See previous chapters for summaries and warnings.

Thanks for the incredible response to this fic! Keep the reviews coming.

Once more, it is important to remember that Cora has cursed Kathryn to be this way and she is the Evil Queen here. She married Leopold. Regina and Snow are step-sisters and love each other. Thanks for all the reviews. Except the negative troll reviews. I delete those and respond to them accordingly. This story is for true Snowing fans that know something like an age gap would never hinder their love.

The curse has lasted 20 years in this verse until they found Storybrooke.

Here are individual responses:

Ghostwriter: Yep, Regina took charge and sent people toward the town line. Lots of action to come. Glad you're enjoying it!

MerlockVonBaron: Yes, Cora is going pay. Snow wants her head on a pike. Yes, the curse breaking will risk Pan waking up as well. The Darling siblings aren't in play yet. They may or may not come into play. We'll see. Glad you're enjoying it.

Grace5231973: Yeah, keeping the curse going is not a great plan and August doesn't really like it, but he just has no desire for Marco to wake up. Right now, he's just trying to appease Tink though and make sure she doesn't take Emma and Neal out of Storybrooke, so he's willing to say anything to avoid that at this point. Pan can be dealt with and probably easier with everyone working together. Oh yeah, Kathryn is going to need a daily spot on Archie's couch soon.

Jennifer Baratta: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

Kimba Kellie: Thanks, glad you liked it and you're welcome. :)

Sexystarwarslover: Yep, the storm is upon them and now they're on the road to breaking the curse. I liked starting the chapter with Snowing loving, glad you agree. Nope, there's no way August and her parents are losing Emma. Yep, August is going into writing trances. Yeah, Cora is on team Cora and she's the only one she cares about. Nope, August does not lie in this universe. Snow taught him well. Yeah, Cora has the diamond and it's not good. Yeah, it would be nice if they arrest Cora after this. Snowing did not want to leave and they were very rudely interrupted. Snowing is in a sticky situation, but Emma is on the case to rescue her parents. :)

AnonSnowing: Glad you enjoyed the drabble. It was a lot of fun to write. Yeah, someone should write Once Upon a Time: Therapy Edition, lol. They do have a lot of time to make up for and I agree, their love is like no other. I know, they're kind of damned if they do, damned if they don't. But I guess that's what makes things interesting. Glad you think so. I think I write so much Snowing, because I need it and there's never enough of it on screen for me. Yes, and a bit of just how exactly Cora may be exerting control over Kathryn is eluded to in this chapter. Yes, August clued them in hopefully in time to save them. I loathe Cora too...there is just nothing redeeming for me. Still can't believe they tried to redeem her in the show. The Sapling will come into play for sure here. Yep, true love will always win. You're welcome and glad you enjoyed it so much!

A Darker Curse

Chapter 26: Triggered

Kathryn glared at the back of his head, as she forced him to follow Cora. It seemed the former Mayor was leading them to the mines? That struck her as odd in her mind, but then so much did these days. Everything had changed and the raven haired tramp that she was holding a gun to was the reason for it all.

Just months ago, her life was very well ordered. She was among the elite in this town. People looked at her with the utmost respect and envy. She was the manager of her father's bank, had a handsome, dutiful husband, and was part of the ruling class. She commanded respect, both professionally and personally. When she had come home, he did everything she wanted and faced the consequences when he didn't. She relished those times when he used to wince under one well shot glare and bend to her every will. She missed those days. She missed the days when Cora was Mayor and no one dared to look at her like they did now.

She was now met with looks of disgust and outrage, while they all now rallied around David. It was pathetic. When Cora was in power, those same people had been too afraid to lift a finger to help him and he was only met with their looks of pity. But it all changed the moment that blonde demon walked into town with her baby and her tramp of a mother. David was a different man since she walked into town. Strong, confident, and brave. And in love. He had never looked at her like he looked at Mary Margaret. And it enraged her...for a while. Then she had fallen into indifference and had started to wonder why she even cared. She didn't love David and he didn't love her. So their marriage ending had made a lot of sense. She almost had a moment of clarity and even acceptance, until Cora paid her a visit. She had made tea for her, while Kathryn lamented about everything that had happened. But as they enjoyed tea together, Cora reminded her of all the things that had just been stolen from her. Her hold on David had dissolved very quickly once Mary Margaret entered the picture. She had batted her green eyes and lured him away like a moth to a flame. Cora made her realize that Mary Margaret was the root of all the misfortune that had befallen her and her family. Her children were just as wretched as she was. Her son had made a mockery of her entire family and aired their dirty laundry to the entire town in his rag of a newspaper. And her smart mouthed daughter had the power to lock them up now with a badge on her hip.

Mary Margaret had even put some sort of strange spell on David that made him think he somehow fathered her daughter. It was ludicrous. Mary Margaret had even somehow gotten to Regina and turned her against her own mother. But now...Cora assured her that she had a plan to save the town from the Swan family's villainy. She kept insisting though that she would have to do some very questionable things to take back what belonged to her and make the raven haired temptress pay. But she had never imagined this. She had never imagined herself doing the things she had done recently, even in the name of supposedly saving the town.

Somewhere inside her, there was a horrified voice screaming at her to stop. That voice had started to make her weepy and distraught, until Cora corrected her profusely. She had done everything Cora asked of her and let her anger consume her. But going from getting David fired from his job at the animal shelter to holding a gun on the woman he loved was a very big leap. She was vindictive, but would have never considered murder, even at her worst. Cora was clear though. Mary Margaret Swan had to pay for ruining her life and David had to pay as well. It was the only way to take back what belonged to them and save the town from ruin. But murder...there was no coming back from that.

"Kathryn...please let her go," David pleaded.

"Shut up David," she snapped.

"Think about what you're doing! This isn't you...you'd never truly want to hurt anyone," he said, trying to get through to the real Kathryn inside. The curse seemed to be weakening on everyone else, except Kathryn, which convinced him more that Cora had done something to increase her hold on the blonde. And he had to stop her. He had to stop her to save her from herself. She was already going to be horrified by her actions thus far when she woke up from the curse. Cora was using her to do her dirty work and he feared for Abigail's mental health when all this was over and the curse did break. And he knew it would. Their daughter would break it. He had nothing but the utmost faith and confidence in her. Cora may have plagued them, ripped them apart, and tortured them both in ways that had left deep scars, but they both knew that she didn't stand a chance against Emma.

"Oh I assure you, David...I want nothing more than to hurt you both for everything you've done to me!" Kathryn snapped, as she grabbed Mary Margaret by the hair again. The raven haired beauty cried out in pain, as the crazed blonde pressed the gun against her head. David turned and put his hands up, as Cora finally stopped walking and he deduced they must have been far enough into the mines for whatever purpose she had brought them here for.

"Then make me pay! Just let her go!" he pleaded. A tear slipped down Kathryn's cheek.

"You'd do anything for her...wouldn't you?" she asked, but she didn't wait for him to answer before she continued.

"I could literally make you do anything if you thought it would save her from harm," she sobbed.

"The way you look at her...you never looked at me like that," she cried. He swallowed thickly.

"You're right...but there is someone out there that can love you the way I love Mary Margaret. I know that you feel deeply inside you that all of this is wrong. Please Kathryn...just let her go and I promise you that everything will be made right," he begged.

"Why...so you can arrest me, Deputy?" she asked sarcastically.

"No arrests...you're not the one that deserves to be locked up," he replied, casting a cold glance at Cora.

"Oh what I wouldn't give for a muzzle right now. You were so much easier to take when you were docile and under our thumb," Cora commented, as she curiously picked up a dwarf axe.

"This axe...it's sharp enough to cut diamonds. I can only imagine what it would do to human flesh," she leered, as she used the tip of it to lift his chin, letting him feel the sharp point against his skin.

"No...please…" Snow pleaded.

"Don't worry dear...as much as I would love to make you watch me tear the flesh from his bones, this axe isn't for him," Cora replied.

"I am going to leave it up to you on how this one dies though, my dear," Cora cooed, as she glared daggers at the princess she considered to be the bane of her existence.

"You can put a bullet in her if you'd like...or let her die in the arms of her lover," Cora offered. Kathryn's eyes flicked to her ex-husband and a devious smirk crossed her cold, beautiful features.

"What will you do for her? How far would you go for her?" Kathryn asked. David's blue eyes pierced her own gaze.

"To the end of this realm and every other," he promised, as his eyes locked with Snow's beautiful emerald gaze.

"Get on your knees and beg me for her worthless life," Kathryn growled and he didn't hesitate for a second. There really was nothing he wouldn't do for Snow.

"Please...her children and grandchild need her. They are what's important in all of this. Punish me...but don't punish them," he pleaded.

"David…" Snow started to say, but Kathryn cut her off by shoving her to him. She collapsed to the ground with him and he folded into his arms.

"Charming…" she murmured.

"Shh...have faith. Emma will find us," he whispered, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You can have each other. I guess you are willing to do anything for her...even die for her," Kathryn spat.

"You're right...I am," David confirmed. Cora smirked.

"Then I guess it's poetic that you shall die together," Cora said, as she took out a black diamond from a velvet pouch.

"What is that?" Snow asked.

"A reset button," Cora replied.

"I am dissatisfied with my curse and it's time to start over...for me, anyway," she added.

"And the town?" David asked with trepidation. She smirked.

"I'm afraid Storybrooke will be no more," she revealed, as they exchanged a horrified look.

"You can't do that!" Snow cried.

"It's my curse...I can do whatever I want, Princess. You came into this town thinking you really had a chance of ousting me, but you never really did. And now...you and your entire family will be wiped from existence," Cora promised. David growled and was about to charge her, but Cora took the gun from Kathryn.

"I know you have little care for yourself, but move again and I will put a bullet in her head," Cora warned. Snow pulled him back and he took her in his arms again.

"Kathryn...she's going to kill everyone, including you!" David hissed at the blonde.

"That's insane, David. You're insane! You think you're the father of Mary Margaret's grown daughter and you want me to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?" Kathryn snapped. Cora gave her a pleased smile.

"Good...keep the gun trained on them," she instructed. Snow and David could only watch, as Cora used the pick axe and struck the diamond. They were hopeful for a brief moment when nothing happened, but then the diamond began to glow and spin rapidly.

"No…" Snow uttered.

"Yes...even without magic, this will do the job," Cora said, as she started to walk away.

"Wait...where are you going?" Kathryn asked.

"To make a fresh start. You do with them as you please, dear. They're doomed either way," Cora replied, as she walked away. Kathryn looked very confused by the spinning diamond that was glowing and suspended in the air.

"Kathryn...listen to me. That thing is going to kill us all, but if we get as far away from it as possible, we might have a chance," David pleaded with her.

"You sound crazy, David! And you and your little tramp aren't going anywhere," Kathryn cried, but she yelped, as she was hit in the head.

"You'd be wrong about that," Emma said, as she confiscated the woman's gun and then rushed to her parents, who enveloped her in a crushing hug.

"Are you guys okay?" she asked.

"We're fine...but Cora did something…" Snow replied.

"It's called a trigger," Regina revealed. August nodded, as he looked through the book and was alarmed to see his pen stop glowing.

"Oh...we need to get the hell away from this thing," he said.

"Honey...what is it?" Snow asked, but she soon saw when the pen dissolved.

"This thing is going to destroy the town. It erased the pen and the town is next," August replied.

"Then we need to leave Storybrooke," Regina said gravely.

"How long do you think we have?" David asked.

"It's hard to say. Hopefully with no magic, it's slowing it down...but I really have no idea," Regina replied.

"We sent everyone to the town line though. We just need to get Neal and Gold. The baby is with them," Emma said, as Kathryn stirred.

"We can't leave her...it's not really her fault," he said. Emma nodded and helped her up.

"Let's go," she said, prodding her along, as they ran from the mines, just as the earthquakes began. Snow was almost thrown off her feet, but David steadied her and they kept running. She yelped, as there was a loud pop beneath their feet and they watched a large crack appear down Main Street.

"The town is coming apart," August said, as they saw the clock tower begin to crumble and could only watch in horror, as the face of the clock fell into the streets.

"Charming…" Snow uttered, fearing the worst was coming, as vines started to grow over the diner and other businesses.

"We're too late…" Gold said, as he came out of the shop with Lacey. Neal hurried to Emma with their son and instinctively put his arm around her. The ground beneath them shook again and David looked at Gold.

"The sapling...do you think it can protect us from the blast?" he asked.

"I don't know...but we stand a better chance with using it than not," Gold replied, as they saw Cora's car careen around the corner and speed out of town.

"There she goes…" August said.

"No…" Snow said, as she stepped toward the bug.

"Snow…" David called.

"No...she doesn't get to do this! She doesn't get to destroy our lives again!" Snow said, as she opened the car door.

"Snow...what are you doing?" he asked.

"Stopping her...and if I can't, then I'm at least going to take her with me," Snow replied darkly, as she got in and sped off.

"SNOW!" David cried out in fear, as he got his keys and scrambled to his truck, which was parked on the other side of the street.

"Dad...wait!" Emma called and he was torn. He couldn't lose Snow again, but he also couldn't lose Emma and his grandson.

"We're safer if we get far enough away from the blast. Everyone in the box of the truck!" he called. Emma took her son, while Neal helped his father and Lacey up into the truck. Regina and August hopped in also, after helping a very confused Kathryn, while Emma got in the cab with her father. The sapling rested between them and little David seemed captivated by the glowing green tree.

David put the truck in gear and sped out of town. The ground rumbled beneath them, as he dodged pot holes as best as he could. Left behind was a deserted town and Main Street suddenly cracked violently in a spiderweb-like crack, as the entire town began to shake and a roar was heard from deep underground.

Cora spied the yellow bug on her tail in the rear view mirror and punched the accelerator harder, but that didn't seem to do much, as the bug only sped up to keep with her.

"Oh...you troublesome little bitch…" Cora cursed, as she yelped when she felt the other car nudge her from behind.

"Well...it seems you've finally cracked, princess," she said, as Snow bumped her again. The ground shook beneath them violently and the road cracked. She hit a large pothole and the tire popped, sending her car fishtailing. She screamed, as she lost control of the vehicle at the town line and crashed through the sign and into a tree, stunning all the citizens that had crossed over the town line. Snow braked and the bug came to a screaming halt. She got out and the others could only watch, as she marched toward the former Mayor's car and threw the door open.

"You're not going anywhere, bitch," Snow growled, as she grabbed Cora by the hair and dragged her out.

"How does this feel?" Snow asked, as she dragged her over to the road.

"I didn't grab your hair, you crazy little tramp!" Cora screamed at her.

"No...Kathryn did that, but it might as well have been you!" Snow shouted back, as she pushed her to the ground. She was disheveled, her lipstick was smeared, and there was a cut on her forehead from the crash. But Snow didn't care. This woman wouldn't suffer enough until she was burning.

"You have tortured me and my family for the last time, you evil bitch!" Snow hissed, as she opened the trunk of the bug and extracted a bow and quiver.

"You really have lost your mind," Cora said, as she attempted to get up, but Snow threaded an arrow and aimed it directly at her.

"One move and it goes through your eye," she warned.

"I'd aim for your heart, but you don't have one, so I'll just go for the brain since that's where all your evil, sick ideas come from," Snow said.

"Ms. Swan...I know she's an evil woman, but you don't want to do this," Graham tried to reason.

"Sheriff...arrest her! She's threatening my life!" Cora pleaded.

"She has a point," Michael Bishop pointed out.

"Shut up," Snow snapped.

"You're way out of your depth, Detective Bishop and you have no idea what this woman has done. You'll never be able to understand any of this," Snow said, shutting him up.

"Oh, but he can see that you're crazy! We all can!" Cora shouted and then screamed in agony, as an arrow hit her in the shoulder with a thwack. Snow smiled at her pain.

"I missed on purpose this time, but I won't next time," she said, as she threaded another arrow.

"Oh...I am going to destroy you!" Cora promised, even as she writhed in pain.

"No...you're time is over, Cora. Today is the day the Evil Queen falls," Snow promised, as the ground shook violently again beneath them. Snow was thrown off balance and Cora capitalized on the opportunity by lunging at the raven haired beauty. People screamed, as they were thrown all about and Cora got her hands around Snow's neck, even as the ground collapsed around them. Snow choked, but managed to grab the arrow in her shoulder and yank it out. Cora howled in pain and Snow kicked her away, before getting to her knees. She yelped, as the ground broke apart around her and she saw her husband's truck barreling toward them.

"SNOW!" he called, as he parked the truck and got out.

"Dad…" Emma called, as she gave her son to Neal and hurried after him.

Snow yelped, as Cora grabbed onto her and pulled herself up from the precipice and then slapped her across the face.

"I'm going to do what the huntsman failed to do and cut out your not so pure heart!" Cora hissed, as she brandished a knife from her handbag.

"Not today, Queenie…" Emma growled, as she kicked her away and the knife flew out of her hand. David knelt down and lifted Snow up and helped her to her feet. She threw her arms around him and he kissed her hair, before pulling back and cupping her face in his hands.

"You can't do that to me again…" he chided and she gazed at him tearfully.

"I'm sorry...just the thought of her getting away with destroying my family again. I guess I lost it," she cried.

"That's understandable, but we're in this together," he reminded her. She nodded and he kissed her passionately. Their lips parted though, as there was another violent shudder. David looked back at town and saw a blueish black glow.

"It's happening…" Rumple warned, as the sapling glowed brightly, creating a protective radius for those around it.

"Everyone get down!" David called to those outside the town line. He took Snow and Emma's hands, as they made their way back toward the truck. But Cora was not finished and grabbed Snow's leg. She kicked her away and the other woman saw the blueish black wave of destruction coming at them. She let go of Snow's leg and started running for the town line.

"Mom! Dad!" Emma called, as she got to the box of the truck. She was about to go back for them, but they stopped her.

"No Emma!" Snow called, as they hurried toward the truck. David saw the shock wave coming through and tackled his wife to the ground, as it swept over them all...