Chapter 12

"David, take Emma back to the inn." Snow breathed fury barely containable in her voce.

"I'm not going anywhere without you." He countered, but, she wasn't listening she was too focused on Regina, on the woman who mere minutes ago was willing to kill her child.

"I'll be back. Take her please."

"If anything happens to her I swear…" He directed the low warning to Regina whose eyes were downcast. Defeated in her own hallway, she watched as he scooped the child up and carried Emma away.

"Bye."

"Bye Sweetie."

Snow waited until her husband and daughter were gone before she struck pinning the drained queen against the wall. "You don't talk to her! You don't visit. YOU don't even breathe around my children is that understood?"

"My, my, aren't we feeling brave?" Regina smirked, "You're weak. I'm using it to my advantage." Snow huffed increasing her hold. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't snap your neck right now?"

"I wonder what Emma would think about her mommy killing her friend's adoptive mother?" Regina asked sarcastically.

Snow conceded how DARE she use Emma's love as leverage. "You bitch." She spat.

"I'm just trying to survive."

Somehow, Snow's resolve weakened and she released the hold she had on the queen causing her to gasp as the air burned in her lungs.

"Like I did? Like my family has done for the last five years?" "You disgust me!" At that, Snow turned and left not giving a damn about the broken women she left in her wake.

The moment he saw her come through the door, teary eyed and exhausted he embraced her.

"What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't." Snow gasped, as he took her lips roughly and then softly, anger and fear mingling with tears.

She pulls back to gaze at her exhausted daughter, the enormity of the last few days catching up with her.

He helps her into bed, Snow, herself needing to rest. A protection spell enacted by Blue ensuring their safety, for now.

"I'm sorry Charming."

He kissed her fore-head and got in beside her, pulling her flush to him. The sound of her heartbeat bringing so much comfort, he could hardly explain it.

"She's weak- I could of- I could of…" She shudders at the thought of what she nearly did, what she almost let herself become.

"Shh. You didn't." "Darling you didn't." Stroking her hair as she eased into him David was relieved to have her in his arms again.

"I love you."

"I love you Snow."

"What are you doing here?"

And then, in an instant it all went black.

Regina was at the mercy of an enemy and they wanted blood.