A/N: Takes place right after Emma becomes the dark one. A nice 2 shot story…well, not nice, but interesting. Maybe I'll make it longer depending on the reaction/reviews I get. Sorry in advance for any mistakes.

They all watched as the darkness faded into the abyss.

"NOOOO!" Snow's dreadful sobs sounded like the life was being ripped from her heart. And in a way, it was. She collapsed in David's arms as the weight of loss hit her full force.

David cried too, silently holding his mournful wife as he looked into the darkness-into nothing. If he couldn't keep his family from danger, what kind of hero was he? He was just a lowly shepherd.

Hook took a careful step forward and picked up the dagger, heartbroken at the sight of Emma's full name engraved on it. '…I love you…' Her final words echoed in his ears.

Determination set into his eyes as he turned to the group. "We need a plan-NOW."

Regina was the first to compose herself as she fought back tears. "W-we need to g-gather all the power and resources we have." Turning to Robin, she instructed, "Get Bell, Maleficent, Lily, and…Zelena. Tell them to meet me in the library. We have work to do."

Robin, nodded, seeing that Regina needed her space, and time to think. At times like these, he was thankful Roland was so young. Then another thought came to mind. "Someone should tell Henry. He needs to know." He reminded them, before setting off to do his task.

Regina looked up to the heavens. "Dammit, I shouldn't have let her do this! It should have been me."

"No," David disagreed breathlessly. "You deserve happiness Regina."

"The cost of my ruining your life…it's finally paid." Snow whispered, her heart aching.

Regina walked over to Snow, embracing her in a comforting hug for the first time. It was the hug only woman could give to a child, with warmth only a mother could give to her daughter. "I forgive you Snow White." She whispered. "Now let's go save my granddaughter."

Snow hugged her back tightly, crying into her shoulder. David kissed Regina's head tenderly. "Come on." He said. "We have to go tell Henry-as a family."

The three of them began to walk towards Gold's shop when Snow turned back. Hook was walking towards the library, feeling a bit left out of the tender moment. "Where do you think you're going?" Snow commanded.

Hook turned around. "I figured I'd give you time with Henry by helping Robin."

"My daughter loves you, pirate." David stated in a tone that Hook associated with his authority when pertaining to his daughter. "That makes you family." Snow finished assuredly, spoken like a proper queen.

Hook gripped the dagger and gave into the feeling of true acceptance-of finally being a part of a family.

~~~~~~~~~~Gold's Shop~~~~~~~~~

Henry watched as his family came back to his grandfather's shop. "You're back!"They all filed in, everyone looking crestfallen. Henry frowned as he looked around the room. Something was wrong.

"Blue, what are you doing here?" Hook asked, surprised, deliberately ignoring Henry's speculative gazes. No one was quite prepared for what had to be said, and the boy was too astute for his own good.

Blue glanced at the apprentice. "Henry called just after Belle left, asked me to help the apprentice. He'll heal, but he needs rest."

Regina took a step toward Blue and whispered something in her ear. She gasped, giving a hopeless look to David and Snow. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "If there's anything I can do…"

"Help us find a way." Snow whispered. Blue nodded. "I'll consult with the others, and get back with you." She shimmered into blue light, disappearing from the room.

"Guys!" Henry barked, getting their attention. "What's going on?! Where's Emma?"

"Henry…" Regina started, but it was David who finished, "…we need to talk, kid."

"….So you're saying, mom is the dark one?" Henry tried to make sense of what just happened. He looked around at his family as they all sat in the living room of Gold's shop.

"Yeah kid." David answered truthfully. "We're so sorry."

He whispered, "…NO…" Tears formed in his eyes, and Snow's maternal instinct kicked in as she grabbed hold of her grandson, hugging him close.

"But how… why?" Henry desperately asked the group.

Regina leaned forward, grabbing a hold of his hand. "She sacrificed herself for… operation mongoose."

"She's a hero, Henry." Hook spoke up, who was trying to hold it together himself.

"There has to be something we can do." Henry's expression was just as determined as the last time. "The apprentice said we have to find Merlin."

"And we will." David assured him quickly. "But we have to be careful. Emma is unstable right now. The apprentice said Gold was the dark one for centuries. All the evil manifested in one person at once…"he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"She could very well not know who we are." Snow finished quietly.

"We're not going to let that happen." Henry stood up. "If it's one thing that my grandfather taught me, was there is always a deal to be made. Let's start making some." He walked back up to the front and began researching the books and items in the shop.

Hook smirked to the Charmings. "He is quite determined, that one."

"He gets that from our side of the family." David gave a small smile.

"Speaking of which, we have to go check on Neal." Snow told them. Turning to Regina, she asked, "If you see Lily, can you tell her, I need to speak with her?"

"I'll deliver the message." Regina. "I have a meeting to attend. " She vanished into a cloud of purple smoke.

Hook walked towards the door. "I'm going back to the apprentice's mansion. Maybe there's something there we missed."

-The Library-

Regina entered the library, as Robin was headed out. "Are they all there?"

Robin nodded. "Yes. I'm going back to check on Rowland, then keep an eye on Henry. Did you tell him?"

"Yes." She answered grimly. "Now he seems more determined than ever."

Robin smiled a bit. "I've never known him any other way."

"That's what scares me. When it comes to Emma, he's proven to go to great lengths." Regina told him, a bit sad. Another reminder that she would never truly be a mother, not the way, Snow, Emma, Maleficent, even Zelena would be.

"Hey," Robin frowned, taking her into his arms. "You are special Regina. Henry knows that, I know that, and pretty soon, everyone else will see it too."

Regina gave him a tender kiss. Robin deepened it, by sliding his tongue across her lips, before pulling back regrettably. "Come on," he sighed, "let's make this happen."

Regina nodded, and prepared herself for the meeting from hell.


"She WHAT?" Lily gasped. "Just like that, she sacrificed herself for you?!"

"Everyone seems to always be fawning over you, like some zombie possessed twits." Zelena grumbled in jealousy.

"What do we do now?" Maleficent spoke directly to Regina, not wasting time.

"We need a way out of storybook," Regina spoke to them. "…to get to Merlin. He's the only one who can bring an end to this. Otherwise…I don't know how long the rest of us will last."

"Emma's the freaking savior." Lily reasoned. "I mean all the darkness was transferred into me."

Regina crossed her arms. "It's not as simple as dark and light. Emma has potential for the greatest of power ever created…A lot darker, and more dangerous than your temper tantrums."

"Watch it." Maleficent warned, her eyes glowing green.

"I did some research on Merlin." Belle spoke up to defuse the fight. "He's in Camelot. Although, the last time Rumple mentioned Camelot, he said it was in ruins."

"By his doing, no doubt-to Camelot it is then." Regina agreed with a nod. "Any ideas?"

"There are no more beans." Belle reminded them. "And I couldn't find anything in Gold's shop to help with portals."

"Simpletons," Zelena finally spoke up. Turning to Regina as she smirked, "If getting rid of you means I get everything I want, then I'll tell you."

Regina gave her regally sinister smile. "Oh sister, when will you ever learn? You will never be chosen over me. So help me out here, and find a new hobby."

"Cyclone." Zelena growled out one word.

"What?" Regina looked at her as if she'd lost it.

"How do you think I got sent from the enchanted forest?" Zelena snapped. "Our mother sent me off in a cyclone. Natural disasters can transport between realms. Something you'd know if you were half as powerful as me."

"But how?" Belle asked, curiosity peaking her interest. "It would take a lot of power and a massive amount of wind to do something like that."

"Leave that," Maleficent smiled, "To me."

"Thanks sis." Regina told Zelena, before transporting her in a purple haze, back into her cell.

Lily looked around the library. "Whoa, where did she go?"

"Back where she belongs." Regina assured her. "Speaking of which, the Charmings request a word with you, so off you go as well." With a wave of her hand, Lily vanished.

"…The hell?" Maleficent's anger rose, but Regina waved a dismissive hand. "She's fine. I think they just want to apologize."

Turning to Belle, she instructed. "Have Hook, Robin, and the Charmings meet me at Granny's, please."

"If it's all the same to you Regina, I prefer walking." Belle said hurriedly, before she got transported unwillingly.

"Then I suggest you run." Regina barked, before taking a breath. "Sorry. I'm new at this whole, savior thing."

Belle smirked. "Other than your bossiness, you seem to be a natural, your majesty." And with that, she gathered her books. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to join my grandson in finding something to help Emma."

When Belle left, Regina turned back to see a less than pleased Maleficent.

"Now that the audience is gone, what is it that you want Regina?" She sighed, knowing the evil queen had sent them all off for a reason.

Regina squared off her shoulders. "Now that Emma is the dark one, I need you to keep an eye on Gold and Zelena. He's in a comma now, but when he wakes up, I want you to make sure he doesn't try to regain his power."

Maleficent raised a brow. "The queen of darkness dwindled into babysitting."

"No" Regina shook her head. "The town needs protection. Zelena poses no threat without her powers, but as a precaution, you are the only one stronger than the both of us. While we are away, you will be the town leader. Protect them, Mal."

Maleficent scoffed, but after seeing the desperation in Regina's eyes, she finally agreed. She owed Emma, for finding her daughter. "Consider it done."


The Charmings' Apartment-

Snow and David watched as the purple haze of smoke appeared, revealing Lily in their living room.

"You summoned me?" Lily's sarcasm washed over the room.

"Yes," Snow breathed, as David stood next to her, holding their son.

"With all that's happened, we never got the chance to apologize." David told her. "For doing what we did to you."

"Just forget about it." Lily tried to blow it off, but Snow came to her, placing gentle hands on her shoulders.

"We can't forget about it." She whispered. "We need to remember. To remind us every day, to be good. To choose good."

Lily found herself getting lost in her feelings, overwhelmed by their honesty. "I'm not good. I'm not you." She stressed. "This darkness makes me destructive."

"Only because you have nothing to protect." Snow informed her. With a breath, she revealed, "Which is why, we want you to watch over Neal, until we can save Emma."

"What?!" Lily was stunned for the second time tonight.

David looked at the baby, then back to her. "We know there is good in you. And we need to believe in you, just like Emma did."

"You're powerful. And I know you can do this. And even though we will never deserve it, will you do this…will you help us?" Snow pleaded.

Lily took a moment to analyze the situation. They weren't afraid of her? No one in this town was pushing her away or making her feel unwelcome. No one hated her. Maybe she could control it. Maybe things could be different. "Yes."


Granny's-

Regina waited in Granny's as the others arrived.

"What the bloody hell are we doing here?" Hook asked furiously. "This is hardly the time for a night cap."

"Regina, is everything alright?" Robin asked, composed as ever.

"We need to summon her." Regina told them all.

Snow frowned. "Isn't that dangerous? She could be unstable."

"Snow's right. We barely know anything about the dark one." David agreed.

"But we've all come across rumple in the past." Robin objected.

"Yes, but the crocodile is completely different from the dark one. The dark one is pure evil. Rumple was a deceptive trickster. None of us have known the dark one as anything else." Hook reasoned grimly as he gripped the dagger.

"Which is why we need to face the darkness head on." Regina insisted. "…how are we to fight what we don't know?!"

"Hate to say it, but I agree." Hook told the Charmings.

"Besides, we have the dagger, we are in control." Robin reminded. "Who wants to do the honors?"

David held out his hand. "No one is summoning my daughter but me."

"No arguments there mate." Hook handed him the dagger, silently glad not to have to be the one to do it. The dagger had its own pull of darkness that tugged into his less noble self. And that was dangerous.

Hook stood in front of Snow. "Your majesty."

In the same instant, Robin pulled Regina behind him a bit, before nodding to Charming.

David exhaled a breath, before chanting, "Dark One, I summon thee…"

A/n: End of the first part! In part two we will see the Dark Swan! Btw, did anyone other than me, know that they were bringing in Merida? I just had a feeling. I think she would make the best love interest for Henry. I wrote a few side stories about that particular pairing. I also think it's cool that Merlin is in Camelot and Henry is the AUTHOR…Sword in the stone anyone?

-R.