Chapter 2

Regina was standing over David's apparently lifeless body in Gold's shop.

She didn't really want to admit it, but she didn't want it to end this way. She wanted to try and bring back Snow and Emma, it was the only way she could prove herself to Henry… and to Daniel. David's help would have made the task easier now, and yet there he was, asleep.

In the quietness of the shop Regina could hear the slow steps of Mr. Gold in the other room, and she was quick to join him.

"Any change?" he asked as soon as he saw her.

"No, he's not improving. He needs true love's kiss. He won't wake up until Mary Margaret comes back."

Mr. Gold smiled a sarcastic smile. "A typical Rumpelstiltskin expression" Regina thought.

"Until? Well, that's rather optimistic."

"What are you talking about?"

"We're up against your mother, the only chance Emma and Snow have to defeat her is with the squid ink."

"Which is why you sent the message through David…"

"Which would be beneficial if we knew that message has been delivered!" he interrupted her "But giving the prince's condition, we don't know! It's important we take precautions. We have to consider the possibility that when that portal opens, it wont be his family to come through, it'll be Cora."

Regina had refused to think about it until now, but Mr. Gold's affirmation, so simple and yet so powerful, terrified her.

"…and neither one of us wants that." The fear in her voice was evident.

"We have to find where they're coming through… and destroy that portal."

"But… whoever came through would die!"

"Exactly… but I'm confident between the two of us we can summon up enough magic to complete the task."

No. That was not an option. She promised both to Henry and Daniel shat we would never use magic again. She couldn't betray their trust like that.

"But what if we're wrong? What if that portal opens up and it's not my mother? What if Mary Margaret and Emma do defeat Cora, and go through it?"

"Well I believe in this world we call that a "win-win"…"

"How exactly is that!?"

"If we stop Cora, you, Henry and your… newfound companion are protected from your mother's wrath… If, on the other hand, we stop Snow and Emma, well… you become the ONLY mother in your son's life now don't you?"

She hadn't thought of that, and for a moment that thought made her consider the possibility… but Henry would never forgive her if he'd discover what she did.

As if he read her mind, Mr. gold was quick to propose a solution to that.

"Look, magic is unpredictable in this world, if something… unfortunate, had to happen while you were trying to help… Henry could hardly blame you for that could he?"

"No. I can't lie to him, I am trying to be a better mother…"

Gold could see her insecurity growing inside her by the minute, and he didn't hesitate to pressure her again.

"You won't be able to be a better ANYTHING, if Cora comes through. And if she does, she will be a threat to anyone, including your son… and Daniel. So if you truly want to be better… prove it."

Regina tried to reply, but the words died in her throat… she struggled to find a reason not to do it, not to risk Cora's return, putting the whole town in danger, but mostly Henry and Daniel.

When Gold obtained no reply from her, a smirk formed on his face:

"Think about it." Then he turned around and slowly walked to the door, leaving Regina alone.

"Keep that up Henry! You're doing great!"

Daniel and Henry were in the middle of their lesson. With David gone Henry went back to stay with Regina, and he and Daniel had become friends during the last couple of weeks.

They made the riding lessons a regular thing, and Henry was becoming really good at it. They helped him not think about David, and his mother and grandmother, and could bring a smile on his face for an hour or two.

He was so proud of himself, he even asked Regina to join them once, but she had politely declined, for now.

As Regina approached the fence, Daniel noticed her, dismounted from his horse and ran towards her.

"Regina! You should be so proud of this boy!" he said jokingly.

"I am." Was her simple answer as she leaned against the fence and nodded towards Henry.

"Mom! What are you doing here?" Henry was happy to see her but also confused, she never came to their lessons because she was always busy with Gold.

"I came to update you. We think we know where Emma and Mary Margaret are coming through."

"Really!?" Henry was so excited that he almost fell from his horse trying to dismount, and Daniel warned him:

"Hey! Henry slow down!"

Seeing his excitement Regina felt a sting of guiltiness run through her. She was about to lie to him, again. And even if he would probably never find out, she couldn't help feeling ashamed. Not to mention the fact that she was about to lie to Daniel too, the thought alone made her stomach cringe.

"Henry, I want you and Daniel to go to Mr. Gold's shop after you're done with your lesson, stay with David. Me and Gold have to make sure everything's in place for Emma and Snow's jump, and it's a delicate procedure. We'll all come to the shop when everything is done so Snow can wake David up."

"You mean they're coming today!?" Henry's smile was growing more and more wide.

"Yes, yes they're coming today." She tried to sound as much reassuring as possible, but the thought of lying to him and the fact that despite all her efforts Henry still wasn't happy with her broke her heart. She knew that when Emma would return, he'll go back to her and she would become a stranger in his life all over again.

"IF Emma would return" she thought to herself. And for a moment, just a brief moment, she felt ashamed of herself for thinking that.

"And yes, she was beyond hope, beyond saving…"

As Henry read the story to his sleeping grandfather, Daniel was sitting in a corner, listening to him.

The boy had just read Regina's confession to Snow, of how he had died because of her, but to him it sounded like he was listening to someone else's story, he still couldn't believe that for years his body had been six feet under the ground, and now he was alive and breathing, like nothing had happened.

"This was her…"

Red storming in the room interrupted Henry's reading.

"Where are they? Regina and Gold?"

"What's going on?"

"All the magic has been drained from the mines!"

Henry's eyes grew wide:

"They stole it!?"

"What!?" Daniel got up from his chair and went to stand behind Henry, his expression more confused than surprised.

Before Red could answer Grumpy interrupted her:

"They snuck in after our shift and took everything! Nobody steals from a dwarf!"

"Except the queen!"

"And Rumpelstiltskin!"

Henry turned towards Daniel:

"If… they're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret then, that means my mom lied to us…"

Red kneeled in front of Henry, her hand gently on his knee.

"I'm sorry Henry…" her head turned towards Daniel too an apologetic and compassionate look on her face.

"…Daniel we need to find her! We need to stop them! We need to help Emma and Mary Margaret!"

Henry, Red and Daniel ran through the forest as fast as their legs could carry them, they had found Belle, asking her if she had an idea where Gold could have been and she had pointed them to the well where he had brought her the day he brought magic in Storybrooke, and Red had pick up their scent from the beginning of the forest, so they were rushing there, hoping it wasn't too late.

Approaching the well, Henry could see two people standing there, and some strange green sparks coming out of it.

"Mom!?"

Henry's voice made Regina jump, and she turned around slowly. Hoping with all her heart that she was just hearing things. But when she turned around she saw a very real Henry, and a very real Daniel standing in front of them.

"You're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret are you!?"

No she wasn't she actually was trying to kill everyone that'd come through the portal. But that wasn't how she was seeing it. She didn't want to see it that way, all she wanted to do was to protect Henry and Daniel.

"I'm helping YOU, Henry. We can't let Cora come through the portal. You have no idea… what she will do to us!"

"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to defeat her! I know it!"

"Henry your mother's right it's gonna be Cora!" Gold tried to convince him, but with no success.

"Regina!"

Her gaze switched to Daniel that was now walking towards her. He didn't look angry, if anything he was disappointed, disappointed but also extremely conflicted. She could also see some sort of compassion in his eyes.

When he reached her he brought his hands to her arms and gripped her tightly, asking all the attention she could give him.

"Regina please don't do this!"

"I can't let Cora come through! I can't lose you again, I won't survive this time!"

"Regina please listen to me! This is not the way to solve this thing! If Cora comes here, we will find way to defeat her!"

"Like we did last time…"

"That was different, neither of us knew she was capable of what she did! This time we are prepared! We will find another way I promise!"

"Mom please! You said you wanted to change! To be better! This is how!"

She tried to reply, but no valid argument came to her mind.

"Regina please…" Daniel's prayer was less than a whisper but to her it felt like he was screaming in her face.

Without a word she turned towards the well and slowly walked to it.

"Regina…" gold tried to warn her, but she ignored him, she laid her hands over the well and suddenly the magic in it was being absorbed by her body.

For an endless couple of seconds no one could move, everyone frozen in place, watching Regina's body wriggle violently as green sparks were running through it. Than, with an explosion more powerful than the others, her body was thrown against a tree and for a moment she laid there, unconscious.

Daniel rushed to her, kneeled and gathered her body in his arms as she reopened her eyes and started drawing heavy breaths.

"You okay!?" the concern evident in his tone.

She quickly nodded, reassuring him and turning towards the 10 year old standing in front of them.

Henry hadn't moved, his eyes never leaving the well from where his mother and grandmother were supposed to come back.

"No…" he whispered.

Regina struggled to find the words, the realization of her betrayal hitting her only now "I… I'm sorry Henry" then her gaze moved to Daniel, he was still holding her in his arms. "I'm so sorry…"

She though he was gonna get up and leave her there. What she didn't expect was for him to grab her and throw his arms around her, burying his head in the crook of her neck and whispering in her ear.

"Don't you ever do that again."

They stayed like for only god knows what, only half registering Henry screaming his mother's name as he saw her and Snow come through the portal and ran to hug them.

"Hey kid, you hungry?"

"Yeah…"

Henry, that was hugging Regina, untangled his arms from her and walked towards Emma. Regina tried to hold on to his hand, but it slipped through her fingers as he said goodbye to her and exited the room with his mom.

Watching her son leave, sadness overcame her, nothing would ever be good enough for Henry, he would never fully forgive her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Gold's cold words:

"Congratulations. You just reunited mother and son… perhaps one day, they'll even invite you to dinner."

She wanted to reply, but didn't find any words.

"Well, if they don't I do."

Neither of them had noticed Daniel in the corner of the room, when he spoke he startled both of them.

He approached Regina and took her hand in his: "What do you say? Granny's?"

At first she couldn't believe it, was he really not angry at her? She had betrayed his trust, lied to him, and yet there he was, asking her out with a smile on his face.

His hand went from her hand to her waist as he brought her body to his, and she smiled almost shyly… he had the ability to transform her in an eighteen year old all over again, which was okay sometimes, but not when Gold was in the room.

Regardless of his presence though, she laid her head on his chest and her smile grew wider.

"Granny's."

The whole town was celebrating, Emma and Snow were finally back, David was awake, and everyone was happy and carefree. No one was looking at the sea, where a pirate ship was slowly approaching the coast. Only two people were on board:

"There it is…"

"Storybrooke…"