What the Heart Wants (Sequel to Pixie Dust Never Lies)

Chapter 18

I wandered through the home I'd known for over 30 years. The walls were mine, the kitchen was mine. Every window and collumn and floorboard was just as I'd remembered. But as I continued walking through my house, I realized that there was so much that I didn't remember. I didn't remember the colorful plastic bowls on the counter, or the clever mugs in the cabinet; I didn't remember the second nightstand next to my bed, opposite mine, or the small handgun inside of it; I didn't rememeber the picture frames hanging along the walls, showing me standing in a wedding dress alongside an unfamiliar woman. It was erie: traces of another life were scattered across the house, but no matter how I tried I couldn't recall their significance. But there was the evidence, all around me.

I walked to the sitting room and examined the mantle. Where once there was only intricate silver and iron candles and decorations, now featured a preserved wine bottle and lovingly signed cards from family and friends. I picked up one of them and opened it.

"To the two most important women in my life. The saviors, who saved the town and saved each other. You two will always find each other, because that's what true love does. Having said that, here's to you two not having to look for a while.
Love,
Snow and David"

Suddenly, I heard the front door close down the hallway, and the sound of approaching footsteps. I quickly folded the card back up and placed it on the mantlepiece exactly as I'd found it.

"Mom?"

"I'm in here, Henry."

Henry ran down the hallway to the sitting room, where I was standing. He immediately rushed to embrace me. "Oh, Mom, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I didn't know...I didn't think..."

"It's alright, Henry," I reassured him. "It wasn't your fault."

"You don't have your memories. I should have thought...I should have remembered what it did to you at first."

"Henry, you didn't know. It's okay, really." I tried to convince him. He smiled unconvincingly. "Henry?"

"Yeah?"

"Where is Emma right now?"

"In the woods, near the well. The dwarves wanted to 'do right by her,' since she's saved the town countless times. They wanted to do for her what they did for Grandma, but there's nowhere in town that would work, so they just set it up close to where they found her."

"Grandma?"

"Sorry, Mary Margaret."

I nodded. It was going to take me a while to get used to this. "Would you please take me to her?"

Henry beamed. "Of course! Come on, let's go!"

He ran out to the car, all but jumping up and down in excitement as he waited by the passenger door for me to unlock it. As soon as I did we hopped in and he started directing me to the place where Emma was. It wasn't a long drive, but the walk through the woods was more than I bargained for. I didn't often go to the well, maybe four times in the past 30 years. Just before we got to the clearing, I saw the coffin. It was much like Snow's, but the brass vines only lined the stone base, leaving the glass top completely clear. As I approached, I sensed fairy magic, probably protecting the woman in the coffin. She wore a simple, but elegant white gown, decorated with beautiful feathers along the neckline and bottom. It contrasted beautifully from the red velvet cusion she was lying on.

Then I was standing right beside her, and I could see her face properly. She was very beautiful: her long blonde hair was slightly curled and framed her face perfectly. Someone had placed a white flower crown around her head, almost like a halo. Her lips were a light pink, and I couldn't help but imagine what it might be like to kiss them.

I supposed I didn't have to imagine for long.

"Henry, would you mind giving us a moment?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. For sure. I'll just meet you at the car?"

"Yes. I'll be along in a little bit."

He trotted off into the trees and left me with Emma. I decided not to waste any more time just staring at her. I attempted to use my magic to take the glass top off of the coffin, but the fairy magic stopped me. I sighed: I supposed I'd have to do it myself. I struggled with the glass for a few seconds, but I managed to lift it off without hitting Emma. There was a stump next to the coffin, near where Emma's head was, so I decided to sit. I thought it was slightly awkward, kissing someone I'd never met. Somehow, I decided it would be less awkward if I just started talking, even though I was the only one who was concious.

"Umm...hello." Oh, god, what was I doing? I sounded ridiculous, even to myself. "I'm Regina, although I guess you already knew that." I paused, suddenly self-conscious. "Um, well, I guess that we were married at some point, and now you're under a sleeping curse, and I lost all my memory of you. It sounds really ridiculous, but all the evidence says it's true. I mean, I guess I could see why I was attracted to you: you are probably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life." I sighed. "I'm sorry. The truth is, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Everyone's been asking me to try, so here I am. I guess...I guess I should just go ahead and do it, right?"

I leaned forward in my seat and took a deep breath. "Alright...here goes nothing." Then I lowered my head down until my lips rested on hers.

Her lips were soft. Although they only touched mine for a second, I could feel my stomach knot in excitement. Although I knew we had kissed many times before, for me it was our first. As I pulled away I tried to identify the taste that lingered on my lips. It was fruity and sweet, with the faintest twang. I gazed into Emma's soft, pale face, the slightest pink hid on her cheek, like a flower just beginning to bloom.

Apple. It was apple.

I waited in anxious anticipation for something, anything to happen. Not a hair moved. It hadn't worked. I lowered my face into my hands. What was I going to say to Henry, to Mary Margaret? I had failed them. I had failed her.

"Well, isn't this a pretty sight?"

I lifted my head to see my mother standing opposite me, looking at Emma's motionless body with a smirk.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded.

"Checking on you," she responded, softening her gaze as she shifted to look at me. "I'm your mother; I worry about you."

"Yeah, right," I scoffed. "You're here to revel in your victory. It was you, wasn't it?" I accused, pointing at Emma. "You cursed her, didn't you?"

"It was for your own good."

I nodded, and crossed my arms. "And I suppose you're responsible for my sudden memory loss as well?" She didn't respond, but I already knew.

"Figures," I said under my breath. "You know, if this is always how you're going to 'help me,' maybe I'd be better off without you."

"Regina, you don't mean that!"

"I do. Every time you've 'helped,' I've lost something. This time you've not only taken away someone I clearly cared about, but you took away an enormous part of my life, of myself. I'm not even sure who I am anymore! And it's all your fault!" I sighed, and shifted my gaze from my mother to the sleeping woman before me. "I think you should go," I whispered.

After I heard nothing for a moment I looked up to see what was going on. My mother's face was hard and unreadable, as usual. However, when I looked closer, I noticed moisture beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. Was she...crying? I couldn't recall ever seeing my mother cry in all of my life. It was almost unsettling to witness.

"If that's what you want, Regina," she whispered, "I'll go. But should you ever need me again, I'll be there. Because I am your mother, and I refuse to give up on you. I hope you'll give me that same courtesy some day." With that, she raised her hand and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.