The song in this fic is called "Reminder" by Mumford & Sons.

At half past four in the morning, Emma walked the streets of Storybrooke. Sleep eluded her. Her heavy heart weighed down on each step as her boots scuffed against the concrete sidewalk. Emma was alone.

And I won't hear you cry when I'm gone

I won't know if I'm doing you wrong

I never know if I'm doing you wrong

Regina sat on the bed, her eyes filled with tears, her face warm with frustration, her cheeks red from the exertion of crying. She wrung her hands and squeezed until her knuckles were white. When this didn't release the tension, she dug her nails into her palms to feel something. The tears fell on the backs of her hands, nearly steaming with heat. Oh, God, she was thinking. What have I done? Just as heavily as Emma's, her heart weighed down on her and made it difficult to draw breath.

A constant reminder of where I can find her

A light that might give up the way

Is all that I'm asking for

without her I'm lost

But my love, don't fade away

Eventually, Emma pulled out her cell phone and dialed a friend's number.

"Ruby?" she said. "Can I come over?"

It may have been extremely late, but of course, her friend obliged and welcomed her with open arms when she showed up at her house.

"What happened honey?" she asked, kissing Emma's forehead.

"Regina ended it."

"Oh, sweetie," Ruby said. "I'm so, so sorry."

Ruby embraced her friend and held her tightly in her arms, knowing all too well how much pain Emma was in. For all the time she'd known Emma, she'd always had feelings for Regina. When they finally got together, Emma was secretly ecstatic, completely overwhelmed with the intoxicating feelings of love that overtook her heart. As Emma cried, Ruby continued to hold her, not letting go until Emma pulled away first.

"I'm sure she'll change her mind," Ruby said, attempting to be supportive and optimistic.

But in her current state and through her exhaustion, Emma couldn't believe it. The way Regina had ended, Emma knew she meant it. At least, that was how it seemed. If not, the performance was quite convincing. It had Emma convinced, anyway.

"I don't know what to do," Emma cried, wiping her eyes with a tissue.

"Why don't you tell her how you feel? Give it a few days and see if she still feels the same."

Emma shook her head and said, "I can't. I can't open up like that when I know she'll just reject me."

"How do you know?" Ruby pressed. "Maybe she feels just as broken as you do."

"Then why would she do this?"

Emma was nearly sobbing, gasping for breath every few words. Ruby's eyes filled with pity - something Emma didn't want to see.

"Don't," the blonde warned. "This is pathetic. I'm pathetic. Don't feel bad for me."

Feeling bad for upsetting Emma, Ruby nodded quietly and looked down at her lap, too guilty to meet her eyes. She knew there was nothing she could do for Emma other than simply to listen, and she knew that wasn't enough. She watched Emma fall apart in front of her and couldn't wash the sorrow from her own eyes. Watching her friend's heart breaking was one of the most painful things she'd had to go through, especially when she knew just how much the woman was suffering. She'd never seen two people more in love than they were, and it even pained her to think of them splitting up. If they weren't together, how would there be hope for anyone else? They'd seemed so perfect together. At least in front of other people, they never fought or even disagreed. The only other couple that seemed almost equally in love was Snow and Charming, and even they had their disputes.

"You're not pathetic," Ruby promised, reaching up and resting her hand on the woman's shoulder. "It's not pathetic to be in love, Emma."

"Sure it is," she spat. "Love is weakness."

"Don't say that!" Ruby said. "That's not true and you know it. You're just upset."

Emma sighed and shook her head, unconvinced.

"Can I crash here tonight, Rubes? Please..."

"Of course you can, honey. You're always welcome here."

Emma spent the night and clung to her phone, praying for the text or call that wouldn't come.

So I watched the world tear us apart

A stoic mind and a bleeding heart

You never see my bleeding heart

Henry woke to the sound of his mother crying and peeked into her bedroom.

"Mom?" he called out in the dark.

Regina was laying on her side, tears pouring from her eyes. Henry made his way over to her bedside and touched her shoulder.

"Mom, what's the matter?"

"I made a huge mistake, Henry," Regina told her son, crying as she sat up in bed and held his hand.

"What happened?" the boy asked.

"I told Emma I didn't want to be with her anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I was hurt, and I felt like she didn't love me."

"But she does," Henry said confidently, squeezing his mother's hand. "I know she does."

"I don't know, Henry," Regina replied. "I just don't know anymore."

"Don't you love her?" he asked.

"I... Yes... Yes, of course, I do..."

"Then you should tell her. Can't you just tell her you're sorry?"

"It's not that simple, Henry," the woman sighed, looking into the boy's eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because relationships don't work that way. I can't take back what I said."

"Why not?"

"Because she won't listen," Regina said, convinced of the truth of her words, not believing that Emma could ever forgive her.

"You should tell her how you feel, Mom."

"Henry," his mother said. "I just can't."

Henry wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Henry. I'm so sorry."

And your light's always shining on

And I've been traveling oh so long

I've been traveling oh so long

After tucking Henry back into bed, Regina fell into a fitful sleep, sobbing herself into exhaustion. In her hand, she clutched her phone, praying for the text or call that wouldn't come. She left the volume all the way up, just in case of a small miracle. In the morning, she spent a half hour staring at her phone screen, waiting desperately, her breath catching in her chest each time she tried to inhale.

"Emma," she sobbed, burying her face in her pillow.

Against her better judgement, she grabbed the phone, unable to stop her fingers from typing.

'I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. Please come home.'

A constant reminder of where I can find her

Light that might give up the way

Is all that I'm asking for without her I'm lost

Oh my love don't fade away

Oh my love don't fade away

Emma woke to the text message, her heart aching as she read the words. She felt herself stop breathing and started to cry.