It's been far too long since I've updated this story – hopefully some of you are still interested in how it's going to end.

Chapter 21

There was something there—Regina could see it as plain as the nose on her face. She hollowed her cheeks as she leaned closer to the reflective glass and glared at the small, oblong-shaped, purple mark on the right side of her neck.

"Swan," she snarled to herself.

She should have known Emma would do something so juvenile and pedestrian as leaving a hickey.

She pulled back from the mirror. A glamour perhaps, or even an extra layer of liquid foundation would cover it up. Instead, she grabbed a blue and red silk scarf from the top drawer of her bureau and tied it around her neck.

A quiet, tentative knock on her open bedroom door had her spinning away from the mirror. Emma stood in the threshold.

"Yes?" Regina snapped in a too-sharp voice. She immediately heard the bite in her tone. It was reflexive, automatic, and unintended, but she didn't need to tell Emma that. None of this would matter in a short while after they confronted Zelena.

"Everyone's here." Emma's face was an emotionless mask. Regina hated it. She wanted to gather the other woman in her arms and peel away the defensive armor for which she knew she was responsible.

Regina curtly nodded. "I'll be down shortly."

Emma shoved her hands into the pockets of that God-forsaken red leather jacket and stalked away.

Regina wanted to call her back and shut out the rest of the world for one more day. She absently touched her fingertips to the side of her neck, feeling the love bite beneath the scarf. She wanted to find refuge within Emma's solid strength; she wanted to re-live the eager curiosity the other woman had exhibited in her bed the previous night.

But there wasn't time for that, she knew. They had to deal with her sister first.

The midwife resided at the edge of Storybrooke, nearly as far out as one could travel without crossing the town line. Skinny smoke from a stone chimneystack indicated someone was home and footprints trampled a clear line to and from a pole barn in the backyard to the main farmhouse.

Hook clenched the muscles in his jaw. "So we're just going to knock on the door and invite ourselves to tea?"

"We've been over this, Pirate," Regina growled. "This is going to take a little more finesse than what you're used to."

"Oh, I don't know," Ursula musically mused, "walking the plank would actually be pretty effective with this particular witch."

"We don't do that," Emma rejected.

"Right." Ursula rolled her eyes. "I keep forgetting we're the Good Guys now. That's still going to take some getting used to."

"I'm still not used to it," Regina couldn't help grumbling.

"Robin, Hook, you two cover the back exits," Emma instructed. "Ursula, you can hang out by the barn."

Robin shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "I really think I should take the front with you and Regina. This woman—."

Regina laid a reassuring hand on his arm "—is no match for either Emma or myself, and especially not when our magic is combined."

Robin ran a hand over his stubbled chin. "I'd feel better if you'd just let me—."

"Listen, guy," Emma interjected, "I appreciate the chivalrous gesture, but we've really got Heroes and Saviors in aces around here. Now be a good little—."

"What Sheriff Swan means to say," Regina cut in, "is that we really need you and Hook as the final line of defense. If Zelena is able to get past us, the element of surprise will be gone. You'll be our only hope."

Robin's eyes lit anew. "O-of course. I'm honored with the task, Madam Mayor. Pirate, shall we?"

Hook looked in disbelief between Emma, Regina, and the Outlaw. But for once he withheld his usual snarky comment and retreated with Robin to the backside of the fieldstone cottage.

"Last line of defense, eh?" Emma snorted. "Our only hope?"

"Men are delicate creatures, Miss Swan. If decades of ruling the people of Storybrooke has taught me anything, it's that egos need to be massaged to get what you want."

"Massaged," Emma echoed the word. "Is that what you call last night?"

"No," Regina curtly rejected. "Last night was the result of years of pent up anger and attraction and frustration finally overflowing and demanding release."

Emma's eyes visibly widened. "Oh." She certainly hadn't expected honesty. "Is your, uh, reservoir, empty now?"

Regina began swiftly walking towards the farmhouse. "Not even close."

Emma struggled to keep up with Regina's brisk stride. "Regina, wait."

"No," Regina coolly tossed back.

Emma managed to snag Regina's elbow before they reached Zelena's front door. "We should talk about this," Emma tried to reason. "We can't confront Zelena when you're half-cocked and angry."

"That's where you're wrong, Miss Swan," Regina glowered. "That's exactly what I plan to do." She opened her right hand and an orb of fire materialized over her gloved palm.

"What about the plan?" Emma knew she was grasping at straws.

"Screw the plan." Regina turned away from Emma and launched the fireball at Zelena's door. "The Wicked Witch of the West doesn't like water; let's see how she feels about a little fire."

The front door splintered into a million little pieces, and Regina strode through the gaping doorway with Emma close behind. "Oh, sis!" she called out, nearly gleeful with anger. "You've got visitors!"

Emma tried to grab Regina again, tried to rein her in, but she was only dismissed and shaken off.

Regina's spiked heels sounded loudly on the wooden floors as she explored the layout of the modest cottage. "Come out, come out wherever you are!"

"There's no one here, Regina," Emma decided. "It's time to retreat. And next time actually follow the plan."

Regina stood still, motionless and tense. "She's here," she murmured. "I can feel it."

A loud cry, a male voice shouting, filtered into the house.

"Hook and Robin!" Emma yelled.

The two women raced from the house into the backyard. Robin was flat on his back in the heavy snow. A trickle of bright red blood spilled from his forehead and onto the white snow. Zelena held Hook as hostage with his body as a human shield between their two parties. His arm was bent at an unnatural angle and his own hook was pressed against his throat.

Hook's eyes bulged in distress and he clawed at the hook with his remaining hand. "Bloody witch," he choked out, "enchanted my own sodding hook."

A peel of amused laughter bubbled up Zelena's throat. "I thought it a nice touch myself."

Regina opened her hand, producing another fireball. Hook made a louder choking noise as the hook dug deeper into his tender flesh.

"Ah, ah, little sister," Zelena cooed. "We can't have any of that."

"You can kill the pirate for all I care," Regina growled.

"Regina!" Emma exclaimed.

Regina rolled her eyes, but extinguished the ball of fire. "Fine!" she relented.

Hook's breathing became a little easier.

"Everyone has their memories back, Zelena," Emma proclaimed. "Whatever your plan was isn't going to work."

"So it would seem. My naturally curious nature would like to know how exactly you managed to break the curse, but I doubt my stomach would be able to handle it." Zelena curled her lip. "Cute scarf by the way, sis."

Regina's hand went to the side of her neck. With all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, she hadn't taken the time to question why and how their memories had returned. Emma had once broken the original kiss with True Love's Kiss—was it possible that the Savoir had saved them again? Regina mentally shook herself. No. It was too much to hope fore. It was impossible.

"Don't think about it too hard, sis." Zelena seemed to peer into her thoughts. "Your head looks like it might twist off."

"Why are you here, Zelena?" Regina demanded. "What could you possibly hope to accomplish?"

"That same thing as you, dear sister. Revenge." Zelena's eyes flashed."Finally getting what I want."

"And what exactly is it that you want?" Regina defiantly posed.

"Your Happy Ending." Zelena made a noise. "Unfortunately, my little pet wasn't able to keep Em-ma away from you." She spit out Emma's name as though it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Walsh," Emma murmured.

Regina tugged the scarf at her neck. What did Emma and her Happy Ending have to do with each other? Her half-sister was a ranting mad woman.

"But since that little plan failed," Zelena mused in a sing-song voice, "I'll just have to kill you all."

Hook clawed more desperately at the pointed blade pressing harder into this throat. He gagged for air, and his face flushed deep red.

Zelena let out a noise, a surprised shriek. She grabbed at her own neck as a thick, purple tentacle wrapped around her neck and torso and squeezed.

Ursula slowly strolled out of the barn where she'd remained hidden and out of sight. "God, that woman loves to hear the sound of her own voice," she complained. "Regina, you two really are related."

Regina's adrenaline level was still too high to come up with a witty retort. "Oh shut up, fish breath," she managed.

Ursula's lips twisted and she regarded the Wicked Witch. "Normally this would be the part of the story where I snap your neck," she wryly observed, "but apparently I'm one of the Good Guys now."

She looked to Emma and Regina for confirmation. "We're still the Good Guys, right?"

Emma couldn't help her laugh. "Last time I checked."

Ursula returned her attention to the struggling witch. "So instead of saying goodbye, I'll just say goodnight."

Her tentacle perceptibly tightened around the woman's neck, and with it, Zelena's eyes fluttered shut and her body sagged as she promptly passed out.

Emma stood in the hallway, just outside of the door to the apartment she'd once shared with Mary Margaret Blanchard. She leaned closer to the worn wooden door and heard the undeniable sound of laughter coming from the inside of the apartment. She knocked twice on the door and the laughter stopped.

David cautiously opened the door, but swung it all the way open upon seeing his daughter. Emma observed the silver sword clutched in his right hand; she wondered how David had managed to explain the weapon's presence to her son.

Just another reason we have to leave this town, she thought to herself.

"So?" David's handsome features were etched in anxiety. Emma knew how hard it must have been for him to stay behind, but watching over Henry and his pregnant wife was a priority.

"It's done," Emma breathed. "Zelena's in custody."

David's body sagged in relief. "Thank God. Come in."

Emma didn't immediately spy Mary Margaret and her son until they walked out of the second bedroom. Mary Margaret had her hand on Henry's shoulder—a protective, maternal gesture.

"So it's over?" Mary Margaret asked, apparently having overheard Emma's words to David.

Emma nodded grimly. "Zelena's in custody. Regina arranged for her to be placed in solitary confinement in the psych ward under the hospital. We figured it would be safer than the jail cell until we decide what to do with her."

She kept her explanation brief and generalized for Henry's benefit. She didn't bother mentioning that Regina had also placed an enchanted cuff on Zelena that would prevent her from using magic. She could tell her parents those details later.

"Does this mean we're going back to New York now?" Henry asked.

A small cry bubbled up Mary Margaret's throat. She tried to swallow the sound, but it came out like a hiccup. She covered her mouth. "I have to—I'll just be a minute," she blurted out before rushing to the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.

Henry looked perplexed. "Did I do something?"

"No, kid," Emma sighed. "Just pregnancy stuff, I'm sure."

David frowned. "I'm sure she'll be okay."

"Henry and I should get going," Emma stated. "We've got to pack up our things at Granny's." And say a whole lot of goodbyes.

Henry bobbed his head. "Let me just grab my book." He raced up the metal spiral staircase to the bedroom above.

"You're sure about this?" David asked once Henry was out of earshot. "You're sure you want to leave your family again?"

"Henry doesn't remember any of this or any of you," Emma tried to explain. "And we might have curbed Zelena for now, but you know she's not going to be the last complication this town has. How am I going to explain to Henry when an ogre decides to go for a walk down Main Street?"

"You could always try the truth," David noted. "You didn't believe any of the things in Henry's storybook at first, either."

Emma chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I just want what's best for my son."

David offered an easy smile. "That's because you're a great parent."

Henry's loud, teenaged feet pounded noisily down the metal stairs. "Got it!" he proclaimed, sounding nearly out of breath.

Emma's eyes narrowed as she regarded the book he'd gone back for—the oversized, leather tome of fairytales. "Why'd you bring that over here?"

Henry looked down at his book and shrugged. "I dunno. It just felt like the right thing to do."

Emma hazarded a glance at her father, who only arched an eyebrow in response. She knew what he wanted her to do.

"Henry, sit down. There's something you need to hear. It has something to do with this place. And it has to do with Regina." She paused and made a face. "Damn it, I don't even know where to start."

Henry grinned. "How about at the beginning?"

Emma regarded the old book of fairytales her son held on his lap. She took a deep breath and began. "Okay. Once upon a time . . . "

TBC