Title: Home Is Where The Heart Is
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Characters: Emma Swan, Regina Mills, Henry Mills, Captain Hook, Walsh, Snow White, Prince Charming, Granny, Zelena, Robin Hood
Category: Romance, Angst, Drama, Memory Loss (I mean, it's Once. According to canon it's not possible to write a story without memory loss.) Canon Divergence AU
Rating: M, for swearing and such
Word count: 57,406 (total)
Summary: Emma Swan is no one's fool. She's certainly not going to drink the strange liquid that the creepy Ren Faire Reject that's been stalking she and her son is offering her in the middle of the street - even if they are in front of a police station. So what's a girl to do? Nothing but go home and get engaged to the great guy in her life. And everything is pretty amazing until her son disappears without a trace. Then she has to go track him down in some tiny town in Maine populated by the strangest people she's ever met and a woman her son has unexpectedly bonded with.
Spoilers/Timeline: For Season 3, beginning with "Going Home"
Author's Note: Many thanks to Oparu for the beta and Race for the suggestions. This fic is better because of them.
Snow's scream of pure, unabating pain was the first thing that told Emma something was very wrong. It wasn't like all the ones that had come before. Those had been almost defiant. This one was desperate and devoid of any hope. It was a scream of loss. "Stay," Emma told Henry and drew her gun, changing the clip out with a fresh one from her front pocket as she jogged into Snow's room. She hesitated a moment at the door and ducked in checking for flying monkeys even though she and Regina had put every protection they could around this small room. Her brother was supposed to have every protection when he was born. Regina had promised Snow.
But Regina was nowhere to be found and David was holding Snow, his fingers bunched in the thin sleeve of her hospital gown so tightly his knuckles had gone white. Snow was still screaming and David was wrapped around her, muttering soothing words that were doing absolutely nothing.
"What the hell happened?" Emma demanded. It took her less than instant to notice that there was no Regina and no infant. "Did Zelena get in?"
David tried to answer, but Emma couldn't hear him. "Snow!" She snapped in a roar almost as loud as Snow's scream. "Stop it." A flash of the doctor taking Henry out of Emma's arms and walking away bit through Emma's mind. She shoved it and the gasp of pain like a blow to the solar plexus that came with it away. There wasn't time to remember now. "If you want him back then you have to tell me what happened."
Snow's screams abated into jerky hiccuping sobs as she gasped for breath and tried to collect herself. "Re, Re, Regina," she stuttered, finally managing to get the word together. "She came in to see the baby and she, she took." She grabbed Emma's arm so hard it drew blood. "Emma, she took my baby." The color had drained from her face, leaving her cheeks, blotchy red spots from the exertion of labor, standing out harshly against the rest of her face. "I'm going to kill her."
The jarring nature of Snow's plain spoken threat shook Emma for an instant. She couldn't think. "Mom wouldn't take a baby," Henry said stoutly from behind Emma. "She wouldn't, not now, and especially not yours, Grandma." Thank god for Henry never listening, Emma thought. The voice of reason had arrived. Her head was so jumbled up with conflicting feelings and a whiplash of emotions that it was hard for Emma to think at all. It had been hours of confusion and tension and terror and it had all left her numb, but she couldn't stop now.
"Henry's right," Emma said and started to pace back and forth across the hospital room. "Regina wouldn't steal your baby, Snow."
"But she did," Snow hissed, pushing herself up in the bed and gasping as something in her abdomen protested the sudden movement. "We saw her."
"Maybe it wasn't Regina," David said slowly, looking up at Emma and Henry. "But it looked like her."
"There are a lot of things that can look like other people," Henry said helpfully, a little too eagerly. Sometimes he got too caught up in the magic and beasts and forgot it was life threatening kind of stuff, not fun geekery. "Belle would know."
"We don't have time for research," Emma said. There were other things that could make Regina do something she didn't want to. A threat against Henry's life that she couldn't prevent for one. But trading a baby for Henry's life... Emma had seen Regina with Ashley's baby a few times when the Mayor thought no one else was watching. She had a suspicion Regina had a soft spot for all children, not just Henry. Throw in it being Snow's child and all their history and Emma just couldn't see it. Regina had seemed fine when she walked away from Emma, but maybe she had missed something. That whole conversation had been excruciating and awkward and Emma still couldn't believe they'd had it. "I judged Regina too quickly once before," Emma said, thinking of when she had seen Regina "murder" Archie in the magical dreamcatcher and it had been Cora in disguise. "I won't make that same mistake again. We're going to find her and help her. You stay here, kid. I need you safe. I have an idea."
"You'll need help," David said, stepping away from Emma's side and crossing to where his sword and cloak were thrown over a chair.
"You have to say here," Emma said. "Snow and Henry need you." And Henry had told her on the way over to the hospital how Zelena had stolen David's courage. She wasn't sure how he would react now and that was dangerous. If he fell apart in the middle of a violent situation it would make him a liability and hinder her more than it would help.
David's eyes narrowed, but he didn't protest. "Take this then," he said, holding his sword out to her. "And I'll make some calls. We have more allies this time."
Henry grinned behind her. "Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Emma!" He sounded so excited, Emma couldn't help but smile.
"Okay," Emma said. "Have them meet me at the mansion." She took the sword from David. It felt bulky and awkward, but it only took her a moment to fashion a harness that went over her shoulders and let the sword hilt ride above her right shoulder. "Stay safe, kid," she told Henry and tousled his hair. He slammed into her and hugged her tight.
"You too, Mom," he muttered into her shoulder. "Love you. Bring Mom back."
"I will, Henry," Emma promised and hoped she wouldn't have reason to regret it. As much as she hated it sometimes the kid needed them both.
Emma drove back to the mansion like a mad woman, the tires squealing as they rounded corners. She didn't stop for anything, nearly hitting several pedestrians who hadn't learned to get out of the way of irate Savior's before she made it there. The ingredients for the locator spell were still out on the table where Regina had left them when they went searching for Henry, beside it a book left open to a page. Emma almost threw it across the room when she bent to read it. The words were in a language she couldn't decipher. She had never thought to ask her mother or Snow if writing had been different in the Enchanted Forest or maybe it was just magic.
"Hello?" A deep, calm voice called out. Footsteps echoed in the foyer, first one set and then more filed in. Emma whirled, gun in hand, and came face to face with a handsome man, his face covered in a scruffy beard and wearing mostly green. A crossbow stuck up from behind his back.
"Robin Hood?" Emma hazarded.
He shot her a cocky grin. "The one and only."
This guy. Despite the attitude, Emma thought she might like him. Some other time when she wasn't in a hurry to save her baby brother and her... her... whatever the hell Regina was to her. Her friend. Her kid's other mother. That was plenty. "Can you read this?" Emma asked, shoving the book at him.
To his credit, he didn't pause to ask questions, just bent over the book, brow furrowed as he concentrated. "It seems to be a spell of some sort."
"Got that," Emma said. She was trying to reign in her irritation at how long this was taking. Really. "How much of what thing?"
The rest of the Merry Men spread out through the house as the worked. Securing the area, Emma supposed. She was just glad they weren't being a distraction. In short order they had the spell together and then it was time.
"What will this do?" Robin asked as he saw her hesitating.
"It will tell me where Regina is," Emma answered. "If I can do it." But Regina had said she could. That had to count for something. It wasn't like Regina had ever been her biggest fan. If even she thought Emma could do this, then it had to be a lock. "Just add a little magic," Emma muttered and raised her hands as she had seen Regina do. "Do you know how to drive?" Emma asked in an afterthought, as she began to pour magic out of her hands and into the ingredients in front of her. The light swirled up between her hands and she almost fell over in relief. There was no way she could drive like this. She was barely holding the magic together as it was as she couldn't exactly go hands free.
"No," Hood said. "Your iron beasts are beyond me for now, but we've managed to secure other conveyance. Direct us and we'll get you there." He nodded with such certainty that Emma just believed him. Maybe it was too many afternoons with no other entertainment than old Disney VHSs but there was just something about the guy that made him impossible to distrust.
"Okay, let's go then." The Merry Men moved out around them and they left the mansion, empty as it had been before. Emma decided she much prefered it as it had been that morning, echoing with Henry's laughter and the rich, fragrant scents of Regina's cooking and her occasional sharp comment. "No way," Emma snapped when she stepped outside and saw the small band of horses on Regina's front lawn. One munched on the flowers. Emma suspected he wouldn't have a long life once Regina found out about it.
"Are you unfamiliar with horses?" Hood asked, as if it were a possibility he had never considered. "I can lead yours."
"No, that's the problem," Emma said. "They hate me. I can barely hang on when I have both hands."
Hood grimaced. "You'll have to ride before me then." It sounded horrible to Emma, but there didn't seem to be any other option. She nodded.
It took two men and a lot of grimacing and cursing to get Emma up on his horse and a lot of concentration and sheer will power to maintain the locator spell while they did it.
"Watch the hands, bud," Emma snapped when Robin had sprung up behind her and settled his hands on her hips.
"My honor is known throughout the land, lady," Robin said indignantly. "I thought of nothing but to steady you."
"Just keep it that way," Emma muttered. "This way," she pointed him in the right direction with a jerk of her chin.
The ride through the forest was a pretty shitty stop on the list of Emma's life experiences. Probably right above trying to face down that ogre with nothing but a gun, and it seemed to take forever. Cars were so much faster and she was already getting used to go from one place to another with a wave of Regina's hand. She wondered if Regina could teach her that. She would ask whenever they got her out of this mess. There was no doubt in Emma's mind that they were in this mess. Not just them. Regina was in it too. She wasn't working with this Zelena, even if she was some kind of long lost sister.
The ride did give Emma time to think and plan. "Are you really a thief?" Emma called over her shoulder as they rode. She felt Robin stiffen behind her.
"Such a question could start a duel in the land where I'm from," Robin stated.
"It's a little hard to duel on a horse and we're not in the Enchanted Forest," Emma shot back. "But it wasn't an insult." She shrugged. "I was too."
Emma could almost feel his frown. "I thought you were a Sheriff and a Princess."
"Everyone had a life before this one," Emma said.
"Fair enough," Robin agreed. "Aye, I was. But as the legends say, I wasn't after riches for myself."
"That's great," Emma said. "I'm more interested at how good you are at sneaking. This Zelena chick handed Regina her ass and I think I just got lucky."
"It's because you have light magic," Robin said firmly. "It was what Glinda the Good said was the only thing that could stop Zelena."
"Yeah, well, I'm not taking any chances with Regina or baby bro, and that's not accounting for Gold," Emma said. "We're gonna do this like she can kick our asses with one hand tied behind her back. She won't even know we're there until we're gone."
Robin laughed, a rich chuckle that was almost impossible not to join. "You may be the first sheriff I've ever liked, Swan."
Emma grinned and then hesitated, but she had to ask. "Are you really as good with that bow as they say?"
Robin gave cocky grin. "Better."
Regina stood with her back against one of the barn's great support beams. There were no ropes, handcuffs or visible restraints holding her there. No spells kept her in place. Only Zelena's hand on her heart, a malicious grin and a whisper of, "Don't move."
Just that simply, Regina had been undone. There wasn't even any struggle like there had been with Mother. Her own heart had betrayed her. There had been many "worsts" in Regina's life, many times she had found a new one when she had no longer thought it possible. Today had been another. Tears had slipped down her cheeks as she had handed the babe over to Zelena, carefully depositing him into her sister's arms. Snow hadn't even had a chance to name him yet. It would probably be something horrible that Regina would hate. If she dared to name him Leopold, Regina would blow something up. But it seemed so wrong that he didn't even have a name yet.
Zelena had placed him at one corner of the giant spell that she had inscribed on the barn floor. Regina's heart sat at another and there were other things at the remaining points. The low thrum of building magic in the air told Regina it wouldn't be long now. Zelena's spell was in motion. Soon she would be able to do whatever she had planned and there was nothing Regina could do stop her. At Rumple's suggestion, Zelena had taken her phone when she had arrived and no one knew where she was. Even if they cared. They might come for the child, but they would assume she was working with Zelena. Of course they would. They had assumed it all before, but this time was different. Regina would never risk Henry's life.
"Hey," the voice was so quiet Regina almost missed. "Regina." There was no denying it this time. Regina remained frozen, but cast her eyes around looking for the source. "Behind you," the voice said. "I'm outside." This time Regina had heard enough to identify the voice.
"Emma!" Regina managed to keep her voice down to a hiss. "Zelena has my heart. She's controlling me."
"Shit." The curse Emma breathed out was gratifyingly horrified. "That's why you took junior."
"Of course," Regina snapped. "I would never-"
"I know, okay," Emma reassured her quickly. "That's what Henry and I told Snow."
"Snow?" Regina made it into a question.
There was a pause. "She's had better days," Emma admitted. "Don't worry about it now. We need to get you out of here."
"I can see my heart," Regina breathed, straining forwards against nothing. She couldn't twitch so much as finger toward it. Not as long as Zelena remained in possession of her heart. "It's right out in the open. In the middle of the floor." She hesitated. "Emma, listen. Forget about my heart. Zelena is trying to do some kind of spell. She intends to erase this world and everything in it. She wants to kill Henry and make me watch and then erase his life completely."
"Like hell," Emma blurted.
"You need to get the child and go," Regina urged her. "I don't think Zelena can perform the spell if she doesn't have all the things she needs. He must be one of them."
"Yeah, and so is your heart," Emma snapped. "We're going to get him out too, but I don't think we can do this without you. Your heart first, then Junior."
"And how do you propose to get my heart without alerting Zelena or the Dark One, Miss Swan?" Regina snapped. It was impossible.
"Well," Emma said. "I've got me and I've got one of the greatest thieves of legend. Pretty sure we're gonna steal it." Regina could almost see her grin. "Be right back."
Regina closed her eyes in a futile attempt at blocking out the idiocy of this plan. It would be a disaster and she would be forced to watch it all unfold in front of her without being able to do a thing about it. When she realized she was straining to catch the slightest sound, Regina opened her eyes. Zelena and Rumple paced outside the barn, both looking like long-tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. So they were waiting for prepared and waiting for the heroes to arrive and attempt to thwart Regina's plan. The former villain in Regina approved her sister's planning at least, even as she railed against her intentions.
There was a faint whisper of sound, fabric against wood and Regina glanced up. Emma descended toward the center of the spell in some kind of rope harness. Occasionally Emma would glance up above where Regina was standing. That must be where Robin Hood had secreted himself. Regina watched with baited breath as Emma made her descent, hesitating once when it looked as if Zelena might come back inside. She had gone back to her pacing and Emma had continued her descent. She landed with a faint scrape as the soles of her shoes rasped across the dusty concrete. Emma sprinted toward her heart where it sat served up on a golden platter, not wasting time undoing the harness. As soon as she had it, Emma tucked the heart inside her jacket - in a very secure place, Regina hoped.
Emma glanced over at where Regina stood, her hand still on Regina's heart. For an instant she thought Emma was going to counter Zelena's command and tell her to come over there so she could give her heart back. Regina's stomach churned at the thought. Not like this. But Emma only patted her jacket again to make sure it was secure, before she gave a the rope a tug and tried to balance as best as she could as the rope was pulled up. Regina watched the swaying, perilous journey until she couldn't follow Emma anymore. Pinned in place as she was, her angle of vision was limited.
Pop! Regina would have jerked at the noise just behind her if she could have. She forced herself to take one deep breath and then another until she was calm again. There was nothing, but silence and the darkness of this shadowed corner of the barn. "Emma?" Regina risked breathing into the emptiness.
"'Fraid not, sis," Zelena said with a mocking laugh.
Did Zelena know Emma had retrieved her heart yet? Surely not. Perhaps if Regina could distract her long enough Emma would have a chance to get away. Or finish up whatever her ridiculous plan was. "Mother would be ashamed, you know?" Regina said, as if she had been invited to an offer a critique. "Your plan is overly complicated and relying on Rumplestiltskin is a terrible long term strategy. He'll always betray you in the end."
"I think not," Zelena snapped. She slunk around in front of Regina. "I'm doing something that's never been done before. You can't even say that. How trite and unoriginal was your life, Regina? Nothing for Mother to be proud of," she hissed. "Everyone will know my name."
Regina's eyes narrowed. Zelena was right, of course. She had spent years trying to earn Mother's pride and approval without ever seeming to do enough to earn it. Not even forcing herself to forget Daniel and trying to be the best queen she could be for Leopold had been enough. She wouldn't give Zelena the satisfaction of knowing that though. "You haven't done it yet," Regina pointed out. "Get back to me when you've done more than talk, dear."
"Oh, I will," Zelena drawled. "But first I have to crush your precious Savior's delusions of grandeur. Now do stay quiet."
The hope that Regina had realized had been growing steadily vanished in an instant at Zelena's words. She opened her mouth to say something, hoping that Zelena's words wouldn't be effective now that Emma had her heart, but before she could, Zelena waved her hand and Regina found herself unable to speak. She glared at Zelena and in that instant, she would have unleashed a thousand fireballs on the woman if she could have. With another small use of magic, Zelena had whisked Regina away into the corner, hidden behind a stack of boxes. It was in the deepest shadows and while Regina could see where she had stood before, there was no way anyone would be able to see her.
"If you'll excuse me," Zelena murmured into her ear when she had Regina propped up again. "I have a date with destiny. Be right back." Regina was forced to watch as Zelena transformed, not just the close she was wearing but her whole body until Regina was staring at herself. "Ugh," Zelena said, with a glance down at her body. "I hope this doesn't take long." She shook her head and strode back over to where Regina had been, assuming the same pose Regina had been forced into it.
This time Emma dropped down beside Zelena instead of whispering to Regina from between the thin slats of the barn walls. "Hey," Emma said, reaching into her jacket and bringing it out with a triumphant grin. "Got your heart."
"Oh, Emma," Zelena breathed and threw her arms around Emma's neck. Regina hoped she had never worn that nauseating look of devotion herself. Really this was completely unfair. Emma wouldn't fall for it for a second.
"Hey," Emma squeaked. Her arms came up around "Regina's" body and her hands rested on "Regina's" hips. "What's, uh, what's this all about?" she mumbled.
Was that...had Zelena just...that traitorous witch had just kissed Emma's neck! "Regina?" Regina hadn't even known that Emma's voice could get that high. "Uh, Regina, I think we should uh, talk first," Emma mumbled stepping back from "her". "Or at least get your heart back in your chest, you know?"
"But I missed you so much," Zelena cooed. "You saved me. Can't I thank you for that?" She trailed her hand down Emma's chest until the palm of her hand rest right over Emma's left breast. Regina couldn't believe she was being forced to watch this. She would tear Zelena limb from limb when she got free. She would tell Ms. Swan how much of an idiot she had been for falling for this silly act. Did Emma really see her as some hormonal teenager too stupid to get them out of danger before she let feelings get the best of her? Was that what Emma wanted? If it was, she and Emma were much farther apart than she had ever imagined. She had overestimated Emma. Zelena leaned in to kiss Emma and Regina didn't miss the hitch in Emma's breathing, the way she sucked in a sharp breath at "Regina's" nearness. It would be almost gratifying if the woman wasn't being such a fool.
A light tap on Regina's shoulder; she was glad she couldn't scream or jump. She had to squint against the darkness after she had been looking out at Emma and Zelena in the light, but after her eyes adjusted she made out Robin Hood. He stood with a finger pressed to his lips and when he saw that Regina had recognized him began cutting away the ropes that bound her. Robin made quick work of it. Regina was about to demand how he had known she was hidden over there when she remembered his plea for silence. Then Regina saw the faint glow and made out the dark shape Robin held out to her. It was her heart, glimmers of red seeping out between the darkness that swirled around it. She took it from him, snatching it from her hand and shoving it back into her chest.
Emotion hit her again, rich, thick and overwhelming. It would have driven her to her knees if Robin hadn't caught her arm. The terror of Henry's abduction. The agony of stealing Snow's child from her again when she had been so determined to protect Snow this time and make certain she wasn't hurt that way again. The seething rage of watching her sister kiss Emma. Somehow she had known and Regina almost hated that worst of all. She had tried to take something that might have been Regina's and make it cheap and worthless. It was the thought of what she had promised to do to Henry that stopped the whirlwind of emotion and allowed Regina to pull herself back together. No one could hurt Henry. It was the absolute truth of Regina's world and she would do anything to ensure that. Regina pulled herself back together with sheer force of will. It took several deep breaths, but she managed it.
"That's not her heart!" Zelena exclaimed and Regina's head jerked up. Of course. If Robin Hood had held her heart, then the one in Emma's hand was a fake. It meant she had known all along that Regina wasn't the real one. She was just playing along to distract Regina. A distraction that had just rapidly come to an end. Zelena shoved Emma away from her and screamed, the chords of her neck standing out harshly against green skin. "Rumplestiltskin! Finish what you started. Kill her!"
"As you wish, dearie," Rumple said appearing behind Emma. Dark magic crackled from his fingers. Emma dove aside and the magic missed her at the last instant. A wisps of it singed her hair and several pieces fell from her head, withering into nothingness as they hit the floor. Emma kept scrambling and Regina ran. Together she and Emma had fought the Dark One to a standstill before. They could do it again.
"Not so fast, sis," Zelena said and darted out in front of Regina to block her path. "I think this is something they need to settle themselves."
Behind Zelena green light pulsed and Regina tensed. The magic of Zelena's spell was building. They couldn't just save Emma from the Dark One. They had to stop the spell too and there wasn't much time left. Regina launched a ball of fire at Zelena but it wasn't intended to be a serious attack. Two could play at the game of distraction. More fireballs followed in quick succession. Zelena was forced to pay attention to Regina as she batted them away with irritated waves of her hand and tried to keep herself between Regina and the moving display of how to survive the Dark One that was Emma and Rumplestiltskin.
There was a blur of motion to Regina's left, but unlike everyone else it was moving vertically. Robin Hood vaulted up a bale of hay, swung up on a rafter and gained the barn's second level. Perching himself the crook of two beams, he began firing. Like Regina his quick succession of shots were meant to be a distraction, but unlike her his target was Rumplestiltskin. Regina's newly restored heart caught in her throat as Emma bent double, taking advantage of the time Rumplestiltskin had needed to brush aside Robin Hood's arrows to catch her breath, and then took off again. She had to sprint double time to avoid his attacks, ducking behind beams and dodging hay rakes. Once Emma had to skid almost to a stop to avoid Rumple's blast of magic. Then she was running again. Rumple's ability to disappear and reappear wherever he wanted to at a whim wasn't helping any and Robin Hood would run out of arrows soon. He had to. If only he'd been given a never ending quiver instead of Hook's ever refilling flask of rum. That at least would be useful.
Regina almost tripped over the brazier on the floor. It wasn't the one she had been manipulating Zelena into letting her get near. It held the broken hilt of a sword. The literal representation of David's courage, Regina supposed, but it was a start. Regina scooped it up and threw it at Zelena.
"How dare you?" Zelena hissed, forced to dodge as it flew past her cheek.
"I'm sorry," Regina said with a roll of her eyes. "I thought we were trying to kill one another."
"Yes, but that might have left a scar," Zelena said, clutching her hand to the cheek it had so nearly missed.
Regina shook her head. "You won't win. Not with Emma and I working together."
"Big words for someone who's losing so badly," Zelena taunted. "Look around you. The precious Savior has no chance against the Dark One and you have no chance against me. Only light magic can defeat me and your bitter, blackened heart can't produce any." She laughed and David hit her from behind, his shoulder catching her mid-back. He drove her to the ground like a linebacker.
"Mom!" Henry called out as he sprinted to her across the barn's wide entrance. He slammed into her almost as hard as David had hit Zelena, but Regina was braced for it and only staggered a few steps back. "We came to help. Grandma couldn't just sit at the hospital."
"You shouldn't be here," Regina snapped. "Get away from her, David." But it was too late. Magic crackled from Zelena's fingertips and David went flying away from her. He landed in a pile of hay bales. Snow ran toward the baby and Zelena sent her flying too.
"Brought more cannon fodder, sis?" Zelena demanded with a laugh. She lashed out at Regina with magic again. Regina shoved Henry behind her, but couldn't get her hands up in time to defend herself. It caught her left side and she crumpled to the ground.
"Mom!" Henry shrieked. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to pull Regina back out of Zelena's reach.
Zelena didn't wait. She appeared behind Henry and slipped one hand around his throat. She held his head back at a painful angle and her other hand out from the side of his head. The green light of her magic flickered between her fingers. "One move and he dies." She leaned forward and stared down at Regina. "Isn't that what you were trying to avoid?"
Something exploded before Regina could respond. Henry ducked instinctively, but Zelena's grip on him only tightened. Regina saw Emma fly through the air and hit one of the large support beams that held up the roof with a sickening crunch. She slid down it and lay sprawled limply on the floor. She didn't move.
"Emma." Regina's hands clenched into fists and she pushed herself back to her feet. She couldn't save anyone, not even Henry. Zelena's spell was still building. The green light behind them was almost continually pulsing now and it grew brighter with each passing second. "I'm sorry, Henry," Regina whispered. She would do anything to save him, but there was nothing left to do. Nothing but... She looked at Zelena. "Kill me. End this. But let him live."
"Mom!" Henry's scream was louder this time and he fought against Zelena, kicking and hitting her, scratching and shoving until he got free of her grip. He fell on the ground when she let go, but didn't stop, scrambling toward Regina. Zelena was so startled, she released the magic that had been waiting in her hand but it missed him. It hit the ground next to him, exploding and showering them with bits of rock and earth. "You can't! You can beat her," Henry said, grabbing Regina as he got to her.
"Henry, I don't have light magic," Regina protested.
"But you do," Henry countered, squeezing her hand tightly as she pulled him to his feet. "You broke the curse with True Love's kiss. That's pure light magic. You can do it, Mom. I know it."
"Henry..." It wasn't that Regina wanted to believe, but she knew herself. She had seen her heart and...
"You can save everyone," Henry said, so earnestly that it broke Regina's heart. His back had been to Emma. He hadn't seen.
"Too late," Zelena said and raised her hands toward the center of the spell she had built. "I win!"
"No," Regina said. "I won't let you. No one else is going to die here today." She might not have been able to save Emma but there were so many others here to save. Henry, most of all, but Snow, too, and David. Their son. She wouldn't let any of them down. There had been enough death. It was bitter on her tongue and heavy in her heart. Regina raised her hands again and hoped. Light magic, unlike anything she had ever cast before, flowed from her fingertips and toward Zelena. It hit Zelena with as much force as Rumplestiltskin had hit Emma and sent her skidding backwards across the floor into the center of the spell. Brilliant white light met green around and beyond Zelena and everything exploded outwards. The wave of magic hit Regina and Henry and knocked them down like bowling pins.
Regina was the first one to stagger to her feet. She had shielded she and Henry as best as she could, but there was no way to keep them completely safe from that powerful of magic. "Are you okay?" Regina asked Henry. He took her offered hand and pulled himself to his feet.
"Fine," Henry said, grinning at her. "I told you you could do it!"
"And you were right," Regina admitted. The magic had left her weak and shaky in a way that disturbed her, but she wasn't about to admit that to Henry. He had enough to worry about now. David and Snow ran past as if they couldn't even see Regina and Henry, headed for the golden brazier that held their son. A low groan broke the silence that seemed deafening after the chaos and confusion of two magical brawls and an epic spell meant to destroy life as they knew it. Regina's head jerked up. That sound had come from the far wall. She ran with Henry right behind her and slid into the dirt at Emma's side. "Emma." She picked Emma's hand up in hers and squeezed it tight.
"Mom!" Henry cried as he realized it was Emma lying there on the ground and knelt beside Regina. "Is she going to be okay?"
"I don't know," Regina said, her attention unfocused as she felt over Emma's body for injuries. There was a knot on the back of Emma's head and her fingers came away bloody, but... There was a pulse fluttering against Regina's fingers at her throat and her chest still rose up and down in a steady rhythm. "Maybe." Regina slapped Emma's cheek, perhaps harder than she had intended to and Emma groaned again. Then her eyes began to flutter open.
"R'gina?" Emma mumbled as she struggled to get her eyes to focus. "Wha' was tha' for?"
"Scaring me," Regina snapped. "And our son."
"'s okay," Emma said, sounding a little stronger, a little more coherent this time. "Had it under control."
"The Dark One was using you as a rag doll," Regina corrected acerbically. She hung on to Emma's hand tighter though when Emma squeezed hers and used it to pull herself up. Emma almost fell back over again as Henry flung his arms around her.
"Oof, Kid," Emma protested, but she was holding on him too, stroking his hair. Regina kept her hand on Emma's shoulder to steady them both.
A knot of emotion was welling up in Regina's throat. It was hard to breathe through all the relief and confusion. "How?" she whispered, not caring if Emma heard her or not. Regina couldn't believe it. She had known Emma had to be dead. The way she had hit the beam, then lying there not moving. Worst of all the Dark One had stopped attacking her and he would only do that if his mission had been completed. Zelena had told him to finish it.
"Because I had this," Robin Hood said, strolling up to them with a grin on his handsome features. He brandished the Dark One's knife. "There's more than one way for a thief to win and you had the witch nicely distracted." He half-bowed to Regina in acknowledgement. "A well executed plan."
"It won't be the only thing executed here today, if you don't give back what doesn't belong to you, dearie," Rumplestiltskin hissed. His hands rested on either side of Robin's head. No one had seen or heard him approached. Perhaps he had just appeared. It didn't matter. The look on his face made it clear he would kill Robin if the dagger wasn't given back immediately.
"I have no quarrel with you, Dark One," Robin said. He made no move to get free or try to flee, and held very still like a rabbit under a coyote's predatory gaze. "The dagger is yours. I only sought to free you from the witch's hold so you wouldn't have to kill Swan, here."
"Hand it here," Rumplestiltskin snapped.
Robin raised the hand that held it slowly. His skin pale and the cocky good cheer gone from his features. Rumplestiltskin snatched it from him, cast one look over Emma, Henry and Regina and disappeared. "Guess he didn't feel like being social," Emma muttered.
Robin exhaled. "I believe I'm just happy he's gone and I'm still breathing."
Regina shot him a relieved smile. "That's the best way to end any deal with the Dark One." Emma whimpered and Regina glanced down at her. Emma was too pale by far and Regina didn't like the way she was looking at all. They needed to get her to a hospital or... "Will you let me heal you, if I can?" Regina asked.
Emma looked wary, but nodded and then groaned as she immediately regretted the gesture. Regina raised one hand and let the light magic flow from her. It came easier this time. Practice? Or because she was using it to heal Emma. Only time would tell. In a moment, Emma was looking better. Color returned to her cheeks and she had lost some of the alarming frailty her movements had contained a moment ago.
"Better?" Regina asked.
"Oh yeah," Emma said. This time when she nodded no pained sound followed. She glanced up at Regina and then down again. She bit her lip and then raised her hand as if she wanted to touch Regina, but stopped herself mid-motion. "Your heart?"
Regina took Emma's hand and pressed it to her chest. "Right where it should be." One side of her lips quirked upwards. "Thanks to your idiotic plan."
"Hey!" Emma protested. "That was a good plan. It worked, didn't it?"
"Yes, dear," Regina agreed, letting her tone make it clear that she was humoring Emma. She made no move to remove Emma's hand from her chest though, nor did Emma. Henry was still pressed against Emma's side, frozen there when the Dark One had shown up and refusing to move while Regina healed Emma. Regina dropped her other arm over his shoulders and kissed his forehead without moving him away from Emma. They were alive. They had all made it out the other side and Emma had her memories back. They deserved to celebrate however they wanted.
The moment didn't last long. Emma began to squirm even before Henry did, trying to sit up straighter. "I should go check on them," Emma said, with a nod of her head in Snow and Charming's directions where they sat on the barn floor. Snow held the baby and Charming was wrapped protectively around them both as Snow rocked gently back and forth.
"Of course," Regina said. She was surprised at how cold she felt when Emma removed her hand. Emma tugged Henry to his feet when she stood and then offered Regina her hand. Regina took it and allowed Emma to help her up. Was she imagining the small squeeze Emma gave it before she let go and walked toward Snow and David? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Henry slid an arm around her waist. "I told you you could do it," he repeated, grinning up at her with pride.
"Mmm," Regina said noncommittally. She still remembered the way her heart had stopped when Zelena had grabbed him. She stopped walking and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't ever make it necessary again."