**** I do not own OUaT nor its characters****

This prompt was loaned to me from JadedAngelsisRising. Special thanks and shout out to her. It was inspired by a dream of hers. If you hadn't noticed I've become pretty obsessed lately with exploring exploring the relationships between Cora, Regina and Zelena. I think they all get pretty screwed by the horrible choices of storylines of the show.

As for my other fics, I know I haven't updated in forever. But I promise I will again soon. Definitely next week at the very latest. Hope you enjoy 8D

"Mother!"

Regina's confusion at seeing her Mother's eyes roll skyward had turned into a strangled cry bursting forth from her choked up throat. She instinctively reached out to her Mother as she began to fall. Her full weight crashed down on Regina and they both tumbled to the ground.

Tears glistened in the corners of Cora's eyes as they took in her daughter before her. This was not a look Regina had ever believed possible. Cora had drummed into her head practically from birth that love was weakness. And though she'd hoped, Regina couldn't let herself believe just yet.

Then Cora lifted her hand to press against Regina's cheek. Her touch was lukewarm.

Regina breathing became labored. "Mother?"

"You would have been enough," Regina's breath hitched in her throat as she dared not believe words she'd waited her whole life to hear from a woman who'd told her time and time again she wasn't good enough. "You are enough. You always have been," Cora's hand slid down Regina's cheek and landed with a small thump.

Cora gave one last gasp. Then she was gone.

Regina looked around her with wide eyes. The reality of what had just happened still not breaking through the shock just yet.

She gazed around her at Rumple, Snow, David, and Emma. She couldn't believe what she was seeing with her own two eyes. David's and Rumple's faces held smug disbelief. Emma's eyes bulged as she openly gaped. Then there was Snow.

Snow turned away unable to meet the accusation in Regina's eyes. But Regina knew. She didn't know how or why just yet. But she knew. Snow had done this.

Tears pricked the back of her eyes but Regina willed them away. She cursed herself. She should've known better than to trust Snow White. Snow had convinced her that returning her Mother's heart was the only way to save her. So that she could have a second chance. The same one that they were all having right now.

And that little burst of hope igniting in her chest as she thought of the possibility of her Mother becoming a real Mother if her heart had been returned to her was what Snow had used to get her own daughter to kill her. She'd snuffed away Cora's second chance just as Regina had finally found the redemption she had spent her life pining for.

Regina poofed herself and her Mother to her vault.

SQ SQ SQ S SQ SQ SQ S QS Q SQ SQ SSQ

Emma stared with disbelieving eyes at the scene before her. It was only the trail of smoke from Regina's purple magic that snapped her out of it.

"Regina!" she cried. But it was too late. Regina was gone. And with her any chance of the happy ending they had been trying to build together.

QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH QOH

Cora jolted upright with a gasp. She was free!

She didn't know how she knew but she could tell that time had passed.

She had no idea where she was.

But the how and why were obvious. At least to her.

She looked around her taking in the macabre surroundings. She seemed to be in some sort of vault. She was lying in a box that had been lined with a red cashmere type material. It was surrounded with candles and a fireplace was nearby. Aside from that, the room lay bare.

Cora jumped out of her makeshift coffin. She stretched and loosened all of the muscles and joints in her body trying to take a mental stock of everything. That's when the memories came flooding back at her.

Cora gasped again and clutched at her chest. Her baby! Regina was all alone and defenseless against the evils in the world. She'd already had one baby stolen from her. She wouldn't let another one be taken away from her.

Cora quickly made her way through the maze of hallways as she sought a way out.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Zelena had known without being told precisely whose room this was. It was the only one in the dilapidated castle that still stood complete. It was even surprisingly dust free inside.

She went through the rows and rows of beautiful dresses that had been lined up against the wall until she came to something she liked. She pranced around in front of the mirror as she ran a hand over her body exchanging the dress she was wearing for one of her little sister's. The brat had gotten everything that Zelena had never had. One more thing to add to the list of reasons why Zelena did and always would hate her.

She should've been Queen. She was the oldest sister. And she knew she would have been a great one too. If she hadn't been thrown out like yesterday's trash.

She turned side to side in front of the mirror in her new dress. It fit her like a glove. It seemed as if it had been made specifically for her.

She chuckled to herself feeling like a little girl playing in Mummy's things while she was away. She walked over to the dresser. She picked up one of the perfume bottles. She spritzed it into the air and took a big sniff. She nodded her approval and then began to spray it on the pulse points of both wrists and around her neck.

At least the brat had good taste. Purple looked good against her green skin. When she was done with her sister, she'd take her signature color along with everything else from her.