A/N 1 Sorry it has been two weeks since the last update. I just had my 18th and organising stuff for a party is hard work, mixed with work and school responsibilities. This chapter is twice the length of the last chapter, and I promise next chapter will be up in a weeks' time.
A/N 2 I'm so sorry if I have confused anybody. Chapter two was a flashback to when the swan queen baby was born. In chapter one, the 'she' is the swan queen baby. She travelled to the past for a reason and chapter two was supposed to allude to it being connected to save Regina. It was also supposed to hint at the kind of relationship Emma had with her daughter.
The day his adoptive mother died, it was as if Emma's soul perished with her. His birth mother was never the same. Her eyes used to be filled with life, but for the past 18 years they've been hollow. Most days Emma had a faraway look in her eyes, trying to reminisce in her short past with Regina. Other days she looked incredibly sad.
His sister spent her first month on Earth in danger from Emma. His grandparents hid her, so he could try and bring Emma back from the brink of revenge. He was successful. If you could call it that. He may have convinced Emma not end her life, but Emma was killing his sister slowly. Which curse was worse?
No matter what his sister did, she could not gain the approval of Emma. She was cold, and harsh. Emma made it her mission to make his sister's life hell. Emma didn't love his sister. How could she? His sister was responsible for his mother's death. He doesn't blame her though. He thought about it, but hating his sister would accomplish nothing. He already lost his mother he didn't need to lose his sister too.
Snow and David basically adopted their grandchild. They gave her love, they taught her how to read and write. They taught her how to dance, how to sow and how to fight. He was there to hear about her first crush, her first kiss, and her first time. He was there to hear her cry every night because Emma forgot to wish her happy birthday, or Emma forgot to go to her horse riding competition, or when Emma would tell her she was a waste of breathe. He tried his best to sooth his sister, but there was only so much she could take.
He watched as the days went by that his sister's innocence day by day fade away. She slowly became more and more like Regina, and the youthful happy child was replaced by a hard cold exterior. She learned to mask her emotions so nobody could see how much she was really suffering underneath it all.
He softly knocked onto the door his sister's door and opened it. He felt his heart flutter in his chest. He let himself stare at her in her blue ball gown. It was strapless and flowed down past her feet. It hugged her body tightly, but not enough to render the imagination useless. His sister looks like a queen. When Regina died they left Storybrooke because although Emma initially wanted to stay, she couldn't bear being reminded of Regina every day.
He walked into his sister's dressing room and saw her face wet from tears.
"She would have been proud of you."
"You think?" She made no attempt to hide her tears. He smiled at his sister, and bought his hands to cup her face.
"You're so beautiful, and gentle and kind. You love people more than they deserve. You are strong willed, and you never back down from a fight. You are the strongest person I've ever met."
She wrapped her hands over Henry's and returned his smile.
"I'm here crying, and you're calling me strong?" He laughs
"It's what makes you fierce. You're not afraid to feel, even if you do hide it from everybody else."
"I trust you."
"You look just like her, you know." He presses a kiss to her hair,
"Your hair curls the way hers used to." He moved to kiss the left side of her cheek.
"Your cheeks bones are shaped like hers." He brushes her other cheek with his lips.
"Your skin is soft and warm. It's olive, but lighter than Regina's." He moves his fingers to trace her lips.
"She had a lip scar right here. Whenever she smiled it would disappear." A single tear escaped his eyes.
"Henry, I'm sorry." He raised his eyes to meet with hers.
"Don't be." He kissed her left eye. He notices her cheeks flush red.
"Your eyes are just like Emma's." He moved to kiss the other eye.
"Green," He tilted her head to the side. "Except when you change the light they appear hazel."
"We should go."
"You are the best of both of them. Never forget that. Now go out there and show them how regal you can be."
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"I once heard from somebody that true love is the most powerful magic of them all." She smiled mockingly at Gold.
"Your right dearie, however, good magic is no match against the dark one."
"Correct me if I'm mistaken Imp, but I said true love, and last time I checked that does not equate good magic."
"True love is the most pure magic of them all." Snow whispered.
"Oh Honey, I don't think that words means what you think it means."
"Your magic isn't good or evil is it?" Charming asked
"You just described Emma's magic, before she was tainted by you. I am so much more."
"You're not of this time." Gold interrupted.
"I'm starting to doubt your powers Imp. You should have sensed me as soon as I arrived."
"Please excuse me, I was busy dying dearie." Gold replied sarcastically
"Time travel isn't possible is it?" Charming ask with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Typical she thought.
"It isn't. If it was I would have used it to prevent my son from ever leaving the enchanted forest."
"Lucky for me, I have access to more power than the dark one."
"Can you bring back my mother?" Whimpered Regina.
Her attention was drawn back to her mother. Regina looked so defeated. Not the confident reformed evil queen Hnery described her as. The Charmings did this my mother. They killed her. Anger was again threatening to overcome her.
"Regina is your mother, isn't she." Emma said, compassionately
"What?" Regina really looked at the stranger claiming to want to save Cora's life. The resemblance was uncanny. She was wearing Regina's classic blue silk shirt, and Emma's reliable skin tight jeans. The way fabric hugged her body was intoxicating. She looked more regal and astonishing than both her mothers.
She bent down to her mother and hesitantly reached out.
"Hey mum." She croaked.
Regina reached out to touch her daughters face. She smiled at the contact, and Regina matched it.
"Daniel is alive?" Regina pleaded.
"Why would you thi- Oh mum, no Daniel wasn't your true love, only your first."
Regina gasped in response. Guilt, remorse, self-loathing and hope briefly flashed through Regina's facial features.
Emma crossed her arms, and asked "Who then?"
"It doesn't matter." She frowned, and looked into Emma's eyes "They died a long time ago."
She looked towards Regina apologetically. Regina looked just as heartbroken. She had a brief glimmer of hope that she would get her own taste of happy ending, but it appears as if it was ripped from her once again.
"How?" Regina murmured.
She expected the question to sound angry, and looked down at her mother who looked like she was tired of fighting. She won't let her mother give up. Not yet, when happiness is just round the corner. I will help you channel that sadness into anger.
"I'm so glad you asked that mother. We have one enemy in common." She snarled.
In one swift motion she was no longer by Regina's side but in Snow's face.
"It is because of you that I am parentless! It is your fault that I did not get to know my parents or grandmother. I am going to fix that, but don't think for one SECOND, that it'll reverse what you've done to your own heart!"
She plunged her hand into Snow's chest, and ripped out her heart. "See this black spot here. You did this to yourself."
"Oh no!" Snow gasped
"What trickery is this?" Charming demanded
"Your heart is no longer pure. You should refrain from calling yourself Snow White."
"You did this!" Charming took his sword to her throat. She could feel it scratching at her skin begging to spill blood.
In response she applies pressure to Snow's heart and Snow tumbles to the floor screaming.
"Typical isn't it! You never accept responsibility for your actions!" She screams.
Emma sees in the corner of her eye a stranger running towards Regina's daughter. He has bright green eyes, and a very muscular build. The way he asserts himself reminds her of her father.
"Calen stop!" The stranger screams.
She stops squeezing Snow's heart immediately. She knows that voice.
"Henry?" She almost drops the heart.
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"Where's Calen?" Henry asked Charming.
"I haven't seen her since her dance with Emma. Try the dance hall." Charming replied.
Henry raced to the dance hall. He was going to tell her. It was about time he did. He couldn't keep his feeling locked up anymore. He hoped she felt the same way. He turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his mother's body lying limp on the floor. He raced up to her and slide to her side propping her head up against his inner thigh.
"No, no no no." Tears welled up in his eyes.
"Please, wake up. Please not you too." He saw a parchment grasped tightly in his mother's hand. He picked it up and read the words.
I'm so sorry Henry. I couldn't keep living like this anymore. Please forgive me.
"Mum, why did you have to leave me alone." He bought his head down to his mother and cried. He screamed into it "Wake up!"
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"How did you get here?"
Everybody's eyes glue to the handsome stranger who Calen claims to be Henry.
"Henry?" Regina and Emma say together. They shared the same confused looks, it looked cute.
"You need to stop this." He reaches out to her hands and cups his own over them. He smiles at her and begs, "Come back with me please."
Henry chokes and whispers "Emma left us. She's dead."
She takes one of her hands and traces his face.
"It's going to be okay. I'm going to save grandma, and everything will be different. We will be a family."
"By the blood of two of my grandparents?" Henry
"They deserve to die!" she screams at Henry applying pressure to the heart in her hands.
"Stop it! You're killing her!" Charming charged at Calen, but Henry jumped in front of him, and shoved him back aggressively.
"Let me handle this."
"I will give my mother the two things she wants most."
"Please, you won't come back from this. Killing somebody does things to people. Look at the heart your holding right now. It was the purest and now its blackened."
"It's too late for me."
"No, it isn't."
"Emma she didn't leave you. I. Killed. Her." She articulated the last three words.
Henry stepped back at the news, mouth agape from disbelief. He looked towards to Emma and shook his head. How could she kill her mother? My mother? No she died a long time ago.
"I forgive you." He whispered
"What?"
"I forgive you." He repeated.
"You forgive her for killing me!?" Emma questioned Henry. Henry looks at Emma with desperate eyes.
"Oh Henry." Emma was familiar with that look. It was the one David and Snow always gave each other. And if she would be honest with herself, one she gave Regina.
"Calen please, drop this. We can run, as far as you want. Regina will heal. I've seen it."
"Henry, I can't let this go."
"Can't or won't?"
Calen shakes her head vigorously, trying desperately not to cry.
"It's Snow's and David's fault that Regina died."
"Who said that?"
"Does it matter? They killed her."
"They lied."
"No, you did. You said she died saving us. You all lied to me growing up."
"That wasn't a lie." Henry pleaded.
"Why should I believe that? You all let me believe that Snow and David were my parents. Until I was five!"
"Why would we raise Regina's child?" Snow asked no one in particular.
"Over my dead body you will steal another child away from me!"
"That's exactly the point! You're dead in the future." Calen stabbed her finger towards the Charmings "Because of them."
"Calen, just a few hours ago you were dancing with Charming at your 18th birthday ball? I knew you were miserable but I took solace in the fact you were so happy at that moment; with your grandparents." He held her arms once again, and looked gently into her soul.
"What happened?"
"Somebody set the record straight."
"By telling you lies that Snow was responsible for our mothers death?"
Regina winced at the thought. She had to get used to the idea that she wouldn't be there to raise her child.
"If Emma followed her gut years ago instead of blindly following her parents Regina would be alive!"
Henry and Emma flinched at the news. Henry's features hardened, and his face instantly turned red. He balled his palms into a fist a hissed "Rumplestilskin did this."
Much like Calen did minutes before ran into Gold's face and began strangling him. "You sent her on a suicide mission!"
Emma and Charming were quick to pull Henry off Gold. He struggled in their arms, and he growled "You knew if she did this. If she warned them. If Emma went with her gut, she would die!"
"I have no idea what you mean dearie. I'm starting to solve this puzzle however, tell me Calen, did coming to the past require you to take the heart of the person you loved most? A parent perhaps?"
It was as if everybody stopped breathing in that second. They were paused in time processing everything that had been revealed so far.
Regina looked horrified. Her daughter has followed in her footsteps. She would never want that. Emma was her true love. How did they even conceive? Magic?
Snow looked surprisingly calm. To her it made sense. She took Regina's first love, it was only fitting she would bear her second. Perhaps Emma was what could finally stop this blood feud.
Charming looked shell shocked. How could he ever allow his daughters true love die. He would never get in the way of her happiness like King George did his.
Emma had a blank stare on her face. She wasn't processing anything.
Henry looked devastated. Calen doesn't love me.
Rumple laughed "You were the product of a magical conception?"
"Where are you going with this Imp?"
"Magic always comes with a price dearie."
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"Now go out there, and show them how regal you can be."
Calen looped her arm with Henry and they walked onto the ballroom together. Calen glanced at her grandparents and could see their beaming faces. She smiled at them. She looked towards Emma. Emma was smiling at her too. She looked proud. Calen's heart started pounding against her chest and she felt as if she was going to puke.
Henry noticed Calen's sudden panic, and followed her line of sight towards Emma. Emma looked happy. Perhaps Calen will finally get the recognition she deserves from Emma.
"Hey," Henry rubbed his arm up and down Calen's in a soothing gesture.
"It's going to be okay. You are not going to disappoint her."
"Can I dance with you Henry?"
Henry moved to stand opposite Calen, and she held at her hand. He accepted it, gave it a quick peck and pulled her close for the first dance. They swayed in time of the music, and after a while she rested her head on his shoulders.
"May I cut Henry?" Charming asked.
Henry moved out of the way and Charming stepped in to take his place.
"I'm so proud of you Calen. You have overcome so much in your life. I envy your strength." Charming smiled down at Calen hugging her close.
"Thank-you. I could not have asked for better grandparents." Calen smiled up at him.
"Emma would like a dance with you later."
"She would?" Calen was sceptical and for good reason. Emma almost never acknowledge her.
"I know life hasn't been easy where Emma is concerned. But know she does love you more than anything in this entire world."
"Thank-you Grandpa."
When the final song was to play, and most guests had already left Emma went to join her daughter on the dance floor.
"You look so stunning Calen. You're more beautiful than me." Emma took her daughters hands and laid them on her chest.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I am so pleased of the woman you've become despite my absence from your life. I'm going to change. Be better for you and Henry."
Calen couldn't help but let the tears fall. Emma loved her.
"I have one favour to ask of you Calen."
"Anything." Calen's eyes widened at the request. Emma needed her, and she would not disappoint.
"You've come of age. You have enough power now. You can go back and change things."
"What do you mean?"
"Go back and show my younger self what my mother did to Cora. Tell me it's a lesson. Tell me I shouldn't trust them."
"You're not making any sense mum."
"I grew up without a family. Once I had one I never wanted to loss that feeling of belonging. I thought I had to be loyal to them. It cost me everything. If I didn't listen to them Regina would still be alive."
"Regina died so we could live. She was a hero."
"Is that what they told you? They killed her. They are the reason she is dead. I will have my revenge on the person responsible for her death. If it is the last thing I do." Emma spat.
"Why would they lie to me?"
"It's what they do. They twist things to suit their perverse quest for good. They couldn't bear the thought of the Regina and I together, so they sentenced her to death."
"If I fix things, we all will be together as a family?"
"Yes. Make sure I trust Regina more than my own parents. Everything will turn out fine.."
"Okay, what do I have to do?"
Emma handed Calen a scroll of paper with words in Latin, and the dark ones dagger.
"You need the heart of the thing you love most. Then you need to read these words, stab the heart, making sure the blood falls onto the scroll. It'll take you where you need to go."
Calen went a few paces back. Henry.
"I can't."
"You don't have to, but doing this it'll make me proud." Calen thought about it. Emma would approve of her if she did. I won't risk losing Henry for the chance of saving my mother.
"The cost is too high." Calen stated.
"It's Henry isn't it? What if I told you the heart of the product of true love would be enough?"
"I won't kill you either."
"You grew up without both your mothers. They took us away from you. They are poison. You should be angry at them."
"I won't take your life for the chance to spare somebody else's. Even if it is my own mother." Calen repeated
Oh the irony Emma thinks. You were willing to take Regina's life. "I love you. I haven't loved you very well. Let me love you properly. Like a mother should."
"I'm not sure about this."
"Please Calen. Do it for Regina. Do it for yourself. Do it for me. Do it for Henry."
"I don't think I can."
"You'll belong to a proper family. My death will be temporary."
"Okay, I will see you again. Goodbye mum." Calen reached into Emma's chest and took out her heart. She looked at the scroll and began chanting the words on them whilst she took the dark ones dagger, and she hesitated. She looked at into Emma's eyes, and for once she truly looked Happy.
Emma could see Calen was going to do it. She has waited a long time for this moment. She had to make sure Calen would be powerful enough. Calen will change Emma and Regina's relationship. Emma wouldn't listen to her parents. She will realise all magic comes with a price. She will pick Regina over her. Finally that parasite will die.
A/N 3 I am not happy with this chapter. I wanted Cora or at least the attempt to bring Cora back to already have occurred. That would definitely be happening next chapter. I feel as if not much happened this chapter expect for people knowing who Calen is, and of course the revelation Emma has not given up on avenging Regina's death. Reviews are welcome.