*Regina's POV*
What did I just do?
You IDIOT, my brain scolds me. I'm pretty sure I almost killed my neice. No matter how annoying and naieve and stupid my sister was, I will always protect Saleen-regardless of the fact that she's so much like Seraphina.
Something else is bothering me and I can't quite place a finger on it. Maybe it's the fact that Hook just saved my neice-twice-from slamming into the cobblestone floor. Maybe it's the way that I knew this spell would hurt her and I used it any way. My mind suddenly flashes to Henry. I've left him in the care of the blonde idiot who claims that she is his mother merely because she pushed and endured some pain for a few hours. I've endured the pain of lost love for 28 years. I believe I win.
But now I need to think. I have to save Saleen. I don't really care about what happens to Hook. All I can think about is saving Saleen.
Why are you trying so hard to save her? All she's ever done is hurt you, says a little voice in my head.
She's your sister's child! You have to save her! I immediately contradict.
But think of everything she said about Daniel. She can suffer for a few hours.
I know what the cure for the curse is. But I also know that I absolutely have to take Saleen with me. I don't want to. I want to forget about everything that I've just screwed up and go to my one perfect thing: Henry.
*Saleen's POV*
I can see her very clearly now. My mother stares down at me.
"Why are you on the ground?" she asks bemusedly. I smile happily and tears spring to my eyes. I take her outstretched hand. She hugs me tightly. I hug her back, tears streaming down my face.
"I missed you, Mummy," I say. She smiles, her face pressed against my fancily swept up hair.
"I missed you too, Saleen." she says softly. Suddenly, a sick feeling comes into my stomach and I pull away.
"Does this mean....I'm dead?" I whisper.
My mother smiles sadly. "Is that your biggest fear? Dying?" I shake my head.
She smiles. "Good. Than you are not dead. You are merely waiting." I raise my eyebrows and Mum gestures around her. I take in the sight before me. People of all ages and sizes are staring intently at the gray spot in the seemingly endless white fog where I must've come through.
"What are they doing?" I whisper.
"They're waiting. Twice a year, that spot turns blue. Then, two people can go through to the other side and two people can come back," says Mum. I nod my understanding.
"You just burst in here," says Mum, as an afterthought.
I clear my throat. "So this means you're not actually dead?"
Mum smiles sadly again and says, "Remember. Think back to that day. Your darling Auntie erased one particular memory that is only accessible here. She didn't want you to think too badly of her."
YEARS AGO:
"Mum are we nearly there?" I ask. My mum smiles indulgingly at me.
"Yes we ar-." Suddenly, the carriage is rocked violently. My father leaves the carriage and as soon as he's gone, we hear a terrible scream and a sickening crunch. A woman in black stalks intot eh carriage and throws her hood back. It's my Auntie. She useses the same black spell she used on me on my mum. Then she poofs away.
Again, the carriage is rocked violently but this time I feel a strange falling sensation. The next thing I know, I'm lying in my bed in the castle and I'm being told that there was an accident and my parents died but I survived. I yell out that that isn't true and suddenly, a strange calm comes over me and I can't remember why i'm yelling.
Mum looks at my horrified expression.
"She erased your memory," she says apologetixcally.
My expression hardens. "She's going to pay."
