Summary: Powerful magic is in play in Storybrooke. Strange dreams plague the former evil queen and she is steadily losing control of her magic. All because of two children who will reverse the idea that villains don't get happy endings. It's time for Regina to get her happy ending. R/R

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just my OCs

Regina's heart hurt. It was pounding so hard and fast, she thought her chest would burst. It was like an invisible hand was trying to squeeze it out of her chest. She tried to force herself to calm down, not to hyperventilate, stay in control. But it wasn't working.

The fog and cold around her began to lift, and she was able to glimpse the two small forms running towards her. They became more clearer as they got closer to her, and her heart nearly stopped altogether.

It was a boy and a girl, no older looking than Henry. The girl was taller with extremely long raven black tresses and the most beautiful hazel eyes she'd ever seen. The boy was smaller, with brown hair and deep brown eyes. They were laughing, and they uttered the one word that shook Regina to her core.

"Mom!" The girl cried. "Mom!"

Regina reached for them, but they ran right through her. She turned to watch them run into the arms of another woman, garbed in a long purple dress with long black hair. She couldn't see the woman's face as she twirled them in the air, but the look on the faces of the children were enough.

"Mom, can you tell us about Dad?" The little boy asked.

"I would love to." The mother whispered in a high, quiet voice. She took each of the hands of her children and started walking over the strange fog covered meadow.

Regina followed, but she could only get so close before she was stopped by some unseen force. Why was she being shown this? Who were these people? She didn't recognize either of the children, and yet her heart ached beyond belief at the sight of them.

"Your father's name was Daniel."

"Regina!" Pain erupted in the side of Regina's face and her eyes snapped open to instinctively and immediately return the slap to Emma's face.

"What was that for?" Regina demanded.

Emma held the side of her face and simply pointed. Regina turned to face her mansion and her jaw dropped. The entire house was destroyed, massive pieces of wood rising into the sky. An entire floor was crushed. A wall looked to have been blown outwards. It was a complete wreck.

"What-?"

"I got you out before you killed yourself." said Emma. "Damn that hurt."

"I did this?" Regina asked, though she could already see how it occurred.

"You were a having a nightmare or something and nearly kicked my ass when I tried to drag you out of the house. Regina, your heart was...it was glowing." Emma came to stand next to her. "I could see it in your chest. Why was it another color? It was like yellow or gold or something. Regina?"

Your father's name was Daniel. Regina sighed and waved her hand, and the house began repairing itself. "Thank you Miss Swan, for saving my life it would seem. Again." She waved her hand over herself and her night clothes changed to a pair of pants, boots, a black shirt and her overcoat. "I need to take a walk."

"You sure? You want me to come with you?"

"No, you should go home...and be with Henry."

"Regina, it's three in the morning and the third time this has happened. Please, for your sake and mine, tell me what's wrong. You're hurting, and I just want to help."

"No, what are you doing up anyway?"

"I...uh...couldn't sleep." Emma said, looking downwards.

"Aw, trouble in paradise? That's so sad, but I really need to be alone."

"Regina-"

With another wave of her hand, Regina disappeared in a puff of purple smoke and reappeared in her vault. The gentle hum of beating hearts made hers ache even worse. She removed her boots, sighing softly as her bare feet touched the warm stone, and began to pace the room.

This was the third time she'd had that dream, the third time she had been saved by Emma, and the third time she'd nearly killed herself because she'd lost control of her magic in her sleep. But it was the first time that the woman in her dream had spoken. Her heart ached even more as she thought of the children. The girl was undoubtedly Daniel's daughter. Her eyes were more than enough to prove it. The boy had his beautiful hair and looks. Tears found their way from her eyes, leaving streaks down her face as she reminisced over her lost love, but it only turned to anger. Who the hell was the woman? She was nothing like Regina: athletic, showing cleavage, wearing long dresses, having children that actually cared about her.

"Regina!"

"Damn it. Can't you tell when you're not wanted?" Regina snapped as Emma came around the corner.

Emma put her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "Must you keep doing that?"

"You should learn how to do it, then you can get out faster."

"Regina, you are a danger to yourself."

Regina gave her her signature eye roll and turned her back to the blonde. "Just go away."

"Please, Regina." Emma pleaded.

"No. It's bad enough you had to save me multiple times, but do not think that just because I'm in your debt that we're gonna be braiding each others hair while we tell each other secrets. We agreed to be more civil to each other for Henry's sake, but that's as far as that agreement goes."

"Is this because of your promise to Henry?"

"I don't know, all right?! I don't know what's going on, I don't understand any of this." Regina sat down and leaned her head against the wall. "I don't know why this is happening, but I want it to stop."

"Then there's only one person to talk to." said Emma.

"Miss Swan, Madame Mayor, how may I help you?" looked up from polishing one of his many treasures.

"I need something that can read dreams. Or at least prevent them." Regina said.

"Bad dreams, dearie?" He asked.

"Do you know what's wrong with my magic?" She asked. "It's not even settling when I'm awake, and my heart feels like it's going crazy."

"I would imagine it is." Gold said nonchalantly.

"Gold, tell her what's wrong." Emma commanded, her voice low and threatening. Regina raised an eyebrow at this, but otherwise remained quiet during the exchange.

"I would, if I knew what was wrong. You see, my magic is acting a little strangely as well. Most of my artifacts are slowly losing their magical value. I meant to come and see you about it."

"The Horse, let me see it." Regina said.

"The what?" Emma asked.

"It's a mirror, a very old one. It belonged to my mother but I didn't find it among her things. I stole it when I was younger...to find my true love. Anyways, the mirror is powerful and it can tell me what's wrong with my magic."

Gold smiled. "Digging deep into our reserves, aren't we?"

"Stop playing and give her the mirror." Emma snapped.

Gold chuckled. "Of course I will, as long as she doesn't mind owing me a favor. You see, I don't have the mirror, and it will require my already weakened magic to bring it here."

"Deal." Regina hissed. Her heart was hurting again. It was like her blood was boiling. For a moment, she thought her magic was going to erupt right then and there.

"Regina?" said Emma. "Gold, bring the mirror."

"As you command." Gold made a strange gesture with his hand and in his palm appeared a small white pocket mirror. It was absolutely magnificent, so intricately and delicately crafted. On the front, in as much detail as possible, was the image of a stallion.

Regina snatched it and immediately opened it. A moment later, she found herself back in the meadow. The children running towards her, as they always had. She didn't reach for them this time, but the boy came and leaped straight into her arms. She nearly threw him in surprise.

"Mom! What's wrong?" He said, looking her in the eye, nearly making her melt.

The girl wrapped her arms around her legs, and for the first time, she realized that she was now wearing a purple dress. But how? Were these her...children?

The next thing Regina knew was the stinging slap of Emma's brutish hand against her face.

"Damn it Swan!" Regina snapped as she stood up on shaking legs. "What the hell is your problem?" She glanced behind the blonde to where Gold was laying on the ground, Belle cradling his bloody head. She turned towards the pawn shop to find it in similar ruin as her house had been, only worse.

"Find what you were looking for, dearie?" Gold managed to croak.

"I did...and I didn't." said Regina as she repaired the house. Townspeople were beginning to gather. Regina started to disappear in her usual cloud of smoke, when a pain like nothing she'd ever felt before spiked straight through her body, through her heart.

"Regina!" Emma crouched next to her, but she shoved away the sheriff and made it back to her hands and knees.

"Gold, how do I stop this?!" She begged.

"Your heart has been broken for quite some time now, I wonder why you would feel the effects only now." said the man as he healed himself and stood up.

Then it hit her. The children must be in Storybrooke. She struggled to her feet, leaning against the wall of the shop to keep from face planting and opened the watch again, but it was cracked. For a moment, she thought she saw trees in the glass, except the trees were on fire.

"Regina." Emma called her name, but she wasn't listening. With a wave of her hands, she was gone.

"Come on, Theo. We have to keep running, get upwind of the fire."

"But Danielle, I'm tired."

"Can't you smell it?" Danielle paused to look behind them. The fire was closing in, and quickly. "Come on, keep running!"

Regina materialized in a strangely dark forest. She collapsed at once, her entire body aching as soon as her feet hit the ground. The energy given to her by the Horse must have transported her to another world. Perhaps back to the Enchanted Forest. She stood up on shaky legs and looked around. The Enchanted Forest was never this dark. The smell of smoke drifted over her nose.

"Hello?!" Regina yelled at the top if her lungs. Screams of terror were her answer.

"We have to jump." Said Danielle, looking over the edge at the water below. It looked calm enough.

"We can't. It's too high!" Theo said, staring at the flames as they drew closer.

Regina ran straight through the flames, skin tickling as the fire licked at her body. Her flame resistant spell was working. For now at least, but she was weak from her journey there and wouldn't last much longer. She came to the cliff and looked over, her heart pounding in fear. Then she saw the small patch where the fire didn't touch. A circle, with a silver dome in the middle. She ran towards it and pulled it up, grunting at the effort. The children were crouched on the ground, holding onto one another.

Regina gasped and wrapped her arms around them.