Chapter 14: The Aftermath
Snow was sitting outside of Regina's family mausoleum, with a guilty look on her face. Regina believed her and now Cora was going to die. David finally found her and was confused as to why Snow was so upset.
"Snow, what happened?" David asked, bending down to her level.
"I cursed Cora's heart." She whispered, clearly upset. "She's going to die as soon as Regina puts the heart back inside her."
"Regina?" He questioned.
"I tricked her too. I think that's the worst part about this." She cried.
"This is Cora's own fault. She deserves whatever's coming to her." He said standing up.
"But Regina doesn't. She's just a victim of circumstance." Snow said trying to get him to see her reasoning.
"How do ya figure?" David asked confused at how she got this conclusion.
"Everything that has happened was manipulated by Cora. She started all of this." She argued.
"We can't just sit here and think about whose fault it is." David shot back.
"You were right." She whispered. "This isn't me. I shouldn't have done this." She said as she stood up. "We need to stop Regina!"
Cora finally broke the barrier after multiple attempts. Neal and Emma were holding swords, ready to fight Cora.
"You two, out of the way!" She said as she transported them to the middle of the woods. She began making her way over to Gold.
He breathed heavily as he tried to talk. "A vision told me about you. Told me this day would come, but it didn't tell me everything…what I really wanted to know."
Cora sat on the edge of the bed. "And what was that?"
He took a deep breath before asking his question. "Did you even love me?"
She smiled. "Why do you think I had to rip my own heart out? You were my weakness. You were the only man I ever truly loved." Cora confessed.
She paused for a moment to take a good look at the man she loved. She stood and held up the dagger ready to stab him, when she suddenly lost her breath and gasped for air. Regina lunged Cora's heart back inside into her body, causing her to drop the dagger. Rumplestiltskin's name reappeared on the knife, confirming that the curse Snow put on the heart has indeed worked; Gold was going to survive and Cora was not. When Cora finally stood up properly and caught her breath, she took a look at her daughter and granddaughter standing before her. A surge of love and warmth rushed through her body. She gave Regina and Mandy a huge smile in which they both returned. Regina finally had a mother that truly loved her. The happiness and joy Cora felt was quickly taken over by pain. She clutched her chest and it soon became too hard for her to stand. She began falling to the ground but Regina reacted quickly and was able to catch her in time. Mandy helped Regina set her down easy, both kneeling over Cora as Regina held her mother in her arms.
"Mother? Mother, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly.
Cora was having trouble talking, she knew she was dying. "This would've been enough. You, you would've been enough." She managed to get those words out before taking her last breath in Regina's arms.
"Grandmom?" Mandy whispered, her eyes starting to fill up with tears.
"What's going on?" Regina asked in a childish tone as she looked up to Gold. He stared at her with pity. When he didn't answer, she looked back down at Cora. "Mother, don't leave me please." She sobbed, holding her mother tight.
"Grandma, please wake up." Mandy cried, holding Cora's hand.
"What am I going to do?" Regina said rhetorically as she cried.
"Your mother did you no favors." Gold hissed.
"Shut up!" Regina yelled as she began to cry more. "You stole her life, you cast some spell."
"I did nothing." He whispered.
Mandy stood up angrily. "She wasn't supposed to die, you were!" She screamed.
"Sorry to disappoint you, dearie, but it wasn't my doing." Gold retorted.
"Regina, Stop!" Snow screamed running into the room and stopping suddenly when she saw Regina holding Cora's lifeless body. She realized she was too late.
"You did this." Regina said in a low, angry voice realizing it was Snow who killed her mother.
"Regina, I'm so sorry. I regretted my decision as soon as you left with her heart." Snow said apologetically.
"You manage to kill everyone I love, first Daniel and now my mother." Regina yelled.
"I'm sorry, Regina." Snow whispered. Before Regina could say anything, Cora began gasping for air and sat up. Everyone was startled by Cora's sudden awakening.
"Mother?!" Regina asked in a surprised yet confused voice.
Cora put her hand on her chest, taking a few breaths before responding. "Regina!" She exclaimed as she embraced her daughter.
The confused looks on everyone's faces said it all but Snow was the one who asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Cora, don't take this the wrong way but how the hell are you alive?"
Cora released from her embrace with Regina as they both stood up. "We put a protection spell on us before entering the shop. It counter acted the curse you placed on my heart." Snow put her head down in guilt.
"But shouldn't Gold be dead then?" David asked confused.
"And your heart wasn't inside you, so wouldn't the protection spell not work?" Snow added.
"Under any normal protective spell, my heart wouldn't have been protected since it was outside my body." Cora replied.
"But this was no ordinary spell." Regina said.
"Clearly." Added Snow.
"The Power of Three." Gold said realizing what spell they had used.
"The most powerful protective spell out there." Mandy exclaimed.
Cora nodded in agreement. "The spell from the candle saved Rumple, and cursed my heart but the protection spell brought me back. The spell was cast over my entire body and because my heart is still a part of me, it didn't matter whether it was inside me or not." She said simply.
Mandy was so relieved that Cora was alive and okay. She got caught up in the moment but soon realized she had to do this favor for Gold since he didn't die and their deal was still on. She noticed the dagger on the floor by her feet. She picked it up quickly and quietly so no one would notice her. She knew she would have to kill Gold herself and become the Dark One if it meant saving Regina and Henry. Everyone was facing Snow and David who were by the door; no one would see her in time to stop her. She snuck up behind Gold and held up the knife ready to stab him when Snow screamed her name. Everyone quickly turned around to see Mandy lunge forward with the knife. Cora used magic to take the dagger from Mandy just before she stabbed Gold.
"Cora, why did you do that?!" Mandy cried.
Regina walked closer to Mandy and freaked out. "Do you realize what would've happened if you killed him?" She yelled, scolding her daughter.
"I wouldn't have to do this favor if I did!" Mandy screamed back.
"What favor?" Snow asked.
"I told you not to bring that up!" Gold hissed.
"What favor?" Snow asked again.
"We figured it out easily, don't blame the child." Cora yelled. "Now, what was it you wanted her to do?"
Gold didn't answer.
"What the hell are you all talking about?!" David demanded, more than asked.
"Miranda owes Gold a favor. She was sworn to secrecy and can't tell what it is." Regina answered, frustrated with the two idiots.
"What was the favor, Gold?!" David asked, his voice booming.
Gold was still reluctant to tell. He rolled his eyes and sat down. He was still a little weak from almost dying. "Well it doesn't matter now…" He mumbled.
"Go ahead Miranda." Cora said.
Miranda was hesitant at first; unsure if this was a trick Gold was playing on her. "Apparently, Henry is supposed to be Rumple's undoing, whatever that means. He wanted me to rip out Henry's heart and crush it." She confessed, feeling a little better to tell her secret. Snow, Regina and David gasped at her sudden disclosure.
"How would killing Henry solve anything?" David asked Gold but he wasn't answering any questions.
"I didn't want to do it, nor was I going too, honest!" She cried. "If I didn't kill Henry then…" Her voice trailing off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
Regina lifted Mandy's chin and looked into the young girl's eyes as they filled with tears. "Then what, dear?" Regina asked.
Mandy looked at Regina with her big brown eyes. "He was going to kill you." She whispered, her voice trembling.
Regina's face hardened. "I can't believe you put my daughter in that position!" Regina yelled at Gold.
"I'm not surprised." Cora admitted.
"Look, I needed to get rid of the boy and I knew she wouldn't do it unless I threatened her new family." He shot back at Regina.
"You're unbelievable you know that!" Snow exclaimed.
"Well she doesn't have to do it now that you all know. So go back to your pathetic lives and get out of my shop!" He yelled to them all.
"We're not done Gold." Regina threatened.
"Looking forward to our next meeting." He said sarcastically before Regina, Mandy and Cora disappeared.
"Let's go, David. It's been a long day." Snow said grabbing his hand.
"Don't even think about trying to hurt my family again!" David warned before walking out with Snow.
The ladies arrived back at the Mills Mansion. They all took a seat on the couch, exhausted by the day's events.
"I want to make Gold pay for what he was making you do." Regina said aggravated with the situation.
"Can't we just forget about revenge and focus on becoming a family?" Mandy asked wanting to live a normal life for once. "Besides, Henry wouldn't like that."
"The girl's right, Regina." Cora said putting her hand on Mandy's thigh.
"You being nice is going to take some time to get used to." Regina admitted to Cora.
"I was nice before you replaced my heart." Cora shot back. "You just did things that I didn't like or approved of." Regina just sighed, not wanting to start another fight with her mother.
"I just don't understand why Gold would want to kill his own grandson." Mandy said shaking her head.
"What did you just say?!" Regina asked in shock, turning Miranda to face her.
"Henry is Gold's grandson. Did I not mention that?" Mandy asked scrunching her face.
"No, you seemed to have forgotten that detail." Cora said.
"Gold's son is Henry's father?!" Regina shrieked.
"Yea, that's how the whole grandparent thing works…" Mandy said not knowing why Regina was freaking out the way she was.
"How far do these family ties go? It seems everyone is related one way or another…" Cora observed.
"I don't know, Mother." Regina said as she stood up in frustration, put her hands on her hips and began pacing.
Mandy walked over to Regina to try to calm her down. "You shouldn't fret over something like this. I'm just relieved I didn't lose you today…" She said looking into Regina's eyes before turning to her grandmother... "Or you, Cora."
Regina cupped her daughter's face. "You're not going to lose me that easily, dear."
"Glad to hear that!" Mandy smiled. "I have some things to take care of so I'll leave you two to talk."
"Oh, don't tell me you're going to see that boy!" Cora said disgusted as she stood up.
"So what if I am?" Mandy said turning around to face Cora and crossing her arms across her chest. "I thought you would understand now that you have your heart back."
"I may have gained my heart but I haven't lost my sensibility." Cora argued, placing her hands on her hips.
"Well I need to talk to Peter and I have to check on the boys afterwards." She said before heading towards the door.
She was already in the hallway before Regina caught her arm and spun her around to face her. "Honey, I don't think you should go just yet. Give him some time to cool off." Regina said trying to guide her daughter.
"But he won't forgive me unless I explain myself!" Mandy argued back.
Regina took a deep breath and placed her hands on Mandy's shoulders. "I know I haven't been you're mother for very long, but please trust me when I say you should wait to talk to him."
"Fine." Mandy whined as she began heading upstairs.
"Honey, are you okay?" Regina whispered to Miranda who barely made it up the first couple steps.
"I just want to be alone right now." Mandy replied frustrated as she continued to march up the stairs.
Regina walked back into the living room with her hands on her hips, shaking her head.
"Now you know what it's like to be the mother of a teenage daughter." Cora said, smiling wickedly.
"These are completely different circumstances, Mother." Regina said before sitting on the couch beside Cora.
"What are you going to do about this boy?" Cora questioned.
"Nothing. There's nothing I can do except be here for Miranda if she needs me." Regina responded.
"But Regina…" Cora said before Regina cut her off. "No buts. I am not going to meddle in my daughter's love life like you did to me."
Cora protested. "Regina I…" "And neither are you. You will stay out of her love life, got it?" Cora nodded.
"No more killing love interests just because they are not up to your standards, Mother." Regina added.
Cora held up her hand as to swear she wouldn't get involved. "I promise you Regina, that I will not meddle in yours or Miranda's love lives."
"Good. You better keep that promise or I will be very disappointed in you." Regina said.
Cora tucked Regina's hair behind her ears. "The last thing I want to do is disappoint you, my love. I want to redeem myself…if you'll give me that chance."
"Redemption is hard, especially when you're trying to redeem yourself to people who believe you can't change." Regina warned.
"I am willing to try for you and for my granddaughter. That is, if you'll help me?" Cora asked.
Regina smiled at Cora's offer. "Of course I'll help you. I'm still trying to redeem myself."
Cora smiled back and held Regina's hands in hers. "Then we will do it together."
Hope you liked the chapter and let me know what you think!