"He's been missing all day," Regina Mills said frantic.
Sheriff Graham returned from searching the town and came back empty handed much to her heartbreak. Meanwhile, eighteen year old Elle Weston entered the room in an effort to calm Regina down.
"I can go out to search for him," she offered and Regina instantly rejected her suggestion.
"I do not need two children going missing," she scolded and Elle sighed in defeat.
It had been two years since she was found on the town line one stormy night. When she awoke with no recollection of her past, Regina offered to let her stay at the house with herself and Henry. Elle was more than thankful for Regina and in turn, Regina began to care for the girl as if she were her own daughter.
Elle fiddled with her locket as she looked out the window to the front of the house. She hid the fact that she knew Henry had left Storybrooke in search of his birth mother. In fact, she kept quiet when he used Mary Margaret Blanchard's credit card to use a track your brith mother website. She dreaded the day Regina would find out knowing they would both be in big trouble.
In the past two years, she saw Henry as a little brother. He believed everyone in Storybrooke was cursed by Regina and forgot who they truly were. Elle thought his idea to be preposterous, but perhaps he may be onto something. If what Henry said was true, maybe that was what happened to her.
A small smile crept onto her face as she turned her attention back to a panicking Regina.
"Check it out," the teenager said, "A yellow car just pulled up to the house."
Regina looked at Elle and joined her at the window. She quickly opened the front door running to Henry who stood there.
"Oh, are you okay?" She asked hugging the ten year old boy tightly, "Where have you been?"
A blonde women in a red leather jacket stood there with Henry and Elle watched the exchange from the doorway.
"I found my real mom," Henry bursted out running into the house.
"Henry-" Elle starts to say, but the boy grabbed her hand pulling her into the house.
"Come on," he exclaims, "There's so much I have to tell you."
They entered his room and Elle looked at Henry for a reason behind his behaviour.
"That is your birth mother?" She asked and he nodded his head.
"Her name is Emma Swan. She lived in Boston and drove me here."
"How did you get her to come with you?" She asked him.
"She threatened to call the cops on me," Henry said, "I told her in response that I would tell them she kidnapped me if she didn't take me back to Storybrooke."
"I wonder how Regina is taking all of this," Elle said worried peering out his bedroom window.
"She'll be fine. She's the evil queen," Henry said distant.
"Henry," Elle smiled softly at the boy ruffling his hair, "She's your mother."
"No," Henry said, "Emma is."
Elle rolled her eyes shaking her head.
"Is everything alright?" Graham asked popping his head into the room.
"Yes," Elle and Henry replied.
Graham gave a nod and left the room. Henry looked at Elle whispering, "She's the key to breaking the curse, I just know it."
"Would you like me to do a reconnaissance mission for you?" She asked with a smirk.
Henry nodded his head and Elle ruffled his hair one last time.
"Put some pyjamas on," the eighteen year old told him, "It's getting late."
Henry laughed as Elle left his room.
She heard Regina and Henry's birth mother, Emma downstairs in the dining room. As she got closer, she overheard them talking.
"How did he find me?" Emma asked.
"No idea. When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. The records were sealed and I was told the brith mother didn't want to have any contact."
Elle gasped and Regina spotted her hiding.
"Elena come out right this instant," Regina said and Elle bowed her head in shame revealing herself.
Emma looked at the teenager and Elle noticed her tough demeanour. Regina looked at Emma apologetically.
"I'm sorry about her," Regina said and turned her attention to Elle, "It is rude to eavesdrop."
"Sorry," Elle muttered eyeing the glass.
"Any chance I can have some?"
Regina pursed her lips at Elle's question. The teenager's hazel eyes grew bigger and Regina sighed knowing Elle would not leave until she had a glass of apple martini.
"Fine," Regina said finally, "But you are having it in here where I can see you."
Elle nodded her head as Regina poured her a glass. It was smaller than the amount in Emma's, but Elle did not complain. Regina rarely allowed her to drink considering she had only just turned eighteen. She sat on the couch while the two women spoke in quiet voices.
"Who is she?" Emma asked looking at Elle.
"She's my daughter," Regina said, "Also adopted. I assume you are not her brith mother either, am I correct?"
Emma nodded silently watching the teenager take a sip of apple martini. She then resumed her previous conversation about Henry."
"You were told right," Emma confirmed.
"And the father?" Regina asked.
"There was one," Emma said shifting uncomfortably.
"Do I need to be worried about him?" Regina asked.
"Nope," Emma answered, "He doesn't even know."
"Do I need to be worried about you Ms. Swan?" Regina asked handing Emma her glass.
"Absolutely not," Emma told her.
"Madame mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine," Graham said coming down the stairs.
He saw Elle sitting on the couch and was taken back, "I thought you were upstairs as well, Elle."
Elle gave him a goofy grin as Graham joined the group.
"Thank you, sheriff," Regina said to him grateful.
Graham gave a small nod and left the house for the night.
"I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him."
"Kid's having a rough time, it happens," Emma said walking into Regina's study.
Elle placed her glass on the counter and tried to eaves drop once again for Henry's sake.
"You have to understand, ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?"
That was Regina's voice. Her tone sounded curious, but Elle could sense the tension behind it.
"Uh, I keep busy, yeah," Emma replies casually.
"That's being a single mom for two, so I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose, but I do it for his own good and Elle's too. I want them both to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"
"I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairytale thing," Emma said.
"What fairytale thing?" Regina's confused voice asked.
"Oh, you know, his book," Emma says back to her, "How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket."
"I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about."
"You know what?" Emma sighs, "It's none of my business. He's your kid and I really should be heading back."
"Of course," Regina said and Elle heard the mayor stand and head to the door.
The girl bolted to the kitchen and tuned her head seeing the pair leave the study.
Emma left the house and as she did, Regina turned her attention to the nosy teenager.
"Elena Weston," Regina said sternly, "I want to talk to you."
Elle gulped nervously entering Regina's study. She took a seat where she assumed Emma once did and Regina sat in front of her.
"Did you know about Henry's brith mother?"
Elle shook her head unconvincingly and Regina sighed, "Elle, please do not lie to me. After all I've done to help you after finding you. I won't get mad if you tell me."
Elle looked at Regina with slight fear and the mayor took a sip of her drink.
"Henry was happy he found his birth mother," Elle mumbled with slight jealousy lacing her tone, "At least he's able to remember."
Regina sat beside the girl and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. They would do this on stormy nights as it reminded Elle of how she was found by Regina. Two years later and Elle feared her past was lost forever. Regina never told Elle, but she knew that is pained Elle to think of her past. She would sometimes hear the girl crying herself to sleep out of frustration of not knowing.
"Elle..." Regina says to the girl and Elle lifted her head to look at Regina.
"All I know is my name," Elle said tearfully, "And nothing else. Why was I all scratched up and beaten when you found me. What happened to me. Did my parents leave me alone to die? Did they not want me."
"Don't think that, Elle," Regina said holding the girl tighter, "I think fate brought you to me for a reason."
"You think so?" Elle sniffled.
"I believe so," Regina told her.
I believe, Elle thought to herself. Those two words sounded so familiar. Had she heard them be said before. Regina saw her alarmed look.
"Is everything okay, Elle?"
Elle nodded silently still thinking on those words.
"Yeah," she said, "I was just thinking about what you said."
Regina gave the girl a smile and checked the clock. It was nearing ten even though time moved slowly in the town.
"It is getting late," Regina told the girl, "You should be getting to bed, you have school tomorrow."
"Don't remind me," Elle sulked and left the study.
She headed to her room and laid down on the bed. After being found two years ago, Regina had put her in the guest bedroom and later it would become her own room in the house. She decorated her room with light grey covers and multiple throw pillows. She turned on her lamp showing the stars on the smooth ceiling. While it did not go with the theme of her room, it comforted her and Regina was more than willing to buy it for her.
Her mind still thought of Regina's words, I believe. She had heard them being said to her before and she did not know when. Letting out a deep breath, she managed to close her eyes and sleep.
"I cannot believe we made it," Elle gasped, "This place really did exist and it is beautiful. You were right."
"Of course I am, love," a green eyed boy replied, "I am always right, don't you know?"
Elle found herself scoffing, "I don't believe you about that."
The boy laughed helping her across some uneven rocks.
"Be careful," he teased, "You don't want to fall in now, do you."
She shook her head and let out a cry as she felt two hands push her in. She surfaced from the water and glared at the boy who pushed her in.
"I'm sorry," the boy laughed, "I could not help myself."
"Laugh it up, why don't you," Elle replied splashing the boy.
He lost his balance and fell into the water beside her. Elle laughed as he surfaced with a mad look on his face.
"Hey!" The boy said back to her and Elle shrugged.
"Payback sucks, does it not?"
Elle let out a cry as she started to swim away from the boy and he chased her laughing.
Elle woke up the next morning to someone entering her room. She checked the clock and it read seven in the morning. She was about to fall back to sleep when she heard Henry's voice.
"Wake up, Elle," Henry said.
Elle shifted in the bed facing the young boy.
"Henry?" She asked squinting tiredly, "Aren't you suppose to get ready to go to school?"
Henry shook his head, "I am not going."
Elle brought a hand to her head feeling hungover from the apple martini she drank last night.
"Your mom is going to kill you if you do not go," Elle frowned now fully awake.
"Don't worry about me," Henry said, "If Emma asks you, I'll be at my castle for the day."
Elle gave a silent nod as Henry left her room. An hour later, Regina popped her head in.
"Are you okay, Elle?" She asked and Elle nodded.
"Yeah, I think the apple martini was too much for me. Can I stay home?" She asked Regina.
Regina sighed, "Fine, just for today, but I expect you to go tomorrow. The school year is almost done."
Elle nodded her head and Regina left. When she was gone, Elle let out a sigh of relief. She thought of her dream. The boy with green eyes stood out to her for some reason. Could he be real? Was this a memory she was having? The girl smiled as her hazel eyes filled with an emotion that she hadn't felt until the yellow bug pulled in front of their house. It was hope.
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