"Emma Swan!" Regina's harsh voice woke Emma, who was resting on the couch in her apartment. "Emma Swan, you open this door right now! I need to speak to you and your... mother." Regina pounded on the door, nearly knocking it off its hinges.
Emma slowly got up from the couch and retrieved her gun. "Hide," she mouthed to Snow and Henry, who had creeped around the corner. Charming came next to Emma, his sword drawn. They gave each other a knowing nod. Father and daughter, ready to fight the Evil Queen at a moments notice. Emma opened the door far enough only so Regina's red face could be seen.
"Ah, Ms. Swan. Good morning," Regina said spitefully with a wicked grin. "MAy I come in?"
"No you may not." Charming said, opening the door more so both he and Emma could see Regina fully. Regina grinned wider at the sight of him.
"Well, I wish to speak to Snow." Regina laughed then, and touched her temple as if just remembering something. "Oh, silly me. Forget the pleasantries! Bring Snow out here now, so that I may properly kill her. Then I will leave with my son, in peace."
"So much confidence from a weak, out-numbered woman, Regina." Emma said, glaring at the witch.
"Here's the thing, Ms. Swan," Her smile faded then, replaced by a look of pure malice. She flicked her wrist and Charming and Emma flew on to the floor. With another flick, the two heroes were thrown into two chairs and restrained by sheets from the large bed nearby. Emma's gun and Charming's sword were twisted into small balls of metal in a matter of seconds. "My power has increased astronomically over the past few weeks. And about the 'out-numbered' thing? Well, I'm not anymore. As a matter of fact, I have a rather huge army waiting for Snow's head on a platter."
"An army?" Emma asked incredulously, her eyebrow arching up. She was already trying to wriggle herself free from her bonds.
"Preposterous. You are despised in this town, Regina!" Charming cried, fighting against the restraints.
"True. But not nearly as despised as your precious wife. You see, given enough evidence, a fair number of people from this town are willing to admit that Snow White isn't as innocent and perfect as she seems."
"Like who?" Charming asked, his face turning beet red with anger.
"Well, the majority are peasant folk you probably never took the time to know-"
"Oh, like you did?" Emma interrupted with a scoff. Regina continued without a pause.
"And Hook, of course. His dear friend Smee, which I happily turned back into a human after that unfortunate rat incident. Your dear father, King George," Regina grinned viciously at Charming as he surged forward in his chair.
"Well, that is quite the army, Regina." Charming said sarcastically, finally giving in to his bonds and sitting peacefully.
"Oh, you didn't let me finish!" Emma could see that the Evil Queen was enjoying herself immensly. "We have the ever-so-sweet Princess Abigail," Regina did a faux curtsey, smirking at Charming. A look of sorrow crossed Charming's face then, to Emma's confusion. "Oh, silly me. Emma darling knows her by 'Kathryn Nolan'."
"Kathryn? Why would she ever-" Emma started, befuddled by this revelation.
"We have my trusty Magic Mirror, Sidney. Sneezy, Sleepy and Bashful of the Seven Dwarves. The Woodcutter and his dear daughter Gretel, although sadly I have no clue where the boy is. Cinderella, too! She is a surprisngly good fighter, by the way." Regina says all of this with a smile, and says it like a joke. "Tiny has joined are ranks as well, and who else? Oh, I remember! Archie."
The name sent shivers down Emma's spine. "No..." Was all she managed to say before Snow stepped out from the shadows, her bow held high.
"Lying does nothing but harm, Regina!" Snow says harshly, her arrow ready to be let loose on the Queen.
"Oh its not a lie deary. Even the sweetest men can be manipulated." Regina inched closer to Snow, who was shaking slightly. "Surprisingly, I didn't even have to use the slightest pinch of magic on him! He listened to all the evidence I presented, and eagerly joined my cause."
"And what 'evidence' was that, Regina?" Emma says, jerking her arms from the sheet bondage and falling to the floor. Before she can stand fully, Regina forces her to the floor again by a burst of magic.
Snow let the arrow loose, and Regina responds by waving her arm in front of her, leaving a shimmering trail in its wake. When the arrow hit the shimmering barrier, it dissolved into dirt on the floor. With a flick of her wrist, the barrier vanishes. Regina charges toward Snow, but is caught off guard by a random arrow suddenly being lodged into her shoulder. Regina falls to the floor, shocked and grimacing in pain as she yanks the arrow out of her shoulder. Standing in the open doorway is Granny, her crossbow already loaded again.
Emma grabs a frying pan, and tosses another one to Charming who has now freed himself. The two charge toward Regina, who is standing now, blood pouring out of her shoulder. Another barrier is put up quickly, and Emma and Charming bounce off of it as Regina holds up her hand, and closes her fingers in the air. Two feet away, Snow is lifted off the ground and reaches at her throat where an invisible hand chokes her. Regina grins again as panic floods Snows pristine features.
Granny fires again as Henry steps out from behind Snow. Snow's face starts to turn blue, and Henry begins to cry, but Regina only laughs at the ceiling. Emma sits up, just in time to see Granny's arrow find its target: Regina's stomach. Regina looses her invisible grip on Snow and clutches the arrow in her abdomen. With a grunt she pulls the arrow out and drops it on the floor. With a look of bewilderment, Granny loads another arrow.
Emma watches in horror as Granny takes aim again, Henry cradles Snow's head in his arms, and Regina draws back her blood-soaked hand. Emma grabs the frying pan again, but the battle is over. With a shriek, Regina vanishes in a cloud of purple smoke. Emma drops the frying pan and rushes to meet Snow. She still has a pulse, but its faint.
"I'll take her to bed," Charming mutters as he lifts her body up and towards the bed.
"Red, go get Dr. Whale." Granny says to the newly-arrived Red.
"I can't. He's...um... With Regina." Red says quietly.
"Well get the damn first-aid kit, then!" Granny snaps, and Red runs off. Granny sighs and turns to face Emma, who sits with her head in her hands. Emma looks up slightly to see Granny scowling. "Well this is a mess, isn't it?" Granny says with finality, dumping her crossbow on the counter and putting a pot on the kettle.