Work Text:
They were back from the nightmare that was Isaac’s story. Regina had woken on the middle of the street, free of the injury that had bled her to her near death; but there was a wound that still remained. One that had been broke open since before the Author messed with her story.
As she and Henry waited for Robin Hood to come join them at the table in Granny’s, excited to begin a new chapter of their own, she was quickly reminded of the uncomfortable truth that was her sister’s pregnancy with him. Robin’s first thing to ask her had been “How is she, and the baby?” to which Regina had to respond ”They’re fine. Zelena’s in prison… and still very much pregnant.” With a deep sigh, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down at his hand holding hers.
Had she made the right choice by resuming their relationship? Why did she still feel so empty, if he was with her now? Henry noticed the expression in his mother’s face and felt that maybe Robin Hood wasn’t as good as he believed him from the fairytales. He took another look at the man across from them and noticed he seemed to be very calm, in contrast, like everything was quite fine. It wasn’t.
He should be able to feel Regina’s struggle. Couldn’t he read from the saddened expression in his mom’s face, that Regina was unhappy? Henry wondered, and when he felt eyes on him—on them—he turned to look in direction of the stare. Emma’s; cold and hard over Robin, but it softened when she felt her son’s gaze and their eyes locked briefly, giving small smiles to each other. She knew. She could feel Regina’s conflicting emotions, even from such a distance—Henry understood.
Emma was at a table in the front corner of the dinner, sharing supper with her parents and with Hook. She didn’t look completely happy either. She had appeared content before her eyes came to rest upon the sight of Regina, Robin, Roland, and him together as a family unit, from which she wasn’t part of.
Henry spent the following two weeks with his adopted mother, passing the weekends with Emma, but not when it came to hanging out with Hook as well. For some reason, he had felt more comfortable hanging out with Regina and Robin in the beginning, before the Marian problem happened, but not with Emma and the pirate, whom Henry remembered had been nasty to them when he was Cora’s minion and later sided with Greg and Tamara. Well, nowadays he didn’t feel like being with either party, finding Robin more dull as the days passed by, and Hook more full of lies than truths when he started babbling about life in the open sea and the terrors underwater. He was a show-off trying to win him over just so he made points with his birthmother.
But Henry wasn’t the only one to notice something was wrong in the seemingly happy family that was the Hood-Mills, and was thankful that her mother hadn’t invited the outlaw to live with them yet. He actually was dreading the idea and hoped the day never came.
Maleficent showed up in Regina’s office that Friday night. She went to see Regina to talk about Lily, just before the Mayor headed out. Poor Mal was still having difficulty approaching her adult daughter and wanted to ask Regina how she’d been able to earn her son’s affection, but noticed her old friend had her own burdens she wasn’t speaking of. It was quite easy for Mal to tell, given their history.
“She’s trying, but she can’t quite open yet to me, Regina. Not fully. She’s almost like… you. As of late.”
“What? What do you mean, Maleficent?” Regina tightened her grip on the glass of cider she was drinking, but slowly put it down on the coffee table and stiffened her posture.
“We had a good night, few weeks ago, didn’t we?” Maleficent asked her with a smile that wasn’t mocking. She looked almost apologetic, actually.
“We did…” Regina swallowed nervously. “Did you actually come because you want to—“
“No. I know when you’re in the mood,” Maleficent offered a cheeky grin this time, “tonight you’re not.”
“So… is this about Lily, or is this about us?” Regina was growing uneasy.
“Regina, my dear friend… I care about you, despite, well, circumstances. And I can tell you’re hiding something that is eating you from inside.”
Regina locked gaze with Maleficent and felt her eyes sting hot with tears; a knot formed in her throat and her lips parted lightly, but only a strangled sound came from her mouth. “I… I just,” Regina couldn’t come up with words. She was also confused about what she felt.
“I thought I’d never see that face again; the one saddened face you’d always have when talking about him,” Maleficent commented.
“Him?” Regina was puzzled for a moment.
“The King. You were always upset about having to go back to his castle. I thought I would never see that scowl again on your pretty face after you were ridded of that pig. Until now… You seem just as sad as the day I met you, my little Queen.”
“It’s… this baby my wicked sister is carrying; it gets to me. I can’t just cope with it the way Robin seems to be taking it. He just… it looks like—“
“He moved on,” Maleficent completed for her. “But you didn’t, and here you are.”
“How could he—she was already pregnant when they left town! That means they were together before he and I got together the first time. I don’t know how to feel about that.”
“Morals don’t suit you, Regina,” Maleficent took another sip from her glass. Regina glared at her. “Even if you give me that look. Sex does not equal love, or you wouldn’t have slept with me one month ago.”
“Our relationship is different, Mal.”
“Is it? Tell me… How come you’ve never slept with the Savior?” Maleficent was forward with her question, looking daringly into Regina’s eyes.
Had Regina been drinking her cider she would’ve choked on it for sure. “What kind of ridiculous question is that? How is Emma now figuring in this conversation about me, Robin, and you?”
“It’s just a simple question, dear, answer it simply.” Maleficent smirked.
“I think we’ve had enough bonding for a night. I’m tired and I need to go home,” Regina averted her eyes, angrily, but she was also blushing.
Maleficent rose from her seat and walked over to Regina’s armchair, leaned down and tilted up Regina’s face gently by the chin. She studied her features and Regina just looked at her with nervousness as she read her.
“You done yet?” Regina chipped.
“You’re in love, Regina, but it’s not with the man with the lion tattoo.”
Maleficent pressed her lips on Regina’s forehead and then straightened her position again. Regina was baffled, like it all made sense but at the same time, how could it? She was fated to be with her soulmate; she had to overcome the obstacles presented to them… Right? She looked at Maleficent with eyes that begged for her former Mistress to tell her what to do.
“I think I will do as you suggested and pay a visit to the cricket. Have a good night, Regina, and don’t be a stranger.”
Maleficent vanished in a swirl of black smoke and Regina was left to think about what her good friend and seldom lover was implying.