It all began here. All those years ago. No. It hadn't been all that long ago. It only felt that way because of how difficult things had become. Things had once been so simple here. How old had they been when they first met? She, seventeen, him, the same. That had been the start. Three years later, and they had tried to run away together. Runaway and have their family, safe, together, whole. Three years. Stolen looks. Kissing in secret. So much more. It was dizzying to think about. She couldn't stop. Until Lynn, Daniel had been all she ever wanted. Now, it was Lynn…and a fantasy of a life beyond this one. A life in another world. She pushed the notion aside again. It was likely even more ridiculous than the fantasy of bringing Daniel back. She couldn't think like that. She wouldn't let herself think like that. She needed to find peace. That was why she had come, wasn't it? She couldn't be sure, not anymore. Life had, at one point, felt like a fairy tale, and that was a type of magic only innocence could yield. She didn't have the luxury of that, and hadn't in a very long time.

A sinking feeling returned to her.

It was a reminder. A reminder of what had happened after Lynn's birth had been announced to the kingdom. That day had been a horrible one in and of itself. Even the presentation of Lynn to the kingdom had not been on her or her mother's terms. It was the fight with Leopold after, however, that stuck out the most. She felt sick just thinking about it. How long had she forced the memory away? Of that, she couldn't quite be sure either. Lynn. She had been contentedly asleep. For what she had only intended to be a few minutes, Regina had left the infant with her grandfather. She briefly smiled. Her father had always loved Lynn, and even then he had infinite patience with her. It had been something of a miracle that night. She had been told to meet her husband in the drawing room, a massive space she rarely set foot in because of how horribly it reminded her of that same room at home. Cora had always used it as a place of menace, a place where she tormented her daughter. That night, at least, Leopold had, so far as Regina was concerned, meant to do the very same. Intimidate her. Scare her.

The argument that ensued had been explosive.

"Don't you dare!" Regina had yanked her arm out of her husband's grasp, trembling. "I am not going to let you write myself or my daughter out of this story!"

"That is the last thing I am trying to do!" Leopold had snapped back. "I am trying to preserve the integrity of the monarchy, and presenting Lynn as the second child is part of that! It should, also, go without saying that she will never be queen!"

"So say you!" Regina had bit off. "That doesn't preclude -"

"Snow is the eldest, and she is the only one of them who is truly royal!" Leopold had hardened his gaze on his wife. "You of all people should understand why I had no choice but to do what I did today at her presentation!"

"Oh?" Regina had shouted. "Then, when the time comes, explain to them all about the pain and embarrassment you put their mother through!"

"You think I've caused you pain and embarrassment?" Leopold had stared at her in disgust. "How do you think I feel when I have to look at Lynn and present her as a royal child, then?"

Her fingers curled at the memory. Violence. It was the only way she had, in recent memory, been able to ensure what she wanted would be done. That was true in every sense, up to and including where it concerned protecting Lynn. Leopold had always fancied himself above violence, and in most respects he had been. Not towards her, however. Not when it came to words. She paused. Took a look around. Up. Down. Left. Right. It was all bitterly familiar. She swallowed hard. All her life, she realised, she had only ever felt love as violence. Apart from her father. Apart from her daughter. She barely realised it when she started crying, and barely felt it when she reached up to brush the tears aside. Everything was whispering in her ears again. They taunted her. Haunted her. Reminded her that she was, in so many ways, very much fallen from grace. In so many ways, she was unrecognisable. Would Daniel still love her after all she had done? Would he be able to recognise her? And Lynn? Would she be able to recognise her mother as she aged, as she came to see everything her mother had done?

There was a reason she had always loved mirrors.

They showed only what you saw.

And that made them incredibly easy to hide behind.

They were incredibly easy to lie to.

There was nothing about a mirror that could not be controlled.

She slowly knelt down, something catching her eye among the hay. It glinted against the light. Her fingers slipped into it. A necklace. One she recognised. She fell forward, sobbing despite herself. She clutched it to her chest. It was the necklace she thought she had lost when they left this place for the first time. It had been kept up kept immaculately, of course, but she never imagined this would be preserved, left untouched. She hadn't even realised it still existed. She had long since assumed her mother had destroyed it, another act to hurt her. Instead, she found it here. In her hands. Pressed against her heart. She sobbed, unable to control herself. She was alone. It didn't matter. The necklace. It had been hers as a child. One she had meant to give her own child when they were born. She had never gotten that opportunity. Yet here it was, now. That was it. This could be it. This could be what she finally needed to have peace within herself, and for Lynn.

She wasn't sure how long it was, but, eventually, she stopped crying. Eventually, she stood up, brushed all her tears aside. She caught a glimpse of herself in a broken mirror in the stable.

Regal.

Stately.

A bit covered in hay.

Apart from being a bit mussed, it would have been impossible to tell she had been crying at all.

She slowly spun the necklace between her fingers.

She was the queen.

She -

"Regina?"

She almost fainted. That voice. That damn voice.

"I had a feeling you might be back here," Snow paused, only a few feet away from her step mother. "I held up my end of the deal, and you held up yours. So, now, it's my turn to ask for a parlay."

Regina's fingers began to tremble despite herself, and she hid them and the necklace behind her back.

"You make it sound as if I have any interest in that."

"You can't always have the upper hand," Snow said. "We have support, Regina. George's kingdom is bankrupt, Midas has no interest in either side, and Leah and Stefan have given me and Charming their full support, their army. And one of our own."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"

"It's an admission," Snow fell quiet. "Regina, if you give up the throne, if you give up this pursuit to kill me and give up harming others to get me, we can let things lie. No one else has to get hurt."

"And that's where you're wrong," Regina said, stepping towards her. "You -"

Before she could finish, she was snagged from behind. Letting out a startled scream, the queen attempted to use her magic against whomever had grabbed her. It was no use. She was caught off guard. They were faster. Within moments, she was pinned to the ground, face to face with the same man who had done so over a month before. She just barely slipped the necklace into the pocket of her dress. Her arms were grabbed, flung above her head, and tied up. She let out a pained cry when he tightened the ropes around her wrists. There was anger in his eyes. Perhaps it was warranted. She couldn't do anything but scream, mostly out of pain, but partially in the vain hope that this was a nightmare she would soon awaken from. That wasn't the case. With every second, it dawned on her how painfully real all of this was. And it was leaving her powerless. Defenceless. She was completely at the mercy of someone else, yet again, and this time it was the same person who had almost done so before. He hadn't succeeded then. He very much had now.

She could barely feel it when she was yanked off the ground by him, and then grabbed on both sides by two knights. They, she assumed, were Leah and Stefan's.

"You should have surrendered when I gave you the chance," Snow said quietly, barely able to meet her step mother's eyes. "I hoped you would."

"You evidently don't know me well, then."

"We do," Charming turned towards her, his voice cold. "We knew you couldn't resist going after Snow, and, now, because of your bloodlust, the kingdom is ours. Your reign of evil is over."

Regina barely felt the world around her as she was pushed into a carriage. Twilight was starting to fall. Dread hung in the air. She was humiliated. Destroyed.

What were they going to do when they…

The world, for what felt like so long, turned to black.

"We found this on her. Do you know what it is?"

Warily, Charming held up a necklace in front of the ladies of Willowsand. He showed no sign of discomfort, but it was something he felt deep inside. Regina was locked away, he reminded himself. It would not be long until she was executed. He took a glance out the window. It had been only a few days, but they had felt much longer. This felt to be the first start to the sunset he had seen since twilight had fallen when Regina had finally been cornered. He looked back towards the two women standing before him. One began to adjust her glasses, the other watching him closely. Curiosity glinted in her eyes. Rage glinted in her wife's. He couldn't understand them. There was something about them which seemed so strange for them to be as close with Regina as they were. Snow had recalled something about Caity, at least, having been a childhood friend of Regina's despite being several years younger than the queen. The former queen, he reminded himself. It would not be long before he and Snow became the king and queen of Misthaven. This was just something to be sorted out first. Enough people had suffered because of Regina. Everyone deserved for her to see justice.

"It's a family heirloom," Caity spat. "One I distinctly recall her having lost but, before that time, having told me she would give it to her child when they were born."

"It's harmless," Sherry said calmly. She offered him a tense smile when he set it in her hands. "What are you doing with Lynn?"

"We're going to determine that later," He glanced warily to Caity. "Though Lynn herself is quite distraught and seems to want the two of you or Red. What did Regina do to her?"

"Red or Lynn?" Caity bitterly sassed.

"Red," His eyes narrowed.

"You don't deserve to know," She said, coldly crossing her arms. "You obviously can't look into the darkness and find anything of value amongst it."

He shook his head. "There is nothing of value in darkness."

They began to walk. Sherry slipped the necklace into her purse. Unlike the others, she and Caity had dressed in black. Funeral garb. Her wife reached up and pulled her wide brimmed hat farther down her head. Sherry touched her shoulder. They knew what was to come as well as he did, and why they had been forced to attend. It made sense. They both would have, admittedly, found a way to stop Regina's execution if they were left unmonitored. Knowing they would become Lynn's caregivers was the only bit of justice they felt could be possibly served by this. Regina would not have her life dragged through the mud in front of her daughter with them. She would not be further traumatised in their care. Still, it was sickening. They had both been crying on and off for days every time the subject arose, including with Henry, Regina's father. Lynn still did not know what was to happen. She was with Henry, them both under intense, scrutinising watch. They were the only two people who would not be attending Regina's execution. They walked.

"Without darkness, you'd never see the stars," Caity's breath caught in her throat, her high voice letting out a horrified gasp when she saw Regina, helpless, restrained. "You -"

"Shush, love," Sherry squeezed her hand, her eyes wavering on Regina's. "I'm so sorry…" She whispered.

She wasn't sure if Regina heard her above all the commotion. The disgusting excitement. She chose to believe Regina heard, and that she understood.

If there were another life after death, she only hoped Regina would be able to be happy there.

"Keep them beside us," Charming ordered two guards. Caity and Sherry were jostled to be pushed flush against his and Snow's thrones, and just beside Snow. "We cannot risk them intervening."

Snow looked down at her hands. She then, impulsively, reached for the one nearest hers, which happened to be Caity's. She was swatted away.

"Regina," A judge approached the queen, who was shaking badly. "This is your opportunity to meet your end with a clear conscience. Do you have any last words?"

She hesitated, struggling to muster any semblance of composure.

"Yes," She finally got out, her voice low. "Yes, I do."

Silence.

"I know I'm being judged for my past," She continued, her voice becoming more forceful. "A past where I've caused pain, a past where I've inflicted misery, a past where I've...even brought death. When I...look back at everything I've done, I want you all to know what I feel, and that is...regret."

Murmurs.

Whispers.

Voices.

They started to get louder.

Screams.

Jeers.

They all could have been quiet and it would have sounded the same to her.

Then, her gaze met her step daughter's. A woman who had refused to look at her since what had happened in the stables just days prior.

"Regret," Regina's voice began to shake in anger. "That I was not able to cause more pain. Inflict more misery, and bring about more death…and, above all else, with every ounce of my being, I regret that I was not able to kill -" She all but forced her step daughter to meet her eyes. "Snow White!"

Gasps.

Screams.

Calls for her death.

"Arrows!" Charming stood up.

Regina met his eyes with nothing but pure malice until the moment she was blindfolded.

"Take your aim."

Cheers.

"Fire!"

A scream.

"Stop!"

Several things hit the ground at the same time. At least, that was how it sounded. Suddenly, the blindfold was ripped off her. The little bit she was able to move, Regina reached up, grabbing her chest in disbelief. She was not the only one in shock. There were protests. Further calls for her death. Then, her eyes fell on her friends. Sherry had tightly embraced her wife, holding her steady against her, and barely holding back tears herself. Caity held her hands against her mouth, her glasses fogging up from sobs. Suddenly, however, her gaze was diverted again. This time, it fell back onto her step daughter. Snow was standing, just in front of her throne, and looked almost sickened. What that meant, so far as Regina could tell, was anyone's guess. She finally looked down at the ground. The arrows meant to kill her were littered there. They had been stopped. By magic. From Snow's command. Why? Regina met her step daughter's gaze again, her pure loathing and unadulterated rage punctuated only by the confusion and relief she was fighting so desperately to hide.

"Take her back to the tower," Snow ordered the guards. "She will live."

"Snow -" Charming began.

She met his eyes, blinking back tears.

"This is not the way."

Alone.

Regina stared out the window, her fingers aimlessly tapping against the sil.

Where were Lynn and her father and her friends?

What was Snow playing at?

Pain.

She couldn't tell if it were physical or not anymore.

Sadness.

Guilt.

Bitterness.

She closed her eyes.

If there were any way to let life restart, she knew she would take it. That was something to which she knew she would never - could never - admit. More than anything else, she wanted her daughter, and she wanted her in that life she had seen. It was a pointless fantasy more and more each day. She wanted to cling to it. She knew better. Instead, it had become a story she had begun telling Lynn to help her fall asleep. How long ago had it been when she last spoke to, last saw her daughter? It felt worse than it had when Lynn had been kidnapped. What were they doing to her now? What was she being told about her mother that would never be able to be explained? There were a great deal of things she knew she could not defend. Still, they were not everything. They were far from everything she had ever done. They were far from what defined her. She opened her eyes. She glanced down at her wrist. She could not use magic until the bracelet wound around it was removed, and that was something only another person could do. It was one of the worst feelings.

Powerless.

Defenceless.

At the mercy of others.

"...Leave us, please."

"...But I have direct orders from the prince -"

"...And, now, you have direct orders from me."

Click.

The heavy iron door opened behind her.

She refused to turn around and look at the woman who entered.

"First you stop my execution, and then you defy your prince to see me?" She scoffed. "Should I be worried there's trouble in paradise?"

"I'm not here to talk about my fiancé."

Regina finally turned around, her eyes narrow and cold.

"Then why are you here?"

Snow sighed. "I know you weren't always like this, Regina," She said gently. "The woman who saved my life all those years ago...she had good in her."

"That woman lost much," Regina shortly replied. "And, now, she's gone."

"Maybe," Snow paused, then shook her head. "But, as hard as you've tried to bury her, I think she's still inside you."

"No. She's not."

Snow pretended not to hear her. "All you need," She shook when she opened the door to the tower. "Is someone to help you let her out."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"I saw how you broke down about Lynn. I saw how your few friends believe you're a good person at heart. I'm letting the woman who saved my life go," She hesitated. "This is a chance to start anew, Regina, to leave the evil behind here."

Regina warily started towards the door.

"Just like that."

Snow nodded. "Just like that."

Regina shook her head. "You make change sound so -"

Snow drew a dagger. Without thinking, Regina snatched it from her hands.

"Did you really think this would protect you?" She hissed, her voice shaking. It's a game to them. A sick fucking game. "Since I can't use magic, I can think of no better way to kill you than with the blade you had meant for me."

"No," Snow said, letting out a short scream.

"Yes," Regina said, her voice breaking as she stabbed her.

"No," Snow managed to pry the dagger from her step mother's hands, holding it up between them. She forced herself not to cry. "No."

Regina stared at her in disbelief.

"That's impossible."

"No," Snow said, hearing the footsteps and voices of Charming and their guards approaching. "That's magic."

"And, this time, it was thanks to someone you've trusted," Charming spoke coldly while he approached her and Snow. "Rumplestiltskin," He could barely hide his disgust at the name. "He took one of your hairs from the necklace you had with you, and used it to fashion a protection spell."

Regina shook. "No…"

"Now," He said, anger clear in his voice. "There's nothing you can do in this land to hurt Snow, or me. You're powerless against us."

Regina looked between him and her step daughter.

"You tricked me…" She whispered.

"It wasn't a trick," Snow said, blinking back tears. "It was a test…and one I had truly hoped you'd pass."

"We wanted to give you a chance," Charming put in, albeit sounding a bit in disbelief at the thought. "A chance to change, Regina."

Silence.

"Regina, you are banished," Snow finally said with a heavy sigh. "Banished to live alone with your misery. You will have your father, and your daughter. But I think you and I both know you will be just about alone because of how much you refuse to see beyond vengeance."

Charming nodded. "As long as you're alive in this world," He said, giving up on trying to mask his anger towards her entirely. "You can't hurt us."

"You saved my life once," Snow said, gesturing for Regina to be taken away. "And, now, I've saved yours. So we're even…and -"

"And what?" Regina snapped as she was dragged down the stairs.

"And if you ever try to hurt anyone in my kingdom again…" Snow bit her lip. "I will kill you."

Replies To Reviews:

jasouatfan: Red is left in a completely precarious situation, now, and whether or not she can - or more importantly try to - get through to Snow and Charming about Regina is up in the air. she does see Regina through more nuance than they do. Red by no means is perfect - none of them are - but she does understand Regina's struggles, and even her motivations. whether or not that means she will protect her or do anything further apart from try to care for Lynn in any capacity shall be seen.

Sammii16: they're all in a hell of a place now. apart from large parts of the kingdom public, Snow and Charming are the only people who feel they have truly fixed things and gotten their lives under control. i definitely understand wanting to bitch slap some of them! that's part of what makes some of these (and this one in particular) chapters difficult to write!

barrattajennifer: anytime, love! as i've said, i'm so happy to hear what everyone is thinking - feedback, theories, etc - about this story, especially since i love writing it!