I do not own OUAT. I am really grateful for the support, and wonderful comments. They mean more than I can explain, honestly. All your comments just make me smile really brightly and I love you guys for reviewing, even though I don't think my writing deserves the praise.

I might look at this one more time tomorrow , but I am going to bed now.

I hope you enjoy.

Henry hasn't given up. Henry, their stubborn, brave, sly son is still working on it. In times like this, when Emma is exhausted and Regina is trying to hide just how hopeless and self-destructive she is feeling inside, the heart of the truest believer is the only thing that keeps their little family together. Emma might be the saviour and someone who always keeps fighting, and Regina might be a reformed evil queen and the most resilient person , but Henry has his own strength.

Henry never stop hoping, and believing. There has yet to be something invented that will get Henry Daniel Mills to stop making plans, and stop helping his moms defeat the newest villain or find a solution to the newest problem. This isn't any different.

He strokes Emma, who is laying next to him, and looks at his mom. They're all in Regina's room, sitting on her bed and brainstorming on Henry's insistence. They have been at it for hours, and nothing seems good enough.

" Henry, we do not – ".

"Come on mom, this isn't the worst thing we've ever faced"

His mother laughs, incredulous. " My other half is alive, your mother is cursed, and I will be framed. Again. Or you will have to leave town, and never return. There is no telling what she will do to those that stay behind".

" I don't think it is the worst" Henry says, slowly reaching out for his mom's hand and squeezing it once before softly pulling on her arm, making sure she knows that she should move out of her chair and sit on the bed as well.

She does. " I will lose you again, mijo" his mom says, and it's like she has forgotten everything, because she doesn't control her emotions, doesn't hide them like usually and instead just lets the tears fall.

" No- I won't let her. I won't let her tear our family apart".

Regina sighs. " That may be out of your control, mi principito"

" No, because we're going to work together and no one can stop you guys, right?".

" I cannot break Emma's curse"

"No, but we've got time. Come on mom, we can do this!".

Regina sighs, and absent-mindedly starts petting Emma. Damn feathers. Emma is kind of torn between scooting away from Regina's hand, so that there will be no further embarrassment, and offering Regina comfort. She finally stays.

" Bueno, mi cielo" Regina keeps petting Emma, and smirks at the little feathers sticking up, as well as how Emma keeps glaring at them like they've burned her leather jacket. She playfully nips Regina's finger, and Regina just arches her eyebrow at her.

"Maybe we can find some way to trap her?" Henry offers. " You used that spell to trap yourself in the vault, right?".

"That might be possible, but it is no long-term solution"

"But the only long-term solution would be- " Henry swallows, and looks away. Emma nips Regina's finger again, harder this time, as she obviously guesses what Regina is thinking about. What the easiest 'solution' would be.

"Yes. Well. I will attempt to find some way to- "

"MAMÁ " Henry screams, scrambling over to Regina when she doubles over and makes a pained sound that sticks in her throat and comes out sounding like she is choking. Her entire face is contorted with pain, and there's sweat on her brow.

Behind them, there is a chuckle.

Henry jumps of the bed and stalks over to the queen, at the exact same moment Emma runs off the bed shrieking, her wings out, and barrels into the queen's legs. Emma forces Henry back, then tries to attack the queen. Tries, because the queen just snaps her fingers and suddenly Emma is writhing on the floor.

She gently pushes Henry away, then tries to get to Regina. He steps in front of her, glaring fiercely. " You will have to hurt me if you want to do anything to mom. I won't let you"

The queen chuckles, and holds up the heart. She brings it to her lips, and Henry mutters a curse that makes Regina snap her head to him before freezing and relaxing. It sends shivers down Emma's spine : Regina's eyes are just empty, and her arms are hanging by her side like she has lost all control over them.

" Stay there until I command otherwise" the queen says, and Henry makes a mad dash for the heart, only for it to vanish. He stumbles and pushes the queen's hand away when she tries to steady him. She purses her lips, then goes to Emma.

" Leave them alone! Both of them" Henry says, running over- and stumbling again when the floor beneath his foot suddenly seems to melt, and he is glued to it. He quickly kicks off his shoes, and tries to find a way to avoid the floor, when something slams into him and he falls to the ground. the blankets that used to be on his mom's bed move like snakes, and suddenly his is tied up on the floor.

The queen kneels next to Emma, and caresses her cheek for a moment. Emma pushes the hand away, then tries to push herself up. She isn't successful, but she keeps trying until she actually falls. The queen chuckles again.

" You truly are a persistent one " she notes, and Emma has about two seconds to wonder how she has the same smile as Regina before there is pain and confusion as she stares at a softly glowing heart. A second softly glowing heart

Henry screams. Regina's eyes widen and she curses the queen, awful English words and hateful Spanish ones. The heart in the queen's right hand starts to glow more brightly as Regina obviously struggles against the control the queen has over her, and Emma struggles to her feet.

She is already pulling her hand back for a punch when it happens. The world seems to sway around her, and she is already thinking oh fuck and tensing herself in expectation of falling on the hard floor when there are arms holding her. She stares at the levitating hearts around them, trying to reach for Regina's. It disappears when she almost has it, vanishing in a small puff of dark purple smoke. The queen wipes some of her hair away.

"I completely understand her fascination with you" she says, and Emma stares at her. The queen confuses her at moments at this, where she is so much like Regina that it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Emma really needs to know how this split thing works, exactly, because she usually thinks there is still good in the queen. And she can't afford it to be wrong about the queen.

" Always fighting for her, standing up for her. Thinking she deserves it- " the queen is now supporting her with only one arm, Emma leaning heavily against her as her head keeps spinning, and she brings Emma's heart closer to study it. " And you've made some mistakes at well. You're not the good, pure daughter dear Snow would want" she whispers, like they're sharing secrets.

Henry struggles against his constraints. " Let her go "

Regina seems furious, although she is still frozen in the same expression. "You- " Emma struggles in the queen's hold when Regina's heart appears again for a second, just long enough for the queen to command her to 'be silent until I tell you otherwise'.

" Don't do that to Regina" Emma says, trying to escape the queen. The hold just tightens, and she shares a look with Henry. " And let our son go, he shouldn't need to see this".

"He will think I am lying if I tell him I have once again returned your heart to you. He has to see it"

Emma slowly relaxes in the queen's hold. " You're going to return it?"

The queen's eyebrow arches. " Of course" Emma isn't surprised when she smirks, and slowly places Emma on the ground. She shivers as the queen's magic wraps around her, and leaves her dressed in an army-style leather jacket and jeans. She actually trembles when the queen digs her fingers in her shirt and yanks her head closer, close enough that their lips brush.

"Hey, our kid is- " she realizes the mistake, but she doesn't correct it. If only because the queen's eyes light up for a split second. Emma tries to fight, she really does, but she feels like she has a concussion, a fever, and is intoxicated as well. In the end, she can do little more than just let the queen push her back, and use magic to keep her there.

She rises and Emma and Henry share despaired looks, and both try to fight against their constraints desperately, as the queen strides towards Regina. Emma focuses on all the emotions inside her, all the rage and worry and annoyance and fear and pushes. There's an enormous pressure on her head, the room blackens at the edges and she slumps, but she can feel it even before she sees the magic slamming into the queen and pushing her away from Regina.

The queen smirks. " And so powerful, too" she says, seemingly unbothered even if it must've hurt. She places her hand against the shimmering magic that keeps her trapped away from Regina. " There's just one little thing" she says, and black-purple tendrils of magic mix with Emma's own light grey. "Our magic is still very compatible " she says, and the shield starts to fade.

Henry exhales shakily when the queen tries to take a step, and instead stumbles back. She narrows her eyes, and he wriggles and strains as soon as the heart appears again. " Vanish Emma's magic" she commands, and the shield and the heart vanish at the exact same time.

Emma can only watch as the queen looks down on Regina, and slowly drags her off the bed. Henry is still on the floor, rubbing his hands frantically together trying to loosen the knots tying his hands together. He freezes when the queen holds her hand out, and a second heart disappears.

"We are going to play a little game " the queen says, and Regina stares at her with dawning realization and an abundance of horror.

"No" she whispers

"Oh yes" the queen answers, and waves her hand. A small table appears in front of Regina, with one of the hearts laying on it. The other is in the queen's hand, and Emma lets out a small groan when she squeezes it.

" Now. I have Emma's heart- " she squeezes it again, making Emma grit her teeth at the pain. " and this little thing on the table is someone else's heart. It isn't yours, or Henry's. I will not tell you who it belongs to"

" I will not hurt anyone "Regina says

" Oh, but you will. Because I am giving you a choice. Either you squeeze that heart to dust, and kill whoever it belongs to, or I will bereft you of the saviour"

" You care for her" Regina protests.

" A choice, which is more than I ever had" the queen ignores her.

"You will not hurt her".

The queen smirks. " Did you not hurt those darling little children you wanted to stay with you? Did you not hurt your only friend, twice? "

Regina glances at Emma, and swallows. " I can't- "

The queen shrugs. "So you choose this person over Emma Swan? You prefer someone else just like her first family did?".

" No! I just will not hurt an innocent"

The queen just smirks, and says nothing. " It could be anyone. You do not know who it is, or whether they will even be missed. Can you say the same about your precious Emma Swan?".

" You will not convince me"

The queen shrugs, and squeezes and Emma bites down on her lips, because it hurts, gods it hurts so much- " NO MOM STOP " all the pain disappears when Henry screams, voice cracking and everything. (no, it doesn't disappear, it's just replaced by a different kind of pain)

The queen slowly turns, and smiles at him. " You will thank me later".

"No, I won't! You're hurting my mom and threatening someone's life and – just stop "he says, and Emma actually believes the queen will for a moment. Not because her expression changes or because her grip slackens- things that do not actually happen- but because Henry is crying. Surely-

" Regina can make me stop " the queen says, turning around again. Emma starts to struggle again, Henry's yells are just too awful not to, and Regina- Regina freezes and stares at the heart. There's a choked swallow, and then she looks up

"Who is it?".

The queen laughs. "Not someone you like"

Regina shakes her head. "You could be lying".

"I could be telling the truth. Either way, does this mean that you admit you would murder as long as it is someone you despise"

"No"

" Yes"

" It does not matter. Even if it is that - I will not"

"You've chosen" is all the warning Emma gets, before the world disappears. There is incredible pain in her chest, her lungs burning, the world turns black and there is an intense light for a second – and then she is back. And Henry is at the floor, cheeks wet and eyes wide, and Regina is behind him, trembling hand filled with dust (dust falling on the table beneath) and the queen is laughing –

Emma slowly stands on trembling legs, and drags herself to Henry. She quickly unties him, and he hugs her too tightly for a moment before running to his mom and pushing the queen aside. He throws his arms around Regina, who remains staring at her hand and shaking her head, softly muttering 'no' over and over.

Emma calmly taps the queen on her shoulder. She turns around, still smirking, and arches her eyebrow. "Miss Swan, wh- " she is abruptly cut off by Emma's fist swinging at her face, and hitting her with enough force that she stumbles back, and falls on the bed behind her.

"Uh mom, I don't think- " Henry says hesitantly, just before the queen stands and wipes away the blood. Emma bends, picking up her heart and tossing it at Regina, who automatically catches it. She takes a step towards the queen, angling her body so that she is as much in front of Henry and Regina as possible.

"I understand that without that, I am a little less concerned with morals so fuck off before I test that theory "

" You would not – " the queen vanishes in a puff of smoke when Emma punches again. And again. And again – she can't stop. Her chest is tight, her lungs burn, her eyes burn, everything hurts but she hurt Regina. She killed someone, using Regina like the king like Rumple-fucking-stiltskin like like-

Emma's mother-

There is a crack and Emma finally stills, fist still pulled back and chest heaving as she stares down at the evil queen. The queen is holding her nose, blood dripping from it. Regina gapes at her, eyes dark with something Emma could swear is hurt, and it is what finally makes her deflate. Then she smiles, and it somehow more painful than the split-second Emma could see she really had not expected Emma to ever hurt her, the surprise that flashed to pain.

" Regi- "

The queen smirks. " There is still some darkness in you" she says, and then there are suddenly fingers trailing Emma's cheek, and a hot body pressing into her from behind. The queen tugs on her hair, just lightly enough to keep it playful. " The darkness likes how you taste, after all" she says, and laughs.

Henry almost moves away from Regina, before he glances at her and falters. " My mom beat the darkness " he whispers, his hand resting on Regina's back and her hand grabbing his like a lifeline.

The queen chuckles. " Did she?"

"Leave" Emma says, suddenly exhausted. If it was just her son and his other mother, she would fall down on the bed and argue with Regina about it. Henry would roll his eyes, and she would smile and Regina would arch her eyebrow. It would end with another family night, maybe watching a movie or trying to steal the food while Regina is trying to show them how to prepare something.

But this is the queen.

"That is why you understand her " the queen says, voice unexpectedly soft. Regina freezes, hand still trembling uncontrollably, eyes wet but still raising her head a little and trying to glare. " I wonder- "

Emma hates herself, she does, but she can't help but miss the way the queen and her magic feel near her when the queen moves and takes a step towards Regina. Emma's hand shoot out, and lands on her usual spot on Regina's arm, but it isn't with the usual gentleness. Not at all.

"Keep away from my family" she warns.

The queen slowly moves her eyes away from Regina, and steps closer to Emma. " I wonder how long they will still be your family" she leans in to whisper. Emma stiffens, and her hands come up to push the queen away, only for her wrist to be grabbed in a tight hold that keeps her from pushing. " After all, Regina is no longer the woman you knew. She was your best friend because you two were similar, because you both knew darkness and had a troubled past. How long will she choose you when you are darker than her now? We all know what she does to darkness"

And Emma knows it is a pile of flaming shit. Regina would never give up on her, just like she would never give up on Regina. Whatever crazy shit Emma feels for her that's undefinable, the way only the strongest and rarest things that transcend words are, it's mutual. Regina is as much hers as she is Regina's ( she doesn't know what she is to Regina, just that she is her something, hers, and that is the way she likes it)

But gods- even years with a son who loves her, and parents who darkened their hearts for her and friends who would stupidly risk their lives for her, Emma can't shake the feeling of not being enough. She can't stop doubting, second-guessing and fearing. And right now, she can't get the way Regina looked at the queen out of her mind.

She wanted her gone so badly. Emma's heart is pounding with fear and nerves, and she knows Regina catches how she averts her eyes and adjusts her stance. She wrenches herself free from the queen, and shakes her head. " You're stupid if I think I will ever doubt Regina again"

"I am the person who understands you, Emma. I know what it is like to have a family- " she spits the word like it's burning her tongue " who have such high expectations, and lose themselves in what they want you to be. A family that never loves you for who you already are, but instead has this image of you that they desperately attempt to make you grow into"

The queen shakes her head. " The pathetic simpering fool I once was part of- she can never understand that"

She takes one last step towards Emma, managing to be almost gentle when she squeezes Emma's bicep. "Think about that. And come find me when you come to the right conclusion" Emma almost immediately sags when the queen is gone, and gives herself five seconds to push away old feelings as she walks over to Regina, and Henry.

Henry immediately hugs her, tighter than usually. She can't really bring herself to cling to him as well, instead pats his shoulder and holds the back of his head gently. He inhales shakily, like he is crying again. Maybe he is. " Don't let her get to you" he whispers, before pulling back and leaning against Regina again.

Emma stares at the dust in Regina's hand, then slowly looks up into brown, wide eyes- she is just as terrified of my reaction as I am of hers. Emma relaxes at the realization, and even more at what Regina pushes out after a choked swallow and a shudder.

" You were going to die. I couldn't- " she stares at the dust. The word 'haunted' has never been as accurate before, as Regina looks at the dust like all the people she killed are staring back at her.

Emma slowly reaches out, and wipes the dust away. It turns her stomach, but she tries to not show that too much. " You were just saving me" she says.

" And that makes it okay?"

" No. Of course not. But it doesn't make you evil, either" Emma tries to grin. " Just makes you a little stupid, and unable to resist the charming genes".

Regina's mouth twitches into what might be a smile. "I believe you have the monopoly of being stupid, mi alma , and I would never attempt to overthrow you in that regard".

" So what? I am the queen of being stupid? ".

Regina rolls her eyes. "You are being- "

"Stupid?".

" You do seem to be very comfortable like that" Regina comments

" Some people would say you're more stupid than me, as you followed me into Hell and all that"

" You were stupid enough to tether yourself to the darkness "

" Yup. After you were stupid enough to stop me".

" Emma- " Regina swallows, and her smile plummets. " I still- "she doesn't even finish, just stares at the dust on the floor. " What if it is- " she cuts herself off again, shaking.

Henry throws his arms around her. "Maybe she was lying. Maybe it isn't real" he says, which he probably knows is bullshit but he wants to believe.

Regina's eyes close, and several tears slip from them. She leans on Henry, arm wrapped around him, and forces out a quiet 'maybe'. Henry looks so afraid, and Regina so pained, that Emma doesn't think twice about turning this into one of their rare family hugs. Her hand brushes Regina, which sparks their magic like it usually does, and Henry is sobbing into their shoulders but trying to keep it quiet and Regina is still devastated but trying to find some way to comfort Henry.

Anyone could be dust in the floor, and Emma is exhausted in more ways than one but the hug helps. Slowly, Henry's quiet sobs lessen, and Regina stops shaking quite as furiously. Emma closes her eyes, and they stay like that for a long moment. Right until Henry slowly pulls back, an odd expression on his face, and Emma actually sways on her feet she is so tired and dizzy.

Regina steadies her with a hand on her arm, and Emma is just enough out of it to lean in. Regina stares at her, calmer but still pretty out of it, and Emma automatically shifts her body so Regina can easily hug her if she wishes to. And they don't do that, unless Henry is in the middle.

But Regina is actually leaning in, and Emma's breath catches. Her heart is pounding, which is weird but whatever, and she suddenly realizes she does want to hug Regina. Badly. She has about a second of feeling what it's like, and then both she and Regina are disappointed.

She can actually feel Regina's hand trying to grab her, tugging on her clothing, and then she is suddenly sliding or falling, and it's dark around her. She is struggling against whatever is on top of her, trying to breathe, trying to see Henry, Regina, and flapping her wings while crying out crazily until soft hands pick her up and she is cradled against a chest.

Regina doesn't say anything, just holds her and it's almost okay.

Even though it's really, really not. Not ever.