Author's Note: Hello everyone! This is my first OUAT fiction! This story takes place towards the end of season 2 right after Cora's death, however, there are a few changes in the timeline; some events from the show will occur sooner just for the sake of the story. I do not want to reveal the plot too much but it sure will be exciting! Also, I am looking for a BETA, please PM if you are interested. I already have a few chapters already written, I don't want to post them all, in case I get helpful reviews to make the story better.

Within the story I will use different fonts to signify thoughts and flashbacks:

Italics = Thoughts

Bold = Flashback

Disclaimer: All characters are from the creation of Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.

Chapter 1

Regina is sitting at her desk in her Mayoral Office relieving the last couple of days and all she can think is how empty she is. She lost everything, her son doesn't want her, her mother is dead, what is she to do? Is she supposed to mourn the women who gave her life or be delighted that the person who tormented her is finally gone? Regina goes pale, I murdered my mother. That statement in not entirely true, Snow White manipulated Regina into returning her mother's heart, knowing it was cursed.

Gold's Shop (A few days ago)

Regina sneaks up on her mother as she is stroking Gold's face, "You were my weakness and the only man I ever truly loved, " Cora proclaimed as she lifted the dagger with one letter remaining on the surface, she prepares to stab him but feels pressure in her back, it was Regina inserting her mother's heart. The two smile at each other.

"Mother," Regina says lovingly. Cora looks at Regina with love in her eyes and looks down, only to find a hole developing in her chest. She starts to collapse but her daughter catches her and lowers themselves to the ground. "Mother? What's wrong?" Regina is frantic and Cora takes Regina face into her hands, "This would have been enough. You... You would have been enough." Cora stops talking and her eyes shakes her mother's corpse, "Mother? What's going on? Mother. Don't leave me, please. What am I going to do?" Regina sobs for her mother, Gold speaks up from behind her, "Your mother did you no favors."

"Shut up! You stole her life! You cast some spell." Regina wants answers! She finally gain her mother's approval, only for it to be taken away just like everything else in her life. Gold responds sincerely, "I did nothing." A frantic Mary Margaret rushes into the room with David trailing behind her, she's yelling, " Regina! Stop!" Regina's stomach falls and her voice drips with venom, "You did this." Snow White has done it again, always ruining my life.

Regina had been furious and rightfully so, she sought retaliation but her son Henry convinced her not to. But in reality Snow White did Regina a favor and Regina hates to admit it. Regina has always loved her mother but she feared her even more. She sent her to another realm for crying out loud. Cora was many things, but a loving mother was definitely not one of them. She could have loved me if she had her heart but love is weakness.

"You have to trust me, Regina. I know best. Love is weakness, Regina. It feels real now. At the start, it always does. But it's an illusion. It fades, and then you're left with nothing. But power, true power, endures. And then you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I've saved you, my love."

She wanted Regina to mount to her name; to be queen and nothing would get in the way of that. Regina lost everything in order to be someone that she did not want to be. She lost her innocence, her fiancé, and her freedom. Of course, she always blamed Snow White but deep down, she always knew Cora was the root for all the chaos. But Regina just had to take it out on someone helpless because she was no match for Cora.

How stupid was it to blame a child for the crimes of her mother. Ha child! Regina was barely old enough to marry the king, but she was forced to regardless. Regina never understood her mother's thirst for higher status or her father's cowardice; she only wished to live a long fine life with her precious stable boy but she never got what she wanted. Sure, she has magic, but where has it gotten her? Besides, "Magic always comes with a price dearie."

The only thing good that has ever happened to her was her sweet prince, Henry. Regina wipes away her tears and walks towards the pitcher of water to clench her thirst. She stares at her empty office and listens to the rattle of the A/C and she feels deserted, but she is not alone and before she can magic herself out of the house, she felt a wet cloth over her nose and she soon fades away to nothingness.

Notes/References

Questions, comments, input/ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.

Quotes/scenes from the following season(s):

Season 1 Episode 18: The Stable Boy

Season 2 Episode 16: The Miller's Daughter

Love Jenny