Beane Odette - Reawakened - A Once Upon A Time Tale

— That’s just it, — she said. — I think he did. I think he would rather die than leave Storybrooke.

He nodded.

— Children like stability and structure. Change means no one’s going to be there to take care of them.

— I want to be there to take care of him, — she said. — But it’s easy to say it. Harder to do it.

— Let me ask you a question, — he said. — As this war between you and Regina rages on, who is really getting hurt?

She knew the answer; she didn’t need to say it out loud. How much of this could the kid take?

— But isn’t it good for him to be with me? — she asked.

— Emma, all personal feelings aside. And even professional feelings. I’m afraid you just don’t have a case for getting custody.

— I’m his mother.

— You are. So is Regina. And, well, the court’s gonna look at how he’s been doing since you came into his life.

— And he’s happier, isn’t he? — Emma said hopefully.

— Maybe, — he said. — But objectively? He’s skipped school. Stolen a credit card. Run away. Endangered himself. Repeatedly. So, in the eyes of the law…

— What about in your eyes? — she asked. — What do you think?

— You know, a while back I told you to engage him on his fantasy life, and perhaps… — He sighed. — Perhaps I was wrong. He’s been retreating further into it.

— So you think he’s better off with Regina, — she said.

— I didn’t say that.

— Do you think, — Emma asked, — that she would ever hurt him?

— No. Never, — Archie said. — Everyone else, sure. But not him. Her actions, right or wrong, have been defensive. I’m not judging here. But in many ways, Emma, your arrival woke a sleeping dragon.

She found it to be an odd choice of words.

— So tell me, — she said finally. — Honestly. Is Henry better off since I got here?

— I don’t think it’s a matter of being better off, — he said. — It’s a matter of this conflict needing to end. If you two are going to be in his life, you have to figure out the best way to do that. Plain and simple.

Yup, Emma thought. Plain and simple.

— Okay, — she said. — Thanks, Doc. — She slid out of the booth.

— Are you all right? — he asked her. — You look like you’re in pain.

— Not me, — she said. — Just my conscience.

She left the diner in a daze, oppressed by her own emotions. What had she done to Henry? What had she done? It all seemed so cocksure now, so bold and reckless. This was a boy, her son, who did not have the capacity to navigate this much conflict and change, and here she was, just inserting herself into his world. It turned out that she was the dragon of the past. In this case, she was the Evil Queen.

She stepped off the curb, transfixed by this horrible thought, and was almost run over by a pickup truck. It honked and hit the brakes, and Emma stumbled backward, still in a daze.

— Emma! — she heard from across the street. Mary Margaret was running toward her. — Are you okay?

Emma looked at her and nodded.

— I’m so sorry, — came another voice — the driver of the truck. — I didn’t see you!

Emma looked in his direction. It was David. Perfect.

— Are you okay? — he echoed, rushing up to her.

— It’s fine, — Emma said, snapping herself out of it. — I wasn’t looking. I’m totally fine.

She felt David and Mary Margaret flanking her on either side. David put an arm around her.

— We’ll take you to the hospital, — he said. — You’re not well.

— Does anything hurt? — said Mary Margaret.

— Guys. No. Seriously. — She shucked them off. — I'm okay.

She stormed away. She had to find Regina.

King George’s castle was theirs. King George himself was locked in the dungeon, and Snow, Granny, Red, Jiminy, and the dwarfs were together in George’s war room, planning their next step. That’s what they thought they were doing, at least — Snow didn’t need a plan. She knew her next move. She was going to meet with the Evil Queen, unarmed, and end this conflict once and for all.

Of course her companions didn’t want her to do it.

— You’re too noble for your own good, — Red said, watching Snow remove every hidden weapon and piece of armor from her body.

— I’m not. But enough of you have risked your lives because of something that’s between the Queen and me. I won’t let anyone else get hurt because of me, — said Snow. — I’m not asking I thank you all for your support, and I love each and every one of you. But this is something I have to do. Alone.

She pushed past the dwarfs, looked back at her friends once more, and smiled. They were her family. They were strong. They believed in her. She loved them.

— I don’t trust the Queen, — said Red.

— I know, — said Snow. — Neither do I.

She smiled one last smile and walked out the door.

It was not a long trip. Snow left at dawn, and an hour before dusk, she was approaching the estate where Regina had grown up, and where Snow had spent so much time as a little girl. So much had happened since those days! And she was here again. So much stronger than she had ever been. So much more in possession of herself. Even after her father had died — after Regina had killed her father — Snow White had been unable to see the forest for the trees and had been too scared and too intimidated by the size of the world to push back against it, to demand justice, to unseat Regina when she deserved to be unseated. Right then and there. In a strange twist of fate, it had taken all of this — her time alone as a bandit, her friendship with Red and the dwarfs, and her love for Charming — for her to really come into herself. For her to be able to confront the Queen now. Funny how things tended to work out.

She tied her horse at the front of the estate and went on foot to the stables, where she knew Regina would be waiting for her.

And she was. Snow saw her on the top of the hill, watching as Snow approached. Snow walked resolutely, her head up, her eyes locked on Regina’s.

— Hello, Regina, — she said once she’d reached her.

Regina looked down the hill.

— Do you remember when I ran down your runaway horse? — she asked. — Do you remember when I saved your life?

— Of course, — said Snow. — It all looks the same.

— Not quite, — Regina said. — This is new.

Snow looked to where Regina was pointing — a mound of grass with a simple marker. She realized what it was.

— A grave? — she asked.

— A grave, — Regina repeated. — Daniel’s grave.

— Daniel? — Snow asked, suddenly realizing the true extent of what she had done as a child. — I thought he ran away.

— Ran away? I told you that to spare your feelings. Out of… kindness, — Regina spat. — But he died. Because of you.

Years. It had been years that she’d assumed that Daniel was somewhere safe. This changed everything.

— I’m… so sorry, — Snow said. — I was very young, and your mother…

— …ripped his heart out in front of me. Because of you. Because you couldn’t keep a secret.

— And you, — said Snow, — killed my father, and took him from me. Haven’t we both suffered enough?

— No, — said the Queen.

The word hung in the air between the two women. After a moment, then, Regina withdrew a red apple from a black satchel.

— Did you know that apples stand for health and wisdom? — she said, admiring it.

Snow did not like the look of the apple. Not one bit.

— Why do I think it would kill me if I ate it? — Snow said warily.