READ ME PLEASE!A.N: So I have a question... how many people would read a OUaT/Criminal Minds crossover set in a 'verse where the curse wasn't real? Cause I have a killer idea(Hehe pun), but I want to know if anyone would be interested?

Also thank you so much to anyone who read, reviewed, alerted, and Favorited. Thank you very much.

Even Angels Fall

Chapter Three: Hanging Pawns

Ruby stepped from the diner and ran a hand through her hair before she set off in a loping walk. She needed a break from all of the people in the diner, all the people pointing fingers and acting as if they hadn't been happy to let Regina die before it became clear that her death wouldn't fix anything.

Ruby scowled; if possible, the Queen's death had actually made things worse.

She didn't have any particular direction in mind as she walked but soon enough she found herself in front of the mayor's house where the sound of a shovel hitting the dirt drew her in. She rounded the hedge and paused as she watched Sidney, or rather the Magic Mirror... she was just going to keep calling him Sidney, dig a hole. He had apparently just started as he struggled to break through the grass roots to the soil beneath.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why are you digging?"

He nearly dropped the shovel as he jumped and turned to glare at her before muttering, "Why do you think?"

She could guess but she still couldn't quite help herself, "Gophers?"

His hands tightened around the shovel before he turned away from her to ignore the question and continued digging.

Ruby dipped her head and mumbled, "I'll get a shovel." She turned and began the short walk back to the diner.

She ignored everyone as the door dinged above her as she hurried into the back, where they kept their shed.

She hurried back through the diner and was almost out when Granny's voice stopped her, "Red?"

Ruby turned to glance at her grandmother before she spoke softly, "I need the shovel..."

The diner was quiet as everyone waited for her to continue.

Finally she did, "To dig a grave."

The restaurant was suddenly uncomfortably silent until Dr. Whale asked, "Where?"

Ruby gave a sad shrug, "Under the apple tree."

Dr. Whale stood and spoke, "I'm getting my shovel."

Hopper stood as well, followed closely by Kathryn Nolan who both followed Dr. Whale out of the diner. Ruby watched them go before she left the diner.

She had a hole to dig.

Emma looked up from where she'd been staring at the wall as a knock sounded on their door. She stood and walked slowly to the door and swung it open. When she saw who was waiting on the other side she nearly shut the door in his face.

He reached a hand out, "Emma..."

She growled at him, "Go away August... or I guess I really should call you Pinocchio."

He flinched under her harsh gaze, "I just needed you to believe, and killing Regina... it should have ended the curse. It made sense."

Emma had to force herself not to shove the man, "In what world does it make sense? You wanted so badly to end the curse that you ignored your common sense! We all did. I killed a woman tonight... I killed a defenseless woman to end a curse I don't even completely believe in."

August's eyes lit up, "Maybe that's why killing her didn't work! Maybe you still need to believe more."

Emma glared at him, "I stabbed her August! I killed her! I don't think I could have believed anymore than I did in that moment that I was doing the right thing." She turned away from him and whispered, "I had to. I couldn't have killed her any other way." Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered the look in Regina's eyes as she let go of life. She'd watched as the fight bled out of the woman who'd raised her son, as if the sword had punctured her will to live as well as her stomach. What's more than the exhaustion though, the thing that was likely to haunt her until the day Emma died, was the relief. The relief in Regina's gaze as she realized she was about to die.

It made Emma wondered if all the evil Regina had done in her past life as the evil Queen, or hell, even here in Storybrooke, had simply been her way of slowly committing suicide. Perhaps she'd hoped that someday someone would stop her, would kill her.

Emma thought that should make her feel better. It didn't. Regina's last words, to cover Henry's eyes, weren't the words of someone who couldn't love, of someone who didn't care.

August followed her into the apartment and spoke, "They're digging her a grave..."

Emma heard her mother gasp and then demand, "Where?"

August replied softly, "Under her tree..."

Emma watched as her mother stood, "Come on."

James spoke up, "That woman does not deserve a grave. She should be burned, as all witches should be."

Snow turned her furious eyes on James, "And will you light the fire? James, you once told me that killing Regina would lead to darkness, and look what it is already starting to do. She deserves our mercy, at least in this."

James folded his arms but relented when Henry looked up at him, "Please James?"

James nodded down at his grandson and muttered, "I'll get a shovel."

Emma hesitated before following her mother's lead and following her family from the apartment.

When they arrived at the Mayor's Mansion, it was with surprised that they realized that more than a couple of people who were steadily digging the hole that would serve as Regina's grave. James looked at Snow, who nodded towards the half dug grave. He gave a heavy sigh and plodded over to the grave and earned a dirty look from Sidney, but none of the men who were digging nor Ruby said a word.

Snow led Emma and Henry to the door of the mansion while August took over for Ruby at the grave. Kathryn stood alone in front of the door and was pounding on it.

"Maleficent let me in!"

For the other side a harsh voice snapped back, "For the last time, no!"

Kathryn frowned before her voice grew gentle and she spoke, "Maleficent, she was my friend in this world, just as she was your friend in the other."

There was a long silence before the door cracked open and Maleficent peered out. When she caught sight of Snow, Emma, and Henry her face twisted into an ugly snarl as she made to shut the door.

Snow's hand shot out to catch the door as she stated firmly, "We're coming in. I want to see her."

Maleficent stepped into the doorway and blocked it with her body, "Why on earth would I let you near her. I won't have you coming in her so you can burn her body, she deserves better than that."

Henry spoke up, "This is still my house."

Maleficent turned her gaze on the young boy and if possible her eyes hardened further, "If you had been my son I would have smothered you in your cradle." Henry stepped back from her vitriol as Emma and Snow moved to stand in front of him.

Emma snapped, "Hate me all you want, hate Snow, but do not talk to my son like that," She cocked her head and added softly, "To Regina's son like that."

Maleficent faltered before she glanced back into the house and then back at Snow, "She loved you once… but you know that."

Snow hung her head, "Even when I hated her, even when I wanted nothing more than to watch her die for all she'd tried to do to me, I still loved her, deep down I loved her, and I hated her even more because I couldn't get the piece of my heart that she had back."

Maleficent's eyes softened just a fraction, "I think she hated you for the same reason sometimes. I think that she was so bent on your destruction because she hated that there was still a part of her that loved you."

She eyed the four people on Regina doorstep before she stood aside, "I want to change her clothes," She threw a harsh glare at Emma, "They're bloody."

Emma flinched even as she guided Henry into the house, "Henry why don't you go pick your mom's favorite outfit. Do you think you can do that?"

Henry nodded and hurried up the stairs.

Snow wrapped her arms around her waist and asked, "Where is she?"

Maleficent nodded towards the dining room and led the three women out of the foyer. Snow let out a whimper when she caught sight of Regina laid out on the table, eyes closed and hands at her sides. Her head had lolled to the side and the front of her shirt was stained a dark red from where the blood was drying.

Snow and Kathryn both stepped forward and stood side by side. Kathryn reached out a tentative hand and snatched it away when she came into contact with Regina's rapidly cooling skin. Snow wasn't so squeamish as she picked up Regina's hand and bent down to press the dead woman's hand to her cheek.

Quietly she spoke, "When I used to have nightmares as a child she used to sing me back to sleep. She'd let me stay in her chambers even though my father forbade it. He was never cross with me but he used to yell at her."

Emma stepped on her mother's other side and asked quietly, "She was good to you as a child?"

Snow nodded and let out a humorless laugh, "I know I ruined her happiness but she must have been the best actress in the Enchanted forest because I never once suspected she hated me."

Maleficent let out a huff and snapped, "She didn't hate you, not really. Regina is many things, and fates know she can hold a grudge with the best of them, but it wasn't just that Daniel was killed. She knew that Cora was more responsible for that than you were. It may have planted the seed but she didn't truly begin to hate you until you were sixteen, until then she had never even considered harming you or your father."

Snow turned look at her in surprise, "But… what did I do? I don't remember doing anything that would have caused her to hate me anymore than she already did."

Maleficent's lips curled into a dark smile as she purred, "I'd tell you to ask your father but Regina already dealt with him."

Snow almost dropped Regina's cooling hand at the reminder of what the woman had done to her father but she paused, "What are you implying?"

Maleficent sneered at her, "I'm not implying anything, I am telling you he deserved exactly what he got."

Maleficent turned to look at Henry as he crept into the room, "What took so long?"

The boy ignored her and handed her the clothes, "I'll wait in the living room while you change her clothes."

Emma nodded, "Ok kid."

He left the room as quietly as he had entered while Maleficent moved to the other side of the table across from the three women. She held up the shirt Henry had brought and nodded in approval before she placed it next to her and leaned forward to undo Regina's buttons.

Once the buttons were undone Emma moved forward and lifted Regina's torso from the table so that Kathryn and Maleficent could slip the bloody, soiled blouse from her body. Snow reached across the table and retrieved the shirt Maleficent had set down and guided Regina's arms through the sleeves while Emma shifted her hands so that the shirt could settle on her shoulders. She laid her gently back down and before anyone could move to do it, she began buttoning the shirt. She faltered over the wound which was ugly and gaping before she soldiered on and finished. She left the two buttons at the top undone, remembering that Regina often left them that way even at her most formal.

They removed her pants in much the same fashion before Emma called out to Henry, "We're finished Henry!"

The boy hurried in the room and stepped next the table near Regina's head and held something shiny up, "Can I put this on her?"

He addressed Maleficent who eyed him with open distrust, "What is it?"

He held it out for her to inspect as he spoke, "I bought it for her for mothers' day when I was nine, it was right before I found out I was adopted." He was quiet for a moment as he shifted, suddenly looking ashamed, "After I figured out she was the Evil Queen I took it back…"

Maleficent's lip curled and for a moment everyone in the room was certain she was going to lash out at the boy before she proved them all wrong and nodded curtly before turning away and heading out of the room.

Henry leaned forward, "Can one of you lift her head?"

Emma did as he asked and lifted Regina's head as she eyed the pretty gold bauble that Henry had latched around his mother's neck. It was an apple.

He bent his head and whispered something into Regina's ear so softly no one could hear it before he stepped away from the table.

Maleficent returned a second later with white silk sheet and together the four women set about wrapping Regina in it.

With all the people digging the hole had taken much less time and so within the hour it was ready for Regina.

Sidney, Dr. Whale, and Dr. Hopper each supported a portion of the wrapped body's weight and in a hostile moment, when James had stepped forward to help, Sidney had hissed at him not to touch his Queen.

The three men lowered Regina into the crudely dug grave with a surprisingly gentle reverence. Snow reached up right before they were ready to fill in the grave and plucked an apple from the tree. She knelt and set the apple on Regina's stomach before standing and taking James' hand and Emma's.

Sidney picked up his discarded shovel and began placing the dirt in. He glared at anyone who moved to pick up a shovel as he seemed intent on placing each shovelful of dirt in the grave gently rather than tossing it in. Even though she was dead, it was as if he was loathe to do anything that could mar her beauty, covered though it was.

The rest of the gathered waited patiently while he slowly filled in the grave.

From across the street Rumpelstiltskin watched as the Queen was buried. He eyed the blonde witch who stood separate from the others and smiled. If he'd placed his pawns correctly, she'd done exactly what he wanted her to.

He glanced at the box sitting in the passenger seat. It was a benign thing; the only thing to suggest that it might be special was the steady, faint thump that echoed from within.

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