I apologise for the delay in updating but with Christmas and all things have been pretty busy. Anyway I hope you enjoy this. After this is the epilogue and then we are done.
They were now all sat in Regina's house. Regina had washed up and changed being ever so happy to get out of the dress she had been put in when down in the underworld. With the darkness being trapped that seemed to be enough for Rumple to wake up and he was now at Regina's catching up on what had been happening. He was back to being the cowardly human he once had been but Regina suspected if he really wanted to he could be the brave man he was deep down.
Pandora's box was sat on the coffee table in the middle of them all. Regina could hear the darkness calling out to her and she suspected Rumple could hear it too. She closed her eyes and tried to count to ten to calm her nerves and drown out the whispering haunting voices that were travelling to her.
Rumple looked over and then placed his hand on Regina's that was resting on her knee. She opened her eyes and looked at them. "I can hear it to. If you have contained the darkness whenever it is near you will hear that voice. It will never leave you." Rumple said.
"I can't stand it…" Regina said in a whisper her vulnerability showing through. She had had enough of being strong, of holding in all her emotions. She was done. For once she wasn't going to be the strong one. Not after everything that had just happened.
"We are going to help you Regina." Robin said sitting on the arm of the chair and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head and breathed her in. He was so happy to have her back in his arms. He had been so scared he was going to lose her for good. He wasn't sure what he would do if he lost her again. He wasn't sure if he could have coped with it again.
"How? You heard what Rumple said. If the darkness is near I will always hear it and so will he." Regina said.
"We will hide it somewhere." Emma added in. "What about in your vault?" Emma asked.
"The darkness will still be in Storybrooke Miss Swan. As long as it is in Storybrooke we will forever hear it's voice. It will call out to us, longing for one of us to finally give in and open that box to release it once more. It knows eventually one of us will give in. One person always does." Rumple explained.
"We are not going to let that happen." Belle said as she took Rumple's hand in hers. "None of you are going to give into the darkness again. There must be somewhere else we can take it."
"What if we took it out of Storybrooke?" David suggested.
"And how do you plan on getting back? The town line is still not safe to cross. We don't have any more of the potion to help us get back. It is too risky." Regina shot down the idea. She didn't want anyone getting stuck over the town line for the sake of helping her drown out the voice of the dark one.
Henry walked into the room, book in hand. He had been thinking as the adults were talking. He had been sure he knew a way to help his mother and Rumple. He wasn't sure if it was the best plan but as long as there was a way to get there and back he was sure it would be fine. "I have an idea…" Henry said causing all the adults to look round at him.
"Is it me or has he turned into a right bookworm?" Emma said with a slight smirk. "No offence Belle."
"None taken." Belle smiled back.
"Yea well books hold good information. You should try it sometime ma." Henry shot back making Regina smirk. He really had learned from her when it came to sass. She was proud.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Alright bookworm what you got?" Emma asked as she walked over to him.
"Well I was thinking what if we take Pandora's box down to the underworld and destroy it down there. That way no one hears the dark one calling to them and it effectively destroys the dark one so it will never haunt anyone ever again." Henry suggested.
"Good idea in theory Henry but how do you suggest we get there and back?" Mary-Margaret asked.
"With this." Henry said walking over to the coffee table and placing the book down. "When we were looking for a way to get to mom I found this book in her library." Henry said. "Was quite an interesting read." Henry said then looking towards Regina.
"All the books in there are." Regina replied with a smile.
"I found these…spells I guess they are to get to the underworld and also to get out of the underworld. If we use these we can take the box down there find a place to destroy it and then get out of there." Henry said. "So what do you think?" he asked and looked around the adults.
Everyone looked down at the book not really sure what to say. Emma was the first to speak up. "Regina… Rumple would this work?" She asked them. They were the best people to ask, the most experienced in magic. Even if Rumple didn't have his magic anymore.
"It would work yes…" Rumple started.
"The spell to get there is…well it's not exactly pleasant." Regina finished for him as she stared down at the book. She sighed and ran her fingers through her brunette locks. She was glad Robin kept his arm around her. She felt so safe in his arms. "The spell requires two people that have caused a considerable amount of pain and sorrow. Those two people will then feel every bit of pain and sorrow they have caused, every victims screams will be heard and all their pain felt."
"That doesn't sound good." Emma said stating the most obvious.
"No it doesn't." Regina said. "But I think it might be the only way we can truly get rid of the darkness once and for all."
"So who…"Mary-Margaret started to ask.
"Well I would presume I would be one of the two who caused the most pain and sorrow." Regina interrupted quickly already knowing what Mary-Margaret was going to ask.
"And I would be the other." Rumple added shifting forward in his seat.
"But your heart in pure now Rumple. You have a clean slate." Belle said.
"I may now have a pure heart but it does not erase the centuries of pain and sorrow I caused. It does not erase my past. It is up to Regina and I to open the portal to lead us to the underworld." Rumple replied.
"To get back it's not so bad. It's quite simple actually. No one has to feel any pain or sorrow. The two who open the portal to enter must be the ones to open the portal to leave." Henry said reading the last part from the book.
Regina nodded, biting her lip for a moment as she stared at Pandora's box, the haunting whispers of the dark one fighting their way into her head. They were pushing her, trying to get her to give in and let the darkness out. To release it and take it in again. She wasn't so sure if they kept it hear if she would be able to resist it forever. So she pushed herself up from the sofa, letting Robins arm drop from her shoulder. She grabbed his hand squeezing tight. "Let's get this over with. We need to get this darkness out of here."
They were now all stood by the well. Regina and Rumple decided it might be the best place to do it since Rumple didn't have his magic anymore. So they thought they should go where the magic was held and strong.
"Are you sure you want to do this Regina?" Robin asked worriedly. He took her hands in his and pulled her close to him. Moving one of his hands up her arm and up to her cheek tangling his fingers in her soft brown hair.
"I have to. It is the only way to finally get my happy ending. Our happy ending. We need to destroy the darkness once and for all." Regina replied leaning into his touch.
"But it is going to hurt you…" Robin said.
Regina nodded her head slightly. "I'm not going to enjoy it but I have to do this."
"I'll be right here with you." Robin said and he leaned forward and placed his lips down onto hers in a soft kiss.
"I love you Robin." Regina whispered to his lips.
"I love you too Regina." He whispered back and she smiled as she rested her head against his.
"Alright love birds let's get this over with." Rumple said interrupting their moment. Regina rolled her eyes and pulled away from Robin, giving his hand one last squeeze before walking over to stand beside Rumple. "You ready for this dearie?" He asked her as he looked to the side.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She said and leaned over taking his hand in hers to share her magic with them. They both took a deep breath and together started to recite the enchantment that was in some ancient language. The other's watched as the wind picked up slight and a swirl of blackness moved around them. Once Regina and Rumple had finished the enchantment it took seconds for the pain and sorrow of all their victims to hit them. Regina gasped and let go of Rumples hand her hand flying to her heart. Her eyes screwed up in pain and her breath seemed to be knocked out of her.
"Regina…" Robin called about to walk towards her but Emma stopped him.
"You need to let her do this. I know it's horrible to watch but you need to let her do it." Emma said firmly. Robin nodded his head and he stood back but looked away from Regina. He couldn't watch her like this, in so much pain.
Rumple just stood there, his eyes closed trying hard not to succumb to the pain and sorrow he was feeling. He knew what he would be feeling would be slightly worse than Regina. After all he had been darker for longer than she had but then he also knew with Regina's heart this must be an imaginable amount of pain and sorrow for her. For someone who loved so deeply to feel all the sorrow and pain multiplied by one hundred it must be crippling.
Regina's hands flew up to her ears and she pressed down on them wanting to drown out all the screams of her victims. She couldn't stand it anymore. It was too much, it hurt too much. She could feel tears running down her cheeks as she cried for all of those she had caused this pain and sorrow to. She felt horrible, she felt evil. She gasped out trying to catch her breath.
Rumple looked down at her. He had no idea how he was controlling this but he knew he needed to try and help her through this. So he knelt down placing on hand on her back and then taking one of her hands in his. "I know this is horrible Regina but you can fight through it. You can come out the other side after feeling all this pain. Hold on to me. We can do this together." He said. Regina glanced up at him, tears running down her cheeks and more brimming in her eyes. She held onto his hand tightly and tried to breathe through the new waves of pain that were hitting her. "Nearly there Regina. " he said and he moved his thumb over the back of her hand trying to comfort her in some way. He knew it was in no way enough to make it up to her for what he had put her through and made her do but he hoped to try and make it up to her in some way and he hoped this would go towards that.
Another few minutes passed and then a black swirling portal opened to the side of them. Everyone looked towards it and suddenly the pain and sorrow Regina and Rumple had felt slowly began to ease off. Rumple stood up and gently helped Regina up from the ground.
"You done it." Henry said as he ran over to Regina and hugged her. "I'm sorry mom."
"You don't need to apologise Henry." Regina replied softly. She wiped her cheeks a little. "I knew it would be a horrible experience. Now come on. Let's go." Regina said she took Henry's hand and then reached for Robin's holding onto them tightly. Belle took Robin's and Rumple took Belles. Emma took Henry's other hand and then Mary-Margaret clung onto Emma with David holding onto Mary-Margaret. They all took a deep breath and jumped into the portal sending them all to the underworld.
They all landed with a thump to the ground an groaned as they pushed themselves up. David looked around him as he brushed the dirt from his clothes. "So this is the underworld. Not quite how I imagined it." He said.
"How did you imagine it dear? Red and fiery?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow. "It's as dark and dismal as it should be. Come on I think I know where we can destroy that thing." Regina said and she motioned for them all to follow her. They walked through the hallways all looking around them. There was a chill in the air, screams and crying could be heard echoing around them.
"How did you manage down here?" Emma asked Regina as they continued to walk.
"I just put myself back in a place I was years ago. Put myself back to the Evil Queen. She wouldn't have cared where she was. The only thing was it didn't quite work as well as I had hoped it would. Maybe I am not as connected with her as I once thought." Regina said. "So I then thought about what makes me happy and who makes me happy. It got me through as much as it could."
Emma nodded her head. They walked out into an open cave looking place and Regina walked right up to the edge of the cliff they were on. Everyone joined her and looked down beneath them was like a river but when you really looked at it you could see ghost like figures swimming around. "What the hell is down there?" David asked speaking for the group.
"Souls. Hades takes your soul when you arrive down here and this is where you are put. It's a horrible afterlife. You are forever stuck in the evil things you have done. I guess it would be like a constant feeling of what Regina and I just experienced. You would forever feel the pain and sorrow of what you have caused." Rumple explained.
Henry gulped a little and squeezed his mother's hand. "You won't end up like that will you?" He asked.
"I do hope not Henry." Regina replied.
"I think your mother will be just fine Henry." Rumple added in. "Is this where you were thinking of putting the box Regina?" Rumple asked and Regina nodded her head. "Good plan."
"Thank you." Regina said with a slight smile. "Can I have the box?" Regina asked holding her hand out to Robin who had been carrying Pandora's box for them. Robin pulled it out and handed it to her. She held it over the edge and was just about to do it when they heard a voice behind them.
"I can't let you do that!"
Everyone turned round and gasped as they saw Cora stood there. Regina stepped forward. "I have to mother. I need to destroy this darkness before it destroys any more lives."
"I knew I couldn't stay proud of you Regina. You are weak and you always were. Running to love as soon as someone showed you a little. Don't you remember what I always told you. Love is weakness Regina. You could have been strong and you could have been powerful but you throw it all away to be the hero!" Cora snapped.
"Love is not weakness mother. It is strength and you would know that if you ever had your heart. I don't need darkness to be strong and powerful. Love is just as strong and powerful, lightness is just as strong and powerful." Regina threw back. She then turned around and threw the box down into the swirling evil river.
"No!" Cora shouted but as soon as the box hit the water she gasped. She felt herself begin pulled towards the river, her soul being pulled to where it belonged. Everyone stepped aside as she breezed past them but Cora clung to the edge of the cliff not going without a fight. "Regina please help me. I'm your mother." She pleaded hoping to get to Regina one last time.
"No you're not. My mother died." Regina said before turning on her heel and walking away. Cora slipped from the cliff and fell into the water, her soul being pulled from her.
Robin ran over to Regina and pulled her into his arms as she sobbed into his chest. "It's okay Regina it's over." He said softly as his hands moved over hr back soothingly.
"You done the right thing Regina. She wasn't your mother." Rumple said as he walked over to them.
"I know. I always knew when I was down here that she wasn't really her…but I clung to her at first…" Regina replied back cuddling into Robin still but looking at Rumple. "I wanted her to be there…to help me…"
Rumple gave Regina a sad smile and placed his hand on her upper arm. "Let's go home."