The Life We Left Behind

Underneath the mistletoe... again

The dinner was a roaring success, and it didn't even taste too horrible. At least for cleaning up the mess, Henry allowed his mother to use magic. It did come in quite handy at times after all.

And so it wasn't long until what felt like the entire town was spread out across the mayor's mansion, drinking punch and eggnog, laughing, chatting away and sharing their memories from the various curses they all had had to endure in the past.

Regina was sitting by the fireplace together with the other women, while Killian was in an armchair across the room all by himself feeling – once again – somewhat our of place here. Thankfully, Henry came over to join him, they were old buddies after all. They clinked their beer bottles for a friendly ‚Cheers', and as Henry was taking a sip, he looked around the room trying to figure out what his friend had been so hypnotized by.

He nodded with a sigh as soon as he saw. „Mom looks amazing today, doesn't she?"

„Aye, that she does. She always does. I have to admit, this Mayor Regina look is quite something else, but it didn't take me long to get on board with it at all. For that, her dresses are both too short and too tight."

Henry grinned. „Definitely not something Roni would ever have worn."

„Most definitely not... Can you imagine our last Thanksgiving ended with me handcuffing your mother to the bedpost?"

He had to cough as he almost choked on his beer and cleared his throat. „Well, I don't know too much about my mom's love life – and thank God! – nor about her preferences in the bedroom. But if I'd have to take a guess, I'd say whoever tries to handcuff my mother to anything would very quickly get a fireball in the face."

Killian pointed at him, nodding, indicating his agreement. „Which is exactly why I think I'd rather not continue this neat tradition tonight... alas."

„But seriously though", Henry continued, „What IS going on between the two of you? And if it's really nothing like my mother is telling me, then... why not?"

„Well, mate, I don't know what to tell you. The couple we used to be is gone. The two who had feelings for each other, Roni and Rogers. But us... Regina and Killian... we're just friends. Just like we had been before Hyperion Heights and all that, in the other realm."

„But see, that's the thing, I think you DO still have feelings for each other. Even now. I see it in the way my mom looks at you, how she talks about you, and just now in the way you look at her."

„That may be, but still... it's because... because I really do miss her. A lot."

He looked over to Regina again, she was laughing at something Alice had said, pushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

„You mean Roni?", asked Henry.

„Aye", he swallowed to calm his aching heart, „And I'd wager she misses Rogers too. But she's not her, and I'm not him, and that's not ever going to change."

„But it is! It's still her! Yes, she might be dressed differently, she might have different memories now, but... she's still the same woman. Roni is in there somewhere. Maybe, if you care enough to look for her, you can find her? And along the way, you might discover what's to love about Regina too. I know she's extremely good at hiding it, protecting it even, but... there's so much love in her heart with no one to give it to. She deserves to be happy, and not just all by herself, but with someone. After Robin... after everything."

„I don't disagree with you, mate, she's an amazing woman, your mother. I just... I just don't think I'm the lad she's looking for."

Over by the fireplace, Snow turned to Regina with a smile. „Your Killian looks really cute today, doesn't he?"