Lithium (Once Upon a Time)

Chapter Eighteen: One flew over the cuckoo's nest

Storybrooke, 21st December, 2012....

Emma: A day had passed. I almost couldn't sleep, still thinking about Regina in the asylum and my debate whether to help her or not.

I could feel Henry was in shock after he found out that he's mother was in pain, and not just imprisoned.

The morning arrived. I lifted my numb sleepless body from bed and got dressed really fast. Instead of the red leather jacket, I wore a brown leather one, it was comfier and "wintery", with white fur inside to keep me warm.

Henry got up from bed as well, really soon. He came towards me and waved a "good morning."

"Hi kid, isn't it too soon to be up?"

"I couldn't sleep very well..." He said, still shrugging his eyes.

"You're thinking about Regina, aren't you?" I asked him.

"Yes...When are we going to free her?"

"Okay kid...Let's take this gently. We need to talk to the doctors first, hear their opinion. Letting Regina out, especially after everything she has been through, is...tricky. We need to be sure it's safe for us."

"Okay, I get it. But what if it isn't? Will she stay in the asylum forever?"

"No. Don't worry, Regina will get out of that awful hell. The question is whether she's coming with us or live the rest of her days in jail."

I drove my yellow bug to the station, with Henry by my side, reading every corner of that gigantic fairytale book.

I didn't tell my parents about what I was doing. I was afraid they wouldn't understand. I guess I've always done the right thing, in my life, but it just never seemed like it, or I just didn't know the right path to do it.

We finally arrived to Storybrooke's asylum. A grayish stone like building, with four pillars in the entrance.

I grabbed Henry's little body, bringing towards my warm embrace. In any condition I'd want my child in that place. But what we were doing was for the greater good.

We came inside, and walked in the large dark corridors, engulfed by the emptiness of the looks of everyone there.

I tried to disguise my expression of fear, and bring Henry as close to me, as possible.

"Miss Swan? To what do I owe this honor?" Asked doctor Glass, the one entrusted with Regina's treatment.

"Doctor...I was hoping I could talk to you about Regina. It's urgent." I told him, striking my look.

"Okay. Sure. Why don't you come to my office?"

We nodded and followed Glass to his office. A very glamorous place, that had nothing to do with the rest of the building. It had roman like statues and chandeliers that brought light and comfort even to an awful place like that.

"Please, sit." The tall blonde man asked, piercing his blue eyes on ours. "Miss Swan, do your parents know you're here?" He asked, and I couldn't help but let my jaw hit the floor, as I realized I sucked at lying.

"I...I... No, they don't."

"But I don't think that's a good idea. You see...Your parents are the ones responsible for Regina's stay at the asylum. I can't share information with others."

"Oh...But we're just here so that we could talk about Regina, in hopes that she can get better." I tried to explain, placing my hands on the desk.

"I see...But Regina is still far away from becoming the younger version of herself. Mary Margaret entrusted me with her therapy, so that I could bring back the young woman who rescued her in a runaway horse all those years ago. But the thing is...Regina had more years as the Evil Queen, and those painful and dark memories can't just fade away. They will always be her baggage."

"Can't we just wipe them out with magic?"

"Oh...I don't think that's that simple. Using magic always comes with a price, especially magic that evolves memories."

"I see. But what if I told you that I have another solution?"

"You do?" He looked surprise.

"Yes. I've been thinking and honestly, this therapy isn't taking her anywhere, it's only hurting her. So, I was thinking to present Regina an offer. She can come with us and reconciliate with my parents or she can stay in jail."

"That's an interesting proposition. But isn't it dangerous to bring her to the world?"

"It isn't if she can't use magic."

"Yes. We can do that. She can keep wearing the cuff we put on her here, to neutralize her magic!"

"Great."

"But there's just one thing I don't understand in all of this...Why would Emma Swan want to free her greatest nemesis?"

That question got me right under my skin. It was something that not even I could answer.

Someway, somehow...I just knew how Regina felt. I felt like I was her, only I chose a different path, the path of light. What if Regina had a chance to choose that very same path? What if instead of being seduced by the lure of dark magic, she could just see the light at the end of the abyss?

Me and Regina were nemesis, that was for sure. And I still kind of hated her...But I also understood her...And in someway...I was her...And the two of us were connected by something greater than the universe itself.

The question was. Would Regina be strong enough to do the right thing? Would she be powerful enough to choose forgiveness and give a chance to goodness?