When the surface of water is touched ripples spread out from the source of impact. The rings grow and continue until they reach the edges of where the water is contained. The ripples only live a short while before disappearing. People so often are like those ripples-popping up in the world before going away again. But what causes them to leave is so much more than a simple cause of nature. No, the way they so often leave is due to the pain life inflicts upon them.
Regina Mills was one of those people that had lived through the pain. She knew what it was to find love and to watch it be ripped away. She knew the feeling of a broken heart and the suffering that followed.
After all there was a reason her sister Zelena had needed her heart. It was the most resilient. Even without she felt things so deeply she could break the darkest of curses. As Snow White had told her, she felt things with her entire soul. But that would always be her downfall because even the strongest of hearts can break.
"You...you did this?!" She whispered out brokenly.
It was starting that ripple effect of the pain in her heart starting off small before growing and spreading into her very soul. The feeling of watching her chance at happiness slip away again thanks to someone else's actions.
Brown eyes watering as she looked at the man who had reminded her that it was possible to feel again…to romantically love again. The man that had helped chase away the darkness and bring light back into her dark heart. He reminded her of just how far she had come and the person that she had become the person she had always wanted to be. Both her son and Robin made her believe she was a hero. But now…well it turns out she was right. Villians don't get happy endings.
All the while, Robin was wrapped in the arms of his wife and their son. A happy family reunited at last. And she would never hold that against him because he deserved it. He deserved happiness.
Emma mumbled something but it was like Regina couldn't hear her. All she knew that it was thanks to someone else that she trusted that she'd lost everything again. Yet, this was a new kind of betrayal because she had thought Emma was different.
"You're just like your mother. Never thinking of consequences!" Regina stuttered out heatedly with hurt evident in her voice.
"I didn't know…" Emma started to say but Regina cut her off because whatever she had to say didn't matter.
"Of course you didn't." Regina exclaimed angrily as she felt the tears building unwillingly. She had to get away. She had to get away from everyone before they saw the Evil Queen break. But why not make Emma feel the same? Maybe she could inflict pain and make someone else feel guilty for their actions one last time before her heart broke once again.
"You better hope you didn't bring anything else back." She spat out before glancing one last look at Robin and realizing should she would never really get her second chance. Regina then practically ran out of Granny's dinner missing the voice calling out her name in desperation.
"You were right Mother." Regina thought to herself as she stumbled down the sidewalk towards her parked car. "Love is weakness."