Yeah, so… I didn't want to post this now. But I couldn't sleep and I thought what the hell… it's written already, so why not. I am quite curious to hear what you think about this chapter, so please don't be shy to review!

On that note, thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I am glad that Rumple and Regina's scene was well received. I do think they care about each other in some twisted way.

DISCLAIMER: Not mine.

Chapter 11

She was exploring the Netherworld. If it wasn't so pathetically sad, it might have been funny – the Evil Queen walking around the Netherworld, curiously inspecting each of the countless rooms. She let out a yelp when the floor crumbled beneath her feet and groaned when she hit the hard floor, a bump forming on her head almost instantly. Her heart stopped when she saw the dark figure in the distance. Despite the ominous darkness, she could recognize him quite easily and she jumped to her feet with a racing heart.

"Daniel…"

She rushed forward, slightly fearing that she will pass right through him. She didn't and sighed contentedly when she felt his arms around her. Tears formed in her eyes and she reached up to kiss him desperately. The Netherworld turned into heaven when he kissed her back gently, caressing her lips with his own as though she was the most precious being in the world. Regina pulled back slightly, unaware of the tears streaming over her face. This was not possible. It couldn't be – the Netherworld was supposed to be horrible, to be your worst nightmares and regrets! How could Daniel be here?

"How is this possible? Is it even real?"

Daniel cupped her face with his hand, his eyes shining with pure love.

"It's real for you, my love. That's all that matters."

She crawled into his arms, basking in the feel of his body against hers.

"I missed you so much."

"I know."

Their lips met again tenderly, conveying the love of decades lost. Her heaven ended when he stepped back with a pained groan and confusion shadowed her eyes.

"Daniel?"

He gasped for breath, clutching at his chest and Regina stared helplessly as an invisible force pulled his heart from his chest – crushing it to dust.

"Daniel!"

She stormed forward with a hysterical cry, grabbing onto his lifeless body desperately. Anguished sobs tore through her as she pressed desperate kisses to his lips, hoping beyond hope that he would wake up and be with her again. He didn't move and Regina half-carried half-dragged him to a wall, falling down against it before cradling his head on her lap. Even in death he was perfect and she leaned forward, her tears dripping on his pale face.

"I need you, Daniel. Please… please come back. Daniel…"

Regina had no idea how long she had wept over his still body in her arms. It could have been minutes, it could have been days. It didn't matter.

Nothing mattered.

David had been sitting next to Regina's bed for no less than an hour every day since she had fell victim to her own curse. He wasn't sure victim was the right word – it was her choice, wasn't it? Her incredibly stubborn, heroic, stupid choice. He leaned forward tiredly, resting his forehead against his fists. His hand travelled down to hers and he entwined his fingers with hers. Her body was frighteningly cold and he couldn't help but remember how warm Snow's body was when he found her under the same curse. He could only assume that the curse had a different effect on everyone who succumbed to it.

She looked like she was already dead and he sighed deeply.

"Come on, Regina… you are the one person in the world who will be able to find a way to get through this. You'll find a loophole somewhere. You have to."

He pressed his lips against her cold hand and closed his eyes.

"We need you, you know. All of us. Henry… Rumpelstiltskin. Me… I never thought I'd say this, but I miss you. I miss my friend."

A part of him wondered if she could hear him. He leaned back in the chair, his teeth biting down on his lower lip hard enough to form drops of blood.

This was his fault.

The sleeping curse was his idea, if he never mentioned it, she would never have done this to herself in an attempt to save him.

"Gramps?"

Henry's fragile voice in the door let David look up and for a second utter hopelessness was visible in both their eyes. Henry moved forward hesitantly, his eyes red with tears.

"I was thinking… When I was under the curse Emma woke me up with true love's kiss. Don't you think that I will be able to wake mom up?"

For the first time, a glimmer of positivity took hold of David and he nodded.

"Yes… It might."

Rumple appeared out of nowhere, his eyes fixed on the other two. Henry looked at him hopefully and he shrugged.

"There's only one way to find out, dearie."

Henry leapt forward, pressing his lips against Regina's cheek hopefully. He took a step back, eyes wide with shock when there was no rush of magic, no warm air… no change.

"I don't… I don't understand! I love my mom… does this mean she doesn't love me?"

David shook his head at once.

"No. Henry, if there is one thing I know for sure it is that your mom loves you."

The boy's eyes filled with tears and he took another step back.

"So why didn't it work? Why didn't she wake up?"

It was Rumple who answered, his voice tired and miserable.

"It didn't work, dearie… Because she doesn't believe that you love her."

It felt like forever before Regina found the strength to stand up and leave the room, forcing herself to keep walking without looking back at Daniel's body. She opened door after door hopelessly, biting back tears and regret. A frown appeared on her forehead when she opened a rusty, aged door to find a majestic apple tree in the middle of what looked like her Storybrooke garden. Regina approached the door carefully, reaching out to touch the tree, wondering in which creative way this room would torture her. She was answered soon enough, when she felt herself being pushed against the tree roughly.

Regina's eyes widened when she looked into the blue eyes of the last person she expected to see.

"David…"

It was him, yet it wasn't. The usually kind blue eyes were filled with contempt and hatred and Regina recoiled from him, fear settling in her heart. David's face was frighteningly close to her and his tone was more vicious than she had ever heard.

"You took everything. You took my wife, you took my daughter… You don't deserve to live."

"David, please…"

He laughed harshly and his hand moved to her neck.

"I've let so many chances pass by. I should have killed you a long time ago. Now nothing is stopping me."

Her nails scratched at his hands as they closed around her throat, cutting off her air supply. Spots were dancing in front of her eyes, the world was spinning and her only constant was the blue of David's eyes burning through her.

"Please…"

Her voice came out in a whisper and he laughed.

"Do you think begging is going to help? What do you have to live for anyway, Regina? No one cares if you die. We'll rejoice once you are gone."

Somehow she managed to push him away from her and she fell forward, gasping for air. He was still standing much too close, glaring at her and her heart stopped when she saw the figure behind him.

"Hen… Henry…"

David smirked as the boy approached them and Regina's eyes widened when she notice the strange scowl on Henry's face.

"I don't need you. I don't want you in my life!"

She managed to sit, hands rubbing her raw throat.

"Henry… please. You're my son, I… I love you."

He laughed – a cold, foreign sound – and glared at her as he stood next to David.

"You don't know how to love. You're not my mom. You're just a villain."

"Henry, please…"

She lifted her hands in an attempt to reach out to him, surprized by the balls of fire forming in her palms. Before she could stop it, the fire left her hands, hitting David and Henry square in the chest.

"No!"

A raw scream left her throat when she saw her son disappearing in a smoke, his eyes glazed over.

"No, Henry!"

Anguished screams left her lips and she ran forward, falling down on the spot where Henry had been. Something seemingly like sand stuck to her cheek as she lay her head on the ground, allowing her tears to fall without end.

Regina's hand touched the sand gently and she took a shuddering breath.

Henry.

He was gone.

Making the trip to Rumpelstiltskin's castle was surprisingly easy for Snow and Emma – no doubt due to the help of Mulan. It was Emma who cast the spells on the doll, successfully freezing Cora in her tracks. They had just opened up the portal when tragedy struck. It was the cackling sound behind them that warned them – they were too late. Cora was unfrozen and she was directly behind them.

Snow grabbed Emma's hands, both women watching terrified as Cora approached them. Snow let out a terrified yell as the woman's hand disappeared into Emma's chest, trying to move forward. Cora, however, had frozen her on the spot.

"Emma… No, don't hurt her!"

All three women were stunned when Cora was unable to pull her hand out of Emma's chest – until she let go of her heart. Within a second, she had turned to Snow and this time the anguished scream came from Emma, as she watched helplessly how her mother's heart was torn from her chest.

Snow fell to her knees, breathing heavily – her eyes closed in a mixture of fear and pain. She managed to look at Emma, spitting out words slowly.

"Emma… go through the portal."

"Mary Margaret…"

"Go… and tell Charming I love him."

Tears formed in Emma's eyes as she watched Snow's writhing figure on the ground helplessly. A shield had formed around Cora and as much as Emma tried, she couldn't get near the woman. Snow let out a scream when Cora squeezed harder and Emma rushed to her side, tears streaming over her face. She grabbed Snow's hand in hers and squeezed it tightly.

"Mom…"

Her voice was tearful and Snow shot Cora a look before she smiled at her daughter hesitantly.

"I love you…"

Cora watched the two with mild interest and then rolled her eyes at what she saw as an unnatural mother-daughter relationship. She lifted her chin with a wicked smile.

"Oh enough of this!"

Emma's screams tore through the air as she watched helplessly while her mother's heart was crushed to dust. Without a second thought, she grabbed onto Snow's body and jumped through the portal, her chest still heaving with sobs.