the end of your misery is near :) i made this one a little longer so let me know what you think xoxo
"Where in the hell did we end up?" Emma groaned, rolling onto her side to see Hook sprawled across the ground next to her as she lifted into a sitting position, trying to make her head quit spinning. Killian groaned, running a hand over his face in acknowledgement of the rough trip through the portal.
"Doesn't this feel familiar?" David said with a small smile when he saw Regina lift her head from his chest, their bodies entangled in one another's. She was ontop of him, one arm under his back, legs intertwined. Her forehead creased in discomfort as she sat up, "You okay?" He asked, running a hand over her thigh as she rose from him.
"I'm fine," She mumbled without looking at him, averting her gaze. He could tell she was trying not to be rude and to stay focused on the task at hand. He didn't take it personally, they didn't have time to delve into the tension between them right now, it was all about their child. He sat up as he took her hands to help her find her footing before getting up after her, dusting off his clothes.
"You two all right?" David glanced over to see Emma and Killian doing the same a couple yards away from them. He took a moment to survey their surroundings as he found the view of the sky to be covered mostly by trees, sensing that they were deep in the woods, "Looks like Sherwood Forest, don't you think?" He sighed, rolling the sleeves of his button up up his forearms at the mugginess of the still air.
"I'd say so," Regina replied as she looked up, studying the area in vague agreement.
"Is that close to your castle?" Emma asked as she and Hook closed the distance between the couples, "How far are we?"
David glanced at Regina while he calculated in his head the time it may take them to reach Regina's lair, "Probably a day and a half from there."
Without hesitatuon, the brunette took off in the direction they needed to go, "It's this way," She muttered over her shoulder as she stalked, all traces of Storybrooke Regina gone and the Evil Queen in full force.
"Do we have a plan?" Emma glanced at David and Killian warily as they all started to follow her, dodging branches and fallen trees in their path, "Call me crazy, but I don't think it's a great idea to just run up on your sister..."
"I'm thinking," Regina huffed, glancing back at them but continuing down the path, "But we may as well get started. I can multitask, you know."
"I know that, I'm just saying without your..." Emma started to reply before hesitating on the sensitive subject.
"Without my what?" Regina stopped, twirling around to face her, "Without my magic? Go on Swan, spit it out. You think I'm helpless."
"That's not what I was saying-" Emma started as David and Killian stood to the sides observing nervously. The Evil Queen was in full tilt, and anyone who didn't know what she was going through would think Regina had completely reverted back to her old ways. The three of them knew better, however, Regina was only channeling her alter ego to do good...to get her child back.
"You didn't have to," Regina spat back with a malevolent look before turning her back to Swan and continuing stalking through the forest, "I said I'll think of something," Her words were sharp and biting, warning no one to keep pressing her on the issue.
David walked behind her a few feet back, sensing her need for space and to cool off. He had faith in her that she would find a way to defeat Zelena, with or without magic. Hell, if he got close enough to the Wicked Witch, he'd do it himself. Zelena had been terrorizing Regina and putting them all in danger for too long, this was the last straw. She'd had multiple chances to change, chances that none of them, including Robin, should've given her in the first place.
Regina boiled on the inside. With rage. With insecurity. With fear. She was trying desperately to hold it together and not show the mixture of emotions that here tumbling inside of her, threatening her to lash out or cry, either one. She stayed ahead of the three of them, purposely walking a little faster just so she would be left alone. As soon as she'd found out where her daughter was, she came without plans. Now she needed time and space to think of how they could outwit Zelena, with only one person in the group able to wield magic.
She glanced down at her hands as she walked, a twinge of helplessness creeping up inside of her. Regina felt like she had before she'd been started lessons with Rumple. Vulnerable and at the mercy of a wicked woman, with no way to defend herself. She kept telling herself that she could do this fueled on anger and determination alone, but a little magic wouldn't hurt. David seemed to have blind faith in her, which helped, but also worried her. What if she couldn't pull through? What if they failed at getting their child back? Would he ever forgive her? She knew she could never forgive herself.
Killian made his way from their camp beside the stream to gather firewood, venturing into the more wooded area. They'd walked all day and into the evening, Regina finally agreeing to stop when it got too dark for them to maintain direction. David and Emma had began to discuss how they could approach Regina's old castle and the best strategy to take when they arrived, as Regina had mumbled an excuse to wander off by herself for a while. David had started to follow her but Emma gave him a look that advised he let her be.
It amused Killian at times how close Emma and Regina were. They'd gone from sworn enemies to unspoken best friends, co-parenting Henry and sharing their entire family. They seemed to understand each other in a way that even he and David didn't, at times. He supposed it was because they were so similar. Tough on the outside to protect the big hearts they harbored on the inside.
He kicked at a few logs, gathering some dry branches on his way before coming upon the Queen some distance away from him. She was staring at her hands intently, as if waiting for fireballs to come blazing from them like they used to. He could tell she was concentrating hard, her brow furrowed in desperation as she tried to force magic. They began to shake when nothing happened, her stern expression breaking into one of helplessness as he spotted a tear roll down her cheek.
Killian tried stepping more behind the tree at the realization that he'd caught the Queen in a private moment, one that she'd rip him for if she knew he had seen. It was too late, though, when the crunch of a twig under his foot gave him away. Her head snapped up, dark eyes narrowing in on him. He let out a breath as he stepped out into the opening, figuring he may as well own up to having seen her.
"Trying to get your magic back, eh?" He asked casually, dropping some of the sticks he had under his arm.
"Don't even think about mocking me right now, Pirate," Regina snarled her lip in her infamous Evil manner, "Unless you want that hook somewhere else on your being," She threatened, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand as she tried to remain composed.
"Like I'd dare make fun of the Evil Queen," He smirked, closing the distance between them, "You'd better get back to camp before the David and Emma find out you're out here trying to channel your former self."
"After how I've been acting lately how could they not know that," Regina raised an eyebrow with a sigh. The guilt at how she'd been treating everyone began to eat at her, no matter how much she tried to ignore it. Damn conscious, she'd never have had this problem before.
"Aye, you've been under a lot of stress," Killian agreed as he sat down on a fallen tree trunk, taking another swig of his rum, "And what they don't understand is that when times were tough, anger was all you had to hang on to. It's only natural that that side of us surfaces, it's how we cope," He addressed the matter casually as not to irritate the Queen by talking about something so personal.
He noticed Regina caving slowly, frowning as she took a seat beside him and jerked the rum flask from his hand to take a large gulp. She grimaced when she swallowed before replying, "It used to be easier before..."
"Care to elaborate?" He asked, pretending to be uninterested so the Queen would continue as he took the flask back when she offered it up.
"To be evil, to not care when I do horrid things," She muttered, pressing her hands into the log they sat on, leaning forward slightly, "It used to be easier when I didn't have people that I cared about, when I didn't have anyone who cared about me. I could destroy whatever or whomever I wanted without consequence. After all, the only person I was putting in danger was myself, and no one would dare cross me in those days..." She frowned as the thought of the power she used to wield threatened to seduce her again.
Killian nodded in understanding, "It's hard to be wreckless when you have people depending on you, innit?"
"I shouldn't have come here without a plan," Her voice was low and gravelly, almost as if she was admitting defeat. Killian wasn't sure why it unnerved him to witness her in such a state, but it did. They were similar, both hero-turned-villains, who struggled with self worth and forgiving themselves, "I not only put myself in danger, I put David and Emma and well...you all in danger..." She let out a deep breath, "I just thought once I got here I'd know what to do, that for some reason my magic would come back once I was in my old element."
"You reckon it's because you've changed since the days of your dark reign, Your Majesty?" Killian leaned back against a branch that stuck up from the log they sat on, taking another swig of his rum, "Your heart is no longer dark and heavy with vengeance. Surely that has some effect on your brand...maybe you should keep that in mind when you're trying to get your magic back."
She raised her head as she tucked a stand of hair behind her ear, looking at him though her eyes were lost in thought. He knew he had gotten the wheels turning and so he stood, "G'night Your Majesty," He said, doubting she heard him until she gave a faint nod, her mind still elsewhere. Killian hoped this helped her, he needed her to pull through. Not just for Emma and her family, but for himself. Because if changing from hero to villain meant that Regina was only a shadow of her former self, what would it mean for him?
The day was cool and crisp in the Enchanted Forest, though the constant movement kept their bodies heated from the elements. Regina led them once again, insisting on being in the front, her focused manner demanding space without her having to say a word. David walked just a few feet behind, giving her enough distance to feel like she was in control while still being on guard for her.
He noticed she seemed a bit more like herself today, her determination stronger. He studied her as she walked, seeing her flexing her hands every now and then, as if they were numb or cramping. She seemed to know the exact direction that they needed to go without any help of trails or a compass, not that they had one, but she appeared to be going from instinct. David wondered if she could sense where their child was, feeling the primal energy emanating from her. Her pace had even increased the closer they got.
Emma and Killian traveled a good distance back from them, as David could hear them faintly carrying on a quiet conversation. He knew they were all nervous, not completely comforted by the plan they'd put together that morning. Regina had wanted to storm the castle, her anger getting the best of her, and they'd spent the majority of the morning trying to talk her out of it. At one point she'd even wanted to go by herself and offer her life to Zelena in exchange for her giving the baby to them.
David had been so angry at her he'd wanted to shake her. As much as he understood wanting to give your life for your child, the thought of not growing old with Regina sent a sense of urgency through him. He hated what her sister had done to them, to their second chance at happiness and to their baby. She'd taken Regina's chance at experiencing have a child of her very own. She'd stolen two weeks of precious bonding time they should've had with their little girl. David refused to let Regina even consider giving Zelena anything else, let alone her own life.
Instead they'd planned a way to get into Regina's old castle by the secret tunnels she'd informed them of. The advantage they had was that Regina knew her castle better than anyone. She knew every hidden passage, every trick door and every dark corner that one could hide in. She'd described the castle from top to bottom in detail, her confidence seemingly growing as she instructed where each of them would go once they got there. They were to split up and close in on Zelena from all four corners of the castle, clearing each room until they found the baby and her sister.
He heard her sharp intake of breath ahead of him, jerking him from his thoughts in an alarmed manner. David saw she had stopped in their path, coming up behind her and placing his hand on the small of her back, "Regina, what is it?" His heart leapt at the way she was staring at her hand.
"I..." She continued to stare at her hands, trembling a little, "I can feel her David," She swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked up at him with eyes full of tears, "She's alive."
"And so is your magic," David looked down in awe as her hands glowed for a brief moment, a beautiful, soft lavender color. No longer dark purple, but as if someone had mixed plum and white cream, creating a beautiful soft lilac. He bit his lip as he watched Regina become visibly reassured with herself. Her shoulders straightened, her chin lifting a little. She looked beautiful and vibrant. The woman he loved was still in there, scratching at the surface and about to make a grand appearance.
"What's going on?" Emma asked breathlessly as she and Killian jogged to catch up with them, "Regina?"
The brunette failed to respond, still too awestruck at the feeling of her magic slowly beginning to pulsate in her veins again. She turned slightly, looking up at Emma and then Killian, an appreciative look in her eyes as a fireball procured in her hands. Instead of red fire it was white, with streaks of lavender wisping in the flames.
"Your magic is back," Emma's eyes widened, "And it's light magic..."
"I...I've used light magic before when we got Neal back from Zelena but..." Regina replied, trying to make sense of it herself, "I didn't know it was still inside of me."
"Having the baby changed you," Emma looked at her knowingly, "It just does, trust me. That's probably why you lost your magic when she was taken..."
"You were trying to channel dark magic, Your Majesty," Killian raised an eyebrow in reference to their conversation the day before, "But it looks like you have a new brand of it."
"We can discuss how this came to be later," Regina looked up, eyes wild with determination, "Let's go see what it's capable of."
"Looks like mummy and daddy will be here soon little one," Zelena cooed to the baby with a wicked grin as she laid her in her basket, "Just in time for the show. Auntie Zelena has been waiting for this for days now."
The baby whimpered quietly as Zelena carried her basket from the window towards the table in the middle of the room, "Yes, your mummy is quite dense," She chuckled as she sat the basket down with plop, "Thinking I wouldn't have my pets watching for her arrival. Does she take me for a fool?" She grinned, tickling the babies nose.
The baby squirmed under her touch, almost as if she knew who Zelena was. Little brat was just like her mother. She even looked like her, except for those bright blue eyes that belonged to Prince Charming.
She'd been a whiney thing, crying at all hours and keeping the maids up at night. Zelena had put her in the room furthest from her own just so she wouldn't be tempted to poof the squalling beast back to Storybrooke and miss all the fun.
Zelena heard the commotion downstairs in the great hall, heard her soldiers swords clashing and loud crashes. She calmly began gathering her potions, not being able to stop from smiling.
Regina and David and the two other idiots were downstairs, fighting their way to get to her, thinking they were about to get their child back. Thinking that they'd gotten the best of her again. It was just too good, exacting revenge on Regina in her own beloved castle.
She gathered her needed ingredients, pouring them into a vial. This curse would break her sister's heart forever, and Zelena could finally be at peace. She'd have her revenge, the thing she wanted most. Regina would be miserable. This wasn't just a breakup or a bump in the road for Regina, this was her child's life. This heartache would last forever.
Getting rid of this crying animal would not only help her finally break Regina, but it sure wouldn't hurt anything to prevent this powerful little sorceress from growing up and realizing the power she contained. Zelena shuddered at the idea of what the mini-Regina was capable of; A product of true love, giving her light magic and her mother's genes giving her the capacity for dark magic.
Yes, Zelena was preemptively taking care of a future threat by mixing this potion, swirling it in the glass with triumphant flair. She didn't even jump when the door burst open, continuing about her task as she lifted the vial to look at it in the light, "Perfect," She purred with a smile before shifting her gaze to the four imbeciles coming at her from all directions.
"Step away from our baby," David growled at her, pulling his sword from his hip in one fluid motion.
"And deny her Auntie Zelena's special treat? I think not," Zelena smirked with confidence, giving the vial a shake, keeping her finger over the top of it, "One little drop should take care of a bugger her size."
"Make one more move, I dare you," Regina snarled, her eyes dark as her motherly instincts roared inside of her. She approached the table, hands glowing with white lavender fire, undoubtedly hotter and stronger than what she used to produce. Bloody baby had only strengthened Regina's light magic. Zelena hadn't counted on that.
Emma and Killian closed in on the sides of Zelena as Regina and David approached the table in the middle of the room. The wicked witch shifted her gaze from one side of the room to the other. Turning the vial in her hand with her forefinger over the opening, she got a droplet on her finger before throwing it across the room as a distraction, lifting her other hand to freeze them all in their tracks as she brought her poison coated finger down to the babes lips with a manic grin on her own.
She could feel Regina's frozen gaze watching her and felt nothing but bliss. To be stopped in her tracks, unable to do nothing but watch as her child was destroyed...the idea made euphoria bubble in her chest as she brought a finger to push against the infant's lips.
It was then a loud noise and jar vibrated her being, making her miss the baby's mouth as she felt her body being thrown back against the wall behind her. Regina charged towards her, hand outstretched with an electric lavender charge jetting from it to Zelena's being.
With Regina pinning Zelena to the wall, Emma rushed to grab the baby's basket as Killian swiped the table with his hook, clearing all of the glass vials, deeming them useless as they broke and spilled on the floor.
"That all you got?" Zelena choked out with a grin before using her own magic to break Regina's hold on her, swooping down and tumbling on the floor with her. David charged towards them with his sword but they disappeared in a green puff of smoke. He glanced at Emma and Killian with the baby, confused faces mirroring his own as to where they might've gone.
A loud crashing noise from downstairs gave them their answer, prompting David to take off running down the hall and for the steps. The castle was mostly black and dimly lit, making it hard for him to make out his direction. He took two at a time as he bounded down the large curved staircase with his sword in hand.
When he made it to the bottom he saw the sisters dueling with magic, throwing each other across the room and hurling objects at one another. Regina's lip was bloodied and hair mussed, the ferocity in her eyes reminiscent of when that anger was towards he and Snow many years ago.
"Enough is enough, Zelena," Regina gritted breathlessly, holding her hands up in defense as the green witch recovered from another hit against a wall.
"What's the matter sis? Getting tired?" Zelena hurled a green bolt towards her, causing Regina to fly back into the table and chairs.
"Regina!" David yelled, running towards her before he was catapulted into the air, lingering for a few seconds before Zelena cast him back down with a thud, knocking him unconscious.
"Not tired, just pissed off," The Evil Queen glowered as she transported herself with a light purple puff, reappearing in front of Zelena, her glowing hand cusping her sister's green neck, "This ends today."
"As long as we're both alive, this isn't over," Zelena hissed with what little breath she had.
"Don't make me kill you Zelena," Regina steeled, a war raging inside of her. She didn't want to kill, she was afraid to give into her desire again and take the life of her own sister. She'd worked hard to rehabilitate herself, and she didn't want to play with the dark side, but she needed Zelena to be gone...To be out of their lives forever.
"Like you could, look at you now, you're weak," She spoke in choppy breaths, managing to sneer down at Regina as she held her up from the floor with her magic, grip tightening on her throat, "And as long as I'm alive I promise you, I will make it my mission to destroy everything you love."
Zelena's eyes shifted with wicked intuition towards the top of the stairs where Emma and Killian stood with the baby basket, causing Regina to turn her head in fear of what was behind her. Her sister took the moment to thrust Regina backwards, rolling on the cold stone floor from the burst of green magic.
The wicked witch ascended into the air in the direction of the staircase, malicious eyes locked on Regina's baby. Emma and Killian started to run, making Zelena cackle at their poor attempt before she felt a hand latch onto the train of her dress.
Regina waved her fist, causing Zelena to smack to the ground with a hard thud, "Get up," She spat as she stood tiredly, both of them weakened from the amount of force and magic they'd both used, "Get up so I can finish you," She growled.
Zelena glared as she picked herself up from the ground, brushing off her dress, "You won't kill me Regina, your heart is good now, and you're scared that if you kill me you'll slip back to the dark side," She taunted as they stood a few feet away from each other.
"Good thing I'm not," Regina heard David's voice from behind Zelena, causing the wicked witch to turn suddenly to attack him, instead impaling herself on his sword. His eyes were an icy blue as he watched the surprise flash across Zelena's features as she glanced down at the sword in her chest.
Regina's eyes widened at the tip of the blade pushing through her sister's back as David gave it a healthy shove, ensuring the job complete. She watched his hard expression fade as Zelena evaporated in smoke, the green dust of her remnants falling to the ground between them.
"You did it," Regina whispered, looking at David in shock as his sword clacked against the floor at their feet.
"Regina..." David looked at her cautiously, not knowing how she'd feel. He had just killed her sister, without her permission, "I'm sorry..."
She shook her head as her eyes glossed over with tears, "No, David, you did it. What Robin never did...what I didn't want to do. You did it to protect me...to protect us," She swallowed hard, glancing towards Emma and Killian coming down the steps with the baby basket, "No ones ever protected me this way..."
"Come here," David pulled her against him, hugging her tightly as he pressed his lips to her hair.
They held onto one another until the sound of a whimper broke them apart, looking up to see Emma standing near them with the baby basket. Regina's heart started beating faster, looking at David who's mouth had broken into a happy smile, watery eyes matching her own.
"It's time we meet our little girl," David said as he turned to scoop the squirming baby into his arms, turning to Regina with teary eyes full of awe for their baby. She swallowed the lump in her throat and let out an emotional chuckle as she and David looked at each other in amazement before their gaze returned to the tiny, dark haired baby girl.
The baby's head turned towards Regina at the sound of her voice, whimpering more in response. David lifted the baby towards her as she stared hesitantly, a hint of insecurity in her eyes.
"She wants her mother," He encouraged Regina gently, giving her a warm look of reassurance when she glanced up at him. Slowly she took the child into her arms, tears rolling down her cheeks as a smile graced her features. Her heart threatened to explode with love and relief, holding the baby to her and feeling complete.
The child instantly quieted in her mother's arms, nuzzling her face against Regina's chest for comfort. They were bonded, regardless of the two weeks they had been apart. David smiled like a fool at how natural they looked together, leaning in to kiss Regina's head as he wrapped his arms around her waist gently pulling them closer to him. It wasn't a storybook happy ending, but their family was safe.