Mary Margaret felt an unease as she ran her errands, walking the same streets she always had but her life felt more empty than ever. To have found a love and have it not live up to any of her hopes, left her heartbroken. Her brown coat couldn't keep the cold air away, a shiver ran up her spine as she stepped onto the stairwell absentmindedly clutching her keys, her eyes distant.

"Please Emma let me in" the desperate cries of Henry carried down the stairs.

Hearing him swat his hand desperately against the locked door, she gripped the handrail pulling herself up the stairs hastily.

"Henry?" she said his name like she was pleading for him to stop, to stop pushing Emma to believe. Stop pushing her away.

Upon seeing Henry's desperate eyes she couldn't turn away, stepping forward she unlocked the front door hoping that after some hot cocoa and a hug, he would head home.

"What's going on, did Emma already leave?" Mary Margaret asked as she opened the door but Henry pushed past her.

Her question was answered as soon as the loft came into view, Emma was still there, in fact, she had not moved in over ten minutes. Lying on the floor, her eyes closed in what looked like a peaceful slumber, but her chest did not rise and fall, her heart no longer beating.

"Emma!" Henry yelled, running to her side.

Mary Margaret gasped racing over grabbing her wrist, unable to feel a pulse, she whimpered out a grieving cry.

"Emma, wake up" Mary Margaret placed her hands over Emma's chest pounding her heart, forcing it to beat.

Henry's eyes darted around in search of what could have caused this, spotting a triangle shaped puff pastry beside Emma.

"She ate this" Henry picked up the pastry inspecting it "It's apple" he gasped as realisation set in.

"Henry, can you get the phone?" Mary Margaret asked breathlessly as she continued compressions.

"You can wake her" he pleaded eyes wide "she doesn't need a doctor, she needs you" he reached forwards grabbing Mary Margaret's shoulder, forcing her to stop and look at him, his eyes desperate for her to believe.

"True loves kiss" Henry stated in earnest.

"Henry" she pleaded exasperated tears welled in her eyes "This isn't a fairytale"

Emma had not even twitched; she felt heavy and stiff when Mary Margaret clasped her jaw, clearing her airway. Leaning forward to breathe air into her lungs, in that moment their lips touched nothing happened, no cascading light, just Henry and Mary Margaret's cries.

"Emma doesn't believe, it won't work" Henry fell back unable to hold himself up.

"No, no we can't give up" Mary Margaret said through sobs, feeling a sense of hopelessness "Call for help" she stuttered out through tears.

"I failed" Henry whimpered out, all the belief he had faded away.

In that moment the curse was broken not with a true love's kiss, but death causing the ground to shake and the windows to rattle. Across Storybrooke most structures shuddered forming cracks along the sides of them, with a few buildings beginning to collapse, people screamed out in horror running for their lives.

All the power was tied to one life and as Emma's light went out, this world truly became a land without magic. Mary Margaret's world was a blur for a moment or two; she placed her hand on her temple while the memories flooded back. Snow White could feel the baby blanket in her hands, could smell her, see her green eyes looking up at her, as if it all happened just minutes ago. Filled with certainty that if she let go, Emma would come back to her, that faith gave her the strength to do the impossible. As the present and past came together, it was like a punch to the gut, she gasped for air that tasted of bitter poison. In a blink of her eyes the world had shifted, all the joy her memories should have brought her, only causing more agony.

"No, no you found me, I'm here" she gasped in a desperate whisper, leaning forward once more she kissed Emma's forehead tenderly "please baby"

Overwhelmed she could not speak or think clearly crushed under this weight, sinking into the depths of an ocean of grief.

"Snow White?" Henry gasped saying her name like a question "I'm sorry, it's my fault" Henry's voice broke.

"No" she exhaled "Regina did this" she brushed aside some of Emma's hair from her face as hate filled her eyes.

All hope Snow White ever had, was seen in a whole new light, as she kneeled over her daughter's lifeless body. Her belief and the strength it gave her to carry on through all the horrors of her life, was gone. Wailing, her visceral cries could be heard throughout Storybrooke, as people gathered in the streets.

The Storybrooke Sheriff's office was coated in dust; falling from the crumbling ceiling, the lights still out, as the power had not returned since the curse broke. The town was slowly decaying away, just like the body of Emma Swan that lay at the Storybrooke hospital. Regina sat on the small trundle bed staring blankly ahead, unaware that Snow White had her hands around the bars of her cell, until she spoke.

"How do I wake her?" Snow stated pointedly.

"You can't, if we remember it's because Emma's dead" She sneered as she turned to face Snow.

It was the same façade Regina always displayed, putting on an act believing that's what people needed her to be. Evil, an unremorseful soul who killed with callousness, but in the last twenty eight years despite her efforts, she had changed.

"This is a waste of time," David said frustrated, his body trembling, eyes bloodshot.

That's all he would say just bitter statements with distant eyes, resentment fuelled him after all his heroics, all their hope let them here.

"I'm not giving up on her" Snow stood firm, folding her arms as she turned to her husband.

"Don't you see" David yelled "This is how it was always going to end, you convinced me to let Emma go, because she would find us" his voice broke "and she did" his eyes were distant, his complexion pale.

"No, I refuse to accept that" she turned back to Regina "if you ever want to see Henry again, you tell us how to save our daughter" she stifled her tears "there must be something, a spell we can try"

Regina lip quivered no longer the heartless queen, she had let love into her heart, she was a mother. One that could not bear the thought of her child's death or to see the same grief in Snow's eyes. This left her with a humbling realisation, that through all the times she was granted mercy, this time would be different. Regina could not speak, giving Snow a pitying glance as she shook her head, unable to vocalise herself. Despite being enemies Regina and Snow still knew each other intimately, with a short glance Snow knew this was the truth.

"It's time then" Snow exhaled, pulling out the keys to Regina's cell.

"Please just, let me say goodbye" Regina gasped, distressed, but Snow didn't pause or even look at Regina as she unlocked the cell.

Regina gave a whimpered gasp, blown back by this indifference "This isn't what I intended" she gasped.

"What did you think would happen?" Snow stated coldly "That Emma would remain asleep forever, you and Henry would live happily ever after, the rest of us oblivious" She spat enraged.

Regina was silenced by this remaining seated, Snow stood back holding the cell door open for David to storm in, grabbing Regina and cuffing her.

"Please, I want to see him" Regina begged, as David pushed her forwards and out of the cell.

"He's with his mother" Snow's expression was composed, staring at Regina while David tugged her away from the cell, ignoring her pleas.

The former Evil Queen had never looked so small, so weak with no magic, no way to fight back and with their memories restored, she could no longer manipulate them.

"You can't keep my son from me" Regina yelled, jerking her arm away, but it was fruitless.

"He doesn't want to see you" Snow almost chuckled at her request.

Any empathy Snow ever had for Regina was eradicated the moment that Emma died, any chance at redemption long past. Silently they walked her out of the station, the Prince grabbing his sword and Snow White her bow and arrow.

This silence was broken when the doors opened to the car park lined with an enraged mob of Storybrooke residents. Broken bones and bloodied faces, screaming insults and spitting as she was marched by. Regina's fight response overcoming her grief, she began to struggle but she could not fight against David's grasp. Reaching a large post they had secured to the ground, Red and Archie moved forward grabbing Regina, they tied her to it.

"Let me go, you can't do this!" Regain bellowed, struggling against them.

"My consciousness is clear!" Archie yelled while pulling the ropes tight with Ruby holding her steady.

"You're not our Queen anymore" Leroy yelled waving his finger.

"Kill her" Gran yelled out, her crossbow in hand readying to take a shot.

Snow White stepped forward raising her hand in the air to shush the mob and for a brief moment, Regina smiled thinking she was about to be saved.

"I should have let them execute you, you didn't deserve my mercy" Snow stepped closer, her tone angry and bitter.

Regina whimpered in despair seeing the resolve in Snow's expression, the hatred that Regina had carried in her heart had spread. The kind of bitter vengefulness that only ever brought Regina more pain and suffering was now in Snow's eyes. At the end of her life she could only look upon her stepdaughter with sympathy.

"I thought you'd be happy, all you ever wanted was to take away my happiness" Snow choked out defeated.

"That's enough talk" David stated stepping closer, raising his sword to strike her.

The sky abruptly cracked and rumbled as a cloud of purple smoke enveloped the entire town of Storybrooke, for a few seconds they could see anything. As quick as it came it was gone and so was Regina.

"No, she can't get away" David grunted out, clenching his sword he charged through the crowd, spotting Regina across the street.

Eyes wide with fear she held up her hands trying to cast fireball, but the spark wouldn't light, she could feel the magic in the air. But it was like trying to catch smoke with her hands, as they trembled, her imminent death closing in. David reached her in seconds and without hesitation drove his sword through her gut. This caused a surge of energy and she reached her hand forward sending him flying back, choking him with an invisible force.

"Yes" Regina gasped with joy, a grin on her face.

A single arrow flew across the street piercing her heart, immediately David was freed, able to breathe once more. Regina took a breath, but the sound was a visceral sputtering sound as blood entered her lungs. Eyes wide she took one last look at Snow, before collapsing to the ground lifeless.

"What the fuck!" Emma yelled eyes wide in horror with Henry just behind her, she tried to cover his eyes but it was too late, he had watched his mother die, again.