Chapter 18: One Cannot Come Back

"YOU MONSTER!" Elsa screams, grasping at the bars of the ice cell, horrified about what she'd just witnessed. The Queen of Arendelle cannot believe that this is what her powers did to Anna… the transformation of a person into solid ice; the last breath taken by the human life… snuffed out in that instant. She cannot believe that her aunt would do this, all to separate Emma from her loved ones and so that they could be "sisters." What had happened to make this woman so twisted and heartless? What ruined the life of a once seemingly promising woman? Her own aunt had turned into the true monster. Elsa always thought that her powers were evil, despite Anna always convincing her that they were not, but now, she could see that it was true, at least sometimes. The Queen has tears streaming down her face, trying to reach out, reverse the spell, do something to save him, but with the ribbon around her wrist, she is powerless.

Henry is equally dismayed, if not more so. He tries fighting the tears in his eyes, but it's just too much as they burn under his eyelids. A large lump forms in his throat, cutting off his breathing. His hands shake in shock, but it also might be because of the cold. He leans his back against the wall of the cave and slowly sits, trying to deny what just happened. His mom's boyfriend is dead. Killian was good person… a hero. He'd shown that he could change, and he made his mom happy. After losing his dad, the pirate showed his mom the love and support she needed to grieve. He gave her hope when she had none and helped mend her broken heart. He was a cool person; he wasn't trying to replace Neal as his dad and he was Henry's friend. He didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve to die alone and in the cave of an ice witch. Henry curls up to keep warm and let the coldness of shock sweep through him.

Ingrid is panting in shock too. She felt immediate guilt for having just killed someone. She had flashbacks to when she'd accidentally killed Helga with her powers, turning her beloved sister into ice and watching her shatter on the ground. The horror of snuffing out someone's inner light, watching them take their last breath. Her stomach turned violently, and tears brewed in her own eyes. It hurt to see the pirate like this, and she was partially shocked by her actions. It had been an impulsive reaction, done out of anger. She knew immediately that she shouldn't have done it, especially to someone who obviously meant a lot to Emma.

Elsa's words echo in her mind. You monster…! It's what the Duke of Weselton had called her and the look on her niece's face matched that on her then only living sister's face… A woman who said she would never abandon her or call her a monster.

Ingrid looks at Elsa and Henry's faces. She sees her sister Gerda in Elsa, as well as Anna. She can see the pain, the shock, and the hurt that someone could do something so evil. She was losing her sister all over again. She then looks at Henry, his face is filled with fear and sadness and she feels immediate sympathy. Why did she do this? What would she gain from this?

Under much duress, the Snow Queen keeps her composure and through her gritted teeth she utters. "It had to be done."

"No! There was a choice. You had a choice!" Henry barks at her angrily.

Elsa nods in agreement, tears burning her eyes as she grips the bars of the ice cage. "You are a monster and my mother did the right thing imprisoning you in that urn. She protected us from you, from the darkness in your heart and the kind of things you would have taught me."

The jab hurt Ingrid immensely and she's fighting back her own tears. "You don't mean that Elsa."

"I once thought I would never say hurtful things to my family, but I mean every word. You took away an innocent man's life. I once thought that I was the monster in the family, cursed with these powers and doomed to hurt the ones I love. I did hurt Anna, but it was by accident and she saved me, we saved each other. I believed that love can save anyone, but now I know that it is not true. What you think you are giving Emma and myself, it is not love; it's evil and it's one of revenge and darkness."

"You don't know the whole story…"

"I know enough to see you for who you truly are…"

Ingrid bites her lip very hard, unable to control her emotions any longer. Snow begins to appear in the cave, falling slowly. A cold gust of wind shakes the very walls of her powder-white domain, even the mirror shakes with the instability the Snow Queen's powers.

Elsa realizes what is happening. She knew the connection between powers and emotions, how fragile that can become when someone is upset. Emma had just experienced it herself. It was becoming very dangerous. She takes a protective stance in front of Henry, if her aunt lashes out, she will protect Emma's son at all costs. The cold does not affect her like it was affecting him.

The wind increasingly picks up, the snow falls more frequently and swirls around in chaotic patterns. Henry shudders and pulls his coat closer to his body but to little avail. He curls himself up into a tight ball and remains behind Elsa. The teen can feel the tears he had shed for Killian freeze to his face. He was now numb all over and still very much afraid of what could happen next. He could tell that the Snow Queen was upset, angry at them too, but most of his strength has left him and he couldn't fight against her. He just braces himself for the next attack, if he was to become a statue as well, he prayed that it wouldn't hurt.

Ingrid continues to stare at her prisoners, a few tears trickling down her face at their hurtful words, especially Elsa's. The whole cave rumbles twice with her anger and another sharp gust of wind takes the folds of her skirt in an upward position briefly. She couldn't stand to look at them any longer. She had to get the angry feelings inside out of her. She knew that Emma and the Dark One's daughter would soon find them. The wicked Snow Queen knew that once her sister found out about Killian, she'd never accept her and live with her after the curse was cast. She had pushed both too far away from her point of view.

She turns and exits the cave into the fading afternoon sun. The despair apparent inside of her.

You can always wipe their memories again, she thought through the tears and the large lump in her throat. She could not describe the desperation she felt inside of her to finally have a family that loved, understood, and accepted her. She had waited so long for this, the chance to start anew, finally have her sisters. She had fallen very far from the innocent grace she once had, but we all did. We all had a dark side, an inner monster and hers had unfortunately been unleashed.

She walks along the ground, her dress dragging against twigs and mud. She had to rid herself of these awful feelings, be ready to lovingly accept Emma and Elsa as her sisters. She took it out on Snow White and Prince Charming, and now Killian, all were threats to her happy ending and her family. She'd weakened the Evil Queen and no doubt she'd be back for more, but she had to rid herself of another threat. Express her feelings and take it out on someone who deserved it…

The daughter of the Dark One.

A/N: Making Ingrid much more sympathetic, but she is not happy. Thank you to Guest, here's your new chapter