Hope you like this chapter. Classes are done and finals are next week, so I should be able to post at least 1 new chapter. If not then it'll most likely be after X-mas because I wont have internet. I know depressing.


Emma was standing on the roof of the castle and could sense that Rumpelstiltskin was coming. Call it her magic telling her that something was coming. Emma didn't want to lose her family again so she shot her hands up in the air and let her magic do the rest.

A light blue sparkly glow shot out of her hands and when a beam was at least 200 feet on the air Emma moved her arms so they were out stretched on her side. She faced north and then south so the beam could reach all corners of the land. When she felt it was time she shot her hands back up above her head. Having her palms face out she slowly connected each points of the beam so the created a protected dome over the property.

Dropping her hands Emma smiled at her work. She was happy that she was able to protect her loved ones. Emma looked at the invisible shield proudly and when she heard a thump above her head she laughed knowing just who it was.

"I am so sorry. I never meant to give you so much heartache." Eva said in between kisses.

"Why didn't you tell me that it was an arranged marriage?"

"You never gave me the chance." Eva laughed.

"Well we're together now."

Snow and Regina were standing awkwardly at their mothers waiting for them to start kissing. The looked at each other and sighed wondering when it was going to be over.

"So Regina, you and my daughter love each other?" Snow asked.

"Yes. I hope it isn't going to be too awkward seeing as we're sort of sisters."

"Seeing as I never raised Emma and I didn't know Cora was my mother until this morning; I think it's safe to say that I feel like we're more friends than we are sisters."

Regina smiled, "Me too."

After a few minutes Eva and Cora pulled away from each other smiling. Hearing a throat clearing they looked at the two women they forgot where in the room.

Cora and Eva looked to thither two in the room and smiled shyly.

"Cora this is Snow." Eva said.

Snow walked to her other mother not knowing what to expect. When she was pulled into a fierce hug she was shocked at first, but then she returned the hug. Breaking apart Cora looked to her other daughter and cried.

"Oh Regina I am so sorry about everything."

Snow backed up a step to make way for Regina.

"Mother you didn't have your heart and now you do."

Cora pulled Regina into hug and whispered 'I love you' into Regina's ear. Hearing the words she had wanted to hear her whole life from her mother, Regina cried and hugged her back.

After a few minutes everyone was sitting on the bed and catching up. Eva and Cora were sitting snuggly together holding hands and Snow and Regina were smiling at their mothers; neither of them had ever seen them so happy.


Emma looked at a floating imp and saw him knocking on the barrier.

"I know your there dearie. There is only one person who can make this barrier. Cora, you've finally woken up. Which means you have your heart back. Congratulations, and you will follow our deal." And just like that Emma's smile fell and Rumpelstiltskin was gone.

Emma went up in smoke and re-appeared in front of the bed.

"We have a problem." Emma said.

Everyone looked at Emma with both concern and confused looks.

"What do you mean?" Regina said.

"When Eva woke up Cora the protection spell was broken. At some point I must have gained a lot of knowledge on magic because I feel like I'm a walking Encyclopedia. Anyway, I was able to put another protection spell around the castle and the surrounding land. The second I was done the little imp ran right into it. He thinks Cora made the spell and said that she has to follow their deal."

"That's a lot to take in." Snow said sighing.

Emma looked into Cora's eyes and knew that whatever the deal was, was bad. She walked over to her and sat in front of her.

"Can everyone gives us a moment." Emma asked still looking into Cora's eyes.

Regina and Snow left and Eva didn't leave until she got a confirmation nod.

Eva kissed Cora's cheek and whispered into her ear. "I love you. It'll all be alright."

Once everyone left Emma hugged a distraught Cora. "It's finally nice to meet you." Pulling away Emma smiled. "You know everything don't you?"

Cora nodded.

"How I learned magic so quickly and about the deal?"

Another nod.

"I'm not mad about anything. I'm grateful that I leaned about my magic and magic in general so quickly, I have you to thank for that. And I know that you wouldn't have done any of the things you did if you had your heart. We all love you and understand why you did it. When I touched your heart I felt everything. It was painful and so very lonely."

Cora started crying and Emma pulled her grandmother into another hug.

After she calmed down Cora broke the hug and looked into the eyes of the woman who gave her her life back. "I'm an so very sorry."

Emma smiled. "I know."

"The deal that Rumpelstilskin is talking about is that if I ever get my heart back and willingly decide to keep it this time, then I have to give him a child."

"WHAT?" Emma shouted.

"When I first met him he said that he could teach me to feel the pain anymore. I was so numb at the time that I agreed. The next thing I knew he taught me dark magic, anger, and hatred. Right before I was going to take out my heart he said that he loved me and he knew that I loved me. He must have confused love with admiration because he said 'if you get your heart back and keep it I want us to have a child' at the time I never thought I would get my heart back so I signed. And now here we are, me with heart and him wanting a child."

Emma sighed and took Cora's hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. "I guess we have to get you pregnant and then fulfill the prophecy."

"What? Bu..."

Emma held up her hand to stop Cora's protest. "Unless we can find a way to break the contract I can't destroy him without hurting you. That will never happen, so unless you know a loophole you have to get pregnant."

Cora and Emma started thinking.

"Did you ever sleep with him?"

Cora was about to speak, but she just nodded a confirmation.

Seeing her ashamed Emma patted her leg. "I'm not going to judge you. Now when was the last time you saw him and how long ago did you do 'it'?"

"I guess around the time I found Regina."

Emma smiled. "I got an idea. Follow me." Grabbing her hand Emma helped Cora stand on unstable legs.

Emma poofed them in Eva's bedroom and laid Cora on the bed.

"Stay here I'll go get everyone."

Cora nodded.


"So let me get this straight. Cora made a deal to give The Dark One a child and now she has to fulfill her end of the bargain. There are rarely any loopholes in his contracts so there is know easy way out of them. So you are going to have Regina pretend to be his daughter so you can destroy him without also destroying Cora."

"That about sums it up. I can fool him into thinking that Cora masked Regina's 'sent' so he wouldn't know that he has a child. But before that, Snow..."

Snow looked at her daughter and smiled. "Yes,"

"I can find James."

Snow grinned, almost breaking her face, and ran into her daughter's arms.

Pulling away from the hug Emma laid out the rest of the plan. "He still doesn't know I'm here and thinks Cora is pulling all the strings. So while I get James Cora will regain her strength back and the rest of you," Emma paused so she could get all of their attention, "DO NOT leave the barrier. While your inside it he can't hear, see, poof in."

Everyone agreed.

"When are you going to leave?" Snow asked.

Emma sighed, "In the next few minutes."

"Why so soon?" Regina asked.

Emma turned to her love and whipped away her tears. "To get him back as soon as possible. And while he thinks he has the upper hand. He thinks that I'm no threat so while his guard his down is the right time to get him."

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's neck and held her tight.

Emma wanted them to have more privacy so she picked up Regina and carried her bridal style to their room.

Regina gasped at the sudden gesture and when Emma didn't put her down she buried her head in Emma's neck.

Emma walked to the couch and sat down with Regina still in her arms.

After a few minutes of just hugging each other Emma spoke. "Are you ok?"

"Depends, do I know if he is my father?"

"I think it'll be more believable if seemed shock that your not really adopted." Emma turned her head so she could look at Regina. "Do you want to find your parents?"

"No, not really. As far as I'm concerned Cora is my parent."

"I just thought of something."

"Yes."

"If your at least 30 years older than I am, how old are you and why do you look so young?"

"Your just know wondering that?" Regina asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

"I was a little preoccupied. When we first met you were too beautiful for me to really care and now that I know Cora raised you..." Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"I never told you how old I was when she disappeared, did I?"

"I assumed around 10 or so, but know that I think about it I think you were older. Regina are you a cougar?"

"What's a cougar?"

"An animal, but when referring to a person it means that a woman likes to date younger people. So, I know I'm younger than you, the question is by how much."

Regina laughed. "My mother always wanted to be powerful, so she had me drink a potion. I stopped aging at 25."

"So..."

"I am 53 years old."

"53, so that would make you 23 when I was born." Emma thought for a moment.

After a while of silence Regina started to worry that her age might be a problem. She was about to speak, but Emma did first.

"Oh, well. Age doesn't matter to me. I love you and nothing is going to change that. So is there a way for you to age gracefully with me?" Emma said the last part while lying Regina on the couch and laying on top of her.

Regina looked up into smiling green eyes. "That you have to ask mother about, but I'm sure you can think of something. Just promise me that you wont let the magic get to you like it did to her."

Emma leaned in and kissed supple lips. "That I can promise."