Chapter 20: Time Out
Regina couldn't help but smirk as she saw Charming's face drop when she told him her latest version of Regina History. Having Mary Margret's so called botched aborted fetus be sired by Daniel Mills had been the perfect thing to add to his back story. And so fitting too, in a delicious ironic way, since he was really living with his child's murderer. It really was worth the use of precious magic.
You would think that the guilt would've gotten to Regina at this point. She was a baby murderer after all. But nope, she didn't think one day about that baby. Honestly, forgot the name as well. Emily, Jenna, Jemma, something like that. Not that she cared, Snow had terrible taste in names and because of Regina she'd never, ever, have a child even if the curse somehow was broken which was impossible since Regina killed that baby.
"I would've remembered," Charming said. "When she told me about the abortion. She would've told me."
"I highly doubt that," Regina said.
"You didn't see her." Charming said.
Regina wished she had access to his heart at this point; she was at the point of just squeezing it and telling him not to bother with the harpy that was Mary Margret. At this point, she wanted just to give him a bumbling dope personality, if he kept pushing it she would. Though, she had to give him enough brains to pass as a legitimate architect and someone smart enough that she would marry since Regina didn't screw complete morons.
But this was Charming.
Regina just shook her head, "I know Mary Margret. Trust me, I know what she told you about being at a party and not remembering what she did and thinking that murdering her baby was her only option."
He glared at her, "She was a kid."
"It was your fucking child, Daniel." Regina hissed. "I know you, I know what pain you went to because of Mary Margret. It about killed you."
Looking at his face, she could tell it still got to him.
"Was it a one time fling?"
She laughed. "To her, probably. But not to you—though honestly, I never really cared much about your relationship with her when you and I got together. All I know is you were hurt, and I can't forgive her for that. In a way, I am glad she lost her ability to have children. Someone like that should never be a mother."
And it was thanks to Regina that Mary Margret would never have children.
He frowned, "I—"
"Daniel," She said.
"It still doesn't explain a lot." He said.
Regina knew it didn't. While telling him about the abortion had been one thing, it didn't exactly help improve his opinion of her. Obviously, he thought she was a monster for locking Henry up.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Regina said.
"Jaime Potter." He said, "You violated a court order and locked the boy in his room alone, despite him being claustrophobic. That is child abuse, Regina. I don't think that I can—"
"You don't think what," Regina said.
"That I can be married to someone like that."
"Well, you are." Regina hissed.
He shook his head and took off the ring that Regina forgot she "gave" him. It was a plain gold band. Clearly expensive, but simple. Regina had given no time thinking about her marriage when she created the curse. However, her engagement ring from "Daniel" was another story.
"This is ridiculous, Daniel."
"No," He said.
"When you remember."
"No," He said. "I saw all I needed to see last night."
Regina shook her head as he walked away, knowing that whenever she got released from jail she was going to make sure Charming had a change of heart even if he turned into a giant boob of a husband.
Graham came seconds later and said she was ready to be released from the hospital. There was something different about her toy that Regina couldn't pinpoint. Then again, it might be because she was being arrested.
"Is this really necessary, Graham." She said as he made her take a mugshot.
"I have no say in the matters," He said. "You violated a court order, Regina."
"The charges will be dropped soon enough," She snapped.
"I doubt it, since Rumford Gold is the one pursing the case. Might I remind you how ruthless that man is, not to mention how much he hates your guts?"
"Rumford is nothing," She hissed.
As she was fingerprinted, she thought of her brief encounter with Rumple on the phone yesterday. She could've sworn she also talked to him last night, though her recollections were murky at best. For some reason, she was pretty sure he didn't remember who she really was.
At least she hoped he didn't realize who she was.
"Are you sure of that, dearie."
Speak of the devil, there was Rumpelstiltskin looking relatively normal for him. Well, at least he was no longer sparkly. Instead, he almost looked ordinary. In this world, he was a thin man of average height wearing an elegant suit. His wild hair was somehow styled perfectly with dignified wisps of gray here and there.
"What are you doing here, Gold?" Graham said sighing in disgust.
"Just checking to make sure if you locked up Ms. Mills for violating a court order. You know if you didn't, I'd have to get that suite started against you."
"Yes, I know." Graham said sounding disgusted.
"Also, don't you have places to be."
"I do actually," Graham said. "I just let Ms. Mills in her cell."
"Oh, please don't make me share a cell with that mouse." Regina hissed.
"That mouse was released," Gold said.
"What," Regina hissed. "That's ridiculous. She broke my nose."
"Be that as it may Ms—"
"Granger," Gold finished.
"Yes, Ms. Granger has diplomatic immunity. I couldn't charge her with anything, Regina."
"In fact, I'm pretty sure she'll be getting a medal in her home country." Gold snapped.
"Can you get him out of here?" Regina asked Graham the last thing she wanted to do was deal with Gold. She was already trying to figure out how to get estranged husband to fall back in line, the aftereffects of the drugs that she had caused her to have quite the hangover, plus her nose really hurt.
"Afraid I can't do that," Graham said. "It is a public place."
"Your smarter than you look, Graham Cracker."
"Please, don't call me Graham Cracker. Regina, I'm going to leave you two alone I have—uh a meeting to get too."
"Meeting?" Regina asked.
But Graham was already gone, leaving Regina alone with Gold.
"What do you want?" She finally hissed as she tried to figure out just how much he knew.
"I'm here to offer a deal."
"Piss off," Regina said.
"I went to Glass since he's your attorney on record, but he said he is relieving himself of his services since you decided to ignore his advice about the court order."
"Oh, did he." Regina snapped. "I knew he lacked balls."
Gold ignored her as he pulled out a thick document. "I think you'll find these terms quite amendable. You sign away any claim you have to the child, and you can go free and I won't sue you and all you merry little band of minions can live happily ever after not having to worry about being charged criminally or civilly for violating a court order and committing child abuse."
"Go to hell," Regina snapped as she grabbed the papers and started tearing them up one by one and throwing the remains at Rumple.
He rolled his eyes, they were a different color here in this realm, Regina noted. Brown with golden and green flecks. "Don't worry, that's not my only copy. I'd think about asking me for another agreement to sign because if you don't. I'll bury you Regina. Believe me, after what you did I will relish making your life a living hell."
"What are you talking about?" She asked, "I didn't do anything to you."
"Really," He said. "Really, is that what you're going to say?"
She frowned, wondering for a moment if he knew the truth. For years, she had nightmares about how he'd react if he had somehow survived until she tested the theory with his maid. She remembered one such dream:
Regina was having her happily ever after. There she was in her throne room, with Snow White and Charming's heads on display for anyone to see what happens when they crossed her. Next to her was her Daniel.
Yes, the real Daniel.
Somehow in this fantasy sequence, Regina had made her lover alive again. Replaced, that destroyed heart. It was her ultimate goal to somehow find a way to wake up her true love again, yet it wasn't something she had succeeded at yet.
But in her fantasy, her Daniel was alive and well as the queen's consort. Of course, the versions that Regina conjured of dream Daniel were never quite like the real thing. But always, when she dreamed of him, the queen got caught up in the illusion. She could almost see her true love's face colored with life again. She could almost feel his feather light hair, almost taste his kiss.
Of course, there would always be something that would eventually ruin the illusion. Like some sycophant would call and ask for some idiotic advice not following protocol—don't do it unless Regina sanctioned it.
That time though, Regina's fantasy didn't end with a minion wanting to know something idiotic. Rather, the fantasy was interrupted by a dark pool of red smoke coming into her bedroom and the sound of shrill laughter feeling the room and she tried to move but found she couldn't.
And things got worse as Daniel was taken from her and she found the imp appearing as he grabbed Daniel's heart again.
She tried to speak, tried to speak but couldn't. She was just as powerless, if not more powerless than she had been when her mother had killed Daniel in front of her.
"Poor, Regina." The imp said his attention turning towards her. He looked particular malevolent in this fantasy. She had only seen him look at her with such hatred one other time, and that was when she tried to use the little maid against him. "Did you really think you could get your happily ever after?"
As he said this he squeezed Daniel's heart that had somehow been placed inside his body and as it turned into dust Regina suddenly found her ability to scream.
Rumple smirked, "A life for a life, Regina. Surely, you didn't think you'd kill me without any consequences."
"You're dead. You're dead." Regina said. "You can't do this to us again."
And he was dead, or so she thought. She had made sure of it, she had done that little test with his maid and he hadn't appeared. At least until now. She really wondered how he managed stay alive and so many others like Daniel didn't.
"Well, dearie, if you have nothing else to say I'm going leave. Think about the document."
"Wait," Regina said before he turned to leave. "Are you still upset about What's-Her-Face?"
"You mean, Lacey's accident." He said. "Of course, Regina, what else would I be mad at you about besides destroying my life that day?"
She glared at him, "She was just a gold digger, Gold. There was no way she could really love you. Not with the monster you are. Surely, you know that by now."
"Think about the documents, Regina."
"It still hurts, doesn't it?" She baited, hoping that somehow she could catch him off guard. He had always been picky about that little maid, she remembered the tantrum he had thrown in the past over her. The tantrum that had tried to use to destroy him.
"Of course it hurts, she was my wife." He hissed.
"Oh yes, married for what—two weeks? At least you got to touch her." Regina said knowing that Rumple in fact had never gone beyond first base with the maid. "That has to be something, doesn't it? To have that experience, it would've been such a shame if you never got to express your feelings with each other."
He didn't even blink. Rather, he turned to her pulled out another set of documents. "Please, just sign the documents."
She glared at him, but she couldn't help but find herself scribble her name on the documents. When she was done and handed them back to her nemesis she gasped.
"What?" He asked.
"You forced me to do that." She snapped. "With your stupid little cause, I should've…those documents won't hold in court."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Regina. You just signed those documents on your own free will, and to be honest it was the best decision for all of us."
"This isn't over," She snapped. "That boy is my son."
"The documentation you just signed and law state otherwise," Rumple said. "Once the judge signs off on the settlement I'll get the charges dropped. Until then, enjoy jail till your bail hearing."
All Regina could do was fume.
Most of her time in jail had been spent trying to figure out if Rumple knew or not, she kept telling herself he'd kill her if he knew and he wouldn't be so willing to help the Potters or for that matter not react when she goaded him about Belle. Surely, he would've cracked.
She couldn't believe that based on what Rumple said she had just given up her rights to Henry. It was true she disliked the boy, but he was her son not Emma or Harry Potter's. She had been the one who had to change every disgusting diaper, who had to deal with the brat on the daily basis. She didn't get why they wanted the brat back, but they weren't going to succeed. She didn't care what that paper she signed just said, besides she had her leverage.
Leverage that was in the basement of Storybrooke General, Rumple surely still cared about her. Even though he might've been Rumford Gold now, she vaguely remember writing their back-story where they were head over heels with each other in love. It was good leverage, but she would have to figure just how to play this.
"Regina?"
She turned up Graham was back and there was just something off about him, the way he was looking at her—Regina didn't like it. Then again, he wasn't supposed to be her go to fuck bunny anymore. At least not right now, he was supposed to get into Emma Swan's pants. She wondered how that was going.
"Bad day," She said. "Because I can tell you, I feel the feeling."
He shook his head. "I can't deal with this now, Regina."
"Deal with what?" She asked.
"You." He said.
"Graham?" Regina said shocked he hadn't talked to her this way in a long time. "Remember who you're talking to."
"Oh, I know who I'm talking to." He snapped, "And I'm starting to wonder if I ever knew you."
This made Regina's blood boil. "Don't be ridiculous," She snapped. "You know me better than most people."
"I know your body," Graham said. "But I don't know you. Really, Regina, was it that difficult to listen to a court order?"
"He's my son." She snapped—though after signing those papers of Gold's he wasn't technically hers anymore. Well, it didn't matter she was going to get those papers overturned. She'd find something. Maybe duress, God knows she could probably belly out a story for that.
Graham just shook her head at her. "The son you drugged and left alone in a locked room even though you know he's claustrophobic."
"Don't say anything you'll regret, Graham." Regina said in a pointed tone wishing she could squeeze his heart right about now. She didn't want to kill him, not yet. Because she did at some point need a good screw again, and there was no way in hell she was going to screw Charming especially not after she lobotomized him.
He sighed heavily, "Sorry, it's just not a good day for me. I am trying to get Gold to drop his suite against Storybrooke, but he doesn't seem to listen to reason. He says Emma and Harry Potter were adamant that a case was to be pursued until the custody issues with Henry were finalized."
"Well, at least you're calling him by his real name."
Graham frowned, "Regina, I really think you need to reconsider some things."
"I'm not giving up on my son, Graham."
However, she might as well had given up on Henry at least that's what the papers she signed seemed to say. She had to find a way to remedy this, but she knew Gold. She knew the sort of deals he made with people in the past, and she knew they hadn't changed much in this world.
She tried to remember what sort of life she conjured for him. So much had been dictated his own terms, that day they made the bargain. Regina had pretty much agreed to anything he said at that point, since she had made the calculated risk that she should be able to kill him.
She saw the squid ink that he was locked up. Killing him should be easy enough, he had taught her well. And at that point, she didn't care if she took on his curse. Hell, she wanted his magic.
He had been always enigmatic about his background. Regina remembered one time when she asked how he became the Dark One.
"Because I was born that way, dearie." He said.
She frowned. "I heard rumors of a dark curse."
"They're just rumors." He said with a shrug. "Always been what you say—a malevolent little imp."
"I've heard things," Regina said.
She might not have kept up with her magical theory like he'd like—because magical theory equaled boredom—but she knew the basics and folklore. "They say there is a curse."
Rumple rolled his freakish eyes. "Seriously, a curse. You can't be cursed into being like this Regina. Trust me, I was created this way."
But she didn't buy it, not after she warped the maid into doing her bidding. She had been sure that his power had resulted from some sort of curse and she had been so intent to get that power for herself at that point.
How bad could being tainted with the Dark One's magic be? At that point Regina didn't really think of the consequences, it wasn't like she had much anyway. Other than her title and Daniel's preserved corpse.
So, finding a way where she could take Rumple's life and maybe take his power, suited Regina just fine which was why she felt nothing but glee when she took his heart and smashed into bits.
But she didn't feel that much stronger. Well, mentally in a way she did. She was the strongest magical user there was, but she didn't feel the rush of power she had been suspecting and maybe, maybe the imp hadn't been lying to her after all. Maybe the magic had been all his and not a part of any curse, it didn't matter though—regardless—he was dead and Dark One powers or not Regina was the most powerful magic user.
She shook her head, obviously she should've done he research better. Or at least known that old stories about his power weren't true. Now, if the curse was ever broken she'd have a malevolent imp on her tail.
She just hoped she was right in her suspicions that he didn't remember because if he did—
Would it matter even if he did remember?
This was the world without magic. He was just as powerless, if not more powerless than she was here. She still had her hearts and some potions to her credit. Yes, most of her power and the resources she had left had been stretched to hold the constraints and alter the curse as need be, but it wasn't like Rumple had any power here.
Save for his brain. Although, powerless, he wasn't helpless and hadn't lived under her thumb since the curse was created.
Though, it did appear he had his cursed history.
She needed to check on her leverage when she was out of here, that was one thing she knew for sure the fact that she hadn't gotten around to killing Sir Moe's daughter was one time where her laziness actually was going to pay off.
Or so she hoped.
She didn't manage to get bail until a couple of days later. Somehow, her hearing got pushed back but eventually they couldn't' lock her up forever, especially on just a contempt charge. But eventually she got out. She have the charges dropped soon enough too, if she had a say about it, but considering the Storybrooke courts didn't have jurisdiction over the damn thing and she had somehow been managed to be dragged to Augusta for her hearing it was more difficult than she initially anticipated.
The judge also didn't seem to like the fact she violated a court order. And while all Regina wanted to do was bite their head off, she knew better. This wasn't Storybrooke and the way the judge was making googly eyes at Gold of all people, she doubted that they'd listen to her.
She tried to make the most of it by being silent, despite what everyone thought she did know when to hold her tongue—occasionally. Instead, she tried to focus on everyone else like the fact that while neither Harry or Emma had shown up to the hearing, but Gold did.
And Gold was staring at her the entire time, studying her like she was going to do something.
She probably would've, tried something, if he hadn't been there. She knew Gold enough to know that cursed or not, he couldn't be trusted and with that judge—well, Regina had to be sneaky about how she pursued this.
"You seem rather subdued, dearie." He said.
She inwardly grimaced at the term 'dearie'. How she enjoyed not hearing that word for twenty-eight years, not feeling like she was being slightly unhinged. She tried not to let it show though.
"I am in court," She said. "I have been in a jail cell for over a day. My son is away from me."
"He's not your son," Gold said.
She glared at him, "He's more my son than he is to either of your clients."
"I don't think the document that you signed indicates that, dearie."
"What do you want, Gold?"
"What?" He said caught off guard a bit.
Good.
"You always want something," Regina said. "Surely, there's a price I can pay to get you on my side. To get you to stop representing those people and give me back my son."
"Don't be ridiculous, Regina." He said.
"I know you, Gold." She snapped, "You're always willing to switch sides, if the price is right."
"Perhaps," He said, "But there's nothing I want from you."
She shook her head, "We'll just see about that."
She strutted through Storybrooke General like she owned it, and in truth she did. The hospital was just many of the constructs of her magic. It was true she wasn't a doctor and her only officiating title was that she was a member of the board, but still she couldn't help but feel admiration for the power that she had like she did everywhere else in Storybrooke.
This wasn't a social visit though by any means, she was here to see a specific patient. One that many people didn't even know still existed. Hell, most people didn't even know that the ward she was in existed.
Hell, Regina hadn't visited her in a long time. She only hoped the wardens were treating her halfway decently.
Somehow she doubted that, because Regina hadn't cared one shit about the girl after she thought Rumple had died. She had been a mere guinea pig like the others.
The mental ward at Storybrooke General might've been the forgotten ward, most of the people that were in here had been undesirables. Or Regina undesirables. Even the staff were people she had only tolerated at best, not liked.
Finally Regina reached the room she was looking for and smiled. "This is it?"
"Yes, ma'am." The nurse said. "The patient your looking for should be in there. She shouldn't be much of a bother, we gave her, her medicine just like you asked."
Regina knew she wouldn't be much of a bother anyway. After all, she held Lady Belle's heart for years.
Still, somehow she had expected something other than the vacant looking girl that she ended up staring with.
Lady Belle was far from the beautiful noblewoman she once was. Her face was caved in, due to years of undernourishment. Her hair and face were also covered with dirt. There was an obvious lack of care.
Bare minimum to survive, Regina thought. That's what she had conjured up when she had first started planning the curse and she hadn't changed that aspect any. And wasn't, though she had told the staff to make sure that her ward started eating more.
Because there was no way in hell, she'd be any use to Regina like this.
"Who…who…are you?" The girl finally asked looking at Regina.
She didn't look at Regina in fear, not like the last time when Regina had forced her to take one of the many potions that she was testing—God, she should've kept better records of that. It would've been nice to know just what she had the girl swallow. It wasn't like she could do a diagnostics test in the world, not that it really mattered since the effects were muted by this world anyway.
"I'm your guardian," Regina finally said.
It was simple enough, no names for now. The more she kept the girl in the dark, the better.
"Guardian?" The girl said. "I…I…don't remember."
"I imagine you wouldn't, Lacey." She said, "But I heard your starting to make progress. And maybe, maybe, if you're a good girl and get better you can go home."
"Home, I'd like that."
Yes, Regina was sure she would.
"Well, you got to get better first." Regina said, "You need to trust me. Don't worry I'll be visiting you lots"
Lacey nodded as Regina inwardly smile. She was plotting and prodding that she wasn't paying much attention as she stepped onto the elevator and almost ran into someone—Emma Swan
"What the hell are you doing on this floor, Swan?" She hissed. "This is the mental ward."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Mental ward?"
"Yes, mental ward. It's located in the basement" Regina hissed. "Though, it would be a good place for you. Not that you'd have access to it."
"I must've taken the wrong elevator," Emma said. "I—my mind's been on a lot of things."
"Like what?" Regina said eying the woman. "Why are you in the hospital, Potter? Is something wrong with the boy?"
"If you mean Jaime, he's fine. No thanks to you."
"Then why are you in the hospital?" Regina said glaring at Emma.
"It's none of your business." Emma said as the elevator snapped open.
The hell it was.