Regina stepped down the stairs into the cold and dark room which was her vault, Jefferson plodding slowly behind her, his hat removed from his head and was clasped between his hands as they walked, before placing it in the middle of the room and stepping away. He turned to Regina, who was standing beside him.
"Regina pass me the ring," said Jefferson, holding out his hand as Regina fumbled with the little gold ring around her finger, twisting it round her finger, not wanting to take it off.
"Regina if you want to retrieve this item from the enchanted forest then you are going to have to give it to me!" Said Jefferson in a slightly more demanding tone, with his teeth gritted, Regina messing around with the ring was only wasting his time.
"Alright, would you just shut up and I will give it you!" Shouted an agitated Regina, quickly wrenching the ring off her finger and placing it in Jeffersons outstretched palm so she wouldn't have to think about it. She then watched the ring get tossed into the hat, Regina felt a major loss from loosing it, but it was one she would have to live with if she wanted to succeed. Jefferson then spun the hat, and a small amount of purple smoke rose from the hat and spun above the hat.
"Now there is not enough magic to go back, but there is enough magic to put your hand through and retrieve something," explained Jefferson "now I want you to guide the hat to the place and time where the object exists….." Jeffersons explanation was cut short by a hand covering his mouth, and Jefferson had no idea why she had just covered his mouth "Regina what are you doing," he said in a very muffled voice, trying to prise her hand of his mouth.
"You mean to tell me this hat can go back in time, and you never told me before!" She shouted down his ear hold, uncovering his mouth so he could talk.
"Sort of why?" Asked Jefferson, backing away from Regina who he now thought was a complete lunatic.
"I have a change of plan then Jefferson." She said, kneeling on the floor beside the hat, and reaching one hand down into the hat, with the other, holding onto it, eyes closed, guiding the hat.
On the other side of the hat…
Regina and Daniel stood in the stables, hand in hand by the door, Cora stood in front of them.
"You can't keep us apart Mother, I love h…." Regina had started on a petition to her mother to let them go, but was cut short by suddenly seeing a purple swirling portal appear behind her mother. Her and Daniel had both seen it, and eyed it curiously, but didn't tell Cora.
"What are you two hooligans staring at?" Asked Cora, noticing that Regina and Daniel were suddenly frozen stiff in place, not talking, and looking at something behind her. But before she could turn around, Regina and Daniel saw a hand emerge from the portal. It made itself into a fist and punched Cora in the back of the head. Regina screamed in shock and jumped back, jumping into Daniels arms as he held her. Suddenly they heard a voice coming out from the portal, screaming "Run! Run!" . Regina and Daniel both stared at the portal, before heading the words, pushing open the stable doors, and making a run for it, their capes floating behind them as they ran. Regina stopped in her tracks once they had ran for a few minutes and began huffing and puffing, she was tired already, she couldn't go on running for much longer. Daniel sat down next to her, and kissed her on her forhead.
"Do you want me to pick you up?" He asked, giving her a little cheeky grin.
"If it means we can get faraway from here then yes, pick me up!" She smiled back at him as he reached down to scoop her up into his arms, holding her against his chest and running, and he would continue to run until he knew he had got as faraway from Cora and her house as possible, as all they wanted to do was lead a happy life together.
With Regina and Jefferson…
"There I've done it!" Said Regina, smiling and feeling proud of herself. Her hand emerging from the hat holding nothing. Jefferson was confused.
"Why didn't you bring anything back," he asked, he knew she had done something she shouldn't have done, she looked so suspicious.
"Oh I only changed the past, punched my mother!" Said Regina calmly as though nothing was wrong, she didn't know her actions would have repercussions. She suddenly felt dizzy, and the world around her began to fade.
"Regina what have you done!" Shouted Jefferson, as the world around them went black.