Author: TheatreGeek95


Boom after boom, the thunder got louder and the rain began to pound harder on the roof of the Mayoral Mansion. Regina tossed and turned in her bed, finally deciding to watch the dark room become illuminated da the flashes of lightning, her back to the open window. Her eyes studied the pattern of the wallpaper every now and then when she could see it and she felt her eyelids becoming heavy finally. Suddenly the silhouette of a human body was cast on the bacheca da a flash of lightning. Gasping loudly, Regina flipped over to find nothing, o no one, in front of the window. She exhaled a sigh of relief, blaming it on nerves o being overly tired. Lying back down and closing her eyes again, she flipped over once more.

"Hello, Regina."

Regina opened her eyes to see her mother, Cora, standing beside her bed. A blood curdling scream found its way out of her throat and the mayor immediately tried to crawl away, falling off the letto in the process and backing against the far wall, her knees weak. The older woman simply flicked her wrist towards the lamp on the near nightstand that turned itself on suddenly.

"Oh, come now, my sweet. Is that how te treat your Mother?" Cora said, smiling rather triumphantly that Regina reacted as such.

"What the hell are te doing here?" Regina demanded from her Mother as the thunder boomed throughout the house seeming to grow even louder to cover their conversation.

"What? I can't visit?" The elder woman asked, walking around the bed.

"Stay where te are!" Regina said, fumbling over to her nightstand to grab her phone, realizing it was on the opposite nightstand.

Taking one look at Cora and then making the decision to dive for her phone to call Emma for help, Regina did so but Cora was faster. Extending her right arm, black smoke surged towards Regina, throwing her against the headboard of the bed. Regina's body crumbled off of the bed, taking the nightstand to the floor with her. But Regina wouldn't give up. Hurriedly she grabbed her phone and dialed Emma's number, fighting through the pain that the earlier impact had on her frame.

"Now, now Regina…" Cora detto kicking the phone out of her hand. Emma's distant 'Hello's' were heard faintly as Cora's magic brought Regina upright. "All I wanted to do was talk." One flick of her wrist and Regina's world went dark.


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"Henry?" Emma said, shaking the boy in his bed. "Henry! Please wake up!"

"Hmmm?" Henry mumbled sleepily as his wits came about him. "Emma? What are te doing here?" He detto rather excitedly, but, very confused at the situation. "Ow!" He exclaimed as he tried to sit up, it was then that Emma noticed the bruise on his temple.

"Oh, my god…" Emma said, brushing his hair away from his face. "Did te fall?"

"No… I didn't." He said, squinting at the pain. "It feels like someone hit me."

"Henry, listen to me. Do te know where your Mother is?" Emma asked, concerned for them both, now.

"She's probably sleeping." He detto rubbing his eyes. "Why? How did te get in?"

"That doesn't matter now, Henry. She isn't in her room, she's not in her office downstairs, and her car is still here, kid." Emma explained, continuing to stroke Henry's untidy hair out of his face. "She called me about an ora ago. I heard another woman's voice on the other end of the line but then it went dead. Was anyone here, Henry?"

"No." He replied.

"Did te hear anything from down the hall?" She asked the kid.

"All I heard was the storm. Emma, is she okay?"

"I hope so." Emma said, grabbing clothes for him to put on. "I'm taking te to Mary Margaret's house. She will help te with your head, okay? te have to stay there while I find your Mother."

Henry scrambled to get his clothes on and grabbed his book bag. "Okay. But why do te care about finding my Mom?"

"It's a long story. We don't have time." The Sheriff detto hurriedly. "Come on." She ordered, running out of his room and down the stairs, Henry followed.

After a quick car ride to Mary Margaret's house, Emma dropped Henry off, and sat in the car trying to think. The only person she could think of asking was Mr. Gold. 'He would know something.' Emma thought to herself.

Pulling up to his house what seemed like centuries later, Emma ran through the rain, then up the stairs to the front door and began pounding on the wood door. Moments later, lights in the house were turned on and Mr. oro greeted her.

"Sheriff Swan." Mr. oro said, smiling sleepily at her. "Isn't it a bit late to be on duty?"

"No small talk, Gold." She said. "It's about Regina."

"Please, come in."


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The room wouldn't stop spinning and Regina tried hard to keep her eyes open. She couldn't move. Her hands were bound to her sides and two straps restrained her torso, a third around her knees. Her feet didn't touch the ground and she knew she was being controlled da magic. As her fingers met the leather of the nearest strap, a memory flashed behind her lids.

A young Regina rode in light blue upon a brown horse around a course as her father watched over, smiling and cheering her on.

"That was beautiful sweetheart." Henry said, walking towards the girl who had just gotten off of her horse. Wrapping an arm around her, he kissed her cheek.

"Thank te Daddy." Regina replied smiling, hugging him back.

"Beautiful?" Cora chuckled softly, walking up to the pair with Daniel, the stable boy, following with a saddle in his hands. "I'd hardly call that beautiful."

"You didn't like it, Mother." Regina practically stated, getting a firmer grip on the reigns.

"You ride like a man." Cora said, her eyes cold. "A lady should be graceful. te should use a saddle."

Regina smiled at the horse and stroked his nose. "We were just having fun."

"Well, you're getting a little too old for fun. Who is going to want to marry te when te behave like a commoner?" Cora asked.

Henry stepped forward, "Cora. Please leave her alone-"

"Stop coddling her!" Cora interjected. "She's becoming an old maid. All of the other girls her age are married." She continued with a sigh. "I had such high hopes…"

"My lady." Daniel began to say, "Perhaps this saddle might-"

Regina stepped forward, cutting him off, "I'm done riding for the day. And don't ever interrupt me and my mother again." She detto with a glare, handing him the reins of the horse.

"Why do te always have to criticize me?" Regina asked.

"I'm not criticizing you. I'm helping you." Cora responded as Regina started to walk away. "Don't te walk away from me!" She detto sternly, reaching out and stopping her with magic, lifting her in the air and bringing her back.

"Mother!" Regina shouted, annoyed. "You know I don't like it when te use magic!"

Cora chuckled darkly. "And I don't like insolence." She lowered her hand, leaving Regina in the air still. "I'll stop using magic when te start being and obedient daughter."

Regina huffed. "Why can't I just be myself?"

"Oh, because te can be so much più than that if te just let me help you…"

"I don't care about status I just want to be-"

Cora rolled her eyes and lifted her hand again, causing two straps to bind Regina's arms to her sides

"Cora, please!" Henry tried to say.

Regina's brow furrowed and she gave in, scared. "Please." Regina said, on the verge of tears. "I'll be good."

At that, Cora slowly dropped her hand causing Regina to slowly decend to the ground, the restraints falling as well. "Excellent! That's all I wanted to hear." Cora detto with a smile.

"Regina." Cora demanded, the sound faintly heard in Regina's head. "Regina!"

A hard slap across her face brought Regina out of her memory, causing her to cry out in pain at the stinging on her cheek followed shortly da warmth. Cora was in front of her looking up at her form when Regina opened her eyes.

"I shouldn't have to get your attention that way, my dear." Cora said, reaching out and stroking her red cheek. Regina immediately recoiled from the touch.

"What do te want from me?" Regina demanded. "Where is my son!"

Cora laughed. "He isn't your son."

"What did te do with him! Where is he?" The Mayor demanded, struggling with her bonds.

"I left him there." Cora said, adjusting her black gloves. "Don't worry, I knocked him out cold. He won't know a thing!"

"You bitch! How da—"Regina started to shout, crying out suddenly as her restraints got tighter.

"You will not talk to me in such a manner, Regina." Cora said, slapping her across the face. "You have Lost sight of your goals. I know te oh, so well my love. It's time for me to finish what te started. If te cannot kill the only threat that endangers the dark curse on this town, I will."

"You will not—"Regina tried to talk again but cried out as the straps tightened again. Every time she went to protest o speak, they would tighten even more.

"I had so much faith in you…" Cora said, looking at Regina. "You were doing so well…"


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"I see…" Mr. oro said, his hands closing around his cane. Emma watched as he sat there contemplating and processing the information she had just provided him about Regina's call and how she found Henry.

"I know Regina has many enemies, but, who would have cause to do this?" Emma asked.

"I only know of one person who is capable of this act, Miss. Swan. And I'm afraid you've never met her, before.

"Who?"

"Regina's mother." The man said.

"Mother?" Emma repeated, thoroughly surprised.

"Yes. Mother." Mr. oro reassured. "But I can see why te are surprised. I'm the only one who knows that she is here."

"Go on…" Emma pushed.

"You see, Miss. Swan. I am a man of real estate. I receive rent and payments from many people but only I know of a few remote locations that I receive money from. Regina's mother, Cora, owns a house on the outskirts of Storybrooke, deep in the woods." oro explained, clearing his throat. "Cora pays me well to keep her location confidential as well as to provide her with all the supplies she needs to keep her permanent residence there."

"If her location is confidential, why did te tell me this?" Emma asked.

Mr. oro smirked. "Cora has a unique demeanor and attitude that may not mix well with that of the Mayor."

"And she would have motive to hurt Regina?" Emma asked.

"Well, not all parents are alike, Miss. Swan." oro replied. "Let's just say it took Regina a long time to live up to her mother's expectations."

"Tell me where to go."