Emma was leaning on her car, crossing her arms on her chest as she chewed on her lip. She was waiting for the school bell to ring to immediately pick up Henry and drive them to their home. Regina had texted the previous day with the warning but since then it had been dead silent.

Her parents and she agreed to keep an eye on him at all times, and since Emma couldn't shake the feeling of concern off her, she just wanted him safe in her apartment with David and Snow.

She clutched her phone in her hand, as she had been doing for days, waiting for a text from Regina and the bell finally rang. Henry didn't take long to run towards her, hugging her when he was close enough. "Snow said she needed to finish some things but she will be home soon."

Emma nodded and they got inside the car. The drive was in silence, but Emma could feel the question burning in her son's lips, so she said before he could ask, "Still nothing."

It didn't ease the frown of her forehead. "She said Maleficent would take the potion today, and it's already afternoon."

"I know."

"Nothing has happened," he pressed. Emma tightened the grip on the steering wheel and sighed.

"I know."

Henry glanced worriedly at his mother and noticed the tired circles under her eyes. She had been like this the whole time the plan had been going on; he watched her picking at the food on her plate, never finishing lunch or dinner, and she could hear her tossing and turning in bed at night to end up sighing and shuffling to the living room.

Last night those habits only seemed to accentuate and he knew it was because the expectation of what would happen today was too much. It was for all of them, but for Emma it was like if it was personal.

When they arrived to the apartment, David was finishing lunch and Henry offered to help. Both of them watched Emma disappear into her room without a word, the ever present frown adorning her face.

Regina watched the liquid pouring into the small bottle, standing in her vault. It glowed when it touched the bottom of it and she held her breath. It was done; there was no way back. Maleficent was staring at her and a satisfied smile on her lips when the glow illuminated Regina's face.

She snatched it from Regina's hands before she could do anything and looked down at it. Regina raised an eyebrow, hiding her trembling hands on her coat's pocket, "You're so impatient."

"I want my power back. Aren't you impatient to have your son back?"

Regina watched how Maleficent lifted the bottle to her lips stopping in the last moment to look at her, waiting for an answer, so she smirked, "I can't wait."

That response seemed to satisfy Maleficent and she finally tilted the bottle. Regina watched, feeling her phone on her pocket and wishing she could just take a moment to warn Emma. Only a word would be enough. Maleficent closed her eyes and Regina took a step back, trying to escape for just a second, her phone held tight between her fingers.

"Where are you going, Regina?" Maleficent asked with her eyes still closed, a smile dancing in her lips. The Mayor stilled and swallowed. Finally the witch opened her eyes, her pupils burning with power and Regina had to control herself to not to shiver. "Where you going to inform your sweet and charming girlfriend?"

Regina's eyebrows shot up, but still tried to mask her surprise crossing her arms over her chest and played dumb. "What are you talking about?"

"You really think I would be so dense to not notice? You've always been transparent to me Regina. I only needed you to make this potion and now…now I feel more powerful than ever."

Maleficent sauntered towards Regina and she staggered backwards, still trying to hide her secret, "I thought we were a team. I thought you would help me to get my son back."

Launching her hands forward, Maleficent's nails dug into Regina's throat. She felt her breath hitch beneath her fingers and stared right into her eyes. "We could've done so much but you've changed. You've gone soft." The grip on her throat tightened and Regina tried to swallow but she choked with the pressure.

"I'm going to kill them Regina. And thanks to you, no one can stop me. Not even your dear savior." Regina looked at her before disappearing into purple smoke. Maleficent dropped her hand and rolled her eyes, "Coward."

Regina kept Emma on her mind as she dissipated away from Maleficent's touch, trying to land next to her. Instead, due to the lack of habit and the intensity of her thoughts, she landed on Emma, bringing both of them to the ground in front of her apartment. Snow, who had been talking to Emma, jumped when she saw Regina coming out of nowhere.

"Regina?"

The Mayor looked up and Snow saw the fear in her eyes as she rose to her feet, helping Emma. "Go inside. Don't let Henry out," she commanded. When Snow didn't move, she roared, "Go. Now!"

Behind them, across the street, green smoke revealed Maleficent and finally Snow reacted and rushed into the building. Emma looked at Maleficent and then at Regina, whose frown let her know what was going on. Still, she asked. "Too bad?"

"Worse," was Regina's response.

The three of them walked towards the other, meeting in the middle of the now empty street; it was as if everyone had felt the change in the air and had hidden away. Maleficent glanced over at Emma.

"You're making it even easier for me. Thank you." The Sheriff reached for her gun sitting in the holster on her hip and Maleficent laughed, "That thing didn't work last time. What makes you think it will now?"

Emma cursed in her mind, knowing she was right, but still her hand unclasped the holster as if to prove she wasn't afraid. Regina however, could see the slight tremble in her hand, and placed in between them. "This fight is with me, Maleficent. Leave her out of this."

The witch turned her attention to Regina, her eyes shining with the flames of her power. "The fight may be with you, but she is the mean to the victory."

Regina's fist opened in a flame and she looked defiantly at Maleficent. Behind her, Emma stepped aside to join her by her side, in a defensive position as well. It only made the other woman sneer at them, releasing a loud laugh. "Very well, if that's how you want it."

She took a step back and closed her eyes. Soon she was covered by green smoke and she started to grow until she was a full giant dragon. Emma opened her eyes wide, suddenly feeling helpless and useless. She staggered backwards and Regina looked at her, reading the panic that was starting to cloud her eyes.

She reached for her hand and squeezed, "You can do it Emma. You have it in you."

"I don't even know how. I only have a stupid gun that won't work!"

Regina waved her hand and a sword, David's sword, appeared on her hand. It felt heavy, but it also felt right. Looking right into deep greenish eyes, Regina told her, "We do this. Together. I believe in you."

Emma took a sharp breath and nodded, feeling safer now with the sword in her hand. She raised towards Maleficent, who opened her mouth and shrieked, a soft smoke leaving her nostrils as she did. "Together," she muttered to herself. Throwing Regina one last glance, she nodded more convincingly now and repeated. "Together."