So, maybe it was just me, but this entire chapter feels intense. I stayed up late into the night writing it, because i was afraid that if i went to bed I wouldn't remember what i wanted to happen. So hopefully you guys enjoy it as much as i did. It sticks kind of close to the show, but there were elements in the show i was dying to use for my plot. Read on!

I stood outside Snow's front door, wondering if I should knock. In another time, another land I would have thrown the door open and walked in. But this wasn't that place. I looked up and down the hallway outside Snow's loft, knowing I should get out of the hallway before someone saw me. I knocked, strong, self-assured, much like myself.

"Just a minute." Charming called from inside. It took a few moments, but he finally opened the door. "Regina? What are you doing here?" I stepped around him into the apartment. "Yes, why don't you come in?" He said sarcastically. "What do you want? Henry isn't here."

I looked around the apartment before turning and facing David. "I'm not here for Henry." I paused. "But where is he?"

David folded his arms as if he was unhappy sharing this information with me. "He's at the stables. Every Prince should have his steed. And he is undoubtedly a prince."

I nodded. "You are right." I allowed myself a moment to remember how much I had loved riding. Why had I never taken Henry to ride? I silently chastised myself, then pushed that thought to the back of my mind. Now was not the time to be jealous of David's parenting. "I need your help. Do you still have Jefferson's hat?"

"It is less a hat and more useless scraps of fabric. I've been trying to find Jefferson all day to see if he can fix it." He looked at me suspiciously. "Why?"

I pulled the book out of the bag I was carrying, showing it to Charming. "I've found the magic to power it. To bring Emma and Snow back."

The look of suspicion still hadn't left his face. "Why would you want to help us bring them back? I'd have thought you'd be happy they're gone."

My hand drifted subconsciously to the mark. Happy was the last emotion I'd use to describe the feelings I'd felt since seeing Emma disappear down the portal. "Because. Henry wishes it. What kind of life would he live without one of his moms and his grandmother? He blames me for this, so I must fix it."

"Well, it is your fault." He spared me none of his venom. "You did this. You did all of this." His phone rang before I could respond. "Hello? Yes, this is the acting Sheriff." The person on the other end of the line sounded panicked, but I couldn't tell what they were saying. "He was attacked? By who? By what? I'll be right there." He hung up. "Dr. Whale has been attacked. I have to go to the hospital. Do you think you could pick up Henry and bring him here in half an hour? And you know, stay with him until I get back?"

"Of course. I am his mother, after all." I picked the book up off the counter. "Will you call me if you find Jefferson?"

"Yes. If you're sure you can power that hat, I will find a way to do this." There was an awkward moment between us, and I wondered if he was remembering the time I'd tried to seduce him. I could hardly even recall why I, as Regina the Mayor, had even thought that would be a good idea. I had wasted so much time being foolish, when Emma was around, and now I was fighting to get her back before my mother could do something crazy…like kill her too.

The moment passed, and I left the apartment. I sat in the front seat of my car. I could either go home and wait to get Henry, or I could store the book somewhere safe. After a moment of contemplation, I chose the latter, turning on the car and driving to the cemetery. The temptation of using magic was too strong to keep the book around me until I needed it, so I would lock it up for safekeeping. I got out of the car, taking the short walk to my father's crypt slowly. I was almost at the first step when I looked up and realized something was wrong. The door was open. There was a moment where I paused in shock. Who would dare? I hurried in to the crypt. Nothing appeared to be disturbed, but I knew better than to take anything at face value. The tomb in the middle opened up, revealing a hidden set of stairs. I hurried down them, taking them two at a time until I reached the door at the bottom, which was ajar. I pushed it open slowly, afraid of what I would see. The glass coffin in the middle of the room stood empty. Daniel's body, which I'd kept frozen in time, was gone. I looked up and down the walls of my great vault, where I stored the heart I had gathered over the years. Two were gone. One had been Grant's, which I'd crushed in a violent rage. The other one was missing. I locked the book in a box on an undisturbed shelf, hoping that my vault would hold against similar thefts in the future. I relocked the vault, rushing from it to my car and calling David. He answered on the first ring.

"Regina?" He seemed surprised that I'd be calling him so soon. "Is something wrong?"

"Daniel. Did you see Whale?"

"Yeah." He sounded exhasperated, though with me or with the situation I couldn't tell. "He can't really tell me what happened. He just keeps saying, 'It's alive' and 'I did it.'" I froze. He did it. He actually did it. "Regina? What is it?"

"David, Whale is Frankenstein. The Viktor Frankenstein."

"As in Frankenstein and the monster?"

"One in the same."

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent." My voice came out a lot calmer sounding than I felt over the war of emotions in my chest. Daniel is alive.

"So when he says he's done it…"

"He's brought him back." I clarified. "Daniel." I couldn't stop the thrill in my voice at the idea of Daniel being alive.

"Your old love Daniel? Regina, he is dangerous. He attacked Whale, ripping his arm clear off." I was only mildly surprised that David knew who Daniel was. I was also slightly impressed at how he was taking this news. I ignored his warning completely. "How?"

"There's no time to explain. We must find him."

"Ok. Where would Daniel go?"

"The stables." I answered, sure of myself. The stables were the place he'd felt most comfortable alive, and they would be the place he'd head for now that he was alive again. An icy fist plunged itself into my heart, stopping me cold, as David reached the same conclusion I had. Henry.

"Henry's at the stables!" Daniel disconnected, but it didn't matter. I was already in a dead sprint for my car. I turned it on, neglecting to put on my seatbelt and tearing from the parking lot. I dodged pedestrians and opposing traffic on my way through the streets of Storybrooke, scattering groups of people and running up on the curb more than once. But it didn't matter to me, my son was in danger. I screeched to a noisy halt outside the stables, scattering dirt and gravel in the unpaved lot. I leapt from my car, leaving it running.

"Please I just want to help you!" I heard Henry's terrified voice coming from one of the stalls. I ran toward it just in time to see Daniel lifting Henry off his feet by his neck.

"Daniel!" I shouted. "Put him down!"

Daniel dropped Henry, turning to contemplate me. He almost looked like his old self, except for the sickly pallor to his face. He looked like… He looks like death. "Henry, run!" Henry crawled past me, leaping to his feet at the door and sprinting out. I could hear his steps speeding away from the stall. Daniel began to move towards me, and I began to back away, self-preservation kicking in along with an ache of longing. He had been my first love. I had cherished him and his memory for so long, and now, here he was. And I was scared. "Daniel, it's me. Regina." He began to reach for my throat, and in a last ditch effort, said the only thing I could think of. "Daniel, please. I love you." And it was true, I did. You never stop loving your first love. Even if you find your soul mate, your first love holds a part of your heart.

Daniel shook his head, kind of like a dog with water in it's ears. The painful expression on his face cleared up, and he recognized me. "Regina?"

"Yes, Daniel. Yes." I rejoiced, placing a hand on either side of his face. "It's me." The tears began brimming in my eyes.

"Regina." He put his arms around me, and I hugged him back, until he pulled away from me, grimazing again. "Regina, kill me." He growled. "Do it."

"I can't!" I hadn't used the book. I didn't have any powers.

"Do it." He seemed to take my 'I can't' as an 'I won't.' "Please, just do it. Let me go. Love again." His face contorted, and it was clear that whatever was left in front of me was no longer Daniel. He began reaching for my throat again, almost hesitantly, but then the monster in him won, and his hand closed like a vice grip around my throat. He lifted me off the ground, and the fear took over as the tears finally spilled over. I could feel the panic set in, and I thought, Emma, save me.

I was brought to my knees by a terrible, crippling fear. I was so frightened I knew I was going to die. Cora and Snow rushed to my side, and I heard someone else's thoughts. Emma, save me. In my confusion I thought, Regina? I closed my eyes, and all at once I could see what was happening to her. Tears poured from my eyes and hers as she thought, Daniel, I forgive you. Forgive me. "No!" I shouted, though whether in her voice or mine, I wasn't sure. I won't lose you!

Regina had both her hands clamped around Daniel's arm, and I felt my entire body fill with magic, as it had when I grabbed Regina the day before. The magic flowed through me to her, and Daniel froze before her for a moment before collapsing into a pile of dust. Regina fell from the height Daniel had been holding her at, hitting the ground on all fours and coughing. David came running from nowhere, helping her up and shouting her name. The last thought I heard from her was, Thank you, Emma. Thank you.

I opened my eyes and found myself still on my knees. Tears were pouring down my face, and Mary Margaret was kneeling in front of me, my face in her hands. 'My arms were outstretched on either side of her, my palms facing outward as if I had been working magic. Which I supposed I had been. Mary Margaret was shaking me and calling my name. "Emma! Emma! What's happening!? Please talk to me!"

I swallowed, clearing the lump in my throat. "I don't know." I croaked truthfully. "I just don't know." I looked up at Cora, who had a carefully crafted mask of concern on her face. And in that moment, I knew. She was lying about everything. She hadn't changed, and never would. And trusting her could be a fatal mistake.

The door opened and Mulan stepped in, taking a moment to absorb the scene before her. I wiped the tears from my face. "You two." She pointed at Mary Margaret and I, where we were still on the floor. "Come." Mary Margaret stood up first, pulling me to my feet and keeping a hand on my back, as if she was worried I would fall over. A part of me was annoyed at the protective gesture, and another part of me appreciated it. I wasn't sure what was happening to me, but somehow, Regina and I were connected. Whatever had just happened, Regina had known I was there. She had called for me. And until Mary Margaret and I could talk alone, I couldn't ask her anything about it. But hopefully, hopefully I could use it.

How do you guys like it? Did I make a mistake in using one of the ideas from the episode? I thought it fit perfectly, so let me know! Is this Marked idea a good one, or am I wasting my time entirely? This is what reviews are for. Let me know!