Amelia

Chapter 19: ...Three Steps Back, Part 2

She shook her head, sighing as she thought of Anna's room too. It didn't look much different than Mia's — though somehow that made it all worse. The first curse decided what the house would look like and it hadn't been changed much since — other than Henry's room of course. Those twenty—eight years had been nothing but misery — even for the Queen who cast it. Regina wanted to move on and forget about those terrible days. Get out of the eighties and move on to the new millennium with her entire family. Staring at the same drab walls every day brought her nothing but madness in those years — empty rooms that would never be filled. Now those rooms were full, occupied by her beloved daughter and granddaughter. They deserved to be able to feel at home in their own house — not stuck in rooms designed by a miserable curse.

Regina sighed and her eyes scanned to the bed where the kids were asleep. Anna released a comfortable breath, turning away from Mia and settling deeper into the bed. She'd never seen her daughter in such a peaceful slumber, even before the sleeping curse. She found herself entranced, taking in the familiar features of the young woman's face and recognizing them as her own. There wasn't any doubt that Anna was her blood, not that she had any. What little features weren't Regina's were Daniel's and she was so much in awe that the stunning young woman fast asleep was hers. She could still see that internal glow within Anna, the same one she'd seen in the vision – hallucination? – during her quasi—meltdown on the docks with Snow. Anna was perfect in every way as she was in body, soul, and mind. Regina couldn't wait to publicly claim the young woman as her daughter. Some remnants of the mindset of a Queen still remained in her and she couldn't help but feel both proud and possessive of her heirs — of her Prince, Princess, and littlest Princess. She may not be a Queen anymore but they would be her legacy one day when she wasn't able to evade the Reaper anymore. She couldn't be anymore at ease with leaving it in their capable hands.

She was convinced now that the threat she'd felt outside was gone, for now anyway. Her babies were right here in front of her and they were out of harm's way. Her eyes wandering over the three of them with so much love in her heart. She thought of Snow's earlier words, that the answers she didn't have weren't important and to focus on what really mattered which was what she did know. She had to believe everything would be okay. She and Anna would be okay and their relationship and friendship would survive this. That was what the snowfall had been for, right? A sign from both Daniel and Snow (and probably Robin) that the truth was the answer?

Oh but Regina could hardly stand to wake Anna and disturb her peaceful sleep; despite her impatience to get this heavy—weighted truth off her chest. She just wanted to get it over with before she gave in to that self doubt again...

Her phone buzzed loudly in her pocket and she used her free hand to quickly retrieve it before it could wake the sleeping beings. She found with slight amusement that it was a text message from Snow. Regina had only just seen her — what could possibly be the matter already!? She sighed, opening the message: A warning would have been nice before you decided to "poof" me off and out of your yard. You're welcome by the way. You best be doing some confessing right now. Seriously, you'll feel so much better. Promise. Just do it! I believe in you. Goodnight, Regina...

Regina put the phone back in her pocket and rolled her eyes, even as a nervous smile tinted her lips. She released a few quiet but deep breaths and wiped her sweaty palms on the front of her coat – nearly dropping the hope quarter she'd already forgotten that Snow gave her on the porch. She gripped it tightly now, holding it up. The light from the moon outside shone through the window and reflected off the metal coin, bouncing onto the bed right over where Anna's heart was. Her hand closed in a fist around the quarter, as if protecting the hope and strength it granted her in the moments ahead.

Her feet moved of their own accord, dragging her across the threshold and deeper into the room. She was quiet as to not wake her sleeping angels, immediately rounding the bed beside Anna. She noticed that Henry had the Storybook on his lap and a soft smile pulled on her lips. She reached over and turned off the lamp before she gently picked the book up with one hand, her heart in a lurch when she saw what page it was open to. It was an illustration of herself and young Roland, when she turned the flying monkey that attacked them into the stuffed monkey currently in Mia's arms. There were words written on the page, her words – "Not so scary. Now you have a new toy." She'd said those words to Roland to comfort him, even through the heartbreak she'd felt being separated indefinitely from her own son. Her eyes fell on Henry again, reaching over to stroke the side of his face. Since she didn't see Mia's Mr. Fluffington anywhere around, she assumed it was missing somewhere and Roland's monkey Bo was a temporary fill in. She smiled, knowing her Little Prince likely told Anna and Mia the story behind the monkey. A story which had been both told to him by her and shown to him through his Author powers. Regina smiled fondly, closing the book softly and setting it down on the floor at her feet. She turned back to the children and pulled the comforter higher up to cover all three of them.