The Secrets Her Heart Keeps

Chapter One

Her heart thunders violently in her chest and all the air evaporates from her lungs, forcing a small gasp to break through her quivering lips. For once in her life, she is stunned into complete silence while her arms nervously bounce off the fluff of her elaborate dress.

Her eyes finally tear away from the sparkling jewels intricately decorating the crown presented to her, to meet David's soft gaze. His ocean irises are shimmering in a sea of emotions. Snow is a bubbling mess beside him, but Charming isn't too far from crumbling either when her brown eyes meet his watery smile.

Regina slowly spins around to confirm that this is indeed what all the realms would truly want. For some peculiar reason, truly undisclosed in her mind, she finds herself seeking the approval of only one person in this crowded room. Her eyes scan the overpopulated expanse where their stories all began; an encouraging smile from her sister, an overjoyed expression from her niece and her girlfriend, along with the new Hook, and proud smiles upon both versions of her son.

She swallows thickly, all eyes are on her, expectantly watching through watery smiles, but hers falters. Her brows draw automatically together from the sudden ache clinging painfully to her heart and the sensation of feeling miserably alone.

"Are you ready?" David gently questions, tearing her eyes away from the crowd, but only for a brief second, before she's in search once again.

"Uh," she stammers, contemplating whether or not she should even ask. Her arms anxiously twitch at her sides again, bouncing once more from the width of her powder blue dress like the nervous princess she once was when Leopold proposed. She glances down and summons all the courage necessary to question her curiosity. She leans forward and lowers her voice for only the Charmings to hear. "Is everyone here?" She softly inquires with every bit of nerves tingling her limbs and quaking in her tone.

Even in a crowded room, with all eyes on her, there is only one person she is in search for. Only one person's opinion that matters to her.

Only one.

~~~~~~~
Storybrooke: Before Henry ever left, in search for his own story

"Henry! We are going to be late, honey!"

She shakes her head at her son's untimely manner in which he inherited from his blonde mother, without a doubt. She adjusts the silver charm decorating her wrist and smiles at the Mother's Day present Henry purchased this year. Even though she has a sneaky suspicion the purchase was to soften her up for something she hasn't a clue of just yet. She smiles fondly as the light catches the simple diamond bracelet in just the right way, sparkling brightly in the reflection of the mirror before her.

However, the doorbell rings, prying her eyes away from the beautiful gift and forcing her to realize just how late they must be if Emma is ready before their son. Her lips twist from her son's tardiness as her heels click against the marble floors toward the front door.

"Henry!" She shouts again just before she swings open the door and she smiles softly at Emma and Hook lingering upon the porch.

"Regina."

"Hook," she curtly replies.

"Hi," Emma softly chimes in.

"Good morning." She steps aside, allowing the couple to enter before she gently closes the door behind them. "Your son can't seem to put his feet to work this morning," she mocks as a warm vanilla scent wafts through the air around her.