The second time Hook and Regina parted was far different from the first.
This time there was no goodbyes or farewell kisses. No seconds glances back or that fluttering feeling of budding romance in the pit of her dark heart.
The second time there was panic, determination and utter devotion of using Pandora's Box to save Henry – and thus, they parted without a word, like strangers passing by in a dark forest.
Regina left to find Skull Cave with Emma, Neal and Rumplestilkin, leaving Hook with the Charmings and Tinkerbell. She didn't regret leaving him. He made her feel weak, and for what was about to come, she needed to be strong. Love was weakness. For now, in the midst of an approaching war, she needed to revert to the person she had always been – the evil queen.
She felt her old self emerge, her power returning as she eclipsed the moon and strode into the heart of the cave with nothing but fire in her heart and eyes. With the Saviour by her side, she felt even more reassured. Surely, with both mothers here, as well as a father, they'd get Henry back. They had too. She couldn't bear the thought…
He was there – Pan and Henry together. Henry was holding a heart in his hand. It glowed and swelled with a golden edge, and that's when Regina realised, it was not any heart, it was his own heart throbbing in his tiny, tender hands. He had ripped his own heart out, and Pan was convincing him to do something. To do what?
All the actions blurred in front of Regina's eyes, but the maternal part of her snapped to life. Whatever happened, she needed Henry to know that she loved him. Loved him with her whole broken, blackened heart. But it was Baelfire who spoke first in a low voice.
"We believe in you Henry."
And then Emma, "because we love you."
Regina finally found her voice and gazed at her son from across the cave, "more than anything."
Henry smiled, still clutching his heart in his hand.
"I love you too."
Regina smiled, so did Emma, but neither of them stepped forward.
"But I have to save magic," continued Henry, "I'm sorry…"
It took a while for Henry's words to filter and register in Regina's mind. Dimly, she heard Baelfire repeating one word over and over again: No, no, no, no…and finally she understood, and she lunged forward, just as Henry shoved his own precious heart into Pan's chest. As soon as he did that, a tidal wave struck the land, blowing them all off their feet, but Regina didn't notice the pain that scorched down her back from landing on the rocks. Her mind was screaming. No! She scrambled to her feet. Henry had fallen like a marionette whose strings had been cut. She ran over to him. They all did. Kneeling over his small body.
Regina wasn't much for praying. All her life she had relied on herself, but with Henry's life on the line, Pan's power and the insanity of Neverland, she begged to whoever was listening, that someone, something would get Henry through this. Seeing Henry lying on the floor, broken and sprawled like a doll, Hook strangely didn't matter anymore. It felt like years ago that she had whispered the words 'I love you,' that they had rolled in the forest together like teenage lovers, that they had kissed under Neverland's bright lantern-like moon…none of it matter and she thought of it no more. All her thoughts were focused on one mission – on saving Henry.
A/N: Thank you all for your beautiful reviews. Sorry this chapter is less HookQueencentric, but I am so excited for the next episode 'Saving Henry,' too bad we have to wait 2 weeks. Once again many thank yous and hope you are enjoying this fic so far.