Thanks for the reviews! I must say, after re-watching Once (did that before the new episodes came out), it occurred to me that for one of the strongest sorceresses in the word, Regina actually really faints/falls a lot. :/

DISCLAIMER: Not mine.

Hope you enjoy! I hope this isn't too predictable or over used. Just know that I am going somewhere kind of different with it...

Chapter 9

Regina awoke to David's blue eyes, staring at her worriedly. She jerked back, confused as to where she was and he smiled sympathetically.

"You fainted."

Regina scoffed and moved to sit up quickly, folding her arms over her chest.

"I did not faint. I never faint."

David bit back a laugh – it was a serious situation and as adorable as she looked with a stubborn pout, they had to focus on the fact that Snow was in danger.

"Well… you did. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

In truth, her head was spinning with thoughts of Snow and Emma, having to face Cora. Despite her concern, she had to admit that a small part of her was enjoying it – perhaps Snow White would finally learn what Cora was truly like. She would see her mistake. Yet, when she looked into David's worried blue eyes, she couldn't leave it. They had to come up with a plan, and she knew it. Regina sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Well… there's only one person who could help us defeat my mother. Rumpelstiltskin."

Had it been any other enemy, Rumpelstiltskin surely would not have helped, yet… he too was not too fond of the idea of Cora coming to Storeybrooke – especially now that he had reconnected with Belle.

"To stop Cora, you'll need to contact Snow White and Emma. Is there any way of doing that?"

David and Regina shared an awkward look. Both of them knew that Henry was able to go into the Netherworld, but neither of them was willing to allow it again. It was David who answered, shocking Regina.

"There might be a way."

Judging by the smirk on Rumpelstiltskin's face, he knew just as well as she did that David was going to do something stupid and heroic.

"David…"

David shook his head, lips pursed.

"Not now, Regina."

She folded her arms and turned to Rumpelstiltskin.

"What do we need to tell them?"

Rumpelstiltskin observed Regina quietly for a while, then nodded curtly. He had no idea what she was planning, but as long as it stopped Cora, he did not really care in the slightest.

"There is an object in my castle… One that will temporarily stop her, but… it won't kill her."

Regina and Rumpelstiltskin stared at each other blankly for a while, in a silent battle of wills.

"What is it?"

"It is a straw doll. It is magically connected to Cora, using her blood as anchor. Hidden in my castle, they will find a bottle of Squid Ink. Once the Squid Ink is poured out over the doll, Cora will be frozen for twenty four hours."

Regina nodded curtly, her face incredibly pale. She left the shop without another word, David following quietly behind. Once they were a good distance away from Gold's stop, Regina turned to David and faced him firmly.

"You're going to try to go to the Netherworld, aren't you?"

"I was thinking… if you could recreate the curse and put me to sleep…"

"No."

"Regina…"

She shook her head, lips pursed.

"David. No. I won't do it."

David smile gently and ran his hand up her arm.

"Regina, it's the only way that makes sense. Neither of us will allow Henry to go back there. Snow will wake me up when she gets back. She's my true love."

For a second, the realization that Regina no longer had a true love hung ominously between them. Then Regina found her voice, speaking hesitantly.

"What if Snow doesn't come back?"

"She will. She'll find me. She'll always find me."

That is how Regina found herself in her kitchen hours later, bristling over an awful smelling potion. Henry and David were at Granny's. It was decided that David would be the one to tell Henry about his moronic idea of going under the curse. She hated the plan – there were simply too many risks! There was a very real chance that Snow wouldn't return and then what? He'd spend eternity under a curse with no way of waking him up! She pulled a face as the smell of the curse hit her and shuddered. She could only assume it wasn't pleasant. Rumpelstiltskin had suggested they use a spinning wheel to prick David's finger, but it was too Maleficent for her taste – she preferred the traditional way. A dangerously red apple was sitting on her counter, waiting for the poison to infect it. She dropped the apple in the liquid bubbling on her stove and stared quietly at the black liquid seeping into the apple slowly. Fatally.

The apple glowed a magnificent black-red when it was ready and Regina picked it up out of the pot carefully.

It happened without her having planned it.

Without even giving it a second thought.

She didn't think it through, she didn't stop to consider anything. It was impulsive, it was stupid, it was moronic, but she couldn't help herself.

Before she had time to realize what happened, she had taken a bite.

To say that Henry was unhappy with David's idea would be an understatement. He despised it – Prince Charming volunteering to go under the sleeping curse? It just wasn't right. He folded his arms and stared at David grumpily.

"What am I supposed to do while you are sleeping, gramps?"

David smiled at his grandson gently and reached over to squeeze his hand.

"You'll be staying with your mom."

"Who's going to make sure Snow and Emma come back? Really come back? What if my mom doesn't want them to come back? What if, when you're gone, she goes back to being the Evil Queen and she decides to leave them there? Then you'll never come back, they'll never come back and I'll be alone!"

"You won't be alone, Henry. You'll have everyone here – Archie, Granny, Red, the dwarves… and your mom. You'll always have your mom."

Henry pursed his lips, suddenly looking a lot like Regina.

"But she agreed to put you under the curse. That's dark magic."

"And she hated the idea of it, Henry. She didn't want to do it, but I made her. She's doing it to get Snow back. Your mom is good, I promise. And no matter what… I will come back."

Henry nodded tiredly and stood, avoiding David's eyes.

"Let's just go."

What have I done? What have I done? What have I done? It was moronic, it was stupid, it was impulsive.

Weak. I am weak.

Love makes you weak, Regina.

Henry needs David. I love Henry, if something happened to David he would never forgive me.

Love makes you weak, Regina.

What have I done? What have I done?

Why?

The thoughts were on repeat in Regina's mind, regret running through her incessantly. For a fatal minute, she could think only of Daniel and how she had nothing to live for. Then she had taken the bite of the blasted apple, and could remember nothing other than Henry's smile, his hugs, his love. Her son.

Her throat was constricting, her head was spinning and it felt as though she had no control over her body. The cursed apple was still grasped in her right hand when she sank to the floor, the whole world fading to black as her body hit the floor.