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This Is The End

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DAVID AND EMMA HELD THEIR GUNS up as they entered Regina's office. They looked around before lowering them down.

"It's okay. She's not here," Emma shouted to the others who were waiting outside the room.

Henry, Melody, and Mary Margaret entered, Mary Margaret's arms protectively around the two. Even though Melody didn't need it, she didn't brush the former bandit off.

"When you find her, you're not gonna hurt her, right?" Henry asked.

David looked around the office and Melody slowly detached herself from Mary Margaret.

"No. We just want the beans she stole from us," Emma replied as she too looked around.

"I don't get it. Why would Regina leave her office unlocked?" Melody wondered out loud as she walked further into the room.

"Especially when she's keeping the beans here," David added, walking over to the glass container that previously held the beans.

They all walk over to a small container where a bean plant should be growing.

"Was keeping them here. They're gone," Mary Margaret said.

Emma, who was behind them, spoke up.

"Something's not right. Regina would never leave evidence like this behind."

"Maybe she already used them to portal out of Storybrooke," David offered.

"Without Henry and Melody? I don't think so."

Henry and Melody turned and Melody looked concerned.

"What if something happened to her?" she said.

"Security system says the last time someone was in the office was around 6:00 this morning."

Emma pressed a key to reveal the system was overridden. Her eyebrows raised in confusion.

"They used an override code to get in," Emma observed.

David walked over to her, looking confused.

"Why would Regina need an override code on her own alarm?" he asked.

"She wouldn't."

"You think someone else broke in and took the beans?" Melody questioned.

"Well, we haven't found Regina anywhere and haven't heard from her," Emma pointed out.

A bad feeling erupted in the pit of Melody's stomach once more and she frowned. It was too much of a coincidence. Tamara had to be behind this, she just had that feeling.

"So something bad did happen to her," Henry realized, his tone lacing with nervousness.

Melody smiled sadly and hugged her brother.

"We're gonna find mom, Henry," she said.

"There's only one person who could overpower Regina," Mary Margaret started

"Gold," David finished

"He's too busy with his new/old girlfriend. This wasn't my brother. This was Tamara," Melody proclaimed.

Emma nodded in agreement. "This was Tamra."

"Haven't you two already gone down that road?" Mary Margaret reminded.

"Maybe not far enough," Emma replied.

"Or, maybe it's time for you to let it go."

"August was attacked the day Tamara came to town. I don't think that was a coincidence."

"What if you're wrong? If Regina's in trouble, we can't just drop everything else because of a hunch," David told his daughter.

"Which is why we're not gonna drop everything else. Go to Gold. I'm sure he has some kind of magic that can help locate Regina."

"Where are you going?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Back to Tamara's room."

---

Emma and Melody walked into the bed and breakfast and the teen sighed.

"You know, Neal is going to be pissed that we're searching he and his "fiancee"'s room. You told him you were going to give the search up."

"That was before Regina went missing. And besides, you and I both know Tamara is up to something."

Melody nodded and they walked toward Neal's room.

"True."

Emma knocked on the door and Neal opened it up after a few seconds. The two females immediately entered and Emma revealed what they were doing.

"I need to search your room for real this time."

"You wanna tell me what this is about, Sheriff?" Neal asked, looking confused.

Emma looked around the room and Melody turned to him.

"Where's your fiancée?" she asked.

"She's on a run. What do you think she did this time?" Neal asked them.

"Regina's gone missing," Emma told him, going to stand by Melody.

"And you think she... you're still on Tamara?" Emma didn't respond and walked over to the closet, searching it as Neal continued. "You've gotta be kidding me. She came to town to support me, her fiancé, she's not a kidnapper."

"Where'd she go running?" Melody asked.

"The same place she goes every morning-the woods," Neal responded, rolling his eyes.

"How long has she been gone?"

"Couple of hours. Does it matter? She's training for a marathon."

Emma found sand on the closet floor and Melody walked over, looking at it suspiciously.

"If she runs in the woods, then why'd she track sand in here?" Emma asked, standing back up from crouching down to look at the sand.

"Maybe she likes to run along the beach instead. What does that prove?" Neal asked.

Emma exited the closet and stood in front of him.

"That she lied to you. If she lied about this, you can bet that she's lied about other things too."

"Maybe she just likes to run on the beach."

"One way to find out," Melody said.

Emma looked at her - getting her idea - and nodded.

---

The beach was peaceful and Melody breathed in the fresh air as she, Neal, and Emma walked the shoreline.

"So, ah, where do you think she's hiding Regina, in a sandcastle?" Neal asked jokingly.

Melody and Emma rolled their eyes.

"They have to be somewhere," Emma pointed out.

"Emma, you're letting your emotions get in the way of your judgment," Neal said, making her and Melody stop.

Emma turned to him.

"Do you really think this is all about me trying to break up you and Tamara? W-What do want to hear, Neal? That it killed me that you never came looking for me even once I was locked up?" Emma blurted.

"Emma..." Neal trailed off.

"That it didn't hurt? That you found Tallahassee with someone else?"

Melody was about to interfere when the last person she wanted to see jogged up to them.

"Neal?!" Tamara spoke.

They all turned to her and Melody glared.

"You have got to be freaking kidding me," Melody said under her breath.

Emma was the only one who heard her and she couldn't help but agree. There was no way this was happening. Tamara couldn't have just been "jogging" on the beach.

"Hey!" Neal said surprised.

"Hey. What are you doing down here?" Tamara asked him, seeing Emma and Melody with him.

"We were, we're just-I thought you go running in the woods?"

"Yeah, I start in the woods but then I run along the beach. Is everything alright?"

"Regina's missing," Emma revealed, narrowing her eyes and the fiancee.

"Oh my god. That's terrible," Tamara lied, forcing herself to sound sympathetic.

Melody rolled her eyes and didn't bother to hide it in the slightest. She wanted Tamara to know she didn't like her.

"We thought maybe she was down here but we were wrong," Emma explained.

Melody scoffed. "Please, I'm always right."

Tamara looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I'm sure she'll turn up somewhere. Let me know if I can help at all. See you later."

She gave Neal a kiss and then continued running.

"Emma..." Neal trailed off, turning to her.

"I think we should go," she interrupted, grabbing Melody's hand.

"I wanted to go to jail for you," Neal said softly.

Emma sighed. "Neal."

"It kills me I let August talk me into letting you go."

Melody felt extremely uncomfortable and she shook her head.

"I'm always in these situations."

"I don't want to hear it," Emma told Neal, ignoring Melody's comment.

"Yeah, but I have to say it. I wanted to look for you. I just-I, I was too afraid," Neal admitted.

"Of what?" Emma asked.

"That you would never forgive me. 'Cause I never forgave myself. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I don't regret having left you. I'm sorry, Emma, for everything."

"Me too."

---

The three were peacefully walking at the docks when Emma's phone rang. They all stopped and Melody flipped a piece of her hair out of her eyes as Emma answered the call.

"Hello?"

There was a muffled response and Emma's face went pale. She told Neal and Melody about how Mary Margaret might have found where Regina is, but the experience was painful.

"So she didn't see anything?" Emma asked David over the phone.

"Uh, not much. She could sense Regina was in pain. It was cold. She was strapped down. She said she could smell sardines," David told her.

Emma exchanged a look with Melody who was watching intently. She turned to look at the Storybrooke Cannery, Co. and her eyes widened.

"Get down to the docks right now," she told David.

She hung up and started walking toward the building. Neal and Melody followed with confused expressions.

"What's going on?" Melody questioned.

"We were right, Melody. Tamara was not down here for a run. She was in there, with Regina," Emma revealed.

---

To say she was concerned was an understatement. Emma knew that Tamara was dangerous and she didn't know what she'd do if Melody was hurt. Though she knew that the brunette could take care of herself, she still was worried about her. And Emma knew how skilled the teen was with a bow, but this wasn't the Enchanted Forest, that much was obvious.

So, Emma entered the Cannery Co. first with her gun pointing in front of her. Melody and Neal stood behind her as they followed her.

"Sure you wanna be here?" Emma asked Melody.

"How many times have I told you that I can take care of myself," Melody reminded, smiling slightly.

"If something does go down with Tamara I need you to run and go get help ok?"

"Emma, if Tamara is hiding Regina here in her evil lair by the docks, no, I'm not running."

Emma was about to argue when the three of them hear a clatter ahead. On instinct, Emma pushed Melody behind her which resulted in the teen rolling her eyes and glaring. Neal got on the side of Emma and they rounded the corner. Emma had her gun up but then they realized that it was just David and Mary Margaret.

Both Emma and David lowered their weapons and Melody sighed in relief.

"What the hell, guys?" Emma whispered, throwing her hands up.

David looked apologetic.

"Here," he said, then handed Emma a walkie-talkie, "so that doesn't happen again."

"You and Mary Margaret take the basement, we'll search the main floor. Regina's gotta be here somewhere."

David nodded and walks off with Mary Margaret while Emma, Melody, and Neal continue walking cautiously.

---

Greg slammed the button on the machine again Regina clenched her teeth to keep from yelling from the pain.

"You feel that? Huh? That's the end of you!" Greg yelled. He slammed the button again and Regina clenched her teeth so hard she could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. "That's scary ain't it!" Greg laughed. He flipped the machine off and Regina took the time to take a deep breath. "Now you're never gonna hurt anyone. Ever again." Greg went over to the machine but was stopped when David burst into the room. He shot at the machine and moved toward the outsider.

"Don't move!" David yelled at him, pointing his gun.

Greg stood for a moment before bolting to the side exit. David was about to follow when Mary Margaret stopped him.

"David!" she yelled. David turned to her. "We can't leave her! She'll die if we don't get her help!"

She began to untie Regina and David ran over to help.

"We gotta get her to Mother Superior," David said, he then grabbed his talkie and spoke into it, "Emma! We gotta block the exits."

On the main floor, Emma pulled out her walkie-talkie and replied, "Already on it. You guys alright?"

Melody felt her magic start to burn and she pursed her lip.

"Yeah, we're fine. We found Regina. But Mendell, he's coming your way," David explained.

"Greg Mendell?" Emma repeated.

"So it wasn't Tamara," Neal said.

Melody magic burned her even more and she clutched her eyes. Emma and Neal noticed.

"Melody? What's wrong?" Emma asked, walking over to the brunette.

But before she could get close enough, Tamara hit Emma over the head with a pipe. Emma cried out in pain and Melody's eyes shot open. She backed away and Neal stood in shock, staring at his - probably now - ex-fiancee.

"Actually," Tamara started, grabbing Emma's gun off the floor. "It was."

She cocked the gun and pointed it at Neal. Melody conjured a fireball in her anger and Tamara switched the gun to her but the teen wasn't afraid.

"What are you doing, Tamara?" Neal asked bewildered.

"I have to keep magic out of this world, Neal. It doesn't belong here. You more than anyone should understand that. It's a poison."

Melody growled and went to throw the fireball when Neal grabbed her arm to stop her. It went out but she didn't turn her head away from the older woman.

"You've been lying to me," Neal whispered. Then when reality set in, he raised his voice. "How long have you been lying to me?"

"This is more important than any-" Tamara started.

"How long?" he shouted.

"Since the beginning. Since I spilled coffee on you."

Neal shook his head. "It wasn't an accident. You planned it all, none of it was real."

"Neal, you're a good man. I know that. So please try to understand, I had a job to do, an important one, one I think you can agree with."

"You never loved me."

"No."

Neal paused for a second then let go of Melody's arm. He walked forward toward Tamara.

"I can't let you leave here, Tamara."

"Neal, please don't make me," she said. But she shot at his chest. Neal fell to the floor clutching his chest and Tamara approached him with the gun aimed at his head. "I'm sorry Neal."

Melody glared and felt her magic burn.

"You should be," she hissed.

She ran full on to Tamra and smacked the gun out of her hand, landing a punch to her face. Tamara tried to hit the girl but then realized what would happen to her if the home office found out that she had injured Melody. Melody kicked Tamara which ended with the both of them on the floor.

Emma finally came to and pulled the teen off of Tamara, not wanting the young girl to become a murderer. Emma picked up Tamara's gun and pointed it at the female, pushing Melody behind her.

"It's over," Emma announced.

Tamara pulled out a small item from her pocket, smirking.

"No, it's not."

She threw the magic bean onto the floor by Emma and Melody's feet. The portal opened and Emma managed to back up but Melody didn't. The girl gasped and she fell down. She screamed and held onto a pipe, which was the only thing keeping her from falling. But, the pipe wasn't sturdy enough and started to fall under her weight.

Tamara left and Neal struggled to get over to Emma who was rushing toward the portal.

"Emma!" Melody yelled, tears pricking her eyes.

This was it, she thought. This was the end of her. She would be alone. She was finally going to be alone. The thought made the tears fall down her face despite her promising that she was going to be strong.

"Melody!" Emma yelled, rushing over to the portal. Melody's fingers slipped but Emma caught her and pulled her up. "I got you!" Melody fell next to Emma and sobbed, clutching to the blonde's arm.

Neal fell down again and Emma turned to him with tears in her eyes.

"We gotta get you to a hospital!" she told him.

Melody looked up and was about to go and help when the floor around Neal collapsed. The teen screamed and she and Emma grabbed Neal's hand. Neal hung over the portal and the tears were falling from both of the female's faces.

Emma catches Neal by the hand as she is hanging onto the edge of the hole where the portal has opened.

"You can't hold me forever!" Neal yelled.

"We're not letting go of you!" Emma yelled back.

Melody felt her arm start to strain but ignored it and continued to hold on.

"You have to!" Neal said.

"Neal, you're shot! If you fall through that portal you'll die, no matter what world you land in!" Melody pointed out, tears streaming down her face.

"I know! But Henry needs you both! You can't lose all of us! Don't make him grow up like we did!"

"Please don't let go! I need you!" Emma yelled, crying as well. "I love you!"

"I love you too."

Emma gave Neal a smile but then Neal let go of their hands and fell through. Melody and Emma screamed in horror and the portal disappeared. The two fell to the ground in shock and fell to the floor as they both sobbed.

---

It was silent the entire way back. Their eyes were bloodshot and the guilt ate them both alive. Melody kept her arms around herself, not letting Emma comfort her.

"It should've been me," Melody whispered before she and Emma entered the apartment.

Emma stopped and turned to her with a sad look.

"Melody don't say that."

The teen didn't respond and just walked into the apartment, Emma following a second after. David and Mary Margaret got up and hurried over to them.

"What happened?" David asked. But he saw both of their faces and stopped in his tracks. "What is it?"

"Where's Neal?" Mary Margaret asked them, looking concerned.

"He's gone," Melody told them, tears filling her eyes again.

David and Mary Margaret's faces dropped.

"Tamara killed him," Emma said.

---

Melody sat near Emma with her head in her hands while David sat by Emma, rubbing her back. Mary Margaret went over to the brunette but Melody turned her head away, not wanting the comfort. The guilt was eating away at her. It was her fault. It should've been her.

"Melody..." someone said.

Melody lifted her head up to look at her mom who had just woken up.

"Mom..." Melody trailed off.

She fell into her mom's embrace and sobbed. Regina rubbed her daughter's back as best as she could from being weak. Mary Margaret and David came over and Regina looked at them.

"You... you saved me," Regina said in disbelief.

"You really think we'd let you die?" David asked. "Despite our differences, we're family." He nodded his head to the young girl who had her head in the crook of her mom's neck, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're Melody's family."

"Where are they?" Regina asked them. "Where are Greg and Tamara?"

"They got away," David told her.

Regina laid her head back on the pillow and wrapped her arm around her daughter, holding her close, tears pricking her eyes.

"So they still have it."

"Still have what?" Mary Margaret asked.

"The trigger."

"A trigger?" David questioned.

"That will destroy Storybrooke," Regina revealed. Melody felt her heart sink in her chest. She could feel her whole body shaking. Never - never - had she ever felt this scared before. Never had she felt so scared for what the future would hold. "I had a fail-safe built into the curse."

"Why exactly were you carrying it around?" Mary Margaret asked.

"She was going to destroy us, Mary Margaret," David pointed out.

"I was going to use the beans to take Henry and Melody back to the Enchanted Forest," Regina disagreed.

"And in the process, kill all of us!" Mary Margaret said incredulously.

"You wanna discuss justification? You were going to abandon me. Or shall we discuss the more pressing issue, which is that I no longer control the trigger?"

---

In the forest outside of Storybrooke, Greg holds the trigger to destroying StoryBrooke.

"What are we supposed to do with it?" he asked Tamara.

"They want us to move to the next phase," Tamara replied.

"Already?"

"Yeah! There's only one way to get what we all want." She took the trigger from him and smirked. "We have to blow Storybrooke off the map."

---

Next chapter is the last chapter of season 2!!! Season 3 here we come! Grab your tissues people! You might need them.

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