Author's Note: I'm baaccckkkk! Well…Due to how the writers of the show have taken the show – or how they decided this was a "suitable" relaunch of the show we love - it's clear to me that the show has truly lost it's appeal for me. They are contradicting themselves by saying Henry only exists in one realm. That in and of itself is ridiculous since Henry existed in a 'cursed' realm. They brought the 'other' Robin to Storybooke for Pete sakes! Obviously my story says that Henry DOES exists in MANY realms...so as far as I am concerned the show has just reached a point where the writers aren't even cross checking their story lines. So sadly...I will not be keeping canon to what happens in season 7 of the show. IF you are upset by this I am very sorry. But if you love this story as much as the show…REVIEW LIKE CRAZY!
Ok now for my WARNING! WARNING!This chapter will contain Mature (M) scenes –some alluded to, but some will be literally written out.
For those wanting to know the moment that changed how Queen Regina saw Snow White…here it is.
Storybrooke Present Day
"I know it was Sarah. Stop asking how! She's my niece! THAT'S how I know!" Prince David said as he cleared the trees in front of him, only to stop in his tracks as James and another man who looked like them stood right next to each other in strange clothes.
"Told you he'd follow the water." David said with a smile.
"Well it's good to know you actually know yourself…or I'd really be worried" James said with a nudge of his shoulder to David's arm.
Prince David looked between the two with complete confusion.
"Was that Sarah's magic a second ago?" Pin's question dying down to a whisper as he looked at the two identicals in front of him and then at Prince David.
James smirked. "It most definitely was. Our little troublemaker has caused a new kind of havoc as you can see."
"We can see…" Dreamy said as he too came through the brush and saw the three identical men.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you…all…in this way…" David said as he saw the huge group of people who were slowly coming out of the trees around Prince David – almost everyone he recognized, "But you've been transported to another world…one where magic doesn't exist…well…until recently actually."
Prince David's hand never left his swords handle, both David and James noticed. "Are you saying that…"
"Yep. I'm you. Well…another version of you. But I'm you nonetheless. Um…there's also other versions of the rest of you here. So…if you'll please come this way I'll show you where you can all have a good meal and rest." David said as he waved his arm in the direction of the center of town.
Prince David shared a look with James, who just nodded his head and laughed. Crossing his arms he said. "He's telling the truth."
Prince David finally let the hilt of his sword go and asked a question that David knew would be his first.
"Where's Snow."
"Which one?" James said with a raised brow.
Prince David glared at his brother.
"What?" James said aggravated with the look his brother was giving him.
"What? What happened to 'stick together'? Did you forget about that? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Prince David said as he moved closer to his brother, his anger dripping from every word.
"That's not why you're angry…I can tell! What? What is it?" James asked dropping his arms starting to feel worried about his brother.
"We met King Richard." Pin said with a sad look as he looked over at the water.
James tensed slightly and slowly looked back at the very angry look his brother was giving him.
"Are you insane? Sarah can't marry him!" Prince David's hand waved back in the direction he had encountered the King, clearly agitated and angry.
"Stop acting jealous. Sarah's willing to do this – for your daughter I may add- and she care's for him!" James said in a slightly agitated way.
It wasn't as if James wanted Sarah to marry King Richard. The second he knew nothing would work his own immediate reaction was to grab Sarah's arm and drag her back to Regina's castle. But Sarah had convinced him they didn't have a choice. Their kingdom would suffer because they had failed, and she was willing to sacrifice herself for her people.
"HE'S OLDER THAN REGINA!" Prince David screamed, already angry having met the King in their current circumstance, but to find out that the King was older than her own uncles! And James had said nothing! Nothing had made him feel worse than meeting the man and seeing the huge age difference between his niece and the known King.
"I SAID THE SAME THING TO HER! SHE SAID IT DIDN'T MATTER! SHE…she said he was still a good looking man and even though she didn't feel attracted to him, she said it could have been much worse. She's willingly marrying him to help protect our kingdom!" James was trying to keep himself calm…he really was. But hearing his own feelings towards the marriage of his niece to King Richard come out of his level headed brother's mouth, it made him beyond angry and sick to his stomach. The fact that he could do nothing to help protect his family - he couldn't stand not being able to protect Sarah.
David felt like he had been slapped in the face with the way his other self was acting. When James had said to stop acting jealous it had confused him, but the knowledge that Sarah was going to marry some King to protect Emma was…hard to understand. What did Sarah marrying the King have to do with Emma?
"I'm…sorry. What does Emma have to do with Sarah marrying King Richard?" David asked, clearly concerned about his daughter being involved.
Prince David stared at him awkwardly a second before speaking.
"King George is claiming that Emma shouldn't be allowed to rule the kingdom. He's put doubts in the mind of other King's in the lands close to ours. There…there's whispers of an impending war."
"King Richard has sworn to protect our Kingdom and supply weapons and men. But we had nothing to offer in exchange. The only thing his lands need…is an heir." James continued for Prince David.
David closed his eyes the second he understood why his other self was so angry.
"That's why he wants to marry Sarah." David said shaking his head and opening his eyes. Eyes that suddenly blazed with anger.
"Sarah wouldn't be just giving up her family, friends, and chastity...her sole purpose would be for breeding." James' words of explanation to David caused Pin and Dreamy to cringe.
Pin had known why Sarah had been willing to marry King Richard…he just had never put the implications of what it all meant together.
"Well you're not gonna let it happen right?" David said looking between Prince David and James. "You can't let her ruin her life because you're afraid a war could happen."
The sudden wave of protectiveness he felt towards Sarah and her well being making him question what this other version of himself was allowing.
"I was going on what James told me! That King Richard was a good man, and…and from meeting him I…I agree. But how did you convince yourself that a man that's old enough to be her father marrying her was even a possibility is beyond me!" Prince David said harshly with a glare at his brother.
"Look. I told you before we left to meet Richard that it was a stupid plan. I know his father tried to help when Sarah was little, but what do you expect me to do when I saw the amount of soldiers and men he has at his disposal?! What do you think Sarah said the second she heard the first soldier say that he'd willingly die for his King? That he was a good man, and how kind and a more loving man you could not find in the kingdom? We were going there to seek help, and Sarah knew the only way we were leaving their with help for us was to marry him." James tried not to yell their business with everyone around…but most of the people knew Sarah personally.
Almost everyone knew what Sarah had done…and was doing. He just didn't want to hurt Pin's feelings.
The truth of the matter was…Sarah wasn't at all attracted to the King, though he was in James' opinion a decent looking man, but she did love him.
James instantly saw the connection between the two. It had been seen by everyone in King Richard's kingdom, as he showed them around it. But the connection had been very different than a romantic one. King Richard was indeed older, and extremely kind. A true King and leader to his people.
James had struggled not to like the man. It had been obvious even to him that he did love Sarah. After Richard spoke to him – man to man- James knew that despite his hesitancy, it was obvious that Richard would do anything for Sarah. Richard had just said the actual words.
"I'd do anything for her. She's extremely special."
James had been a bit shocked but kept his mouth shut as the King had told him that he had loved her from the moment he met her.
"She makes you love her."
James had his head down at the time, but he had smiled and nodded slightly. "She does that…make you love her. More than you thought you should or could. That's what makes her soo special."
"I would help you…really I would…but my people would never understand me risking our people for the sake of others without recompense. Without an heir they already feel as if they have a harsh future in store should I pass on, and bringing them into a war that they are not a part of would make them question me. If I had not met Sarah I would have just declined involving myself in a war…but now I don't think I can bare the thought of her losing the people she cares for. She really loves you and your brother you know. She'd do anything for your family. You're very lucky. All of you."
James had stared at the man for a moment, about to thank him for his time, when Sarah had suddenly spoken right behind Richard.
"Then become part of it."
Richard and James had looked at her oddly when Sarah placed herself between them and held Richard's hand.
"Marry me…and I will give you an heir. You protect my family…and I will create one with you."
James had instantly stiffened, and was about to grab Sarah and drag her out when Richard had placed his own hand over hers that had grabbed his other so tightly.
"Sarah…I can't see you like that. You are extremely beautiful…but I don't feel that way for you." Richard had said the words so quietly and kindly that James knew it had the opposite effect on Sarah.
"Richard…please understand I do not see you like that either…but I am useless to my family if I don't find someone to help us. After everything I confided in you…can you not see that this is the answer for both of us? I know it will be hard, but everything worth something in life is."
Richard had sighed. "If you are sure…then I will agree. But if another more suitable suitor presents himself I will step aside. I don't want to hurt you Sarah."
James had known then that even though Richard was not IN love with Sarah…she would want for nothing.
What more could he and his brother have asked for?
"Why isn't he here with you?" David asked curiously, wanting to see this man for himself.
"Apparently he's not the only one that came through the portal. Father's here. They both brought some men with them. Richard says father was setting up camp close by. Looks like both of them were prepared for war from what he said to me. Everyone knows of our kingdom's intentions. Kidnapping Sarah seems like a move father would make. He know's we'd do anything to protect Sarah. Right now would be the moment to strike. " Prince David said as he looked over at Pin and then his other self.
David felt that his other self didn't trust him, could feel it with the way he looked at him. Knowing that HE wouldn't feel at ease until he spoke with his wife, David decided to relieve him of any fears.
"I know you don't trust me...but my Snow has already grown quite attached to her sister. She ah...she doesn't have one in our realm." David hesitated with the last bit, feeling somewhat horrible for even saying the words.
Pin whipped his head around, "Wait...you mean Sarah doesn't exist here?"
"No. As a matter of fact...Snow and Regina are enemies here." David said without removing his gaze from Prince David.
Laughter immediately came out of Prince David. "Well that's impossible."
"It's not. Things...things were different for them. Maybe Sarah not existing is a major reason for it...maybe not. But my Snow has seemed to put her feud with Regina aside for Sarah. They've...they've developed a real relationship. I can say I've never seen my wife act like this before." David gave a small smile.
"Please tell me Sarah's with you!" Anita asked as she appeared out of the woods, her question directed at David and Prince James.
Red exited the woods almost immediately after the question was asked, with someone that David had not seen in years - someone he knew to be dead.
"Graham!" David said, immediately his eyes caught on the interlocked hands of Graham and Red.
The look of shock must have been evident when Graham spoke, "Prince David." A small bowing of his head and obvious tightening of his hand in Red's showing his distrust at the sight of him.
"You're...you're alive and well I see." David said with a little nod, trying to work out in his mind how to tell Regina AND Emma about this little development. Closing his eyes a second he shook his head as he realized just how complicated his life had become recently.
"Don't look so happy about it!" James said with a furrowed brow, showing how unusual the reaction was from his brother.
"It's ah...complicated. Graham was sheriff of our town but...he passed away a few years ago." David explained haltingly, not really wanting to upset anyone, and knowing immediately that he had. Red immediately looked with distraught eyes between him and Graham.
"How...why...what happened to him?" Red asked. The reason that she had been searching for Sarah forgotten at the notion that Graham was dead.
"Sweetheart...he's not me." Graham said turning Red to look him in his eye and cupping her face. "I'm not going anywhere that you won't be."
Graham's light blue eyes trying to convey to the woman he loved that he was right there with her, that he would never leave her side.
"Why were you looking for Sarah?" Pin interrupted the obvious couple, his own worries about Sarah overthrowing manners.
"She sent us to keep watch on two prisoners when we felt the jolt of magic wash through us. We figured Sarah was in trouble and she needed us. We secured the prisoners and have been searching for her since." Anita stated as she stared directly at Prince James, knowing that he took Sarah's safety incredibly seriously.
James nodded his head, already turning and about to search for Sarah when his brother yelled for him.
"Don't forget if father is here...he'll go after Sarah." Prince David reminded his brother.
"I'd never forget something like that." James said as he began to walk towards the center of town, not once turning back to look at his brother.
Snow and Mary Margret looked between Sarah and the shadow in front of her. The word 'wife' making Snow feel like something had slammed into her chest hard.
All these years she had thought it had been a dream that Sarah had just thought too real.
At the moment she wanted to take back every off hand remark about how Sarah had a wild imagination.
But when she heard Sarah speak, she knew her sister was beyond confused and hurt. "How...what...Snow...tell me I'm dreaming right now."
The shadow slowly turned, and the black shadow's hand moved and caressed Sarah's face.
Sarah's eyes closed and a tear slowly emerged from one of them, cascading down her cheek and down her chin.
Slowly, and knowing that Sarah was going to suffer because of him, Malcolm slowly drifted back into the shadow, where he showed his true form once more. Slowly he lifted his bowed head to stare into the eyes of the woman he loved.
The Crocodile looked between the shadow and the young woman, not believing what was happening in front of his eyes. Rumplestiltskin's mouth hung open as he finally understood why Sarah had felt familiar to him. Why he felt safe when she held him.
Though none of it made sense with what he had already experienced...something in him told him that this was not a one dimensional occurence.
The next second everyone watched as Sarah shook her head and approached the man everyone now knew to be her husband.
"Where's Jason?" The question was whispered out...as if her heart was still not beating, as if a switch had been hit and the Sarah of just minutes before was gone.
Here was Sarah. The woman who gave birth to a son, and had been torn away from the man that she loved.
Malcolm said nothing as his eyes twitched to the three versions of his son. Bringing his gaze back to Sarah, Malcolm knew he needed to explain what had happened all those years ago. Knowing that no matter how he had tried to save his son, Sarah would never forgive him for his mistake.
"I was lost without you. I...I didn't know if you had run away or..." Malcolm tried to explain but he saw the impatience on Sarah's face.
"Where's- my - son Malcolm?" Sarah tried to calm herself, saying each word slowly and with emphasis. Keeping her eyes closed she tried to ward off the feeling of fear that had settled into the pit of her stomach.
"I tried to stop it...from taking him. I pleaded with it to take his place. I should have never brought him with me." Malcolm said as he saw his wife losing her calm to fear and panic.
Snow and Mary Margret were instantly by Sarah's side, grabbing their sister's formed fists. Knowing at any second she was about to lose control.
"Someone tell me they can make him bone and flesh again, because so help me Malcolm...if anything has happened to our son I will place you in a grave MYSELF!" Sarah's hands were stopped by her sisters. Both of them retraining her as best they could.
Snow knew that the anger was a defense mechanism to keep from crying. Since she was a little girl it had been the only indication that she was on the verge of tears. And Snow immediately saw them forming in Sarah's eyes as she looked at the figure she called Malcolm.
"He's alright!" Mrs. Charming said stepping towards the three women. Looking at Malcolm and then at this woman that she was understanding was...her sister...trying to calm her down.
Regina moved towards her daughters, knowing that whatever this Malcolm said, Sarah's worst fears had come true.
"Sarah...sweetheart...you need to calm down. Wherever he is...we'll find him." Regina tried to calm Sarah down, grabbing Sarah's face and linking her eyes with her own.
"Mamma...I'll never forgive myself for listening to everyone. It was real! I knew it was! I could be cradling my boy right now if I hadn't listened!"
"Sarah it's not your fault! Everyone made you doubt yourself...and they never should have." Regina wiped away the tears from her daughter's face, feeling as though she herself had let her down.
Madame Mayor didn't know how to take in everything that was happening in front of her. Mrs. Charming felt as if she had been slapped in the face with the understanding that Sarah was Regina's daughter...let alone that if Malcolm was who she thought he was...that meant that...
Both Madame Mayor and Mrs. Charming turned and looked at the three Rumplestiltskin's in the room as they both processed the possibility of who he was in relation to them. Miss Swan had arrived to the same conclusion, especially since she saw the way all of the various versions of Rumplestiltskin had been looking at Malcolm as if they had seen a ghost.
"Regina! Mother's on the rampage! Snow's been scratching herself..." Zelena stopped talking as she popped in to the drama that was unfolding to see Sarah's tear stained face and still brimming eyes.
"What the hell did you do to her?!" Zelena all but screamed and immediately moved towards Sarah.
Regina gave Zelena an angered exasperated look as Zelena moved her aside to take Sarah's face in her own hands.
Sarah tried to calm herself, knowing that exciting her Aunt was not the best of ideas at the moment.
"Sarah...what happened?" Zelena asked as she gave her full attention to her niece and didn't even move her eyes to the obvious shadowy figure not a few feet away.
"What's going on?!" Came the strong voice of none other than Queen Cora.
Madame Mayor and Mrs. Charming watched with gaping mouths as two versions of Cora were suddenly there with one carrying a baby...and the other one...
"Oh my god." Mrs. Charming said as she recognized the child holding hands with Queen Cora as herself as a child.
"MOTHER! What do you think you're doing she shouldn't be out of the hospital bed!" Regina snapped as she rushed to a still quite miserable yellow skinned Snow White.
"I felt like Sarah needed me." Little Snow responded, even as Regina hiked her up into her arms - something that was hilarious since Little Snow was almost the same height as Regina. Something that Regina cared little about as she saw just how exhausted the little girl was, instantly wrapping her arms and legs around Regina as she put her head in the crook of her neck.
Regina kissed her head and felt for a temperature. "Mmm...Mother how could you have brought her, she has an infection! She needs to stay in the hospital!"
Little Snow snuggled into Regina more as the remaining affects of the anesthesia still weighed her eyelids down.
Sarah wiped away her tears quickly before Little Snow could see them, but she never expected for the baby to realize she had been crying. And even as Sarah wiped away her tears Baby Snow's lips became a pitiful little pout.
"It's ok Snow. I'm ok." Sarah said quickly wiping away her tears as Little Snow opened her eyes and the baby once again tried to dive out of the hold Cora held her in to reach whom she wanted.
Sarah quickly dove to catch the baby before she fell to the floor, and placed her on her hip as she sniffled trying to control her emotions.
Baby Snow began to make noises of discontent as she looked passed Sarah to Malcolm.
"It's ok Snow. Mal won't hurt you." Sarah soothed as she stepped closer to Malcolm, despite wanting to smash his face in - Sarah knew that Malcolm would never harm a child.
Baby Snow seemed to actually understand and listen to Sarah.
Malcolm moved slightly and his black hand formed in the light and immediately he lowered it to show it's true form once more, not wanting to scare the child.
"Hello Snow." Malcolm said with a small smile.
And when Baby Snow smiled back and laughed, everyone felt the room lighten slightly.
"Not to be rude...but your sister was quite cute as a baby." Malcolm said with a small laugh.
Baby Snow laughed at Malcolm's laugh, and before Sarah could react, once more the baby tried to dive out of the arms holding her to reach for Malcolm.
No one expected for Malcolm's shadowy hands...to become solid pink flesh... and catch her.
Alternate Enchanted Forest Past
Regina felt her heart beating wilding as she snuck through the halls of the castle. Though her wing of the castle was quite well guarded, it seemed that the King's side was not as guarded oddly enough.
To reach the stairs leading down to the bottom floor she had needed to bypass the ones on her side of the wing – the guards were stationed too close for her to successfully sneak away.
As she had made her way through hallways, she found the safest path had lead closer to the King's bedroom. A place she had never been, not even on her wedding night. Proving to her that not only did the King not love her – he still mourned the loss of his wife – and was only providing for a mother for Snow.
Which helped lead her to a major decision.
She was going to do it. Let Rumplestiltskin teach her magic.
As horrible as the moment had been when she pushed her mother through the glass…the sensation of using magic had felt so powerful, soo good – she knew she needed to feel the sensation once more.
Quietly she looked down the hall and smiled as she noticed the way to the stairs was without guards and smiled in triumph. Heart racing for the first time with excitement when a moment of fright hit her and made her stop in her tracks.
This one moment.
This one.
It would change the rest of her life forever.
A sound suddenly filled the hall and Regina quickly hid, expecting someone to come down the hall any second. Her moment of fear hopefully saving her from…
The sound came again interrupting Regina's thoughts, this time accompanied by words that she could not make out.
Cautiously she stuck her head back into the hallway and saw no one was there, but when she continued to hear a voice speaking…she realized the voice was coming from the King's chambers.
The sound of a sudden whimper was clearly heard and the sound of shushing immediately followed.
It didn't take very long for Regina to understand what was occurring in the King's chambers.
Anger flared inside of her.
The King had not visited her chambers because he obviously had been entertaining in his.
Slowly with anger clearly visible on her face she slowly moved down the hall towards the bedroom.
The closer she came to the closed door, the more she could tell that someone was crying behind them. The sound of the King sushing came once more and the distinct sound of kissing.
Eyebrows furrowing as she approached the doors she could hear the soft voice of the King.
"I love you more than anything in this world…"
Regina felt anger flood through her being. Grabbing the door and about to swing it wide open to confront the woman lying with her husband, she barely held the handle when the voice that she heard made everything in her body turn cold as ice.
"I love you too…father."
Regina's eyes had widened to saucers as she again heard the sound of kissing.
Shaking her head she tried to calm the sudden horror and disgust that rose in her.
She must be going insane. There was another explanation for the sounds - there had to be. The King would never…
Another loud gasp followed by a 'good girl' was what made Regina slowly open the door a fraction of an inch.
Bracing herself Regina felt tears travel down her face as only the sight of part of the bed was seen, just allowing her enough to know that they were indeed in the bed. She knew she would need to open the door wider to really see.
For the first time in her life Regina prayed. She prayed that what she thought was occurring was not. That the magic she had used had somehow drove her insane and she was now seeing and hearing things that were not true.
But as the horror filled her, she continued to hear other noises.
She didn't realize that while her mind was trying to rationalize what she thought she was hearing, her body had made up it's mind and opened the door a few inches more.
The contents of her stomach instantly wanted to come up at the sight of King Leopold over a crying Snow White.
Regina's eyes were wide with shock, her mouth having dropped open as the man that all considered to be a beloved King moved over his young daughter indicating the act he was performing with the child.
Snow's eyes were closed shut tightly as tears spilled out of them.
"My Snow…"
It was her name that snapped Regina out of the horror of witnessing what the King was doing into action.
Bursting into the room and with anger coursing through her body she yelled at the disgusting excuse of a King.
"GET OFF OF HER YOU DISGUSTING PIG!" Regina rushed in without thought to the consequences and pushed the King off of the young Snow White, who immediately had opened her eyes and scrambled away from her father and towards Regina.
Regina could feel the tears falling down the child's face as a very naked Snow White wrapped herself around her. Regina instantly tried to lift her up and hold her against her like a tiny child, instead she could only wrap her arms around her instead as they both shivered together. Regina with anger, and Snow with fear. Trying in some small way to shield Snow from the monster she now knew the King to be, she crushed Snow against her.
"What are you doing here? These are MY chambers…" King Leopold scrambled up from the floor stark naked and angry at the sudden intrusion. The King whom she thought to be meager, kind, and loving transforming into his true nature.
"GET away from her… you… disgusting son of a bitch. You're a monster!" Regina stared daggers at Leopold as she held tightly to Snow, who was crying so profusely as she shivered in fright at the sight of her father approaching them with anger in his eyes which she had always avoided at all costs.
"You…have no right. GET OUT THIS INSTANCE!" Yelled the King as he rushed at Regina punching her across the face and making her lose her tight grip on a now screaming Snow.
"FATHER! NO! PLEASE!" Snow tried to pull her father away from a now recovering Regina who now had the naked King above her already, having grabbed her by the throat and choking her for any breathe left in her body with both hands.
"As King I may do as I please in my castle. You, who married me while loving another…you are the one who is the monster." The King's craziness was seen in his eyes as Regina struggled against him to try and breathe, trying with everything in her to try and remove his hold even as Snow continued screaming and hitting him.
"FATHER NO! YOU'RE HURTING HER!" Snow screamed, hitting her father trying to make him stop from hurting her new mother.
Looking around Snow knew that she needed to get her Father off of Regina before he did something more than hurt her. Fear for Regina coursing through her veins her mind tried to figure a way to stop him.
The vase near the bed caught her eye and winced as she knew if it did not work, she would be the next punished.
Quickly Snow grabbed the vase on the table and closing her eyes hit her father in the head.
Smashing the vase against the King's head was enough to cause him to let go of Regina.
Snow dove for Regina trying to help get her off of the ground as Regina coughed as she held her neck, trying to rub the sensation of his hands off her skin.
"Do you think my daughter wouldn't tell me?" The King said as he rose from the ground stumbling from the dizziness the hit had caused.
The look of rage on Regina's face at the idea of him trying to justify the despicable act would have skewered the King where he stood.
"You…you said you didn't love him. He said I could love him for you. You need to…go…go Regina." Snow whispered her crying words, still trying to help Regina to stand up and save herself from her father's wrath.
Regina's eyes had widened as she realized in that moment that Snow had not just told her mother about Daniel…she had told Leopold.
"She pleaded with me to still marry you. She told me how your love left you…but she still wanted you to be her mother. And this…this is how you repay me?" King Leopold reached for his sword that lay across the long table against the wall, walking slowly towards Regina who had yet to stand up.
The sight of the naked man approaching with the sword was not what made Regina's heart freeze.
It was his words.
His words made her gasping for breathe stop as she turned fearful eyes to Snow.
Snow who was crying openly as Regina realized what had been occurring the whole time she had been in this castle. What she had almost missed because of her own grief and anger.
The look of sadness in Snow's eyes in that moment would forever remain locked in her mind.
The look of pleading in her eyes to leave her father's bedroom laced with a look of fear and sadness…it felt as if Regina's heart had stopped.
She couldn't. She couldn't walk away from this….knowing. Knowing what he was doing to his own daughter.
Having wanted to hurt this little girl because of how she ruined her life, she had never stopped to think why. Why? Why had Snow wanted her as a mother.
Snow had taken her place in Leopold's bed…because she had wanted her as a mother…because she had saved Snow. Because Snow saw her as the only person that had saved her.
The truth hit her in the face in a way that even Leopold's punch couldn't. But when Snow lifted her hand and wiped away the blood that she had not noticed leaking out of her nose, she grabbed the child's hand, determined to protect Snow with her own life.
"You're never touching her again." Regina said fiercely as she finally pulled herself up, only to be grabbed by the hair by the King.
"NOOOO! FATHER!" Snow screamed as the King once more grabbed Regina by her throat, pinning her against the wall as he began squeezing her fragile column with one hand, lifting his sword to her throat with his other hand.
Regina tried to pry him away from her, thrashing her body as much as she could. The magic that had surged through her to push her mother into the glass nowhere to be found. Snow continued to hit her father trying to get him to release Regina- to get the sword from his grasp, but nothing would stop his rage as the secret he had kept hidden from all came to light.
Snow panicked completely as she saw how Regina was not fighting as forcefully as before, letting her know she needed to do something quickly. She need to save her mother.
For the first time knowing that she was doing the wrong thing for the right reason…her hands did what her heart knew had to be done.
"STTTTOOOOOOOPP IIIIIIIIIITTTTT!"
The scream piercing the air was followed by a jerk of Leopold's body.
Suddenly not held as tightly, Regina used her remaining strength and pushed Leopold away from her, sending the King flying back to hit his head against the corner of the table. The very one he had grabbed his sword from.
Regina tried to catch her breathe, coughing and sputtering trying to regain her sight as the loss of oxygen had made everything hazy. Seconds ticked by…not realizing what she or Snow had done, until she finally looked over to see Snow…still naked…holding a knife bathed in blood.
Snow just continued looking at the blade herself- completely still- as her eyes stared at the blood that covered her hand along with the blade. Her mouth hung slightly open, her stare empty.
The blankness on her face showing that shock of what she had done had hit her in force.
Regina turned scared eyes towards Leopold, to see what had happened, and saw the blood pooling beside the very limp form of the naked man. It made the fear of seconds before return once more – by tenfold.
It didn't matter if the blade had killed him or if the hit to the head had.
The King was dead.…and they would both be held accountable for it.
Regina knew no matter what anyone thought of her or even Snow….nothing justified having killed the King. Even him touching Snow in such a way…the people would never take it as justification for his death – even if the people of the kingdom believed their King would do such a thing with his daughter.
Looking at Snow in that moment all of the anger she had ever felt towards the girl was gone. Motherly instincts the day she had met Snow had surged back to life at the sight of Leopold laying over the girl. The instinct to protect Snow came back as her heart and mind told her…this was a line of morality she would never cross.
No child deserved what Leopold had done to Snow.
And that's what she had finally seen.
A child.
At this moment, as Snow's blank stare was fixated on the blade tainted with blood, Regina knew that she would never let another person harm the girl.
Regina resolved her fate then and there. If they were to be caught…Regina would claim to have killed the King. Snow would be absolved of any crime. They may execute her…but they would never touch Snow.
Though she was the King's daughter….Regina knew they would execute the girl. The people of the kingdom would demand her head for the death of their beloved King…and if they thought the young girl were to blame they wouldn't hesitate to hang her. Child or not.
Even if she wasn't put to death, the tarnish of such a scandal would forever tarnish her future.
The sound of guards in the distance finally brought Regina back to the present.
Quickly she grabbed the sheets off the bed and wrapped them around the still very naked Snow.
"Snow we need to go! Snow! Sweetheart….you need to listen to me." Regina finished wrapping up the naked girl and grabbed her face trying to bring Snow out of her shocked state.
"Did I hurt father?" Snow's scared little voice came out so quietly that Regina felt her heart break.
Looking at the blade in Snow's hand, Regina slowly placed her hand around the hilt of the blade, smearing her hand as well as Snow's with the blood.
Tears springing up once more in her eyes, Regina knew she had to protect the little girl…they would know with one look that Snow had stabbed her father with all the blood on her arm. The blade having dripped it's contents down Snow's arm as she had remained still as she looked at the deadly weapon.
Regina knew Snow had stabbed her father trying to save her.
She had chosen her over her own father, even though he had somehow convinced her that what he felt for her was love. That what he had been doing to her was love.
"No…no baby. I hurt your father. I did it." Regina tried to keep her tears at bay seeing the agony and inner turmoil in the young girl's eyes.
Sounds of the guards came closer to the room, making Regina run to the door and close it. Barely being able to from lack of strength, she placed the wood bar across the door just in time as the guards began to yell at the closed door for the King. Never had she been more grateful for the safety precautions of the King's chambers before.
The sound of the guards suddenly hitting the door, made both of them jump – snapping Snow out of her blank space.
"They'll take you away from me. I can't lose you too Regina. I can't lose you too." Snow's eyes looked at the door crying with such panic as the guards continued to yell and pound to let them in. Already having lost her own mother, Snow knew she couldn't lose another.
Regina quickly moved and grabbed Snow who was softly crying once more. Lifting her up with a surge of adrenaline she began carrying Snow like a little baby, barely staying upright as she did so.
Regina knew there was a passage out of the King's chambers like there was in hers. Quickly Regina began to search the walls for the lever for it, hoping against hope she could find it before the guards broke down the door.
Snow reached for a torch hanging on the fireplace and opened the door she knew would be there.
Kissing Snow's head in relived thanks, Regina quickly entered the passage and immediately closed it behind them.
Regina didn't know what to do as she held Snow tightly to her as they ran through the dark passage.
Her mind trying to form a plan and knowing one wrong move would lead to their death. The only person she knew who could help them was in another dimension because of her listening to Rumplestiltskin, a man she barely knew. A man whom she knew could help her…but how could she reach him if they were stuck in the castle?
Somehow…someway…she needed her mother's help. Their lives depended on it.
Snow's life depended on it.
She needed to reach the shattered mirror. If she could somehow reopen the portal, she knew her mother would help them.
From this moment on she knew that she was the only person that Snow would ever have. She would be the only one to protect her, to make sure no one would ever hurt her again.
Snow cried quietly against Regina's neck, her tears rolling down Regina's skin, reminding her every second why she was doing this. The reason she was risking her life.
Nightmares of the possibility of not having found out what the 'good' King had been doing behind closed doors tormenting her for years. The way she had hated the little girl who had suffered because of her own selfishness would be a blackness in her heart for all of time. And the words she had said would forever haunt her waking hours.
"He said I could love him for you."
Regina barely noticed the matching tears that ran down her own face as they made their way through the secret tunnels of the castle.
Back to Regina's room, where she once thought the walls would forever be her jail, now holding the only chance of them living through the day.
Author's Note: Ok...what did you guys think? Please review and let me know! Let's try for 15 reviews?! What do you guys say? Keep going...or end this story now?