Err hi... It's almost a month since I last updated and it's not acceptable on my part, especially when I promised that I would update right a way. I'd like to thank all those that have reviewed, favoured and followed the story, you guys have no idea how much I really appreciate it :)

Just a few things, then I'll let you get on with it ;) A few lines are taken from 2x03 (I couldn't resist), but no copyright infringement is intended, no profit is being made.

oldmcpiper, you're brilliant, thank you once again :)

Chapter 5

Snow led Emma along the corridor to the right of the portrait and stopped in front of the first door they encountered. Her mother's hand hesitated as it touched the knob. She glanced at Emma and with a new found conviction, she turned the handle and pushed the door open. Emma gasped.

The door opened to reveal the remains of a nursery. Furniture was overturned, stuffed animals and toys were ripped, torn and broken.

"I recognize this from Henry's book!" cried Emma, running towards the wooden wardrobe. It appeared to be the only thing left unscathed from the aftermath of the curse. Her fingers lingered briefly on the bark before her gaze fell to the balcony overlooking the kingdom that was supposed to be her home.

"I never thought I'd see this place again," said Snow. Emma turned to see that her mother had picked up a stuffed bear and was removing pieces of debris from its fur," this room. It was your nursery."

"I lived here?" Her voice was thick with emotion.

"You never even got to spend a night." Snow's eyes looked over every small detail of the room. "This is the life I wanted you to have. I was going to teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to dress for your first ball... You never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family."

"We have a family, in Storybrooke. Right now they need us to get back there."

A knock on the door interrupted the moment, forcing mother and daughter to look anywhere but at each other. Quinn entered looking slightly apologetic.

"Sorry to interrupt, but my coven master is ready to see you now." Emma was the first to rush out of the room and as she passed by the magician she couldn't help the feeling of foreboding that sent chills down her spine. She had a bad feeling about this.

She remained close to Snow as they were led down what Emma assumed to be the main corridor of the castle. Snow was attempting to remain inconspicuous in hiding the leather pouch Emma had seen earlier.

"What's that?"

"My contingency plan."

"Do we need one?" Snow stopped and dragged a disgruntled Emma to the side. She attempted to put on a brave face for her daughter's sake, but from the look she received she thought better of it. She sighed.

"We don't know who this coven master is and I just... I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Okay. I trust you. Now let's go home."

The farther they ventured into the castle, the more anxious Emma became. The dimly lit torches that hung on the wall just increased her wariness as the shadows that danced across the walls tricked her mind into seeing figures that weren't there. More than once she thought she saw the shadow of a woman. She shook her head at her silly thoughts.

They finally reached a large wooden door that marked the end of the extremely long corridor. The engravings were exquisitely crafted and depicted actions of war, love and music. The doors opened all of a sudden and much to the surprise of the four women, this room was intact.

A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the grand hall; paintings and tapestries decorated the walls and in front of them stood tables filled with food, wine and other fine delicacies. Their rich smell filled Emma's nostrils with a sickly sweet scent. Something wasn't right.

At the far end of the grand hall there stood three thrones, each one aligned next to the other. That's when Emma noticed the figure that sat on the middle throne.

The so-called coven master smiled at the arriving party with what was supposed to be a welcoming smile. To Emma it came across as fake, utterly fake. The woman's auburn hair was wrapped in a bun and held up by purple pins; she wore a finely tailored purple gown that matched the pins in her hair. Around her neck she wore the biggest jewel Emma had ever seen.

Beside her Snow gasped.

The woman stood and began descending the steps of the area dedicated to the thrones, to meet and greet the newcomers. Snow was quite visibly shaking and her hand was moving towards the hilt of her sword. The sickly scent Emma detected earlier continued to engulf her senses and she could feel herself become dizzy. It increased as the woman came closer.

Emma took a chance and glanced at her companions and saw that both Mulan and Aurora were in a daze, as if not completely aware of the events around them. Quinn, however, remained impassive.

"Oh Snow! You're alive, I'm so relieved," said the woman in a sickly sweet voice. Her spidey-sense or superpower was tingling. Everything the woman had said was a lie.

"Cora," growled Snow, assuming a protective stance in front of Emma. She sighed in frustration: she didn't need protecting, she needed to get this over with and get back to her son.

"And who do we have here?" she asked, turning in Emma's direction. She looked her over from head to toe, her dark eyes boring into her very soul. "Why it can't be Princess Emma! That would mean... the rumours are true." A truly wicked grin crossed her face. Emma recognized it from somewhere, but she couldn't pinpoint where exactly she'd seen it before.

The woman named Cora took another step in their direction.

"I often wondered whether you were successful in saving your daughter from my own daughter's curse. I'm delighted to see you did. It would have been such a shame for the savior to remain trapped as a newborn for all eternity." This was Regina's mother! Of course! Nice to see the apple didn't fall far from the tree she thought bitterly.

If Snow's reaction was anything to go by, Cora was dangerous and Emma didn't want to find out just how much. Another glance in Mulan's direction told her they wouldn't be getting any help from the warrior or Sleeping Beauty. They continued to stare at nothing.

"How did you do it, Snow?" continued Cora,"I've spent the last twenty-eight years searching for a way out of this wretched world, to get my revenge on my darling daughter. The magic beans are long lost and there is no potion with grand enough properties to transport me to this new world. So, tell me, how did you do it?"

"You're sadly mistaken if you think I'm going to allow you to wreack havoc on another world." Snow's voice rang out proudly and it seemed to stun Cora into silence for a moment, before another grin crossed her lips.

"I always admired that about you, Snow, your willingness to sacrifice everything for the good of the kingdom, but are you just as willing to sacrifice the life of your lovely daughter?"

Snow stepped back and promptly unsheathed her sword. Her arm held steady as she pointed the blade at the older woman's throat.

"Now, now, Snow, there is no need for that. Tell me what I need to know and I will be on my way."

Emma's mind raced from one thought to another, but then she was suddenly reminded of the nursery and the magical object within. The wardrobe!

A hand clamped rather suddenly against her mouth. She couldn't possibly have said it aloud... could she? Snow's expression of horror told her she had. How could she have been so stupid? Cora's wicked smile widened.

"I thought more of you, my dear princess. A wardrobe, you say? Splendid."

A purple fog surrounded Snow and Emma and wrapped around their wrists. As the mist dissipated, shackles locked their hands into place.

"I can't have you roaming the castle as I search for the wardrobe. You're familiar with Rumpelstiltskin's cell, aren't you sweet Snow?"

Emma ran a hand through her blond locks in frustration. This was all her fault. If she had just kept her mouth shut, they wouldn't be in this situation, though as Snow pointed out in her daughter's defense, they could be dead. She already missed the more optimistic side of her best friend.

Mulan and Aurora awakened from their daze shortly after the iron gates of the cell closed behind them, confused as to how they'd gone from welcomed guests to prisoners in such a short time. After a brief re-telling of their encounter with Cora, the warrior and the princess exchanged looks of wariness. That was when Snow and Emma discovered that the mysterious re-appearances of the strange creatures had been Cora's doing all along. She had been using them as spies, as a means to find a way of creating a portal to another world.

Needless to say Snow was furious with her childhood friend and Mulan for keeping this from her. They might have avoided this situation altogether.

Another bang rang out throughout the cell. Emma didn't know how long they'd been in the cell, but she'd gotten used to the fruitless and almost hopeless attempts at breaking free of their prison. A chain of profanity quickly followed. Had it been another time and another place, Emma would have found this ridiculously amusing coming from the mouth of the sweet tempered school teacher, but she barely had the strength to laugh.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault," she whispered meekly to her friend who was tending to her injured hand. Pulling and rattling old rusty iron bars will do that to a person after about twenty attempts. Snow shook her head in disagreement and placed her uninjured hand on her daughter's knee.

"No, it's not. She would have found out eventually, in one way or another. Emma, whatever you think of Regina is nothing compared to what Cora is capable of. She would not hesitate to rip our hearts out and crush them." Emma's eyes widened and a sudden thought occurred to her. God, she hoped she was wrong: it would make her promise to Henry a lot harder to keep, should she be right.

"Can Regina do it? Rip hearts out, I mean." Snow hesitated. James had revealed to her how he had escaped her step-mother's clutches, and the price he'd had to pay for helping their family for the second time. More than that, she had a hunch she knew exactly what information Emma wanted to know. Had Regina in fact killed Graham.

She'd always promised herself that she'd never lie to her child. It was simply something she absolutely refused to do, no matter the cost and as much as it pained her to do so now, her daughter deserved to know what evil they were up against.

Emma continued to look at her expectantly.

"Yes, she can do it." She watched as countless emotions flicked across Emma's face and finally she settled on anger.

She wrapped an arm around her shoulders and laid her head against her daughter's. Emma struggled at first against her mother's hold, but eventually she slumped in defeat and let the tears fall.

Snow's soothing words were an instant catharsis for Emma. The walls that she had spent years building and strengthening to the point where it was almost impossible to get close to her, came tumbling down and released all the emotions she had tried so hard to let go, to simply forget. She let herself truly be embraced by her mother after being away from her for twenty-eight years.

"Did you love him?" Snow felt her heart break even more, if it was even possible. How could the fates be so cruel to her little girl, who had done nothing to deserve such a harsh life?

Before Emma could reply to her mother's question, the echoing sounds of footsteps resounded off the stone walls of the dungeon. Quinn came barreling towards them, keys and torch in hand.

"Quickly now, before she notices I'm gone," he said, fumbling with the keys in the lock. "Your weapons are just outside. If we hurry we might be able to stop her."

Snow stood up, pulling Emma along with her. With no time to spare, they exited the cell and quickly retrieved their weapons. Snow gingerly held her injured hand in clear discomfort, but shrugged at Emma's inquiring looks and turned to face Quinn, who stood before the four women looking rather sheepish.

"Why?" she asked. She was grateful to the man for freeing her, but the fact still remained that he led them straight to Cora.

"She lied to me and broke our agreement. I no longer owe her my allegiance."

"And I suppose you want a ride back to our world," remarked Emma from her spot beside the raven-haired Snow.

"I don't expect such a reward, but I'll gladly help against Cora." She nodded. That would have to do for now; they had a sorceress to stop.

The silent halls echoed with the hurried footsteps of Snow and her companions. Each of them were ready at a moment's notice for whatever trap Cora may have prepared for them, despite Quinn's assurances there were no such traps. His word wasn't worth much to her, not when her daughter's safety was at risk.

She was thankful Cora hadn't searched their persons for hidden weapons when she locked them in Rumpelstiltskin's cell as the pouch she had carefully hidden before their encounter in the throne room would prove to be useful should it come to a confrontation with Regina's mother.

Before long they reached the nursery and Snow thanked the fates that Cora was nowhere to be seen. For now.

Snow, Emma and Aurora inspected the wardrobe and the room for anything that could be useful or used as a portal as Mulan and Quinn stood guard at the door. Emma once again ran her fingers along the wood, and much to her surprise she could feel something pulsating underneath the bark, almost like a heartbeat. She motioned for her mother and her friend to do the same, but they felt nothing. Odd.

"Now what?"

"Now you will tell me how to get it to work," said the voice Emma wished she'd never hear again.

"Shit."

"My sentiments exactly. I think," whispered back Aurora. Had it been any other situation, Emma would have laughed and congratulated the princess on her first steps towards profanity, but now was not the time.

"Cora, you know that is never going to happen. I will not let you destroy more lives." Cora clapped her hands together and laughed as if she'd just heard a funny joke. Snow regarded her with a cool gaze.

"My dear Snow, I will not ask you again. Tell me how to unlock the wardrobe's magic or I will kill your daughter."

The threat struck Snow in such a way, one would think it was a physical blow. Her face drained of colour and assumed an expression of horror, then pure unadulterated fury. She charged at Cora, fully expecting her strike to hit something other than air, but Cora had disappeared into purple mist.

She re-appeared mere seconds later before Snow had any time to react and held her daughter's arch-enemy by the throat. The older woman smiled sweetly at her and threw her against the opposing wall. Sometime during the brief confrontation, Quinn and Mulan regained consciousness - having been knocked out by Cora before she entered the nursery - and stood beside Emma who was frozen in her spot, unable to do anything to help her mother.

With her back to her remaining challengers, Mulan and Quinn attacked next with a combination of jabs, precise strikes and blows all of which Cora managed to avoid with a show of surprising agility for a woman her age, and magic. They soon tired and joined Snow White on the ground.

"I tire of these games. Perhaps you will prove to be more reasonable than your mother, princess. Tell me how to unlock the magic in the wardrobe or I will rip their hearts out."

To prove just how willing she was to do such an unspeakable act, more purple mist appeared from the sorceress' fingers and wrapped itself around each of her companions' throats. Emma began to run towards her roommate, friend and confidant, but something held her back. She struggled with all her might to be rid of her restraints, but they were incredibly strong. With a flick of her wrist, Emma was also sent flying, restraints immediately wrapping themselves around her limbs.

Cora's magic tightened around Snow's throat. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she continued to struggle to breathe. This was it then; she would never see the handsome face of her charming prince again, she would never again feel his soft breath tickle her cheeks as he moved in to kiss her; she would never see her sweet grandson again, Henry, the boy who saved his mother from a life without love, without family. He had been the true savior. And Emma. Her darling girl with blond locks so like her father's and sparkling emerald eyes so much like her own. Her daughter had been through so much and now she was faced with this, forced to watch her mother die. She mouthed the words 'I love you' to a horror stricken Emma, who valiantly fought to break free of her imprisonment.

She could feel her eye lids dropping, sleep coming as a sweet relief to the throbbing pain she felt throughout her body. She could see James, looking as dashing and charming as ever, chasing a young girl through a meadow she knew lay in a small oasis of the forest. She couldn't hear her daughter's screams that begged her to stay awake.

Emma's world came crashing down as she saw her mother's head drop and her body still, no longer fighting for control against Cora's magic. She struggled more dauntlessly than before, pouring all of her strength into breaking the bonds that held her against her will. Snow needed her. Her mother needed her.

"Such a pity." Cora's words infuriated her beyond reason. An unknown force bubbled up inside of her, seemingly searching for release. She could feel it pushing against her chest, filling her with a power and tenacity never seen before.

"Such a shame."

"NOOO!" Emma's scream of despair as the bodies of Mulan, Quinn and Aurora fell to the ground like her mother's shook the very foundations of the nursery and the energy released itself from its cage and was thrust against a bewildered Cora. The purple magic relinquished its hold over Emma's aching limbs as she dropped on the stone floor with a thud. She scrambled to her feet and headed straight for the very still form of Snow White.

The force of Cora hitting the wall caused it to crumble as it was already in a poor and fragile condition after the enactment of the curse. Emma didn't spare as much as a glance at Cora's rock covered body, her attention focused solely on her mother.

She cradled her mother's head and checked for a pulse. Nothing.

Emma thought she heard groans coming from behind her and she was somewhat relieved to see the rising figures of the magician, the princess and the warrior. But Snow couldn't be dead, she just couldn't. The woman had given everything to her, even before she knew she was her daughter.

Aurora placed a hand on her shoulder and attempted to pull her away from her Snow.

"Emma," she said, choking back a sob."I-I'm so sorry, but she's gone."

But the blonde wasn't paying attention, she continued to cradle her mother's body, whispering apology after apology, begging her to wake up. What would she tell James, her father? What would she tell Henry? No, she was not giving up so easily. If there was one thing she'd learned from her best friend, it was to always have hope.

Another pair of arms tried to pull her away, this time with more force.

"She's not gone. She's not... she can't be. Not after... Just no." God, she barely recognized her own voice. Tears streamed down her face, several falling and landing on Snow's cheeks.

"Emma..."

She ignored them.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry... You tried so hard and I just wasn't ready. Snow, mom, don't go. I love you, I love you..."

Don't hit me! *hides*
I realize Emma having magic is incredibly cliché, but it's something I wanted to do. And the ending... well, let's just say it's an incentive for more reviews ;)

Like last time, please no spoilers of 2x09. I won't be able to watch it until after school. Thanks guys! R&R!