Twice Upon A Time {reader x once upon a time}

An Apple as Red as Blood - Part 2

Regina took Jefferson to her vault, in the cemetery. The entrance was located under her father's grave. When pushed to the side, it revealed a set of stone stairs leading downwards

"Watch your step" Regina warned him

"What is this place?" Jefferson asked

"Where I've kept the last bit of my magic" Regina explained as she entered a room with stone walls in which shelves had been carved. Several urns, vials and boxes of different sizes and shapes filled many the shelves "The only magic in this world is in the things I brought with me"

Jefferson places his hat on the floor, right in the middle of the room, and took a step back. They waited for a moment, but nothing happened

"It's not spinning. It's not working" Jefferson said

"It needs to absorb the magic that's here" Regina realized "I have some things left, a few trinkets" she said, grabbing a box from one of the shelves. She put its contents inside, but once again, nothing happened. Jefferson grabbed the hat and turned it over, but nothing fell out

"It's not enough. We need something that still works" he explained

Regina reached inside her jacket pocket and pulled out Daniel's ring. It glowed and showed Daniel's face in the middle

"Who's that?" Jefferson asked

"Someone long gone" Regina said sadly

"Well, whatever or whoever it is, it still has magical properties" he pointed out "Give me that, let me see what I can do with it" he said, extending the hat to Regina, who hid the ring in her fist and backed away slightly

"If you want your son back, if you want your revenge, give it to me" Jefferson insisted

Regina pointed to the floor, silently telling Jefferson to put the hat back down. She walked over it slowly and dropped the ring in the hat. A purple smoke surrounded the hat and it started to slowly turn around, but it stopped shortly after

"What's wrong? Why isn't it opening a portal?" Regina asked

Jefferson kneeled down to examine the hat "the magic, it's not enough" he said "we can't go anywhere"

"Then you've failed" Regina said

"Maybe not" Jefferson replied "There's enough magic to touch the other side, just not to get us there" he explained "There might be enough to... reach through and retrieve something"

"I can bring something back?" Regina asked softly, kneeled down too

"Is there an object that can help you? Perhaps I can open it enough and reach through and grab it" he offered "It would have to be something small, something that you can take with your hand. Is there anything like that that can help you?" he asked

"Yes. Yes, I believe there is" Regina answered smiling

"Then you need to direct me to the time and place where this object exists" Jefferson said handing the hat to Regina

"How?" she asked, grabbing it

"Think about it. Guide the hat" he instructed

Regina closed her eyes and thought about the object she was after and where it was the last time she had seen it. When she placed the hat back on the floor, it started to spin, creating a proper portal and making Regina laugh

"Excellent. It appears to be working. Now, what is it we're after?" Jefferson asked

"An apple" was Regina's answer

A few seconds later, a blood red apple with a bite on it shot up from the hat. Jefferson caught it mid-air and showed it to Regina "Is this it?" he asked