Before I start, I know a lot of people love Cora, I do too. But as fun as it is to see the nice version of her in fics, I also love the calm cruel version of her. And in this fic, she's the latter. I hope you don't mind. The next few chapters are a little shorter, but once you read, you'll see why.


Saying she was intimidated by Cora would have been an understatement. Emma froze as Cora stepped out of her kitchen. She wasn't a very tall woman, but her presence was gigantic compared to everyone else in the room, holding her chin high and towering over them as she sauntered over to the table while nonchalantly dancing her tea bag over the mug. Emma did her best to not cower away and puffed out her chest as she closed the door, taking a quick glimpse at Ruby to make sure she was breathing before meeting Cora's menacing gaze again.

"Mrs. Mills, I presume." Emma announced strongly.

"That's adorable," the older woman replied cocking her head examining Emma like a wounded animal. "I can see why my daughter felt so safe here, so knightly of a woman."

"Mother," Regina whimpered, but Cora shot her daughter a death glare that dropped the room ten degrees.

"Regina, what have I told you about interrupting me while I'm in the middle of a conversation. Detective Swan and I are getting acquainted, now please," Cora's wild eyes came back up to meet Emma's, "have a seat Detective."

Emma stared at her for a long minute before slowly approaching the table. She kept her eyes glued to Cora waiting for an attack that never came.

"Would you like some tea?" Cora offered instead.

"I'm good, thanks," Emma replied, keeping their eyes locked as she pointed behind her at Ruby. "Was that really necessary?"

Cora took a boring look over at her tied up friend and sighed. "I do apologize for that, but I didn't appreciate your little guard dog getting in my way." Cora laughed to herself, disturbingly amused at her handy work as she brought her cold stare back to Emma. "Is that why you don't want my tea? I can assure you, it's safe. I have far more better ways to incapacitate people without destroying a nice," she took a disapproving glance down at the mug, "well, ordinary cup of tea."

Emma's face scrunched up as she thought back to everything Cora had to do to get inside her place, "While we're on the subject, how did you get into my apartment undetected?"

Cora smiled as she sipped her tea, taking her time as she put it down and adjusted the new place mates Emma had picked up the other day. "Come now Detective, no one expects a well dressed, put together, older woman to be a problem."

Emma stared at Cora still puzzled.

"Honestly dear, you can do better than that. Did you really think your worn out barista friend fooled me? She had dead set trackers eyes the minute I set eyes on her, any hunter could see that."

"You're a hunter?"

"I pay attention." Cora responded, no longer amused at anything going on in Emma's apartment. "After that haggard woman left, I waited for your adorably naïve patrolman to circle the block and sauntered straight in. Now I assumed you would have someone else on the inside looking out for anything or anyone suspicious as well, but I made sure I blended in, and hoped they were looking out for someone, well like, Robin or one of this associates, or even pathetic little William," she ended with a snarl.

Emma's disgust painted over her poorly done quiet cover. "Are you seriously disappointed that Scarlet didn't kill your daughter?"

"What? Will?" Regina questioned surprised. Emma chanced a glance at Regina, wanting to apologize, forgetting she had closed up the last two nights, not revealing any new developments in the case, and especially about Scarlet. Emma had been so wrapped up in everything going on and wanted to keep Regina and Henry safe that she closed it entirely off once she got home. And not it was too late.

"Will was supposed to?" But Regina sealed her lips remembering who was in the room with them. Cora began to laugh again taking Emma's previous thoughts away as she stared at the mad woman in the room. Emma never thought she would ever get the urge to hit an older woman, but her fist balled up as she fixated on Cora's laughter, the woman only taking a break to take another sip of tea, shaking her head and giggling some more as she placed the mug back down. What was wrong with this woman?

"Oh, William and his theatrics," Cora finally let out.

"Let me get this straight, you knew what Robin had planned?"

Cora rolled her eyes, completely annoyed to be having this conversation. "Oh, Robin is just as bad. Killing my daughter? I mean, where would that leave me?"

Henry, who had been holding his tongue this entire time on the couch bolted up fuming, both his fist paper white from the pressure of his balled up, but Regina shot up her hand halting any nasty words to let loose from his tongue and he sat back down just as miserable as before.

Emma went on trying to keep Cora's attention on her, "either way, you knew what was going to happen, and you let him go through with it."

"Please," Cora responded with rolling eyes, "not grant it, he did take things farther than I thought he would, but only an idiot would think Scarlet was capable of doing such grotesque things. I mean, what would Marian think?"

Emma kept a straight face, but Cora's smirk showed how well she read right through her. Now Emma knew where Regina got her Detective skills. And Cora was better, smoother, calmer, and most frighteningly, deadlier. "Yes dear, I'm aware that Marian is alive."

"What did you do to her?" Emma spat back.

Cora was busy glancing around Emma's apartment, appalled to be even in the place, let alone continuing this part of the conversation. "I didn't do anything to Marian," she finally replied somehow appearing even more bored.

"But Robin?"

Cora laughed as Robin's name fell from Emma's lips. "Relax dear, I didn't tell Robin. His focus needed to remain on my daughter, not some peasant girl. What kind of mother would I be if I returned his beloved ex-wife? Then he would have to deal with two women who betrayed him. His focus needed to remain on the better one, the woman who could possibly reenter his life." Emma stared blankly at Cora's serious tone. "And besides, Regina doesn't need any more chaos."

"Enlighten me," Emma went on containing her growl, "what is it that Regina needs then?"

Cora peered around Emma's apartment once more, "well, certainly not this."

Emma huffed. "Not classy enough for you?" Cora's laugh was beginning to eat through her skin.

"Detective, I've held rabid animals in nicer accommodations."

"Mother," Regina tried to intervene, but Cora's petrifying glare flickered back over at her as she shot her hand out. Henry again tried to stand back up, but Regina cautiously shook her head. There was something or someone else helping Cora. There had to be. Yes, the woman had a power over Regina, but to have this much, take Ruby down without much of struggle from Regina and Henry who could easily overpower the woman no matter how sharp her tongue was. But as Emma glanced around, she couldn't find out how Cora was getting help.

"Well Miss Swan," Cora announced standing up and brushing down her fine pressed slacks. "As lovely as it was to finally meet you in person, I believe it's time for the three of us to leave."

Emma shot up reactively. Her heart reaching out for Regina to protest or to show her a sign of what else was going on, but all Regina did was chance a brief glance up at her as she stood up and grabbed her purse.

"Regina, I promise you, things will be different now. I've had time to deal with Robin's behavior and attitude while you've been away. He'll be an attentive, obedient husband now, or I'll rip his heart out like he wanted William to do to you."

Regina glanced up, her breath stolen by her mother's words. This was Cora being motherly, making jokes about a gruesome act that was supposed to be done to her daughter. Emma nonchalantly shook her head, hoping Regina would protest leaving, but she paid no attention to Emma and nodded for Henry to get up.

"Come Henry," she said in a cold manner matching her mothers. He eyed her for a moment, but obeyed and made his way toward the door.

"Thanks anyway Detective," he said as she walked passed Emma, holding the door open for Cora and Regina.

Emma didn't know what was happening, her mind again went to find Regina's, but she found nothing but emptiness staring back at her. "Regina wait," she tried anyway. "Can I at least say goodbye?" she asked Cora knowing it was all in her hands.

Cora hesitated for a moment, but her power of the situation was too cocky for her to show any fear toward Emma. She needed to show in every way that she had the control over everything and there was nothing Emma could do or say to change that, "of course."

Emma reached out and took Regina's frozen hand pulling her away from the table and into a warm hug, hoping to thaw out the alien vessel that had taken over the woman she was falling for.

"Thank you for everything," Regina said in monotone. Emma held onto Regina as her dreams for a future began to drift from her head. There were no more last minute stops at the store before coming home after work. No more surprise visits with take out. No more family dinners with laughter. No more movie and game nights with sarcastic pouty losers. Even future illusions of moving in together, planning a family and everything that comes with dreams, all of it fading into the ugliness of Cora's eyes. There was nothing left. Regina had given up leaving Emma with an emptiness she didn't think she could ever feel from being alone all her life, but a new level of despair had revealed itself.

As Regina pulled away, she patted Emma's chest a number of times, awkwardly. Emma glanced down at her hand as Regina leaned in to brush her cheek with a kiss as she whispered a single word. Emma couldn't make it out though and held in her confusion knowing Cora was watching their every move as she glanced down at Regina's hand once more and noticed a bright reflection popping off her ring.