"You shouldn't have come here, Regina," Zelena mocked, tsk-tsking as she waved one long green finger in Regina's face, smugly smiling at Regina's anger, "Oh and such anger, as if I have wronged you," she hissed with venom.
"What do you want?" Regina demanded, scowling as she eyed the green witch with disgust.
Laughing, a tinkling one that may have once been considered beautiful, she smiled brightly and lacing her voice with mockery, "To destroy everything you hold dear, my darling."
Regina rolled her eyes, as she stepped closer to the witch, "So you've said before and still I am here," she replied confidently, "I'm not going anywhere."
Leaning forward the witch smiled, barring her shiny white, "I should hope not…I want you here. You are here by my very pleasure of watching as I slowly tear it all down around you. You will be the last one here when it is all said and done and all you have ever hoped for will be burned to ashes," the witched hissed icily through clenched teeth, "And I will finally have everything I had ever wanted," she spat out.
"You will stay away from me and everyone else in this town," Regina avowed, shoving the witch from her face as her eyes filled with rage.
Smiling brightly the witch chuckled, "That was always your down fall…You actually do care!" She clapped her green hands merrily as she circled Regina, "You cared about Snow and so you lost Daniel, you cared about Henry and lost your revenge, and now you….And now you care about them all! I would have never…," pausing she turned her icy blue eyes onto Regina and scowled, "Actually I would. I most certainly would believe that a twit like you would end up caring. Such a caring little girl, the apple of her father's eye, would care," sniffing she scoffed, "Pathetic."
"You don't know anything about me, Witch," Regina hissed back and took a step forward.
"I know so much more than you think, my darling," she replied strangely, "I think I might even know something you might not yet!" she said bating Regina, "In fact I think it quite a useful bit of information." Slowly the Witch began to circle Regina again, and stopping just before her she tilted her head in thought. "Perhaps we could make a deal," her eyebrows rising, "I do so love a good deal!"
"What kind of deal?" Regina asked warily, something in the back of her mind sending off those warning bells.
"Well," she clapped her hands, taking a step back, "You could save everyone here from this curse, of course yourself not included," she added raising an eyebrow for emphasis, "You would die," she stated as a matter of fact, "But before your death you would give me your first born child….And not Snow or the Savior's rug-rat…your own first borne."
Standing straighter Regina eyed the Witch warily, something wasn't right. Something was missing, it all seemed so calculated. Resisting the urge to step back, or disappear, she straightened her back and asked, "And what if I have no such child?"
"But that is no problem," the Witch replied stepping closer and placing a hand on Regina's abdomen, "You are with child right now…. Give me this child, and I will take you prisoner till the end of your days and release these other ridiculous beings from the curse."
Stepping quickly away she placed a hand on her abdomen, and looked startled, "I am not…." But stopped short as she could suddenly feel the small wisp of magic inside her. Her child would be able to use magic. Those thoughts though were quickly pushed aside as she thought back on what the Witch had just said, "You would release them from the curse, you wouldn't spare them!" Regina shot back hotly only to be rewarded with a wicked smile.
"You are quite quick," the Witch drawled, "But no I cannot guarantee I would spare anyone. I would simply release them from my curse. If they chose to remain in my war path…. I would have no choice but to kill them all," she finished with a small shrug as she continued lazy walk about the room.
"And you would make me watch," Regina hissed, "You would turn this child against me and them."
"Again quite quick," the Witch said eying her, "But what does this child matter? Really Regina a child you do not even know who the father is….What of Henry? The others would no doubt get in my way, and I could destroy them, and spare Henry. Your true child. What of him?"
"I would still be your prisoner, and so would this child," Regina shot back.
"Yes you would," the Witch replied with a nod, "But what is a child you don't know, with a father you can't remember… to the son you so adamantly love?"
The Witch's blue eyes flashed dangerously as she stepped toward Regina her face hardening as she whispered, "Give me that child."
Before another step could be made Regina summoned her magic and left in a poof of purple smoke. Not thinking of anything but getting away from the Witch, she had no idea where she had taken herself too until the smoke cleared and she breathed a somewhat heavy sigh of relief.
"Regina!" Snow said frightened by the look of fear etched across Regina's face, as she hurriedly waddled forward. "Regina what happened?" asked reaching forward and steadying Regina as she continued to breathe heavily in a panicked fashion.
"Get out David," Regina demanded not giving a sideways look at the baffled man behind her.
"Snow…" David asked somewhat surprised and concerned, perpetually concerned for his pregnant wife.
Snow smiled reassuringly and nodded, "Please David, just give us a few minutes. Don't worry."
Emma looked warily between the three before asking gently, "Regina do you want me to go with David?"
Regina could still barely speak, when she simply shook her head no and continued to try to even her breathing as Snow still held onto her arms.
David slowly left the room, grabbing his jacket and sharing a meaningful look with Emma, before he left he added, "Whatever it is Regina…We can help."
"Must you all always be so helpful," Regina rasped, trying her best to sound disgusted but falling short.
Emma rolled her eyes as she stopped over to Snow and Regina, "I think if you hated the helpfulness you wouldn't be here." Ignoring the tight lipped frown Snow gave her, Emma asked, "Regina you know you can tell us whatever it is."
"You both gave up your child before," Regina stated quickly as she stared anywhere but at the two women, who in truth had been forced to do so in some way by Regina, "How did you know it was the right thing?"
"I didn't," Snow sighed shaking her head and giving a sad glance between Emma and Regina, "It was the only thing I could do to give her the best chance. I knew that the curse was coming and sparing her that…it was the only thing I could do."
Turning slowly to Emma, Regina regarded her as Emma collected her thoughts. Emma smiled sadly, "Everything in me wanted to keep him," she admitted sadly, "But I knew staying with me was a mistake. I couldn't be the mother he needed," she swallowed the lump and shrugged, "You found Henry and you were the mother he needed. I gave him up to give him the best chance."
"If you had known what you were doing wasn't for the best would you have done it?" Regina asked regarding Emma carefully.
"I don't regret anything. I couldn't have given Henry what you did when I was eighteen," Emma replied genuinely, "But if I had thought that something bad was going to happen to him, something even worse than being with me, I wouldn't have done it. I would have fought for him."
Snow keenly eyed Regina as a thought slowly started to unravel, "Regina is there something you want to tell us?"
Looking anywhere but directly at Snow, "The Witch has offered a deal…"
"A deal?" Emma asked skeptically her eyebrows shooting up, "What kind of deal?" she demanded.
Regina tried her best to scowl at the blonde, "The kind where she releases everyone from the curse in exchange for something else."
"What else?" Emma demanded hotly eying Regina with worry.
"I turn myself over to her and you all are released," Regina replied looking into Snow's sad eyes, searching for the condemnation, the permission to do just as the Witch had requested.
Snow shook her head, her face filled with concern, "Regina what else did she say?"
Before Regina could respond, Emma interjected, "That's not a deal that's just taking you hostage Regina. She will release us from the curse, but she will still pick us off one by one! That's not winning, Regina!"
"In addition to myself I must give her my first borne child…" Regina said looking at Snow again, with so much left unsaid.
Emma looked nervously between the two women, "But…"
"You're pregnant," Snow whispered softly as she looked into the usually cold brown eyes of her step mother, which were filled with so much worry, "She wants you to give up your first borne child."
"Like Rumple and Cinderella?" Emma asked skeptically looking between the two.
Both Regina and Snow's heads whipped around to face Emma, and Regina asked cryptically, "What did you just say?"
Emma looked between the two before cautiously answering, "In all the Rumpelstiltskin stories…He always took the first borne child in his deals."
"But Gold is dead," Snow said sadly.
Shaking her head, Regina spoke, "Wherever Gold is or isn't, isn't here nor there right now. There's more to the Witch's story. She kept asking if I really don't know her, and stating how she wants to destroy everyone."
"Cause she knows you care," Snow's small sympathetic smile peaked out, "Regina, no matter what you say… I know you care. I know things haven't always worked out, but we are a family now and nothing, no Green Witch or Curse is going to break us apart now."
Placing a hand on her abdomen, she stated, "I'm pregnant."
Snow smiled warmly, "Isn't it wonderful? It's what you always wanted, a child of your own?"
"But Henry?" Regina asked.
"Will be thrilled by the thought of a younger sibling," Emma stated reassuringly, placing a hand on Regina's shoulder, "Giving your child up to the Witch, is that really their best chance?"
"No," Regina whispered as she pulled back her hand and a little wisp of lavender smoke sparkled her hand before evaporating.
Snow's eyes widened as she looked up into Regina's eyes, "What was that?"
Regina sighed softly, "She can use magic."
"You can tell if it's a boy or girl," Snow asked excitedly, as she glanced down at her own belly.
"Yes…"
Emma's wide green eyes looked at Regina with something akin to wonder as she too felt the little baby's magical wisp whisk by her, "Regina," she breathed in shock, "She's a product of true love." When both Regina and Snow returned her wide eyed look, Emma smiled with wonder, "Your daughter, is a product of True Love," she repeated, "Regina you met your soul mate." Reaching forward by pure instinct Emma placed her hand on Regina's belly and closed her eyes.
She was in New York, and there were two people walking beside each other, coming toward her. The young woman's long dark tresses were pulled back as she smiled brightly at the dark haired man beside her. Her olive skin glowed with happiness as she quickly clasped his hand within her own and laughed at something he had whispered to her, her large dark eyes glittering with magic, as she herself let off a soft lavender glow. The gentleman's green eyes sparkled as he quickly pulled her hand to his mouth giving it a soft kiss, a navy blue shimmer of his own shooting off with her lavender one. The handsome couple continued toward her, though as they passed her, the gentleman with the startling green eyes shot her a curious look.
Sucked from the moment, Emma looked with a dawning comprehension between Snow's hazel green eyes and Regina's dark one, as a suddenly small but very large part of the puzzle fell into place.
"Regina," she said clasping Regina's hand in her own which were glowing a soft golden shimmer, "Whatever happens, your daughter is a product of true, and she will be able to use magic. That makes her a powerful pawn for the Witch to use against us all, but she has such a destiny. She's going to be a true princess."
Regina looked skeptically at Emma, "What did you see?"
Smiling, "Regina, I can't say what I saw, but she was so happy and I know that what I saw won't happen if you give her to the Witch."
"I don't even know who the father is," Regina lamented, as she tried to pull her hand from Emma.
Emma wouldn't let go though as she staunchly replied, "That doesn't matter! Right now what matters is that we are going to beat this Witch if it's the last thing I do!"
"Don't you see Regina," Snow replied with such hope, "When we beat the Witch the curse will be removed and you and he will find each other again! You're meant to be, and true love will always find a way."
"You wouldn't trade me for your freedom," Regina asked remorsefully.
"Never," Emma said vehemently, "You are Henry's mother, and you are our friend and family. We stick together." Staring with determination into Regina's eyes, "I promise you Regina, that I will protect you and everyone else in this town."
"Thank you," Regina whispered swallowing back the lump which had built in her throat, "I don't know what to say."
"Say you won't do anything stupid like turn yourself or your daughter over," Snow said hotly, as she eyed her step mother.
"I promise," Regina replied.
Suddenly, Snow smiled a silly little smile, "You do realize that this means both, Henry and I, are going to have a sister!" Causing both Emma and Regina to look at her with shock and awe. "What it's true! And this baby will be their niece or nephew," she said placing both hands on her ever expanding belly. "Can you tell the gender?" Snow asked looking hopefully at Regina.
Before Emma had the change to interject, Regina waved her hand softly in front of Snow's belly and a sparkling wisp of navy colored smoke appeared and quickly before evaporating, it zigged towards Regina.
"That was different," Snow said looking at the surprised face of Regina, "So is it a girl or a boy?"
"A boy," Regina said thoughtfully.
Snow smiled brightly, "A little Prince Charming!" She laughed as she clapped, before stopping and looking at Regina's thoughtful face and Emma's wide eyes, "Who will fall in true love, and marry a girl who will be his Princess…Oh," she finished looking with such happiness at Regina, "And someday he and she will be King and Queen. That's it isn't Emma?" Snow asked hopefully.
Emma looked warily between the two, "Something like that," she replied as Regina continued to stare down at her still flat belly, a little spark of lavender wisp-ing around her fingers.
Before Emma, could say anything else, Snow had suddenly flung her arms around Regina, "This is what we are fighting for! For our children, and for our own happily ever afters! And yours is out there Regina, with us, because we are a family!"
"Maybe we should all consider…for now, keeping Regina's pregnancy under wraps," Emma suggested, "It's one thing the Witch knows, but we don't know who else we can and can't trust. We should keep it between us three and David, and you should tell Henry," Emma said with a smile, adding a heartfelt, "Congratulations."