9Author Note: This is my first fanfiction ever. I am NOT a fanfiction writer so this is really not great, but it was an idea that snuck into my head. It was originally just going to be a fanart on Tumblr. Then I decided to write this to accompany the piece of art (cover).
I'm not entirely sure I'm happy with it so I apologize for the suck. I also apologize if there is any grammatical errors. Like I said, not a writer. This was really meant as a quick little piece of writing so I didn't bother getting a beta or anything like that. I did however spell check it myself.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Reviews and constructive criticism welcome.
"Are you ready to end this Madame Mayor?" He asked. His tone almost sinister. But she knew that the intent of the tone was anything but. The thought simply provoked by old traumas of the past sounds of his voice. 'He didn't know who he was.' She reminded herself. The taunting, coy manipulative man was gone. The evil in him forgotten. All that was left was the remnants of the weak, old decrepit man sitting across from her.
Weak. She repeated in her mind with great satisfaction but was snatched from her thoughts by the same voice that brought them on in the first place, Mr. Gold. "Madame Mayor? I said are you ready?" He repeated pointing a pen at her while sliding a piece of paper across the table towards her.
She snatched the pen from his hand "Of course I'm ready." Her tone still resonating with the hostility clouding her emotions. 'Why wouldn't I be?' She thought to herself. Months and months of meetings, interviews, and endless amounts of paperwork, she was glad to finally be ending the rigorous process. In fact, she was ready as soon as it started!
She looked down at the dotted line pressing pen to paper and beginning to grace it in elegant scribbles. This was it. The final step. Such a small step. One as small and simple as scribbling one last time on a little piece of paper as she had done a million times before. This small gesture to give her all she wanted. The final step to one of the biggest decisions of her life.
With that thought, the realization hit her hard, her hand slowed and her heart began to race. The doubts seeped in and she was suddenly overflowed with emotions, and questions, so many questions. 'What the hell am I doing? Is this really what I want? Is it too late to change my mind? What if this is all a horrible mistake? The process, the work, the mess, the sleepless nights, will it all be worth it?' The thoughts circled her head like a whirlwind for a minute but as the whirlwind slowed, her thoughts ended, along with her signature. Without realizing, her hand finished the familiar scribbles and the paper was slid from the table before she could even realize what had happened. She wanted to grab it back, change her mind, rip up the page and send Mr. Gold on his way. But she knew she couldn't. That was it.
Mr. Gold raised from his seat, briefcase in one hand, cane in the other and Regina mimicked the gesture politely. "Congratulations Madame Mayor." He outstretched his hand, "You are now a mother!" The words nearly knocked Regina from her feet like a wave had just hit her, the realization and shock washing over her. But she'd be damned if she was to let Mr. Gold, of all people, see her falter. Even without his memories, he did not deserve the privilege of bringing her down with a simple sentence.
One hand on the table to steady herself, she raised the other and took his in a professional handshake signifying the end of a deal. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, 8 am. Have a good evening Madame Mayor. I'll show myself out." The final words bringing a moment of relief to Regina knowing she wouldn't have been able to walk him a step towards the door without possibly collapsing. He limped his way out and with the click of the door behind him came a rush to Regina's head sending her flying back down into her chair. Head in hands, her thoughts continued to swirl with the room. 'What have I done?!'
She paced the large foyer. Heels clicking and echoing off the walls of the large and quiet house. '8:15' she read the clock for the hundredth time that day. 'Their late.' The anger in her slowly rising. She had waited months, years, for this moment. 'How dare they make me wait longer!' Her thoughts came to a halt, interrupted by the loud ring of the doorbell.
She slowly made her way to the door, not wanting to answer too quickly, giving way to the fact that she had sat by the door all morning. She opened it to find, Mr. Gold, as expected, but accompanied with an older woman who she could only assume was from the adoption agency. She didn't really care who she was and she never did find out because as the women came in and began to introduce herself, Regina's focus was stolen by the little car seat she held in one hand. A blanket tenting what was inside. The women continued to speak and Regina could only hope her responses were that of a proper social standing because she could barely pay attention to the gibberish coming from the woman's mouth, Regina's attention never leaving the seat, nor her eyes.
"Ready to see him?" The only words to register in Regina's mind as actual words since their arrival. Her head shot up to look at the women. "Y-Yes" Was all she could choke out in an almost hushed whisper sending the older women towards the car seat she had set down, as if by order. She stood in between Regina and the seat obscuring her view. She slowly lifted the blanket off of the seat and unbuckled the infant quietly so as not to wake it. Regina watched in anticipation. Mr. Gold watched the scene unfold from a distance not moving from the spot he had claimed upon entering the house.
Finally the older women lifted the baby out softly and turned toward Regina, Regina's eyes laying on him for the first time. The women laid him in her arms tenderly and Regina held him close. Only 3 weeks old, he barely needed one arm to hold him but Regina cradled him in two anyway.
"Have you a name for him yet?" Mr. Gold questioned Regina; innocently of course.
She looked up at him, a small smile crossing her face. "Yes. Henry. His name is Henry."
She returned her focus to Henry. 'So small.' She thought to herself. 'Small, soft, light, new... Fragile.' The last describing word to this tiny body was one she almost dared not think. Fragility was not an acceptable word in her vocabulary. It was a word linked to weakness, another she dared not think. But somehow 'Fragile' was the only accurate word to describe him, and for once, the word felt... right.
Emotions rushed in and tears swelled in her eyes. She rarely cried anymore, especially in the company of others. She hated herself for allowing it in this moment. "Emotion is a sign of weakness Regina!" The words of her mother echoed in her head. She forced her eyes closed, not wanting to take her eyes off of him, but not wanting the tears to show to the onlookers. But for that short moment that her eyes departed from his face, she was pained. 'I'll hate myself later' She thought suddenly not caring about the tears that threatened her eyelids.
She opened her eyes again slowly hoping the tears had subsided. As her eyes fell on his peaceful, sleeping face again, suddenly every thought in her head, every whispering voice, every swelling emotion, was calmed. All but one remained... 'Love.' Another word linked to weakness; a forbidden emotion. "Love is weakness Regina!" Her mother's voice louder than ever. But yet it was the only word that could describe it. This feeling inside of her that burst from her like the magic that once forced its way from her body with such force and power. This feeling she missed and longed for for so long.
She felt a part of her walls crumble and she suddenly began welcoming this feeling of 'weakness' like an old friend. She could hear her mother's voice of disapproval in her head, but she didn't care anymore because it was only that. A voice. A voice that could no longer harm her except through haunted memories.
She was glad her mother wasn't here to see this moment. She would only be filled with disappointment. Witnessing the weakest moment of her daughter's life. Because by her mother's standards, in this moment, Regina was the weakest she had ever been; and for once, Regina couldn't be happier about it! This moment was one of the happiest moments of her life. One she'd cherish the memory of forever. Nothing else mattered; the nightmares of her past, or the worries of their future together, no matter what had happened to get here, no matter what happened after this, this moment made it all worth it.
She wasn't alone anymore. He was all hers and she was all his.
She leaned her head down towards his face and kissed his forehead softly. She pulled her lips away just far enough to give them room to move and then quietly whispered to him:
"I love you, Henry."