This is my first ONCE fic and so I apoligize in advance for any butchering of characters/hopes/dreams (think that was a bit dramatic), please note this is SWAN QUEEN, also that it is unbeta'd and unedited. Please listen to the song Just Give Me A Reason by P!nk while reading this story (I did while writing it).

* - Disclaimer: I Own Nothing


I sat drinking my whiskey staring at the crackling fire in front of me, my mind plagued with memories – 'You would've been enough'

Closing my eyes I take a gulp of whiskey and try to keep my tears at bay. I had felt it, the love Snow White had spoken of, for a moment I had felt it. I heard banging on the front door but I really didn't feel like arguing with anyone right now, if they really wanted to get to me they'd break the door in.

Opening my eyes I drew in a shaky breath as another memory flew forward and I felt a tear drop from my eye – 'I invited her'

For a moment I thought I could be what they wanted, what Henry wanted, what she wanted, good but it's too hard and no one believes in an Evil Witch anyways.

*bang bang bang*

It was probably one of the Charmings, considering how insistent the banging was on the front door, I stand up after realizing how pathetic I look and walk over to the mirror hung up on the wall, setting my drink down I put on my best face after wiping my face and walk to the front door.

Knowing the Charmings would never leave unless I answered it I opened the door, ready for anything they could throw. "Regina," Not that though, not her, not that voice, not that tone, rage filled me and I tried to slam the door but a foot got caught between it and the threshold. "Ow," Grumbled but reasonable considering how much force I put behind the slam of the door.

Turning without a word I stalked back to where my drink sat and picked it up and with one gulp finished it. "Regina, I want to talk about what happened!" Screwing my eyes shut I squeezed the tumbler in my hand as the voice got closer. "It wasn't right what my mom did-," I had to cut her off now.

"Really, just figured that out now Ms. Swan?" Turning to face her after slamming the glass against the surface it had once sat upon I sneered at her. "You really just figured how skewed the right and wrong system is in their pathetic minds?" The words came easily and she stood there listening with rapt attention, like it could save her life. "You just realized that good will always be good and evil will always be evil, no matter how hard evil tries or how bad good gets,"

Heavy breathing and anger pressing against my chest – these things I was used to, rage and hate mixed with sorrow and anguish. "No matter what happens, not one little thing changes," It came out as an enraged snarl and I realized I was partially drunk and if I cared enough I would be embarrassed being caught in such a state but currently I did not.

"I change," She says quietly after a moment of silence (with the exception of my heavy breathing). "I change and so does Henry," I scoff but she gives me a look that silences me. "Sometimes people make mistakes and sometimes its during really crappy times and that makes those mistakes ten times worse then they originally were and I get it alright?" She takes a step forward and I realize I've cornered myself. "I screwed up with taking Henry to New York and blaming you for Archie's death, I didn't follow my gut and I let myself start to believe in the good and evil crap my parents and everyone else pulls," She pauses taking a deep breath and I feel it exit onto my face and I realize she's been drinking too.

"You're drunk," I accuse suddenly unsure if I want to have this conversation while we are both intoxicated but she just rolls her eyes and steps forward so we are toe to toe.

"So are you now shut up," Infuriating Swan. "This is me apologizing for my mistakes but I can't make up for my parents and their mistakes too, I know that you guys will never like each other, probably if lucky only tolerate one another," This was taking too long and I was beginning to feel the effects of all the whiskey I drank from that glass (and the bottle earlier). "But you need to know that you have someone in your corner and I'm gonna be that person, you took care of Henry for ten years and ran this town for twenty-eight not to mention y'know," She did that nervous shrug. "Everything with us before,"

Ah, that was why she was nervous. "You didn't seem so bad then and you told me vaguely about your past," Yes, vague was an understatement. "Like how you got married to someone who hurt you… turns out it was my grandpa and how someone told a secret of yours that made your mother separate you from a boy you love – Snow, Cora, Daniel,"

She winces when I flinch at his name; the memories good and bad come back as fresh and painful as if new. "Sorry," She mumbles and again shrugs nervously. "Anyways, you were actually honest with me – just not about the curse and fairy-tail part, which is pretty important but if we are being honest I would've thought you had gone insane if you'd told me that," Good to know the hundreds of times I considered telling her it was a mistake and it was right to keep it from her. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I believe in you, you aren't the person you were before – in that place you guys come from, you aren't the Evil Queen," I flinch and she winces once more. "You're just Regina here,"

I want to feel insulted but I feel more complimented then anything and I just stare at her. "You don't have to say anything cause this is new and unexpected but I just wanted you to know that I'm in your corner now," A breath inhaled and let out slowly from her lips (why was I looking there). "I'm going to talk to Henry too and try to get him to understand that the world isn't black and white… he's a pretty genius eleven year old but he's a kid and we forget that I think,"

She's right, I forget that he's just a boy because of his maturity and old soul – he has every right to be conflicted. One mother a savior and the other is the evil queen, irony always tasted bitter to me.

She's leaving, her back to me and I quickly follow her. "Thank you," I call out hoarsely to her, a pause in her step before she turns and smiles at me and I think – I want her back.