Ok, I know this is late, but it's up sooner than the last one! And it's also long, so hopefully that will make up for the wait.

This hasn't been through beta, so any mistakes are mine. And I do not own any of this, except the plot, as I do not own Once. If I did, Regina wouldn't be so unhappy.

I really don't know how this chapter turned out. A lot happened, and unfortunately there is some angst (guys, Hooked Queen basically IS angst no matter how you look at it). You will have to let me know what you think, because I'm really conflicted about this one.

Please review!


Chap 3 –

They appeared amidst several trees, close to Regina's house. Every single light in the house was on, which surprised Regina a little when she thought about it. Then again, her mother had never been one for hiding herself away. She felt something wrench in her chest. Henry was in there, with her mother. What was Cora doing to him? She felt as if she had wasted time.

Hook sat down on a fallen log and watched as Regina paced up and down, her features screwed up in concentration. The fact that she believed that she deserved to be punished for what had happened to her true love had thrown him. His guilt over Milah's death had always been over shadowed by his want for revenge. And it had never gone as far as Regina's obviously extended.

He looked up at the night sky, seeking the familiarity of the stars. But this time, possibly for the first time in decades, they didn't offer him comfort. He was distracted by his worry for how far the situation seemed to be out of his hands. Regina was so determined to hand herself over to Cora without any resistance. And it was clear that she didn't expect to come out of this alive, much less unharmed. What could he, a man who had just come into her life, do to stop her? This was her son they were talking about saving, and if her love for him was anything like Milah's then he didn't stand a chance of persuading her to try to escape. And yet that was exactly what he was tempted to do. He was sourly tempted to take her away from this place, even if she would hate him for the rest of her life. But he didn't want that, he realised. The last thing he wanted was for her to hate him. He wanted…dare he say love?

'Hook?' He snapped out of his musings. Regina was standing before him, hugging her body with her arms, as if she could keep herself together through the physical gesture.

He stood and looked down into her eyes. They weren't empty any longer; they were full of pain and sadness. It was as if she saw no need to disguise it in front of him. The emotion in her eyes caused him to reach out and touch her cheek, gently running his thumb across her smooth skin. She stood there, letting him caress her face, her eyes closed. She tried to memorise the warmth of his fingers, the heat she could feel blooming in the places he had touched her. Her lip trembled. She truly hated her mother in that moment. She saw no possible scenario where she would emerge alive from that house. And all she wanted was to be with this man, this damaged man who hid behind the façade of a roguish pirate. She didn't know, or care frankly, if this was love – though she suspected it was. He made her feel alive and real, and that was all that mattered. But her mother had to take the possibility of a happy life away from her again by threatening the one person she had never – and could never – abandon.

'Regina…' his voice was quiet and strangely vulnerable, making him sound very young. 'What is this? What do we have? Is it-'

'Love?' she interrupted him, her dark eyes opening to lock with his. He felt as if he was diving into those dark depths to be swallowed by her emotions. She breathed a laugh, tears pricking her eyes. She reached up and placed her hand over his, lacing their fingers against her cheek. 'I don't know. I don't…' she paused, choking on the words she so desperately wanted to say, but couldn't. 'It doesn't matter anymore. My mother has taken any possible chance of…that away. I can't abandon my son'. She smiled through growing tears, wondering if the glint in his eyes was just a reflection, or if they were in fact tears. 'I'm sorry'. Ask me. Ask me to run away with you. Tell me that we will get through this. Tell me why it has suddenly become 'we.'

He didn't. Because they both knew what her answer would be. Instead, Hook let his fingers trail slowly down her cheek; let his thumb brush her full lower lip. He was committing her face to memory. There was no way in hell that he was ever going to let himself forget her. She tilted her head up slightly and it was almost natural for him to press his lips against hers. Her hands slid up to grasp his shoulders and he wrapped his arms around her, pressing their bodies as close as possible. Regina's sob of longing as lost in their embrace. She gripped his shoulder tightly with one hand and pressed the fingers of her other to her forehead. Purple smoke gathered at the tips, sinking into her skin.

Her last words to him before the magic took control and she passed out were nearly lost against his lips. But he heard them. 'I wish we'd met in another lifetime'.

When she slumped in his arms he held her close, reluctant to take her to her mother just yet. He cradled her against his chest, taking one last moment to memorise the warmth of her body and the sweet intoxicating sent that was purely her. He tilted his head back, blinking back the threatening sting at the back of his eyes, and laughed humourlessly. This time, the brightness of the stars seemed to be mocking him.


He kicked the front door open and stepped into the bright entrance hall, carrying Regina in his arms. He had wanted to make her as comfortable as possible, but he had realised that Cora would pick up on that. So instead of holding her so that her head was against his chest, he had positioned her so that her head hung down over his arm. He held her gently though, not wishing to cause her any further discomfort.

He wasn't quite sure what he expected to find. Though, after hearing a little about Regina's childhood, he probably wouldn't have been surprised to hear screams. Instead, the house was almost unnervingly quiet. If Cora knew he was there, she seemed to be waiting for him to move. He wasn't the type to hesitate, and Cora knew that, so he marched confidently into a large, well lit room with a roaring fire and several comfortable looking chairs. So this was Regina's home.

He had enough time to take this in before he saw what was happening. Cora was standing with her back to the fire, pointing at a small figure sitting in a chair not a metre away from her. There was a single beam of purple magic running from her finger to the person's forehead. Her eyes were glowing with the same unnatural colour. Obviously, she had no idea he was there.

Hook moved around to her side quietly, intent on getting a look at the boy that Regina cared for deeply, yet who had hurt her to the point that she no longer believed that care was returned. The boy was very young, probably only around ten or eleven years old. The boy's eyes, glowing with magic, were wide, and his expression was one of pain and fear. His hair was dark brown and ruffled, and his clothes were ripped and torn. So this was Henry. This was the boy that Regina was willing to sacrifice her life for.

An idea flashed into his mind and he quickly laid Regina down on a pale coloured couch. He tried to ignore the pang of loneliness that shot through him when he finally released her and turned to Cora. She still didn't seem to sense his presence. Hook stepped closer, and his hand went to his sword. He could end this all, right here, without anyone getting hurt. Well, almost anyone. His fingers tightened around the hilt and the blade was halfway out of the sheath when the purple beam extinguished without warning.

When Cora blinked the magical glow from her eyes and turned to look at him, having sensed his presence at last, he was standing behind her, seemingly absorbed in examining the things displayed on the mantel piece. She had no idea how hard his heart was thumping against his chest. He had very nearly been caught.

Cora's eyes immediately fixed on Regina. Without a word to the pirate, she crossed to the couch in three strides and bent over her. She grasped Regina's chin in her hand, tilting the unconscious woman's head from side to side, examining her critically. There was a large lump forming on the side of her head, close to her temple, and other bruises forming on her arms. She stared for a moment at the strangulation marks around Regina's neck. With her eyes still fixed on her daughter, Cora addressed the man. 'You certainly took your time. I trust nothing…unexpected happened?'

He nearly laughed. If only she knew. If there was anything Cora hated, it was things happening that she had not planned. 'Your daughter put up quite a fight. And she can run pretty well, for a queen. The bump was unfortunate, but I can assure you that she is not dead'. Yet.

Cora's eyes remained strangely indifferent as she stared down at the limp young woman. 'And the bruises around her neck?'

'Already there I'm afraid'. Not wanting to think about how they had been caused, Hook turned to the boy in the chair. Henry was shivering violently, curled in a tight ball. His eyes were wide and full of fear, shock and horror. He didn't seem to have noticed Hook. 'So this is the…thing you're planning to use to break your daughter?'

Cora lips quirked. There was always something a little strange about her smiles. It was as if her muscles didn't know how to make them anything but threatening. 'Indeed. I thought she might have learnt her lesson by now, but it seems not'.

'What did you do to him?' Hook's voice was indifferent. He didn't want Cora to hear the disgust in him as he watched the boy shake silently.

'Oh I just explored his memories a little. I wanted to see whether Regina really loved him. It didn't hurt him, this', she waved her hand at the trembling boy, 'is merely shock. As I looked at them, he re-lived them. Apparently, he didn't realise how much his rejection of her love was hurting her'. She didn't say it as if she was angry at Henry for hurting Regina, rather as if it was a plain fact. There wasn't a single flicker of emotion on her face as she spoke.

As if in response, Henry blinked and looked up, becoming aware of the extra people in the room. His eyes roved over Hook, passing over his attire and the curve of his hook slowly. A spark of excitement jumped in his eyes, but it was squashed almost immediately when they passed to Cora. And then he finally seemed to register who was lying sprawled on the couch. 'Mom!' his shriek was terrified and dismayed. He seemed to forget about his fear for Cora. Instead, the little boy jumped out of his chair and ran to the dark haired woman, dodging around Cora to fling his body at Regina's. He landed on the couch next to her, his hands gripping her face tightly as he frantically screamed her name.

Hook's eyebrows went up. That was certainly not the reaction he had been expecting from a boy who didn't love his mother. He watched as Henry buried his face in Regina's chest, his body shaking as he tried to muffle his sobs. He looked up at Cora, tears streaming down his face. 'What have you done to her?'

Cora watched the boy, her head cocked. Hook had the uneasy feeling that she was analysing Henry, calculating every move he was making. 'I? I have done nothing. I simply wanted to see her. It's been far too long'. She reached out a hand and caressed Regina's face. There was nothing affectionate about that movement. It was predatory and possessive, and Hook felt a shiver run down his back at the sight.

Henry couldn't stop his next words. His head was swimming with his mom's anguished face, her tears, every moment that she had tried to be better for him. Every moment he had rejected her. His whole being was wracked with guilt. 'Why did you want to see her? She hates you! She's terrified of you!' He didn't know anything about his mom's childhood, or anything about her mother, and the thought made his cheeks burn with shame. But he knew that she was scared of Cora, he'd seen the expression on her face when he had told her what Aurora had told him. And what he knew of Cora so far hadn't really left him with the best impression.

He wasn't ready for what happened next. Cora moved so quickly he barely saw it, bringing the back of her hand across his face so hard that his head jerked to the side. He cried out, cradling his stinging cheek, more from shock than pain. Regina had never hit him. He swallowed at that though, staring up into Cora's positively murderous eyes. However, her voice was strangely calm. 'I can see that my daughter failed to install even the most basic manners in you. Well, I've been looking forward to spending some quality time with you, and I can assure you that no grandson of mine will ever lack in manners'.

Henry swallowed. He had a vivid imagination, and he could guess that it would not be a pleasant experience for him. He felt like crying, yet at the same time he didn't want to give Cora the satisfaction.

Hook was no longer paying attention. Regina was stirring. The woman groaned and raised her hand, her eyes opening slowly. He wanted nothing more to rush to her, but he had the sense to remain where he was.

Waking was a painful process. Her head throbbed from the magic that had knocked her out and simultaneously given her a large bump. The first thing she became aware of was that she was not alone. She opened her eyes, doing the best to appear dazed and confused. All that fled however, when she felt two small arms wrap around her waist. Henry. She hugged him back tightly, closing her eyes as she did, trying to savour the feeling of having him in her arms. It would be the last time. She sat up, bringing Henry with her, and dipped her head to his shoulder, unwilling to release him just yet. 'I'm sorry'. The words were a mere whisper in her ear and she pulled back, frowning at him. And then she saw who was standing behind Henry and her entire body went stiff.

Terror immediately gripped her, numbing her mind and sending ice cold fear through the rest of her body to freeze her blood. Cora stood before her, very much alive, her dark eyes, almost black, boring straight into her skull. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to vanish in a cloud of smoke and run as far as she could.

It was an even stronger reaction than when Hook had informed her that her mother was in Storybroke. Her eyes went wide and her face drained of all colour. Her body went so stiff that she shook from the force of it, and he could see her fingers tightening in the torn fabric of Henry's jacket. She didn't speak, but the fear on her face told a thousand words. Finally she moved, twisting Henry around so that he was pinned between her body and the couch, spreading her arms wide as if she could shield him.

Cora watched her daughter's futile efforts with amusement. They both knew that it would come to nothing if Cora really did wish to hurt him. 'Regina dear, how long it's been!'

Regina's lips were trembling. Cora looked just the same as she had when she had been pushed through the portal. The same cold eyes, the same rigid posture, the same threatening smile. The same sickly sweet voice that held a dangerous undertone. Regina was breathing quickly through her nose, panic reaching inside her and taking route in her nervous system. It was only the thought of Henry and what she needed to do that was keeping her from breaking down. Eventually she managed to get some words out. 'Cora. Actually, it went in the blink of an eye'.

Cora laughed, that strange humourless laugh that Regina had learned to take as a warning. 'Cora? Since when does anyone call their mother by their first name?' She leaned forwards and placed her hand against Regina's cheek, caressing her face in that same possessive way. As if Regina was hers to control, to own.

Regina recoiled from her touch. Cold seeped into her skin from the place Cora had touched her, working its way like thick oil into her blood stream, clouding her ability to think properly. All traces of Hook's warmth were long since gone.

It had been so long since she had seen her mother that she had forgotten what happened when she did that. She saw her mother's hand move, but she was too slow to react. Cora's hand made contact with her face with a resounding 'crack'. Regina's head jerked around so far that she felt her bones crack. The force of the slap knocked Regina sideways onto the couch and broke the skin on her lip.

'Mom!' Henry stared in horror at the blood leaking from the corner of Regina's mouth as she pushed herself up on trembling arms. The little boy turned to Cora, fury chasing the fear away. 'Don't touch her!'

'Henry!' Regina grabbed the boy by the shoulders and forced him behind her again. Purple magic had gathered in Cora's hands, and her eyes glinted with the same light that Regina had seen often during her childhood.

Behind Cora, Hook was gripping the mantelpiece so hard that his knuckles had gone white. He couldn't take his eyes away from the blood that was slowly dripping down Regina's chin. Her cheek was red, a strong contrast to the rest of her face. Slowly, almost against his will, his hand released the mantelpiece and lowered until it was resting on his sword. His hand tensed and he was just about to draw it when he caught Regina's eye over her mother's shoulder. Their gaze locked and Hook found himself releasing the hilt as a feeling of defeat settled on his shoulders. Henry was still here, and until he was gone there was nothing Hook could do without putting Regina in danger.

'Cora'. His voice was sharp, demanding the older woman's attention. Cora turned to him, raising her eyebrows in question. Behind her, Regina immediately closed her eyes and focused her entire being on the feeling of loss inside her. It wasn't that hard. Then, slowly at first but with gathering confidence, she stretched her mind out towards the town's border, searching for the familiar sting.

Hook kept eye contact with Cora, refusing to back down even when his eyes began to water. It was a battle of wills with Cora, it always was, and every time you met her eyes it was as if she was challenging you. 'What about the crocodile? I kept my side of the bargain; it's about time you kept yours'. He allowed some irritation to creep into his voice, allowed the bitterness to show on his face.

Cora smiled. She always seemed to find something funny about his wish for vengeance. It was there in the glint of her eyes, the smirk playing around her lips. 'Patience, Hook. I'll pay him a visit after I've completed my business here. Though it might interest you to know that Rumplestiltskin has a new love interest. A woman by the name of Belle. Apparently, she's changed the monster'.

Purple smoke gathered in Regina's hands and she quickly pressed them to Henry's chest. He stared at her, clearly not understanding. Regina glanced over her shoulder then looked back at him quickly. She pressed a kiss to her forehead and smiled at him, letting her tears spill down her cheeks as she tried to express how much she really loved him. 'I'm sorry Henry', she whispered the words so that only he could hear them. 'I'm sorry for everything. I love you. Never forget that'. And then the magic wrapped around him and she tugged on the connection she had formed with the woman on the other end of town.

Cora spun around, feeling the magic in the air, and was just in time to see Henry reach out to grab Regina's hand in a futile attempt to stay with her as the purple magic engulfed him entirely. Cora let out a scream of fury and sent a bolt of magic straight into the whirlwind. Regina shouted and threw herself in front of it, and the bolt hit her squarely in the stomach, sending her flying over the back of the couch. Cora raised her hand again and pointed it at the swirling vortex. But she was too late. Henry was gone.

There was a deadly silence. Cora's body was trembling with rage. Without hurrying, she walked around the couch and stood over her daughter. Regina breathed quickly, the blow having knocked the breath from her lungs, and tried to push body upright. Hook couldn't see Cora's face, but the energy radiating from the older woman was enough to make him take a step back. Regina pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and Cora clicked her fingers. Regina's body dropped to the ground instantly, writhing and twitching as a scream of pain tore from her lips. Cora watched indifferently as her daughter clawed at the floor, her body wracked with fierce burning pain.

Hook turned away, unable to watch. He stared into the fire, willing Cora to stop, willing the tears not to fall. The hopelessness and desperation was starting to take hold. How could he save Regina, when Cora was capable of killing him just by looking in his direction? No matter how skilled he was with a blade, it all came down to the fact that she had magic and he did not.

Cora blinked. As she did, the pain vanished. Regina lay on her stomach, breathing heavily as her muscles twitched from the aftershock of magically induced pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut and fresh tears dripped down her face to land on the floor. Cora waved her hand, flipping Regina onto her back. The dark haired woman knelt down beside Regina and gripped her chin, digging her nails into her soft skin. Regina stifled a cry. 'You foolish, foolish child. You just saved the life of a boy who belongs to another woman. A boy who would turn, who has turned, his back on you. All I wanted to do was to show you and to help you cut your ties with your weaknesses'.

Regina's tears began to truly fall now. Her mother had reached inside and grabbed hold of the one thing that could break her. And in the emotional state she was now, she had no way of stopping the tears. She heard her mother make a disapproving noise. 'Now, now Regina, a lady, especially a queen, does not show weakness'. Cora stood and waved her hand at Regina, jerking the young woman to her feet.

Regina fell forward and gripped the back of the couch, her legs unable to hold her weight. She was rewarded by a sharp stab of pain in the small of her back. She'd spent so long trying to block the memories of her 'lessons', as her mother had called them, that she had actually been successful in some regards. Wincing visibly, she pushed herself off the couch and straightened her spine, lifting her chin until her posture was perfectly straight.

'I see that you remembered at least some of your training'. Cora walked around until she stood in front of Regina. The younger woman was extremely glad for the object separating them. She tightened her fingers in the soft material, trying to gather some strength from it. Henry was safe. That was all that mattered.

Cora looked her daughter up and down slowly, raking her gaze agonisingly slowly over every inch of Regina's body. There was nothing of the stubborn, fiery young girl that had caused Cora so much annoyance and pain. There was none of the terrified, desperate young woman who had pushed her mother through a mirror to save herself. There was none of the proud, regal queen she had heard so much of, or the malicious, dangerous evil queen she had become. This young woman bore all the signs of a broken spirit. And yet…she wasn't quite there yet. It was a pity, Cora reflected, that Henry had been sent away. That boy would have been the perfect tool to break Regina. And Cora needed to break her daughter.

But then again, the Queen of Hearts never did anything without a backup plan.

'Tell me Regina dear, what caused those bruises?' At her words, Regina flinched visibly and Cora smiled. It seemed she had found the sensitive spot.

Regina swallowed thickly at the expression on her mother's face. Cora would know if she lied. 'I…I got into an argument with a rather hot-headed prince. Over my son. He wouldn't let me see him so I insulted his wife and daughter. I taunted him, saying that they would never return. He got a bit…carried away'.

To her slight surprise, Cora seemed to except her answer. Then again, it wasn't that far from the truth. She and James had had an argument, moments after Snow and Emma had fallen through the hat.

'I trust you taught him a lesson?'

Regina licked her lips nervously. She had heard the veiled threat beneath the expectancy. 'No…I didn't'.

The breath whooshed out of her as her back hit the wall behind her and her gasp of pain was cut off as her body was squeezed in a vice-like grip. Cora was suddenly in front of her daughter, looking up at her with eyes full of disappointment. Regina knew that expression so well. It was the most common expression she had seen from her mother during her childhood.

Cora sneered as her daughter struggled against the invisible bonds. 'What kind of queen doesn't put her subjects in their place? What kind of sorceress doesn't use her magic?'

'I…' Regina struggled to breathe as her mother's fingers clenched tightly around her. 'I promised…Henry I wouldn't use…magic!'

Cora dropped her hand. Regina fell to the floor, coughing violently. Her lungs burned as she breathed, spots dancing in front of her eyes. Her heart was pounding frantically against her sore ribs. It was all too familiar.

Cora's heavy skirts rustled as she bent down and placed her mouth close to Regina's ear. Regina's head was bowed, but she flinched noticeably at the sudden proximity. Her mother smelled of bitter citrus fruits, along with the sweeter aroma of honey. She remembered the smell from those few times her mother had actually shown her affection, those brief embraces she had once craved so badly. Now, she had so struggle not to recoil from it. Cora's words were soft in her ear, a strong contrast to what she was actually saying. 'That boy will be the death of you'.

The implication, not just for her but for Henry as well, was nearly enough to send her crashing to the floor. Painfully, she managed to push her body upright, clambering slowly to her feet. She stared into her mother's cold eyes. She was definitely still afraid, there was no question of that, but some old ember of determination had sparked to life inside her. 'Don't. Touch. My. Son'.

Cora raised her eyebrows, mildly impressed that there was even that left inside her daughter. At that point, Hook intervened again, saving Regina from another painful punishment. 'Cora, whatever you want to do, hurry up and do it. You have an appointment with a monster who by now is probably expecting you. You were the one who said he would sense our arrival'. It was a shot in the dark, of course, and Hook knew that. But he didn't think he would be able to watch Regina go through that much pain again. During the last round, he'd had to stand gripping his hook to prevent himself from drawing his sword.

Regina glanced in his direction, her eyes filled with an indifference that her mother was meant to see. 'And what do you want with Rumplestiltskin?'

Hook flashed a charming smile, unable to quell the rush of heat inside his body at her returned smirk. There was something very…amusing about talking to her with her mother watching. 'Oh it's a simple matter of a debut left unsettled'.

Regina nearly laughed when Cora rolled her eyes, obviously irritated at the pirate's interruption. Instead she turned back to Cora and folded her arms, trying not to shrink when Cora returned her stare with those cold dark eyes. 'What exactly do you want…mother?'

Cora smiled, seemingly pleased with the title, and reached under her dark blue wrap. Regina flinched, trying to keep her fear from showing on her face. Cora withdrew a small vile. It was thin and the stopper was a set with a large ruby, carved to resemble a heart. The vile was filled to the brim with a dark liquid, a shade darker than the deepest purple.

Cora lifted it up so that Regina could see it clearly. Regina gazed at it, as if transfixed. 'Why my dear, I want what I've always wanted. I want to help you'.


Henry spun round and around inside the swirling vortex. But he wasn't seeing the purple smoke. All he could see was his mom's tears as she pressed her hands to his chest. He knew now, if he hadn't before, that she truly loved him. And that she had just sacrificed herself for him.

Abruptly, the purple smoke encasing his body vanished. He continued to spin on one foot for a moment before slamming to the ground, dizzy with fear and guilt. It was his fault. All his fault. Somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that things would have turned out completely differently if he had just been nicer to her. If he had at least let her see that he did love her.

'Henry!' Arms were around him, pulling him off the ground and into a warm embrace. He knew that voice. Emma. The woman he had spent so long trying to convince himself as being his real mother was hugging him. She was here, real and alive, and the next thing he knew his arms were around her, hugging her back.

But then he remembered what had just happened and he struggled out of her embrace. He staggered back, tears flowing down his face.

'Henry? Henry what is it?' Emma stretched out her hands, stepping towards him. When he held up his hands and scrambled backwards, she frowned, a look of profound hurt on her face.

Henry ignored her question, instead looking around. After a brief second, he recognised where he was. At the border. His eyes fell on two women standing close to Emma. He recognised the woman dressed as a princess from his dreams. Aurora. The other woman was wearing armour and staring at him as if he was a phantom. That was probably Mullan.

Without thinking twice, Henry turned away from his mother and the other two women and started to run down the road, desperation filling him up. He had to save his mom. 'Henry!' Emma grabbed him from behind and spun him around to face her. 'What are you doing?!'

A sob escaped his lips. 'We have to save her! Emma please, you don't understand what Cora will do to her!'

Emma felt her lip tremble in the face of her son's desperation. How could she even begin to explain that Regina had given herself up willingly? How could she tell him that his mother knew she was going to die? 'Henry…Regina wanted me to tell you that she loves you but she-'

'Exactly! She loves me and I love her and I never told her! I never told her…' Henry collapsed into Emma's arms, sobbing freely. Why had he spent so much time pushing her away? Why had he spent so much time trying to make himself believe that she was the evil Queen?'

'You've got to save her…please! She'll hurt her!' Henry's voice was muffled against Emma's neck. The blonde tilted her head up and let a tear escape down into her hair. This whole day had been an emotional whirlwind. She'd had to spend at least five minutes consoling Snow after Regina had left, after sending Aurora ahead. She hadn't really been able to understand any of the things her mother had sobbed into her shoulder, but she'd managed to understand that Snow's guilt extended a lot further than she had originally realised.

And now her son was sobbing in her arms and asking her to save his mother. How could she refuse? She'd spent her entire life without her parents, and she knew that she would never really be able to replace Regina. Not completely. Regina was Henry's mother, no matter how hard Emma tried to ignore the fact. What kind of saviour would she be if she didn't try?

'Henry…Henry listen to me'. Henry lifted his head and regarded her through swollen eyes. Emma stroked his hair with one hand. 'I will try. There has to be someone who can help. Maybe I can appeal to Gold's better nature. But you have to do something for me first. I can't help Regina unless I know that you're safe, and Regina won't agree to be saved unless you're safe either'.

Henry nodded, hope flaring in his eyes. Emma smiled, trying to quell the trepidation in her stomach. Unless Gold did agree to help, there was no way she could help Regina. Cora had already tried to remove Emma's heart, and while that hadn't worked (and Emma was still trying to understand how that was possible) there were plenty of other ways Cora could stop her, as she had already proved. Though Cora had obviously been shocked when she couldn't remove Emma's heart, she had quickly recovered from the blast. Just as Emma and Snow had been about to jump through the portal, the ground below them had come alive… literally.

'I need you to cross the border and stay there'. Henry frowned. 'Regina said that you should be able to cross it, because you have no memories of the enchanted forest. But you have to promise me that you will stay there'. When Henry looked like he was going to object she added hastily. 'Regina wanted me to make sure you were safe. Please Henry'.

In answer, Henry walked to the border and, after a brief hesitation, stepped over the line. Nothing happened. Grinning for the first time in hours, Henry turned back to Emma. 'I promise!'

Emma hesitated for a moment before turning to Mullan. 'I'm probably going to need your help'.

Henry watched the three women walk away. When he was sure that they were gone, he uncrossed his fingers from behind his back and stepped back over the line into Storybroke. He felt a little guilty for deceiving Emma, but the stakes were high and they were going to need all the help they could get. This was his mom's life they were talking about. He was done reading about heroes. It was about time he became one.


Regina stared at the glass sitting on the table in front of her. This entire situation was so ironic, yet perhaps it was also fitting. There would be no one to wake her up. Even if there was someone who loved her enough, Cora would ensure they were kept well away. She tried to ignore the way her fingers were almost desperate to reach for it. In some strange twisted way, she would see Daniel again.

What had originally rested in the glass vile was a modification of the sleeping curse. Apparently, Cora had seen a lot of potential in it when she had first heard about it. A curse that trapped you in an ageless sleep, with nothing but your regrets for company, could be so much more. This curse, the one that now rested in a wine glass on the coffee table, would put her into the same sleep with one slight difference. Instead of trapping you with your regrets, it took your worst fears and most painful memories. Oh, and apparently Cora had found a way of altering the curse so that the caster could wake the sleeper. Cora had said that once enough time had passed, she would wake Regina up.

Of course, Regina also knew that it was a new way of punishing her. The thought that it could be placed on her the moment she even raised a finger against her mother was not a nice one.

'Come, come Regina I don't have all night. I don't doubt that someone will be here to rescue you soon, I'd rather this be finished before then'. Cora stood on the other side of the coffee table, watching Regina with a calculating expression. The mask her daughter had once been very good at wearing had slipped, allowing Cora to see every emotion that crossed her face.

Currently, she looked surprised. 'And who exactly would bother to try save me?'

Cora laughed. 'My dear, this prince I've heard so much about. And he'll probably check to see whether we were the only two to come through the well. And once he finds his family, they'll rally the entire town to help. You may see them as your enemies but you forget one thing. They are heroes, and as far as they are concerned I am the thing they have to worry about right now. They won't be able to resist'.

Regina said nothing. Perhaps her mother was right. As long as they made sure Henry was safe first, it didn't really matter what they tried. They certainly wouldn't be able to wake her. With a faintly trembling hand, Regina lifted the wine glass from the table and brought it to her lips. She swirled the dark liquid around for a moment, delaying the inevitable, before glancing up one last time.

She saw Cora and wondered, just for a second, whether her mother had ever loved her. And whether she actually believed that she was helping her. Cora looked down at her daughter, her eyes betraying nothing, tapping the fingers of her left hand impatiently on the knuckles of her right.

Regina's eyes slipped over Cora's shoulder to the man standing behind her. Their eyes met over the rim of her glass, and for a moment she allowed herself to wonder what a life with him might have been like. Would she have been content with sailing the seven seas with the man?

If she was honest with herself? Of course she would have.

Hook set his jaw as Regina raised the glass to her lips, willing his body to remain where it was. He couldn't stop her, because at the slightest indication that he had changed sides Cora would simply rib his heart out of his chest.

She wondered what he would do after all this. Would he try to take his revenge on Rumplestiltskin? She hoped not. She hoped that he would return to his ship and make a life away from her mother. She hoped he would live his life. Living in an ageless land for decades was not actually living, she knew that well enough. She hoped that he would find some happiness to sooth the burn of loss.

Regina's lips curved into a slight smile as her gaze flickered between Hook and Cora. Their expressions were so different. Then she tilted her head and flicked her wrist, swallowing the dark liquid. It tasted bitter and she coughed as it slid down her throat. Grimacing, she placed the glass down on the table and looked up.

The last thing she saw was Hook's handsome face as the curse gripped her body, the dark magic flowing through her blood and seizing control of her nervous system. And as she slumped sideways onto the couch, her last thought was to wonder why he looked so heartbroken.


So what do you think? Let me know what you want to happen, what you would like to happen, etc.

Oh and by the way, just encase any of you think that Hook's character is a bit different from the show, keep in mind that this was begun early on, so I was going with what I thought he might be like.

I can't say how quickly the next chapter will be up, considering there is very little of it written, and I might get distracted by the possibility of continuing my Evil Charming oneshot, but encouragement does help to speed me along :)

Please review!