Chapter Eighteen

Heart to Heart

A/AN: Wow this story has almost reached 200 reviews! I'm humbled and honored! I never thought this story would get so many views and that so many people would love it. Please check out my new story which is for a contest on the OUAT fan fiction and creations group on FB. The story is called "The Mermaid and The Prince". Belle and Ariel are both sisters who just happen to be mermaids. Ariel chose a life on land when she fell in love with a prince named Eric. Belle doesn't agree with her sister's choice. She loathes land dwellers until Ariel convinces her to come to Eric's annual undersea ball where she meets a prince who enchants her. Can he win her heart or will she shy away from him? It needs some love but anyways on to the chapter!

Belle rested in the room Leopold had graciously offered her in his palace. She closed her eyes, completely exhausted despite being cursed to eternal sleep just a few hours prior. Her eyes fluttered open when she heard the door open. She expected to see Rumplestiltskin but was surprised when it was Regina instead.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you." Regina smiled apologetically.

"No it's okay. I wasn't asleep yet." Belle smiled sheepishly, feeling a little uneasy by having her stepsister standing in the room. She was the spawn of the woman who tried to kill her after all.

"I think we need to talk." Regina said uneasily, breaking the silence that had blanketed the room.

"About what?" Belle feigned ignorance ready to be rid of her estranged stepsister. Regina had never showed any unkindness towards her, but she had ignored her the past four years, allowing her mother to abuse her any way she saw fit.

"About everything that's happened between us…" Regina's voice wavered as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"All right." Belle supplied resting her head against the headboard while averting her gaze.

"My mother is a horrible woman, and I've known that for a long time now. I blatantly chose to ignore the abuse and torment she inflicted on you because I was afraid of her. I should've helped you escape or something, but I allowed it to continue. I'm just as guilty as she is." Regina admitted, hot tears cascading down her cheeks, "I'm so sorry Belle." she sobbed, shielding her face with her arm to hide her eyes.

Regina was surprised when she felt someone lightly touching her arm. She looked up surprised to be met by Belle's kind blue eyes. "You were afraid, and I understand that. I believe you're still afraid and full of regret. Regina you and I haven't ever had it easy. I forgive you Regina and it's time we both let go of the past and start anew."

Regina wiped away her tears with her sleeve, "All I wanted was for her to love me, but I was never enough! She always had to have more power!" she seethed as angry tears ran down her face.

Belle pulled her sister into a tight hug allowing her to cry years worth of pain into her shoulder. She pat her back reassuringly as her body wrecked with sobs.

"I've lost Daniel…I've lost everything I ever cared about." she sniffled pulling away from Belle, her eyes red from crying.

"You have me, and we will find Daniel. You will be together again because true love triumphs all." Belle reassured her.

"You really believe that?" Regina questioned her with a blank look.

"I have to…It woke me from a sleeping curse." she laughed, patting her knee reassuringly.

"We have to defeat my mother." Regina added with pursed lips.

"We will but Rumple needs to find Maleficent and defeat her first." Belle said confidentially.

"Do you really believe he can defeat her?" Regina asked the beauty in an unconvincing tone.

"I believe he can because his heart is true." Belle smiled confidentially, never wavering in her faith that Rumple would come through for them. She was absolutely certain that their true love could break any curse.

~X~

"So where does this black fairy reside?" inquired Rumplestiltskin anxiously as the blue fairy conjured up a hologram of deep underground tunnels.

"My sister lives in a cave that burrows deep underground in the dark forest. The forest is so deeply settled in darkness that the sunlight cannot even penetrate it. Those who venture into the forest never come out. It's normally forbidden to go there, but I will allow it since you're so insistent about defeating her. I must warn you that your efforts are futile and that your embarking on a suicide mission." Blue warned waving her hand through the hologram. The map zoomed in to exact interfaces of the tunnels.

"Let me be the one to decide that dearie." he buffered growing irritate by the fairy's efforts to dissuade him.

"You will need a sword, one enchanted by a special magic that I unfortunately do not possess. Those who've tried to defeat my sister have failed because they tote basic armory with them. The sword you will need has to be sharp enough to penetrate through her dragon scales which are resistant against any metal." Blue remarked hoping to dishearten him, but he didn't budge.

"You mean a sword like this?" Leopold interrupted as he burst into the room, carrying a sword emitting golden light.

"Where did you get that?" she demanded shocked by his discovery.

"I found it hanging on the wall in my armory. This sword was normal once but I believe when you broke Belle's sleeping curse that all the power from true love's kiss went inside this it." Leopold supplied handing it to Rumplestiltskin.

He admired the shining blade before meeting Blue's gaze, "Is this the kind of sword you were talking about?"

"Yes…That will do…The light from it will even be enough to illuminate the dark forest." she replied taken aback by its magnificent power.

"Then I'm ready…" Rumplestiltskin determined, fury blazing in his eyes. He would return victorious because their true love fueled him on.

"I will enchant this sword with my magic so that it will lead you right to my sister." Blue offered with the wave of her wand.

The sword began to grow brightly tugging him in the direction of his enemy. He pulled the sword back, and Blue waved her wand again. The sword stopped pulling him, and she smirked.

"Let me know once you're ready to go and I'll enchant your sword again so that you can find my sister." Blue told him, wondering if he would succeed but she knew one thing for sure. She'd never seen anything as powerful as their true love.

~X~

Cora returned to the castle in a cloud of blue smoke, ecstatic once Maleficent's spell wore off. She detested that horrendous form but the disguise had paid off. Her gullible stepdaughter had fallen for it. Nothing would stand in her way now.

"Your majesty that fellow from earlier is back." her guard quaked, peeping around the corner, utterly terrified by the tyrant queen.

"Send him in." Cora scoffed with a wave of her hand. She sat securely on her throne awaiting the fool who was probably here for his boot.

"Did you succeed your majesty?" Gaston inquired to the auburn haired woman.

"I did, and I'm in a rather joyous mood." she grinned sinisterly at the village lord.

"So what do I get in return for my efforts?" he boasted with a smug grin on his face. He stood proudly before her, ready to partake of his award.

"I'm feeling quite generous today so it will be something grand." she smirked standing up, waltzing towards him.

"What did you have in mind?" he inquired as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Oh something special for you my pet…something very special." she grinned maliciously, leading him to the chamber she kept her mutts. Her sound proof walls were the only thing that blocked out his screams after she locked him inside.

A/AN: Well that's the end of chapter eighteen! I hope you guys enjoyed it. And just how evil is Cora, tricking Gaston like that? Sorry we didn't get to Daniel but it will be coming up soon. The next chapter will focus on Rumple and Maleficent's duel. Will he succeed in his endeavor? Stay tuned dearies! You don't want to miss what's coming up next! Hehe! :D