"She's lost in the darkness
Fading away
I'm still around here
Screaming her name
She's haunting my dreamworld
Trying to survive
My heart is frozen
I'm losing my mind"
— Within Temptation

Chapter One

There was a sickening desire to run away from the world; run far away to the edges of the earth where no one could find her. Perhaps such a thought was why Regina found herself on the edges of the town, lost in the thick woods of Storybrooke. She had tried to find peace in Robin's arms, but all she could feel was that mournful twisting of her stomach. The darkness had come for her. It had come to devour the light she had fought so hard to find and what was strange was that it was okay. Something always told her that she was meant for darkness; there truly was no escape. She was letting go…

But Emma had to be the Savior once again. She had come running in on a white horse to save her from the roaring fires that always seem to consume her. She never understood how the woman could care so much for her. Was there truly a bond between them or was it merely the Savior being…well the Savior?

Her heart had skipped a beat when she saw Emma run towards her, very well of her intentions, but there had to have been another way. Emma had come so far for being a nonbeliever. She had finally embraced who she was with much thanks to the former Evil Queen. Regina had been proud, actually proud of the woman who had dragged nails down the chalkboard of her mind.

But now she truly was the villain. Emma was gone and it was because of her. Regina was the reason Emma had to become the Savior in the first place. The stubborn woman full of light has been overcome by the darkest darkness in all realms. It wasn't Emma's burden to carry; the darkness wasn't meant for her.

It was meant for me.

She closed her eyes and all she could see were those strong, emerald eyes coming for her; coming to save her. Regina tried to tell her no, but there was no use in fighting it; the blonde had already made up her mind.

You always were a fool, Emma.

Their eyes had remained connected to one another as the darkness entwined around the blonde's limbs. Regina could see the strength in Emma's eyes even as the shadows sucked every ounce of light from her. She sacrificed herself for the brunette and that's what would haunt her.

She couldn't stand the sight of Robin's gaze, for all she saw were ghostly, emerald orbs with an unspoken promise of "I will keep you safe" as Emma had always done. She had never deserved it, but Emma had always come to her rescue. Even when she was enveloped in Robin's arms her amber eyes found Emma's once more. She could see the sudden pain in the Savior's eyes. The weakness as the light began to fade before she disappeared into the blackness of the night.

Regina had wanted to cry out. The moment Emma disappeared she felt empty like there was a black hole inside of her chest draining every ounce of emotion she contained. Emma was the one who had stirred the pot upon entering Storybrooke and without her she felt nothing.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," Regina whispered before turning her head to the sky, screaming out as if some deity was there to hear her, "It was supposed to be me!"

In the cadence of the night she felt even emptier. Had she ever felt this way? Even when Daniel had died? She didn't linger on those thoughts for long, for they would have drowned her. Where was she? Where had the Dark One vanished to? The brunette shivered at the name and bowed her head, tears streaming like a downpour of rain.

"…Emma…"

She needed to be strong. For Henry. It was always for Henry, but for once in her life she felt a voice in the back of her mind whispering and for Emma. Yes, she had to be strong especially for Emma. She was the one who had led the brunette to the light; she was the one who had never given up on her.

Her knees sunk into the dirt as she lowered herself down, her legs unable to hold the weight of her body. She could be weak for just this night. There was nothing she could do.

Earlier That Evening

Emma was actually gone. No one, not even Regina, had an explanation for it. She felt all eyes burning into her skull, but she still couldn't process what had just happened.

"Emma?" the pirate called out desperately into the open air, "Emma, where are you!?"

He hollered on until he broke into a pathetic sob, his hands coming to his face.

"How can she be gone? Just like that?"

His eyes turned to Regina, begging her for an answer. She opened her mouth and shut it multiples times before she said the only thing she could think of.

"I…I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Hook's voice picked up venom as he wiped the tears from his face, taking a step towards her. Robin's grip on Regina tightened. "You're the bloody Queen of Darkness!"

Regina seethed and attempted to pull out of her lover's arms, her temper rising when the man didn't release. With all the strength she could muster, she shoved his arms off of her and marched towards the raggedy pirate, her chin rising in defiance.

"Perhaps you have forgotten, dear, that Rumpelstiltskin was the one who got us into this mess in the first place. If you want to pick a fight do it with him not me."

The anger in his face didn't dissolve; his eyes only narrowed more and he made a lunge for the brunette only to halt when a sphere of plasma formed in the palm of her hand.

"Regina!" Snow called out from the distance to stop her.

"Come closer and you'll be ash," the older brunette threatened with no regard towards the fair queen.

"Regina," Snow scolded as she jumped between them, her eyes red from tears but her voice stern like a mother, "Hook. You both need to stop this! Now is not the time. My daughter—"

"Is gone," Regina intervened with a pained growl, "Yes, we all saw that, Snow. I think we are all very well aware."

It didn't dawn on her that the fireball still swirled in her hands until everyone's gaze was upon it. With a loud sigh it distinguished. The pirate across from her scuffed his boot on the ground and gave a grunt of his own. The anger was calming as a collection of countless other emotions scattered across his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, holding back more tears.

"We need to summon her then," he remarked, reaching towards the dagger. Before he could get a hold of it, it was lifted in the air away from his reach by a purple mist. He glared once again at Regina.

"That is not a good idea," the brunette rebutted, "I have a feeling that she is highly unstable right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Emma's magic is strong," she confessed as she continued to hold the blade in place, "If she is as strong as I feel she is it may not have completely taken over her yet. I think her vanishing may have been her own doing because she could feel her control slipping."

"You think she was trying to protect us?" the fair queen asked with wide eyes, "You think Emma might actually be okay?"

Regina sighed and looked to the ground.

"Don't get your hopes up, Snow. Her control will not last for long. And I hate to admit it, but I have absolutely no idea what to expect. I've only ever known the Dark One as Rumpelstiltskin; it could very well have a completely different agenda. All the pain Emma has gone through in her life; it could all surface…"

Everyone grew silent as Regina's words sunk in. Snow's face crumpled in fear, remembering the spite Emma had towards them when the first curse broke. All of the pain that had helped harden Emma into the woman she was today could erupt into a chaotic massacre if provoked too soon. Regardless, every time left waiting was also another second of the darkness seeping into her veins and there was nothing they could possibly do to stop it.

"So what do we do?" David asked, marching into the scene as if he was the lead of the pack, but one look at his face told an entirely different story.

"Wait. We wait until she comes to us."

A/N Hello to you all once again. It's been a little while. I swore I wouldn't write anymore fanfiction for a while, but the temptation was too much for me. I apologize if this first chapter isn't great. It's been a few months. Please don't be shy to leave your reviews; it will let me know if I should continue or not.