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Part 16

It's Now or Never

"How did this happen?" Regina sobbed falling to her knees and staring down at her hands that had failed her, and seeing the image of Emma's faith filled eyes believing that she could do this….. and yet she didn't save her.

"What's going on?" Snow mumbled stirred awake from the whimpers.

Regina closed her eyes and tried to still her breathing as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "I failed her." She muttered choking down the wretched torment she was feeling. It was just like Daniel. Her Mother had won once again.

Flicking on a light, Snow marched closer to the other woman on her floor. "Regina?" She gasped as she took in her appearance, and at once she knew something very bad had happened. "No," she whispered, "where's Emma?"

James rubbing his eyes stumbled over to them. "Now what's going on?" He yawned.

"She did something to Emma!" Snow shouted. "I knew it! I knew better than to trust her."

"Wait a second." James said shaking his head looked at Regina's grief stricken countenance. "Don't jump to conclusions okay," He remarked gently pulling his wife close to him.

"Where is my mom?" Henry asked quietly.

All three turned looking down at the queen who was now on her knees, she looked to them with sad eyes. "Cora," she cried in a breathless voice.

Panic shadowed Snow's face, "Cora is here….in Storybrooke?" Her hand collapsed over her chest and her breaths were coming in short gasps. "And she has Emma?" She felt tears sting her eyes.

"Yes," Regina replied her voice raw.

Snow took a moment to settle herself than tore quickly back to the mayor and grasped the collar of her fine silk shirt and pulled her to her feet. "So what are you going to do to get her back?" Snow demanded with a glare all her own.

Regina bent her head sadly. "I can't defeat her."

"No I don't believe that, I've seen what you can do….and now what you have with Emma is the strongest thing I've witnessed." Snow said as calmly as she could. "Are you going to let that woman take your chance at happiness once again?"

Regina slowly raised her head up and gazed into blue eyes. "You're right, I will die before I let that woman win." Her tear stained eyes went hard in an instant. "I will not lose everything this time."

She then smiled gently as she looked to her son, than back to Snow and James and stepped closer so Henry couldn't hear her. "You know if I don't make it back here, she will come for Henry." She whispered.

"Over our dead bodies," James replied gruffly.

"Plus Hook is still….."

Snow cut her off. "Yes we know." She swallowed as she placed her hands on the mayor's arms. "Here's your chance Regina, that chance you didn't take years ago. Bring my daughter back." Snow said finally.

The mayor raised her chin. "I won't disappoint you this time." Her voice cracked a little at the end as she turned to leave than twisted back to them. "Find Gold." She rasped. "I love you Henry." And then she was gone.

…

"So stupid silly girl….I see my daughter has herself a new little play toy." Cora teased as she eyed her up and down. "I can say this, my daughter's taste has surely improved." She grinned playfully.

Emma tried to free her hands for the umpteenth time and her wrists were becoming raw and blooded. She still couldn't believe she was now in the hands of Regina's mother, and she couldn't believe that they were actually related by blood. I have magic right? So god damn it why can't I get these bounds off of me? She felt the icy cold finger lift her chin up. "Doesn't it bother you dear?" She grinned nastily.

"What?" Emma wasn't really paying attention to the old broad. Her mind was only set on getting free and getting back to Regina and Henry.

"Those clasps are bound very tightly, there is no use in struggling you will never ever break free." Cora snapped.

"Why are you keeping me here?" Emma finally said but kept her determined look, as she glared at the queen of hearts.

Cora snorted, "You seriously don't know my dear?"

Emma remained silent; she did know why, she just wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. She wanted her own daughter to suffer. She just couldn't comprehend why anyone would be this evil to their own child. She did wonder how Regina turned out the way she did. Back when she first met her she did ask if she even had a soul. But after awhile she saw it, she could see the tender side to Regina, the side she tried to hide from everyone.

Tipping her head slightly Cora was getting more furious by the minute. As she sized up the younger woman she could feel the goodness radiating off of her and now knew why her daughter was so enthralled with her. "Who are you?" She hissed in a breath.

Emma just glared at her; there was no way she would ever tell her that. "You know dear there are ways of getting you to tell me, so don't be foolish." Cora threatened.

The sheriff just turned her head away and pressed her lips together. Fury filled the queen of hearts further and she slapped Emma hard jarring her head back. "Answer me!" she demanded.

Emma winced slightly then a smug look appeared. "Is that the best you can do?" She grinned. "I've been slapped like that more than once in my life, hell even Regina can hit harder than you. Some evil queen you are." Emma smirked.

"Oh so I see you like it rough." Cora snarled. "Guess it's time for a little torturous maneuver I call thorns."

Emma just held her head high, taking a deep breath for what she was going to receive. She watched as Cora gave her a wicked smile then conjured up a brown looking ball. She raised it over her head then added. "One last time, who are you?"

"The woman you loves your daughter." She fired back never losing eye contact with the older woman.

Cora's malevolent cackle rang out. "See I always said love is weak," then fired the ball at the sheriff.

Emma's eyes went wide and she braced herself for the impact of it. It slapped against her body, but it felt no different than getting hit by a ball in the game of dodge ball. Dazed and confused Emma looked over her body and noticed the scary looking brown ball fizz out by her feet. Her brow furrowed as she watched it for a few moments waiting for it to come back to life and cause her pain. But when nothing happened she jerked her head back up to look at Regina's mother.

Cora's face was frozen with shock, then the older woman's eyes grew evil and pierced Emma with a hard stare. Furiously she spun at her and snatched her throat in a grip similar to the one she held on Regina. "So my little spell didn't work on you." She said icily. "You are something special that's for sure. I wonder…." She paused and her cold hand squeezed her throat. "If you won't tell me who you are….I'm pretty sure I can find someone that will." She smirked. "Someone dear to you….maybe."

"Regina will not tell you either." The blonde said gasping for air.

Cora gave a vindictive smile. "Oh I'm thinking someone a lot smaller."

Since Cora abducted her Emma never once let on she was worried or frightened. But once the queen of hearts mentioned her son she cried out in distress and fear. "Please don't."

The older woman freed her hold on the sheriff and laughed. "Ah now that's better. So last chance who are you?"

"Fine," the sheriff muttered with a thin lip. "I'm Emma Swan." She said firmly staring hard at the older lady.

Cora's eyes bulged and a small gasp escaped her. "The savior…" her voice squeaked and she quickly turned away from her. She clinched her hands tightly in a fist, and her face turned red with anger. "So what's your deal with my daughter?"

Emma shook her head, "can't you see." She rolled her eyes. "Some queen of hearts you are!"

"You really do love her." She chucked lightly. "Foolish child, do you know what kind of a monster she is?"

"You're the monster….bitch."

"Oh, well thank you," Cora smiled. "Did she tell you how she came to Storybrooke?"

"Yes, the curse we all know." Emma answered annoyed by the older woman.

"Oh you think you are so smart don't you."

"Well I am the sheriff, so I am supposed to know these things." The blonde taunted with a smile of her own.

"Okay so she told you what she did to make it happen?"

Intrigued Emma arched her eyebrow, "of course."

"Somehow I just don't believe you sheriff. You know the savior shouldn't tell a lie." Cora spat, glaring viciously at the blonde.

"Why ask if you insist on playing this game anyways."

The corner of Cora's lip curled in satisfaction. "This isn't a game," she pouted mockingly. "I just think the savior should know who she claims to love."

Emma exhaled sorely. "I know who Regina is."

"Then why don't we have a little recap." She said way too happily and batted her eye lashes just for the effect.

Now it was Emma's turn to laugh. "Listen lady, you really think I will pay attention or believe anything you tell me?"

The older woman inhaled to settle the anger inside her. "You don't give yourself enough credit…." She trailed off as she gazed into the sheriff's green eyes. "This will be your own doing, you will see everything yourself."

Puzzlement creased Emma's brow, then she shook her head. "Lady, I seriously don't care."

Cora's outrage swelled. "You will address me as your queen or your majesty. You understand me my dear." She said her voice cold.

Emma held her head high. "And you will address me as the savior, or your highness." She said firmly never breaking eye contact.

"Well aren't you clever." Cora snarled, and yanked the chains that were holding the blonde tightly and pulled her toward the wall mirror. "Now command the mirror to show you how Regina placed this curse." Then a wicked laugh bellowed form the older woman's chest. "In fact why don't you see what happened to Gram?"

Emma blinked. "Gram?"

Cora knew then she touched a sore subject, and as tenderly as the queen of hearts knew whispered in Emma's ear. "Go on savior, have a look see."

Curiously Emma finally ceded and gazed into her own reflection. "Okay now what?" she sighed.

"Will it," Cora said as gently as she could.

Emma inhaled and began to command the mirror to show her Regina. "Then the glass swirled an image of the evil queen, and Emma's eyes went wide in shock as she watched her tear the heart right out of her father's chest. A sickness filled her and she swallowed trying to overcome her nausea. Then Gram appeared, and the mayor, inside a dark room filled with lots of small drawers and she watched as Regina pulled a glowing red heart from one, and without much thought she crushed it in the palm of her hand. The mirror then spun back to the moment where Gram collapsed to the floor right in front of her.

"No," Emma cried in a breathless whisper.

Pleasure and fulfillment appeared on Cora as she noticed the heartrending features on Emma slowly emerge. "You see, I did try to tell you."

"I…." Emma choked still stunned with the hateful images of Regina.

"Maybe my stupid girl of a daughter should have told you….you the savior of all people, before letting you fall for her." She puffed rather blissfully.

"No mother, you're the stupid one." Regina hissed in a breath.

Laughing faintly Cora turned and faced her daughter. "Well well well I actually didn't think you would ever show up."

"And I was hoping I would never have to see you ever again."

Cora narrowed her eyes sharply in at her daughter, then grinned. "Ah you did miss me." She smirked. "And I was starting to think you didn't care."

"I don't care." Regina spat.

Cora smiled somewhat amused. "So you actually found the courage to what…..kill me?" She paused to draw in an exasperated breath. "Is that what you're doing here?"

"If need be." The brunette said steadily her body rigid and prepared for anything. In the corner of her eye she noticed Emma's weakened state and her heart burst and the need to run to her tore up her insides, but she knew the moment she did Cora would have the upper hand.

The queen of hearts noticed the slight eye movement from Regina regarding the blonde. "Awww now that's just so sweet." She smiled with gratification as she took her own glance toward Emma. "You still disappoint me dear. You think you would learn." Cora shook her head at her daughter. "It seems you leave me no choice." Her voice was condescending as she took a step toward the sheriff. "I guess I will have to just take her heart as well." She sighed playfully mocking her daughter's pain. "I swear I thought you learned when I ripped that heart out of that excuse of a man right from his chest."

"This is the final time you mock my pain…..I swear the last voice you will hear is me laughing at the excuse of a pathetic mother you've turned out to be. So go on try to even get close to her." Regina warned, fire blazing in her once brown eyes.

Cora beamed with excitement from her daughter's choice of words and the anger in her face. "Ah now now even though that's more like it." She faked a sigh, "so here we are it seems, and there can be only one evil queen." She brushed lightly at her clothing. "I've been waiting a long time for this." She glared.

Regina stared her down. "So have I," she snarled.

"Well you may try," she said in a nonchalant manner. "But I won't be as easy of a target….like…." she faded off as she swayed across the room pretending to be deep in thought. "Oh I don't know…" She stopped mid sentence then narrowed her eyes in on her daughter callously. "Like maybe your father….or that poor wolf boy Gram."

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