Author's Notes: This story follows canon through The Missing Year portion of 3B, except for where it obviously diverges. The prologue came off a little angstier than I intended, and while there will be more necessary angst throughout the fic, the whole thing isn't going to be a sad melancholy affair. I'm hoping to get updates out in a timely manner, but I may be starting a new job soon so forgive me if there are extended delays. Please leave me a review and tell me how you like the story, don't like the story, give me constructive criticism, whatever.
"I love you. I love you more than anything."
"Which is why you have to crush it."
Warm. Charming's heart is warm. She should have expected it to be she supposes, but she doesn't have much experience with enchanted hearts. There was one of course, but it was as cold as the crypt that surrounded it, having long been abandoned by its former owner. The one pulsing in her palm right now is warm and strong and pure, just like the man himself. She can feel its echo resounding softly within her own strained chest, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom.
Sacrifice. That's what her stepmother called it. Her unborn child squirms restlessly within her, as if he knows his mother's intentions, and is voicing his dissent. She wants to agree with him of course, but she can't. Charming is right, she has to think of her baby, she has to put him first, no matter what the cost. They have to defeat this witch. There is no other way.
The pot of dark curse bubbles ominously before her, and bitterly Snow wonders just how much more she will have to give up to the malevolent forces that seem to continuously plague her family. Her mother, lost to The Queen of Hearts; her father, lost to The Evil Queen; her husband, lost to The Wicked Witch of the West. There's only so much that one woman can endure.
As she clutches Charming's life force firmly in her shaking hand, she feels anger and resentment at the unfairness of it all. It briefly trumps her sorrow. Then she catches sight of Regina, and her rage instantly cools. Normally a facade of cold indifference or outright disdain, the queen appears to be genuinely distressed by her husband's plight. Such irony that she's finally getting what she wanted for all those years, Snow's happiness destroyed, and it brings her no joy. (And maybe, Snow ponders, she can finally understand the scope of loss that sent the sorceress down the dark path of curses, murder, and revenge.)
Charming's eyes are pleading with her now and she knows that she's stalled long enough. With one final intake of breath she squeezes, and the heart beats, beats, beats…and shatters into a million pieces. The remains fall silently into the cauldron as Charming tumbles limply to the ground. Snow is sure that the life must have been squeezed out of her as well. She can't breathe, she can't think, she can't do anything except cradle his spent flesh beneath her, hold onto him as long as she can.
"This won't be in vain. We will get back to Storybrooke. We will defeat Zelena."
Regina is saying something now, trying to comfort her, but she can't process it. The only thing she's aware of is pain. Pain and his body. She places true love's kiss on his unfeeling lips but it's useless, he's gone. Soon purple smoke invades her vision and everything else is gone too, everything but the agony. As purple gives way to black Snow's final thought is that this wasn't worth it. Nothing will ever be worth it.
