Chapter 20

Regina's farewell

"It's not possible." Cora holds her bruised head as she incredulously stares at the scene that unfolds before her.

The fighting has ceased and the room lies in wait with mouth's agape as Hades rises with his trophy heart beating in his hand.

Emma breathlessly crawls over to Regina and finds herself cradling her closest friend. "Regina no." She whispers as the tears freely fall over Regina's lifeless form.

Hades gives her heart a quick squeeze as it becomes ashes in his hand.

"No!" Emma cries out on all fours hyperventilating over her best friend.

"Yes!" Hades gleefully shouts as he prances about like a man who just won a billion dollars.

A split second later Emma falls back on her ass as she sees Regina's soul split from her body. Regina looks down at Emma as she stands next to her corpse.

Emma pleads with her, "Why?"

Regina cries back, "I had no choice."

"I'm so sorry." Emma can't even look at her. "This is all my..."

Regina's soul bends down, "This is not your fault. I need you to collect yourself and everyone and go now."

Emma continues to stay motionless, crying on the floor.

"For the love of Henry, our son. I beg of you. Get up. Rise and leave this place. Now!"

Hades comes around to put his smug arm around Regina, "You better listen to my Queen. I have no use for any of you here. Get out now while I still let you."

He turns his attention to Regina ignoring the rest of them, "I have waited so long for this." He leans forward and kisses her full on. Emma looks down again feeling the bile burning in her throat as it quickly rises.

Regina pushes him away harshly as he gives her an infuriating look.

"I need to split her heart so she and the pirate may finally go once and for all." She explains.

For a moment nothing happens. Hades side glances Emma and Regina fears her rejection of him has pushed 'this psychopath over the edge.' But thankfully he nods his head in bitter agreement.

"I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to my mother as well. Surely you have no use for your hell bride now that I am here."

"No...I suppose not." Hades contemplates the room once more as he side steps to let Regina pass. He smiles wickedly at her, " As you wish my Queen."

Regina slowly walks over to Cora, "Mother."

"I failed you once more."

"No this time you had noting to do with it. Please, now that I know who you are go and find your parents. Be free." Regina didn't understand the full extent of her mother's story but she was smart enough to remember the "raping of Persephone" and she put two and two together.

"I can never be free knowing you are here in my place. This was never my intention." Cora cries and reaches for Regina.

"You may find a way yet to save me."

"Regina. I will never stop until I do. I know I don't deserve it but I beg your forgiveness for all that I have wronged you. For all of my failures I could never repent enough nor make it up to you. But know this...I love you. You are more than enough."

"Thank you Mother. I love you." They embrace for a few moments until Hades walks over with a contract.

"Oh Persephone, Persephone." Cora's face changes back to her former self. "My dear Persephone. When I took you... you were a...well you still look like the young bride of twenty-ish don't you... but we both know you're not."

"I hate you Hades with all my..."

"Yes, yes darling I have enjoyed our long matrimony as well. Here is your contract." He pulls out a golden scroll that he opens with a flick of his hand. "And now it is null and void."

Cora desperately turns to Regina, "Regina there's something I must tell you..."

But Hades interrupts again, "Ta ta."

Cora shouts, "No!" But in an instant she disappears.

Regina closes her eyes in sadness and defeat as fresh tears fall down her face. "Mother."

"Mother is gone." Hades taunts her.

Regina takes a moment to gather herself before turning back. "I will only need a few moments if you'll allow me that."

"But of course darling. Of course I would never dream.." But he smiles and doesn't finish his sentence.

Regina turns away from him and walks over to a numb-looking Emma still kneeling by her body. "I'm going to reach into your chest to pull out your heart. You must allow me to."

Regina looks over at the pirate who actually looks sympathetic to her cause for once. Although he stands there holding onto Mila when clearly Emma is the one who is suffering. But she doesn't have time to pay mind to him. Regina turns her attention back to Emma as she takes a hesitant breath and gently probes her right hand into Emma's chest; pulling out her heart without opposition. For a minute she looks down at Emma's heart thinking of how in all her years of holding, controlling, and destroying hearts never before had she held one she wanted to protect so badly. Once having believed this very heart to be so unattainable, making this heart, above all others, so very precious; not because she knew she would never be able to take it without Emma allowing her to but because it belonged to the one person, other than Henry, who really believed in her. The woman who had swept into her town in a fury causing Regina such disdain yet saving her time and again. This woman had become the one person who truly understood her and stood by her even in the worst of times. She held the heart of The Savior...her Savior. She held Emma Swan's heart in her hand. Emma who was beautiful and witty, clumsy and childlike, fierce and innocent all together. Emma's heart... willingly and trustingly given to her to take. Even given the current predicament she felt humbled and honored. This formed a knot in Regina's throat and filled her with an emotion she couldn't quite place. Other than her father, who she loved unspeakably, never had she held a heart so precious. The burden of this left a strong weight in her own chest.

Regina splits it swiftly as she tries to painlessly re-insert the one half into Emma's chest cavity. She takes Emma's hand in her own and gently places the other half of Emma's heart. Regina doesn't know why she feels as if her own heart has been split. She feels as if her soul is breaking. Perhaps because this is it. Emma will give the asshole half her heart and be gone. Regina will never see Henry again nor the idiots she's grown to love as family nor Robin. She realizes this whole time she hadn't given him proper thought. She blames this on the dire situation. With Emma leaving she takes with her Regina's happiness. Regina understands this to be centered in Henry and in thought over the future she would've had with Robin.

Yet she doesn't know why... but she can't help feeling that as much as she wants Emma to be safe back home she'll feel even more empty here without her. "Emma, go! Do what you came here to do and tell my son how much I love him." Her voice cracks betraying the composure she is desperately clinging to. Regina knows Emma won't leave unless she believes the brunette is holding it together and standing tall. They lock eyes as if time itself has ended; each woman unwilling to yield to the next step.

At that Hades walks over, interrupting Regina's farewell, and pulls her away as he holds onto her fiercely. Emma looks to her horror as Regina is taken away; for she can't understand it but in the brief moment when Regina held her heart and even briefer moments when she felt her hand clutching the inside of her chest Emma felt warm and safe. She has never felt safer yet here she is in Tartarus. Perhaps that was Regina's trick, something she acquired as the evil queen to make you feel whole and secure as she took out your heart. But looking into Regina's soulful eyes somehow she knew that wasn't true; but Emma couldn't bring herself to find the real explanation for her feelings. For here she was in hell itself to save Hook yet her deepest and darkest despair was directly tied to having lost Regina. She had come undone at witnessing Regina's demise. This was something Emma could have never prepared for and knew she'd give anything to change.

Emma is drawn from her current nightmare by the succubi who decide to drop off a tattered Gold next to her, who landing with a thud actually looks at her apologetically. She wants to tell him that it's not his fault. It's all her own fault but she has no time to speak. Next, they push a tied Hook and Mila closer to stand by them as well.

Emma closes her eyes knowing she doesn't have much time as she feels the two halves of her beating heart, in her hand and in her chest, starting to fade away. Emma looks at Hook with both despair and hope written all over his eyes. Knowing all too well how torn he's been about leaving Mila. But none of that matters to Emma anymore...not after Regina's sacrifice. She stills her mind that has been racing a 100 miles a second because even though her heart is split in two she's never felt it's message stronger. Suddenly for the first time in her life everything is all too clear.

She turns and whispers to Hook, "I'm sorry." For Emma knows she holds his fate in her hands and has made the choice for everyone including him. She takes one last look at Regina's lifeless body as her eyes rise up to connect with that body's owner. The soul of Regina stands there, anguish written all over her as she looks into Emma's eyes. With a drive as earnest as the conquering wind Emma plunges half of her beating heart into Regina's chest.

Amongst the overwhelming shock the last thing anyone heard were Hades' wailing cries of disbelieving objection.

Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying! I'm really sorry for any typo's or misspellings. I'm trying to get the chapters out a little faster so there may be a couple more mistakes from here on out. Thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing! The next chapter is in the works! Don't forget to let me know what you think. :). Xoxo.