A strangled cry escaped Regina's throat as she watched blood seep from her mother's chest. Cora treated her badly over the years, that was true, but she still loved her. Maleficent turned towards the group, lips curled into a cruel smile. "Well, well. My prisoners have returned with a gift." She spoke.
"What did you do?!" Regina screamed, falling besides her unmoving body. The woman's face was pale and her eyelids didn't even flutter as the princess cried her name and shook her. "This kingdom is mine. And my revenge will be fulfilled." The villain snarled.
Regina glanced up at Emma, whose face was pale white. She suddenly remembered Emma's parents. "Regina!" The young woman looked up to see her father hurrying towards them. Maleficent raised her hand and froze him in place. Cora began to cough and gasp in her daughter's arms.
Emma knelt beside her friend, surprisingly worried about this woman that had caused Regina so much pain. "Mother." Regina breathed, smiling in relief as the woman's eyes fluttered open. "Regina. You're alright." Cora reached her hand up to cup her daughter's face.
"You're going to be okay." The brunette said, her confident voice wavering. Cora's eyes flicked towards Emma's, then in front of her, looking at something they couldn't see. Regina nervously glanced at the blonde. "Mother, this is Emma. She can heal you. She's- "
"Special." Cora finished, her brown eyes meeting Emma's. The blonde shifted nervously and started to back away. "She can heal you." Regina said. The Queen reached her hand out and caught Emma's, stopping her from moving. "I meant she's special to you, dear."
"Enough of this." Maleficent snapped, moving towards Henry. Emma and Regina both jumped up with Ruby behind them, leaving Belle to comfort the dying Queen. "Don't hurt him!" Regina pleaded. Maleficent snapped her head towards the women. "Why shouldn't I? They ruined my life, took my daughter away from me!"
"No, they didn't." Aurora stepped forward with Phillip close behind, holding their newborn son carefully in her arms. A look of confusion crossed the dragon's face. Quickly it was replaced with anger. "I should have destroyed you when I had the chance. You and your prince. And now you've created spawn to carry on the family name." The woman spat.
"Maleficent, this is your daughter. Your Lillith." Emma said. "You're lying." The villain said, not taking her eyes off of the family. "My mother thought she was doing what was best. She had no idea you were even my mother. She thought she was taking in a helpless child. If she had known she would never had treated you like she did."
Maleficent carefully stepped forward as the princess held out the rattle. "I remember this. From my dreams. This was mine. Or it was meant to be." Aurora said, looking down at her sleeping son before handing him off to Phillip. "My Lillith." The dragon whispered, reaching her hands out to touch her.
Aurora smiled at her. "It's so hard to believe." Maleficent said. "It came as quite a shock to me too, believe me." The young woman giggled. Then she grew serious once more. "We'd like you to be a part of our family. Watch our Stefan grow up and someday become King."
A stray tear escaped the woman's eye and rolled down her face. "Emma!" King David yelled, entering the ballroom with his wife right behind him. The villain snapped to her senses and turned to greet the approaching couple. "You took everything from me! For years I was going after Briar Rose and her family when all along I was attacking my own daughter. The last piece of family I had. Now you're going to pay."
Before Aurora or any of the others could stop her, the woman had turned back into her large dragon self. The ground shook as she stepped towards the royals. "Emma no!" Regina screamed as she watched the blonde launch herself at the monster. Maleficent turned towards Henry, ready to end him.
Regina jumped forward to protect her father as a stream of fire flew towards her. Instinctively, she fell to the floor and waited for her inevitable death. When she didn't feel the fire burning her alive, she opened her eyes. David was standing over her, holding out his shield to take the heat.
"Are you alright?" He asked the young woman. Regina nodded shakily, amazed that the man would save her. Emma smiled at her before holding her hands out towards the beast. With a flash of magic and a mighty roar, Maleficent fell to the ground. Her body withered away to dust, finally defeated at last.
Regina suddenly noticed the blonde princess laying un-moving on the ground. "Emma!" She cried. David and Snow ran over to their daughter while Regina went back to her mother. "Regina. Go to her." Cora breathed, glancing over at the royal family. "Go."
Regina smiled at her mother before going over to Emma. Snow was crying and David was trying to console her. Ruby and Belle stood nearby, tears in their eyes. Looking down at the young woman, Regina knew in her heart that she truly loved her. She always had. They were meant to come together. Meant to be together.
Slowly she leaned down and placed a tender kiss on the blonde's soft lips. "I love you, Emma. I always have and I always will. Just please come back to me."
Snow and David stared at the woman in shock, Henry soon joining in as he unfroze. Regina looked up at Emma's parents as the blonde didn't wake. "I love your daughter. I'm sorry if I ruined your lives. I know you hate me and my family, but I love Emma. I was just too scared to admit it."
"Took you long enough." Regina looked down to see Emma awake and well, smiling up at her. "Emma!" She said happily, throwing her arms around the young woman's neck. "Oh no." Both women looked up to see Henry going over to his wife. Regina reluctantly let go of Emma to join her father. Surprisingly, the blonde joined her.
"Mother." Regina's eyes filled with tears as she looked down at the woman. Her breathing had shallowed, and she was using every ounce of energy she had to stay awake. "Emma can heal you, Mother. Just hold on." The brunette cried. "No, I'm afraid she can't, darling." The older woman spoke.
"But- "Regina was cut off as her mother stroked her face lovingly. Her heart nearly broke at the first act of motherly affection the woman was showing her. Snow hesitantly stood nearby, biting her lip. "Snow. Come." Cora spoke. The Queen knelt down on the woman's other side, a saddened look on her face. "Cora, I'm so sorry. I never should have done what I did."
"I wasn't innocent either. And the pain we caused Maleficent, well, that's on both of us. I wish our daughters could have grown up together like we always dreamed. But now, let's put the past behind us. You're my best friend."
Tears fell from Snow's face, and she struggled to keep her composure. Both husbands and daughters silently watched the exchange. "You always were mine." Snow said, her voice breaking. Henry grabbed his wife's hand. "Dearest." He said.
Regina watched in shock at the loving exchange between her parents. Emma held her hand, silently letting her know she was here for her. "Henry. I never stopped loving you. You were so good to our daughters. You taught them how to love when I couldn't."
Henry laid a kiss on the woman's forehead before stepping back. "Mother, please let Emma heal you. We can be a family again. All of us." Regina pleaded, motioning to David and Snow. Cora shook her head. "I am so proud of you, my Regina. I was never a good mother to you. I blamed you for a lot of things, took my anger out on you. Zelena's death wasn't your fault. I love you and I give you my blessing."
Regina and Emma glanced at each other. The Queen took Emma's hand within her own. "I trust you'll treat my daughter well. Love and care for her always."
"I will. I love her." Emma answered. Cora smiled at the two women. "You'll be great Queens. I give my crown to you, Regina. It's time for me to move on. Your sister is waiting, and as you know, she's very impatient."
Regina smiled through her tears. "I love you, Mother." She said. Cora smiled at her one last time before letting her eyes drift shut. Her breathing shallowed even more, then stopped. Emma held Regina close as the brunette cried. "I love you so much." The blonde whispered in her ear.
"Henry, Regina, we are so sorry." David said. Henry shook the man's hand, helping him to stand. Snow helped the two women up, hugging Regina before wiping her tears. "Welcome to our family."
"Announcing, Queen Regina and Queen Emma Mills." The room erupted in applause once more as Emma and Regina emerged, hand in hand. Emma smiled at her wife, glancing at the gleaming heart rings on their ring fingers that matched the one Regina had gotten her so many years ago.
Ruby and Belle hugged their friends along with Aurora and Phillip before standing aside to allow Snow and David through. Snow curtsied while David kissed both women's hands. "Queen Emma, may I have this dance?" He asked, a twinkle in his eye. Emma giggled and joined her father on the dance floor.
Regina's eyes scanned the room for her father, disappointment weighing her heart down. Snow put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Just then, the ballroom doors opened. King Henry descended the stairs, eyes shining proudly. "Queen Regina." He bowed before leading his daughter to the dance floor.
"I'm glad you could make it, Daddy." The Queen said softly. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." The man said, holding her close.
Emma and Regina reunited again only to be interrupted by a small voice. "Mommies, I want to dance too!" Their young son Henry said impatiently, tugging at their dresses. The women scooped him up in both of their arms, kissing his cheeks. Their magical miracle, he was.
Regina looked to see Emma staring at her, love in her eyes. "Always and forever." She said, kissing her.
I am SO SORRY I haven't updated in forever! I don't have internet at home and I won't for a few weeks at least so I'm uploading chapters at work. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this story, I know I loved writing it and loved seeing the reviews and support from you all. Much love.