Once Upon a Dream:

Page 98: Regret:

*Eleven Years Ago*

*Storybrooke*

Dream waited by the entrance, waiting with her friend, Paige. Paige's parents came to get her as Dream waved at her. She moved to sit on the wooden bench, waiting for her mom. Mary Margaret walked over, about to leave, when she noticed Dream sitting by herself. "Dream? Is your mom not here yet?" Mary Margaret asked, knowing that if Regina couldn't pick Dream up, she normally sent Graham to pick her up. But they were like fifteen minutes late. 

"No." Dream said as she kept holding onto her red backpack straps.

"Is Graham coming to get you?" Mary Margaret asked, sitting next to Dream. Dream just shrugged, looking towards the door. She rose up when Gold walked into but just sighed, thinking that he was her mom or Graham. 

"Regina called me to pick up little Dream." Gold said, looking at Mary Margaret. "Okay..." Mary Margaret smiled, watching Dream walk out with Gold. "Do you want to go get some ice cream?" Gold asked as Dream walked beside him.

"Mommy never lets me have dessert before dinner. She says it will give me a tummy ache." Dream said, looking ahead when Gold looked down at his daughter, who didn't know. "How about I take you to Granny's? You could have a snack before dinner." Gold smiled, making Dream think about it. "Okay... But we can't tell my mom." Dream smiled as she held her pinky out, making Gold smile. 

"Okay. I promise." Gold smiled before walking her to Granny's.

Meanwhile, Regina headed back to the agency with Henry. She walked into the room where the adoption agent was when she sat Henry's car seat on the desk. "I wrote out instructions for his bedtime, nap time, and feeding," Regina said, handing the agent the schedule she wrote out. "Ms. Mills, I assure you, the baby will be in expert hands here." The agent smiled at Regina. "I know. I'm just sad that this couldn't work out. The circumstances were unforeseen." Regina sighed, looking down. 

"Not every child is the right fit for a parent. You're a mother, you know, sometimes putting the child first can mean having the strength to give him up." The agent said, making Regina sigh.

"Where will Henry go next?" Regina asked him.

"We already have a new family lined up. He's gonna be just fine." The agent said as Regina finally looked at baby Henry. The agent noticed, sighing to himself. "I'll tell you what, you take a minute. I'll be right back, okay?" The agent stood up and walked out of the room.

Regina moved over, looking at Henry. "Oh, Henry. You deserve better than me. You truly are the only one, maybe besides Dream, in all the realms who believes in me." She said, holding his little hand as he cooed at her. She picked him up as he grabbed her locket that had Dream's picture in it. Regina tried to hold back her tears when the agent walked back into the room. "Would you like me to hold him so we can get the last of those signatures?" The agent asked as Regina tried to collect herself. 

"No. That won't be necessary. Henry is my son." Regina said, putting Henry back in the car seat. "The best thing for Henry is to stay with a mother who will never let go of him...ever again." Regina smiled, picking up Henry's car seat, before walking out of the room to head back to Storybrooke.

*Present Day*

*Storybrooke*

Dream kept struggling to get out of the vines, like the other three, while Pan continued to talk. "Having trouble moving? Not a surprise, given where you are. You see, what's hastening your demise is your regret." Pan said, making the four women furrow their brows at him. "What are you talking about?" Emma asked Pan. "This tree is the site of a very important event for me. I abandoned my boy here." Pan explained, making Dream raise her brows.

"You have a son?" Regina and Dream asked him in unison.

"I'm older than I look," Pan smirked at them. 

"If you have a child, you must regret losing him, too." Dream said, looking at him. 

"But I don't. Quite the opposite, actually." Pan said, walking over to pick up Pandora's Box. "You see, I have him all boxed up, so I don't lose him again," Pan said, holding up the box, making Dream gasp out a breath she didn't know she was holding in.

"Rumpelstiltskin is your son?" Regina asked him.

"That he is."

"How's that possible? You're--" Dream tried to say. "Younger than him?" Pan said as she scoffed out a sarcastic chuckle. "You're younger than me." Dream scoffed out.

"Not really." He smirked at her. "Just like you and your daughter." He said, walking over to Mary Margaret.

"You're a fraud. Your magic is weakened. You can't even hurt us, let alone Rumpelstiltskin." Regina said, making Pan walk over to look at her. "You're right. But that's why I'm here. This tree will protect me until my power is restored. And then? Well, then I get to have some real fun." Pan said, holding the sword up to Dream's face. "And I won't have to ever worry about my child again. Something else we will all soon have in common." Pan said as Emma tried to charge forward, making the vines grow tighter.

"Ow..." Dream scoffed as she felt thorns piercing her sides.

"There has to be another way," Emma said, scoffing to herself. "No, you're not going to get to me. You see, this tree attacks the regret inside anyone who comes here. And you? You've got plenty." Pan said, getting in Emma's face. "I regret not taking a better shot at you when I had the chance." Emma scoffed at him.

"Well, that's not all, is it, Savior? No, I have your son's heart inside me. I can feel just how much you let him down, time and time again..."

"Leave her alone." Mary Margaret said to him.

"Perhaps I should," Pan said, moving over to her. "After all, what chance did she have of being a good mother? Look at the example you set, abandoning her for 28 years." Pan said as Regina scoffed. 

"Are you finished?" Regina asked him as Pan walked over to look at her.

"Last words from the Queen? Perhaps a deathbed confession from the one who has the most to regret of all?" Pan asked as Regina smirked at him. 

"Yeah, there's one problem with that. I did cast a curse that devastated an entire population. I have tortured and murdered. I've done some terrible things. I should be overflowing with regret, but I'm not." Regina said as the vines broke off all the girls. "Because it got me, my kids," Regina said before reaching into Pan's chest, pulling out Henry's chest as Pan gasped, dropping to the ground. He dropped the box, reaching for it, when Dream smirked, picking it up. "Now... Let's go save Henry." Regina smirked, looking at the other three.

The four hurried to the ship when they rushed to find Henry. "Henry? Where is he?" Emma asked as Neal walked over, grabbing their attention. "He's over here," Neal said as he put Henry down. "Hold on, Henry," Regina said, pushing Henry's heart into his chest.

"Henry?" Emma asked as nothing happened. "Are we too late?" Emma asked, looking at Regina.

"Henry... Please, wake up." Dream said, resting her hand on Henry's chest when he gasped, waking up. Everyone smiled in relief when Henry rose up, hugging both of his moms. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, take it easy, buddy." Neal smiled when he saw his son wake up.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to save magic." Henry sighed, looking at his family. "It's okay. It's okay." Emma said as Henry looked at everyone. "I wanted to be a hero," Henry said as Dream smiled at him.

"There's plenty of time for that, kiddo." Dream smiled, standing with David and Hook. 

"Welcome back, young sir. Only the best for our guest of honor, don't you think? Captain's quarters." Hook smiled, making Dream smile at Hook. "Come on. I'll tuck you in." Regina smiled, looking between Henry and Dream.

~season 3, episode 9: "Save Henry"~

~1360 words~