Regina's Sorrow

Regina's eyes burned as she stared at the long, endless scrolls before her. Her head ached as she tried her best to read the faded scribbles but alas nothing she read stuck to her mind. The candles providing her light were running out and she knew it was late into the night.

"Give it a rest, dearie. There's only so much information you're going to find on these scrolls," the Dark One said as he entered the royal library, with Flynn Rider right behind him.

"Your majesty," Flynn greeted as he lowered his head in respect. Regina gave a tight smile and nodded in acknowledgment.

"How much longer are we going to wait, Rumple? You promised me results and all I see are setbacks!" The Queen snapped. Rumple didn't take offense and simply shrugged.

"Patience's is of virtue, Regina. The more complaining you do, the slower I want to go," he said back with annoyance. Flynn choked back a snort. He quickly turned away when Regina gave the boy a look.

"With all due respect, Dark One, I only want to get the princess back as soon as possible."

"Don't we all, your majesty."

Rumpelstiltskin placed down a book before her. Regina narrowed her eyes.

"And what's this?"

"Maps. Plenty of. We're gonna need all this on the next voyage."

"Voyage?"

"After tracking Pan's magic for a while I can with confidence say he isn't always on the island. He makes trips. For supplies, food, and relics. It seems he is pleasing Alicia with trinkets and treasures of faraway lands. This girl has always been quite a materialistic one."

Regina scoffed but couldn't deny it. Alicia liked anything that had a shine to it. She reminded Regina of a bird.

"And where exactly is his next trip plan?"

"Now that is where it gets tricky. He isn't following a pattern. It could be anywhere."

Regina frowned and was about to nag at the dark one before he spoke again

"However, since you know Alicia so well, I can only assume you might have an idea of what she might ask for next..." Rumple said. Regina took a deep breath and sighed.

"Anything sweet. She's probably going crazy having no cookies or cream puffs."

Flynn chuckled and agreed.

"She ate so many sweets at my house, Pan had to stop her from throwing up," Flynn commented. Regina rolled her eyes and shook her head with slight humor.

"Of course she did. It sounds like her."

"Nevertheless, do you have any idea where he could go next?"

Regina glanced over to her desk to spot a picture of Alicia and Henry. It was during a vacation they had all taken together in a land far away. Henry was draped over Alicia's shoulders in a carefree way with a huge smile on his face. His prince uniform looked clean and neat against the hot sun. Alicia had a gentle smile with her green gown and flowing hair dancing against the wind. Her small crown shined against her black hair. In one hand she held a bouquet of wildflowers and in the other, a baked pastry unique to the land. The green, sparkly castle they were standing in front of glistened from afar. Regina nodded confidently.

"I know what she'll want next. It's something she would die for."

~

"FEED ME!"

"You overbearing, gluttonous child!"

"I hate you!" She screamed and kicked her feet angrily.

She continued to whine louder. She started to cry. It had been months now since she tasted a sweet and Alicia was now getting desperate.

"Two months is cruel!"

Peter rubbed his forehead and wanted to end his misery by simply snapping Alicia's neck.

"Let's make a deal."

"Oh fuck off," Alicia grumbled with pure annoyance.

"Don't be annoying. Let's make a deal," he repeated. The irk rolled her eyes but stayed silent and let him continue.

"If you stop whining and being annoying for 1 week, I'll get you sweets on my next trip. How about it?"

Alicia stared at Peter with prying eyes. She tried to think of all the different treats she wanted. But her mind could only think of one.

"The next time you go to Oz, I want Rainbow cupcakes. They are native to the land. I had those treats ages ago, on a trip I went to with Regina and Henry."

Peter Pan hummed. It took him a moment before he sighed and nodded his head.

"Do we have a deal?"

Alicia looked up to meet his eyes. With just enough courage, she reached over and gently pulled him by the back of his neck. As careful as she could, she kissed Peter Pan on the cheek.

"Deal."

~

Pan was in heaven.

He had the stupidest, goofiest smile on his face and he couldn't seem to get rid of it. It was because of his smile that he refused to leave his tent. He didn't want the lost boys to see him in such a wretched state.

"I hate this feeling..." He muttered to himself.

"... And yet I never want it to end."

Pan glanced over at the princess nearby. She slept soundly and cuddled herself deeper into the finest pillows he could find for her. He placed a cup of cold water on her bedside table for when she woke and then slugged off to his own bed on the other side of the huge tent.

"Not even a thousand riches can take this feeling away."

He opened up a locked chest with magic. Inside were tons of small, glass bottles. Some were filled with pixie dust, others were empty, and a couple were filled with Alicia's blood.

Peter eyed the bottles. He picked one up and lifted it to his eye. He swirled it and watched as the magic laced into her blood glowed with promise.

He put the bottle down with a huff and locked the chest up again.

Alicia's blood was something that had been tugging at his mind lately. The island didn't need her blood anymore.
Her blood had restored enough magic into the dirt of Neverland for it to start processing pixie dust of its own. Although it wasn't quite enough magic yet, he knew it wouldn't be long before magic was fully back.

Peter sighed and rubbed his face. He was being incredibly selfish keeping the princess on the island when she had no need to him anymore.

However, he could not bring himself to let her free.

The warmth and comfort she brought (despite being annoying at times) was too lovely for him to get rid of.

I want to keep her as safe as humanly possible, he thought to himself. He fiddled with his hunters knife before tossing it towards a wooden slab.

"Pan?"

The boy glanced toward the entrance of his tent. Felix gestured for him to follow and Pan sighed.

"It's always something," he muttered to himself as he followed his best friend. Before he stepped out he glanced at the sleeping princess. He could hear the snores coming from her and he chuckled before shaking his head.

"Dumb little girl."

The lost boys were putting out the last of the fire pits, getting ready to rest. Pan nodded to his men and Felix pulled him to a more secluded area.

"What do you want, Felix? I was about to-"

"Peter, some of the boys saw a ship on the west border of the island."

~

There was a cold draft coming into the small, isolated barn. The fire cracked against the night. Despite the circumstances, Regina was happy. She only hoped her happiness would last.

It didn't.

"Hold her will you?" Regina breathed heavily as she handed her lover, Daniel, one of the twins she had just birthed. She held the other one tightly as she fought to see threw her tears.

"They're beautiful, Regina. Are you sure your own mother won't accept them as her flesh and blood?" Daniel breathed as he fawned over his little girl. The baby opened her eyes and Daniel nearly died at how beautiful her bright, blue eyes were.

"Look at that! Eyes just like mine," he cooed. He turned to his lover but found her crying as she held the twin boy.

"We need to get them far away from here. Immediately, as soon as possible... My mother can't find them. She will surely kill them," Regina cried.

"She wouldn't kill her grandchildren-" Daniel tried to reason but Regina immediately cut him off.

"But she would! They aren't part of her plan. She would say they are worth nothing -"

"Because I'm just a stable boy. Right?" Daniel whispered. His grip on his child tightened and Regina nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry, Daniel."

The stable boy didn't take offense to the queen's thoughts and took a shaky breath.

"We need help. Immediately," he stated and Regina agreed. Regina brushed away the dark hair of the boy before gulping. She let out a sigh.

"Rumpelstiltskin!"

Regina and Daniel waited. It didn't take long for a familiar voice to be heard. One that Regina now owed a huge debt to.

"Are the children ready, dearie?"

"Yes," Regina responded. She looked up to meet the gaze of the Dark One. Regina fought back tears but alas it couldn't be helped. She kissed the top of the baby boy's head and played with what little hair he had. She kissed him again before handing the baby to the Dark One.

"Rumple... these are the lives of my children. I beg of you, take care of them," Regina pleaded with tears streaming down her face. Rumple looked down at the little boy and nodded.

"You have my word, desire. I'll be back for the girl soon. I can only take one at a time."

"Please, hurry back. My mother is looking for us. And you know she will stop at nothing to get what she wants," Regina said heavily.

The Dark One bowed slightly and disappeared in a cloud of magic. Regina let out a sob as she lost one of her babies.

Regina looked at Daniel who was completely in love with their child. Regina grunted in pain and tried to sit up carefully, but the pain from childbirth shot straight through her body. It didn't stop Regina from holding her baby girl.

Regina smiled down at her daughter. Her blue innocent eyes aimlessly stared back at Regina. The baby let out a little gurgle as she stared at her mother. Regina let out a pained laugh before clutching on tighter.

"We won't see their first steps. Or their first words. Or anything!" Regina stuttered between cries.

"My love, it'll be okay, just you wait-"

"Well! Isn't this just a pleasant surprise!"

Regina's blood ran cold as she heard the voice of her mother. The same voice that made her miserable.

Before her stood Cora, Regina's mother and the devil incarnated. Living proof that horrid women existed.

Regina scowled at her and Daniel stood in front of his family, with his sword drawn.

"What are you doing here, Regina? With that thing in your hand," she motioned towards the baby snuggled into the crook of Regina's arms.

"That 'thing' you are referring to is my daughter! And your grandchild!" Regina snapped. She wasn't able to say more for Cora gave her a pitiful look and chuckled darkly.

"My dear, sweet daughter. That thing you carry is never going to be my granddaughter. She is the daughter of a stable boy. You're throwing away everything I worked for!" She boomed. Regina stayed silent as her mother dared to take two steps toward her.

"Stay back. You aren't laying a finger on my daughter. You'll have to go through me," Daniel hissed as he stepped between his family and the evil witch. Cora grinned darkly.

"Well, that can be arranged," with that, she stuck her hand into Daniel's chest and yanked out his beating heart. In mere seconds, Cora squeeze the heart until it was nothing but dust and Daniel's body fell to the ground. Not a sign of life came from him. And Regina knew he was dead.

"Daniel! No! What have you done?!" Regina screamed. She stood up and tried to desperately get to her fallen love but Cora stopped her.

"Regina, sweetie, I'm trying to help you. This is not the path I planned for you. This- creature!- isn't going to be part of your world. Not it or Daniel. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor," Cora said as she stepped closer to Regina.

"Now then, Regina, give me-"

"Dearie, step away from the baby," the Dark One suddenly appeared before Regina. He stood between them, shielding Regina and her baby as best as he could.

"Rumpelstiltskin. What are you doing here?" Cora snapped at her once teacher. He chuckled humorlessly.

"Why saving a life, of course! This baby is important to me and my future plans! I just had to help," he said eagerly.

"See, Regina! He's only aiding for his own selfish reasons."

"It doesn't matter. I'll take whatever I can get. If that's the only way he'll help, so be it," Regina gritted through her teeth. Cora glared and scoffed.

"Do you really think that child is worth saving?"

"Yes. That's why I'm doing this." Rumple suddenly blew a yellow powder in her face. Cora screeched and clawed at her face, giving both the Dark One and Regina a chance to escape through the back and into the Dark Forest. Regina struggled to breathe as she held onto her child and tried to keep up with Rumple's pace. When the two finally came to a clearing, they stopped and Rumple turned to Regina.

"Are you ready then?" He asked. Regina had no choice. She knew her mother wasn't far behind and would stop at nothing to end anything that would stand in the way of Regina becoming queen. The Dark One extended his palm and Regina laid her eyes on the small trinket that would save her baby's life.

"A bean? A magic bean?"

"The baby needs to leave. If Cora gets her... Well, I don't think I need to tell you what will happen. I helped you more than I needed to, dearie, all I ask is that the baby makes it through."

Regina nodded and wiped away her stray tears. She smashed the magic bean at her feet before quickly stepping back. Regina watched as a portal appeared, the wind picking up drastically around her.

A small cry was suddenly heard.

Regina looked down to see her little girl staring back at her with wide eyes. She began to stir and Regina knew she wanted to cry. Regina fought her tears and sobs as she gave her daughter one last hug.

"My beautiful, darling Alicia. I'll love you until the end of time."

Regina kissed her forehead. She reached and took off a hidden necklace. Regina tied it around the baby's blanket making sure it wouldn't fall off. Engraved in a beautiful font was the baby's name. Regina remembered the day Daniel made one each for their kids. It was the only thing she could give Alicia besides a chance to live a better life than the one Regina could offer her.

The new mother handed her baby to Rumple. He nodded at Regina and in seconds, he disappeared into the portal.

Along with her baby.

Regina fell to her knees and was finally able to cry for her dead lover and lost children.

Daniel, Alicia, and Flynn were gone.

And Regina was once again left all alone.

It had been decades since Regina thought about that dreadful night. She had never known such pain and sorrow until that day. It was the day she lost the loves of her life and the light of her own life.

It was the day she had completely surrendered to her mother's demands.

The queen sat in her room as she tried to control her rapid heartbeat.

Her baby boy had found his way back to her.

And yet, he wasn't a baby anymore. He was grown now. And Regina had been stripped of the opportunity to watch her children grow.

The pain of losing Alicia grew stronger. She had found and lost her all too soon.

Regina knew she had to get her daughter back. And she refused to lose her son along the way.

Regina Mills was ready to put her life on the line for her children.

And this time, she refused to let history repeat itself once again.

*unedited*

What a long, long chapter -.-

I didn't quite edit this chapter that well, so sorry in advance if there are more errors than usual. And if the story flowed kinda weird too, I didn't have time to reread it with a clear mind.

It took me hours to write this. Probably because I was rewatching the show and got distracted 🙃

Nevertheless I hope you all enjoyed it! We are nearing the end tho my friends 👀 so bewareeee

Anyway, thank you for reading my shitty, unprofessional books. It truly does mean the world to me.

Cheers!