Chapter 4: A Son
Being in a jail cell being thrown what appeared to be some sort of dinner from McDonalds was not how Cora Mills had planned to be spending her Saturday.
She also didn't plan on being charged with multiple crimes.
Or for that matter, remembering that she had a son. A son who had been taken from her. A son that somehow managed to find his way back into his father's life and—
Cora was going to puke.
She emptied the entire contents her stomach out into the small toilet.
She still didn't know how she'd ended up her. She really had been in sort of a daze since her daughter had thrown back her heart in her.
Harry was her son.
And she tried to kill him.
She had thought of him as an annoying resident in Storybrooke. She didn't notice how much he resembled her how his mouth when he smiled was crooked just like hers and Regina's. She didn't notice how his hair was the same dark brown as her or the fact he shared her high cheekbones.
She didn't even see how much he resembled Rumple.
She thought he was Belle's and now she realized just how stupid she was.
She wanted to break something or to be more precise squeeze a heart. But she couldn't. She was powerless. Squid ink enthused her heart.
She had to give Regina bonus points for that.
That was cunning and innovative.
Her daughter was something else.
If she hadn't been the person who was de-powered she would've been so proud. Regina showed excellent form of a dark sorceress. Though now, that she had her heart, Cora knew it wasn't darkness that drove her daughter to do what she did to her.
It was grief.
Now that she could feel, she did feel a bit guiltier than she did before about killing her grandson.
While she didn't exactly mourn Henry, she did feel remorse for what she had done to Regina.
For the second time, Cora had stolen the thing that her daughter loved the most. First her true love—because admittedly that's what the Stable Boy was. True love. Cora might've wanted to deny it and rejected the man, but Regina had happiness with Daniel. True happiness. Much like Cora had with Rumple when she created Harry.
Or would you call it happiness?
There were definite feelings there. Her son wasn't one of just lust. She had grown to rely and care on Rumple, it was probably the closest thing that Cora had to true love. And Rumple seemed to love her or care enough about her where he wanted to be with her.
But Cora had left that relationship, in turn for power.
Regina wouldn't had done that with the Stable Boy. Which was why she killed him. Same with Henry.
And now Cora could only feel regret for Regina, she hated this feeling of weakness. She wanted to rip her own heart out, in part because she didn't want to feel.
She didn't need to feel. She needed to get out of here and see her child.
Her boy.
But nope, instead she was locked up at the sheriff's office like the drunk in the cell next to her.
A dwarf named Grumpy.
How embarrassing was that.
Even Rumple was given his own dungeon when he was locked up, but not Cora.
No.
She was in a cell across from a dwarf who kept singing "California Girls". She admitted that the Katie Perry song probably would've been catchy if not sung by a drunk dwarf.
When she asked him to knock it off, he actually got upset and said everyone liked Ruby's rendition.
She was sure the wolf turned waitress's version was better. She actually wore Daisy Dukes. Or what she was told were Daisy Dukes since they did not have them in the Enchanted Forest or Wonderland.
However, he shut up after Cora had given him one of her signature glares.
Well, at least she had that.
She didn't have much else.
Cora had the indignity of being arrested by that buffoon of a cop, Emma Swan.
Emma Swan who seemed to arrive mere seconds after Regina left and read something called Miranda rights to Cora.
They were laughable. Though she had kept her mouth shut, and was trying to figure out what lawyers Storybrooke had to offer that she could somehow scare into helping her.
She hoped the fact that her magical powers had been temporary messed up hadn't gotten around town yet.
Emma didn't say anything to Grumpy when she threw Cora in her cell, but then again Emma hadn't been talking that much.
There was something ridiculously numb about the woman. Much like Regina, except Emma didn't try to take Cora's heart. Instead, she looked at her and said,
"You're not suppose to be in here."
Cora shrugged and said, "I'll go."
"No," Emma said, "You're a wanted woman."
She then proceeded to put her in the police car and drive towards the station after reading those rights. She didn't even know what Cora did to her son.
Only Regina knew that and she had left.
Cora sighed heavily wondering what the sheriff would do when she found out.
"What are you in here for, sister?" A half drunk Grumpy asked after he got through singing his deranged Katie Perry song for the fifth time.
Cora rolled her eyes as if are you really talking to me.
"Yum, McDonalds!" Grumpy instantly perked up noticing the bagged food that that Emma threw in his cell.
Cora sighed heavily. "You think this is nutritious?"
"It's McDonalds, sister. We didn't have McDonalds here for twenty-eight years. That's the real reason she's the savior."
As he opened the greasy looking hamburger, Cora was starting to think she missed the singing.
It nauseated her. To make matters worse, the sheriff returned while he was eating this and noted that Cora hadn't touched—what did she call it—a Big Mac.
"Sorry, it's either that or Granny's take out." Emma said.
"I'm not hungry." Cora said.
Emma just shook her head and looked at Cora. "I'm surprised you haven't tried to magic yourself out of your cell. Then again, when Gold was locked in here…oh right, curse."
She really wasn't that bright, Cora thought.
"Why am I here, Sherriff?" Cora asked. "I haven't done anything in your realm."
"That's not what I heard." Emma said, "You messed with Just Harry."
Just Harry. Oh if she had her magic, the Swan girl wouldn't have her heart for not getting her son's name right.
Though that name was ridiculously common. If Cora had named him, he would've had a much more refine name. Perhaps, Eric, which meant eternal ruler. That was nice. As it stood though, she'd really need him calling him something other than Harry but was close enough to that undignified sad excuse of a name. Perhaps, Hadrian? It had a nice ring to it. Or she could even make do with Harold. But Harry, what a nasty name.
She couldn't believe that Rumple was going for that. Wasn't the son he lost called Baelfire. Harry was really such a common name.
"I never messed with him." Cora said finally answering Emma's accusation. "I wouldn't."
But she did and regretted it. If she knew the truth about her boy she would've never tried to kill him that day.
When she saw Regina and Rumple again….
Well, what was she going to do. She couldn't do anything.
Emma eyed her, "That's not what I heard."
"Well, you don't have any proof." Cora sputtered out. "I really don't think you can hold me here. Don't I have Constipation rights or something."
Emma snickered.
"I'm being serious." Cora said, "I anm in America. You have that Constipation the TV always talks about how dear it is."
Emma continued laughing, "I'm sorry, it's Constitution not Constipation. And you're right, you do have rights. But I have up to forty-eight hours where I can just hold you here."
"You go, sister." Grumpy said from the cell in the corner.
"Shut up." Cora snapped. "And I'm pretty sure those rights say that a dwarf shouldn't be in the near vicinity when you interrogate me."
"Who says I'm interrogating? I was just asking you if you were going to eat that Big Mac."
"You can take it," Cora said. "I'm not hungry."
Emma nodded and grabbed the burger and ate it. Cora sneered at the burger, which was drippy of some rather nasty s red sauce. Seriously, the culinary scene in this realm was a little less than ideal. Looking at Cora she said, "There's something else, isn't there?"
"What?" Cora said.
"Regina did something to you, I'm pretty sure. You haven't left your cell and it's not by choice. Since Gold isn't here, and I don't know how to use my powers, only Regina would have the ability to stop you. The question is why…"
She took a bite out of her food and said. "This has something to do with my son, doesn't it?"
The change that had come over the sheriff's face was almost instantaneous as she stared at Cora. "What did you do to Henry, did you cause his death?"
"Henry's dead." Grumpy said. "Oh my God."
No one was really paying attention to him now. Instead, Cora and Emma were staring at each other. Each wondering what the other was thinking.
Cora had never been a fan of the sheriff, even with her heart in place. People like Emma Swan thought so highly of themselves. And everyone loved her. For what , Cora had no idea. Other than the fact that she was Charming and Snow White's spawn.
Thank God, she took more after Charming. But she had Snow's eyes. Ava's eyes. Even after all these years, it still stung. She had been so close with Leopold to happiness, and Ava just had to ruin everything.
Just like Snow White ruined her daughter's life.
Well, she wouldn't have another Charming ruining anyone in her family's life.
But even though, she tried to goad herself into hating Emma Swan with every fiber of her being, there was a part of her that felt guilt.
She had taken away the woman's son..
A son she shared with her daughter. And Cora only knew how it felt to have a child taken away.
But Harry was alive.
Henry wasn't.
And it was Cora's fault.
Did she regret what she did?
Well, yeah. Now. But it wasn't because she emphasized with Emma's pain or felt guilt about what she did to Regina. Though, those were contributing factors. Rather, Cora was upset because of the deal she made with Pan. A deal that she did not want him to live up to, though she was beginning to feel it was too late.
She needed to get out of here.
She needed to rescue her son.
When she told that to Emma though, the sheriff laughed. "Why would I let you out of here? I am pretty sure you had something to do with Henry's death, don't go denying it."
Cora took a breath of air. "I wasn't responsible for his death."
Emma stared at her. Shaking her head and then practically screamed. "Liar."
Cora rolled her eyes at the dramatics. What was the point? Did Emma really think calling her a liar was going to get her to spill the beans about Henry? Cora wasn't stupid. She had paid attention when Hook watched that Law and Order. Plus, she was pretty sure that those Miranda Rights said something about being silent and something about a lawyer.
Yes, she'd throw out the lawyer card.
Emma blinked when she heard this.
"What?"
"You're not being logical, sheriff." Cora said. "I have the right to a lawyer, as you said earlier. I intend on using that right, so will you please let me have a phone or something."
"There's not even lawyers in the Enchanted Forest." Emma Swan said totally contradicting those rights she read to Cora earlier.
"But we're not in the Enchanted Forest, sheriff." Cora pointed out.
Emma sighed. "Fine, but the only good lawyer is out of town."
"And who would that be?"
"Gold." Emma said.
Cora gulped. Gold. As in Rumple. Her ex. The man she shared her son with, she was going to have to talk to him eventually. And what better than way than having him become her lawyer, well, if he would do that.
Yeah, if hell would freeze over.