The Book That Started It All

~One Shot~

"Regina, are sure this okay? We know you were supposed to work today, but Neal didn't want anybody babysitting him but you. Not even Emma" Snow explained as Regina walked through their door. The Charmings are now living in a ranch house instead of Mary Margeret's loft. The loft was getting too small, especially now that they have Neal, and hopefully more children to come.

"Ofcourse it's okay. I'm the mayor, I can take a day off work to watch my favorite nephew," Regina replied smiling. Since their family tree is so complicated, they just decided to have Neal call Regina aunt. Instead of step-grandma or however else they're related. "Especially if it means beating Emma for his favorite babysitter" she added with a smirk, confidently walking into the living room and sitting on the couch. Even though Regina and Emma are best friends, they never lost their competitive streak. Snow shook her head giving a small laugh, some things will never change.

Charming walked in the room and approached his wife, hugging her from behind and giving her a kiss. Regina used to be annoyed by this, but now she has no room to talk since she and Robin do the same thing everytime they're together.

"Neal is still asleep, I don't want to wake him up, but should we wait for him to wake so we can say goodbye? I haven't checked on him yet and I want to see him" Charming told Snow. Regina jumped up from the couch, cutting them off before they could say anything else. "No, you two need to get to work before you're late. Charming has a town to protect from a few drunks at the station and Snow, you have a classroom of kids to teach about birds. You're son will be fine without seeing your faces, now off you go," Regina said basically pushing them out the door.

"Okay, but tell him mommy and daddy said we love him and goodbye" Snow called as she walked out the door without waiting for a reply, knowing it would be a sarcastic one. Regina smiled, they have her too figured out. Regina returned to the couch, turning on the TV as she waiting for Neal to wake up.

About 20 minutes later, Regina heard some movement from upstairs. However, five minutes have passed and Neal still hadn't come downstairs. Regina decided to go to his room to make sure everything is okay.

Regina slowly opened the door, suprised by what she saw. Neal was huddled in the corner of his bed, fear in his eyes and dried tears running down his face.

"Neal honey, did you have a nightmare?" Regina asked calmly.

"Stay away!" Neal yelled at her, fresh tears forming in his eyes. Regina took a few cautious steps forward, wondering if he was still in his nightmare.

"Neal, it's your Aunt Regina, you're safe," Regina said reach for her nephew.

"No! Don't hurt me!" Neal screamed, trying to curl himself into a ball even further. "Who is trying to hurt you?" Regina asked touching his face.

Neal shook his head away from her touch, crawling onto the other side of the bed. "You! You're trying to hurt me. You tried to kill my mommy and daddy!" Neal cried, tears flowing freely at this point.

Regina's heart shattered into a million pieces at those few words. That hasn't been brought up in so long, she should have known the past wouldn't stay buried. It shouldn't either, Neal deserves to know. Just, not this way or this young. She regrets her past and the pain she's caused more than anything, and she's owned up to it. That regret was currently shining in her dark eyes, but the distraught boy couldn't see it. How do you explain such a complicated past to a 5 year old? Regina wonders how he even found out. Neither Snow or Charming have ever discussed the dark parts of the past to their son. Then she sees it. Henry's storybook, the one that started it all. He must have left it here, and Neal must have found it.

"You chased them everywhere, and you tried to hurt and kill them. You killed my grandpa." he sobbed as he started to shake even more. "I want my mommy" Neal says again in a terrified whisper. Regina needs air, and she doesn't want to terrify the young boy even farther, so she runs from his room and back downstairs. She falls on the couch roughly, feeling her own body shake as well. The room started to collapse in on her as sobs escaped, her mind reeling and her heart aching. She doesn't want people to be terrified of her anymore, especially not her precious nephew. But how can she blame him? The horrible things she's done to his parents are written clearly on the page. She did make them outlaws, she tried to hurt and kill them, and she did kill Leopold, he was an evil man to her and it was indirectly, but it's still murder. The current guilt is eating at her, and it was evident in her tears. She wants to go comfort the boy, to explain that she loves his parents, that they're her family now. She'll never hurt him or them, in fact she would lay down her life for them. But how does she explain that to him when he won't even let her near him? With shaky hands, Regina did the only thing she could think to do and called Snow White.