I know I'm in trouble but I'll like to place blame on my beta Withgirl. And give credit to a sudden spark of inspiration for both of us recently.

We are approaching the end of this story. Hope you all are still with us and enjoy.

"I'm glad you're taking this step, Regina." Archie said with a light smile.

"I want my wife back…without her, my family is falling apart. It's not a family without her." Regina admitted with furrowed brow. "Tamsin asks me every night when her mommy is going to come home and I don't know."

"And that bothers you?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed. She stood up from the couch and started to pace around behind it. "I should know when she'll come back…I shouldn't have to explain this at all. Emma should be home and we should be coming to these sessions and things are supposed to get better but that didn't happen."

"Are you ready for that to happen?" Archie questioned. "For things to start working out?"

Regina didn't respond immediately. There was a long pause and thoughtful silence was always helpful but in this instance, it worried Archie a bit. It was possible Regina was still struggling to differentiate Emma's Dark One from Rumple's former Dark One. Her wife from her former mentor.

"Regina?"

She sighed and pulled out her phone from the pocket of her coat. As she had been since the moment she received the text from her wife. Every free moment of her day had been spent looking at it.

She didn't even really care about the part of Emma saying she'd be there for their date but she had said 'I love you'. There hadn't been a doubt about it, at least none that she was willing to admit but she was just relieved to have Emma say it to her in some way because she did feel guilty for all of this.

"Regina…"

"She replied back. She said 'I love you.'"

Archie saw the joy in her eyes. It shined as if she'd forgotten the fact. As if she was afraid it had no longer been true. But the thought of the reply brought something happy to her somber mood that had stuck to her for too long.

She looked up him, seeking out a comment. She was hoping that it was good as she thought it was.

He nodded with smile. "That's good."

"It is." Regina sighed with a subdued blissfulness, but it was just as genuine as any other expression Archie had seen on her face.

There was a long pause filled with thoughtful silence.

"But…you seem nervous. Are you?"

"This date will be the first time I've seen my wife in too long of a time." Regina sighed. "She may still love me but it doesn't mean my behavior didn't ruin us in a way."

"What is it that's scaring you?"

"Emma may still love me. She may still come home like everything is fine but will it be?"

"I believe that is up to you now. After tonight, if you want Emma home you will do what needs to be done."

"They'll be there in about an hour." Ruby announced as she walked into the clearing. Despite the fact that the man she was speaking to literally held her heart in his hands, she still managed to sneer at him intently, as if this would make all of the shit go away.

Arthur looked up from the ground that he was sat upon and a huge smile spread across his face at the thought of what was about to come.

"Excellent news." He laughed in excitement. This had been something that he had wanted for so long that he still wasn't quite sure how to process it all. He would be able to finally return to Camelot with a completed sword so that he could finally make his kingdom whole and he could stop feeling as though he had failed his people.

"Which means that you can let me go." Ruby insisted. "You don't need me anymore."

"So that you can run off to your friends and warn them of my plans?" The king shot back. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"I would say that a man who would take on the Dark One and the former Evil Queen isn't exactly a genius." Ruby mumbled as she went and leaned against a tree.

Of course, she had known that he wouldn't let her go as of yet, but there was also some hope. She desperately wanted to go and warn Emma and Regina so that they could kick Arthur's ass and then they could actually have their date and get back together. Then she could go and explain to Belle why she had acted the way that she had and apologize profusely. There hadn't been a day when she was gone that she hadn't missed the librarian. She had finally realized what it was that she wanted and she had left the woman behind in Storybrooke and when she had returned she hadn't been able to comfort her in her time of mourning.

"What was that?" Arthur asked with a tilted head and narrowed eyes.

"Emma and Regina are meant to be together and Tamsin is proof of that. True Love means that there is nothing that will ever break them apart. They have gotten through curses, evil witches and a man intent upon rewriting reality, do you really think that you will be the one to break them apart?" Ruby ranted.

Arthur quirked an eyebrow at her and slowly rose to stand.

"You are talking about Emma Swan. The Savior." He began shaking his head. "From what I have seen she is not quite the same Savior that this town reveres. The darkness that courses through her veins is tens of thousands of years older than anyone who is currently living and you believe that True Love is strong enough to overcome something like that?"

The wolf swallowed hard, but she steeled her nerves and spoke, though with less conviction than before. "True Love is the most powerful magic of all, if there is any chance that someone could get through this…"

"Yes." Arthur laughed. "If. Do you honestly believe in the long history of the Dark One, Emma is the first to have the potential to break free? Every time without fail they fell into the darkness. I'm simply offering her a chance to embrace it and truly be free."

Ruby frowned at his words, but she decided that there was no point in asking him exactly what he was planning, she was sure that she was going to experience it first hand in about an hour. If there's one thing that Emma and Regina are good at, it's beating the odds. Ruby firmly believed that but she still hoped they could do it again.

Tamsin frowned watching her mother pace around the foyer. She tugged on Henry's shirt to get his attention and he looked away from the TV to the display his sister had been watching for minutes now.

He paused the screen and stood up, raising an eyebrow at his mother. Tamsin followed close behind him, marching up to their mother with a curious expression. Henry shook his head and reached out for Regina's shoulder. She stopped and turned to him with a frown creasing the space between her eyebrows.

"Mom, you're weirding Tamsin out." Henry chuckled. Tamsin nodded with her arms folded over her chest but a charming smile she got from Emma on her face.

"Oh…" Regina sighed and picked up the little blonde. "I'm sorry, lovebug. I'm just nervous, darling."

"Why?" Tamsin questioned, innocently. It was a loaded question with too many answers. Her daughter only wanted one answer. A simple one that would lead to a follow up question but at least for now she was a simple little girl.

Had henry asked the question and expected all the answers that should've come with it, she would've been in trouble with her wife for skipping out on their date but she couldn't afford to have that happen.

"I…" She glanced to Henry and then back to the big green eyes looking at her expectantly. "I have a surprise for you. I'm worried you won't like it."

"I like gifts, Mama."

"I know you do." Regina grinned. "I'm going to bring Mommy home, okay?"

It both pained and joyed Regina to see the way her daughter's eyes lit up, like it was her birthday again this year. Like she was getting a puppy after asking for one for a long time. The weight of her mistakes and all the fights she and Emma had in front of their children really set in. It hurt but it was a good thing she planned to make it right tonight. Or at least to.

"Mommy?" Tamsin asked with excitement. "Come home now?"

"Yes, and she'll never leave again."

"Promise?" She frowned, her bottom lip poking out just a little. She looked so much like Emma now that she'd gone without seeing her wife for so long. Every little pout and toothy smile and mentions of being 'so hungry' made her look like Emma and sound. Her little hugs felt like Emma.

"I promise."

"Mommy is sick and she needs soap."

"Soup, Tam." Henry chuckled, swiping at a tear threatening to fall down his face.

He'd been holding it together for his little sister but he was old enough to see that things hadn't been good lately. Though, it didn't seem that way on the surface, Emma's absence hurt him too but at the same time he knew his brunette mother's guilt aggressively ate at her with having to deal with Tamsin's constant questions.

He wanted this night to go well. He wanted the nightmare to be over and his mother could see that. She grabbed his shoulder and squeezed giving him a small smile.

"Of course, sweetheart. Soup and lots of hugs." Regina agreed. "She'll need lots of hugs and kisses, okay? Lots…" Tamsin nodded adamantly, already planning ahead of her. "Okay, I have to go know. I want you both to be in bed by the time I get back."

Henry took Tamsin from his mother's arms. She leaned over and kissed them both on the forehead before taking a deep breath.

"Mom." Their eyes met. "Don't be nervous. She loves you. I told you that."

"I know you did, my little prince."

"Bring her back." He nodded with an encouraging smile.

"I will."

Regina sighed in relief when she discovered that the child next to her had finally fallen asleep and she quietly closed the book that she had been reading to the princess. Carefully, she extracted her arm from behind the pre-teen and slid off the bed so that she could make her way to the corridor.

With one final, and contemptuous, look at Snow White for the night, she lightly pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway only to stop short when she nearly walked straight into an unexpected figure.

Holding her hand over her heart, as if this action would stop it from racing, she breathed in and out a few times before she just about managed to calm down.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered frantically.

The man before her let out a little giggle. "Oh calm down, dear, the king isn't even in residence for the next week. Which begs the question, why are you reading to his daughter?"

Regina quickly looked both ways, praying that there was no guard set to walk down this corridor anytime soon. "If Snow informs her father that I am not acting as the mother she wants me to be, he will surely punish me."

"He punishes you enough, doesn't he? So, punish him first." Rumple said rather dramatically and loudly. This caused Regina to jump in fright and have another round of making sure that there was no one in close proximity. "Oh, don't worry dear, I ensured that no one would be interrupting our conversation."

The brunette furrowed her brow as she tried to figure out exactly what that meant. She had heard of the many awful things that the Dark One had done in his very long life, but that didn't mean that she had yet fully comprehended that the man in front of her had done those things. Now though, her stomach churned at the thought that there might be a maimed - or maybe even dead - member of the royal guard who had only been doing his job.

At the look on her face, Rumple giggled again and assured her. "I cast a spell to deter any onlookers from seeing us."

Regina sighed in relief and slumped her shoulders slightly.

"I was under the impression that our next lesson was tomorrow." Regina stated after she felt the awkward silence pass on for far too long.

"Considering your husband would not have the opportunity to become suspicious in his absence, I was under the impression that you would appreciate the chance to have more lessons, yes?"

Regina looked behind her again, suddenly worried that the sleeping princess behind the door was somehow listening to the conversation, she decided that she was just being paranoid and turned back to look at her tutor and nodded. A smile spread across the Dark One's lips and he waved his hands without hesitation to transport the pair of them to another location. The brunette blinked away the nausea that she still felt whenever she was taken to a new place by magic, but it quickly passed and she realised that they were stood at the edge of clearing. Her frown deepened when she saw a single man sitting by a lit fire in the center.

She looked over to her mentor, whose grin widened so he looked eviller than ever.

He waved his hand and Regina recognised that the shimmering meant that the man could not hear them talking.

"I thought that this would be the ideal opportunity for you to learn what it means to make good on a deal." He explained, which just made her even more confused.

"What deal?" She asked.

"The deal that you made to avenge your True Love. You were just spending your time reading to the very girl who caused Daniel's death."

Regina clenched her jaw and fists at the same time. Doing anything nice for Snow White has always been a somewhat painful experience since all she could think about was that if she had never met the princess, she could have already escaped and married Daniel a long time ago. But the thought of actually harming the girl was equally just as painful. She couldn't help thinking that if she did anything that would hurt her step-daughter, she would have officially become the woman that she had sent to Wonderland and she didn't want to ever become her mother.

"And…what does this man have to do with any of this?" She eventually asked after a long silence.

"Through the years, I have had quite a few visits from people hoping to strike deals. Last week, a woman arrived at my home in tears, begging me to avenge the death of her husband and daughter by the hands of this bandit." He explained. "In exchange for a rare magical item that has been in her family for centuries. Now that she has delivered this item to me, it is time that I make good on my end of the deal. She requested that I give him the most painful death imaginable."

Regina swallowed hard at this information and turned to look at the man. Objectively, he was a criminal and would most likely be sentenced to death for his crimes if he was ever caught. At the same time, though, he would be processed for a justice system and it would be the word of law that would seal his fate, not the Dark One. However, she still nodded in understanding.

"Okay…But why do I need to be here?" She questioned with an increasing sense of dread.

"They say that the best method of learning is through demonstration." Rumple giggled, as he waved his hand to end the silencing spell.

Regina shook her head in protest and fell backwards into a tree, which instantly caught the attention of the man sitting at the fire. His eyes widened, since he had obviously had no idea that there was anyone near him and he shot up to his feet. In one swift move, he pulled out a dagger and pointed it at the pair.

"Don't you know that it's dangerous in these parts? Someone might want to cause you some harm." He sneered, with all of the confidence of a man who didn't think he was about to die.

Rumple looked over to Regina with a smirk and flicked his wrist to stop her from looking away and he then stepped out from the shadows. The bandit could now see the Dark One's face fully and the dagger instantly slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground and he began shaking his head vigorously.

"No…no…no…" He began muttering. There were not many around who were not aware of who Rumpelstiltskin was and what it meant when the scaly man emerged from the darkness. "Please, I can give you anything you want…"

Rumple flicked his wrist again to root his feet to the ground and began slowly walking towards him, savoring the fear that he could practically feel coursing through him.

"I'm not one to break a contract." He replied as calmly as possible, finally standing directly in front of him. He reached up and thrust his hand into his chest, pulling out the beating heart in one swift movement. "And this is the only possession of yours of any use to me."

The man was about to open his mouth to retort, to tell the Dark One of all of the riches and items that he could give him, but no sound escaped his mouth, except for a pathetic squeak of pain. Rumple didn't hesitate any longer to squeeze the heart until it fell into dust and the bandit slumped to the ground. He took a moment to grin at the lifeless body before he turned back towards the treeline to find his student still stuck by the tree, but she now had tears rushing down her face. Her eyes were wide and Rumple imagined that the choice of execution brought back some rather unpleasant flashbacks.

The restrictive shimmering around her disappeared and she fell down on to her hands and knees as she tried to take some deep breathes.

"You didn't need to...I didn't need to see that." She whispered as she stared intently at the dirt.

The Dark One crossed his arms and smiled at her. As much as he was aware that was cruel - not that he much cared - he knew that was something that she needed to experience if she was going to become the heartless killer who would cast his curse.

"It was completely necessary." He countered casually. "If you're going to avenge dear Daniel, it was something that you needed to experience."

Regina scrunched up her eyes at the sound of his name. An image of his expression if he ever saw her doing that to another person and she couldn't stop more tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You're a monster." She muttered.

Regina opened her eyes and mentally shoved away her thoughts as she wrung her hands together.

The memories plagued her constantly and she did believe they were the cause of her falling out with her wife. It would have to be addressed in therapy officially but for now she just wanted Emma. Nothing more than that in the moment. Just Emma.

She exhaled a long breath, glancing around the Well. The thought that Emma wouldn't show up had crossed her mind several times and now having the thoughts as she stood here alone terrified her. She wanted this to work because she felt this was her fault. After working so hard through the years, she didn't enjoy the feeling even a little bit of being the bad guy.

The bad parent.

The bad spouse.

A twig snapped behind her and she turned around on her heels. Defense prickled at her skin for a moment until her eyes landed on a familiar figure standing several feet away from her. The prickling disappeared and something warm in her chest replaced its presence.

"You came." Regina said when all her other words failed her. It was easiest and shortest thing that could leave her throat. But unlike words the soft smile wasn't forced out. It was good to see her. Finally.

"Yes." Emma nodded, giving a smile of her own. She glanced around and was relieved to finally have this moment with her wife. To finally have a moment with her. "I know I didn't make seem like it but I'll be there when you ask."

Regina nodded, still smiling. It was growing every second that passed.

"I'm sorry if my behavior has led you to believe otherwise but I still love you just as much as I did a few months ago…years ago."

"I should say the same to you." Regina said, moving closer to Emma who hadn't attempted to move any closer. If it weren't for her wife's words, she would've believed her lack of movement to be a bad sign. "I've done nothing to make you feel any better about this situation when you sacrificed yourself for me…I'm so sorry."

"Me, too."

"Emma, I-" She hung her head. She let out a breath of frustration when the words, that normally came so easy to her, became lodged in her throat. But then two soft fingers were under her chin, lifting her head. Emma was suddenly so close. Breathing her air.

"May I kiss you?" Emma asked with a quiet voice as she stared strongly into Regina's eyes.

"You're my wife."

"I haven't been a very good one."

"Of course, you can."

Emma leaned forward and Regina closed her eyes. She hesitated for a moment before closing the last inch between them and pressed her lips against Regina's. Her hand found itself around her back and the cold grip of her dark mantle loosened its tight hold on her at the feeling of Regina's hands cupping her cheeks.

Though she didn't want to, Emma pulled away first. She sighed and pressed their foreheads together. "I missed that."

"I missed you." Regina whispered, stealing another kiss from her lips.

"I could say the same but it would never really measure up to how it felt to be away from you. Both times."

"Well, you and I both know you're better with actions than words." Regina teased. She stepped away from Emma and took her hand. "Come on, I promised you date."

Suddenly, clapping echoed off the trees and in response, Emma used their interlocked hands to tug Regina behind her. Arthur appeared from the trees with Ruby reluctantly following.

"Ruby?" Regina questioned, stepping out from behind Emma.

"I'm so sorry, Regina." Ruby said with conflict and regret in her eyes.

"You're here to crash our date…?" She asked with a furrowed brow and hope that this was some sort of bad joke.

"No, Your Majesty." Arthur interrupted. He revealed the dagger, confusing Regina. She touched her waist under her coat with her hands even though she knew she hadn't brought it with her. "I'm here for your wife."

Emma frowned and glanced over to Regina. "You gave that to him?"

"No, of course not, Emma. I had it hidden. I had it-" Regina stopped and looked up to Ruby. "You…you took it. You took it from my vault."

"I'm sorry, Regina." Ruby turned her eyes to the dirt below her boots. "He was going to hurt Belle. I'm sorry."

"You're a wolf." Regina argued.

"She's not a free wolf." Arthur smiled. They both looked down to his other hand holding a glowing heart. Then he squeezed tight causing Ruby to double over. "Now you be silent."

"Whatever you want, leave them out of this." Emma said. For a moment Regina really saw the Savior again. "My wife, my friend. Let them go."

"Oh, no. Maybe the wolf but I need her." He said waving his hand dismissively at Regina. Then he held up the dagger to Emma. "Dark One..."

The words became muffled after that. Emma looked to her right and Rumple was there, smiling. Her feet started to move without her permission and she tried hard to fight it. The muscles in her arms and neck tensed at her attempt to restrain herself but it did nothing. Her feet kept moving as her willpower from a few minutes ago went away.

"Emma." Regina reached out and took her hand, in hopes that somehow it would help. She pulled her back but it only jerked her shoulder back for a moment. "Emma, try to fight it."

"I am." Emma replied still moving forward.

"I'll fix this, my love. I promise."

"Dark One, subdue your wife, if you please." Arthur commanded. "She's hindering progress."

Emma suddenly snatched away from Regina's hold and struck her in the throat. Regina dropped to the ground gasping for air and coughing roughly as her hands wrapped around her throat.

"I'm so sorry, Regina." Emma breathed out, feeling like she couldn't breath herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Please stop this." Ruby begged, seeing the terror in Emma's eyes as she looked down at her wife. "Leave them alone."

"Shut up." Arthur hissed, giving her heart another, stronger squeeze. He turned back to Emma, still struggling for control of her body. "Dark One, bring your daughter here."

"What?" Regina questioned with a frown. If looks could kill, he would've died twice from the looks Emma and Regina gave him. "You leave her out of this."

"But I need her. It's part of the ritual."

"What ritual? Why do you need my child?" Emma narrowed her eyes at him. Sweat started to bead up on her forehead as she fought the magic buzzing at her fingertips, ready to bring Tamsin to them.

"Just do as he says, dearie. I'll all be over soon." Rumple whispered in her ear. He was entirely too close for comfort and he served as a reminder that the perfect moment with Regina didn't last long. He had been gone from her thoughts. He had been gone.

"I won't give you my plan. I need her here because you are going to kill her-"

"No!" Emma shouted. Regina fell silent in shock. "I won't!"

"You will. And then you'll kill wife." Arthur smirked. "Now, as I said. Bring your daughter here."

Regina looked up from the ground watching Emma's fingers twitch at her sides. She shook her head at no one in particular, just begging that Emma was strong enough to at least keep Tamsin safe at home. "Please…" She whispered. And then Emma's wrist flicked. She closed her eyes in frustration and against the tears burning her eyes.

A cloud of gray smoke swirled in the center of them and there Tamsin was, dressed in her pajamas. Her beloved was bear hugged to her chest. She looked at Arthur with a frown and then curiosity struck her at seeing Ruby.

"Wolfie?" Tamsin questioned taking a step towards her. It had been a while since she'd seen her god-mother. Ruby could barely give a smile to the little girl as she shook her head in warning.

"Tamsin, no!" Regina yelled springing up from the ground. The little blonde spun around to her mothers and despite the obvious feeling that something was wrong, her face morphed into pure happiness at seeing Emma.

"Mommy!" She cried happy, ready to dart towards Emma.

"No, no." Emma said holding a hand to her. "Stay there Tamsin."

"Why?" Tamsin frowned, her bottom lip beginning to tremble.

"Mommy's sick, remember, honey?" Regina said coming up behind Emma, forcing their shoulders to touch. "We don't want you to get sick." She turned to Emma with pleading eyes. "Please Emma, fight this. For me. For us."

The blonde closed her eyes, letting tears slip down her face.

"Dark One, to me." Regina reached out to her just as she disappeared in smoke and reappeared next to Arthur. "Bind them. I want no interference."

"Mommy?" Tamsin looked to her in confusion, hugging her bear closer.

"Stop this please." Emma begged, fighting the shaking hand that was raising to her wife and daughter. Arthur only sniffed and refused to look at her. She used her hand to stop the other from casting any spell on them. But a mist of magic left her hand and ghosted over Tamsin and then Regina. Emma let out a small sob.

"Now, Dark One, you will do as I say." Arthur said, grabbing her hand and placing the dagger into her palm. Emma's eyes widened at the action, watching him close her fingers around the blade.

Rumple laughed next to her. "Just what I've been waiting for, dearie. What we've been waiting for. True power."

"No. That's not what I want."

"Well, I suppose I'll take control. I am you after all and secretly you want this anyway." He said with a shrugged. "We'll be rid of this pest shortly."

"I don't want this."

"I think you do." Arthur said. "Or Her Majesty's love would have saved you, yes? You want the pain to go away. You want to be finished with this fairytale. Don't you, Savior?"

"Oh we're only just beginning." Rumple giggled happily, closing his fist and Emma's hand tightened around the blade.

"Kill them." Arthur ordered.

"With pleasure." Rumple replied.

"No!" Emma shouted, as her hand begin to shake more. "No…no...god, no..."

It wouldn't be so bad if she just let go. The pain would stop. It would be all over. Her hand raised and her feet moved forward.

She was actually about to do this. Hurt Tamsin. Hurt Regina.

It seemed like she watched helplessly as her feet carried her closer to the little girl. One of her few loves in life. With the dagger in her hand, she was shadowing over her unmoving child with tears in her eyes.

"I hope you don't remember me like this, monkey." Emma said. "I love you so much. I'm so sorry."

"Do it." Arthur demanded.

Her hand shook as it lifted, the dagger coming far too close to Tamsin's chest. She struggled against it as much as she could until her attempts did nothing. Meant nothing when in the end her child was going to die and her wife would follow. That fact was terrifying. Leaving Henry an orphan because she murdered his mother and his sister.

Everything just stopped then. Emma stopped struggling. Rumple vanished from her mind. Tamsin and Regina were released from the spell. Tamsin dropped her bear and looked at Emma with wide, frightened eyes. Emma moved towards her gently only to have her step away.

"I'm sorry, Regina." Emma said, tiredly, looking down at Tamsin.

"Just do it, Dark One!" Arthur sneered not noticing that her resistance was working.

Something angry passed over Emma's face and she turned on him. Her hand slammed against his chest and he was sent flying, Ruby's heart leaving his fingers. The wolf scrambled for it, barely able to catch it in her hand. Emma looked down at her, the anger flickering away.

"Take care of them, Ruby." Ruby frowned up at her in confusion as she shoved the abused organ back into her chest. She let out a sigh of relief as the new weight returned to the formerly empty space. "Em..."

Emma turned back to Tamsin, who was still looking at her in fright but also seemed conflicted because she wanted to be with her. It had been too long since their eyes had met. She gave a sad smile to her daughter. "You remember that I'll always love you, Tamsin."

The little blonde nodded and tentatively, stepped forward and mumbled. "Love you, Mommy."

"Thank you, monkey."

Regina couldn't get a word out as it happened. Her throat still stung from Emma's hand. Regina walked over to them wanting to have both of them in her arms after the night they were having. Before she could get any closer, Emma whispered something to their daughter and she suddenly was surrounded by Emma's smoke, disappearing.

Emma looked up to her, tears staining her cheeks. She held up the dagger as if trying to give it to her. Regina reached out for it but Emma turned the blade to herself, slowly. Her other hand went up to her neck, grabbing onto the ring hanging from the chain.

"Emma-"

"I hesitated."

Fear shined in Regina's eyes at those two words. She'd regretted saying what she said that night. She knew Emma. She even knew this Emma. She would've never hurt Tamsin or Henry and Emma proved that moments ago but it was obvious in the tears coming down her face and the guilt in her eyes that she had held onto those words. She remembered them.

"No…" Regina started, shaking her head and moving closer to Emma. "Emma…"

"I'm sorry." Emma sobbed, releasing the ring and grabbing the handle with both hands.

"Emma, no!"

The blade disappeared into her chest as she pulled it forward. Regina had caught the crook of her arm but by then it was too late. A flash of white light started to glow around the dagger and it turned to ash instantly, leaving a bloody wound in its place. The light flashed bright causing a wave of magic to shoot out from Emma's form. It knocked Regina and Ruby backwards.

"Emma?" Regina called, shielding her eyes. After what seemed like an oddly long amount of time it started to fade slowly.

Ruby stood up first and moved forward towards her friend. The magic shined as bright as it could before it vanished. Though Emma was still there. "Emma?"

Regina stood up to her wife with surprise.

"Oh…"

That was her old Emma. The Dark One gone from her being. Emma Swan stood before her with those blonde princess curls and striking, beautiful green eyes. She was in her favorite white fisherman's sweater and jeans and boots that she was wearing the day she sacrificed herself.

"You're okay…" Regina sighed in relief, pressing her palm to Emma's cheek. Emma smiled, slight and a bit stiff at her.

"Hi." She murmured.

Regina let out a small laugh and she leaned forward to kiss her.

"Em?" Ruby moved closer to the pair.

Emma looked over her shoulder and gave her much the same stiff smile. "Take care of them. Promise me."

"What-" The growing blood stain taking over the spot where Emma's heart was on the back of her shirt finally caught her eye. Ruby watched her fall backwards, dying. She caught her, lowering her trembling form to the ground with Regina following, too shocked to catch her herself.

"Emma." Regina shook her head, pulling the blonde forward by her arms. She cradled her in her lap, holding her body tight. "Don't do this. You were fine…you were fine."

"I'm sorry, Regina. I had to." Emma said.

"No, you didn't. We were going to work it out." Regina cried into the crown of her head. "I was going to be better…everything was supposed to work…"

"Regina…" Emma coughed roughly and a thin line of blood escaped the corner of her mouth. "You're perfect. Rumple hurt you. He hurt you a lot. I understand now."

"Regina…we have to get her to a hospital." Ruby said, swiping at her own tears. She knew she wasn't speaking loud enough for her to hear it. Her hands were shaking and her eyes wouldn't stop burning. Her throat felt like it was closing up. This all felt like her fault. Her friends were losing each other right in front of her.

"No, I'm supposed to work for your forgiveness. Don't do this to me, please. Stay. Just stay."

Emma reached up to the chain and pulled it from around her neck. She held it tight in her fist until Regina realized she was attempting to give her something. She opened her hand to accept it and Emma dropped the ring in her palm. The moment it touched her skin, a gold shimmer formed around her and she looked down to her finger, finally noticing it was missing.

"My ring? I haven't had my ring?"

"I put a spell on you." Emma explained, sounding weaker. "I didn't know I did it. I don't remember doing it and I thought you…I thought you didn't love me anymore. I thought you were going to ask for a divorce soon."

"No, my darling. Never."

"Regina…" Ruby said again. She saw the blood beginning to drip between the former queen's fingers as her hand on Emma's back kept them close. "Hospital." Regina met her eyes for a moment and she saw what Regina had said to her.

She had been trying with every plead she gave to Emma. To hang on until her magic would cooperate. Ever since they discovered love in each other her emotions and magic combined in new ways. This one being the most unfortunate in this moment. This worked up. This upset and heartbroken left her magic on the fritz.

"I love you, Regina." Emma mumbled, tiredly as she pushed the ring back onto her wife's finger with shaky hands.

"I love you, too, Emma. But you have to stay. Please stay." Regina begged. Emma squeezed her hand with a smile.

Her eyes closed and the hand holding Regina's fell to the ground.

I suppose I should apologize for this but it gets better...eventually...