Three Days Earlier: Storybrooke
"Ugh, why?" Regina groans out loud in disgust, knowing damn well not a soul can hear her screams from inside her vault.
She clenches the old, wooden table before her, hanging her head in shame and closing her eyes as she berates herself once more.
Why do I always do this to myself? I always sit back and grant my happy ending permission to pass me by. I simply stepped aside and allowed her to leave two years ago with that insufferable man. I let her marry that damn pirate.
Her frustration is festering deep inside, it has been since the day she watched that yellow bug drive away and she just needs to release some of the pent up anger raging inside before she explodes. Before her brain can register what she is doing, her hands are sliding across the table, knocking everything down along her path. Glass shatters hazardously, liquid is spilling and crawling across the stone floor while her magical books hit the ground with a heavy thump.
She presses her palms firmly against her eyelids in a lame attempt to gain back some of her control. She inhales three long and steady breaths, urging the Queen inside to sit back down. Once she releases her clenched fists, she slowly opens her eyes again, immediately noticing a blinding light, flashing across the room.
Very slowly, she makes her way to the other side of her vault, ignoring the mess she created from her toddler tantrum. As she stalks closer toward the illuminating light, she discovers a tall, full length mirror with a gold frame decorating the edges. Something about the mirror feels familiar, yet she knows in her gut she has never owned a mirror quite like this one before. She studies the intricate detail in the gold, but she just cannot put her finger on where she has seen the mirror before.
She carefully steps closer, cautious, timid, yet uncontrollable, as if the mirror is drawing her in. She can feel this urge, as though she is being magnetically pulled closer toward the glass. When she is only an inch from the mirror, she observes how the glass isn't holding her reflection. Reflexively, her hand rises, her quivering fingertips reaching out because she can feel this need to touch. Suddenly, the glass ripples like it's truly made up of water instead.
She squints at the mirror, nibbling mindlessly on her lower lip, knowing she has seen this happen before, but where? Then it hits her like a bucket of ice being dumped over her head, forcing her blood to run cold. She shivers involuntary, knowing exactly where this damn mirror is from.
Her right foot instinctively steps back, but it's too late. The glass before her materializes into a thick liquid as it pours from the frame. Her mouth pops open, but no words escape her and she knows in the back of her mind, nobody will ever hear her cries for help. The magical liquid wraps around her body, squeezing the breath straight from her lungs and immobilizing her before it pulls her through the mirror and everything around her fades to black.
~~~~~~~
Present Day: Storybrooke
"Whoa kid, seriously, you need to stop growing. Shouldn't you be done by now?" Emma jokes, pulling back from her son's embrace, so she can take a better look at the young man before her.
Her son is now taller than her, with wide shoulders and a slight stubble upon his chin and it's utterly demoralizing. She feels so small in comparison to him now, especially when he hugs her and she can feel his entire body enveloping her. His arms have definitely filled out and she can't help but wonder if he's been working out while he's been away at college, maybe to impress some girl?
Henry breathes out a small chuckle as he stuffs his hands into his pockets, embarrassed by her comment. She takes an extra moment to study him, admiring how he somehow has become the perfect combination of herself, Neal and Regina.
Her thoughts are quite literally tossed from her mind when her mom and dad jerk her into an overbearing hug that knocks the wind right out of her. And she hardly recovers before her little brother, is barreling into her legs. Who is clearly not so little anymore.
How is he seven?
"It's been awhile, Emma," and by her mother's tone alone, she knows she's about to be scolded, even though she's well into her thirties, "what has you so busy in Boston, that you can't possibly visit your family anymore?" Snow chastises, folding her arms firmly across her chest and narrowing those forest green eyes for intimidation, but it's never worked on Emma, she was far too old when they finally entered her life.
So, she rolls her eyes in a joking manner because even though their scoldings may have never worked on her, she honestly loves the sentiment behind it and it always melts her heart. It's a simple action that proves that her mother does care.
"I'm sorry, mom. You're right, I'll try and make more of an effort to visit more frequently," she promises, earning herself a nod of approval from her mother in return. Snow has always been a huge softy when it comes to her and usually caves pretty easily. "So...when was the last time everyone saw or spoke to Regina?" She questions, skipping right to the point, eager to solve this mystery and head back home.
"I believe four days ago," David begins to respond before his wife is quickly interrupting him.
"I spoke to her three days ago and I tried contacting her every day since," Snow claims, pressing a hand to her chest as if she's physically trying to calm down her erratic heart.
"That's the same with me," Henry adds on, appearing laser-focused, and she has to smile at how mature he is and concerned for Regina.
"Okay and where have you guys checked?" She investigates further, wondering if maybe they were too anxious and skipped somewhere of importance.
"Where haven't we checked, ma? Seriously. We've looked everywhere in this town," Henry deadpans, his facing morphing into the spitting image of the mayor when she's annoyed by someone's stupidity.
"Alright, well I'm going to check everywhere again. Maybe you missed a clue, kid. I'll be back later. I'll make sure to keep my phone on if anyone needs me," she explains, strutting confidently toward the door, because now that she's been working as a bail bonds person again, she has no worries about searching for Regina in this pocket-sized town.
"Oh, you're not going alone," Snow strictly commands, prompting Emma to pivot on her heels.
"I'll be fine. Killian, I want you to stay with Henry and my parents."
Her mother vehemently shakes her head, plucking her coat from the rack. "I'm going with you and there's nothing you can say to stop me," and she's right, there is nothing Emma can say because Snow is already out the door.
~~~~~~
The very first place Emma and Snow check is Regina's office. And Emma goes over every detail, with a fine-tooth comb, ruling out that there weren't any signs of forced entry. She even checks the mayor's security system, noting that all the correct codes had been entered, however the last entry was from three days ago.
Emma proceeds to check Regina's desk, searching for any phone taps or anything out of the ordinary, but again, she comes up empty handed. She ransacks the woman's desk drawer while her mother is checking cabinets on the other side of the room, and that's when she discovers a beige folder. She discreetly pulls it out, hoping it might be a clue, only to find information on Henry's school. There are some sheets with tuition information and receipts, along with the amount they had agreed to split next semester. Emma quirks up an eyebrow, because the amount they agreed to split, isn't exactly splitting. According to the documents, Regina is paying about seventy-five percent of their son's tuition. Why the hell would Regina lie to her about the amount? She blinks away her thoughts, closes the folder and stuffs it back where she found it.
She stops for a moment after she closes the drawer, thinking back to her last conversation with Regina, which regarded Henry's tuition. Unexpectedly, a warm liquid pricks her eyes, and all too quickly, she is realizing how serious the situation truly is. She swallows hard, desperately trying to fight back the tears of worry and continues on with her search.
"Let's go mom, there's nothing here," she sadly announces.
~~~~~
Next, the mother and daughter detectives, head to Regina's mansion. As they walk the beaten path leading to the mayor's mansion, a wave of nausea attacks Emma's entire body and she staggers. It's a path she has walked a thousand times before, but always took for granted. And now, as she stands in front of the towering white mansion, all she hears over and over again in her damn head is, "You're Henry's birth mother," from the very first time she met Regina.
She really doesn't know what the hell she would do if she lost that sassy woman.
Her thoughts are quickly swept away though when she feels the thick buzz of magic, radiating off the mansion as they approach. She hasn't used her magic in the two years she has been away, but she can tell that Regina has placed a protection spell around her house. Emma inhales sharply, her eyes fluttering closed to focus as she summons the magic deep within to float freely through her veins. She feels the warmth of the magic spreading and tingling in her fingertips, begging to be used once again. She tentatively waves her hand over the lock, and peeks one eye open when she hears the door click open.
"Looks like she trusts you..." her mom smugly announces with a corky little smirk.
Emma shrugs nervously, because she hates the way her cheeks feel like they are on fire. Is she blushing? Why the hell would she blush about something like that? She shakes away the insecurities and steps inside the house.
The first thing she instantly notices, are all the new pictures that are scattered throughout the house. Regina never had pictures around the mansion, in all the times Emma has ever visited. Now the house feels so warm and inviting, seeing all those familiar faces smiling back at her. It feels like a home. There are pictures of Snow and David with Neal, Zelena with Regina and baby Robin, and even pictures of Regina and Snow together. But what really catches Emma's eye, are how many pictures there are of her, Regina and Henry together. Her heart actually hurts seeing all of them together again and it produces a frown upon her sad face, that she doesn't even realize she's making.
"Emma? Are you okay?" Her mother gently asks, placing her hand upon her leather clad shoulder for comfort.
"Yeah. I just...I never saw all these pictures before."
"Oh yes, Regina put them up...maybe two years ago?" Snow casually informs her before she drifts away to inspect the home, leaving Emma alone to drown in too many questions.
So, that means Regina put those pictures up when she left Storybrooke, but why though?
She shrugs off the questions, she can worry about it all another time and wanders upstairs to investigate further. Snow notices Emma heading upstairs, so she's quick to catch up and follow her into Regina's room.
Everything is obnoxiously clean and organized, not one thing left out, the damn room might as well be a show room for a furniture store. Emma can't even remember if she made the bed before her and Killian left that morning.
She rolls her eyes and strolls over to Regina's bed, recklessly slumping down on the comfy mattress. Her green eyes immediately land upon a picture frame on the nightstand next to Regina's bed. Without a second thought, she leans over and snatches it right up, resting her elbow on the pillow. Her fingers trail across the silver frame with baby footprints imprinted all around it, while her eyes admire the picture inside of Regina cradling Henry as a newborn.
Her eyes instantly fill with tears and she's becoming frustrated with these stupid emotions springing up on her so unexpectedly. Why is she feeling so much? Regina is a strong, independent woman and she should have nothing to worry about. The former Queen can easily take care of herself. So, she inhales sharply to regain some control, breathing in a strong aroma of apples. All of this is becoming too much for her and a lonely tear dribbles down her cheek.
"You know, she cares very deeply for you," she unexpectedly hears her mother whisper. That's when she feels the bed dip and Snow's warm body next to hers. Her mother places her chin upon her shoulder and whispers, "I remember when Henry was that age and all he did was cry. He drove Regina insane."
Emma's lips subconsciously twist to ward off the overwhelming emotions, threatening to spill down her cheeks. She still feels a gut wrenching amount of guilt knowing she gave Henry up for adoption, even though it does give her some kind of comfort, knowing her mother was there to watch Henry grow up. She suddenly feels her mom's small finger pushing her chin and urging her to meet her gaze.
"I mean it, Emma, Regina cares about you, a lot."
She offers a weak smile and nods along, even if the expression is absolutely pathetic.
"I know mom, we share a son."
"No, it's not just that. There's something special about you two. When you and Regina are together, everyone can tell how much you care for one another. I can almost feel the connection you two share. It's something that can't be broken," she confesses while Emma nods politely, anxiously chewing the inside of her lip. "We shouldn't have tried," her mother mutters under her breath.
Emma blinks back at her mother, utterly confused by what the hell she just said, but she decides to drop it. She chalks it up to that they are both emotional and Snow's obviously not thinking clearly.
"Come on, mom, we have a lot more stuff to look through," she sadly states, gently setting the picture frame back down on Regina's nightstand.
And yet again, they come up empty handed at the mansion, so they venture on to Regina's vault.
~~~~~~
As they trudge closer through the graveyard, Emma shivers involuntarily because she can almost feel Regina's presence ghosting over her. There's an eerie chill in the evening air, causing Emma's heart to pump nervously in her chest. She feels this urge, this need to be in the comfort and security of Regina's vault. She quickly checks for a protection spell but feels absolutely nothing. So, she shoves the heavy door open and leads the way down the cold, stone stairway into Regina's vault.
Immediately, Emma discovers the mess of broken glass and thrown books scattered about and wonders why Henry neglected to tell her this bit of information?
Emma and Snow search everywhere, trying to find some sort of clue as to what had happened; if there was maybe some sort of struggle, but there is no evidence. Yet again. The vault doesn't appear as though anything was taken, but how the hell could she possibly know with all the weird shit Regina keeps locked away down there. She doesn't see any signs of struggle, no blood, no hair, nothing out of the ordinary and she groans out loud in frustration.
"Emma, let's go home, get some rest and start fresh tomorrow. You had a long day driving here and I'm sure you're starving," her mother gently recommends, knowing her daughter is probably at her wits' end.
"You're right, lets go," she confesses in defeat.
She takes one last gander around the room, exhaling her stress as her mom makes her way toward the stairs. She reluctantly carries her heavy feet along, shaking her head from not finding one single clue.
Before she takes her first step up the staircase, she sees a flash of light out of the corner of her eye. She quickly turns back around to investigate, but the further she steps away from the stairs, the more she realizes that her mind is probably playing tricks on her because there are no signs of light anywhere to be found. So, she turns back around and darts up the stairs to catch up with her mom.
A/N: Thank you so much for checking out this story. I'm not entirely sure what the update schedule will look like, usually when I post I add one chapter a day for my new stories, but this one is pretty old. I'm rewriting it, adding chapters and extending scenes, so my goal is two-three chapters a week. Thanks again for all the lovely support!