*Note: Sorry this took so long.I've been so busy lately. Please tell me what you think and keep reviewing.

Rumpelstiltskin returned to his work before him, the book reappearing in his hand in a burst of purple smoke. He quickly searched for the page he'd been on and regained his train of thought. He groaned discouraged after two minutes of searching. The Queen's interruption left him impatient and he knew he'd need to rush to get what was needed done.

Finally, he slammed his hand down on the book, exposing two pages and a grin crept across his impish face. His skin reflected the little light that there was in the room as he read from the pages. The grin only seemed to grow, and grow. What he was eyeing what not just any barrier spell, it was a curse. A curse that would keep whoever he'd wish trapped in his castle for as long as he'd wished. It was stronger than magic, much stronger.

His eyes skimmed the paragraph frantically, knowing that time would be short. He knew the events that would soon unfold; he knew Emma's stubbornness, she was as predictable as Regina.

Rumpelstiltskin stepped back quickly from the book and let out a ragid breath. He'd won.

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Regina stopped short from continuing, biting her tongue. How could she express how she felt towards Emma right now? Wouldn't it ruin everything? She held her composure while her mind whirled. What if she loves me back though? She shuddered at the word love. As she collected her thoughts she brought her eyes up to make contact with the blonde before her.

Breathe.

Emma's hair was slightly a mess. Her once golden locks had begun to straighten out more so than earlier, and her hair fell in every different way. Still, to Regina, she looked as beautiful as always.

The blonde let out an exasperated breath as she smoothed back her blonde hair with her right hand, her other placed firmly on her hip. Regina arched a brow, knowing that the blonde was about to speak up. She could read Emma's emotions very well occasionally, but this time it scared her. The blonde seemed torn and stressed, like she'd just made the hardest decision in life.

What's wrong with her?

"You're right, we do need to talk," Emma muttered, her eyes finally connecting with the dark brown ones before her, "I'm leaving, your majesty." She exaggerated the last line which made Regina snarl slightly. The blonde stepped back gathering her sword and it's holder from her bed. "I've taken up Rumpel's offer."

'No. No, no, no.' Regina's thoughts screamed at her to respond, but being her regal self, all she responded with was a sly, "Oh?", and a tilt of her head. She slowly flattened out her dress in the front as Emma reattached the sword's holder to her sheath. The blonde hadn't looked back up yet as she leaned onto the banister of the bed. "Yes, I'm leaving," she mumbled, still not looking up to meet Regina's fake, yet well worn, smirk.

She can't be serious.

Regina finally found herself and spoke up, "Swan, he is a monster." Her eyes began to fume with rage at the woman's idiocy. How could she be so stupid to go with such a man? The brunette edged forward, "He's a killer and-"Emma's eyes snapped up to look at Regina, "And you're not!?" She snapped, anger rushing through her like a tidal wave. "You are no better Regina." A faint growl murmured in her throat.

The brunette lost herself in that one moment. She quickly brought her hand up, not resulting to magic, but bringing a firm slap across Emma's left cheek, making the blonde's head jolt to the right. The queen's lip curled back as she glared at the blonde, not yet coming to the realization of what she'd just done.

Emma glared at her, the anger seemed to have flooded out of her, and hurt overwhelmed her features. Her eyes faded to a green-blue and soon they became glossy with wetness from tears trying to escape their hold.

What have I done?

Regina finally noticed what she'd just done, but it was too late for her to react, Emma was already storming past her. The blonde muttered something, but all Regina could make out was "monster". The brunette sunk in her posture as she turned on her heels to only get a glimpse of Emma exiting the room and slamming the door behind her.

Regina couldn't find her feet. She just stood in the once bed chamber of her 'White Knight'. A lump formed in her throat as she stood there silently; her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.

What have I done?

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Rumpelstiltskin sat at his wheel as he threaded away, relaxing himself and every now and then glancing at a cup of red wine below him. A sneer lurched across his features. In that gold cup, it held his curse for Emma. It had all the ingredients; all she needed do was drink and she would be his.

It held everything for him, something he knew that would break the queen entirely. Losing love once is enough, but twice, well, that's just like the tortures of Hell.

He jumped with a start as the doors of his room flew open, the blonde emerging into view as the doors slammed shut behind her.

"Ever hear of knocking, dearie?" He questioned, exaggeratingly throwing his hands dancing into the air, before landing his gaze onto Emma, "What have you come for?" He stepped around his stool and retrieved the cup beside him. He noticed hurt in the blonde's eyes and found his chance.

As he made his way closer to her, he extended his arm with the cup towards her. "Drink," he sneered, "you look like you could use it, dear."

The blonde glanced him over for a moment, before clutching the golden cup into her own hand."I came to take you up on your offer." She eyed him while slowly bringing the cup to her lips. "I'll take it," she mumbled as the cool edge of the cup hit her lips.

Rumpel leaned forward as he heard the awarding swallowing in the blonde's throat. Emma brought the cup down slowly and he snatched it immediately. He let out an impish giggle while turning and placing the cup into a display area full of all sorts of objects and trinkets.

"What was that for?" Emma arched her brow while stepping forward slightly, trying to see the expression on Rumpel's face as he stared at his reflection in the glass of the display holder. "You're now mine," he sneered, his tone dropping a level. A grin spread across his lips ear to ear as he mimicked the queen's words that Emma heard the first time she arrived at her castle, "My pet."