Regina
"Henry!" I run to him with Tink and Emma close behind. I come to an abrupt hold as I see who is standing in the middle of my living room.
"Mother."
"Hello Darling, good to see you´re back." She greets me with her typical cold voice that makes me shudder every time I hear it. Get a hold of yourself! I tell myself. Now or never.
"Well I had to come back after hearing that you got here. I would like to tell you that it´s good to see you too but you´ve taught me early on to never lie to you. So what do you want?" I ask her. I look at Henry and see him in the corner of the couch with a frightened look on his face.
"I want to right my wrong honey. I want to be your mother, Regina." She tells me. I´ve waited so long to hear that from her but I also know Cora. She is manipulative and literally heartless.
"I am sorry to say that to you mother but first you are too late. Second I don´t believe you." I tell her as I slowly step in front of Henry.
"Oh sweet! Trying to protect your child. Mothers always want the best for their children. I always wanted the best for you, Regina." As she is telling me this I can´t help but laugh. As I start talking I hear the front door opening. I guess Snow and Charming are joining us now.
"Yeah, right mother. You ripped Daniels heart out and crushed it in front of me so I could marry the King. Which I didn´t want to but you accepted his proposal for me anyway. You did everything to make sure that I would marry a man I didn´t love and who could have been my grandfather. Where was your protection when he raped me night after night? Where was your protection when I was a child? Instead of protecting me you choked the life out of me when I did something you didn´t approve of."
"I always wanted the best for you." She tells me.
"The best for me? You manipulated Snow so she would tell you about Daniel. You killed him in front of me so I would become Queen! You made me a mother for a ten-year-old when I was just eighteen myself! A wife to a sixty-year-old man who didn´t take no for an answer! Because of you I drank that potion! Because of you I made sure that I couldn´t carry an off spring of the King. Because of you I denied myself the ability of ever getting pregnant. You tried to trick me into believing that some random guy was my soulmate!" Shit!
I never wanted to get that out in the open especially not with Snow close by. But I can´t help myself. I can feel the tears in my eyes wanting to get out and take a deep breath to control my anger.
"You´ve made my life miserable." I tell her as I step closer to her.
"You´ve made my life a living hell! So don´t you dare tell me you wanted the best for me! Be honest mother. I was used my whole life by you! You used me so you could get higher in society! I would have been happy living in a simple cottage with Daniel. But you wanted me to fullfill your own dream, become Queen. So tell me the real reason why you are here mother. Now!"
I am taking a deep breath and look at Cora. Suddenly Emma runs to Cora and wants to fight her. How can she be so stupid? Cora magically disappears just to appear behind Henry again. She has her hands around him and I can feel my heartbeat getting faster with every second she has him in her arms.
"You should have known better Savior. You can´t save Henry this time." She tells Emma. I can´t look away from Henrys scared face. I can´t lose him. Emma runs to Cora and Henry just to be magically frozen in place by Cora. Seriously?
"Mom!" Henry screams. His scream breaks the trance that I was in and I am about to raise my hand to teleport him into my arms but Cora starts speaking again.
"Ah ah ah. I wouldn´t do that if I were you Regina." She tells me with that smile that makes me sick. I take a deep breath to calm me down before I speak.
"Let him go mother." I tell her with a self-confidence and calmness that I really don't have right now. "He has nothing to do with this." I tell her as I try to keep my voice from breaking and start walking towards her. Cora pretends to be thinking before she speaks again.
"No. You know what I want Regina and that I will get it one way or another. You know how you can save that son of yours." With that said she disappears and takes Henry with her. I can see Emma moving again from the corner of my eye but I soley focused at the now empty spot on the couch where Henry was just a few seconds ago. I can´t believe it. Well, who am I kidding? It is Cora I am dealing with for god's sake! I can feel my heart racing and the room spinning.
"Regina? Why didn't you do something?" I hear Emma in that annoying and accusing voice of hers. All my feelings that I pushed down the last few months come back to the surface and I just want to rip her heart out and crush it until there is nothing left! I look at her and start screaming. "You stupid little.." As I want to use my magic on her I get interrupted by Tink.
"Regina!" I hear Tinks voice. I look at her and she walks up to me. I can tell that she wants to comfort me and hug me but that's the last thing I want right now. So I take a step back and put my hands in front of me to stop her. She stops in her tracks and I start speaking.
"I can´t do this right now." I tell her and she looks at me with understanding and sadness in her eyes. I can´t stand to see her sad because of me so I try to give her a reassuring smile. I turn to Emma again and I can feel the anger building inside of me.
"You want to blame me? Really? Blame me if it makes you feel better. I am used to being blamed for things I haven't done! But listen carefully Emma Swan! You can blame me as much as you want but in the end the truth is that you and your huge savior ego are responsible for Henry being taken by Cora. If you hadn't tried being this wannabe hero and attack Cora she wouldn't have gone after Henry. You can´t defat her for god´s sake!" Before Emma can say something, I turn to Tink with an apologetic look on my face. Then I raise my hands and disappear in a cloud of purple smoke.
Tink
I will kill her.
"Why did you call her again?" I hear Emma asking Snow. Snow looks at Emma with something next to disappointment in her eyes.
"Because she is his mother and deserves to know what´s going on. Especially since the enemy is her mother." Snow tells her.
"But I am his mother! I am the savior! I can handle Cora!" Emma responds. I´ve heard enough by now.
"Oh cut that crap for God's sake!" I tell her with rage in my voice.
"What?" she asks bewildered. How can someone be so arrogant and naïve? Honestly? I don't get it! Anyway, I turn to her and tell her everything that I think of her. No holding back and playing nice anymore.
"You´ve heard me right." I start.
"What´s your problem?" She asks me and it takes everything in me to not scream at her and punch her.
"My problem? Hm.. let me think." I pretend to think. Snow backs off and tries to get away from Emma. I can´t say I am surprised by that.
"My problem is your stupid savior ego which makes you so unlikeable by the way." Emma tries to say something but I won´t let her. And continue with talking.
"You don't get to talk right now. You get to listen! You think just because you are Henrys birthmother and you share the same blood that you are more of a mother to him than Regina? Then let me give you a small reality check! You are not. You left him, remember? Where were you the first ten years of his life? While Regina raised and took care of him? You weren't there. You didn't even look for him until he showed up in front of your door! Then suddenly you remembered, right I have a son. Instead of thanking Regina for raising your son, you decided to play mother perfect. Later with the whole Savior crap you thought you´re better than anyone else. But let me tell you something. Ever thought that without Regina you wouldn't even be the savior? Because without her casting the curse you wouldn't be the so-called savior of anything. So, what? You were the savior for one curse which by the way is broken already? Now you think you can handle anything that gets in your way? Let me erase that thought once and for all. Listen carefully because that's the last time I am going to say this. You can´t defeat Cora! You can´t save Henry! Only Regina can because guess what? Cora is her mother. You don´t know half of Regina´s story and yet you claim that you have been through worse? Reality check number two, you haven't! So please for god´s sake accept that you can´t defat everyone and that for once you aren't the Savior because Regina is. It´s Regina who knows what Cora is capable of so please accept that before anyone else gets hurt because of your ego trip!" With that said I turn around, leave the house, slam the door and start my search for Regina.
Snow
I hear the door slamming. I´ve never seen Tink like this but I can´t say I don't understand her rage either. I look at Emmas shocked face.
"Everything okay?" I ask her even though I already know the answer.
"That´s Tinkerbelle? Tinkerbelle the fairy? The nice little Fairy from the fairytales who can´t harm anyone?" Emma asks still in shock.
"Yup." I answer simply. "Even though I have never seen her this way."
"I think it is save to say that she doesn't like me."
"Can you blame her? The whole time Regina is back you are making a competition about who had the worst childhood. I mean seriously Emma? What do you expect?"
"Sorry? Not you too." She asks innocently.
"I just want my son back so Regina can go back from where she came and leave us alone. So we can live in peace again." She continues as she sinks down on the couch. I look at her face and try to find a hidden joke behind her words but I only see honesty. I can´t take it anymore.
"You really mean what you´ve said. " I state but it still comes out as a question.
"Of course I do." She says.
"Good god what happened to you?" I ask her.
"What do you mean?"
"You really think Regina will leave again? That Henry will let her leave again."
"Sure. He has me. He let her leave once why not again?" Is that really Emma I am talking to right now?
"Things were different back then and you know it! He didn´t think she would leave in the first place. Things changed. Regina came back and Henry realized that he loves her and that she will always will be his mother. Honey, I am really sorry to tell you this but he won´t let her go again. He just got her back. I know you are scared that you will lose him and I understand that but if you continue with this hate and won´t accept Regina as his mother too you will." I can see the sadness in her eyes.
"Why is everyone on Regina´s side now? Did you forget what she did to you?" she asks.
"First of all this has nothing to do with sides. Of course we haven't forgotten what she did but people can change Emma. Regina was good once and she can be good again. Tink and Regina are right. She is the only one who has a chance of defeating Cora. Because she is the only one who knows her. She knows how Cora thinks. How Cora reacts in certain situations. She is Cora´s daughter and grew up with her. Only Regina can understand Cora and her actions. She can figure out what Cora really wants. So please just accept that for once Regina is the one to save Henry. That Regina knows better than you. That Regina is the only one who can defeat Cora."
"I can´t lose him."
"You won´t. Regina won´t let that happen. She loves him and he loves you but you need to accept that he also loves Regina."
Regina
"Thought I would find you here."
"What do you want?" I ask her. "And more importantly how did you find my vault in the first place? It´s not like you´ve been in Storybrooke before." I ask Tink.
I turn to her and she raises her eyebrows.
"Really Regina? I´ve found your Soulmate in the Enchanted Forest remember? Do you really think you could hide from me?"
True. I always underestimate her. I should really stop doing that.
"Sorry." I tell her. I turn away and continue with the task at hand.
"DO you really think that helps defeating your mother?" Tink asks me and points at the shot glass in front of me. I swallow my shot and let another one magically appear.
"How many did you have already?" She asks concerned.
I look at the shot in front of me.
"I don´t know. I lost track." I am about to drink it but Tink takes it away from me and drinks it instead.
"I needed that." She tells me after swallowing the alcohol. Who would´ve thought Tink drinks shots? I mean honestly. It´s Tink we are talking about.
I want to magically make a new one but Tink stops me by taking my hand in hers.
"Enough shots. Especially since your mom is around." I turn to her as everything starts to spin. Okay maybe I had one or two too many but can you blame me?
"Okay, no more shots but please stop with the m word. She is not my mom. She is either Cora or mother. Mom sounds way too nice for her. I tell Tink as I look in her eyes.
"Okay."
I walk across the room and slide down the wall. With my knees in front of my chest and my head on them I think about how I got from hugging my son and cuddling with him the night before to losing him all over again. Tink crosses the room too and I am really surprised how fast she gets to me considering all my books are laid out on the floor. She sits down next to me and looks around the very chaotic room. There are books everywhere on the floor. Some closed some opened and you can tell that some have been thrown around in a moment of desperation. Before I started to drink shots.
"What happened?" She asks and looks at me.
"Did you get amnesia? You know what happened. You were there." I snap at her.
She takes a deep breath and her features soften.
"Sorry." I apologize and turn my head again to look in front of me.
"Don´t. It´s okay." I look at her and give her a broken smile.
"It´s not your fault. You know that, right?" She tells me and I need to swallow hard, I can´t break down. Not now. Not here.
"How can it not be my fault? If I hadn´t come back… If I just stayed away from this god for saken town, Henry would be still here."
"You don´t know that." Tink tells me.
"And you can still get him back. You can defeat her." She tells me.
"But that´s it Tink. I don´t know if I can. I have looked in every book, I´ve searched in all of Cora´s things and there is only one thing that could help us. Therefor the shots." I tell her and try to not look her in the eyes. She stares at me and I know the moment she inhales sharp that she knows the hidden meaning behind my words.
"No! There has to be another way." She shakes her head. "I won´t let you do that." She continues as she stands up and starts to pace around. I look up at her and start to speak. Hoping my voice won´t break.
"It´s the only way and you know that." She stops pacing the room and bends down again. We look at each other and I can tell that she is worried sick.
"What about Henry? What do you think will happen to him when he finds out? How do you think he will react?" She asks. I take a deep breath, look at her and start my answer.
"He has Emma now. He will have his family who will take care of him." She starts shaking her head and I can tell it´s getting hard for her to speak.
"That´s non-sense and you know that. He just got you back. You can´t do that to him. And what about me?"
I can see tears in her eyes and it breaks my heart to see her like this. When has it become so hard to sacrifice oneself?
"Please." She chokes out and begs. "Don´t do that to him. Don´t do that to me! I can´t lose you. You are my best friend Regina. Don´t do that." There are tears falling down her face and seeing her like this makes it so much harder. I can feel my own tears forming in my eyes and wanting to get out. I can´t break down. Not now. I need to be strong for her. For Henry. I look away and take a deep breath before looking at Tink again. I try to put as much confidence in my voice as I can.
"It´s the only way and you know that. The only way to get Henry back is giving Cora what she wants. That's me." I tell her.
"No. Tell me what I can do to change your mind. To stop you." She says desperately and holds on to my hands.
"You can´t and you know that."
"I will kill her for that! It´s all her fault. If Emma hadn´t…"
"Don´t." I interrupt Tink. It´s not like her to speak like this. "Emma made a mistake, yes. She acts before she thinks and I could kill her for that but that's me Tink. That´s the Evil Queen, not you."
"You are not the Evil Queen anymore Regina." She tells me. I give her a small smile.
"Anyway, the point is that I don´t want you to change. You can be angry at her but don´t hate her. That´s not you. I don´t want hate getting the best of you. Believe me when I say that I am the last person who wants to see Emma happily ever after, especially with my son." We both have to laugh at that and it´s so good to see her smile.
"There is that smile that I like." I tell her. I continue talking before she can say anything.
"I love you. You are my best friend Tink. So please don´t change who you are. Henry needs you." She hugs me and I hug her back. Trying to get as much strength as possible. She holds on for dear life and that makes my heart break more. How can this be so hard?
"He needs you too. Please don´t do that Regina." She whispers in my ear. I squeeze her one last time and then let go a bit so I can look her in the eyes.
"Thank you Tink. Thanks for being the best friend I´ve never had before. I love you and it breaks my heart to see you like this… But I need to do this. We have no other choice. I am sorry." I choke out before removing myself from her embrace and disappearing in a purple cloud of smoke.
Tink
Gone. She disappeared in that stupid purple cloud of hers. She left. She sacrifices herself and expects me to be okay with that. Expects me to not hate Emma for what she´s done. That stupid little… Despite what Regina said I hate her for that. I hate Emma for acting before thinking. For her savior-ego and for making Regina do this. Because as much as I don´t want to accept it. Regina is right. She is the only one Cora wants and by going to her we can get Henry back. Poor Henry. He just got her back and now he is losing her again. I hear a phone ringing but I know that it isn´t mine. It´s Regina´s. Of course, she leaves her phone here. I stand up, wipe the tears from my face and answer the phone without looking at the caller ID.
"Where are you?" I take a deep breath before responding.
"We have a problem Snow. A huge problem." I tell her.
"Tink?" She asks. "Where is Regina?"
"Are you still at the mansion?" I ask Snow instead of answering her questions.
"Yes, Emma and I are still there. What´s wrong Tink? Why are you answering Regina´s phone?" She continues asking. Because of your stupid savior daughter, she gets herself probably killed by now, I think to myself.
"Look. I will explain everything, I promise but not over the phone. Just stay at the mansion. I will see you there in ten and I will explain everything."
I hang up the phone and take a deep breath. If Cora doesn't kill you Regina I will do it myself for putting me in this position. Please stay save. I need my best friend. I think to myself before making my way back to the mansion.
Henry
"Let go off me!" I scream at the woman.
"Shut up." She yells back. "How could my daughter get such an annoying brat?"
She asks and shakes her head as she lets go of me and pushes me against the wall. We are on a boat which doesn't really look clean. There are empty Scotch bottles on the floor and full bottles of Whiskey on the shelves. Is the owner of that boat an alcoholic? It most certainly looks like it.
"What do you want from me?" I ask her.
She looks at me and starts to laugh. Okay it is official: this woman is crazy, she lost her mind. When she is finished with laughing at me she starts to speak again.
"I don´t want anything from you! I want my daughter! And you are the only thing that can get her here. Even though I have no idea why she loves you so much." She tells me.
"You are my mom´s mom." I state matter of factly.
"Emma´s mom? Oh god I thought you would be smarter than this. I would rather rip my own heart out and crush it than being the mother of this woman. Oh wait… First part I already did." And she starts laughing again and walking around the room to get something.
"Not Emma!" I tell her. "Regina. You´re Regina´s mother."
"Wow the kid has brain." She says.
She starts pulling out a chair and is putting me on it.
"So what do you want from my mom?" I ask her again as I am being sat down on that chair rather forcefully.
"So she Is your mother now? You should really make up your mind and stick with it."
She starts to lift her hands up and suddenly I can´t move and being pulled onto the chair. It´s like invisible ropes are holding me back and the more I move the tighter they get. Also I feel very cold.
"Who needs ropes when you have magic?" She asks. I continue to fight against the invisible ropes while she starts to laugh.
"Stop fighting it. The more you fight the tighter they get and guess what? I need you alive. Which means you need to breathe. So stop it or I will put you under a sleeping curse." I stop and she turns around and looks at the door.
"What do you want with my mom?" I try again.
"That´s for your mother and me to know and believe me she knows my plan."
She smiles a crazy smile at me that makes me wanna run for the hills and I wonder if that's what my mom felt when she was growing up.
Regina
Found it! Although it´s odd that it´s hidden at the well. I would´ve remembered putting it here but I don´t. Which is surprising since I am the one who hid it in the first place. Never mind. The important thing is that I can get Henry back and have a mother. I put the heart back in its black bag and put it in my coat pocket. Step one. Check. Let´s get Henry. I used a blood locating spell to find Cora. Luckily it worked so I take a deep breath, raise my hands and disappear in a purple cloud. I appear at the docks and I hate that smell already. Really mother? The docks? Why not something more... elegant like the mansion? Or Granny´s Dinner? Never mind. Let´s go!
On the ship.
"Really mother? The docks? Couldn´t you have chosen something more… cleaner?" I ask her as I confidently walk on that excuse of a ship and through the door into the room where she holds Henry captive. My poor baby boy.
"Well I had to hide somewhere." She answers and I know that she has a smile on her lips while talking with the back of her head. She slowly turns around but still blocks my view on Henry.
"That is so beneath the Queen of Hearts." I shake my head in disapproval. Hoping to annoy her a little bit. Seeing the look on her face makes my confidence grow a little bit.
"But enough with the chit chat. Give me my son!" I demand.
She smiles while stepping aside and I can feel goosebumps appearing on my skin. I can finally see Henry sitting on a chair looking horrified.
"Mom!" He exclaims. In this moment, I silently vow to him and to myself that he will get out of here no matter what happens to me.
"Regina" Cora says proudly. "You came."
"Really mother? Did you honestly think I would leave my son with you?"
"Well it took you a while to get here I must say. But you are forgiven."
"Thank you, Mother. Now I can die in piece." I say sarcastically.
Her smile fades and her face gets stone cold.
"No one is going to die. Except maybe your son but his fate is in your hands."
I roll my eyes at that although my heartbeat rises drastically.
"What do you want mother?" I ask her annoyed. Did it always take her that long to get to the point?
"The dagger and you. You are the only one who can get it and if I get one thing I get the other."
I raise my eyebrows for a second wondering what she wants with it. Hell no! Over my dead body I think to myself realizing what she wanted all along.
"You want to become The Dark One." I state with shock in my voice. Her face lights up, her lips form a smile and I am feeling sick to the stomach right now.
"My daughter knows me well."
I look at the floor pretending to think even though I try to get the courage to say the next words in front of Henry. I look him in the eyes and try to put as much emotion in mine as I can. I am so sorry my little prince but it´s for your own sake. I force my eyes away from my son and look back at my mother.
"Under two conditions. Number one you let Henry go and never threaten him again. Number two, when I got the dagger we will meet at the mansion and I will hand it to you! There is no way I am putting a foot on that dirty ship again! Deal?" I ask.
I look at Henry and can see the disappointment on his face. It´s for him I remind myself. The look he is giving me breaks my heart and it takes everything in me to stick with the plan and not throw everything out the window and start a fight now. But that wouldn´t turn out well. I look at her with raised eyebrows in a silent question.
"Deal!"
Henry
I can´t believe she is working with her mom. I hope there is something she is not telling me. A plan. She can´t have fallen back into Evil Queen mode. It can´t be. Please mom, tell me that you are just pretending. I need you to just pretend. Please.
Regina
I need that damn dagger but how am I supposed to get it? That Imp won´t give it to me that easily. That's it! Belle! She will hopefully give it to me. Otherwise I can let her in on my little plan. Won´t cost that much damage if she knows. Let´s go.
At Rumples Shop
Of course, if you need Belle she is not here. Looks like I need to look for it myself. I am looking in every corner, behind every book and let´s say I don´t really care about how much noise I make.
"Aaah where is that thing?" I let out in desperation.
"Hey! What are you doing?" I hear Belle´s voice.
"Finally. Never been so glad to see you."
Belle looks at me with a confused look.
"Where is the dagger?"
"Why exactly should I tell you that?" she asks shocked.
Because you love Rumple and don't want him or yourself to die at my mother´s hands? I think to myself.
"Look I haven´t been the best person in my past but that…"
"Really? You´ve locked me in a tower in your castle. Then put me in an Asylum for 28 years. You physically and mentally tortured me ever since we´ve met each other!"
Look at that, the bookworm shows her teeth.
"Yes, I did all those things and I am really sorry. Belle, I am so sorry for what I´ve put you through and will never be able to make it up to you but right now I really need your help. You need to tell me where the dagger is or Storybrook will never be the same. "
"The dagger?" she asks horrified before bursting into fake laughter.
"Why on earth or any realm for that matter should I do that? Why should I trust you?"
"She is right. Why should she do that dearie?" that familiar voice asks. Damn it. I should´ve known that he wouldn´t leave Belle alone with Cora in town. I take a deep breath and look from Belle to Rumple as he approaches from the back room of the shop. As soon as I see his typical smile I raise an eyebrow and answer him.
"Because we all know that you Rumple love to be the Dark One. You would only give it up for Belle because you have a heart. My mother on the other hand doesn´t, so let´s take a minute to think about what she would do as a heartless Dark One?" I ask him.
Belle and Rumple look at me with a bewildered face. It´s Rumple who starts talking and walks up to me.
"I think we can agree that that wouldn´t be pleasant. Which leaves me with one question. Why should I trust you? What if you are working with your mother? I can handle Cora. I already won once I can do it again." It takes everything in me not to scream at him. To calm my nerves, I take a deep breath. Next, I look him straight in the eyes and slip into Evil Queen.
"Maybe, but this time is different. This time you have Belle."
I look at Belle and let the words sink in for a moment.
Looking back at Rumple I continue.
"This time you have someone you care about. This time you have a weakness."
"Okay, what should we do? The last time we tried to defeat your mother wasn´t really successful." He states.
"I have a plan."
3 hours later (Regina)
I am at the mansion right now. Alone. Thank God for that. Heaven knows I can´t risk another life I just hope this plan works. The dagger is on the table where my beloved mirror was once. It would still be here if that stupid… Regina! Focus! The past is in the past. Focus on the plan and hopefully the Queen of Hearts will never be an issue again. As I am pacing and waiting for my mother to arrive I suddenly hear a knock. God damn it! Can´t I be left alone for once? I mean it´s not like I have a town to rescue or never mind my son! They will go away eventually.
*knocking*
"Regina, we know you are in there!" I hear Tink´s voice.
Of course, it has to be her who tries to save me. Should´ve known that. I mean she Is my best friend and after the way I left her at the vault she will think the worst. Wait a minute! I stop pacing. Did she just say WE?
I walk up to the door as I hear another voice.
"Regina open the damn door or I am going to break it! You know I can!"
Great! The Charming-Brigade.
"I am counting down to 1! Five… don't let me get to two…"
How old do they think I am? Five?
"Four…"
Although the house is pretty expensive. Would be a shame to pay for a new door.
"Three…"
After Cora, the Charmings are next on my list!
I am opening the door at the same time Charming says two.
"I know the curse kept me young Charming but not that young." I tell him annoyed.
"But hey, it worked." He says proudly with a smile on his face. I want to roll my eyes but put a smile on instead.
"What do you…" aaand in my house they go. Seriously? Even in a Cora-crisis people can show a little bit of manners and wait for an invitation? Where are the manners guys? Although it´s the Charmings we are talking about and of course Emma. If it wasn´t for my son I would pack my stuff, Henry and Tink, would leave the town and let Cora finish her plan. But I can´t do that now.
"Sure! Let yourselves in Charmings" I say annoyed.
I mean I don´t care about Tinkerbelle being here. I´ve expected her to turn up eventually but not the Charmings.
"Okay, can we please get this over with?" I say as I close the door. Walking up to them I brush my hand through my hair. Everyone is looking at me as I come to a halt and we are standing in a circle. They have this You-are-insane-and-crazy-to-think-that-we-would-let-you-sacrafice-yourself-look. Except Emma. Her facial expression is more like I-just-want-my-son-back-and-don´t-care-about-whats-gonna-happen-to-you. So refreshing, I think to myself. I can´t help myself but chuckle and look at Emma.
"Ever thought about trying a new facial expression?" I ask her.
The Charmings look at me confused than at Emma and then back at me. Tink just smiles. That´s my girl.
"This look gets kind of old Emma you know. Don´t want to start having wrinkles already."
I smile and Tink bursts out into laughter. Good. It´s been a while since I´ve heard that. Although her face goes back to serious too soon for my liking.
"I am not going to let you die, Regina!" She tells me while stepping in front of me so she can look me straight in the eyes.
Here we go. I take a deep breath.
"I am not going to die Tink." I tell her with a little smile hoping to ease her worries a little bit.
"Cora won´t kill her own daughter. She had many chances during my upbringing and I am still here so…"
"Stop that Regina!" I hear Snow. Oh Snow. I turn to her and she continues.
"I am not ready to lose my stepmother. I am not ready to lose you!" Poor Snow. I can see the little girl in front of me. I walk up to her, look her in the eyes and try to be as convincing as I can.
"You won´t lose me Snow. I promise!" I smile a little and she smiles back.
"I hope so because if she does I will get you out of your grave and kill you again!" Charming states.
Who would´ve thought that? I turn to him and look at him.
"She won´t. Getting killed is not exactly part of my plan anymore." I can feel all their questioning looks on me. Shit! Should have left the anymore part out.
I smile at David and he nods his head but somehow, I know that there is going to be a talk about that one either with him, Snow or Tink. Oh boy.
"But the dagger is." Emma says with raised eyebrows and points at the dagger. The other three look at where she is pointing at and look shocked. This time it´s Tink who rolls her eyes.
"You know what? Yes, it is but you are not so please get out of my house before…"
"Hello darling." Too late. Cora appears in a dark blue cloud of smoke. I roll my eyes, take a very deep breath and turn to the door to look my mother in the eyes. "I wouldn´t have done that but as I am thinking about it, it isn´t such a bad idea."
You should´ve left! I think to myself.