A/N: Updates should be approximately every week, give or take a few days maybe. Read and review! Much appreciated. P.S, sorry for the late update.

Chapter 6

"I proposed a deal with him like I said yesterday. He can take me and he would have to leave my parents alone." Mia started, eyes still closed. Regina began to focus on her story more than the surroundings as she continued. "So he did, I didn't get to say goodbye either. He took me back to his castle and locked me in the dungeon. He said I would be staying there until needed. A few days later I think, he let me out and asked me to perform magic. He told me of his plans for using me as his weapon for ultimate power."

"Of course he did." Regina interrupted, annoyed and shocked by his actions.

Mia opened her eyes, "Yeah, he told me that my 'unique power' as he called it, was going to be very useful to him. That I would help him take over more realms than I could ever imagine and he would be the true ruler of everything. Of course I disobeyed, I didn't want to be apart of that. Hurting innocent people just for power is not something I will ever do. I even asked him why he chose me." Mia scooted closer to Regina and asked with pleading eyes, "Am I really the only one with this gift?"

Regina gave Mia a look of remorse. "That I know of, yes. I'm sorry, Mia. But we're talking about Rumpelstiltskin, and he will do anything for something he wants. If it's a one of a kind gift then he'll make sure that he gets it. No matter what." Regina answered.

I know how she feels. Alone. No one like you, understanding what you've been through or knowing what it's like to always be an outsider. Having to be strong and brave just to protect yourself. Trying your best but it's never good enough. Mistreated or disregarded-

"And he got just that." Mia said, snapping Regina out of her train of thought. "When I refused to help him or use my magic, well, that didn't make Rumpelstiltskin very happy. He tried force, his own magic, manipulation, torture, threatening me. Anything you could imagine his twisted mind doing. None of it worked, no matter how powerful he was I still refused. That's when he went crazy. Not that he wasn't before, but... Yeah, he hated that he couldn't make me do anything so then he just started messing with me. Trying to get to me. Make me suffer and go absolutely mad... His intentions had changed once I refused him. He wasn't even focused on my magic anymore. Just my pain, and he loved it." She exclaimed with such anger and disgust.

"What did he do?" Regina questioned, it was making her sick and even more angry hearing of the horrid things Rumpelstiltskin had done all for the sake of power.

"Played mind tricks, made fun of me, he tried to break me and all the confidence and sanity I had. But the worst thing he ever did was after I had been his prisoner for almost a year. I was let out of the dungeon after another sleepless night and I found Rumpelstiltskin in his library looking through book after book, searching through magical devices and artifacts, which was different because he was usually spinning straw or bossing me around so to see him doing that was...odd. I was to afraid to ask so I left him, not that he would let me go anywhere apart from wandering a lonely castle. But something about what he was doing told me he was up to no good. Not long after that I was finishing the slop that was my breakfast when he summoned me to his castle grounds near his dead garden and for the first time that day he spoke to me; 'You're in for a treat, dearie.'" Mia said, mimicking his creppy voice. She took a deep breath and continued on, "At that moment I was terrified for my life. I tried to run but he bound me using an invisible force. He said I wasn't going anywhere until I payed for my disobedience to him. Said I haven't suffered enough." Mia scoffed angrily. "He had a black potion in his hand, lowered me to his level and forced it down my throat. Out of all my time there he had never tried to poison or kill me, but then in that moment I thought he had."

"Thought?" Regina asked, looking away to hide the dark expression she wore.

"Mmhm. It wasn't though. I was lying on the grass choking, waiting for death to take me while he laughed and laughed. " Mia said realizing she was getting carried away into very painful details and looked over and saw faint bits of purple magic at Regina's fingertips until she clenched her fists. "But a few moments had passed, and you know what?" Regina snapped her head in Mia's direction. "I remember hoping that it was poison and I would die. Just to be put out of my misery." Regina looked into the girls eyes and felt a wave of sadness and remorse come over her, it was heartbreaking even for the Evil Queen to hear a child say that, she was shocked to hear this but at the same time understanding. She was pouring out all her feelings and emotions into her story, going into every horrible detail and what suprised Regina the most was at how much Mia held herself together. It meant alot to her knowing Mia was willing to share everything with her, it gave Regina a sense of comfort in a way, considering the circumstances of the situation.

Mia's eyes had glazed over having to relive the antagonizing memory. It looks like I wont be getting any sleep tonight...

"Obviously that didn't happen." She continued in a broken voice. "After a while, I don't know how long I was lying there for, Rumpelstiltskin took me to the dungeon, locked it and I was left there not knowing what was happening to me for the rest of the day and night. But the next morning I woke up and he was in there, like he was waiting for me. Who knows for how long? I think he was waiting for the potion to work or something because when I woke he started that bone chilling laugh of his. I remember that morning very clearly as well. I looked up at him and noticed something really strange, he was standing over me yet he seemed so far away. He was incredibly tall. But after a few moments, realization dawned on me and it wasn't Rumpelstiltskin who was tall, I was short. Really short. I-I looked down and I was standing on my pillow which was huge, then looked around the dungeon seeing the same things; everything was huge. I started to cry even though I didn't want him to see me like that, he picked me up by my dress while I was helplessly trying to get away and said; 'I hope you like the potion, I spent a long time making it...but seriously, enjoy it down there because if you do not obey me or even attempt to break another deal with me dearie, well let's just say that things will get worse.'" Mia said like she had revised those same words over and over again. "I don't understand though, why he's made me suffer for a deal he broke first. Murdering ny parents... And I heard he never broke deals." Mia whispered.

Regina remained silent throughout that part of the story. She imagined the look on Rumpelstiltskin's face at what he had done, all the power and greed that he wanted so badly, Mia's small figure feeling so helpless against him. Her defeat, loneliness and fear of him. It made Regina feel as if she would explode into flames. Hearing every sick word he had said just made the feeling worsen. She was using all her concentration not to magic herself to Mr. Gold's pawnshop and make him pay, to rip away his every ounce of happiness, take his dagger and crush his heart to pieces. But she couldn't. Not here and not now. Mia needed a friend to listen to her, support her and make everything alright.

"So I lived the rest of my days in the Enchanted Forest no bigger than a thumb. He even nicknamed me Thumbelina..." Mia added, disgusted.

Thumbelina... Would her story be in Henry's book?

Regina didn't have any words to say so she settled for, "I'm sorry." Looking at Mia sadly.

Mia's reply was a small smile. "I tried to escape but Rumpelstiltskin always had an advantage, he enjoyed watching me struggle, I could still use my magic but he didn't like that so one day he put some sort of enchantment on me."

"What did it do?" Regina asked hesitantly.

"It was like...like some sort of freezing spell but but also like I was asleep as well. It was very dark magic though. I don't remember much after he used it, at first I couldn't move, he placed me on top of a shelf in a glass case in this weird room like a vault. I felt like a trophy or something! It was insane... Then I started losing my vision, and the last thing I heard him say was 'That's what happens when you disobey Rumpelstiltskin, dearie.' And... that's it. Blackness, like some eternal sleep. The next I remember was waking up here in a barn, back to my normal self." Mia gestured to herself then started gazing at the ground thinking.

"When I came through the portal, I think that his dark magic was somehow, I don't know taken over, because I no longer had the enchantment on me when I woke up. You wouldn't know, would you Regina?" Mia questioned, sounding desperate.

Regina however, was too far absorbed in her thoughts to notice Mia's question. Her story was so sad and hearing it made Regina once again feel deep anger for the imp that had done this. Letting out as much frustration in a sigh Regina replied with, "What was that? Sorry it's just alot to comprehend..."

Mia nodded in understanding. "Nothing." She forced a small smile.

There was silence until Regina started mumbling to herself, "Over 30 years stuck in an enchantment, before I even cast the curse... If Emma hadn't of brought her here she would still be there. 30 years... That monster."

Mia heard everything though. I was stuck like that for over 30 years?! I knew I was from the past but... he is going to pay. Rumpelstiltskin you will pay for what you have done.

A/N: This was an extremely difficult chapter to write, with a severe case of writers block. Thanks for reading.