Okay guys, the following chapter is one that I'm doubting about enormously. Let's just say it's different from the previous ones. I really, really hope that you still like the fic after reading this. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions in a review. Much appreciated. Okay, keeping my fingers crossed for this one...
The streets of Storybrooke are completely abandoned when Emma and Snow walk through the little fishing town. The evening chill makes the blonde pull her scarf a little tighter and she puts her hands in her pockets.
It only takes mother and daughter a few minutes before they arrive at Mr Gold's pawnshop.
Snow takes out the key she'd been given and opens the door to the shop. It's awfully dark inside. She tries to find the light switch and turns on the light.
''So, where is that magical flower seed, Gold was talking about?'' asks Emma.
''It's in the back of the shop. He saved it in this safety box, that's engraved with his signature.''
''Well good luck finding that,'' says Emma as they see the enormous collection of… yes well, what is it all exactly? She arches an eyebrow, but starts searching, aware of the fact that they don't have that much time.
Snow seems to have more success and finds the object they're looking for in no-time. She takes out another key from her pocket and opens it.
Emma joins her mother and the two of them look inside. ''It looks just like an ordinary flower seed, doesn't it?'' she asks.
Snow nods. ''Yes it does, but believe me, it's not…'' she stares at the content of the box and takes a deep breath.
''You've seen it before?'' asks the blonde.
''We had plenty of them when I was little, back in the Enchanted forest. These flowers comprises the strongest healing properties in all the lands. Of course there was not enough to save everyone that was ill at the time, but it saved so many lives. And then… one day… '' She seems to struggle with what she's going to say. ''It was just gone… There was this well-maintained Moonflower field, and every night the gardeners of the kingdom would plant new flowers, which they cut in the early morning. But one night, they couldn't get the plants to grow anymore. There was nothing that could be done. They really tried everything.''
''Do you think it was foul play?'' asks the blonde.
''Yes I do, you know why? It was the night that my mother, the queen, passed away.'' She swallows back the tears that start to come up and makes her way to the door again. ''We have to keep going,'' she says.
Emma glances a worried look at her mother, but doesn't really know what to say. She feels sorry for her, cause she had to miss her mother from such an early age.
There are so many stories that are not in the book of fairytales, that Emma really wants to hear about. When the curse was broken, she tried to stay as far away from the truth as possible, but now that reality has had time to settle in, she's craving for more information about the lives their parents had lived back in the Enchanted Forest. She wants to know where she comes from, to be able to fill in all the gaps. 'Normal' parents have years to share their backstories with their children, and they can share little pieces of the puzzle at the time, but Emma missed out on any of that. It makes her feel kind of rushed to learn more about her family.
They walk in silence to the forest, both lost in thoughts.
It is then that Snow breaks the silence. ''What was that about? With Gold I mean?''
Emma explains her mother what Henry had told her earlier that evening.
The brunette looks as shocked as Emma felt when she heard it. ''Why would he say such things? That's horrible.''
''I really have no idea why he said that. I think you can understand why I snapped at him?''
''You were too nice to him, is what I think!'' her mother exclaims. ''If he would've said these things to you, I don't think I could stay as calm as you did… '' ''Is Henry all right?''
''I think so… I'm not sure. I talked to him, told him that nothing of this was his fault, and that he was actually the hero in the whole story. But I'm not sure if he bought it.''
Snow takes her daughter's hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. She doesn't have to say anything, just being there and showing her support is enough for the blonde.
The walk is quite far. The open space in the woods is almost at the town border, and unreachable by car. The brunette knows the forest like the back of her hand and she doesn't show any doubts when they find their way through the dark woods. ''This is it,'' she points as they've reached some sort of meadow in the middle of the forest.
''What time is it?''
''Almost midnight. I suggest we start making a hole in the ground and put the seed in. When the clock strikes twelve, we can close it, and water it.''
''Sounds like a plan to me.'' The blonde starts digging a little hole in the muddy ground and takes the flower seed from her mother. She carefully places it in the ground.
Snow keeps her eyes fixated on her phone. ''Ten seconds before midnight,'' she announces and counts down to zero.
Precisely at that moment, Emma closes the hole and uses a bottle of water to water the seed. ''Now we just have to wait right?'' she asks when she looks up to face her mother.
''Yes.'' The brunette takes out a plaid from the bag she's been carrying around with her, and settles down on the grass.
Emma joins her and pulls her knees up to her chest.
They both sit there in silence, when Emma suddenly starts to shiver from the cold.
Snow gently places the plaid over her daughters' shoulders and rubs her back to get her warmed up.
''We kissed…'' the blonde suddenly whispers.
''What?'' asks her mother in a friendly tone.
''Neal and I. We kissed. He has a fiancé Mary.'' She doesn't dare to face her mother, so she keeps on looking straight forward and moves away from her mother's touch.
''Oh Emma. I really don't know what to say. I'm not the best example for these kind of situations either, I'm afraid.'' Her memories take her back to last year, when she and David had this complicated relationship going on while he was still married to Kathryn. It was not even a real relationship actually. ''Do you still have feelings for him?'' she then asks, as it is the only question she can come up with.
''I don't know… At first, I was just furious with him. Because he betrayed me. Because he was just another one of these people who I had let in and started to trust, but who let me down as suddenly as that. It was from that point on that I decided that I wouldn't trust a single person anymore in this world.'' A sigh escapes her mouth before she continues. ''But then, at the hotel, I don't know what came over me. It felt like my body was taken over by someone else, and that I didn't have control over it anymore. And when we kissed… It felt good Mary. It felt right.''
''What did he say about it?'' asks Snow.
''He's even willing to break up with his fiancé for me. That's what he said. But then of course that situation with Gold and Hook happened, so there was no time for him to talk to her. I don't know Mary, it all just goes so fast. I don't know what to do.'' She turns her head to her mother and looks hopeful at her, like her mother has the answer.
Snow opens her mouth to say something, but closes it again, as they hear a rustle coming from their right. She grabs her daughter's hand and they both get up at the same time, ready to face whatever is out there. A twig snaps underneath one of the footsteps they hear.
Two dark silhouettes appear from behind a bushy part of the forest. The unrecognizable shapes take form as they're getting closer.
''Well, well, well, look who we have here, mother and daughter,'' sounds a sarcastic, but an all too familiar voice.
''Cora,'' hisses Snow.
''Yes, and I brought my daughter too, see?'' she replies as she looks proudly at Regina.
''What are you two doing here?'' asks Emma in a dark voice.
''We were just making a nightly stroll through the forest, and we heard voices, so we thought we should take a look. And here you are!'' she grins.
''Cut the crap, why are you really here?'' the blonde asks again.
''We are here… for your mother,'' answers Regina.
In a reflex, Emma jumps in front of Snow as Regina pulls up her arm and throws it forward. The blonde flies through the air and smashes against a tree behind them. She lies completely still after the blast.
''Emma!'' yells Snow completely in panic as she witnesses her daughter being hit against a tree. The sound that that makes is earsplitting. She runs up to the blonde and gently strokes away some strands of hair from her face to be able to see if the woman is conscious or not.
''Foolish girl!'' cries Cora with a smile as wide as the one of the Cheshire Cat. '''Didn't you learn anything back in the Enchanted Forest? What a shame!''
''Emma, please wake up! Cries Snow as she gently shakes her daughter's body. ''Emma, please!''
''Lovely sight, isn't? The suffering of a powerless mother when her child is wounded,'' asks Cora to her daughter as they both watch the spectacle taking place in front of them. ''Especially when that mother is Snow White, the girl who've always got everything she wanted in life. Well that's over my dear. You have ruined my daughter's life, and now we are going to ruin yours.''
Regina nods agreeing and smirks. ''I've waited for this moment for so long mother. To finally end Snow White's life.''
They both keep on watching and clearly enjoy Snow's suffering.
Emma is still lying motionless on the muddy ground while her mother is desperately trying to wake her. Snow feels that her daughter still has a pulse, and the woman's chest moves with every breath, which is a slight relieve. But the sight of her strong daughter lying there so lifelessness, is devastating. The sound of Emma's head hitting the tree still echoes in her head over and over again.
Cora finally breaks the silence. ''How much I've enjoyed the show, it's time to do where we came for, don't you think? The honor is yours,'' she says to her daughter.
''Thank you mother.''
Emma slowly opens her eyes and she sees her mother leaned over her. A stabbing pain is pounding in her head.
Snow is sitting with her back turned to Cora and Regina, and is completely focused on her daughter. She only vaguely heard the sneering comments made to her by Cora and Regina. At that moment, she feels a strong force, launching her body up in the air. It's like invisible ropes have a grip on her, and she hangs high up in the air, not able to escape.
''Let her go,'' says Emma, but her voice is not more than a whisper. She tries to get up, but the headache makes her dizzy and she sees stars. She sits on her hands and knees, and bends her head forward. ''Let her go!'' she cries, louder this time.
''Whatever you wish,'' says Regina and she makes another movement with her arms, resulting in Snow being smashed into a tree.
''No!'' yells Emma. She runs up to her mother and is shocked to see the brunette lying there. There is a large gaping wound on the woman's head, blood flooding out quickly. Emma quickly tears a piece of fabric from her t-shirt and presses it against the wound, to make the bleeding stop. A sudden flow of anger runs through her body, and she looks up to their attackers.
''Oh no, we're not done dear,'' smirks Cora. ''We're just getting started.'' She summons an oblong object in her hand and points it at Snow and Emma. ''You better move away, this is going to be nasty,'' she sneers to the blonde.
''Never!'' Emma yells back and she makes sure that she's positioned right in front of her mother, so that they can't hit her.
''Really?'' sighs Regina as she pulls up her hand again and let Emma fly up in the air, just as she did to Snow earlier. ''You still don't get it, do you? There is nothing you can do to save your precious mother.''
''Are there any last words you want to say to her before she dies?'' asks Cora amused.
''Stop!'' cries Emma as she tries with all her might to free herself from the grip the invisible ropes have on her. With no luck of course. Anger is building up in her body in a way she has never felt before. She's just getting to know her mother, she is as hell not losing her again. She is not going to let this happen.
A sudden wind rises up and makes the branches of the trees sweep threatening when Cora uses her weapon on Snow.
Emma sees a shockwave going through her mother, as the woman's body is shaking intensively. ''No! Stop!'' she yells again as she stares down hopelessly to the lifeless body of Snow on the ground. An indescribable amount of anger combined with fear runs through every vein of her body, and there is nothing that can stop the enormous adrenaline rush that seems to take over. She has never experienced anything like this before.
Cora hands the magical object to her daughter. ''You can finish it,'' she says ominous.
Gratefully, Regina takes the weapon from her mother, aims it at Snow, and uses her other hand to remain the control over Emma's body.
Another shockwave runs through Snow, longer this time.
''No!'' cries Emma, while tears are running down her face.
''Let's do it together,'' suggests Cora to Regina.
Her daughter nods understandingly.
Cora and Regina both create a ball of fire in their hands and combine them, until it becomes one. A deadly weapon has been created by the two most vengeful women in the world. They raise their arms at the same time and throw the ball of fire towards Snow.
A final cry of despair escapes from Emma's mouth and she closes her eyes. She doesn't want to see her mother dying in such a gruesome way. It is then that the adrenaline rush that has been building up over the last minutes becomes unbearable. Something is breaking out of her body, she can feel it. A glaring light suddenly radiates from Emma, and an immense scream wells up from deep inside. Her eyes open wide and she witnesses the ball of fire that was only inches away from her dying mother, now wheeling around, making its way back to the original senders.
Regina jumps away just in time to avoid the killer weapon that is speeding towards her and her mother.
Cora on the other hand isn't fast enough and the ball of fire hits her completely, launching her back a few meters before she hits the ground. Her body absorbs the fire and her eyes show the agony and immense pain that she's experiencing.
''Mother, what is happening?!'' cries Regina as she's trying to comprehend everything that has happened in that split second. She has lost the control over Emma's body as soon as she jumped aside, and the blonde fell hard on the ground.
Cora is screaming intensely as all of her organs are caught on fire. It's a horrible way to die, but the ironic thing is that she's dying from her and her daughter's own creation.
''Mother no!'' Regina crawls up to Cora and takes her cramped form in her arms. ''Mother,'' she whispers again as she's crying ceaselessly.
The excruciating pain that Cora has felt, abruptly makes place for a numb sensation and a sudden feeling of calmness. 'So this is how it feels to die?' she thinks in herself. With all of the remaining power she has in her body, she turns her head to look up to her daughter. ''I love you,'' she whispers.
''I love you too mother. Please don't leave me!''
But the last bit of life that was visible in Cora's eyes slowly fades away until there is nothing more than darkness.
Regina bends over Cora's lifeless body and cries with unstoppable and painful sobs. She glances a last look over her shoulder to Emma and Snow, before she disappears in a purple haze together with her dead mother.
I was intrigued by the idea of what would happen when the whole situation was turned around, so when not Snow, but Emma would've killed Cora. How will Regina react to that, Emma's family, and maybe most important of all, how would Emma deal with it?
Thank you so much again for reading, and I promise more Charming family coming up in the next few chapters. By the way, if you have any requests for this fic, please let me know and I try to find a way to fit it in :)