At 6AM, Saffire stirred from a restless sleep, her mind haunted by fragments of a dream about Wendy—her laughter, her hope, and the promise of a better future that seemed so far away. The dawn light seeped through her window as she slipped on her running shoes, preparing for her early jog through the forest. Running was her escape, her way of quieting the turmoil inside.

As she stretched by the window, she caught sight of movement in the street below. Her father, Rumplestiltskin, stood imperiously over Dr. Whale, demanding something incomprehensible. Then, to her horror, Gold gestured for Whale to kneel.

Saffire stormed outside just in time to see Whale reluctantly bend down, his expression a mix of anger and humiliation.

"Enough!" Saffire shouted, startling both men. "What is wrong with you?"

Gold turned, his face a mask of indifference. "This isn't your concern, dear."

"You're proving everyone right," Saffire spat. "You haven't changed. Stay away from me. I don't need you."

Gold's expression faltered for a brief moment, but he said nothing as Saffire jogged off into the woods, frustration coursing through her veins.

By 6:30 AM, Emmett, David, Mary Margaret, and Henry had gathered at the Mayor's office, responding to a strange alert Emmett had picked up on the security system. The room was eerily quiet, and the group immediately noticed something was amiss. The bean tree—a source of hope and a possible gateway back to the Enchanted Forest—stood bare. All the magic beans were gone.

"Someone overrode the system," Emmett muttered, scanning the controls. "This wasn't just theft. It was deliberate."

Mary Margaret frowned. "The beans... they could be used to escape. Or to bring more outsiders in."

David placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll get to the bottom of this."

Henry, meanwhile, stared at the empty tree. "Do you think this has anything to do with Regina?" he asked quietly.

Emmett glanced at him, unsure how to answer. "I don't know, kid. But something's off. I can feel it."

In a secluded forest hideout, Greg, Hook, and their allies kept Regina restrained in an underground chamber. The crude setup buzzed with the hum of electrical equipment, and the stench of damp earth hung heavy in the air.

Regina, pale and exhausted, fixed Hook with a sharp glare. "Whatever they're paying you, I can double it."

Hook chuckled darkly. "You think it's about gold, love? No, this is about vengeance. Rumplestiltskin took everything from me. And you—you're just another cog in the wheel."

Regina scoffed. "So, you're letting these amateurs do your dirty work? You really think they can handle Rumplestiltskin?"

Hook's expression darkened. "I don't care what happens to them, so long as I get my revenge."

In the corner, Greg adjusted the dials on the generator, his face twisted with grim determination. He glanced at Regina. "You can try all the tricks you want, but you'll tell me what I need to know."

"I've already told you," Regina snapped, her voice hoarse. "Your father didn't make it out of Storybrooke. The curse wouldn't let him."

"Lies!" Greg shouted, turning the voltage up. The shock coursed through Regina's body, wrenching a scream from her lips.

Between sessions of torture, Greg sat down beside Regina, his demeanor eerily calm. "You know why we're here, don't you?"

Regina didn't respond, her breathing ragged.

"This isn't just about my father," Greg continued. "Magic is an abomination. It corrupts everything it touches. That's why we're working to destroy it."

Regina lifted her head weakly, narrowing her eyes. "You don't even understand what you're dealing with."

"Maybe not," Greg admitted, "but we have someone who does."

At that moment, Hook entered the room carrying a black diamond in a velvet pouch. He placed it on the table before them with a flourish.

"This," Greg said, his voice filled with reverence, "is the key to ending magic for good."

Regina's heart sank. The diamond—Cora's failsafe. She had hidden it, believing no one would find it. But now, in the hands of these misguided men, it could spell the end of Storybrooke.

As the conversation continued, Hook leaned against the wall, smirking. "You might be interested to know, Your Majesty, that this little crusade isn't just about you."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked, her voice dripping with contempt.

Greg exchanged a glance with Hook. "Let's just say we have allies who know a thing or two about magic."

Regina's stomach turned as Greg leaned in closer. "Ever heard of Peter Pan?"

The name sent a chill down her spine. Pan—the manipulative, immortal ruler of Neverland. If he was involved, the stakes were higher than she'd ever imagined.

"He's the one who gave us the means to take magic down," Greg explained. "And he's not done yet."

Regina clenched her fists, vowing silently that she would not let them succeed.

Greg's patience wore thin as Regina continued to resist. He turned the voltage higher, and the room filled with the sharp crackle of electricity and Regina's pained screams.

"You'll break," Greg hissed. "Eventually, you'll break."

But even as her body gave out, Regina's mind remained sharp. She knew she had to find a way to escape. She would not let these men destroy everything she had built—everything she had sacrificed for.

As the day wore on, Spencer watched from the sidelines, his expression unreadable. While Greg and Hook were driven by vengeance, Spencer's motives were colder, more calculated. He didn't just want to destroy Storybrooke's magic—he wanted to see David and his family utterly broken.

In the distance, the sound of footsteps approached. Spencer smiled to himself. The next phase of their plan was about to begin.

David and Mary Margaret stood in Mr. Gold's shop, desperation etched into their faces. Gold, sipping tea with deliberate calm, eyed them carefully. "You're asking for a lot," he said, setting his cup down. "Why would I help you?"

"Because if Regina dies, so does magic," Mary Margaret said firmly. "And if that happens, your power goes with it."

Gold smirked. "Ah, pragmatism. How refreshing." He motioned for Lacey to step into another room. "This isn't for delicate ears, my dear."

Once she was gone, Gold moved to his cabinet and pulled out a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid. "Regina's tear," he explained. "It's a relic from her time of grief over Daniel, her first love. When mixed with another tear, it allows the bearer to see and feel what the other person is experiencing. A window into their torment."

Mary Margaret hesitated but nodded. "I'll do it."

Gold tilted his head, impressed by her determination. "Brave. Foolish, perhaps, but brave."

After David and Mary Margaret left the shop, Lacey reentered, her curiosity piqued. "You're helping the Charmings now? Isn't that a bit... off-brand?"

Gold leaned against the counter, studying her. "Not helping them, dearie. Helping myself. If Storybrooke falls apart, so does everything I've worked for. And that," he said with a dark smile, "is unacceptable."

Lacey shrugged, surprisingly unfazed. "I get it. Power's worth protecting. Do what you need to do."

Gold's gaze softened slightly. "You're not quite the Belle I knew," he murmured.

"And you're not as different as you think," she replied with a sly grin.

Back at the loft, Mary Margaret sat nervously as David prepared the mixture. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, holding the vial.

"I need to know what she's going through," Mary Margaret said. "It's the only way to find her."

David carefully placed a drop of the tear mixture into her eye. The effect was immediate. Mary Margaret gasped, clutching the edge of the table as a torrent of sensations overwhelmed her—searing pain, the acrid smell of damp earth, and the oppressive hum of electricity. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, "The forest... she's in the forest."

David steadied her. "We'll find her. I promise."

Emma and Saffire joined David and Mary Margaret at the edge of the forest. Armed with flashlights and weapons, they moved quickly, following Mary Margaret's lead.

"She's underground," Mary Margaret said, wincing as another wave of pain hit her. "It's suffocating... and the smell—oil, machinery—it's all so strong."

Emma tightened her grip on her flashlight. "Let's split up. Cover more ground."

Saffire nodded, her eyes scanning the trees. "If they've got her, they'll be desperate. We need to be ready for anything."

In the underground chamber, Greg's face was a mask of fury and determination. Regina hung limply in her restraints, her breathing shallow.

"Where is he?" Greg hissed, turning up the voltage.

Regina's head lolled forward, but she managed to whisper, "I... told you... he's gone."

"Liar!" Greg shouted, slamming his fist onto the table. "You killed him! Admit it!"

Regina lifted her head, her voice trembling but defiant. "Yes. I killed him. And I buried him in the woods. You'll never find him."

Greg's hands shook as he reached for the dial. "You'll pay for what you did."

Aboveground, Emma's phone buzzed. She answered quickly. "What's happening?"

"It's Greg and Spencer," David said on the other end. "They've been using Hook as a distraction, but they're the ones behind Regina's kidnapping. They want to destroy magic."

Emma swore under her breath. "We're getting close. We'll find her."

Saffire called out, "Over here!" She had found a hidden entrance, the faint hum of machinery emanating from within. The group descended cautiously, weapons at the ready.

They burst into the chamber just as Greg turned the voltage up again. Regina's scream filled the room.

"Stop!" David shouted, aiming his weapon.

Greg glanced back, his face a mix of fear and rage. "You're too late."

He slammed a switch, cutting the power, and bolted toward a hidden exit. David fired, but Greg escaped into the darkness.

As they freed Regina from her restraints, she gasped for air, her body weak but her mind sharp. "The black diamond," she whispered. "They're going to use it... destroy Storybrooke."

Emma looked at her mother. "Can she walk?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "We'll get her to the hospital."

As they carried Regina out, David spoke into his phone. "Spencer and Greg have the failsafe. We need to regroup. This isn't over."

At the hospital, doctors and nurses worked to stabilize Regina. Henry sat beside her bed, clutching her hand tightly.

"Don't leave me," he whispered. "You're my mom."

Regina's eyelids fluttered open, and a faint smile crossed her lips. "I'm not going anywhere, Henry."

Across the room, David and Emma strategized. "If they've got the failsafe and the black diamond, they'll try to destroy magic for good," Emma said.

David nodded grimly. "We'll stop them. No matter what it takes."

Greg paced back and forth, his hands clenched into fists. The darkened room where he and Spencer had rendezvoused was filled with the low hum of a generator, casting long, ominous shadows on the walls. Spencer stood calmly by a table, the black diamond in his hands. Its faint glow pulsed with a menacing rhythm.

"They found her," Greg repeated, his voice tinged with frustration. "She told me she killed my father. She even said where he's buried. But it doesn't change anything—not what she's done, not what we're going to do."

Spencer's lips curled into a cold smile. "Regina's admission means nothing. What matters is what's ahead. This diamond? It's not just a weapon—it's the reset button. Once we use it, magic ends. Storybrooke ends."

Greg stopped pacing and turned to face him. "And the people here?"

Spencer's smile widened. "Collateral damage. Every kingdom has its casualties. It's time David and his fairy tale family paid for everything they've taken from us."

Greg's jaw tightened, his hatred evident. "Then let's make sure they never see it coming."

Spencer nodded, tucking the diamond into a protective case. "It's almost poetic, isn't it? The Queen, the Charming family, and their perfect little town—they'll all crumble. Just like they deserve."

As the two men exited the hideout, the faint glow of the diamond disappeared into the night, their sinister plan unfolding with every step.

The sterile hum of the hospital room was punctuated by the soft beeping of machines as Regina lay on the bed, her breathing still labored from her ordeal. Henry had been escorted out by Mary Margaret to grab a snack, leaving Regina alone for a brief moment of quiet. Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach, though she didn't know why.

Dr. Hopper entered the room, his clipboard tucked under his arm. His usually warm expression was clouded with concern. He hesitated before speaking, his voice gentle.

"Regina, there's something we need to discuss."

Regina shifted slightly, her exhaustion evident. "If this is about my injuries, just say it. I'm not in the mood for sugarcoating."

Dr. Hopper pulled up a chair, sitting beside her. "Your injuries are severe, yes, but you'll recover. What I'm about to tell you is... unexpected."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Get to the point, Doctor."

He leaned forward, his tone softening further. "During the tests we ran after you were brought in, we discovered something. Regina... you're pregnant."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, Regina thought she hadn't heard him correctly. "That's not possible," she whispered, shaking her head. "It can't be."

Dr. Hopper placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "I know this must come as a shock, especially after everything you've been through. But I've triple-checked the results. You're going to have a child."

Regina's mind raced, her emotions swirling into a storm of confusion, fear, and something she hadn't felt in a long time—hope. She thought of Emmett, of the connection they shared despite his reluctance to admit it. And then she thought of Henry.

"Does anyone else know?" she asked sharply, her voice trembling.

"No," Dr. Hopper assured her. "This is your news to share when you're ready."

Regina nodded slowly, her hand instinctively returning to her stomach. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

As Dr. Hopper left the room, Regina stared at the ceiling, her thoughts chaotic. She was carrying new life, and with it came a surge of determination. She wouldn't let Greg, Spencer, or anyone else destroy what little hope she had left. For her child, for Henry, and for herself—she would fight.

In the quiet room, a single tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered to herself, "I won't let them take this from me."