***
"Cora, please, calm down, I can't understand you." A kind hand was placed on her shoulder.

Cora had managed to hold it together for two days, her heart beating a mile a minute, hidden behind a wall of indifference. Regina had managed to spring back the next day, cheerful and full of life, saddened only if she was reminded of her loss, if she passed the small grave Henry had dug for the rabbit out in the treeline on the edge of their lands.

But the loss weighed on Cora. She sought not Henry however, they were still fighting. He wanted her to be rid of the magic, trade it back for something else. Cora had but to remind him that the Dark One would only take Regina for a trade, to fall silent. It pained him to not be able to stop Cora's suffering, he was a soldier after all in his youth, death was an honor if done in service. Cora loved that about him once, but now it seemed a weakness. To throw away one's life in battle, seemed pointless. Only those who were alive could enjoy their victory.

So she sought out her only other friend. They hadn't spoken in years, Cora regretted. But even though a heavy sadness seemed to weigh on her as well, she was just as warm and inviting as she had always been.

"I can't be rid of it. The Dark One only wants this curse or my daughter. Either way I lose. This magic has done nothing but destroy, and it will continue to do so in my hands." Cora sobbed.

"What sort of curse, could the Dark One possibly need created that he could not do himself?" Queen Margaret questioned.

"One that requires the caster to sacrifice that which they love for its creation." Cora shuddered. "Something the Dark One is not capable of, I'm sure."

Margaret was silent. "And what sort of evil would that bring?" She started.

Cora shook her head. "More like where we would be going." She muttered. "If I succeed as his bargain requires, we shall all be transported to a new realm. One practically impossible to get to."

Margaret frowned. "Like the realm of the dead?"

Cora snapped. "You too. There is no such place." Her scar was burning again and she nervously played with her gloves.

"You believed in it once." Margaret protested.

"I was a child. I would have believed anything that kept me warm and safe at night when there was no comfort and no bread in my stomach. I have grown up and you have not. Even after all these years. Palace life has softened you, made you want for nothing. But the world is anything, but safe and it is impossible to protect the things you care about. If you had a child you would know." Cora's voice built to a intensity and she turned to meet such childishness head on, but stopped seeing the look on her friend's face.

"Oh...Maggie, this is what your sorrow is about, isn't it?" Cora softened. "You want a child."

A tear raced down the queen's cheek. "More than anything. Leo and I both do." She lowered her gaze. "But we have been unsuccessful these many years."

"Not from lack of trying, I would assume." Cora lightly joked and touched her upper arm.

Margaret gave a small pitiful laugh. "Never thought a man would ever utter the words, 'not again, tonight, please,' in my life."

Margaret lifted her eyes again. "I could still be happy you see, with any child, but royal lines must contain the blood of royalty to take the throne. And you see, I have just now met the distant relative who is to take the throne, should Leo fail to have a child." She weakly laughed. "Remember the lord's son from our old village, Pierceson?"

Cora frowned. "How could I forget the man I had to beat with a stick to get him off you? Lustful pig."

Margaret laughed, but it weak and slightly bitter. "Yes, him. Well, since most of Leo's family line died in one of the ogre battles, his closest living relative is that man."

Cora swore and for once Margaret didn't correct her. Cora smiled weakly. She knew what she could do. This curse, this magic, she could use it to help someone, instead of just creating this curse.
"Let me help you, Margaret. Let me feel like I can do something good with this dreadful bargain. Please. I could give you a little boy or girl. I've done it once before with magic, it was an accident, but I'm sure with research and study, I could do it again. Properly this time."

Margaret raised an eyebrow. But she didn't try and dissuade her friend. The intense look in Cora's eyes was answer enough. Cora decided is Cora done. For better or for worse. That would never change.

Margaret sighed. "What do you need?"

Cora picked up Margaret's needlework by the window and retrieved a needle. "From you, just a few drops of blood."

Cora was in happier spirits then she had been in years. The potion was delivered and had seemed to take. She knew the baby had to be born from Margaret to be accepted, that had been the tricky part. Leopold's queen mother had kept a lock of his baby hair and that had provided his half of the genes and the unfertilized bluebird egg had provided that the baby would start small and grow, instead of coming into the world a small child or adult already.

Margaret had embraced her when she went to check on her, and Cora could see she was starting to show already. Everything seemed to be fine. Henry was more affectionate or maybe she was, Regina was feeding off of the cheerful mood and had taken to making pictures of everything and giving them as gifts to everyone in sight, servants included. Horses were her favorite subject as of late, and Cora had at least 20 simplistic childlike horse drawings on her nightstand.

Only the Dark One's late visit to her could have dampened her spirits. "You are not making progress on my curse. What is distracting you, dearie?"

Cora frowned. "I have decided it was time for a break. I just need a castor and until I happen upon a desperate soul willing to help me, then I can spend that time with my family." She tried to stay calm and passive.

"I see. Does that include Queen Margaret's new addition, this family?" The Dark One smiled sinisterly.

Cora swallowed. "Margaret is a childhood friend. You know this. Outside of these walls she is my family."

"Indeed. And you would do anything to help family, right? Even a little magic?"

He knew, there was no way. He was just toying with her of course he was. Cora lifted her chin and met him square on.

"You do remember how badly she wanted a child, I have merely assisted her. You said such a thing couldn't be done, but here this and the little white rabbit girl have twice proven you wrong. You may have all the power, but without my ideas, you would be nowhere. You need me for this curse, I know. So what I do with my family is my business." Cora felt a rush, standing up to the Dark One. Her scar crackled and burned...it begged to be used. Not now. Not against him. Cora was not that stupid. She clenched her hand.

The Dark One laughed. "You should know better than to keep anything from me. You are in over your head, my dear. Finish the curse, and you will be free of this magic you once asked for relief from. The longer you take, the worse it is going to get." He did a little twittering dance. "Oh, and nothing is impossible for the Dark One or his powers. Can't, often means shouldn't in this world. Creating life, is going to invoke a steep price. One, I'm not sure you understood."

"Yes, yes, all magic comes with a price. Say what you mean." Cora tensed.

"Oh, you'll discover why I have yet to try such a thing, in due time. My predecessor apparently had tried this before and his notes were quite extensive. So was his grief." Rumpelstiltskin stepped up and placed his hand over Cora's heart.

Cora's heart raced beneath his touch. He wouldn't. He needed her. However, the White Rabbit girl sprang to mind. She lived and breathed without her heart. "Love is the most powerful force of all, Cora, when harnessed properly. But you don't need it to live. I could spare you the grief."

Cora panicked. She flung the Dark One backwards with magic. He landed on his feet easily. He shook his head. "Don't say I never offered, dearie." And he disappeared in a puff of magic smoke.