Regina waved Emma off and pointed behind her to the large curtain separating the prep-stations and the rest of the dance floor. She hastily covered her face again and bolted past onlooking eyes, careful to not let the blood drip from her hand. Emma bustled after her, throwing apologetic looks at those that Regina had accidentally knocked into during the rush.

"Babe-"

Emma placed a hand on the small of Regina's back as they tucked behind the curtain. She turned, revealing to Emma a steady stream of blood coming from her nose and a soaked hand. Emma's breathing faltered.

"Please tell me that's just a wicked bad nosebleed."

Regina picked up a small stack of napkins and began dabbing away some of the dry, cracked blood.

"I'm not sure."

Emma took the napkins out of her hand, "Here, let me. Sit down."

Emma pulled a chair up next to Regina and pointed for her to sit. She resumed cleaning the blood off Regina's face as they spoke.

"What happened?"

Regina unlaced her mask and set it on her lap. "I went to see how your mother was feeling and I tried to heal her."

Emma paused. "I thought your magic was on the fritz?"

Regina pinned her with a glare. "It is."

Emma held her hands up. "Sorry, I know it's a touchy subject. Did it work?"

"It did. Then, I suddenly felt sick and rushed outside, that's when the bleeding began. It appears to have finally stopped, thankfully."

"Unless you start gushing again, I think I got it all."

"I don't gush, Miss Swan."

Emma bit back a chuckle. "Right…"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time, Emma."

"I didn't say anything!"

"You have a terrible poker face."

"Are you going to keep insulting me, or am I allowed to hug you?

Regina stood, allowing herself to be engulfed in Emma's arms. Emma shivered against her cold frame, though didn't loosen her grip.

"You're like a little queencicle."

Regina laughed against her chest. "Quite the charmer, Swan."

"What can I say? It runs in the family. What do you think caused the bleeding?"

"It could've been a side-effect of trying to force my magic before it was ready."

"How are you feeling now?"

"Aside from embarrassed? Perfectly normal."

Emma kissed her head. "Do you want to rejoin the others?"

"I suppose so."

"But, I have one request."

"Yes?"

"Please, don't go anywhere without one of us for the rest of the night. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

Regina cupped her cheek and kisses her gently. "Yes, Sheriff Swan."

Emma smirked against her lips. "Well, when you say it like that…"

Regina rolled her eyes and tugged Emma, by the hands, toward the curtain.

"Come along, Sheriff. There is a ball to return to."

Emma caught her around the waist, holding Regina's back to her front.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Regina leaned back, looking up into her lover's eyes. "I'm not glass, I don't break so easily."

Emma captured her lips in a quick kiss. "No, but, you are precious to me."

With those words, they slipped through the curtain and rejoined their group, still standing near the minibar, where Vincenzo had replaced Belle as a bartender. They only made it halfway before a blur of red and black hair went flying past Emma and straight to Regina.

"Where were you? Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"I- I'm fine, Red. Re-Release me. Can't. Breathe." Regina choked out, having difficulty speaking under Red's death-grip of a hug.

"Oh shit, sorry," Red took a step back. "Why do I smell blood?"

Emma and Regina exchanged a sheepish look.

"I had a nose bleed," Regina began. "Though it has since stopped, and everything is fine."

Red narrowed her eyes. "A nosebleed?"

Red focused her inquisitive eyes on Emma, who mouthed, "magic" and gave her a pleading look.

"Fine," Red huffed. "Well, get your asses over to the group. Granny was about to tell us something."

The trio walked back to the group and, before anyone else could question Regina, Emma held up a hand and urged them to resume their conversation. Granny sniffed the air and gave Ruby an alarmed look, but she shook her head, dismissing whatever comment the older woman was about to make. Granny paused briefly, then began speaking again.

"Well, now that we have everyone together, I'll make this brief. While you were all out dancing, I was walking around and checking the building. There isn't anything to worry about regarding the structure or anything that could be rigged for a trap. But, I did smell dark magic. It was muddled, but certainly dark. I can't trace where the source was coming from because it didn't seem to be coming from just one place."

"Could this be the same person who was behind the attacks?" Regina asked, casting a worried look at the group.

"Did the magic smell familiar, Granny?" Ruby asked her grandmother.

Granny shook her head. "Like I said, it was muddled. All I know for certain is it was dark and powerful enough to mask itself."

Emma snorted. "How appropriate for a masquerade ball."

"What should we do about this?" Vincenzo implored, pouring each of them a small cup of beer.

"You are going to stay right behind that bar and keep as far away from any impending shit storm. Got it?" Ruby shot back, more sharply than intended.

The group silently glanced at each other in second-hand embarrassment. Thankfully, David cleared his throat to break the uncomfortable silence.

"If I may make a suggestion... Vincenzo, why don't you keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior while Granny and Ruby do a quick patrol around the building. They have the best noses here, and if they detect anything, we can regroup, and you can inform us if any of the people located in the area where magic is being smelled are magical beings. Does that sound reasonable?"

"I find that to be quite agreeable," Regina chimed in.

Vincenzo shot her a dirty look and wiped his hands on a hand, pulling up a stool to sit on.

"And you, Regina," Regina quirked an eyebrow at him. "Should otherwise enjoy yourself until if or when we discover anything."

"There is dark magic close by and you want me to go enjoy myself? Really, Charming, even for you, that's ill-advised."

"No, what I'm about to do is ill-advised," David said slyly.

Regina frowned after him as he approached the DJ booth, exchanging a conspiratorial conversation with Mr. French. A fast-tempo beat boomed through the speakers and David hooked an arm through Regina's then guided her toward the dance floor.

"Hope you don't mind, Em. I'm stealing her for a song." He called over his shoulder, face lit with pure glee.

"Holy shit, if looks could kill…" Emma trailed off.

Behind her, Ruby unsuccessfully held back her giggles and, next to her, Mrs. Potts and Granny shared a smirk. Vincenzo wheezed out a barrel of laughter when he saw the clear disdain on Regina's face and gave her an unconvincing thumbs-up.

"How about it, Your Majesty?" David taunted.

He shrugged off his blazer and tossed it to Emma, grinning widely with hands on his suspenders. Regina quirked an eyebrow and placed challenging hands on her hips.

"Think you can keep up, Charming?"

He threw his head back, laughing. "I was going to ask the same thing with you in that dress."

Regina defiantly curled a finger at him. "Try me, farm boy."

The playful banter between the pair had earned them a crowd, and Henry stood next to Emma, watching in eager anticipation. The dance floor mostly cleared, giving them free roam to take full advantage of the song. Regina smiled brightly at her son, then more mischievously back at David.

"If you step on this dress-"

"You'll destroy my face if it's the last thing you'll do?" David chortled.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Here I thought Emma got her lack of silence from Snow. It appears that I was incorr-"

David cut her off with a yank of her hand and swung her forward. There was a brief cry of surprise then a loud bubble of laughter as he swung her around him in a twirl. Regina's feet kicked under her dress to the beat, challenging David with a flick of her skirt. He pulled her close and she swung her hips side to side, head thrown back in exaggeration. They separated with a rock-step and clapped along to the beat, sharing a secretive nod with each other. The second half of the swing song set bled into the first and Regina quickly winked at Emma before allowing herself to be yanked forward by David.

"I don't like the look of that-" Emma started, "Holy shit!"

David pulled Regina into his arms for another rock-step and quick twirl, then flipped her over his shoulder in a cascade of chiffon.

"Woah!" Henry yelled, clapping his hands together proudly.

"Hell yeah!" Ruby cried out, whistling loudly.

David and Regina came together in a close embrace, kicking their legs forward and back in unison and he twirled her under his arm again. They spun around the dance floor, coming dangerously close to knocking into the group and laughed when Emma cried out in protest.

"How the hell taught them to dance?" Emma said, not taking her eyes off Regina and her father.

"Regina was required to learn nearly every dance under the sun. Cora insisted on it." Mrs. Potts said plainly.

A thought popped into Emma's head.

"Is that so?"

Mrs. Potts nodded. "Yes. And, as you can see, likely most things she puts her mind to, she excelled beautifully at it."

"Duly noted."

The song faded Regina and David eventually rejoined the group, breathless and red-faced, but glowing with exhausted happiness. Regina returned to Emma's side and leaned heavily against her, trying to catch her breath.

"Mom, that was so cool!" Henry gushes, looking up at Regina in awe.

"Thank you, Henry," Regina said, taking a deep breath.

"I didn't know you could swing dance," Emma muttered into her ear.

"I'm full of surprises."

"Any surprises hiding under that dress?" Emma whispered, only loud enough for them to hear.

Regina turned, leaning into Emma's ear. "Nothing is under this dress."

Emma sputtered into her cup, then pounded on her chest, trying not to have alcohol come out of her nose. Regina smirked, pleased with herself and directed her attention to their son, smiling warmly down at him.

"If you'd like, when you are a little bit older, I'll teach you how to dance like that."

Henry raised a fist in the air. "Yeah!"

Mary Margaret crossed the dance floor and approached them, a too-wide smile on her face as she got closer. Emma tightened her arm around Regina's middle and placed a hand on Henry's shoulder, showing a unified family.

"I see David finally found a partner for that dance." Mary Margaret joked.

Emma's grip on Regina relaxed, but they remained hesitant, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"Yes. I didn't have much of a choice though. He quite literally dragged me onto the dance floor," Regina replied with a soft smile.

Mary Margaret laughed. "He is pretty persistent. I must say though, Regina. You two looked amazing out there. I'm not very good at that dance, so I'm glad he had you to dance with."

Regina's tough exterior began to crack. "Thank you, Snow. That's very kind of you."

Emma watched the interaction carefully, looking for signs of deceit, but couldn't find any. Her mother seemed to genuinely be happy with Regina. Looks like Regina isn't the only one full of surprises. She stepped forward, breaking away from her small family and embraced her mother, taking her by surprise. Regina urged Henry forward with an encouraging nod and he wrapped an arm around Emma and Mary Margaret. Mother and son broke away and Regina was about to turn to request a drink when she felt a gentle hand on her arm. Assuming it was Emma, she turned, expression soft, but was surprised to find it was Snow requesting her attention.

"Yes, Snow?"

Snow stepped forward, without a word, and hugged Regina. Startled, Regina stood rigidly in the younger woman's arms, unsure of what brought this on or how to respond. Slowly, she raised her arms and wrapped them around Snow's back, the show of affection highly uncommon for the former adversaries. Behind them, Emma stood with Henry, who was staring at them in utter shock. The longer the pair stood hugging, the more their audience grew. None of Emma's group could do anything but silently watch, except Granny and Mrs. Potts, who looked at each other with broad smiles, their hands lacing together at their sides.

"Snow?"

"Yes, Regina?"

"May I tell you something?"

Snow tensed. "Yes."

"I'm sorry."

From where they stood off to the side of the group, Granny straightened and tightened her grip on Mrs. Potts' hand, earning her a frown.

"What is it, Eugenia?"

"Dark magic. It's here, and it's stronger than before."

"We need to tell the group. Can you tell where it's coming from?"

Eugenia shook her head. "No, but it's very close. I can practically taste it."

They quickly closed the distance between them and the group, shoving past those in their way. Ruby had noticed the haste out of the corner of her eye but wasn't able to ask a question before a crackle erupted through the building. The lights flickered, and bulbs began to explode around them. The townspeople ran toward the exits, only to find that they were sealed shut. There was no escaping what was to come.

Regina pulled began from Snow, looking around the room in horror and swung around to find Henry. Emma had him pressed tightly to her side, one hand free to defend them, if necessary. She turned back to tell Snow to get behind her but was met with hollow, black eyes staring maliciously back at her.

"Snow?"

"I warned you not to test me, querulous queen."

The tone was icy and sent a shiver down Regina's spine. She could recognize that tone anywhere. It can't be…

"How?" Regina ground out, "How is this possible?"

Snow's face contorted into a sickening smile. "I am many things, if not resourceful."

"There's no record of this ever happening. How?" Regina bellowed.

"Regina, what the hell is going on?" Emma interjected.

Regina ignored her. "Explain yourself. Where is Snow White?"

Snow's usually pleasant laugh was replaced with a harrowing cackle. "Why, she's right here." Her hands gestured up and down her body. "I'm merely using her as I please."

"Get out of her, this instant," Regina growled, bringing her hands up defensively.

Snow raised a hand with a sweeping motion, and the magic fizzled out. Regina stared down at her hands in disbelief, clenching her fists, trying to reignite her fireballs. The action was futile.

"Now, now, that simply won't do. I can't allow you to ruin all of my fun."

"Regina, what the fuck is going on?" Emma cried out, behind her.

Regina backed away from the other woman and stood protectively in front of her family and friends.

"Emma, meet my mother, Cora."

"You banished her. How can this be?" Mrs. Potts asked, moving beside them, her former lover in tow.

"That is exactly what I'd like to know."

Cora paced regally around the dance floor, a disarming sight for Emma and her father, who stood stoically behind Regina.

"I must admit, Regina. I am quite disappointed in you. All of the opportunities that you've had to destroy Snow White and fulfill your revenge have managed to be squandered away. You had every chance to rip the very heart from her chest, yet you didn't. Look how easy it was for me to take her over. Another petulant child of a queen with an easily exploitable weakness. If it wasn't so deliciously ironic, I'd find it tragic."

"What do you want, Mother?"

Cora waved a hand over her throat, her own voice coming from Snow's lips now.

"Ah, yes. That is much better. I couldn't stand to uphold that façade any longer. She really does have such an annoying voice. Well, Dear, it's really quite simple. I want you to kill Snow White and the rest of her little charming family. Do spare my grandson though, I have much to teach him." She laughed throatily.

"No."

Cora's smile faded. "Excuse me?"

Regina's eyes darkened. "You heard me. I said no."

Cora smirked coldly, eyes icy. "Allow me to make myself clear. Either you finish what you started, or I will."

Regina took a step forward, staying Emma with a hand. "I won't let you hurt them."

Cora's laugh was high and made everyone in the room cringe.

"Let me? Stupid child, who do you think you are talking to? I will do as I please and there is nothing that you can do to stop me. I've already taken your magic from you and you're hardly a warrior."

Vincenzo came to stand by Regina's side, a contrasting bulk to her smaller frame and height.

"But, I am."

Regina turned to look at him. "Don't do this. You're still hurt."

Cora laughed again. "Ah, I remember you. It's been a long time, Vincenzo. How are the wife and child?" She covered her mouth in mock remorse. "Oh, that's right. They're dead."

Vincenzo clenched his fists, ready to charge. "You will not mock them."

One of her eyebrows quirked. "Why not? I killed them after all."

Vincenzo took a stumbling step backward and Ruby rushed forward, steadying his trembling figure.

"What?" He whispered.

Cora rolled her eyes. "As I said, I am resourceful. With the right motivation, I can make anyone do my bidding. Didn't you find it suspicious that neither your wife or child survived when there wasn't any sign of complications? Really, children, you should pay more attention to your elders."

Mrs. Potts joined Ruby at Vincenzo side and pushed him behind her, much to his protest.

"You are a disgrace, Cora. Always sending others to do your dirty work and torturing those that can't defend themselves against you." Mrs. Potts spat.

"Yes, you would know all about that, wouldn't you Beatrice?"

"I know that I should have killed you all those years ago."

Regina turned to her, dumbstruck. "What?"

Mrs. Potts grimaced. "I was offered a trade, long ago. I was to trade my love for taking the life of another. It's blatantly obvious as to what my selfish choice was."

Mrs. Potts heard Eugenia's sharp intake of air behind her and it brought tears to her eyes.

"I'd failed to protect you, Regina. I swore to myself that I'd never make the same mistake again."

"The looking glass…" Regina began.

"I suggested it to Rumple. I knew it could contain a powerful sorceress. It was his idea to send her to Wonderland through it."

"It's a shame that I had already planned against it." Cora mused, examining her nails, appearing bored.

Regina turned back to Cora, fury in her eyes. "How so, Mother?"

Cora extended a flattened hand out and, in a puff of red smoke, produced her long-forgotten spellbook. Regina let out a gasp.

"I see you're catching on, Regina. It's about time." Cora sneered. "Did you really think, with all the enemies I have made during my life, that I wouldn't safeguard myself against enchantments? That would simply be foolish, of which I am not."

"When I breathed in the magic from that book, after the curse was broken-"

"You set me free. I knew it was only a matter of time before you realized your potential as a sorceress when Rumple began traipsing around the castle and you found my spell book."

"Why now? Why wait?"

Cora's gaze grew colder. "I required more power. Is that not obvious? What better way to kill two birds with one stone by taking it from you? I found it rather delightful when your dopey Savior tried to 'lessen' your burden weeks ago."

"That was you?" Regina gaped, recalling her and Emma's first lunch date together.

"My Dear, it was all me. The magical fluxes, the nightmares, the difficulty sleeping, all of it."

"What about the damage around town?" Emma cut in.

"Honestly, Regina, what do you see in this woman. She's not very quick on the uptake."

"Leave her be, Mother."

Cora's features darkened, and she lifted a hand, ripping Regina off her feet and threw her against the wall, magically pinning her there. Emma moved to charge Cora, but Ruby held her back, catching her around the waist tightly.

"Let me go!" Emma hissed.

"If you charge her, she will kill you without a second thought. You're going to have to be smarter than that." Ruby said in a low tone.

Emma forced herself to relax in Ruby's arms and glared at Cora. It increasingly pissed her off that Cora still had control over her mother's body. Off to her side, Regina gasped aloud as the magic constricted her body against the wall.

"Put her down, you evil bitch!" Emma snarled.

"Or what, Savior? If you hurt me, you hurt your precious mother, Snow White."

"Em-ma," Regina grunted, barely able to speak.

Emma looked over at her love, regret and anger flashing through her at the sight of Regina struggling. The harder Regina tried to free herself, the more the magical cocoon shrunk in size.

"Ge- Get Henry- Out of here," Regina wheezed.

Cora swiped a hand through the air, tightening her hold and stopping Emma before she could say anything.

"I wouldn't suggest that, Savior. You make one move to remove the boy and I kill his mother in front of him."

Emma felt Henry's small, clammy hand clasp around hers. It was wet with his tears and it took everything for her not to take him into her arms. She squeezed his hand, hoping to reassure him without words. Henry's hand left as quickly as it had come, David ushered him behind the group.

"You wouldn't kill your own daughter," Emma shot back.

"Test me, and you will find out." Cora sneered.

Cora turned to Regina and dropped her unceremoniously, leaving her cough and gasping for air on the floor. Emma ran to her, crouching down next to her and help her to her feet.

"Shall we try this again, Regina?"

"Never," Regina ground out, leaning on Emma for support.

Cora clicked her tongue, unamused. "That's a pity. I suppose we will be doing this the hard way."

Cora took a step forward, taunting the group and, with the flick of a hand, threw Mrs. Potts across the room. Vincenzo and Regina screamed as her body collided with a table, a sickening thump echoing throughout the room. Regina fought ferociously against Emma's enclosing arms and Vincenzo fell to his knees, too distraught to do anything else. It was Granny that stepped forward.

"How about you pick on someone your own size, you overpompous, talentless, miller's daughter." Granny bellow, stepping forward and extending her arms, ready to fight.

"What could you possibly do to me? You're nothing more than a glorified children's story," Cora huffed.

"Granny…" Ruby said in a hushed tone.

She solemnly looked over her shoulder. "I love you, Red."

"Granny, no!"

Eugenia shrugged off her cloak and charged at Cora, shifting into her wolf as she closed the distance. To her credit, she came within a couple feet and was drawing an arm to strike, but her enemy was faster. Cora surged forward, sinking her fingers into the flesh of Eugenia's throat and lifted her off the ground, without so much as breaking a sweat.

"How quaint. Not only do I get to destroy the Charming family, but I have the pleasant surprise of putting down one of their dogs."

Eugenia snarled through glistening fangs, only partially transformed. She struggled against Cora's hold, long grey hair whipping in the air. The sorceress clenched her hand and reveled in the sight of her nails drawing blood. Ruby whimpered in the background, the metallic odor hitting her senses.

"You see, Regina, this is how you get what you want."

Regina could only glare, still attempting to regain her strength from the magical hold.

"Say goodbye to your grandmother, child of the moon," Cora said coldly.

"No!" Ruby exclaimed, feeling her wolf rising inside.

A dark thought crossed Cora's mind and a disturbing smile formed on her lips, a truly unsettling sight for all that were accustomed to Snow White's generally soft features.

"I'm feeling generous. I will allow you to choose."

Cora lifted Vincenzo high into the air with a quick nod. Ruby spun, looking up at him with a mixture of horror and fury. Regina reached a hand out in a futile attempt to assist him.

"I don't want to choose!" Ruby whimpered, unable to hold back tears.

Cora chuckled. "Silly girl, I wasn't giving you the choice." She tilted her head in Emma and Regina's direction. "The Savior will choose."

Emma felt her stomach drop and chest tighten, Regina's body under her arm going rigid.

"Emma, no." Regina pleaded quietly. "We can't let either of them die."

Emma swallowed hard, licking her lips nervously. "I won't."

Emma removed Regina's arm from around her and took a single step forward. Realization hit Regina a second too late and, before she could stop her, Emma's words echoed through the silent room.

"I choose me!"