Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Beyond Here Lies Darkness	By : LotornoMiko Category: M through R > Once Upon A Time Views: 3724 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Once Upon A Time fandom. Nor do I make any money off of it or this story.

Chapter List
- 1-One
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 4
- 5
- 6
There is a moment when Emma almost forgets her own pain. A moment when anger rules her, Emma rising up off the ground. The pain that then staggers her, is an unfortunate, unwanted, and above all potent reminder. She does her best not to cry out, her lips sealed tight against even the slightest of whimpers. But her body concedes to the pain, Emma falling against her car, actually needing it's support at her back to remain upright.

That pain, as weak as it makes her feel, also adds fire to her anger. Emma HATES feeling this way, despises being rendered so helpless. Emma fears it too, but at the moment, she is doing her very best to ignore that frightened feeling, to pretend she is not battered and weakened, and up alone against three very evil and powerful beings.

And so she stands taller, ignores the fact that she needs help, that her legs are shaking uncontrollably. Emma pulls herself together, the anger in her eyes, the defiance that seems to spark off of her, giving the blonde a presence. Emma not only makes herself feel every inch of proud determination, she LOOKS it.

That focus, that control, that sheer will to ignore the odds against her, powers Emma's glare. She practically sneers at the two women across the street, the pair among the evilest of bitches Emma has ever had the misfortune to know.

Of course their evil paled in comparison to the creature besides them. To the ancient, otherworldly being that was man's every twisted desire and malice made real. The darkness was made worse because it had taken a tangible form, had forced itself into what was only the latest in a string of bodies that numbered among the countless.

The darkness wore Hook's body like it was a fine suit, it's otherworldly essence actually changing the pirate. Making him into something more. Already a very handsome man, now with the darkness inside him? Hook was devastating. With subtle but potent changes, the glamour done, Hook's face became dark seductive beauty taken to the extremes, the kind that would pull the unsuspecting to it. Like a siren, that beauty would lure many a maiden and even some men to it. And just like those sirens of myth, it wouldn't be love and light the darkness delivered, but pain and tears, the ruin of all one held dear.

Even knowing this, even being burnt by the darkness first hand, Emma still has to fight against believing in it's lies. Actually fight against being deceived by that beauty, by the mockery it has made of Hook's face. Emma knows first hand what that beauty hides, what the darkness is capable of, and how it hadn't stopped in time. Her body is the actual proof of the kind of care and treatment a woman could expect at the darkness' hands. Emma knows without a doubt that the Dark One, so evil, so selfish, is dangerous, deadly and above all insatiable.

It is also an evil that is fixated on HER. Emma doesn't understand why or how that particular bit of insanity came to be, and right now she doesn't care. She'll shove aside her questions, try to bury her fear and her pain, let them all be burned by her anger, and swallowed up by her more pressing concerns.

"Stay the hell away from my family."

Emma's voice is strong, not betraying any of the weak or hopeless feelings inside her. She lets not only her concern show, but allows the powerful, driving need to safeguard her family, morph her into something stronger. Something--someone who can't acknowledge the pain, who will fight tooth and nail to protect those that matter most. Henry is chief in her thoughts, but so are Mary Margaret and David, the parents she had never known, the family she was still trying to learn. Emma wants to save them, doesn't want Regina or Cora, and especially not the darkness to go near them. She's not giving a damn about herself in the moment, not thinking, not caring that she might be making her situation WORSE.

All three have turned towards her, looking for the world like they have been reminded that she is something more than just the darkness' victim. And suddenly Emma feels very small, reminded that she is up against three beings who are strong in magic and united against her. Alone and without a gun or a sword, Emma wonders if it would have been better to remain on the ground, to remain weak, and defeated in their eyes.

But Emma doesn't want to be their tool, doesn't want to be used to help them in any way. She'd rather die than let Cora and Regina use her as bait, and Emma would be damned before letting them go after her family without so much as a peep from her. Not that her heated demand has had much effect on the three. Not with Cora looking so amused, the woman who was so dismissive of Emma on her best days, now hardly concerned by her defiance on what is her worst.

It's clear that Cora is not even registering Emma as a threat now, might actually be toying with her, when she speaks. "You're hardly in a position to make demands." She actually smirks at Emma, her gaze no less cruel than her words. "What do you possibly think you can do to stop us in your present condition?"

And there is the rub, Emma recoiling at the truth that question mocks her with. Because what can she do, with a body that is shaking, without a sword or a gun in her hands, and with magic inside her that Emma is incapable of accessing, let alone using. The fact that Emma knows and recognizes those facts, doesn't make her circumstances any easier to swallow. Nor she can she tolerate the mocking titter of laughter Cora lets out.

"It's time to accept facts, my dear." Cora says. "As you are now, you can't even protect yourself. The smartest thing you could do, is to keep quiet and speak only when asked, but then...you've never struck me as a particular bright girl."

"I'm smart enough to know that with all you are doing, Henry will NEVER forgive you." Emma looks directly at Regina when she says this. The raven haired woman seems to almost flinch, the expression in her eyes some heavy emotion that shows Regina knows Emma is right. "Henry will never love you Regina, you have to know that. Not after what you've done, what you let happen...."

"Henry is a young boy." Cora interrupts smoothly. "And young minds are ever so malleable. He may resist at first, but eventually...he will come to see that his mother and I were acting in his best interests."

"You're insane." Emma states. "And delusional if you think Henry is going to overlook the ruin of his family, his REAL family, without you messing up his mind with magic." Her eyes are still on Regina, whose gaze is shifting, the woman unable to truly look at Emma. "Is that the plan Regina? Are you going to mind fuck my son?"

"I'm not going to use any magic on Henry!" Regina immediately protests.

"Is that what you think, or is that only going to last as long as your patience?" Emma demanded.

"I..."

"How long Regina?!" Emma cut in on the woman's stammering attempt at speaking. "How long before you're exactly like, no, worst than your mother?"

"ENOUGH!" Cora snaps out. "The only words I want to hear from you are the ones that reveal just where Snow and the others have taken Henry."

"IF they're smart, they'll have already crossed the boundary." Emma manages a smirk, hiding the pain she feels at the thought of David and Mary Margaret forgetting all about her. "You're welcome to follow them....at the cost of your magic and your memories..." And then she is crying out, but no sound is escaping her for the magic Cora hits Emma with, steals her very voice.

There is pain along with the theft, a burning in her throat that distracts Emma from her anger. She's sagging in place against the car, actually starting to slide down it to her knees when the darkness appears before her. Everything in her recoils at it's nearness, Emma lashing out with her arms, the rising hysteria inside her noting that her one hand is still bleeding and covered with splinters of glass shards.

The darkness endures, but it's patience is mixed with the rough way it handles her. Actually hauling her up right, pinning her in place with it's body, it's not support or true concern the darkness offers her. Emma's not even sure what it is this creature wants, what game it is playing now. She's not sure she even CARES, Emma too blinded with panic to stop fighting and analyze the Dark One's actions. Even when it's fingers close painfully around her injured hand, even when Emma shrieks a silent protest, she continues to fight.

And yet the cold metal of the hook at her throat, gets to her the way no other can. Emma actually freezes, actually allows her terrified eyes to truly look into the darkness' stolen face. The Dark One is frowning, it's gaze narrowed as it strokes the sharp tip of the hook over her skin. Emma doesn't fail to notice it is caressing exactly where the spell burns the most, that it's being careful not to split open her skin.

It doesn't bypass Cora's notice either, the woman speaking in calm tones. "It's nothing more than a simple spell to shut her up. Harmless...for the most part."

Emma sees the reaction of the darkness, sees the way anger fills it's eyes. The glower it wears, is worse than any look it had previously given Cora and Regina, and that is before the vicious snarl of words erupt out of the Dark One.

"You play with what is NOT yours to have."

Even terrified, Emma reacts, bristling with anger, with an empathic protest. She tries to speak the words, to tell the darkness she is most definitely not it's, but Emma can't voice even a squeak of sound. Furious but frightened of what the darkness implies, Emma can only stand there and glare.

"Come now." Cora says over Emma's attempts to speak. "It's not as if you need her voice to do the things you want to do to her."

Already upset, Emma is not at all reassured by the words that rumble out of the darkness. "I enjoy hearing the sounds that she makes."

"Well then see if you can get her to sing a more pleasing tune." Cora retorts, a snap of her fingers releasing the spell inside Emma's throat. "Something along the lines of telling us where her family is hidden."

Emma wants to be brave. She wants to believe she won't crack, that she won't betray her own family. But the darkness SCARES her, and she is terrified of what it wants, of what it may try to do next. Emma would prefer to be cut up and tortured, rather than be kissed, would actually tremble less if that hook was doing anything else besides caressing over the front of her borrowed shirt.

The darkness is smiling at her, it's arm tensing to rip open her shirt. Emma can't find it in her to scream, or to tell it what Cora wants to know. She tells herself she is being brave, but really Emma has frozen up, unable to do anything but stand there and shake. It's too soon, and Emma still hurts. She doesn't at all want to think how much more painful it will be, how much more damaged she'll become.

Emma's shaking her head no, trying to whimper and even that is beyond her. The darkness is making a low sound, purring at her, but it's anything but soothing to Emma. She stares into it's eyes, tries to find a shred of Hook inside it, but sees only that alien, other worldly being. Some creature who doesn't understand right from wrong, about choices, or about being nice.

When the scream starts, Emma thinks it is her voice that is doing it. But it's not. It is Regina, the woman grabbing at her mother's arm. She looks angry as she screams, telling her mother to stop this right now.

"It's too late to develop a conscience, Regina!" Cora snaps.

"I'm not, I swear it!" Regina screams back. "But this is going too far!"

"I didn't raise you to be so weak as to not be able to stomach a little torture!" Cora's own voice was raising, the mother daughter drama background noise to the darkness' own actions. The shirt began to rip, but slowly, the darkness trying to build up anticipation but instead heightening Emma's fear and revulsion.

"It's not a matter of what I can and can't stomach!" Regina shouted. "Why are you rewarding it? A slave who has done nothing that we asked it for. The Dark One shouldn't be allowed to have anymore of it's fun, until after it finds us Henry!"

Those words brought the hysteria to Emma, laughter bubbling up inside her. She couldn't believe it, found it obscene that Regina was arguing not about stopping the rape that was about to happen, but merely objecting to the timing of it. It was surreal, and only fortified Emma's belief that Regina was evil.

Cora and Regina's voices seemed to fade into the background, mere whispers that couldn't drown out the sound of Emma's shirt ripping. The buttons that popped, thumped like a drum beat against the pavement. The darkness' smile was all she could truly see, her awareness of the creature inhabiting Hook's body, taking over everything. Blocking out the sights and sounds, the feel of everything but the darkness and it's touch. Leaving Emma reeling, her vision swimming, and then the darkness was screaming, it's voice an infuriated, unnatural roar.

"Oh do stop the nonsense." Cora was speaking, but it was as though Emma had gone deaf. She could only hear the darkness, taste the rage flowing off it in waves. "You'll have your chance to play later. AFTER you find Henry and his grandparents."

Already so angry, it turned from Emma. Gave the full focus of it's incensed glare to the red haired Queen that was brandishing it's dagger. There weren't enough words in the human language to describe the extent of it's malevolent rage, the pure, unbridled fury it directed towards Cora.

"Careful now." Cora warned, the woman hardly amused by the darkness' anger. Neither did she seem frightened or intimidated, the woman barely reacting to being the focus of such a temper. "Your tantrums will only get you punished, rather than rewarded."

It's anger didn't simmer, words hissing out of the darkness. "You try what's left of my patience, witch."

"And you have run through the last of mine!" Cora snapped back in retort. "Go now! Find Snow White, her prince, and the boy. Bring them all to me. I don't care how you do it, but take care with the child. He is not to be harmed in any way."

The darkness didn't immediately leap to do Cora's bidding, growling at her one last time. When it takes a step forward, Emma loses that which was supporting her upright, watching as the darkness then disappeared into the shadows. As Emma started to slide down the side of the car, she tried to instead lunge forward. Shouting in protest, reaching for the darkness that was already gone, the woman landed on her knees. Even without understanding what exactly had been said, Emma KNEW. She knew without fail that the darkness had been sent after her family, and just as certain, Emma knew they really stood no chance against fighting off that evil.

Sagging in place, Emma knelt on the pavement. Her hands made fists in her lap, and she shook uncontrollably. Slowly sound came back to her, Emma hearing Regina speaking quietly to Cora.

"You're treating the Dark One like it's no better than a dog." Regina was saying. "And using Miss Swan as the treat to train it with."

"Considering what it is, there's not much else we can use in order to bring it to heel." Cora retorted, then actually complained. "The darkness is more willful than I expected. I don't like that....it's being too defiant."

"That defiance is going to get you killed mother." Regina retorted. "The darkness is too dangerous for any one to truly use. It would be best if we rid ourselves of it..."

"Put that thought out of your mind at once daughter!" Cora hissed. "The darkness is ultimate power. If Rumplestiltskin could control it, so can I!"

"It took Rumplestiltskin years to learn how!" Regina pointed out. "Who knows how much it cost him in the process!"

"Rumplestiltskin didn't have Emma Swan. With her we can..."

"You'll do nothing." Emma said, then snapped it out louder. "Nothing you hear me! I will not be your pawn!" With a strength that was surprising even to her own self, Emma lunged upright, intent on Cora. She wasn't truly intending to punch the red haired queen, though that would have been a satisfying bonus. Instead Emma had made a desperate decision. A desperate, dangerous, deadly one, the blonde haired woman having decided it was better to die than continue to be used.

Emma Swan lurched towards Cora as fast as she could with her fists swinging. Expecting Cora to lash out, to strike her down without thinking, Emma wasn't expecting Regina to catch hold of her when she stumbled halfway across the street.

"Let me go!" Emma screamed, furious at being thwarted.

"You really don't learn, do you Miss Swan?" Cora asked, as Emma struggled weakly in Regina's hold. "Nothing you do now matters....your fate is MINE to decide." She reached out, those fingers tipped with blood red nails gripping firm hold of Emma's chin. "But I'll tell you what. Tell me where Henry has been hidden, and I will grant you a mercy."

"A mercy?"

Yes." Cora gave a bone chilling smile. "You want to die, don't you? Rather than be given to that thing in Hook's body. Well I will arrange it. I'll even make your death a quick one."

"And all I have to do is betray Henry and my parents to you..." Emma whispered, then actually spit in Cora's face. "To hell with that and with you!"

The slap was immediate, Cora giving into her anger. "You stupid girl! I offered you mercy! And instead of thanking me, you do this? Ooooh! You're going to pay for this....pay for it in spades..."

"Mother, just remember you---we need her." Regina's voice sounded odd, as though it was strained with emotion. "If we want to stand any chance of controlling the darkness...."

"Oh don't worry, Regina darling. I wasn't going to do anything....permanent." Cora gestured with her arm, a thick choking smoke surrounding all three of the women. Emma shifted against Regina, actually struggled in her hold. But the smoke was everywhere, and Regina was exerting her full strength to hold onto Emma's weakened form.

When the smoke finally did clear, Emma was red faced and coughing. She looked and found they had been transported. It was to Regina's office, the mayor's seat of power, in Storybrooke's main government building. Regina didn't relax her hold on Emma, but she actually shifted them slightly, so that the blonde wasn't trapped between the two queens.

"Now...where were we?" Cora asked, a vindictive look in her eyes, as she fingered the dagger.

"Mother, let me." Regina spoke up. "I've got nearly two years of resentments against Miss Swan to work out."

Cora actually looked proud. "And just when I worried you had gone soft on me. Very well Regina, have your fun. I will go make sure everything is ready for the....guests...the Dark One will bring us."

"All right mother." Agreed Regina. the tremble in her arms so slight, Emma wondered if she had imagined it. Emma tensed all the same, bracing herself for what she expected would be violent, only to find herself being lowered gently to the floor by Regina. Her brow furrowed, a frowning Emma Swan turning to look up at Regina.

"You look like hell, Miss Swan." Regina commented in a matter of fact tone. But she wasn't gloating, wasn't so much as smiling about it.

"Gee I wonder whose fault THAT is." Emma bit out with real anger. She was surprised when Regina visibly flinched, the woman closing her eyes for a brief moment. She seemed to be focusing on her breathing, though for what reason Emma couldn't guess. And then Regina did something astonishing, the woman opening her eyes, and lowering herself down to crouch in front of Emma.

"I know it won't be worth much..." Regina said, her strong voice holding an unsteady note of raw emotion to it. "But I am sorry."

Emma could only stare at her wide eyed, Regina's look one of bitterness. "This is NOT how I wanted to win." The raven haired woman confessed. "It's going too far, even for me..." Her hands glowed, a softer purple magic sparking around them. Though Emma could sense this wasn't a destructive spell, she still stiffened and tried to scoot backwards. But she couldn't avoid Regina's hands, the woman running them over Emma, ghosting them over every part of her, actually HEALING the damage that had been done.

That included her hand, the glass shards gone, the bleeding now stopped. Emma felt her strength returning as the pain receded then went away completely. But she didn't give into shock, saving it for a time when---IF they all survived the darkness and Cora's plans. Instead, with her strength back, her body revitalized and healed, Emma launched herself fist first at Regina.

There was a satisfying crack of sound as her fist hit Regina in the face. The dark haired queen fell over backwards with a muffled cry, Emma riding her body downwards. She ended up straddling Regina's chest, preparing to strike her again when Regina lashed out with her magic.

With a scream that was born of her fury, Emma was tossed off and away from Regina. She was slammed into a wall, felt that invisible force hold her in place. Regina was still on the floor, hand to her mouth. When she lowered it, Emma saw that Regina's lower lip had split and was bleeding.

"Okay...I deserved that." Regina muttered, clearly trying to keep her temper under control.

"You deserve to rot!" Emma spat out, trying to resist the impulse to struggle against the unseen force that was pinning her in place. "You and Cora for all you've done!" She was glaring, almost snarling out the words. "How could you even consider unleashing such a creature on Storybrooke? Why would you ever allow that monster to run free, to put it anywhere near Henry?! How could you let it..."

"I didn't know!" Regina screamed over her. Emma gasped, then laughed. A bitter mocking sound that showed just how little she trusted Regina's claims. "I didn't know it would be quite that evil, that it would be this out of control, that it would do such things."

"How could you NOT know?!" demanded Emma. "What did you think would happen, if you unleashed the darkness?!"

"It was only supposed to kill you...."

"Oh only." Emma scoffed, then spat. "And I'm supposed to believe your sensibilities were offended by what it did instead?!" Regina was silent, but even if she had tried to say anything, Emma would have talked over her. "Face it Miss Mayor, you're only having second thoughts, because you realized you can't control it. Or....or maybe you think by playing the regret card, it will somehow win you Henry's love. Well that ship has sailed. He will never forgive you, OR love you. And all the magic in the world won't change that what you do get from him, you have to take by force and manipulate his mind for!"

"You're wrong." Regina said, in a voice that was keeping tight reign on her true feelings. "This is not some last desperate grab to win Henry's love. I've finally seen that revenge can only take me so far, that it is costing me more than it gives me! I KNOW I have gone to far, that I have lost Henry for good, and I am sorry."

"Then help me." Emma hissed. "Help me to save him AND my parents!"

"I..I'm sorry..."

"Stop with your sorries, and actually do something to help us!" Emma snarled, struggling harder against the invisible force.

"I'm doing the best that I can." Regina retorted, wringing her hands together in agitation. "I'll try to stop my mother AND the darkness....but it's going to take time."

"We're already out of time!"

"I know, and I am sorry. I won't be able to stop what is happening any time soon. Not unless I get lucky..." Regina looked away at Emma's frustrated shout. "I'm going to do what I can for Snow and Charming. To keep them alive until I can act. But..."

"Where does that leave me?" demanded Emma, her heated tone a striking contrast to the cold seeping through her. "Regina...?" But the queen wouldn't meet her eyes, was shrugging her shoulders as though it was too awful a thing to voice an answer to. Emma went mad, fought hard against the invisible force that was holding her down, her snarling screams protests that weren't going to change a thing. Weren't going to stop her from being swallowed up the darkness once more.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Be Continued....

So...had some real life interruptions forcing me away from being able to write distraction free. But I finally was able to work on it tonight, even with people this time trying to be the distractions. XD

This chapter....okay I really had wanted a lot to happen in four, but a POV switch and a splitting of things later, we have chapter five. I was getting worried I might have to split events again, to fit everything that was supposed to be in four, into three chapters...but I thought of a way to keep six with the POV and scene setting that I wanted, and still explain some things. Lets just hope I can get it started and written easier than this and four proved to be!

One thing I thought was that they wouldn't spend so much time outside Gold's shop. I had actually intended to start things off in the mayor's office, but with time having passed. But it didn't work out that way. Cora also said a few lines I had originally wanted Emma to say to Regina. The Regina Emma alone together scene went pretty on track, though I had wanted to work a time skip in, and have certain people moved into place. Ah well, didn't happen exactly like I planned, but I am pleased with this chapter!

-----Michelle
- 4
- 5
- 6
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Beyond Here Lies Darkness