V IS FOR VENDETTA

To Hell And Back

When Lena stirs she finds herself propped up against the wall of a ragged stone cavern submerged in darkness, with only the few square beams of daylight that peak through the gaps in the shoddily hand fashioned hatch door above them. Her nose scrunches at the damp hanging thick in the air and she groans upon realising her wrists are bound behind her back.

"Lena, dear. I was wondering when you would wake up."

The deceivingly sweet rasp is familiar, but she can't pin point it exactly as she peers into the gloom of the far corner where a hooded figure steps out gingerly. Frail hands appear from beneath the cloak to pull down the hood, and a smirk slowly creeps upon Lena's face when she sees Regina's mother.

"Son of a bitch. It's you."

"Observant as ever." Cora says liltingly before inclining her head towards where Emma and Snow are slouched opposite her. "We can talk freely- your company won't wake up yet."

"What are you doing here?" Lena begins as she attempts to shimmy herself upright. "How did you escape the curse?"

"I cast a protection spell over this corner of the land so that I could be reunited with my daughter when the time was right. And now I have a proposition for you."

Lena quirks a brow with interest. "Go on."

"If we are to get to the other world, I need you to be my eyes and ears. And in return... I will restore the magic Rumple took from you."

"I'm listening." She tells the older woman, tilting her head in confusion. "But... why do you need my help?"

Cora holds out her wrist to display the enchanted leather cuff adorning her pale skin. "I am without my powers and not to be trusted. This way, we both get what we want. To get back to Regina."

Lena laughs sharply at that. "Make no mistake, Cora. The only reason I haven't torn Regina limb from limb is because that boisterous son of hers interrupted me."

"Son?" Cora gasps in disbelief and Lena smacks her lips awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah. You're a grandmother. Surprise."

"So she has moved on from you?" The older woman asks bluntly and the brunettes brows knit together.

"No. Well- I mean, I don't know. He's her adopted son, Emma's his biological mother. Fate has a twisted sense of humour."

Cora nods her agreement and purses her lips. "It is a shame. My daughter was always at her strongest with you at her side."

"You taught her well, Cora. But not as well as I did." Lena tells her smugly.

"Well, her devotion to you did put you at somewhat of an advantage. But now I want a second chance with my daughter."

"I fear you may not get that chance. The moment I step foot back in Storybrooke, I am going to make Regina pay for what she did to me."

A bemused smile dances upon Cora's rouged lips and she shakes her head, laughing breathily as she reaches out to touch her fingertips to Lena's cheek. "Oh, foolish child. You won't hurt her. You love her."

Lena's narrowed eyes harden and her jaw becomes tense beneath Cora's touch. "I think you and I both know love doesn't exist for people like us."

Cora looks like she wants to say something else, but the sound of Emma groaning tiredly alerts them to her consciousness.

"Wake up, princess." Lena encourages her with a nudge of her black heeled boot to the ribs. "There's already a sleeping beauty in this land."