Chapter Two - Darkness

Rain lightly pelts the streets of Storybrooke Maine as Regina reaches down to pick up the dagger laying in the middle of the street, right where Emma dropped it after accepting the dark curse...

"Emma." Regina reads from the dagger in a pained whisper as Killian, Snow and Charming slowly join her and all three stare in abject horror at the name now etched in the dagger - Emma Swan.

"Oh God oh God oh God oh..." Snow babbled in voice full of anguished panic as Charming puts a strong arm around her and tries to comfort her. Soothing his wife's pain momentarily taking his mind off his own pain.

Killian looked angry. He blamed Rumplestiltskin for this, as for every other bad thing that had ever happened to him, from his brother's death at the hands of Rumple's father, to Milah's death at Rumple's own hand (at the cost of Killian's). He wasn't sure how Rumple could be responsible for the hangover he had from last night, but he blamed him just the same. He reached for the Dark Dagger, but Regina beat him too it. Snatching it from under his hook without a glance at the former pirate or a discussion as to who should hold the dagger.

As far as Regina Mills was concerned the matter needed no discussion. She was not only the mayor, but also the most powerful magic user left standing and Emma had damned herself to save her, Regina, The Evil Queen, from the darkness she had willingly courted for most of her adult life. This was her fight, her quest, and nobody was going to lead the operation but her. She could tell the pirate wasn't happy, but she didn't care. She was never one to let someone else's happiness interfere with her own and at this moment she couldn't allow Emma to go down the dark path without a fight. She owed her that much.

Hook knew better than to fight Regina for the dagger. A hook vs. magic was always a losing battle as he well knew from his centuries long pursuit of Rumplestiltskin. "Call her." Hook said to Regina, his voice steadier than his heart. "She's tied to the dagger now she has to come if you call her."

"I know that." Regina hissed irritably. "I just hate this entire situation that YOU put us in, pirate, by not telling us sooner that this Apprentice person was in the hat!"

"How was I supposed to know who he was?" Hook asked, "The Dark One forced me to do his bidding and I had no..."

"I know, I know." Regina hushed him, "Boo hoo, boo hoo, The Dark One stole my heart and made me trap all the nuns in his magic hat. Give me a moment and I might summon up a little pity..."

"Regina." Robin interrupted, "There's no need to vent your anger on him. The Darkness is our only true foe now and we shall need each other's support and loyalty to fight against it." he looked at Hook, "We're none of us disposable."

Hook shrugged, "Glad to hear it mate. Now..." he turned back to Regina and repeated his earlier plea, "Call her."

Nodding her assent, Regina raised the dagger, "Emma Swan!" she cried into the twisting wind. Nothing happened. She looked at Robin, who motioned for her to try again. She raised the dagger, "Emma Swan I command thee to come to me!" Immediately the street light's began to flicker and then pop, dosing the already poorer lit street into near total darkness as Emma swirled into existence amongst a cloud of dank blackness. The moon cast a faint glow over the scene, reflecting off Emma's skin giving it a momentary metallic sparkle. But her family hoped it was only a trick of the moonlight.

"Emma..." Regina said her name breathlessly, suddenly afraid of anger that had always lurked somewhere behind her friend's eyes. Her friend? Regina still had trouble believing that one, but in her heart she knew it was true. Good think she'd kept it in tonight. It would be awfully hard to have a heart to heart chat with the new dark one if she'd left hers at home. "You didn't have to do that." she said, "It chose me. You should've let it have me."

"And how could I do that?" Emma asked, her voice dripping with scorn, "When my parents stole my freewill from me before I was even born." Emma turned on her parents a glare of such malevolent that it practically froze the tears on their cheeks.

"I'm not going to try and justify their actions." Regina said, "They did what they thought best at the time."

"They were wrong." Emma stated emphatically.

"They know that NOW." said Regina, emphasizing the word now, adding, "Sometimes parents make mistakes. Especially when they're young, and scared, and nobody should understand that more than you, Emma!" Seeing that well-known defensive look in her eye, Regina softened her tone, adding, "You're a good person, a hero, you saved this whole town from the dark curse and then, after you saved everybody who deserved saving, you did something even more amazing... you for gave me. You helped me overcome my demons... Please, Emma. Let me return the trust you showed me. Let me help you."

Emma's bottom lip trembled as she spat out, "How can you help me? How can you trust me?!" she cried, "You have no idea how many dark thoughts have racing through my mind. I can't be trusted anymore. The darkness is too strong..."

"No stronger than you Emma." said Regina firmly, "You're The Savior Emma. Your parents may have done wrong when they removed your potential for darkness, but maybe that mistake was for the greater good. You can't be evil, Emma. It's just not possible. The darkness doesn't have a thing to hold on to inside you..."

"But I feel so dark inside..."

"The Darkness can't win, Emma. Not unless you let it."

"Please, Regina. Use the dagger to send me away to somewhere where I can't hurt anyone. Lock me in one of your cells and throw away the key. You have the dagger. If you order me to stay there I'll do it. I'll have no choice..."

"No, Emma! I will not allow you to lose your free will. You'll never be able to beat this darkness sitting alone in a cell. You need to be trusted..." she held out the dagger to Emma, hilt first. "You make your own destiny Emma Swan. I trust you."

Emma hesitated, she tried to look Regina in the eye, but the dagger tugged her eyes back to it. She extended her hand. It shook. But as her grip closed over the dagger a look of exaltation spread across her pale features. "Big mistake, Regina." she said, blasting her backwards with a wave of her hand. "Now..." she said, moving to stand over a stunned Regina, "Give me my son!"