The Life We Left Behind

The White Elephant

„Hey, Aunt Regina", said Robin as they were all sitting together for coffee, cookies, beignets and hot cocoa at Granny's, „The Christmas tree in your front yard looks amazing! Alice and I were just walking past it earlier today."

Her fiancée, her mother, Ella and Lucy were there too and nodded, concurring.

„You think so?", Regina smiled, „Your future father in law logged it himself, we decorated it together just the other day."

The other women exchanged a look. Based on the usual responses they'd get from the mayor, as well as on her slightly sour expression at the mention of her current roommate, they knew better than to ask about their potential relationship status.

Instead, Ella asked: „How is your father settling in, Alice? He's working at the Rabbit Hole?"

She nodded. „My papa really likes it here and he enjoys working at the pub. He's trying to save some money so he can get a place for himself, even though...", she briefly looked over at Regina, „he says it's really nice not to be alone, living with Regina."

„We're having a good time", she said with a slightly forced smile, „Like old times... Sometimes a little bit too much."

„He's a good man, your papa", said Zelena, „He deserves to finally be with you, after everything you've been through, he deserves to be happy. He has fought all his life, roaming through and across the realms. He deserves to finally have a home where he can just live his life."

As her sister was talking, Regina looked out the window, her chin propped into her hand, reminiscing the past night. How nice it had been with him, how much fun... romantic, even, at least a little. A bit like old times indeed. And for a while there, she could feel something changing inside her. How she saw him. How he made her feel. She had been looking forward to their evening together. Or even... to their night? She wasn't sure if it could really have come to that. But regardless, in the end he had ruined it all, like always. Roni... that was the only woman he was ever thinking of and constantly talking about. That's who he wanted. And she, Regina, could never compare, not even come close. It had been foolish of her to think that he could be interested in her. And he didn't even have the decency to keep it to himself. They hadn't even been back in Storybrooke that long, he had barely started staying at her place. And after everything she had done for him... Bloody pirate!

Then, all of a sudden she saw a silhouette appearing in the light of the street lamp just across the road on this dark and snowy winter day, and her heart seemed to know who it was before her eyes could properly make it out. Hypnotized, she was fixating him, completely distracted from the conversation that was continuing between the others, about how charming and chivalrous a man he was, in fact.

Ella nodded. „I know. I will never forget the white elephant. What he did for Lucy and me. What he gave up for us."

„Regina?", Zelena waved a hand in front of her sister's eyes, „Are you there? Are you still with us?"

„Uhm...", she managed to pull her gaze away from Killian, who appeared to be waiting for someone or something outside, and turned back to the others, „Sure! Did... did you just say elephant?"

She nodded. „Yes, the white elephant."

„What about it?"

„I don't know exactly where he got it from, but it helped Lucy and I keep our memories after the curse, at least those that made us remember that we were mother and daughter. He had intended to keep the elephant for himself and Alice, but when the curse hit, and he saw how terrified I was at the thought of Lucy being all alone, not remembering who she is and who her parents are, and he sacrificed his own memories and gave it to me. Lucy was still so young... he knew that you, Alice, were a fighter and you'd get through somehow, as you always do. But... he saved us. And I will forever be grateful to him for that."

Regina looked at her with eyes wide open. She had never heard that story before. The fact that he, a cunning pirate, had done something so selfless to save her granddaughter surprised her. And at the same time, it didn't surprise her at all. At the same time, this sounded exactly like the Killian she had come to know and... well, let's call it appreciate.

She cleared her throat as a decision had formed inside her heart. „If you'll excuse me for a second..."

She got up and walked out the door without taking her coat or scarf, with fast paced steps on her high heeled boots through the snow, completely clear and sure of herself all of a sudden, straight over to Killian who still stood there, waiting.

He seemed surprised to see her. „Oh, hello Regina! Wait, what..."

Before he could finish his question she had reached him, looking him firmly in the eyes, then grabbing the collar of his coat with both hands pulling him towards her and pressing her lips on his.

It felt strange though, and he didn't kiss her back at all. Instead, when she pulled back to look at him in somewhat of confusion, he looked just as confused. Then she heard a baby fuss and a voice approaching, it was Emma. „Regina! What the hell are you doing with my husband?"

She turned around, and with each millisecond that her realization set in, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed a darker shade of red. „Oh my God", she mumbled, then turned back to the man she had just kissed, „It's YOU?"

Without another moment of hesitation she slapped him right across the face, he winced and held his cheek. „Ouch! Are you crazy, woman?! What did I deserve that for, it was you who violated my mouth, if anything, I should slap you!"

„Yeah, you wanna try? Be my guest, let's see what that'll get you!"

„What's going on here?", the other Killian, who wanted to stop by to check in on his daughter before starting his shift at the bar, joined their heated discussion, „Everything alright here?"

„Sure", said Emma, carrying her baby daughter, „Only Regina was just kis..."

„... checking on your husband. He had been standing out here in the cold for an awfully long time. But well, now you're here, so..."

Killian, the one she had originally intended to kiss, nodded. „I see... Is Alice still inside at Granny's?"

„Yes, she is. I... I don't think I'll go back in though, I still got work to do."

He looked at the others in confusion, then replied to her. „You... you're not even wearing a coat, you must be freezing already?"

She snapped back: „I don't care, I don't need one!"

And with that, she moved her arms in a grand gesture in front of her body and disappeared in a purple cloud to make sure no one could see the red hot flush of utter embarrassment on her face.