Chapter 21 –

~~ Storybrooke, Maine – six days after Emma went back in time ~~

A massive discharge of energy woke her by slamming her back against a wall. She groaned in pain, and tried to shake her head to clear it from the last remnants of sleep, only to discover that she couldn't move. She blinked to clear her vision and sound Rumple standing in front of her, his arm outstretched, snarling.

"Good morning, Rumple," she said mildly. Saying the words was an effort as the force with which he held her against the wall made it hard to breathe.

"What have you done?" He growled at her.

"Regarding what, exactly?"

He straitened his arm causing her to gasp as the air was pushed out of her lungs. "You know what I'm talking about!"

"I assure you, dear, I do not." She tried to move, tried to break his hold on her, but every breath was hard, speaking even more-so. He could stop her breathing long before she could say the words that would break his hold on her. And then she would fall the couple of feet to the floor. The impact and oxygen rush alone would give him plenty of time to recapture her.

"Belle! What did you say to her to make her leave?"

Regina blinked. "She left?" The pressure against her eased slightly.

"Yes," answered the fuming man. "She came to me with the knife last night claiming that she knew that it wasn't the real one, laid an ultimatum at my feet, and left."

"Well, she isn't here. Now, will you let me down?" He leaned forward again, causing a gasp to break free from her lips.

Zelena stirred.

"No, dearie, I think not. You were the only one with magic who handled the knife except me, so you were the only one to know that what I gave her wasn't the real thing. Belle was mine! What right had you to intervene?!" He yelled at her. "You took her from me in the enchanted forest, and now you took her again!"

"Rumple!" She choked out in pain as he continued to press with his magic against her.

"No, dearie. I don't think so. I needed you once, but you're of no use to me now, and people who meddle in other people's affairs deserve to be punished." He stated firmly before laughing his high pitched laugh and raising his left hand to replace his right. Once set he brought his right hand, fingers open wide and claw-like, to the vicinity of his ear.

Regina couldn't do anything but look at him, as a grin twisted his features. The town was going to gather tomorrow night to pull together enough energy to bring Emma back, but that probably won't happen now. And Zelena would have to be taken in by people who were not her family again. Hopefully people who won't think magic is evil this time.

A shaft of green light slammed into Rumple from the side, knocking him off his feet. Zelena was crying, and Regina fell to her knees, gasping for air.

She stood up as fast as she could though, and ran the few steps to where the baby lay, bawling. "I'm alright, dear," she whizzed while touching the little face gently. "I'm alright." She spun to face Rumple, the fingers of her left hand still on the girl's cheek, her right rising defensively.

Rumple shook his head.

Regina blinked at the energy she could feel traveling up her arm. It was magic. Powerful light magic. She glanced briefly at her sister who was busy trying to grab hold of Regina's fingers with both her hands, probably to bring them to the small girl's mouth. The older woman smiled fondly and returned her focus to the man who was now getting back to his feet.

"Maybe I should keep her this time," he grunted.

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged, dearie," he said with a small giggle. "I taught you everything you know and broke through your defensive spells without breaking a sweat. Do you really think you can take me?"

"I have something to fight for now." She answered calmly.

"You also have something to lose," he countered. "Two somethings, even. And let's not forget the reason you tried th-"

"You always did love to talk." She taunted with a raised eyebrow, cutting him off and causing his nostrils to flare.

The magical fight that consecutively broke out lasted for over half an hour. Bright flares of magic, light, and energy lit the house intermittently as the two threw everything they had against each other. Regina dared not take her sister out of her reach, which probably resulted in far more bruises to her own person as they were occasionally flung about the house and eventually out onto Mifflin street.

It was a good thing that she had spent quite a bit of the past 30 years getting to know her body by working out. It meant that she could twist herself in ways that kept the small bundle in her arms mostly safe.

Rumple's last throw threw her back 20 yards, causing her to land awkwardly on her side and arm, and skid back against the asphalt of the street. The angle of this fall, with the added weight of the baby in her arms caused her arm to break.

He would win.

She closed her eyes, removing her left hand which protected the girl's head as it pressed against her chest to see the few bruises already marring her sister's pale skin.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Freeze, Gold!" A familiar voice called from up behind her.

Gold giggled. "Ah, Charming..." He drawled. "Do you really think that little thing will stop me?" He stated forward, and David pulled the trigger. Gold giggled and raised his hand to show the gun's magazine. "You seem to be running on empty, Deputy Sheriff." His smile grew even more as he watched Regina trying to keep her hold on the girl in her arms as she rose to a half sitting, half kneeling position. "Besides, this is a witch fight, and I'm not done yet."

A yell of 'Mom!' was heard from the distance as more and more Storybrooke residents made their way at varying speeds to the confrontation area. Regina closed her eyes. It was lucky that Henry spent the evening with his grandparents, falling asleep on the couch during the movie they watched. Had he slept at home she wasn't sure if she would be able to protect all three of them.

She opened her eyes again. Her broken arm throbbed, but she would die looking the imp in the eyes.

"Please, take care of them." She asked David, hoping that he could hear her well enough despite the fact that her back was to him.

But just as before, something happened. Rumple raised his hand, and Zelena's magic triggered with a bright, nearly white flash of greenish blue light that exploded outward from the girl. Regina gasped and sagged forwards as her body absorbed nearly half of the energy.

Rumple was flung back from the street and landed on the top stair that led to the broken front door of 108 Mifflin street.

The energy danced throughout Regina's body causing her to double over.

She barely felt David's arms come around her and keep her from hitting the road face first.

Something was happening. The energy was doing something to her. She choked back a groan as her very bones felt like they were moving.

"Mom!" She could feel Henry kneeling next to her. "Grandpa?" The boy questioned when her only response was another groan.

"She's conscious, Henry." The man behind her tried to reassure.

The energy within her moved outward causing her to feel like millions on ants were walking on her skin.

Her eyes flew open, causing her to look at the baby girl in her arms. The girl cooed at her.

Regina exhaled, and looked up in wonderment as smoke escaped her lips and moved outwards.

The smoke was light colored and in every shade between green and purple. She looked down at the girl, and could almost swear the green eyes looked smug. She tested her arm which was whole again, and another look down showed that the bruises had disappeared from both her and Zelena's skin.

"How did you do that?" She whispered at the little girl in her arms. Zelena gurgled. "You can let go, David, I'm alright. Thank you." She tried to reassure him as she turned her head back slightly. "Zelena seems to have healed me." She looked back down at her sister, smiled then looked up again. The sight of the man sprawled so close to her front door caused her to drop the smile, and she rose to her feet.

"Are you alright?" Belle, Ruby, and Nova came running up behind Snow who had stood so silently behind Henry that the former mayor didn't even notice her appearance. She wasn't sure which of the three asked the question, so she answered the entire group as a whole.

"Yes. My sister seems to have healed me." Belle and Nova smiled, while Snow and Ruby glanced towards Rumple. "We need to deal with him though, or this is likely to happen again."

David set his jaw; Henry rose and put his arm around her lower back; Snow and Ruby exchanged a look; Belle looked away, seeming ashamed; and Nova squared her shoulders.

"I'll go talk to Blue." The fairy said firmly.

"I'll come with you." Snow's tone was flat.

"Me too." David added. "Can you contain him until we come back though?"

Regina grimaced. "Let us hope so. But if you would find Whale on your way to Blue, and get him to inject him with a sedative, I will be much calmer." She turned to her son, "Henry, go with your grandparents. I can't have you getting hurt if he were to wake up. And don't argue." She added firmly when he opened his mouth with a defiant look. "I cannot worry about you too."

"Would you like me to take Zelena?" Belle offered.

Regina looked down at her arms. "We seem to amplify each other's magic."

Belle nodded as if that was answer enough. "I'll stay with you then."

"You don't have any magic." Regina objected.

"No, but I'm hoping that I don't need it against him."

Ruby crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll stay too. I might be of little use in a magical fight, but I've had plenty of experience with the other kind." She stated, looking Regina in the eyes and daring her to refuse.

"Thank you." Regina met the werewolf's eyes with a small smile, and the other woman relaxed.

"Let's go then." Snow all but ordered as she put her arm around Henry's shoulders, and ushered him from the scene towards the nunnery.