I don't own OUAT

Cora stayed in bed for days, still too weak to do much, though not suffering from her nausea due to the little girl who was her almost constant companion. It would not be difficult to get out of bed, but if Xavier were to find out that she could so much as sit up, she would be forced to return to her work. So long as she could get away with this, she would. The constant spinning was harsh on her body.

She looked down, smiling, at the little girl in her arms. Sophia was resting, exhausted by her constant use of power. Even now, she glowed slightly with healing energy. Cora ran her fingers through the young girl's hair, pulling it back from her face. She picked the girl up gently, putting her onto the bed next to her. With a light stretch of her legs, her feet touched the cold stone floor, chill bumps shooting up her body at the loss of warmth from the bed. Moving farther from the haven she had so desired, her face lit up when she saw Sophia's glow die down. The girl could finally have a moment of peace, free of the selfishness Cora had indulged in.

"Venturing out on your own?" Through her open bedroom door, she saw Rumplestiltskin materialize on her new couch. Taking slow, deliberate steps, she approached her lover. At his look, she curled up, resting herself in his lap. Her head was laid on his shoulder, and she closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her tightly. She felt a familiar tightness growing in her chest, a large knot forming in her throat. Her grip on him tightened, her eyes only opening when the tension was relieved.

They were on his bed in the room she recognized as the one he had tortured her in not so very long ago. She pulled out of his arms, a small orb of fire forming in her palm. His face contorted, confusion evident on it at her terror. Her eyes had grown wide when she had seen her location, and though her stance looked confident, her hand was trembling. At last, it dawned on him.

"Ah, I see. I make efforts not to harm sick women unless they do something to betray me. Have you?" A small shake of her head confirmed his belief. He wouldn't doubt her; she was far too proud of her indiscretions. "I assume you are still sick?"

"Unfortunately." She sat beside him on the bed, trying desperately to ignore a few red spots- blood stains. Were they hers? Were they not? How was it that a twisted form of jealousy came over her at the thought of him doing such a thing to someone else? The memory sickened her, but at the same time, she knew that he still loved her. He only did it to make her stronger. And it was working. Every day, she grew more powerful. The closer she came to being royalty, the more power she was handed. The rest she would take by force.

"I got you something." That said, he pulled a beautiful necklace out of his pocket. It had an opal in the center, hanging on a thin braided silver chain. The opal had some kind of energy locked inside of it, a small, thin layer of red fog covering it in a translucent haze. The fog swirled in the stone, shifting as the swinging pendant moved. She took it in her hand, an instant sense of relief filling her. She let out a sharp gasp as she felt her fever disappear along with her dizziness and the nausea that had threatened to return.

"What is it?" He laughed at her astonishment, holding out his hand for the necklace.

"May I?" She granted him a delicate nod, dropping the fragile pendant into his palm. She gathered up her hair quickly before her reprise from illness ended. With that out of the way, he unclasped the necklace, putting it around her neck and reconnecting it. She felt that cool serenity surround her once again. "It is a healing charm. It is designed to take your illness or injuries and dissipate them into the air. Only minor trauma, however. I can't heal death." She frowned, her nose wrinkling in a way he found was beautiful on her. Everything was beautiful on her.

"Did you make it or did you take it?" This one question would decide whether she kept it or not. It would tell how much he cared.

"I made it." He kissed her softly. "Nothing but the best for you, my dear." She let out a quiet growl, a wide grin spread across her face. At his words, she had let down her barriers, and she found that the necklace took her worries as well as simple healing. She had no more fear with him.

"In that case," she lifted her flimsy nightgown over her head, tossing it to the ground beside her. "I think you deserve a proper 'thank you'" She straddled him, pushing him back against the bed. He watched her, lust filling them both as she leaned over to kiss him. Her soft lips attacked his, no sign of her former frailty present as she tore off his vest. Her body burned for him, every single piece of her screaming his name. He was what she wanted, and she hadn't had him for so long. She couldn't live without having him right then and right there.

"Feeling better, then, dearie?" She cut him off with another rough kiss. He did not protest at this way of quieting him. A deep growl came from the delicate-looking woman.

"Shut. Up." Her body moved against his forcefully, a gasp tearing from his lips. She reached down, feeling his every movement through his skin-tight leather pants. Looking back up at him, hunger filled her gaze. Desperate fingers yanked on his shirt, tearing it at the side. Neither noticed or cared, only wanting each other. The shirt had been in their way. A devious grin came across her face, and, after checking quickly, she grabbed his wrists and locked them into the restraints he had placed her in weeks back. His eyes widened in shock, a tiny bit of fear creeping into him.

He felt himself being pulled to her, his body begging for her. It was unnerving, this lack of control he had. She was such a powerful woman, but he never imagined she would be able to take him unless she let him. He was her Master. Not the other way around. Even so, she controlled him now. No longer was he the Dark One with her. He was a man, and no man could ever resist his feisty little beast.

"Would you like me to liberate you, Master?" Her deep voice purred, but there was still that undertone of passion and desire that could not be ignored. He nodded fervently, desperation overtaking him. He needed her now. She pulled a small dagger out of thin air, running the tip across his cheek. His body began to tremble both from anticipation and fear. She moved down his body, the tip trailing down his chest until she reached his trousers. With quick jerks of her arm, she sliced them to pieces, and they were finally both without clothing.

Wasting no time, she came down on him, feeling him inside of her. They moved together, a perfect cycle of passion and power. As she felt herself getting closer, she clutched his chest and hurried her pace, pushing harder, faster. Her nails bit into his chest, and groans escaped the pair, blending together in the heat. Neither was sure how long it had been before they were crying out together, him screaming her name, and she screaming "Master!" over and over until she slumped down across his chest, body completely taken.

They stayed there, both exhausted, laid out together, his hands still tied back. She was leaning against his chest, panting and desperately trying to catch her breath. Minutes that felt like hours passed in silence barring from their alternating breaths. Once Cora had regained breath, she sat up once again, leaning over him. He sent her a positively wicked grin, both knowing what it meant.

"My turn." A snap of his fingers had him on top, pinning her down. Her hands were now tied down where his had been. He just stared down at her for a minute. Her face was still flushed a deep red, quite a change from her usually snow-white skin. Her gorgeous brown hair that was so often pulled back perfectly, not a hair out of place, was spread across his pillow, ratted up and tangled. It was now when she was truly beautiful, completely flustered by their passion. Her eyes begged him to take her, a fresh hunger overtaking her body.

He tilted her head up, leaning down to give her a gentle kiss before shoving into her. She cried out once again, that pleasured scream that was better than any song she ever sang. He quieted her with a rough kiss, continuing to push into her. He felt himself burn with pleasure as he took her, tremors racing through his body as she wrapped her leg around him, pulling him down deeper into her. They both groaned, and her eyes closed as they continued. He kissed down her neck, biting down on her pulse point. She let out another moan. He continued to kiss across her chest, biting to mark his territory. Once again, they climaxed together, twin cries tearing out of them before he rolled off of her, freeing her wrists.

She turned over to him, curling her arms around his muscled chest. He brushed her hair back out of her face, and she fell into an exhausted sleep. He kissed her forehead, and snapped his fingers, a new nightgown covering her form. He sent her back to her room in the palace and stayed stretched across his bed.

"That woman will end me." He wasn't so sure that he minded.

Cora woke up in her own room, little Sophia sleeping soundly beside her. She got out of bed and looking into her looking glass, pulling her neckline down. Her chest was covered with bruises from her lover. She quickly covered her chest with her hair, thankful for its incredible length. She would be wearing it down for many days now. She clutched her stomach as her nausea threatened its return. Her neck was bare, lacking the gift that had helped heal her. She slipped back into bed, peace returning to her body as the little girl began to glow. Thank god for her she thought.