Regina's heart leapt to her throat as Emma lifted the dagger in front of her, grinning evilly. She looked over and saw that Snow had dropped down to check on Hook who looked as though he had been hit by a bus.

Emma caressed the dagger like it was a long lost friend. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Hook had sat up with the help of Snow.

"Emma!" He breathed heavily. Emma looked over at him with a mocking smile. He struggled to gain his composure as his hand laid over his broken ribs. "Don't do this! You have to fight the darkness! You have to!"

Emma's head dropped back as she let out a boisterous laugh. "My dear, pirate. Do you honestly think that you're going to be able to free the Savior? I'm pretty sure I've already made it clear that I want you out of the way. The Savior doesn't want or need you."

Snow helped Hook scramble to his feet as Emma circled around him. Regina looked on anxiously. She knew her magic was no match for the dark one. Hook stood with Snow clutching his arm. "I don't believe that. It's the darkness talking. You told me you love me Emma. And I love you. You have to fight it so we can be together. I'm your happy ending, Emma!"

Regina closed her eyes and sighed out harshly. She knew that Hook had just dug his hole deeper.

Emma walked up to Hook and placed the dagger under his chin. Her voice was low and quiet. "You know nothing. Now that I have this," Emma flicked the dagger causing Hook to hiss in pain. Emma smirked. "No one tells me what my happy ending is but me. You think you can save me, pirate? I'm afraid no one can do that but me."

Regina's head jerked up. "That's it," Regina whispered under her breath.

Emma saw the fear in Hook's eyes as Snow and Charming simply looked on helplessly. "You can't give me what I want. In fact," Emma turned to smile at Regina seductively. "There's only one person who can."

Regina swallowed. She knew she only had once chance for this to work. "You're right," Regina said to Emma. "There IS only one person. The only one who can save you is you."

Snow and Charming looked at each other. Where was Regina going with this? Emma cocked her head at Regina in amusement. "Why your highness! Are you trying to mind fuck the dark one?"

Regina twitched at the foul language, but was steadied by the hopeful looks of Snow and Charming. She looked back to meet Emma's amused gaze. Regina swallowed and continued. "You're the Savior. You were meant to bring back happy endings. What makes you think that's any different for your own?" Regina saw Emma tilt her head in confusion. The arm holding the dagger fell a bit. Regina tightened her jaw before continuing. "You need to let it go, Emma."

The dark one twitched slightly before cackling. "Let what go, your highness?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "My fixation on you? Don't try and act like it wouldn't benefit the both of us."

Regina shook her head and paused before continuing. "Let go of your burdens. I know how pressured you feel. To live up to your fairy tale beginnings." She noticed how Emma's eyes fluttered slightly and the grin fell from her mouth. "You feel like you need to live up to some impossible ideal. That you are responsible for your family. For all these complete strangers in this town." She took a deep breath. "For me. You feel like no matter what, you'll never be good enough. That no one will ever understand you. The real you. That no one will ever be fully accepting of the real Emma Swan." Regina paused. She saw Emma try and shake something out of her head as she regained her footing and her glare. Regina was encouraged. "But none of that's true, Emma."

Regina saw as Snow and David grew hopeful, obviously understanding what Regina was doing. Regina saw as Emma had paused, listening. Regina didn't want to lose the apparent grip she had on the dark one. She boldly took a step forward, causing Emma to raise the dagger up again. But the look in her eyes deceived her. The Savior was in there. And she was listening. "Think about all you have been through. Ripped from your life. Seemingly abandoned by your parents. Tossed around like some unwanted fruit cake." Regina saw the dark one's lips turn up slightly, and she rushed to continue before all was lost. "You have been through more than I ever have, and yet somehow turned out just fine." She swallowed as Dark Emma looked at her questioningly. "What I went through pales in comparison to you. And look what I did. I completely freaked out, destroyed countless lives. Wreaked havoc on innocent people for decades. I went over the deep end because, well, because life just happens. Life happens. But I had to blame someone. And look what I became." Regina gritted her teeth and shook her head. "But not you. Not you, Emma. You made mistakes, sure. But everything you did was to survive. Not to destroy, like me." Regina felt her heart beating wildly as she saw Emma start to drop her arm again holding the dagger. It was nearly by her hip. Regina took another step forward. "You are right. You don't need Hook, or Neil, or anyone for that matter to save you. You have it within yourself. That's the key, Emma! The only True Love you need is your own!"

Emma felt a sharp pain jolt through her head. Her eyes squeezed shut and the hand holding her dagger went up to her temple. She could feel the Savior fighting back. The Savior was forcing her to listen. The darkness took back over, and Regina saw as the dark one fought back for control.

"Emma," she whispered as she took yet another step forward. "That secret that you think you're keeping?" Emma snapped her eyes to Regina's, challenging her with a menacing glare. Regina dipped her head, trying to maintain this odd level of trust they had. "It's not a secret. Okay, Emma?" She saw as the Savior flashed across Emma's eyes and hope grew in her heart. "Your parents- they already know; they told me they could just-tell. And you know what? They love you anyway."

Regina couldn't help but feel a flash of compassion as she saw the look of disbelief and hope on Emma's face. "Emma. You need to realize how incredible you are. I'm not talking about magic or your crazy heritage. I'm talking about you. Emma Swan. You ARE. ENOUGH." She sighed it out as she saw Emma cock her head in interest. Regina bit her bottom lip as tears filled her eyes. "You are enough for Henry. You are the BEST thing that has ever came into his life. He needs you. Not because he expects anything from you. Just your presence is what he wants. And your parents? They love you Emma. They will always love you, no matter what. And me?" Regina choked back a sob. "You're enough for me. MORE than enough for me. You are more than anyone could ever ask for. You are a strong, tough, formidable," Regina's face fell soft, "loyal, sweet, fiercely endearing woman." Regina wiped as a tear fell from her right eye. She looked at Emma and could almost swear it was her Emma. It was the Savior trying to break through. "You can beat this Emma. All you need to do is love. You need to love yourself." Regina saw as Emma's eyes nearly rolled back in her head as she fought the dark inside her veins. Regina sighed out and forced her voice as the dark one. "Save yourself, Savior. You need to love yourself. Love yourself as much as the rest of us do!"

Emma felt a force come from the bottom of her soul. Suddenly she felt like half of herself was being thrust up until it erupted out of her throat and into the thick air around them. She lost all semblance of herself as she knew it until suddenly, as the darkness seeped from her pores, she started to regain control. Emma looked up as the swirling darkness poured from her body and pooled onto the floor of the diner. She barely had time to make eye contact with Regina as the darkness rose and took the form of Dark Emma.

Regina froze as she looked at her opponent. She looked from her Emma to the new dark one, and knew the real battle was about to begin.