Outlaw Queen One Shots

Remedy

"There has to be another way!"

"There isn't! Regina, you've worked too hard to have your happiness destroyed!"

"And you've worked too hard to build the family you have now! Don't let that go to waste, Emma! There arefar less people who care about me than there are who care about you. I know you're the savior, but you don't have to save me. Do not sacrifice yourself for me, Emma Swan. I can handle the darkness. I've overcome it before, and I sure as hell can do it again. Let me bear this weight. Save yourself for once."

Emma sighed.

"Fine. But Regina, I swear to God, I will find a way to get this darkness out of you, if it is the last thing I do."

Regina nodded, eyes locked onto Emma's as the blonde stepped back, allowing her friend to take on this battle. Before Regina could let the darkness consume her, however, Robin was there, his icy blue eyes connecting with hers, a silent plea for her to let someone else bear the weight of this.

"Regina, my love, you can't! You've just found your happy ending; you can't let that go to waste!"

"Have I, Robin? Have I really found my happy ending, when right now, my sister is in this town, alive, and has the only thing that I have ever wanted-a child with you? Tell me, how is that my happy ending? Because all it feels like is pain," she shot back.

"Regina... I'm sorry. That is my fault, but it is something we will deal with. Together. But please,don't do this!"

"Robin, I have to. The darkness has to be tethered to a person, or it will consume everything in its path. And who better for it to be tethered to than me? I've seen both sides, I know what it takes to be a villain and to be a hero. I can handle this better than anyone else could. Let me save you, let me save our kids and the Charming's. It's the least I can do after everything I've already done."

"Regina, you don't have to do this! You aren't in debt to us, if that's what you're thinking!" Snow piped up, desperation pouring from her.

Regina ignored her, her attention focused solely on the love of her life.

"I'm sorry, babe, but I have to do this. I love you."

Tears filled her eyes as she looked to Emma, motioning for the dagger. The savior tossed it through the darkness and Regina caught it, raising it above her head. The darkness immediately wound itself around her arm, linking her to the dagger. She could feel it travelling closer and closer to her heart, the pain overwhelming, but she refused to drop to her knees. She braced herself as more and more black tentacles engulfed her, pulling and squeezing her heart, molding to her form, filling her up inside. She could feel the evil that was already there resurfacing, snuffing out every last bit of light she had gained, returning her heart to its hardened, blackened state.

"Regina!-"

She looked-

Saw his bright blue irises brimming with tears-

Felt her own well up, as well-

Looked away, his evident pain too much for her to bear-

And then-

Darkness.

Silence.

And finally-

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Evil Queen. Welcome back, dearie."
***************
"Regina!"

His last shout echoed against the cold, black night.

Gone. She was gone.

She had sacrificed herself for everyone else. And now... She was gone.