Summary: Emma is the new Dark One, having sacrificed herself to save Regina. Now, the race to save Emma has begun. How far will Regina be willing to go to pull Emma back from the Darkness? Even if it means becoming the person she vowed she would never be again.

A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to my newest fic! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. I'll start with a few comments before I unleash the story

First: This is my third submission to SQSN last year, which means it's 100% complete. No worries, it won't be abandoned, and will likely follow the same posting schedule as my last few. Every Tuesday morning/afternoon

Second: There are trigger warnings for self-harm and major character death. I PROMISE! the major character death is temporary, and this story 100% has a happy ending! I promise to tag the beginning of each chapter containing the self-harm so there are no surprises.

Third: The wonderful artist DamaLasi created an amazing piece of art for this story. Check it out on AO3!

Fourth: as always, I do not own Once Upon a Time, the characters, places or anything associated with it. The story is mine, the world is not.

And, without further ado, I present you with, "You Saved Me, Now I Save You"

Chapter 1

Storybrooke, Maine

The quiet streets of Storybrooke, Maine shook suddenly, as Granny's diner seemingly dropped out of thin air, having been missing for the past six weeks. The few citizens that witnessed the arrival of the beloved diner stared in shock, as the dust settled around the building. Inside, the inhabitants lay on the ground, unconscious, unaware they had returned home. Doctor Archie Hopper was the only person brave enough to enter the establishment to investigate, and it was he who approached the first body on the ground, checking to make sure they were still alive, releasing a nervous breath when he could feel their pulse at their neck.

The pressure against her neck caused Snow to wake suddenly and sit up with a start. Looking around at the other bodies on the ground, she reached over and swatted her husband's shoulder, causing him to wake up suddenly. Slowly, the rest of the party began to wake up, startled and confused as to where they were.

"What happened?" Henry asked, pulling himself off the floor, inspecting the clothes he was wearing. Looking around the room, he observed that everyone else was also wearing different clothes, a wardrobe more suitable for the Enchanted Forest, than Maine. "Where are we?" He asked, looking around as everyone began to stand up.

"You're in Storybrooke." Archie answered, just as confused as the rest of them.

"But we were just walking into Camelot, how did we get back here?" Zelena asked from the corner, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Archie, how long have we been gone?" Charming asked, looking around the room.

"Six weeks." Archie answered, starting to understand the confusion.

"Our memories…they're gone…" Charming said

"…again…" Snow finished, disappointment filling her voice.

"Where's Emma?" Killian asked, from the back of the room, scanning the room frantically for evidence of the missing Savior.

"Regina isn't here either. Where's Regina?" Robin asked.

"EMMA?!" Snow called, hoping her daughter was in the other room, but still within earshot. When she heard no response, she called again, louder.

"Relax." a deep voice called from the doorway. "I'm right here." A dark figure of a woman stood in the doorway, wearing black leather, the collar of her jacket rose high up their neck. Her white hair was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head, and her lips were painted a familiar bright red.

"Mom?" Henry whispered. "What happened to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Emma said, taking a step forward into the diner, her ankle high boots clicking on the tile floor. "You went to Camelot to get the darkness out of me." Taking another step forward, brushing her fingers lightly over Snow's cheek. "And you failed."

"Emma, where's Regina?" Charming asked, watching his daughter with unblinking eyes. "What have you done with Regina?"

"Regina is dead." A second voice rang from the doorway just behind Emma. A second woman stood in the doorway, also wearing black leather pants, with a tight leather corset, her jacket flowing to the ground behind her. Her long black hair was piled high on her head, her fierce dark makeup matched her clothes, her lips painted the same red color as Emma's. "Long live the Evil Queen."

"Mommy?" Henry whimpered, trying in vain to not sound like a child. "What happened to you guys?" He asked, a question that went unanswered.

"Did you take our memories?" Zelena asked, furious.

"Why yes, yes we did!" Regina said, proudly, a dark smile reaching across both her and Emma's faces.

"Well what the hell for?" Zelena asked, not at all afraid of Emma and Regina's new personas.

"It's more fun this way." Regina laughed.

"Emma, Regina, please, let us help you." Charming pleaded.

"You tried that already, remember?" Emma said, her voice low and harsh.

"No, I supposed you don't remember." Regina laughed, a sound that physically scared Henry.

"Now that we've established our failure, what do you want? There must be more to all these dramatics." Zelena said, clearly done with this show.

"Isn't it clear?" Emma said, her voice still low. When no one responded, her eyes grew wide, now a dark black instead of bright green. "Revenge." She smiled, sending chills down everyone's spines. Regina's eyes seemed to glow, as her smile matched Emma's, wide and scary.

"My Dear Swan, where should we begin?" Regina asked, causing Emma to look at Regina for the first time since they made their presence known. There was something different about the way Emma looked at Regina in that split second. Something no one noticed.

"You are the Queen, Your Majesty. I think you should do the honors." Emma responded, her smile wide.

"I know just the thing!" Regina smiled, her eyes glowing again. She waved her hand and a dark cloud surrounded Snow. When the smoke cleared, Snow was gone. Regina and Emma laughed, striking fear in the hearts of those around them.

"What have you done with Snow?" Charming yelled, getting in Regina's face.

"That, Charming, is a secret!" Regina sang, not flinching at Charming's quick advance.

"Moms, please. Why are you doing this?" Henry cried.

"Because…" Emma said, taking a few steps towards Henry. "I am The Dark One."

"And I am The Evil Queen." Regina said, her heels clicking on the tile floor, as she made her way towards Emma and Henry. "And we will have our revenge!" As she said those words, they both threw their hands in the air, clouds of dark purple and black smoke surrounded them, disappearing a second later, leaving the rest of them confused and alone.

"We have to stop them!" Charming screamed, making a move towards the door.

"David. We need to think things through. We can't just storm in, swords drawn. They are too powerful together." Killian said, grabbing Charming's shoulder.

"Killian is right. The only way to ensure that everyone makes it out of this alive is to be smart about it. Storming in there will only ensure you'll be killed." Robin said.

"But they have Snow!" Charming screamed, trying to pull away from Killian.

"I know, Mate. I don't believe Emma would allow any harm to be done to her. Dark One or not, she is still her mother. We must have faith that the women we love are still in there." Killian said.

"Fine." Charming said, pulling away. "What's the plan?"


Six weeks earlier

"EMMA NO! THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!" Regina yelled, as the Darkness surrounded her. She could feel it beginning to seep in through her skin.

"THERE ISN'T" Emma yelled over the sound of the Darkness. "YOU'VE WORKED TOO HARD TO HAVE YOUR HAPPINESS DESTROYED!" Emma yelled, with tears in her eyes. She ignored the pleas of her parents and Killian behind her, as she swung The Dark One dagger into the swirling Darkness, immediately releasing Regina from it's clutches.

All they could do was watch, as the Darkness completely consumed Emma. Doing what she said it would, snuffing out the light within. Until there was nothing left but Darkness. With one last bright flash of light, the Dark One dagger fell to the ground, the name "Emma Swan" engraved on it, the new Dark One nowhere to be seen.

"How could she be so stupid?!" Regina fumed, breaking away from Robin's arms.

"REGINA!" Charming scolded, Snow still firmly in his arms.

"There had to be another way!" Regina said, taking a step towards the dagger on the ground.

"There wasn't!" Charming said, being cut off by Snow.

"That thing was going to kill you! She saved your LIFE!" Snow spat.

"Don't you think I know that?" Regina said, a sadness in her voice.

"Now, she's The Dark One." Henry said, rushing towards the scene. "Where did she go?"

"There's only one way to find out." Killian said, reaching for the dagger on the ground. "Dark One! With this dagger, I command thee. RETURN!" Killian called, holding the dagger in the air. His pleas were met with nothing. No smoke. No change. No Emma.

"Put that thing down before you hurt yourself, Guyliner!" Regina scolded, ripping The Dark One dagger from his hands. "I thought you knew the dagger's rules."

"With it, I can summon The Dark One from any corner of the world." Killian declared.

"Well, there's your answer." Regina said, turning to address the entire group. "She's not in this world."

"Then where is she?" Henry asked.

"I have a pretty good idea." Regina answered, met with confused looks. "She went back to the place where The Dark One was born." Regina answered.

"The Enchanted Forest?" Charming asked, causing Regina to nod.

"Looks like we're going home after all." Regina said, gazing down at the new Dark One dagger.

With some quick thinking and cunning deception, Regina managed to transport Granny's diner, with herself, Snow, Charming, Henry, Robin and Killian as well as Zelena and Granny tucked away inside, to The Enchanted Forest, in search of Emma Swan.


Storybrooke, Maine.

Present

Two clouds appeared outside the front steps of Emma's newly acquired home. It's light blue exterior and white picket fence a stark contrast to the Darkness that resided within.

"After you, Your Majesty." Emma smiled, motioning for Regina to enter first.

"Thank you, My Dear Swan." She responded, pushing her jacket behind her, ascending the porch steps. The front door opened with a wave of her hand. "Shall we check on our new pet before we settle in?" Regina asked once they made their way inside, her eyes glowing once again.

"It would be the polite thing to do." Emma said. "We are, after all, such gracious hosts."

They laughed, making their way towards the locked door at the end of the hallway. Together, they waved their hand over the door, unlocking the magical lock, before making their way down the stairs. Hidden beneath the house was an underground dungeon, similar to the one beneath Regina's castle in The Enchanted Forest.

"How are you enjoying your stay?" Regina laughed, making her way towards the cell that contained Snow White.

"Let me out of here!" Snow spat, causing Regina to chuckle.

"Or what? You'll punish me?" Regina laughed.

"Emma! You're better than this! Let me out!" Snow pleaded with her daughter.

"The funny thing is, Mother…" Emma said, moving to stand in front of the cage with Regina. "I'm not better than this. This is who I am now." Emma said, turning to Regina. "Your Majesty, it appears that our new guest has been misbehaving. We can't have such disrespect in our home, don't you agree?"

"I couldn't agree more, My Dear Swan." Regina answered.

"I guess she'll have to be punished for her disrespect." Emma said. With a wave of her hand, Snow was instantly chained to the wall behind her, arms bound above her head.

"Emma. Please. Don't do this." Snow pleaded, a gag suddenly appearing in her mouth causing her to stop.

"Did you hear something?" Regina asked, turning her ear towards Snow.

"Not a peep!" Emma smiled, as they turned and began to walk towards the stairs. Snow watched as Emma placed her hand on Regina's lower back, motioning for her to take the stairs first, following close behind. A few moments later, Snow could hear the door close and the lock click into place. And just like that, she was alone once again, chained to the wall, tears falling down her cheeks.


The Enchanted Forest

Six weeks ago

"Let's try this again." Regina said, as she stepped out of Granny's into the world she once called home. "Dark One, I summon thee!" She called, raising the dagger into the air. A grey cloud of smoke appeared a few feet in front of her, revealing Emma, a look of confusion on her face.

"That's a neat trick." She said, as she regained her bearings after "poofing" for the first time.

"MOM!" Henry called, rushing past Regina to embrace Emma, who stood before them wearing long white robes, her long blonde hair hung untamed and unruly down her back.

"Kid!" Emma said, hugging Henry tight. "What are you guys doing here?" Emma asked, as the rest of the crew filed out of the restaurant.

"We came to rescue you!" Henry said, sounding more like the ten year old boy who found her in Boston than the teenager that he now was.

"You guys shouldn't have come here. It's too dangerous." Emma said, looking around at the group that stood before her.

"Emma, you're our daughter." Snow said. "Of course we would come for you."

"What does it feel like?" Henry asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Umm…" Emma though. "Tingly, but bearable." She answered eventually. Regina knew Emma was lying. She could feel the Darkness surrounding Emma. It matched the Darkness that once surrounded herself. And she knew resisting that Darkness could be torture.

"I have your dagger." Regina said, holding the dagger out towards Emma. "It might be safer in your hands. If it were in the possession of the wrong person, who knows what you would be forced to do." Regina added.

"No. Keep it." Emma said.

"Are you serious?" Regina asked, confused.

"I saved you, now save me." Emma said, her face serious. "If you can't save me, do what no one else is willing to do." Emma said, her eyes already growing darker from the Darkness within her. "Destroy me." Regina nodded, as she tucked the dagger into her coat pocket.

"What do we do now?" Henry asked, looking at the faces of the adults around him.

"I do have a theory." Regina said. "It's pretty simple actually. And if it works, we can all go home in time for dinner."

"Well, do tell!" Killian said, making his way towards Emma.

"True Love's Kiss." Regina said. "True Love's Kiss can break any curse. I once advised Belle to use it on Rumple before I cast the first curse. I didn't stick around long enough to find out if she tried." Regina said.

"But he never stopped being The Dark One. And I know he's kissed Belle plenty of times." Henry said, sounding slightly defeated.

"The crocodile may not be her True Love." Killian said, sparking hope in Henry once again.

"Kiss me, and we'll find out." Emma said, wrapping her arms around Killian's neck, everyone's eyes locked on the couple.

"Uhh...a little privacy please." Killian chuckled, pulling Emma closer to him. He leaned in, pulling Emma into a slow, passionate kiss. But when they pulled away…nothing happened.

"Well? Do you feel any different?" Henry asked, hopeful.

"No? Not really?" Emma said, frowning. "Am I supposed to?"

"There's only one way to find out." Regina said, pulling out The Dark One dagger once more. "Dark One. I command you to sit down." Regina said, holding the dagger out in front of her. Without missing a beat Emma went down suddenly, sitting on the ground. "Well, that answers that question." Regina said, sighing, tucking the dagger back into her jacket.

"Can I get off the ground now?" Emma asked, looking up at Regina, who simply nodded. "Ok, so what's plan B?" Emma asked, as she slowly stood up.

"The Apprentice. He was saying something before he died. Does anyone remember what he said?" Snow asked, looking around.

"Merlin!" Henry exclaimed after a few minutes. "He told us we need to find Merlin. He'll know how to stop the Darkness!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find a Wizard!" Emma said, turning to Henry. "He is a Wizard here too, right?"

"Yes." Henry laughed. "There's only one problem. We have no idea where he is, and The Enchanted Forest is a big place. How are we going to find him?" Henry asked.

"If the stories are true, Merlin lives in a place called Camelot." Regina said, everyone looking at her. "I had a lot of time on my hands during the eighteen years before Henry was born. I did a lot of reading."

"So wait, Camelot is a real place?" Emma asked, shocked once again.

"Yes, it is. And I know exactly how to get there." Snow said, leading the way.

"Camelot, here we come." Henry said, as the group began their journey to find Merlin.