Author's Note: The song being played in this chapter is Best of Me by Sum 41
CHAPTER 20
"Why didn't you fight for me, Shae?"
Shae picked her head up from the floor of her dungeon cell, peering up at the hazy figure of a person standing before her. She didn't even need to see her visitor to know who it was. She knew that voice all too well.
"Regina, please…" Shae whispered, her whole body trembling. "Please… Just leave me be… I… I-I can't."
Shae knew it was only a matter of time before her phantom Queen appeared before her again. She was battered, beaten, and broken after spending several hours in the torture chamber within Prince Charming and Snow White's castle. She insisted that she knew nothing about The Evil Queen's curse, but her words fell on deaf ears, and she was poked, prodded, gouged, and sliced with a silver dagger, over and over and over again. Now, back in her cell, her whole body screaming with pain, she knew that her madness was bound to return, and produce the woman that she loved once again.
"You said that you would fight for me." The phantom Regina snarled, glaring down at the broken vampire sobbing at her feet. "But you didn't, you didn't even try. You lied to me."
"No… I… I-I didn't…" Shae sobbed, pushing herself up feebly onto her hands and knees, hanging her head in sorrow. "I… I-Im sorry… I'm so sorry."
"Are you?"
Shae snapped her head up, and realized that Regina was now gone. Another voice had spoken from behind her, another very familiar voice. Shae slowly turned herself around, her whole body trembling violently. She choked out a strangled, horrified sob when she saw bright blonde hair, almost white, a glittering blue dress, and the most dazzling blue eyes she had ever seen in her life.
"Oh, god…" Shae whispered, burying her face in her quivering hands, unable to gaze upon the phantom of the woman she had once loved. "Elsa… Elsa, please… No…"
"You said you would never leave me again." Elsa said, her voice barely above a whisper, but heavy with accusation. "You didn't even try to come back to me, did you?"
"Of course! Of course I did!" Shae cried, bitter tears streaming down her face. "But, Ingrid, she… I… I-I couldn't-"
"You could have found a way." Elsa whispered, her beautiful blue eyes filled with nothing but malice. "Instead, you just gave up. You didn't even try."
Shae sobbed into the silence of the dungeon, collapsing forward and burying her face in the stone floor. "I tried, Elsa." She whispered, her voice cracking and quavering with emotion. "I swear to you, I did, I-"
"Why didn't you save me, Shae?"
Another voice once again spoke from behind her, and Shae's whole body tensed, her miserable sobs catching violently in her throat. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it in many, many years, and she was starting to forget what it had sounded like. Still, she knew it immediately, and it chilled her right to the bone.
"Why didn't you save me?"
Slowly, hesitantly, Shae once again turned herself around to face yet another figment of her madness, another painful memory. She choked out another strangled sob, squeezing her eyes shut, unable to bare the sight of another woman that she had once loved, one that she had lost so, so long ago.
"LOOK AT ME!"
Shae flinched, and, for a moment, she kept her eyes shut tight. Then, slowly, fearfully, she peeled them open, and they began to stream with more tears as she stared miserably up into Nadia's eyes. They were green, like they had been when she was human, the same shade as her brother's. She had the same shade of chestnut brown hair as well, which fell in loose curls just past her shoulders. She was just as tall as Shae herself was, and she stood towering over the vampire, her usual dazzling smile missing, replaced with a furious, accusing scowl.
"You let me die, Shae." Nadia whispered, her brilliant green eyes filled with sheer contempt. "You didn't even try to save me."
Shae vigorously shook her head, her body shaking with miserable, violent sbos. "No… N-No, I did, I-I swear it!" She stammered desperately. "Nadia, I tried, I swear… I… I loved you!"
Nadia's furious, accusing glare suddenly softened, and she smiled down at Shae. The vampire choked out another miserable sob when she saw that smile, the one that she had so terribly missed, for so terribly long. Nadia smiled again as she knelt down in front of Shae, and Shae stared miserably into her beautiful, brilliant green eyes.
"Oh, Shae…" Nadia whispered, slowly shaking her head. "Haven't you learned anything?"
Shae gasped as Nadia leaned forward, and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Through the pain riddling her body, Shae could swear she felt the warmth of Nadia's lips upon her cheek, and she could even smell the scent of her hair. Lavender, just like it always had been. Shae gasped again as Nadia whispered softly into her ear, and her heart ached with bitter, painful misery.
"Love is nothing but pain."
XXXXX
Shae's eyes snapped open, and she drew in a startled gasp. She was no longer in Snow White and Prince Charming's dungeon, but somewhere entirely different, staring up at bright, fluorescent lights. She glanced down at her own body, and saw that she was wearing the same clothes that she had been wearing in Storybrooke, which were now tattered and torn, and covered in a layer of gray dust. It had all just been a dream. Shae sat forward, and she realized that, actually, it hadn't been a dream at all, but a memory. A horrible, painful memory.
"Hey! She's awake!"
Shae blinked several times, roused from her daze at the sudden shouting. She stared all around her for a moment, and, suddenly, she realized exactly where she was. She was in the Storybrooke Sheriff's Station, sitting on a cot inside one of the holding cells. Shae scrambled to her feet, and found the door shut and locked tight, a group of people gathered around outside the bars. Both the Sheriffs, David and Emma, were present, along with Mary Margaret, Hook, and Regina.
"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered, staring wide eyed at them all.
"Shae, just stay calm." Emma said slowly.
"No… No, no, NO!" Shae shouted, slamming her fist into the bars of her cell. "DAMMIT! I didn't go back in time, did I?"
The others all exchanged a sad, knowing glance. "No." Replied Regina. "I managed to stop you just before you finished your spell."
"Aye, and she likely saved your bloody life." Said Hook, folding his arms across his chest. "You both would have been crushed when the tunnel collapsed if it wasn't for her magic."
Shae breathed out a bitter, sour laugh, running a dust covered hand through her hair. "Great, that's just great." She muttered. "Congratulations! You stopped me. Now will you let me the hell out of here?"
The Charmings, Hook, and Regina all exchanged another sad and anxious glance. "No." Mary Margaret replied simply.
"Mom, come on-" Emma began to say.
"No, Emma, your mother's right, we've been over this." David cut in sternly. "She's staying right where she is until we deal with The Snow Queen. We'll figure out what to do with her then."
Shae eyed them all in complete and utter shock, her jaw hanging open. "Seriously?" She exclaimed. When David and Mary Margaret only glared silently back at her, Shae groaned in frustration. "Fine. I'll just do it my fucking self."
Shae stepped up to the door to her cell, and waved her hand in front of the lock. When she didn't feel the familiar tingle of magic at her fingertips, she frowned down at her own hands. She noticed something strange poking out from beneath the sleeve of her black leather jacket, and she quickly pulled it back. There was a black leather cuff on her wrist, and Shae was horrified to realize that she recognized it. It was the one that Greg Mendell had placed on Regina when he tortured her nearly to death, the one that had drained her of all her magic.
"No." Shae whispered, staring at Regina with wide, horrified eyes.
Regina quickly averted Shae's gaze, staring quietly down at the ground. "Shae, just… Stay calm, ok?" Emma said gently.
"No… No, no, no…" Shae muttered, furiously tugging at the cuff. When it continued to remain firmly clasped to her wrist, she let out an enraged snarl, shoving her arm through the bars. "Get this fucking thing off me, RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"
"NO!" Mary Margaret shouted back. "Shae, you brought this upon yourself, and you are exactly where you belong! You were going to destroy countless lives!"
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Shae roared, her blood red eyes wide and wild with rage. "For all you idiots know, everything could have worked out just like I said! I could have given everyone a happy ending, not just myself!"
"You don't know that!" Shouted David, pointing an accusing finger at Shae. "You were willing to risk everyone's lives, even Henry's! No, we can't just let you get away with what you've done."
"And what about what he's done, what she's done?" Shae demanded, pointing at Hook, then Regina. "You guys have been awfully forgiving to them."
"Because they've changed, Shae!" Mary Margaret cried desperately, her eyes shining with tears. "They've both done a lot of good, and so have you. But now… All you've done is take ten steps backwards. We thought you'd changed too, Shae. Clearly, we were wrong."
Shae watched in horror as Mary Margaret took her husband by the hand, and headed toward the door. "Wait!" She called out. "W-Where's Elsa? I need to talk to her."
"She doesn't want to see you, Shae." Mary Margaret replied, stopping and turning back toward the vampire for a moment. "At least… Not now. She's really upset over what you did. I'm sorry."
Shae clenched her jaw, fighting back against the tears that were welling into her eyes. "I'll get out of here, you know." She muttered quietly, glaring maliciously at both Mary Margaret and her husband. "Even without my powers. I've done it before, remember?"
Mary Margaret sighed heavily, once again taking her husband's hand. Emma hesitated for a moment, giving Shae a sad, pitiful glance. She then hurried off after her parents, with Hook in tow. Regina, however, remained behind, and she watched sadly as Shae slowly sunk down onto her cot, burying her face in her hands.
"How exactly did you get out last time?" Regina asked as she stepped up to the bars of Shae's cell. "You… Never really told me."
Shae breathed out a heavy, miserable sigh, leaning her back against the wall. "It doesn't matter." She muttered quietly. "It's in the past. I could have changed all that, but you had to go and stop me."
"Shae, I didn't have a choice." Regina whispered, her deep brown eyes welling with tears. "If you had actually stopped me from casting my curse, then none of us would have ever came to this world, and I never would have gotten Henry. He may have still been born, sure, but… But he wouldn't have been mine."
Shae remained silent, glaring at the bars in front of her, and Regina sighed herself. "You know I love you, Shae." She went on in a whisper. "And I love Robin as well. But, Henry, he is… My world, my everything. He's been my rock through all of this, and I…"
Regina's voice broke with emotion, and she paused for a moment, wiping at the tears that were leaking from her eyes. "I regret a lot of the things that I've done." She went on. "But I do not regret casting my curse. It gave me my son, and I… Wouldn't give that up, not for you, and not for Robin. I would never give him up, not even for my happy ending."
Shae nodded slowly, breathing out another sad, heavy sigh. "I understand." She replied quietly, finally turning her gaze onto Regina. "I'm sorry."
Regina's brow furrowed in confusion. "You are?"
Shae nodded again, her blood red eyes filled with sorrow. "I know what I did was wrong." She admitted, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears. "When I was stuck in the past with Emma and Hook, I caught a glimpse of my past self doing… Horrible things."
Shae paused, her voice cracking with emotion, and tears began to flow freely down her cold, pale face. "Trying to cast that spell, it reminds me of what I used to be." She went on, her voice soft, thick with sorrow. "I was so desperate that, in the moment, I didn't even care about anyone else. All I cared about was what I wanted, and I was willing to do anything to get it."
Regina watched with a heavy heart as Shae squeezed her eyes shut, more tears rushing down her cheeks. "I don't know, maybe Snow was right." Shae muttered bitterly.
"About what?" Asked Regina.
Shae wiped away more of her tears, breathing out a sour laugh. "Maybe I really haven't changed." She whispered, smiling at Regina through her tears. "Maybe I'm still just a villain."
XX
The next day, the heroes of Storybrooke continued to desperately search for a way to stop The Snow Queen from casting her spell, The Spell of Shattered Sight. Emma thought a lot about Shae during these discussions, but she remained quiet about it. Though she knew what Shae had done was truly and thoroughly wrong, Shae was still her truest and dearest friend, and she couldn't help but feel sympathy for the vampire. Her parents, however, were a different story. They were furious over what Shae had tried to do, and had demanded immediate action. Emma had persuaded them to focus their attention on Ingrid, and leave Shae's fate to be decided later. She hoped that, once The Snow Queen was no longer a threat, her parents would have time to calm down.
That same night, Shae was sitting alone in her cell within The Sheriff's station, strumming on her old guitar. Unbeknownst to her parents, Emma had given Shae the guitar, as well as a fresh change of clothes, since hers were tattered and torn, and covered in dust after Regina had dragged her, unconscious, out of the cave in. Shae hadn't seen Regina since the previous day, and Elsa even longer. She desperately wanted to see Elsa, to hold her in her arms, and tell her how sorry she was. Though her heart still did yearn for Regina, she thought of nothing but Elsa as she sang, her voice echoing through the silence of the dark and empty Sheriff's Station.
"It's so hard to say that I'm sorry,
I'll make everything alright.
All these things that I've done,
Now what have I become, and where'd I go wrong?
I don't mean to hurt, just to put you first,
I won't tell you lies.
I will stand accused with my hand on my heart,
I'm just trying to say.
I'm sorry, it's all that I can say.
You mean so much,
And I'll fix all that I've done if I could start again.
I'll throw it all away, to the shadows of regret,
And you would have the best of me."
Shae strummed out another melody, and opened her mouth to sing more, but shut it again as tears welled into her eyes. She set her guitar aside, and leaned her head back against the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut, bitter, remorseful tears leaking down her face. Suddenly, she snapped her eyes open again when she heard footsteps. She sprang to her feet when she saw who was walking toward her cell.
"Elsa!" She exclaimed, her face plastered with shock.
"Hello, Shae." Elsa replied with a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Shae smiled back at her, and they stood in silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. "It's… I-It's really good to see you." Shae stammered, finally breaking the silence.
"It's good to see you too." Elsa replied with another smile. "That song, it was… Beautiful."
"Thanks, it's just, uh… A little something I've been working on." Said Shae, smiling anxiously back at her. "I don't really have a whole lot else to do in here, so…"
Shae trailed off into silence, and it lingered for another few moments. Elsa then stepped up the bars of Shae's cell, and sat down onto the ground beside it, leaning her back against the wall. Shae watched her silently for a moment, once again unsure of what to say.
"Do you remember those nights back in Arenedelle, the nights where I couldn't sleep?" She asked, smiling a small, wistful smile. "I was always worrying about one thing or another, and, some nights, we would go walking through the gardens together. Sometimes, you would bring your lute, and you would sing to me under the stars."
Shae stood in silence, watching with a heavy heart as Elsa's dazzling blue eyes welled with tears. "Your voice always made me feel so calm, so safe." Elsa whispered. "Oh, I miss those nights."
Shae sighed, and sat down beside the bars of her cell next to Elsa. "Yeah… Me too." She whispered back. She then turned her head toward Elsa, her own blood red eyes glistening with more tears. "Elsa, I… I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to cast that stupid spell, it was wrong. I'm just… I'm so sorry."
Elsa sighed as well, staring back into Shae's eyes. "I know you are, Shae." She quietly replied. "I was so angry, I think I still am, a bit, but I… Understand why you did it, why you wanted to do it. You were just trying to ease your pain, to get rid of it. Honestly, if I were in your position, I imagine I would have done much the same."
Shae breathed out a bemused laugh, slowly shaking her head. "There you go again, using logic and reason to explain away my bad decisions."
Elsa laughed too, and they both fell silent for another moment. Elsa then carefully reached through the bars, and gently took Shae's hand. Shae stared down at her hand in Elsa's, then back into Elsa's eyes. As she stared into those beautiful, sparkling blue eyes, she wanted so desperately to hold Elsa in her arms, to kiss her, to tell her, again, how sorry she was. Suddenly, she found her thoughts wandering to the dream she had while she had been unconscious. She had seen nothing but malice and rage in Elsa's eyes, but, now, she saw nothing but sorrow, nothing but pity.
"Elsa, I… I want you to know, that I really did try to get back to you." Shae whispered softly. "After Ingrid sent me away, I… I tried so hard to get back to you. But… I had to give up. There… There was no way."
Elsa's brow furrowed in confusion at Shae's sudden earnest and heartfelt confession. "I know, Shae, I know." She whispered, reaching up and placing her hand on Shae's cheek.
Shae nodded, placing her hand on top of Elsa's, relishing the warmth of her touch. "I could let you out, you know." Elsa suddenly said.
Shae's arm dropped back down to her side, and her jaw dropped open in shock. "What?" She breathed. "W-Where… Where would I even go?"
Elsa pulled her arm back through the bars, and folded her hands in her lap. Shae waited patiently as Elsa bit her lip, her eyes filled with a sudden confliction. "I… I shouldn't even be telling you this." Elsa muttered quietly. "But… David and Mary Margaret, they are talking about… Banishing you, once my aunt is dealt with."
"What?" Shae exclaimed, her lips curling into an indignant snarl. "Oh, those assholes!"
"Shae, please, just… Listen." Elsa pleaded, reaching her arm back through the bars, taking Shae's hand again. "They said that once the ice wall surrounding the town is gone, they're going to send you out into this world. But, I was thinking, maybe… I could ask them to release you into my custody."
Shae's blood red eyes grew wide. "What?" She breathed in shock. "W-What exactly does that mean?"
"Well, once Ingrid is dealt with, I plan on returning to Arendelle." Elsa quickly explained. "I've been gone for over thirty years, so who knows what sort of state my kingdom is in. But, first, I have to find Anna, and then actually find a way back, which will be difficult. Emma is certain that it's possible, but I don't-"
"Elsa, what are you saying?" Asked Shae, cutting her off.
Elsa sighed, and reached her other arm through the bars, holding Shae's hand in both of her own. "I'm saying that, once I find a way back, I… Would like you to come with me."
Somehow, Shae's eyes grew even wider. "Seriously?"
Elsa nodded, smiling as she once again placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek. "Shae, I know part of you does love me." She whispered. "I mean, you were willing to change history for me, and possibly destroy an entire town in the process. I think it would all be quite romantic, if it wasn't so… Horrifying."
Shae chuckled, and Elsa laughed lightly with her. Elsa then cleared her throat, and went on. "But, I also know that part of you loves Regina." She said, her smile slowly fading. "I know how hard it's been for you. I know I tried to end things between us, and I'm sorry… I know it caused you a lot of pain."
Elsa paused for a moment, staring deep into Shae's blood red eyes, her own welling with tears. "You know I still love you, Shae. I… Think I always will." She went on, smiling through her tears. "I just want to help you. Maybe, going back to Arendelle and… Getting away from everything will… Help."
Shae nodded slowly, processing everything Elsa was telling her. "But, that's why I want to let you out of here." Elsa went on quietly. "I don't know how long it's going to take to find Anna, to find a way back to Arendelle, so-"
"Elsa, no." Shae interjected, quickly shaking her head. "Snow and David, they won't be too happy if they find out you set me free. Besides, I'm… Right where I belong."
Elsa sighed, gently squeezing Shae's hand. "Shae, no, don't say that-"
"No, it's the truth." Shae cut in again sternly. "What I did was wrong, and I deserve to be locked up for it, and stripped of my magic."
Shae raised her arm, where the black leather cuff was still clamped firmly to her wrist. Elsa sighed once again, and she nodded, smiling sadly into Shae's blood red eyes. "I understand if you don't want to go, if you'd rather go find your friend Remus." She whispered. "But, please, will you at least… Think about all that I've said?"
Shae nodded, smiling back at her. Elsa nodded back, and she leaned forward toward the bars. Shae followed suit, and she smiled as Elsa kissed her through the bars of her cell. She reached through the bars, wrapping her arms around Elsa's waist, holding her as close as she could through the confines of her cell. Once, she had been given a choice just like the one Elsa had given her. She had turned it down, and watched as Ruby, a woman she had cared for so very deeply, a woman that could have saved her from her torment, leapt through a portal to The Enchanted Forest, and was gone from her life, possibly forever. She knew that she did still love Regina, and likely always would, but she also loved Elsa. She also knew, above all else, that, despite all she had done, she deserved to be happy. She deserved her happy ending.
XX
The very next morning, the residents of Storybrooke awoke to the sounds of thunder and lightning crackling in the air. They took to the streets, pointing up in horror at the rolling blue clouds looming ever closer to the town, clouds that sparkled like thousands of pieces of shattered glass. It had finally begun. Ingrid, The Snow Queen, had finally cast The Spell of Shattered Sight, and the Heroes of Storybrooke gathered together once again to face yet another threat. Regina quickly deduced that they had till sundown, and, then, the whole town would start tearing each other apart.
Meanwhile, Shae was sitting alone in her cell, still locked up tight, and completely powerless. Though she no longer had access to her heightened senses, she could still hear cries and shouts of fright from outside The Sheriff's station. She had no idea what was going on outside the confines of her cell, but she knew it was nothing good. She sat in her cell for hours, hoping and praying that someone, anyone, would come by, and finally tell her what the hell was going on.
Though Shae's mind was fraught with worry, she couldn't help her thoughts wandering to her conversation with Elsa the night before. It seemed that she was, at some point, going to be presented with a choice. Either she could return to New York, to Remus, her oldest and dearest friend, or, she could return to Arenedelle with Elsa, the woman that she loved. Either way, she knew that she was going to be forced to leave Storybrooke for what she had done. Her heart ached with misery over the thought of leaving Regina behind, and her blood began to boil with rage over the thought of the other woman that she loved, her other true love, rushing right back into the arms of Robin Hood. Shae let out a grumble of frustration, and buried her face in her hands, both Elsa and Regina's faces swimming before her eyes.
The sun was glowing a burnt orange, and hanging low in the sky when the door to The Sheriff's station burst open. Shae immediately leapt to her feet, just as David and Mary Margaret rushed into the empty room. Mary Margaret was carrying baby Neal in her arms, and both her and her husband's faces were stark white, and full of panic.
"Good news, Shae." David announced as he hurried toward the vampire's cell. "You're being transferred."
"Transferred?" Shae asked, brow furrowed in confusion. "Transferred where?"
David pulled out his keys, and quickly unlocked Shae's cell, swinging the door open wide. "Not sure yet." He muttered, removing his handcuffs from his belt. "Come on, let's just-"
Suddenly, the door on the other side of the room burst open again. Shae's eyes grew wide with shock as she watched both of her true loves, Elsa and Regina, enter the room, followed closely by Emma. Two more people were hurrying along behind them, two people that Shae thought she'd never, ever, see again.
"Anna?" Shae breathed, her blood red eyes wide with shock. "K-Kristoff?"
Both Anna and Kristoff stopped in their tracks, both their eyes equally wide as they stared at the vampire. "Shae?" Anna whispered.
"Oh my god…" Shae whispered back, an excited, joyous smile slowly creeping across her face. "Oh my god! It's so good to see you, it's-"
Shae rushed across the room, her arms spread wide as she made to embrace her two old friends. She stopped suddenly as Anna drew back her fist, and punched her right in the nose. The others all cried out in alarm, and a loud thump resonated around the walls of The Sheriff's station as Shae crashed backwards onto the floor.
"Jesus, FUCK!" Shae shouted, clapping both hands over her aching nose. "Why? Why always in the nose?"
"Oh, WOAH!" Anna exclaimed, clutching her fist, staring wide eyed down at it. "Oh my god! Her head, it's so hard! I-It's… It's like punching a boulder!"
"Are you alright?" Asked Kristoff, placing a hand on Anna's shoulder in concern. When Anna nodded, he turned his attention back onto Shae, and his face fell into an enraged scowl. "Good. Cuz it's my turn."
Shae was helped back up to her feet by Emma and Regina, and she threw her arms over her head as Kristoff rolled up his sleeve, cocking his fist. "STOP!" Elsa exclaimed, stepping quickly in front of him. "It's alright, it wasn't Shae's fault!"
Kristoff slowly lowered his arm, exchanging a curious glance with Anna. "What wasn't her fault?" Asked Anna.
"All of it, none of it!" Elsa replied hastily, waving her hands in the air. "It would take much too long to explain, but… Shae didn't murder Kai and the others, she was framed, by Ingrid. She only left me because Ingrid forced her to. She cast a spell on her, made it so that she had to leave Arendelle and could never return."
Anna and Kristoff exchanged another baffled glance, and they gaped silently at each other for a moment. "Oh." Anna said, staring wide eyed at her sister. "So… She isn't a despicable hellspawn who deserves to rot in the deepest, darkest depths of Tartarus for all eternity?"
Shae relaxed her arms, and she also stared at Elsa with wide, horrified eyes. "You said that?"
"I was very angry." Elsa replied, shrugging one of her shoulders.
"So… We're not mad at Shae anymore?" Kristoff asked of Elsa.
Mary Margaret chuckled sourly, narrowing her eyes at Shae. "Well, not for all that, at least."
"Oh. Oh, I-I see." Anna stammered, giving Shae a sheepish, embarrassed smile. "Um… Sorry I punched you in the face."
Shae chuckled, and quickly shook her head. "It's cool, it's all good." She said with a smile. "I've gotta said, though, you Arendelle chicks got one hell of a right hook."
Anna laughed, her bright blue eyes shining with tears. She threw her arms around Shae, and Shae laughed too, hugging her tight. The others watched as Shae also exchanged a tight, joyous embrace with Kristoff, and the three of them stood silently smiling at each other for a moment, all of their eyes glistening with grateful tears.
"You look great." Said Kristoff, beaming at Shae as he clapped the vampire on the shoulder.
"Yeah, so do you." Shae replied, smiling back at him. Her face then fell into a confused frown as she looked both Kristoff and Anna up and down. "You… You guys haven't aged a day. Did you get trapped in an urn too?"
"No, we were frozen!" Anna exclaimed excitedly. "Ingrid, she cast a spell, and-"
"You guys, I'm sorry, but we really don't have time for this." Emma cut in, then turned to Regina. "Regina, you need to get Shae out of here, and then lock yourselves up, alright?"
"What?" Shae asked as Regina nodded at Emma. "Why? What's going on?"
"It's Ingrid." Elsa replied in a dark tone. "She's finally cast her spell."
Shae blinked several times in surprise. "Oh." She muttered. "So… What do we do? How do we stop it?"
The others all exchanged sad and nervous glances for a moment. "That's the thing." David slowly replied. "We haven't found a way yet, and… We're out of time."
"What?" Shae exclaimed, staring around at all of them with wide, horrified eyes. "What the hell does that mean?"
"All we can do now is… Prepare for the worst." Regina explained, heaving a heavy sigh. "Which is why you and I need to lock ourselves up somewhere. We're the ones that can do the most damage."
"Wait, no, hold on." Said Shae, quickly shaking her head. "This spell probably isn't gonna affect me, most don't. Take me with you, I can help, I can-"
"Shae, no." Elsa cut in quietly, placing her hand gently on Shae's arm. "You don't know that for sure. Please, you have to go with Regina."
Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, glancing between Elsa, Regina, and around at all the others. "But… What about you?" Shae asked of Elsa, her blood red eyes filled with fear.
"I'll be alright." Elsa whispered with a smile, gently and soothing rubbing Shae's arm. "Since Emma and I are the ones that Ingrid wants, we'll be immune to the spell. And Anna has already had it cast on her, so she will be as well."
"Woah, wait, Ingrid cast her spell on you?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Anna.
"Yeah, she did." Anna replied, swiftly nodding her head. "I trapped Elsa in an urn. It was insane!"
Shae eyes grew wide with shock, and she opened her mouth to question Anna more, but shut it again when Elsa cut her off. "Shae, please." She whispered, placing her hand gently on Shae's cheek, her dazzling blue eyes shining with tears. "There's no time, you… You have to go."
Shae stared back into Elsa's eyes for a moment, and her own slowly began to well with frightened tears. She then breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded. Elsa nodded back, fighting hard to maintain her composure. She threw her arms around Shae's neck, tears spilling out of her eyes as she held her tight.
"Hey, it's ok, it's gonna be ok." Shae whispered to her, slowly and gently rubbing Elsa's back. "You guys are gonna find a way to stop this, I know you will."
Elsa nodded, and she placed a deep, desperate kiss on Shae's lips. "I love you, Shae." She whispered, more tears streaming down her face as she stared deep into Shae's blood red eyes. "No matter what happens, I… I-I want you to try and remember that."
Shae nodded back, tears rushing down her own cold, pale face. "I love you too, Elsa."
Elsa placed one last kiss on Shae's lips, then released her, stepping back out of her arms. She nodded at Regina, who nodded back, and placed her hand on Shae's shoulder. With panic bubbling in her stomach, Shae smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile at Elsa, before she was engulfed in a whirl of purple smoke.
A moment later, Shae and Regina both appeared in the Storybrooke cemetery, Regina's mausoleum lying a few short yards ahead of them. "The cemetery?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Regina. "What are we doing here?"
"Well, I'm going to lock myself in my vault, and cast a protection spell so I can't break free." Regina quickly explained. "Right after I do the same for you, in… Ah! In there."
Shae hurried after Regina as she marched quickly through the rows of headstones. She stopped in front of another, much smaller, mausoleum, and waved her hand in front of the door, magically unlocking it.
"Here?" Shae asked as Regina threw open the door. "But… There's a dead guy in there."
Regina rolled her eyes at the vampire. "Oh, please. Don't tell me you're afraid of a corpse."
"No! I'm not afraid!" Shae cried indignantly. When Regina folded her arms across her chest, eyeing her impatiently, Shae breathed out a relenting sigh. "Fine."
Shae stepped into the tiny mausoleum, where only a stone coffin lie within. She eyed the coffin apprehensively for a moment, then turned back around, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. She waited for Regina to close the door before her, and her brow furrowed in confusion when Regina hesitated for a moment. She stood rooted in her spot, hand on the door handle, her deep brown eyes welling with tears as she stared into Shae's.
"What?" Shae asked her.
Regina bit her lip, slowly shaking her head. "I'm just trying to… Memorize you like this."
"Like what?" Asked Shae, snorting loudly. "Freaked out and creeped out?"
Regina chuckled, shaking her head again. "No, just… Like this, like… You." She replied quietly. She quickly glanced over her shoulder at the setting sun, then turned back to Shae, her brown eyes filled with fear. "This spell is going to bring out the worst in me, in all of us. After all that's happened, I'm afraid I'll become The Evil Queen all over again, and you'll be-"
"Evil Shae." Shae finished for her, breathing out a sour laugh. "Yeah, that's… Not great. Those two need to be locked up tight, that's for damn sure."
Regina chuckled again, wiping away a few stray tears from her face. She remained where she stood for another moment, staring into Shae's eyes, her own filled with fear. Regina then slowly swung the door to the mausoleum shut, and Shae's world was engulfed in darkness, only a few rays of burnt orange light shining through the two small windows of the mausoleum. She turned toward the coffin lying behind her, eyeing it apprehensively once again, but immediately spun around again as the door swung back open.
"What the hell are you doing?" Shae asked of Regina. "You need to-"
The rest of Shae's words were cut off as Regina rushed toward her, and threw her arms around her neck, planting a kiss firmly on her lips. Shae stood rigid in shock for a moment, but then she wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, holding her tight as their lips parted. For a moment, just a moment, all of Shae and Regina's worries were forgotten as they kissed. The Snow Queen's spell no longer mattered, and neither did the other people in their lives that they loved, their other true loves.
At the exact same moment as Robin's face flashed before Regina's eyes, Elsa's also flashed before Shae's. She and Regina broke apart, both of them taking a step backward. They stood in shocked silence for a few moments, staring bewilderedly into each other's tear stained eyes.
"I-I'm… I'm sorry." Regina whispered, her voice quavering with emotion. "I… I-I don't know what's going to happen, and, I needed to… Just… One last time."
Before Shae could do or say anything, Regina whirled around, and slammed the mausoleum door shut. Regina leaned her back against the door, hanging her head in misery, in guilt. Just a short while ago, she had been kissing Robin goodbye, trying memorize his face before it twisted into something she wouldn't recognize. She couldn't resist the urge to kiss Shae, to feel her lips upon her own one last time. Elsa had told her about her plan to take Shae back to Arendelle once The Snow Queen was dealt with, and Regina agreed that, if Shae decided to go, then it would likely be best for her. Now that The Spell of Shattered Sight was imminent, she had no idea what was going to happen to either of her true loves, to her son, or to herself. As she cast a protection spell around Shae's mausoleum, and headed toward her own, all she knew was that she was terrified. She hoped against hope that, somehow, some way, Elsa, Emma, and Anna would find a way to stop it all.
XX
Shae stood in shocked silence for a long time, staring at the back of the door to the mausoleum. She slowly brushed her quivering fingers across her lips, which were still tingling from Regina's kiss. She then turned around, and leaned her back against the door, slowly sliding down onto the floor. She sat there for a long time, watching the orange beams of sunlight falling across her legs growing darker and darker, slowly fading as the sun continued to set. Her head spun with thoughts of Regina, of Elsa, of the impending spell that was about to befall the whole town. She had tried so hard to leave the person that she once was behind, but she had prodded the beast once again by trying to cast her time spell. Now, with The Spell of Shattered sight, she was doomed to awaken the monster that she once was all over again.
The sun had finally set, and the vampire slowly rose to her feet, panic boiling in her stomach as she waited for the spell to befall her. She gasped, staring up at the ceiling as what looked like tiny particles of glass began to fall through it. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her fists, clenching her jaw, waiting for the moment that she would turn into a monster once more.
That moment never came. Shae slowly peeled one eye open, then the other, staring bewilderedly all around her. The tiny, magical particles of glass were falling all around her, disappearing into the stone floor of the mausoleum. Shae blinked several times, brow furrowed in confusion. She didn't feel any different. She didn't feel any different at all.
"HA!" Shae shouted, throwing her arms triumphantly up into the air. "I was right! I was fucking right!"
The vampire stood grinning proudly to herself for a few moments, watching the magical particles of Ingrid's spell falling harmlessly all around her. Her grin slowly faded, and she frowned down at her feet.
"Now what?" She muttered. She then glanced down at the black leather cuff that was still attached to her wrist, and she breathed out an angry and frustrated growl. "Damn Charmings…"
Shae pressed her ear to the door of the mausoleum, listening hard for any sounds from outside. After a while, she gave up, and began to angrily pace the miniscule length of the room. Once again, she decided to give up, and she sank back down onto the floor, feeling hopeless and helpless. Her mind was fraught with worry, for Elsa, for Emma, and for Anna. Shae was powerless to break free from the tomb that was now her prison, so it was up to the three of them to put an end to Ingrid's spell, and, possibly, to Ingrid herself.
The vampire sat alone in the dark and tiny mausoleum for what felt like an eternity, her only company the dead body of whoever had been laid to rest within the stone coffin. She stared at the beams of pale moonlight shining across her legs, thinking about the offer Elsa had made her, her mind and heart once again filled with confliction. She knew that going back to Arendelle with Elsa would only help ease her pain, but the thought of leaving Regina behind with Robin Hood made her blood boil. She also knew that, if Elsa, Emma, and Anna couldn't stop Ingrid, then none of her worries would even matter.
Suddenly, Shae was roused from her silent musings as a pulsewave of magical energy emanated from all around her. She drew in a startled gasp, and leapt to her feet, her blood red eyes wide as they shifted all around the dark mausoleum. She stood in silence for a moment, listening hard, completely and utterly confused. She then took a step forward, and placed her hand on the door. She breathed out an astonished laugh as it slowly swung open. The vampire laughed once again as she stepped out into the cemetery, still confused, but grateful to finally be free of her prison.
"GO! RUN!"
Shae snapped her head to the side, and her blood red eyes grew wide when she saw Emma sprinting through the headstones, closely followed by Elsa. "Hey!" Shae called out to them.
The two women stopped in their tracks when they saw Shae rushing toward them. Shae stopped too as both Emma and Elsa raised their hands, falling back into battle ready stances. "Woah, woah, woah!" Shae cried, raising her own hands in surrender. "It's alright, it's me, I-I'm still me!"
Emma and Elsa exchanged an anxious, curious glance. "Really?" Asked Emma, eyeing Shae suspiciously.
"Yes!" Shae exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "Ingrid's spell didn't affect me, just like I said it wouldn't!"
The two women hesitated for a moment, hands still raised and at the ready. They then slowly lowered them, and breathed out sighs of relief. Elsa then rushed forward, and Shae laughed as she threw herself into her arms.
"Oh, thank god." Elsa whispered as she held Shae tight, gently gripping a fistful of her messy black hair. "Thank god it's still you. We could really use your help."
Shae held Elsa out at arm's length, raising an eyebrow curiously at her. "Help with what?"
"SWAN!"
Emma, Elsa, and Shae nearly leapt out of their skin at the sudden, furious scream. Shae turned her head toward the source of the noise, and she was horrified when she realized that the doors to Regina's vault were now standing wide open.
"Oh shit." Shae whispered, staring at Emma and Elsa with wide, fearful eyes. "You… You let Regina out? Why?"
"She's not Regina, not anymore." Elsa whispered back, her eyes just as wide as Shae's.
Somehow, Shae's eyes grew even wider, and they shone with frightened understanding. "The Evil Queen."
"Come on, we've gotta go." Emma muttered, quickly grabbing Elsa's arm. "Run. RUN!"
Emma and Elsa both took off running again, leaving Shae alone in the graveyard. Shae watched them go for a moment, standing in fearful and horrified silence. Suddenly, she heard the sound of stomping footsteps coming from the mausoleum behind her. She slowly turned around, just in time to see Regina stepping out of her vault. Except, just like Elsa said, it was no longer Regina. Shae was now staring at The Evil Queen.
"You." Regina whispered, her lips curling into a vicious and familiar snarl.
Shae's jaw hung, and she experienced a strange sense of deja vu as she gazed upon Regina. She was now garbed in an ornate but still sinister flowing black dress, ordained with red and silver. It was one that had always been a favorite of Shae's, as it was strikingly low cut, and accentuated her Queen's cleavage quite nicely.
"Did… Did you put on my favorite dress just to distract me?" Shae asked, raising an eyebrow at Regina. "If so, then… Just… Well played."
Regina emitted a dark chuckle as she slowly sauntered toward Shae. "I'm glad you like it." She said with an equally dark and devious grin. "At least you'll get to gaze upon something pleasing to your eye before I take back that half heart of yours."
Shae replied by throwing out her arm, attempting to blast Regina back. When nothing happened, she frowned down at her own two hands. She had momentarily forgotten about the black leather cuff that was draining her of her magic. The vampire dropped her hands back to her sides, swallowing the hard, fearful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat.
"Uh oh." She muttered.
Shae was sent careening backwards as Regina threw out her own hand. She smacked into several gravestones as she rolled and tumbled across the ground, toppling most of them right over. When she finally came to a stop, she pushed herself shakily to her feet, her blood red eyes shifting all around her, searching for Regina.
"Oh, I've waited a long time for this."
Shae whirled around, letting out a startled gasp when she found Regina standing behind her. "No! Regina, STOP!" She shouted, as Regina summoned a fireball into her hand. "Dammit, you need to snap out of it! This isn't you, it's Ingrid's spell!"
Regina barked out a mocking laugh. "I'm sure I don't care." She replied, her lips curling into another vicious snarl. "I'm finally going to get my revenge."
Regina hurled her fireball at Shae, who attempted to leap out of the way, but, without her superhuman speed, she was too slow. The fireball hit her right in the shoulder, and she crashed hard onto the ground. She howled with pain, clutching her aching shoulder as her flesh smoked and sizzled, a gaping, smouldering hole burnt straight through her black leather jacket.
"That's for betraying me all those years ago!" Regina shouted, pointing a furious finger at Shae.
"Hey, remember that one time you stole my heart for twenty eight years?" Shae shouted back.
Regina bellowed out a roar of rage, and threw her hand out at Shae again. Shae's world was a tumbling chaotic blur as she went spiraling through the air. She crashed into a tree, and, somehow, managed to land on her feet. She staggered forward, turning in her spot, searching the graveyard. She finally spotted Regina a few yards ahead, just in time to see her launch another fireball. Shae threw herself straight back to the ground, rolling out of the way of another, and quickly ducked behind a gravestone just as another fireball crashed into it. She breathed out a sigh of relief, only to have it catch in her throat as Regina appeared in front of her in whirl of purple smoke.
Shae grunted in pain as Regina bent over her, and shoved her hand straight into her chest. "Wait!" Shae cried, grabbing on to Regina's arm as she felt her fingers curling around her half heart. "What are you wasting your time on me for, huh?"
Regina paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow curiously at the vampire, who hastily went on. "Isn't there someone else who you want to get revenge on, someone who you've been trying to kill for years?"
Silence fell over the graveyard as Regina continued to hesitate, glaring into Shae's blood red eyes. Shae stared back into Regina's eyes, her own wide fear, Regina's hand still clamped firmly around her heart. Suddenly, Regina released her heart, and Shae grunted once again as Regina removed her hand from her chest.
"You know what? You're right." Regina said as she straightened up, grinning wickedly down at Shae. "I suppose I can deal with you later. First, I'm going to take Snow White's heart, and I'm finally going to crush it."
The Evil Queen's dark and maniacal laughter rang across the quiet cemetery as she disappeared in another puff of purple smoke. Shae breathed out another sigh of relief, leaning her head back against the gravestone, clutching her burnt shoulder, her chest aching from where Regina's hand had been. She sat there for a few moments, trying to calm her reeling mind. She then breathed out a frustrated groan as she made a sudden realization.
"Dammit…" She grumbled, pushing herself back to her feet. "Now I gotta go save Snow."
XX
The town of Storybrooke had erupted into chaos, friends and families alike attacking each other in the streets. Shae kept to the side streets and alleyways, carefully avoiding the eyes of the enraged townsfolk. She quickly ducked behind a nearby building when she spotted Leroy and Granny in the midst of a crazed brawl upon the sidewalk. She ran as fast as her non-magical legs could carry her down the backstreet, slowing to a stop when she saw Henry running toward her.
"Henry!" Shae cried in alarm. "What are you doing out here? You should be- OW!"
Henry kicked the vampire right in the shin, and shoved her away from him. "I hate you!" He shouted at her. "You slept with both my moms!"
Shae stood in bewildered silence for a moment, watching as Henry rushed off again. "Well, I guess you got me there." She muttered.
The vampire sprinted back down the sidestreet again, hoping and praying to whatever powers that be that Henry would remain safe. Without her powers, she knew she wouldn't be able to keep him safe, as well as Snow White, whom she had sicked an enraged Regina upon. She had no idea how exactly she was even going to stop Regina, but she knew she had to do something.
Though Shae no longer had her power of superhuman speed, she still didn't get winded like humans did, so she made good time as she sped through the streets of Storybrooke. Finally, she made it to her destination: The Sheriff's Station. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, watching for a moment as Tinkerbell and Mother Superior threw punches at each other. The two of them seemed too wrapped up in their brawl to notice Shae, so she quickly and quietly slipped into The Sheriff's Station.
Shae was met with an alarming sight. Regina and Mary Margaret were both armed with swords, and in the middle of a heated battle. David was locked in the holding cell that once belonged to Shae, shouting angry threats at both Regina and his wife as the two women fought. Baby Neal was sitting next to one of the desks in his stroller, sleeping peacefully, seemingly unbothered by the battle that was raging all around him.
Shae stood in baffled silence, watching as Mary Margaret and Regina crossed blades several times. Somehow, Mary Margaret gained the upper hand, and she shoved Regina into the corner desk, files, papers, and other various items scattering about the floor. Mary Margaret then grabbed the back of Regina's dress, and bellowed out a furious war cry as she sent Regina crashing through the glass wall of Emma's office. Regina quickly righted herself, and she spun around, sending Mary Margaret shooting backwards into the bars of David's cell with a blast of magic.
"You said no magic!" Mary Margaret cried from her spot on the floor.
"You said you could keep a secret!" Regina shouted back, her clenched fists shaking with rage.
Mary Margaret's face fell into a vicious, uncharacteristic snarl, and she slowly pushed herself to her feet. "I was TEN!"
Mary Margaret raised her sword into the air, and charged at Regina. Regina raised her own sword, but they were both stopped by Shae as the vampire stepped between them. "WOAH!" Shae shouted, grabbing on to the blades of both their swords. "That's enough!"
"You!" Regina snarled.
"Where the hell did you come from?" Growled Mary Margaret.
"Your mother's butt!" Shouted Shae.
Mary Margaret cried out in pain as Shae ripped her sword out of her hand, and headbutted her right in the forehead. As Mary Margaret crashed to the ground, Shae wrenched Regina's sword away from her. She gasped when she realized that the blade was tinted blue, and there was a black gem gleaming in the pommel.
"This is mine!" Shae cried indignantly, shaking her sword called Soul Eater at Regina. "Mine! Not yours!"
Regina narrowed her eyes at Shae, her lips curling into a furious snarl. "No matter." She muttered, glaring around at Shae, Mary Margaret, and David. "It looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone. No, actually… Three."
Regina waved her hand in David's direction, and Shae whirled around, just in time to see the door to his cell swinging open. Suddenly, a sword appeared in his hand with a puff of purple smoke. David stared down at the sword in his hand, then glanced back up. Just like his wife, his lips curled into an uncharacteristic sneer as he stared at Shae.
"Good." He snarled, pointing the tip of his sword at the vampire. "I've been waiting for a chance to take a crack at you."
"Me?" Asked Shae. "What the hell did I do?"
"You almost destroyed countless lives!" Shouted Mary Margaret, who had made it back to her feet, sword once again in hand.
"Yeah, ok, but-" Shae began to say.
"And you slept with our daughter!" Shouted David.
Shae opened her mouth to retort, but then shut it again, grinning as an idea suddenly sprang into her head. "Yeah… Yeah, that's right. I did." She muttered, slowly backing away, sword at the ready. "She's a total freak in bed, and super good. Even better than you, Regina."
Regina let out a roar of rage, another sword made of black steel appearing in her hand. "You take that back!" She shouted.
"Make me!" Shae shouted back.
Regina bellowed out another vicious war cry, as did both Mary Margaret and David. Shae swiftly dodged a fireball, and sprinted out the door. She burst out onto the street, stopping for a moment as she took in the chaotic scene before her. Almost the entire town had taken to the streets, and everyone was brawling with their friends and loved ones, in a total frenzy due to Ingrid's spell.
"HEY!" Shae shouted at them, rushing forward, waving her sword free arm in the air. "Hey, everyone, over here!"
Several squabbles stopped as the townsfolk turned their attention onto Shae. "Look! Look at me!" Shae continued yelling. "Yeah, that's right! Remember me, asswipes?"
Mary Margaret, David, and Regina all rushed out onto the street, and Shae eyed them carefully, as well as the other people glaring viciously at her. "Yeah, that's right, it's me, The Evil Queen's pet!" Shae shouted at them, spreading her arms wide. "Remember all the awful shit I did, all the misery I caused?"
Shae's eyes shifted wildly along the street as more fighting continued to cease, more and more eyes turning onto her. "Hey, Doc, remember when I burned off your beard?" Shae asked of the dwarf.
"It took me months to grow it back!" Doc shouted furiously.
Shae laughed loudly and mockingly, her lips curling into a devious grin. "Oh! Marco, you were there when I hung your friends from those trees! Remember that?"
"Of course I do!" The old man snarled. "I will never forget it!"
"That's right, that's right, you all hate me, don't you?" Shae exclaimed. Suddenly, every single eye was on her, and Shae's grin grew even bigger. "Hey, Tink, you know what? You're a shit fairy! And Blue, you're a bitch!"
"How dare you!" Mother Superior shouted.
"GRANNY!" Shae bellowed, pointing a quivering finger at the old woman. "I slept with your granddaughter, remember? Yeah, I had my grubby little hands all over her. And I knew she was leaving, but I didn't tell you."
"You BITCH!" Granny shrieked, hefting her crossbow.
Granny fired off a bolt, and Shae leapt to the side, but was, once again, just a moment too slow. She cried out in pain, clutching her already damaged shoulder as Granny's silver bolt grazed her burnt flesh. She laughed through the pain, slowly backing away as the mob of angry townsfolk began to bare down upon her.
"Prince Charming!" Shae shouted, pointing at David. "You're just a stupid shepherd, not at all fit to rule a kingdom!"
David remained silent, only glaring viciously at Shae as he followed the mob forward, fist clenched around the pommel of his sword. "Snow White!" Shae shouted again, turning her pointed finger onto Mary Margaret. "You're just a spoiled little brat, only in charge because your stupid Daddy was a King!"
"Don't you dare talk about my father like that!" Mary Margaret snarled.
"And you!" Shae went on, turning her attention, finally, onto Regina. She paused for a moment, looking Regina up and down. "That dress makes you look fat."
"HOW DARE YOU!" Roared Regina.
"GET HER!" Shouted Granny.
The mob of townsfolk all bellowed out vicious war cries, and charged after the vampire as Shae sprinted down the street. Shae glanced over her shoulder, grinning as she watched the mob chasing after her, completely ignoring each other, just like she planned. She turned her head back forward, and cried out in alarm as she saw a column of purple smoke. Shae threw herself to the ground as Regina hurled a fireball at her, and she rolled and tumbled across the pavement. Once she came to a stop, she scrambled back onto her feet, holding her sword out at the ready. Her blood red eyes shifted around at all the angry faces of the mob as they began to bare down upon her once again.
"Too bad we don't have any silver." Grumbled Leroy.
"Oh, I think I can fix that." Replied Regina, with another dark, devious grin.
Regina waved her hand in the air, and Shae's eyes continued to shift wildly amongst the mob, watching the dozens and dozens of puffs of purple smoke. Suddenly, every single member of the mob was armed with weapons, weapons that Shae could immediately tell were made of silver. The townsfolk all grinned around at each other for a moment, then turned their malicious gazes back onto the unfortunate vampire.
"Oh…" Shae whispered, her blood red eyes wide with fear as she slowly back away. "Oh no…"
"GET HER!" Granny shouted once again.
Shae took off running, as fast as her legs could possibly carry her. The mob's cries and shouts of rage rang in Shae's ears as she ran, her black leather boots pounding into the pavement. Despite their short stride, several of the dwarves managed to catch up with Shae. She swung her sword wildly behind her, causing them to jump backwards. Suddenly, Shae lost her footing as a bolt from Granny's crossbow buried itself into her back. She stumbled and fell to the ground, groaning in pain as the silver poisoning shot through her body.
The mob quickly surrounded Shae, forming a circle around the injured vampire. Shae pushed herself shakily to her feet, turning in her spot, panic boiling in her stomach. She was trapped, surrounded on all sides by enraged townsfolk, all of them possessed by a vicious blood lust due to The Spell of Shattered Sight. They shouted threats at her, every single one of their eyes filled with unadulterated rage. Shae's heart sunk as Regina, now, once again, The Evil Queen, stepped forward, pointing the tip of her silver sword straight at Shae's heart.
"Stand back!" Regina commanded to the crowd. "If anyone is going to kill this loathsome parasite, it's going to be me."
"Rip her heart out, Regina." Mary Margaret snarled, glaring maliciously at Shae.
"Crush it to bits!" Shouted Granny.
Shae breathed out a nervous laugh, raising her hands in careful surrender. "Ok, ok, t-there's a chance I didn't actually think this all the way through." She muttered, taking another step backwards.
"Raise your sword!" Regina ordered, pointing a furious finger at Shae. "I want this to be a fair fight."
Shae glanced around at the circle of angry townsfolk, relieved to see that every single eye was still on her. "Yeah, ok." She said, grinning as she raised her sword, falling back into a battle ready stance. "Bring it, Queenie."
Regina bellowed out a furious war cry, and charged at Shae, sword in the air. Shae blocked Regina's blow with her own sword, and the two of them crossed blades several more times. The gathered mob yelled angry threats at the vampire as her and Regina fell into strange and dangerous sort of dance, their swords flashing through the air, the sound of steel striking steel echoing around the street.
"I may not have my powers." Shae snarled as she pressed her sword against Regina's, grinning into her eyes. "But I've still got centuries of skill on you, bitch."
"Yes, but you were the one who taught me how to use a sword in the first place." Regina snarled back, matching Shae's devious grin.
Shae casually shrugged one of her shoulders as she nodded. "Yeah, well, that also means I know what you were always bad at; Watching your feet."
Before Regina could react, Shae swiftly swept her legs out from under her. The crowd cried out in alarm as Regina hit the ground hard, her now silver sword clattering to the ground as it fell from her hand. The Evil Queen glared up at Shae as the vampire pointed the tip of her sword straight at her nose, barking out a triumphant laugh.
"And just like that, it was all over." Shae announced with a grin. "I have to say, I'm really disappointed. I spent months training you, and you haven't practiced at all. Practice makes perfect, you know, and I-"
Regina rolled her eyes, emitting a frustrated groan. "Oh, just shut UP!"
The mob emitted cries of shock once again as Regina threw out her arm, sending Shae hurtling backwards through the air. Soul Eater went shooting from Shae's hand as she crash landed onto a pickup truck parked along the street.
"My truck!" Cried Leroy, his mouth gaping open in horror. "Dammit, I just paid it off!"
All eyes turned onto Regina as she slowly rose to her feet, scooping up her fallen sword. She disappeared in a column of purple smoke, reappearing in front of Shae, who was groaning in pain as she slid off the windshield of Leroy's truck.
"Not cool!" Shae snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Regina. "You said you wanted a fair fight!"
"And you said you loved me!" Shouted Regina, pointing a finger back at Shae.
"I do love you, Regina!" Shae shouted back.
The crowd of townsfolk stood watching the argument in silence from a few yards away. Their heads bounced back and forth between the two angry women, as if they were watching a furious game of ping pong.
"Then why did you go running off with Elsa?"
"Why did you go running off with Robin?"
"Remember when you slept with Emma?"
"Remember when you ripped out my heart?"
"YES!" Regina screamed, her eyes wide and wild with rage. "I should have never given it back! I should have never given you half of my own heart!"
"THEN TAKE IT BACK!" Shae screamed back at her, spreading her arms wide. "I asked you to once, remember? Why don't you go ahead and do it already?"
Regina emitted a dark and dangerous chuckle, grinning deviously at the vampire. "As you wish."
Shae's angry snarl fell, and her blood red eyes grew wide. "Oh no… I shouldn't have said that."
Regina bellowed out another furious war cry, and she charged at Shae with her sword in the air once again. Shae managed to leap to the side just in time, and she quickly ducked as Regina swung her sword toward her head. Shae let out a war cry of her own, and she sprinted head long at Regina, tackling her bodily to the ground. Regina clung tight to her sword as she hit the pavement, but Shae pinned both of her arms down, grunting in exertion as Regina struggled furiously.
"That's it, I'm breaking this fucking curse." Shae muttered.
The vampire leaned down, and pressed a kiss firmly on Regina's lips. Regina stopped her struggling, and her body went rigidly still. She then wrapped her arms tightly around Shae, emitting a soft moan as their lips slowly parted. Shae kissed her deeply, desperately, and, slowly, the whole world began to melt away around them, just as it always did when the two lovers kissed. Shae pulled away from Regina's lips, smiling into her true love's beautiful brown eyes. Regina smiled back at her, and she placed her hand gently on Shae's cheek.
"Regina." Shae whispered, her blood red eyes welling with tears.
"Shae." Regina whispered back.
Shae leaned back in toward her true love's lips, but stopped suddenly, drawing in a startled gasp when she felt a sharp pain in her chest, right over her heart. She glanced down, and saw wisps of purple smoke dissipating into the air around Regina's hand, which was clenched firmly around the pommel of her sword, the silver blade buried deep into Shae's chest. Shae glanced back into Regina's eyes, and saw the same malice and hatred as before. She still wasn't Regina, she was still The Evil Queen.
"True love's kiss won't save you, Shae." Regina whispered in the vampire's ear. "Not this time."
Shae grunted as Regina wrenched her sword from her chest, her true love's dark, maniacal laughter ringing in her ears as she slumped sideways onto the ground. Regina continued laughing as she slowly rose to her feet, her sword stained with Shae's blood. She then tore her malicious gaze away from Shae, and turned it onto the gathered mob. They all gasped as Regina disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, crying out in alarm as she reappeared behind them.
"Now then." Regina sneered, summoning a fireball into her hand. "Who's next?"
The crowd began pushing and shoving each other as they ran from The Evil Queen. Regina raised her fireball into the air, her deep brown eyes flashing with rage. Suddenly, she stopped, everyone stopped, as a strong gust of wind barreled by. They all stumbled backwards, shielding their faces from the rushing, icy wind. Then, they turned their faces upwards, staring up at the sky, as flurries of snow suddenly began to fall toward them.
A deafening silence fell over the town of Storybrooke as it's residents stood rigid in their spots, gaping up at the sky. They then turned their eyes onto each other, and, slowly, smiles began to creep across their faces.
"David?" Whispered Mary Margaret, staring at her husband with wide, baffled eyes.
"Mary Margaret!" David exclaimed.
David and Mary Margaret threw their arms around each other, holding each other tight. All around them, friends and families were doing the same. It was over, it was finally over. Ingrid's spell had been broken.
"What am I wearing?" Muttered Regina, staring down at her dress in confusion.
Mary Margaret and David broke apart, staring wide eyed at the once Evil Queen. Regina turned her wide eyes onto the two of them, and, suddenly, Mary Margaret started to laugh. David began to laugh with her, and so did Regina. Their laughter grew and grew, and they all grabbed onto each other for support, suddenly weak at the knees. Their giggles and guffaws mingled with everyone else's, and, suddenly, the entire town of Storybrooke was filled with the sounds of joyful, raucous laughter.
"MOM!"
Regina whirled around, and found her son, Henry, jogging toward her. He stopped in his tracks when he saw his mother's attire. "What are you wearing?" He asked, looking Regina up and down.
"Oh, right." Regina mumbled. For a moment, she was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke, dressed once again in her usual sensible pantsuit when it cleared. "Better?"
"Better." Henry agreed with a smile.
Regina laughed with joy, her eyes welling with tears as Henry threw his arms around her. A moment later, they spotted Emma, Elsa, and Anna walking toward them through the whirling flurries of snow, all with smiles on their faces. Mary Margaret and David both embraced their daughter, and Henry embraced his other mother, all of their eyes shining with joyous grateful tears. The three women had finally defeated The Snow Queen, and the town of Storybrooke was safe once again.
"Where's Shae?" Asked Anna, brow furrowed as she searched the crowd.
"Oh! Yes, is she alright?" Asked Elsa, her brow also furrowed in concern.
Mary Margaret gasped, her eyes wide with horror as she gripped Regina's arm. "Oh my god…"
"SHAE!" Regina shouted.
Regina and Mary Margaret whirled around, and the others gave chase after them as they sprinted down the street. Shae was still lying curled up on the ground near Leroy's truck where Regina had left her. Regina dropped to her knees beside Shae as soon as she reached her, urgently shaking her shoulder, her eyes streaming with tears, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Shae! Shae, are you alright?" Regina asked her in a rush.
Shae emitted a feeble groan, turning over onto her back, her face contorted in pain. "No, I'm not fucking alright!"
Regina drew in a startled gasp, clapping her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god… You're… Y-You're alive!" She exclaimed. "But, I… I-I don't understand, I stabbed you right in the heart, with silver!"
Shae groaned again as she sat forward, clutching the gaping stab wound in her chest. "Well, good thing I've only got half a heart." She muttered, grimacing in pain once again. "Otherwise, yeah, I think you would have gotten it."
Regina let out a strangled sob of pure joy. "Oh, thank god!"
Regina threw her arms around Shae's neck, holding her tight as more grateful tears streamed down her face. Shae blinked several times in surprise, her blood red eyes growing wide as she stared around at everyone else. Her eyes grew even wider when she saw Elsa, and her pale face lit up with joy.
"Elsa!" Shae exclaimed.
"Shae!" Cried Elsa.
Shae pushed out of Regina's arms, and scrambled to her feet. Elsa laughed with grateful joy as Shae threw her arms around her. Regina remained where she was kneeling upon the ground for a moment, watching as her true love placed a kiss on her other true love's lips. She then slowly rose to her feet, turning her face away, her heart aching with sorrow, with regret over what she had done while under Ingrid's spell.
"Regina!"
Regina whirled around, and she drew in a shocked, joyous gasp. "Robin!"
As Robin pulled Regina into his arms, Anna threw hers up into the air. "Anna!" She shouted. She then gave the others a sheepish grin as they all raised an eyebrow at her. "Sorry. Just wanted to be a part of the group."
"What happened to Kristoff?" Asked David, glancing curiously all around him.
Anna suddenly drew in a startled gasp, her bright blue eyes wide with horror. "Oh no! Kristoff!" She exclaimed. "I left him unconscious on the beach. Long story. Be right back!"
They all chuckled amusedly as Anna raced off down the street. Suddenly, Shae emitted a strangled groan of pain, doubling over with her hands on her knees. They all gasped in horror as the veins in her neck pulsed black.
"Oh my god!" Cried Elsa. "There's an arrow in your back!"
"Yeah, I know." Shae grumbled, gritting her teeth as she glanced up at Elsa. "Can you get it out for me? Just, be gentle, you know, don't just-"
Shae grunted painfully as Elsa ripped the arrow out of her flesh. She then breathed out a sigh of relief, and straightened herself up. "My god…" Elsa breathed, looking Shae up and down, her eyes wide with horror when she saw the gaping burn in her shoulder. "What happened to you, Shae?"
"She saved us."
They all whirled around, and found Mother Superior standing just behind them, smiling gratefully at the vampire. Tinkerbell was standing next to her, and the seven dwarves, Granny, and Marco were gathered just behind her, all of them with smiles of their own stretching across their faces.
"What?" Asked Emma, staring wide eyed at Shae.
"It's true." Tinkerbell replied, nodding in affirmation. "We were all in a frenzy due to Ingrid's spell."
"Shae used our blind rage, and turned it onto herself." Said Marco, his eyes shining with grateful tears.
"She nearly sacrificed herself." Said Granny, smiling in admiration at Shae.
"Again." Leroy added with a light chuckle.
The others all turned their eyes onto Shae, who stared sheepishly down at her feet. "Um… I-I mean, you know…" The vampire stammered, ruffling her own messy black hair. "I just… Wanted to make sure no one got hurt."
Emma suddenly turned to her parents, raising a knowing eyebrow at the both of them. David and Mary Margaret exchanged a quick, uncertain glance. Mary Margaret then took her daughter by the arm, and pulled her off to the side and onto the sidewalk. They were joined by David, Regina, and Robin, and they all began to, once again, argue over the vampire's fate.
"Look, I get what Shae just did was heroic." David said in a rush, as Emma opened her mouth to speak. "But we can't just excuse what she tried to do before."
"And why not?" Regina demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "She may have just saved this entire town."
"Are you really defending her right now?" Asked Robin, eyeing his true love incredulously.
Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, placing her hand gently on Robin's arm. "Robin, please…"
"I'm sorry, but David's right." Mary Margaret cut in, nodding at her husband. "We can't just let her walk free, not after what she tried to do. Sure, she may have played hero today, but tomorrow she could be a villain all over again."
"You guys, come on!" Cried Emma, throwing her arm up in the air. "Shae just saved countless lives, I think-"
"SHAE!"
Emma, her parents, Regina, and Robin all whirled around at Elsa's sudden shout. Their eyes all grew wide with shock when they spotted Shae standing in the middle of the street, her sword in one hand, and one of the dwarves' pickaxes in the other.
"Shae, what the hell are you doing?" Mary Margaret demanded.
"Something I should have done a long time ago." Shae muttered in reply.
Shae threw her sword onto the ground, raised the pickaxe into the air, and swung it straight down upon the black gem inlaid into the pommel of her sword. Everyone leapt back in fright as a pulsewave of magical energy shot out of the gem as soon as it was struck. Their eyes grew wide, and they watched in astonished and fearful wonder as hundreds and hundreds of tiny white wisps of what looked like smoke began to rise into the air, dissipating amongst the clouds. They turned their eyes back onto Shae's sword, and found that nothing remained of Soul Eater except for a small, sword shaped pile of glittering blue ashes.
"Goodbye, old friend." Shae whispered, staring down at the pile of ash in sorrow.
"Shae… What did you just do?" Asked Emma, slowly turning her wide eyes onto the vampire.
Shae heaved a heavy sigh, and tossed the pickaxe to the ground next to the ashes. "That gem was filled with the souls of people killed by the sword." She answered quietly. "And now-"
"They're free." Elsa finished for her with a smile.
Shae nodded, smiling sadly back at her. Suddenly, they all heard the sound of keys jangling. It was David, removing his handcuffs from his belt. "Seriously?" Shae exclaimed as David stepped toward her.
"I'm sorry, Shae, but I have to place you back under arrest." David replied sternly. "You did a lot of good today, but you're still guilty."
"Guilty of what, causing a cave in?" Shae cried incredulously.
"You're guilty of a lot more than that, Shae, and you know it." Mary Margaret replied, narrowing her eyes at the vampire.
Shae stared around at them all as David cuffed her hands in front of her, her mouth gaping open in indinant shock. Emma gaped back at her, and Elsa stood in reserved and conflicted silence, her hands over mouth, her dazzling blue eyes shining with tears. Regina carefully avoided Shae's gaze, staring down at the ground as she laced her fingers in with Robin's. Robin gently squeezed her hand when he saw tears welling into her eyes as well.
"Wait!" Shae exclaimed in a quiet whisper, as David gave her a push forward. "Look, I'll go quietly, just, please… Hide the cuffs, ok? I… I don't want everyone else to see."
David exchanged a quick glance with his wife, then sighed, and removed his own jacket. He carefully tucked it around the handcuffs on Shae's wrist, effectively hiding them from view. Shae gave him a grateful nod, to which he nodded curtly back. David kept his hand placed on Shae's shoulder, and walked beside her back toward The Sheriff's Station, Mary Margaret following closely behind them. The others watched them go silently for a moment, then turned back to each other as soon as they were lost from view.
"What do we do now?" Asked Elsa, her eyes wide with concern.
Emma breathed out a heavy sigh, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know." She muttered. "First, lets deal with the ice wall. Then, hopefully, I can convince my parents to let Shae go."
XX
Just as Emma instructed, she and Elsa immediately rushed off to the town border, where the ice wall had first been raised. Elsa was able to successfully remove it, but, Emma sensed that some of Ingrid's magic still remained. They quickly realized that Ingrid had cast another cloaking spell, even more powerful than the one originally cast by Regina. They deduced that if someone were to cross the town border, they would never be able to cross back again.
Emma thought that this new revelation would sway her parents into making a different decision about Shae's fate, but, to her dismay, they remained insistant that Shae be banished for her crimes. The three of them, along with Elsa and Regina, argued and bickered for hours. Elsa finally told them of her plan to bring Shae back to Arendelle with her, to which Mary Margaret and David also protested against. Shae needed to be punished for what she had tried to do, and they knew that returning to Arendelle, to her life with someone she loved, would not at all be a punishment.
Regina insisted that, since she was Mayor, she should be allowed to pardon Shae, and release her from her cell. However, Mary Margaret quickly reminded her that she had abandoned her position, making Mary Margaret herself Mayor of Storybrooke. The sun began to set over the horizon, and still they had not swayed either Mary Margaret or David in the slightest. Regina decided to give up for the time being, and returned to her home, where her other true love, Robin Hood, was waiting for her.
While Emma and Elsa had been dealing with the ice wall, Regina and Robin left for Robin's camp, where Marian's ice covered body had been kept. Now that Ingrid was dead, the ice covering her body was gone, and she finally woke once Regina placed her heart back in her chest. Just as he had promised, Robin sat his wife down, and told her that his own heart had moved on. Robin told her that he had chosen Regina, and, surprisingly, Marian agreed to her husband's decision. She knew that, for many years, she had been dead to Robin, and coming back into his life did not mean that his love for her had been restored. Marian told Regina that she did not harbor any resentment toward her, and, though it would be strange and difficult at first, she hoped that the two of them could even, one day, become friends.
Though she was wrapped up in the arms of her true love, Regina barely slept that night, her mind too fraught with worry over her other true love. She knew that Shae didn't deserve to be banished, not after nearly sacrificing herself to save the town, again. However, she also knew that if Shae remained in Storybrooke, it would make her relationship with Robin that much harder. Regina admitted to Robin that she did still love Shae, and that she likely always would. Robin, in his uncommon kindness and patience, understood, but decided to remain by her side regardless. Regina knew that Elsa had done the same thing for Shae. She hoped and prayed that Mary Margaret and David would at least consider banishing Shae to Arendelle, so she could finally be with someone who could give her the love and the care that she truly deserved.
The next morning, Regina's prayers were actually answered. Mary Margaret and David announced that they had thought about allowing Shae to return to Arendelle. They agreed that, should Shae choose to go, rather than return to New York, then they would allow it. Elsa was overjoyed by their decision, as were Anna and Kristoff, both of them excited to possibly have their old friend and Protector back in their lives again. Before they could pose this decision to Shae, however, they needed to actually find a way back to Arendelle.
Once again, their prayers were answered. Hook arrived at Granny's diner, announcing that, by way of Mr. Gold, he had found a portal to Arendelle. Hook said that Gold had found a magical door leading to Arendelle within the strange mansion on the outskirts of town, which apparently belonged to a powerful sorcerer. Unbeknownst to the others, Hook was not providing this information to them of his own accord. Mr. Gold was using the pirate's heart to speak through his lips. Gold was worried that Anna would ruin his plans to rid himself of the Dark One's dagger, so he decided to get her and her sister out of the way, as fast as possible. He also knew that it wouldn't hurt to push Shae's banishment along. She and Hook were the only ones that knew he truly hadn't changed.
The others were positively overjoyed, and immediately decided to go tell Shae, and have her finally make her choice. However, Emma couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off about Hook. She decided to ignore it for the time being, and followed her parents, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff toward the door of Granny's diner. She stopped when she realized that Regina was not following them.
"Hey, aren't you coming?" Emma asked of her.
Regina breathed out a heavy sigh, and slowly shook her head. "I truly hope Shae decides to go with Elsa." She quietly replied. "I'm afraid that with me there, she might… I don't know. Not."
Emma sighed herself, and nodded in agreement. "Just, tell her…" Regina went on, biting her lip as her half heart gave a painful lurch, and her eyes welled with tears. "Tell her that I said goodbye, and… Good luck."
Emma nodded again, and turned back around, following her parents and the trio from Arendelle out of the door. They made their way quickly to The Sheriff's Station, where Shae was still being held within. She was sitting on her cot when they arrived, staring sullenly at the bars in front of her. She slowly rose to her feet when the door to the station burst open, narrowing her eyes at Mary Margaret and David, who were the first to enter.
"Oh good, it's Snow White and Prince Charming." She said, smiling with sarcastic chipperness. "Come to have me tortured like last time?"
"Woah, what?" Anna exclaimed, staring wide eyed at David and Mary Margaret. "You had her tortured?"
"Only a little." Mary Margaret admitted with a slight shrug.
"'A little?'" Shae echoed, snorting in amusement. "Your guards laid into me with a silver dagger for hours. At one point, they held it over the fire, and stuck it in my ear!"
"Oh my." Elsa breathed, looking appalled. "Why would you do such a thing?"
"Well, it was just after Regina threatened us with her curse," David slowly explained, glancing nervously at his wife. "And we, you know… Wanted information."
"Information that I didn't even have!" Cried Shae.
"That's not important right now!" Mary Margaret shouted, waving her hands in the air. "Listen, we've made a decision." She paused for a moment, glancing at her husband, at her daughter, then at Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. "Shae, you are hereby banished from Storybrooke."
"Super." Shae replied blandly, folding her arms across her chest. "Where exactly am I being banished to?"
Mary Margaret glanced at her husband once again, both of their eyes wide with shock over Shae's modest and seemingly unsurprised reaction. "That is… Your choice." David slowly went on. "Either you can go back out into this world, or you can go back to Arendelle with Elsa."
Shae nodded slowly, exchanging a quick glance with Elsa, deciding to keep the same information The Ice Queen had shared with her a few days prior to herself. She had thought about little else since Elsa had told her of Mary Margaret and David's plan, especially in the last twenty-four hours. She had been fraught with uncertainty, and continued to turn her options over and over and over again in her mind. Finally, in that moment, she made her decision, and she nodded her head once again.
"Ok."
The others all stared around at each other in confusion. "Ok… What?" Emma asked slowly.
"I'll go." Shae replied with another nod.
"Go where?" Asked David.
"Oh! Uh, sorry… Arendelle. I'll go back to Arendelle."
Elsa drew in an audible gasp, her face lighting up with joy. "Really?"
Shae nodded once again. "A while ago, I was given a choice a lot like this one." She replied, smiling back at Elsa. "I chose to stay here, which was just… A mistake. A mistake that I won't make again."
Elsa smiled at her sister and at Kristoff, who were both beaming back at her. She tightly gripped Anna's hand, waiting patiently as David removed his keys from his belt, and unlocked Shae's cell. As soon as the door swung open, and Shae stepped out of her cell, Elsa rushed forward, and threw herself into Shae's arms. Shae laughed loudly, holding Elsa tight, her blood red eyes welling with tears as she kissed her other true love. She ignored Mary Margaret and David's reproachful glares, and exchanged tight, joyous embraces with both Kristoff and Anna. Though she was still apprehensive about leaving Regina behind, she was excited to start her new life, and finally leave all her heartache and misery behind her.
"Um, real quick, you should know…" Anna slowly began to tell Shae. "Arendelle as been conquered… By Hans."
"What?" Shae exclaimed, looking alarmed. "How the hell did you let that happen?"
"He's got twelve brothers!" Kristoff exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Twelve!"
Shae burst out laughing, and Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff laughed with her. "Looks like you're gonna have your hands full." Emma said, laughing as well.
"Yeah. I guess so." Shae agreed with a grin.
Elsa placed another kiss on Shae's lips, and took her and her sister both by the hand. "Come on." She said, smiling at the two people she loved most in the world. "Let's go home."
XX
They all immediately rushed off to The Sorcerer's mansion, where they found, just as Hook had promised, a door. It was standing right in the middle of a large room, and was ornately decorated with crocuses, a flower that was native to Arendelle, and a part of the royal family's sigil. This was it. It was finally time for Arendelle's Queen, Princess, Ice Master, and their Royal Protector to return home.
"Make sure you tell Remus what's going on, ok?" Shae asked of Emma as Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff said their goodbyes to Mary Margaret and David.
"I will, I promise." Emma replied with a nod.
"It's probably best to call him." Shae went on. "He's pretty much mastered how to answer a phone, but he's still working on texting. It's mostly just gibberish because of autocorrect, and a lot of emoji's that don't make any sense."
"Got it." Emma said with another nod.
"Oh! And tell Terry and Rosa I said goodbye, too." Shae quickly added.
Emma nodded some more, and Shae nodded back, smiling through the tears that were welling into her blood red eyes. "Oh, and, Henry too." She went on quietly. "Tell him… Tell him that I'll miss him, and that… I'm sorry if I let him down."
Emma's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"
"I mean, he used to look up to me." Shae replied, shrugging one of her shoulders in sad sort of way. "And, now… I… I-I don't know. I'm sorry if I let you down too."
Emma slowly shook her head, smiling as her own eyes began shining with tears. "You didn't, Shae. I don't really agree with what you tried to do, but… I get it." She replied, shrugging herself as she wiped away a stray tear. "I'm just sorry it had to end this way, especially after what you did during Ingrid's spell. I tried to convince my parents to let you stay, we all did, but-"
"No, it's ok." Shae interjected, shaking her head as well. "They're right. One good deed doesn't make up for a really bad one. That's just… Not how things work. This is for the best, for everyone."
Emma nodded, her face twisting in sorrow as tears began to fall freely down her face. She choked back a sod, and threw her arms around Shae's neck, holding her tight, for what was, quite possibly, the last time. Shae wrapped her arms firmly around Emma, her own eyes streaming with tears.
"I'm gonna miss you, Shae." Emma whispered.
"I'll miss you too, Swan Song." Shae whispered back.
The two women stepped away from each other, both of them smiling through their tears. Shae then cleared her throat, wiping the moisture away from her face as she turned around. She cleared her throat again, awkwardly this time when she saw David and Mary Margaret staring expectantly at her.
"So, you gonna get this thing off me now?" Shae asked of them, holding out her arm.
David nodded, and stepped up to Shae, finally removing the black leather cuff from her wrist. Shae felt the magic surging back into her body almost immediately. The vampire breathed out a sigh of relief, rubbing her wrist, grateful that it was finally free again.
"Good luck, Shae." Said David, giving Shae a curt nod. "I hope you can find some sort of happiness in Arendelle."
"Me too." Mary Margaret agreed with a nod of her own. "I know we're the ones banishing you and everything, but… I truly hope that you and Elsa will be happy together."
Shae nodded back at them, smiling a slight, awkward smile. She then turned back to Elsa, who was exchanging a tight, misty eyed embrace with Emma. "Thank you, Emma. For everything." Elsa whispered. "I don't think I can ever repay you."
Emma nodded as Elsa released her, wiping more tears away from her face. "It's just… What we do around here." She replied with a smile. "Good luck, and… Take good care of Shae."
Elsa nodded as well, and smiled at the woman she loved, who smiled back at her. "I hope Hans hasn't gotten too comfortable on that throne." Anna muttered, her face falling into a furious scowl. "I'm gonna knock him right off of it the minute we're back."
"And maybe the second minute we could, you know, actually get married?" Kristoff asked of his fiancee. "Just a thought."
They all chuckled amusedly. Elsa then took Shae by the hand, smiling up into her blood red eyes. "Ready?"
Shae smiled back at her, and nodded. "Ready." She replied. Shae then turned back to Emma. "Um… Tell Regina I said, 'goodbye.'" She said, her eyes welling with tears once again. "And that I… I hope she gets her happy ending."
Emma nodded silently, trying to fight back against the tears that continued to flow down her face. She threw her arms around Shae once again, holding her former lover, who had become her best friend, tight for one last time.
"Goodbye, Shae." Emma whispered.
"Goodbye, Emma." Shae whispered back.
Emma released Shae, and, finally, she, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff turned toward the door standing in the center of the room, the door that was ready to take them all home. Elsa slowly and carefully pulled it open, and they found nothing but a strange sort of green, shimmering mist on the other side.
"It's time." Elsa said with a nod. She glanced back at Emma and her parents one last time, smiling through the tears in her eyes. "Thank you, again. And please, thank Hook and Mr. Gold for us."
Emma, David, and Mary Margaret all nodded at her. Elsa then turned back to the door, and took Shae by the hand with another smile. Shae smiled back at her, her heart aching with sorrow over leaving Emma and Regina behind, with anxiety over returning to a kingdom and a world that she had not been a part of for such a long time. However, her heart also soared with joy. Though, technically, going back to Arendelle with Elsa was a punishment for her foul deeds, she saw it as nothing but a blessing. After so much heartache and misery, she might just finally be getting her own happy ending.
Emma Swan's heart gave a painful lurch as Shae stepped through the door, hand in hand with Elsa. The two of them were swallowed up by the strange shimmering mist, and, suddenly, Shae, her closest and dearest friend, was gone. Emma squeezed her eyes shut, more tears streaming down her face. Despite her sorrow over losing Shae, she was happy for her. She really and truly hoped that she and Elsa would live a happy life together.
Elsa and Shae were quickly followed by Kristoff, but Anna hesitated before stepping through the door, turning back to Emma and her parents. "You know, I really wish I could have met this, 'Mr. Gold.' He seems super helpful." She said with a warm smile. "Who is he? Er, I mean… Who was he, back in our world? Probably some sort of fairy godfather, right?"
Mary Margaret and David both emitted a dark chuckle. "Actually, he was an evil sorcerer, one that you should be glad you never met." David replied, slowly shaking his head. "'Rumplestiltskin.'"
The smile immediately faded from Anna's face. "Wait… What?" She whispered, her bright blue eyes wide with shock.
"Hold on… Do you… Know him?" Emma stammered. When Anna slowly nodded, Emma exchanged an utterly shocked glance with her parents. "He specifically told us that he knew nothing about you."
This time, Anna breathed out a dark and knowing chuckle. "Well, that's a lie." She replied with a quick shake of her head. "Honestly, I'm not really surprised. All he does is lie."
"W-Wait… Wait a minute…" Mary Margaret sputtered in confusion.
"Gold was playing us this whole time." Mumbled Emma, her hazel green eyes wide as saucers. "But… Just… Why?"
None of them had time to ponder The Savior's question further. Suddenly, something came shooting out of the door to Arendelle, and Anna cried out in alarm as it barreled right into her, knocking her off of her feet. They all gasped in horror when they realized what it was; Shae, lying on the ground next to Anna, her entire body covered in blue, shimmering ice.
Elsa and Kristoff came racing back through the portal after her, their eyes wide with fright, just as the ice covering Shae's body shattered to pieces. "GAH! Fuck!" Shae shouted, her own eyes wide as well as she stared bewilderedly around the room. "W-What… What the hell?"
"Shae!" Elsa exclaimed, kneeling next to the startled vampire as she sat shakily forward. "Shae, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I… I-I think so." Shae stammered uncertainly.
"What happened?" Asked Anna, as Kristoff helped her back onto her feet.
"She… S-She turned to ice, as soon as we stepped through the portal." Answered Kristoff, staring wide eyed down at Shae.
"Ingrid's spell." David muttered, furrowing his brow at his daughter. "I don't understand. Ingrid's dead, her magic should be undone."
Emma opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again, slowly shaking her head, completely and utterly confused. "So… What do we do?" Anna asked, looking just as startled and confused as the rest.
"I don't know, but we'd better figure it out fast." Said Kristoff, suddenly staring at the door to Arendelle. "It doesn't look like this door is going to stay open for long."
They all followed suit after Kristoff, and turned their eyes onto the door. They all gasped in alarm at what they saw. The shimmering green mist hanging within the door frame seemed to be fading, and was growing fainter and fainter by the second.
"Oh god…" Elsa whispered, placing her hand over her mouth as she glanced back into Shae's eyes, her own beginning to stream with tears. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry."
For a moment, Shae stared back into Elsa's eyes, brow furrowed in confusion. Suddenly, realization took over her, and her blood red eyes grew wide with horror. "No… No, no, no…" She whispered, vigorously shaking her head. "No, Elsa, you… You can't, you can't go."
"Shae, I have to." Elsa whispered back, her face twisting in sorrow. "Arendelle is my home. My kingdom needs me."
Shae scrambled up onto her knees in front of Elsa, tightly gripping her arms, shaking her head even more. "No… No, please… Please, you can't!" She cried desperately, tears streaming from her eyes.
"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, staring apprehensively at the ever shrinking mist. "Elsa, I'm sorry, but… W-We… We have to go!"
"NO!" Shae screamed, choking out strangled, terrified sob. "No, you can't… You can't go!"
"Shae, please, listen to me." Elsa said in a rushed whisper, placing her quivering hands on either side of Shae's face. "I want you to remember something. I want you to always remember-"
"Elsa, no, please!" Shae pleaded, her whole body shaking with horrified sobs. "Please, don't, you can't-"
"LISTEN!" Elsa shouted, holding Shae's face firmly in her hands, staring desperately into her eyes. "In your darkest hours, I want you to always remember that… That you are loved. You are so deeply loved."
"Elsa!" Cried Kristoff.
Elsa threw her arms around the woman she loved, placing one last kiss on her cold, pale lips. "I love you, Shae." She whispered, her lips trembling against Shae's. "I will always love you."
"Elsa, we have to go! NOW!" Shouted Anna.
Shae clung desperately to Elsa, her whole body quaking in fear as she held her tightly in her arms. Suddenly, Elsa was torn from her grip as Anna took hold of her sister's arms, and pulled her to her feet. Shae held on to Elsa's hand for as long as she could, staring helplessly up into her beautiful, tear stained blue eyes.
Time seemed to slow to a horrifying crawl as Elsa's hand slipped from Shae's grasp. Shae caught one last glimpse of the dazzling blue eyes that she loved so very much, before they were swallowed by the now faint shimmering mist. Suddenly, the door to Arendelle faded away, dissipating into the air. Suddenly, Elsa, the woman that Shae loved, her other true love, was gone.
A horrible, deafening silence fell over the mansion. Shae remained where she was kneeling upon the ground, staring silently at the spot where Elsa had been standing just a moment ago. Her mouth gaped open in silent horror, more and more tears spilling down her cold, pale face. Emma and her parents stood quietly watching her, all of them horrified themselves over what had just transpired. Emma then rushed over to Shae, dropping to her knees in front of her.
"Oh god, Shae…" She whispered, tears streaming down her own face as she tightly gripped the vampire's shoulders. "Shae… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"
Shae didn't say a word, she couldn't. She continued to stare blankly out in front of her, her mouth gaping open. She could hear Emma speaking to her, could see her lips moving, but her words were drowned out by the deafening ringing in her ears. Next, she felt Emma's arms around her. Shae rested her head against her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut, and began to weep bitter, agonized tears.
Emma had no idea how long exactly she remained kneeling upon the hardwood floor of The Sorcerer's mansion, holding Shae as she violently sobbed. David and Mary Margaret stood rigid in their spots as well, both of their eyes streaming with tears, at a complete and utter loss for what to do or say. Emma's knees screamed in pain, but she didn't move a muscle. She kept her arms firmly wrapped around Shae, her heart aching as the vampire's body trembled, her tears soaking into her red leather jacket.
They all listened to Shae's miserable sobs for a long while. Finally, the vampire's tears subsided, and the quaking in her limbs stopped. Emma eyed her with concern as she removed herself from her arms, and got shakily to her feet.
"Just, uh… Give me an hour, or so." She muttered quietly, wiping the tears away from her face. "Then, I'll be outta your hair."
Emma exchanged a confused glance with her parents. "Shae, what are you talking about?" Asked Mary Margaret.
"I'm banished, remember?" Shae replied with a shrug, her tone flat and lifeless, completely devoid of emotion. "My only option left is to go back to New York."
Shae started toward the door, and Mary Margaret bit her lip, glancing quickly at her husband. "Shae, wait!" She called out. "We can talk about this. Maybe… Maybe you don't have to leave."
"NO!"
They all gave a start at the vampire's sudden outburst. Shae whirled back around, and pointed an accusing, quivering finger at Mary Margaret. "You don't get to do that, Snow White!" She snarled, her blood red eyes wide and wild with rage, with pain. "You don't get to decide you want me gone one second, then back the next!"
Mary Margaret opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again as, suddenly, Shae started to laugh. "God, I was just kidding myself, wasn't I?" She muttered, to seemingly no one in particular. "It's obvious, now… It's all so fucking obvious…"
"What's obvious?" Asked Emma, continuing to eye Shae with immense concern.
Shae barked out another loud, slightly deranged laugh. "You were right!" She exclaimed, pointing at Mary Margaret once again. "I really haven't changed, have I? I'm still just a fucking villain!"
Emma breathed out a heavy sigh, her hazel green eyes filled with immense sorrow. "Shae, come on, don't say that."
"Why not? It's the truth!" Shae replied, throwing her arms up in the air. "You know how I know?"
Emma bit her lip as her eyes welled with more tears, and she exchanged a quick, uncertain glance with her parents. "Villains don't get happy endings." Shae went on, laughing loudly once again. "And I just watched mine walk away. Forever."
XX
Shae spent the next hour packing up her belongings, and loading them into her turquoise VW bus. She felt nothing but a gaping, empty void within her heart and soul, and no more tears were able to spill from her eyes as she drove toward the Storybrooke town line. She barely saw the road in front of her as she drove, the terrible, horrifying sight of Elsa disappearing through the portal to Arendelle playing itself over and over again in her mind. Elsa was gone, and Regina, her other true love, was with Robin Hood. Shae truly had nothing left, and was completely and utterly broken.
Shae spotted a car parked along the side of the road as she approached the town border, a car that she recognized as Regina's. She felt the powerful urge to just keep on driving, to avoid the painful conversation that she was likely about to have, but slowed to a stop regardless. As soon as she parked her car just before the town line, Regina got out of her own. Shae breathed out a heavy sigh, and rolled down her window as Regina approached her driver's side door.
"Shae, I… I heard what happened." Regina told her quietly, her deep brown eyes full of remorse, of pity. "I'm just… I'm so-"
"Don't." Shae sharply cut her off. "Just… Don't."
Regina bit her lip, staring silently down at the ground as she nodded. "What do you want, Regina?" Shae asked her, staring blankly out of her windshield, carefully avoiding Regina's sad, pitying gaze.
"I… Spoke with David and Mary Margaret." Regina slowly replied. "They've reconsidered banishing you. You can stay, if… I-If you want."
"Is that what you want?"
Regina blinked several times in surprise. "What?"
Slowly, Shae turned to her head to face Regina, and she stared intently into her true love's deep brown eyes. "If you want me to stay, then tell me that you don't love Robin." She whispered, her blood red eyes shining with tears. "Tell me that you need me, that you love me, and only me. Tell me that the only happy ending you're interested in is ours."
Regina's mouth hung open in shock, and her own eyes began to well with tears. "Shae, I… I-I can't."
Shae nodded slowly, turning her eyes back onto the road in front of her. "Then there's no reason for me to stay." She muttered quietly. "It's for the best, anyway. I don't belong here anymore, I don't think I ever did."
"What do you mean?" Asked Regina, brow furrowed in confusion.
Shae breathed out a light chuckle, though the smile on her face didn't quite reach her eyes. "This is a town full of heroes, and you're one of them now." She replied, her face a blank and emotionless mask as she gazed out of her windshield. "Rumpelstiltskin was right, someone like me can't ever be a hero. I'm still just a villian, and there's no more room in this town for villains."
Once again, Shae slowly turned her head, and Regina saw nothing but pain in the vampire's blood red eyes. "There's nothing left for me here, Regina." Shae whispered softly. "Not anymore."
Shae turned her eyes back onto the road, and shifted her bus back into drive. Regina didn't say a word, she couldn't, and she stood silently watching as Shae, her other true love, drove away from her. The air shimmered around Shae's bus as she drove across the town line. She glanced into her rearview mirror, catching one last glimpse of Regina's gorgeous brown eyes. The sign that read, 'Welcome to Storybrooke,' completely disappeared as Shae's bus crossed fully over the border, and so did Regina. All she saw in her rearview mirror now was an empty road, and an empty forest. Once again, Shae's true love was gone.
The gaping, empty void of numbness threatened to consume Shae as she continued driving. Suddenly, the vampire was reminded of a time long ago when she had felt the same sense of hopelessness after the woman she loved was taken away from her. Back then, Shae had been blessed with some helping hands that had returned her to her Queen. She knew that she would likely never receive help like that again, not this time.
XXXXX
"Love is nothing but pain."
Shae choked out a strangled sob of misery, staring into the brilliant green eyes of the phantom of Nadia that her madness had conjured. "Nadia… Oh, Nadia…" She whispered, her whole body trembling violently. "Nadia, I'm so sorry."
"Are you sure this is the woman we're looking for?"
"She seems awfully pathetic, darling. Not at all the terrifying creature that you described."
Shae spun herself around upon the stone floor of her dungeon cell, startled by the sound of more voices. They were more female voices, but, this time, they were ones that Shae did not recognize. She peered through hazy vision, and could make out three figures standing in the darkness of the dungeon, just behind the bars of her cell.
"Trust me, this is her." Said the figure in the middle. "Just look at that pale skin, and those red eyes. It seems that Snow White and her Prince have really done a number on her."
"I guess that damn tree was right." The figure on the left replied with a chuckle. "I guess those two really aren't the valiant heroes we thought they were, not if they did this."
"Oh, I highly doubt they did this themselves." Commented the figure on the right, chuckling as well. "Those cowards probably had their soldiers do their dirty work."
"W-What?" Shae stammered, pushing herself shakily to her feet. "Are… A-Are you another vision?"
Shae was met with a round of amused, mocking laughter. "Of course not, darling." The figure on the right spoke again. "Mal, would you be so kind as to shed some light onto this godforsaken dungeon?"
Suddenly, a bright ball of light appeared before the bars of Shae's cell. Shae stumbled backward a step, shielding her eyes from the sudden brightness. Slowly, she lowered her hand, and blinked furiously through still foggy vision. When her eyes finally focused, she saw three women standing on the other side of the bars of her cell, all of them grinning at her.
The woman on the left garbed in a flowing green dress was unfamiliar to Shae, as was the one on the right, who was wearing an elegant, white fur coat. However, Shae recognized the woman in the middle dressed all in black, holding a staff ordained with a silver dragon at the very top, the ball of light magically shimmering between its wings. For a moment, Shae couldn't quite place how exactly she knew this woman. Suddenly, she remembered. She had heard stories about a sorceress matching the woman's exact description, stories for her Queen's own lips.
"Y-You…" Shae whispered, pointing a quivering finger at the woman with the staff. "Y-You're… Maleficent."
"Guilty as charged." Maleficent replied with another grin. "These are my associates, Ursula, and Cruella de Vil."
Maleficent gestured to woman on her left, then the one on her right. "You know, when I heard that my old friend Regina had taken up with a vampire, I was quite intrigued." She went on, her grin falling into a disappointed frown as she looked Shae up and down. "Frankly, I just don't see the appeal."
"Oh, I certainly do." Cruella replied with a sultry grin.
"Behave yourself, Cruella." Ursula chided her with an eyeroll.
Shae swallowed the hard, fearful lump that had formed in her throat, drawing back another step. "W-What… What are you doing here? What do you want?"
"It's not what we want, darling." Said Cruella, still grinning at Shae. "It's what you want."
"You want to break free of this prison, and return to your Evil Queen." Said Maleficent. "We would be willing to help you do just that, for a price."
Maleficent held out her staff free hand, and Shae watched with wide, baffled eyes as a thick green tentacle that looked like it belonged to some sort of sea creature rose into the air behind her, and dropped a set of keys into her hand. Shae turned her eyes downward, and they grew even wider when she saw that the tentacle was coming out of the bottom of Ursula's dress.
Shae remained rooted in her spot as Maleficent used the keys to unlock her cell door, and pulled it open. "What kind of price?" She asked, eyeing the three women warily.
"Your Queen is going to cast a dark curse." Answered Ursula, folding her arms across her chest as her tentacle disappeared within her dress once again. "A curse that she stole from Mal, here."
"This curse will take the entire kingdom to a new world, a world without magic." Cruella went on in a dark and dangerous tone. "She wants to destroy everyone's happiness, especially Snow White's."
"There is no way to stop this curse, I have foreseen it." Muttered Maleficent, her tone just as dark as Cruella's. "However, that does not mean that we are without options."
Shae sank down onto the cot within her cell, gritting her teeth as the pain riddling her body made her knees quiver. "What exactly do you want from me?" She asked quietly.
Maleficent handed her glowing staff over to Ursula, and Shae eyed her apprehensively as she stepped into her cell. "Just like you and your Queen, the three of us are villains." She explained as she came to stand just in front of the vampire. "All we want are the happy endings that we have been denied our whole lives. In this new world, we might just have a chance. In this new world, we might just have the power to finally triumph over the accursed heroes like Snow White and Prince Charming."
Shae flinched slightly as Maleficent reached out, and gently cupped her hand under her chin, turning her gaze upward. "Isn't that what you want, Shae?" She whispered, smiling down into the vampire's blood red eyes. "Don't you want your happy ending with the woman that you love?"
Shae nodded slightly, staring back into Maleficent's eyes. "Yes." She whispered, her own eyes welling with tears. "More than anything."
Maleficent emitted a low, dark chuckle. "Good." She whispered back, placing her hand on Shae's cheek.
Suddenly, Shae's vision was engulfed in a cloud of black smoke. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her body being lifted into the air, spinning wildly round and round and round again. Finally, her feet touched solid ground, and she fell forward onto her hands and knees. She peeled her eyes open, and found that she was now staring at grass and dirt.
Shae pushed herself shakily to her feet, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight, something that she hadn't seen in what felt like ages. When her eyes finally focused, she saw Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula standing before her. Her blood red eyes grew wide when she saw what was standing behind them, off in the distance: Regina's castle.
"I… I-I don't understand." She muttered, her whole body still quivering and riddled with pain from her hours of torture. "What is this price that you spoke of?"
Both Ursula and Cruella turned expectantly to Maleficent, eyebrows raised. Maleficent, in turn, took a moment to respond. She glanced behind her at the pointed spires of The Evil Queen's castle, the castle that Shae had been so desperately longing to see again.
"You will tell Regina of what we have done for you today, what we have done for her." Maleficent finally replied, turning her eyes back onto Shae. "She will be grateful to us for returning her Protector to her, and, perhaps, grant us some sort of power in this new, magicless world of hers."
Shae nodded silently, grimacing as more pain shot through her body from her various wounds. "The future is uncertain." Maleficent went on in a soft whisper. "All I know is that there will come a time when our happy endings will be within our grasp. You will do everything that you can to help us get them."
"I will, I swear it." Shae replied, nodding some more.
A dark, devious grin suddenly spread across Maleficent's face. She glanced at her counterparts, Ursula and Cruella, who grinned right back at her. Maleficent then nodded in a satisfied sort of way, turning her attention, once again, back onto Shae.
"Good." She whispered with a smile that gave the vampire chills. "Shall we seal our deal, then?"
Shae raised a curious eyebrow at her. "How?"
"How else?" Maleficent replied, grinning once again as she stepped up to Shae. "With a kiss."
Before Shae could do or say anything, Maleficent placed both her hands on either side of Shae's face, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Shae felt a strange surge of magical energy course through her, and her whole body began to tingle, like millions of tiny pin pricks. As suddenly as it came, it was gone, and Maleficent pulled away from Shae's lips.
"Oh, I think I do see the appeal." She whispered, grinning into Shae's eyes.
An icy shiver ran down the vampire's spine as Maleficent gently traced her finger down the side of her face. Shae found herself unable to move, completely and utterly transfixed as she stared back into the dark and powerful sorceress's eyes. Suddenly, Maleficent's smile fell into a menacing glare, one that chilled even Shae, a terrifying, bloodsucking creature, right to the bone.
"You will tell Regina of what we have done here today." Maleficent whispered, glaring into Shae's blood red eyes. "Otherwise, you will suffer the consequences. And, trust me, they will be dire."
XXXXX
