AN: This was supposed to be a flashback chapter for the Final Curse but I got a little carried away typing it up and ended up with so much dialogue and random thoughts that it doesn't really fit in.
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Regina was crying again. Emma hated it because it made her feel useless. There was nothing she could do about a murder that took place long before she was born. She just wished there was something she could do to help Regina. Of course it was important for her to remember Daniel and cry about his death once in a while, but lately it felt like she cried in her sleep every night and for longer and longer. When she approached Regina, trying to talk about it in a rational manner and suggesting that she speak to Archie to help her, they started to argue. Regina hated discussing her emotions, she preferred to cry privately and not talk to Emma until she had gotten herself back together again.
"I remember you crying over Neal."
"That's different."
"How? Daniel never left me alone and pregnant at 17 or got me to take the fall for something he stole."
"I spent more time with Neil than you did with Daniel. We didn't have to hide our love. And he gave me Henry."
"Well then if we're playing it that way, I loved Daniel more than you loved Neal."
"What?"
"And I saw my mother rip out his heart and crush it into dust then held his dead body while my mother stood there."
"Fine you win on the painful ending part but I loved Neal just as much as you loved Daniel."
The door opened and Henry walked in.
"What's going on in here?" He asked.
"Your mother," Regina spat out the term. "Can't seem to understand that the pain of losing your True Love can make someone want to cry."
"If you think he was your True Love then clearly you don't think I am." Emma told her, crossing her arms.
"Hey guys, chill out. You never argue like this anymore."
"I never argued with Daniel." Regina pointedly looked at Emma as she spoke.
"Fine." Emma raised her hands in the air, surrendering. "If that's how you feel I don't know why we're bothering with this relationship. Clearly you can only love Daniel and if you think he's your True Love you must be right."
"Wait!" Henry tried to stop her at the door.
"Henry, I'm sorry. I tried to make it work."
"Tried to make it work? Is that what this was?" Regina stormed after her, grabbing her arm and turning her around.
"I didn't mean it like that."
"No, it's what you said and it must be the truth because the almighty Saviour can't lie. So all this time you've just been pretending…"
Emma shook off Regina's grip. "You know you're not the easiest person to love Regina. You're stubborn, you always think you're right, you make me fight to see your emotions. Look at how long it took you to admit you liked me. Then when I tell you I love you…"
"Did you mean it? Are you sure you didn't say the words because you had to? Perhaps I was just a rebound after Neal died? When you got over the pain did you feel so sorry for me that you couldn't tell me the truth? Or maybe its part of some big plan to save the Evil Queen?"
"I won't get over the pain of Neal dying. The same way I don't expect you to stop hurting about Daniel. Whether or not they were our True Love's, we both loved them so much that their death will always hurt. I can't believe you're even thinking that you were a rebound or that it's all some big plot against you. I love you Regina. I love you so much that I feel like I'm going crazy when you do something that feels like you're trying to push me away. Despite all of that I'm fighting my head to stay, because it knows that the way we are isn't healthy. But I stay because my heart can't let go of you."
"Maybe I should see if Archie's around?" Henry suggested.
"Quiet Henry." Regina told him. "This is between your mother and I."
Emma looked started at the way Regina's voice lowered when she spoke. "Perhaps you should go back outside and wait for us."
Rolling his eyes, Henry sighed and opened the door. "You have ten minutes. If I hear screaming or something breaking I'm coming back in. I'm not a child anymore."
When he was gone Regina let out a deep breath and stepped away from Emma. "I'm sorry."
"Me too."
"I shouldn't have said those things about Neal."
"Do you really think Daniel was your True Love?"
"I'll never know. We didn't have enough time together to find out. My kiss didn't bring him back to life, but then his heart had turned to dust and I don't know if it would have been strong enough to fix that."
"I know Neal wasn't my True Love. After seeing my parents and hearing the stories, I just know. I'm okay with that. Part of me understands what he did but the other part realises that it wasn't something a good person would do. If he's not my True Love then my soul doesn't have that kind of darkness in it."
"I think you've just answered your own question about us. I guess that means Daniel wasn't my soul mate either, because there was no way he would have become evil."
"Regina…"
"No, it's true. Maybe you should listen to your head. You're the Saviour, your True Love will be someone else, someone who could break a curse with a kiss. Someone with a pure heart not tainted like mine."
"I only said it so that you could see how ridiculous it sounds. Nobody's perfect."
"But what if you're right?"
"Look at Rumplestiltskin and Belle. Clearly they're meant for each other, even though he's the Dark One and she's… well like the fairy tale version of Snow White."
"So opposite's can attract too?"
Emma shrugged. "Who am I to say what makes True Love? I don't think we're meant to know until we have to. Like with my parents. People say now that it's True Love but back when they first met they didn't know. It took losing each other and struggling to get back together for them to see it."
"Maybe that's what we need to do. Take a break from each other and see if we still want this?"
Emma walked over and took Regina's hands in hers. "Maybe. I'd rather talk things through and see if we can't figure it out for ourselves first."
Regina smiled at her. "Me too."
