kicked in then as she felt his forehead.

                “My Prince you have a fever, is it your stomach again?” Henry nodded. When he had been eight before he had been prone to getting stomach bugs often. Regina had never known why, just that it had been a year of stomach bugs although she had suspected some faked in order to be home with mom, and God had she taken those days for granted when he would fake sick just to be with her.

                “He’s had this before?” Emma asked showing just how woefully unknowledgeable she truly was.

                “Yes, which is why he’ll be coming home with me, I know how best to take care of him. This is what I do best Ms. Swan and I won’t argue with you.” Emma shrugged. The kid had already thrown up three times since she’d been there, and she had arrived only ten minutes before Regina must have.  She was at a loss and had been wondering if she should just take him straight to the hospital. And she didn’t fancy sharing a bed with someone who threw up without warning. She felt extremely sorry for the janitor here.  Emma realized Regina was still talking to her. “…I don’t care that your parents are dictating when I can see my son and alone or not. He comes home with me, stay if you like, but he’s not going to recover from this in a bed he shares with you.” Emma looked embarrassed she was thirty and sharing a bed with her son in her parents’ loft. Not how she saw her life going. She had always wanted to give Henry the best, and she wasn’t doing that by sharing a bed in a loft that held no privacy. She’d already had to scold her own parents for being too loud, not just because it freaked her out but because Henry had woken up scared. She hadn’t been able to sooth him and he had cried himself to sleep wishing for Regina.

                “You’re absolutely right,” Emma told her suddenly excited as a lightbulb seemed to click on in her head. Honestly a breather at Regina’s was just what the doctor ordered.  She imagined the guest bed would be a god send from her second-hand mattress back at the loft. Plus, there was a large flat screen at Regina’s that she couldn’t wait to play on. Mary Margaret and David didn’t have a tv, and it bugged her. Besides Regina’s tv she had totally tricked her into upgrading by saying that she bet Henry would love that not to mention the latest game system and Netflix. Before Regina had changed her locks recently, she had snuck in more than once to enjoy the entertainment. The thought of spending more time sitting around staring at her parents and now her grandfather was just too much for Emma. Besides maybe now she could find time to break the news to Regina. Her grandfather hadn’t entered the diner with her, Marion, and Hook that night and with good reason. He would have been immediately surrounded by the people and then of course Mary Margaret had been just as dramatic as Emma had suspected.

                “Ms. Swan I asked you a question,” Regina snapped just as the bell rang. Emma shook her head.

                “What sorry?” Emma asked.

                “I asked you to grab Henry’s things from his locker, you can take his lasagna and milkshake for your lunch there’s no way he can eat it now.” Henry moaned.

                “You got me the milkshake.” He pouted but he looked a little green in Emma’s opinion no way he was getting it.

                “Sorry kid, when you feel better, I’ll get you another.” Regina made sure Henry had anything he needed from his locker before they left pushing through the droves of kids now exiting classrooms for lunch. Once outside Henry climbed directly into the Mercedes.

                “I’ll go pack and meet you at your house then,” Emma told Regina. Regina nodded.

                “I’ll be fine a few hours with my son, you can finish your shift, dinner is at six.”

                “Wait,” Emma said making Regina pause in going around her car to the driver’s side. Regina looked at her expectantly. “Henry always goes on about how amazing you cook, and I was wondering if you’re making dinner for us anyway, could be Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs?” Regina looked at Emma for a long moment her face impassive, but Emma never got an answer as Henry failed to open the door fast enough and threw up on the car door. Thankfully the worst of it ended up on the ground. They both made a face as Regina grabbed her bottle of water, part of it went on her door to clean the rest she used to let Henry wash his mouth before taking a few sips. She stroked his head seemingly undisturbed by the amount of vomit that came from this kid. Soon they were driving off and heading to the mansion.

                “Damn it she didn’t say yes.” Emma sighed and looked down at the items in her hand. No way she was letting this lasagne go to waste, she had wanted a piece of it once when Regina had brought it to the party, but she had been denied. Henry had laughingly told her she really should have been faster about it as Regina had served it once under the curse and not many people had forgotten her skill. Now she walked to the bug and got in, she drove back to the station. Her parents didn’t need to know anything before her shift was over, it wasn’t like she was the one with the problem with Henry spending time with Regina. It was just less of a hassle not to return without Henry for a few hours. Regina usually ignored her and if she were honest, she’d totally napped on the couch a few times or quietly watched television.

                “Emma I thought you were gone for the day with Henry?” Mary Margaret asked. Emma sighed she should have known Mary Margaret would be here with lunch for her precious charming, she had been on a I’m the most perfect wife kick since her father had been back.  Emma sighed she wouldn’t get any peace today it seemed.

                Meanwhile Regina had arrived home with Henry and taken him straight up to bed, getting him changed and in his pyjamas in record timing.

                “You rest darling, I’m going to get you a few things and put on soup for dinner if you feel up to eating.” He nodded. He leaned against her as she pulled back the covers and discreetly moved his pillow back into its proper place. She got him tucked into bed with a kiss as he closed his eyes. Regina left out as she gathered a cool cloth for his head, medication for his fever, medication for his stomach, and of course a decent sized waste basket that they had both agreed over the years was the best for endless vomit.  She woke him long enough to take his medication and put the cool cloth on his head. She prepared homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch. Then she headed upstairs and began to prepare the guest room for Emma. She was sure she hadn’t dusted it in twenty-four hours so there would be a nice layer on the furniture.

                “Mom?” Henry called out just before she heard vomiting. She rushed out and saw Henry vomiting on his bed. She smacked herself when she realized she had put the trash out of his reach. She brought it over and he finished into it.

                “I’m sorry mom,” He cried.

                “Shs, shs my little prince you have nothing to be sorry for, you’re sick,” Regina soothed. She got him out of bed and removed his soiled pjs.

                “I only had these here love, but I still have one of your big shirts,” Regina told him. He nodded as he lifted his arms and she put the large band t-shirt over his head. Emma would get a kick out of the fact that it was from the Killers, surely Regina’s uptight self would never let her child wear this shirt.

                “Come on you can rest in my bed while I get yours all cleaned up, darling,” She told him. She carried him to her bedroom and pulled her blankets back. Soon he was settling down under the covers on the left side it had always been his side. She kissed his forehead before she dumped the waste basket and set it in his reach this time.

                “Mom?” Henry asked.

                “Yes honey?” Regina asked as she put a new cloth on his forehead.

                “Can you read to me?” Henry asked. Regina smiled at him.

                “Yes, my prince, just let me finish preparing the guest room, clean up your room, and check on your soup.” Henry nodded as he sank down into her bed more with a content smile.

                “I know my bed is the same but smaller, but I swear yours is better mom,” Henry muttered. “So soft.” Regina chuckled.

                “I know what you mean,” Regina told him kissing his forehead.  She left the door open and went back to his room where she stripped his bed down. She finished the guest room taking the old blankets and sheets down the stairs along with Henry’s things. She put his laundry on first, checked on the soup before she took up fresh blue sheets and his batman blanket and pillow case to put on the bed. Then she scrubbed the floor of vomit before she washed her hands changed into a pair of leggings and a long sleeve band t-shirt. She wasn’t done taking pains from her wounds but Henry could not find out about her cuts. He could never know how truly fucked up she was.

                . She brought one of Henry’s comic books to read to him, but he insisted on one of her classics which she had preferred before.

                “Which Classic then?” Regina asked him.

                “The Prince and the pauper,” Henry told her. She nodded and the brown book with gold leaf designs around the edges appeared in a puff of purple smoke. He moved so his head was in her lap and they read the story together.  Soon he was asleep as she stroked his back and head lovingly. She had so missed this and was so happy inside that after everything Henry still needed his mom, needed her and Emma couldn’t ever take this away from her. She kept reading until she was forced to get up and check on the soup.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

“What’s wrong with you?” Regina asked Emma looking confused when she walked into the den, Regina had let her in with magic when she had called her on the phone to ask if it was her at the door. Henry had been feeling well enough after his sleep for them to cuddle up on the couch and play space paranoids together. Regina was winning to her chagrin for a while, but then as usual she made sure that Henry took the lead, this was after all supposed to be an enjoyable activity for him.

Emma huffed and sat down in the arm chair and propped her booted feet up on Regina’s coffee table. Henry and Regina both tensed up at the move, but Emma didn’t seem to notice. Regina noticed that a familiar dust came off them. 

“My parents don’t think it’s such a clever idea for me or Henry to be over here.” Henry paused the game as Regina stopped playing. They both looked at Emma.

“Why not, I haven’t really seen mom in a year, and I like it better when she takes care of me,” Henry admitted. Emma tried not to look hurt, but it was evident on her face.

“I know kid, but…” Emma sighed and took a deep breath before she turned to look at Regina. “I should tell you this before it takes you by surprise.”

“You’re taking Henry,” Regina said darkly as she discreetly gripped the controller from the game console.

“No, the reason why my parents are a little more up in arms lately and I’m sure you noticed.” Regina just shrugged. “Marion wasn’t the only one I brought back to the future.” Regina’s entire body stiffened.

“So, I wasn’t hallucinating at the diner,” Regina said in such a low voice. “That was him, that was Leopold.” Regina started to pick at a point on her sleeve without noticing.

“Yes, I didn’t mean to bring him back even less than Marion, I know with Marion you never got the chance to even see if Robin…” Emma started.

“Can’t miss what never was Ms. Swan, so my guards lied to me he didn’t die in the inn fire like we thought.” Emma shook her head.

“No, my magic came back and saved us all,” Emma told her. “He was supposed to stay, Rumple was supposed to erase his memory and take him back to the castle, you should have been able to find another way to kill him and right the timeline.” Regina let out a long breath.

“But you’re not going to hurt him now are you mom?” Henry asked worried. “You said you were trying to change, and you’ve been so good lately.” Regina seemed to come out of her thoughts as she gave her little prince a smile.

“No, of course not honey, I don’t want to kill him.” She patted his head. “I should start on dinner, you said something about chicken meatballs and pasta.” Regina stood up and handed the controller to Emma before she pushed her feet off her table. She bent over and met Emma’s gaze with a stern look that always made Henry behave.

“We don’t put our feet on the table in this house Ms. Swan, we take our shoes off at the door, so I swear if I detect this dust that you seem to track into my foyer, my kitchen, and onto my coffee table every time you’ve apparently snuck into my house, I will make you scrub this house from top to bottom with a tooth brush to make up for all the times I went crazy looking for the source of this dust. And I can only assume you’re the reason my tree has a big gaping hole and why I had unripened apples in my basket. I thank you not to touch my tree again, you’ve done more than enough damage to it.” Emma blushed super red and, she was very scared of Regina. It had taken nothing for Regina to reduce her to feeling like an eight-year-old misbehaving.

“I….” Emma started.

“No, Ms. Swan that is not the correct response, Henry please inform Ms.  Swan of what she is supposed to say now.”

“Emma, you’re supposed to say yes ma’am,” Henry told her quickly.

“Yes ma’am,” Emma replied.

“Yes, ma’am what?” Regina asked. 

“Yes ma’am, I will not touch your tree again without your supervision, and I will take my shoes off at the door.”

“Good job Ms. Swan.” Regina stood up straight and walked out as Emma quickly took her shoes off and put them by the door. She wasn’t surprised when there was cleaner waiting for her as she wiped down the table.

“Why is she so scary kid?” Emma asked him.

“Mom doesn’t like a dirty house without reason,” Henry told her. “We never put our feet on the table as you can see it leaves dirt.” Emma nodded. “Why were you in mom’s house?”

 “Netflix and playstation kid,” Emma told her.

                Regina stood outside as she took a swig from her non-alcoholic cider. By putting it in her free crystal decanter she was going to trick herself into thinking it was the alcoholic stuff. And honestly if she were home alone, she would have indulged herself this early finding out this news. He was back in her life and she was possibly trapped here in storybrooke. Did her mother’s border spell return in full effect? She had no idea but moving would be the best solution here if it were possible. She didn’t want to share the same state as him. And if he came here, she didn’t know how she would handle that, there was no way she could pretend that everything was okay that he hadn’t been just another nightmare after her mother.  She finished the bottle, God she was really going to need to cut tonight, or maybe after dinner was on, she could already cut. She went inside and just tried to pretend like everything wasn’t all wrong. She was making dinner for her son and wife who had zero relations to her abuser. In fact, she didn’t have an abuser, she was just Regina a happy house wife. She conjured up all the ingredients she needed and soon the smells of Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs filled the house along with chicken noodle soup.  She set the table perfectly as she cleaned around her cooking food, Emma was a little shocked seeing as Mary Margaret always left the kitchen an absolute mess.

                “Oh, kid that soup looks great, Regina can I have some of that too?” Emma asked already laying on the puppy dog eyes.

                “Help yourself Ms. Swan,” Regina told her.  Emma quickly went and filled two bowls. Regina looked surprised that she had even brought her back food. No one had ever given her more food before, rather took it away. She already had a small portion of pasta. Emma had two times her amount maybe more.

                “Oh, and by the way your lasagna was great although I regret it got cold by the time I was done with my parents,” Emma grumbled before she bit into her pasta. “Oh my god this is as good as I had hoped if not better.” She tried the soup next. “Oh God I am never leaving your dining room table if this is the kind of magic that appears on it.”

                “I told you mom is a much better cook,” Henry told her.  Regina beamed at her son.

                “So, are you going to tell me what you were doing in my house when I was not home?” Regina asked trying to focus on other things than that her son had been around her abuser and thought her one act of bravery stemmed from the root of all evil. “I feel as if I deserve an explanation Ms. Swan, don’t you?” Emma blushed.

                “I wasn’t snooping or anything like that I swear. If anyone trusts you in this town it’s me,” Emma told her. “It’s just it’s boring at the loft, one can only take so much time staring at one another before you go insane. And they have flat out refused to buy a television or rather keep the old one from when there was a curse. So, my mornings off I like to come here when I know you’re at work and watch television, specifically your Netflix or play games, sometimes I go through your movie collection. But I have never been upstairs, I use the guest bathroom down here, ate your apples sorry, and watched television. Maybe danced around to your music collection once.”

                “Oh, so you’re why I almost blew my ear drums out this one day?” Regina asked. Emma looked sheepish. “I don’t understand why you didn’t ask like a normal person?” Regina shook her head. “I thought we were on good enough terms you could at least ask first.” Emma frowned at herself. “I can understand what it’s like better than anyone to get bored staring at Mary Margaret all day.”

                “I thought you would say no, I do see us on better terms yes, but we are hardly friends.” Regina nodded as she thought carefully. Maybe she could use this to her advantage especially as Emma was feeling like she owed Regina a bit.

                “I’ll make you a deal, Ms. Swan, we actually co-parent, this whole visitation rights bullshit has to stop despite your stupid parents. Henry is my son, and you have seen your actions of bringing up the timeline as giving you extra time with Henry, but you’ve stolen time from me, you took away our last few peaceful years and left Henry feeling like I abandoned him for a year.” Henry looked between his mothers’ wondering if this would result in an all-out fight. He had been angry with his mom for a while but being home had certainly been great. “So, Henry comes home as I don’t really want him under the same roof as Leo, you enjoy free access to the television, your own Netflix profile, and free access to food. Since I don’t trust you in the kitchen that means containers marked Emma with food in it just for you to take as you please that will include lunch and dinner since I hardly ever see you skipping your morning bear claws. Besides it’s incredibly wrong that someone was in this house and starving.”

                “Can I stay over in the guestroom sometimes so I can wake up and have breakfast with Henry like on Fridays?” Emma asked. She would miss waking the kid up with a wrestling match, besides she wanted to know what kind of magic Regina made for breakfast. She knew for sure she wouldn’t be disappointed.

                “It’s yours, who am I kidding no one ever sleeps over here,” Regina told her as she pushed her food around having already taken one bite to taste her work, she took her second bite just to give the appearance of having eaten. She swallowed as Emma was cheering feeling like she got a win and talked about all the possible foods Regina could cook plus her usual. “Oh, one more thing Ms. Swan.”

                “Yes?” Emma asked already dreaming about freshly baked breakfast mufffins.

                “Absolutely under no circumstances do you let your parents or her father into my house, I don’t care if there are monsters chasing them and this is the only safe place in town, you can let the entire town in, but not them. Well I amend that, if it’s really bad you can let the entire town in plus David, poor man has been trapped long enough in that idiot sandwich, and Favorite charming is better off with that half of the family.”

                “Got it they don’t come in,” Emma told her with a chuckle.  “And I thought I was your favorite charming?” Emma chuckled some more at her own joke.

                “No, definitely will be Neal hands down,” Regina told her. “But I also don’t view you as a charming. Thankfully the idiot in both strains of DNA skipped two generations.”

                “What an oddly back handed compliment,” Emma said not knowing how to feel.

                “Mom is good at those,” Henry laughed. Regina smiled at him, it was so good to hear his laugh. Dinner conversation returned to their new-found status as co-parents agreeing that they would discuss all plans or concerns with Henry together. If he was sick or simply just spent quality time which would take place in the form of quiet evenings at home, dinner was always included, and movie nights. If Regina or Emma wanted to hit up the arcade or go bowling or anything alone, they just simply had to plan with the other.  Soon it was time for Henry to get back in bed after he did vomit up his dinner after all.

                “Mom, are you really going to be nicer to Emma now?” Henry asked wondering if this was all a ruse. “I don’t want to not see her anymore.” Regina nodded and kissed his forehead.

                “I’ll do better to get along with her, but you Henry belong home in your own room, and need to be a kid, not being influenced by the idiots.” Henry laughed.

                “They aren’t idiots mom,” Henry told her. Regina chuckled.

                “It’s best we agree to disagree my prince. How’s your stomach?”

                “Better now,” Henry told her. She nodded stroking his head, his fever had gone down after some willow bark tea.

“Good, now get some sleep my little prince.” She kissed him goodnight and tucked him in. Emma had already said goodnight. She stood up and turned out the light making sure the waste basket was near him if he had another fit of throwing up. She went back downstairs and began to clean up. She found Emma in the kitchen eating leftovers.

                “You’re still eating?” Regina asked her, wondering how Emma could keep packing it in. She could barely continue eating anything after two bites. Hell, she had barely had dinner as it was, she felt so fat for having both the pasta and the soup, but only because it would be noticeable if she didn’t eat the soup. She wished she hadn’t made something new that she would need to try in order to discern what she needed to do differently next time. Although Emma assured her it was perfect, she thought perhaps it would be better done with shredded chicken meatballs instead of the ground chicken which she was not a fan of. Emma assured her she would eat it either way.

                “It’s so good I can’t stop, I’m a little bit sad I won’t even have leftovers for lunch now,” Emma complained.

                “You’re more than welcome to take mine, I’m not a fan of my meatballs in ground chicken form, I was just going to force myself to eat it anyway.”

                “But what are you going to eat?” Emma frowned. Regina waved her off.

                “There’s still plenty of soup, or lasagna or I can make something else, I love to cook remember and I’ll be home with Henry.” Emma nodded as she bounced happily as she went to the refrigerator and switched the tops on the container that now held her name from a label maker. She beamed at the little label and placed it back in the refrigerator. “Why does having a little container with your name on it make you happy?” Emma turned to face her again.

“Because no one ever bothered before, it makes me feel included. I mean Mary Margaret doesn’t even make sure I’ve had lunch or even make dinner for me if Henry’s not home. A few times I came home and asked if she had also made enough for me before she just looked guilty and went back to feeding her stupid baby. She always makes sure he eats.” Regina nodded in understanding.

                “She was always self-centred, kind of hard to ignore favorite charming, without a nanny she can’t afford, so don’t beat yourself too much. She’s only feeding him because he’d scream otherwise.” Emma chuckled.

                “So, I know I put my feet on the table today, but can I please have ice cream now that the kid is in bed?” Regina raised an eyebrow at Emma.

                “What are you a child?” Regina asked her. “You don’t have to ask me if you can have ice cream, not that there’s any in the house, but if there were feel free….” Regina paused. “Oh, or do you have this infantilism fetish, although why you would reveal that to me, I don’t fully understand, but then again I am the real adult here and seem to be the only one bothering to correct your manners.” Emma blushed super hard.

                “No, I…I don’t like to be a baby or wear diapers or anything like that,” Emma murmured. She wondered how Regina had even heard of such a thing, she had barely heard of such a thing.

                “So just a little kid then around five or so?” Regina asked. Emma got even redder, so she nodded taking it as fact.

                “No, no, I’m not blushing because it’s true!” Emma cried. “Oh my God, I’m going to bed.” She hurried out of the kitchen leaving a confused Regina as she didn’t see anything wrong with it if Emma did like that. She was after all deprived of her childhood, hell if she didn’t like to be in control so much, she could see herself wanting to go there. But she could thank Leopold for putting her off such things. While she thought fetishes were completely normal, Leopold had turned the idea of his sick version of infantilism a form of torture for her making her ask permission for every little thing including even going to the toilet. Once or twice he had made her wet herself on purpose instead of allowing her to use the chamber pot. She had disguised her old nanny as a trusted servant to help her get cleaned up when he didn’t allow her the luxury of cleaning herself and hiding her shame.  She made a noise of disgust and decided the entire house was dirty just like she was. Once she had scrubbed everything it was already one in the morning. So, she finally went upstairs to bed and took a hot shower. Her wounds didn’t sting but that didn’t matter it was time to produce fresh ones on her thighs.  She ran her hands over her thighs and the ugly redness was replaced by smooth olive skin, with not a scar in place. It was time for a smooth canvas on which to work with. She pulled out her razor and sat down on her bathroom floor. Finally, she was going to get some relief over Leopold at least for today.

                “God you’re so fat,” Regina told herself in disgust as she pinched thigh. She had eaten too much today.  She would have to skip all three meals tomorrow and exercise, maybe tomorrow night, she could get a run in too if Emma stayed with Henry, but she wasn’t sure if she had the nightshift tomorrow night. It didn’t matter, she’d find time to also get a run into her workout.  Glaring at her thighs, she put her razor to the side for a moment, some things just had to be taken care of first and foremost. She paused though going to her door she used magic to quietly shut her door for the moment, it was open so she could hear Henry, but he didn’t need to hear her right now. She had learned early on that if he heard her vomiting, he immediately thought she was sick, so she learned to hide it. But then again, the vomiting wasn’t usually often, normally only when she lost control of her diet and the very rare occasion she binged. God she hated the times in her life where she binged, they were rare but each time was more awful than the last in her opinion. He didn’t realize how essential purging was to her keeping her weight together especially now that time was not frozen.

She stuck a finger down her throat and with practiced ease what had yet to be digested came up at once, but it wasn’t enough she had waited too long to purge. She was going to gain so much weight by tomorrow she just knew it ever since the curse broke, she gained weight entirely too easily.

                “You’re a disgusting pig, Regina,” Regina muttered to herself as she shoved herself back into her spot against the wall and picked up razor. It was dull tonight as it dragged across the skin of her thigh and snagged in places. It made her press down harder and she only stopped when she realized she was way too close to cutting the artery in her thigh. She used magic to sharpen the edges. Regina let out a long sigh and hissed at the pain.

She cut herself in anger at, how out of control she had been that day with meals; it was so unlike her. Normally she was perfectly in control of her diet but today she had lost control.   She didn’t cut herself as much as last night at least she had her baby boy back in her house and away from that fucking prick. Suddenly Regina was grateful her mother was dead and not playing nice until she gained the upper hand over the Charmings. Regina suddenly felt nauseated thinking about how she’d be all smiles and positively all over the man. She made another cut letting out a sigh of bliss. She only made a few cuts on each thigh that night feeling that was enough, her baby boy was home away from the real monster and that was all that mattered in that moment. Tomorrow was a new day and even though he was sick it would be spent cuddled up to her true love.

“Hey Regina, I’m off to…work now,” Emma finished lamely as she opened Regina’s room door without knocking and saw the mayor clad in only her bra and panties. Emma’s eyes bulged out of her head for two reasons, one the mayor was smoking hot, she had already known that but seeing her without any clothes left her at a loss for words. And two Regina’s arms and her thighs were covered in cuts, and the ones on her thighs were fresh. 

                “Ms. Swan get the fuck out now!” Regina cried angry and ashamed. The last thing she wanted was for it to get to Imbecile Snow and her idiot puppet as well as that monster she called father to ever know she was cutting. Well Leopold already knew she was a cutter, he knew what she did to herself, relished in it even. Even so he didn’t need to know she still did it, was still cutting in some way because of him.

                “No!” Emma yelled back. “If you think I am leaving now you are out of your damn mind!” Emma slammed Regina’s room door behind her. She should have knocked, she didn’t even know why she hadn’t, but she was suddenly glad she hadn’t.

                “Moms?” Henry asked hurrying into the room.

                “Henry no!” Regina screamed but it was too late he was in, he saw the cuts just before she went into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. The tears were spilling down her face as her body shook, her prince was never supposed to see how broken she really was. She was no longer just his mom, not only was she the Evil Queen, but now she was this pathetic and broken mess he would always be ashamed of.  At least the Evil Queen was finding some sort of redemption publicly, but this part of her could never be redeemed.

                “Kid go back to your room,” Emma ordered firmly.

                 “No!” Henry yelled looking just as sick as yesterday, they had hoped it would be a twenty-four-hour thing, but it seemed he’d only had a few good hours.  His face was flushed and if Emma had any knowledge, she would see it meant his fever was back. “What did you do to my mommy, you’re supposed to be good!”

                “I didn’t do anything to her,” Emma yelled back upset.

                 “Then why does she have all those cuts, you came in without knocking and hurt her!” Henry accused. At that moment the door opened back up and Regina came out this time covered by her thicker bathrobe one she used to stay warm out of the shower, but not lounge around in to cover her night dress which was silk. 

                “Mom!” He hurried over to her and hugged her. “I’m sorry Emma hurt you.” Emma looked at Henry seriously offended that he thought she would do something like this.

                “Your fever has scrambled your brain if you think I did that,” Emma grumbled.

                “I’m fine Henry see look, they’re all gone, I healed myself and don’t blame Ms. Swan she didn’t hurt me. I hurt myself,” The last bit came out in a whisper, but she showed Henry her arms, the cuts were all gone as if they were never there.  He looked at her arm closely making sure she had indeed managed to heal herself.

                “So, you just had an accident?” Henry asked her to be sure as he sniffled.  Regina just nodded better he thought she had an accident and not that she was a cutter. He was too young for such things especially now. Normally he would be about twelve, but thanks to Ms. Swan that wasn’t the case, and he hadn’t retained any of his past memories because for him time had simply reversed, he wasn’t in a different time line so to speak, he was too young in years. 

                “Yes, I got up early and was checking on what looked like a bad branch in my apple tree, I fell and scraped my arms is all. Ms. Swan was just startled by how angry it looked and I was just upset she didn’t knock.” She sent a glare at Emma to show that everything was fine and normal. Henry looked between them suspicious as Emma nodded her agreement that she was just startled is all and hadn’t known the full story just like him. 

                “So, Emma’s not evil?” Henry asked.

                “No, love, she’s not evil, come on you have some more medicine you’re all flushed from fever, and get back into bed and get some more sleep. When you wake up again, I’ll get you something to eat if you’re up for it.” Henry nodded and gave her another hug before she got him some medication. He took it willingly and let them both tuck him back into bed. He was out almost immediately though Regina, had helped him on his way a bit. Regina went back to her room and she wasn’t surprised that Emma followed her and shut the door a lot more quietly this time.

                “Where are the razors?” Emma asked her firmly.

                “I don’t know what you’re referring to Ms. Swan,” Regina told her as she began to get dressed in another pair of leggings and a looser dress with shorter sleeves, no reason to hide her arms today.

                “Regina cut the bullshit and this Ms. Swan act. I know what I saw, and I know you didn’t fall out of your apple tree, you got up the same time as I did.” Regina ignored her as she went about making her bed again. Emma growled and immediately went to Regina’s phone and took the case off.

                “Hey what do you think you are doing?” Regina asked.

                “Looking for your razors,” Emma told her frowning when they weren’t in her phone case, that was a common place, no one else was going to take your phone case off and that way they were always with you. She searched in, under, and on the side of the drawers in her bedroom. Between the mattress and over the entire frame, she found one that Regina had forgotten about early on in the curse. Emma didn’t stop her search though as she looked under lamps, behind picture frames. There were only two. She even looked behind the dresser and the mirror before her vanity. She checked her jewellery box, and inside her closet in places Regina had never thought about hiding as before the curse she had never really gone into her closet, the servants did.  Then Emma headed into the bathroom, and Regina finally managed to put up a fight again, but it was too late Emma had found the two blades she was currently using.

                “Is this all of them?” Emma asked her as she held up the three. Regina nodded quietly as she just simply retreated to a corner in her room and slid down as the tears came and she tried to hide her face.  Emma just to be safe did another thorough check of the room.

                “I won’t pretend to know why you do this, but I do know this has to stop. I won’t tell anyone, but you do need to speak to Archie this isn’t healthy Regina.”

                “I know,” Regina whispered.  Emma sat down in front of her.

                “Look I know you must have a lot going on inside of you to do this, but I want you to know I understand the depression and anxiety, I’ve never wanted to self-harm, but I know what gets you there. So, I want you to know that if you feel the urge to cut please just call me, I’ll come sit with you until the urge passes.” 

                “Can I have my blades back?” Regina whispered. Emma sighed.

                “Oh, Regina you know that can’t happen, call Archie today please, I’ll stay home tomorrow if Henry is still sick while you go to your appointment.”  Regina just nodded quietly. “Did you heal your thighs too?” Regina shook her head. “Heal them please, I don’t want the pain to keep reminding you to cut there some more.” Regina healed her thighs and Emma was only satisfied when she showed her the skin.

                 “Please go Ms. Swan,” Regina whispered. Emma nodded.

                “Call Archie, I will call to check in on you two, we’ll talk about this more later, but I want you to know I’m here for you Regina, you don’t have to do this alone. You’re Henry’s mother, and I would hate to see anything happen to you.” Emma leaned in and gave her a hug and to Regina’s surprise planted a kiss on the side of her head. The kiss left a feeling of warmth within her, no one had ever been caring like Emma. Leopold loved seeing her cuts and pressing on them. And her mother always beat her further for such things. But no one had ever cared for her wellbeing before.  Emma eventually let go and stood and left. She heard her leave and only when she had been gone awhile did Regina tearfully clean up her room again putting everything back into place, Emma had done a very thorough search. Once that was done she went downstairs and made herself a pot of coffee.

                “Oh she didn’t take her lunch or eat breakfast,” Regina frowned. She warmed up last night’s dinner and put a spell on it to keep warm before she made Emma a delicious breakfast quiche and muffins, before pouring coffee into thermos she sometimes used. Regina then added milk and sugar the way Emma liked it before she sent it all to Emma via magic with a note that she had forgotten to eat breakfast and left her lunch. She had to get through today and today she was just ordinary house wife Regina who made elaborate meals for her happy family. Cooking was the only thing that gave her a slight sense of peace when she couldn’t cut.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

                “Whoa when did you start cooking?” David asked coming in as Emma was beaming as she enjoyed her breakfast and coffee. It was the French roasted stuff Regina always drank at home.

                “I didn’t Regina made breakfast this morning,” Emma told him happily as she munched on the apple muffin, it was just as good as her usual morning bear claw which she had forgotten. She had been about to text Ruby and ask her to bring over her coffee and bear claw when breakfast had appeared.

                “Is that safe to eat, what if she poisoned it?” David asked.

                “It’s safe, and she didn’t, I’m sure of it,” Emma told him. “She would have poisoned dinner last night if that was her intention.”

                “Not if she wanted your mother or I to witness your death,” He put out. Emma made a show of biting into her muffin again.

                “You guys really have to stop hating, she’s actually remarkably agreeable if you’re just honest,” Emma told him.

                “And another question, why are you at work? At the very least your mother and I thought you could keep an eye on her and keep her away from your grandfather.” Emma’s eye twitched.

“No, she’s perfectly capable of taking care of our son, if anything she’s so concerned with Henry she won’t bother thinking about him. Besides I suspect she’d have come for him already yesterday if she were interested or taken him out at the diner when he approached her against your wishes.” David huffed.

                “Emma, you cannot be so lax around Regina,” David warned.

                “Why not she’s helped us more times than we can count, if it weren’t for her you wouldn’t be here right now with me although once again you only came back so I could save you guys.”

                “Well you didn’t save us Regina got light magic, because you were hanging around that stupid pirate, we all want you to be happy honey, but you need to find a man worthy of you. A real hero, you know.”

                “You mean like Neal?” Emma asked rolling her eyes.

                “Neal was honourable in the end and that is why we chose to honour him by naming our son Neal and of course you.”

                “No, honouring me would have been naming him Emmett,” Emma argued. “But Neal really helped us all, if not for him, I might still be in New York, and I know now something was missing.”

                “Yes, so he earned a great honour, but no you should set your sights on someone even better than Neal. Your mom hopes you’ll think about one of the dwarves because they’ve always been good.” Emma coughed on her muffin as the urge to vomit took over her. “Oh, I knew it she totally poisoned you!” He ran over and patted her back as she settled down.

                “No, she didn’t, I just took a breath in the wrong moment,” Emma insisted. “I am fine really.” He nodded still concerned as her color returned to normal. She put away the rest of her breakfast, she’d polish off the rest alongside lunch.  They got to work, while her father was out on patrol, she looked up information about self-harming wondering in what ways she could begin to help Regina cope with the urges and not act on them. Certainly, getting her to call Archie was top priority, but she was wondering more what she herself could be doing.

                “Emma, where’s your father I brought him lunch,” Mary Margaret told her appearing at her office door just as Emma was setting up her own lunch on time for once. No walk to Granny’s to get a burger. It was nice to have something different for once and made just for her, since Henry couldn’t have possibly eaten it.

                “Out on his patrol still I suppose,” Emma told her.

                “What’s that you’re eating?” Mary Margaret asked.

                “Pasta, leftovers from dinner last night,” Emma told her as she dug in happily.

                “Ugh how you can eat that woman’s food is beyond me, she’s not a good cook you know, Henry always says so.” Emma just bit back a scoff, she knew that Henry was just too polite to tell her things like her lasagne didn’t hold a candle to his mom’s. And frankly after yesterday’s lunch she was in full agreement. It was Mary Margaret whose food was pure trash, and she was lucky Regina had raised Henry to be so polite.

“Because it’s really good,” Emma told her annoyed. Mary Margaret simply stuck her nose in the air.

                “Why you and my father insist on saying things like that is beyond me,” Mary Margaret huffed as she pushed Neal’s stroller back and forth.

                “Speaking of Grandpa why isn’t he with you?” Emma asked. “And I remind you, you should be saying nice things about her.”  Mary Margaret ignored her comment.

                “He needed a breather, he’s taking a walk while I’m here to see your father. He knows I just miss him so much during the day. It can get tiring only having a baby to talk too. He says he’ll get me a nanny as soon as possible.”

                “With what funds, don’t you want to take care of your own child seeing as you missed out on me?”

                “Don’t be silly Emma, we’re royalty, and we need a royal nanny, if anything Regina should allot us funds for one as we’re the technical rulers.”

                “Allot you funds for a nanny?” Emma asked with a raised eyebrow. “This isn’t the Enchanted Forest, you may have cast the curse, but you still technically are not the elected mayor especially now. Not to mention those funds would have to come from Regina’s salary which is what normal mayors use to cover nannies for their children and frankly I don’t see her doing that.”

                “We’ll see about that, if you are done darling, I’d like you to finally take me to see my wife, I think it’s time she and I had a heart to heart. I know you are weary of her darling, but that damn imp corrupted her. She loved me I know it even if you say she loved this stable boy.” Emma watched her grandfather make a face as he said stable boy.

                “Now is not a good time, Henry’s sick, she’s busy with him,” Emma told him knowing the last thing Regina needed right now was to be confronted by her victim.

                “That’s nice she’s taking care of her grandson, but a Queen always has time for her husband,” Leopold told her with a big smile. That smile left such a sour taste in Emma’s mouth and she didn’t know why.

                “She doesn’t want to see you, just be happy with Mary Margaret and Neal,” Emma told him.

                “She’s my wife, she wants to see me, and I don’t appreciate that you’ve all kept her from me,” He said.

                “Get a divorce, you’re more than double her age,” Emma pointed out. “She’s happy without you.”

                “Snow, what is this divorce she speaks of?” Leopold asked. “Why is she the most vocal about me staying away from my wife even at the start?”

                “She doesn’t understand Daddy, that love knows no age, especially from a King. We will go visit Regina, but you run as soon as that fireball appears.  But can we go in a little bit, David’s not back yet Daddy,” Mary Margaret told him. He nodded and they waited as he looked around. David eventually came back, and she gave him lunch before they headed over to Regina’s. Emma sent her a quick text of warning, she hoped Regina did send a well placed fireball to his ass to help him get the message.

                “Thanks mom,” Henry told her as she cleaned up his bed again.

                “You’re welcome my prince,” Regina told him. “Go lay down in my bed love.” He nodded and went to her room sinking under the covers immediately. Her phone buzz but she ignored it favour of getting the vomit-soaked sheets in the wash before she threw up herself. Regina had just finished up in the laundry room when her doorbell rang. She opened the door and gulped when she saw Leopold standing there grinning at her.

                “There’s my beautiful wife, I was worried after you left the diner so quickly yesterday, but I understood it must have been a shock to finally see your beloved King after so long. And of course, you knew my time with my dear Snow is so precious especially now that she has children.” Regina gripped the door knob hard as fear rushed through her body. She immediately shut the door again hoping to keep him on the other side of it and put up strong barriers around her house. She couldn’t do this she couldn’t be tortured by him again. He pushed his way in and wrapped her in a big hug.

                Mary Margaret was standing on the sidewalk frowning as she watched her father gently kiss Regina on the lips lovingly before he shut the door. Regina walked backwards out of his embrace as she felt sick.

                “Where is Henry?” Leopold asked.

                “Upstairs,” She answered quietly.

                “I know about your magic now, so put a sound proofing barrier up unless you want him to see you humiliated?”

                “I want you out of my house now,” Regina told him. She waved her hand to poof him away, but nothing happened. She gasped why wasn’t her magic working on him? He merely grinned and slapped her hard she fell back, she tried to muster up a fireball, but it was weak as she shook uncontrollably it was like her first time all over again. He stepped on her wrist making her gasp in pain.

                “Don’t bother using magic on me, now do as I say and put the sound barrier around him.” Regina nodded and did so. “Make sure Snow can’t hear as well.” Regina did as she was told as he grabbed her hair and hauled her up. “She told me what you did and how Emma changed the time line, I must say I never thought you would get so bold as to turn into the cold-hearted bitch like your mother. At least you weren’t a whore though, she was tainted filth, but you, you were pure, or did you let that stable boy dirty you!” He slapped her again leaving a redness. He slapped the other one, so she just looked flushed. Regina let her tears fall. “Answer me!”

                “Daniel never touched me like that, and you know it,” Regina told him. He pinched her arm.

                “Maybe but I just like to hear you say it,” Leopold told her. “Just to be sure you best perform your wifely duty.” He pushed her back roughly, so she fell on the stairs. He pulled her leggings down as he pinned her.

                “Please no I don’t want you,” Regina told him. He punched her in the stomach.

                “You’re my wife and you don’t have a choice.” He undid his pants and forced himself into her pushing the step into her back. Regina just cried and prayed Henry stayed in her room resting. She didn’t want him to see what was happening to her. This was why she had done everything in her power not to have his child before. The thought of them seeing her hurt had been too much.

                “Now, I’m going to tell everyone we worked it out, you are going to return to the role of doting wife, I will move in as soon as possible. You will provide Mary Margaret with a royal nanny immediately. And from now on all kingdom decisions go through me again. I understand that there’s a lot more paperwork involved in ruling here, but you’ll consult me on decisions, understand?”

                “Yes,” Regina whispered.

                “What was that?” He asked.

                “Yes, your majesty,” Regina whispered. He nodded.

                “Great, I’ll be back for dinner and I expect you ready to perform your wifely duties, we’ll be trying for a baby now, you’ll not deny me anymore.”

                “I am barren my King,” Regina told him, hoping he would no longer want her. He slapped her on the side of her head.

                “Why?” He asked her.

                “I cursed myself,” Regina answered. “To stop mother from taking the throne.”

                “You stupid girl.” He slapped her again. “Well I suppose the imp is my next stop than.” He straightened his clothes, made sure Regina looked presentable again as well. “Walk me to the door and kiss me lovingly with a smile.” Regina instantly put her fake smile on her face, she didn’t bother to cover up her tears, Mary Margaret would just think they really had a heart to heart. She was correct of course when she saw her smile at their supposed loving embrace. After all this time she was still stupid enough to fall for the fake emotions. Leopold left to her relief, but she could still smell him and feel him. Disgusted she began to bleach her entire house. Only Henry’s needs brought her out of her obsessive cleaning. And knowing that he would be back for dinner she showered trying to feel clean if only for a little while, she took a kitchen knife to her arms just watched the blood run down her shower drain for a while.

“Mom?” Henry called. “Can we read together?”

“Coming sweetheart,” Regina called as she removed the knife from close to her wrists, she hadn’t even noticed that she unconsciously was hovering over the spot. She healed her arm, read to her little prince before making a delightful roast mostly for Emma, because God she hoped he didn’t actually come back and Damn it if she didn’t need to think that her wife was coming home tonight and not the monster that had stolen her innocence. She had contemplated eating dinner that day, but she found she had no appetite for such things.  She put up a barrier, maybe she just had too much anxiety earlier, maybe just maybe she could still keep him out and if it worked on her home it would work on her office and she would never go anywhere else in town ever.

“Hey kid, how are you feeling?” Emma asked greeting Henry as she came into the door. He was looking a bit better.

                “Okay, mom’s made roast, but I think I can only eat soup again,” Henry admitted from her arms. Emma nodded in understanding, but her first thought was that there was more food for her.

                “Emma, hi, I thought you would go home tonight to your parents,” Leopold said. He’d shown up earlier than Regina had anticipated to ask her why a nanny hadn’t shown yet. Regina promised to look at potentials the next day. He had walked right through her barrier, right around the side of her house, and through the backdoor which wasn’t locked.  Regina had dropped a fresh pot of boiling soup on herself in complete fear and shock and the only reason she wasn’t burned was because of a spell from Maleficent that protected her from higher than normal temperatures.

                “Really one could say the same about you,” Emma replied. She was more than a little shocked to see him standing in this house when Regina had pretty much threatened her with death if she were to let him in. So, what had suddenly changed?

                “My darling wife and I made up and I decided to have dinner together as a family, but I’ll move in right away even with Henry so sick. With a baby I can understand needing to rest in silence in his own bed, so you also don’t catch what he has.”

                “Oh no Henry lives here, we’re done bed sharing he needs his own space, I’ve been selfish,” Emma told him.

                “No, Henry belongs with his mother and you are his mother, and you belong with your mother who lives in town, but don’t worry, Regina will see that they have the big house they deserve with room for everyone.”

                “Regina’s his mother too,” Emma told him frowning.

                “Regina is his grandmother,” Leopold told her before walking away.

                “He’s been saying that all evening,” Henry frowned. “But I’m staying with mom.” Emma nodded. They both went to the kitchen, and Regina gave them both a smile as she cooked.

                “How was work?” Regina asked.

                “Great, but um…what’s with Leopold?” Emma asked.

                “Nothing dear, we’re just married, and he wanted to have dinner with his wife, nothing wrong with that.” Emma frowned as she watched Regina’s eyes glance behind her. She felt another presence and moved to the side as her grandfather came in.

                “This all smells delicious my Queen, had I known you were so skilled in the kitchen before we would have enjoyed more family dinners.”

                “Thank you, my King,” Regina replied as if it were the best compliment he ever gave, but Emma noted the smile never reached her eyes and frankly the whole thing left yet another sour taste in her mouth. Dinner was a very quiet affair with Regina merely pushing her smaller than usual portions around while Emma dug in happily.

                “Hmm…this isn’t like my Snow’s roast, you’d best ask her what she does differently that is how I prefer it. I expect a demonstration tomorrow of the improvement.” Regina nodded.

                “Yes, my king,” Regina answered. Emma looked between them in disbelief. Quite frankly she was having the new best meal of her life and her grandfather had a lot of nerve to say it was shit.

                ‘Are we eating the same fucking meal?’ Emma thought.

                “Good, this you can throw to the dogs,” He told her pushing his plate away leaving scraps. Regina immediately took his plate and her own before going into the kitchen. Henry glanced at Emma also feeling how weird it was.

                “Mom can I watch television?” Henry asked as she brought back tea and poured some for them all.  Regina was about to reply when Leopold looked at her.

                “Emma, I believe my grandson would like your permission to watch that unnecessary box.”

                “Nope, I’m pretty sure he was asking Regina,” Emma argued.

                “You know what I was actually thinking Emma that Henry was doing well enough today you could help him catch up on some of his missing school work,” Regina suggested to her.  Emma took the hint and nodded.  And Henry groaned having gotten his answer.

                “We can all work on it in the den together,” Emma suggested. They all nodded. In the den Leopold propped his feet up on her coffee table, Emma noted he was still wearing shoes, and Regina was pretending hard not to notice.

                “Um…Leopold we don’t wear shoes in the house or put feet on the table,” Emma informed him.

                “Emma dear, I love you really I do, but this isn’t your house to make the rules in.”

                “Yes, but this is Regina’s house and it’s her rules.”

                “Oh, really well my Queen what say you to your King?” Leopold asked him. Regina barely glanced up at him but looked at Emma.

                “He’s the king of the castle as they say, he can do what he likes,” Regina informed Emma before she returned to helping Henry with his math. Emma nearly growled but didn’t push obviously something was going on this woman before her wasn’t Regina. “I think that’s enough work for tonight, Henry, why don’t you get ready for bed.”

                “You’ll have to excuse my Queen, Emma she likes to be in charge too much. Would you say that your son has finished enough of his work and is ready for bed?” Regina looked down more as she absently filled in a math problem for Henry.  Emma was looking between them wondering why Regina didn’t object to him clearly saying she was not Henry’s mother.

                “If Regina says that’s enough for tonight and it’s time for bed then it’s time for bed,” Emma told him annoyed.

                “I’ll go finish cleaning the kitchen,” Regina murmured and hurried out. Emma stared after her a moment in disbelief knowing full well the kitchen was already spotless. Since Emma ended up helping Henry get ready for bed, she was a little surprised to find Regina making Henry’s bed.

                “He threw up in his bed things earlier, they were in the wash,” She murmured quietly.

                “Regina, are you okay?” Emma asked.

                “I’m great, happy even, my husband is home, and Snow and I will have a good relationship again, like mother and daughter should have,” Regina told her with a smile. But again, Emma saw it didn’t quite reach her eyes and frankly she didn’t believe it. Regina quite literally preferred David over Mary Margaret which she didn’t think was possible.

                “So much mess came from my untimely passing by that untrustworthy genie, you’ll have him arrested for my murder will you not Emma.”

                “Well that murder never happened so no your majesty I will not go arrest Sidney,” Emma told him annoyed as Henry climbed into bed. While Leopold was distracted by Emma, she kissed Henry goodnight and walked out. Emma kissed Henry goodnight as well and told him to get some rest.  They left out and Leopold wandered in and out of the rooms. Including the guest room, she had already come to think of as her own, a third guest room, and a door next to Regina’s own that was locked.  Emma could already see him frowning at the door, it was very clear to her that he was not respecting Regina’s space and had no intention too.

                “Regina!” He yelled. Regina appeared again almost immediately.

                “Yes, my King?” Regina answered.

                “Why is this door locked, you know I don’t like locked doors,” He told her upset.

                “I didn’t want anyone going in there,” Regina told him.

                “I am not anyone,” He told her looking at her. Regina picked at her dress and stared at his feet really.  Emma was horrified by the interaction. The silence between them grew thick as Regina hoped he’d leave it alone, Leopold waited for her to open the door, and Emma waited to see if he’d respect her wishes or not. Or if the Regina she knew would finally reappear. “What are you waiting for open the door.” Regina went into her room and produced the key and Emma’s mouth nearly dropped open. Maybe at the last second, he would give it back and it would be this mutual trust exercise. She trusted him to look and he trusted her to let him, and so gave the key back without looking. She couldn’t have been more wrong. He took it from her and unlocked the door.  Emma had the good sense not to look in as Regina crossed her arms trying to hug herself.

                “A nursery, so you lied to me, you aren’t barren,” He accused turning around. Emma was about to tell him to check his tone, but Regina was already speaking.  

                “No, I got pregnant once, but the curse just means I don’t carry to term, I thought I had negated the curse, so I prepared the nursery and when I miscarried, I couldn’t take it down.” Regina wished she wasn’t getting that sad look from Emma, this was why the door was always locked. This pain was supposed to be private.

                “So, you were a whore and had sex with someone else?” He asked her.

                “Hey, no need for name calling, she isn’t a whore, you were supposed to be dead and she’s entitled to relationships,” Emma told him, but he ignored her. Regina however did give her a small look of gratitude.

                “It was just once, you were dead,” Regina told him.

                “Hmm…” He replied. “Definitely have to see the imp about your childbearing troubles for our sake, I wouldn’t want you to go through that again. I’ve decided that Snow will move in here, she still needs a mother’s guidance especially since you denied her, her first child, and you gained experience with my grandson. Neal can have the nursery, and she’ll have an easier time teaching you how to cook. That small place is not fit for my Princess, but this place is, and I should like to be close to Snow.”  Regina grimaced.

                “Yes, my King.”

                “Regina, what the hell, he can’t just decide who moves in,” Emma told her feeling like she was trying to wake her up.

                “He can, he’s my husband, that’s the way it is, just go to bed Emma, or did you still want dessert?” Regina asked.

                “No, I’m suddenly not in the mood anymore,” Emma frowned.

                “Then I will go pack your lunch for tomorrow,” Regina told her before she went back downstairs. Leopold followed her, and Emma was left standing by the open door. She couldn’t help herself as she went in and looked around. It was like pictures she had seen of Henry’s nursery. His had been a lovely shade of green, but this one was yellow with white trim, and a black oak crib with matching cradle, changing table, dresser, and rocking chair.  There was a photo frame labelled mommy’s first glimpse of you with an ultrasound photo in it. And Regina had worked on a cross stitch with horses that had a little square where she had started to stitch in a name starting with R.

                “Please get out,” Regina told her appearing at the door.

                “I’m sorry,” Emma told her feeling horrible, she shouldn’t have looked in until it was inevitable, but a part of her wanted to commit it to memory before her mother was stupid enough to move in. As much as she like tried to think her parents, mostly her mother sometimes were not the idiots Regina claimed them to be. There were moments and situations and honestly if it was any indication to how he spoke to Regina as if it was a loving thought but really, he expected obedience. Her mother would be eventually moving in. Emma walked passed Regina who just stood in the middle of the room for a bit.

                “Um…can I ask how far along you were?” Emma asked. Regina was silent for a long moment. “But you don’t have to share if you don’t want too, you’ve shared enough without wanting too today.” Regina had been about to respond no, but something in Emma’s voice made her want to tell her. To just remember her baby before it was all destroyed tomorrow. He’d already made her call Mary Margaret for him.

                “I was five months pregnant,” Regina answered.

                “What were you going to name her?” Emma asked.

                 “Rayne Victoria,” Regina answered as her eyes fell onto the ultrasound. God in the original time line the pain had been dulled by years when Emma had shown up. It had happened before even Henry. Now it was still fresh, she still remembered the brief time of happiness that was her and Henry simply because her mood was up. She had been going to tell him he was going to be a big brother when he wasn’t. It was a few short months before he was on a bus to Boston for Emma. She felt like she was grieving all over again.  She waved a hand and the photo switched. She was so small and looked at peace as if she were sleeping.

                “That’s really pretty for the Queen’s little princess,” Emma told her. “For what it’s worth I hope my mother isn’t stupid enough to move in.”  Regina couldn’t help but chuckle as she wiped her tears and changed it back to the ultrasound photo again. She always hated when Leopold called her the Queen, but when Emma said it, suddenly the title felt right on her.

                “Brains skipped a generation I am afraid,” Regina quietly admitted. Emma chuckled.

                “At least they didn’t skip Henry.”

                “I have a theory that nurture is the key difference,” Regina replied.

                “Then it looks like you’ve done me a favour,” Emma replied. “About earlier…”

                “Regina!” Leopold called.  Emma glared out the door, and since her back was to Regina, she missed her jump.

                “I had better go,” Regina murmured. She turned to Emma with the picture still in hand, she would be stupid to still leave it in here. “Could you hide this in your things, he won’t like that I kept it once he finds out what it is. It’s not his you know, he’ll see it as a representation of his shame that his wife was unfaithful.” Emma scoffed.

                “You weren’t unfaithful, and you deserved to find some happiness after a loveless marriage,” Emma told her as she took the frame into her own hands carefully.

                “Regina, come here I need help with this blasted contraption you use to talk, my beautiful Snow was cut off.” Regina let out a long sigh and rolled her eyes before leaving the room. Emma looked down at the frame in her hand containing one of the most precious things to Regina. She was trusting her when she was sure Regina’s trust was in short supply. Emma noticed there was a lack of dust on it just like everything else in Regina’s house. Looking around she realized that held true for the entire room.  That meant Regina came in often and cleaned.  After a moment when she heard Leopold raising his voice about modern technology being dark magic, she quickly took it to her room and hid it well. He’d been in once, but she wouldn’t be allowing that again. This was the second time he had invaded her privacy, her space at the loft hadn’t been respected either.

                “If I can do one thing at the moment, I will keep you safe for her,” Emma told the photo.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

                “Morning,” Emma greeted Regina.  Regina gave her a small smile that at least did reach her eyes for once.

                “Morning, Emma, breakfast is already downstairs, and coffee, you look like you need it.” Emma nodded as she yawned.

                “Yeah, it’s the crack of dawn, how are you up and ready to go already?” Emma asked. Regina shrugged.

                “I have work to do, the room needs to be cleaned for Neal, I can’t have him in a pigsty,” Regina told her. Emma thought the room was anything but, it was just as spotless as the rest of the house. Emma noted that Regina was folding and putting away clothes for a little girl into boxes. The cross stitch was gone from the wall.

                “Oh, Emma you’re up already good, maybe you can relieve your father a bit early, so he can help with packing up the loft,” Mary Margaret told her.

                “You’re really going to move in,” Emma said. Mary Margaret smiled at her.

                “Of course, if you can move in here so can I, we’re all family, I didn’t realize before you were just trying to get Regina and I back together. You should have told me she had done this surprise nursery for me.”

                “You think she built this for you,” Emma said.

                “Of course, it is what mothers do, I’d have made one for Henry. Although she guessed the sex wrong unfortunately,” Mary Margaret pointed out. “I was thinking we could repaint the walls a nice blue for a boy.”

                “Sure, whatever you want Snow,” Regina told her as she closed the last box.

                “Look Emma, she even did a cross stitch with Neal’s name.” Emma’s frown deepened.

                “I like the yellow,” Emma commented.  Mary Margaret ignored her.

                “And we’ll paint the furniture a nice white to go with Neal’s cradle, black is not a good color for a nursery.”

                “I’ll go buy the paint,” Regina murmured. “Emma did you want to change anything in your bedroom, do I need to pick up anymore nails for you to hang stuff with?”

                “No, I’m not just assuming I’m moving in, I’ll be staying at the loft,” Emma told her.

                “Emma don’t be silly, Regina’s going to hire a nanny and we’ve decided to give her the loft as part of her pay,” Mary Margaret told her. “You can’t possibly live there alone.”

                “Then I’ll find a new place,” Emma told her annoyed.

                “Emma, you’re being ridiculous you’ve already moved in here, why, are you running away from your family. I don’t get you at all.” Mary Margaret stomped out as Emma pinched the bridge of her nose.

                “Please stay Emma for me,” Regina told her softly. “Besides Henry really likes having you here and it’s nice to have a friend among idiots.” Emma couldn’t help but smile at her.

                “You consider me a friend?” Emma asked touched. Regina nodded.

                “More than I realized,” Regina told her absently. “Now please tell me is there anything I can pick up for you?”

                “No, I don’t have anything to hang and I like the guestroom the way it is.”

                “Your room,” Regina corrected. “At least one adult in this house is here because I asked them to be.” Regina walked out of the room with the box of clothes and headed for her vault first where she hid the box of clothes, she didn’t want Leopold to find. She had already conjured the cradle there as well. She searched through her things until she found the razor she kept in the vault. It wasn’t as hidden down here in her own personal space. She pulled up her dress and started slicing through the bruise Leopold had left on her thighs, and the burns she had inflicted last night since Emma had taken her razors. The pain was excruciating, and tears pooled in Regina’s eyes, but watching the blood fall on the floor was like watching a scream stream out. She contemplated cutting deeply into the inside of her thigh but leaving Henry to be influenced by that monster was just too much. Emma might not realize until it was too late what kind of crap he taught him. She jumped as her phone rang. It was from her home phone, and she doubted it was Henry.  She answered.

                “Where are you the nursery isn’t going to finish itself, Snow tires easily you know,” Leopold told her. “Are you meeting with the man you whored yourself with?”

                “No, Leo, I was just getting rid of the baby clothes, they’re all for a girl, and I know you’d want our children in something else.”

                “Good, you haven’t forgotten too much of your lessons. When will you be home?”

                “In an hour, I’m going now to the store for paint, is there anything else I can get while I am out?”

                “No, Snow has all she needs for now, if she needs something else you will get it.”

                 “Yes, your majesty.” Regina slid the razor over her skin as she spoke. Once she had hung up, she stopped the bleeding and pulled her dress down. She locked up her vault and went to the hardware store where she got the necessary items before stopping at the office to pick up the work she needed to get done at home.

                “Are you all right?” Clara asked her.

                “Just fine Clara thank you for asking,” Regina told her. “I should be back in the office by Thursday.”  Clara nodded.

                “I’ll have some cookies waiting for you then,” Clara told her as she left. Regina turned and gave her a genuine smile. When she walked in the door, Leopold was waiting.

                “You said an hour it’s been an hour and a half,” He seethed. He slapped her hard. She just kept from dropping her files and thankfully the paint was being trailed in by magic. She had been afraid to use it after he had first left, afraid her magic was somehow gone, but it would just seem that for some reason he was unaffected by her magic. He was immune to her greatest defense.

                “I’m sorry I stopped at the office for work, we have a town to run,” Regina apologized. He nodded and left her alone. She went into her study, she could see he had obviously been through her things. Snow had brought in files she kept as a teacher. Of course, was there no space left in her house that was her own? She knew the answer to that as she headed upstairs to check on Henry he was still resting. David was putting away things in the bedroom that was now Snow and David’s. She could hear Snow bitching that they had to share a bathroom with an eight-year-old boy.

                “Oh, David move all our things to the room Emma has she should share with Henry,” Snow told him. “It will be an easy switch since she just has a bag over here right now. Regina was quick to lock the door and send the key to Emma. Snow came out of the bedroom as Regina was putting a sheet out to cover the nursery floor. She saw Snow try the door in frustration.

                “Oh, Regina you’re back, do you have the key to the door?” Snow asked.

                “No, sorry that’s Emma’s bedroom and she has the key now,” Regina told her with a shrug. She used magic to coat the paint over all the furniture and the walls, it was better this way, she couldn’t spend so much time in here slowly putting in work of destroying her baby’s nursery. Once it was done, she retreated into her room, and into her bathroom. She was barely in there two minutes adding a few more cuts to her thighs, when Leopold was calling her. She wiped her eyes quickly before hiding her cuts and going to see what he wanted.

                “Yes?” Regina asked entering the den.

                “I’m thirsty bring me some wine, and Snow doesn’t want to share a bathroom with Henry, how can we change that?”

                “I don’t know my King, buy a bigger house,” Regina answered. He frowned at her.

                “No, you have magic, create a bathroom. My Snow shouldn’t have to share with an eight-year-old boy, and I will not share with an eight-year-old boy.”

                “I’m sorry, but I am not that powerful my King,” Regina lied.

                “Then convince Emma to switch rooms with them, now bring me my wine.” Regina left out and went to get him a glass of wine. She poured him the cheap stuff. Once he had his wine she attended to a now awake and surprised Henry. He was feeling a lot better, so she made him apple pancakes to his delight, and they did his school work amid her catering to Leopold of bringing him more than a few glasses of wine. She made lunch and he was not pleased with her vegetable salad demanding roast chicken and such. She made it and he finally ate saying that Snow made it better. Snow of course beamed at the compliment before talking about showing Regina her recipe.

                “Of course, Snow, I should have just asked you in the first place,” Regina murmured as she scooted her food around. After lunch and Henry was playing his games, she started on work in her office. She needed ritual, something familiar, something stable, and paperwork always gave her that. So many years filling out forms, she could almost put herself into a perfect emotionless trance. And maybe someone needed budget funds, a little hunt for extra money would certainly keep her occupied. It was comforting until Leopold came in wanting to know why he and Snow were not being consulted.

                “I’m just filling things out for the state, these are reports I have to send if people want access to goods like the internet and cable.” He glared at her but took a seat on the couch. He argued with her about wanting to cancel things like free public school, but the teacher in Snow objected and when she explained the need he finally understood.

                ‘I should just quit Daddy and Daughter can be mayor,’ Regina thought as she watched them talk. Her opinion was not wanted, needed, or respected. That became increasingly clear when Snow just simply reiterated what Regina said and got praise from her father. As if her only job was to tell Snow all the right answers instead of her learning them for herself. ‘Maybe Emma is annoyed with her parents enough she’d consider taking Henry back to New York and I could go with them.’  Regina’s shoulders slumped forward, the idea of getting the fuck out of Storybrooke and as far away as possible from Leopold was one that made her so happy, she wished it could be done. He’d catch her at the town line though, that she was sure.

                “That’s enough business for today, Regina has to get dinner started and she wants to know how you make your roast love,” Leopold told her. Snow nodded enthusiastically. Regina was just grateful Leopold didn’t stay in the kitchen with them.

                “All I do is sprinkle some fresh garlic on top,” Snow told her.

                “No salt, no pepper at least?” Regina asked.

                “Oh no never, and water because you know it’s a pot roast. I always serve with boiled potatoes and carrots on the stove.” Regina had to compose her features to keep her disgust from showing. Soon she had Snow’s poor excuse for a pot roast cooking.

                ‘No wonder Charming always has a forced smile on his face, it’s stuck from constant effort,’ Regina thought. She was so glad when Emma came home.

                “Finally, someone sane,” Regina muttered. Emma greeted Henry and checked on him.

                “Did you get your things from the loft?” Snow asked Emma.

                “Yeah, I did, it’s in the bug,” Emma replied.

                “Great, Regina has something she wants to ask you,” Snow told her.

                “Snow doesn’t want to share a bathroom with Henry, so she wants to switch rooms with you.”

                “Seriously?” Emma asked looking at Snow. “Your bed is already in the other room, because that room wasn’t furnished yet.”

                “Oh well, you’ll like our bed just fine honey,” Mary Margaret told her.

                “You’re kidding, you want me to give up my really good bed for the third hand bed you have sex in?” Emma asked her as if Mary Margaret was insane. Leopold walked in looking annoyed.

                “Regina, I asked you to handle this,” He told her.

                “This is between my mother and I,” Emma told him annoyed.

                “It’s fixed, I switched the house lay out, Snow, your room is now where Emma’s was. Neal’s is now where your room was, my room is now in between the nursery and Emma, so she doesn’t have to be woken up by Neal either.” Regina turned and left the house. She went to her backyard and leaned against her apple tree. She pulled an apple down and turned it in her hands wishing for a sleeping curse.

                “Thinking about poisoning my mother again, if so, I’ll deliver the apple,” Emma grumbled.

                “Surprisingly I think I would have bit into it if I’m honest,” Regina replied.

                “Why did you put Neal’s name in the cross stitch?” Emma asked. Regina shrugged as she thought about the beating, she had received last night.

                “Did he tell you too?” Emma asked and by he she meant her grandfather.

                “It doesn’t matter, what he wanted, it’s a replica anyway, I couldn’t destroy that R, no more than I could destroy the ultrasound. It’s the only one I have. Henry set fire to the others because he thought it was him and I somehow kept track of him before he was born.” Emma cringed.

                “Jesus is there anyone in this family that hasn’t hurt you?” Emma asked.

                 “Favorite Charming is still pretty innocent, it’s not his fault his mother’s an imbecile.” Emma nodded as she reached up into the tree. “Not that one Ms. Swan.” Emma blushed and pulled her hand back. Regina gave her the apple she was holding before grabbing one of her own. She only twirled it between her fingers. “Best gorge yourself on apples, we’re having your mother’s version of pot roast tonight soaked in garlic and water, potatoes and carrots also soaked in water instead of with the meat.”

                “Lovely I forgot how happy I was actually that she didn’t cook for me,” Emma murmured biting into the sweet apple. “By the way your roast went down excellent, the second time around, I don’t know what the hell he was saying last night.”

                “That’s just Leo, nothing is better than whatever Snow produces even her farts.” Emma choked on the piece of apple she was chewing as she laughed. Regina patted her back until she could breath clearly again.

                “Still I was quite offended, maybe we can leave them for dinner then and take Henry out to Granny’s,” Emma suggested. Regina thought that was the best idea of the night, but honestly, she knew Leo would object. He was just barely tolerating her going out alone for things he deemed necessary that meant anything that affected him or Snow. To go to dinner just because she felt it would be out of the question in his mind.

                “That sounds really nice, but Leo wouldn’t like it,” Regina told her. “He’ll say no.”

                “Let him say no,” Emma shrugged. “I’ll go let them know we’re going so Mary Margaret will look after her roast.” Before Regina could stop her, Emma was going back into the house. Regina followed quickly, and Leopold glared at her when she entered the den but gave Emma a smile.

                “That’s nice, it’s been a lot of changes for Henry,” Mary Margaret commented yawning.

                “We’ll even take favorite charming with us,” Regina quipped. The more time and energy Mary Margaret had to put on her father the less time he had to spend thinking about her. Emma looked reluctant to take Neal but agreed. Before Regina knew it, they were in Emma’s bug headed to Granny’s for dinner with Henry and Neal. Regina was almost in shock, but she was no fool, she was going to pay for this later one way or another.

                “Oh, I’m so glad to be out of that house,” Emma sighed happily. Regina nodded, but inwardly she cringed her house, her home had become that house, the house no one ever wanted to be then. Even when she was the feared mayor or the Evil Queen again after the curse broke her house had been nothing but welcoming in everyone’s minds. They wanted to stay despite their fear, now it was the place to escape from.

                “Mom can’t you get a divorce?” Henry asked. Regina tensed slightly, that asshole would make life hell if she tried to divorce him. She was glad at least that Henry had zero illusions after a day with him that they should remain in their marriage if she could really call it that.

                “I…I…it’s complicated,” Regina told him.

                “You don’t owe him anything you know, you didn’t kill him,” Emma told her. “If you want a divorce go for it, everyone should be married to someone who loves their cooking or at least tells them it’s great even when it’s shit.” Regina chuckled.

                “So, you’re holding out for someone who can lie to you without making your superpower ping when you cook?” Regina asked deflecting. Henry and Emma laughed.

                “Something like that,” Emma told her. They arrived at Granny’s and Ruby of course stopped by their usual booth to gossip before they ordered. Regina’s stomach growled, and she blushed a little. It wasn’t usually so loud but today was usually her binge day as she called it although in the strictest sense of the word she may not binge every time. Well it had actually been decades since she’d engaged it binging, and for her binging could mean eating three meals in one day of what others might call normal portions. One good thing about Leo’s return he had made it easy to stop eating. She just wasn’t in the mood whenever he was near.

“Someone’s hungry,” Emma chuckled to Henry.  Regina merely smiled at them. She ordered a double cheese burger with a large fry and a chocolate milkshake to everyone’s surprise especially Emma’s. It seemed the Mayor could really pack it in when she wanted too. And even more surprising she went all in with them for a big sundae dessert.

                “That was good, I think I got a food baby,” Regina commented poking at her rounded stomach. It reminded her of being four or so months pregnant with Rayne, because damn it if she didn’t dive into to fantasy of being happily married to her wife with her son, and of course a baby on the way. Her baby, not his baby, because she didn’t want to be pregnant with his baby. It took all of Regina’s power not to go over that cliff and return to her fantasy. Emma and Henry nodded before showing off their own food babies.

                “Neal’s such a good baby I don’t know why Mary Margaret is always complaining,” Emma commented since Regina had at the start of dinner given Neal a bottle and had him napping within minutes in his car seat. “Or did you use magic?” Regina chuckled.

                “No, not at all Ms. Swan, I am just gifted,” Regina laughed. Emma smiled happy to hear Regina laugh it always vibrated through her as if tuning her body. And since before they had gone back to the Enchanted Forest that laugh had been in short supply. Emma would even take her sarcastic scoffing which she should have been hearing all over the house since Mary Margaret decided to move in which she still could not wrap her head around. Regina had to work out what she had to work out with Leopold, but no way she thought she would suffer her mother than was absolutely necessary in the meantime especially while she worked through her guilt, because her behaviour could only be explained by guilt. 

                “That you are.” Regina got a text, her phone had been buzzing all night, she had glanced at it once or twice to see her house phone, and an unknown number.  Finally, she looked at the text from her unknown number.

                Don’t come back here fat, I know how your stomach sticks out when you’ve been being a fat piggy.  Your King.

                “Excuse me,” Regina told Emma and Henry with a sigh as her frown returned. Emma frowned as well as she watched Regina head to the bathroom. Regina made sure the women’s bathroom was empty before she barred anyone from coming through and went to a stall. She easily pushed her finger down her throat and vomited up everything until there was nothing left. She went to the sink and washed her hands thoroughly as well as rinsed her mouth before she checked on her makeup. A little bit had wiped off revealing a bruise. She quickly used magic to bring her, her make up bag and she touched up the spot. She checked her neck for any visible bite marks, but other than that most of her bruises were beneath her clothes.  Once she was done, she returned to Henry and Emma with a smile on her face again, but it seemed more forced. She had barely sat down when her phone rang again.

                “Ugh just pick up it’s been going off all night, maybe it’s important,” Emma told her. Regina nodded but she had a feeling it was not. She answered the phone to apparently Leo’s new number.

                “Regina Mills speaking,” Regina answered.

                “Where are you, you should have been home by now,” Leopold accused.

                “I’m still at Granny’s diner with Emma and Henry, I haven’t….” Leopold cut her off demanding she come home. He didn’t like her being away from him like this, he didn’t want to lose her he said, it was for her own safety that he wanted her home. “Yes of course I’m sorry to make you worry, we’ll come right home.”

                “Keep me on the line until you get home,” He said. Regina let out a breath and looked at Emma and Henry.

                “Time to go home,” She told them.

                “Oh, but mom you promised we would go to the arcade since I was still feeling well,” Henry complained.

                “Then you and Emma go, I’ll take Neal home, he should be in bed anyway, and Snow’s probably ready to have him back.” Henry pouted, but Regina soon had Neal in hand and was poofing home. She arrived outside on her doorstep and after a moment went through the front door. She wasn’t surprised that Leopold was waiting at the stairs.

                “Clean up this place is a pigsty.”

                “Yes, your majesty.” Regina put Neal to bed and while Snow read to Leopold, she cleaned up the kitchen she had wrecked in her opinion. She was cleaning the den when Emma came in with a sleeping Henry. She took him from her and took him upstairs already kissing his cheek as he murmured sleepily about having a good time but wishing she had come.

                “Next time my prince.” She had him all tucked in, in no time, when she came back downstairs to finish cleaning the den, Emma was laying back on the couch with a glass of cider.

                “I hope you don’t mind, but today was long even though I had fun with Henry, and I needed a little night cap,” Emma told her.

                “Not at all,” Regina told her as she wiped down the mantel and shelves for non-existent dust.

                “Do you always clean this late?” Emma asked watching her. Regina was a little bit avoiding her own bedroom.

                “Sometimes, it helps me stay focused,” Regina replied.

                “Did you buy another razor?” Emma asked her.

                “No, I did not Ms. Swan,” Regina replied. Emma nodded as her lie detector did not ping.

                “Did you have one hidden somewhere else?” Emma asked her. Regina paused for the tiniest of moments.  Emma sighed and sat up. “Have you even spoken with Archie?”

                “I…” Regina started.

                “Archie is that the name of your lover?” Leopold asked appearing at the door. Regina tensed up and turned to look at Leopold. Emma also turned as well, frowning, and missing the tensing up of Regina’s body.

                “No, Archie is a friend and psychologist,” Emma told him.  Leopold scoffed.

                “And what is a psychologist a new word for lover?” Leopold asked.

“No, it’s a third party you can trust in and talk to in private when you need help dealing with depression or big changes like your dead husband coming back to life, so you can be happy.”

                “Look here Emma, I understand you were forced to grow up in this world because of my wife, but we are from the Enchanted Forest, and my Queen does not speak to men alone in private. She is very happy, so his services aren’t needed. Wife come to bed now.” Regina automatically put away her things.

                “Goodnight Emma,” She muttered taking the rest of Emma’s glass and downing it before she went upstairs followed by Leopold. Inside her bedroom he slapped her as soon as the door was closed. He punched her a few times in the stomach.

                “You had better not meet with this Archie, if I even hear you’re speaking to him, you’ll regret it, understand?”

                “Yes, your majesty,” Regina murmured. 

                “My Eva never would have been so scandalized,” He told her.

                ‘The only thing we agree on, we wish your stupid precious Eva were still here,’ Regina thought.

                “No, she wouldn’t have,” Regina quietly agreed.

                “Snow was telling me at dinner today that some fairy tried to tell you some bastard thief was your true love, ugh a thief and a stable boy you really are a worthless little shit if that’s what magic says you’re destined for.” 

                ‘Fucking stupid bitch doesn’t know what she’s talking about and now I have to be beat for a man that disgusts me,’ Regina growled in her head. She thought she felt murderous towards Snow in the past, but in that moment, it was almost more than she could take.

                “I don’t know anything about that,” Regina told him. “He disgusts me your majesty….”

                “Daddy,” He corrected. Regina’s shoulders tightened, yet another role of Eva’s she needed to fulfil, but for her it was like torture, he made it torture and she was sure it was never like this for Eva. She was sure that he was loving and nice the way he was supposed to behave when engaging in fetish behaviour. Instead for her he was some sort of a creepy predator getting off on the power he exerted over her to make her feel small. Well he was a creepy predator she hadn’t been fifteen when they married, and Eva even younger than her she heard. And there were rumours, but those rumours were hushed up quickly and swiftly. She wondered what the white kingdom would do with all the secrets of their King exposed, but then again, she did not want to be so exposed. She was humiliated enough and even worse to hear people say she deserved everything he gave to her.

                “I mean Daddy,” Regina corrected. “Daddy, he disgusts me he’s not you, he’s not a real man, he steals while you have built a kingdom.” He nodded as he motioned for her to undress him. Her hands trembled as she undressed him just like she dressed him every morning, he was apparently incapable of it without servants and for now that was most definitely her.

                “He had better if I find out you’re lying well that will be all bad for you won’t it?” He asked her.

                “Yes, Daddy I understand you’ll give me a big spanking,” Regina replied as she undressed him carefully despite her shaking. She’d scratched him this morning and he’d slapped her hard because of it.

                “The imp came by while you were out today,” He told her as she carefully folded his things neatly, he otherwise would toss them on the floor, she had learned that the night before that when he had bothered to undress himself before raping her.  He was standing in just the white underwear Snow had purchased for him.

                “Oh, has he found a way to break my curse?” Regina asked him. She needed to make sure she sabotaged any efforts for that, but also kept it in her back pocket in case she got away from him, no doubt getting away from him would cost her everything. It pained her to lose Henry, but if she saw an opening to get away from Leopold, she was smarter to take it. She couldn’t suffer like this even for him, it was too much.

                “No, he was fucking useless, but Snow helped me out, I slipped it in your bottled water today already, I didn’t trust you,” He told her. Regina went from relief that Rumple had likely refused to tense up again, why hadn’t she detected the stupid magic in her water. She must have been distracted.

                “How?” Regina croaked out suddenly feeling the tears building up hard and trying hard to control for the moment what would only result in a big anxiety attack.

                ‘Fucking Snow, it’s always Snow, but how could she have known what Rumple didn’t?’ Regina thought.

                “It would seem that; I had the ability to all long, I usually keep a bit of lake nostos water on me when I travel you know just in case,” He grinned.

                “So, she told you the story of how King George cursed her?” Regina asked to be sure.  He nodded in confirmation.

                ‘So, the stupid girl didn’t intentionally help him,’ Regina thought, but it didn’t make her anger any less now. She also didn’t intentionally tell her mother about Daniel either according to her.

                “Now that your magic is out in the open, can you make yourself look like a child?” Leopold asked. Regina paused in what she was doing as she got tenser if at all possible, she must have already folded his clothes half a dozen times absently, anything to avoid taking off the rest of his clothes, and keep busy, because the break down was inevitable, she just rather didn’t want to do it in front of him.

                ‘So, the rumours were true.’ Regina thought.

                “Don’t lie to me, I would like you to look five,” He said. “And sound five while you’re at it and look like my Eva.”

                “I know you said I’m not supposed to say no Daddy, but please don’t make me do that,” Regina begged. Some things should just never be done, and this was one of them. This was too dark for Regina, hell she was sure this was too dark for Rumple and he was the Dark One, he specialized in darkness. Leopold really was the worst kind of evil and no one would ever believe her.

                “Then find me a young girl in the Kingdom, since I don’t have servants and knights to do it, the job falls to you,” He sighed. “I have appetites, but not for your fat shape.”

                “Thankfully Daddy it doesn’t work like that here, I can’t just go steal a little girl from her home and bring her to you to…to…” Regina trailed off not even being able to finish.  He grabbed her by the hair making her cry out. She dropped his clothes anyway in a messy pile on the floor.

                “Change or Bring me one now,” He said. “Your choice.”

                ‘I wonder if he did this to Snow and that’s why she’s so goddamn awful cheery all the time, it’s a defense mechanism,’ Regina thought. ‘He always says she looks like her mother.’ Regina called up her magic in her hand anything to burn him to make him let go of her hair as one hand now clasped his arms in some hope that she might alleviate the pain in her head, but it was useless and so was her magic against him. He laughed.

                “I told you, your magic is useless, now I believe you have a choice,  give me back my Eva that your mother sought to take from me.”

                “Yes Daddy,” Regina whispered as purple smoke swirled around her. Suddenly he was taller than ever, and she wet herself in fear. It only made him laugh more as he gripped her by the front of her dress and threw her on the bed. He took off his undergarments and stood before her a few moments stroking himself. She shook on the bed wishing someone would hear her crying, but that was unlikely after he stuffed dirty drawers in her mouth as much as he could. His heavy frame crushed her as she cried out in pain, but the pain that came when he forced himself in was the one that really started cries and the screams. He pressed his hand over her mouth and told her to shut up and put wards up so she didn’t wake the house.

                “Good you managed to give yourself a tight little cunt,” He whispered into her ear. She didn’t say anything as she kept crying. Although it was only ten minutes it seemed like a life time before he demanded she change back so he could cum properly and ensure pregnancy. Her nails dung into her flesh the entire time and he took it as her enjoying it all, but it was all she could to withstand the pain. To her relief she at least left a mark, Henry would hate her, but she couldn’t do this again.

                “Stupid Imp couldn’t help me make you not barren, but later he could strengthen my sperm to ensure conception.” 

                ‘I’ll kill him,’ Regina thought. ‘Right after I kill you.’ She thought of the kitchen knife and it appeared in her hand and she shoved it up and into his belly. He looked down a little surprised, but otherwise all right. Regina was shaking as he backed up and her knife came out clean, and he was uninjured.

                ‘NO!’ Regina screamed in her mind.

                “For your sake I’m going to forget you tried that, because I know every new sexual act can be overwhelming on the female senses. Go get yourself cleaned up already, and you best leave those pretty bruises on your body or else I don’t think you’ll have learned your lesson.”

                “Yes Daddy,” Regina whispered as the knife now shook in her hand just as he dug a nail into her cut. She winced but didn’t give him the satisfaction of crying anymore, he took the knife and drew blood on her arm.

“I control when your life ends now not the other way around,” He told her. He shoved her out of bed and took her side on the left to start but then he just spread out in the middle.  And just like that she was on the floor of her own bedroom watching him sleep on top of sheets soaked in her piss and blood, she had inevitably let her bladder go again at some point she didn’t know when. She slowly got up and gathered her soiled clothes. They were ripped up, she’d have to throw them out and there was blood on her panties as well. She grimaced.

‘You saved some child from this,’ Regina thought to herself. She went into her bathroom and locked the door. She was leaning against the door when the door leading to Emma’s room suddenly opened.  Regina turned to try and stop her from coming in and seeing her naked, but it was too late Emma had already seen and her mouth was hanging open.

                “Regina what the hell did you do to yourself?” Emma asked in a whisper. Regina wanted to just cry, of course she hadn’t thought it was Leopold, of course Regina would just do this to herself. Her thighs and arms hadn’t looked too much different before having been messed up from the burns she had inflicted, so this was not a stretch for Emma, that she might self-harm in more ways then one.

                “Nothing Miss Swan so if you could kindly exit the bathroom, as you see it’s in use and if we’re going to share, we’re going to have to knock first.” Emma frowned.

                “Definitely in the future, but Regi come on look at yourself, you can’t keep doing this, you have to see Archie.”

                “I can’t see Archie, Leo is uncomfortable with me being alone with a man, so that is no longer an option.” Emma scoffed.

                “He needs to get with the twenty-first century, you’re not an oversexed whore,” Emma commented. “What if you turn him into a cricket for the session?”

                “Miss Swan just stop, go, I would really like some privacy,” Regina told her as she put her robe around herself to cover up. Regina just really wanted to cry alone.

                “Not until you give me your new razor,” Emma told her firmly. Regina sighed and opened a tile she had loosened and gave Emma the razor. Her need to be alone was too strong not to give up her precious razor either way she wouldn’t get to cut. Emma frowned.

                “That was too easy, what else do you have?”

                “Nothing, not even a knife Miss Swan I promise, I just want some privacy.” Emma stared at Regina for a long moment. Her eyes were red, she had obviously already been crying awhile. Her skin was all red from the constant tears, there were lots of tracks running down her cheeks from those beautiful large brown eyes.

                “Will you at least talk to me if not to Archie?” Emma asked.

                “There’s nothing to talk about Miss Swan,” Regina replied her walls clearly up. “Please go so I can shower.” Emma left, but left the door open just a crack, she didn’t stare at Regina at all, but she kept her ears open for any signs that she might be hurting herself. The only sound she heard was the shower and Regina obviously ugly crying quietly, Emma had no idea it was possible to have that kind of cry quietly. Regina was hardly showering five minutes when the door leading to her room opened and Leopold insisted, she come to bed already. Emma didn’t hear if Regina replied, only the shower shutting off before Regina was at the sink probably washing her face and brushing her teeth.

                “The bathroom is yours Miss Swan,” Regina said towards her door. When Emma went in, she was alone. She quickly took a shower and while she was brushing her teeth, she heard her grandfather grunting to her disgust. She didn’t know why but it made her angry that her grandfather was in there with Regina touching her, and it made her angrier to think about whether Regina was enjoying it. Emma didn’t really know, she couldn’t hear Regina, and that she thought was odd. If she were enjoying it wouldn’t she moan? Or at least be breathing loudly. It seemed not, perhaps the Evil Queen was a silent lover, it really didn’t matter unless she was perhaps under Emma? 

                Emma looked at herself startled as she paused in brushing her teeth, when had she thought about Regina in a sexual manner like that. Well she supposed seeing her half naked and then completely naked despite all the bruises she had left on her body with magic no doubt with her inability to cut herself, hadn’t helped her mind at all in forming sexual images of the mayor. And if she were being honest, she hadn’t needed Regina to be unclothed at all to form these images. She let out a long sigh. She shouldn’t be thinking about this, she should be thinking about how to help her, and how she could stop pushing Regina to self-harm in other fashions when she had taken the razors.

                “Get it together Swan, she’s allegedly happily married now to your grandfather of all people, and it’s kind of bullshit, she’s made it very clear she doesn’t like him. I don’t even know why she’s even giving him apology sex.” Emma grumbled. She spit out her toothpaste and rinsed. Regina happily married to her grandfather was something she couldn’t fathom, him being happily married to her though was a different story. She would really have to talk to Regina about a divorce, she had options now why wouldn’t she use them. The sound of a bed hitting the wall and moaning from Mary Margaret filled the house.

                “Ugh they can’t be fucking serious,” Emma groaned even whatever was going on between Leopold and Regina stopped. Leopold obviously not into hearing his dear Snow moaning so loudly and it felt so obviously loud like on purpose. It wasn’t long before Henry was knocking on Regina’s door, and when Leopold yelled for him to go to Emma, Henry was having none of that as he hit on the door harder, and just cried for Regina. The door wasn’t opened though, and Emma suspected Leopold of forcing Regina to stay, because nothing had ever kept her from her kid not even Emma.  Emma scooped him up as she opened her room door and took him to her room. She gave him some headphones to drown out the sounds of Mary Margaret.

                “Emma why is he taking my mom from me?” Henry asked crying. She had no answer for him. “Why is mom letting him?” 

                “I don’t know kid, I really don’t know,” Emma told him. “Let’s just try to sleep okay.” He sniffled and nodded wishing Regina was in bed with them.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

                “Hey,” Emma yawned as she awoke to Regina in bed with her and Henry. Henry was already curled up on her. Well he was lying on top of her to be exact with his head on her chest.

                “Hey,” Regina answered back quietly.

                “What time is it?” Emma asked.

                “Eleven,” Regina told her. “Henry threw up this morning so he’s still out of school.”

                “Oh, well I can stay home this time if you need to get to the office,” Emma yawned.

                “No, I quit this morning,” Regina told her just refraining from shuddering at the beating she got that morning for not, waking him or Snow as she prepared to go to the office. She had really needed to get out of her own house after last night, and at least at the office she could pretend everything was all right just for a few hours because God did, she need it. She could even probably take the time for a much-needed break down on her lunch hour. Emma sat up then.

                “You just quit why?” Emma asked. Regina shrugged as she rubbed Henry’s back.

                “I just don’t want the job anymore, besides Leo prefers when I’m home anyway and he broke the curse I put on myself so I’m not barren, we’ll have a family soon. Mothers shouldn’t really work, and Snow was eager to try being the mayor again with her father’s guidance as it should have been when she was a child.”

                “And what about Neal?” Emma asked. “And we’re calling her Snow now?” Regina nodded. She had called her Mary Margaret and Leopold had absolutely lost it, he hadn’t hit her in front of her, but he had been furious saying it was her curse name and unacceptable when she called David by his real name.

                “Well the only thing I’m good at is being a mother, so I’ll look after him while she’s at work, I’m home anyway the house is already crowded we don’t need a nanny. Plus, you know Henry deserves all the attention I can give him.”

                “Regina, come on you are so much more than being a mother you’re the goddamn Mayor of Storybrooke,” Emma cried.

                “No, Snow is, I’m just Regina a wife and mother,” Regina replied absently. “Don’t try to talk me into taking the job back Miss Swan, honestly I just don’t even want it anymore.”

                “The only clearly truthful thing I believe that just came out of your mouth although I can’t see why, what about Clara, you love working with her?” Emma asked. Regina didn’t exactly ping her superpower, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to show that there was a lie seeped in truth like a weak tea.

                “Clara and I will remain good friends and she will help keep Snow on track,” Regina told her matter of fact.

                 “Great just great,” Emma grumbled wondering what the hell was going on and where had her strong and beautiful Evil Queen gone. Hell, she had never thought she’d miss the Evil Queen in Regina, but frankly she didn’t care for this muted soft version of Regina. And it wasn’t a nice soft of perhaps the young girl Regina had once been, but the kind that has a lot to hide.

                 “Regina!” Leopold called. Regina gently slid out from under Henry and kissed his forehead. She left the room without another word.  Regina went downstairs but wasn’t surprised when Henry and Emma joined her. Henry looked at her upset and forced her to pick him up since he was still quite small. Emma went to grab coffee as they entered the dining room, where David and Leopold were still eating breakfast. Snow however was nowhere to be seen likely at the office.

                “Yes, your majesty?” Regina asked. David looked extremely uncomfortable, Emma wasn’t sure she had ever seen that, but then again it had been getting increasingly so since they had moved in. Her father just seemed a bit more stressed out than normal.

                “David’s going to leave now so you need to be down here to look after Neal,” He told her. “And I want more coffee, after breakfast you’ll take me to Snow so I can help her. Then you’ll come home and make my lunch, I’ve not decided if I will have lunch at the office or come home so be ready for either event, I want lunch at exactly one o’clock.”

                “Yes, my King,” Regina responded.

                “Good, and I expect my grandsons and house to be clean, and dinner on the table when we return home for dinner. For lunch I will have stuffed goose, and for dinner I think I will have Swan for the meat portion, and stuffed pike, a soup, and I would prefer savoury tarts, but you know Snow prefers Sweet so both of those.”  Regina pressed her lips together.

                “You can’t eat Swan,” Emma said offended. “Besides those are protected birds.”

                “David already went out and killed one, so we will,” Leopold told her. David looked further into his coffee cup not meeting Emma’s eyes or Regina’s for that matter, but Regina was trying to look at everything but the people in the room. Not to mention she was grateful she didn’t have to go out and kill the Swan.

                “Dad really?” Emma asked. He didn’t answer her.

                “He’s a shepherd and a hunter, he needs to provide for the family, he’s kept my girl living in Squalor all this time, it’s the least he can do since I upgraded them.” Leopold turned back to Regina.  “Oh, and Snow needs a new mattress for her bed, you’ll take care of that today.”

                 “When will she have time for that when she’s roasting your illegal Swan and cleaning HER house, and taking care of a kid that’s not hers?” Emma asked sitting down with a huff. Why was she the only one seeing something wrong?  Why wasn’t her dad standing up to this fool, he would never treat Mary Margaret like this even if they were back in the Enchanted Forest, so Leopold could not be the standard, but than again like Henry, he was raised by a single mother maybe that made a difference she didn’t know.

                “She is the Queen, she will find time,” Leopold simply replied. He looked at Regina. “My coffee?” Regina quickly left for the kitchen and came back with his coffee. She poured him another cup.  “Why are you carrying Henry, he’s eight, practically a man, it’s time he behaved as a prince should.”

                “He’s just sick and wants comfort just as Snow did at his age,” Regina gently reminded him. Snow had wanted to be carried even when she was too heavy always clinging to Regina. Regina almost couldn’t take the clinging back then, she had worried when Henry had been clingy that it would torture her in the same manner, but it was the exact opposite.

“Then he should be on his mother not you,” Leopold told her. Regina didn’t say anything, but she didn’t put Henry down either as she returned to the kitchen. Emma saw her quietly whispering something to Henry and hugging him before he did allow her to put him down. He still hung onto her leg though as she made eggs and he helped her carry his own plate and Emma’s back to the dining room.

                 “Thank you, you didn’t have to make me breakfast,” Emma told her smiling at her. Regina returned the smile back quickly before she went to Neal who was now crying. She tried to settle him, but he was hungry.

                “Thank you for watching him Regina,” David told her after he had kissed Neal goodbye. Then he went to Emma and Henry and kissed them.

                “Were you eying Regina?” Leopold asked him. David’s eyes went wide.

                “No never, I only have eyes for Snow,” David told him and left quickly. Leopold looked at Regina as she sat down with Neal and his bottle.

                “Were you looking at that Shepherd, seems right up your alley with thief and stable boy,” Leopold told her. Regina flinched slightly, but he didn’t lay a finger on her. “Why you ever let my girl marry so far down beneath her I’ll never understand. She’s convinced she’s got true love with that desolate fool.”

                “She does have true love,” Henry frowned.

                “No, she doesn’t Henry, she was destined for a partner who is her equal, but fortunately he has given her a son, and he is more me than that waste of space.” Emma was fuming as she gripped her cup hard, this was her father.

                “What daughters aren’t good enough for a man who dotes on his precious Snow?” Emma grumbled.

                “You are good enough; daughters can make the best leverage in political schemes. But you are too old to learn our ways, you will always be family, but a new daughter would be ideal, one who knows her place.”

                “Right,” Emma grumbled and stomped out of the dining room. She wasn’t gone five minutes when she yelled.

                “What the hell!” Emma cried. She came back into the dining room.

                “Why is the television shattered?”  Emma asked. Regina looked up from Neal in surprise.

                “I didn’t like that devil box,” Leopold told her. “I couldn’t get it to turn off, so I made it turn off.  Snow says it’s bad for you anyway and you spend entirely too much time either trying to watch it or watching it.”

                ‘Great the one thing that kept me sane in this fucking town,’ Emma thought.

                “And you couldn’t just ask someone where the power button was instead of destroying someone else’s property?” Emma asked him. He ignored her, and she stomped into the kitchen for a broom to clean up the mess because she would be damned if she just left it for Regina like other people in the house.

                “I’m ready to go now,” Leopold told her. “You can finish him later.”  Regina frowned as he kicked her shin to make sure she got a move on. Neal of course cried the entire way there and back. She had a hell of a time settling him as she got him to finish his bottle, burped him, changed him than got to work on lunch. It was already twelve.

                “Henry, Emma I need to go to the store,” Regina called. Emma came downstairs with Henry all dressed.

                “You’re actually going to try and prepare goose for that insane fucker?”’ Emma asked.

                “He’s a king he doesn’t actually think about the work that goes into things for him,” Regina commented.

                “So, set him straight,” Emma told her.

                “Doesn’t matter, I need goose among other things from the store, will you two be all right alone?” And Regina realized it really didn’t matter she didn’t have enough time to grocery shop and cook an entire bird by one. This was going to end how it all ended and nothing more.

                “We’d thought we would come with you,” Emma told her. “It’s obviously going to be a lot to carry with a baby.” Regina gave them both a smile.

                “Thank you, that would be helpful since he seems particularly fussy today.” They left for the store as Regina said Neal was fussy. Twice she had to take him out of the store to calm him before she could finish shopping. Regina wasn’t even surprised her phone was blowing up at one o’clock.

                “Best get the new mattress while we’re out,” Regina said knowing it wouldn’t make one difference now if she ran home or picked up her phone and begged Leo for forgiveness.

                “Mom can we get a new tv?” Henry asked.

                “How about we get a tv for Emma’s room, and then you two can play in there if you like and watch,” Regina suggested.

                “There’s no room in my room,” Emma objected.

                “You can give the vanity to your mother, and we’ll put it up on the wall,” Regina told her with a shrug.

                “You’re the best, I wanted a tv for my room at least at the loft and they actually forbade it well mom did, Dad didn’t say anything. I wish he would put his foot down and insist on moving back to the loft and if we’re lucky Leopold will follow and leave us the hell alone.” Regina let out a breath.

                 “Well if there’s one thing I’ve learned Ms. Swan is that with Leo I’ll never be so lucky,” Regina replied. They bought Mary Margaret a new mattress and got a big screen for Emma’s bedroom and the needed accessories.

                “Regina this is entirely too expensive,” Emma told her.

                “It wasn’t expensive when it was for the living room and for Henry,” Regina pointed out as she made air quotes with one hand as she said Henry. Emma blushed.

                “Yeah, but I reasoned you would enjoy it too and you like having the best,” Emma got out embarrassed.

                “Yeah and if I wanna watch it, I’ll walk through the bathroom and into your room and watch tv.”

                “Without knocking?” Emma asked mockingly. Regina raised an eyebrow.

                “Oh, at this point Ms. Swan you have used up all privileges that involve me knocking before I come in.”  Emma grinned.

                “Fair enough, Madame mayor,” Emma replied.

                “You’re going to have to come up with something new, I am not the mayor any longer,” Regina reminded her. Emma frowned.

                “You’ll always be Mayor to me,” Emma told her. Regina shrugged. Once they bought everything they returned home. Leopold was of course waiting.

                “Regina you’re late, I am starving and so is Snow,” Leopold told her.

                “I’m sorry, shopping took a long time, Neal was very fussy,” Regina told him.

                “The dishes from breakfast are still on the table, you have become an utter slob,” He snapped.

                “Hey, she had a lot to do in not a lot of time,” Emma argued. “You can’t expect her to do it all alone in so little time.”

                 “Well she might have got it done if you actually took care of your son,” Leopold told her.

                “You mean like Mom is taking care of Neal,” Emma shot back mockingly.

                “Regina deal with her, she’s being insolent,” Leopold told her before stomping off.  Snow immediately took Neal to Regina’s relief and she began to put the groceries away with Henry’s help. She was going to clear the table, but Emma did that for her and loaded the dishwasher as she grumbled about misogynistic pigs that were kings. Lunch wasn’t what Leopold intended but they needed to get back to work.

                “You’ll make the goose for dinner too,” He told Regina before he left again with Snow.  Naturally Neal was fussy again. She tried hard to get him down for a nap, but instead she just ended up cooking while he screamed. Emma had tried hard to settle him to no avail including driving around in her bug.

                “Can you even get this damn thing in your oven?” Emma asked looking at the poor dead swan.

                 “No, I conjured up a roasting spit in the backyard,” Regina told her. “Can you help me carry it.” Emma nodded and grabbed one end up the metal pole going through it and they put it over a fire Regina had started. Regina used magic to make it slowly rotate. It was a strain on Emma’s muscles and she was wondering how Regina could even hold it up. The woman wasn’t weak but she wasn’t doing pull ups every morning like Emma.

                “Poor fucking Swan,” Emma muttered. “Never thought I’d be saying that about the bird and not myself.”

                “I know what you mean.”

                “Regina why don’t you just say no to him, he could stand to hear it every now and again,” Emma commented as they stood outside for a bit away from Neal’s crying.

                “I cannot tell him no, this is not an option for me Emma, I know he’s a bastard, but try not to argue with him so much for my sake, I know you’re right and he always wants me to validate him and I hate that too.”

                “So, don’t validate him don’t side with him,” Emma replied.

“But I’m supposed too.”

                “Since when do you ever do what you’re supposed to do?” Emma asked her.

                “Since forever Emma or you probably wouldn’t exist,” Regina pointed out. “This is all very hard for me, I’m just asking you to make it easier.” Emma frowned but nodded. Regina went back inside. Cooking and Cleaning and Neal left her no time to really interact with Henry so by dinner his stomach was bothering him again and he was feeling hot. Nothing Emma did was correct and so Regina had to do it. She loved him dearly, but he was making it harder for her to get everything done.

                “Henry, I know you want my attention, but I really have a lot to do, so feel free to hang onto me while I tell you a story just like you used to do, but I cannot pick you up, I cannot keep bringing you glasses of water to the den, or coming to tuck your blanket around you just right for the moment okay. Work with me.” Henry nodded and followed her back to the kitchen. Emma rocked Neal who quieted down as Regina told one of her epic tales that she made up. Finally, though she was just done when they all sat down to dinner. Leopold carved the meat giving everyone except Regina generous portions. She had the thinnest slice of breast meat, pike, a small tablespoon of peas, carrots, and of course potatoes. And Leopold dumped most of her salad into his bowl leaving her with half a tomato and like three pieces of lettuce.

                “You forgot to serve Regina properly,” Emma commented when she looked at her dad who was staring into his plate hard, and Snow just seemed completely unconcerned.

                “No, I didn’t she needs to watch her figure,” Leopold told her as he ate. Regina carefully ate all her food. Honestly, he could have chosen to not feed her at all, so in theory she was in luck tonight.

                “It’s fine I’m full Emma,” Regina told her as she already finished. She didn’t even bother having soup as she already cleared her plate and brought tea to the table.

                “It’s not fine,” Emma told her when she came back. “You’ve on your feet all day, you need to eat.”  

                “If my wife says it’s fine it’s fine, she of all people knows how unsightly it is to see her stomach poking out so far after she eats like a little piggy,” Leopold told her as he reached over and poked at Regina’s stomach. “The level of fat is horrible, she gets any fatter I won’t want to sleep with her. She already takes up too much room in bed.”

                “I…I need to go clean the bathroom upstairs, I completely forgot,” Regina told them as her eyes were filling with tears. She left before anyone could object. Once upstairs she wasted no time sticking her finger down her throat. Afterwards she cleaned the bathroom methodically until Leo yelled for her to clean up after dinner. She was surprised again when Emma helped her despite Snow insisting that Regina had it covered. Most of the food had gone uneaten particularly the swan, whose life had been taken for nothing.

                “First off, she’s been cooking all day and I mean that literally, so it would be really nice of you to help out in the kitchen with cleaning. And I don’t know if you noticed Snow, but there aren’t any servants in this house and that alone should get your attention that it would take multiple servants to clean up this kitchen since you insist on dirtying it at every meal time, and not one Regina.”

                “She has magic, that’s like ten servants,” Snow reasoned.

                 “All magic comes with a price,” was all Emma said before she began scrubbing a pot that would likely take a while.

                “What are you doing?” Leopold asked coming into the kitchen, and Snow immediately left the room. Emma paused and opened her mouth to restart the argument about her cleaning, but when she turned, he was looking at Regina who was distributing portions of food into tubaware containers for lunch.

                “Preparing your lunches for tomorrow my King,” Regina replied. Emma noted she never called him dear, in a loving tone matter of fact she never even said it in a condescending tone. It seemed he wasn’t worth any version of that term of endearment.

                “With today’s slop you served me, you had all day it was utter shit we barely ate,” He told her. He dumped all the prepared tubaware on the floor and stomped out. Emma was about to yell after him for him to pick it all up when she heard Regina already moving to pick up the mess.

                “Regina what the hell, you can’t let him do that, that’s not correct behaviour,” Emma told her.

                “He’s the king,” Regina shrugged as she just managed to keep herself from visibly shaking.

                “No, he was the King, now he’s just an ordinary man,” Emma replied.

                “He will never be an ordinary man Ms. Swan, he is nearly sixty years old and you think he’s just going to forget he was ever King, that these people in this town would not do whatever he said?” 

                “Well if they want to put up with his tantrums than let them, but I don’t if I have to live with the guy. You should get a divorce and kick his ass out.” Regina couldn’t help but smile at Emma.

                “Great idea, because he’ll let someone he views as lower than him or some judge from the outside world tell him that I do not belong to him.”

                “You don’t belong to him, you are your own person, you are not his property,” Emma replied horrified that Regina thought that.

                “Well that may be, but that’s not his opinion Ms. Swan, and not everyone knows how to treat their property.” Regina dumped all the food that had been spilled thankfully Emma and Henry’s lunches had already been closed because she had only put goose meat in there. Emma was surprised when David came in and started helping to dump the food after asking Regina to save some of the soup for him for his lunch, that he had quite enjoyed it. After that they all worked in silence. With three of them at it, the kitchen and dining room was clean eventually.  The evening was a long one after that of staring at each other even though Snow was reading to Leopold. David was just restlessly flipping through a book just as Emma was rereading a magazine. The only person who seemed genuinely into his reading material was Henry as he curled up in Regina’s lap. The clock chimed nine o’clock.

                “Okay bedtime my little prince, I already let you stay up a bit later,” Regina told him kissing his forehead as he pouted.

                “Can I sleep with you mommy?” Henry asked.   Normally she was mom, but Henry was feeling more than a little put out by Leopold’s presence, and frankly didn’t like that he had access to Regina’s room, but Henry didn’t have access to it, and therefore her. And he had already tried to keep them from cuddling and reading as it was.

                “Um…how about I lay with you instead?” Regina asked him. She didn’t want Henry laying on that mattress it was soiled now, she could barely sleep in it now. Well she hadn’t slept in it, the only sleep she’d had was the stolen snatches she had gotten this morning between her last argument with Leo and crawling into bed with Emma and Henry.

                “No, I wanna sleep in your bed,” Henry insisted.

                “Henry honey, your bed is just as good,” Regina replied.

                “Henry you are a boy, start acting like one and stop sobbing like a little girl,” Leopold said his voice raised. “Regina is not your mother and I forbade you from calling her such. Now get upstairs and get into bed!”

                “I hate you!” Henry screamed at Leopold before running out. Regina immediately went after him to comfort him.

                “You’ll do well to beat him until he learns his place, and clearly Snow we need to do something about the public education system here. It’s not as important as my wife has led me to believe. You know that’s it he’s not going back to that failing school with the commoners. Real royalty are educated at home anyway.”

                “You’re unfuckingbelievable really,” Emma said. “My son is eight and if he wants to sleep with his mother, he should be able too, but he can’t because of you, you’re the problem here not Henry. You will not continue to be little my son and make him feel like being a girl is anything less than being a boy. And he will continue to go to school to be properly educated and not miseducated.”

                “Well Emma technically it’s not for you to decide now is it, Regina has primary custody technically, and people come to you out of respect here,” Snow put in.

                “Snow honey that’s not….” David started but she glared at him and he immediately went back to reading.

                “Wow Snow, and they say Regina’s the Evil Queen around here. Henry stays in school period,” Emma told them before stomping out.  When she got upstairs Regina was quietly leaving Henry’s room.

                 “How is he?” Emma asked immediately.

                “He cried himself to sleep, he was already tired, and he ran out of energy a little faster than he anticipated all worked up,” Regina told her. Emma nodded. “And then I reminded him that no one else could tell him who his mothers were in his heart and that he had the heart of the truest believer and it was stronger than any words Leopold used.”  Neal started crying in that moment as Emma smiled at Regina, she always knew what to say. They waited for Snow or David to come up for Neal, but that didn’t happen.

                “I think I’m supposed to care for him at night too I guess,” Regina commented before she turned and went to the nursery. Having repositioned the room let her think she had made a different nursery that she hadn’t had to destroy it.

                “This is ridiculous both Leopold and Snow are down there talking shit about my parenting while simultaneously saying you aren’t his mother and then hanging the fact you still have legal custody of Henry over me. But that bitch is making you take care of her son, that she wanted so bad.”

                “Don’t take it too personal Leopold has a way of reducing Snow to a spoiled brat. It’s like she never spent time as a common thief and that slight bit of humbleness she gained just disappeared,” Regina murmured.

                “You’re a much better mother to Neal,” David said startling them. They both turned to look at him, but their eyes went wide almost just as quickly. He gulped and turned to see Snow.

                “How dare you after all I’ve done for you!” Snow yelled. She hit him.

                 “Snow please stop this,” David cried out. It was nothing for Regina to put a barrier between the two as Leopold came stomping up the stairs.

                “Mom?” Henry called from his door scared. Regina went to him immediately and pushed him back into his room.

                “Stay right here sweetie and take care of your Uncle yeah.” He nodded as he sat on the bed with his uncle looking scared now. Regina exited the room to still see Snow yelling to her father about what David had said. Emma was staring at her mother in complete shock and David just looked embarrassed. She knew that embarrassed look well, so it looked as if the apple really didn’t rot down far from Daddy’s tree. Well Regina knew what to do with rotted trees you tore them down, burned the remains and got a new tree, no good fruit ever came from it. Too bad Rumple had interfered with her revenge.

                “What the fuck?” Emma asked Snow when she finally ran out of steam. “You cannot do that, that is spousal abuse.”

                “I can do whatever I want, he knows better,” Snow frowned.

                “You’ve gone fucking insane since I brought back Leopold,” Emma told her. “You cannot hit Dad like that.”

                “You can’t tell me what I can’t do to my husband,” Snow snapped. “And what the fuck is this dad, when you’ve been calling me Snow or Mary Margaret the past few days.”

                “Well maybe because Dad is acting like well Dad and you’re acting like someone I don’t even know. What happen to the woman who was my best friend when I came to town or the woman she became when she realized she was my mother?” Emma asked.

                 “That woman was some made up person Emma, I’m me, you’re the one that needs to fall in line just like your shit excuse for a father right now.”

                “You know what he was just making an observation, about your shitty parenting skills lately,” Emma quipped back.

                “Regina, fix this,” Leopold glared. “My Snow is unhappy, and it is your job to keep her happy.” Regina frowned not knowing how to placate everybody. Besides Snow was an adult, he bitched that Henry needed to grow up and yet expected his precious Snow to still be coddled.

                “My parents are adults, why is it Regina’s job to problem solve?” Emma asked him glaring.

                “Well if you knew anything, you’d know that a Queen is responsible for the children and solve any disputes. Snow is my child, her husband is being impossible, so my Queen must step in as her mother and help her solve it. Just as she solves any disputes between you and Snow.” Emma started to speak, but then Regina spoke.

                “How about this, um…the Loft is still empty, so David why don’t you take a breather and sleep there for tonight?” Regina suggested.

                “No, I will not be separated from David, he might invite Kathryn over,” Snow cried. Leopold glared at Regina for suggesting such a thing.

                “I don’t like Kathryn for the hundredth time,” David snapped at her.

                “Kathryn is very much in love with Freddy, she’s not interested in David like that since the curse broke,” Regina told her.

                “Didn’t stop him from having an affair with me when he was married to her, still technically is, in this world.”

                “The judge divorced them properly within weeks of the curse breaking calm down, and secondly he was your true love and you were rebelling against the curse, you cannot possibly view him as untrustworthy when he was clearly less cursed than you and attracted to you,” Regina told her annoyed. “You two are legally married again officially. When the curse broke, all documents reverted to their originality during the curse as far as births and marriages are concerned. Hell, even Emma has a proper birth certificate here.”

                “What really?” Emma asked surprised.

                “You were born in the Enchanted Forest so yes,” Regina told her.

                “Yeah, but like right before the curse though,” Emma pointed out.

                “Yeah, but we knew you were a girl and we’d name you Emma, so we drew those up before hand, mostly for David’s sake when he got stuck in Regina’s curse,” Snow pointed out.

                “Wow,” Emma commented a little surprised.

                “Okay fine then if David can’t go, then we clear the air, he obviously feels as if you have been neglecting Neal yes?” Regina asked looking at David.

                “She’s not outright neglectful but she could be better,” David told them.

                “And Snow you disagree with that sentiment yes?” Regina asked.

                “Of course, I do, I have a Kingdom to run, and if Neal can spend time with a loving grandmother than great.”

                “So, sounds to me like you two just need a family day, no work just you and the kid, and Emma if she wants.” Regina thought this was utter bullshit, but she hoped that David could learn to keep his mouth shut. If they were in the same boat to some extent, she didn’t need him rocking it for her anymore than the waves already did.

                “No, if Dad’s not at work than I need to be available, everyone’s very needy these days,” Emma lied. She’d likely be able to take time too, but she just was not interested in hanging out with her mother mostly. If it were just her dad and Neal sure, but not her mother. Emma was starting to understand why Regina said if the entire town was on fire and this was the only safe place, she could let the entire town in before she watched Snow and Leopold burn outside, and that maybe she could let her dad in. But honestly it was probably more she could let her dad in and watch those two assholes burn in hell for all she cared.

                “Yes, that sounds about right,” David sighed after a look from Regina. Snow of course smiled.

                “Good, you can take a Saturday, I’m sure the council can forgo one Saturday meeting a month,” Regina told them.

                “No, I’ll go to the Saturday meeting, and you’ll come with me to explain things if necessary,” Leo told her.  The thought of being stuck at a Saturday council meeting with Leopold and no power was one that made Regina want to slit her throat. But then again, she was glad she didn’t have to attend a council meeting where all her choices were under minded and questioned and doubted in front of the people.  In that case she was sure she’d have slit her wrists right after if not during.

                “Oh no Daddy, it’s a family day, you ought to come with us.” David rolled his eyes and made a face. While they discussed it, Regina went into Henry’s room and tucked him in. She would have no choice in whether he went or not, and she was dragged along.

                “All is well there was just a disagreement, Emma will be right in to kiss you, goodnight, okay?” Henry nodded.

                “Will you still lay with me?” Henry asked. Regina nodded.

                “Yes, I will try, just give me time to get Neal to bed.” Henry nodded. She kissed him goodnight and left out the door indicating to Emma she should go say goodnight as she was still floored by her mother and grandfather.  She went in and said goodnight.

                “Night kid, if you need Regina in the middle of the night, come crawl in bed with me, I know I’m not her, but maybe I can text her and she’ll come in. That way it might be easier for her to get away without arguing with your grandfather. You know he’ll do anything to keep you apart.” He nodded and gave her a hug. She left out to see her father taking Neal insisting on staying with him.

“Right well come to bed Regina,” Leopold ordered. Regina frowned and looked at Emma and then Henry’s door. Emma only gave her a nod that she’d look after Henry. Snow was already going into her room without a glance in the nursery or a goodnight to Emma. Regina was barely in the room with the door locked when she was pushed forward onto the bed and her dress pulled up with her panties down. He was inside of her pushing himself in roughly, and it hurt her every single time he went in and out.

                ‘At least he hasn’t made any demands for me to become a little girl tonight,’ Regina thought. Her body shuttered in disgust, and Leopold of course took it as like.

                “I knew you liked it, you like it rough don’t you bitch,” Leopold told her.

                “Yes, my King,” Regina responded in a monotone voice. As she stared at a spot on her wall. There was nothing particularly there to grab her attention, but it allowed her to slip into the recesses of her mind to imagine a different life a happier life. Happier even than her previous reality before Emma fucked it all up. Emma…she should be furious at her, treat her like shit even when no one was around, but Emma had quickly become the only other sane person in this house. Well it seemed Charming was holding on to some sense, but like her he kept it under wraps. Perhaps she and Charming weren’t destined to be enemies forever after all. Or maybe they were he still had his memories she wondered if Snow had always been rotten or if just recently, she had changed her tune. Regina mentally shrugged it was hard to know really, suddenly she was pulled from her thoughts mostly because she was sure Leopold wasn’t done, but he had pulled out. She turned her head to follow him towards the bathroom. She saw Emma standing in the bathroom looking horrified.  Regina just stared back at her with empty eyes, she couldn’t even feel anything in that moment, Emma was just one of many people who had witnessed what the King called sex, and it wasn’t even his worse day hell this was a damn good day compared to yesterday. At least she could just pretend to be a bored housewife it was so thankfully normal. Suddenly the door was shut and locked, and Emma was gone.  Leopold was back grabbing her by the hair hard, he slapped her and punched her bruising her as usual.

                “You are not how I like you, prepare yourself,” Leopold growled.  Regina frowned, and purple smoke covered her until she was a child version of Eva his first wife around five years old. She knew she shouldn’t have been so hopeful that the good day would last. So that awful disgusting feeling just settled in the pit of her stomach. He cocked his head to the side as he undressed in front of her. His fat body was covered in white hair and his skin was wrinkled and disgusting, and now he loomed over her like a giant. “No look like yourself at that age.” Regina frowned as soon as the words left his mouth tears began to roll down her cheek.

                “Please no,” Regina whispered.

                “Please no, what?” Leopold asked her. He paused to lean over her, so she wet herself in fear again. It only gave him pleasure.

                “Please don’t make me Daddy,” Regina whispered if last night was awful as Eva, there’s no way she could put herself in the headspace to be herself as if her life wasn’t torture enough at that age, and when she remembered she would see it from her five year old self’s point of view even if her thoughts were adult and at some point she wouldn’t be able to distinguish this pain from her actual childhood memories and now the pain was just that prominent.

                “Now my Queen, you know you aren’t supposed to tell Daddy no, right?” Leopold asked her. Regina shook as purple smoke surrounded her. She couldn’t make herself look like herself she just couldn’t. She thanked the universe for small mercies that he had never crossed her paths as a small child. He had no idea what she had truly looked like. So, she gave herself short straight mousy brown hair it was even a bit oily, sickly pale skin, she kept her eyes shaped closer to Eva’s than her own, and a tad lighter than Eva’s. And her body was fat too fat. He was disgusted by her as he backed up in revulsion.

                “Eww no, no, of course you were a disgusting fat little thing,” He growled at her upset. He just hit her for a while. He wasn’t even erect when he shoved himself into her just to cause pain.

                “Clean yourself up, you’re going on a diet tomorrow.” He went to sleep as she sat with her legs curled up to her chest as she tried to ignore the smell of her own urine and blood. After a while the feeling of being dirty was too much for her, so she got up changed back to herself needing to get out of that child’s body, she already felt small, she didn’t need to stay small. She showered in hot water trying to feel clean, eventually she just slid to the floor and used her magic to conjure four razors to cut on each of her thighs and arms. At least this way she couldn’t accidentally sliced too deep at least too prematurely, she didn’t know if she could come out on the other side of this, whatever this was, hell didn’t seem like a strong enough word for what she was experiencing now. She was actually starting to long for the days in the Enchanted Forest when he didn’t know she had magic, when she had escape in her own bed chambers after his torture where if she pissed him off enough he’d lock her in and she’d happily dance around her room, because he wouldn’t even come in to finish her. Now she saw him every moment she was awake.

                “Oh Regina,” Emma cried quietly. She opened the shower door and turned off the water. Regina didn’t say anything as she pulled her out and wrapped a towel around her. “You cannot keep hurting yourself like this.” Regina hadn’t even realized she’d been crying loudly enough to attract Emma’s attention. The razors fell to the floor of the shower in her shock, Regina was almost a little shocked at how much blood was falling off her body, and honestly, she wished the majority was from her cuts, but she knew it was from between her legs.

                ‘Great now she’s seen me cutting myself with magic, she really will think I gave myself the bruises,’ Regina thought. Emma dried her off, took care of her cuts individually and handed her a tampon. Of course, Emma just thought she had her period, and Regina was surprised when instead of sending her to her own room after she used her own magic to heal the cuts, Emma brought her into her own. She gave her a pair of boxer shorts and a tang top that doubled as pyjamas, before they both crawled into Emma’s bed without another word.  Regina just curled up onto Emma, and Emma flipped on the new television and they watched I love Lucy.

                Regina didn’t know why they always seemed to do what the other needed sometimes, and right now Regina didn’t need a lecture about cutting. She just needed someone to hold her until the world stopped caving in and her body stopped shaking.

                “Do you think a happy family really exists like that?” Regina asked Emma.

                “Yes, somewhere, someone is deliriously happy, I mean there must be one person in all the world who can handle all your faults and love you for the idiot you are,” Emma murmured.

                “You’re the idiot here remember,” Regina sassed. Emma chuckled.

                “But you love me,” Emma grinned. Regina scoffed. “Come on admit it you find me adorable.” Regina gave a noncommittal grunt and burrowed deeper into Emma’s side. She was warm, sleeping next to Leopold it was always like a cold block of ice was next to her. She missed the days when they had separate rooms where she could at least be alone in peace. Well as close to peace as she was ever going to get. Regina couldn’t even remember the last time she did something small for herself like read a book. At least back in her gilded cage she had space to do things that gave her a slight bit of joy like gardening and her books. Now nothing was hers even a smidge.  Her home, her safe place had been tainted and she wouldn’t live like this. She was a good person now she couldn’t kill Leopold unfortunately, Rumple had taken care of that nor did she want to throw away all her progress for Henry’s sake, she wanted to die knowing that he believed her to be good even if she had already tried to stab him. Did it really count if it hadn’t worked? Still she had best get Henry and Emma to leave and make sure all her money went to them and not Leopold. She had given him access to a new account she had set up with a small fortune inside of it, but it didn’t nearly indicate the tip of the iceberg that concerned her finances. Emma and Henry could go and have a good life away from all this shit.

                “Hey where did you go, I didn’t like that look,” Emma frowned.

                “Nowhere,” Regina lied. “Was just thinking you’re warm is all.” Emma nodded but she watched Regina a moment longer who turned her attention back to the television. Emma was about to pry some more when her room door slowly opened, and Henry poked his head in. Regina was grateful he hadn’t gone straight to her and woken up Leopold. He shut the door and quickly ran in as she immediately held her arms out to him. He hugged her tightly and settled under the blankets in her lap before they both curled up to Emma without another word and turned their attention back to the television.

                ‘God, what I wouldn’t give to have this every night,’ Emma thought as she easily wrapped an arm around Regina, so she could snuggle in closer with Henry. ‘What I wouldn’t give for just the three of us to be here and happy. Well kind of happy at least without Leo, I could get Regina to get some help.’  Emma drifted off thinking about better days for the three of them while next to her Regina fell asleep wishing for better days for Emma and Henry because it was clear to her, her days were up. She was exhausted and for the first time in days her body felt safe enough in the arms of Emma Swan to calm enough to allow sleep to finally take hold.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

                “I know why you’re here and before you start yelling, I didn’t help him,” Gold told Regina when she entered his shop carrying Neal. “I don’t know how he broke your curse if my magic senses are correct and I definitely didn’t strengthen his sperm. There was nothing in it for me dearie and frankly I like us as frienemies and you did help free me from Zelena’s control.”

                “So, what did you give him?” Regina asked needing to know. Because really this would have been the ultimate betrayal from Rumple, one she might not have forgiven.

                “Thunder God Vine, if anything I may have started the events of his natural death.”  Regina didn’t speak for a long moment. The door opened behind her and Leopold came in not even bothering to hide his rage.

                “What are you doing near this imp, I thought we discussed that you would stay away from him,” Leopold told her as he gripped her arm hard.  Rumple didn’t even flinch and neither did Regina.

                “I came to buy Emma’s baby mobile for Snow, I thought she might like to use it for Neal, it was meant to be a surprise,” Regina lied easily. She had already planned her excuses.  She had learned a while ago that the dwarves among a few others who loved Leo reported her movements as much as possible because of her previous betrayal that the majority of them couldn’t remember.

                “Yes, I do believe it’s right here and I’m always ready to make a sell,” Gold told them. He went to the mobile and wrapped it up. Regina handed him some cash and took the box. Normally Gold liked other forms of payment, but the mobile was useless to him and could be acquired for cash. Regina left out with Neal and Leopold.

                “You are to head home, I don’t want you out here alone,” Leopold told her.

                “Yes, my King,” Regina said without feeling as she set the box down on the hood of her Mercedes and got Neal strapped back inside. The box made its way into her trunk. She kissed him goodbye and drove off. Leopold watched her go and started to walk home on purpose. He wanted to know if she would do as she was told.

“You need to go,” Regina told Robin as he stood in her foyer. “I’m not even sure why you are here.” Regina had arrived home and immediately put Neal down to continue his nap. He had fallen asleep at the grocery store and through the visit with Gold. She had just finished putting the groceries away when she had walked into her foyer to find Robin breaking in really. Once a thief always a thief she had thought.

                “I’m here because I keep hearing fucking rumours that we’re soulmates and shit and I came to get to the bottom of it.” Regina made a face.

                “I assure you we are not soulmates of any kind, I don’t even like you, you smell like forest and you are thief.”

                “And you’re the Evil Queen, aren’t you the pot calling the kettle black.” Regina shrugged.

                “Perhaps, but I didn’t steal all that I built,” Regina reminded him.

                “I would beg to differ since everyone thought you killed the king,” Robin pointed out.

                “Can’t steal a throne that was given the minute he married me, and Snow was too young to take the throne at the time, not my fault she became a thief later and became unworthy.” Robin Hood huffed.

                “Does it matter why is this nonsense rumour going around is it just to play games and make jokes an honourable thief and the Evil Queen.” Regina frowned. No soulmate would ever have called her that at least not with his tone. And worse yet he was here if Leo found out, she was so not in the mood for his latest beating. She was surprisingly three days into a beating free streak, and she was trying to keep it up just like when she managed to keep her mother from using magic on her. Once she had gone an entire beautiful month and her mother had even been home every day and not gone for most of the month.

                “Doesn’t matter the people here have nothing better to do than gossip, it will disappear soon as long as no one knows you were here.” He nodded.

                “Good, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t over here pining for me especially with your king husband back.”

                 “Not even a little bit,” Regina told him as Neal awoke from his nap, she had hoped he would sleep longer so she could take a minute to herself. Today the house was clean, she hopefully wouldn’t see Leopold for lunch, and she was otherwise alone. “Now if you will kindly take your leave.” Robin left, and Regina headed upstairs to get Neal. She changed his diaper and put him back in his crib.

                “Now you wait there, favorite Charming, and I’ll get you some clothes and we’ll head to the park even though we’re supposed to stay in, but you shouldn’t be cooped up.” Regina smiled at him and he gave her a big smile back.  She turned around only to be met by a fist colliding with her right eye.

                “Ow!” She cried out falling back into the crib. Neal cried at the jolt. Leopold grabbed her by the hair and flung her to the floor. So much for keeping up her streak.

                “You fucking whore, I knew it, you are seeing that disgusting fucking thief!” He yelled. “Did you give yourself to him in our bed?!” Regina cried out for him to stop that she had told Robin to go and he had, but it was of no use. Neal screamed.  When he was done, he unzipped his pants and pulled out his member and pissed on Regina.

                “If you are going to act like a whore than I’m going to treat you like one,” He declared. “I’m hungry for lunch.” Regina didn’t comment that she had sent him to work with lunch, she just lay there curled up into a ball as he kicked her insisting, she get up.   Regina retreated into herself until she heard him yelling at Neal to shut up already. Neal just looked at him and cried more. He started to walk towards Neal.

                “Leave him be, I’ll make you lunch, he’ll calm when we’re gone, he will settle himself,” Regina told him quietly. She wouldn’t let him lay a hand on Neal, boys weren’t exactly his favorite. Leopold slapped her one more time.

                “To remind you who is in charge here, but don’t worry after I eat, I’m going to really remind you that I am your King,” He left the room and instead of following Regina slammed the door shut and locked it. She hurried over to Neal as Leopold was banging on the door. He kicked it in, in time to see only purple smoke and an empty room.

                At first Regina appeared with her car and Neal at the town line, she had to get away from here. No way he would follow her over into an unknown world especially without Snow, and especially when she would immediately lose all memory of him. She could be free; she would call Emma and tell her to grab Henry and pretend as if she meant to hunt her down and bring her back. She was suffocating in that house too after all.  Without a second thought she attempted to drive over the town line, but she was screaming in frustration and anger and sorrow when branches broke through in windows and wrapped around herself and the car. Neal was still screaming in the back as well and kept her from leaving Storybrooke without Leopold. Once she had accepted, she was not leaving the branches disappeared. Regina transported herself and Neal to her vault leaving her car where it was for now. It was of no use to her.  She erected a barrier she hoped would keep Leopold out, but she didn’t think it would, it hadn’t worked at home why would here be different.

                She was going to have to kill herself or Leopold somehow if she wanted out of this nightmare. It had been the same back in the Enchanted Forest as well. Tinkerbell had stopped her from killing herself before, but Regina wouldn’t let that happen this time. But then of course there was Henry her sweet prince, how could she do that to him? Hell, after weeks of raising Neal how would he take that loss or Emma? Emma was really her light in the dark, somehow, she had managed to not self-harm although Emma didn’t realize that because she thought Regina was leaving bruises on herself instead of cutting these days. Emma was a lot more diligent about finding her razors or waiting for her just outside the bathroom door often seeming to know when she was poised to cut. She was sure Emma must now have a pile of razors from her.  

Maybe she should finally tell her it was all Leopold, so she would open her eyes. God, she wished so hard Emma would just notice so she wouldn’t have to say it, but he kept most of his bruising to her body and not her face these days. Hits to the face were more likely to occur when no one else was home and she had time to hide it especially after he realized that she spoke with Emma in the bathroom one of the few places they had privacy if they weren’t taking it from one another. And yet then again maybe Emma would think she deserved it and stop caring for her when she realized that her bruises were the result of what Leopold considered discipline. Regina shook her head coming back to reality that was a world she couldn’t face, she had to take care of Neal then she could think. Neal was still howling in her arms.

                 “Shush honey, you and I are safe here,” Regina told him although it felt like a lie. She had physically locked the doors as an extra precaution, but really you never knew with Leopold. He had a knack for still getting to her. She stood up and got both herself and Neal into fresh clothes. Eventually she got Neal to sleep before she went to the bathroom in her hidden apartments to survey the damage to her body this time. She’d had worse that much she was sure, but it still hurt like a bitch. Everything hurt.  The right eye was now swollen shut and couldn’t even release tears anymore. Her bottom lip was bleeding and swollen, her nose was bloody, and she was sure she was going to be able to add broken rib to the list of current injuries.  She raised her shirt looking at the patchwork of bruises that mottled her skin, all were various shades showing their time line. She hadn’t seen her skin so bruised in decades and she really hadn’t missed the sight. She squinted really through her left eye at all this, it was slightly swollen and impairing her vision a bit, but she could see that she also had cuts on her face, probably from the glass of the car.

                Her phone buzzed it was Leopold, she couldn’t help but chuckle. Of course, he was calling her as if she were in the wrong. The next call was from Snow leaving a voicemail about how she wanted to see her son. Anything to draw her out apparently. David also called and finally Emma just texted her asking if she and Neal were all right.  Regina didn’t reply as she just carefully prepared to wash her face at least. She couldn’t hide this, maybe she should just transport Neal to Emma or David and stay down here. Days like this had left her lying in bed in the Enchanted Forest. Leopold didn’t like the people to see her unpresentable she was the Queen after all. She tried to heal herself, but her hand just shook, and her magic refused to come no way she could heal or glamour it all better. At least not until she calmed down, magic was emotion and the wrong emotions could prohibit you from performing a spell properly.  She also finally noticed the pain in her wrist, and her mind flashed back to the way he had just stepped on her wrist, and honestly, she didn’t think he had even noticed in his rant about her being a whore.

                 “Ah!” Regina cried out as pain coming in the form of a powerful cramp ripped through her body.  Cramps usually meant one of two things for her, so she pivoted to try and use the toilet. But then it dawned on her it wasn’t that pain; this pain was an all too familiar one. How many times had Leo beat her into miscarriage? She lost count after the first year, and then one of the first things Rumple had taught her was a spell for birth control. Oh, she had been so happy, and then again later when she thought her curse had failed. It was too much; she didn’t want to do this again.  She contemplated just letting herself bleed out, but Neal crying in the background brought her back. He’d been traumatized enough today with everything involving her. The last thing he needed was to also see her die. And Henry she couldn’t let them find her like this dead in her vault with a screaming Neal. It would be too gruesome.  Warm liquid pooled between her legs as she stumbled over to Neal. He came to her immediately and she wrapped her arms around him. They disappeared in a puff of smoke to the emergency room, and she stumbled in at first, they took Neal, he was priority, but then as she fell, they realized Regina was the one injured.

                 ‘Typical I’m visibly hurt but the Charmings always go first.’ Regina thought before she passed out and hit in her head on the floor causing yet another injury to her already battered body.

                When Regina finally began to regain consciousness, it was her hearing that came back first. There were sounds of the monitor beeping around her.  She noted that she wasn’t at home in her bed and the air around her smelled sterile, but also a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. She knew that scent, Emma, of course the Sheriff would have been called, she was a fugitive holding baby Neal hostage. For a moment Regina wondered if she was hand cuffed to her hospital bed. She moved, but she was still groggy, her limbs were still feeling heavy. She groaned as the movement elicited pain in her ribs.

                “Hey, Reggie, I know you want to move, but it’s best you lay still and get up slowly with help, you’re all banged up. Emma stroked her head careful of the stitches. “Maybe open your eyes first.” Regina slowly opened her eyes. Her right eye hurt, but it was no longer swollen shut, but it was still swollen just as the left eye was. “There are those pretty brown eyes, I thought I would never see them again.” Regina felt Emma’s hand in her left one.

                “Neal?” Regina croaked out. Her throat felt dry like she had never had a drink of water in her life.

                “Don’t you worry about him, he’s just fine at home with dad, you on the other hand really scared us all,” Emma told her. Once Regina seemed more present, Emma began to let the bed rise and she helped Regina drink some water.  Regina coughed but insisted on more as her throat finally didn’t feel like a dessert. She noticed her hands weren’t cuffed, but her right wrist was in a cast. “I want you to know you don’t have to be scared about what happens next, we got the bastard.”  Regina gasped. For the first time in a long while she was feeling hope, and that hope was that Leopold had been arrested and that maybe she could get rid of him and live her life in piece, hopefully he died in confinement he was an old man after all and then she would travel the world just to remind herself what pure freedom felt like.

                “Really?” Regina asked to be sure.

                “Yes, really, I can’t believe he took that stupid fairy magic so seriously that he would attack you like this and in front of Neal no less. Even Tink is livid, she says she’s never been so glad you walked away from that tavern.” And just like that Regina’s heart just sank. Emma mistook the anguish on her face as remembering the attack, but it was for Leopold.

                “You mean Robin, you’re talking about Robin,” Regina clarified. Emma nodded and Regina just let the tears fall even as the stung her swollen eyes.

                “Can you tell me what happened officially for the report?” Emma asked her once her tears had slowed down for the time being. Regina was silent. She didn’t like Robin, but she couldn’t be a part of sending him to prison for another man’s crimes. Particularly Leopold’s crime. No only Leopold could pay for all he had done to her.

                “I…I don’t remember what happened Emma, I’m sorry. The last thing I remember is putting Neal down for a nap,” Regina lied. She could see Emma’s internal lie detector ping, but she didn’t push her.  Regina wanted to ask about her miscarriage, but that would prove to Emma that she did remember, and she’d want that. Maybe it was just best not to know, not dwell on how he had beat yet another pregnancy out of her. 

                “Please don’t protect him Regina, you don’t deserve this, no one does,” Emma told her.

                “I’m sure a lot of people would beg to differ,” Regina muttered. “Henry hasn’t seen me like this has he?” Emma shook her head.

                “No, I knew you wouldn’t want this image in his head.” Regina nodded.

                “Thank you,” She said and indicated for more water.

                “And I want you to know people are furious and demanding Robin’s head,” Emma told her.

                “Why because I’m the King’s Queen and their King has been slighted?” Regina asked. She couldn’t fathom anyone in this town gave a damn about her wellbeing because she was a human being.

                “No, because you are a good person Regina, and you’ve been an outstanding mayor for over three decades even under the curse, you saved everyone from Zelena and countless other threats. I don’t know that I would have survived anything around here if not for you. I’m just really a battery for you.” Regina couldn’t help but chuckle.

                “You have your moments Ms. Swan.”

                “Besides you can’t tell me that Ruby and Granny would just be upset because that jerk wad is upset. You know he never pays his bill at the diner; I get calls all day since you aren’t home about him skipping the tab.”

                “Oh, what he doesn’t want his precious Snow’s cooking?” Regina asked.

                “Well after he realized you wouldn’t be back to clean up and I would be forcing my mother to clean her own mess, he decided meals would be taken at Granny’s until your return.”

                “Oh, dear God, how bad is my kitchen?” Regina asked.

                “You might have to replace the entire thing honestly.” Regina groaned and regretted the deep sigh she had taken because of her ribs.

                “Easy, shallower breaths, you have a couple of broken ribs,” Emma told her.

                “What else?” Regina asked. “She wanted to know what Emma thought happened to her exactly. What kind of lies did Leopold tell and did they match up with her injuries. She knew there would be a few more from the night before from his version of sex.

                “Your wrist, which I’m sure you noticed, both eyes were swollen, the right more than the left, busted lip, bloody nose, but not broken thankfully. And...” Emma took a deep breath, but she looked Regina directly in the eyes. “You were raped.” Regina didn’t react she just looked back at Emma. “Repeatedly.”

                “Is that all Ms. Swan?” Regina asked her, moving her head to look away, as she kept her face impassive.

                “No, and you’re pregnant, you were bleeding when you came in, doctors were pretty sure it was twins, but there’s one surviving fetus for now.”  Regina let her tears fall. She did not want his baby and yet she couldn’t fathom getting an abortion anymore except she had too. She couldn’t bring a child into this world with that monster for a father and on the off chance he hadn’t touched Snow, she couldn’t believe in a world where he wouldn’t touch her daughter, just because she was the mother. Or her son, it was bad enough Henry was suffering.

                “Does he know?” Regina asked taking a deep breath.

                “He as in Robin?” Emma asked. “Yeah, he knows, we’ll charge him for this somehow too. Not exactly for murder as Leopold would like but we’ll get him though.”

                “Does Leo know the other baby lives?” Regina asked needing to know.

                “Um…he stomped out when he heard about the miscarriage in anger, so I don’t think so. It was just him and I and he hasn’t been back so I’m assuming not.”

                “Please inform the doctor that I need to have an abortion immediately and discreetly please,” Regina whispered as she turned onto her side and curled up into bed.

                “Regina….”

                “Emma please,” Regina told her as she cried. Emma nodded and rubbed her shoulder.

                “If you promise me that you will start talking to me since I can’t get you to Archie,” Emma replied. Regina nodded. Emma left out after a squeeze to the shoulder. Emma smartly found a female doctor that wasn’t part of the White Kingdom. She was reluctant to give Regina an abortion with her genitals still so swollen from trauma, but Regina made her do it anyway with a little magic. Emma had frowned at that, but she had no idea how to stop it. Regina had squeezed her hand and cried the entire time as Emma had refused to leave her alone for the procedure.

                “Are you hungry?” Emma asked. “You lost a lot of weight recently; Whale says you need to eat more.”

                “No, I’m not hungry,” Regina whispered as she was lost in thoughts of her baby she had lost and the baby she had just been forced to give up.

                “I’m going to get you something anyway, we can just try,” Emma told her stroking her head. Regina just nodded. Emma left out and went in search of food.

                “I’m so sorry,” Regina whispered over and over to herself. She almost didn’t notice when the door knob turned, and she thought maybe it was Emma coming back or her nurse to just check on her again since her genitals were pretty swollen, they would be checking on her frequently.

                “Ah my Queen I see you are awake,” Leopold said. Regina’s bladder let go in fear, she hadn’t ever wet herself in fear as an adult at just the sight and sound of him. But she supposed having that fear of him renewed tenfold when she thought she was safe after over three decades well at least the shaking wasn’t new. She didn’t speak as he approached the bed but first, he went to the flowers, and read the cards. He pulled one out.

                “Whose Archie?” He asked. “I thought we decided you wouldn’t go near him?”

                “I haven’t been near him my King,” Regina whispered. “I only just woke up.”

                “And yet he saw fit to send you flowers, does he have a wife who forgot to sign her name like the others?”

                “No, my King, he’s just the town psychologist, it’s his job to worry after everyone and send well wishes,” Regina whispered as she curled more into herself.

                “Hmm, we’ll see, now get up the house is a mess and Snow has had to miss work because of you to care for Neal.” He pulled her up roughly by her left wrist. She cried out in pain at first but bit her lip she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he hurt her anymore. He went to her closet where Emma had brought a bag and threw clothes at her. She was slowly putting on a shirt when Emma came back in with a hospital tray and a nurse.

                “Regina!” She hurried in and put the tray down, she stepped in front of her grandfather. “What are you doing, get back into bed now.” Regina just looked down not able to meet her eyes.

                “Emma, once again you are interfering where you aren’t wanted. I want that thief executed already,” Leopold told her.

                “We don’t just execute people here on your whim fortunately and no my place is here because Henry cannot be here, and she is my friend. Now if you’re the one telling her she should be back home already then you need to leave now, because she’s not leaving before, she gets an okay from the doctor,” Emma told him firmly. Leopold frowned and stomped out.

                “I’m sorry I just wanted to get to the bathroom….” Regina whispered hoping Emma didn’t suspect the real reason she had wet the bed.

                “It’s all right you aren’t going to move as well as you would like for a while,” the nurse told her. “Why don’t we get you into the chair and cleaned up. You can eat there while I clean up the bed.” Regina nodded as she took the shirt back off and repacked Regina’s bag properly. They got her in a clean hospital gown and underwear cleaning up the blood and pee. Regina tried to ignore the shame she felt of someone seeing that.

                “Regina please eat, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of all right?” Emma asked. Regina just nodded and gently bit into the sandwich. She was just finishing it when Leopold came back in.

                “Mayor Mills…I mean Queen Regina you’re being discharged to go home,” Whale said as he glared at Leopold.

                “Whale what the fuck no, she’s not ready,” Emma told him annoyed.

                “I think I’m going to be sick,” Regina said. It was nothing for the contents of her stomach to come back on their own as the thought of being near Leopold tonight was too much.

                “See still sick,” Emma said as she held the kidney bowl for Regina. The nurse took it away when she was done.

                “Well she’s not our problem now we need the room,” Whale told her.

                “For who?” Emma asked. “This hospital is bigger than your actual needs.”

                “Take it up with co-mayor here,” He said and stomped away. Regina touched her arm as Leopold just looked smug.

                “It’s okay, really,” Regina told her gathering up her courage. Maybe Emma would hover long enough for her to heal herself with magic before he started in on her. Whale came back with some papers.

                “No sex for at least three months, uh prenatal vitamins, pain killers, cast off in six weeks, then physical therapy, no strenuous work, you’re on bed rest until your ribs are healed. Understand?”

                “Yeah, but I don’t need prenatal vitamins.” Whale frowned and looked at the chart again.

                “Great, why didn’t someone tell me you miscarried this morning,” He grumbled before stomping off.

                “You miscarried my son,” Leopold told her a little too calmly for her liking. Regina nodded.

                “Back off and get out, the nurse and I will get her changed.” Leopold just took a seat. They took Regina into the bathroom though. She tried to use her magic to clear up her face at least for Henry’s sake, only the swelling went down, and it left her drained.

                “Regina no magic until you’re healed. I will get you whatever you need and you’re staying in my room, because he’s obviously an inconsiderate dick.” Regina just nodded and Emma helped heal her face, at best Regina was sure that Emma had tried to heal her some already, but she hadn’t been properly trained so hadn’t been able to do more than her surface injuries. Once she was dressed in loose sweats, a large t-shirt and a hoodie that belonged to Emma, Emma brushed her hair back into a ponytail and they took her to get her shoes on.

                “I wanted to bring your leggings, but Snow took them for whatever reason.”  Regina kept her face impassive leave it to her to go through her things. Soon they were leaving with Regina sitting in the back of the bug after Leopold and Emma argued which she solved by just simply taking the back. They stopped at the pharmacy for supplies.

                “You’re going to pay for losing my son,” Leopold told her from the front. Emma came back and they drove home. He didn’t help her in.

                “Mom!” Henry cried. He had been refusing to go to school until Regina was back home although Emma suspected he’d continue to fake sick after to stay with her.

                “Henry,” She said. She bent down despite the pain and hugged him as tight as she could they were all tears.

                “Oh, Regina you’re back already great, I was just about to head back to the office,” Snow said. She was wearing Regina’s favorite blue dress with the matching heels and even put the matching purse on her arm.

                “Wow,” Emma said. “How did you even get in that.” She could tell that Snow had squeezed into the dress and she didn’t know what Regina did to get all so smooth, but Snow had not done it. It was simply unflattering to her body shape. Emma couldn’t even believe she had once drooled over Regina in that dress, it was ruined.

                “Oh, thanks Emma, I’m glad you think it looks nice. Neal’s upstairs he’ll need a feeding soon.” She left without another word even as she wobbled in the heels.

                “Come on let’s get you to bed,” Emma told Regina not knowing what else to say. They headed up the stairs and Regina were just sitting down on the pad Emma had put over her sheets when Leopold came to the door.

                “What are you doing the kitchen isn’t going to clean itself and I’m hungry,” He said.

                “She still has several injuries that aren’t going to heal anytime soon, so if you want to eat, you’re going to have to go to Granny’s and please actually pay this time,” Emma told him. Henry hugged Regina as he looked between his grandfather and Emma. Regina saw his eyes drop to Emma’s gun before he smirked and walked away. Inwardly she gave a sigh of relief, but she would need to make sure he never got a hold of Emma’s gun. She didn’t know if he knew how to use it perhaps, he had asked David. Regina shuttered if he got his own gun and started threatening her with that too she didn’t know if she could handle it. She’d be so worried he’d accidentally fire it on Henry. It was bad enough David and Emma had their guns in the house.

                “Mom?” Henry asked. “Are you okay you’re shivering.”

                “I’m fine darling just cold.” He nodded as they tucked her into bed. Henry immediately climbed in and hugged her gently.

                “I’ll warm you up,” He told her. She smiled and snuggled him. Having her baby boy in her arms was just the sort medicine she needed today.

                “Ruby’s going to bring by some food,” Emma told her as she texted. “What do you want soup, another sandwich, or are you up for a burger?” Regina shook her head.

                “I’m really not hungry Emma,” Regina told her.

                “Maybe, but you have to take your medications and you need to take them on a full stomach.” Regina sighed. She was in quite a bit of pain. Besides she was sure that once she was up and about again it wouldn’t take long to lose the weight she would likely gain. She clenched her jaw at the thought, but it just couldn’t be avoided right now.

                “Can I have a cheeseburger mum?” Henry asked. She nodded.

                “I’ll have a salad,” Regina told Emma hoping a salad would at least keep her from becoming too much of a whale.

                “You’ll have the soup too, it’s clam chowder today,” Emma told her without looking up. Regina just sighed she hated clams, never had been a fan. But her mother had never cared, and Leopold certainly didn’t care the few times she had been made to accompany him and Snow to the sea. So why would Emma care if she liked clams or not?

                 “Mom hates clams,” Henry told Emma. Emma paused in typing and Regina tensed waiting to see what happened.

                “Oh, sorry, what is your favorite soup then?” Emma asked. “I don’t think this is going to be that time I get a cheeseburger down your throat so what would you prefer?” Regina was just a little bit flabbergasted that Emma even cared beyond herself or Henry what she liked.

                “Mom likes a lot of soups just not clams,” Henry supplied. Regina was surprised he even remembered that about her. Sometimes it was hard to remember when he learned good things, normal things about her and what he no longer knew.

                “Huh Ruby just said you’ve never ordered the clams because you always scrunch your nose. She says she also has a tomato soup.” Regina just nodded her consent.  Emma ordered with a nod. Ruby came by to drop it all off to Regina’s relief, because she hadn’t heard Leopold leave the house, so she was afraid of Emma leaving for even five minutes. Not that she told Emma any of that at all. And she was right as he was wondering why Regina hadn’t ordered him any food.

                “Because she didn’t do the ordering,” Emma told him.

                “Well, have that mutt go back and bring me food,” He snapped at her.

                “No, Granny’s is no longer open to you, us Mutts don’t serve people like you,” Ruby told him.

                “Well than no one from my family will frequent your establishment mutt, it’s slop anyway only fit for dogs.” He knocked the food out of Emma’s hand. Regina’s soup burst on the floor and the bag.

                “What the fuck,” Emma said angry.

                “Regina, Regina get down here and make me some food!” He yelled up the stairs before he stomped to the phone and told Snow he forbids anyone to eat at Granny’s diner, especially from their family. Ruby helped Emma get the soup cleaned up. Regina’s salad was ruined but Henry’s burger survived although not his fries, and Emma’s grilled cheese.

                “Is he always like this, I mean what the fuck the way Snow goes on,” Ruby whispered in the kitchen. “And what the hell happen in here, Regina would never leave a kitchen like this.”

                “Snow happened, David and I have been trying to do a little bit every night, but honestly she’s just going to need a whole new kitchen,” Emma told her shaking her head as she plated the burger and sandwich. “And unfortunately, is he always on his high horse, yes, he does absolutely nothing for himself, and now without servants that job falls to Regina that’s what wives are for, unless it’s Snow than of course her perfect hands can never know a day of work.”

                “Ugh, I’m going to run and get Regina some more soup, I will text you when I’m at the door.” Emma nodded.

                “Thanks Ruby.”

                “Get that mutt out of my house!” Leopold yelled.

                “Starting to see maybe Regina had the right idea and killed him,” Ruby grumbled. “His house my ass.” Ruby left with a glare at Leopold who told her not to come back before he was yelling for Regina again.

                “Regina back into bed,” Emma said as she made it up the stairs and Regina was grimacing on the side of the bed.

                “But….”

                 “In bed now,” Emma told her. She put the food down and easily made Regina lay back down next to a worried Henry. Leopold came to the door.

                “Regina, I have been calling for you, why are you being lazy?” He asked her.

                “You know for the loving husband you sure aren’t worried about her wellbeing,” Emma challenged.  

                “Well she can’t stay in bed she will die otherwise,” He told Emma. “That’s why I want her up.” Emma’s forehead bunched together, she wasn’t sure why she was looking for a lie, but she could tell he truly believed that Regina stayed in bed it could lead to death. Now whether he cared if she died or not was hard to discern from such a statement.

                “That might have been the case in the Enchanted Forest, but here we have modern medicine and it says she needs to rest, so if you are incapable of making your own food, call your precious Snow, you like her food better anyway.” Emma crossed her arms and blocked his way. Again, Regina watched him looking at Emma’s gun before he stomped out of the house this time.  She also saw the way his body tensed up when he was just holding back from punching her and maybe she had a second to do as he said to retreat. But Emma did no such thing, and then as fast his fist was curling it uncurled for the moment before he was gone. She didn’t understand it, why he never hit Emma.

                “Here he knocked your soup down and ruined the fries and salad. Ruby went to get more soup, but for now you can have half of my grilled cheese.”

                “Thank you,” Regina told her, but if Regina were honest, she didn’t know if it was because Emma had unknowingly protected her or was offering to share food. Henry tried to give her bites of his cheese burger, but she told him it was too much. She nibbled really on the sandwich as it was, but she did eat her soup though as it just tasted too good. Neal started crying and Emma retrieved him. He immediately went to Regina and snuggled up against her. Emma thought it was because he had missed her and that might have been part of it until he was opening his mouth and Regina was giving him most of the last spoonful of soup until he was done. He was such a good eater for her but had only taken a bottle from the rest of them. He had even stopped nursing from Snow, thoroughly rejecting her.

                “Mom do you want to watch t.v.?” Henry asked. Regina nodded. She let Henry choose the program anything to keep from thinking about the loss of a child or two if she really thought about it. One he had beaten out of her and one she had been forced to get rid of. She just couldn’t involve a child in her life, it was bad enough Henry was so entangled.

                “You know I was thinking that maybe you’d like to take Henry on a trip to New York,” Regina said to Emma who had joined them in bed and was cuddled up on the other side of Henry. Regina wished she was cuddled up behind her but if she was bleeding so much it was easier to get her out of bed and changed here.

                “What about you?” Emma asked. Regina shook her head.

                “No, I just thought it would be nice for you two to bond without looking for lost dads and settling deals for Rumple. Just a nice uncomplicated mother son trip.”

                “You could go too mom,” Henry said. She smiled at him and kissed his head.

                “Of course, darling, but you should just make this one with Emma. I’m still going to be recovering for a while, but I thought once I’m up and about you two could go,” Regina told them.

                “I…well I mean I would enjoy that a trip with the kid, but I just don’t see why you wouldn’t come,” Emma said.

                “Emma, you can spend alone time with our son, besides, Henry and I will do something else, I have a surprise family trip planned for the both of you later. But I want you two to see New York and take lots of pictures so I can hear all about it.” They nodded.

                 “We’ll talk about it more when you’re all healed up,” Emma told her. Regina nodded. She would get her affairs in order; she would buy Emma and Henry a lovely little house in New York that they could sell or choose to stay in. She would give them a year to decide if New York was for them or another state. She was going to force Mary Margaret to rip up the curse and take them all back, but not before she killed herself and not before she gave Henry a memorial. And probably leave favorite charming to for Emma to find again. She’d leave them both detailed letters and finally let Emma know this was the only way and that she was sorry to leave them. But she had to keep Henry and Favorite Charming safe. And she just couldn’t suffer anymore.

                “Mom?” Henry asked wiping her tears. “Are you okay?”

                “Yeah, I am sorry dear, I should probably take my pain meds now is all.” He nodded. Emma got her a glass of water and her medications. She was glad when it allowed her to go to sleep.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven

                Regina grimaced as she peed on the little stick to see if she was pregnant. Stupid Snow had thought she was pregnant yesterday and introduced Leopold to home pregnancy tests. It had only been a few short months since his return although it felt longer, but she’d already been pregnant twice, he’d raped the second pregnancy out of her. He had gotten Blue to heal her early, but he wanted her too much as a child first, plus she hadn’t completely healed even with the fairy dust. Although she suspected Blue liked her to suffer a little bit just because. Now it always stung when she peed, because he was repeatedly traumatizing her down there.

                “Aren’t you done yet?” He snapped coming in.

                “Yeah,” Regina said as she finished. She cleaned herself up and set the timer. He paced impatiently as she sat on the bed waiting. The timer went off he looked at it and came to stand in front of her. She just kept looking at the floor, that was far more interesting.

                “You are no longer allowed to leave this house, whatever you need outside of the house Emma or David will pick up, understand?” He asked.

                “Yes, my King.” He left out of the bedroom and went down to wait for breakfast. She checked the test and saw it was a strong positive so not how she wanted to start her morning, but every morning was not how she wanted to start it except the days she got lucky and ended up sleeping in Emma’s room with Henry.  And god did she cherish those precious bits of sleep she got these days, because she was never able to sleep next to Leopold. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm her anxiety he wouldn’t leave her alone for very long. She got so little time alone too, God she would kill for just five minutes that was uninterrupted by Leopold, Snow, or the children.

                “Oh, you’re still here,” Snow said walking in without knocking.

                “Yeah it is my bedroom,” Regina reminded her just grateful she was already ready for the day.

                “I just assumed you would be down for breakfast already seeing as I need to leave soon.” Regina rolled her eyes. Maybe she should just commit murder suicide this time she hadn’t tried poison this time perhaps that was the loophole. That way Snow was finally dead, David could raise Neal simply and Leopold couldn’t influence him or Henry.  Snow went into her closet and came back annoyed.

                “Regina where are all the clothes?” Snow demanded to know.

                “Donated to the needy, so I could make room for my King’s wardrobe, he needed more space with all the shopping you did,” Regina told her as she stood up and walked out. She was now dressing via magic, because she couldn’t spend one more day watching Snow stuff herself into her size double zero clothing when she was a size ten, several outfits had already been ripped anyway so she had simply tossed them.

                “How are you getting dressed?” Snow fumed as she went into nursery. Regina didn’t answer.

                “Hey there, my favorite charming, are you ready for breakfast?” Regina asked him. He bounced in his crib. Regina had gotten rid of the carpet in the room and just tried not to think about what had happened in this room. He lifted his arms up to her and she picked him up.

                “Mama!” He said startling her.

                “You have got to be kidding me, how dare you!” Snow yelled.  Neal started crying as Snow snatched him away from her.

                “What’s going on?” Emma asked coming in with toothpaste on her mouth. Leopold soon joined her at the door as well.

                “She has Neal calling her Mama,” Snow yelled upset.

                 “I didn’t make him, he’s just confused, he will sort it out as he gets older,” Regina told her.

                “Is that all?” Emma asked. “You never had a problem with your kid calling someone else mama before.”

                “Not helping Emma,” Regina told her.  Emma held her hands up.

                “She did it on purpose she’s just being an evil queen again.” Regina visibly tensed at Snow’s accusations and she knew Leopold would come after her later for something she couldn’t control. “I don’t want you anywhere near my son anymore, we’re going to go to Granny’s for breakfast. You can’t cook anyway.”

                “STOP IT!” Regina thundered. She didn’t have time to be bitched at later because Neal was screaming and how it was all her fault to begin with and then she’d be up all night with a screaming infant in addition to Leopold’s attentions.  Snow who was turning to go paused. “You are not going to defy your father and go eat at Granny’s, you know better. Now go get dressed, you have a town to run, and Neal hates going with you anyway.” She took Neal and left out. What did it matter what she said to Snow, she was already in trouble? She was in the kitchen making breakfast when the other inhabitants from the house came down. Snow grudgingly sat down, told her the eggs were under cooked and left for work without another glance at Neal.

                “Thanks again for watching Neal, Regina, breakfast was delicious as usual,” David told her before he left as well. According to Snow he wasn’t allowed to be gone at night because they were trying to get pregnant.  Although Regina hadn’t heard any more of their enthusiastic time together thankfully.

                “No problem,” Regina replied without looking at him. It was better for them both if they just avoided eye contact in front of Leopold.  David left after saying goodbye to Henry and Emma.

                “Come on Henry let’s get you and Neal dressed, I’ll walk you to school,” Regina said. Leopold cleared his throat.

                “It’s just a walk honey, barely into town,” Regina told him.

                “You have no guards here and after all you’ve done, I can’t be assured of your safety,” He told her.

                “I also did some good things,” Regina replied a little lower. Emma was staring at them both now wondering why the fuck Regina was just accepting this. “No one is going to hurt me.”

                “Regina, I said no, besides you are not that child’s mother it’s not your job to get him to school when Emma is perfectly capable.”

                “Snow is also perfectly taking care of Neal, but I do that because I’m his grandmother as you say, so the least I can do is walk Henry to school.” Regina walked out, she knew she was screwed today, and damn it she just needed to walk Henry to school one last time, because she’d have to move up her time line. Also, she couldn’t say she wasn’t hoping he’d cause her to miscarry just one last time so she wouldn’t be thinking about her baby when she was trying to kill herself, it would be bad enough with Henry. She got Henry and Neal dressed and took Henry all the way to school to prolong their outing as she talked to him. At the last minute though she decided he didn’t even have to go to school. She took him to the comic book store and practically bought the entire store to his excitement. They went clothes shopping, and they picked out a bunch of toys to get Neal for his first birthday which was coming up soon. She was sure she was meant to plan on the whole thing and provide all the presents anyway. They had lunch at Granny’s after Henry texted Emma. Regina shut off her phone.

                “I’m assuming since my calls to you went to voicemail, you’re deliberately avoiding him,” Emma said as she sat. Regina shrugged.

                “He’s going to yell anyway about Neal calling me Mama and not Snow, so if I’m not home making his lunch too whatever,” Regina said.

                “I don’t know what she’s expected, he’s been in only your care for months,” Emma said drinking the chocolate milkshake they had already ordered for her.

                “Yeah, they’re going to both be a bit of a nightmare for a day or two, I’m sure Snow will insist on a family day which you will probably be roped into, so I thought maybe you’d like to take Henry to New York instead. I heard there was a comic con actually so I’m not hoping I’m insisting.”

                “Comic Con!” Henry exclaimed. He blushed when the entire diner looked at them. They weren’t in their usual seat, something away from the windows just in case Leopold walked by looking for her. Thankfully none of his supporters were in Granny’s. Once the people had stopped paying attention, Henry quietly exclaimed again, and was now giving Emma huge doe eyes.

                “Yep, I made you an awesome Dr. Strange costume since that’s what you’re reading right now. Or I’m sure I have time to make a different character if you like.”

                “No, no I love it,” Henry said. 

                “Good, I have a house down there that I rented out before, but now it’s empty, you guys can stay there. It was a pre-furnished place so don’t mind the baby room. And the comic con is VIP, so you will get to meet all the superheroes.” Henry was now bouncing in his seat in excitement.

                “You still aren’t going to come, look at the joy on his little face, you should take him not me.” Regina shook her head.

                “No this is just for you, I honestly don’t want to walk about comic con, you’re the cool mom that does stuff, I’m the cool mom that funds that stuff.” Emma chuckled.

                “That is a terrible split of us, you’re the cool mom that makes food melt in your mouth and there is something to be said about that special kind of talent.” They all laughed.

                “No really, take him. I do have something to tell you both, and I rather want to tell you on my own terms and not his.” Regina knew since he didn’t announce it at breakfast it would be at dinner, it was too soon in any world, but he’d want them to know so she’d play along about being too afraid to go out, but she’d killed that this morning with Henry. Either way her child did not need to be blindsided at dinner even if she was low key hoping he’d beat her enough to miscarry. No way she’d find enough time to get a proper abortion without him noticing.

                “Is something wrong?” Emma asked. Regina shrugged.

                “It’s nothing too bad, and I want you to know Henry nothing can ever change how much I love you.”

                “What’s wrong?” Henry asked frowning.  She looked at them both before she took a deep breath, and she just knew she had to rip it off like a band aid.

                “I’m pregnant,” Regina told them.

                “So soon,” Emma said gripping her pant leg. Regina technically still should not have been having sex and it seemed Leopold hadn’t cared, and Emma was now wondering just how willing Regina had been. What was that Regina said about not being able to tell him no? Had she really been so dense, Emma just shook her head trying to clear it. She and Regina had to talk about a lot, maybe she was wrong, some guys were just assholes, but they never crossed the line. Right?

                “Are you going to give me back?” Henry asked.

                “What, no, Sweetie you are always going to be my son, your place is with me, never forget that. New baby or not. Nothing will ever change the fact that I am your mother not even Miss Swan.”

                “Cheap shot, while in shock.” Regina shrugged with a slight grin at her. Whatever the case, Regina was not going to tell her anything in front of Henry.  Their food arrived and they ate silently although Henry was wondering how Snow was going to take that, he was very observant and pretty sure they were going to watch her lose her shit at dinner. Regina and Emma couldn’t agree more.

                “So, is it my brother or my Uncle or my great uncle like Neal?” Henry asked so confused as they walked out of Granny’s.

                “Um…no okay so if we go traditional that would make a boy your granduncle and a girl your grandaunt, because they would be the brother or sister of Snow and she is your grandmother. And Neal is just your Uncle because he is Emma’s brother. But for our purposes he or she is just your little brother or sister, because I am your mother.”

                “How far along are you?” Emma asked. It was more of a probing question for several reasons first of all the curse Regina had inflicted on herself and secondly, she could gauge when she had started sex again with Leopold or raped her. Emma just repressed her shudder, God she hoped the woman she loved was not being raped right next door to her and she was clueless.  

                “I don’t know yet, I still haven’t made a doctor’s appointment yet,” Regina shrugged.

                “Well let’s assume it’s too early to tell, why did you tell us already?” Emma asked.

                “Because Leo would have sprung it on us at dinner surprised it wasn’t at breakfast actually, and I wouldn’t have had time to talk to Henry without his he’s not your son nonsense.”

                “Okay good so you’re not dead inside you are in there somewhere, now about the divorce you so clearly want.” Emma watched Regina for a reaction, she was pregnant and yet divorce was very clearly on the table. This was not looking good at all for her new look on the state of things at the mansion and the state of things was already pretty shit.

                “What about it, it will never stick not in this town,” Regina told her. “He won’t go, he will literally just start laughing at you and me.” She didn’t add he would also beat the shit out of her too baby or no baby.  She had tried several times to run away and live just at the border if only, so she wasn’t his property and prisoner in the Enchanted Forest, sometimes pregnant, sometimes not.

                “Can we go to the park?” Henry asked happy to be with both of his mothers.

                “Sure sweetheart,” Regina told him. They walked into the park and she conjured up some bird seed for him and he ran to the ducks and the ducks ran to him.

                “So cute, they know him,” Emma said.

                “No, I can tweak the curse magic every now and again, I learned. I thought it would be cute if they did that when he was three, until some baby ducks followed us home and we raised them. And now that’s why they come to him; he’s raised them all.” Emma chuckled.

                “All magic comes with a price dearie,” Emma said in her best Gold impression. They both laughed.

                 “That it did.” Regina cleared her throat and pulled out a bit of water from her purse. She had a little bit of a sour taste in her mouth after vomiting up lunch. She had hoped she could keep it down as her last grand meal with her son, but she just couldn’t let herself gain the weight, she didn’t want to be buried as a fat slob, they’d have to let out her funeral clothes twice as much she was sure.

                “Nausea?” Emma asked. Regina nodded. “Look I need to ask so I know what I’m expecting, but do you have any reason to believe that your curse will enact sooner, do you want me to take you for an abortion, we can just say you miscarried again, he doesn’t need to know it was deliberate. Or do you want to go on bedrest close to the fifth month and transfer the baby to the Storybrooke NICU, we could eventually have him, or her air lifted to Portland Children’s Hospital, you’ll have access to medical stuff that keep a premature infant alive you didn’t in the Enchanted Forest.”

                “They can save them so early?” Regina asked eyes a little wide. Emma nodded. “Huh I didn’t know that.”

                “Are you going to answer my questions?” Emma asked. Regina sighed.

                “Can I show you, my and Henry’s favorite place in all of Storybrooke?” Regina asked. Emma frowned if she couldn’t even get Regina to talk about this, what hope did she have for her other questions?

                “Sure, but then we talk.” Regina just nodded as Emma’s phone rang, but she had specific tone for Leopold, so she pushed end. She did not want to talk to that man whenever she could help it. And she was likely to start yelling and asking him if he raped Regina, and she already knew how he would answer, he would say that Regina was his wife as if that was that. And Regina if she stayed true to her behaviour just lately would just shrug and walk away and Emma would be left unsure if Regina was in any way willing.

                “Henry come on let’s go to our favorite place,” Regina told him. Henry gasped and ran over dumping the last of his bird seed. He ran over to them and Regina put her water bottle away before she touched Neal’s stroller and put a hand on Henry. Emma was last to put a hand on her as she realized they would be poofing. When she reappeared, they were in the stables.

                “Oh um…I’m not so good with horses.”

                “You’ll be fine you can ride with me,” Regina told her. “I thought we could ride up to our favorite place. Henry and I haven’t been riding in a while, now is as good a time as any. Henry and Regina already went inside and were greeting the caretaker. Emma noted from his body language that he was someone who liked Regina, and he was glad to see her. She concluded that they had been close when Regina was Queen.

                “Madam Mayor,” He greeted. “Henry.”

                “Hi Orlando!” Henry exclaimed before he hurried further into the stables, Emma lightly called for him to come back who knew what the horses would do to him, but he seemed right at home.

                “I’m not the mayor anymore Orlando, you know that,” Regina told him.

                “My Queen then, I don’t think I could stomach saying Mrs. Blanchard.” Regina made a face, several people who had never liked her had made it a point to refer to her as such and Emma had, had to magic buckets to put out the poor individuals ass. In that moment he seemed to notice Emma and looked frightened she would be as upset as Snow to hear him say such a thing.

                “Don’t worry she’s safe, and you’re safe even if he did come to the stables.” Orlando nodded. He trusted Regina. Emma noted there were scars going up his neck, his face seemed only mildly hurt, but there were hints of more under his clothes. She made a mental note to ask Regina about it later.

                “Well Rocinante 2 has missed you, and he has successfully sired offspring in two mares, one in California, and one in Kentucky.” Regina looked pleased by this. “The Kentucky folks already ordered more sperm; they have a good feeling about this. I just packed some away to Ireland as well.”

                “I didn’t know you were into horse breeding,” Emma commented.

                “Yes, it turns out that once the curse broke, we realized that Rocinante was everything horse breeders were looking for in a race horse. She led Emma into the office and showed her the places where Rocinante now had offspring.

                “We keep a tab on them and their chip number so that when they become champions, we can say he was sired by Rocinante. We even have frozen sperm as we’re aware that He could go before he sires champions, and some are returned to us.”

                “I was thinking maybe we could purchase some mares and breed our own here,” Orlando thought.

                “It’s a nice thought, but you can’t leave town to race them, and we don’t have the training facilities nor will he authorize such expenditure from the town money or my money.” Orlando frowned.

                “But I came over in the second curse, maybe I won’t lose my memories?” Regina looked thoughtful.

                “I’ll give it some thought maybe test it on someone with a true love like Aurora just to be safe.” He nodded. They left the office and he led them into the stables proper.

                 “We aren’t taking Rocinante?” Emma asked gulping. Her pupils were a little dilated as she attempted to keep an eye on all the horses in their stall.

                “No, it’s his rest day, but we’ll give him a nice brushing down when we return though and spend time with him.” Regina paused to magic an apple and carrot into her hand for Rocinante before she turned back to the gigantic black horse in front of them. She offered an apple and carrot to the stallion as well.

                “This is Angus, he’s very gentle and he can hold us both, unless you’re full of surprises and a rider.” Emma shook her head no frantically but not before Regina missed the gulp, clearly the idea of riding alone did not sit well with Emma. “Are you afraid?” Emma just nodded as she watched the apple and carrot disappear.

                “They’re just so large,” Emma murmured.

There’s no need to be afraid darling,” Regina told her. “I’m going to open the door now.” Emma took two steps back and watched as Regina carefully opened the stall and once Angus was looking at her, she approached his shoulder and put two hands on him as she began petting him.  “You’re a gentle one, aren’t you Angus, and you’re going to be just as gentle with Emma.” She motioned with her head for Emma to join her.

                “Approach slowly when he looks at you,” Regina instructed. Emma nodded and took a breath and did so once Angus was looking at her. “Good darling now come to his shoulder and we’re going to put both hands on him. Regina moved behind Emma and lifted her hands so that they were petting his shoulder. Angus sniffed at Emma but stayed still. “See darling there’s nothing to be afraid of at all.” She was happy when Emma relaxed a bit. Eventually Orlando came with the saddle and Regina taught her to saddle a horse properly before they led Angus out of the stall.

                “You don’t plan on riding in heels I hope?” Emma asked.

                “While I could pull it off, no, benefits of having magic for impromptu riding.”  She took two steps away from Angus with Emma and waved her hand over them both, she included a helmet on Emma.

                “Cool mom do me next.” She waved her hand and Henry suddenly had a matching outfit and like Emma he was fitted with a helmet. Henry went over to a grey horse and immediately went into the stall taking with him some treats. He had been riding the gray horse for as long as he could remember. He hadn’t the heart to tell his grandfather that Regina had of course taught him how to ride.

                “Wow I feel like I’m on my way to a show,” Emma grinned admiring herself as she turned a little.

                “Well there’s definitely a show darling,” Regina muttered as she admired Emma’s butt in the white riding breeches.

                “Regina Mills are you staring at my ass?” Emma asked with a grin. She was flattered honestly, and it was nice to know that Regina thought her ass looked great too.

                “Absolutely not Ms. Swan,” Regina lied. Emma smirked as her superpower pinged. Regina rolled her eyes on purpose and turned back to Angus who was eagerly looking for yet another carrot.

                “What about Neal?” Emma asked.

                “Don’t worry Henry is a good rider, he can ride with him in the sling.”

                “What all Henry has had is inconsistent lessons with David,” Emma said as she got Neal from his stroller, she shouldn’t have been surprised he was in baby riding gear with a helmet. Regina led Angus out of his stall and outside the opposite side of the barn that, they had entered.

                “Well that’s just not true, he’s just too polite for his own good, he’s been riding since before he could walk. I didn’t go into the stables for a long time, but Orlando always brought the horse in and out,” Regina said.

                “Kid what else do you do?” Emma asked.

                “Make the bed?” Henry asked with a shrug. Regina chuckled.

                “That is not at all a reflection on my parenting ability,” Emma told her pointing a finger at Regina.

                “Yeah, you’re right about that Ms. Swan it’s a reflection on mine,” Regina told her. “Clearly I have taught him well.” Emma pouted. Henry led his own grey horse out and saddled him properly. Regina checked it before she allowed him to mount with Neal sitting in a sling on his chest. In case the horse got spooked and he was thrown, she didn’t want Neal on his back. Once he was settled, she took Emma to the mounting block and helped her mount. Emma was practically shaking as Regina got on easily without the block behind her. “You’re fine Ms. Swan, I’ve got you.” Regina gently placed an arm around Emma’s waist while the other grabbed the reins.

                “No galloping off Henry while you have Neal, when we get to the spot and Neal’s on the ground with Emma, we can gallop a little bit before we settle but not before understand?”

                “Yes, ma’am.” Regina nudged Angus forward and he walked out of the barnyard, once they were on the trail though she allowed them to canter. They road through some meadows Emma wasn’t even aware were in Storybrooke and a bit of the forest for about an hour.

                “We have a mountain, I never saw that from town,” Emma said in surprise. She had been laughing in glee when Regina got Angus to canter, and she had relaxed safe in Regina’s grip as she had her arms around her.

                “Well it’s not real, it’s magical, Storybrooke is bigger than you think but not that big. Anyway, it’s just there to make me think I’ve gotten away to another part of the point that looks over Storybrooke. Emma nodded and to her surprise row after row of apple trees were revealed.

                “Wow,” Emma breathed.

                   “It’s where I make my apple cider, they’re all grown from seeds from my apple tree in my garden.” They rode through and came to a little brewery with a stable for two horses at the most on the side. Regina slid down and then helped Emma down. They were both already missing the bodily contact they had enjoyed. Regina unsaddled Angus led him to a water trough before she let him wander.

                “He’s the only one allowed to nibble freely on my apples, well and Sith here,” Regina told her as they watched Angus happily reach up into a tree along Henry’s grey horse. Emma chuckled.

                “You grew every one of these yourself?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “I planted ten new ones every year for Eighteen years to pass the time,” Regina told her.

                “Why only eighteen years?” Emma asked.

                “Because Mom got me,” Henry beamed. “Mom says after she got me, she planted one tree a year for my birthday.” Emma smiled.

                “That’s true, I didn’t have the time to devote to newer trees anymore, I mean I did the same thing every day for eighteen years, but it was easier to tend to one new baby tree with a child then to tend ten at once with a child.” Emma nodded as she noted a younger tree. “I start growing the tree I want to plant the next year, a year earlier.” She took her inside to a potted one as she carried Neal on her hip.

                “And you just make cider with them?” Emma asked.

                “I used to bake more, sell them anonymously at the grocery store, all the apples in Storybrooke come from here, it’s good money,” Regina shrugged. “I had more time.” Emma nodded as she walked around the brewery. She picked up a bottle, but she noted it was the lighter stuff that Henry could drink.

                “Oooh care to share a bottle while we explore.” Regina nodded that she could take it. Henry had already opened one without asking and was nibbling on an apple, she swore he had Emma’s appetite already.  She took an apple herself just needing to know that her tree wasn’t the problem, but Leo. The apples had turned sour in her opinion since his arrival. They all wandered out a meadow on the other side of the trees. Regina stripped Neal down and let him run free with Henry who also stripped down to his boxers and ran off with his uncle to play in the grass.

                “He looks so comfortable and happy here, how often did you bring him?” Emma asked.

                “As often as I could manage, but in the beginning, we drove, because I brought food, and whatever else he might need without proper saddle bags. And he used to nap in his hammock I set up while I tended the trees, it was all very nice and peaceful and happy.” Regina sighed as she got her own boots, socks, and jacket off and lay back in the grass.

                “Weren’t afraid of him tracking dirt home?” Emma teased. Regina chuckled. She could always laugh with Emma it was nice feeling because every time her time ended with Emma and Henry where she was able to laugh it felt like centuries before she was away from Leopold to laugh again.

                “No, I would strip him down bare ass naked like I just did Neal and send him on his way. He loves it look.” Emma did look and both boys were happily playing in the dirt. “Or at least he loves it again.”

                “That’s the kid for you, so simple to please when everything is good.” Regina nodded at Emma’s words. “Maybe he was just embarrassed before because he didn’t wanna get naked.” Regina shrugged.

                “It’s water under the bridge now, we haven’t had a lot of time together recently that hasn’t been crapped on so I’m just happy to bring him here to our favorite place.” Emma nodded as she drank from her cider bottle and passed it to Regina. Regina also drank a little she wished it was the alcoholic stuff but knew better. The thought of losing her nerve and failing and then living with the fact that she caused something wrong to be with her child wasn’t one she wanted to live with. She had to plan for all possibilities.

                “So, since the kids are distracted and you can’t run, I would really like it if you were honest with me about a few things,” Emma told her tentatively and gently. Regina looked at the boys, but they were too engrossed in their dirt to care about them. Henry was eagerly showing him the mess he had got into here as a child.

                “What’s that Ms. Swan?” Regina asked.

                “Emma…”

                “You like it,” Regina replied causing Emma to hide a smirk.

                “I don’t,” She tried to counter but they both knew it was useless. Emma cleared her throat. “First, I should ask, you went through a traumatic experience and now barely a few short months later after you admitted to me you still had pain, you’re pregnant. So, I must ask first, have you been hurting yourself recently, you’ve gotten good at keeping me out of the bathroom, so I don’t see anything except your tears and some bruises. I would understand if you’re hiding a new razor and I just want you to know that I still care about you.”

                “You’re going to hate me,” Regina whispered as she looked away. She thought Emma would start in the pregnancy again. She’d had time to think of what to say, but not the cutting that had started again, except those nights she didn’t do it in the bathroom anymore. She had been cutting, she had managed to get a new razor or rather Leopold had given it to her and waited until she couldn’t resist anymore so he could be the first to dig his nails into her thighs. He just sat and jerked off to every cut she made, and God did she hate herself for bleeding out her emotions while at the same time getting sick at the fact that it got him off. And she still just could not stop cutting.

                “No, I just want you to be better, would it help if you met Archie out here away from town?”

Emma asked.

                “He really doesn’t want me with Archie alone, Emma, he was very upset that Archie visited me in the hospital,” Regina told her.  Emma frowned. This wasn’t the first time her grandfather had been so possessive over Regina’s time especially when it came to talking to other men. It didn’t seem to matter that the circumstances were more than likely always innocent. One day his excuses were about her safety and another it was about what she had done with Sidney and was worried for his own. Emma had suggested more than once than that he call the marriage quits and move out with Snow. He had scoffed and then said his love for Regina was eternal. But Regina had never said her love for him was even existent really. He was the loving husband, but she had never referred to herself as the loving wife.

                “You won’t be alone, I’m here, with you, I won’t go anywhere, and I will wear headphones.”

                “I’ll think about it,” Regina told her. Emma nodded as she lifted Regina’s hand and kissed the back of it.

                “I really just want to help you get better you know.” Regina nodded.

                “I know,” Regina replied. They remained in silence for a while.

                “So, about the pregnancy, and the curse or do you want an abortion?” Emma asked. “I just find it hard to believe that a man whose murder you planned, is the same man whose baby you want.”

                “I don’t want his baby, I want my baby,” Regina told her clearly. “I will probably hate this entire pregnancy because he is the father, but if I get to hold my baby in my arms that is all they will ever be, my baby.”

                “I understand, but you say if, so does that mean the curse will try again, do you think it will be around five months or earlier?” Emma asked.

                “No, apparently Leopold carries water from Lake Nostos around his neck for emergencies, this was an emergency in his opinion, so he dosed me without my knowledge when he moved in.”  Emma frowned.

                “Does he not understand it being your choice?” Emma asked.

                “I am his Queen he decides what is best for us,” Regina stated as if she had that memorized. She stared off watching Henry and Neal laugh. “That being said I would like an abortion, but after today it’s going to be pretty hard to go get one.”

                “Come with us to New York he will never know. By the time you get back and have a doctor’s appointment you can pretend like the test was defective.”

                “He will notice, there will be blood,” Regina told her. “You may live in a world of consent, but that concept wasn’t even thought of in the Enchanted Forest, especially if you were a King, it is the Queen’s duty to please her King.” Emma looked sick, that was as much confirmation as she was going to get, she realized that perhaps the sex wasn’t as consensual as things might appear to be. Now she just had to figure out why Regina thought she owed that man anything to continue being his wife, it didn’t matter if he laughed, she would still get divorced and she would make sure he stayed out of Regina’s house.  And if she were honest, she didn’t know how she was going to keep her cool until she figured out how until she could charge him with rape. “Emma remember you promised you would hold me when I felt like the world was caving in?”

                “Yes,” Emma replied. Regina just moved into her arms and so Emma hugged her tight. It was getting dark when they decided to head back. Regina could have stayed and camped out with Henry, they had done that once, but she didn’t want Leopold to trace her to the stables for Orlando’s sake. They rode in and heard noises.

                “I know I saw someone else in here,” Grumpy said. Regina just sighed. He had traced her to the stables or at least the dwarves.

                “My queen!” A loud whisper called. There was a pile of hay and Orlando revealed himself to her. “They have Carlos, if he does…”

                “I’ll protect him don’t worry, just stay hidden, if he sees you, he’ll try to kill you.” Orlando nodded and disappeared into the hay again. They took the horses inside as if everything was normal.

                “There she is!” Snow cried. She ran over and took Neal from Henry. David looked exhausted as his eyes landed on Emma who was frowning. He could see she was tense, and her eyes had zeroed in on Leopold.  Leopold was furious and didn’t seem to care of notice Emma’s demeanor.

                “Where have you been?” He asked. “Did this swine kidnap you and Emma?” He indicated poor Carlos who was bleeding on the floor from his beating.

                “Carlos works here at night; this is the first time he’s seeing me today.” Regina bent down and healed his face as she glared at the dwarves to back away, they did. Carlos scrambled to his feet.

                “Thank you, my Queen,” He said backing away further.

                “Take care of Angus and Sith for us please,” Regina told him. He nodded and took the horses back outside no doubt to be closer to Orlando.

                 “What is the meaning of this,” Leopold said.

                “It means Carlos isn’t responsible for anything other than the horses, now if you would like to discuss this, we can do so at home not here.” Regina was doing her best to keep her head up in public. She refused to let the dwarves see her beaten or Emma or Henry for that matter. Because she couldn’t handle it if Emma told her she deserved this.

                “No, we do not move from this spot until you tell me where the hell you have been, with that forest thief no doubt now that Emma let him go.”

                “I had no choice it was his word against yours, and no physical evidence in the rape kit to suggest he was the one that did anything without Regina’s testimony so unless she suddenly remembers what happen, there is nothing I can do.” Emma nearly sat down as she realized Regina probably did remember, because there was not physical evidence of Robin, but there was clearly evidence left. Her fists tightened as she thought there was something off about Leopold when he talked about it. He often just said he saw Robin leave and he saw the smoke as Regina disappeared. This she believed was not a lie, but it was off.

                “My word should have been enough,” Leopold snapped. He turned back to Regina. “Well I am waiting.”

                 “I wanted to have a nice day with Henry, so we spent all day together,” Regina told him.

                “What was stopping you from calling me and telling me,” Leopold told her.

                “I knew you would object so I didn’t call,” Regina told him. He was trying to make her feel like a child and she tried not to gulp as he stepped closer to her. She was pretty sure he wasn’t going to hit her in front of Emma, so that should be the least of her worries. He rarely did things where other people could see them unless they were her closest servants. He wanted her to feel alone, but her mother had already beat him to that feeling.

                “So, you’re telling me, you chose to disobey me by leaving the house unguarded so you could be a whore and endanger my future son, and grandson?”  He fumed.

                “I wasn’t unguarded, Emma was my guard,” Regina told him. He screamed in her face.

                “You know damn well that whore doesn’t count!” He shouted. He back handed her hard to her surprise. She stumbled back a little in shock. David looked shocked and Emma looked shocked and Henry looked shocked.

                “Mom,” He cried out, but Snow didn’t look shocked as if she had always known, and that alone was enough to justify Regina’s fury that had always been directed at Snow. And there was that fury that would always be directed at Leopold for causing Henry to be scared for her.

                “Have you suddenly gone insane?” Emma asked stepping between them. Now Regina looked at Emma in surprise. Why was she defending her? Henry was a child, any violence produced some sort of fear response, but Emma, Emma was the one that would think she deserved it along with everyone else.

                “Step aside Emma this is between my Queen and I,” He said.

                “One thing she is not is your Queen,” Emma told him pushing him back, before she punched him in the gut to make him go down. She pinned him to the floor as she took out her handcuffs. Henry gave another startled cry as Regina wrapped her arms around him. She couldn’t believe Emma was putting Leopold in Handcuffs.

                “Emma what the hell you can’t treat your grandfather like that,” Snow told her.

                “The hell I can’t, I am arresting him for domestic violence, he can’t hit Regina just like that, just because she had a fun day with her child.”

                “She disobeyed him Emma, what did you think would happen?” Snow asked.

                “That he would learn to behave like a decent human being,” Emma replied. “And accept that she has her own wants and wishes about what to do with her day that doesn’t revolve around this pig. But I don’t know why I’m telling you because you seem to think Regina’s day revolves around you too. I mean thank God you stopped wearing her clothes, because I was pretty sure you couldn’t make yourself look anymore unflattering as the mayor.” Snow looked absolutely scandalized.

                “How dare….” Emma ignored her and roughly handcuffed Leopold. He was so lucky Henry was there, because when they were alone all bets were off, she was going to get more than a few good hits in.  

                “Leopold Blanchard you are under arrest, you have the right to remain silent…” Emma started to read him his rights.

                “Emma you are fired!” Snow yelled making her pause in hauling Leopold up to his feet. She dropped him back down unceremoniously. “You can’t arrest anyone. David is Sheriff now, David uncuff my father.”

                “Actually, you can’t appoint David without an election, the next Sheriff is always elected,” Regina told her. Hell, she technically couldn’t fire Emma on a whim, otherwise Regina would have done it a long time ago. It just wasn’t how things worked in her town, but she’d find that out later in court.

                “Good, I will be running again for my job,” Emma told Snow as she threw the key to Leopold’s handcuffs into a wheel barrow full of diarrhea and formed poop from a sick horse.

                “You aren’t welcome to come back home with us either, find your own place and not the loft. You are a disgrace.”

                “I’m the disgrace, you’re the real disgrace for defending this piece of shit, he’s been hitting Regina!”

                “So, what I am sure she deserved every bit of it, she’s always disobeying him. He told her to stay in the house for her own safety. And now she’s had us out all day looking for her and Neal. He must be so tired and hungry.”

                “Neal is fine, he’s been fed, he napped on time, and was playing all day with his nephew. For someone who has no qualms about leaving their kid, you sure got a lot of invalid questions about his care.”

                “Says the woman who abandoned her child,” Snow snapped back. Emma looked at her open mouthed for a moment.

                “You really wanna go there?” Emma asked. “I gave Henry up for adoption knowing he would physically be in someone’s home who cared for him. YOU put me in a fucking wardrobe, and hoped I landed somewhere safe. Seriously if not for August I probably would have frozen on the side of the road and died. And you know what fuck you, this asshole goes to jail.”

                “DAVID!” Snow screamed. Neal was absolutely wailing now and reaching for Regina. Regina and Henry still stood behind Emma wondering how this would end even as Leopold chuckled on the ground. He had a promise in his eyes to Regina that this incident would not go unpunished for her.

                “Dad,” Emma said looking at David.

                “He will spend the minimum one night in jail, but there’s not much more I can do for one hit,” David told her as he helped Leopold up. Oh, Emma knew it was more than one hit, it had to be, she was going to fucking test that piece of shit’s DNA against the rape kit. That should be enough for the courts. As David was pulling him up Emma punched him hard, he spit out blood like she wanted.  He had fallen into David, who had seen the punch coming and hadn’t stopped it.

                “EMMA!” Snow yelled.

                “What I’m not acting Sheriff right now, what does it matter if I punch him?” Emma shrugged as her fingertips buzzed a bit with her magic, she saw the drops of his blood disappear. She hoped her magic had done what she wanted and sent the blood in for testing. Either way she’d get his DNA now or later.

                “Henry, Regina let’s go!” Snow snapped.  Regina didn’t move though as she held Henry back. She knew well that Leopold wouldn’t stay the night, and she would be hurt. Emma thought about maybe slapping Snow as if Regina was going to walk out with her, not after this. Well she hoped she could see Regina’s eyes looking between her and Leopold.

                “You don’t have to go, stay with me,” Emma told her. Regina made Orlando and Carlos disappear to their shared home, they would be safer there. The horses she left in the paddock for the night, they would also be fine for now. And she disappeared with Emma and Henry to main street.

                “Now what?” Regina asked visibly shaken.

                “We get a room at Granny’s and talk,” Emma told her. Regina nodded as they turned and walked towards the inn entrance at Granny’s. Granny took one look at the look on her face, the blood on her lip, and the shaking from her body.

                “I have a quiet room at the back on the second floor, he won’t know you are here,” Granny told her. Regina who was looking down looked up at her in surprise and nodded.

                “Thank you,” She told her. Granny only let Ruby in on it because she ran into them in the hall.

                “I swear Regina, if they come asking, they won’t hear it from me you guys are here.”

                “Thanks Ruby,” Regina told her before she quickly went into the room with Henry who was still sniffling and looking as if he was trying to make sense out of what just happened. Emma asked if they could bring up food, extra water in case Regina got thirsty, and ice for her lip. When Emma came in, Regina was whispering something to Henry that she couldn’t hear. They were both lying on the bed. Ruby had promised to bring up the roll in single bed for Henry although Emma didn’t think he wasn’t sleeping between them as usual. He hadn’t slept in his bed in months and when she thought about it neither had Regina. She couldn’t remember the last time Regina spent a full night in her own bedroom. Emma didn’t say anything though, she had a lot to say and felt like she had a lot to hear, but not before their food was there. She didn’t want anymore interruptions. In the mean time Regina convinced Henry to read to her from one of his new comics, she hadn’t noticed that they had his backpack again.

                “Jesus that’s a lot of comics,” Emma whispered. ‘Kid has enough for an entire life time.’ Emma froze, she hadn’t even realized she’d been pacing until she stopped. Regina had been very insistent about them leaving, and now she wondered if it really was because she didn’t like comic con and she wanted Henry to go and spend time with her. But Emma was sure it was all utter bullshit as Regina seemed to be quite in the know about the characters in the comic book Henry was reading to her as she asked questions. 

                “So, you do like comics?” Emma asked. She meant to accuse Regina, but it came out like a question. Regina looked at her for a moment, but then there was a knock on the door. Emma went to it and yanked it open. Ruby was there, she rolled in the single bed. Granny was right behind her with a cart carrying food, medical supplies, and water.

                “Granny I told you we just needed some ice,” Emma told her indicating the supplies.

                “Now if I recognize what’s happened here, then I also know that busted lip is only what is visible,” Granny told her. They both looked at Regina who just looked away. Granny nodded.

                “Henry come with me for a bit to get the extra sheets and blankets please,” Ruby told him. Henry frowned but Regina indicated she was all right.

                “Go, we’ll finish the comic over dinner.”  Henry went with Ruby after giving her and Emma a hug. Ruby shut the door as Regina sat up.

                “Show me, I heard rumors, but I never thought he would get you,” Granny told her.

                 “How long?” Emma asked.

                “Are you asking me how long he has been abusive or how long were you oblivious to his abuse?” Regina asked.

                “Both,” Emma said.

                “Since the day my mother left me in his room before we even made it to his castle, and basically since the day he decided to stop by my house. It was never going to be any different with him,” Regina said. Emma took several deep breaths.

                “Okay rip it off like a band aid just let me see what I caused by being an idiot. Don’t spare me.” Regina sighed and took off her shirt, she knew Emma already knew what she looked like with the bruises she just hadn’t let herself go there yet, it was easier to keep thinking that was all her. Granny gasped as Emma’s face contorted in rage, there was so much bruising, and the cuts in places she wouldn’t have made any.

                “It’s like you never healed from the hos….” Emma’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes looked as if they might pop out of her head of their own accord. She had thought it earlier, but now it was really, really hitting her, that it was never Robin. “It was never Robin was it?”

                “It was never Robin,” Regina confirmed.

                “You wouldn’t tell me, because you couldn’t send Robin to jail for a crime that he had never committed.” Regina nodded. “How, how could I have been so stupid, you were so bruised, still are so bruised! This can’t be the first time he’s bitten you or these cuts I thought I stopped you.”

                “You did stop me, but you never stopped him,” Regina told reminded her. “You didn’t see because I didn’t want you to see. I was so worked up most nights you never saw how bad it really was especially if the sex was brutal. It was all I could do to hide the worst of it and leave you with something you always assumed was me.”

“But your magic?” Emma asked not understanding how it had failed to protect, Regina when it was the entire reason, she had learned her craft in the end. Her magic was her knight and shining armor and if it wasn’t that maybe was supposed to be Emma’s job and she had utterly failed her Queen. Emma vowed for the hundredth time that night alone to never do it again and she meant to keep that vow. “Or just rip his heart out for trying this shit again?”

                “I wanted too but didn’t think it would work. I tried to just send him away, but my magic never worked. I tried to burn him, and nothing happened. I tried to stab him too, but unfortunately a little deal that Snow made with Rumple prevents me from physically harming her or her family. It’s why I had to put her under a sleeping curse.

                “Why didn’t you tell me I would have shot him,” Emma said getting on her knees in front of Regina and taking her hands in her own. Regina gave a small smile and a shrug.

                “Would you have believed me?” Regina asked.

                “Yes, God yes, so much,” Emma told her looking her in the eye. Regina nodded.

                “Maybe, but just wait until the town hears about it from Snow, then tell me why I should have ever thought telling would be enough.”

                “Unfortunately, she is right,” Granny told her. Emma shook her head.

                “I have, to have faith that even your haters wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Emma told her. “And I’m helping you file for a divorce, maybe he won’t think it matters, but it’s the principle of the thing.” Once they had documented all the visible injuries, Regina healed herself properly for the first time in months and went to shower.  When she came out Henry wasn’t back yet, but Granny was gone.

                “Granny said she didn’t need to hear the whole story, but she said for my sake if I am going to help you be strong, I had better hear the whole story.” Regina nodded as she took a deep breath. She sat down in the robe she had conjured up and her underwear. 

                “I told you he’s been hitting me since….”

                “No, I want all of it in the Enchanted Forest and all, I need to understand.” Regina nodded

                “Then you have to hold me cause I’m gonna need to cut really bad if I say.” Emma nodded and sat down taking Regina into her arms. “Henry?”

                “Playing video games with Ruby.” Regina nodded.

                “Mother changed my birthday, but I was really fourteen, but she held me by magic until I remembered to say fifteen. That’s an acceptable marriageable age in the White Kingdom. Although where we come from that’s much too young, but Queen Eva was getting old and Mother saw an opportunity.  They say Eva was really twelve when she married the King. She was considered tall for her age, anyway, Snow was eight when we met, and Eva had just died from the magical sickness my mother brought upon her. Leopold was devastated because some witch had made his Eva perfect, he said and so I could never be as perfect as her.”

                 “He is such a dick,” Emma grumbled.

                “Yes, as you know he couldn’t stop ever praising Eva in public or his star shine, Snow.  I was just a figure in the corner. I was there to look pretty and please the King. He didn’t let me go out and meet the people, so I rather never got the same love as Eva, I wasn’t allowed to do much. I didn’t make appearances that were not by his side. I had some friends among the palace servants like Orlando. One time I spent too long in the stables, Leopold came down and saw me smile at Rocinante, but Orlando was standing on the other side trying to get a thorn out while I calmed my horse. He had him beaten and burned. He beat me himself and banned me from riding until his say so. Poor Orlando was never the same, but I supported him through my father, sent him money until he was better. But it was still better than now, there I at least had my own room, could lay in bed when it was all too much and cut if I liked.” 

                “So, you killed him.”  Regina nodded.

                “I had finally mastered my magic lessons; I was able to grow on my own without Rumple’s constant tutelage. The last time he beat yet another pregnancy out of me, I was four months pregnant. It was too late to get rid of it without his knowledge for the times he didn’t beat it out of me, although back then he didn’t really want a kid with me, and I didn’t want one with him. But still it was too late, I felt my baby move and I melted. Being a mom is something I always wanted with the person I loved. And when I got Henry, I knew it was meant to be just like I knew it was meant to be when I felt my baby, not his baby. Maybe it was even Maleficent’s baby, but we’ll never be sure now.”

                “Maleficent really?”

                 “Really, she was a light in the darkness, but she is a dragon so there was always a chance, but we always thought it would happen to her not me. But we’ll never know, because with a dragon, pregnancy is precarious you know you must protect it. But I couldn’t he used to put me in such a state, I couldn’t use my magic against him even though it would have worked back then. A few times I accidentally transported him to outside my room and gave him potions that left him confused, since he had already beaten me, he believed what I said that he had done what he wanted already.” 

                “So, you lost that baby too.” Regina nodded and so I convinced Sidney to help me, I wanted him to suffer  and my father bought the vipers, he thought I was going to commit suicide and he had talked me out of it several times before, but about the last time he saw it as just him being apart of my suffering so he agreed. He wanted to make sure I was buried back in the place we both loved, and he would kill himself later after I was at rest.”

                “Fuck,” Emma said.

                “Anyway, as you know I originally killed him, but you instead brought him back,” Regina said. “I saw your text too late; I would have never opened the door. Might have saved me some time. He pretended like he had never left, that he always loved me. I knew it was a lie, I tried to get rid of him and discovered my magic wasn’t working only against him. He made me put up a sound proof barrier so Henry and Mary Margaret wouldn’t hear me scream and cry. He hit me several times but not in the face and then he exercised his duty as my husband on the stairs.”

                “He raped you just because you’re married doesn’t make it not rape, you didn’t want it.” Regina was shaking in her arms.

                “These past few months have been the worst of all, I think. The Enchanted Forest was nothing compared to now.  Now that I am powerless against him.” Regina stood up with her back to Emma for a moment and her robe slipped off her shoulder just before Emma encircled her in yet another hug that kept the world from caving in.

                “What’s this red mark on your back did you forget a wound?” Emma asked in the silence for a moment. She felt as if Regina was still holding back, but she was momentarily distracted by the idea of her still physically hurting at least.

                “No, that wound has long since healed over, it’s a tattoo. It covers the only bite marks that are permanent on my skin a present from both him and mother. He likes to think it’s so I can be reminded I am his, mother liked to think it was a reminder for me to kill him albeit with her help, but for me I had a Phoenix tattooed over it to not only remind myself of my power, to remind myself that I can still rise from the ashes. I got that just after I finally found my inner fire, my Phoenix fire as Maleficent likes to call it.” Emma pulled down her robe slightly more to look at the Phoenix who she swore had Regina’s eyes staring right back at her surrounded by flames. “But now that fire has been put out with my tears. I should have it removed I’m no Phoenix, I never was.”

                “Regina, you are stronger than him, you’ve always have been, sometimes having the strength to defeat your greatest enemy is having the ability to accept help. You have people here that care about you and are not at all blinded by his crown or whatever it is. We know the truth that he is not a kind and just King. He is a monster.” Regina shook her arms as she thought about exactly what kind of monster he was.

                “Thank you for saying that aloud I thought I would never hear that from anyone else, especially….” Regina just trailed off; she couldn’t say it. She never wanted anyone to know about that kind of horror.

                “What else, you’re holding back, I told you to tell me everything,” Emma whispered. Regina needed a moment and it was Emma’s arms tightening around her in a comforting manner that made her feel secure that gave her the strength to speak. She had faced horrible things yes, but those girls whomever they were deserved justice too, to not be some hidden dark secret.

                “There were rumors that he preferred little girls,” Regina told her. Emma gulped.

                “Please don’t tell me he made you kidnap some poor little girl in town.” Regina shook her head quickly.

                “No, I refused even though he says I’m not allowed to say no, I couldn’t do that, or I really would be the Evil Queen. There are just some lines that are too dark to cross, so dark even the Dark One wouldn’t cross it Emma that’s how bad I find it, how Rumple would find it, or Maleficent. We’re as Evil as One gets and yet this is where even our darkness refuses to go to even consider. In the Enchanted Forest, the rumors said his knights just took poor girls from their houses. I don’t know how long he kept them or if he kept them or killed them. I never found proof.  But he said if I wouldn’t take one, and I had magic then I had to be his little girl.”

                “He didn’t.”

                “He did, he made me look like Eva, and he rapes me like that almost every night until he’s ready to get me pregnant then I have to change back to make sure his seed sticks.” Emma let go of Regina and ran into the bathroom. She vomited several times and cried and apologized through all her sobs how sorry she was.

                “We are getting the hell out of Storybrooke, I assume you don’t want the house anymore?” Emma asked. Regina shook her head.

                “Too many bad memories, but Emma I can’t go,” Regina told her.

                “Do you feel some sense of loyalty to that bastard because let me tell you, you owe him nothing!”

                “I know that, and that won’t be an issue, I killed him once and I accepted that I owed him nothing. No, I can’t leave because my mother put a border spell on me. You were wondering what the hell happen to my car, well the border spell happened. After the attack I tried to leave, I couldn’t take it, I had prayed that it wasn’t in effect, but I knew.”

                “God, he hurt you so bad, you actually tried to leave without Henry,” Emma said as she had to squat with her head between her legs for a moment the world was spinning. How could she have been so blind, this should have never gone on so long between Regina and Leopold, she was one room away the entire time.

                “I did, but I thought if I made it, I would convince you to bring Henry with you to find me.  I knew you wouldn’t care if I never made it back to town as long as Henry was happy.”

                “Fuck, and Snow knew all this time?” Regina shrugged.

                “I thought she didn’t, but I guess not,” Regina said. “David didn’t know he was too shocked tonight, but I think he was starting to suspect since Snow’s behavior has changed so drastically. Also, I don’t want to leave Neal with Snow and Leopold not that I can without killing one of us.”

                “You are definitely not killing yourself; Jesus I don’t even know what I would have said to the kid when he realized all these comic books, this special day was really you, telling him goodbye.” Regina looked ashamed.

                “I’m not proud of myself, but I just can’t be the Evil Queen in his eyes again so if I am prevented from killing Leopold and likely won’t get Sidney to do my bidding again then it has to be me.”

                “Have you tried breaking the barrier spell?” Emma asked.

                “First thing I ever tried when I was strong enough, but I suppose I hadn’t accounted for Gold’s interference at the time, anything for me to cast the dark curse.”

                “Remind me to beat him to a pulp for telling him to give you water from lake nostos,” Emma growled.

                “It wasn’t him, that one is on your mother, Gold and I just have deep dark places we don’t go. I will never threaten Neal in a serious capacity, Hook is always his to kill if the opportunity arises, and he won’t ever help Leopold get me pregnant no matter what he says. Some things are just too personal, it was one thing when he thwarted me from killing Snow, it would have been another thing entirely to stop me from ending Leopold’s life.”

                “Well then maybe he can tell us why your magic doesn’t work against Leopold.”

                “Tomorrow, for now I think I need to just listen to Henry read, knowing he’s safe is all that matters to me right now.” Emma nodded before she texted Ruby. Regina was in leggings and killers t-shirt when he got back. Regina made him go get a quick shower and she produced his spider man pajamas before she got him his dinner a cheeseburger with the works. Emma also changed and nodded thank you to Regina when her clothes appeared as well. She dug into her grilled cheese and Regina enjoyed yet another helping of tomato soup as she ignored her own burger and fries passing them off to Emma.

                “Regina eat more,” Emma told her. “How are you not starving, he barely let you eat.” Regina shrugged.

                 “I think it’s the baby,” Regina lied.

                “Is the baby sick?” Henry asked confused as he paused in eating his fries.

                 “No sweetheart, it’s just that when a woman is pregnant there are a lot of things going on so the baby can grow healthy enough to be born, and that can cause the woman to be sick, because she’s not used to it. It’s all very normal, you made Emma sick too.”

                “I did?” Henry asked.

                “Every day kid, you really didn’t like cheeseburgers when you were growing, I’m surprised you can even eat them now.”

                “That’s not true I love cheeseburgers,” Henry told her.

                “It is, you only let me eat vegetables like turnips,” Emma told him. Soon he was giggling and denying it all as Regina insisted, she ought to feed him more turnips if that’s what he liked. After dinner he read to Regina again, stopping every now and again to ask if she really was all right.

                 “Are you upset that you have to divorce grandpa now?” Henry asked her.

                “No, I’m not upset, I’ve been wanting to do it for a while now, but I was afraid,” Regina admitted.

                 “But you’re not afraid of anything,” Henry said.

                “That’s not true, I’m afraid of losing you, and if that’s not something to be afraid of then I don’t know what is.” He smiled at her and hugged her.

                “Mom?” Henry asked he released her, and she knew it was coming.

                 “Yes, my prince?” Regina replied.

                “Why did he hit you, you told me a man never raises his hand to hit his wife in anger or any emotion because that is not love.”

                “And she was right,” Emma said from her place at the end of the bed.

                “So why did he do it?” Henry asked.

                “Henry, Leopold was never a good man or a good King really, it just seemed that way because that’s how he wanted it to be. Somewhere along the way he thought love meant possession and when you love someone you can’t keep them prisoner or hurt them. Always remember that.”

                “I remember that, you let me go when I said I didn’t want to live with you anymore even though it hurt because you said I wasn’t a possession,” Henry said.

                “That’s right, I love you enough to let you go. Sometimes we have to let go of the things we love so that they will come back to us, just like you did. You came back just like I had hoped. But understand I don’t love him, and he doesn’t love me even if he says he does, you don’t cause physical or emotional harm to the people you truly love. Look at how he treats Snow and look at how he treats me, so we can’t go back if we can help it.” Henry nodded.  

                “At least I know I did one monumental right thing before I royally screwed up, pun intended,” Emma muttered. Suddenly she sat up and looked at Regina who was looking at her weird like Henry.

                “What?” Regina asked.

                “Why have you not once informed me how much of an idiot I am and that this is all my fault?” Emma asked her.

                “Because it is your fault, I didn’t think I had to say it. You should have never gone back in time with Captain wonder claw, you screwed up big time by saving Leopold and you told him too much about the future which prompted him to find a way to follow you through the portal with Marion and Hook. He knew I would kill him if he went back, so he could only go forward he reasoned. He made a calculated move to take me off guard here. And that is all your fault,” Regina told her calmly.

                “Why are you calm, you have yelled at me for less, snarked at me even, hit me even, and yet now you state that as if that is fact without emotion,” Emma replied confused. “If you didn’t hate me before, you should now!” Emma lay back with a huff not understanding. Regina looked thoughtful as she sat up so she could look at Emma.

                “You’re an idiot,” Regina told her.

                “Thank you, now where’s the rest of it,” Emma said. Regina couldn’t help but scoff as she tried to hide a laugh. Leave it to Emma to make her chuckle. “Now you’re laughing?”

                “Ms. Swan…no Emma look you are right I should hate you, I really should and before I knew about Leopold I did hate you a lot, but that had to do with Henry you changed how many good years we had, by doing that you took away some amazing memories we made and moments we shared that I will always remember but cannot recreate unnaturally. And on top of that I didn’t see him at all, we had made progress in our relationship, and you took it all away. Thankfully we’re on the mend again thanks to you coming to your senses.”  Emma nodded.

                “Okay, but what about now, you hated me before why not now over this?” Emma asked.

                “You cared,” Regina simply answered. Emma looked confused. “Let me elaborate. You saw something that very, very few people ever saw, they’re either all dead, or currently living in my house. No one cared. My mother treated it as disobedience and Leo well you know, but you cared. I wasn’t expecting that, it caught me off guard as much as seeing Leopold here for the first time.  And then everything happened so fast and the day you refused to move in until I asked. Then you comforted me when things were bad even though you didn’t know they were bad. And you helped me in the kitchen without being asked, you helped me with Neal without being asked, and I couldn’t hate you because the way he insists things should be makes me feel like I’m going crazy and imagining every slight even though I know it’s wrong. And then you come in all idiocy and brawn. And you tell him to fuck off and I think I am not crazy it shouldn’t be this way. So maybe I should hate you more, possibly as much as Snow, but you also happen to be the rare person in my life that has also not tried to justify her actions. You know you were wrong, you apologized and admitted it to me. Snow still thinks she did the right thing.” Emma wiped her tears glad to know that Regina could forgive her, but she would do everything she could to protect her and free her from this barrier spell before taking her away from here.

                 “She can’t possibly still think that,” Henry said.

                “You’ve met that woman, haven’t you?” Emma asked him. Henry giggled.

                “Okay maybe she would, but Daniel didn’t deserve that even if you ended up married to the King anyway,” Henry told her.  She smiled at him and nodded. “Maybe we can all go to comic con now; a vacation always helps in books.” He smiled at them and they couldn’t help but smile back at him. Regina pulled him close and kissed his forehead.

                “That my prince sounds like a really good idea, but unfortunately my mother put a spell on me, that won’t allow me to cross the town line without Leopold.” Henry frowned.

                “Are we going to kill him again?” Henry asked.

                “No, I can’t touch him, I promised you that I was no longer the Evil Queen anymore and I’m sticking to it.”

                “I don’t care he hurt you, and he makes you different, and he takes you away from me.” He hugged her tightly.

                 “I know and I’m sorry honey, I’m going to do my best not to let that happen again, all right?” Regina asked. He nodded. “Anyway, don’t think about how Emma and I are going to break the barrier spell. You worry about being a kid and when we break it, I promise we are going to have the best comic con vacation we could ask for. I will even dress up as whomever you want.” Henry gasped.

                “Black Widow?” He asked. Regina chuckled.

                “Yeah Black Widow,” Regina agreed.

                “What about me?” Emma asked.

                “Hmmm…you should be Hawk eye I don’t see you as the girl characters Emma,” Henry told her.

                “That’s the one with the cool bow?” Emma asked to be sure. Henry nodded. “I’m so in.” Henry cheered.

                “Good now how about you get some rest my prince, it’s way past your bed time I think.” Henry groaned but with both his mothers snuggled up on either side of him, he dropped off quickly. Once he was out Emma started to get out of bed.

                “Where are you going?” Regina asked.

                “To punch that douche a few times to make sure he knows I am coming for him one way or another,” Emma told her.

                “Emma don’t…” Regina started as she carefully sat up too on the other side of Henry.

                “What why, he deserves that and more!” Emma exclaimed in a whisper.

                “He does, but he’s not there, you think Snow let him stay in the cell overnight?” Regina asked.

                “If my father….”  Emma started.

                “Is not in control of the situation,” Regina told her. “You don’t actually think your mother is watching Neal.” Emma frowned. Neal was likely screaming his head off, so even if David initially put him in a cell, one of the dwarves would have let him out by now or they simply never made it.

                “Curse their true love and him doing what she wants,” Emma grumbled as she settled back down although the idea of kicking in the mansion’s front door and taking him out was a solid thought.

                “It’s more than that, for all we know she’s hitting him, and he feels trapped.” Emma growled.

                “If she crossed that line too, I’m…I don’t know what I will do,” Emma said. “I’m already so angry it’s a wonder I’m not burning down the town.”

                “Proud of you for your control, but just stay, today has been long and hard in many ways, I just need to feel safe right now, and I don’t trust him. Promise me, you won’t go out tonight and especially with just a plan to fuck shit up.” Regina was sure he had a gun or knife hidden on him that Emma wouldn't be expecting, and he'd have no qualms about hurting her. She shuttered to think of Emma hurt. No, she couldn't chance that at all.

                “Fuck shit up is the best plan,” Emma grumbled, but she took Regina’s hand in hers. “I made a promise to myself to never fail at protecting you again, so if my presence makes you feel safe, then that’s what I am going to give you tonight.” Regina nodded.

                “Thank you.”  They lay back down and resumed their cuddles with Henry, but Regina did not let Emma’s hand go. The world was still spinning and somehow the feel of Emma made her stay grounded.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight

                “I almost can’t believe she’s driving your car,” Emma said shaking her head. Their window looked out towards town hall over the roof top.

                “I bet she’s already messed up the gears,” Regina grumbled from where she was pushing her eggs around her plate. “Is he with her?”

                “Yep, town doesn’t run itself you know,” Emma murmured.

                “Hmm…well I suggest we go pick up your things. I moved most of my stuff to the vault already and got dressed by magic. But you know there are still a few important things around the house.”

                “Of course, let’s go now then,” Emma told her. Regina nodded. Ruby had already walked Henry to school after much debate it was decided that it was safe and that he shouldn’t miss two days in a row much to his displeasure. Regina stopped pushing her eggs around and stood up holding her hand out to Emma. Emma took it and they disappeared, appearing in the foyer. They went up the stairs and no surprise the house was a mess and Neal was crying as David rocked him back and forth pacing the hallway.

                “Oh, thank God, he has been crying all night for you, Mary Margaret’s version of dinner really messed up his stomach.”

                “Oh, come here favorite charming.” Regina easily took him, and he calmed down easily laying his head on her shoulder. She wiped his tears and kissed his forehead.

                “So, what is your plan Emma, how are you going to make sure the people vote for you?” David asked.

                “Oh, so you want me back as Sheriff,” Emma said. David frowned.

                “Please Emma don’t be like that, if I had arrested him properly, she would have fired me too, and hired the dwarves. Leroy cannot be in charge in any way shape or form. They were all down at the Rabbit hole drinking to him for putting Regina in her place and I personally put large quotes on that.” Regina looked away not wanting to hear how people had sided with him least of all the dwarves. “I don’t agree with what happen last night and if I honestly thought he’d listen to a judge; I would say get a divorce. But if you”

                “We’re still filing don’t worry it’s the principal of the thing,” Emma told him firmly. “Look we just came to collect a few things, why don’t you meet me at the diner for lunch. Him and Snow never come to the diner.” David nodded. Since Neal was calm, he went back to his father as long as he kept Regina in view as she packed up the rest of Henry’s comic books and any keepsakes, she knew he had. Magic made the bag endless. She went into her room and it was a mess as usual since Leopold had moved in, she picked up the photo she kept of Henry at her bedside and the book she had been meaning to finish but spent too much time being tortured to enjoy her pastime of bedtime reading. She also fished her reading glasses out of the drawer.

                Regina went back downstairs though as Neal had fallen asleep and she collected her photo albums. All the photos of her and Henry and their life those were special. She had already put his keepsakes away in her vault when she took the baby stuff too afraid Leopold would mistake it and destroy it.

                “So, I see you decided to come home.” Regina almost wet herself in fear. Why hadn’t she heard him come in, why hadn’t she sensed him. She turned dropping the last photo album onto the floor.

                “You’re supposed to be at the town hall,” Regina frowned.

                “You think I wouldn’t keep tabs on if you came back or not?” He asked pointing to a security camera by the door. That had not been there when she left yesterday. “Funny thing this technology, it works better than magic sometimes.” He grabbed her hard by the hair.

                “Leo please just let me go, you can have the house with Snow, just leave me, Henry, and Emma alone, you’ll barely see us around,” Regina told him. He laughed.

                “You think I’m just about to let you walk away with my child?” Leopold asked.

                “It’s not yours, it’s…it’s Robin’s child,” Regina lied as he pulled harder and gripped it tighter.

                “You lying slut!” He back handed her hard and sent her flying into the coffee table. It shattered under her making her groan. “You are nothing but a worthless piece of shit, who will want you if not me!” He stepped on her crotch as she held a piece of glass sticking into her abdomen.

                “Ah!” She cried out.

                “You son of a bitch!” Emma yelled. She tackled him and punched him several times in the face until David pulled her off.

                “Emma, Emma stop you have to take care of Regina!” He yelled. He put cuffs on Leopold and Emma only took her eyes off him to go to Regina who had dragged herself over to her bag. She flipped the last photo album in.

                “This won’t be for nothing, you have all your stuff?” Emma nodded.

                “It’s upstairs, but it’s just stuff Regina, we need to look after you.” Regina shook her head.

                “Make sure the stuff comes with us, if I lose these memories nothing will be right,” Regina told her. Emma understood.

                “Dad can you grab my bag.” He nodded. He brought it down before letting in the paramedics. They took Regina in one ambulance with Emma and their bags, while Leopold went in another with him and Neal.  Snow came running to the hospital.

                “Where’s Daddy?” Snow asked.

                “Regina’s going to be fine thanks for asking,” Emma grumbled. Emma glared at her.

                “David arrest your daughter on assault charges to teach her a lesson,” Mary Margaret told him as she glared back at her daughter.

                “I cannot arrest her without arresting your father, he pulled hair out of Regina’s head, left a bruise on her cheek with the imprint of his ring, and put her through the coffee table, she just got out of surgery. She almost lost her baby again because of him,” David told her.

                “No, she lost my father’s baby because she’s a lying whore.”

                “Do you even hear yourself these days?”  David shook his head. “If I arrest Emma, I will be arresting Leopold because what I witnessed was in the defense of another human being two if you are really counting fetuses as human like you wanted too when we thought Robin was the aggressor.”

                “He was just trying to get a thief off the street since you two were taking him discipling his wife too far,” Snow told them.

                “Oh, so shall I just hit you and you’ll finally see that your dad is wrong?” David asked.  Snow looked scandalized at his words. She turned on her heel without another word.  

                “Is she serious, she takes offense to that, but if it’s Regina oh it’s discipline, she can fuck off with that shit,” Emma shook her head.

                “Unfortunately, go see to Regina, and you need to call for an election and Regina needs to take her place back as mayor, I heard Leopold telling her she needs to band the peasants from going to school with the noble children. He said they need to get the nobles back on their side.”

                “Fuck just great, I’ll speak with her when she’s lucid.”  Emma hugged her dad before she picked up their bags. David made sure Leopold when he left didn’t try to go near Regina’s room.

                “David you arrest her if she does anything to my baby,” Leopold told him.

                “Come on Dad, we’ll go to the courts and get document filed that she will have to abide by,” Mary Margaret told him.

                “Shit,” David grumbled as he texted Emma.

                “What is it?” Regina asked as she got dressed. She hadn’t really been in surgery, hell she hadn’t had more than a local to remove the piece of glass it hadn’t gone that deep, but they had worried when they found out she was pregnant.

                “You’re very thin, you weigh like nothing,” Emma told her as she closed her shirt.

                “Thank you, Ms. Swan,” Regina grumbled, she didn’t like discussing her weight.

                “I just want you to stay a little longer to make sure there’s nothing else keeping you from eating besides the baby since Leopold is out of the way,” Emma told her.

                “I assure you I am perfectly fine Ms. Swan,” Regina told her.

                “Emma, and I’m just looking out for you, while we’re here, do you want me to ask the doctor about seeing the baby you really should have a look to make sure everything is developing well.”

                “What if I don’t want it too?” Regina frowned.

                ‘There will be another baby Regina, you don’t need this one,’ Regina thought. ‘What if I never make it out of town?’ Regina frowned deeper she had to believe that she would be safe some day away from him.

                “Do you want another abortion?” Emma asked her. Regina shrugged as she sat back hard on the hospital bed.  

                “I think I need it, as long as it’s partly his genetically he will keep coming, and I need him to leave me alone, leave my child alone. And yet it’s the last thing I ever truly desired….”

                “I know honey, but we do have to protect this kid, and if that means abortion than I am right here beside you.” Emma replied. “I more than anyone understand the kind of hard choice you’re making. Your prison may not be my prison, but I know you only want what’s best for this baby.” Regina let a tear fall.

                “He’s just going to keep doing whatever he likes and if he separates me from my baby or kills me the baby might end up with him whether you like it or not.”

                “First of all, he will not touch you again to hurt you from now on. If there is even a chance that I know he’ll be around, I will be around.  Secondly if for whatever reason you did die, I would kidnap your child and I would cross that town line with Henry, Neal, and Dad I’d figure out something about his memory and leave this place. I know how important Neal is to you now too.” Regina nodded.

                “Thank you that means a lot to me,” Regina replied. They were silent for a few moments before Regina let out a breath. “I should get the abortion it’s safer that way, I will regret this I know that, but on the off chance that things go horribly wrong I can’t risk my daughter being treated like me and I know he will. And I can’t risk my son becoming another predator. I would feel horribly responsible for that.” Emma nodded.

                “Then we do this together,” Emma told her squeezing her hand. Regina’s shoulders relaxed at the gentle squeeze Emma gave her. If Emma weren’t here, she’d have slit her own wrists by now after bleeding out the pain so that, those final cuts were absolute perfection. Emma called the nurse and they asked for the doctor again, one who was not Dr. Whale who seemed to do everything anyone wanted without discretion. 

                “What can I do for you Regina?” She asked.

                “I need to get an abortion,” Regina told her.  The doctor sighed. Regina frowned and Emma looked angry she was about to judge.

                “Look I saw what happened last time, and heard you were hiding somewhere in town, and I’m not on his side.” The doctor held up her hands. “It’s just that last time I couldn’t ignore your plea, and it felt like the right thing to do, but I should warn you that he’s done so much damage down there that magic can’t completely heal you only time, and getting multiple abortions is not going to help that situation if I do it while you’re still healing. Look we should do an ultrasound if we can get away with a medical abortion then that’s great, it’s less irritation to your vaginal area.” Regina nodded.

                “If I forced you too, do you think that I could get pregnant again?” Regina asked.

                “There might be structural trouble, the damage was a little higher up though I will never know how he managed that. But I don’t see why with all the medical advancement in this world you couldn’t have a healthy baby one day, I just want you to think about your health first and foremost, odd to say but it might be healthier for you down there to have the baby.”

                “Thanks, just check if I can get the medical abortion,” Regina told her. The doctor nodded and told her she would be back with a machine. As soon as she was gone Regina just started crying. Emma stood up and put her arms around her. Regina just gripped that familiar leather jacket she hated it so much, but right now it was apart of the only person who could comfort her. Well she wouldn’t mind crying into Granny’s shoulder too, the woman reminded her of her old nursemaids who offered her comfort from her mother.

                “Everything will be all right, I’m the savior remember I can save anybody.” Regina sniffled as she managed a chuckle at Emma’s imitation of Henry.

                “He does believe, that doesn’t he?” Regina whispered in reply.

                “He does, and our kid has got the heart of the truest believer, and so I can only come through for you, that is the only outcome, and after we get through this I am going to find out if Gold interfered with you breaking that border spell. Then we will start from there.” Regina nodded.  The Doctor came back in and they separated. Regina unbuttoned her shirt again and lay back on the bed. She didn’t think she was too far along seeing as she wasn’t showing.

                “This might be cold.” Regina nodded as Emma stood next to her head and took her hand. She was grateful she had never been in an ultrasound with Leopold. He didn’t deserve this. She knew she should probably look away that it would be better that way, but if this was the first and last time, she’d get to see her baby then she had to take it. She turned her head, but then squeezed her eyes shut tight, this wasn’t Rayne, it was never going to be Rayne. This was Leopold’s child, at that thought bile rose in the back of her throat, she didn’t want to raise his child, she had never wanted to raise his child. She was already stuck with Snow, and he’d just hurt them because they weren’t his Snow. The pain that she would never be someone’s real mother ripped through her until she thought of Henry, he was hers, she was his real mother, it wouldn’t be like every other time this decision had been forced on her. Just like he was there the last time she got an abortion here.

                “Regina?” Emma called. Regina didn’t respond as she was just lost in every memory of every miscarriage or medical abortion she supposed if the doctor wouldn’t help her there were other ways just as they had been back then. Regina was almost startled when she felt Emma gently wiping her tears away.

                “Ms. Mills did you want to hear the heartbeat?” The doctor asked oblivious to the real reason to her tears. Regina swallowed hard, part of her wanted too, and part of her just rejected the idea.

                “You don’t have to look, and you don’t have to listen,” Emma told her. “It’s just a bunch of cells until you decide it’s not.” Regina nodded to Emma.

                “Thank you,” Regina whispered to her. She took a deep breath.

                “Oh, I’m sorry I misunderstood the tears, so many expectant mothers start crying when they see their first baby,” the Doctor told her. “And even if you still want an abortion, I want you to know it’s still perfectly okay to want to see your baby before you do it.  Some women even still need to mourn, I know I did. I couldn’t see my baby like you can see yours, but in the Enchanted Forest before I became a midwife and progressed to doctor, I knew that I couldn’t bring a child into that world. Not yet at least, I still worked in a very small village, you know. I know what I said earlier, but I’m also not stupid to think you wouldn’t have potions, but there is no shame in knowing that you can’t protect your child and want to spare them. It’s okay to love them and mourn them even though you must let them go, and you can still be a mother, you are still a mother. This world has given us so much, it has enabled me to have my child, and if this child isn’t meant to be you can still have another either through adoption again or surrogate if carrying isn’t possible, your eggs are still very viable. You have options and it doesn’t have to be this one.”

                “Thank you,” Emma whispered as she hugged a sobbing Regina close. The doctor nodded. She fell silent and when Regina calmed down enough, she spoke.

                “I don’t need to see his baby,” Regina told her. The doctor and Emma nodded.

                “But do you want to see YOUR baby?” Emma asked her still seeing the conflict in Regina’s eyes, seeing that she had a hard time making that distinction, having only been able to make it just once in her life even if it might have been Maleficent’s too. She hadn’t been pregnant long enough to be sure of it that time. Regina nodded almost in perceptibly at Emma’s question.

                “I always want to see my baby, but it’s not her,” Regina whispered.

                “No, it’s not her, but Regina listen to me, no matter your choice, this will never be his baby okay, this is our baby, just our baby okay, just like Henry,” Emma told her.

                “Our baby?” Regina sniffed. Emma nodded.

                “Our baby,” Emma confirmed. Regina’s breath caught for a moment; this was like straight out of one of her fantasies she had made Emma take center stage in. Whether Emma knew it or not this was what she needed.

                “I want to see, need to see,” Regina told her. They nodded and she looked, and she started crying more.

                “They are beautiful,” Emma told Regina kissing her forehead in comfort. Regina nodded, but she didn’t loosen her grip on Emma.

                “Do you want to hear the heartbeat?” She asked. Regina shook her head.

                “No, I just needed to see them, so I can mourn them properly, but I can’t keep them,” Regina said shakily. The doctor nodded.

                “Well you are around ten weeks, so the pill is an option which is what I’m the most comfortable with seeing as you haven’t really healed like I would have hoped after all this time.”  

                 “Can you take pictures?” Regina asked her. The doctor nodded. She printed out three photos, so Regina didn’t have to bury the only one she had if she didn’t want too.

                “I’ll just give you guys a minute while I go get the pills, it’s still a lot, and whatever decision you make is the right one, Regina, you have nothing to be ashamed of.” She walked out.

                “Why is it so hard this time?” Regina asked Emma as she sat with Regina in her arms after she had wiped off her stomach. “It wasn’t this hard the last time I was here.”

                “Yes, it was it was just easier to choose then, because you had to go back to that house with him and I took you like an idiot.”

                “Emma, I hid things from you, you were supposed to be an idiot,” Regina replied. “I relied on that even.”

                “Still, I’m smarter than this, I shouldn’t have misinterpreted all your cues, you just weren’t yourself and I knew it and I just couldn’t understand it.”

                “Emma your mind didn’t go there, because you were thinking of the Evil Queen, and believe me, she’s surfaced many times trying her hardest to stab him or use magic, and she’s been beaten back by brute strength and fear…so much fear every time.” Emma just kissed her forehead and rubbed her back.

                “Well never again, we’re stronger together, and he won’t be able to just beat us back with brute force.” Regina nodded as she looked at the ultrasound picture.

                “When we’re safe, you’ll help me get pregnant again?” Regina asked Emma.

                “Regina, I will personally help you choose the perfect donor, only topnotch DNA material for the Queen’s offspring,” Emma told her with a salute. “Even if for whatever reason I had to carry the baby myself. I will eat so healthy you won’t even recognize me. You will get your baby.”

                “Second baby I don’t want you to think Henry means nothing to me, because that’s not true he always has, I just that pain of losing Rayne it’s still very fresh after you went back in time. I had time before, and even though I remember that wound still opened back up inside of me. I guess that also makes this tougher.”

                “Regina there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a kid that is biologically yours after it seemed like such an impossibility first simply because of him and second because of the curse. You never thought you would be in a position, to have a biological kid anymore. And from what I’ve seen it has yet to diminish any love you have for Henry, because your heart knows he’s your baby too. Maybe it’s not in his DNA but I swear the kid looks like you especially when he’s getting sassy and when he’s got one his smart ideas.” Regina chuckled.

                “But not the idiotic heroic ones you Charmings are famous for.”

                “No, unfortunately for him that’s when I shine through, except that time he stole Dynamite unfortunately for the both of us that was all dumbass Neal.” They both laughed out loud right then.

                “Oh, what about Henry,” Regina said.

                “What about him?” Emma asked.

                “He’s probably looking forward to being, a big brother now,” Regina frowned.

                “Hey no, it’s still early days, and we’ll all be sad together, but just think of how happy he will be later when we pick out donors as a family, baby clothes, the crib, and decorate the nursery when we’re safe. He will be just as excited then and we will all happily welcome our baby.” Regina nodded as she took a breath.

                “You’re right, it’s just so hard, and I gotta be honest a large part of me just doesn’t want too still. A large part of me never wanted too every time I did it, I admit back then I never had a chance, if I didn’t do it one of his beatings usually did. It was less painful to take the potion then wait around wondering if this baby was strong enough to survive his beatings or if I would need to do it myself. And if that baby did make it, I wasn’t sure that I could love it, still not sure if I can but that’s such a small part of me. Ugh…I hate my feelings they’re always so jumbled.” Emma wiped Regina’s tears.

                “Regina, all those things are perfectly normal to feel. Just tell me in a perfect world what would you want?”

                “To have my baby without fear, I know it didn’t get here well, but this isn’t the Enchanted Forest where everyone refers to them as his kid like I was just some breeding cow. Here they’re my baby too, I’m their mother.”

                “Hey, they were always your baby, you do all the real work, I mean you’re making a whole brain and heart in there two essential pieces to a human being Regina. You are the star of the show; it couldn’t happen without you.” Regina chuckled. “Now I can’t make the decision for you, but I can reassure you that, I’m not letting anything happen to this kid, if you want to keep it. They will be safe and loved, and don’t forget once we break the barrier spell I know how to disappear.” Regina gave Emma a small smile. The doctor came back in with two pills and a cup of water. She handed it to Regina who took a deep breath and stared down at the two pills thinking about her child.

                “Emma you swear you’ll help me later picking out the perfect donor and such, because this is going to be miserable for us all either way and I wanna be happy just once.”

                “I promise,” Emma told her. “Whatever you need I’m there for.” Regina nodded, as she made a decision and her shoulders relaxed for a moment for the first time confident that she did want her baby. And unfortunately, it was going to not be as pleasant as she imagined. And maybe when they were all free and safe, she would have a second baby and they would rejoice in it, in the way they were being denied now. That might change in the future she noted, she might be content in the end, but for now it was a thought that was the gateway to some brighter future, that’s what it looked like now, but maybe it would change later for the four of them.

                “Fuck,” Emma said.

                “What?” Regina asked coming out of her thoughts.

                 “I missed a few texts from David, Snow and Leopold just filed a paper preventing you from getting an abortion or doing anything that would harm the baby. They’re on their way back to serve it to you.”  Regina let a tear fall before she took both pills, if she was trapped here, she had no faith that the courts would side with her on this matter. If she remembered correctly the town judge had been a fierce Snow supporter. Emma just hugged her.

                “Can you take me back to Granny’s, I don’t want to be near them when it starts.” Emma nodded. Regina was surprised when the doctor hugged her too after she was fully dressed. They left just before their arrival.  Snow blew up both of their phones, but Emma didn’t call her father until Regina was settled in bed looking through photo albums and crying as she waited for the bleeding to start.

                “David you can take it to the station, I’ll pick up the document later, Regina does not want to speak to or see Leopold, please start filing a restraining order against him. And I want to report the domestic violence since I witnessed it, I’m allowed to report what I witnessed.”

                “Of course, Emma,” He said. “I’ll see you in ten minutes all right.”

                “Fine, but I can’t stay long.”

                “Got it,” He said before they hung up.

                “I’ll be fine, just handle it,” Regina told her.  Emma nodded as she lay down next to Regina for the time being and just chatted away about their future baby and how Henry would make the best big brother.

                “Our future baby?” Regina asked interrupting.

                “Oh yeah, don’t think you just get to lay claim on your own, I’m going to be so involved you’re going to hate me as much as you did when I first got here. You got Henry, so it’s only fair that I get yours too especially since I missed all crying, poop, fevers, and nightmares as you so lovingly put it once or twenty.” Regina chuckled through her tears.

                “All right Ms. Swan we’re in this together then,” Regina told her holding her hand. Emma smiled.

                “Emma and stop trying to act like you aren’t in your feelings right now.” They both laughed at that but remained silent. Emma looked at her watch.

                “All right, I’m going to go handle this, you try to rest, do you want to eat anything at all?” Regina shook her head.

                “No, I’m feeling a bit nauseous, she said that could happen with the pills.”

                “Well you need to eat something soon, you hardly touched your breakfast this morning,” Emma reminded her. Regina just nodded. “I’ll bring up some soup anyway to see if you can manage it.” Regina just nodded. She hated the subject of food when it was about her. She didn’t need the calories at all. Emma stroked her head before she left out, once she was sure she hadn’t forgotten something Regina went to her coat, in the pharmacy she had stolen a razor. She went into the bathroom and stared at herself and for the first time in awhile she just hated herself for being weak and for getting yet another abortion. She rolled up her sleeves and made the first cut and finally as the first drop of blood hit the sink she felt a fleeting bit of relief.

                “How is she?” David asked as soon as Emma walked in.

                “As well as can be expected after what happened,” Emma said. “Did you get the recording?”

                “Snow locked me out, I’m sure she deleted it by now.” Emma nodded.

                “That’s fine here are the pictures documenting the abuse, let him know we have copies, and we’ll go public with this if he doesn’t back off.” David nodded.

                “Here’s the restraining order, but officially I’m not Sheriff and I can’t sign it, and you can’t sign it until we handle this situation.” Emma nodded.

                “Fine, as soon as Regina is feeling better, I will take it up in court and call for an official election.” He nodded. Emma took the document from the court and shook her head at the document stating Leopold had a right to his child and that he would charge Regina with murder.  Emma was sure the doctor wouldn’t say anything though; she was on their side or she never would have given Regina the pills.

                “Is Regina going to be okay having his baby?” David asked.  Emma shrugged.

                “Time will tell, I guess. David can I ask you something?” Emma asked. He nodded. “Did you see it, did you know, you haven’t looked right since you moved into the house.”

                “I never felt right moving in, I saw a whole new side to your mother that morning when I refused.” He sighed and took a deep breath.

                “God is she hitting you too, have I been missing that?” Emma asked sadly.  David gave her a small smile and stood up. He hugged her.

                “No, she’s only physically hit me once and you jumped to my defense. Snow just has a way of being you know and I’m usually immune to it, she never speaks to me a certain way, she used to think of me. Now I’m just an afterthought a way to appear to be the perfect wife to a lowly Shepherd. I’m supposed to fill in the role that Regina fills for her father the submissive spouse that does whatever they’re told when they are told. Right now, she’s fuming she has to even watch her own son, that’s my job or a servant’s job and past that ultimately Regina’s job because he says so.” Emma shook her head in disgust.  

                “You didn’t answer me though, if you knew about Regina….” Emma said.

                “No, I found out when you did, I knew Snow’s behavior was changing drastically, but I thought it was her falling super far back into the roll of a spoiled princess, acting like a child because he’s the biggest dickhead I’ve ever met. I never ever thought the way she goes on about him that he would physically lay a hand on Regina. Snow says insensitive shit all the time or is easily jealous, so it was like father like daughter. I’m just grateful Regina didn’t take it out on us when we moved in especially how we were treating her before.”

                “I never understood that either.”

                 “You should have you fucked up,” David told her. “I was extremely worried she was going to burn this town down if she didn’t kill Leopold, I was so sure that she was killing you. That is what I was most scared about and if you hadn’t noticed easier to side with Snow on things. But I was fine that day after you really didn’t die on me, I supposed she had forgiven you. But still no one had told her about Leopold. I would never ever condone what happened to her in that house. I hate being there, I’m also a little grateful you’re fired right now which means I’m not forced to be there. I faked a call out last night so I could just go back to the loft and sleep on an air mattress I bought.” Emma grimaced. “Poor Neal misses Regina, tomorrow if she wants to see him, I’m bringing him to the station.” Emma nodded.

                “I will let her know, if she’s up for it I’ll come around and get him.” He nodded.

                “David!” Snow called.

                “Go out the back.” Emma nodded and easily slipped out she could hear her mother telling him to take Neal that he wouldn’t stop crying. When Emma got around front Neal was crying in Regina’s car with all the windows up in direct sun. It wasn’t a hot day, but still her mother should know better. Emma was about to smash the window, but then realized Snow had left the keys in the ignition. Rolling her eyes, Emma got in the driver’s seat and drove the car to Granny’s. She took Neal and locked up the car.

                “Come on let’s see Reggie, since mommy is a fucking idiot,” Emma told him. Emma sent a quick text about having Neal and claiming Regina’s car back since it wasn’t Snow’s to just drive as she pleased. She almost rolled her eyes right out of her head when Snow demanded she return the car that instant but said she could keep Neal for an hour before she returned him to David to watch and to not take him around Regina.

                “Reggie, I’m back I brought Ne…” Emma paused as she came in all the way and saw Regina cutting in the bathroom.

                “I’m sorry,” Regina whispered as she sniffled. “I just really had too, so I could be all right you know. I shouldn’t have taken the stupid pills, but I had to take them.” Emma let out a breath and was about to respond when the door opened.

                “Mom, Emma I’m back,” Henry said. Emma moved quickly and pushed him back outside.

                “Hey kid, go get yourself and Neal a milkshake, and order lunch for your mom and I, she hasn’t eaten yet.” He nodded and took Neal and Emma’s wallet.

                “Okay,” He said. “I just wanna say hi to mom first.”

                “She’s in the bathroom, something happened with your grandfather today and she could really use some comfort food like soup and crackers. Get me my usual.”  Henry nodded. Once they were gone, she went back in and into the bathroom where Regina was trying to quickly get all of her blood off the floor.  She was panicking Emma realized or she would have used magic, healing herself and disappearing the blood, this way she was smearing blood around as more of it dropped off her arm.

                “I’m sorry,” Regina told her when she forced her up and sat her down on the bed. Emma just started cleaning her cuts.

                “No, no it’s okay I understand, maybe I’ve just been going at this all wrong,” Emma murmured.

                “What do you mean?” Regina asked as she grimaced at the sting of the peroxide.

                “I have to find you a new outlet, something to do instead of cutting. This won’t be easy, but if it can help you sort your feelings without harming yourself further well that’s a start, and after the medicine works, you are going to start seeing Archie, we both will, because we can’t raise Henry the way we are now, so we can’t have our future baby either. We want it to be healthy, and it’s not healthy for you or them if you bleed yourself out every night.” Regina nodded.

                “You really aren’t angry with me?” Regina asked.

                “No, honey just worried about you is all,” Emma told her. Regina nodded. Once Emma had wrapped her arms, she found a long sleeve shirt that covered her arms and Emma got her into bed. Henry came in just as Regina managed to calm herself down and Emma had cleaned up.

                “Ruby said she would bring the food up in five minutes.” He hugged Emma and Regina in greeting. Neal was delighted to see Regina.

                “Mama!” He cried.

                 “No, Regina,” Regina corrected.

                “Try Reggie it might be easier for him to pronounce,” Emma suggested. Regina huffed.

                “Fine, we will try this Reggie until he is old enough to say differently.” Emma and Henry chuckled. Once Ruby brought up the food.

                “Regina, Kathryn heard what happened, she said to give her a call when you’re feeling up to it. She said to tell you that despite being separated from Fred, she would never wish what the rumors say on you, Fred and her had a good life sleeping around, and even if she was technically married to David you could have put her with worst, someone she might have actually felt something for in the end. So, she’s not carrying any grudges, plus she hates Snow she says.”

                “Great tell her we’re starting an Evil Queen club, dedicated to punching Snow White in her balls,” Emma grumped as she put Regina’s food on the tray Ruby had provided. Ruby chuckled.

                “Language Ms. Swan there are young and impressionable minds here,” Regina reminded her.

                “I’ll let her know, will there be prizes for the actual punching?” Ruby asked.

                “I’m sure we can think of something,” Emma snorted.

                “If she’s around still let her know I’ll call her tomorrow to go over the details.” Ruby nodded and left.

                “Oh, by the way, I got your car back, took it from the station when I took Neal, she left him in there with the windows up and in direct sun just crying,” Emma grumbled. “She doesn’t deserve him seriously.”

                “No, she doesn’t, I always say I’m sorry for the curse, but I’m really grateful for who you turned out to be now, even the more infuriating parts that are so uniquely you and make me want to punch you in the fruit.”  Henry and Emma laughed.

                “Balls, because balls aren’t bad, there are lots of balls like basketballs and soccer balls,” Emma laughed. Regina pursed her lips refusing to give in and let Emma snicker even more like a child. Regina ate her chicken noodle soup taking three bites before nibbling on the crackers she soaked in the liquid. She didn’t touch her milkshake though.

                “Regina eat it all, I haven’t seen you finish a meal in I don’t know how long,” Emma ordered.

                “I’m full,” Regina told her. Anymore food and she would have to go purge and she wouldn’t be able to blame it on the baby at all after today.

                “Regina you are skin and bones, you need to eat, I know it’s hard, but you gotta keep your strength up.” Regina didn’t understand Emma’s relationship with food, how she could eat and eat and never gain a pound or how she could even stand to eat all that she did. Maybe she was like the girls she met at balls, they ate like pigs convincing men they could eat whatever, but if you knew where to go you found them sticking their fingers down their throats in the garden. Mother had found it all unsightly and unladylike she was not allowed to be caught doing that in the garden, she would simply show restraint at the balls.

                “I’m not skin and bones Ms. Swan, and I do not want to eat,” Regina said. Emma glared at her and picked up Regina’s spoon holding up some soup.

                “You’ll eat it and you’ll like it,” Emma told her. “What if this were Henry?”

                “Yeah mom you always say I have to eat,” Henry reminded her.  Regina sighed. Maybe she would have time go down to the diner bathroom without being seen and do her thing there. Or convince Emma to take Henry and Neal for a walk so she could try to sleep, but really, she needed to purge. She hated purging it was always a reminder to her that she was out of control. She needed to be better about restricting herself, but it was getting harder being watched all the time.

                “Good girl,” Emma told her when she took the spoon and fed herself. She managed four bites to try to fool Emma, but it was just too much, she had eaten too much she needed to get it all out. She handed Emma the tray and easily moved Neal to the side before she rushed into the bathroom closed the door and put her finger down her throat. She gave a sigh of relief when it exited her stomach and into the toilet.

                “Regina are you all right?” Emma asked.

                “Fine,” Regina said as she flushed the toilet. She spotted her razor which had fallen behind the toilet still covered in blood. She picked it up and cleaned it off. She used her magic to undo a tile and hide it behind the toilet. Hopefully Emma wouldn’t notice that she had hidden the damn thing. When she came out both Henry and Emma looked worried, but once she was back in bed and resting, they relaxed. And she relaxed grateful they wouldn’t be forcing her to eat anymore.

                “Wait Emma, what did you do with my car?” Regina asked.

                “Oh, I parked it outside, why?” Emma asked.

                “You’re an idiot if he wasn’t sure we were here, he knows now,” Regina pointed out.

                “People were bound to notice with Ruby walking Henry to School, no way you’d take him to stay in your Mausoleum.”

                “Might be better, there’s a kitchenette down there and he can have his own little bed,” Regina murmured as she yawned.

                “No, we’ll look at apartments tomorrow,” Emma told them. “You get some rest; we’re going to just watch tv quietly.” Regina nodded as she drifted off.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine

                “It didn’t work,” the doctor told her. “I’d give you more pills, but Snow had the dwarves raid the fucking hospital.” Regina sighed. It was more than forty-eight hours later, and the pills had failed her. On one hand she was ecstatic her baby was still here and on the other hand she was devastated her baby was still here, still could be hurt by that bastard.

                “No chance of getting it done the other way?” Regina asked.

                “No, Snow now has to authorize all abortions, she has essential equipment that would assure your safety under lock and key with fairy magic. I’m sure you could break it, but I was told there was an alarm on it.” Regina nodded, so even if she broke it, that would bring Leopold straight to her.

                “It’s fine, thank you, I’ll just uh figure things out I suppose with Emma.” The doctor nodded

                “Here’s a list of prenatal vitamins you should take,” She told her. Regina nodded before she took her leave. Today was her first day out of the house alone. Emma was still sitting at the court house being made to wait, but they couldn’t deny her for long she had a right. Regina was sure she also had a right to an abortion as did anyone else in town, and she’d fight for their right, but she did have this stupid court document that could end up getting others hurt. 

                “Everything will be okay Regina; you have Emma by your side and Henry. Everything will be fine, it’s happy news remember, you and your wife are going to have a baby, there’s no danger, just a normal pregnancy, and your son is excited he’s going to be a big brother. That is all.” Regina made it to the courthouse as she took several deep breaths trying to keep herself calm. She could break down later, but right now she needed to help Emma.

                “Madam Mayor look out!” Someone yelled. Regina looked behind her just in time to see David’s old truck coming at her. She gasped and at the last second Emma was pushing her out of the way and they landed hard on the pavement.  The truck went swerving and hit a light pole, and the power went out to half the town.

                “Regina, are you all right?” Emma asked. Regina groaned a little but nodded.

                “Yeah, what the hell, why did David almost kill me?”

                “Wasn’t me,” David said as he ran over to check them. “Do you need an ambulance?”

                “But your truck,” Regina said.

                “Belongs to Grumpy now,” Emma growled as Grumpy stumbled out of the truck no worse for wear, but drunk as ever. She went over and grabbed him by the shirt.

                “You idiot, what are you doing getting behind the wheel of a car so drunk at two in the afternoon, you could have killed someone, you almost killed someone!”

                “What do you care traitor,” He said unphased. Emma growled and pulled her fist back to give him his due, when David stopped her.

                “No, you’re trying to keep your office,” He reminded her as he handcuffed Grumpy and put him in the back of the cruiser, he had arrived in. Regina went over to Emma who looked her over again, aside from some scrapes on her knees and a cut on her forehead she seemed fine.

                “Come on, do you have what you need, or do I need to go Evil Queen?”

                “I did what I came to do, there is a non-Snow supporter in there who did everything.” Regina nodded. “If anything, I need to be the evil savior around here. Come on let me get you back home or maybe we should head to the hospital.”

                “I just came from there, I am fine, you on the other hand looked like he clipped you a little,” Regina lied. It was for the best if something happened now. Regina touched a spot, on Emma’s side and there was a big bruise.

                “Go rest Emma, I’ll take care of him,” David ordered.

                 “We’re pressing charges,” Emma told him. He nodded. Emma grimaced all the way up to their room at Granny’s. Regina got some ice from downstairs after awhile she took it off so she could heal it.

                “Regina no you shouldn’t use your energy on me, you have a condition.” Regina shook her head.

                “A little healing won’t be harmful,” Regina said.

                “So, they’re still there?” Emma asked. “Alive or you know?”

                 “Alive,” Regina told her a hand going to her stomach. She was so thin the slight curve of her stomach was obvious. “The pills didn’t work, and Snow had all the pills destroyed so she couldn’t slip me anymore and equipment for abortions is under lock and key for everyone until further notice.”

                “She can’t take away people’s right to choose,” Emma frowned. Regina nodded.

                “Yes, well now it is at her discretion she says implying that she would authorize abortions for anyone but me.” Emma shook her head and grimaced as Regina gently used her magic to heal her. “Feels like a cracked rib under there, you’re very lucky it wasn’t more. It will be tender for awhile as the injury still occurred.” Emma nodded.

                “Thank you, so now what?” Emma asked.

                “We get out of Granny’s I suppose, I can’t very well bring a baby home here, and Henry needs his own space again. I do have money I put aside away from him, but for now let’s pretend to live off your salary.” Emma nodded.

                “Fuck are there even any listings in Storybrooke?” Emma asked remembering her original search for housing.

                “Not really, but I have my own abandoned cabin, I worry about him trying to take it in the divorce, but the house for the Cabin right.” Regina shrugged.

                “I feel like we should be forcing him out of the house,” Emma said. Regina let out a breath.

                “Maybe, but how can I live there when there’s almost no room I haven’t been beaten in?” Regina asked. Emma frowned as she hugged Regina and thought.

                “We take a sledgehammer to every room until it’s recognizable we throw out all the furniture and we redecorate as a family. The house would be so different and have such a different vibe. He should be sleeping in a cramped space with Mary Margaret and looking for a new place. Not the other way around. This is your town.”

                “Was my town, now it is just a prison,” Regina reminded.

                “Well as long as we’re trapped, I say we make the best of our time in prison, first rule I learned before I was pregnant. Find the biggest bitch in the joint and bring them down.”

                “I was the biggest bitch in this joint and I was brought down.”

                “By dirty tricks, but let’s face it as long as you allow Snow to hide behind Daddy, she’ll think she’s Queen B. And as for Daddy well he’s not immune to my fists.”

                “No, but he’ll keep coming. Bottom line is unless your magic puts up a barrier spell he can’t cross, I wouldn’t feel safe forcing them out of the house. Maybe focus your efforts of helping me take my apple tree to wherever we settle until we can leave this town.”  Emma nodded as she lay back again.

                “I mean do we know that it is all magic or your magic?” Emma asked her as Regina stood up and busied herself with finally folding the laundry Emma had done. She needed to do something with her hands and maybe Emma wouldn’t notice she was in some pain.

                “To be honest I am not too sure, Ms. Swan,” Regina replied. Emma groaned.

                “Oh, come on, I’m Emma now,” Emma whined. Regina chuckled.

                “It was a Ms. Swan moment though,” Regina replied smirking.

                “Fine, but why aren’t you sure?” Emma asked.

                “For starters, there are the types of spells used, I guess. So, he walked through my barrier spell, it was like it wasn’t even there and it didn’t ring any alarm bells when it went down oddly. Well, actually that was the weird thing it was still up. I burned him and only his clothes show any signs at all that I had been even having fire in my hands. I couldn’t teleport him away, and yes again I did try to physically stab him and nothing, but that’s a benefit from the deal Snow made with Rumple when I was briefly captured. On the flip side of that he asked Rumple for magic to make his sperm stronger.”

                “Which reminds me I need to kick his ass,” Emma growled. Regina shook her head.

                “When I got your mobile, I went to speak with him under the guise of buying something. He told me he didn’t make Leo’s sperm stronger, in fact gave him something that will slowly poison him. To be honest I don’t think Rumple thought he’d get me pregnant. By the time I was ready to kill him he hadn’t gotten me pregnant in two years.”

                “Well there is still the matter of the barrier spell,” Emma pointed out.

                “The barrier spell is irrelevant if we don’t have a secure hidden place for it. I can’t risk it here; the smell will effect business here at Granny’s and these rooms are easily broken into when Granny and Ruby are full in the diner.” Emma nodded she had said as much about the lock herself which is what made her reluctant to leave Regina here for long stretches of time.

                “Look maybe Gold has something quicker, I’ll make another deal with him for you and the baby,” Emma told her. Regina frowned.

                “Emma, whatever deal he has is my deal to make not yours,” Regina reminded.

                “We’ll share the price Regina, it’s my fault you are here.”

                “If the price is too great, you will have no part in it.” Emma shrugged as if to say we’ll see. “I mean it Ms. Swan it is my decision, that is the least you can do.” Emma frowned hard and looked down Regina was right, so many things were just not her decision.

                “You’re right I’m sorry,” Emma told her. Regina nodded. They fell silent. “Regi?”

                “Yes?” Regina asked.

                “Are you really okay with being pregnant, you tried to abort it, I just need to know if you are happy about this or not. I know it hurts, but you know we can give them up for adoption in the real world. I can at least make sure it’s a private adoption and I can screen the parents. They will bypass the foster system, and because like Henry they aren’t cursed, babies get snatched up fast. The baby will bond more easily by not going to a group home and is less likely to have my experiences.” Regina paused in folding one of Henry’s shirts. Compared to Emma’s experience, Henry was lucky, but Emma was wrong.

                 “You’re wrong, somebody did return Henry,” Regina told her.  Emma’s mouth fell open in shock.

                “I’m sorry what?” Emma asked. “But you’ve always had him.”

                “No, Henry was three weeks old when I got him, and I rushed to get him, because his original adoption fell through. I assume because of the curse and they got him to Boston, you know, but I was his second family, but his forever home.”

                “Bastards, how could they?” Emma asked tearfully.

                “I don’t know, but I’m grateful every day for him. Grateful I got to look in his face and know he was my true love. And as much as I would hope and pray that my child found someone to love them as much as I love Henry, I also know that for me no one will every love and protect them like I can or can’t, I guess. I guess what I am trying to say is for better or for worse I need to be the one there for my child.”

                “I used to wish my parents felt that way about me.” Regina nodded.

                “I understand,” Regina said as she sighed. “Anyway, as much as that thought hurts, I do realize at a certain point it is too much and we will keep adoption in our back pocket for now, but like very deeply in it.” Emma nodded understanding it as a last resort. Regina didn’t think though they would even have to give it anymore thought if the pain was any indication.

                “I understand.” Emma rested a bit longer and Regina finished their laundry before they left to meet up with Gold.

                “Ah your majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Rumple asked.

                 “Cut the bullshit, Gold, I want to know if you prevented Regina from breaking her mother’s barrier spell.”

                 “Hmm…Ms. Swan you of all people know that information does not come for free,” He told her.

                “Gold, please the barrier spell is now active in Storybrooke with him back, you don’t need me for this curse I just want to go in peace with my family,” Regina told him.

                “Why don’t you just kill him again, easiest way,” He told her.

                “My magic doesn’t work on him at all, nothing, I don’t understand it.” Rumple frowned.

                “Impossible,” He said. “And yours Ms. Swan?” Emma shrugged.

                “I usually use my fists on him, so I haven’t a clue,” Emma told him.

                “Interesting, however, to answer your initial question no, I did not prevent you from breaking your mother’s spell. She must have sealed it with some rare ingredient, she knew I was lurking. The barrier spell was as much for you as it was me. I was never able to break it. I didn’t necessarily need you miserable to cast the dark curse, though it certainly helped. I would have been content to simply make you Evil. Even villains want their happy ending after all. And no, I don’t know what that is, if you have any of her spell books, you’ll need to find the original potion and add that ingredient to it. It will take months to brew.”

                “And the ingredients will be hard to find I presume,” Emma stated.

                “We’ll see, I have a few things, but maybe we’ll find other things growing around here maybe. We’ll see,” Regina said. “I guess I could go back and clog his arteries he seems to prefer Granny’s grease.”   Emma snorted.

                “Might be an idea,” Emma murmured, but they both knew Regina was going nowhere near that asshole.

                “Congratulations dearie, you are carrying a baby girl,” Rumple told her. Regina put a hand on her stomach.

                “She, you see her being born?” Regina replied. Rumple shrugged.

                “I only see that it is a girl nothing more,” He said. Emma frowned her lie detector pinged a little bit, and she filed that away for later. He knew something else that he wasn’t saying. “But since you haven’t noticed the Blue fairy’s magic is on her. I’m not particularly fond of that gnat myself so this information comes free at the expense of undermining her.”

                “What, what has she done?” Emma asked. Regina spread her hands out and her eyes glowed purple.

                “She stopped the abortion, she’s the family’s fairy godmother. In a sense she was able to ask it if it wished for life and of course every life that is strong without intervention has a biological need to keep growing. She must have presumed a wish of a future child of your family line. I never had a choice.” She shook her head; she was so stupid. Maybe even though Grumpy wouldn’t have done her a favor after all.

                “My condolences are in order I suppose.”

                “Only owing to whom the father is,” Regina said tightly.

                 “Well that’s unfortunate for you Ms. Swan,” He said.

                “I’m sorry, how so?” Emma asked.

                “Is that not your child too, your magic is all over her as well,” He said. Regina checked again.

                “How?” She asked looking at Emma just stunned wondering if she were just as cruel as her grandfather and she was stupid enough to fall for her nice act. Emma held up her hands in defense.

                “I’m as stunned and shocked as you are, I have no idea how to knock up a woman without a penis,” Emma cried. Emma looked so scared, that Regina believed her.

                “I don’t understand, Emma and I didn’t have magical sex or anything of the sort, there’s only been Leopold,” Regina said looking at Gold.

                “Ms. Swan has true love magic, it was likely an accident if you two have been sharing close quarters, I imagine talk of babies has been rampant between you. In her true love magic she probably only thought it would be nice if you weren’t having Leopold’s baby.” Gold shrugged.

                “SO, this tis the savior’s baby?” Regina asked to be sure.

                “Yes, it is a mix between you and the savior, quite lucky really all things considered. But I’m afraid even Blue’s magic can’t help you now.” Regina looked sick.

                “What, I don’t understand,” Emma said.

                “We should go to the hospital Ms. Swan,” Regina said as her breath became a little ragged in heavy. She was going to just lose it soon she knew it. Emma nodded.

                “Thank you for your help.” He nodded. They left out and Regina was just in tears as they drove to the hospital.

                “You lied about feeling all right, didn’t you?” Emma asked. Regina just nodded. Emma fell silent processing that information alongside the information that this was in fact her child too and not Regina’s rapist’s child. She had somehow changed the genetic make up of the child without them knowing. “Regina, I just want you to know that I’m sorry I put you in this position then. I mean I don’t know that you’d want my kid anymore than you’d want his, in this way I mean, because I know you love Henry. But I’m sorry I changed things without your knowledge and therefore changed your choices potentially, put you through the pain of having to really think about an abortion because you were terrified, he could take her. So, I just want you to know that I’m still going to stand by you and all my promises.” Regina didn’t say anything as she felt warm liquid between her legs, she wanted to reply to Emma, but now she was hyper focused on what her body was doing to a baby that would have been very much wanted.  They went inside as soon as they arrive, Emma pushing Regina in a wheel chair, and saw the only doctor they trusted, she checked Regina out and saw there was a placental abruption.

                “You should have come in right away, but I understand,” She told her patting her hand. Regina only nodded.

                “Wait women recover from that is there any chance?” Emma asked. “If you want that Regina, I mean.” She ducked her head blushing. Regina just looked at the doctor too.

                “I’m sorry, but I didn’t detect a heartbeat already,” She said frowning seeing that something had changed since Regina had decided not to come in. They both nodded and tears started to form in Emma’s eyes as well. Eventually she made sure Ruby knew to take care of Henry.

                “Don’t tell him,” Regina said.

                “Why would I tell him, he’ll just come trying to hurt you?” Emma asked as she sat by Regina’s bed. They were coming to get Regina for a D and C soon.

                “No, I mean don’t tell him it was yours; I want them to turn their sights on Grumpy, Snow might even defend him. Let them fight amongst themselves,” Regina said. Emma nodded.

                “That I can do, we’ll keep it between us,” Emma said. Regina nodded and shifted. She looked startled.

                “You can tell the doctor we don’t need the procedure,” Regina choked out. Emma looked startled but noticed that there was a lot of blood as Regina moved back the thin blanket to reveal a fetus, it was so tiny, the arms not even longer than a quarter.  Regina scooped it up gently.

                “She’s so tiny,” Emma whispered as Regina’s hands glowed purple and surrounded the fetus. When Emma’s eyes adjusted again, she saw a whole baby in Regina’s arms. “What did you do, is she alive?” Regina shook her head as tears fell and she kissed her baby’s head and brought her closer to her body.

                “No, I used magic and her DNA to make her look like she would when she was closer to being born,” Regina whispered. “Magic is emotion and I wanted to hold her like really hold her.” 

                “You think she’s got my eyes are yours?” Emma cried when she held her too. The doctor had already been in, made sure the placenta was all out and nurses had gotten Regina cleaned up. Now they were taking time to grieve with their daughter.  Emma had even discreetly taken a picture of Regina with her forehead up against the baby’s.

                “Yours, I’m not that pretty,” Regina said. Emma scoffed.

                 “You’re the most beautiful woman I know Regina,” Emma told her blushing. Regina gave her a small smile even as she shook her head.

                “Thank you for what you said earlier in the car, and I know now you didn’t do it on purpose, and thank you for still being here with me even though I killed our child.”

                “You didn’t kill her, Grumpy technically did,” Emma replied. “But I understand you didn’t know so your choice wasn’t completely yours once again, you were terrified of what that man would do to your child. Never ever be sorry for just wanting to spare her even if she weren’t mine.”  She kissed Regina’s forehead in comfort. Eventually Leopold did find out and tried get into her room, one of the nurses was a Snow supporter had told him which room she was in. Regina wet herself in fear and her face went red with shame just as he burst in. Emma handed her back the child and immediately shoved him right back out of the room.

                “Get the fuck out of my way,” He growled at Emma.

                “Not a chance, you aren’t welcome here, if you wanna go be a dick to someone you can go be a dick to Grumpy, since he’s the one that hit her with a car today.”

                “This wouldn’t have happened if she had stayed in the house like she was supposed too,” He told Emma.

                “Regina is a person, and you’re not going to lock her in. This wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t have drunk dwarf in town that everyone keeps letting off the hook, because he’s friends with your precious little princess,” Emma snapped. “I bet you’ve been arguing with Snow all day on what to do with him, and she just keeps telling you it’s fine. Well guess what it’s not fine, he hates Regina even if she were at home, he’d drive that truck right into the house next time just to kill your perfect new son all for Snow.” Leopold looked scandalized, but Emma knew she had gotten to him and sowed the seeds of dissent.

                “You will not keep me from my wife much longer Emma, I am getting very tired of this. Return my wife or reap the consequences,” He growled. “And I will be taking you to court for getting an abortion against me.”  Once he was gone, Emma turned back to see to Regina, but found her gone.

                “Fuck where would she hide?” Emma asked herself. She gathered her jacket and Regina’s purse before leaving the hospital, at first, she tried their room at Granny’s, but came up empty so then she quickly went to the only other place Regina might feel safe. The mausoleum. When she arrived at the cemetery it was open, and Regina was sitting against her father’s grave crying and holding the baby.

                “Regi,” Emma said quickly taking off her jacket and putting it around a shivering Regina.

                “Is he still there?” Regina asked.

                “No, I think I got him to go argue with Snow,” Emma said sitting next to her and pulling her close. She saw where Regina was looking there was a new open space for a casket she noted.

                “Is that where you want to put her?” Emma asked. Regina nodded as her tears fell. “Do you want to name her, and we can even have a full funeral if you like, we can take her to the morgue so we can plan it.” Regina shook her head.

                “No, I don’t need a big thing,” Regina whispered. “You name her.” Her shoulders shook as the tears came down faster. Emma’s arms tightened around her.

                “How about Heaven so she has an H initial from Henry, Elizabeth for me, Mills for you, so she has a little piece of all of us. Heaven Elizabeth Mills.”

                “I would really love that,” Regina said after a moment. After about an hour a white casket appeared, and they put her to rest in the casket. Well Regina sniffed of a lock of strawberry blond hair and tied it together with a ribbon. They closed the casket and put it into place before Emma created a gold plague over the stone that now sealed their girl in.  Baby’s breath flowers grew around it. After a bit longer Emma gently led Regina back to the car, but from the car, Regina managed to transport them back up to the room. Emma got her cleaned up and called the doctor to let her know that Regina was resting at Granny’s now. She came over immediately to check up on her. Emma left briefly to speak to Henry. She was glad when they came back though that Regina hadn’t tried to find something to cut with.  Well it might have helped that she had left the door open and deliberately talked to Henry in the hallway.

                “Mom you need to eat,” Henry told her as he tried to get her to eat some eggs.

                “I’m not hungry darling,” Regina said kissing his forehead.  He frowned.

                “But you didn’t really eat the last few days,” He said. Emma had left early to go door to door as Regina suggested in anticipation for the very public address to the town about her status as Sheriff. Well it really should have been a private thing of a judge telling Snow she had no legal right to keep Emma from being Sheriff. Instead Emma was suspended indefinitely, and Snow had called for reelection as Emma’s term was up soon in another year, but given her suspension, she could call the election early.

                “I know Henry, but sometimes when we’re grieving it’s really hard to eat,” Regina explained. She just wanted to go cut, but Emma was clever declaring that Henry could stay home with her to take care of her. He was taking his job seriously going down to get their breakfast and folding the laundry, so she didn’t have to do it.

                “Yeah, but if you don’t eat something, you’ll get sick and die too,” Henry suddenly sobbed. “I don’t want you to die like Heaven.” Regina pulled him close and kissed his head.

                “I won’t die,” Regina said. For the first time in three days she willingly picked up her fork and ate a few bites of eggs, finished it even under Henry’s sniffling gaze. She drank some water, because water at least she was careful to consume, or she would get sick quickly instead of maintaining her weight.  Once he was satisfied, she had eaten, he coaxed her out for a walk after he confirmed the arrival of Snow at the town hall with Leopold. They came in so late most days; they didn’t start on time but rather their own.

                “Hey look whose out of the room,” Emma smiled happily when she met them in front of Granny’s diner.

                “Yeah, Henry wanted to go on a walk, so we did,” Regina said.  Emma nodded.

                “Well I am all done, so I thought we could go search for the ingredients to the border spell today.” Regina nodded.

                “Sure, but Henry will be bored.”

                “Can I go visit Nick and Ava?” Henry asked. Regina nodded.

                “As long as their father doesn’t mind you over,” Regina agreed.  Henry nodded. They called first and once it was confirmed he could come over when Nick and Ava got home from school. They had lunch together with Regina consuming a salad with no dressing to be able to even keep the idea of purging out of her mind. She was glad the urge to purge was gone, perhaps being so strict with no eating not that she could in her grief, was enough to reset her control. Afterwards they went to the comic bookstore to hang out, and when it was time, they dropped him off at Nick and Ava’s before heading to the cemetery. Regina brought out a key. She had fallen back on normal methods and Emma’s magic to keep them from going into her vault. She refused to look at Heaven’s grave less she broke down in tears, it was too much for now. She locked it behind them, and they went downstairs. Emma was surprised to see there was blood stains still on the floor from Regina’s attack, and her clothes.

                “Regina, give me a bag this is evidence,” Emma told her. Regina sighed and conjured up an evidence bag for her.

                “His DNA won’t be on those, unless there is DNA in his urine,” Regina murmured. She didn’t speak about that day. She pulled out a chest well struggled too before Emma came over and did it. They found it full of spell books and journals.

                “Let’s get started I guess,” Regina sighed.  Emma nodded. They both picked up a heavy book and found seats to look through the books in.

                “Of course, she writes in fucking elvish and Spanish,” Emma grumbled. Regina chuckled.

                “You can just leave it to me, it will take longer, but….” Regina paused as Emma’s google translate spoke out loud. 

                “Got you now bitch,” Emma said making Regina laugh more.  She didn’t want to laugh, but somehow always this woman made her laugh at the darkest of times for her. And she would forever be grateful to Emma for that. Regina watched her for a while a smile ghosting her features as she thought of a life with Emma and their children, she could already see her now holding a green-eyed Heaven Elizabeth if she hadn’t been so stupid. Regina quickly wiped away the silent tears she had to make it up to Emma for taking away a child she could be there for in the way she couldn’t with Henry. She would break this spell so she could repay Emma. They sat in silence reading except for the voice of Emma’s google translate. For the elvish Emma found a translation book into Spanish.

                “Come on Henry should be ready to come home by now,” Regina said closing another journal she had apparently taken some notes in, Emma hadn’t taken any notes focusing on any mention of a barrier spell.  Emma marked her place, because God forbid if she got behind. They returned to the diner where Henry was already waiting for them and talking to Ruby. They gave him a hug and took their usual booth for dinner. Regina settled on a light broth, claiming that she had to eat light after not eating for three days and it was still a struggle as it was, so Emma didn’t comment.  

                “You’re right we’ll start slow, but you do need to eat properly,” Emma said. Regina only nodded, but she really didn’t think she’d be eating like Emma any time soon. This was her first day in months since she had even allowed herself multiple meals without needing to purge right away.       

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten

                “Snow you have zero legal authority over me, I am the highest office of law enforcement, even over the mayor,” Emma argued. They were in chambers in front of a judge discussing whether Snow had a legal right to fire Emma. Regina knew that she did not, or it would have been easy to get rid of Emma to begin. She sat just behind Emma and kept her eyes on everyone except Leopold who was sitting next to Snow.

                “Snow dear, I don’t understand when we are the legal rulers why we are before a lowly judge,” Leopold said. The judge frowned, they were normally Snow supporters, but they couldn’t very obviously ignore the laws of the current land.

                “I told you Daddy this world does not have absolute monarchy anymore,” Snow told him.  “Now Judge Oberlen tell Emma that she is fired.”

                “I can’t tell her anything nor can I call an election to replace her until you can prove misfeasance. Can you prove misfeasance?” He asked. Regina wanted to be surprised he was going on about the laws, but Leopold wasn’t Snow, he’d sooner take his power, unlike Snow who would keep him in power. Regina noted this mistake that a Snow supporter did not necessarily a Leopold supporter make when it came to power.

                “Misfeasance how about the fact that she stole my father’s wife from him, and then allowed her to have an abortion?” Snow said. He turned to Emma.

                 “Well is this true?” He asked them.

                “No, I want a divorce from Leopold I left of my own volition and Snow kicked Emma out for defending me after Leopold hit me, as for my very wanted child, I had a miscarriage after being thrown to the ground in order to be nearly missed by Leroy driving  drunk in the middle of the day.  A man Snow has currently inserted on the police force to make up for the lack of coverage in the Sheriff’s department by preventing Emma from working. The incident occurred right outside this office. I have doctor’s reports showing there was nothing I could do.”

                “Bullshit you have magic, you let my son die!” Leopold snapped. “And I want a court order to change the name she put on the gravestone, it should say Blanchard and it should be a boy’s name, she’s doing this to piss me off.

                “There’s no record of birth or death, it’s private property and I could put whatever I like on the walls,” Regina argued.

                “Well I am her husband I have say on these things,” Leopold said. “Whatever she owns I own.”

                “That may have been true in the Enchanted Forest, what I can’t do is add your name to legal documents, she’s right it is private property. Although you arrived here, your death certificate disappeared, and you marriage license became valid again under the curse as it found a place for you. It does not place you on any of her legal documents. However, I do see precedence for misfeasance.”

                “What why?” Emma asked upset.

                “You are the Sheriff and you can’t go around senselessly beating our citizens,” He said.

                “You mean like how he hit Regina and put her through a table, force was necessary,” Emma argued.

                “There is no proof that he is an abuser,” Judge Oberlen told her. “There is proof that you struck him repeatedly, so we’ll call an election and elect an official that is not prone to hitting it’s citizens.”

                “Good clear out your office Emma, David will be Sheriff I can guarantee it,” Snow said. Emma glared at her as she crossed her arms.

                “This is bullshit,” Emma grumbled. Leopold stood up.

                 “Now, that, that is settled, Regina you need to stop all this nonsense and come home,” He insisted.

                “She’s not going anywhere with her abuser,” Emma told him stepping between him and Regina. “We’re still pressing charges even if the judge wants to ignore what you’ve done, I will not.” Regina frowned at the way Leopold was looking at Emma. Again, he eyed her gun before he smirked and walked off. 

                “Emma let’s just go,” Regina said putting a hand on her and disappearing. She needed to get them both as far away from him as possible.

                “I can’t believe that asshole!” Emma yelled as soon as they were in the cemetery. Henry was safely at school and they had agreed that they would go to the cemetery afterwards to keep looking for the ingredients or rather the special ingredient her mother must have used. 

                “I know, but we knew this was a bit of a hail Mary, and I was surprised he harped on about the law as much as he did and stuck to it to some degree, but then again Leopold had a knack for offending everyone. Now we turn our attention to breaking the spell and the elections. I know maybe you’re thinking about just giving up on being Sheriff, but it gives you a slight bit of power and that means something to them both, don’t let them take it.” Emma let out a long breath.

                “Thank you,” Emma said.

                ‘For what?” Regina asked. “If it weren’t for you, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

                “For calming me, as much as you say I ground you right now, when it comes to this mess with being Sheriff I don’t know if I could handle it without you by my side. And don’t think for one second this is your fault, this is all his, he deserves to be in jail for what he did to you,” Emma told her as she pulled her into a hug. They continued walking, but as they approached, they noticed that the doors had been pried open. Emma took out her gun and indicated for Regina to remain back. When Emma walked in, she couldn’t stop the gasp that left her throat and Regina of course came in right behind her fireball at the ready and cry that left her was filled with so much anguish. Emma took her out.

                “No, no Regina stay right here,” Emma said. Regina’s knees gave out under her as Emma lowered her to the ground and she shook uncontrollably. Emma gave her a few minutes in her arms, but it was better she handled what was inside first. Once in the mausoleum she very carefully watched her step as she began picking up tiny bones that could only belong to Rayne Victoria. Emma had no doubt in her mind that this was all Leopold’s doing. He must know even if Regina hadn’t out right said how much she wanted that baby. Once she had collected all the bones, she shuttered to think if Regina had walked in here alone and stepped on one of her baby’s bones. She very carefully gathered the body back into the pristine white coffin that matched Heaven’s. The skull was the worse, it was sitting on top of her father’s coffin which had been cracked but not much more. Regina might not have seen it right away before she stepped on her child had the doors not been left ajar and they had entered cautiously. Once Rayne was safely together, she turned to Heaven. That one hurt her too just as deep, they’d destroyed her marker shattered it even like they’d broken it down with sledgehammers.  Her coffin was pried open and they had cut off her head. It was missing and that just made Emma sick to her stomach.  

                “They took her head,” Regina sobbed.  

                “Oh, Reggie you shouldn’t see this,” Emma said immediately taking her into her arms.

                “What did they do to Rayne, why would they do that to her?” Regina sobbed. Emma glared over her shoulder at the words whore’s child, this had Leopold’s stink.

                “He wanted to hurt you, but they only scattered her, I think they wanted you to do any lasting damage by stepping on her. We can fix her back up with magic and she’ll be safe again.” Regina nodded. 

                “What about Heaven they stole her head Emma we have to get it back.” Emma nodded.

                “We will love, I promise, let’s take care of Rayne she needs us first, so we know she’s safe, and then we’ll find Heaven.” Regina nodded. Emma didn’t allow her to look again but instruct her on how to put Rayne back together again and rewrap her in the decomposing blanket and hat.  Although Emma accidentally made her look as she did when she was born.  She had been curious what she looked like.

                “You put too much magic into it,” Regina said but she wasn’t upset as she stroked her baby’s cheek and readjusted the hat on over dark brown curls. Regina tearfully closed the casket again and locked it with magic. She made Emma do another lock with magic. They did the same to Heaven until they could find her head.

                “So how do we find her?” Emma asked. Regina took a lock of hair from herself and Emma before using a locator spell. At first it went to Heaven’s grave, but then it led them back to Mifflin Street.  Into the backyard and there on her apple tree was Heaven’s head. Regina cried, but was just glad to have found it right away. As soon as she touched her baby’s head though she was trapped by fairy dust.

                “Well, I knew you’d come home eventually,” Leopold said smirking.  Emma glared.

                “You bastard,” Emma said, and she started to head for him.

                “Emma no, stop!” Regina yelled.  Emma frowned.

                “Why, he deserves it after what he did,” Emma argued.

                “Because he is just provoking you and me, so you can’t keep you job, and we discussed this, you’re keeping it.” Emma frowned but went back to Regina.

                “You can only get out of the spell when you agree to come back home and be a good obedient wife,” Leopold told her.

                “Not a chance asshole,” Emma said, she was about to ram all her magic into the fairy dust, but Regina moved unhindered with Heaven’s head cradled in her arms.

                “No fairy magic can hold me against my will not anymore,” Regina told him angrily before she disappeared with Emma. They went back to the cemetery and replaced her head and put her to rest again. The easy part were the headstones at least.

                “Magic paint, it won’t come off unless we scrub it,” Regina said.

                “If you show me, I’ll try a forcefield of my own, hopefully that’s enough to keep him out.”

                “I don’t think he did his dirty work on his own,” Regina said. “He never has in the past, he’s too Kingly to pull out dead bodies and destroy them.” Regina ran her hand over her father’s coffin fixing the crack, before she pushed it aside. Thankfully her actual vault was untouched. He had sent someone else who was too scared to go further. They got to work on the border spell or at least the search for the missing ingredient. They left to pick up Henry, but Regina didn’t eat couldn’t eat not after today. Henry was tearful about it, but Emma told him someone had attacked Heaven’s grave. He understood and asked if it had been Leopold. 

                 Later that night Regina’s rage hit her full force and she disappeared to Mifflin street, she just stood outside for a bit before she sent several fireballs at the place. She didn’t worry about Neal or David because he often said he was taking him for a ride, and they slept at the loft. Then she just stood there, and she watched her house burn with that bastard inside of it.  The fire department had an excellent response time, but Regina made sure they couldn’t get close enough to the house. To her annoyance Leopold came out unharmed except for perhaps some smoke inhalation. Snow however had a few burns and was passed out not enough to kill her though. She couldn’t kill Snow, but apparently, she could cause her pain unlike Leopold.  She looked him right in the eye for the first time to let him know she would and could go after his precious baby if he went after hers alive or dead.

                “Regina!” Emma called as her barrier went down and she allowed the fire crew through to keep the fire from spreading to other houses. Otherwise her house was gone.  “Are you all right, did he hurt you?”

                “Hurt her, she burned down my house!” Leopold yelled as Snow was being checked. “I want her arrested immediately.”

                “The house is very old, I’m sure it was just a wire,” Regina said. “I was just looking at my house when it went up in flames.”

                “Bullshit don’t act like something was wrong with the house, I’m sure you kept it up,” Leopold accused.

                “There’s no proof of what you are insinuating, she was just passing by and also your precious Snow suspended me so I can’t arrest her and there seems to be a lack of officers at the scene due to your incompetence.”  Emma glared at him one last time before she put her leather jacket around Regina’s shoulders and led her back over to a scared Henry. Regina just easily lifted him up and reassured him she was perfectly fine. They returned to the diner for a cup of hot chocolate to sooth Henry. David was there with a sleeping Neal.

                “Is she alive?” David asked.         

                 “Lucky for her,” Emma said.

                “Is he alive?” David asked.

                “Unfortunately,” Regina replied.  David sighed.

                “Would have been easier if he had died,” David replied. Ruby came over with hot chocolates and sat down. It was late, she was also a volunteer with the fire department and had left when she realized what Regina had done.  There were enough guys to keep the fire from spreading, she wasn’t needed.

                “I put extra cinnamon in there for you kid,” Ruby told Henry who gave her a small smile. He was hugged up close to Regina still. When Emma’s phone had gone off, he’d woken up too and realized that Regina’s side of the bed was cold. He was terrified that she had been kidnapped by Leopold.  

                “Thank you Ruby,” Henry said.

                “So, what happened?” Ruby asked.

                “I was angry, so I burned down my house with them in it,” Regina shrugged.

                “I didn’t hear that,” David said.

                “Why now?” Ruby asked.

                “Rubes,” Emma said.

                “It’s not a matter of why now, believe me I have tried several times to kill him,” Regina admitted. “But I can’t physically kill him anymore, my magic doesn’t work on him. As for the why I burnt my house down knowing Snow was in there and yes David I knew you had gone with Neal.”

                “Ha, I knew you couldn’t resist how charming I was and eventually you’d like me despite yourself,” David grinned.

                “No, actually I like Neal, and despite a few things you are a good parent towards him. So, I won’t kill you for his sake.” David sighed.

                “Oh, come on why you gotta be like that.” Regina shrugged a shoulder delicately as Emma chuckled.

                “More than she gives me and we live together,” Emma said.

                “You were saying about the why,” Ruby interrupted.

                 “He got someone to vandalize my vault that includes Heaven’s grave, my father’s grave, and the baby I miscarried, you remember,” Regina said. Ruby nodded.

                “That bas…I mean, mean, mean man,” Ruby growled. “Maybe I need to turn wolf on him.”

                “God no, the last thing we want is for him to become a werewolf,” Emma said.

                “Emma don’t be stupid he’d be in too many pieces,” Regina said. Emma blushed as Ruby laughed.

                “There’s the Regina I know,” Ruby said.  

                “I will be gone again tomorrow, don’t worry,” Regina muttered as she let out a sigh. “I shouldn’t have done that; I’m breaking my promise to Henry.”

                “I think we can let this pass, if you hadn’t out lasted me, I would have been the one burning the house down,” Emma admitted.

                “You’re not evil, I don’t want you to get hurt mom, you always told me that I didn’t have to let the kids at school bully me just because I was nice, that sometimes you have to defend yourself,” Henry said. “Although maybe murder was a bit much. But you were upset about Heaven so I can forgive you, he’s just lucky it wasn’t me.”

                “No, it wasn’t,” Emma mouthed over Henry’s head.

                “Thank you honey,” Regina said as she kissed his head. “And you’re right he was lucky, and I don’t trust him, so you’re going to stay with us tomorrow for protection Just in case.” He nodded as he yawned deeply. “I am going to take him upstairs to bed, one of us should get some rest.” Emma scooted out and let them pass after Henry chugged his hot chocolate while Regina glared, and he then gave her a big grin.

                “Yeah that’s so my kid,” Emma chuckled. Regina rolled her eyes at her and picked up Henry. They made their way into the back and down the hall towards the inn. It was a short hallway and they came out near the front desk. They were about halfway up the first set of stairs, when Henry gasped, and Regina felt a hand grab hard at her hair. She was pulled backwards instinctively she curled into a ball as much as she could as she protected Henry’s head. She tucked her head down as much as possible, but she would rather die then let Henry be injured.  When she hit the floor, she was dazed, and her grip loosened on Henry as she fell unconscious with Henry under her.

                When she woke up again, she was laying outside on the gravel parking lot of the inn. Henry was sobbing and calling her name, Emma was gently tapping her face to get her to stir.

                “She’s awake!” Emma declared as flashing lights appeared, next thing Regina knew she was on her way to the hospital and Emma made sure the doctor that knew saw them.  It was hours before she was fully aware of where she was and could ask Emma after Henry had fallen into an exhausted sleep on the hospital bed next to her.

                “Em-ma…” Emma immediately moved closer.

                “Hey, I thought you’d fallen into a natural sleep for once,” Emma said.

                “I supposed but I am awake now, what happened?” Regina asked. “I know I fell backwards, is Henry all checked out?”

                “Henry is fine, you protected him well, he’s got a small bump from when you hit the floor itself, but no concussion. As for what happened, you didn’t fall, you were pushed well pulled in this case. Henry said you guys were halfway up when he saw Leopold behind you guys. He hadn’t heard him follow you guys, he just happened to open his eyes in that moment.  He said he didn’t get hurt on the stairs but bumped his head on the floor itself. He was hysterical screaming for you to wake up. There was a lot of blood from your head, and then Leopold pulled you off and dragged you outside, but Henry took off sprinting. We don’t know why he just left you outside, but Ruby smelled fairy dust. So I guess Blue is on their side.” Regina sighed.

                “She always has been, you should take Henry to the inn, He needs a proper bed,” Regina said. Emma shook her head.

                “He won’t go, he was so scared you were dead Regina, you two are the only thing keeping me from burning down that convent in search of him. I did go raging, but allegedly neither of them was on the premises.” Emma frowned deeply at her words. “Seriously if you hadn’t already burned down the house…” 

                “He’s probably sitting by Snow’s bedside innocently,” Regina sighed before she could react, Emma was up and out the door. Regina immediately reacted, Henry startled awake, but helped her out of bed and grab her IV pole. They made their way after Emma, but she was faster than them, She was already at the door being protected by three fairies.

                “Come out here and fight you coward!” Emma yelled banging on the forcefield. “I know you were responsible tonight.”

                “I don’t know what you mean sweet grandchild, I’ve been here all night,” Leopold told her innocently.

                “Liar!” Emma yelled. “I will get you and Blue for what you’ve done!”

                “Emma!” Regina and Henry both called. It was the only thing that pulled her away from the door, her family, they were looking tired and scared for her.

                 “You won’t always be protected by fairies,” Emma snapped. She walked back to Regina and Henry, but not before seeing his little smirk. She took them back to their room and locked the door before putting up her own forcefield although Regina had to help her patch a few holes before she settled.

                “I’m sorry,” Emma apologized

                “You don’t owe me an apology, but don’t be stupid and reckless again, Leopold is watching you, he has a plan, I don’t know what, but I think he’s going to go for your gun one of these days.” Regina shuddered at the thought.

                “My gun, he doesn’t know how to use one,” Emma said.

                “That we know of, most people in this town known how to use one even if they don’t own one,” Regina said.  Emma sighed.

                “I’ll keep a better eye on him if he’s standing in front of me or under me being punched,” Emma said. Regina nodded.

                “Good, and you need to control your temper, I told you, we need to keep your power as Sheriff, you have no idea what lies they will tell. Only your strongest supporters will believe you, but you gotta know sometimes people are stupid, they only need just enough to be stupid enough to vote their side or just be their supporters.” Emma took two deep breaths and nodded.

                “You’re right of course, you’re always right,” Emma said. Henry hugged Regina tighter.

                “I want to leave Storybrooke,” Henry said. “At least while he is here.”

                “I know honey, me too,” Regina said stroking his head.

                “Don’t worry kid, we are going to either break that border spell and leave or defeat him, good always wins right.” He gave her a small smile and nodded.

                “Come on let’s get some rest, one good thing about burning down the house, he left so we can rebuild how we want. Maybe get you a bigger room for the mean time,” Regina said to Henry.  Henry smiled at that.

                “Yeah,” He said, but he was lacking excitement. It had been a rough day and Regina was doing all she could to sooth him, but only time and secure surroundings would do that for him. And she was determined to give him as much security as she possibly could thanks to Leopold.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven

                “There’s no proof of arson,” the fireman told David who was frowning as Snow and Leopold tried to get him to go arrest Regina for arson. “There were several bad looking wires though that weren’t completely fried yet. The house was old like many others in this town, Mayor Mills was working on getting funding to have every house rewired.”  

                 “The Correct title is Queen Regina, especially since my Snow is the Mayor.” The fireman was an Evil Queen supporter not that any of them knew that. But he’d protect Regina silently as he had as a palace guard.  

                “Right well she’s innocent as it were,” He told them. “She was just walking by just like she stated. Which isn’t a crime to walk by your own house.” He turned on his heel and left.

                “Well that is settled, now the other matter is you have been accused of throwing Regina down the stairs and assaulting her outside of Granny’s inn,” He told Leopold.

                “She’s my wife and she need to be disciplined, David, I won’t accept these bogus charges I am a King.”

                “You don’t get to accept them or not, they are there,” David said. “Unlike with the house, where clear evidence states she isn’t responsible, she on the other hand spent three days in the hospital with a head injury and broken ribs. And Henry also received a lump on the back of his head. He places you at the scene of the crime.” 

                “What am I to believe that the law of the land is trusting an eight-year-old boy barely off his mother’s tit, against the word of a King?”  Leopold asked.

                “Yes,” David said. “Because I saw his face, I saw his blood and fear. The laws here allow for an eight-year-old witness.  And you more than anyone had strong motive that night to attack her for a crime she didn’t commit. “

                “No crime was committed David,” Mary Margaret said. “Now come on we need to refurnish the loft until we can rebuild the house.”

                “You’re not allowed near what’s left of the house,” David said. “Regina filed for a restraining order against the both of you, so if you so much as step a toe on Mifflin Street you’ll be arrested, and you’re not allowed within one hundred yards of Regina or Henry or Emma for that matter outside of a court setting.”  He gave them the papers and they were furious as they left. David texted Emma that they were likely headed to a judge to get it thrown out.

                “I swear what’s the point of a legal system if the so-called people in charge are going to ignore the laws?” Emma asked as she read David’s text.

                “There is none, but that’s living in a corrupt monarchy for you,” Regina said as she dialed the number for the electrician.  As they spoke her house was being built with magic. She had cleared the burned debris that morning rebuilt the frame, and insulation was being done by hand.  “…I see…” Regina frowned as the person on the other line hung up.

                “What?” Emma asked.

                “He said no right off the bat, he didn’t want problems with Leopold,” Regina sighed.

                “Great, let me guess he’s the only electrician in town.”  Regina nodded.  This was the second person; the pipe worker was just a straight up Snow supporter.  So, as it stood when the house was finished, they would have no running water or electricity.  Regina leaned against the table at Granny’s and put her face in her hands. “It’s going to be okay; we’ll figure it out, I’ll go talk to the electrician personally, he’s just scared because he thinks Leopold has all the cards, and he’s forgotten to be scared of you.”  Regina couldn’t help but chuckle.

                “Why anyone would be scared of me now, Ms. Swan, is beyond me,” Regina muttered.

                “Don’t say that, you’re still pretty scary, I’m scared already look,” Emma said as she shivered on purpose and Regina couldn’t help the full smile that tugged on her lips. She wanted to hate Emma for making her smile so much.  “Now that you’re feeling better, I’ll go talk to him, why don’t you go help Granny and Henry in the kitchen, eat something too. I’ll see if I can’t change some minds.”  Regina nodded and stood up to head into the kitchen, no one was going to touch their things. Emma departed once Regina had gone back into the kitchen. She looked at Ruby who announced she was going on break since the other waitress had it handled. She went to the electrician first.

                “Please Savior, I know what you want, but I can’t,” he said when she came in his place of business.  Mayor Mills knows what he’s like, what he does to lowly people like me, that’s why she didn’t even argue.”

                “Maybe she does, but our kid needs electricity, do you want Henry to live in the dark because you’re too afraid of an old man?” Emma asked frowning.

                “I wish he were just an old man, instead he’s a bastard, of all the people you brought back was he necessary?”

                “It wasn’t my intention,” Emma said regretting it for the thousandth time. 

                “Look, I support the Queen, really I do, but even back in the Enchanted Forest, she never asked me to endanger my life when it came to him. And she won’t now, the King is not fond of me.”

                “She’s not asking anymore, I am, and I will protect you,” Emma said.

                “Sheriff Swan I highly doubt that, you can barely protect the Queen right now if any of the rumors are true.”

                “What rumors?” Emma asked. “From the Enchanted Forest or now?”

                “Both,” he said. “There are rumors about the King being so dark the Evil Queen is horrified. Those stem from the Enchanted Forest. They say in the fairies cover up his darkness with memory potions. Anyway, as for the now, it’s rumored that she’s his own personal punching bag and that was straight from a dwarf.  If he can hurt her, what’s he going to do to me?” Emma and Ruby frowned as they walked out of the electrician’s place a bit later. At the very least he said if they gave him a blueprint of the new house. He’d detail in everything Regina needed to replicate it with magic and he’d check it under cover of darkness.  

                “It’s better than nothing, he’s just scared,” Ruby said. Emma nodded. The next visit didn’t go half as well even with Ruby changing to do the real threatening as Emma needed to be on her best behavior. It took her angrily taking his heart out for him to agree and for her to freak out. 

                “Put it back in!” Ruby cried.

                “I don’t know how!”  Emma cried back as all three of them panicked and the guy cried as she accidentally gripped it.

                “Careful you’ll crush it!” Ruby yelled.

                “Just call HER for fuck’s sake before you kill me!” The guy cried.

                “Why should she help you when you won’t even help her?” Emma asked him.

                “For this I will, I didn’t plan on getting accidentally killed by the Savior because she doesn’t know what she’s doing!” He yelled. “Or were you planning on committing murder?”

                “No, no, all right, all right, I’ll call her, I’ll call her,” Emma said as she put the heart down and he grimaced and glared. Emma called Regina.

                “Hey, um…could you please pop over to the pipe guy’s place immediately, I have an emergency.” Regina appeared not two seconds later.

                “What’s going on, why are you here?” Regina asked. “He made his stance very clear about his following of the King’s orders.”

                “Yeah, but I came to talk…okay maybe more threaten some sense into him with Ruby. It got heated and I accidentally took his heart out.”  She pointed to the heart on the desk. Regina ran a hand over her face.

                “Please just put it back in, she nearly killed me twice just on accident,” he said. “I’ll take care of your house for saving my life.”

                “Deal,” Regina said as she gently picked up his heart to her relief. She spoke to the heart, you will forget that Emma and Ruby threatened you, you decided to help me out of the goodness of your heart after I saved you from a falling light, and you are no longer a Snow or Leopold supporter just because they are royalty and you think the taxes she imposes are too high.” His eyes went blank a moment before she reinserted his heart and he thanked her for saving him from the light which she gracious had fixed and promised to go straight away to her house. They left.

                “All right now that’s make our way through all the supporters,” Emma said. Regina glared. She turned on the spot and crossed her arms.

                “This isn’t a joke Emma; you could have killed someone!” Regina nearly yelled. She was just keeping her voice down. It would not do for anyone to hear what she had said, but the tension in her shoulders was a sure warning that Emma was in deep shit.

                “What I was just making a little harmless fun…” Emma started.

                “NO!” A few people looked their way, they were silent until the attention was off them again. “I am serious do not blacken your heart over me, this isn’t funny, Emma, besides Henry you’re all I have, and now you’re going around trying to destroy yourself and for me no less! I can’t lose anything else; this isn’t a joke to me.” With those words Regina disappeared needing time to herself to break down in tears privately and not on the streets. Emma swallowed hard as she looked ready to cry herself for hurting Regina, she could see her hurting and she never wanted to be the person hurting her.

                “Come on back to the diner, these two were the only ones really refusing,” Ruby said pulling on Emma. Emma hardly noticed anything Ruby was saying as she took her back to the diner. As soon as they were in            the door of the diner though her eyes were scanning the place for Regina, but she only spotted Henry happily munching on the cupcakes he had made with Granny as well as a silent obviously to placate Regina when she came back. Before she could head over and ask him if he’d seen Regina come back, Archie was in front of her.

                “Emma, just a quick moment,” Archie said.

                “What is it Archie, I’m kind of busy,” Emma said.

                “I know, it’s about why you are busy,” He said. Emma gave him her attention. “I haven’t been able to catch her to ask, but could you let her know my door is open, I will make time to talk.” He patted her arm and left the diner. Emma was grateful Archie saw a need as much as she did as well.  She walked over to Henry.

                “Hey kid, have you seen your mom?” Emma asked.

                “Not since she disappeared because you called,” Henry said. “Be sure to tell her you saw me eat the salad.”  Emma couldn’t help but chuckle and rubbed his head. She nicked two cupcakes amid a frown from Henry. “Hey, I set your one half aside in the kitchen.”

                “Kid you know you can’t eat all of those, your mother would have my head if I didn’t remind you of that. Now I’m going to go check if she went upstairs.” Henry nodded even as he bit into another cupcake. He wouldn’t stop unless one of them sat here and sternly reminded him.  Emma looked around the diner one last time and noted no one would harm Henry. She went through the doors leading to the inn and paused briefly at the bottom of the stairs. There was still a faint spot where Regina’s blood had spilled on the floor. She shuddered and hurried up the stairs. She pulled out her key to their room and opened the door. She could hear crying in the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar. Panicking that Regina had begun cutting again she hurried to the door.

                “Regina,” Emma called before pushing the door open. Regina was sitting on the toilet with a razor as she sniffled. Emma quickly put the cupcakes down on the table and came back. She bent down in front of Regina and gently took the razor from her.

                “I didn’t do it,” Regina told her, her voice low. “Henry.”

                “I know,” Emma said even as her own eyes were watering now. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you, I didn’t want to do that, I just want so much to protect you and make everything right I forget about myself. But you’re right it’s not helping you to hurt myself by doing things I never would have done otherwise. It was not funny; I should not have been making jokes like that after what I did. I think I was just so scared that I almost did that, and I want you to know it was one hundred percent unintentional the taking out of his heart and even almost killing him.  Ruby was supposed to do the actual scaring not me; my magic isn’t always doing what I expect. You tell me so much that magic is emotion.”

                 “That’s just it, the magic did exactly what you wanted. You know as well as anyone that it’s possible to control people with their heart. Maybe you didn’t do it consciously, but subconsciously you did. That’s why I keep telling you to calm down because of your magic. You may think you’re controlling your anger, and then things like this will happen.  Innocent people can get hurt, and that’s why you aren’t allowed to burn shit down and I know you want too.” Emma looked down unable to meet teary brown eyes, because God, did she hate when those beautiful eyes had tears inside of them.

                “You’re right of course.”

                “Then promise me you will control yourself before you hurt someone other than Leopold and Snow, I promise I won’t even roll my eyes if you do.”  Emma let a small smile tug at her lips.

                “Don’t worry, I would let the entire town in even Sidney without blinking an eye if the town was experiencing  a fire storm and an earthquake at the same time, and our house was the only safe place, and leave them out there to die.”

                “And David mostly to outrage Snow.” Emma nodded.

                “He’d be the second one in after Neal,” Emma said as she wiped away Regina’s tears. “I know I make you a lot of promises that I am still trying to keep, but I’m gonna be a better person for you. You deserve so much better than I give you.”

                “I don’t deserve anything,” Regina sniffled.

                “You deserve the world,” Emma told her stroking the side of her face as their eyes met for a moment before they both looked away when they heard someone come into their room. They sat with tensed bodies wondering who had come in.

                “Mom?” Henry called sounding sick.  Regina was up and out of the bathroom immediately. “I ate too much.” Henry went super green and vomited all over the floor.

                “Oh Henry I told you no more than two after your salad,” Regina scolded.

                “I ate the salad ask Emma,” He moaned. He held his stomach and closed his mouth Regina lifted him and rushed him to the bathroom just in time for round two of vomiting.

                “I’ll get the floor,” Emma grimaced when he kept going. 

                “Sorry to bother you while you’re working,” Kathryn said.  Regina shook her head as she put down her paint brush. It was five days later since the heart incident and now they were decorating the house, the electrician had been very thorough in his directions, and under the cover of darkness had installed all her light fixtures without her asking. He had seen her style and their plans. He had taken care of buying and installing the lights so that she had working lights when she had come in. 

                “Don’t worry about it, is something wrong with the divorce proceedings?” Regina asked as Emma came to the door, covered in pain and eating an apple from her tree. It had survived the fire apparently and the fruit was no longer sour. Regina suspected she must have put some of her magic into it over the years accidentally as it was always full of fruit except when there was snow mostly because the fruit was frozen off and then rotted.

                “No, well I should be clear I have good news and I have bad news,” Kathryn said.

                “What’s he tried?” Emma asked.

                “Good news first,” Regina said.

                “The good news is I had a talk with the Judge over my mace,” Kathryn said. Emma snickered and high fived her. “Anyway, your divorce is officially finalized over domestic abuse. In this world at least you’re free to marry whoever you want.” Regina couldn’t help but smile as a little bit of tension left her shoulders. “So that account he forced you to give him access too, feel free to take all the money because he is not entitled to a dime of your hard-earned money.”

                “I already did awhile ago, I wasn’t going to fund their expensive tastes in my house,” Regina said. Emma nodded; she’d made Regina take it all out the next day.

                 “Bad news?” Emma asked.

                “He doesn’t accept it so obviously he still thinks he owns you, but legally that’s not the case.”

                “We suspected as much would occur,” Emma said.

                “We didn’t suspect a thing, I knew it would,” Regina corrected. Emma huffed.

                “Yeah okay, way to say I told you so.” Regina shrugged as Kathryn chuckled.

                “That’s not all he’s suing you for wrongful death of heaven citing you murdered her, he’s suing for access to your money because you’re his wife claiming that you have the means and are not providing for your King. Defamation of character. You can imagine Snow’s puppet lawyer is doing most of the talking. Honestly you should have seen Albert’s face, and he hates you.”

                “Albert’s an asshole, but he’s not delusional,” Regina replied.

                “True,” Kathryn said. “I don’t think you will need to show up in court, so I will keep you all posted. But if you recorded anything down from the abuse please give me copies.”

                “I’ll bring it over tomorrow, I have it hidden,” Emma said. Kathryn nodded.

                “Good, I won’t keep you from your work then, if you still need help painting later let me know, I’ll come over with Fred.”

                “We will, someone decided to add a ridiculous amount of rooms, we’re only doing her bedroom, because Henry wants a hand in the downstairs.

                “Great, I’ll just have Fred come here with Henry, so you guys don’t have to pick him up.” They smiled and nodded.

                “See you later,” They said. Kathryn was turning to go when she paused at the door.

                “Um…Regina?” Kathryn asked half turned.  Regina looked at her. “Would you like to have tea again some time or something, I really miss you…I mean it’s okay to say no, I realize that maybe you might not feel the same way about our friendship and I…” Regina approached her and put a hand on her arm to stop her, careful not to get paint on her coat.

                “I would love too, I missed you too, perhaps I wasn’t clear that my friendship was in fact genuine. But I am sorry that I used you.” Kathryn just engulfed her in a hug as Emma smiled, Regina needed more friends who cared about her genuinely and weren’t out to take something from her.

                “Oh, thank God, I can’t take all these other princesses they’re so good all the time, like all the time I can’t stand it. They all look down on me for sleeping around with my own actual husband on David.” Startled Regina hugged her back just as tightly.

                “Snow’s fault, she still thinks you two are going to sleep together even though you never actually have.”

                “Ewww God no,” Kathryn said.

                “We told her that,” Emma said. “It was a big fight.”

                “Well thank you for trying to remind people I don’t like David like that.” Kathryn made another face. “Anyway, I better go, I have to finish up a few things and get back here in clothes I want to get paint on.”

                “A little late,” Regina said looking sheepish.  Kathryn shrugged.

                “Ah well that’s my fault, I did hug your paint covered overalls,” Kathryn said with a grin.

                “Send me the bill, I’ll take care of it,” Regina said even as Kathryn waved her off. They hugged again before she left.  They returned to priming the walls, they’d already done the ceiling yesterday.

                “So, periwinkle blue?” Emma asked looking at a can as she sat down in the middle of the room as Regina finished her two walls.

                “Hmm…it was my favorite color before things changed.”

                “I pegged you for a purple kind of girl,” Emma said. Regina gave her a smile.

                “Only because of my magic, but while I do love purple, I found periwinkle blue on my walls calming before my mother destroyed it.”

                “Your mother destroyed a lot,” Emma commented. Regina nodded.

                “Hmm…I rarely got things in my favorite color, except once she surprised me with a new riding jacket in my favorite color. I remember being so happy because it felt like she was finally approving of my skills and it meant visiting Daniel instead of studying. I wasn’t scheduled to ride that day.” Regina frowned as she let the brush fall.

                “What’s wrong?” Emma asked.

                “I don’t want that color anymore, that’s the day I saved Snow and met the King,” Regina said as a few tears fell.  Emma immediately stood up and engulfed her in a hug.

                “We don’t need to have that color, what other color would you like, why don’t we go shopping for that while we wait for the primer?” Emma suggested. Regina nodded after she had gotten control of her tears.

                “Sorry I’m so emotional, I’m always a little keyed up and it takes nothing to make me cry. I even cried this morning because Henry just looked so cute sleeping.”

                “Well I mean the kid does look really cute when he’s sleeping,” Emma said rubbing her back.

                “I know right, I always think it’s because he’s not getting in trouble.” Emma burst out laughing.

                “There’s my girl you’re feeling better now,” Emma said. “Now let’s take this paint back and get a new color, you’re still going to have the most stylish room in all of Storybrooke.”

                “I will always have that,” Regina said as she wrapped an arm around Emma’s waist, and they walked out with the paint following them floating in the air.  “But it still has to go with the gray.”

                “But of course, my Queen,” Emma said.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve

                “Stomach hurt?” Emma asked coming into a room, they were finishing up painting Regina’s room a nice Farrow and Ball Blazer Red with gray trim. It popped against the black teak floors Regina had insisted on.  They’d had to put up a shield over the house. Leopold had come in twice and painted over the walls twice now to terrorize her. 

                “No,” Regina said absently removing her hand, she turned back to removing the blue tape covering light switches.  Emma didn’t say anything as she thought about the way Regina had held her stomach. She noted the yellow paint splashes on the overalls that weren’t from when they did her own room yesterday but was a lighter yellow then she had chosen. The last time Regina had worn the overalls had been when she painted Rayne’s nursery, would have worn them to Paint Heaven’s and had worn them to paint Henry’s. 

                “I’m gonna keep that promise, your mother must have written the ingredient somewhere,” Emma said.  Regina gave Emma small smile and nodded. “Now come on, Marco is delivering the bedroom furniture.”  Regina nodded and followed Emma down the stairs. She wasn’t surprised to see David, Ruby, and Fred already unloading the items.

                “Sorry we’re a bit late, had a vandal come in and attempt to break my pieces,” Marco said. “But your spell was enough to send them running.”

                “No problem Marco, thank you again, when can we expect the dining room table and cabinets?”

                “With my son by my side it’s already done,” He said indicating August driving up with a second truck. Regina smiled.  It was a group effort, but they had soon furnished the entire house.

                “Which table runner should we use?” Kathryn asked. Her and Regina had been busy some days with the linens as they said.

                “I think for our first night the yellow lace,” Regina decided. Kathryn smiled knowingly and looked through the pile in her arms before selecting the yellow lace which Regina had made special to have little VW Bugs all over it.  She covered the cushioned chairs in white and yellow seat covers. A white rug extended under the table as well as Bug shaped placed mats with matching napkins and bug napkin rings. It had been Henry’s idea since Regina could only settle on a pale green for the dining room without clashing with the darker wood they had agreed on for the table, china cabinet, and guest liquor cabinet as Emma liked to refer to it. Simply because all the good stuff she was adamant had been in Regina’s study.  Although she had several other table runners with matching placemats and napkin rings for them. This felt a bit too childish for all the time, but it would be nice for Emma and that is what mattered to her.

                “I like it, it’s just nice and simple for ordinary days,” Kathryn said. Regina nodded. They put the rest of the things away under the bottom of the china cabinet which also held tablecloths.  She put a white candle centerpiece surrounded in a Moroccan lantern. On each side she put two very small but very powerful Bonsai trees. She had resorted to the most ancient magic. If her magic wouldn’t work, then someone else’s would have too. All trees had magic if you knew what to do and her father had taught her that. Her mother had waved it off as folklore, but her apple tree had reminded her. On the left side of the house in the dining room she had placed these two bonsai trees, and two more in the living room. They were to promote peace and harmony in the house, but also the center of power as these were quite ancient trees she had purchased. Outside her home at the right-hand front corner she had placed in the ground a miniature redwood, it represented forever because nothing was going to tare her family apart again. At the left-hand front corner, she had gotten a miniature oak, to symbolize power and most importantly courage. At the left-hand back corner, a miniature cedar now stood for ritual protections and healing, because God did, they all need some healing, and finally at the right-hand back corner, she had gotten a miniature Holly tree for protection and overcoming anger.

                “You think the ancient magic will work?” Kathryn asked.

                “I have to believe it will,” Regina said. Although it didn’t stop her from putting up her shield in hopes, and making Emma put up her own. She was getting better at it, not leaving any holes.

                “So aside from the designs, I’m not going to lie the house looks the same,” David said as they were standing in the foyer.

                “Wow rude, there are now eight rooms and five a half baths, plus a small swimming pool off the living room. And where the front living room was, there is the entire dining room. The kitchen has two doors, straight back, and is more to the left of the house. There’s literally a new wall David,” Emma said. David frowned and looked.

                “Wow you’re totally right about that wall,” He said. Emma wiped a hand over her face as the others chuckled.

                “We’ll leave you guys to get settled in your first meal should be just the three of you, but that means I expect dinner here sometime this week!” Ruby declared. They all laughed and agreed. Soon the family of three were left alone.

                “It’s good now right, no more bad memories?” Henry asked.

                “It’s perfect now, but unfortunately bad memories aren’t a place sometimes. Yes, sometimes places don’t help but memories stay in our head,” Regina told him kissing his as she wrapped her arms around him. “But the good thing about memories though is that we can make new ones and that’s what we’re going to do here.” He smiled at her and nodded.

                “With Emma?” Henry asked.

                “Try and keep me from it,” Emma reassured him. He nodded happily.

                “Yeah, now what do you say we make dinner together?” Regina asked. “I was thinking my lasagna.”

                “Yes!” Henry cried. “And garlic bread?”

                “Kid no way we could eat it without,” Emma told him.

                “And a salad, Regina added.

                “Aww,” Emma and Henry groaned.  Regina just smiled at them, it was so effortless with them, most days she wanted to cry, but when she looked at her family she just wanted to smile and that was getting less and less hard the longer she wasn’t forced to keep Leopold in her life.  It sucked to share the same town space as that monster, but this was the better than she could have hoped for, in the Enchanted Forest this was all she had tried to gain, to just be away from him with her baby.  She had been alone then, but this time though she had Emma beside her. Emma who gave her so much strength to say no.

                “Regina!” Emma yelled shaking her awake. Regina sat up gasping for air, this was the fifth night in a row that Emma had woken her up from a nightmare that had her covered in sweat and most nights she had wet the bed to her shame. The first three nights she hadn’t screamed so Emma hadn’t known except for some bit of intuition that woke her up and caught Regina cutting in her bathroom again as she shook, and tears fell down her face. 

                “It’s okay you’re safe, I am here, he is not,” Emma reminded her. It was her nightly saying. Only when Regina was calm enough to reply did Emma move. “Come on I need the reply.”

                “I am safe, you are here, he is not here,” Regina replied her voice still shaky.

                “Good job, again,” Emma said. Regina repeated it like a mantra as Emma moved her to the shower. She helped her wash the sweat and pee off her body before they changed the pad, she had resorted to sleeping in so Emma wouldn’t have to remake her bed every night.  When she was washed and dried, Emma picked up the extra pajamas that Regina had set aside in anticipation for her nightmares and got her dressed.  

                “You’ll stay right?” Regina asked. Emma nodded like she always did. Neither of them had slept a full night alone in their respective rooms. Emma got into bed and pulled Regina close like she always did when Henry wasn’t snuggled up between them.

                “I love Lucy?” Emma asked flipping on the television. Regina nodded. It always took her a bit of time to relax enough to fall back asleep.  She was so grateful for Emma’s presence, in the past and just this week, her only answer was to resort to cutting right away. They were silent through the last half of the episode that had come on, but as a commercial came over Emma spoke.

                “I made you an appointment tomorrow with Archie, he’s not here, and I think it’s time you went,” Emma said.

                “He’s always here,” Regina murmured. Leopold was often just standing on the sidewalk demanding to be let in.  She didn’t know if it was the trees or Emma’s magic, but he finally couldn’t step onto her property. He showed up at the grocery store, trying to talk sense into her he said, and he even attempted to come into Granny’s diner while she was helping Granny in the kitchen for some cash flow and to get her out of the house. Emma had just, just refrained from blasting him out of the diner with the election coming up that Snow was stalling.  He often picked fights with Emma, attempting to go for her gun once or twice it seemed to Emma, but she hadn’t been sure. Regina naturally was worried and most of her dreams weren’t even about his abuse, but him getting a hold of Emma’s gun and hurting her. Regina was convinced he was baiting Emma, so she had made a promise to Regina not to engage him when he was being deliberate, she was not to play into his hands.  

                 “I understand that, but you know in what sense I mean, I know I may have overstepped but you are suffering. You are so thin from the fear and stress, you haven’t put on any weight, despite me getting you to eat.” Regina didn’t mention that she used a tube to vomit up dinner as that was the most calories she could consume, Emma noticed her food intake a little too much, and so she had resorted to the vomiting to compensate for her lack of restriction at the moment. She hoped when Emma went back to work it would be easier. At least she could stick to a mostly liquid diet for mornings and lunches hiding behind vegetable smoothies as super nutritious and asking if she wanted one was enough to keep her from whining.

                “You did overstep, but I will try, you’re the only person I ever really told that didn’t just see a little tiny hint and turn away. I mean besides my father, he knew of course.  It may be that I go there and say nothing.”

                “That’s fine, the first step is going, he helped you when the curse first broke and you tried not to use magic. He can help you now,” Emma said. Regina shrugged.

                “I honestly don’t think anyone can help me, I’ve been doing this for so long Emma,” Regina sighed. “If it weren’t for magic the scars…”

                “Are still there even if they aren’t visible to everyone, but I see them, and I want to make it, so they don’t hurt you so much you need them visible.”  Regina hugged Emma closer.  They returned to watching I love Lucy.  Eventually they had both fallen asleep relaxed in each other’s arms.

                “I honestly don’t know where to begin and if I can begin,” Regina told Archie. She sat in the chair with her legs crossed. She sat back and wrapped her arms around herself slightly.  She had already spent more than half the session in silence until she felt uncomfortable and decided to speak.

                “That’s all right sometimes we start at the end, sometimes the middle, and sometimes the beginning. But it might help to remember that I am not as clueless as most people in the town.  Although you had yet to go in detail, I know for instance how strict your mother was with you on all things.” Regina nodded.

                “I know,” Regina said. “It’s just been so long you know?” He nodded.

                “More than anyone,” Archie said. Regina looked at him and nodded, he’d had a long life himself. He was much older than he appeared having spent most of Marco’s life as a cricket.  And it hadn’t been all roses. Although he and Marco were friends, he was a slave to Marco because of the Blue Fairy. “Why don’t we start with the first time you cut yourself, how did you come to do that?” Regina shrugged as she thought back to the first cut, she had made.

                “I suppose it was after this scar,” Regina said running a finger over her lip. “Mother had practically starved me, she was gone for two months looking for something I don’t know, my father didn’t watch my food intake, and I was a bit fat. So, in her anger she hit me and scared my lip. I remember her at first being upset with me for making her do that, scar my face. She said I was ugly that no King would want me. I thought good, but then the scar faded enough that she decided it enhanced my beauty. So, when I was angry and hungry, I took a dagger from my father and I cut. My sheets were so bloody the servant thought I was dead. Mother was furious when she saw. The first few times were to anger her, but then I began to find release and the frequency increased. She told me I was crazy that no one could ever know, or no one would have me not even a stable boy. She made me feel like I was worthless every morning she saw my cuts. An effort to stop me no doubt except the problem was she always made me feel worthless. It did not deter me because everything I did or didn’t do made me worthless in her eyes and the world.”

                “And do you still feel worthless?” Archie asked.

                “Every day except when I’m with Emma and Henry mostly, but I find it hard to believe that Ruby, Kathryn, Granny, or you even care enough. Sometimes I doubt Emma even cares,” Regina shrugged.

                “Regina this is going to be a lifelong issue fighting to believe in those surrounding with love and protection. Just remember that their love is unconditional, their actions are matching their words, and that to them you will never be worthless. But it’s not their opinion that matters it is yours. You need to believe that you aren’t worthless first.”

                “How do I do that?” Regina asked.

                “Well your first assignment from therapy is do something your mother disapproved of, but that you enjoyed like horseback riding.”

                “That’s an easy one, going riding isn’t hard, I never really stopped like most people think,” Regina said. “I just stopped going with Snow.”  Archie nodded.

                “What else then?” Archie asked. Regina was silent.

                “She didn’t like me drawing, she said I wasn’t going to grow up to be a worthless woman who painted pictures for poor nobility because I wasn’t even good enough to attract a King’s attention with my work,” Regina sighed.  “She thought I could make better use of my time.”

                “Well start painting, at our next session I’d like to hear whatever it is you’re working on, see some doodles maybe if that’s what you manage, or even a finished project or half finished if you are comfortable showing me.” Regina nodded.

                “Seems reasonable I suppose,” Regina said.  

                “And another thing,” Archie said, and Regina squinted her eyes at him wearily. “Instead of cutting I want you to draw in a journal. Draw what you are feeling.”  Regina frowned.

                “I’ll give it a try, but I make no promises,” Regina said. 

                “And how do you feel about maybe trying an anti-depressant?” Archie asked. Regina let out a breath and nodded.  He nodded and wrote her a prescription.  “Good now we’re out of time for today, but when would you like to have your next appointment.”

                “Next week on Monday perhaps?”’ Regina asked. Archie nodded. They set an appointment for nine in the morning. When she came out, Emma was sitting outside on the chairs running her hands over her jeans.

                “Ms. Swan,” Regina said.  Emma jumped before chuckling.

                “Oh, you got me,” Emma said. Regina couldn’t help the smile that spread on her lips.  Emma immediately stood and put an arm around her as they walked out.

                “I just came to support you and walk you home really,” Emma said.

                “Because of Leopold?” Regina asked.

                “No, no he’s actually still at townhall I checked, so I didn’t have to come here just for protection,” Emma told her. Regina nodded. “I actually thought maybe since I’m also already done with campaigning for my rights today, you might maybe wanna have lunch with me today.”

                “We always have lunch together,” Regina replied as they made it outside.

                “Yeeaah, but I mean I thought you might want to go horseback riding too, to the orchard…” Emma had a slight blush on her cheeks.

                “Sure, that would be nice I can pick up a few bottles of cider and check on the trees as well.”

                 “Cool, cool in that case,” Emma led her over to the bug, there was already a backpack stuffed with goodies in her opinion. Emma drove to the stables and she changed them into riding gear. She checked in with Orlando before she went to see Rocinante and Angus. Angus came to her immediately and nuzzled her. Rocinante said hi but didn’t pay her much mind. He was not the same horse she had loath to kill and regretted so much. He however seemed more interested in Emma.  

                “Ah!” Emma jumped when Rocinante blew on her. Regina put a hand on her shoulder.

                “Calm down darling, he likes you, he just wants to say hello.” She produced an apple and let Emma hand it over. She rubbed up and down her back in slow firm strokes easing Emma’s fear.

                “Are we riding Rocinante today?” Emma asked.

                “No, Rocinante isn’t big enough to hold us both, but Angus is. We’ll take Rocinante by rope though so you can have a little riding lesson. He’s very gentle and I think he’s a perfect first horse for you.”

                “Oh no, I’m fine riding with you,” Emma said.

                “Emma you should learn the basics though and I need to trust that if I get thrown off or something you could handle a horse.” Emma made a face but nodded. Regina pulled out both horses one at a time and had them saddled. She moved them outside, and Emma used the block to mount Angus after some gentle encouragement from Regina. Regina mounted behind her easily and Orlando handed her the lead to Rocinante.

                “Keep a look out Orlando we never know when he’ll decide to follow me to get a chance at me.” Orlando nodded.

                 “Will do my Queen,” He said. Regina was just about to gently nudge Angus into a walk when Emma’s cell phone rang.

                “It’s the school,” Emma said as she picked up.  Regina paused. “We’ll be right there.”

                “What’s wrong?” Regina asked.

                “Snow is at the school claiming she has emergency custody of Henry,” Emma said. Regina disappeared immediately with Emma. Orlando quickly took care of Angus and Rocinante. The next thing Emma knew is that they were standing in the Principal’s office. Snow was frowning at the woman saying she would be fired for ignoring a court order and the mayor.

                “What the hell do you think you are doing?” Regina asked Snow.

                “Taking my grandson into a safe home, since you ignored the custody hearing, Henry is now in our care.”

                “What custody hearing?” Emma asked. “There was no custody hearing and shouldn’t have been.  Leopold nor you have a legal right to Henry.”

                “But of course, he is her husband,” Snow said. He’s on the adoption papers, Snow held them up as proof.  Regina snatched them from her and noticed immediately that her birthday was wrong it made her older than she was, Henry’s was more like around the time she had brought him to Storybrooke, the state the adoption took place in was Maine, and she was listed as Regina Blanchard, but even in the Enchanted Forest, Leopold had not allowed her the last name White. One more reminder she was just his whore not much more.

                “These are fake,” Regina declared.

                “Excuse me I got those straight from the government of Maine outside our small town,” Snow said.

                “You’re a liar,” Regina replied. These are fact. “My birthday is not what you wrote here and that is not my signature, I hope you know forgery is a crime.”  She turned to the principal. “Call the police now!”  The principal didn’t know who to listen too, so Emma dialed for her. David came right away and made copies while Snow screeched.

                “Calm down Snow, if someone else forged the papers we’ll take it up with the government to get the right papers,” David told her, but he was rolling his eyes and his face suggested they wouldn’t be getting anything.

                “Get my son now, he’ll be doing independent learning until further notice if you’re too scared to keep him safe.” The principal nodded.

                 “I’ll have all work prepared for him personally,” The principal told her.  Regina nodded and paced as Snow waited around still attempting to claim Henry.

                “If you take him anywhere, we’ll have you arrested on kidnapping charges,” Snow declared as she texted Leroy. He of course came with Sleepy and more than okay with arresting her.  

                “You can’t arrest her, that’s legally still her son, since you probably bullied Judge Oberlen with false papers,” Emma said.

                “I did not, go before him now if you like,” Snow said.  

                “Oh, we most certainly will,” Regina told her glaring. Snow frowned.

                “Leroy arrest her immediately for truancy of a minor and kidnapping,” Snow declared.

                “Or David can arrest you for kidnapping,” Emma put in.

                “He would never!” Snow yelled outraged.

                “Snow, Henry’s birthday is off by two days on this paper and Regina’s is just completely wrong,” David told her. “I am literally only sending this in to confirm her signature is false, but I’ve required her signature enough to know it most likely is. So back down now.”

                “Henry’s birthday isn’t wrong, and why would you even know Regina’s birthday?”

                “Because we’ve forgotten it the last two years running, and you don’t forget a thing like that when you are forced to live with someone,” David put in.

                “We didn’t forget, we all went out and had a lovely family day and came back to a lovely dinner,” Snow snapped.

                “Yes, you and Leopold, and you dragged the rest of us with you. We did exactly zero activities that Regina wanted and then she made dinner to your horrid specifications,” Emma said.  “My tongue is still recovering from that mess we were forced to take part in.”

                “Uh don’t remind me I had to throw out the dish,” Regina grumbled. She would be damned if tuna casserole ever touched her good china again or pass her son’s lips from her kitchen. That was the night she vomited in clear view of Emma and Emma didn’t even suspect a thing because she’d been vomiting herself earlier. They were all sick for a week except Snow, even Leopold had literally threatened her to never make it again, but he didn’t have to threaten, she’d planned on breaking her hands first before she ever made it again willingly.

                 “I don’t appreciate you insulting my cooking every chance you get!” Snow yelled at Emma. “What kind of daughter are you?”

                “Apparently not yours, you disowned me remember?” Emma asked her. The phone beeped.

                “Principal Chu, Henry is here from class,” the secretary told her. They all turned towards the door which was still open, and Henry was there looking small with his backpack.

                “Henry let’s go you are no longer allowed to live with Regina until she gets her act together and goes back to her husband, and Emma is not a good influence she’s not family.”

                “She is family,” Regina and David said at the same time. Emma wanted to be hurt at Snow’s words, but the outrage from David and Regina was enough to protect her.

                “Mommy?” Henry asked turning to Regina.

                “Don’t listen to her honey, she can’t take you no matter what she thinks,” Regina said indicating for him to come to her. He rushed to her immediately before Leroy could attempt to grab him at Snow’s indication.

                “Regina stop being ridiculous. Henry is my grandchild and one of my heirs it is improper for him to continue to be in your care if you are going to act like this, disobeying your husband and probably whoring around with that thief fellow, what if Henry takes up stealing?”

                “He won’t because Robin Hood is not a fixture in our lives,” Regina snapped. “And I no longer have a husband we’ve been divorced, and I remind you again that you have no grounds to take Henry, I and I alone have sole custody of him. See you in front of Judge Oberlen.” Regina waved her hand and disappeared with Henry, Emma, and David even. They appeared in the Judge’s office, he jumped ten feet off the ground when they appeared.

                “Did you sign a custody order to take Henry?” Emma asked him.

                “They brought me papers,” He said. “They were from the Maine government.”

                “Great, but they were a total lie none of this information is correct from my birthday, to Henry’s birthday, to the state I officially adopted him in.  And I was never Mrs. Regina Blanchard here or in the Enchanted Forest.” Regina produced Henry’s actual adoption papers, and since the document had been created out in the land without magic, the curse did not change any details to reflect Leopold joining their timeline.

                “I’ll uh just rescind that order then,” he said.

                 “Yeah I really think you had better,” Regina growled. He produced the necessary paperwork and made Snow’s papers invalid. Not that she didn’t come storming in with Leopold. Regina pulled Henry close and stepped away from him so that she was slightly behind Emma.

                “What is the meaning of this, why has my grandson and wife not been returned to me,” Leopold said. “You are all my subjects and I want access again to our home, and Emma out of it since she’s been disowned. My other grandson needs care.”

                “You aren’t on any of the legal documents, the ones you brought were false, so I had to rescind any order about Henry’s custody.” Judge Oberlen said.

                “Ugh Snow have him removed to the Dungeons immediately, if he can’t be trusted to do his job we will appoint someone else,” Leopold snapped.

                “You’re fired, Leroy come arrest him and put him in holding,” Snow said.

                “You can’t arrest him for following the law,” Emma told them.

                “He disobeyed his King,” Leopold said stepping in front of her.

                “You aren’t the King here,” Emma replied in a low voice.

                “And you are nothing here,” Leopold replied. “Now step aside and allow Regina to come home with me.”

                “I’m happy to repeat myself for the millionth time, she’s not going anywhere with you, and you aren’t going anywhere with her,” Emma told him.  She wasn’t backing down; she wasn’t carrying her gun right now as she was still in her riding clothes. So, she wasn’t worried about that, she was ready for the punches he threw, he got her once in the eye, but she got him twice in the jaw, they’d both have bruises. However, what she wasn’t prepared for was the knife he lodged into her shoulder.  There was screaming as he pulled the serrated knife out on purpose.  David tackled him to the ground and threw the knife to the side.

                “Emma!” Henry and Regina cried as she stumbled back as blood leaked between her fingers. Regina grabbed hold of Emma and disappeared to the hospital. When she reappeared, she realized that Henry hadn’t been touching her and waved her hand. He was full on crying and panicking and just grabbed onto her leg as soon as he appeared. It was chaos of Regina calling for help and apologizing to Henry.

                “Mommy is so sorry, I didn’t realize you weren’t still touching me, I didn’t mean to leave you,” Regina told him hugging him close as Emma was being worked on in the Emergency Room.

                 “You promise you didn’t mean to leave me?” Henry asked.

                “Yes baby, I just reacted in catching Emma, I didn’t realize you weren’t still holding onto my dress.”

                “You moved too fast,” Henry sniffled as he sat in her lap and she kissed his forehead and rubbed the sides of his face. She wiped his tears away. 

                “Mommy is sorry,” Regina told him. She let him lay forward on her and she rubbed his back.

                “Emma’s going to be okay right?” Henry asked.

                “Of course, darling, first we have to let the doctor’s work and then maybe we can work some magic on her arm.” He nodded.

                “Who’s going to protect us from grandpa?” Henry asked.

                “Oh, we’re fine, we’re safe from him, don’t you worry about him,” Regina told him even as she worried herself that Leopold might indeed show up here.

                “But what if he shows up?” Henry asked.

                “Then we’ll leave, we’ll keep an eye on Emma through the mirror, he can’t get into our home remember.” Henry nodded.

                “We should text Ruby,” Henry said. “She’ll protect us like Emma.”

                “She would, wouldn’t she,” Regina said as she pulled out her phone. She texted Ruby and she had barely finished asking if she would come wait with them in case Leopold showed up when Ruby announced she was on her way. Not fast enough as Henry gasped and wet himself on Regina. The feeling of Henry wetting himself in fear, his body tensing at the sight of that man, was everything she never wanted for him. He was terrified of what would happen to her, she knew that from the way his arms tightened around her.

                “I’ll protect you mom,” Henry told her. Regina stood up to leave, but she was blocked by one of the dwarves.

                “Stop this nonsense Regina,” Leopold said. He grabbed her arm just as she was disappearing, and he was able to stop her. She looked at him wide eyed, what magic did he have that stopped her own. It was terrifying really.

                 “Leo please just let me go,” Regina pleaded calmly.

                “No, why would I do that you’re my wife, now let’s go home now,” He snapped and pulled her out his grip tight on her arm.

                “I don’t want to go with you, I am not your wife anymore, what do you even want from me, you don’t love me,” Regina said as Henry cried.

                “Let my mom go,” Henry cried. Heads were turning now from residents and nurses alike.

                “You’re making a scene,” Leopold said as he raised his hand to slap her, but before his hand could come down it was stopped by Robin Hood of all people.

                “I believe the lady asked to be left alone,” Robin told him glaring.  Ever since Leopold had tried to kill him by blaming an attack on Regina on him. He’d been waiting for any excuse to hit the man, and that’s what he did now, punched him right in the face before all the dwarves jumped on him. Regina threw seven fireballs at their behinds and freed Robin Hood with a nod of thanks as she backed away with Henry. Leopold growled and ignored Robin as he went for Regina, but instead a big wolf knocked him down and bit off his right hand.

                “AHHH!” Leopold screamed as Ruby changed back.

                “You won’t be hitting my friend again,” Ruby told him. She went to Regina. “Come on let’s go home, Emma would want you safely behind the barrier, Granny will be over to sit in the waiting room herself in five minutes.”

                “Thank you,” Regina said as she watched Leopold writhing in pain screaming for someone to help him. She noted some supporters ran over, but non-supporters were pretending not to hear calls for this equipment or that.”

                “Is he a werewolf now?” Henry asked wearily.

                “No, it’s not a full moon,” Ruby reassured him. “It’s gotta be very specific plus I more ripped then bit exactly.”

                “Too bad it wasn’t his whole arm,” Robin said. “I don’t condone what happened to you but thank you for refusing to go along with it.” He walked back to his son who was red with fever and Marion.

                “An honorable thief after all,” Regina muttered as she disappeared with Ruby. They appeared inside the house and Regina immediately took Henry and herself to get cleaned up. Henry was so emotionally keyed up he fell asleep, so instead of attending to him further, she busied her shaky hands with making tea for herself and Ruby.

                “Hmm…good tea, his blood tasted so foul in my mouth,” Ruby said.

                “The blood of real monsters is always putrid, even when I killed him in the original timeline, the vipers made him bleed a little and the stench was worse than that of death,” Regina said as her hands cupped her own teacup but she didn’t drink. She was sure if she tried, it would reveal just how badly she was still trembling inside.

                “If no one has apologized for Emma let me be the first, of all the people she could have brought back it was him.”

                “Mother would have been easier to handle, her heart would have returned to my vault without Snow’s curse, and maybe just maybe I’d have a real mother instead of this walking and talking nightmare…” Regina couldn’t help it as her tears fell. “Henry would have seen.”

                “No, no, I’m sure he wouldn’t have done anything in front of Henry.”

                “Why not, he pulled me down the stairs despite Henry, and he was going to slap me back there. Imagine what he would have done when he still couldn’t get inside this house out there on the street or what he would have done in the loft for all to hear?” Regina shuddered. “Henry is already so scared he peed on me; this would only have quadrupled his fear. He cannot be around that man,” Ruby moved around the kitchen island and hugged Regina.

                “But it didn’t happen, that’s what’s important,” Ruby reminded her. Regina nodded as she got a hold of herself, breaking down was for later in private, or with Emma. Eventually Ruby’s phone beeped.

                “It’s Granny, she said Emma is stable, she’s just sleeping after some pain meds. Silly girl nearly fainted trying to get to you after a nurse told her what happened. And she adds not to worry, she’s already scolded both Emma and the nurse.” Regina couldn’t help but smile

                “That woman is after my own heart, I swear,” Regina said even as a bit tension left her body, Emma was going to be okay.

                “Haha she really is you two really know how to scold someone,” Ruby laughed. Ruby stayed through lunch with Regina spending her time coaxing Henry to eat. He was still really shaken and rightly so.   Kathryn came over with dinner and Regina picked at it, to make it seem like she took more than two bites. It helped that she spent more time making Henry eat then eating herself. 

                “Mom you always say I have to eat all my food, but you don’t anymore,” Henry said. Regina frowned she couldn’t remember the last time she felt in control enough to finish one meal to keep appearances up with Henry. She picked up her fork and continued eating grateful that she had taken mostly salad and the chicken was roasted. It could be worse they could be trying to force burgers down her throat again. She’d have to complete a workout and burn at least a thousand calories for sure.  Once she had eaten too Henry was satisfied and Kathryn drank some wine. They retired to the living room where Henry cuddled up into her side.

                “Did they really arrest Judge Oberlen?” Regina asked Kathryn.

                “No, he managed to stay out of jail somehow, but he can’t work either, Snow hasn’t appointed anyone so when Leopold stops screaming about his mangled hand, I imagine that she’ll decide she’s the only one worth being Judge around here.” Regina nodded. “When she started being Mayor did you officially step down?”

                “No, I just stopped going to work, it didn’t matter if I made it official or not,” Regina said.

                “Maybe you should challenge her then and take back your job.” Regina shook her head.

                “If it were just Snow sure, but it’s not, it’s him too, he walks through all my defenses I can’t protect myself from him Kat.” Kathryn frowned. The doorbell rang, both Henry and Regina went tense as Kathryn went to the door.

                “Regina it’s David and Neal.” Regina appeared in the foyer as David walked through the door. He had a black eye and a busted lip. Neal was of course screaming and filthy.

                “Sorry it’s so late, they knocked me out and kept me out with fairy magic, I woke up at the convent. I knew you’d take care of Emma, so I went to find Neal first, he was at home alone all day, she didn’t even bother dropping him off at daycare. She did this at the hospital because I wasn’t concerned enough about her father. Is there anyway you can disguise his presence here; I’ll tell her I put him over the town line until this gets sorted?”

                “You need to divorce her,” Kathryn said. “And I’m not just saying that for my fees.” He gave Kathryn a small smile.

                “You don’t have to lie; I can make everyone temporarily forget Neal is your and Snow’s son. Well my magic isn’t reliable with Leopold, so better to get Gold to do it or we wait for Emma.”

                “We’ll wait for Emma, to be honest she won’t realize if you have him while I am not there. But I would like to remove him permanently. I’ll see how long I can go with he’s in bed etc…” David said as Neal reached for Regina. She took him gently.

                “I’ll uh go get him cleaned up.”

                “Thank you, for keeping him safe here,” David said as his phone rang. He grimaced.

                “I have to go, it’s her, I need to keep control of the police station for Emma’s sake, so I gotta play my part to some degree, but don’t worry I’m sitting on all ridiculous arrest warrants etc...” With those words he was gone after another kiss to Neal. 

                “That bitch, all she cares about is him,” Kathryn said shaking her head.

                “She’s changed a lot, and yet not at all,” Regina muttered. They all went upstairs, and Neal had a nasty diaper rash.

                “I’ll run out to the store for the cream,” Kathryn said. Regina nodded as she set Neal up to air dry in front of the fire on a pad in case he peed.

                “Henry can you warm up some food for him,” Regina said.  Henry nodded and went to the kitchen bringing back chicken, rice, and salad. Regina used the knife to cut up the chicken into smaller chunks before she fed Neal who had planted himself in her lap.

                “Mama,” He said.

                “No, Regi remember, Regi,” Regina corrected. He ate some more but didn’t say Regi or Mama.  She gave him some milk afterwards and he fell asleep clearly exhausted from the day. When Kathryn came back, she got the cream on him with a diaper just time to change it again. She put him to bed in Henry’s room, giving them bunk beds with a toddler bed on the bottom. After the incident with Leopold Neal had stopped sleeping in a crib, he didn’t like them anymore.

                “It’s just temporary until we can sort out a room for him,” Regina told Henry.

                “I like bunkbeds, can I keep it?” Henry pleaded. Regina chuckled and nodded. He cheered as he climbed up and touched the glow in the dark stars he’d wanted on the ceiling.

                “You think you can sleep already?” Regina asked him. Henry shook his head. “Then I want you to do a calming activity like reading until you relax.

                “Can I stay with you?” Henry asked. Regina nodded as she made a baby monitor appear for Neal. He climbed back down and into her arms. “Can we grab that book?”  Regina nodded and went over so he could pick the book up off his desk. They went back downstairs where Kathryn was packing up.

                “You look exhausted, so I’m going to go so you can get some sleep, and I’ll be back tomorrow morning, we can head over to the hospital together.” Regina smiled at Kathryn.

                “Thank you, that would mean a lot to me, actually,” Regina replied. They hugged.

                “Goodnight Aunt Kat,” Henry said hugging her too.

                “Goodnight Henry.”  Once she was gone, they checked on Emma through the mirror, Granny was still by her bedside knitting away and Emma’s shoulder was wrapped and stabilized.

                “She’ll be up and more than ready to see us tomorrow,” Regina told Henry who nodded as the image disappeared. They sat on the couch and Regina ended up reading to Henry until he was fast asleep. She tucked him into his bed and checked on Neal with both boys out, she went to her room it was time to break down. She opened her bedroom door and gasped at the giant dream catcher on her wall just above her bed, that had not been there before she left. Emma must have put it up. She ran a hand over it and felt Emma’s power as well. Regina was touched as she let her tears fall. She sat down hard on the bed and stared at the dream catcher for a long time just amazed at the things Emma did for her. 

                “What did I do to deserve you?” Regina whispered. Regina eventually got ready for bed and even stared at the razor she had conjured up, but she thought about how scared Henry had been today the chances of him walking in on her were higher. He would wake up and want to climb in bed with her, she knew that, she had never risked it before on those nights. She looked at the dream catcher hanging on her wall, Emma wouldn’t want her too. But she couldn’t sleep either not tonight, Emma wasn’t here, the nightmares would come back stronger than ever. With a sigh she conjured up a pad with paper and charcoal.  She could work on her drawing; she could draw Emma. Archie had said draw her nightmares well this was a living one, Emma hurt because of her.

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen

                “How’s your shoulder?” Regina asked as she rotated Emma’s shoulder gently. She’d had to heal it slowly to make sure it was done properly, without magic, Emma might have lost the use of her arm completely. Until she could prove medically that her arm was functional Snow said there couldn’t be a vote.

                “Much better thank you, she’s going to be so angry tomorrow, I’m almost grateful for that sack of shit convincing her to hold the election already while I’m broken as he put it.”

                “He’s the one broken,” Regina replied. Leopold looked miserable about his hand. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop him screaming at her to fix it outside of her house, usually in the middle of the night so it was disturbing or calling her cell. She’d changed her cell number eight times since she had left him.

                “Hey, I got you something,” Emma said as Regina still applied a healing cream to her shoulder.

                “You didn’t have too, why did you get me something, the dream catcher was already really nice,” Regina said.

                “I wanted too, it’s over there in my bag,” Emma said. Regina finished with the cream before she wiped her hands on a cloth she had brought. She opened the bag and pulled out a leather-bound book. “I noticed you were really taking off with the drawing but were doing it on scraps of paper. I also got some farbe castile pencils they’re supposed to be really good in Europe. But it was too big for the bag, it’s this really big wooden box, I had Ruby hide it in your closet while you were in the garden.  Regina turned and went into her closet, she brought it back out and placed it on the bed.

                “Wow there must be every color here imaginable,” Regina said delicately running her fingers over the pencils.

                “Yeah, I hope so,” Emma chuckled. Regina chuckled as well.

                “This is really lovely thank you, I’m interested to see how this holds up with charcoal, but I may keep that for when I actually start using oil paint,” Regina said nodding.

                “You really like it?” Emma asked.

                “I love it, thank you, no one’s ever really gotten me a present like this before, Mother always controlled what I was given.”

                “Well she’s not here, and you deserve a gift you like,” Emma said standing. Regina looked up. “Well I’d better get to bed now too…” She turned to go but paused. “Oh, you never told me if the magic in my dream catcher worked.”

                “To be honest I don’t know, I haven’t slept in three weeks, you were in the hospital and I was scared, and then you were back, but you needed to stay in your room, because of the surgery you had, I couldn’t have you getting up.”

                “How are you even awake right now?” Emma asked.

                “I spent most of my life unable to sleep, this is nothing really,” Regina shrugged.

                “What did you do the entire night?” Emma asked. Regina raised her arm sleeve and Emma prepared herself for the cuts, but instead saw marker forming a pattern on the skin.

                “Archie said I should try drawing instead of cutting although I’m not sure he had even this in mind.”

                “No, no Regina this is great, you didn’t hurt yourself, this was nonviolent, I’m proud of you,” Emma said giving her a big hug.

                “Really?” Regina asked. “You don’t think I’m crazy.” Emma shook her head vigorously.

                “No, never,” Emma replied. Regina nodded.

                “You think maybe you could stay with me?” Regina asked. Emma nodded.

                “I can do that, you know I even think I love Lucy may already be on,” Emma said. Regina smiled. “I’ll just go change.” Regina nodded. She got ready for bed too a little self-conscious at Emma seeing just how much she had drawn on her skin. Her legs were covered, she had resorted to shading in bits.

                “Whoa is that your apple tree,” Emma asked jumping onto the bed and bouncing a little.

                “Yes,” Regina said. She’d spent hours turning one leg into her apple tree

                “Man, with body paint I might not even know it’s a leg,” Emma said. “Can I?” Emma indicated Regina’s shirt and she nodded. The tree extended up to her abdomen. “This looks like the sickest tattoo.”

                “Sick?” Regina asked looking at her skin.

                “No, no, it means like really cool,” Emma said. Regina nodded. “What did you do on the other side. There was a random car burning rubber, clearly covering three places where Regina had cut herself.

                “Magic is emotion, it turned the marker into a razor before I realized it,” Regina murmured.

                “It’s all right, look how much you didn’t cut,” Emma pointed out.  The other leg had some random patterns or shapes. It was the same with her arms, except for a nice likeness of baby Henry.

                “Oh, the kid, you really should turn that one into a tattoo though,” Emma commented as she sat back.

                “Hmm…maybe someday,” Regina said handing Emma the remote.  Emma grinned and turned on I love Lucy. Regina snuggled up to her after she got comfortable and dropped off quickly to Emma’s amusement, but she realized this was the first time Regina had relaxed in the last few weeks most likely. Emma gently stroked her hair from her face, glad to see it looking so peaceful just once. She wanted to give Regina the world if she would have her. Emma let out a breath, would Regina have her? She supposed not, not after Leopold. Maybe they’d had a slight chance if Leopold hadn’t come back but after all this why would Regina want her. She too was unfortunately related to that man. In another time in another place, they could have been perhaps Emma thought as she fell asleep.

                While Regina may have looked peaceful on the outside, the inside was turning to anything but. She was gardening not in Storybrooke, but back in the Enchanted Forest. She was picking flowers out for her room to give herself a small bright spot outside of her books, something to mask the horrors that took place within. She didn’t often have time to pick her own flowers, hell she wasn’t allowed to play in the dirt as Leo said. It was unbecoming of a Queen to get filthy. But it was late afternoon, most nobles at least the gossipy ones were still out hunting or resting until the evening. Which meant just enough time to pick fresh roses for her room. As usual last night had been brutal and she just needed a bit of sun and air.  Some quiet out in a space she had designed around her apple tree. Apparently, Eva had loved to garden so when the King and Snow realized she had changed it, they had been furious. She’d paid for it with a broken rib, but Leopold hadn’t done much of anything to restore the garden in his opinion.

                “What have I told you about playing in the dirt like a whore?” Leopold growled from behind her just as she snipped the last yellow rose.

                “I’m sorry my King, the gardener wasn’t around today, and I had wished to return to shortly to my rooms,” Regina told her him she turned and curtsied deeply. She didn’t look at him, couldn’t look at him. The rage in his eyes was always striking fear into her heart.

                “And you still chose to disobey me?” He asked.

                “I just thought Snow would really enjoy the surprise, they’re quite beautiful today like her,” Regina replied. These flowers would not make it to her rooms. There would be no bright spot not for her, not today.”

                “Take them to a servant to set up in her rooms immediately and go to yours.”

                “Yes, my King.” Regina curtsied once more even lower if possible. She kept her eyes down as she lay down the last flower and the sheers were carefully left out of sight in the rose bush, because she didn’t want him to get any ideas and then send for Blue to heal her. Once they were in her room, she could already feel the tears on her cheek before he even struck her and yelled about disobeying him. He ripped her her skirt and petticoats. She’d spent more on petticoats then she cared for, he’d caught her just mending them and threw it in the fire said she was meant to be pleasing to him and wouldn’t be if she looked like a peasant with mended coats. So, she donated the ones not covered in her blood to lesser women in need. 

                 “Please my King no,” Regina pleaded.

                “How dare you tell me no!” He raged. Regina screamed and cried as he hurt her. He always hurt her, what had she done to deserve such torture? First her mother and now this, but if she had to choose, she’d run back to her mother any day. She would rather study for hours on things she had no interest in and forego riding then be this King’s punching bag.

                “HEY!” Someone yelled.  Regina’s eyes went wide as Leopold was pulled off her. That alone made her cry out in fear, that someone had dared to try and stop him. Leopold was of course raging as she sat up to get her first and what she assumed would be her last look of the person that tried to save her.  As soon as she saw her Regina shook her head. She was dreaming, Emma was here, Emma wouldn’t even exist yet, but here she was punching Leopold into a bloody pulp, her own personal savior.  

                “Emma, stop he’s gone,” Regina said. Emma stopped and realized as much.

                “Are you all right?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “Thank you for saving me,” Regina said. “I guess your dream catcher is working after all.”  Emma blushed.

                “I don’t know it was supposed to give you sweet dreams not this, never this,” Emma sighed as the world around them began to change. They were back in her bedroom she noted. They were in pajamas again and in bed. She wasn’t hurt anymore; the pain of the last dream was receding.

                “I’m having one now,” Regina told her.

                “Or maybe I’m having the bad dream, I saw it all you know on the tv, and I was so angry I couldn’t get to you sooner,” Emma frowned as she pulled Regina closer.  “I hope you’re sleeping peacefully and I’m the one with nightmares.”

                “I am now I promise,” Regina said hugging Emma. They turned their attention to the television and Carmilla started to play not their usual I love Lucy marathon.  Neither said a word though until eventually when both were calm their dreams separated once more.

                “How did you sleep?” Emma asked coming down nervously the next morning. Regina was already awake making a breakfast of egg whites and spinach with toast and sausage. Neal was in his highchair, shirtless and playing with some shapes.

                “Good actually really good for the first time in a long time,” Regina answered.

                 “You look better rested,” Emma said. Regina nodded. Emma was about to ask about the dream when the sound of glass breaking startled them both. Regina moved the eggs off the fire and they went to the front. The glass on either side of her doors was shattered as well as all the front windows in the living room and dining room were broken as well. Emma opened the front door to see the dwarves peeling off.

                “Mom?” Henry called.

                “Henry stay upstairs for now, there’s a lot of glass.”

                “But my window is broken,” He said.

                 “They threw bricks into your room kid?” Emma asked upset. Henry nodded.

                “And mom’s or they wanted mom’s,” Henry shrugged.  Regina went up the stairs and lifted him.

                “I’ll just take you into the kitchen, you can have breakfast there.” Henry wrapped his arms around her, and Regina didn’t say a word as she focused on getting her son a healthy breakfast before she picked up her broom and dustpan and got to work. Emma was furious and called her father, but she knew right now his hands were tied. It was bad enough Ruby was technically in hiding. Snow had literally called old guards to hunt her down, but they hadn’t found her according to them. Emma had been glad when Ruby had shown up for dinner as if everything was fine. She was taking refuge with Kathryn since it seemed the least likely place, and she didn’t want to bring more negative attention to Regina from Snow and Leopold.

                “They cannot be allowed to get away with this any longer,” Emma growled.

                “And they won’t, you’ll be in charge soon,” Regina reminded. Emma sighed.

                “I hope so, but honestly really half the people are too scared to defy him and the other half thinks he’s in the right just because he was King.”

                “Thankfully it’s a private vote, and they only have to slip a paper in a box in front of everyone. I assume that means she’ll try and change the votes. So, you need to make sure it’s counted in front of everyone.”

                “Will you come?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “I need to support you; I will sit in the back with Granny and Ruby. Since he’s not effected by my magic, I’m going to ask you to put that black cuff on me.”

                “What why?” Emma asked alarmed.

                “So, she can’t say I changed the votes, that’s why, I will be in the very back don’t worry. Kathryn will be closer to you and in charge of counting the votes along with Judge Oberlan so there won’t be any lies told.” Emma sighed and nodded.

                “I don’t like it but all right,” Emma said.

                “It’s fine really, well we’ll have Ruby put it on so she can take it off, that way if anything happens, I can have my magic back quickly.”

                “Mom?” Henry called. “Can I have some more?”

                “Sure honey.” Regina swept up the last of the glass and took it to the bin. She gave Henry more food and gave Neal some too.  Emma followed a few minutes later after running the vacuum.

                “Should I call the window installer?” Emma asked sitting down.

                “No, no I can do it, I bought a couple of extras, I expected this sooner to be honest,” Regina said. Emma frowned and nodded.

                “Mom, Emma is he going to hurt you today?” Henry asked biting his lip.

                “Oh no love we’re perfectly safe. They can’t get here, so they did that, especially because tonight Emma gets voted back in as Sherriff and they don’t want that.”

                “Oh, you will win right?” He asked Emma.  Emma nodded.

                “I’m sure of it kid, things haven’t been great around here since Snow took office, they’ll be wanting a change. I hope I can get your mother back into office.”

                “Oh, really Emma it’s fine, let’s just look for the ingredients and when the time is right I’ll figure out Gold’s potion and we’ll free the rest of the town, really,” Regina said. “Well maybe not the rest, but you know.”

                “Ugh I hate myself, why did it have to be him,” Emma sighed. “Why couldn’t I bring back someone’s lost wife and ruin their current relationship.”

                “Even better if you didn’t mess with the past at all,” Regina pointed out.

                “I know, I know,” Emma moaned as she put her head down on the counter. After a moment Regina gently lifted it and slid a plate under her nose. Emma let out a sad sigh and started eating.  Regina stuck to eggwhites with a side of veggies.  She would easily burn these calories off during her workout she knew and she took a larger portion so no one was the wiser about her eating habits. With Emma out until later, she would skip lunch and just tell Henry she snacked while she cooked him whatever it was she did. Or she might allow herself a smoothie or just broth, anything she could consume without jeopardizing her weight.

                “Oh, what about Neal, we cannot take him there,” Emma said.

                “Oh, I’ll drop him at Ashley’s, David’s been saying he’s with her, so we’re going to stick with that, after I showed her how Snow neglected him. She won’t tell her that the child she’s forgotten hasn’t been home in weeks.

                “That excuse has really been working for three weeks?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “Yeah, and it will keep working when she sees him clean and happy with Ashley.” Emma looked at Regina with her mouth hanging open. 

                “You know what thank you for casting the curse, I’m glad I never had a mother growing up, the kids who already came from crap homes were always the worst off.  Things were low for me, but never that low. I’m glad Neal has us, and Dad is doing his best and coming over to see him.”

                “More like sneaking,” Henry sighed. “Grandpa shouldn’t have to sneak off to see his son.”

                “Poor man can’t even go home because Leopold either questions why he’s not at the station during a time he refuses to pay him or Snow basically like jumps him so they can have an heir.”

                “I’m like lowkey tempted to have a son with him just to trump her and say he’s the true heir, but I just don’t have enough spite left to suffer for that kind of power,” Regina sighed.

                “That’s the most you thing, you’ve said in forever and it is music. How else can we spite her?”

                 “Getting you your job back, that’s why I’m putting on that stupid cuff so she can look stupid in her accusations, the look on her face when I hold up that cuff will just have to do,” Regina shrugged.

                “All right fine if that’s ALL you wanna do,” Emma whined as if this was boring.  Henry chuckled.

                “Mom are we doing school today or taking a break?” Henry said.

                “The morning is yours; I need to pick up your school packet for this week, and then I think I would like you to get two hours of reading done from a chapter book not your comics.  And that’s all I will require today since when we sit down you’ve been very good about paying attention.” Henry grinned.

                “Can we get a new comic today on the way and lunch at Granny’s please?” He pleaded.  “Please please.” She smiled at him.

                “Sure sweetheart, but we need to use magic, we can’t be seen out and about with Neal.” Henry nodded his head vigorously as he pumped his fists in the air.

                “Good, well you guys do that, I am going to do some last-minute door to door visits showing myself all fit and ready for duty.” After breakfast had been cleaned up and children dressed. Regina called to have her windows delivered. She also cleaned up Henry’s room. They hadn’t hit her room after all just Henry’s. Henry spent time in the backyard with Neal while she saw to the windows before they popped over to the school. She deliberately showed up in the principal’s office.

                “Here you are, I just went through the packet for you, and I got an advanced set of math worksheets as requested.

                “Perfect, thank you Principal Chu.” Regina went through it though just in case she had her own questions for the teachers, but it was pretty straight forward what was required, and she still need to supplement in some arts and music. At this age Henry had started the piano before, he hadn’t enjoyed it, so she’d need to pick a different instrument for him.

                “Everything in order Madame Mayor?” Principal Chu asked. She always got nervous that Regina would be upset.

                “Yes, thank you I just wanted to make sure I didn’t need to confer with his teachers. Oh and did they grade his previous packet, we dropped it off on Thursday.”

                “Ah not everything has been returned to me just yet, and oh I nearly forgot, the science fair, shall I tell his teacher to expect an entry from Henry?” Principal Chu asked.

                “Oh yes please,” Henry said. Regina nodded.

                “Yes, you can expect an entry from him.  How long do we have?” Regina asked.

                “Three weeks, I will send reminders out through the PTA.” Regina nodded. They left and appeared in the comic bookstore. Regina even browsed a few she found interesting as she let him read and finally decide on which comic he’d like to buy. Lastly Regina appeared in a back room at Granny’s. Leopold often came in demanding food and wouldn’t leave until he was served. David often had a large bill to pay off.

                “Henry go get Granny,” Regina said. Henry nodded and went out to find Granny without drawing attention to himself. 

                “ARE YOU HIDING MY WIFE IN THIS GODFORSAKEN ESTABLISHMENT!” She hear Leopold yell.  She nearly let her bladder go as she disappeared in a cloud of smoke into the kitchen. She could hear Henry yelling at Leopold not to go back into the room near her and Granny saying he wasn’t about to start a fight in her diner. She gave Neal to the cook. \

                “Do not let him out of your sight and hurried out of the kitchen, the entire diner was looking their way.” She was grateful when Granny heard her and redirected Henry who kept yelling but let go of Leopold’s coat. He walked backwards before running to her and they disappeared into the kitchen. He was raging of course, as she took Neal back, picked up her bag, and they disappeared.

                “I’m sorry mom, he saw me,” Henry cried.

                “Oh, Henry no, sweetie it’s not your fault, I should have known that if he saw you he would know I was nearby. Absolutely none of this is your fault okay?”

                “Okay,” he sniffled. He hugged her tightly and she hugged him back careful of Neal who hugged them both. “I…I wet myself.” Regina kissed his forehead.

                “That’s okay mi amor sometimes fear overwhelms us and we lose control.”

                “I was so scared that I let him get to you,” Henry said.

                “I heard him coming and was able to leave in time,” Regina reminded him. “We’re okay, I’m okay, all right?” Henry nodded. After awhile he went to get changed and Regina made him brownies for lunch, so he’d fill better. She put Neal down for a nap before they went outside to enjoy the garden. Regina wanted to cut so instead she opened the new leather-bound journal she had been drawing in with charcoal for weeks. She had a larger drawing book she used her color pencils on, but this so far, she liked drawing with charcoal inside of.  She drew Henry this time, his crying face because it was her pain to see him so.  She had shown Archie her body art mostly or one- or two-colored drawings that she had mostly just practiced her still life on, a flower or a bowl of fruit. Nothing too serious. Maybe when she finished with the journal, she’d be ready to show him these, but for now it was like her diary in picture form. And she needed to get this all out now because tonight was going to be a tough one.

Chapter Text

Chapter Fourteen

                “Thanks again Ashley for looking after him,” Regina told her. She had appeared in her living room after Ashley had agreed to it. She really didn’t want to be caught outside. Leopold had stood outside her home until Ruby had appeared and chased him off. He brought back a mob to go after her, but she had safely returned to Kathryn’s place and no one could get on Regina’s property. Didn’t stop the dwarves from trying to throw rocks again, but another spell had them bouncing off until her front yard was littered, the front of her house showing scrapes from the stones or bricks that hit. They threw trash as well and she just ignored it all if the barriers were all holding.

                “No problem, I’ll hand the little guy back to David after the meeting or if it gets too much, I’ll bring him back here. Once we know what Snow will be up too, I’ll let you know it’s safe to pick him up.” Regina nodded. “I’m glad he has you and Emma, Neal has been so much better off even before Leopold’s return.” Regina nodded.

                “I know, I’m glad I can give him something better. I had better go, Henry gets worried when I’m out too long alone especially after days like today.” Ashley nodded. By now it was common knowledge of what happened in the diner that day or rather the many versions were common knowledge. Regina hoped it worked against him, but she doubted it with some citizens. She disappeared and reappeared where Henry had practically ripped his t-shirt in worry.

                “It was safe honey, he’s gone to prepare for the election with Snow,” Regina reminded him. He nodded.

                “I know, but I’m scared,” He whispered. She bent down and pulled him into a close hug.

                “You know what I’m scared too, my little prince.”

                “You are?” Henry asked. Regina nodded.

                “But we’re going to support each other and get through this, but first we need to support Emma. She needs us just as much as we need her, understand?” He nodded.  “So, for Emma, we’re going to be brave and sit in the back with Ruby and Granny, okay.” He nodded.

                “Okay Mom,” he said taking several deep breaths. Regina kissed his forehead and took him for a new shirt as he had ripped his shirt in worry after all. They disappeared to Kathryn’s together where Ruby and Kathryn were waiting. They went to the townhall together with Granny joining them with her crossbow, they put the cuff on Regina, but Ruby was always in easy reach of removing it.  The hall filled up quickly, and Regina saw that Ashley was already deliberately closer. Snow barely took note of Neal as she walked past with Leopold. Regina shuddered at the sight of him, but Henry slipped his little hand in his and she gave him a small smile. Emma stood on the other side of the stage looking at them angrily, but when she looked for Henry and her in the crowd, her face softened, and a small smile appeared.

                “Hush people, we’re here to determine David as the now acting Sheriff!” Snow announced.

                “No, we’re here to take a proper vote, as many of you know, Snow has illegally taken over our small town of democracy and has continued to ignore the rules of democracy. If you let her force me out without using proper channels such as waiting for my term to officially end. Instead, she brings me up on trumped-up charges and continues to release her father from jail after he has been witnessed more than once attacking or harassing your real mayor. A mayor I remind you, you officially voted in, just last year.”

                “Emma is a danger to us all as Sheriff, and David is much more levelheaded and better suited for the position,” Snow told them. “This shouldn’t even need to be up for debate, but we’ll humor you Emma especially since I am the rightful mayor of this town. I was the one that had to recast the curse remember.”

                “And you put up being mayor as a vote, in which Regina won after you failed to govern effectively,” Emma reminded. “Look although it should be this is not about Snow. This is about the office of Sheriff. You know me, and you know my work. You know that I will never stop fighting tirelessly to protect this community from any threat, magical or otherwise.”

                  “David do you have anything to say?” Snow asked.

                  “No,” He said, and that was his answer to everything when they brought up this issue or that.  Emma was voted into office for the majority, all her hard work had paid off in the end.

                “Great as my first act upon reinstation, I am going to arrest Leopold Blanchard for Domestic abuse, Snow for attempting to overthrow a local government, and the dwarves as accomplices.” They were outraged, but then David’s handcuffs were out too.

                 “Guards!” Leopold yelled. They surrounded him but immediately turned to look at Leopold with their backs to David and Emma.

                “I just wanted to look you in the eye and say after you caused the death of my wife…”

                 “George what are you talking about Lia is alive.”

                “No, Lia was alive until this morning when you refused to unlock precious medications that would have saved her life. But no, you were too worried that the Queen was somehow faking her miscarriage or had tricked you to get an abortion later.”

                 “She could purposely start labor early!” Snow cried.

                “Well, we needed to purposely start labor early if we had the baby and Lia would be alive just like before.  Our baby girl was born here at the start of the curse, and we were finally feeling comfortable again to try again knowing that medical interventions here were possible.  But no, you changed all that.”

                “Well, I’m sure I had no idea it was really Lia they were requesting it for.”

                “You spoke to me!” George yelled. He took several deep breaths before he looked at Leopold again. “Long live the Evil Queen, even if I think it should really be Evil King.” He spat out the last bit before turning on his heel and going back to his seat with the guards following.

                “Wow, you two are just pieces of work,” Emma said. She started to grab Snow, and Blue blasted her back. Regina’s magic caught Emma and she launched a fireball at Blue.

                “You don’t get to touch her.”

                “And you don’t get a say, this has simply gone on long enough,” Blue said. “The Queen will return to her husband, and Emma Swan is clearly no longer our savior, we’ll put her over the town line and take George’s daughter into the orphanage, he clearly isn’t capable of caring for her without a wife.”

                “Over my dead body gnat,” Regina said. “Leopold is not my husband anymore.”

                “The bond is forever,” Blue told her.

                 “There was never a bond,” Regina told her as she helped Emma up who was going to arrest them, but now she was ready for Blue, and her magic was flaring up around her.  The guards stood up again, this time being joined by former black knights, not that they knew they were black knights. Regina wanted them to live in peace, but instinctually they stood up to protect her. She had chosen them all particularly because of their innate ability to protect her. All of them had once been fired by Leopold or relegated to lesser duties.  Another part of the room seemed to surge with dwarves naturally and others loyal to Snow and Leopold.

                “Arrest him, Savior!” A woman yelled. The room had all been focused to the front with multiple people looking highly unsure of whose side to take if this came to blows.  Regina noted though that Robin was on her side with a nod to her and Ruby right next to them. This was not going to an even fight for some of them.  Now they turned to a woman who no one knew as a noble, so she might have been a peasant woman. She wasn’t remarkable, but those of import turned to hear her, why did she side with the Savior who sided with the Evil Queen.

                “This monster raped my daughter!” She yelled. “She hasn’t left her room since before the Queen’s house burned down!” 

                “Do not blame my father for your daughter being a whore, everyone wants to be with the King,” Snow told her.

                “She’s six years old!” The woman screamed. “You are just as guilty; you told the school they were going to see how the monarchy worked. Instead, you hurt my baby!”

                “What the fuck you couldn’t rape Regina, so you raped a six-year-old girl!” Emma screamed in outrage.  Magic went flying out at Leopold and sent him into the wall to their surprise and relief. So, it was only Regina’s magic that didn’t affect him after all, but he could be hurt by Emma’s. All of Emma’s outrage must have been in the magic as he looked like he’d received third-degree burns on parts of his face and hand. A few fairies went to his side at Blue’s look although Regina didn’t take it personally that they feared Blue more than her. Besides, given the chance to undermine her in safety they would.  Regina also blushed, Henry and most of the town didn’t really know, but now it had been confirmed and now Henry knew of her shame. She felt so ashamed, but she tried to hold her head up still in the face of Blue. She had to protect Emma.

                “You can’t rape your wife, Emma,” Snow told her.  David looked at Snow with disgust that she’d allowed her father to harm a child.

                “You raped my mom?” Henry asked. He was looking towards Leopold in shock.

                “Henry,” Regina said looking ashamed. He had tears in his eyes.

                “She was right to kill you,” He said to their surprise, and it broke Regina’s heart to hear him say it, to know Leopold had changed her baby boy like that to make him justify murder.  Henry hurried to her and hugged her close. The mood of the room seemed to change.

                “He raped me too back then as a child,” a girl said she was a young teen.

                “And me,” voices chorused over the town hall.

                “You were lucky to be bedded by his majesty,” some supporter said. “Just as the Queen was lucky.” That seemed to do it as the room surged together as the woman who had called out Leopold as a pedophile led the charge in her daughter’s name. The girls who had been hurt went clawing after Leopold, but before anyone Emma included could reach him, the fairies disappeared with him. David went for Snow, but she’d already gone with Blue. There were screams of outrage at his disappearance. Regina disappeared with Henry outside.

                “I thought you might come here,” Leopold said ignoring his injuries.  He moved forward and immediately grabbed Regina by the hair.

                “Leave my mom alone!” Henry yelled and he kicked hard aiming for Leopold’s groin. He went down but dragged Regina with him until she drove the heel of her hand up into his nose.

                “Don’t touch me!” Regina yelled as she magically pulled Emma, Ruby, and David outside. They were startled but immediately went after him.

                “Now you’re going to pay,” Emma said going after him. He threw gravel into her eyes and scrambled away, but we met by Ruby.

                “I’ve been eager to bite off another body part,” Ruby told him as she changed in front of him into a large wolf. He gave a cry of fright.

                “Blue Fairy!” He cried and he disappeared just as David landed on top of him and was pinning him. David hit the ground with his fist.

                “I say we storm the convent now!” A mob would have headed for the convent had the brawl from inside townhall not continued outside. Regina pulled Henry away from the fighting and was pulled behind a car by Thomas.

                “Stay,” he said before joining Emma, Ruby, and David.

                “Thomas just got us out,” Ashley said indicating herself, Neal, Alex, and several other children they had just grabbed along the way. Regina realized these weren’t the only frightened children in attendance.  She spotted George’s daughter scared by the door into the town hall even as people still rushed out. She pulled her towards her with magic and once the three-year-old was safely in her arms. She began safely pulling all the children in the townhall towards her. Some were raging teenage girls who had been scarred just as badly as she had in the Enchanted Forest. She imagined the curse was the best thirty years of their life not remembering such torture. She’d been extremely specific that absolutely no one would suffer the memory of rape for nearly thirty years. That was the worse kind of torture.  She took them all to her home. She tended to crying children all night it seemed, and it was better than being locked away in her own nightmares at night. Ashley stayed to help as well until eventually, Emma called frantic that now calm parents were realizing they’d left their child unattended in the heat of things.

                 “It’s all right, they’re all here with me,” Regina said looking around at the mess of tiny bodies occupying every possible space including her lap and sides.

                “Oh, thank God, I’m releasing people as they calm down, calling the brawl even as no one’s left without injury enough.” 

                “If you think that’s the right thing,” Regina agreed. Slowly people trickled up to her barrier as she was feeding an army of children pancakes and eggs. They were all slowly released into the care of their parents. Some cursed her and told her she needed to return to her King and stop all this nonsense with Emma. Others were extremely grateful to her that their teenage daughters had gotten a short reprieve from the nightmares. Regina knew how brutal he could be to those he felt were objects. She didn’t think she alone experienced his brutality, although she alone had to bear it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and three hundred and sixty-five days of the year.  Most of the teens that thanked her themselves had said they were grateful it had only been one horrid night but felt sorry she had endured a lifetime.  Once all the children had gone, she was finally left alone again with Henry.

                “Oh, my love, I’m sorry I couldn’t give you any individual attention sooner.” He lifted his arms and she lifted him up. They sat down on the couch and just hugged one another closely.

                “Was it okay I kicked him in his penis?” Henry asked after a while. “I know you said I shouldn’t kick there because I could hurt another boy, but…”

                “I know, but you were saving me, and it was the most effective move you could make,” Regina said. “Sometimes when we fight, we can’t do so as honorably as we would like.” He nodded.

                “Is that why you had to kill him?” Henry asked.  Regina nodded.

                “Partially, he hurt me a lot and I was already hurting before that. I tried so many times to leave without having to kill him, but as you know now about the border spell, I couldn’t leave the Kingdom without him. And when I tried to just live on the border away, he wouldn’t let me go, he dragged me back every single time. I tried to kill myself once even too, but it didn’t work so finally I had to settle for him.”

                “He’s a really bad man, I’m sorry I called you the Evil Queen,” Henry said.

                “Just because I was justified in that does not mean I was justified in the things I did after when I was hurt,” Regina told him. He nodded.

                “Still, I’m sorry because that’s the act I most based it on,” Henry replied. She hugged him a little tighter and him her. “We’ll catch him, right?”

                “Of course,” Regina said but her voice cracked with doubt and that made Henry furrow his brow and hug her longer and harder. He wasn’t used to Regina having doubt, not being sure of the results that she wanted to play out. They were still like that when Emma came in looking as exhausted as they felt. Henry hadn’t slept much himself needing the comfort of his moms.

                “I’m guessing today is asleep in kind of day?” Emma grinned seeing their tired faces. They managed a smile for her before they both went and enveloped her in the needed hugs. Eventually, when they managed to pull apart, she and Emma at least as Henry needed some cuddles from Emma as well. She made fresh pancakes for Emma.

                “Did you two already eat?” Emma asked.  They nodded. Regina was lying though she hadn’t taken one bite. Ashley had tried, but she’d told her once she had settled down with Henry she could eat before the last child was gone, and she’d sent Ashley home.   Once Emma had eaten and taken a shower they finally got Henry to relax enough to sleep although Regina helped him along with a little bit of lavender oil rubbed on his chest in a calming matter. She didn’t blame him for being so keyed up he hadn’t slept last night. He’d kept his face buried into her side when she had finally settled on the couch with George’s daughter. She had been the youngest in attendance likely because her mother’s death was only hours old. 

                “I wish I could go back in time again,” Emma murmured as they lay in bed facing one another. Regina had already inserted herself into Emma’s arms.

                “Why?” Regina asked. “You’d only create more paradoxes and contradictions, really you’re lucky you got out with as little as you did.”

                 “And yet it wasn’t so little in the end,” Emma said rubbing her cheek sadly.

                “Well bright Ms. Swan, we now know you can somehow get me pregnant, and you promised me the best donor for the Queen’s Princess and the best is one related to her big brother too. I expect you to provide the absolute best of your DNA again.”  Emma chuckled and stroked Regina’s cheek some more, she wanted nothing more than to kiss her for trying to lighten Emma’s mood.  Regina took a deep breath as her eyes fluttered closed and melted suddenly against Emma’s body. Emma had closed her eyes, a part of her felt like she was in one of her sweeter dreams where she kissed Regina softly at first and then more deeply.

                “Emma, what are you doing?” Regina asked gasping for breath and startling her back to Regina’s bedroom. 

                “What do you mean, I fell asleep,” Emma said.

                “No, with your magic, we weren’t asleep,” Regina said. Emma pulled her hand back, but she realized she could still feel Regina’s lips on hers even though they were nowhere near close to touching with Regina’s face buried in her neck now.

                “You were kissing me,” Regina said. “In my head.”  Emma blushed a deep red.

                “You saw that?” Emma asked.

                “I felt that,” Regina replied.

                “How…I….” Emma was left speechless as Regina looked into her eyes.

                “Let me show you.”  Regina touched Emma’s face this time and they were back in the brightly lit room of her dreams which to her embarrassment was Regina’s room in the early mornings.

                “I don’t understand what I’ve done exactly,” Emma said. 

                “It’s a fantasy made real without our bodies being involved too much, although it is nicer if you are physically touching and not apart,” Regina said.

                “I’m sorry I kissed you without consent,” Emma said.

                “Could I consent now?” Regina asked tentatively.  She never imagined that Emma could want her, well maybe here in their dreams, but not in real life. She was a mess out there, but here she wasn’t damaged goods.

                “You aren’t damaged goods you are perfect,” Emma told her. “And yes, you can consent now.” Regina smiled at her even though she didn’t believe that she was not used goods. They kissed again this time with longing from both sides.  The kiss deepened and hands began to explore in previously off-limit places.  Emma pulled back just as the back of Regina’s knees hit the edge of the bed.

                “Uh I know this is a dream, but do you want this, should I stop,” Emma asked. Regina could feel Emma pulling away in their connection.

                “Don’t stop, I want you,” Regina told her. She purposely straddled Emma physically and kissed her for real just as she did in the dream.  Emma was startled at first but realized that although they had begun taking their clothes off in their minds, they weren’t doing so physically. The only thing that had translated out was their kisses. So, she ravished Regina gently and slowly taking her time to mark every spot with a kiss.  The feel of Regina’s breath on her skin did nothing to quell any of the desire running rampant through her own body.  When Regina was ready, she gently pushed one and then two fingers inside of her before she found the right rhythm.

                “Can I taste you?” Emma asked.

                “Yes,” Regina moaned as she watched Emma dip her head down towards her clit. She got wet at the sight before Emma even made eye contact in the dream. She threw her head back enjoying it because this was the closest, she was going to get to sex for a long time. If Emma had tried to initiate this outside of this dream, she would have said no. She knew that she wasn’t there yet. 

                “Ah, Emma!” She cried out focusing only on what was happening to her now.  Pleasure vibrated in her body; she had forgotten this feeling. This feeling of being wet and sexually attracted to the person you were with. It had been so long it felt like since she had wanted anyone sexually even in her dreams. She shivered thinking of Leopold, but he was blasted out of her head just as quickly as he’d arrived, and their surroundings didn’t change. She was safe here with Emma, she was always safe with Emma. Before she knew it she was breathing hard, and her nails had dung into Emma’s shoulders as her body shuttered over Emma’s, her panties were soaked down and she knew Emma felt that wetness on her nightshirt and stomach.  Briefly, they were both outside of their heads looking at each other in the morning sun.  Regina bent down and when Emma’s eyes fluttered closed again she was under Regina who took just as much time with her, but she kept it slow and torturous in her opinion as she slowly pulled out one of the longest orgasms Emma had, had in her life to the point she was sure she had physically female ejaculate. If Regina though she was soaked it was nothing compared to the wet spot Emma left in her bed.

                “Fuck you are amazing with your tongue,” Emma got out. “Or was that just a dream kind of orgasm.”

                “While anything is possible in a dream, I’m fairly certain I could make you cum like that in the real world.”  Regina rolled so she was next to her again and laying on her back next to Emma.

                “I…I…heard you and I won’t try to initiate anything out here, I understand that you aren’t ready yet.” Regina slipped her hand into Emma’s and clasped it tightly. “But like are you…are you even…are you…?”

                “Are you trying to ask me if I was with you because you were willing, and you’re my savior now of all things, or if I’m actually a lesbian?” Emma nodded at first but realized that Regina couldn’t see her even as she turned on Emma’s favorite cartoons with her mind.

                 “Yes,” Emma responded her voice low even as she furrowed her lip.

                “I’m a lesbian, I always have been,  before you ask yes I loved Daniel, he was a one-off though based on my circumstances. I think had I been anyone else I might have felt free to explore women, but Daniel was my best friend, my only friend.  He was freedom, he was my everything. And he wasn’t scared of Mother, an idiot much like you.”  Emma chuckled.

                “You seem to like idiots.”

                “Indeed, it would seem so,” Regina agreed. “I was stupid enough to think that Mother wouldn’t ever kill him at my pleading.” Regina shook her head and wiped a few tears away. “Anyway, I had a chance to explore with Maleficent so do not worry, you aren’t my first.”

                “Lame, here  I was feeling special,” Emma teased lightly.  Regina snorted.

                “Stop making me laugh, life is miserable,” Regina reminded her. 

                “Fine, I guess we should do more distracting activities, or was that a one-off?” Regina raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

                “Still want me, Ms. Swan,” Regina said. Emma groaned.

                “Yes, especially now that you’ve hit me with Ms. Swan,” Emma said. Regina smirked.

                “I knew you liked it,” Regina said. Emma pouted even as this time their magics mixed and they closed their eyes again.

                “A dick Ms. Swan?” Regina asked when they appeared in her office of all things. She was already perched naked on the desk, and Emma was before her with a functioning penis it seemed. Emma blushed.

                “I was curious about what it felt like to fit this way, you can say no.” Regina snorted.

                “Not this time Ms. Swan,” Regina said even as she watched Emma stiffen more with a smirk, but it disappeared.

                “That was a mean thing to do before it was gone,” Emma pouted.

                “Maybe, but this is my office fantasy,” Regina said as the scene changed so she was sitting in her leather chair, naked except for a pair of spikey black heels, and Emma was on her knees.

                “Yeeeah, but this seems like maybe my sexual fantasy than yours,”  Regina smirked.

                 “Then I’m sure you already know what I want,” Regina said easily spreading her legs.

                “Oh God, yes I do,” Emma said crawling forward and immediately burying her face in Regina’s sex. 

                “Jesus,” Emma breathed.

                 “My name’s Regina in case you forgot,” Regina chuckled.

                “Shut up.” They lay breathing now in the afternoon light, neither of them had slept at all too engrossed they were in sexual fantasies.

                “So is this a thing or am I like a body too?” Regina asked.

                “I  want this to be a thing if you want this to be a thing, but I understand if you aren’t also ready for that.”

                “Sex for real is off the table, I like that your hands stay to themselves despite what they’re doing in my head. I was really afraid it would ruin everything if you did. But knowing that you aren’t going anywhere, any time soon well I can’t put a price on that I just know that for the first time in a long time, that I want someone who wants me, and who knows me and not just because I’m insanely hot.”

                “You are insanely hot, but I gotta be honest it was your cooking that caught me by the foot and pulled me hard to you. It has to be a felony, what you do in the kitchen.” Regina laughed.

                “I like that you can make me laugh,” Regina said as she rolled on her side and curled up into Emma. “You seem to be able to do that even when I’m in drowning in the darkest of nights.” She yawned.

                “Sleep now,” Emma said turning as well to plant a kiss on Regina’s forehead. “Wait sorry that was cool right.” Regina nodded.

                “Kissing is okay, but let’s keep it to in here for right now.”  Emma nodded. 

                “I think I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first time I saw you,” Emma whispered a bit later when her eyes were drooping in sleep.

                  “Only as the Evil Queen dear,” Regina snorted. “Princess Leia.”  Emma snorted as well.

                “All right maybe that’s when I really knew that I probably definitely did wanna kiss you.” 

                “Of course, you did dear, I was smoking hot in those outfits,” Regina murmured before she was gone. Emma kissed her forehead once more before she too fell asleep and her dream catcher lit up to take away Regina’s nightmares and melded them into place together where she could keep Regina safe.

Chapter Text

Chapter Fifteen

               “Hmm…dinner smells good,” Emma said as she wrapped her arms around Regina gently, she had come in to see Regina working the dough on their island counter. Regina couldn’t help but smile at the way her body relaxed back into Emma. If she had been Leopold, she would have been a tense mess, but with Emma, she always felt safe. “What magic are you making in the kitchen tonight?” Before Regina spoke, Emma gasped.

               “What?” Regina asked turning slightly to look at Emma.

               “I get it now,” Emma said. Regina’s brow furrowed.

               “Uh…could you perhaps enlighten me on what it is you got from asking me what I am making for dinner?”

               “That’s why he never liked your food, he couldn’t taste it, your magic doesn’t affect him!” Emma exclaimed. Regina looked at Emma and laughed as she resumed kneading the dough.

               “That was your big epiphany.”

               “Hey, it was a good one,” Emma declared. “Anyway, where’s the kid?”

               “He’s upstairs reading comics with Nick, Ava, and Grace, they came over banging at the barrier begging to spend time with him. He’s not been out since the meeting, and you know he won’t let me go. I allowed it because I was tired of him following me around with sad eyes trying desperately to be my slave to make up for his past behavior. That and he needs his friends.”

               “Oof, poor kid, we gotta talk to him.”

               “Listen convincing him it was okay to go up to his room with his friends and he could in fact leave me alone was just a miracle, and then I snuck upstairs and heard him laughing for the first time in weeks really. You can’t put a price on that.” 

                “True, but if he’s sufficiently distracted, could I ask for a kiss?” Emma asked.

               “Just my forehead,” Regina said.

               “Your cheek too at least?” Emma asked hopefully as she tightened her arms around Regina lovingly. Regina melted into her again.

               “Yes,” Regina answered, it still surprised her that Emma was being so good about asking if she could kiss her and she never once was upset that Regina hadn’t allowed her a kiss on the lips or even initiated sex physically or mentally. Regina partially did not because Henry was sleeping with them again or Neal.  David had said Snow had been by a few times protected by the fairies to get him back on their side as she said and he couldn’t risk Neal, this way he could see him without issues. The other reasons were because last time had felt spontaneous and she was nervous that Emma might reject her despite it all. It didn’t help that Leopold randomly showed up to bang on her barrier before disappearing when Emma or David arrived or when even Ruby was around, and she changed quickly. He still managed to disappear in a cloud of fairy dust. Or if it wasn’t that she was still changing her number, she didn’t understand how he kept getting her new number.

                “Yay,” Emma said before she kissed first her cheek and then planted a long one on Regina’s forehead. Regina couldn’t help but smile. “So, back to a very important question, what magic are you up to in the kitchen?”

               “I’m making tortillas to go with our dinner, I thought you might enjoy carnitas huevos rancheros.”  Emma looked at her wide-eyed. “Pulled pork with salsa, avocado slices, salsa, and a sunny side up egg, eaten with a tortilla,” Regina chuckled indicating the dough she was done working. She put it aside to let it rest and covered it with a wet paper towel.

               “Yummy, I can’t wait,” Emma said happily as she bounced. “Where’s little dude, with dad?”

                “No, David didn’t come by today, he’s upstairs with Henry, so I could make my tortillas, I need to knead for ten minutes and he’s constantly getting into something just as mischievous as his sister.” Emma snickered.

               “Mom?” Henry called down.

               “Yes, honey,” Regina called back.

               “Neal needs a diaper change, he stinks!” Henry called back.

               “I got it, you finish what you were doing and put your feet up,” Emma said. She turned and left the kitchen calling ahead of herself. “I’m coming kid!”

               “Hi, Emma!” Regina listened to the sounds of her family and it warmed her up inside. She let out a little breath as a hand went to her stomach as she thought about Rayn and Heaven.  As usual, the tears crept up on her, but she managed to wipe them away, Emma had made her a promise and she wouldn’t break it. Regina checked on the horchata she had made as a special treat for Henry. He loved the stuff, but she didn’t often make it because of the amount of sugar. She finished the last few steps and strained it into a pitcher before throwing in some ice cubes and putting it in the fridge to chill. She cleaned up around herself and was just rolling out her tortillas when Emma came back down with a clean and giggling Neal.

               “Mama,” He said opening and closing his hands as he reached for Regina.

               “Reggie, say Reggie favorite charming,” Regina corrected even as she took him over to wash his hands and set him up with a little apron before allowing him to help her make tortillas. Well, he played around with a piece of dough, tried to eat it while Regina effortlessly rolled out the tortillas.

               “Where did you learn to cook so well?” Emma asked she watched them work with a smile.

               “I learned a little from watching when I was a child, with mother away I could spend hours in the kitchens and gardens. I like it because I could do things with my hands. I could get dirty without rebuke. When Mother was home, I couldn’t even get a smudge of dirt on myself without some form of chastisement, or I was supposed to be educating myself on the things she deemed necessary.”

               “What did she deem necessary?” Emma asked curiously. Regina shrugged as she fell silent. Emma didn’t push, she recognized Regina’s nonverbal cue of not wanting to go down particular rabbit holes. Since that night at the inn, she hadn’t gotten much out of her when it came to Leopold except that he was evil. They didn’t talk about her nightmares, which Emma got very few glimpses of. It was enough that when she appeared Regina’s mind realized that it wasn’t real anymore. She was able to break free and wake up if they didn’t end up in Emma’s dreams which were for the most part peaceful. She had discovered the night before though that the dream catcher worked both ways. Regina saving her from a particularly torturous foster parent.  Regina had ripped his dick off for daring to even look inappropriately at Emma’s five-year-old self.  Emma knew she probably shouldn’t be a fan of the Evil Queen, but she really did love her when she saw her. 

               “Can you set the table for me, I don’t want to interrupt Henry,” Regina asked her with a smile.

                “Sure, I assume you gotta bake those, so I’ll take little dude.”

               “They don’t bake Ms. Swan,” Regina said shaking her head at Emma’s lack of knowledge. Emma just shrugged with a grin and went to set the table with Neal.

               “Regina, the kids staying for dinner?” Emma asked.

               “Yes, and you’re driving them home afterward, that was Jefferson’s stimulation for allowing his Grace. He wouldn’t let her through until I agreed. He doesn’t want her caught in a mob accidentally if Leopold tries to show up.”

               “Okay,” Emma replied. Regina used her cast iron to cook the tortillas, making sure to put them in a covered basket she had so they stayed warm. She had a covered dish for the fried eggs as well. Soon she was putting dinner on the table and pouring everyone some Horchata. She topped Emma’s with extra cinnamon to her delight even if she didn’t know what the drink was.  Regina went upstairs to fetch the children, she smiled at them all giggling as they had a little pillow fight, she saw that Henry had definitely stolen her pillows. She used her phone to take a picture before she gently knocked on the door. They all paused, and Henry looked at her sheepishly knowing her pillows were expensive.

               “Sorry Mom,” He said.

               “Sorry Ms. Mills,” The others followed. Regina chuckled at them.

               “Dinner’s ready, Henry put my pillows back please.” He nodded and quickly took them as the others hurried downstairs.

               “Wash your hands,” Regina called after them. She waited for Henry to come back from her room before she pulled him close and gave him a kiss. They went downstairs and she served Neal and Emma while Henry and his friends helped themselves.

               “Good?” Regina asked the kids. They all looked up at her with salsa on their mouths as they grinned at her. Emma chuckled and got a picture first of them before they could move and Neal who was also already covered with a hand halfway in his mouth.

               “Guess that just leaves me,” Emma chuckled. She dived right in and just groaned as tears filled her eyes.

               “Too hot?” Regina asked indicating the salsa.

               “Not hot enough,” Henry quipped. Regina chuckled and pushed the cayenne pepper to him. He grinned at her.

               “No, it’s just literally so good, I had to cry,” Emma said. “I hope you made enough for fourths.”

               “I had a good feeling so I did,” Regina chuckled as she ate what Emma might consider a normal portion for dinner.  With Emma at work, she could more easily control her calories during the morning and lunch. If she couldn’t get away with telling Henry she was busy and had already snacked while she made him lunch, she took a light salad with no dressing. These were easily burned in her afternoon workout; she could pretend to take normal portions at dinner and occasionally like tonight she would finish it. Otherwise, Emma would claim she never finished her meal.

               “Regina, are we on a health thing to get Henry to drink more milk?” Emma asked finally checking out her cup.

               “No, it’s not milk Emma it’s Horchata,” Henry grinned.

               “What’s hor…horcata?” Emma asked. Regina and Henry chuckled as did the others.

               “Horchata,” Regina corrected. “It’s a rice-based drink with sugar and cinnamon, just taste it, you’ll like it.” Emma looked skeptical, but her eyes went wide with delight.

               “Ooh I see why you don’t make this more often,” Emma sighed. “I may like this as much as my hot chocolate, can I have more cinnamon.”

               “I already dosed you extra,” Regina chided even as she passed her more cinnamon. Emma just grinned at her. After dinner, Emma gave the children a ride home with a promise they could visit again another day.  Regina got Neal cleaned up as Henry carefully put the food away. She chuckled as she watched him trying to pack everything neatly and carefully like her with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth in concentration. Sometimes she forgot he used to be taller and more mature as he was so little now, he hadn’t hit his growth spurt until he was twelve.

               “Well at least this time we’ll get to see it, won’t we favorite charming,” Regina whispered.  Regina’s phone buzzed and she walked over to it sitting on the island. She saw it was from the diner, so she answered thinking it was Granny or Ruby.

               “Hi Granny, how are you?” Regina asked. The smile on her face quickly disappeared as she heard heavy breathing.

               “Regina let me in now, this nonsense has gone on long enough,” Leopold growled.

               “Stop calling me,” Regina said firmly, and she hung up, but it was no use she was shaking at just hearing his voice that he was still able to get to her.  

               “Mom?” Henry asked worriedly.  Regina’s phone rang again this time it said, Emma. She picked up with shaky hands before immediately wishing she had not.

               “How dare you hang up on me, how long do you think you can keep this up, we’ll find the magic needed to break down your stupid barrier and we will return home. I am your husband, and you are acting like a whore. I bet you’ve let that filthy thief touch you, but don’t worry I’ll fix….” Leopold was cut off as Regina threw the phone across the kitchen. It shattered and Regina hurried up to her room. When Emma returned, Henry had been sitting outside the door with Neal trying to get her to let him in. 

               “What happened?” Emma asked.

               “I don’t know, did something happen to Granny, she asked how Granny was, and then she was upset, I missed what happened cause Neal squealed in my ear.” Emma frowned and pulled out her phone.

               “Hi Granny, is everything all right with you, did something happen with you and Regina?”

               “No, I didn’t talk to her today yet, I wanted to check in and invite myself over for tea tomorrow, is something wrong?” Granny asked.

               “Yeah, but I’m not sure what, Henry thought Regina had talked to you right before she was upset.” 

               “No, we definitely haven’t spoken today, she is safe at home, right?”

               “Yes, she’s in her room according to Henry, I’ll let you know if anything is too wrong.” 

               “Very well, I don’t care what time it is let me know.” They hung up.  Emma knocked on the door.

               “Hey Regina, can you let me in, Henry’s really worried about you,” Emma said. “I’m really worried.” Regina just sniffled as she sat in her bathroom cutting herself. “Regina, if you don’t open the door, I’m going to kick it in.”

               “Emma,” Henry whispered pointing to her room. Emma nodded. She went to her own bedroom and carefully opened her own bathroom door. Henry was right behind her though, she just kept him out with Neal from seeing Regina bleeding on the bathroom floor.

               “Stay here, your mom needs an adult first and when she’s ready for cuddles I’ll call you.” Henry frowned but nodded. Emma slipped in without him seeing Regina who had at least covered her arm with a towel now.  Emma sat down on her knees in front of Regina without a word as she took the knife from her.

               “I’m sorry,” Regina said as she let out a shaky breath.

               “You’re all right, you went so long without doing it,” Emma said. “Are you sick?” She indicated where Regina had clearly been throwing up in the toilet, she hadn’t flushed.

               “No, I…I…yeah I felt sick,” Regina got out.

               “Why Henry said you threw your phone, he thought something happened to Granny,” Emma murmured as she helped Regina stand up. Regina was pale now and looked faint. She helped her lay back on the bed and retrieved a wet towel.

               “Granny is fine, I guess,” Regina murmured.

               “I know I called her, she was as confused as me, she’ll probably be over for tea tomorrow,” Emma told her.

               “That will be nice,” Regina said.

               “So, if not Granny who was on the phone, I assume not Snow she wouldn’t make you do this, nor Blue, so I’m guessing it was that bastard who got your number.”

               “Again,” Regina said. “When will this end, how does he keep getting my number?”  

               “Maybe I need to threaten the cell phone provider here.”

               “Don’t darken your heart,” Regina told her.

               “Hey Kid go get a pitcher of water for your mom!” Emma called.

               “Okay!” Henry called through the door.

               “No,” Regina said.

               “Regina you need water, you bled quite a bit, you’re lucky the blood clotted, you cut a little too far down.”  Regina didn’t acknowledge that she had as Emma healed her arm until the olive skin was knitted perfectly back together.

               “You should let me die and leave here with Henry and Neal,” Regina sighed.

               “No never if we leave, we leave together,” Emma told her. She gently stroked Regina’s hair, but she pulled away now, rolling over with her back to Emma.  Emma sighed and cleaned up the blood and flushed the toilet before she let Henry in. Neal crawled in behind him as he set the pitcher and glass down before grabbing Neal and climbing onto the bed. Regina didn’t really respond outwardly except to wrap them both in a hug.  Emma convinced her to drink almost half the pitcher before Regina kicked her out for the night. Instinctively she knew that Regina did not sleep, and it was clear in her face. She was starting to notice the little cues that Regina had that indicated her lack of sleep.

               “Rest, I got meals today,” Emma told Regina. “I can manage an oatmeal.” Regina just nodded and often sat doing nothing but staring at the wall unless Henry or Neal needed something, but she wasn’t engaged as she just sat on the couch.

               “Let’s give your mom and Granny some space and visit David.” Henry reluctantly agreed and kissed Regina goodbye along with Neal before they left her with Granny.

               “So, he’s faking his number now of the people you trust?” Granny asked knowingly. Regina nodded as she fiddled with the knitted blanket Granny had made for her.

               “I just feel like I’m Red in this world’s fairytale, only I’m not smart enough to figure out the wolf’s disguised himself. I am terrified it won’t be phone numbers he tries to take over. As much as I complain about Henry being stuck to me, what if he gets a hold of him when I do send him back to school. I’ll let him in because I’ll only see my baby boy.” Regina sniffled.

               “Well you’d be pretty stupid then wouldn’t you,” Granny said.  Regina frowned and looked up to see that Granny was no longer Granny anymore.

               “No, no, no,” Regina cried. “I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming.”

                “I told you it was only a matter of time,” Leopold said.

               “No, I’m dreaming!” Regina screamed as she pinched herself, but it wasn’t working.

               “First things first we’re going to get the imp to put my hand back on, and after that, you’re going to be punished and then we’ll immediately try for an heir. I want the son that was promised to me!” He came at her and grabbed her by the hair. As he lifted her, she suddenly heard Emma practically screaming her name, and she knew her eyes were shut tight, she didn’t want to see what was happening.

               “REGINA WAKE UP!” Emma shouted and slapped her hard. Regina gasped as her eyes flew open. Granny, Henry, and Emma were standing over her.

               “Are you all right?” Emma asked as Regina shook. Emma knew that question was dumb.

               “I…I…I…” Regina said, but she couldn’t make sense of this, was this real now, or was before real.  She fell silent not knowing what to say.

               “Come on you need a proper rest, Henry and Neal are going to stay with Granny tonight and I’m going to look after you.”  

               “No, no,” Regina said grabbing Henry in terror that Granny wasn’t Granny.

                “Regina it’s okay, really the boys will be perfectly safe, I promise.”

               “No, they stay right here,” Regina got out as firmly as she could, but her voice was shaking, she was obviously sweating. Granny tried to put a calming hand on her, but she pulled away, she pulled away from Emma too.  They tried again, but that time she blasted them both back. It was only seeing them affected by her magic that put her at ease.

               “I’m sorry,” Regina said shaking. “It wasn’t on purpose.” Granny shook it off and she huffed.

               “It will take more than a little push of magic to take me down,” Granny said.

               “You call that a push?” Emma asked. “I was sure it was definitely a punch.”

               “I’m sorry,” Regina said.

               “It’s okay now please let Henry and Neal go with Granny, you’re all worked up since yesterday evening,” Emma said. “You let the whole day pass you and you didn’t eat.” Regina seemed to realize the time and nodded.

               “I will be okay,” Henry said. “You’ll be okay.”

               “Yes,” Regina said trying to sound reassuring. They hugged one another before Granny took the boys back to her place. Emma took Regina upstairs, helped her shower before she tucked her into bed. She gave her the soup that Granny had brought for dinner and watched her carefully eat all of the minestrone soup. Regina was contemplating if she had time to puke it up before Emma was back when Emma was in the room once more.  Regina didn’t say anything as Emma changed clothes and got into bed. They didn’t touch though as Emma turned on, I Love Lucy.

               “Come over when you’re ready,” Emma said. Regina just nodded but sat with her hands in her lap for at least three episodes before she finally felt safe enough to scoot closer and wrap her arms around Emma, who only put her arms around her when she gave her a familiar little nudge to do so.

               “I got you a private number and new phone, from a company outside of town, that way he can’t get it from the shopkeeper.” 

               “Thank you,”  Regina said.

                “That was a really intense nightmare earlier,” Emma said.

               “Yeah, it was,” Regina replied.

               “Do you want to talk about it?” Emma asked.

               “He disguised himself as Granny, I dreamt she was over for tea and you left. And I was telling her that his pretending to be someone I trust wouldn’t end at phone calls, but physical looks. Next thing I knew he was standing in front of me, not Granny.”

               “You don’t have to worry about that okay, you will know it’s him, he can’t disguise the way he looks at you and you know how he looks at you.”

               “Like I’m a toy,” Regina murmured.

               “Yes, but when he looks at you, you just know his intentions aren’t right, you can trust your instincts not to fall for such a dirty trick. You know me, you know Granny, Ruby, Kathryn, Fred, and David. You knew he was bad news from the moment you met him, and you’ll still know that even if he disguises himself.” Regina let out a long breath.

               “I wanna trust that, but I’m so terrified, I’m always so terrified,” Regina replied and buried herself into Emma’s side.

               “You don’t need to be, you’ve got me, we’re protected here, so protected that he has to resort to dirty tricks, and believe me one of these days we’re going to catch that bastard. In fact, David and I are working on a trap for him.

               “The trap is useless as long as Blue can use her magic,” Regina sighed.  “Don’t waste your time.”

               “Well, she would have to beat my true love magic to get him out, and that’s not going to happen.”

               “Emma you’re quite inexperienced,” Regina reminded.  

               “I know but I’m a battery to you, you lay the groundwork and I will follow you and then supercharge my work. We will keep him locked up whether they like it or not. You will be free to move around town and best of all you can relax while we find the ingredients for the barrier spell.” Emma grinned at herself for her genius plan.

               “Just don’t get hurt again, okay, you’re all I have keeping me stable, or I’d cut again.” 

               “No, no you don’t need to cut, look I’m a blank canvas why don’t you draw on me,” Emma said. She pulled out a marker and threw the blanket off of herself. “Where do you wanna start my stomach because it’s a lot more space or maybe the legs like you did yourself or my arms?”

               “Emma, what are you doing?” Regina asked confused.

               “You feel like cutting, but you're out of space on your own body until it washes off completely and you can start over, so draw on me. Come on, do something cool like Henry’s face or your apple tree, that was really cool.”  Regina hesitated at first as she looked at Emma with teary eyes because no matter how many times she fucked up Emma was there to support her.  Emma gently wiped the tears.

               “Don’t cry, you don’t have to draw if it upsets you.”

               “No, they’re happy tears for once because you care, I want to draw,” Regina said.  Emma smiled at her.

               “Can I kiss you on the forehead?” Emma asked.  Regina shook her head no, and Emma nodded in understanding before she offered up her body again as a canvas.

               “Just your arm,” Regina said covering Emma with the blanket again lovingly and she took Emma’s arm with the flower tattoo on her wrist.

               “I always kinda wanted to add to it,” Regina murmured as she began to design a vine, that sprouted out identical, but albeit better-drawn flowers of the one on her wrist and leaves. She wasn’t surprised that by the time Regina relaxed enough to fall asleep putting details on the last flower, her own magic had changed her original tattoo to resemble the ones that Regina had drawn.

               “Sleep baby, I’m right next to you,” Emma told her.

               “The flower,” Regina murmured.

                “You can finish it tomorrow,” Emma said taking the marker from Regina.  She closed it and helped Regina get settled before she did too. She left I Love Lucy going at a lower volume, sometimes when Regina woke up just a little even without nightmares it helped lull her back to sleep.

               “Goodnight Regi,” Emma whispered. She kissed her hand and lay it on Regina’s brow. Regina snuggled in closer to her with her head under Emma’s chin.

                “Night, Em,” Regina murmured back.                          

Chapter Text

Chapter Sixteen

              "You can put your head in my lap, mom. I'll give you head rubs." Regina smiled at him and did as he asked. Neal wouldn't go, so Henry insisted on telling them both a story featuring the Avengers.  

              "You know, maybe you could write fanfiction," Regina told Henry as Emma left out. Emma finished the task of cleaning the kitchen and putting away the food. It wasn't hard; Henry and Regina were nearly done. She swept up the remnants of Regina's phone again and texted Granny that all was well, but Regina's phone was destroyed. It was even still hot, she noted. Yet again, despite her ordering everything new, Leopold had gotten her number. She was going to lock down everyone's phones, including her own convinced they were somehow stealing it and searching for Regina's number and trying anything that looked unfamiliar.

              "How is that asshole getting her number?" Emma asked Ruby over the phone. "And worse, she didn't clearly say, but judging by the fact that Henry thought it was Granny, he's found a way to masquerade as someone else."

              "It's gotta be magic, I swear," Ruby said. 

              "No, I mean it's spoofing for sure, but I just can't believe he figured it out or knows someone who has. The only one with that kind of knowledge I thought was Sidney."

              "I'm not sure what spoofing is, is it like poofing but with phones?" Ruby asked.

              "No, it's like hiding your real number and instead of a fake number. He took Granny's number, so it showed up on her phone as Granny calling because it recognized the number."

              "Oooh, but how did he know that or get Granny's number?"

              "Everyone has Granny's number," Emma replied with a shrug. "They must have gotten one of the kids from their supporters or something to do it. Or at least tell them about it. No way they figured it out on their own."

              "Definitely not, but for Regina's sake I wish he treated cell phones like televisions, from the Devil." Emma hummed before she let out a breath. 

              "I'll talk to you tomorrow; I need to rush order Regina an entirely new phone from the outside. He can't spoof if he's not got her number, right?" Emma decided to un-list it and put it under a fake name, so not even the bill appeared to be going to Regina.  

              "Right," Ruby agreed. "Goodnight, I'll let Granny know that Regina is all right."

              "Thanks, Rubes." They hung up, and Emma locked down the house; Regina wanted all the doors locked despite the magic working. So, Emma had installed strong bolt locks, door jammers, and a straight-up bar that you had to close with a key in the middle of the door. They were taking every precaution. Emma did check through the doorbell camera and saw a dwarf testing the barrier unsuccessfully. She went upstairs, and Regina was looking a lot better now. She had fallen asleep with her head in Henry's lap. Henry himself was practically folded on top of her, also asleep. Neal was awake and playing with Henry's phone. Emma chuckled and took a picture of them both being outlasted by Neal, who giggled when he saw her. 

              "Come on buddy, no more screens."

              "I'm sorry about last night," Regina apologized. 

              "No, do not apologize to me for that jerk spoofing his calls," Emma told her as she sat at the island putting together Regina's new phone. 

              "Spoofing?" Regina asked. "It wasn't magic?"

              "No, definitely technology, well I mean it's not like he couldn't wish for the ability to spoof."

              "Oh," Regina said. "I…well I wanted to explain myself."

              "Regi, you don't need to explain yourself," Emma soothed as she smiled at her. 

              "No, I do, as much as I have panic attacks and such, I've never…never cut like that over his voice at least not twice in a week. He's been calling me for weeks." Emma paused and looked at her. 

              "Why did you?" Emma asked. 

              "First, he called as Granny, and then he called as you. The minute I…I hear him…I feel so unsafe." Regina paused and took a deep breath. "And I just in that moment after I had managed to firmly tell him no, I just needed to hear you and bring my feet back on solid ground."

              "Understandable and when it was him, he ripped that safety you were feeling away." Regina nodded. 

              "Yes, it is a big drop. It overwhelmed me. I wasn't going to cut at first. I just wanted to break down without Henry seeing me. I was embarrassed after the last time. But my emotions were so overwhelming to me, I thought, what if I can't trust that the person who walks through my door is, in fact, that person. I thought about how he could have masqueraded as one of the children or you. I saw him tearing my home apart again, burning my safety net…." Regina trailed off, but Emma could see her shaking. 

              "Could I give you a hug?" Emma asked as she stood up. 

              "Please." Emma came around the kitchen island and hugged her as she took deep breaths to control her anxiety. 

              "I know this is hard to believe, but he can change his outsides all he likes, but he cannot fool you. You know him, and you know the way he looks at you."

              "Like I'm a toy," Regina murmured into her chest. 

              "Yes, but when he looks at you, you just know his intentions aren't right, you can trust your instincts not to fall for such a dirty trick. You know me, you know Henry and his friends, you know Kathryn, Ruby, David, and Fred. Hell, you even know Sidney. It doesn't matter who he attempts to disguise himself as, because you knew from the moment you met him that he was bad news." Regina let out a long breath. 

              "I wanna trust that, but I'm so terrified, I'm always so terrified," Regina replied before burying her face in Emma's chest. 

              "You don't need to be, you've got me, and we're protected here, so protected that he has to resort to spoofing, and believe me one of these days we are going to catch that bastard. Remember, David and I are going to catch that bastard in our trap."

              "I still think the trap is useless as long as Blue can use her magic," Regina sighed.

              "Well, as I said before, she would have to beat my true love magic to get him out, and that's not going to happen."

              "Emma you're quite inexperienced," Regina reminded as usual. A small smile played on Emma's lips as she knew Regina found calm in familiarity like calling useless or inexperienced with her magic no matter how much she had improved.   

              "Take it back, I'm an excellent battery to you, no way with me supercharging you she will be able to break him out." Emma grinned and curled her arm up as if showing off her muscles. Regina rolled her eyes, but Emma saw the smile that she was hiding. 

              "Just don't get hurt again, okay, you're all I have keeping me stable, and you saw how I was when I felt like he had shattered it."

              "I know, but we're going to start our new goal again of trying not to cut. In fact, forget breakfast, it's still early and you clearly need something to do with your hands. Neal's already at Daycare, and Henry is sleeping in."

              "What, but you need to eat before work," Regina insisted. 

               "And I will, I'll ask Granny to bring breakfast by and set the phone to ring my cell, but the station can stay empty until later in the morning." Regina furrowed her brow but allowed Emma to pull her out of the kitchen and into the den. She made her sit down and put the couch blanket on her. "You stay a moment." Emma left out and disappeared when she returned; she had a black marker. 

              "What are you doing?" Regina asked. 

              "You still feel like cutting, yes?" Emma asked her. Regina nodded slowly. 

              "I don't understand," Regina replied. Emma held out the black marker, and she realized it was the one she had drawn on herself with, but she had been slowly letting the drawings fade and hadn't made new ones. Archie had thought it might be symbolic of letting old wounds heal. 

              "Draw on me again," Emma told her. She lifted her shirt. "I still say my stomach is a great place, but I liked what you started to do with the flowers, the last time." Regina just watched her. 

              "Emma, I don't understand why you are doing this," Regina told her as she fidgeted in her seat. 

              "You feel like cutting, but your new coping habit isn't working for you right now, at least until it all washes off. So, draw on me again, and make it extra cool this time." Regina started to raise her arms but put them back down in her lap as she fidgeted with the pen, and tears came to her eyes. It seemed as if no matter how many times she fucked up, Emma was there to support her. Emma gently wiped away her tears. 

              "Please, don't cry, I didn't mean to make you cry, you don't have to draw if it upsets you."

              "No, no they're happy tears for once," Regina sniffled. "You do care." Emma nodded to reaffirm that statement. "I want to draw." Emma smiled at her. 

              "Can, I kiss you on the forehead or cheek?" Emma asked. Regina shook her head no, and Emma nodded. 

              "Okay, just a pat?" Regina nodded, and Emma patted her hands. She had once patted her knee without asking at the table, and Regina had jumped so hard, Emma thought she would end up on the ceiling. "Well, pick your canvas, legs, arms, stomach, ooh back that could be interesting."

              "Just your arm again," Regina replied. "You can sit behind me while I work." Emma nodded, and they moved around until Emma was behind Regina and leaning back. Regina situated Emma's right arm around her waist. She pushed the sleeve of her pajamas up on her left arm, revealing her flower tattoo. 

              "I will make it extra cool this time," Regina murmured as she began to design a vine that sprouted out identical but albeit better-drawn flowers and leaves. She wasn't surprised; by the time Regina fell asleep putting the finishing touches on a flower near the inside of her elbow. Her magic had changed the original tattoo again to resemble the ones Regina had drawn. She had put in a bit more detail than last time, and honestly, Emma liked how her tattoo was shaping up after all these years.

              "Sleep baby, I'm right here with you," Emma told her. 

              "The flower," Regina muttered with a pout. 

              "Will still be here tonight," Emma said, gently capping the marker in Regina's hand. Regina relaxed further, and Emma let her, careful to keep her hands to the places that Regina had already consented. One time, she had still been awake a bit and had moved her hand. Regina had jumped awake. Still, she didn't expect that Regina would sleep long. She didn't know if the dream catcher worked when they weren't in the bedroom. Regina naturally woke herself if the nightmares didn't wake her and often reassured herself that everything was fine. After months of sleep deprivation under Leopold, Emma didn't dare move until Henry wandered down asking why his mom had let him sleep in and where breakfast was. 

              "Shush, kid, your mom needed a bit more rest. Why don't you go order breakfast from Granny's? She wanted to come over for tea soon, anyhow." Henry nodded, tiptoed out of the den, and ordered their usual breakfasts. It wasn't under Granny rang the doorbell and startled Regina awake that Emma moved. 

              "Oh, no, I fell asleep. You need to get to work," Regina cried, looking at the clock as Henry got the door. 

              "No worries, all is well, I put the phone to call me if anything, and there wasn't anything," Emma told her. "Granny's here; she brought breakfast." Regina nodded and slowly made her way to the kitchen. She stood at the door watching Granny busy herself by putting on tea and plating breakfast. 

              "It's okay, the barrier wouldn't have let her to the door if it was him, remember," Emma told her. 

              "Easy for you to say, he didn't walk past your shield like it was never there."

              "True, but we've learned that he's not impervious to all magic," Emma reminded. 

              "Yeah, just mine," Regina whispered. Granny turned and gave them both a smile, and instantly Regina wanted to believe it wasn't him, but it took her until the end of breakfast to believe it wasn't all a trick. It didn't help that she saw him outside and Emma had of course gone after him, but he had disappeared. Granny had been right behind with the crossbow, and not even Leo could fake Granny's speed. 

              "Come on Henry, your mother needs a break, we'll bake a pie, I brought lots of fresh strawberries, and we'll do math," Granny told him. 

              "Oh no, not fractions," Henry groaned. Regina managed a chuckle. 

              "Well, you can learn them on paper, or you can get a pie to eat later," Regina pointed out. 

              "Pie!" He exclaimed. "But mom, what are you going to do?"

              "It's a nice day, so maybe I will draw outside?" Regina suggested out loud. 

              "That's good. You don't go out enough even in our backyard." Regina settled for the day and gathered her drawing journal, charcoal, and pencils. She sat under her tree and had a great view of Henry and Granny working together. She had been working for about thirty minutes when she shifted and felt the effects of Blue's fairy magic. Her first response was fear that they had gotten in, but then she realized that it was leftover from the trap he'd set the day he had taken Heaven's head out of her grave. She easily broke through the weak enchantments on her and around her tree as she stood up and dropped her book. Tears flowed as she touched the spot where her baby's head had sat. 

              "It's okay Regina, Emma is going to keep her promise, and she hasn't let you down yet." Regina glanced back at the house, and she thought maybe she could cut herself discreetly if she sat on the other side of the tree. She knew Emma wouldn't want that, so she drew her pain as Archie suggested. The last time she had used that tool had been to deal with Emma being hospitalized. Now she drew her baby girls, Rayne Victoria and Heaven Elizabeth. She drew them sleeping in a heart-shaped basket with hands protectively laying over them. She designed one like her hand and the other more like Emma's. 

              "That looks good," Henry said, plopping down beside her. 

              "Yeah?" Regina asked. Henry nodded as he easily cuddled into her side.             

              "Is one of them, Heaven?" Henry asked. Regina nodded. "Did she have a twin?" Regina shook her head. Sometimes, she forgot that Henry didn't know. Before Emma had messed up the timeline, it was years before he had come into her life. After the switch in the timeline, their relationship had seemed to be ending, and she had been hurting. "Is it me?"

              "No, it's not you either," Regina replied. 

               "It's not me?" Henry repeated back as he tilted his head to the side and looked up at Regina, who was staring down at the paper and swallowing hard. She looked at him to see his eyebrows were squished together and his lips pursed as he waited. 

              "No," Regina replied. Henry's face darkened a little. 

              "Was it from him?" He whispered. Regina shook her head no from side to side quickly. 

              "No, it was…well remember when you were six and I wanted to take you out for a really fun day at the little town fair I had organized." Henry nodded. 

              "Yeah, I was really upset we didn't go, I thought you only said we would so you could lock me up," Henry frowned. 

              "I know, but I'd had a miscarriage, it was sudden, and it was fast, there was nothing I could do because of the curse. I thought, I had thought that I had somehow broken it. I thought I couldn't get pregnant which is one of the reasons I chose adoption. But I should have remembered it was a curse and it gave me false hope before it took it away."

              "Why didn't you tell me?" Henry asked. "It's because I was evil, wasn't it?" Regina shook her head furiously and pulled him closer. 

              "No, it was because it was hard for me, I was so excited to tell you all about her. I had hoped that her coming into our lives would be just what we needed to reconnect." Henry frowned. 

              "Neal's nursery…" Henry started. 

              "Was supposed to be hers, yes, but that's why the door was suddenly locked. I couldn't take it down because it hurt too much. When Emma changed the timeline, it really hurt because before it happened years before I even adopted you." He hugged her. 

              "Did you have a picture like you did, Heaven?" He asked. Regina nodded and waved her hand. He looked it over, and then he frowned. 

              "Mom, you had more of these, I remember, I…I…" Henry started crying. "I'm so sorry, mommy."

              "Oh, baby it's okay you didn't understand, and I didn't really try to explain, I just got angry which made you angry. I'm the parent and sometimes I need to control my emotions to help you understand yours." They hugged.

              "Does she have a grave like Heaven?" Henry asked. 

              "Yes, she does," Regina told him. 

              "Can you introduce me to her?" He asked with teary eyes. 

              "Yeah, I can do that, maybe Granny won't mind protecting us." Henry nodded. 

              "We can go after you finish; I interrupted you," Henry sniffled. She smiled at him and finished the picture while they curled up against each other. Regina added a third hand, but it was smaller and resembled Henry's little hand joining Emma's and her own this time. 

              "I really like this one mom; can you draw it bigger with color?" Henry asked. 

               "Hmm…maybe I wanted to maybe use some paints, but I don't have any and I'm not sure it's been a long time since I used paint." Henry nodded. Regina closed her book, and they went back inside. She cleaned her hands while asking Granny if she wouldn't mind accompanying them to the cemetery to visit Heaven, Rayne, and Henry Sr. 

              "You don't even need to ask, of course, I'll go with you." Regina smiled at her. "But you do need to eat, you barely touched your breakfast."

              "I know, but it's hard to eat after really bad attacks, I'll eat at dinner no problem really," Regina lied. 

              "Mom, just try to drink your green smoothie at least," Henry pleaded. She took it from him and did manage to drink it all to both of their satisfaction. They used magic and left for the cemetery. Granny looked around, ready to shoot anyone with her crossbow that might cause trouble, but there was no one. They went to the mausoleum, and the faded words of Whore's Child were still showing over Rayne's grave.

              "When we catch him, I'm definitely putting a cross bolt in his behind, almost envious Ruby got to take his hand," Granny grumbled. "You'll leave me the key; I've got some special cleaner that will help with that."

              "Yes, Granny," Regina murmured as she tried to ignore the words. 

               "He's so mean; you're not a whore," Henry said. He went over to the left wall and easily found his sister's name. 

              "Rayne Victoria Mills," Henry read. He turned to Regina with his eyes wide. 

              "My stories, you were listening," he cried. Regina smiled at him as she hugged him and looked at Rayne's grave. 

              "Of course, I was listening, my prince," Regina whispered.                                  

              "Was that her name before too?" Henry asked. Regina nodded. 

               "Just goes to show how connected we always were," Regina told him as she kissed his forehead. He gave her a small smile. They were just placing flower wreaths on all the graves when Granny raised her cross bolt and shot. There was a cry of pain as Granny reloaded and fired again. 

              "We best get home, he'll know you're here, I'm sure the call was already finished before I saw him." Regina nodded, and they took the time to lock up the mausoleum physically. They disappeared back home; Granny stayed nearby and made dinner while doing more math in the kitchen with Henry. Regina tried to busy herself with household chores. She wished Neal was back, but today he was coming back with David to keep up appearances. Regina didn't think anyone was asking after Neal, but she didn't want them questioning it. 

              "Ma, you're back early!" Henry cried. Regina finished cleaning Henry's bathroom and quickly washed her hands. Henry looked at Emma's left arm when she came down the stairs. 

               "Cool, wait until you see the one mom drew of Heaven and Rayne," he said. 

              "How are you feeling?" Emma asked. 

              "Better now," Regina told her. Emma smiled at her, and Regina thought she'd melt. 

              "Now that Emma's back I will take my leave, I didn't feel right leaving you alone today."

              "Thank you, Granny. Your steady presence was what I needed today." They hugged, and Granny left, but not before telling Emma she'd shot one of their supporters in hand. 

              "No worries, Ruby and I will run down their trail tomorrow, and see what we can find." Granny nodded and left. They headed towards the kitchen to see a big pot of spaghetti all finished for them. 

              "Ooh my bread," Henry said as the timer dinged. Regina helped him get it out and plate it while Emma quickly set the table. 

              "How was your day?" Regina asked as she served Emma before she could stop her. Emma often tried to help herself first because she didn't want any expectations Leopold had imposed on Regina. 

              "Good, it was quiet, Ruby and I tried to run down some leads, we worked on the trap you know. How about you two, how was school?"

              "Good, I did math with Granny today by cooking, we baked a pie, but we didn't get to eat it yet."

              "Oh well if Granny was teaching you math than what were you doing Regina," Emma said. "I hope not cleaning." Regina gave her a small smile at the teasing tone. 

              "No, I did that later, I uh still felt like drawing, so I sat outside for a while and drew."

              "Yeah, she drew a really good picture of Rayne and Heaven," Henry said. "And I apologized to mom for burning Rayne's ultrasounds I didn't know. Did you know mom got the name idea from me?"

              "That was very kind of you to apologize and mean it and know I didn't know about the name. How did she get the idea from you, I thought you didn't know about Rayne?"

              "I didn't until today. when I was little, I had a baby doll, and I called her Rain Victory because she was going to rain down victory on the enemies of my avengers." He grinned. 

              "Yeah, it was cute, as soon as I knew it was a girl, I knew what her name would be."

              "Just in this timeline?" Emma asked. 

               "No, in the other timeline, I had this dream of what I assume now was a representation of Henry calling her Rayne Victoria. Albeit I thought she would be his older sister then."

              "We put flowers on her grave today as well as Grandpa and Heaven, it was a nice visit. I hope she likes the violets I left her; you think she likes it?"

              "She loves it, didn't she make all sorts of cool things with violets to protect the avengers."

              "Yeah," Henry grinned. They ate dinner, and Regina hated that it was so carb-heavy but managed to eat a small portion. She was grateful when Henry or Emma didn't notice or try to force more on her for once. After dinner, David brought Neal back home and stayed for a drink as he talked about seeing Snow that day and how she had lost it. For the sake of getting Leopold off the streets, he hadn't tried to take her in. 

              "Did she even say hi to little dude?" Emma asked, shaking her head. 

              "Just to note, I was taking care of him," David replied, rolling his eyes. They talked more and stayed a bit longer so he could put Neal to bed for once. 

              "Do you want to keep drawing?" Emma asked as they got settled in bed later on, and she had turned on I Love Lucy. 

              "Hmm…" Regina responded. She eagerly grabbed the marker and straddled Emma, much to her amusement. 

              "What picture did you draw today of the girls, am I allowed to see?" Emma asked as Regina focused on her work. She finished the flower earlier but then began complimenting it with more vines and different flowers. "What kind of flowers are those?"

              "They're violets like the ones we put on the graves, they symbolize truth and loyalty, and it is also the birth flower for February."

              "Oooh, I like it better now, one flower you and the other me." Regina nodded as the vines intertwined until it was hard for Emma to see where one began, and the other ended. Emma smiled as she watched Regina concentrating and drawing. She hid a yawn, not wanting to disturb Regina as three more vines began to intertwine themselves. 

              "What flower is that now?" Emma asked 

              "Flower buds from the poppy flower for Henry. Daffodils for Rayne, and a Rose for Heaven," Regina muttered as she attempted to shade, and Emma started to see the vines sort of forming this intertwined infinity symbol. Emma yawned again, but this time Regina caught her. 

              "I'm sorry, I should let you sleep," Regina said, pulling back her marker. She glanced at the clock and saw now that it was late. She had been drawing for some time. She slid to her side of the bed, but Emma stopped her. 

              "No, how can I sleep when you're making such art," Emma pouted. "Finish, please." Regina hesitated but did finish up. She tried to be a bit quicker, and despite her yawns, Emma was determined to stay up and let her finish. 

              "So cool," Emma said. "Take a picture from all angles please." Regina took Emma's phone and made the pictures for her while she continued to exclaim over it. 

              "It's not that good," Regina said. "You don't have to pretend." Emma pouted and gave an exaggerated gasp making Regina laugh when she clutched her chest. 

              "You wound me, fair lady, I would never tell such lies," Emma said.

               "Yes, you would if you thought it would make me feel better," Regina pointed out. Emma grinned. 

              "On some things, but not this, I may get this permanently inked into my skin one day, there's this really good tattoo artist I know in D.C., and as soon as you're free, we are so going there." They got back into bed, and Emma opened her arms silently, inviting Regina to cuddle. Regina rocked back and forth before moving closer and settling in Emma's arms. 

              "Come on, get some rest. You need it. Besides, I heard tales that the people want you back at work as the Head Bitch in Charge." Regina didn't say anything as she swallowed hard. Her office was uncharted territory, and she hadn't been there in months. The thought of the things Leopold would have done to her there was overwhelming; she was glad she had stepped back when she did. There were so few places where she hadn't been harassed in town after they had left for Granny's. 

              "Why would anyone want me, I'm weak," Regina murmured. 

              "Hey, none of that, you are not weak. You are strong, brave, and smart. You are exactly who this town needs to be in charge and to always do what's best for the town and not just yourself." Regina shrugged. "Don't shrug, trust me, Madam Mayor, it is your rightful place, your mother was right. You were meant to be Queen, just not his, but your own." Regina didn't reply as she thought about being her Queen, how foreign that concept sounded again. Could she be her Queen again? 

Chapter Text

Chapter Seventeen

               “Great work today Regina, I’m so happy that you’re exploring more of your artistic side. It’s a great outlet for emotions and it’s good that you’re using that.” Regina nodded as she closed her portfolio of sorts. She had been experimenting with paints on paper before she attempted to recreate the picture of her babies. She was also contemplating adding in a baby Henry and not just a version of his little hands. She wanted him to know that he was in her heart as much as Rayne and Heaven.

               “Thank you,” Regina said.

               “There is something I wanted to ask you before you go,” Archie said as Regina was getting ready to stand. Regina sat back down and looked at him.

               “About what?” Regina asked. “I promise the second time I cut wasn’t as deep as the time before.”  Archie shook his head to indicate that wasn’t what he was questioning. Regina’s brow furrowed as she had no idea what he was going to ask. She hoped it wasn’t about her eating habits, perhaps Henry had said something in his sessions with Archie.

               “As you know a lot of girls and young women were hurt by Leopold over the course of his reign as a tyrant.” Regina nodded.

               “Yes…” Regina trailed off. “Oh, do you need me to see you less during the week. I can handle them once or twice a week to make room on your schedule. Or every two weeks. I have Emma to support in the interim; I would prefer if they healed.” Archie smiled at her.

               “Thank you for wanting to make that sacrifice, but no, some of the girls are too young for long sessions and I’ve taken a page out of your book and I’m doing art therapy with them.” Regina smiled at the idea of art helping them to process it as well. “However, with the older girls there’s a common theme among them.”

               “Oh?” Regina asked, furrowing her brow and wondering why he was telling her that.

               “And I think it is one you also feel at times.”

               “They’re cutting too?” Regina asked.

               “The possibility is there, but they have yet to disclose that. What I am getting at is that they all feel alone despite knowing that others have been hurt and they’re utterly disconnected. So, I thought that maybe if they knew you were coming to the group therapy sessions now not only would they show up for the first time, but they would open up.”

               “No,” Regina said firmly as her face got dark. “No.” She stood up and grabbed her things.

               “Just think about it! We meet on Fridays at 4pm at the community center!” Archie called after her as she stalked out. Emma was there and looked at him apologetically, she already knew that he would broach the subject. She hurried after Regina, but she didn’t have to hurry. Regina paused on the stairs just out of sight of the door.  On the one hand Regina wanted to physically get as far away as she could from Archie’s request and on the other, she couldn’t risk that Leopold was waiting for her. Emma automatically went first, and Regina followed. Regina didn’t let her shoulders relax until she saw that Leopold was not there.

               “Come on, I promised you a nice lunch date at the stables did I not?” Emma asked gently, leading Regina to the Mercedes for once. Regina had had to take it into the shop for repairs. Snow had ruined the gears. However, she hadn’t driven her car since before she had tried to cross the town line. Even when Emma had stolen it back from Snow, Emma had been the one to drive it back to the mansion and that was after Leroy, and the other dwarves had stolen it a few times.

               “What, what are you doing?” Regina asked when Emma started to get into the passenger seat.

               “Sitting down, you’re driving not me,” Emma grinned and tossed her keys. Regina caught them, but her eyes went wide.

               “Why?” Regina asked.

               “Regina, you tell me all the time all magic comes with a price, you cannot keep popping everywhere by magic.”               

               “I will just walk then,” Regina said. Emma looked at her and tried to raise an eyebrow and much like her son she wasn’t successful. Regina let out a breath knowing that walking wasn’t an option unless Emma, Ruby, or Granny were with her. Just earlier in the week she had been too exhausted from back-to-back nightmares despite the dream catcher and Emma. Henry had wanted to run around at the park with other kids, so she agreed they could walk there. They were barely off Mifflin Street when four of the dwarves had them surrounded. They hadn’t done anything to try and hurt them but had barred their path until Leopold had appeared. At first Regina hadn’t tried to be aggressive, because they would have claimed she attacked without reason, but after that she mustered a fireball to blast a dwarf out of the way so that she and Henry could run. Blue transported him in front of her. Regina was grateful she had seen fit to wear the incontinent pad on the off chance something like this happened. Henry was no better; she’d have to get him something too. He tried his best to protect her and Leopold had meant to kick Henry between his legs to return the favor, but Regina had taken that kick. She would protect her baby boy to the end. He was about to kick her more as she shielded Henry when a wolf jumped over them. Ruby had been coming to check on them and saw the scene. She got them back to the house safely after Blue had disappeared with Leopold. She managed to leave deep claw marks in the dwarves for their part.

               “Fine,” Regina muttered but she didn’t think she would be driving any time soon either without Emma. She put her portfolio on the back seat before getting in the driver’s seat. She felt uncomfortable as she adjusted the seat and mirrors back to where she kept them. Carefully she drove off towards the stables and settled back into driving the car.

               “See, not bad at all,” Emma told her as she smiled. Regina only gave a small nod as her eyes scanned the road. She was grateful that Leopold had only slapped her a time or two in the car and nothing worse.

               “I guess,” Regina replied, but she was still happier when they were outside of the car. Orlando greeted them in the outside paddock and Regina had agreed to go if she didn’t have to walk through the stables again after a particularly rough nightmare.

               “Riding clothes please,” Emma grinned. Regina waved her hand, and they changed clothes.

               “Good afternoon, Orlando, how have you been?” Regina asked.

               “Better now that the Sheriff is out to arrest that bastard,” Orlando told her. “But I still worry.” Regina nodded.

               “Should I send you home, until we’re back from our ride?” Regina asked him. He shook his head.

               “No, my Queen, I have ways of hiding, I will be on alert as long as you’re here. Carlos says he only checks in the early morning, because you liked to go riding at that time in the past.” Regina nodded, grateful she hadn’t the urge to get up and ride alone so early.

               “Carlos hasn’t been hurt, has he?” Emma asked. Orlando shook his head.

               “No, he’s usually sleeping up in the hay loft and hidden if he’s stayed overnight with a sick horse. He always finds the door ajar and a few times I have too. Normally that’s not the case.”

                “Let us know if he deviates from this, I’m planning a trap and the more I know the better to draw him out.” Orlando nodded.

               “Not a problem, Carlos and I spent the money on cameras. We’ll know for sure if it’s him every time or the dwarves.” They nodded. Regina approached Rocinante and Angus who were eagerly looking for treats on her person. Angus sniffed near her ear and hair which made her giggle when it tickled her. Emma could only smile at her. It was clear to her that both horses loved Regina. She was so good with them.

               “Don’t be scared darling, Rocinante 2 really likes you.” An apple appeared in Emma’s hand and to her wide-eyed surprise Rocinante 2 came straight for her. She held her hand out flat and offered the apple to him which he accepted. For the first time Emma relaxed enough to pet Rocinante. She thought that they would head out and Regina would ride with her on Angus, but instead Regina spent time helping her relax and bond with Rocinante. They ate lunch in a nearby meadow that they had walked to with Emma experiencing her first ride on Rocinante’s back. Regina had tied her on so she wouldn’t think about falling as well as keeping hold of the lead. Regina wished that every afternoon could be this peaceful and nice with Emma and Henry, but she knew that was just a dream until Leopold was imprisoned or dead.

               “Hi Mom, Emma!” Henry greeted, from where he was playing video games with Ruby.

               “Mama!” Neal exclaimed as soon as Regina came into view. He was on the couch with the third controller Regina had made for him that vibrate every now and again, so he thought he was playing too.

               “No, favorite charming, Regi, come on, you can do it, Regi.” Neal just gave her the biggest grin as the slob fell out of his mouth.

               “I’m starting to think he does this on purpose,” Emma chuckled.

               “Em, Em!” Neal exclaimed.

               “Neal, Neal!” Emma exclaimed back as she picked him up and tossed him into the air. He giggled.

               “So, what happened, I thought David wanted to spend all of Neal’s birthday with him,” Regina commented as she sat down after kissing the top of Henry’s head.

               “Snow happened,” Ruby told her as she rolled her eyes. “No, Leopold unfortunately so I didn’t get to take his other hand.”

               “What did she do?” Emma asked.

               “Nothing out of the ordinary from her. Just demanded to know why we weren’t at the party she had set up for Neal at the convent. She had expected David to bring him around that morning. Why wasn’t he doing anything about Emma trying to arrest her or her father, they weren’t able to properly govern the Kingdom this way. George needed to be arrested, because he failed to protect him blah blah blah.”

               “So, what they’re still arguing?” Emma asked.

               “No, and I was supposed to preface this by saying, he’s fine, but when Snow finally did approach Neal after telling Henry not to worry, they’d defeat Emma, she called herself mama and tried to hug him.” Regina cringed. “Yeah, that would be accurate to how Neal reacted. Shaking his head, screaming, and pulling away.”

               “I’m sure I will hear about that if he gets more than two words in.” Ruby nodded.

               “David took him from her and asked her what she expected when she hasn’t raised him in months?”

               “Oof, I bet that one went down well.”  Ruby shrugged.

                “Seemed to go down bitter for sure, and then she punched him. If I hadn’t caught him Neal would have hit his head.” Regina and Emma shook their heads. They couldn’t imagine endangering their child like that. She stomped off and he went after her to convince her that Leopold is a monster.”

               “Do you think she would have hit him before I went back in time?” Emma asked.

               “Yes,” Regina answered.   

               “No,” Ruby and Henry said at the same time.

               “Why?” Emma asked, looking at all three of them.

               “She’s Snow White, something must have happened,” Henry insisted.

               “I don’t know she was so in love with him,” Ruby replied as she furrowed her brow. They looked at Regina.

               “She has her memories of the timeline, she knows what is different and what is the same, just like the rest of us. I know everyone in this town and not one person without the second set of memories even has had such a major change in behavior. I know, I know I am biased, but she’s always been rotten, and I thought part of me had shielded her from his horrors, but she wasn’t surprised the abuse was happening. Now she just feels empowered to do the same, she doesn’t need her perfect image anymore when Leopold is all powerful in her mind. She cultivated it to be seen as inherently good versus me inherently evil, plus it won people to her side the sweet innocent act.”

               “The dwarves?” Emma asked.

               “No, they literally will do whatever she says even if it’s jump off a cliff. They very rarely think for themselves, they aren’t made too. There is a reason Leroy and Nova aren’t together and he’s the town drunk.”

               “Oh, I thought that was curse magic,” Henry said.

               “No, he’s called Grumpy because Blue denied him free will and love, and now he’s free to drink his pain away. Doesn’t make it better or excuse any of his actions while drunk though. He’s grumpy because he knows he’s a slave.”

               “I’m going to change my opinion to align with Regina’s owing to new information,” Ruby stated.

               “Wait if they don’t think for themselves how come he knows?” Emma asked.

               “His name used to be Dreamy,” Regina told her. “And when you intend to break the mode, you have a lot of big dreams including marrying someone you love. Blue took his ability to dream away.”

               “Oooh,” they all said.

               “I told you rotten to the core and the whole tree needs to be cut down, we’re lucky she even produced good fruit before it all went bad.”

               “Owing to David’s pollination I’m sure, Neal and Emma fell off his tree,” Red commented.

                “You’re probably right,” Regina said. “And knowing how my mother reacted any time Eva was mentioned, I get the feeling, she wasn’t pleasant. My father said they had a run in before he married my mother, but he never said more.”

               “You know all the stories she told about him being so damn wonderful, I wouldn’t be surprised if Eva wasn’t the star shine, they made her out to be,” Emma murmured. They all nodded.

               “REGINA!” Leopold yelled. Regina jumped and covered her ears. “Regina, your disobedience will no longer be tolerated!” Emma hurried to the door and glared when she saw Leopold with a bullhorn. The dwarves were with him as was a fairy. She knew by the time she got to him they would be gone in a cloud of fairy dust. Didn’t stop Ruby from changing and going after him though. She sent dwarves running down the street with terrified expressions on their faces.

               “Is he gone?” Regina asked when they came in. She was holding Neal while Henry held onto her tightly.

               “He’s gone, we’re safe, he couldn’t cross the barrier,” Emma reassured them. She hugged her family in comfort. “I’m here, he’s not hurting anyone.”

               “Is it over?” Regina asked, looking up at Emma from where she was hiding in a corner with headphones on. Henry was dutifully choosing the songs as they drew whatever the song made them think of. Neal was thankfully resting finally with noise canceling headphones. Emma nodded mutely.

               “Yes, both of you can try to get some sleep now,” Emma said.

               “You need rest too, I assume you still plan on work,” Regina said as she finally took off the headphones. She gave a sigh of relief, for twenty-four hours they had been cursed to hear Leopold demanding he be let in and verbally abusing either herself or Emma. It really didn’t matter. They had escaped to the vault, but it was still there although not as intense as if they had stayed home.

               “I will as soon as I get you three into proper beds, let’s go, I’ll drive us back.” They nodded and gathered up their things. They were walking back to the Mercedes when they spotted Leopold by the car with Snow.

               “Good you’re back, let’s go home now,” he told her expectantly. Emma growled.

               “The only place you’re going is jail,” Emma told him as she pulled out her cuffs.

               “What the hell are you doing with my son?” Snow demanded. She walked forward and Henry immediately put himself in between Snow and Regina, but Regina gave him Neal and pushed him behind her.

                “My magic may not work on Leopold, but it certainly works on you,” Regina reminded her as she made a huge fireball.

               “Give me back my son you witch,” Snow yelled at her.    

               “No, he’s in my care right now as his real parent is at work, and I will not give him to a felon that aids in the rape of a six-year-old girl,” Regina told her with disgust. “I knew you were rotten the day I met you.” Snow growled.

               “I didn’t aid in the rape of anyone, many young girls want to be with a King, she made her decision.”

               “That child, is just that a child, she would have never and could have never consented.”

               “Kings don’t need consent, and neither do I, give me my son or I will have you executed.”

               “Try me, I will protect him from being raised into a monster like you, the best thing I ever did was cast this curse, and they say I’m evil.”

                “It’s what you are an evil bitch, who still doesn’t know her place. You are here to please my father, nothing more,” Snow snapped. “Well, I suppose give him a son now since things are different here, and maybe a daughter that can be raised to keep him happier than you.” Regina felt sick.

               “With any luck his rot stops at you.” Regina blasted Snow back just as David arrived. Someone had seen Leopold and Snow lurking and called the station. David arrested her as she was disoriented, but Leopold had once again disappeared with Blue just as Emma was punching him in the jaw and getting at least one cuff on him.

               “Bitch one day your fairy dust isn’t going to work,” Emma grumbled. She ran back over to Regina just as a bright light was forming next to her on the ground. Regina had to literally throw Henry towards Emma and used her magic to cling to the ground before the portal finally disappeared without taking her and David could relax his hold on a headstone and Snow.

               “What the fuck, they’re sending portals now,” Emma grumbled as she helped Regina up.

               “I doubt it without a bean, and he wouldn’t risk a bean on the off chance I fall in. He wants me under his thumb,” Regina said breathing heavily. She was going to need to faint after this, this was too much. He’d set a trap, and she was sure that portal was probably to somewhere like the mirror realm, anything to trap her and keep her at his mercy. 

               “You’re right, not when he could take us all back to where we’d be forced to follow the monarchy.”

               “Just get me home, Emma.” Emma nodded and hurriedly got a screaming Neal and traumatized Henry. David hauled Snow away to the cruiser as she screamed at him. The vitriol she spit out towards David wasn’t all that different from what Leopold said to Regina.

               “Don’t you worry, I spelled the cells, the fairies won’t get her out as long as he gets her in,” Emma reassured them. They returned home and it wasn’t until they were behind the barrier that Regina nor Henry let some of the tensions leave their shoulders. Once everyone was showered and calm, they curled up in Regina’s bed to rest as a family.

               “Hey, you all right?” Emma asked. She had come downstairs to find Regina cleaning furiously and now she was fussing around with her recipe book about what elaborate breakfast to make. Emma had come down before to Regina still feeling unstable after nightmares and she’d find her making super elaborate breakfasts, sometimes her and Henry couldn’t keep up and finish it. Regina, realizing that it was wasting food, would often invite Kathryn and Ruby and send food home for Fred.

               “Yes…no…” Regina said as she glanced at, yet another burnt phone. Emma huffed seeing it, and Regina looked down.  She should probably stop burning the phone or destroying it. Emma had spent way too much money on a phone for her. Regina wanted to just start cutting herself when Emma turned and walked out without a word.

               “Stupid, stupid, why did you destroy it, she spends so much money,” Regina grumbled.

               “Hey, hey, stop that you are not stupid,” Emma said coming back and grabbing her hand before she could stab herself with the magic blade that had appeared. Startled Regina released her magic, and the blade disappeared.

               “I am stupid, I keep wasting your money,” Regina said as tears fell. “Why do I always burn it?”

               “It is just a fear response besides I know a guy; I got these cheap,” Emma said holding up a new phone just like her old one. Regina blinked. “You are only having a gut reaction when he somehow finds a way to disturb your peace. So, I got multiple sim cards, multiple phones, and for now it’s not the super nicest, but when we’ve got that prick, I’ll get you an iPhone don’t worry.”

               “Emma,” Regina whined. “You know I prefer android.” Emma chuckled. She didn’t often make Regina whine like she did when she called her Ms. Swan and trying to deny she didn’t enjoy the teasing.

               “Can I give you a hug?” Emma asked. Regina nodded, grateful that Emma handled her with care just when she needed it most. In Emma’s arms she always felt safe, and she was so grateful that somehow despite all that was wrong with Snow and Leopold, the universe had managed to make Emma Swan. Well, if she were honest, maybe it was Gold she should be thanking for making sure that Emma’s fate was one destined for true good.

               “Still, I am sorry, I should try not to break the phone. I just freak out every time I pick up a call or now open a text and it’s not who it’s supposed to be it’s always him.”

               “So annoying that I can’t figure out how to put a magical block on your phone,” Emma huffed. “I know he’s just wishing for your new number and then spoofing the damn thing so you can’t see who it’s from.” Regina nodded as she watched Emma setting up her phone again.

               “Maybe I just shouldn’t have a phone right now?” Regina thought out loud. 

               “No, that’s what he wants to isolate you away from your friends too. It’s bad enough you can’t really go out without being harassed in some way, which means everyone has to come here if they want to see you in person or call you to hear from you. If you take your phone away, then that’s one more way for him to isolate you.”  Regina let out a breath.

               “You’re right of course,” Regina murmured.

               “And besides, how are you going to check your work emails on your break when you get back to being a workaholic.” Regina’s eyes shot up to Emma.

               “I never agreed…” Regina started. “…are you serious right now or being funny?” Emma just smiled at her.

               “Dead serious Madam Mayor, I don’t want you isolated.”

               “But what about Henry and Neal?” Regina asked. “I’m caring for him, and Henry is homeschooled.”

               “I have spoken with the school, the dwarves that are still free aren’t allowed on campus, Snow is definitely not being let in after the jail break, and a teacher will wait with Henry after school until we pick him up. And before you ask, I thought you might have a spell or something to counter him from being grabbed by fairy magic. And Ashley is more than capable of watching Neal at daycare.”

               “I…I…I mean I do have that, but Henry is terrified, I can’t do that to him. I’m terrified!” Regina cried as she tried to get Emma to see that this was a bad idea.

               “I know, but you want him to not be scared right, and to be healthy mentally?” Regina glared at her.

               “Of course, how could you think different, which is why I don’t understand why I would send him to school instead of homeschooling him right now.”

               “He needs stability and routine and any bit of normalcy we can provide for him.”

               “And school where he is unsafe is the answer?” Regina asked.

               “No, school where he is safe.” Regina tried to take deep breaths through her nose and out through her mouth. Emma just led her to the couch and sat with her and breathed deeply with her as she loaded the phone. She had learned from Archie that co-regulation wasn’t always about trying to talk to Regina or being the calmest, sometimes it was just about being there and breathing deeply, which allowed Regina to follow a helpful pattern and it didn’t take her as long to regulate her breaths at least. Once she wasn’t struggling to calm herself Emma picked up a book off the table.

               “I know what I said in the kitchen was absolutely intimidating. It’s a big ask of both you and Henry.” Regina nodded.

               “He’s not going to like this idea any more than I do, I can promise you that.”

               “Believe me, I know, but please remember I love you both and am here to support you both.” Regina nodded again.

               “And why are you so stuck on this…this daunting choice?” Regina just kept her breaths steady; she didn’t look at Emma yet. The goal was to hear her out before she panicked again. They still hadn’t even gotten to the idea of her returning to the office.

               “I was researching online, and found this book, it’s called When Dad Hurts Mom, but same difference, the kid has witnessed his mom’s abuse.” Regina cringed. She had never wanted Henry to see what he had done to her; would still do to her if Emma hadn’t stopped him. “It’s been really insightful, and it talks about how kids who’ve been through trauma….”

               “I never let him hit Henry,” Regina said moving away from Emma and looking at her now as if she had accused her of the unthinkable. Emma held up her hands to indicate she meant no harm.

               “No, you did not, trauma isn’t about physical violence.”

                “He didn’t touch him like that either, I swear, I would…I would….” Regina trailed off because she didn’t know what she would do if he had done something like that.

               “Trauma is a broad term here; I know that never happened too. It’s traumatic being a witness to abuse as it is being on the receiving end of that abuse.” Regina’s shoulders relaxed a little and she took another deep breath trying to throw away the thoughts of a world she never wanted to exist where Henry suffered any part of the abuse she had to his own person.

               “I understand…I just…I nee…need a moment.” Emma nodded and they sat in silence again in co-regulation for a few minutes. When Regina was ready to focus again on what Emma had to say she gently shifted towards her again, and Emma took that as her cue.

               “It’s about how kids who experience trauma need consistency like predictable routines, like a sense of normalcy, and we don’t have that sense of normal anymore.”

               “We do; he wakes up, makes his bed, dresses, and comes down to breakfast already on the table.  After that he brushes his teeth, and we begin our homeschool. Two forty-five-minute blocks with a break for bathroom or a snack. Then I prepare lunch while he runs around the backyard or plays video games. I have lunch on the table at exactly half past twelve just like at school, and then we exercise and do another thirty minutes of school focusing on art. Then he has his free time, and dinner is always at six, and then his after dinner routine.” Emma waited for Regina to finish speaking as she nodded her agreement.

               “You and I both know that that is not the kid’s normal routine when he was secure and happy,” Emma pointed out. Regina let out a breath as she looked down and her shoulders curled forward. Nothing about their current situation was a choice, it had been out of fear. Tears slowly rolled down her cheek.  “Don’t cry, Reggie, we did what we had to do, but it’s a bit safer for us to let go in this regard, okay?” Regina nodded.

               “What else did it say?” She whispered.

               “The book says that children also heal when they can return to the world outside, to routines they recognize. School can give him a structure he’s familiar with, time with his friends, and control over parts of his day. It’s not just about education, because you’re doing a hell of a job—it’s about helping him feel steady, like this isn’t the only place he is safe.” Regina stayed silent as she thought about Emma’s words. She had been concerned about Henry socializing, that was why she had been so glad to let his friends in and to hear him laugh again.

               “So…sending him back to school isn’t just about me going back to work?” She asked, knowing that that was Emma’s next topic.

               “No, but adults need normalcy too. The day you gave up being mayor was a day that hurt you inside. You miss work, you miss Clara, you miss the predictability of the job. You need your normal too.”

               “I am terrified of walking in there Emma,” Regina whispered.

               “Did he do something to you there too?” Emma asked wondering if there was any place left untouched by that bastard.

               “No, but that’s why I gave it up so quickly, I knew he was going to take everything from me, and the thought of him dominating me in a place where I had power was too much. I didn’t go to the office on purpose; I just couldn’t let them see me crushed on the outside as much as I was on the inside. Although I guess the cat’s out of the bag now….” Regina trailed off and wiped her tears. She was so exhausted thinking about Leopold and the tiniest bits of herself she had tried to hang onto by ending it before he could.

               “Can I pull you close?” Emma asked. Regina nodded and allowed Emma to pull her into a hug. They stayed like that until they heard Henry coming down the stairs with Neal. Neal tended to wake him up earlier than eight in the morning, so he had just gotten used to waking up with him. Regina, however, had fallen asleep on Emma, so she put a finger on her lips when both boys came into view.

               “Hey kid, why don’t you two have cereal this morning,” Emma whispered. Henry nodded.

                “Em, Em, Mama,” he said.

               “Shh, Neal, Mom is sleeping we’re gonna have cereal,” Henry whispered and took him away before he could wake Regina.

               “I would have gotten up to make breakfast you know,” Regina whispered. Emma smiled at her and stroked her head.

               “I know, but nothing wrong with cereal for breakfast every now and again,” Emma whispered back. “Rest, even if you don’t sleep, the kid has it in hand.” Regina didn’t say anything more as she enjoyed the feeling of resting in Emma’s arms without the onslaught of negative thoughts, fear, or panic. She did get up to greet Henry properly when he had come back from feeding himself and Neal.  She took Neal to get changed and Henry went to brush his teeth. Regina was surprised Emma was still around when they came back downstairs.

               “Don’t you have to get to work?” Regina asked her.

               “I will go in after we have breakfast,” Emma said cheerily. “I made eggs and toast.” Regina swallowed hard.

               “Oh, but I gotta start Henry’s lesson,” Regina murmured.

               “Regina, the kid is homeschooled, he can wait for you to eat,” Emma chided. Regina let out a breath.

               “But you were just saying he needs routine.”

               “I never said we couldn’t break routine every once in a while,” Emma pointed out and pulled Regina to the dining room table. Regina looked at her plate piled high with eggs and two slices of toast with butter and jam.  Neal didn’t waste any time grabbing a bite with his hands.

               “Oh no you don’t, I had a feeling,” Emma said and put Neal back in his high chair with a bib. He protested until she gave him his own plate of eggs, and he just grinned up at his sister as if to say you get me.

               “Hey, I want eggs too, you made me eat cereal,” Henry pouted.

               “Kid, I know you too,” Emma said. Regina picked up her fork knowing that her usual excuses weren’t going to work today, and if she wanted them to continue working, she had to eat. She would compensate with a workout during Henry’s free time instead of drawing.

               “Say kid, should I bring home some ice cream tonight?” Emma asked. Regina pushed her eggs around for a moment as she saw that Emma was setting up to tell Henry about going to school again that night. Henry’s eyes of course lit up.

               “Yes!” He exclaimed. He looked at Regina prompting her to take her first bite of eggs as all the attention was on her. “Is it okay…mom?” Regina’s eyes had narrowed, and her brows had come together before she coughed and grabbed her glass of water trying to get the taste of salt out of her mouth.

               “Are you all right?” Emma asked, rubbing her back as concern filled her eyes.

               “Are you all right?” Regina asked. “You just sat here and took like three bites of this!” She looked at the three around her, but neither of them were having her reaction.

               “Um…what’s wrong with it?” Emma asked.

               “Emma, this tastes like you dumped the entire carton of salt into them,” Regina told her in disbelief. She started to take the plate from Neal and Henry. “It’s enough to give us a heart attack right now.”

               “What, I didn’t put any salt into the eggs though, because I wanted to avoid that happening.” Regina paused in standing and sat back down.

               “What?” Regina got out softly.

               “I didn’t add any to avoid this exact situation.” Regina looked at her eggs and back at Emma, clearly unsure of what she had just eaten. Emma tasted her eggs, but they tasted plain to her.

               “I don’t taste any salt,” Emma said. Henry also tried and agreed. Regina gave the boys back their plates and then picked up her own fork again. She took another bite, and it was normal just plain egg once more.

               “I guess I just overreacted,” Regina said even though her tongue still felt like she’d eaten a spoonful of salt. They nodded and Regina saw them glance at each other, which is why no matter how bad it was she refused to make another scene when every bite felt like a spoonful of salt. Even her jam was bitter, and by the time she was done, the color had left her face, and she was running for the bathroom. Emma and Henry looked worried as they heard her throw up breakfast. Regina couldn’t even hide it no matter how much she wanted too.

               “I didn’t think I was that bad of a cook,” Emma murmured when she came back to the table feeling as if her stomach was rolling.

               “You aren’t,” Regina whispered. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why….” Regina had no words and just fell into silence.

               “It’s all right, maybe, I should stay home, you can tell me what to do for Henry’s school work and I can teach him and watch Neal.”

               “No, no, you need to get out there, the people need to see you,” Regina told her. “I’ll uh be fine, we’ll be fine.” Emma looked skeptical.

                “Fine but call if you get worse.” Regina nodded and drank some water but immediately put the glass down as if it tasted metallic.

               “Mom?” Henry asked.

                “I’m fine really,” Regina told them. Emma slowly left, but she did make it out the door.

               “Okay, let’s get started on your reading,” Regina said going into the study with Henry, she would worry about the dishes at lunch. Henry nodded and followed her. She put Neal down in his play spot and helped Henry for ten minutes before going after Neal who was trying to get into the fireplace. When she put him back in his spot and sat down again, she glanced at the clock and realized it was already ten in the morning, and an hour passed Neal’s nap time.

               “Oh no we spent too much time on reading it’s past Neal’s nap,” Regina said. She was never this off schedule with Neal and Henry despite having to keep an eye on the busy toddler.

               “Huh, Mom it’s only eight forty-five,” Henry said.  Regina looked at him and then back at the clock and sure enough it was only eight forty-five.  She rubbed her eyes and read the clock again, but it was still fifteen minutes to nine.

               “How…” She murmured.

               “Are you sure, you’re okay?” Henry asked. Regina nodded as she rubbed her head.

               “You’re right sorry, let’s continue.” She got Neal back to his play station one more time and they continued reading. When she looked at the clock again it said eleven. She looked at the clock over her fireplace and it also said eleven.  She rubbed her eyes and looked at the watch on her wrist, and it read eight fifty-five. She looked at the clock on the table and the one over the fireplace and they looked the same as the time on her watch.

                “Mom?” Henry asked. “Mom?” Regina didn’t answer as the world felt like it was spinning a bit.  Letters from Henry’s page were turning into numbers like it was time for math, and the clock read nine thirty. Neal should be asleep, and she should be teaching Henry math in his absence so as not to distract Henry too much.

               “Neal, nap,” Regina murmured.

               “Yeah, you put him down twenty minutes ago,” Henry said. The world straightened out and Regina realized that Neal was gone, she had the baby monitor set up next to the clock. It was nine-thirty, and Henry had out his math work.

               “When did I put him down?” Regina asked.

               “Twenty minutes ago,” Henry said. “Mom, I’m going to call Emma, you’re sick.” Regina didn’t even stop him from getting up and going over to her desk. She had no recollection of putting Neal down for a nap or teaching Henry math.

               “Emma said to drink some juice,” Henry said. Regina was grateful he brought her green juice that she made batches to take some of the work away or have something to do with her hands. She opened the bottle and took a sip and was just grateful when everything tasted normal. Reassured that maybe she was just weak like Emma thought from throwing up breakfast she kept teaching, and Emma arrived home just as Neal awoke from his nap.

               “Hey, Reg, are you feeling better after the juice?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

               “Yes, I don’t know what got into me, thank you for coming home, but I’m fine now.” Emma nodded and just touched her hand lightly but pausing before making contact to give Regina a chance to pull away from the touch, but she didn’t.

                “Maybe just lie down, I bet not sleeping much or well is taking a toll on your body.” Regina nodded as she stood up. Her eyes landed on the clock, and it seemed she was late preparing lunch; it was fifteen minutes after.

               “Oh lunch,” she said.

               “Don’t worry about lunch, Granny is bringing lunch,” Emma told her. Regina nodded, being obsessed with her schedule wasn’t going to make Emma change her mind later about Henry leaving school and her eventual forced return to the mayor’s office. She bent down to pick up her juice bottle from the table, but found it gone. She furrowed her brow, confused, she looked around but didn’t see it anywhere.

               “What are you looking for, I can help?” Emma asked.

               “My juice bottle, I swear it was just here,” Regina said looking under a pillow on the couch.

               “Reg, you are definitely taking a rest, it’s right here.” Emma picked it up off the table where she had remembered setting it when Emma had walked in, but it hadn’t been there a moment ago. Regina frowned and didn’t say anything else. It was best she just let Emma lead her up to bed.

               “Curtains open for light?” Emma asked. Regina nodded. Emma made sure they were open and cracked the window for air. “Should I make you a cup of tea?”

               “I don’t know, maybe,” Regina said.

               “How about lavender tea?” Emma asked. Regina nodded as she bit her lip and fidgeted with the edge of her blanket. Emma went to get her tea, and she tried to think and figure out why she had no recollection of putting Neal down for his nap or starting math with Henry. One minute it was eight forty-five and the next it was after nine and Neal was in bed. Losing time was never a good thing, and now she could see that Emma and Henry weren’t experiencing whatever it was she was, so this had to be her breaking down mentally. Emma returned with the tea, and the first sip was as relieving as Regina had hoped, as her anxiety began to calm a bit, she started to remember putting Neal down for his nap. She was exhausted, and it was bound to take its toll on her, she knew that. Regina couldn’t keep this up forever, eventually she would start to see the side effects of sleep deprivation, and this was it. She finished her cup of tea just as Granny came up with her kale salad. The old wolf watched her eat every leafy green before insisting that she sleep while she knitted next to her. The dream catcher would create a version of Granny to enter Regina’s dreams but not be as knowledgeable or aware as Emma was in these dreams, as Granny had specified when Emma had spoken about the dream catcher, but mentioned it interrupted both of their sleep.

               “Thank you, Granny.” Granny just patted her hand and pulled out her knitting. Regina was grateful when she dropped off quickly letting the calming effects of the tea take over her. She slept lightly, a part of her just couldn’t let her sleep deeply enough to dream. Granny knitted quietly, occasionally when Regina whimpered, she would start humming or telling a bedtime story that seemed to smooth the worry lines on Regina’s face or settle her enough that she didn’t toss and turn. Regina only stayed asleep forty-five minutes, but it felt good, and she was able to focus on her painting and play a board game with Henry and Emma after dinner. Granny had taken care of all the chores and cooked that evening.

               “Hey kid, I have something to ask,” Emma said. Henry looked up from his ice cream sundae that he was currently sharing with Neal, Regina anticipating the upset had even let him add cookies.

               “Henny,” Neal whined. Regina gently took Neal and took over giving him another spoonful of ice cream.

               “So, your mom and I talked this morning, and we think it would be good if you started going back to school.” Henry paused in taking another spoonful of ice cream and dropped it on the table. He snapped his head to look at Regina to see if she was also in agreement.

               “Mama?” He asked. Regina just looked at him with sad eyes as the feeling that she was betraying him stabbed her in the heart.

               “I know my love, it’s a big ask, and I cried too and wouldn’t speak to Emma for thirty entire minutes at the suggestion.”

               “So, I can stay home?” He asked hopefully that his mother had won the argument.

               “I didn’t win my love, Emma was too firm sadly,” Regina told him. He shed tears and turned angry eyes back on Emma.

               “Why do you want me to go where it’s unsafe?” Henry cried. “What if he gets in and gets to mom?”

               “He won’t get in, the magic has held, and in any case your mom is going back to work,” Emma told him.

               “I never agreed,” Regina protested as Neal grunted and leaned forward to just use his hands to eat the ice cream.

               “Not yet, but are you really going to let your precious town fall into ruin because of Snow White and the rotten tree she fell from?” Emma asked her.

               “Precious town indeed,” Regina tsked. “They don’t care about me.”

               “Half of them do, and you wouldn’t dare leave those people to his mercy even if you knew for sure a magic bean would get you clear on the other side of the town line to counteract your mother’s spell.”

               “Well obviously, I would make them walk across the town line too,” Regina said.

               “And lose all their memories and then walk back completely unawares to the absolute shit show we would be leaving behind?” Emma asked. “Not to mention poor Dad would become like Mom’s slave.” Regina grunted in annoyance, knowing that Emma was correct.

               “You two need to return to normal, and that means work and school. You created an entirely new schedule around your fears and it’s no good.”

               “How are you going to protect mom and me in two different places?” Henry asked.

               “First off, your mother and my magic works against the fairy magic, we’ll make a spell that will transport you to one of us if any of the dwarves or a snow supporter shows up in any attempt to get you off school grounds. Secondly, I will be going to the office with your mother and working from the office. David will go out on any calls and if he needs any back up Ruby will be the first one to go with him. If I need to go, Granny or Ruby will come stay with you at the office until I am back.”

               “I don’t like this, what if he shows up,” Regina said. “Or sends another portal.”

               “He won’t show up unless he thinks you’re alone, and I don’t plan on leaving you alone. Not to mention I thought we could duplicate the plants to create the same kind of shield we have here.” Regina shook her head.

               “No, that might weaken the magic around the house, it’s better to order new ones.”  Emma nodded.

                “Then we will do that right now, but come tomorrow, we’re taking a leap of faith towards healing. He will not destroy us, yes Mills!” Henry and Regina looked at each other clearly weighing their options.

               “You won’t let this go, will you?” Regina asked her. Emma shook her head.

               “No, I read the book, I spoke to the experts, this is happening.”

               “Why tomorrow?” Henry whined. “You’re giving us no time to agree.”

               “Because knowing the both of you and I do, you’ll find a way to stall, so I just want you to know that I asked Granny to make chicken noodle soup so you can’t fake a stomachache. I have children’s Tylenol to nip any small fevers in the bud, I’ve been working on my healing with Belle so no broken bones, and I got all your school and work supplies. No one is faking sick tomorrow.”

               “I don’t even have power suits anymore, I can’t possibly work in normal clothes, it would be unbecoming and since I’m not going, I may as well just homeschool Henry another day.” Henry nodded at Emma to agree.

               “I went to your vault and found all your power suits and had them dry cleaned. They’re already in your closet.”

               “My hair is unkempt and my nails,” Regina said. “You know I don’t madam mayor anything short of immaculate.” Emma huffed, knowing that appearance was the one thing Regina kept up because she didn’t want anyone to see how hurt she was at first glance.

               “Regina don’t piss on me and call it rain, hygiene and self-care are the one thing I have yet to worry about you dropping. Like I just convinced you to get poison apple red again, just so the thought of poisoning my birth giver would bring you a bit of joy.”

               “I don’t take joy, she didn’t actually die,” Regina huffed.

               “Yeah, but then Henry and I wouldn’t be here, it’s like happy to see her look dead, but like now you got Henry and I out of her not dying.”

               “And your dad apparently being a neophiliac,” Regina replied wittily.  Emma looked ready to barf but laughed at the same time.

               “Well played madam mayor, but you and your poison apple red tips are going to work tomorrow.” Regina was about to reply when Neal pulled hard and landed face first in Henry’s bowl on the table. He cried now having hurt himself as ice cream went everywhere.

               “Oh, mi churri,” Regina said picking him up. She took him upstairs for a bath, and sooth his tears. She was able to get him down a little earlier as he fell asleep while being soothed. Henry and she were a different story, neither of them were happy about the change in schedule. They tried to find all sorts of excuses; Emma was ready for them all to their annoyance.

                “Henry Daniel Mills, and Regina whatever your middle name is Mills, you can make all the excuses you like, but it’s happening.”

               “But it’s Friday, I will be lost,” Henry huffed.

               “That’s fine, I chose Friday so you can dip your toe in rather than going into a full week of school right away. You teacher doesn’t expect you to jump right in, although you and I both know your mother was thorough in following the lesson plans from the teacher and then some.” Henry crossed his arms, pouted, and huffed as he couldn’t deny that his mother had not been giving her all in homeschooling him. Emma turned on Regina.

               “You have anything to say?”

               “Yes, my middle names are Yaretzi and Isela,” Regina replied. Emma had been geared up for a fight, so Regina had switched tactics on purpose.

               “Ya what?” Emma asked.

               “My name is Reh-GEE-nah yah-RET-see ee-SEH-lah,” Regina replied. Emma pursed her lips as her eyebrows pushed together.

               “I know how to pronounce Regina.” Regina waved her off.

               “In any case, there’s no sense in me going in on a Friday, not much can be done.”

               “Good, then you’ll have a light workload Madam Mayor Regina Yareezi Isala,” Emma stated firmly. Henry and Regina looked at Emma silently watching the smug look on her face before they snorted and giggled at her pronunciation.

               “Is-ah-la,” Henry wheezed.

               “Yareezi,” Regina added wiping away her own tears. Emma pouted.

               “Yeah, yeah laugh it up, but you’re still going tomorrow.” That sobered Mother and son up immediately as they glared at Emma. “All right fine, then I’m sure you won’t mind taking on a lot more chores Henry for your mother, and I’ll be bringing PE into your day. I’m thinking of a five-mile run into the woods with Ruby and I before running all the way back. I wanted to get you into weight training.” Henry’s mouth dropped open. “And don’t you worry, my dear mayor, I know you like exercise, so while we’re running with Neal in a jogger, you’ll be escorted to group therapy by Granny. Try and defy the old woman when it comes to your health.”

               “Gees Emma you didn’t have to play dirty, we’ll go,” Regina grumbled. 

               “Yeah, I’m just saying coercion isn’t true consent,” Henry told her.

               “You would be right, and maybe I can’t force you to continue to go afterwards, but you’re dipping your toes in at least tomorrow.” Regina and Henry grumbled but agreed as long as if it were too much, they both had an out to which Emma reassured them they did. So, Regina worked on spelling a small ring that was invisible to any would be captors that would stop him from being taken by fairy magic, and that she could easily track. As a last-minute thought, she made sure she could feel if Henry were in danger or too overwhelmed at school. She would go to him immediately.

               “Get some rest, tomorrow is going to be tough, but we’ll weather it together,” Emma said rubbing Regina’s back while they watched I love Lucy. Regina hugged her arms around Emma a bit tighter as she tried to ground herself in the moment.