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Chapter 44: Mother from Hell

There were plenty of precautions one took after selling the heart of their not so beloved grandson to Peter Pan.

Honestly, Cora could write a book for planning for Regina's rage. She had to set the stage—disassociate herself from the drama.

That was easier said then done. A nice stay at the Storybrooke Resort for some champagne and Botox, as well as a nice massage by one of those swan brothers. They were so much nicer in human form than birds. Or they didn't have those abs like they did now. Hmm, perhaps she should replace Hook with Hans (the guy giving her the massage). He didn't have accent, but those hands were gold alone.

Truly, it was amazing how no one had even blinked an eye when she came into visit. Then again, it wasn't like Hans and his brothers had that many brain cells—all those years of being birds.

"Higher," Cora said there was so much tension in her shoulder.

That bratty Pan gave her a migraine trying to deal with him. It was hard to think that the brat was older than Rumpelstiltskin when he physically appeared to be only a few years older than that stupid grandson of his. And the fact that he drained Hook's supply of rum at the lighthouse they had been laying low at with blew her mind.

"Oh, I'm older than I look, lass." He smiled at her. "Who do you think got Hook his first drink of rum?"

Hook muttered something under his breath. He had been so uncomfortable with Pan's presence and honestly Cora couldn't blame him. There was just something eerie about the overgrown petulant child.

"You can go now, Killian." She said.

"I see he still doesn't wear the pants in a relationship." Pan said.

Killian gave him one of his signature guyliner glares.

"Oh, that really scares me."

Hook tried again.

"Just go." Cora said. "I'll be fine alone with him."

Killian shook his head, but went. Cora personally was surprised he still cared, even after she pulled out his heart. He really must have a soft spot for her. And to think she was starting to think he liked that witch on the TV better than her. Not to mention that Emma Swan.

God, did Cora hate the fact she was second best to Snow White's daughter of all things. Who by the way didn't know how to wear a proper dress.

Seriously. What was with the pants and those nasty leather jackets. She wasn't Rumple or even Hook, she couldn't pull off leather.

Pan shook his head and chuckled after the pirate left. "You have him wrapped all around your finger, don't you?"

"You could say that." Cora said. "But we're not here to talk about Hook and you know that."

"I do indeed. I must say, I was surprised when Killian called me. He doesn't like me much."

"Really?" Cora said. "Yet he has your contact information."

"Well, I do sort of run Neverland."

"Fascinating land." Cora said not really giving a flip about Neverland. She had said the same thing about Wonderland when she ruled it and she had thought the place was a dump.

To be truthful, nothing ever really satisfied her. It was a side effect of being heartless, though the Queen of Hearts herself didn't realize this and she was the mistress of heart magic.

At least that's what she told anyone who would listen to her.

Not that many people did since they usually ended up dead.

Pan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't like Neverland. Too savage for you."

"Why do you say that?" Cora took a sip of the tea she made. She always loved a good tea party. It was one reason she didn't decide to kill the Hatter. Jefferson could make a wonderful cup of tea. Not to watery. Not ridiculously hot either where it would burn your tongue.

Peter Pan shook his head. "We're having a tea party here. We don't do that in Neverland."

"Isn't that pity." Cora said, "Biscuit."

Pan frowned but grabbed one of the treats Cora held out for him and bit into it. "Lovely. I once knew a woman who could make treats like this. Claimed it was an old family recipe."

"This isn't a family recipe." Cora said. "They're Fig Newtons."

"Huh?"

"I bought them at the grocery store." She said, "It's a world of non-magic thing."

Pan laughed.

"What?" Cora said.

"Land of Non-Magic. Not a good name for this world since you were able to poof us up a tea set, huh?"

"It's limited to this area," Cora said, "Someone used a true love potion on this town. Powerful stuff."

"But not as powerful as what you had." The boy said eying Cora. "You have something I want."

"So, you want to skip the small talk phase."

"I've been looking for what you've had for many years, lass, small talk is way beyond me. Besides, it's not a skill we pickup on in Neverland."

"Now that is a pity." Cora said tapping her nails onto the table. She just had them done. Painted a lovely shade of red. She had to have some color. The clothing in this world was just ridiculously dull. "Do you know what I was called in my own land?"

Pan gave her a blank look. "The Queen of Hearts. So?"

"You know what I claim to have." Cora said, "I think it would be wise to listen to me. And to treat me with respect, young man."

He laughed. "You know I'm not young, but nice lecture. I'm assuming you want to talk terms. But I want to see if you have it."

Cora smiled as she pulled out a box from her designer handbag. A box that held the heart of the truest believer.

Pan gasped when he saw it. "That's it?"

"Yes, that's it." Cora said.

The boy tried to snatch it (obviously, Cora had predicted as much) and was surprised that Cora was smart enough to have put a protection charm around it.

"Not till we talk about terms first." She said.

"Terms?" The boy said. "I thought you just wanted money."

"Oh, I have no problem with money." Cora said, "I want something else."

She smirked as she thought of the deal she made. Sure, her grandson might've had to die from it, but in the long run it would benefit Cora. And her hands would be completely clean in all of this.

She had her alibi thanks to Hans and if Regina would take out her rage on anyone it would be Snow White.

How simple the whole thing had been.

The Enchanted Forest. So blah. Where homosexuality was viewed as a curse. Not like it was part of a normal life, even though there were gay people in the Enchanted Forest same as in Wonderland and in this world.

Poor, poor, Henry.

Cora couldn't help but smirk. His problem seemed to be the missing piece in the puzzle. And his heart had been the cherry to top all sundaes. Regina was going to be glad her mother was here to help her. To hold her throughout all the bad times.

She just needed to find her opening.

Which was why she conveniently lost her balance when she got out of the pool at the resort later that night and sprained her ankle.

A one way trip to the hospital.

Alibi sealed by ambulance ride.

Or at least that's what Cora thought as she was pushed through the hospital, until she saw Regina's face.

Regina didn't even look at her. At least not right away. She wasn't looking at anyone. Her daughter seemed lost.

This was the moment Cora was waiting for. Everything had fallen beautifully in place. She hoped the boy was already dead. She couldn't bear to see her daughter more devastated. Okay, maybe she could. She wanted Regina to be at her lowest point. She wanted to be that shoulder to cry on.

"Regina," Cora cried. Trying to sound caring.

Her daughter didn't look at her though. She just seemed to be standing there completely numb.

She called her daughter's name again.

This time Regina looked at her once and shook her head. "I can't." She said before disappearing into a cloud of purple smoke.

That was not what Cora wanted. Or for that doctor who was named after some large sea mammal to come prodding on her ankle.

God, she wished she would've never gone for the sprained ankle rouse.

She should've just fixed it with magic. She really didn't know why Regina didn't want to cry. She was her mother, after all. She should confide in her.

But nope, she wanted to get away from Cora.

This would not do at all.

Cora decided to take her anger out on the doctor. "There's no need to mess with it, I'll fix it with magic."

"That's not…"

Cora rolled her eyes and with a quick wave of her hand she could walk. She really shouldn't have messed it up in the first place. A waste of energy. She thought about taking the doctor's heart, just for old times sake. But she wanted to look contrite about her grandson.

She was sure he was dead by now.

Or almost dead.

Pan had had that heart for a couple of hours now.

Poor Henry.

She really didn't care though to be honest.

Such a stupid naïve boy.

She just wanted the payoff. It infuriated her that Regina would just poof away like that.

She decided to make sure that the little brat was dead. She knew he was. But seeing his cold dead body would make her feel just a little bit better.

She was a sick puppy (admittedly).

Well, that was just a part of being heartless.

The boy's room was easy enough to find. However, he wasn't alone. Emma Swan was in there crying over the boy. She waved her hand freezing the blonde and for a minute thought about taking her heart.

She was being so conservative today. And she deserved something, but before her greedy little paws could even grab the savior's heart she heard a cold voice say. "And here I thought your ankle was broken. What are you doing in my son's room?"

"Your son?" Cora acted confused.

"Yes, my son. I'm sure you know who Henry is, Mother. Don't play stupid."

"Regina?"

Regina glared at her. There was something about her face that Cora did not like.

"I'm not stupid." Regina said eying her. "You know that, right?"

Cora nodded, though personally she thought Regina had inherited Henry's brains. Such a stupid child getting with that Stable Boy. At times she wished and almost longed to have wondered what a child with Rumple would've been like.

Smarter for one thing.

That never came to be though (thank God). Imagine having to co-parent with that imp. God—

She definitely wouldn't have been able to kill the stable boy then. No, Rumple probably would've let Regina have that servant boy. If only to experiment on. After all, he kept that maid of his around.

She hoped that maid was gone. Her and her brat. She wanted Rumple back.

Maybe she'd try to find his dagger this time around. Make things extra kinky.

"You never answered my question, Mother." Regina said. "Then again, there's no need. You've always been so transparent."

Her transparent? As if. If Regina knew what she did, Cora would be dealing with her impulsive rage.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Regina." Cora said saying the words like she meant them. This took a lot of practice. She spent hours in front of the mirror trying to make sure she didn't look snide or smug or whatever. She found out the hard way with the stable boy, you had to at least act contrite with Regina.

"Cut the bull shit." Regina said glaring at her. "I know you're lying. I know you set all of this in motion. I know that you had Henry talk to her."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Regina." Cora said.

And then she felt it.

Someone was squeezing her heart. A heart she felt she had hidden so well.

Regina smiled a smile that was not unlike one of Cora's and held out what Cora knew was her beating heart. Oozing black all over. Hardly a spot of red left. "Missing something?"

Cora sighed. "You can't destroy it."

She had made sure of that long ago. She had put a spell on the bad boy, much like she did with Moe French's heart. Only she could destroy it.

"Yes," Regina said as she grabbed Cora's heart. "But that doesn't mean I can't make you feel pain."

And at that moment, as Cora withered towards the floor. She knew why they called her daughter the Evil Queen.

And even though she was grunting through pain, she couldn't help but smile. Regina had finally learned how to embrace power.

At least that's what Cora thought.

Heartless as she was, she didn't know that Regina was reacting to such a tremendously unimaginable grief.