The Second Daughter

Welcome to Storybrooke

I refused to go back to the loft after what Mary Margaret did, my Mother was dead and it's all her fault. Regina and I, both dressed in black, went to her family Mausoleum...well...I guess it was our family Mausoleum now. Mother's body had been placed in the centre of the room, the plate reading 'Cora Mills, Beloved Mother'. I shakily reached out and lovingly placed a rose on top of her marble casket. Regina had tears running down her cheeks and was sniffling. I stared blankly at the casket, tears silently streaming down my cheeks. They hadn't stopped since Mother passed and I doubt I could get them to stop. My head turned slowly as I heard someone hobble down the stairs. Mr Gold imped into the room. "Black was always your colour." He commented, stepping towards us.

"We're here to bury our mother." Regina told him. "So if you came to gloat-"

"I came to pay my respects." Gold limped towards the casket and placed a red rose beside my black one. Love and death conveyed in two simple items. "We had our differences, but Cora will always have a place in my heart."

"You sacrificed her for your own benifit." I rasped, "She died so that you could live."

"Sadly, desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Like getting Mary Margaret to trick me into killing my own mother?" Regina asked, "You may be able to hide behind your dagger, but she can't. She is going to die for what she did."

"Oh, come on." Gold scoffed. "We both know killing her will cost you the thing you want most, Henry. Not to mention it would break your own sister's heart. Why don't you just give up this obsession with vengeance? You know it can never make you happy."

"Yes, it will."

"You had a whole Curse worth of vengeance, and what did it get you? A gaping hole in your heart."

"That was your curse."

"Which you cast. Still haven't learned your lesson, have you?"

"What lesson?"

"The same one your mother learned a long time ago. You can't have everything. She wanted power, ripped out her own heart to get it. You want vengeance? Henry and Hadley are the prices you'll pay. Time to cut your losses."

"I don't care about much right now." I muttered, turning my eyes to the casket, "Mary Margaret is the reason my Mother is dead, she isn't my family, Regina is. I don't care what she does as long as the two of us can stay together."

"I will not stop." Regina said, shaking her head. "I will have my son, and I will have my vengeance. I will find a way to have everything." Gold then limped away. Regina and I stood in silence for a little while.

"I'm gonna go walk around Storybrooke." I said to her, my eyes still not leaving the casket, "I'm gonna grab a book from the library, get some fresh air before I head back to the house."

"You're not gonna go back to the loft?" Regina wondered. I shook my head, finally letting my eyes focus on her.

"I can't. They for sure know that I'm with you and I don't want to deal with them." I went to leave before pausing. "Gina." I pulled out a worn photo from the inside of my coat pocket. It was an old polaroid photo of me and mother from the Isle. It was from when I was very young, I think around maybe ten at the time, Evie and I were banished so managing to find a working camera was a blessing. "This was taken on my tenth birthday." I explained softly, showing her the picture, "I have a couple more photos, but I left them back in my home realm." Regina took the photo gently. "I want you to have it."

"A-are you sure you don't want it?" I shook my head.

"We were raised by two different women, I just wanted you to know that the woman I grew up with talked very highly of you. She always told me stories of my big sister who's magic was unparalleled. She was strong-willed, determined. I would always ask about you because, in Auradon, we only know the stories of the original Disney tales, and there is no mention of the Queen of Hearts having a child. After receiving my Storybook it all made sense. I love you, Regina, I hope you know that Mother loved you too." I kissed Regina's cheek before leaving the Mausoleum.