Regina had a fitful night of sleep, tossing and turning. Every dream was the same. Her father pleading with her to see reason. Her growing cold as she crushed his heart. Always waking herself when she screamed out, always to find Emma sitting there with worried red rimmed eyes.

But the last time she awoke Emma was not in the bed. Regina's hand covering her pounding heart. Queesing her eyes tight and digging her nails into her palms.

"A dream, only a dream…" She tried to get her breathing under control, and slowly she did. She blinked back the tears. Just as they began to dry she again remembered that Emma was no longer in the bed, just about starting a new river to flow down her cheek. She was about to take another steading breath when she heard a voice.

"No…no no…"

Regina had a cold sensation slither up her spine. That voice sounded like Emma's… She grabbed a dark robe and pulled it about her shoulders. She glanced over to see that Lily was sound asleep in her crib. She walked into the small hall within their chambers and walked towards their family living space. As Regina grew closer to the cozy room with a fire place, She heard Emma continue her chant.

Regina dug her own nails in her arms as a reminder to stay focused and keep calm, no matter what.

She held her breath as she moved from behind the corner. She could see Emma's back to her. The blonde running her hands through her hair, streaking the pristine golden locks with red.

Regina leaned into the wall for support. She tried several times to swallow the lump in her throat all the wile taking in the blood smeared around where Emma was seated. Emma had pulled her long sleave shirt off of one shoulder, leaving her skin to glisten in the moonlight.

Regina watched as a drip of blood hit the pale shoulder. Regina collapsed back into the wall. She was frozen with fear.

The thud of her body hitting the wall directed Emma's attention away from her mantra. She keep her gaze on the floor but inclined her head towards Regina.

"help me…" She whispers, "I'm about to do something horrible…"

Regina slid to the floor, shaking. There was a lot of blood, it couldn't have all come from Emma, could it? Was she in trouble. Somehow she was able to conjure the courage to shakily crawl to her wife. Seeing no bodies, she visibly sighed.

Emma remained frozen. Regina slid on her knees only when she got to the blood smeared on the floor. Slipping a little and falling into Emma. She heard Emma hiss in pain. She was reached for Emma's hands only to helplessly watch them be pulled away.

"No Regina. This will keep you safe. She remained focused on digging her nails into each hand. Regina this time just placed her hands on top.

"Em, you need to stop dear." Emma wouldn't look at her but she shook her head.

"No. I can't stop… the darkness. He, he's talking to me. The last dark one, I can see him. All of the time. He tells me to take control, he tells me to set myself free, to snuff out the light…"

Regina carefully pulls Emma into her arms.

"Emma, what light? Is this something I can bring back to protect you."

Emma leaned into her embrace. Melting her form to match her wives. She was quite for a long while, causing Regina to think, hopefully, that she had nodded off. But then she saw green eyes grow darker as they searched for hers.

"The light Regina…it's you. I have to stop you, so you need to stop me first…." Emma picks up the dagger and hands it to Regina.

"Do it. End it." Moving her hair over her shoulder. Regina holding the dagger down at her side.

"Emma there has to be another way. We can figure this out…"

Emma suddenly rises. "We are out of time, don't you see that."

Regina shouts from the floor, "I refuse to believe that!"

Emma squats in front of Regina lowering her head.

"I had a vision…"

Regina's eyes dart all over the blonds face.

"Visions can be changed, prophecy's, you taught me that…"

Emma shakes her head.

"Not this one…" A sob rips through her.

Regina reaches for her as she pulls away.

Regina stands their helpless.

Emma turns back blood leaking down her hands. He voice grows cold as her eyes go black, yet her face still appears pained

"You'll die by morning…" Emma glances outside.

"Your time is running out." Emma raises her hand and Regina falls to her knees.

"So let's make this less painful shall we?"

A loud crack as a door flies open and young Henry bursts into the room.

"Mom?"

Emma's eyes dart to Regina's

"Please Regina I don't want to… but I will…" As she raises her hand towards Henry, Regina raises hers and blasts Emma through the wall.

She doesn't have more than a moment to think as she grabs Henry and runs for her daughters room. But she's too late Emma is already standing there.

"Looking for this?" Regina holds Henry behind her. She won't lose her other child.

Emma pulls the baby in close and nuzzles her.

Regina holds up her hand and shields herself and her son from the evil witch across the room.

"What's the matter Regina? Decide you don't love me anymore? Wouldn't you have died for me before? Well do it again!" She screams throwing energy at the force field. Regina waivers and glances at the boxed heart on her vanity.

Emma follows her line of sight as her wife makes her way to the box.

"Please Regina…"

Regina looks up with hurt in her eyes, She knows this isn't Emma. It just can't be. A few dreams ago she was fine…

Her eyes burn as the words escape her mouth.

"You don't think I'm strong enough to cast this curse?"

Emma snears as she sets down Lily and crosses her arms. "Oh dear I KNOW you aren't" mocking.

Regina lets one last tear slip past her defenses.

"Your wrong." She rips out the heart and before she even can think she crushes the heart to dust and transports it to where she had been preparing for the spell. With the final ingredient, the magic ripples out in green and purple clouds.

Regina pulls Henry tight to her.

"I love you."

The world goes dark.

…

... 6 months later.

Regina wakes up and stretches. It's 7am. She slept in, she is surely going to miss her town hall meeting. Finding no time for a shower she pulls on her robe and fly's down the hallway to wake her son up. A slight hesitation before she knocks, but the kid needs to go to school.

"Henry, dear, it's time to get up…."

"GO away!" She jumps when she hears something hit the door.

"Henry…"

"I don't want to talk to you."

Regina waits a moment and when not hearing another object throw at the door she enters at her own risk.

"Henry it is time for school please…" He just recently decided that he needed to find his birth mother, because there was no way Regina really loved him, she must only pretend to…

A/n: I wrote this a while back, damn things took a turn for the worst. But now they are in our world. Here we go! Hold on. I also am updating a few other stories and dropping my new story 24 as well :) Hope everyone had a great holiday!