I'm a little hesitant about posting this sequel...Broken Crowns recieved such a great response, I'm a little afraid of screwing with that. But, people seemed to want it, so...here it is, the sequel. What I'm doing with Cora here is breaking her down, stripping away all the nonsense to reveal what she really is inside- a mother trying to do right by her daughter. And after the revelations of the most recent episode, I don't believe there is an out of character moment in this story. I do believe that an attempted suicide could be a catalyst for Cora to change, in the same way that Henry is for Regina.

But I won't reveal anything more than that.

This story is still ongoing, there will be at least one more chapter, possibly two depending. I hope you all enjoy it!

Emma Swan was not the type to give up.

But as she slammed the file down on her cluttered desk, she had to admit that she had no clue how to proceed. Two men had gone missing. Archie was dead. And Regina fucking Mills had not been seen in three days. Not since she'd vanished from her front lawn. Her car was parked near the docks, (and hadn't been moved in case some evidence could come from it.) But that was it That was all they knew

Henry had been inconsolable. He had so believed Regina had changed, and to learn that the mother who raised him had killed a man, a man who not only had been trying to help her but had been something of a father figure to Henry, had been the quite the blow.

It had been quite the blow to Emma too, much as she hated herself for it. She'd believed in Regina, damnit! She'd believed her...a part of her still believed her. But how could she deny it, when faced with such incontrovertible evidence? She'd seen it with her own eyes, through Gold's weird magic dream catcher...thingie. Had used her own magic. How could that be a lie?

Something didn't sit right with Emma about the whole thing. Regina had seemed so sincere, she'd been trying so hard. She'd saved Emma and Mary Margaret's lives. To then go and do a thing like this...it didn't make sense.

This situation was so screwed up, and she hated it. She hated everything about it.

And she hated Regina for putting her and Henry though this.

Emma exhaled loudly, running a hand through her hair. There was nothing to be done now. She had to focus on finding Regina. But where the hell had the infuriating woman gone?

The phone rang.

Regina stood on the dock outside the still invisible pirate ship, overlooking the moonlit ocean. The waters were calm, very unlike the choppy sea she had tried and failed to drown in.

Regina sighed heavily at the thought. Really there was nothing preventing her from attempting to do so again.

Nothing except her mother.

Her mother, who she'd been living with in the hold of a pirate ship for the last three days. Her mother, who had been unbearably nice, even doting. Her mother, who treated her like any wrong move could break her.

Not that it was an altogether incorrect assumption, but it was one that failed to acknowledge a fairly crucial bit of information- Regina had been broken long ago. And the cracks started with the very woman now trying her damndest to glue them back together.

Trying and failing. Though Mother had changed considerably in her approach to dealing with Regina, she was still very much the ambitious, ruthless woman she'd always been. She had brought up the idea of killing Snow and Charming and ruling Storybrooke together several times. It was exhausting, as Regina had absolutely no desire for power.

All she wanted was her son back.

But there was no escaping her mother now. And try as she might, Regina found she didn't really want to. At least Mother believed in her innocence. Mother wanted her, Mother needed her. And the love-starved Regina found it quite impossible to leave now.

Especially when it was likely she'd be burned at the stake if she even tried. The invisible ship was, if nothing else, a safe place to hide. Cramped and tiny, but safe.

And more importantly, if Mother was preoccupied with Regina here, that meant she wasn't going after Henry elsewhere.

That was more important than any freedom Regina may desire (though she wasn't sure she did.) Henry was more important than anything. So Regina stayed, she remained alive and trapped by her mother, satisfied with the knowledge that at least Henry would be safe with his newfound family.

And not with her.

Regina breathed deeply, quelling the tears that pricked at her eyes.

"Regina!" a slightly alarmed voice called out. Regina repressed a sigh, and turned to face her savior and captor.

"Yes Mother?"

"What are doing out here, dear? You know it's dangerous," Cora reprimanded, placing an arm around Regina's shoulder. She threw a quick glance towards the water, hinting that her real concern was not with being spotted.

"I know Mother, I just needed some air," Regina said, allowing Cora to guide her back into the safety of the ship.

"You can get air above deck, darling, no need to be out in the open on that awful dock," Cora scolded. Though quite irritated with her mother's constant criticisms, Regina couldn't help but a feel a little amused at how Cora seemed to blame the dock for Regina's suicide attempt.

But a quick and defeated "Yes Mother" was all Regina said before disappearing below deck, leaving Cora standing helplessly behind her.

"What do you want?" Emma snapped, picking up the phone after having glared at it for a good minute.

"Sheriff Swan, I'm calling to report that I seen the Queen down at the docks tonight. She stood there for a while until some old lady came and then they disappeared together."

"...what the hell?" Emma gaped. "Who is this, what are playing at?"

"I'm just a fisherman, ma'am, but I know what I seen. It was the Queen, I swear!" Emma sighed loudly, greatly annoyed that this was all she had to go on.

"Fine, I'll be right there." She hung up.

Cora growled to herself, blasting the air with a pure burst of magical energy. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this much frustration! Regina wasn't responding to anything, she walked around like a dead woman. She neither fought Cora nor truly agreed with her, everything was "yes mother" this and "sorry mother" that. It was infuriating!

Even worse though were the nights, the nights when Regina would dream and cry out in her sleep and Cora could do nothing to stop it.

She finally had an obedient daughter, but it was like she didn't have her at all.

And worst of all was the fear, the constant, nagging fear that Regina might try her stupid stunt again.

"That foolish girl!" Cora muttered angrily, clenching her fists as she fought back the urge release another blast of magic.

"Having a rough day, are we?" came the smug drawl of one Captain Hook. Cora shut her eyes and exhaled irritably.

"Now is not the time, Hook."

"Actually, I think it is. We need to discuss our chirp-less friend. He's not talking." Centering herself, Cora turned to face him.

"And just what have you tried, exactly?" she asked. Hook crossed his arms and leaned against one of the masts.

"Oh the usual sort of torture, including a few...specialties of mine," he grinned, his hook glinting oddly in the moonlight. The grin fell away. "But he won't budge. He's a loyal bugger, I'll give 'im that."

"Well, your inability to properly extract information is no concern of mine," Cora scoffed. "Why don't you go scout around Storybrooke yourself?" The implied 'and leave me well alone' was left unsaid.

"You promised you'd help me exact my revenge," Hook said menacingly. Cora was unaffected.

"And I have. I got you to Storybrooke, I captured a source of information for you, and I've allowed the ship to remain unseen from prying eyes. The rest, my dear Captain, is up to you," she snapped, turning to walk away.

"I got us to Storybrooke," Hook reminded her. "Without my bean you'd still be far away in the Enchanted Forest. You will help me." Cora's nostrils flared, and she rounded on him.

"And without me you would have been cursed to this land like all the others, unable to remember who you are or who Rumpelstiltskin is! You are trying my patience. See to your revenge yourself!" And with that she vanished in a puff of purple smoke, leaving the pirate to fume.

She re-appeared below deck, in the room she and Regina had been sharing the last few days. Her daughter lay sprawled on her bed, staring numbly at the ceiling. Cora sighed.

"Regina do sit up like a lady. Need I remind you you are Queen?" With what appeared to be an enormous amount of effort, Regina did so.

"Sorry Mother." The urge to slap the kicked-puppy expression off Regina's face was difficult to suppress.

"Don't give me that look Regina, you know I'm only trying to help," she said, moving to reorganize the store cupboards if only to give herself something to do.

"I know Mother." The silence that followed was unbearable. Cora shifted the position of a few plates, re-stacking them with complete precision. It was something she would normally do with magic (or better yet have servants do instead,) but in this stuffy room thick with tension, Cora found it difficult to control the need to be doing something with her hands.

She heard a soft sniffle from behind her. She turned, staring at Regina, who had begun crying. Again. Cora couldn't decide if it made her angry or if it made her want to cry as well. But instead she simply sighed and moved to sit next to her daughter, fearing that releasing her frustration might only drive Regina back out to the docks. And that possibility scared Cora more than anything.

"Regina, dear..." she faltered, "I know this is difficult, but-" Regina shook her head, swiping at her eyes.

"I'm fine, Mother," she interrupted. Cora frowned, hating the lie.

"Do you think I don't notice the way you mope about the ship? You are not fine and you are not letting me help you! All I want is your happiness. We could rule this lawless town, together," she grabbed Regina's hand in her fervor. "And as Queens of this land we could finally be rid of Snow White, we could get your son back, just as you've always wanted." Regina drew back, pulling her hand away from Cora's. The rejection stung more than a little.

"Mother you know I don't want that anymore," she said quietly. "We both had our time as Queen, and it's over now."

"I gave up my power to find you, you ungrateful girl!" Cora snapped, immediately regretting it at the way Regina flinched. "Honey I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I know Mother," Regina said, returning once more to her usual deadpan.

And so the cycle continued.

Emma violently slammed the door of the sheriff's car, stepping out onto the frigid docks. As predicted, there was nobody there except an elderly man with a ridiculously bushy beard, and no sign of Regina.

"Well? Is this where you saw her?" Emma called, making her way over to the man's side. He nodded emphatically.

"Yes ma'am, she was standing right there, at the edge," he said. "And then some old lady wearing funny clothes appeared there," he pointed. Emma blinked.

"There's nothing there."

"I know," the man said, "that's what I mean, she just appeared. Like magic. She talked to the Queen for a moment, seemed all scared of somethin', then they just disappeared again. Right there."

Emma was about to write the man off as a complete loon when something occurred to her. Old lady. Connection to Regina. Funny clothes. Ability to appear and disappear at will.

Fuck.

"What the hell do you mean 'old lady?'" she yelled, yanking the man's shirt collar. "What did she look like? What did she say? WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GO?!" The man trembled and shook his head vigorously.

"I-I don't know, she was...old. Brown hair in a fancy up do, wearing an ugly blue dress...it looked somethin' from our land I reckon, and a cloak. I couldn't make out what they was sayin', I was too far away, but she didn't seem to like this dock none. Like I said she seemed all spooked, and she just vanished like that. Right there!" He pointed again. Emma released him, breathing heavily.

Fuck fuck fuck how the hell had Cora gotten through? And if she was here that meant the slimy bastard Hook had to be here as well...but what could possibly spook Cora? What about the docks did she have to fear? And why were they hiding out in the ship? Why had nothing else happened? What the hell was Regina even doing with her psychotic mother? None of it added up.

Emma walked over to the spot the man kept pointing at, where he said they'd disappeared. Nothing seemed out of place, it was just empty air. She turned to go, when her toe bumped on something. Something solid.

"What the hell?" she poked at it with her foot. Yup definitely solid. Definitely invisible. She decided to test it, stepping up onto it. Maneuvering her foot she found it was almost like a raised platform.

It was a raised platform, she found as she was able to place her other foot onto it as well. Experimentally, she took a step forward. And then another.

"How are you doing that?" the man asked incredulously. Emma shrugged, venturing forward. Suddenly she felt a strange chill pass over her, and then a friggin pirate ship appeared before her eyes. She felt the blood drain from her face.

"Oh my god." She stumbled back, back through the weird magic-y feeling and onto the docks.

"There's...there's a ship there," she gasped. "It's invisible, she cast a spell or something." The man, to his credit, merely shrugged.

"I figured she was a witch of some sort. They must be hiding out in it," he said.

"Yeah...uh, thanks, I gotta go...find Mary David and Margaret...I mean, Mary Margaret and David...thanks for the tip!"

Regina didn't sleep much that night. She tossed and turned, though Mother seemed to sleep soundly. Something about being trapped aboard the pirate ship just seemed suffocating, more so than usual. Maybe it was the full moon. In any case, it couldn't be much later than 11 o'clock.

Frustrated, Regina threw the covers off and grabbed her coat and boots. She couldn't stand another minute under the deck, she needed space, she needed to breathe.

The night was chilly, but clear. The air was crisp and smelled of the ocean, something Regina had always loved about living in Storybrooke. She had never been to the sea in the old land, but she imagined it wouldn't have been much different than the ocean here, with its salty smell and constant breeze.

It would have been a lovely grave, had Mother not interfered. With a sigh Regina sat along the wooden edge of the ship, hoisting her legs up and over the frame so that they dangled out over the water.

Darkly, she realized it would be so easy to jump.

There was no happiness left for her in this life, or in any other life. What was the point now that Henry was gone? She could never have him back. Not now. Not ever.

God she could really use a glass of cider right about now. Weren't pirates notorious for keeping alcohol on their ships? Not that she particularly wanted anything to do with that traitor Hook. Some assassin he'd turned out to be, teaming up with the very person he was meant to kill and then tricking her into believing he'd succeeded.

Come to think of it, why had Mother played dead...? It didn't make sense. Nothing Mother had done since her return from Wonderland made any sense. She should be angry with Regina, she should be out for blood. But instead all she seemed interested in was helping her.

When had Mother ever helped her? Mother had killed Daniel. Mother had ruined everything. Unconsciously Regina rubbed her ring finger, where Daniel's ring should have been.

How had she come to this? When did her life fall to ruins? She lost Daniel, she lost her freedom, she gained power but lost her mother too. She had had no family besides her father, and he too was lost to her, by her own hand.

And now she had lost Henry as well, and with him any hope of redemption. What did it even matter? What was the point of being "good" when nobody bothered to believe in you, when you're always left behind, excluded, ignored, and treated like the dirt between someone's shoes?

Regina was evil and she always would be. She let the wave of self-loathing consume her and she cried for everything she had done and everything she had lost. Henry...Henry...Henry. Her darling boy...her precious baby boy...who hated her...who would always hate her because she was the Evil Queen and Evil Queen's never change.

She slammed her fist into the edge of the ship as she sobbed, again and again until it was bruised and bloody from the splinters. But she didn't care, she didn't care she didn't care. Oh how she wished she didn't care...she leaned forward, hoping some stray breeze would just push her into the ocean again. Anything to stop the pain. She wanted to jump, she wanted to die, it was too much and she couldn't take it anymore.

But the universe was not so kind.

"REGINA!"

Cora awoke with a start. She thought she'd heard something. thump. thump. thump. There it was again. She sat up, blinking away the last remnants of sleep and glanced over at Regina's bed.

It was empty.

If she'd had a heart it would have jumped into her throat. Quickly she threw her shawl on over her nightgown and hurried out of the hold and above deck. She could still hear the strange thumping noise, it was coming from somewhere behind her. She whirled around and the sight that met her eyes knocked the breath out of her lungs.

There was Regina, sitting hunched over on the edge of the ship, sobbing and smashing her hand repeatedly into the wood.

"REGINA!" she cried, rushing over to her daughter's side. Regina started and nearly lost her balance, but Cora reached her in time to wrap her arms around Regina's middle, pulling her back down into the safety of the boat. Regina's legs collapsed from underneath her, pulling mother and daughter to their knees on the floor. Regina continued to weep messily, holding her injured hand to her chest.

Cora had never been more angry in her entire life. How dare Snow White and her family bring Regina to this? She pushed aside the little voice reminding her that she was not entirely guiltless either. Because this was not really her fault, she had been helping Regina. She had always been helping Regina.

Regina, who was currently falling apart in front of her. Pain constricted in Cora's chest at the sight and she felt tears bubble up to the surface. It was maddening how weak she was becoming, but even so Cora softened and wrapped her arms around Regina's shoulders, pulling her close. Her daughter needed her. She could be weak for her baby girl.

But then why couldn't she stop this? Why couldn't she make this better?

Gun cocked and loaded, Emma hesitantly felt around with her foot for the invisible platform. After leaving the docks she had quickly gone to awaken Mary Margaret and David at their new home, and informed them of the pirate ship currently docked in the harbor. The three had immediately contacted the Blue Fairy, and a plan was formed. They would sneak into the ship that night, when the two witches were sleeping, and use the fairy dust to immobilize them. Cora would be executed first at dawn, as she was the much greater threat, and for Henry's sake Regina would be spared for now and put on trial for murder. The magic of the fairy dust would last about 48 hours, hopefully that would give them enough time to figure out how to keep Regina from using magic permanently.

Emma figured Gold might be able to help with that.

But for now, they had to worry about the first phase. And that meant boarding the damn ship. Slowly Emma ascended the platform, through the magic and onto the ship. She was going first as the scout, to discover where the two were hiding before the Blue Fairy and the others came aboard.

As the ship came into view before her, the first thing Emma noticed was that it was not quiet. She could hear something from the back end...was it called the stern? They sounded like voices but...was that...?

No, couldn't be. She shook herself, holding her gun out in front of her as she cautiously made her way to the back, following the sound. Though as she got closer, it became harder to deny that the sound she heard definitely was someone crying. Carefully, she poked her head around the corner of the large mast she hid behind.

What she saw was unlike anything she had been expecting.

There was Regina, kneeling on the floor sobbing. More surprising was Cora, her back to Emma but still looking far more vulnerable than she had ever seen her, wearing a nightgown and with her hair in a loose braid. She held Regina in her arms, rocking her back and forth, intermittently stroking her hair or rubbing her back, all the while murmuring soothing words Emma couldn't quite make out. Neither of them noticed Emma's presence, far too wrapped up in their moment.

Emma suddenly felt like an intruder on something incredibly private, but found herself unable to move. What was going on here? These did not look like two dangerous witches hell-bent on taking over Storybrooke.

Suddenly it seemed wrong to trap them with fairy dust.

Emma watched as Regina's crying finally slowed and quieted. Cora pulled back from their embrace and (Emma blinked in surprise) wiped her own eyes.

"Regina don't scare me like that," Emma heard Cora say in a shaking voice. Regina lowered her head and mumbled something that Emma thought sounded like "sorry." Cora took hold of Regina's face and wiped the remnants of her tears away as well.

"I know it hurts dear, but must it bring you to this?" Cora asked. Regina sighed, and Emma was very confused.

"I just want the pain to end," Regina murmured, breathing deeply as if to prevent another round of tears from falling. Cora tucked a loose strand of hair behind Regina's ear.

"Give me your hand," Cora said softly, reaching for it. She took Regina's hand in her own, and Emma noticed Regina was bleeding. What had happened here? Regina's hand glowed a soft purple and the blood disappeared. Cora had healed it, and had begun tracing small circles over where the wounds had been with her thumb.

Emma was more confused than she had ever been in her entire life. What the hell was happening? She had thought Cora was the mother from hell, bent on getting revenge or some shit. And Regina, Regina was a murderer. So then what was going on here, why was Cora being so tender, why had Regina been crying like that, why was her hand so injured?

"I'm sorry Mother," Regina said softly. "I don't know what came over me." Cora sighed, cupping Regina's cheek in her hand.

"Just promise me you won't try to throw yourself in the ocean again."

Emma nearly dropped her gun in shock. Regina had done what?

"I promise," Regina agreed quietly, refusing to meet her mother's eyes. Cora moved her hand from Regina's cheek to her shoulder.

"We should return below deck. It's much too cold out here," Cora said. Emma tensed, expecting them to move, but instead they vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.

Suicide. Regina had tried to commit suicide. Slowly she turned, heading back to the entrance of the ship in a kind of daze. Of all the stupid things for Regina to do...suicide?

The second she re-appeared by the docks she was hounded with questions.

"What happened?"

"Why did you take so long?"

"Did you find them?"

"Are they asleep?"

"Is it safe to attack?"

"No," Emma interrupted. "No, we can't do this."

"What, why?" Mary Margaret asked. "Emma what's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Yeah well apparently I almost did."

"What happened?" The Blue Fairy insisted. Emma shook her head.

"I was hidden...behind one of the masts...I saw Regina, and she was crying, she was injured. And Cora was there, holding her-"

"WHAT?!" David cried, as if this was the most impossible thing conceivable. "Emma are you sure you saw right, I mean this is Cora we're talking about...?" Emma glared at him.

"Yeah, I know what I saw. Cora was trying to comfort Regina. And then..." Emma lowered her gaze. "And then I heard her say that...that Regina had tried to kill herself." She could feel three sets of eyes staring at her in horror.

"...she...she did what?"

"She tried to kill herself, Mary Margaret!" Emma snapped, storming back towards the sheriff's car. She couldn't shake the feeling that this was somehow her fault...whatever Regina had done, she didn't deserve this. Maybe if Emma hadn't threatened to take away Henry...

Oh dear God Henry.

What was she going to do about Henry?