Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 36

(Regina's POV)

I got up early in the morning...not that I could sleep anyway. Emma is here, and Henry will try to get her to break the curse. What baffled me the most was Henry's book. What does it really contain? I sighed and quickly put on my dressing gown before making my way to Henry's room. He had already gotten up and was putting on his school uniform when I walked in. I scanned his room once more and spotting the book nestled on his desk, I went over and retrieved it. Henry looked at me with an annoyed expression so I answered, "I'll be holding on to this for now."

"Why do you even care 'bout the book? It tells the stories of heroes, not villains."

I bent down to Henry's level and whispered, "I care because you think I'm some evil queen...and it hurts me, Henry. I'm your mother."

As I reached to touch Henry's cheek, he moved away and answered, "No you're not."

I stood up again and huffed, "Well then who is? That woman you brought here? I don't like what she or this book is doing to you-"

I was cut off by the chime of...the clock tower?!

I padded to the window and breathed, "What?" as I looked out. Behind me, I heard Henry say, "It's time. It's started moving again which means that the curse will break."

I threw my head around but before I could say anything to Henry, he had disappeared out of the room.

.............................

I dropped Henry off to school before going to the florists to buy a bouquet for Daniella's bedside table. When I entered the hospital room, I exhaled and approached Daniella. Sitting down, I kissed her on the forehead. As usual, nothing happened. 

I took her hand and started to murmur, "Mama loves you, little firefly. I'm not sure how your day was but I've certainly had an interesting one. You know how Snowflake was pregnant before the curse? Well, her child, Emma has come to Storybrooke. Actually, Henry has brought her here because she's his birth mother. I know, it's disturbingly ironic. I wonder if that Imp has anything to do with this."

I sighed as I reached into my handbag and fished out Henry's storybook. "Henry shouldn't have found out about the curse but for some reason, Snow was able to give this to him. I don't even know where this book came from...I mean, no one knows about the curse except I."

I opened the book and skimmed through it for the first time. I caught an illustration of Daniella and I, when we declared war on Snow. "Look, firefly. There you are," I whispered. 

As I read through the book's pages I began to understand why Henry had such insightful knowledge on the curse. The pages literally told the story of us, of Snow rather. 

I flicked through the stories, trying to find my own. However, all I could find was other people's stories with me written into them as a villain. I fumed at the words that depicted me. In Snow's story, they've painted her as a saint and I, as the devil. I was about to close the book when I realised that some pages were missing. Those pages came right before the story of Snow White. I gasped. Were these my pages? Were they Daniella's?  What if it contained information about how to strengthen the curse, or how to wake Daniella from her coma?!

I slammed the book shut and looked at my daughter. Whispering, I began, "I need you little firefly. I need you because my own son has turned away from me.... But, I will use Henry to wake you up. I think he has the missing pages."

I took a breath before seething, "It's that Swan too. I need to get rid of her. After I accomplish all this, I will wake you up."

I bent down to kiss Daniella again. "Goodbye, little firefly. I'll see you tomorrow."