Regina's post coronation party was in full swing. Everyone was celebrating the newly crowned Queen. Regina had made the rounds, talked to everyone who had wanted to congratulate her individually. She'd smiled, and nodded, and shook at least a hundred hands. After about halfway through the party, Regina looked around the room, and finally no one was standing in line waiting to say their piece. She looked at all of her family and friends. She finally had everything...well almost everything.
From across the room she could see Emma with Hope...and the pirate. She subconsciously cringed when she kissed his cheek. She'd almost forgotten how hard that was to watch. When she'd come up with the idea to merge the realms, she could only think of how much they all missed their homes and families, and it never occured to her that coming home might be this hard. But she had to stand here and continue to smile, and nod, and except everyone's kind words, because if she didn't they might figure it out. The secret that she'd been keeping for so many years now. They would figure out she was, in fact, in love with Emma Swan. A fact she hadn't even been able to admit to herself until recently, nevermind other people.
It had hit her hard the day they returned to Storybrooke. When she first saw Emma again. It had been so long, years really, by her time of course, for Emma it had only been months, but the second she locked eyes with her beautiful green orbs again after so long, her whole world froze in that moment, and she was home. Having been away from her for so long certainly gave her perspective. She had been in her life long enough that she'd become used to burying her feelings. So when she hadn't had to for awhile, they came at her like a ton of bricks. Had it always been like this? Did the mere sight of Emma always make her stomach jump into her throat? Did her heart always beat faster? Her mind frantically searched her memories to try and remember when this feeling had begun. She couldn't remember the exact moment...but yes it had been this way for quite some time. How? How had this happened without her realizing...she'd known something was there...but she hadn't realized just how strong that something was...until now. Now, all of the sudden, she had forgotten how to hide it. How on earth had she done that for so long when she felt as though she might explode after only a few moments with her now?
Her mind pulled itself back to the present, and as soon as she thought she'd be unnoticed, Regina slipped out of the party and into a smaller room. She'd wanted to run out of the the second Emma had suggested she'd gotten her 'happy beginning' to be honest, but she had to make a show of it. How could she be really, truly happy without Emma? And for her to use that particular phrase, the thing she used to describe her wedding to guy liner, and all while holding his one good hand...it was almost too much for her. If she hadn't been a bit high on just having hugged her she might have shattered into little peices right then and there. No wonder she hadn't hugged her often before...it was a bad idea...because it gave her bad ideas...ideas like kissing her or running her fingers through her hair...very bad ideas. She'd always kept her distance, but now that hugging was on the table, she couldn't just take it off the table again without it seeming weird. Boy was she in trouble.
After a few minutes, she could hear footsteps coming from behind her.
"So, does this mean I have to like, curtsey whenever you walk in a room now, cause let me tell you now...I have no idea how to do that." Said Emma as Regina turned to meet her gaze. Of course she noticed her absence. She always had. She was the only one who had for the longest time. She half smiled at Emma's quip, trying to seem normal.
"No, Miss Swan, I think I'll spare you the humiliation of attempting it." She answered.
"Why aren't you out there? I mean this whole shindig is for you after all? Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'm...I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?...I just needed some space. A break from shaking all those hands." Regina explained. Emma was unconvinced, but recognized her closed off body language. She wasn't going to get anything out of her at that particular moment.
"Okay, well, you know you can tell me if you're not okay. If something is bothering you, I'm here." Emma assured. Regina smiled.
"You can sheath your sword savior. I'm in no need of a rescue." She replied.
"Okay." Emma said flatly, still unconvinced. She looked Regina over one more time, wanting to push it further, but knowing she shouldn't. So instead she smiled a bit and turned. "I'll see you back in there then."
"Yeah. I'll be back in a minute." She assured as she watched Emma disappear back into the party. Regina let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She needed to remember how to hide those feelings again and fast. That is if she was even still capable of it. What if she wasn't? What if she was doomed to have to hide in another room everytime the one handed wonder decided to enact some PDA? What a pathetic wreck she'd become. The Once Great and Terrible Evil Queen was cowering in the corner hiding from from a couple making kissy faces. This 'second chance' sure wasn't off to the greatest of starts. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Yep, she was definitely pathetic.
Just as she was about to wipe away the traitorous droplet, the door opened a second time. She attempted to straighten herself up quickly, as she realized it was Zelena, but failed miserably.
"There you are, I was looking all over for you and then I saw Emma coming out..." she paused when she noticed her little sis had been crying. "Are you alright?"
"Fine. Completely fine." She lied.
"Right, because it's completely normal to be hiding in a dark room crying at a party to celebrate you basically being Queen of the universe with all your friends and family in the other room." Came Zelena's reply, dripping with her signature brand of sarcasm.
"I'm not Queen of the universe." She replied, rolling her eyes.
"No, just a solid third of it." She answered back. "And don't change the subject. What's going on?" She added, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Why doesn't anyone ever believe me when I say I'm fine?" She stood up straight now, tears subsided in favor of annoyance.
"Because you're a terrible liar." She deadpanned. "Honestly, I can't believe Emma would just walk out of here and leave you crying...unless...she was the reason you're crying..." Regina turned her face away.
'No, no, no. She can't...she didn't just ask me that.' She thought in a panic that unfortunately was written all over her face.
"She is isn't she? I knew you'd been acting weird around her ever since we came back from the wish realm." Zelena spoke a little too loudly.
"Would you keep your voice down. I don't need all the realms to know my sister is a nutcase." She whispered loudly, still attempting to cover.
"Nutcase?" She asked insulted, as Regina looked out the door to make sure no one heard and then quickly closed it again. "You're in here hiding, and I'm the nutcase?... Why are you even so upset? What did Emma do..." and it suddenly hit her "Oh, bloody hell. You're in love with her aren't you?" She said it in jest, not realizing. Regina's eyes grew wide. 'No, no, no. This isn't happening.' Her mind screamed.
"Zelena, shhh." She pleaded, but she was ignored.
"So many things make so much more sense now. No wonder you bloody followed her to Camelot and the Underworld and the Wish Realm and every other ridiculous place she got herself stuck in." Zelena went on in her usual fashion.
"Okay, okay, yes alright. Yes. Please just be quiet." She begged, as Zelena realized she'd over done it. The seriousness in Regina's expression made her feel bad at poking fun.
"Wait, you mean you really..." She asked more collected. Regina nodded in defeat.
"Yes. I'm...in love...with Emma." She practically choked out. "But you can't, you can't tell anyone."
"Well if you keep making it so obvious I won't have to." Zelena said.
"Promise me." Regina ordered with a scolding look.
"I promise." Zelena answered sincerely. Regina breathed a small sigh of relief but was still clearly upset."Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I just...never actually said it before, not even to myself, I just..." she explained.
"How long have you...?" Zelena began, but Regina cut her off.
"Not...now. I need to process this, I...can we talk about it some other time, please." She pleaded.
"Alright." She answered. They then heard a knock at the door.
"Regina, are you in there?" Came Snow's voice.
"Is every person I ever met going to come looking for me?" Regina whispered.
"Well, apparently that's what they do in this family." Zelena whispered back. "Can't a girl have a private gab fest with her sister." She said louder for Snow's benefit, then she poofed them two drinks and disappeared Regina's tear stains just as Snow opened the door. They both faked a smile. Snow looked at them awkwardly but shrugged it off.
"Granny made a giant cake. She's just about to bring it out so you should come see it." Snow said.
"Sounds great. We'll be right there." Regina said.
Snow shot them another odd look, but gave them a quick "Okay." And left.
"Thank God she's a little slow on the uptake, but that's bot going to work again." Zelena said quietly.
"I know." She replied as they followed Snow back to the party.
When they entered the ballroom once again, the cake was being wheeled in and it was indeed 'giant', and gold, and it had sparklers sticking out the top.
"Wow. That is some cake." Regina said. "You certainly outdid yourself Granny.
"A layer for each of the realms." Granny explained. And everyone clapped. Granny handed her a big knife. "Would you like to do the honors?" Regina took the knife and went to cut a piece off the bottom layer, when suddenly the doors flung open and who came through was the last person they thought they'd ever see again... The Evil Queen.
"What a happy, happy day. Pitty, my invitation must have gotten lost in the mail. At least I didn't miss the cake." The Evil Queen quipped as she glided toward Regina, a small retinue of what looked like lost boys behind her.
"I thought you're other half was out having some adventure with fake Robin Hood." Zelena asked. Everyone else looked on in confusion.
"Oh dear, let me be very, very clear, I'm in no way any part of her." The Evil Queen said pointing at Regina.
"Then who the hell are you?" Asked Emma.
"Ahh, the savior speaks." She hissed at her.
"You're from the Wish Realm aren't you?" Regina guessed.
"Well, at least you're not a stupid as that dress looks." The Evil Queen looked Regina up and down.
"What the hell do you want?" Regina asked.
"That's quite simple. I want you to pay." She said in an almost growl.
"Pay for what? What have I ever done to you?" Regina pushed.
"You ruined my life." She said as she leaned in threateningly. "Now I'm going to ruin yours."