An unfair trade

Ouatfan asked for a oneshot of Cora and Regina taking Emma instead of Johanna in the clock tower.

"You're too late." Charming said, stepping protectively in front of Snow.

"Actually it seems that we found you just in time." Cora replied smugly.

"I told you to pick your side carefully." Snow said, giving Regina a disappointed look, she hadn't wanted to hurt her. "Good has won, just as it always will." Cora gave a contrary laugh.

"I think the day has finally come for you my darling Snow for you to learn a long overdue lesson." Cora squeezed her hand in the air and in a cloud of purple smoke Emma appeared between the two.

"Emma." Snow said, sounding horrified.

"You see in the end it isn't good or evil that wins- but power." And with that, Regina launched her hand into Emma's chest and ripped out her heart." Snow gasped and tried to leap forward, but Charming pulled her back. He knew that if Snow tried to get involved Regina could crush their daughter's heart.

"Your choice." Regina said, giving Rumple's dagger a look.

"Please, don't hurt her, she has nothing to do with this." Snow said, panicking. She could not lose her daughter.

"Of course she does." Cora said, sounding like Snow was missing the punchline of a joke.

"What is going on?" Emma grunted in pain. She cried out when Regina squeezed her heart.

"Miss Swan this would be a fabulous time for you to learn to keep your mouth shut." Regina warned her.

"We said don't hurt her." Charming growled. "Emma, stay calm, we're going to sort this." Charming pulled his gun out to shoot the two witches.

"Mother watch out!" Regina warned. With a swift wave of her hand the gun went flying across the clock tower. Emma cried out again as Regina squeezed the heart harder.

"Enough of this." Cora said, fed up. "Surrender the dagger. We all know you'll follow your mother's example no matter the cost. All she ever wanted was for you to be good."

"Where did you hear that?" Snow asked, though with one eye still focusing on Emma.

"Where do you think?" Cora whispered.

"The Blue Fairy made me swear to never speak of that candle to anyone." Snow said, beginning to understand. "Not because it was a secret, because it wasn't her." Cora held out her hand expectantly.

"The dagger, dear."

"She didn't give me that candle- you did." Snow couldn't believe this. What had she done? "My mother wasn't sick at all, was she?

"Oh she was quite sick."

"You." Snow snarled. "You did all of this! You killed my mother!"

"Actually, the candle would have worked." Cora told her. "You could have saved her. Just like you can now save your daughter. Just give me that dagger." Snow hesitated for a moment, was there a way to keep both. Regina squeezed Emma's heart painfully again. Emma clutched at her chest in agony and the cry she made ripped through Snow. She would not allow her baby to be in pain.

"No!" Snow shouted. She fell to her knees and through the dagger at Cora's feet. Cora smiled slyly as she picked up the dagger. "You have what you came for." Snow said, sounding defeated. "Now give us back our daughter." Regina slammed Emma's heart harder into her chest than was necessary and shoved her towards Charming who caught her. He held Emma tightly and cradled the back of her head. Regina and Cora disappeared.

"What was that?" Emma panted.

"It doesn't matter." Snow said from the floor. "What matters is you're safe." Yes, Snow was upset they'd lost Rumple's dagger, but they could get that back. She wouldn't be able to replace Emma.