Regina was through with everything and everyone in the Enchanted Forest. She had decided to cast the dark curse as punishment. The queen asked Rumple for an alternative way to cast the spell. He told her to sacrifice something important to her. Regina had agreed to sacrifice her youth. Everyone else wouldn't age, but she would. Regina couldn't kill her father. No, she needed him too much. Regina had taken Snow and Charming's baby in. She felt terrible for affecting the child's life. The two became incredibly close. Regina told Emma that her parents had important jobs that kept them away. One day, she said, Emma would see them again.

"Gram!" Emma yelled when she arrived home.

"In the kitchen, dear."

Emma walked into the room. Regina looked like she was in her seventies, "what are you doing?" she instantly rushed to her grandmother's side, "you shouldn't be up on your own."

Regina smiled, "I'm okay right now."

"I can finish whatever it is you're doing."

"I'm done," Regina said, "I set the timer on the oven. Could you just get the pie out when it goes off?"

"Of course," Emma said.

Regina slowly turned while Emma continued to hold onto her arm, "I may need a little support. I'm okay, but I'm fading."

"I've got you." Emma always worried about her grandmother. The woman's health had declined significantly in recent years. One thing Emma couldn't understand is how her grandmother was aging more quickly than her great-grandfather.

Henry Sr. had a great deal of trouble watching his daughter age and fade. He knew why it was happening and felt guilty. Deep down he wished that she had just taken his heart. The mayor walked into his house and saw his daughter trying to walk down the hall. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"

Regina didn't turn around, "Daddy, I need help."

The man rushed to his daughter and put an arm around her, "what's wrong?"

"I'm all turned around. I just want to lie down in my bed. I'm so tired."

"I've got you and I'll help you to your room."

The man left his daughter to rest while he finished some chores around the house. When Henry Sr. went to check on his daughter, he found her on the floor of her bedroom, "Regina! Sweetheart, are you alright?"

"I think so. My side hurts."

"What happened?"

"I was walking back after using the bathroom and I just couldn't make it."

The man gathered his daughter in his arms and helped her up and onto the edge of the bed. "We should probably go to the hospital and make sure nothing is broken."

"I'm fine," Regina said.

"Sweetheart, you said your side hurts."

"Daddy, please don't make me go."

"Regina, you need to go. I'll stay with you the whole time."

Regina reluctantly agreed to go to the hospital. She had a few bruised ribs but nothing was broken. Dr. Whale told her that she needed to start using a cane. Henry Sr. helped his daughter into the house while she leaned on her cane. They went in the back door where there were no stairs.

"Just take your time, sweetheart," the man said.

"Daddy, I need to sit," Regina breathed out. Her father helped her to a chair.

"Why didn't you just take my heart?"

"I couldn't do that."

"It's more painful to watch you go through this."

Regina had tears in her eyes, "may I go lie down?"

"You don't have to even ask." The man helped his daughter to her feet and then helped her make it to her bed. He really wished that she had just sacrificed him.

At the age of eighteen, Emma gave birth to a son named Henry Daniel Mills. She was a great mom, but she had a lot of help from her grandmother.

"So, how do we break the spell?" Emma had known for some time about the spell. Regina now looked as if she were in her eighties. Henry was now ten and asked repeatedly about it. His teacher, Mary Margaret, gave him a storybook that told the story of his family. Of course, she only thought it was a fairytale book.

"Your parents have to kiss. True loves kiss will break the spell."

"I've seen them kiss."

"They have to fall as deeply in love as they did in the Enchanted Forest. Just be patient. You can't speed these things up."

Emma decided to get to work and help her parents fall in love. She would encourage them to meet up in secret. Every night they spent a couple of hours talking on the troll bridge. Every night they fell deeper in love. Two weeks later, all of Storybrooke woke up with their memories. That meant that the night before, Snow and David had shared true love's kiss. It was no secret that Regina's health was in decline. No one had seen the woman in months. Snow and David decided to go meet their daughter at the mayor's house and maybe check on Regina as well.

Snow hesitantly walked to Regina's door. The woman always stayed home and the princess had no idea what kind of shape her stepmother was really in. She knocked lightly and waited for the occupant to tell her to come in. Snow didn't recognize the voice. It was old and weak. It sounded nothing like the woman she grew up with. When Snow entered she had to keep herself from gasping. Lying in the bed was an elderly woman with grey hair, wrinkles, and age spots. The woman turned her head and saw her step-daughter, "Snow," she said quietly and weakly.

Snow slowly approached the bed and carefully sat on the edge, "I don't know what to say."

"That's alright, dear." Regina noticed how uncomfortable the young woman was, "I won't break," she said. Snow took one of Regina's shaking hands in her own, "I know this is probably hard. I'll understand if you don't want to stay."

"I'm not leaving you."

Regina began to cough and Snow helped her drink from the glass on the bedside table, "I've missed you so much," she said in a raspy voice.

"Why did you do it?"

"The curse?"

"Yeah"

"Rumplestiltskin threatened my father. I told him I would cast the curse but only if I didn't have to kill anyone. He allowed me to trade my youth instead."

"Can we do something?"

"He said in order to reverse the aging spell that I have to make amends with the person I've hurt the most."

"Well, who's that? I'll go get them now."

"It's you, dear."

Snow left the bedroom once Regina fell asleep.

"You okay?" David asked.

"She looks so frail," Snow said as tears fell down her face. "She traded her youth so her father's life would be spared. That's not the Regina we remember."

"I told you that she's in really bad shape," Emma said.

"If she makes amends with the person she's hurt the most then her youth will be restored."

"Who's that?"

"Me," Snow said softly.

David didn't know what to say after everything Snow had told him of the evil things Regina did. Snow always thought of the woman as her mother. She knew that breaking spells and curses were difficult. The kiss absolutely had to be true love's.

Snow walked into Regina's room a few hours later to check on her.

"I thought you'd like to sit outside today," Snow said sweetly.

"I don't know if I can make it out there, dear."

"I'll help you. David said he would too."

"Yeah, help me to my grave." Regina noticed the look of sadness on Snow's face, "I'm sorry. You can probably help me."

Snow walked over and helped Regina maneuver out of bed. She kept a tight, yet gentle, hold on the woman, "you okay?"

"So far," Regina answered, "just don't let go. I'll fall if you do."

"I won't let go."

Snow and Regina slowly made their way out of the room and towards the back door. David was outside with Henry playing catch. He saw his wife and stepmother-in-law and went to open the door. "You good, Snow?"

"Yeah," his wife answered.

The door wasn't wide enough for Snow to walk out with Regina. David took the woman into his arms and helped her outside while his wife walked out behind her. "You alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You're shaking," David said.

"I usually am."

"Here, let me help you." David helped the woman over to a lounge chair, "I promise to help you up. This will just be more comfortable for you."

"Thank you," Regina groaned as she sat on the low chair.

David gave her a smile and returned to Henry while Snow sat with Regina, "he really wants to help."

"I could use all the help I can get."

"Thank you," Snow said.

"For what?"

"Raising Emma for us."

"I was responsible for the curse so I felt it was my duty. I loved it, though."

"She's amazing," Snow said with a smile, "you did an incredible job."

"Well, my father helped."

"Henry's a great kid."

"He really is."

Snow couldn't tell if Regina was shivering or shaking, "are you cold?"

"A little," she answered.

Emma walked out and said hello to everyone. Snow asked her to fetch a blanket and maybe a sweater for Regina. The girl returned shortly with both, "here ya go, Gram."

"Thank you, dear."

"How have you been today? You holding up alright?"

"Yeah," Regina answered, "this is actually helping."

"I don't know what my mom did to get you out here, but I'm glad."

"I just asked her. She made a joke that made me sad and I think she came out here out of guilt."

"A death joke?"

"How did you know?"

"She's made a lot of them lately. Never in front of Henry, though. Thanks for helping her get out here. I can never get her to go outside."

"I don't want to bother you."

"If I ask then you're not bothering me."

"Mom!" Henry yelled, "wanna join us?"

"Sure, kid," she answered, "I'll be there in a minute." Emma turned back to her grandmother, "do you have sunscreen on?"

"Shoot," Snow said, "I didn't think of that."

"That's okay," Emma told her mother, "there's some in that cabinet over there." Emma pointed to a cabinet near the back door where they had a first aid kit and other things they may need while outside. Snow grabbed the sunscreen and handed it to Emma who applied it to her grandmother. "I'm gonna get you something to drink before I join my dad and Henry." When Emma placed the glass on the small table next to the lounge chair, Regina took her hand and pulled it for Emma to move closer.

"I love you and appreciate everything you have done for me over the years. It's time for you to stop."

"Emma, your dad and I can help out more."

"No," Regina said, "you won't have to."

"What do you mean?"

"Snow, we made amends to one another and nothing changed. I'm only getting worse. It's just a matter of time."

"I'll be over there if you need me," Emma said softly.

Henry Sr. arrived home and walked over towards his daughter, "how are you feeling, sweetheart?" He asked as he placed a kiss on her temple.

"Tired," Regina answered. "Daddy, why don't you and Snow join the others? I'm just going to take a nap."

"I'll just change and then Snow and I will let you rest." Henry Sr. gave his granddaughter a look that said to trust him.

Regina was about to fall asleep when she began to feel odd. She could hardly breathe and wasn't able to get anyone's attention. The woman knew she shouldn't, but she decided to try and stand to get help. It took a lot of effort, but she made it. Snow turned and saw the woman standing. She rushed over just in time to catch Regina as she fell, "are you alright?" Snow was on the ground holding the woman in her arms.

"I'm so...sorry. I want...you to...know that...I've always...loved you...as if you...were my own. You deserved better."

"Please don't leave me. We just found each other again," Snow said as she and everyone else began to cry.

"You'll be fine. You...have every...one you...need."

"I need you. I love you, mom, and I need you. I don't understand. I forgave you. You should be all better."

"I...lo...ve...you...all." With that, Regina closed her eyes and Snow placed her forehead on the dying woman's. Tears fell onto Regina's face and Snow repeatedly begged the woman to stay. Suddenly there was a gust of wind. "Snow, it's alright."

Snow's head shot up. She looked down and saw the woman in her arms wide awake, and youthful.

"You're okay!" She said happily.

"Thanks to you, my beautiful princess."

Snow stood and gave Regina a hand up. Everyone hugged the woman. "Regina, I never thanked you for raising Emma."

"Snow already did."

"Well, I need to as well. You didn't have to care for her, but you did. She turned out so amazing because she had someone raising her who's also amazing. Plus, Henry is incredible too."

"Thank you, David."

"You're welcome...mom."

Regina hugged David and Snow smiled brightly. Regina Mills had made some mistakes in her life, but who hasn't. Snow, David, Emma, and Henry Sr. have all made mistakes. No one is perfect. Regina had deeply hurt her step-daughter and step-son-in-law. She regretted that hurt more than anything. Snow and David saw that hurt and regret in Regina's eyes. Her family had no intention of leaving her anytime soon. Regina proved that it takes strength and courage to admit you messed up and ask for forgiveness. She was thrilled to have been able to make amends to Emma, Snow, David, and eventually everyone else. Proving how powerful love, kindness, and foriveness are.