A/N: Written as a tumblr prompt: Snow and Regina talk before the Curse of Shattered Sight hits...


Henry, David, Snow and Regina left Granny's slowly, the weight of the oncoming curse cloud heavy on their minds. "Henry, I need you to go ahead with David, your grandmother and I need to speak for a few minutes."

David looked at his wife's eyes and she nodded, and he took Henry, his arm around his shoulders down the street.

"You have a plan." Regina asked quietly.

"I do ... we're going to..."

"Stop."

"What?"

"I can't ... you can't tell me where you will be. If my plans to keep everyone safe from... from me fail I'll go after you first."

"Regina..."

"No, it's not a time for hope speeches anymore. Robin doesn't understand but I know you do. I could kill everyone in this town. But I could kill you most of all. I need you to be safe."

Regina wasn't looking at her. "This last year Snow. Having your friendship and ... at least I think something like forgiveness. I can't tell you how valuable it's been for me."

Snow wanted to stop her. To tell her everything would be alright. But it wasn't. And she couldn't. And she needed these words as much as Regina needed to say them. "Regina, no matter what I say to you, know that I love you and you've had my forgiveness."

She took her hands in hers and lay her forehead against her stepdaughters. "I'm going to lock myself in my vault with light magic. I ... under the spell I shouldn't be able to access the love needed to break it. You all should be safe from me. But ... I need you to promise me Snow that you'll put me down before I hurt anyone."

"Regina... I'm not sure I can make that promise under the spell."

"I know. But you'll hate me enough to try."

Snow wanted to contradict that. She wanted to tell her she never hated her enough for that. That she wasn't capable of it. But it would be a lie. They both knew it.

"I know it sounds like empty words now, Regina, but I don't think you'll be the worst you ever were. This spell makes you your worst self. You aren't capable of falling that far again."

"I was capable of it once. I can again."

"The terror in your eyes tells me differently. Emma and Elsa will fix this. We've been through worse and we'll survive this too." She wrapped her arms around her. "And when this is over we'll laugh."

"If that happens I'll give you a roll of quarters."

"For the Hope Commission."

Regina chuckled. "Yes... now go be safe."

She held Snow by the chin for a minute, looking into her eyes, before kissing her forehead.

After one last moment the two women parted, walking in opposite directions, both praying that they would not meet that evening. That both would survive the morning without the other's blood on their hands.