A Second Chance

Chapter 8

"Well, this changes everything. The plan is obvious now." Snow said. Regina shook her head, confused.

"What do you mean?" She wondered.

"Well, you just go and wake up Emma and then you can take down the Evil Queen together. Your magic combined should be more than enough to defeat her."

"Hold on! Just because I admitted my feelings for Emma, doesn't mean she feels the same. And even if she did by some miracle...doesn't make it true love." Regina said.

"The Evil Queen seems to think so, there must be a reason for that." David said.

"She's just mad that...Emma doesn't love her back. She's looking for someone to take it out on." Regina explained.

"Or...Emma gave her reason to think she loves you too." Snow countered.

"How can you seem like it's so simple and obvious?" Regina asked.

"Maybe it should be." David said.

"What does that mean?" Regina asked.

"It means maybe we should go and give you some time to figure it out. Besides, we have a long day ahead of us. We should all rest." David answered as he laid a hand on her shoulder for a moment and then walked towards the door. Snow gave her a knowing look and followed after him.

She watched the door as it closed behind them and continued long after. She wanted to believe it. She really did, but she also knew she shouldn't, because if she was wrong...she couldn't take it.

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It was less than an hour until the time Regina was supposed to go to meet the Evil Queen and she was still hold up in her room and hadn't come out, not had she let anyone in since Snow and David had left. Everyone was bustling around preparing for a fight, wondering where their fearless leader had gone.

"Is Regina still locked in her room?" David asked Snow. She nodded. "We're running out of time, she needs to get out here or we already lost."

"Maybe Henry can get her to come out, make her understand..." Snow started.

"That won't be necessary." Regina interrupted from behind. She was dressed for a fight.

"You finally believe." Snow said.

"Not exactly." She said. "But, I do know Emma is out there, and we need to save her. I don't know how I'm gonna get her out of that cave once I'm there...but I have to try." She explained. Snow smiled.

Just then, a loud thunderous roar came from outside, followed by the entire castle shaking.

"What the hell was that?" Wondered Regina. Her and the Charmings rushed to the balcony and looked out. A dark shadow passed over as they looked up, a stream of fire nearly grazed them.

"Is that..." Snow started. But was interrupted from a voice behind her.

"Me. That's me." Said the voice. They turned to see Maleficent. Lily, Ursula, Tinkerbell, Drizella and Anastasia were standing behind her. "Or wish realm me anyway."

"We heard you needed some help." Said Drizella. Regina stepped closer to her. "I still have a lot of redemption to earn." Regina nodded in understanding.

"Looks like Mal isn't the only wish realm baddie The Queen brought along." Ursula said as she stepped up to the balcony. "Look." She said pointing. Regina stepped up to look.

"Zelena?" She said.

"You rang?" Zelena said as she poofed in. "What are we all looking at?" She looked over. "Bloody hell...looks like I brought some friends with me as well." She added as she noticed a large group emerging from the forest behind wish Zelena. "My army from OZ."