Drake's Final Hope

Disclaimer: Please take note that I do not own anything regarding Once Upon a Time. This honor belongs to ABC Studio, Edward Kitsis, and Adam Horowitz. I am only playing around in their sandbox for a bit. My story does not form part of the official story in any way possible. I do not have connections with ABC Studio, Edward Kitsis, and Adam Horowitz even if I wish I had at times. No copyright infringement intended.

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Tension was rising within Regina as she walked down the main street of Storybrooke towards Granny's diner, where she knew her old friends were congregated. The weight of the secret Mary Margaret had entrusted her with pressed down on her shoulders, a heavy burden that threatened to crush her. She had agreed to go undercover, infiltrate the group of villains, and uncover their plans, but the true depth of their intentions remained mysterious.

As she entered the diner, the familiar chatter and clinking of silverware filled the air. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries wafted through the room, inviting her to join the cozy atmosphere. However, Regina's heart pounded as she scanned the room for the faces she both dreaded and longed to see.

There they were, seated at their usual table: Maleficent, Cruella Devil, and Ursula. Their dark, imposing figures loomed over the table, their conversations punctuated by low, menacing laughter. Regina felt a surge of fear and trepidation as she approached their table, her heart pounding in her chest.

"So the rumors are true. You are back from the ashes." Regina stated as she looked at her three former friends.

"What are you doing here, Regina?" Maleficent questioned her former friend and student.

"I am making it easier for you," Regina stated, her heart pounding in her chest. "If you want to kill me, well, I'm right here."

In a flash, Maleficent appeared before Regina, invading her personal space. "So that's why you think I'm back? To kill you?"

"Well, I did trap you underground for 30 years," Regina confessed. "And I know you are not big on forgiveness."

"That is true," Maleficent agreed, while Ursula looked at Cruella. "But what you did is nothing in the grand scheme. There are far worse crimes that must be answered for. Not everything is about you, Regina."

"Careful, darling," Cruella piped up. "She's thick as thieves with those heroes."

"Not by choice," Regina growled out in frustration. "You all know how much I wanted my revenge. But in this town, with these people. I had to play nice if I wanted to survive. All alone, watching them all enjoy the happiness that I was always being denied."

The room fell silent. Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. They knew Regina well, her bitterness and resentment burning bright. Yet there was something different about her now, a flicker of vulnerability beneath her hardened exterior.

"You've changed, Regina," Maleficent observed, her voice laced with a hint of surprise. "You've become one of them."

"I had to," Regina admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "To survive."

"And now you're here, offering yourself as a sacrifice?" Cruella scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "How noble of you."

"It's not about nobility," Regina retorted, her voice growing stronger. "It's about survival. But I am tired of just surviving. So, if you plan to destroy some of that happiness of those in town…then I want in."

"You can't expect us to believe any of that," Ursula said, her voice filled with suspicion and doubt.

"Of course, she doesn't," Maleficent answered, observing the former Evil Queen. "That's why she's truly here. She wants us to see that she is still one of us."

"Of course I am," Regina stated confidently.

"Then let's find out," Maleficent said, as she moved to give Regina a shot of tequila. "Are you still a bad girl, Regina?"

Regina drank the shot of tequila without any care in the world before crushing the glass into small pieces of dust. "The worst."

The room was silent. The only sound was the soft clinking of ice in glasses. Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula exchanged knowing glances. They had underestimated Regina, and now they were intrigued.

"Very well," Maleficent said, her voice low and dangerous. "You have proven your loyalty for now. So, let's discuss some of our plans. This is the only way for us to fully trust you. You will have to join in without any complaints. "

The three villains leaned in, their voices hushed as they outlined their sinister scheme. Regina listened intently, her mind racing as she tried to piece together the puzzle. She knew she had to be careful to play her part without revealing too much.

As the meeting drew to a close, Regina felt uneasy. She had joined a dangerous game, and the stakes were high. But she was determined to see it through, to protect the town, and to find redemption for herself.

As she left the diner, she glanced back at the table where Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula were still seated. She knew she would need to be strong, cunning, and unwavering in her resolve. The battle had just begun.

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Meanwhile, Emma finally returned to the loft across town after her long walk. She was exhausted and sore from her long hike and her shift at the station. After getting inside, Emma removed her boots and went to her bedroom upstairs. It wasn't until she got closer to the stairs past the couch that she heard noises coming from the kitchen.

Her heart pounded as she crept closer, her senses heightened. A soft glow emanated from beneath the kitchen door. She hesitated, then slowly turned the knob and peeked inside.

The kitchen was bathed in a soft, ethereal light. In the center of the room stood her parents, who spoke quietly to each other.

"Mom, Dad? What are you guys still doing up at 4 am?" Emma asked as she tried to appear as calm and uninterested as possible. "Why aren't you both in bed?"

"Uh," Mary Margaret jumped, shocked that her daughter could sneak up on them. She was so sure that Emma was fast asleep upstairs.

Emma studies her parents with furrowed brows, as they stood nervously in the kitchen. "Mom, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Maleficent's back," David blurted out in a panic. He wasn't sure if he should tell his daughter the truth about what they did to Maleficent, but he had to tell her something.

It took Emma a moment to comprehend what she had just heard, to process the fact that Maleficent was truly back. "You mean, like, the same Maleficent who was imprisoned under the library clock tower? The same Maleficent, Mr. Gold, had me killed with my father's sword?"

"Yes. The very same." David nodded. He didn't miss just how tense his wife seemed to become as she listened to him speak, though he couldn't blame her. Maleficent returning was something they never expected, nor were they prepared for it, and they felt guilty for keeping things hidden from Emma…but she wasn't ready to hear what they had done to the dragon in the past.

"How is she back?" Emma asked slowly. "Why is she back?"

Mary Margaret and David shared an uneasy glance. "Well, we don't know for sure. Dark Magic, I would guess." Mary Margaret spoke up hesitantly. She wanted to gauge her daughter's reaction very carefully. "We don't know why she's back, or what she wants. But she is dangerous, and we need to know what her plans are. So Regina decided to go undercover and report back to us on their plans."

"I'm sorry…Regina is doing what now?" Emma exclaimed in disbelief.

"She's going undercover," David answered hesitantly.

"With someone who can turn into a dragon at will?" Emma asked incredulously.

Emma's heart was pounding as she tried to process this shocking news. Maleficent… one of the few famous villains that Emma had watched and heard of in her childhood, was again back and alive. And Regina had willingly decided to put herself in danger by infiltrating their group.

"Are you both out of your minds?! Why didn't you call me?" Emma snapped angrily, before letting out a deep sigh of frustration.

Mary Margaret was hesitating to answer her daughter. She was rather shocked at just how worried Emma was about the mayor.

"There wasn't any time," David said soothingly. "She told us the plan, and that was it."

"You still should have told me," Emma murmured, hurt at the thought of her parents hiding something from her once again.

"Why? Do you think you could have stopped her?" Mary Margaret argued.

"No. But I could've helped her." Emma pointed out angrily. "I was a bail bond person once. Pretending to be someone else was part of my job."

"I know that," Mary Margaret replied. "But I do think that Regina can take care of herself."

"I truly hope you are right," Emma said, still very agitated. "When is she supposed to check in?"

David looked uneasy as he glanced toward Mary Margaret, unsure of just how they were going to answer their daughter regarding that very important point.

"Oh god. Mom, Dad, please tell me you know when she was supposed to check in." Emma asked as she was becoming distressed.

"About an hour ago," David confessed, unable to meet his daughter's eyes.

"An hour ago!? How could you keep something so important like this from me?" Emma raged. "The safety of every citizen is my responsibility. I'm the savior, for gods' sake. And now I have to hear that the mother of my son's life could be in danger… and you did not think it was important enough to even let me know."

"Emma, it's complicated. We wanted to tell you…" Mary Margaret started, only to have her explanation to be interrupted.

"This is what happens when you trust people!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. "After everything we've been through together, all the times that you and Dad have risked our lives for me, Henry, my future, and this world. And you're still keeping secrets? From me? Regina going undercover is just one of many you are keeping. And I'm just sick of it!"

Tears were streaming down her cheeks as Emma turned around and started to storm her way up the staircase.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret shouted, reaching out towards her daughter's arm, as she intended to stop her. "Emma, you have to understand."

"No!" Emma exclaimed as she turned to face her parents. "I don't! I just can't handle any more lies. I can't deal with any more of this. I can't deal with anything more that is keeping you from trusting me." Emma shook her head as she wiped her tears. She took a step back when her mother tried to approach again. "I'm just tired of waiting for you two to decide whether you trust me or not."

Emma breathed heavily as she finally walked past Mary Margaret towards her bedroom. "I can't take any more of this. So, I am going to bed. Good night."

Without looking back, Emma made her way up the stairs, leaving a speechless Mary Margaret and a guilty David behind.