DESTINY

Chapter 12 - Whose life actually was ruined?

                The conversation between Regina and Tinkerbell went on for a couple of minutes but when the fairy heard the Queen’s story about having Marian killed in the past, Tinkerbell was lost for words. A resounding silence was echoing between the walls of the lavish house of the town’s mayor. Regina didn’t know how to react, but she was hoping to hear Tinkerbell’s reassuring words. Tell me everything’s going to be fine, tell me it’s going to be me and Robin in the end, tell me we’re destined to be together, Regina begged in her mind. Not a chance will she say that out loud, Regina is not the pleading type, everyone knows that. But without Tinkerbell’s response, Regina’s hope for a happy ending seemed to fade away.

“Robin and I… we’re soulmates, right?” Regina said, trying to break the quietness and seek comfort from someone who technically put into her mind that she deserves an end to her miseries without killing or hurting anyone; a second chance at love, her own fairy tale.

Tinkerbell didn’t know what to say. She hasn’t thought it could turn out this way. “I don’t know what to say,” she said honestly and Regina quivered from her reply. “But here’s one thing I’m sure about,” Tinkerbell added. “Pixie dust doesn’t lie.”

“Should that give me comfort?” Regina asked scornfully. Tinkerbell kept quiet, her head down. “The thing is, I actually remember what you’ve told me when we were in Neverland. When I confessed to you that I actually didn’t meet my soulmate in the tavern because… I was afraid,” she said letting out a faint smile. One thing about Regina is she never let others see how scared or fragile she is. Under any circumstances, she manages to put on a brave a face.

Tinkerbell then lifted her head up to meet Regina’s gaze, she actually listened to me, she thought. “What was it?” She asked curiously.

“You said that not meeting him and running away from my soulmate…” her voice trailed, not wanting to hear her own words. “I didn’t just ruin my life, I also ruined his.”

The gravity of Tinkerbell’s words reflected back to her by Regina is just too much. She didn’t give it that much of a thought before, but Regina did. “I didn’t mean to…” Tinkerbell tried to apologize.

“It’s okay. I guess I understand that now more than ever,” Regina cut her off. “But you know what? I actually don’t regret any of those,” she said proudly although her voice was trembling.

“How can you not regret anything? If you just met your soulmate when I showed him to you, your life would be… so much different.” Tinkerbell wondered. She tried to persuade her to turn back from her evil ways before, to the extent of losing her wings as a fairy. She may have failed but she seemed to not give up on her.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Regina asked. “You think that my life turned out to be so dark that I actually have nothing to live for, is that so?” She asked again but Tinkerbell wasn’t replying and she remained unmoving. She went towards a glass cabinet where pictures of her and Henry were displayed. The art projects of her son during his younger years, drawings of playground and the sun and clouds, trees and birds, and also, Henry’s medals and trophies from his excellent work at school. “If I came in on that tavern, I’d probably meet him, we’ll fall in love with each other and elope together, I don’t know,” she snuffled. She held the glass opening of the breakfront and took out a frame with the first picture she had with Henry, “But I’d never have this,” she said smiling with tears of joy posing on the corner of her eyes. “I may have done evils but they lead me to my redemption, my son, how can I regret that?”

And right at that moment, Tinkerbell finally understood. Regina was willing to lose everything, even Robin, but not Henry. And that makes her a changed person, a better one, the fairy thought. “And Robin wouldn’t have Roland,” she said, understanding Regina’s predicament.

Regina smiled in agreement. “Thank you… for coming in tonight,” she expressed her gratitude. “And it seems to me I haven’t had my chance to apologize for every misery that I might have caused you, I’m sorry.”

A sorry? WOW. She really has changed! Tinkerbell shouted within her. “It’s fine now, your majesty,” she replied.

Regina laughed lightly, “And you’re not a terrible fairy. I take it back,” she chuckled again and Tinkerbell laughed with her this time. “To be honest, I kinda missed talking to you like this.”

“Me too,” the fairy admitted. “I wish we could do this more often. I mean… I’m just a call away if you wanted to talk, just don’t growl at me again,” she requested giddily. Regina just nodded. And when Tinkerbell was about to leave, she uttered, “I believe you and Robin are soulmates, no matter what. All you need is faith, trust and maybe, just maybe… a little bit of pixie dust.”

“And a lot of love, don’t forget,” Regina added with a faint smile. Then she ushered the fairy to the exit and shut the door. “A little bit of pixie dust,” she whispered to herself and she remembered that time on the tavern where the pixie dust showed the guy with the lion tattoo as her soulmate. “Robin Hood,” she mumbled, shutting her eyes tight. It has been a long day and she found herself walking towards Henry’s bedroom, my son, she thought. My everything.

                o-o

                And while the town is asleep at almost midnight, Zelena was wide awake inside her cell at the sheriff's office. Her hands tied, the steel bars were all sealed not by metal locks but by Emma's magic.

"Our situation right now is a bit odd, don't you think?" Hook asked, smiling his crooked smile.

Zelena sniffed, "Except you don't have magic," she said, trying to scare Hook with a smirk.

He chuckled, "That's a nice joke. You should do that more often, people could like you for that."

Zelena laughed mockingly not allowing Hook to get satisfaction over teasing her. She could feel her strength slowly regaining, I just need more rest, she thought. Besides, she doesn’t want to actually scare him away, the last thing she needed is to be alone in that exact same cell where Gold tried to finish her off. “I’m kinda getting bored with you watching me the whole day. When will my sister going to visit me?” She inquired.

Hook raised one eyebrow, “Your sister? You expect her to come and visit you?” he asked.

“Or at least I expect her to guard me when I get my power back. I don’t think you could handle me if that happens,” Zelena answered, trying to be confident. I need to see Regina, she thought.

“Should I be scared now?” Hook asked, feeding the witch’s ego. Zelena responded with a smirk.

“Ding… ding… ding…” The bell at the clock tower rang, it’s midnight and the door swung opened. Hook was surprised, probably looking a bit terrified.

“What’s the matter?” David questioned, holding the door unlocked.

Zelena laughed wickedly, “Hook needs to pee,” she giggled again. And before the door closed, scattering fumes seemed to follow David inside, a kind of smolder that Zelena knows so well. The wicked witch grinned mischievously, the smoke was green.