Chapter 25

Emma, Regina and I trudged deeper and deeper into the mines together, the smell of dust, that was now unfortunately familiar to me, in the air.

"I can feel it." Emma called back from where she walked ahead, the heavy flashlight in her grip lighting her way. Regina gripped my hand tightly in hers, her eyes avoiding mine. "It's like the oxygen's being sucked out of the air." I scoffed lightly at that.

"Don't think it's just the oxygen, Emma." Beside me, my mother sighed.

"She's right. It's not oxygen, it's magic." We turned a corner, a glowing blue diamond coming into view, and I had to look away as the magic coming off of it seared into my eyes, blinding me momentarily. "There it is." My mother continued, tugging me closer down the mine shaft. "Once it stops glowing, its destruction is achieved, and then…well, then we'll see the real carnage." The humming of the diamond grew stronger and stronger as we approached, and Regina released my hand to circle around it. She glanced up at Emma and I, a remorseful look coming to her eyes when they met mine. "I'll try to contain its energy as long as I can." Emma grinned back at her.

"It won't be long. We'll have the bean soon." The blonde woman nodded towards the diamond. "Then we can get the hell out of here." The dread that had been growing in my gut surged up as Regina glanced towards Emma, a sad look in her eyes.

"Slowing the device…it's going to require all the strength I have." I closed my eyes against the wave of pain that overwhelmed me, expected but unwanted. A breath huffed harshly out of my nose as Emma recovered from Regina's words.

"You're not coming with us, are you? When you said goodbye to Henry, you…were saying goodbye." My eyes opened again, head empty of conscious thoughts as I watched Regina wrestle with something.

"He knows I love him, doesn't he?"

"Regina, no, there has gotta be another way." Emma exclaimed, ignoring Regina's question entirely. Tears pooled in Regina's eyes.

"You were right, you know." Regina's voice broke slightly as she spoke, eyes moving to me. "Everything that's happening—it's my fault. I created this device. It's only fitting that it takes my life." I shook my head, throat going dry as I tried to think of what to say to stop her.

"What am I supposed to tell Henry?" Emma asked softly, still trying to save the woman she hated. Regina considered her for a moment, the corners of her mouth lifting in a slight smile.

"Tell him that in the end, it wasn't too late for me to do the right thing." Emma shook her head.

"Regina, please…" She pleaded, barely able to get the words out before Regina cut in again.

"Everyone looks at me as the Evil Queen, including my son." Her eyes darted to me, a sadness coloring her expression. "Let me die as Regina." Emma stepped back as my mother stepped forwards, her hands coming to rest on either side of the diamond. Emma began to say something, but it was too late, as a surge of dark purple power surged out of the diamond, connecting Regina to it. Tears dripped down her face as she glanced up at me, an apology on her lips when I cut in.

"Almost everyone." I whispered, Emma's troubled eyes shooting to me as I spoke. I took a deep breath, hands shooting out to mirror Regina's around the diamond, a beam of bright white magic connecting me to it. "You created this curse to find me. So, it's only fitting that it takes me as well." I shot a shaky smile towards my horrified mother, and glanced towards Emma. "Can you…can you let Skulduggery know I'm sorry for breaking my promise?" She nodded, a somber look coming over her, as tears welled up in Regina's eyes. "And give Henry a hug from his favorite aunt."

"You're his only aunt." Emma whispered, and I smiled shakily at the slight pleading look that came to her eyes.

"So make it an extra big hug, alright?" She nodded, and I looked away from her, focusing on my mother. "Go. Get everyone out of here. And never let them forget that my mother is a hero."

"I won't." Emma's footsteps thundered in my ears as she ran out of the room, though eventually they faded to nothing once more. Silence reigned for several moments, before I gathered enough courage to speak again.

"When I die-" the words got caught in my throat. "When I die, I might be…there might be another who stands in my place." Regina's gaze turned confused. I smiled wearily. "She'll look like me, talk like me, hell, she might even love the same people I do, but be warned that she…Darquesse is not me." I ignored the shocked look that bloomed over my mother's face, forging on. "She's cruel, and I have no doubt that she'll kill anyone in her way, so please, if she comes out, you have to let the curse kill her, once and for all. She will raze the Enchanted Forest to the ground for fun if you let her."

"Valkyrie…"

"Promise me." I breathed out harshly against the growing pain of the diamond leeching magic out of me. "Promise you won't let her destroy what you've worked so hard to save." Regina watched me for a moment, heartbreak in her gaze, before she silently nodded.

"I promise."


Pandemonium reigned on the streets of Storybrooke, as townspeople fled hopelessly from their impending doom. All around, nature surged up, reclaiming the land that had once been a part of the forest before the curse forced it into the shape of a town.

Inside Mr. Gold's pawn shop, however, all was calm. Mr. Gold poured a drink for Lacey.

"To the end of the world." He muttered grimly, setting the bottle down with a thud. Taking note of the alarmed look on Lacey's face, he tried to give her a comforting smile. "Come on. It'll help numb it." She let out a nervous laugh.

"I'll, uh, I'll drink to that." She scoffed, her shaking hands knocking over the drink as she reached out to grab it. "Oh. I'm- I'm so sorry. Uh, here." Lacey reached over and grabbed Bae's cloak from the shelf it rested on, using it to wipe up the spill. "I got it. I got it. Sorry."

"Stop, stop! Put that down." Gold exclaimed urgently, meeting Lacey's confused eyes.

"It's just an old rag."

"It belonged to someone very important." Gold snapped out in response, reaching out to grab the cloak out of her hands. "You wouldn't understand."

"I said I'm sorry." She said in a near whisper, her words echoing in the silence that followed. Gold stared at her for a long moment, moving around her to place the cloak reverently back on the shelf Lacey had grabbed it from. He paused, thinking carefully for a moment before he shuffled off towards a set of cabinets, opening one to pull out a very special blue pouch.

Gold brought the pouch over to Lacey, gently dumping the contents of it out onto the table in front of her. When all the shards of Belle's teacup were laid out in front of them, Gold waved his hand, a plume of purple smoke covering the shards for a second before disappearing to reveal the reformed cup. Lacey sighed heavily out of her nose, glancing towards Gold.

"That cup again." She said, searching his face for clues. "What is it?"

"It's something from my past…from our past." The older man responded, gesturing between them. "And I'm sorry. Let's not fight." He pulled a shimmering blue vial from his coat, pouring a mouthful of the liquid into the chipped tea cup, and another mouthful into his own glass, before offering the teacup to Lacey. She took it, knocking the delicate ceramic against Gold's glass before downing the drink, missing that Gold failed to drink his.

A blue haze washed over the young woman, and she gasped as a lifetime worth of memories flooded her mind.


Rumpelstiltskin's Castle

32 years ago

Belle was trying desperately hard not to let in the despair that had been growing in her since she'd agreed to be the Dark One's maid. The chores that the scaley man had assigned to her weren't all that difficult, now that she'd had some time to adjust, but the tension that came with never knowing where he was or when he might pop up was taking its toll on the young woman.

Today was no different, as Belle found herself giving the small sitting room that she was due to clean a cursory glance before she began her work, mildly afraid that Rumpelstiltskin would be lurking in the shadows.

She paused in her sweeping, hearing a faint giggle echo through the room. Glancing around, she nearly missed the pair of bright eyes that peeked out from under a small table. Belle crept forwards, meeting the curious gaze of the child who sat there.

"Hello." Belle said quietly, smiling gently at the younger girl so as not to frighten her. The child stared up at her, the already messy dress that she'd been wearing creasing even more as she leaned towards Belle.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously, her dark hair shifting as she tilted her head at Belle.

"My name is Belle." A strange gleam came to the young girl's gaze, and Belle elected to ignore the sharp smile that crossed her lips in favor of asking her own question. "What's your name?"

"What will you give me for my name?" The girl asked quickly, reminding Belle instantly of her new master. She sighed, putting the broom down and moving to sit a few feet away from the young girl.

"What would you like?"

The girl considered that for a moment, sizing up Belle in a way that might have made Belle uncomfortable in the past, but that she had long gotten used to whilst staying with Rumpelstiltskin. After a few seconds, the girl answered. "Can you make cookies?" Belle blinked at the question, a hesitant smile turning the corners of her mouth.

"Of course."

The girl nodded seriously, holding her tiny hand out to Belle. "A name for cookies then." Belle smiled fully then, returning the girl's nod, and reaching out to shake her hand.

"A name for cookies." Belle agreed, noting the pleased look that crossed the girl's face. She grinned toothily back at Belle.

"I'm Valkyrie. Can we go make cookies now?"

Several minutes later, the feared Dark One would find his errant daughter making a mess of the kitchens with his new maid. Had it not been for the glowing joy that emanated from the young girl, he might have been tempted to interrupt, but instead he contented himself to watching from the shadows as Belle baked with his youngest child. A soft smile crossed his face as he watched them, and, unbidden, the thought that Belle would make a great mother crossed his mind, though he was quick to dismiss the thought as soon as it came to him.

The next time Valkyrie came to stay with her father, Belle was gone and when she tried to ask her papa about the woman's disappearance, the heartbreak in his eyes halted all further questions. So, Valkyrie learned not to ask about Belle, and forced the memory of the kind woman down until she forgot that they had met at all.


Belle met the eyes of Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, her One True Love, and watched as fear, trepidation, relief, and love washed over his expression. A smile broke through his crumbling face.

"Belle." He whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. Tears rushed to Belle's eyes.

"Rumple." She surged forwards, hands cupping his face as she kissed him desperately. Gold returned her embrace, his shaking arms coming around her to hold her tightly to him. He pulled back after a moment, tears coursing down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't wanna wake you up to die." His weathered hand came up to grasp the hand that rested over his blackened heart. "But I needed you."

Belle smoothed a loving hand over his cheek. "You lost your son. You almost lost your daughter. I'm so sorry." Tears dripped down her gentle face, and she rested her head against Gold's chest. "I'm sorry."

Gold's tortured whisper cut through the room as he wept in Belle's arms. "I've failed. I've failed."

"No, no." Belle said with quiet determination, raising her head to meet her love's broken gaze. She rested a hand on his cheek. "We are getting your daughter, Rumple. We are going to get her out of here, she will live." He shook his head, turning his head before it was brought back abruptly by Belle's hand on his chin. She stared up at him. "You haven't failed her. Not yet. There is still time, Rumple." Looking down at the woman he loved for the first time in a long time, Rumpelstiltskin mustered up a small smile at her confidence in him.

"Well then dearie," he whispered, still clutching Belle to him. "in that case, let's find my missing girl."