DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters depicted herein and have received no compensation.
What makes her special? The witch said, the kiss would take away everything that makes Emma special. But as I watched her through the periscope, I couldn't help but ask myself, what would it change?
Would it take away that deadly fire in her that drives her to fiercely protect the ones she loves? Would it remove the light in her eyes when she smiles or the gentleness with which she cares for Henry? Would it take away her inability to throw anything away? Would it remove the stubbornness that both frustrated me while bonding us in understanding?
In Neverland, although she used magic on several occasions, it wasn't her magic that eventually saved Henry from Pan, but rather her determination to go forward even though her adversary was older, wiser, faster, and more powerful in the use of magic.
Could Zelena even understand what made Emma "special"? And if she couldn't, then could she even take it away?
On the other hand, Zelena was obsessed with magic, it was the only thing that she could understand. If you didn't have magic, you weren't worth any notice. It would be why she was openly challenging Regina after her not so subtle attempts to insert herself as a confidant to Snow failed. The child Snow carried must have the same magic as Emma.
That was why she kept Rumplestiltskin on a tight leash.
Hmmm, Rumplestiltskin. Even thinking his name still made the anger rise, but strangely not the vengeful anger I had borne for him for so many years. Now my anger was directed as his failure to protect his family. Those he claimed to love were now at risk because his magic tied him to Zelena as a servant. Magic had failed him and was failing this town.
I trusted that Emma's magic had great untapped potential, but it was a wild card. No one knew exactly how powerful she was and what she could do with her magic.
Regina's figure passed through my vision as I continued to stare at the diner window. A stray thought passed my mind that maybe I could kiss Regina to remove the curse and the still leave Emma safe with her magic? But even as this thought formulated in my mind, I knew it wouldn't work. Although I had no magical abilities, during my quest to defeat the Dark One, I had studied enough to know that curses invoking the name of the loved one often were far too specific. I could kiss every lass from here to Tortuga but it wouldn't matter. At least to the curse it wouldn't matter.
Movement to my right caught my eye. One of Zelena's flying monkeys circled the diner and then landed on main street. It transformed into a large man with a dark beard. The man drew near enough to speak to me. I prepared to draw the sword when he spoke.
"Mistress says you have 5 minutes, then it's Granny first. 30 minutes thereafter, Red. Then Marco, then Leroy, then Henry. Tick tock."
He transformed in front of me before flying off into the night sky. His physical pain mirroring my inner turmoil.
5 minutes. Zelena is less patient than I had thought.
Regardless of the decision, I was going to hurt Emma. Either she lost the ability to do magic or she lost someone she loved. Either would change her, but which one would harm her less?
I took one last look at her smiling face and at those of her parents sitting next to her. My path was clear. Magic fails, love doesn't.
With a snap I put away my scope as I strode into the diner. Emma looked up with shock as I came up to her and pulled her into my arms.
"I'm sorry love."