Chapter 1

Time seemed to stand still for a moment. It was all their collective nightmares, culminating at one life altering moment. Regina paled as she saw the Black Fairy toss her purple fire ball towards Emma. She saw Emma, bound in magical shackles unable to defend herself. Unable to stop an already unstoppable spell. You see, just as all second rate villains tend to do, the Black Fairy had informed them all of how she intended to destroy their lives before she actually attempted it. A mistake the Evil Queen would never have made. Yes, having her nemesis shackled and in her grasp, Fiona was too vain to simply dispatch the Savior without a dramatic monologue. Long story short, Fiona had used one of Emma's hairs to fashion an especially personal fireball. This one, to the savior's blood, was poison. One touch of the fireball currently headed in her direction would kill Emma instantly; No reversal, no coming back. The Savior would die, and with her any hope of rescuing the others. There was no way out of this one. And as the fireball inched it's way closer to Henry's other mother, Regina was at an impasse.

They were all there. Charming had been run through by Gideon before Snow killed him with an arrow through the heart. Oh, don't worry, it was only through Charming's spleen. David would live. But he and Snow were huddled helplessly as they watched it unfold in front of them. Hook had been so indecisive he had been knocked unconscious eons ago. Even Gold had been rendered helpless by his inability to cross his treacherous mother. He had refused to take sides, resulting in Fiona unleashing her wrath and sucking his darkness to add to her own. He lie face down on the street, Belle by his side. With no magic except only what the author's pen could allow him to do, Henry stood frozen; Time slowly ticking by to the moment he would see his mother murdered before his very eyes.

That left Regina. It's amazing how many thoughts can pass through one's mind in a split second. And for Regina there were many. She had failed to complete the redemption she had promised Henry. Now she would watch him mourn Emma because of that failure. She had accidentally allowed her promise to destroy Snow's happiness come to pass, even after decidedly changing her mind on that wish. She had come to adore the Charming family, despite her best efforts. (And she would definitely not tell you so.) And now she would let down the only true friend Regina had ever had. No matter what the Evil Queen thought all those years ago, this Regina now, would never find happiness in seeing this come to pass. Henry. Snow. David. Hell, even Hook. They didn't deserve to lose Emma. The Savior. The one prophesied to destroy the Queen herself. Or was she? Not really. She was foretold to break the curse, not destroy Regina. And yet she had, hadn't she? Not in the physical sense. Emma had broken down the barriers, seen through the darkness, grabbed what little was left of Regina inside the Evil Queen and pulled her, clawed her to the surface. In a sense Emma did kill the Evil Queen. All that remained was Regina. And in another breath Emma would be gone.

To this day, Regina couldn't tell you what magic she summoned. It came from somewhere she didn't know existed inside herself. It came from somewhere she hasn't reached into since, at least not for magic. But as she saw Emma squeeze her eyes shut, bracing herself for the certainty of death that was hurdling towards her, something in Regina snapped on. Her eyes glowed purple. Her jaw tightened and her body tensed. She reached back and an almost inhuman cry emerged from the back of her throat. The magic that intercepted Fiona's fireball was bright white. Regina had flung it forward with great abandon, catching the fireball inches before snuffing the Savior's light forever. And in as much gusto as she had flung it forward, she pulled it back. They all watched, aghast at the turn of tides, as the fireball crashed into Regina sending her flying backwards, skidding across the pavement.

A great flash of white and purple light emitted as Regina absorbed the fireball, a single bolt of lightening stealing across and through Fiona's heart. The Black Fairy was dead instantly. Just as Regina was.

Regina fluttered her eyes open. She looked up from the pavement to see a shocked Emma Swan, looking on somewhere past where Regina laid. It was an unflattering view, straight up the Savior's nose from her toes, and if she had a breath Regina surely would have mentioned it. Instead she just coughed, trying to breathe.

"Regina!"

Regina put an arm up, expecting Emma to help her up, but when the savior darted off somewhere behind her, Regina humphed. "I'm fine, thank you," she snarked as she helped herself up. She dusted herself off as she saw everyone running to something behind her, rather than to her as she expected. She had, after all, just saved the day. Again. When she turned, she froze. It was herself. Laying on the ground. Dead. The Charmings and Zelena and Henry and Hook and even the dwarves were huddled around her. She looked over in confusion to confirm yes, the Black Fairy was dead. But...what was happening?

Regina slowly walked up behind them, grieving, crying, pawing over her body. She looked down in shock. That was her. But how could it be? She was still here! Her attention snapped to Snow. The woman was tear streaked and sobbing. "Regina! No!" She said through her tears.

Her eyes moved to David, also forlorn and was that a tear as well? The dwarves removed their hats. Hook was pale.

Henry...Regina's heart split in two at his eyes. Heartbroken. "Mom, no!" He sobbed. Regina felt her own tears streaming, still looking at her body in confusion.

Then to Emma. The savior had a tight grip on the lapel of Regina's coat. She looked angry. "No," Regina could barely make the word out. The Savior just stared, angrily glaring until a large tear drop formed slowly, threatened but didn't fall. Regina furrowed her eyebrows, suddenly curious as to what Emma would do next. The Savior's lip curled. "No!" She growled. Regina watched as Emma took her body's pulse, blushing unknowingly when Emma attempted mouth to mouth and soon after chest compressions. Everyone sat in shock including Regina as Emma feverishly attempted to revive an all ready gone Regina.

Regina stood, numb, mouth agape, as the Savior was desperately trying to save her. It wasn't until she saw Snow reach up and grab Emma's arm, forcing her to stop that Regina noticed she was sobbing. Not for herself; for the heartbreaking scene of someone trying so desperately to not lose her. No one had ever done that for her before. Regina was touched and heartbroken at the same time.

"Emma," Snow said compassionately. "Emma, stop." Finally Emma stilled under her mother's firm but gentle touch. "I'm sorry, honey, she's gone," Snow's voice broke, and she was lost to tears, falling back into David's embrace.

Regina watched as Emma looked pale, vacant, her eyes wide yet dead. She noticed the Savior trembling, tears and snot running thickly. Emma reached a shaky arm up, meeting Henry as he crashed down into her embrace. Regina watched as her son sobbed over her dead body, grieving wholly and genuinely, as a just as broken Emma Swan tried her best to comfort him.

And Regina cried.