Author's Note: Yes, I'm still here. I know I sound like a broken record, but I have not abandoned this story. Come hell or high water, I will see this thing through to the end. This chapter overlaps with the previous chapter. I recommend refreshing your memory before reading. As always, thank you for your continued support, and please let me know what you think!
Chapter 26: Don't Care
"I'll see what I can do."
The Queen bowed out of the group, doing all in her power to conceal the appreciation she felt at receiving encouraging words. Though the faith everyone seemed to have in her abilities was indeed uplifting, The Queen still had her concerns. Penetrating the source of all magic and navigating through it to locate a particular user? A user that was another version of herself? The Queen doubted that she was capable of performing such a task. Yet, she would try. She had to. For Henry.
The Queen took a long, deep breath while rubbing her palms together. She felt the beginnings of panic begin to take root, but quickly extinguished it by reminding herself that the process took precedence over the outcome. She quickly submerged herself in a series of silent spells that those who wielded magic used to strengthen their craft. It did not take long for the Queen to lose herself in the unity of intertwining her magic with the source of her power. It was odd thinking of this act in such a way. Previously, The Queen merely saw these silent incantations as a sort of conditioning of her magic. Now, she could not deny that Henry's theory actually made a lot of sense. No one quite knew the origins of magic. Many questions remained unanswered. What gave one the ability to wield magic over another? Did everyone technically have access to magic? Or was it selective, only responding to those that responded to the same magical frequency?
What does it matter? The Queen thought bitterly, chastising the way her mind wandered when facing such an important task. Focus.
At first the Queen used no distinct method. She briefly tested a few different approaches, and finally settled with the one that made the most sense. Because magic responded most easily to emotion, the way forward was clear. She thought of Regina, her future self, and their last encounter. She allowed anger to consume her at the notion of reconciliation with Snow White. She opened herself to feel the pain of betrayal. The source responded well to her emotions, but it still wasn't enough. She decided to change directions. She thought about how it felt to share her magic with her counterpart. She remembered the feeling of complete unity with her other half. They were a team, fighting together to secure their happy ending. Henry. She recalled the sensation of Regina tapping into her magic, and tried to imprint the feeling on the source. The essence of the source seemed to change as she attempted to do this. Surprisingly, it appeared to respond well to the positive memories of her counterpart.
Perspiration dampened the Queen's forehead as she pushed herself farther. Her breathing became shallow as she physically felt the source of all magic pushing against her, blocking her from completing her task. Infuriated, the Queen exerted her will so forcefully that the source had no choice but to abide by her wishes.
She went rigid at a sudden lack of resistance. She felt light, as though she didn't have a physical form. Confused, the Queen opened her eyes, and suppressed a gasp of shock. She stood in a very dimly lit room as a shadow, unseen and unheard. Though this was not what captured her attention. Before her stood the one woman she loathed to gaze upon. Cora, her mother.
The Queen sneered at her mother, the Queen of Hearts, but then realized that the older woman was staring right through her. Confused, The Queen's eyes locked on her mother's clenched hand. Dread filled her as she stared at a tarnished yet very real heart in her enclosed fist. With a nagging suspicion consuming her thoughts, The Queen followed the insidious woman's stare, refusing to completely turn away from her, even though she knew that the woman could not harm her. At least, not at the moment. As far as she could tell, the Queen was some kind of an observant spirit. Though she still had yet to process what exactly was taking place, the Queen followed Cora's gaze, and gasped violently at the sight before her. At the horrific confirmation, anger, guilt, and pain ignited in her chest.
Lying at her feet, Regina writhed on the ground in obvious pain. Though she resisted valiantly, The Queen's counterpart cried out in agony. Acting on instinct, the Queen fell to her knees beside her older self. She reached out for her, as if to comfort her, but her hands fell right through Regina. The Queen could not recall the last time she felt so powerless. This was her fault. Her counterpart was at the mercy of their mother because of her. Still upon her knees, enraged and shuddering, the Queen whipped around to face the woman's tormentor, a threat beginning to fly from her lips. When she realized that her threat would fall on deaf ears, the Queen screamed, a murderous gleam burning brightly in her eyes as she glared at her mother.
As her screech echoed into the vast silence of the Source's spirit realm, The Queen was quite literally thrown out of the scene. She staggered back as she became reacquainted with her surroundings. She was standing in the Enchanted Forest once more, physically ripped from the scene, feeling nauseous while choking on anger and disbelief. Her blood boiled and she seethed in fury. How the hell had her mother gotten a hold of Regina? Had she been watching them? And if so, for how long? What sort of sick and twisted scheme was she planning? As the Queen pondered through this unfortunate turn of events, an obvious revelation presented itself. The ogre. The foul beast had quite literally appeared out of thin air. At the time, Regina had made an ominous comment, pointing out that nothing was ever an accident. And this was no different. Cora had been observing the group. For what reason the Queen had not a clue. Currently, she was making her counterpart's life a living hell. The vision of Regina being tortured consumed the Queen's thoughts, and she unthinkingly manifested a large ball of fire in her palm, then violently ignited a nearby tree in flames.
"What is it?" Snow demanded, worry tainting her voice. Though she had turned around to face the group, the Queen did not answer.
"Did it work?" Robin questioned gently. His sensitive approach summoned a response out of the Queen, but all she could manage was a curt nod.
"That's a good thing, right?" Henry's innocent and encouraged voice tore at the Queen's heart. She almost couldn't bear meeting his eyes. When she did, Henry's face fell, sensing something was terribly wrong by the expression in her eyes. "What did you see?" he rasped, dreading the response.
"Mother," the Queen snarled. It took a moment for everyone to process the significance of this outburst.
"Cora?" Snow gasped, horrified. Henry was at a loss for words. He knew very little of Cora, as he had never truly met her, but knew just enough of her history to grasp how much danger his mother was in. The last time his mom had seen Cora, she had manipulated her daughter into joining her in her dark schemes. She had toyed with her emotions, capitalizing on her weakness of love. Having the wicked woman interfere with what Henry, his moms, his grandparents, and Robin were now working together to achieve...
We're doomed. Henry could not recall ever feeling this hopeless. Before he could wallow for too long in his negativity, Robin spoke up.
"I'm afraid to say that I am lost," he admitted with a concerned frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Who are we speaking of?" Though he had never heard of this Cora, he quickly gathered that she posed a significant threat to their operation.
The Queen sighed deeply through her nose before answering. "My mother," she sneered. "The Queen of Hearts."
"The most powerful sorceress in all the realms," Charming elaborated in a deadpanned voice. His comment earned a look of outrage from the Queen. She opened her curled lips to retaliate, but the reigning King spoke before she could. "Apart from you, of course," he amended just to prevent the argument before it began.
The Queen was momentarily appeased with his correction, but then fell back into a weighted silence. She was barely able to restrain herself from burning everything in sight. How could she have allowed this to get so out of hand? Operation Goldfinch, as Henry called it, had experienced nothing but roadblocks and complications ever since the Queen had been included in the plan. She felt fully responsible for every misfortune that had transpired in her presence.
"Let's not waste any more time," Snow advised with authority. "What is the fastest way to get to Wonderland?" she turned to the Evil Queen, acknowledging the woman's vast knowledge in realm traveling.
The Queen looked to Snow with an incredulous look on her face. "Oh no," she chuckled darkly with an absence of mirth. "We are not going to Wonderland. I am."
"I don't believe that is your decision to make," Snow's brows raised in a challenge, her voice hardened with resolve.
Instead of responding with irrational anger, the Queen surprised the group with a testament of accountability. "This is my fault," she admitted, tensely rolling her jaw. "I should be the one to retrieve her."
"You can't do it on your own," Snow protested more gently than before, recalling the horrific person Regina's mother was. Her thoughts momentarily drifted to the brief but telling revelation that Cora had crushed Daniel's vibrant heart in her young, hopeful daughter's presence. "What if something happens to you?"
The Queen's anger roused with the loaded implication in Snow White's words. "Stop with the noble act!" she snarled with so much venom that Snow flinched. "You don't care what happens to me," the Queen continued, her lips curling dangerously into a smirk of mockery. "We are well past that point."
Snow met the woman's eyes defiantly, and took a bold step closer to the Queen. "But I do care what happens to her," she explained with a confrontational edge lacing her voice. "And if anything happens to you, she never exists!"
The Queen's features darkened at Snow's reasoning. Unfortunately, her logic made sense, though it did little to stop her from resorting to anger. Her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides while she breathed in deeply through her nose. "I will never be her," she snarled wrathfully. Though she would never admit it aloud, in truth the Queen was not entirely opposed to the woman she would become.
"I hate to admit that I agree," Charming added tiredly, taking a defensive step closer to his wife.
"Guys," Henry sighed irritably, running a hand over his forehead as his face flushed out of frustration. "Let's not fight." The Queen, Snow, and Charming continued to engage each other heatedly. No one apart from Robin paid Henry any attention.
"They have quite a violent history, Henry," the outlaw murmured, placing an encouraging hand on Henry's shoulder.
"I know that, but this is such a dumb argument! They're going to tear each other apart!" Henry countered sharply.
"I don't think it wise to interfere," Robin advised with sympathy, accepting the young child's outburst without faltering. Roland had not yet reached the age of retaliation, but Robin could only prepare for that time. Henry on the other hand had reached an age of understanding and agility. In the short amount of time he had spent with the young boy, Robin gathered that Henry was quite mature for his age, and had proven himself wise beyond his years.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Snow snapped at the dark queen in a rare display of impatience. "Just because you sent your better self away doesn't mean you suddenly have authority over what we do."
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" The Queen threatened with a fiery glower and an oppressive stance.
"Oh, I think you know," Snow smirked triumphantly.
"Your future self has been the leader of this journey from the beginning," Charming finished Snow's thought without hesitation, momentarily directing the Queen's riled attention to himself. "For someone who finds it difficult to relinquish control, I venture to say that you hated it. You dealt with it until an opportunity presented itself, and then sent her away so that you could -"
"STOP IT!" Henry interrupted, losing his composure while listening to the absurd banter before him. "I may just be a kid, but I'm handling this so much better than any of you," he chastised more calmly after receiving everyone's attention. "Please don't make me be the voice of reason!"
There was a thick, tense silence that loomed over the group before David sighed deeply. "Henry's right," he agreed with a contrite expression. "We need to stop this nonsense. No one benefits from going backwards."
The Queen said nothing in retaliation, and Snow released a breath while nodding her head in agreement. "We're sorry, Henry," she apologized kindly. "You should not have to act as the mediator. We are all out of line," she emphasized with a pointed yet less intense look at the fallen Queen. Again, the Queen said nothing. She turned her attention to Henry, and gave him a half-hearted smile, physically attempting to compose herself for her son's sake.
"Despite your wishes, we aren't going anywhere," Snow addressed the Evil Queen calmly. "When are you going to accept that, at least for the time being, we're a team?"
For the briefest of moments, the Queen looked uncertain, her eyes pooling with unwanted acceptance. However, the next words out of Henry's mouth squandered any sincere emotion that broke through her features.
"We're more than that, we're family," Henry said softly. He had not entirely meant for the statement to come out, but it appeared that his mouth had a mind of its own.
"How sentimental," The Evil Queen scoffed mockingly.
Something in Henry snapped. Maybe it was his accumulation of never ending frustrations. Perhaps it was the Queen's flippant attitude. Or maybe he was simply fed up with the constant complications that seemed to arise every time an opportunity for upheaval presented itself. Whatever the reason, Henry was powerless to stop himself from blurting out the one secret he and his mother had held so covertly since joining forces with the Charmings.
"No, I mean we really are family! I'm the son of the Savior, Snow and Charming's unborn child."
The stunned silence that ensued was deafening. The Queen's eyes widened as she suddenly forgot how to breathe. Snow's hands automatically went to her stomach, holding the womb where her unborn daughter resided. The reigning King and Queen shared an overjoyed, heartfelt look before returning their attention to Henry. Their grandson.
Snow kneeled to face Henry, unshed tears pooling in her bright, emerald eyes. Charming did the same with a tender smile that touched every feature of his face with soft brilliance. It was as if they were truly seeing him for the first time. Snow reached to hold Henry's face in her palms as she took in every feature. The Queen almost had half a mind to incinerate the pair on the spot for sharing such an affectionate moment with her son, but found herself too dumbfounded to do so. Upon this revelation, Snow now saw the family resemblance. Though Henry often mirrored the Queen's expressions and mannerisms, he had Charming's chin and Snow's eyes. His heart was kind and his faith unwavering. He possessed all the qualities Snow could hope for in a child. This was her grandson, who had been raised by the Evil Queen. At this thought, Snow's eyes darkened in false understanding, and she stood, abruptly turning to the Queen with a kind of wrath she had not shown for some time.
"You took him, didn't you?" she seethed. "You stole him from my daughter! You took away her happiness out of spite!"
The Queen's widened eyes narrowed dangerously. "Tread softly, Snow," she warned, offering nothing more.
"She didn't!" Henry protested, grabbing Snow's arm with subtle force. Snow met Henry's gaze once more with a question upon her lips. "Your daughter, Emma, gave me up because she wasn't in a place to raise me," he said before Snow could get a word in. Snow and David gasped faintly at hearing their daughter's name spoken aloud, and then relaxed into somberness as they processed the young boy's words. "She wanted to give me my best chance." At this, Henry couldn't help but grin softly. He recalled this revelation quite well. In a moment of honesty, Emma had confessed to him that she had not been ready to raise Henry, that a life with her would not have been good for him. With a radiant smile that touched every feature of his face, Henry looked to the Queen, and took her hand into his. "Regina took me in, and raised me as her own. She's my mom."
"And… Emma?" Charming tested the name with hesitancy, a crooked smile pulling the corners of his mouth upward at the thought of his child, his daughter.
"She's my mom too," Henry answered truthfully. "You both are," he reiterated, looking directly at the Queen.
The dark Queen didn't know what to say or how to respond. Every emotion she could imagine raged within her. How did she really feel? The former Queen wasn't quite certain. Shocked was an understatement. Anger didn't even begin to describe how much her blood boiled at the notion of sharing Henry with her arch nemeses, and her daughter, the Savior. Betrayed? Yes, perhaps. But more than anything, she felt empty. Surely Henry chose his grandparents over her. The Queen had a knack for shutting others out, especially those she held dear. Eventually, Henry would denounce her as family in exchange for the Charmings perfect happy ending.
But this is Henry, The Queen reminded herself sternly. This was a child that accepted her despite her flaws. Even as a Charming, Henry was still her son. He seemed to balance the light and dark sides of his family rather well. As he had informed her when they had just met, Henry forgave his mother for her former dark deeds. He refused to push her away any longer, no matter how barbarous her actions. And, perhaps, he was the reason she would grow to abandon her days of fruitless revenge and destruction. Perhaps Henry was the reason for her future counterpart growing soft and vulnerable. But was that truly a sacrifice if promised to spend a life with Henry at her side?
Snow keenly watched the exchange between Henry and her stepmother. Snow could only imagine the raging emotions boiling just beneath the surface of her almost expressionless exterior. Only those that knew Regina well could discern the subtle hints of ambivalence slipping past her cold countenance. The Queen's face was flushed. She held Henry's gaze as if it somehow prevented her from completely losing any semblance of control she held over herself. Her blanched expression suggested she felt faint and perhaps nauseous. Despite this, Henry refused to ignore her. Somehow, Henry saw the same image as Snow. Though dark and worn, the Queen looked horrified and unsure. Alarmed, and yet so timid and fragile that she looked just about to break. It was in this moment that Snow acknowledged that somehow, someway, the Evil Queen had raised such a remarkable, wise and hopeful child. A child that just so happened to be her grandson.
"This is madness," Snow breathed.
"Insanity," The Queen agreed ashenly, her eyes never leaving Henry.
"Yes, it is," Henry responded to the entire group's incredulity. Keeping the Queen's hand grasped tightly in his own, the young boy reached for Snow's hand and latched onto her as well. "But that's us. That's our family," Henry shrugged matter of factly. "We have a crazy past, and an even crazier future. We've gone through so much together. You might not see it now, but we grow close as the years pass." Despite the impossibility of this claim, not one member of the group challenged this point. Somehow, coming from Henry, it didn't seem entirely outside the realm of possibility. Henry had not been wrong once since entering both women's lives. Who were they to disagree with an obvious truth? "We love each other," Henry continued passionately, "and we'll always find-"
"Please, don't say it," The Queen interrupted in exasperation, her eyes shut tightly, her face drawn into a grimace as if the words were physically painful to hear.
In spite of the groundbreaking revelation, Snow couldn't help but laugh whole-heartedly at her reaction. The laughter filled her lungs and moved her soul. Soon after, Henry joined her. Their combined laughter was followed shortly by Charming, who chortled while releasing the last of his accumulated strain. Even the Queen cracked a smile, though for what reason, she could not entirely place. Perhaps it was the ridiculousness of the whole scenario. Or maybe it was exhaustion settling in. Whatever the reason, the Queen soon found herself dissolving in a series of heartfelt chuckles.
In that moment, the sworn enemies chose to abandon their quarrels and silently vowed to do whatever it took to preserve Henry's future. Even if that meant mending their relationship in the process...
…
"I found my real Mom!"
"Henry I'm your mother." "No you're not."
"No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you."
"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to come through. I know it. You said you wanted to change. To be better. This is how. You want me to have faith in you? Have faith in me."
"The curse. It won't make me love you for real. It'll be fake."
Regina laid in silence as memories of her previously estranged relationship with Henry surfaced from the innermost depths of her mind. She felt herself flinch at some of the more painful recollections, but could do nothing to stop them from panning out. Cora currently held her under a deep sleep-like state, in which she was consciously aware of her surroundings, but remained immobile as a result of her mother's dark magic. It felt odd to not be in control of her own thoughts. The magic Cora held Regina under rendered her powerless. Normally, this particular enchantment would be performed softly, feeling like a loving caress against the head. With Cora's ruthless magic, it felt as if she was sharply probing through Regina's brain with an ice pick. Forced to relive a handful of unbearable moments, Cora relentlessly sifted through Regina's memories in an attempt to discredit her claims as the dark woman's daughter. She soon discovered that she was unable to do so. Miraculously, the woman lying before her was indeed her daughter.
The initial memories that she forced to the forefront were ones only her daughter could recall. Intimate moments she shared with Regina as a child, punishments for her disobedience, and the few times Regina chose to stand up to her mother…These distinct memories proved indisputable. This woman was her daughter, the Evil Queen, Regina. After moments of silent bewilderment, Cora accepted it, and then began to prod for the finer details of her daughter's future. She came across something quite remarkable.
Regina had a son.
She clearly loved this boy with all her heart and soul, but the reverse did not appear to be true. Sure, there were plenty of lighthearted memories that accompanied the dismal ones, but Cora knew the truth. Undisclosed sentiments did not heal, and they never went away.
Henry. Cora had to scoff at the name. Of course Regina would name her son after her father. She baselessly revered that man. Though it didn't surprise her in the slightest, Cora loathed seeing her daughter succumb to such weakness. She cared too much for her son; she fought for him, even when he was wrong. In her early years as a mother, if Cora had allowed Regina to guide and shape her judgment, Cora would have never grown to be a feared and powerful sorceress. Her daughter never would have become Queen. Her family would have remained in poverty. Regina did not appear to have the slightest understanding of what true sacrifice meant. Sure, the future daughter before her would claim that she had made many sacrifices for Henry, but these sacrifices were made out of misguided conviction. This version of Regina trusted Henry with all of her being, and from the little Cora had witnessed of the Evil Queen's interactions with this young boy, she was beginning to lose sight of her path of dominion as a former Queen. Regina had grown soft, weak and vulnerable. All because of Henry, her grandson.
Cora's hand hovered over Regina's head for a few more moments. Sighing, she ceased her invasive probing and dropped her hand to her side. "I certainly see the appeal," Cora grudgingly admitted aloud as she partially released the binding spell she held her daughter under.
Regina opened her eyes, and then sighed deeply when she realized that she was still bound in place from the neck down. She was no longer in the dungeons, but in a secluded wing of her mother's palace in Wonderland. She lay upon a long wooden table that would be very uncomfortable if she were not already numb from strenuous torture. Regina didn't dare demand that she be set free, but she did settle for a dark glower that let Cora know just how much she enjoyed being immobile.
"Oh come now, Regina," Cora chastised half-heartedly. "Don't give me that look."
"So, now I'm Regina?" the former Evil Queen mocked, raising her brow. "Nice to see that you've come to your senses."
Under normal circumstances, Cora would sneer at the comment, or take the bait and refute with an equally combative response. But this time, she found herself unable to do so. She just stared at the woman her daughter would become, with an unnervingly soft gleam shining in her otherwise cold eyes.
"How?" she asked instead. "How is it that you're here? Time travel is impossible."
"Not for your first born daughter," Regina murmured as she tried to flex her fingers.
"My what?" Cora barked in alarm.
Regina sighed again, and met her mother's eyes. "Your daughter, my sister, Zelena," she elaborated with a grimace. Cora was bewildered and couldn't find the words to respond. "It's not a secret anymore," Regina continued, giving up on trying to break the invisible binds holding her in place. "I have a vengeful, powerful older sister that you gave up to marry into royalty. I do hope you're satisfied with your decision."
Cora's rage roused for a brief moment at her daughter's sarcasm, but she schooled her expression into indifference to avoid giving Regina the satisfaction of angering her. "That was a chapter of our family history that I hoped you would never discover."
"And just how long did you think you could keep that secret, mother?" Regina challenged unapologetically. "Having another child is not something you can pretend never happened."
"I don't have to explain myself to you!" Cora roared, losing her composure. "If I had not given her up, you would have never become Queen!"
"I never wanted to be the Queen!" Regina responded ferociously. "I never had a choice! You thrust that upon me!"
"You would not have Henry," Cora countered coldly, and Regina silenced abruptly. Unfortunately, she was right.
Cora smirked triumphantly, and seized the opportunity to change the topic of discussion. "You certainly have grown quite attached to this child Regina," she mused, pacing about the room while her daughter remained rooted to the spot.
"Of course I have," Regina answered. "He's my son."
"But not by blood," Cora contended. "You made sure to it that you would never bear children."
Regina winced at the comment. This memory still vividly haunted her. Though she had Henry, and he would always be enough, Regina had taken a potion that deemed her permanently barren in her early years as the Evil Queen. It was a rather painful memory that she shared with her mother, for Cora had been the sole reason she chose to go through with the act.
"How much could he truly love you knowing that you aren't his real mother?" Cora continued, digging at Regina. "The memories I see prove that he merely tolerates you. You aren't his birth mother. You simply cannot share a true familial bond. He will always resent you for that."
Regina's blood boiled at her mother's words. This woman had never experienced what it truly meant to love. It sickened Regina to hear her mother belittle her relationship with Henry. She could never understand their bond. She didn't even have a heart. "You're wrong," Regina growled.
"Am I?" Cora responded flippantly, pacing to a nearby table with purpose. "We shall see…"
Regina's eyes narrowed at the older woman's back as she tinkered with some flasks and other unseen objects. "What are you planning, mother?" she questioned skeptically with a sliver of fear tarnishing her voice.
"Your son is currently on his way here with Regina, the Charmings and that outlaw you're so attached to," she informed in a voice that Regina instantly recognized as scheming.
Regina froze. "How do you know this?"
"What do you think, silly girl?" the Queen of Hearts chuckled darkly, waving her arm towards an ornate mirror on the wall. Cora's reflection was instantly replaced by a scene of Henry, the Queen, Robin and the Charmings discussing their next course of action rather heatedly in the Evil Queen's castle. "I've been keeping an eye on them." Cora dismissed the image on the mirror and returned her attention to the future version of her daughter. "Just as I've kept an eye on you ever since you arrived with Henry."
"How did you know about my presence in this realm?" Regina asked curiously, desperately attempting to ease her concern for Henry. Though she feared for his safety, it made sense that Henry would stop at nothing to save her. But what of the Evil Queen? Had she experienced a sudden change of heart? Or had Henry convinced her into seeing reason?
"I always keep an eye on my daughter," Cora answered without pause. "When you crossed paths with her, admittedly, I was intrigued. At first, I thought you were an imposter, impersonating my daughter in a scheme to overpower her. But now, I realize that you are an obstacle. Your love for Henry will be her downfall." Cora paused while Regina processed her words, and the implications that accompanied them.
"Which is why I must sever the bond you share with this boy," Cora sighed as if this decision tormented her.
"He's not just a boy. He's my son," Regina snarled as she felt the heat of anger flush her face.
"When he arrives, your apparent love for each other will be tested," Cora continued as if Regina had not spoken.
"Mother…" Regina drawled warningly as unwanted fear began seizing her.
"If you truly believe that the love you share is strong enough to withstand this minor obstacle… then you need not distress." Regina could feel her skin paling as she watched her mother retrieve something that looked very similar to a syringe. The viscous liquid that dripped from the needle was such a dark red that it almost looked black. Regina shivered as Cora ran her fingertips over her forehead. The dark woman's magic entered Regina's head, and rooted itself to the memories embedded in her mind. Before she could even begin to resist the magic, Cora lifted the spell. "This will be the ultimate test of love," Cora explained smugly as she performed a silent spell over the needle. For a brief moment, it glowed a bright and dangerous violent. Regina felt her anxiety spike as she watched the magic settle upon the object. She had never before seen something like this performed. She knew her mother possessed a deep and intimate knowledge of dark magic. This woman's knowledge surpassed Regina's by leagues. Regina could not even begin to process what her mother had in store for her. The possibilities were endless, each one more frightening than the next. Regina began to panic as Cora brought the needle to her arm. Just as the needle punctured her flesh, the former Evil Queen remembered something quite invigorating.
She and Henry shared True Love.
This single thought eased all trepidation. As Cora inserted the needle laced with an unknown serum into her daughter's arm, a small, reassuring smile graced her features. Cora claimed that his dark enchantment would be an ultimate test of love. Little did she know that True Love conquered all.
"Give it your best shot," Regina found herself challenging. Cora paused for a brief moment before injecting the remnants of the dark serum into Regina's arm with a steely glare.
As the serum began to take hold, for once, Regina was hopeful. Her relationship with Henry defied familial bounds of blood. They shared something so rare and special. An unbreakable bond that could never be severed. Henry accepted her for who she was, and had forgiven her for her dark deeds. Regina adored her son, and knew just how lucky and blessed she was to have his support and trust. When everyone else had turned her away and dismissed her as a villain, Henry had seen her redeeming qualities, and believed in her ability to choose light over darkness. As Regina felt herself fall into a heavy state of unconscious slumber, her final thoughts remained confident.
She and Henry were going to prevail.