Hello, hello, hello! Okay so I just wanted to say thank you so much! I've reached fifty reviews and that is such an accomplishment for me-so thank you very, very much. Shout out to kk bk for being the fiftieth reviewer *hugs*

I was listening to 'Hello' by Adele while writing this, so I'm sure you already know where this is going. Let's dive in shall we?

Previously

Regina, against her better judgment, ran out of the door leaving behind her a broken shell of a woman. She had no idea what had caused Emma to lash out in anger. It had been something she had said, but she didn't know what. She raced out the door and didn't dare look behind her. She stopped when she was far enough away from the mansion and tried to control her breathing. She still had to face Zelena, but now her mind was too focused on Emma. Regina angrily wiped away tears the streamed down her face. She always managed to mess everything up. I don't deserve happiness she thought bitterly. Not when I destroy everything I touch.

~SQ~

Chapter 9

Hook's attempt at wounding her was feeble compared to Regina's unintentional use of a single word. He ranted about hating her, about not loving her, that was suppose to be the biggest pain Emma felt, but she felt numb long before then.

He characterized her as an orphan, an anchor and—the best one yet—a pretty blonde distraction. How could anyone love her, he taunted. Coming from a man that she once loved, that once loved her, it was surprising and horrifying to hear these words from his lips. These cruel words that were meant to wound her beyond repair. He wanted to emotionally cripple her by dishing out the harshest of things without remorse. He wanted her ruined and broken. He wanted her to feel a pain that mirrored his own. He wanted her to feel heartbreak; Emma felt heartbreak, but for someone else.

Emma's mind wandered. Her mind wandered towards Regina Mills. Emma had reacted so strongly just moments ago to a harmless word. She couldn't help but feel the doubt creep into her mind telling her that Regina would never reciprocate her feelings. What did Regina feel? They had never talked about it. They never had the chance to talk about it. The blonde hadn't even given her a chance to explain herself. Emma knew Regina meant well, but couldn't help feel rejected. All her life all Emma wanted was to be understood and to be loved. Was that still a possibility as the Dark One?

For so long Emma had thought Hook would be her happy ending. She had given into his advances by convincing herself that she deserved a chance at happiness. How wrong she was about that. Even if he were supposed to be her true love, after this little encounter—after all the things he had just said to her—she would never take him back. No one, not even if they were consumed by the darkness, should ever be allowed to knowingly throw these insults at her. This type of darkness was different from her own. Hook possessed a new kind of darkness, a kind that was there all along and now manifested in its new host.

He was spiteful and hell-bent on revenge now. It was simply an extension and magnification on his own desires and his own inner darkness. Emma just hoped that even if Regina would never be hers, that Hook would stay away from her. If the pirate ever found out of Emma's feelings—her true feelings—then he would do everything in his power to strip her of that chance at happiness.

As soon as he had come, he had gone.

"I want to hurt you as you hurt me."

The words were still ringing in her head even after he vanished. Her tears didn't fall, but her pain didn't fade. There were more important things than feeling sorry for herself. Emma needed to act and she needed to do so quickly. All wounds that bled through her heart had to be postponed for now. She would save her family now and mend herself later. It was the only way to be efficient enough in getting the task done. Whatever that had occurred between her and Regina would have to wait. Emma needed to move. Emma needed to get out of this damn house. Emma needed to prove that they could trust her again.

~SQ~

Even after Regina had told Robin she needed space, she seemed to always find herself paired with him for every task. Yes Zelena was her sister, but the whole situation made her dizzy and nauseous. Robin and Zelena had a child together. Robin had left her for Marian who turned out to be Zelena. Why did she ever think that allowing the thief to come back to her on his hand and knees was ever a good idea? Regina you're the real idiot she thought as she watched Zelena with hawkish attention. Zelena was always up to something and now, without the cuff, she was powerful.

Even if Regina wanted her contact to be minimal, if any with the thief, at this current moment Zelena was far too dangerous to leave alone. The brunette couldn't justify leaving Robin to solely deal with her wicked sister by himself. It would be far too unfair for an arrow-shooting thief to go against the Wicked Witch. Now there is a custody battle that wouldn't last very long.

As she stood, Regina watched Zelena with her newborn child. It was almost comical at how human Zelena looked holding her baby. The brunette thought of Henry and his birth mother as she watched on. Both allowed her to have a second chance, a chance to redeem herself. As Zelena cooed at her newborn daughter, Regina chanced a look at Robin.

He met her intense gaze with one of love; a feeling that Regina could not reciprocate. Regina stared at him wordlessly. She wondered how she hadn't seen it before. Yes, Robin had showed her what happiness could be, but he could never give it to her himself. Oh the wasted time. If only Regina had been able to see what was right in front of her. If only Regina hadn't royal fucked up her chance at real happiness with Emma Swan. If only she had seen it sooner, maybe things would have been different.

But at the moment, Emma hated her. She might not be able to forgive Regina just yet. She might want space away from her. Then again Emma could still be toying with her. This could still be the Dark One trying to destroy her happiness. This could be the Dark One's personal vendetta against her. They had a rough history; there was no denying that. But could Emma really fabricate feelings for her? Regina had doubts. Regina doubted herself. She doubted the Dark One's motives, but even so, could Regina live her life knowing that she passed up a chance at happiness? Storybrooke was doomed, and Regina was going to be consumed without ever having told Emma how she felt. Even if Emma didn't feel the same way, Regina knew one thing: she didn't love Robin Hood.

Regina stared into Robin's eyes and saw all the wasted opportunity and new potential if she just ended it there an then. Her lips parted, but the words that were ready to easily flow out of her mouth were lodged in her throat. If Emma didn't want her, was it better to stay with Robin? Was it better to be adored by someone that loved you, but you didn't love back or to be miserable and alone? The first wouldn't be fair to Robin, but as much as she tried to speak, her words were lost in a sea of chaotic emotion. The longer Regina delayed the inevitable conversation, the harder it would soon become.

Still, there were plenty of other things to worry about at the moment. It is in moments like these that Regina would lock her heart away. Yes, she was emotionally driven at times, but now she needed logic. She needed strategy and her wit if she wanted to save her town, her people, from this disaster. What she surmised was that this was not the time to break up with her boyfriend. Regina needed to get back to the heroes and help them figure out a way to stop the pirate. She was done playing house. She needed to find the others.

~SQ~

"And we're meant to believe you're going to give back our memories just like that?" Merida questioned with haughty disbelief. Her twisting orange curls wildly thrown over her shoulder as she stared at the woman that had used her heart against her.

"We can trust her," Henry said, his pain now forgotten. After stealing the ink and releasing Emma from the cuff, he believed once again that his mother was a hero. He wanted to believe Emma, but he had also been so hurt by her deception. As much as he wanted to be angry with her, he wanted to forgive her all the same. He needed her. Henry needed his mother. She wanted to give everyone his or her memories back, which was a good thing, right?

The heroes were all standing around holding his or her individual dream catcher. The Charmings stared at the handmade crafts, turning the dream catchers over as if they were made of glass. The sheer delicacy of these frail objects held some of the most precious things within them: their memories. Everyone was present and waiting to see what would happen next. Surely if Henry trusted Emma now then they could each trust her as well.

Emma was beginning to feel like her old self again. She was on the road to recovery. Slowly she was crawling out of the isolating darkness and into the light again. Yes, she was still dark, but now she had her family back. She had Henry's trust again and now everything else would fall into place. Or so she hoped. A single, sultry voice caught her attention and Emma's head snapped up to meet the brunette's eyes.

"Can we?" Regina questioned genuinely. She did not expect Emma to meet her eyes, but the green ones were immediately upon hers when she spoke. The underlying tension was unbearable.

Around the others, there was a silent understanding of secrecy that both women had sworn to knowingly and without words. Their eyes could speak for them. Their magic prickled between them. Emma could feel Regina hesitancy, but also her sadness. Her strong appearance was but another mask to seem strong. The blonde didn't doubt the brunette's strength, but there was something deep within the Mayor that pained her. Nothing gave Regina's pain away except her own eyes.

"Yes," Emma said with quiet confidence not faltering under Regina's gaze.

Regina studied Emma's eyes carefully, scrunching up her face as if to see beyond the surface of Emma's intension.

"You can lie to your parents; you can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to me."

Emma's face gave away no ulterior motives, but Regina wasn't searching Emma's face. Regina's chocolate eyes bore into emerald green searching for a lie or even the slightest glimmer of deception. The seconds seemed to be forever as Regina just stared at Emma, but finding that there was nothing but hope Regina believed Henry. The Mayor knew Emma was telling the truth. They could trust her.

"Okay," Regina said softly giving the slightest indication with a nod.

Emma looked around to see if anyone else would be so skeptical of her again, but it seemed that Regina and Henry's trust were enough for everyone else. Without further ado Emma's magic swirled the dream catchers. A golden light emitted from every single one as the memories began to flow back into their minds. The forgotten events flooded back to every individual.

As soon as each memory had been returned, the realization hit. Regina, mouth agape, she looked directly at Emma. Everything they had done together came back to her. Everything that was missing was now there. The missing pieces were now reunited with the whole. The haze in her mind was settling now with perfect clarity. They had worked together, brought Merlin back together, and trusted one another.

As Robin held the wrong side of his stomach that had been stabbed, Snow and Charming shared a look between themselves. Arthur had compelled them to try and hand over the dagger to him. As the Charmings looked at one another, Regina only had eyes for Emma.

Emma had against Hook's pleading and her parents' better judgment to use dark magic. Emma had saved Robin Hood for her. Emma had saved him for her happiness. Time and time again, when would Regina realize that Emma always put Regina's happiness before her own? The savior damned the consequences and dove in head first into the darkness for her.

"I can use that dagger to make you, but I'm not…I'm…asking you. I've lost love before and I won't again. Please. Save him."

"Alright. I'll try."

Emma had saved him. Regina had selfishly asked Emma to do something for her in desperation. Then again, it had been Emma's choice. Regina could have made her, but she gave Emma the choice. Emma had chosen, once again, to give Regina her happiness; or what she thought was her happiness.

The memories didn't stop there. Their interaction in Camelot had intensified their understanding of one another. Their bond grew and flourished like a flower that against all odds bloomed into something rare and beautiful. The best of friends know each other's deepest darkest secrets. Emma wasn't only there to share the good times with Regina, but she was also there to witness the worst. Unlike Robin Hood, Emma had seen Regina's change.

Emma had seen Regina first true heartbreak: the root cause of all Regina's fury and rage. Emma had seen Cora crush the heart of her first love. Emma had known Regina's past in theory, but until that moment, Emma hadn't actually seen the pain. The memories assaulted her as Regina remembered everything. She remembered Emma's realization at her past. This was the memory that changed Regina into a monster. That moment was when the wounds were fresh enough for her to turn to the darkness. This loss, so similar to Emma's own loses, led Regina to become the Evil Queen.

Both women were so unable to save the ones they had loved. Emma had never known until that moment how similar they really were. The helplessness and vulnerability was something both of them had experienced at such a young age. The memory was fresh in Regina's mind as the words replayed in her head.

"I didn't know how things were for you…I didn't know."

"You could see it too?"

Regina didn't even blink as the memories came back to her. It was like waking up from a dream and remembering it hours later. Emma had seen her darkest, most painful memory. There was no judgment in her voice. There was no pity. Emma just understood.

Regina remembered how she had held the dagger. She begged Emma to find it in herself to see the truth. Regina had pleaded with Emma. A part of her hated that she had used the dagger on Emma, but it wasn't intended to hurt her. Regina wanted the truth and there was something in the way that Emma couldn't accept.

"Now come on, come on Emma see! Tell me what you're really afraid of!"

What had Emma been afraid of? Regina wondered what would have happened if the others didn't come and the blonde hadn't run off. Would Emma have told her? What had Emma realized inside herself that she was so afraid of?

There were so many questions Regina had running through her mind as she stared at the blonde. There was too much to say and too few words to encompass the entirety of what Regina wanted to say to her. Where would she even begin?

The emotions Regina had promised to lock away until this was all over were now on the brink of smashing through her walls. Walls she had trained to stay up, that had become impervious to even her own will. The walls she had asked Emma to break down, to feel. The confliction Regina now felt was so strong, so gripping it threatened to expose her. Everything she felt was on the tip of her tongue. Once the words were out there, there would be no going back.

If only Emma would look at her. If only Emma would give her a sign that she knew. Some indication that having her memories back made her understand. After their fight, after her unintentional harm in an attempt at comfort, Regina knew what she had done. She had belittled both Emma's and her own feelings.

"Emma I want you to know that I am always here for you as a friend."

As a friend. Would Emma forgive her? There wasn't time to talk, so Regina would settle for a look; even a glance would suffice.

This time however, Regina was not so fortunate to find the bright green eyes looking back at her. Lost in her own thought, Emma remembered. Emma knew Hooks plan. Storybrooke was in danger.

"I remember. I know what he's doing. I know what they are doing."

~SQ~

They needed to spilt up and find Hook. Mary Margaret and David had been surprised when Emma had agreed with Regina in "hitting him with everything [they've] got". Mary Margaret still didn't quite understand Emma's motives and there was no time to explain anyway.

Hook wasn't the man she loved. He wasn't the person that she could say she was in love with. He wasn't her happy ending, but he was still her friend. He was still her friend and Emma was the savior, Dark One or otherwise. Even more so, Hook was ready to unleash the darkness upon Storybrooke and Emma couldn't sit by and let it happen. Regina was right. They needed to stop him at all costs, but it was too late.

The Dark Ones had come. They had come, cloaked by the night and had picked off every hero searching for Hook. Emma's plan was quickly falling apart. They would replace themselves with the living in order to stay in this realm. After claiming the heroes' right to live, they would disappear. The confusion was immediate. Why had they left? What did they do?

Rumpelstiltskin had been the voice to explain. His experience with hell and death provided him with a helpful insight. They were doomed to hell courtesy of Killian Jones. 'Say goodbye' he had said as he departed.

The heroes had stood in confusion. There had to be a way. There was always a way to defeat the darkness, right? This time, they might not be so lucky.

When they had given up the search for Hook to look for answers, they were more deflated than usual. After they had scoured high and low for the Dark One, they were finally giving up. They couldn't stop him, but they could try and stop his plan. There was only one person who still tried to find him. After thinking—after really thinking—she eventually found him. It should have been obvious in the first place, she knew exactly where he'd be.

"Thought I'd might find you somewhere with a view of the sea," Regina's voice cut through the night air like a blade. Her voice was soft, but confident. Truly, the brunette was terrified of finding him and confronting him, but she had to. Even if he wouldn't listen to her, Hook still needed a reminder of his past; their shared past and history.

"No use in hiding now," Hook said already bored with the conversation. Of course it would be Regina he thought. Truthfully he had wished for David to find him, or even Emma herself, but nevertheless he was graced by the Queen's presence. He would take great pleasure in watching her suffer tonight.

"You can't go through with this Killian," Regina said, slightly shaking her head even though he wasn't facing her. On the inside the Mayor was furious that Hook would go so low to hurt Emma, his supposed 'true love' by sending her family to hell. Even Rumple hadn't been so cruel when he was in love with Belle. Surely something else was fueling his is destructive revenge.

"Ah Killian," he feigned disbelief, his own name sounding strange from her voice. "No Captain Guyliner? No One-Handed Wonder? Where are all the bon mots tonight?" the pirate said mockingly. There was no banter. There was no show from Regina tonight. How odd.

"I understand," Regina said not taking the bait. The man seemed to forget he was talking to Regina, the Mayor, and not Regina, the Evil Queen that would have snapped his neck in a split second without batting an eyelash. "You think Emma betrayed you, but do you really think dragging her family to the Underworld is the answer?"

"This, from the woman who enacted the dark curse to punish Snow White for telling a secret. You of all people should understand how far someone will go for revenge and unfortunately for you, so do all the people you killed who are waiting for you in hell," the captain returned with a snide smile.

"I'm not that person anymore," Regina said without faltering. Inside however, she felt a twinge of guilt and pain. She had done all of those horrible things in her past and now she would have to answer for them. Was she only saying this to avoid death? No, Regina had changed. She had proved that she had changed. But would the people in the Underworld be so understanding of her transformation?

"Tell yourself what you want love," Hook said rather flatly. He was in no mood tonight. No one—not even the Evil Queen—can understand what he is feeling.

"You may be the Dark One, but we both know you aren't the man you were when I recruited you to kill my mother," Regina reminded. She had to tread carefully around this subject. It was risky enough that she had come here alone, but it was the only way.

"When I…tested you," Regina said, pain evident in her voice. She had been such a monster. Only a horrible, cruel person would ask a man to do what she had asked him to do. It was more a psychological test than anything, but Regina knew the consequences of her request. The torture and pain he must have endured would never leave her conscious. She had been horrible, but she pressed on.

"And when you…" her words cut short by a lack of oxygen. Regina felt her lungs crushing painfully as she gasped for air that was non-existent. The fear quickly settling in her eyes as she wondered if this was her death.

What about Emma and Henry? She never said goodbye. Regina wasn't ready to die, so why had she stupidly come here to flirt with death? There was no time to curse herself or even think about her loved ones. She was at the mercy of the pirate now.

"Not. Another. Word." Killian said taking a dangerous step forward. His fingers twisted as he magically strangled Regina. Visibly his eyes had darkened to nightshade black and his manners now appeared more predatory than man. He stalked over to where Regina was standing in front of him. So helpless he thought.

"When we agreed, we would never speak of this again. Don't test me again," his voice dropping octaves lower. Even though no one was around, the pain of the memories needed to be silenced; Regina needed to be silenced. Who was she to speak to him of morality? She was the Evil Queen. She had no place.

"Whoever you think I am, I'm not. You've got no idea the man I truly am," he spat before releasing his magical grip. He was done with this conversation. He needed not entertain the Queen any longer.

Regina gasped for breaths as she felt his release on her throat. She had been a monster for eliciting such pain on him. With every breath of chilly Maine air, she thought of her evil ways and shuttered. She wanted to apologize, but Killian would only see it as a way Regina could exploit his weakness. She couldn't stop herself from saying what she said next.

"Is it because she doesn't love you anymore?" It wasn't so much a question as it was a declaration.

The pirate had left her gasping for breath, but stopped immediately upon hearing reference to Emma Swan.

"What did you say?" Hook said as he turned. His eyebrow was arched incredibly high, as his voice retained is low vibrato.

"Emma doesn't love you anymore," Regina said. Why was she doing this? She had only just about died moments ago and now she was poking the bear with yet another stick. Her intent had been to go there to get Killian to rethink his revenge plot, not jump start it with her own words. She was playing an incredibly risky game.

"That is what I wanted dear," he said as he openly laughed in her face. "I wanted her to feel the pain that I felt," he said stalking closer yet again. "I wanted her to feel the heartbreak and betrayal that I felt when she did this to me!"

He had walked right into her personal space. In one flick of his wrist she would be dead, but the time to fear death had long since faded. Regina was going to hell anyway, so why not try to figure out his underlying motivation that seemed so sudden and brash.

"She doesn't love you anymore," Regina said with conviction. It almost seemed as if they were having two different conversations. "She won't forgive you, you know," the brunette continued more softly staring into the soulless, black eyes in front of her.

It was disheartening and disappointing to see a man so broken by love or lack of it. He was so bent on getting his fix of revenge that he failed to see that once he went through with this, he would lose Emma forever. Why was she trying to help Killian win Emma back? Was it the doubt in her own feelings? Was it her doubt in Emma's? Either way, she was trying to stop this man from loosing the woman he loved.

"I don't need forgiveness," he said disgusted at the word. Regina's audacity to even suggest that, that is what he wanted. It was absurd to believe he wanted anything remotely close to empathy from the blonde. There were deeper, fresher wounds that haunted him. It had been long before since he found out he was the Dark One. Only now did he truly have the power to act on his feelings.

"Why are you doing this?" Regina tried again. Everyone has walls built up so high she thought as she watched the man. He didn't even flinch at the question. Walls protected, and while they prevent from anything getting in, they also prevented anything from getting out.

"Because she betrayed me, love. She turned me into—"

"No," Regina cut him off. She smiled at him as she saw right through his lies. It wasn't that Emma's betrayal didn't play part in his revenge, but it was something deeper than that. Regina's eyes glistened with curiosity as she watched the pirate for his reaction. "Why are you really doing this?"

There was a silence; a long-drawn out silence that seemed to stand between them in the night. They eyed each other dangerously. Both had been so accustomed to hiding behind the darkness. Both had once been so evil, so drunk with power that they still felt the buzz when playing the game. The familiar foe the saw in one another, paralleled their past history. Their history was built on lies, revenge, necessary trust, and betrayal. It was as twisted, or more so twisted than their hearts had been.

There was something in Killian's eyes that seemed to radiate out and it wasn't hatred. Regina saw the vulnerability in his eyes, but made no comment. The flicker of truth brimmed just below the surface. Killian deep down knew. There was something in him, maybe pride, that didn't allow him to accept it. The truth behind everything had done couldn't have been so simple. Answers were never that straight forward. The rest of his face hid the confliction and confusion, but his eyes gave him away. A deeper meaning, a deeper understanding was on the verge of bursting, but he would need to come to the conclusion on his own.

His eyes only slightly widened with realization. If Regina hadn't been so focused on his eyes, then she would have missed it. Maybe he didn't want to acknowledge it or maybe he knew it and never wanted to say it. Either way, Hook knew and clearly Regina had known as well. She just wanted to hear him say it. His frustration had come well before he knew he was the Dark One. His anger had been manifesting all this time because of one sole reason.

It had started before Zelena had showed him the truth. It had started before they had tried to free Emma of the darkness. It had started even before he knew it was really starting. He had hoped it wasn't true.

"She didn't love me anymore," he half whispered.

*Smirks* well what did you think?

The last sentence might be grammatically incorrect or whatever blah, blah, blah, but it has a specific meaning (even if it is wrong I really don't care). It will be addressed in the next chapter. There are quite a lot of things happening that I will follow up on chapters to come. I think there will be one more chapter before the finale. Honestly can't wait to write the finale.

Thank you for sticking with this story and putting up with me! Have a great week.