Love, true love is magic

CHAPTER 1

Love is a boundary between happiness and sorrow and a passageway to both. Either way, it could be the strongest emotion you could possibly feel.

Emma wanted to argue at first; that she didn't have to do this. She can't go and leave Regina here to die just so she can stop the trigger from destroying the town.

"What am I gonna tell Henry" was the only thing she thought to say that would make the brunet re think her decision.

"Tell him that in the end it wasn't too late for me to do the right thing"

Emma looked into those chocolate brown eyes that, for the past year or so, only showed her hate and annoyance. But right now all she could see are sadness, fear and loneliness swimming in those beautiful eyes of the former Mayor.

She turned around ready to go back in town and be with her son but just before she could run out she caught tears in the Mayors eyes and it was like someone has squeeze her heart at the sight. She has only ever seen Regina cry for Henry before and even then it didn't look like this.

Why am I feeling like this? She hates almost everyone in this town and yet she would choose to save them. Including me, the one who took her son away from her. But why? It was like her mind answered on their own.

For Henry. She tells herself. She's doing this for Henry.

"Regina -" I don't want you to die? I can't let you do this? I need you? Wait where did that come from? Emma thought.

But she didn't have time to ponder those thoughts because the next thing she knew Regina was already performing her magic and so she decided to just do what the woman had asked and left.

XXX

When she got to the diner everyone was already there and ready to leave including her father and Hook. They had successfully got a magic bean from Greg and everyone was already planning on leaving as soon as possible. She noticed that no one even noticed Regina wasn't with her.

Well what did you expect Swan? You know how this people are, they only ever think of Regina as the Evil Queen and nothing more. She thought bitterly.

Everyone looks at me as the Evil Queen. Including my son. She just can seem to shake those words out of her mind and she can't understand how it pains her so.

Damn it Regina! She chastised herself for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and proceeded to get ready with everyone else. "Okay, let's get going."

"W-where's my mom?"

She was brought out of her mind by Henry; the only one who has somehow able to see that his mother was not with her anymore.

That's the question that she really doesn't want to answer ever.

What am I suppose to say to the kid? Sorry your mom won't be joining us today or any other day ever again because in order for her to stop that stupid trigger it will take all her strength which could lead to her death. But don't worry, at least now you can be with me and we can all live happily ever after.

"Uhm.." that seemed to draw every ones attention to the savior as she found almost everyone looking at her expectantly.

The savior couldn't see any other way around this anymore so she told everyone what had to be done in order to save the town. That Regina would be sacrificing her own life in the process. ".. she won't survive."

That's when Mary Margaret managed to surprise her by saying that they couldn't let the Evil Queen die like that and they had to save her. She was even more surprised that the townspeople agreed with it, whether it was for their own conscience or because Snow White was the one who suggested it, she didn't care.

They were able to formulate a plan that could likely save them all or completely blow up in their faces and destroy the town and everyone in it but it was better than leaving Regina.

As long as we can get Regina out of there alive. Emma mused.

XXX

She really thought it would turn out as planned. They would go to the mines, open a portal and throw the diamond in it, save Regina, watch as Henry and her mom be together again, she might be able to figure out what her recent feelings for the Mayor really is and all will be well.

Turns out plans don't always turn out great for them.

They climbed out of David's truck and were already making their way into the mines entrance when suddenly an earthquake took forth. It felt like someone set off a bomb as the earth shook for a couple of minutes. As the earthquake passed they saw the mouth of the cave leading inside the mines collapsed and the rest caved in.

There was no way to get inside at this time.

"Regina's in there. She's still in there. We have to get her out! She's trapped there!" Emma didn't even know that she was screaming the words out.

She felt two strong arms holding her back while she was trying to get near the entrance but she didn't stop. All she wanted was to get to Regina as soon as possible.

"Emma stop! There's no point getting yourself in danger! We don't know if the mine could collapse again!" she heard David tried to reason with her but she just won't listen.

All she could see right now is Regina's face when she left her there in the first place.

"I should have never left her there. I need to find her. We need to get her out!" she screamed as she kept on struggling against David's hold of her.

"Mom!" That's when she snapped out of her trance. Henry's voice echoed through the place and that's when she recalled that her son was with them.

Mary Margaret was holding the boy down while he cried and screamed for his mom to come out of the mines.

She wanted to come to him. To comfort him, tell him that his mom would be alright. But she found out she couldn't. She couldn't even move for her entire body felt numb by looking at what was in front of her.

The entrance was totally caved in. Piles of rocks were everywhere and if you haven't been there before you won't be able to tell that there was a mine there in the first place. There was also smoke coming out of the heaps and if you look at it you would already think that no one could live inside the debris. It didn't look like someone could come in or out of that place.

XXX

The next hour or so seemed like a blur for Emma. David called the dwarfs and see if they can find a safe way inside to find Regina and get her out. Mary Margaret was now holding them both; Henry and her, while waiting for the dwarfs. Henry was silently sobbing by her side while she tried to control her own emotions.

Ruby was also there along with everyone and watching in the sidelines.

"I think Regina managed to stop it. The town's back to normal and there isn't any signs of it going back into a forest." Ruby informed them.

"How about Greg and Tamara? Did you find them?" she heard Mary Margaret ask.

"No we didn't. I lost their track by the docks."

She just really wasn't listening though. All she really cares right now is how to get inside and find the brunette whose face is the only one she can see in her mind right now.

"Hey I think we found a way inside!"

Emma got up and went straight to her father's side.

"I'm coming with you."

"Emma no. It's still dangerous and -"

"I don't care!" She cut him off before he can say another word. "I'm coming with you whether you like it or not. I'm going to get Regina out of that place and bring her home"

"Emma please, the dwarfs and I will go and I promise you we will do everything to find Regina." David tried to argue but her daughter just proves how stubborn she actually is by going straight to Leroy. David couldn't do anything more but sighed as he watched Emma went to talk with Leroy.

"Leroy, tell me where we can get in."

"It's right up there. We need to rappel down; it's really narrow so the other dwarfs are still trying to get some of the debris out so we can get in more securely."

"Alright, how long will it take before they can clear it?"

"They work fast so I'll say about an hour or so."

"An hour? That long?" she was getting impatient by now. The more time it took them to get inside the less chance they get at finding Regina alive.

It felt like Emma was being tortured by the passing minutes. It was like time had somehow moved slowly as she watched the dwarfs clear the area and said it was safe to climb down.

As safe as it will ever be considering what happened moments ago. Hurry up already! Her inner struggle continued on as she got ready to rappel down the mines.

It was decided that only three people will go in just to be sure that it won't cave in again. David would go in first, then Leroy and finally Emma.

Emma wanted to go in first but figured that it will be much faster if she didn't argue anymore. So as she watched her father go down the narrow passage; she tried to calm herself down.

She tries to think of other things.

Besides possibly seeing Regina covered in blood and her lifeless body lying somewhere in the mine. Damn it! Stop it Swan! She's not dead, there is no way that she is dead alright. She is the most stubborn woman I have ever met and she won't die so easily. She's probably just sitting on a pile of rocks wondering how to get out and tend to her precious apple tree.

When she finally got inside, they went through slowly looking for any signs of a woman who's looking out of place in the pile of rocks and debris around them.

It felt like they had been walking around for hours but found nothing that would lead them to where brunette is.

"Maybe we should take a break for a while." Leroy suggested as they stopped, panting and out of breath.

"What? No, we can't stop now. We need to find her; she's been trapped here for almost three hours."

"Emma I think Leroy's right. We need to take a breather for a while." David sided with the dwarf as he too was already having trouble breathing because of the closed off place.

"But David what if Regina's hurt?" or worse, she added silently on her mind.

"Look even if we find her, judging by how long she's been here and the price for stopping the trigger she might as well be dead by now so what's the point?" the dwarf grumbled.

That did it. Emma was already anxious about Regina's well being and also her state when they do find her and Leroy's comment just ignited the flame of anger that she was feeling ever since this all started.

"She did this to save us. All of us. You're still alive right now because of her and that's how you act!?" her voice suddenly growing stronger.

"Well admit it Emma it was her fault that we got here in the first place. With her being the Evil Queen, her curse and -" he didn't even get to finish his sentence when Emma advanced on him slowly.

"I don't really care about that anymore. Yes she did send all of you here by a curse but it's not like she wasn't trying to do good in the past months now! She had tried to be good; to do good and redeem herself but none of you would see it!"

"Emma I -" Her father tried to pacify his daughters' obvious outburst but found that Emma wouldn't let him interrupt.

"No David! Regina did this to save us. To save her son, to show everyone that she is capable of love!" she looked back at Leroy "Did you know what she said to me back there? She said everyone looks at her and sees the evil queen including Henry. She told me to let her die as Regina. I know she was the Evil Queen before but she changed! And none of you could see that. None of you wanted to see it!"

"I made a mistake of not trusting Regina about Archie. I promised Henry that I would protect his mom and I already broke that once when Greg managed to torture her and now this!" Emma was done with everyone saying that Regina was evil and that she doesn't deserve a chance.

After thinking back on the events for the past few weeks she found out that the woman really was trying and that everyone just pushed her away.

Including me. But she would make it right now.

"Regina may have done terrible things in the past but it doesn't mean that she can't change for good. She saved me and Mary Margaret in that well David, the least we could do is save her now."

Her speech seemed to stun not only Leroy but also her father.

"So you are going to get off your butt and help me find her or I swear I will beat you up myself. Got it!"

"Got it" both of them said in unison and started off again.

Most of the search was done without much of talking after that. It was only after David found something that looked like a diamond that the silence was broken.

"It's the trigger, right?" David said as he picked it up to show Emma.

"Yeah it is, but where's Regina?" Emma was already looking around the place for a sign of the brunette. Her heart was already pounding hard at the prospect of finally finding the woman and bringing her home.

"Uh guys.." she heard Leroy spoke quietly and pointed at the far corner where a huge sinkhole was; probably caused by the earthquake.

Emma went to check it out and found her heartbeat pick up by what she saw. There was blood some rocks and by the looks of it, it looked like Regina was flung there and hit her head, then there was a trail leading to the sinkhole itself.

She couldn't be sure yet but Emma thinks she can hear water running below it. She peeked inside hoping to find the brunette but found her heart almost stopping at what she saw. There, almost ten feet below, was indeed running water and it looked like it's heading through.

"The pier; it's the only place it could lead to." David completed her thought.

But that wasn't what stopped her though. What really made her heart sink into her stomach was the piece of glove that was caught by one of the rocks below, almost touching the waters. Gloves that she definitely saw Regina wearing that day.

"No."

XXX

They got out of the mines as quickly as possible and ordered a search party for Regina in the docks, pier and even the beach. Emma never felt so useless before in her entire life. She replayed the event of the day over and over again in her head. The way she told Regina this was all her fault, her leaving Regina in the mines, Henry's pleading look for her to save his mom. All of it was swimming in her mind and she just can't get it out.

She kept a firm hold of the brunettes' glove like somehow it would magically lead her to its owner. She climbed down the sinkhole to retrieve it before they went out despite her father's protest. She knows it's stupid but she can't just let it go.

It's times like these I wish I got a better hold of my so called magic.

Their search ended after four days of finding nothing.

"Emma she's gone." She remembered Mary Margaret told her on the fourth day when she still refused to stop looking for the brunette.

"No she's not. She's out there somewhere and I'll find her. I'll bring her back to Henry." Back to me and I won't ever let her go again. She silently vowed to herself.

It was during those days that she found out how attached she was to Regina. Her feelings for the woman seemed to just burst out of her chest and hit her in the face as she realized that she liked Regina. And not just in a let's-be-friends kind of way but more like being-a-family-have-dates-together kind of way. That she wanted to be with the other mother of her son day in and day out. That was why she can't just let go of wanting to find her.

She needs to know that she's not alone. Not anymore.

Emma kept repeating those words over and over again for a week so that she can keep going with her search.

It's not until she found Henry crying in Regina's bedroom one morning that it really dawn on her. They were both leaving in the mansion; Henry and she had been hoping that Regina would one day burst through the doors and question why the sheriff was inside her house. But as the days passed it seems that that scenario would be next to impossible.

Regina's gone. She's not coming back. If she was alive she would be back here in her mansion and be with Henry.

It had been a week since Regina's disappearance and she still couldn't find a clue as to where she could be. She went inside the room quietly and climbed into bed with Henry. They held onto each other tight and cried until they fell asleep.

Maybe it's time to finally accept the truth.

She knows it will be hard; that they won't be able to live normally like before. Back where Regina would barge into the sheriff's office and bug her with paperwork or when they would fight over Henry. If you ask her she would gladly tell you that she would endure all of those things again if it meant that Regina would still be here.

As much as she denied it, somewhere along the road she fell for the stubborn, sassy Mayor. She only wished that she could turn back the time and bring her back, so that she could say it to her. But she knows she can't. It's too late.

XXX

Meanwhile in a cabin just near the town line of Storybrooke, a blond woman was tending to an unconscious Regina. They have both been in that cabin for over a week now.

When the blond was able to break out of her so called prison and locate the brunette, she was already unconscious from exhaustion both physically and mentally. It looked like the trigger suck out her magic and left her on the brink of death.

The blonde caught Regina as she fell through a sinkhole that collapsed under her. She was able to catch her before she hit the waters below and flew them out that place. Regina's pulse was really slow back then but she managed to hang on.

"There, there Gina. Now that I'm back, I won't let anyone hurt you again." The blond murmured as she wiped a damp cloth on Reina's forehead. "I promise." she said as she kissed her forehead once more.