So I am new to the OUAT fandom and since I've been sick and at home, I spent a lot of time obsessing over episodes, fanvideos, fanfiction and then decided to write a fanfic since I couldn't get it out of my head.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

She was so close - so close to ripping the king's dreadful heart out with her own bare hands and extract the revenge she craved, when his taunting words stopped her in her tracks.

"Love is weakness. It isn't for hard women like you. That should make your choice easier."

"My choice?"

"Run off with the evil imp you don't think anyone knows about – in the name of love. Or stand next to my son with a crown on your head and citizens at your feet."

Cora's hand twitched slightly and she lifted her chin, desperately trying to hide her confusion.

"If the choice is between love and power, even having a heart is a liability. Don't you think?"

The fear in the king's eyes was evident and Cora retracted her hand. Had she not seen that fear, perhaps her decision would have been different. Had she not seen the slight twinge of fear, perhaps her life would have been different. As it was, she saw it and a pretend smile graced her red lips.

"Yes, I suppose you are right… your majesty."

Without hesitation her hand slipped into his chest and reappeared, holding a small, cold object. His heart – corrupted by greed, power and hate. His breath hitched in his throat when her fingers squeezed around it and Cora paused. Excitement shone in her eyes as her fingers squeezed tighter and tighter, finally turning the heart into dust. Satisfaction rose in her as he crumbled to her feet. Perhaps he was right – running away did mean that she would not have the citizens kneeling at her feet. However, the sight of him lying at her feet was enough. It was with this thought that she stepped over him, hurriedly moving towards where she knew Rumpelstiltskin was waiting for her. Where she knew her happily ever after was waiting for her.

Rumpelstiltskin was pleasantly surprized when he saw her making her way through the bushes. For a dreadful minute, he feared that she would not come – that she would betray him in the worst way imaginable and that he would be alone once again. Before he could allow these thoughts to stab through him, however, she was in his arms – resting her head against his neck and mumbling gentle words of love.

"I killed him, Rumple. I did it… I killed him."

Then she was in his arms and it was pure bliss – her lips on his and her arms around his neck. For the first time in ages, he felt whole – happy. The magic was bubbling within him and he gasped when he felt it leaving his fingertips.

"No!"

He pushed her away instantly and Cora stood, frozen as she stared at him. The gold specks was starting to disappear from his skin, revealing the blatant humanity that was hidden beneath the layer of golden dust.

"Rumpelstiltskin…"

"My magic!"

He seemed distraught and she reached for him, confusion etched on her face.

"Rumpelstiltskin, what's happening?"

"I don't know. My magic is going away, it is leaving."

His breath hitched in his throat painfully and she grabbed onto his hands.

"Let's get you home, my love. We'll figure it out there… let's get you safe first."

With limited use of magic, the journey home was much harder, but with Cora's arm protectively hugged around his middle, there was no doubt that it was worth it.

He was tired when they finally arrived at his secluded home and without his apprentice's magic, it was quite possible they never would have made it inside. He felt weak – weaker than ever before and he closed his eyes tiredly. Cora helped him onto the bed and sat down next to him, resting his head on her lap.

"What's going on, my love?"

Her voice would take no nonsense or vague answers from him and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I believe that it is you."

"Me?"

A pained sigh escaped his lips and he rested his hand against her soft cheek.

"True love's kiss, dearie. It can break any curse and apparently my magic… is a curse."

She shook her head with wide eyes and gripped both his hands in hers.

"It's not… your magic saved me. It's not a curse, only you think it is."

"I'm a monster, dearie… I was a monster and now I'm turning back into what a really am. A powerless coward."

"You're not a coward and I refuse to let you believe that. You'll never be powerless, Rumpelstiltskin. Not as long as you have my heart and it belongs to you."

The fire he loved so much was clear in her eyes and she leaned forward to touch her lips to his again. It was the strangest sensation he felt coursing through him – as though all the darkness in him left to be replaced by something light and when Cora drew back from him, he could feel revived magic burning in him.

"It's not gone… My magic, it's not gone! How did you do that?"

Cora laughed gently and kissed him again, this time softly.

"My love, your magic disappeared because you thought it was a curse and you feared I thought the same. The true curse, would be being powerless. We can have it all, Rumpelstiltskin – magic, power and love. As long as we're together… we can have everything we want."

Everything they wanted… It seemed too good to be true and for a second, he allowed a little darkness back in him.

Baelfire.

He expected Cora to rip her own heart out and with that action, break his own. His lovely girl would have become tainted by darkness, leading to the heartbreak of the daughter she would have and this daughter would have been the catalyst of his journey towards getting his son back.

Now, however, things seemed different. Her love for him changed the future of many and she'd never know. Yet, he could not bring himself to be disappointed at the fact that his plans did not work out the way he had expected them to. He'd still find Baelfire – maybe just some other way. He would find his son with Cora at his side and perhaps the powerful daughter he had foreseen for Cora, would still exist. Only it would not only be her daughter - any daughter of Cora's would be a daughter of his.