A/N: So I was having this in mind for some time now… my main idea stayed untouched but I decided to use The Wicked Witch and SQ subject. Please tell me what you think!

Sorry for any/all the mistakes.

I owe nothing except my ideas and some new characters later.

Chapter 1: You are not dying today

Oh God, this is such a bad idea. Heavy wooden door shut behind her and a familiar sui generis smell of Gold's shop filled her mouth and nose immediately. She looked around the shop and nearly jumped from surprise as she saw Gold behind the counter less then 10 feet apart from her. He looked at her with amusement and Emma found the smile hidden in the corner of his mouth creepy as always.

"Well well, dear. What brought you here in such ungodly hour?"

"Cut the crap, Gold. You know what. I am here. I am listening." Rumple chuckled.

"Always so eager to sacrifice her life for the others, aren't you, Princess? Oh wait, not just for others. We have a bigger fish this time." He made his habitual gesture with hand and chuckled once more as appreciating his own joke. He was now deliberately teasing her knowing her weak spot and using it in his own 'god-only-knows-what purposes'. Emma sighed in annoyance and tried to calm herself down. She needed him and unfortunately he knew that. She had no other choice, not this time. He is the only one left who can help. Well, at least he claimed he can help.

"I am doing what I have to do and you know that. Now tell me exactly what I have to do so I can save her and all of us." Gold was definitely taking his time speechlessly watching the blonde in front of him.

"Well?" Emma asked once more clenching the fists in the pockets of her jacket. She was starring at Gold not blinking and awaiting for his answer. Her face was a mask of anger and tiredness. She was angry and tired. The things were bad. Very bad. Worse than ever. She was desperate and still she needed a few days to come here and to ask for help. She knew he would tell her what he wanted to say and what she needed to do no matter what, because he knew she can use this information and she can help all of them. Now she just needed some self control not to slap this wily face and not to try to beat out the information by force. She could do it, he was harmless, at least now. But this wasn't an option.

"Gold? I am waiting." He tilted his head to the side starring right into the emerald eyes.

"You do realize she perhaps will never thank you, right?" His voice lost all the jocosity and teasing. He was now serious like never. "That perhaps the only gratitude you will get is her life and perhaps your boy's gratitude and nothing more. What I am about to suggest you is extremely dangerous and we both know that we can wait for the help from outside. On the other hand, she can't. Am I right?"

"I am doing this for all of us." She repeated once again. She would stick with this version till the end. She is not ready to speak about her, not now, maybe not ever.

"Right, right." He sighed as knowing what inner battle she was having right now with herself. "Anyway, shortly speaking you need to go into another realm; I believe you are familiar with the conception of 'another realm'. However this time it is not simply another realm. It's a different time. It means you would need to time travel."

"Time travel? Like Neal did? I mean, Bae."

"Yes, like Bae exactly." He smiled sadly remembering why exactly his son was forced to time travel.

"Well, all right. If he did it, I can do that too, I guess." She shrugged. "Can you still do it? And why exactly do I need to go there?"

"Yes, I do have… the necessary ingredients." He hesitated. "However, time and realms' crossing isn't the problem. The problem is to bring something here. Or rather someone."

"Someone? So you say I need to bring someone here? From this another realm? And this someone, he can help, emm…" She didn't know how to finish the sentence and to be too obvious. "Us?"

"Yes. She can. I am afraid she is the only one who can help."

"She? Who the hell do I need to bring?"

"A witch! One little tiny witch!" He giggled as he spelled it. His playful mood was back and he was now clearly enjoying himself. Great. Emma rolled her eyes.

"A witch? Are you out of your mind, Gold?! How would I bring a witch here? Why would she help us?" He brain was tearing apart from all the questions she had. "How do even know there is a witch that can help us?"

"Too many questions, dearie. I believe I couldn't catch all of them. Let's just say, I heard something from someone within my short but so unpleasant trip. Speaking about bringing the witch here... convince her, you are the savior after all!" Gold exclaims dramatically.

"I still don't understand. You were claiming no one can save Regina and now…" She paused. "And now you are saying that someone from somewhere can help. Are you sure?" And Gold nods in approval. "All right. What's her name? The witch's name?"

"Oh, I don't know, dearie. It's for you to find out."

"You want me to go to hell-knows-where and to find someone whose name you don't even know?!"

"I told you-"

"I know what you told me!" She hits the counter with a fist and the glass is clanging from impact. "But I need more. I know you are hiding something and I want to know it." She knew he is beating about the bush indeed and she needed to know why.

"Gold, you have my word, if this person can help…" Crap. "Can helpRegina, I am bringing her here no matter what so she can save Regina and can help us to defeat The Wicked Witch and to save the rest of citizens. But I need. To know. Everything." She saw Gold's hesitations and had no intentions to step back. "Tell me everything you know and we will discuss how I get there."

"All right." Gold frowns and takes his time and clears his throat.

"As you know our queenie was unlucky enough to be attacked by The Wicked Witch. I believe her magic was strong to restrain the hit firstly and that's why Regina is still alive." Emma nods. "Right now wicked magic is destroying her body and most important her mind."

"That's why she is… she is… emm-"

"Losing her mind?" Emma nods again not able to say it aloud.

"Yes, that's why. Unfortunately as we spoke before there is only way to defeat Zelena - to find someone both very powerful and also blood related to her."

"But Regina failed."

"Yes. Very much so. It means we need to find someone else. Someone more powerful than Regina, than me, than anyone we ever met. And-" he kept dramatic pause, "also blood related. Do you understand now, Miss Swan?"

"Don't mess up with me, Gold. Rumple. Whatever." She sighed in frustration. "How will it help Regina?"

"But that's quite simple, dearie! Since Regina was defeated by Zelena and they are both blood related, the only person that can help us to save Regina AND to defeat Zelena is another blood related person."

"So… so Regina has another relative?"

"Not yet… but she will. In future. I even suggest in very soon future starting from now. Well, if she lives, of course. But that's all up to you now, my dear Savior."

"Will you stop fidgeting around, Gold? Will you finally tell me whom exactly I need to bring in this world?" Gold sighs and keeps her dramatic pause once again.

"You have to bring Regina's future daughter into this world, princess. The reason why she is or will be so powerful is because she is magic herself. The same as you are. She is born, or will be born, as true love's child. She will be born from magic and with magic. She is the purest form of magic. She is magic herself." He repeated once again. "You look quite astonished, dearie. Did I shock you?"

Wow. Fucking wow. Emma didn't know what to say. Regina is having a daughter in future. More than that, from her true love. True love. Perhaps she was already pregnant right now.

"But it means she lives, doesn't she?" Emma thought were still rambling but she still needed to find out as much as she could. To ask him the most important questions while he is still answering. Well, as much as Gold was willing to tell her.

"I suppose. But I also suppose that's the only way she lives. I suspect things went dramatically wrong at some point of time. I still couldn't find out when exactly, though."

"So, let's summarize the information. I am going to this another, future realm and somehow I convince this emm, Regina's daughter to go with me. Right? How old exactly is she?"

"I am not aware of such details." Gold chuckled.

Fucking great. "Whatever… Well at least I can try to convince Regina to convince her daughter to go with me in past as save her ass... life. I mean life. It doesn't seem so hard." Emma nodded as agreeing with herself. "If only you can promise nothing happens to me while I cross this realms. Can you promise that?"

"I can't promise you anything, Miss Swan. But the risk is minimal. I lost almost all magic I had before but I definitely have smth that may help you."

"Very well then. What do you in return and when can we do that?"

"I believe you wanted to do it as soon as possible."

"Because Regina doesn't have much time, does she?"

"She doesn't." One phrase but incredibly heave.

"Ok… what about the price."

"Oh, nothing specific, dear. Just come back with a witch."

"What if I can't?"

"Well, then I will come up with some punishment. Or perhaps losing your son's another mother will be quite a punishment itself." Bastard, she clenched her teeth.

"Let's do it then."

"As you want, dearie. Tomorrow at dawn it is then."

"Tomorrow at down," Emma nodes. "I will be here." She turns around to leave.

"Why do you want to save her so badly?" Gold manages to ask before she leaves his shop.

"I am not trying to save her badly, Gold." Emma replies slightly irritated. "I want to save us, all of us. And right now… right it's the only way." She looked at him for the last time and finally left the shop.

She saw green eddy in a few miles across the town line the moment she walked out and it was approaching their place fast. They had the most a week until it's here again, until she is here again. The air outside was thick and hot, it's been weeks since they tried to clean it with magic, it was hard with Regina and nearly impossible without her. 'Wicked' magic was strong, stronger than Emma's and stronger than Regina's, only together they could withstand it. Till the last time. She still remembered Henry's scream when he saw Regina collapsing. There was no blood, no mess; she was just lying there with her eyes opened like nothing happened, like she was ok, except she wasn't.

Henry was the first one who spotted her the moment she entered the building. She saw the teen approaching her and turned around to close the door and check all the locks out to be closed properly. Regina was always laughing at her doing it because no locks could save them from magic and of course she was right but Emma kept doing it, it was something she could do.

"Hey, ma. What granpa said?" Henry asked nervously shifting his shoulders and pretty much the whole body. He was almost 14 now, just a little bit shorter than Emma and already taller than Regina. He has grown up greatly for the last year and even more – for the last few months.

"Well," she started taking him around his shoulder and pushing inside the building, " it seems there is some way."

"Really? Really – really? It could save her?" he turned around quickly, both hope and excitement clearly heard in his voice. She would hate betraying this hope, she knew whe would die to make this hope true.

"Yes, kid, really – really. It can save her; it can save all of us. Let's go now, I need to make an announcement."

They entered the biggest room in the building; it was at the center of it – large, simple, without any spare furniture, no windows or outdoors. It was kind of gloomy but safe.

'Oh honey, you are back!' Snow got up from a chair and dropped her knitting. It always amazed Emma how her mother could domesticate any, literally any, place.

"Hey mom", she kissed the light pale cheek.

"So what did Gold say? Is he going to help? Does he know any spell or anything?!"

"Hey, slow down a little. I need you to call the people. All of them. I have an announcement." Snow looked at her with concern but obliged.

"Ok, sweetie. If you say so."

She gathered them all in about 20 minutes. They were agitated and nervous. Of course they were. It's been a while since they had their last meeting together and this last time was bad. Emma was happy this time is different, this time they had hope.

"Hello, guys," her voice was shaking slightly, public performances definitely wasn't her strongest side. She felt her son's hand squeezing her palm in encouragement. "Here is the thing… as you all know I talked to Gold this afternoon and well, he said there is something that may help us to defeat the Wicked Witch. Or rather someone. So I need to go somewhere, some another place and to bring someone who is powerful enough, whose magic is enough to defeat Wicked."

"Where are you going?"

"Who are you bringing in?"

"Will this person help us?"

"Is it dangerous?"

"Do we still have time?"

The questions were popping out and the room was more like beehive.

"Hey, hey guys, please calm down." Emma put her both hands up to calm people down. "Too many questions at once. I can't tell you where exactly I am going, it's all up to Gold. He will move me somewhere and that's all I know. I also know many of you don't trust him-" her eyes met Neal's, "so do I, but we have no choice here. Right now I have to trust him. We have about a week while the Witch will be here again and I hope I will be back by this time." Or maybe not.

"All I want from you is to stay calm and sensible. Do not leave the building unless you have an emergence or extreme situation. I promise I will do my best to stop this. That's pretty much everything. Thank you for your attention."

People were already looking around, speaking, discussing news they just heard. She was glad they wasn't hostile and thank god didn't bring Regina's situation up. She wasn't sure how they would accept the whole truth.

"When are you leaving, Emma?" She heard her father's voice behind her.

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow at dawn. It going to be ok, dad."

"Just promise you will be back."

"Of course I will be back. I won't leave you guys. Not again."

"That's right, that's my girl." David placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Go, get some rest, sweetheart." It's Snow this time. There is fear and concern in her look but she was holding on.

"You are right. I am tired and tomorrow seem to be a long day." She hugs both of her parents and ways at Henry. "Come on kid, it's time for bed." She was expecting something like 'no way, it's only 10 p.m.; I am not tired; I am not sleepy; I practically do nothing all day so why would I sleep that early' etc. but surprisingly he was pliable this time.

"Night gramps," he said to Snow and David and they left the room.

"I will come to say goodbye tomorrow morning, ok?" She said as they walked toward the room Henry and Neal shared during this craziness. "Sleep well, son," she smiled ruffling his brown hair.

"You too, ma. Don't forget you promised to say goodbye. And I still wait for some explanation, you know."

"I know. I won't forget, I promise." She headed down the hall, steps echoing in empty room.

When she finally reached her destination, she pulled out the key from the pocket of her pants and opened the smallest and the farthest room in the whole building. It was really very small and had literally nothing, nothing that could bother its habitant except the bed and three small square windows on the top of the wall opposite the metal door. Emma entered the room closing the door behind her. She came near the bed and kneeled. The woman on it was sleeping soundly, holding her bent legs to her chest and hands sprawled across the bed. Emma started to unzip her booths praying for woman to stay asleep for while, at least for a time she is here. She didn't know what to expect, she didn't know what to say, she didn't know how to act and she knew despite her mostly calm demeanor, deep in her mind she was terrified.

The bed was warm and comfortable enough for both of them. Sometimes she would come here after a rough day, sometimes she would fall asleep, sometimes she would stay awake till the dawn thinking and re-thinking the things in her head over and over again. The silence of this room and moonlight coming through these small windows calmed her down. It didn't happen often though. Many days this room was filled with screaming and swearing and wild sounds that would turn her blood into ice. It came through the windows, it came through the door, no matter how far from it she was she would still hear those sounds, sometimes she would hear them even they were not here. It's like they already sounded in her head.

But today the woman was silent and only her quiet breathing would cut the hush. Emma looked at her and suddenly like feeling that she is watched, woman winced and opened her eyes.

No, please. Don't do this. Not tonight. Please, just sleep. Close your eyes and sleep. Emma could hear the heart hammering in her chest and she was certain the woman could hear it too. Perhaps if I don't move, she will fall asleep once again.

"Hi," the voice was small and a little hoarse from sleeping.

Okay…she seems calm for now. It's been at least a week since she was awake and calm at the same time.

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts." Emma sighed

"I know but you know what?"

"What?" The voice sounded so eager like coming from a 5 years old and Emma couldn't keep a smile.

"I know how to help you."

Silence was her answer but woman's eyes were still opened.

"Regina?"

"What?"

"Do you understand me?"

"Yes. You know how to make my headaches go away."

"Yes. But I want you to be good while I am gone, ok? You have to drink everything Henry brings you and you can't scare him, not again."

"Ok," Regina nods eagerly and Emma is not sure Regina even understands.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Good." They lay speechless for a while. Emma isn't sure Regina can keep her promise or even remember it the next day but she hopes there is still something sane inside her mind, inside her head.

"I promise," it's like Regina can hear her thoughts. "I will try for Henry. I don't want to scare him. It's just…" She stops and remains quiet for a while.

"Just what?"

"It's just sometimes my demons are so loud inside my head and I can't keep them quieter."

"Demons?"

"Yes."

"Inside you head?"

"Yes."

"Will you tell me about demons inside your head?"

"No."

"No…ok. Are they here now?"

"No. Now they are not."

"That's good, right?"

"Yes."

"Good." Regina sighs loudly.

"I am tired."

"I know. Try to sleep now, ok?"

"Ok," Regina closes her eyes. "You smell funny." She adds in a moment.

"Funny? No, I do not 'smell funny'." Emma snorts and Regina giggles. Emma can feel her heart stopping. She never heard Regina giggling. She never thought she would. Certainly not now.

"Good night, Emma," she hears in a while. She feels lump in her throat and doesn't reply. She remembers her name. Perhaps there is still hope after all.