A/N: Just something floating around in my head for a little while now. Working on getting back into writing again. Hope you enjoy.
Everyone left the funeral as the rain beat down. Regina stayed behind to have just one more moment of peace before the onslaught of kindness and sympathy drove her mad. Once again, she was alone; shel lost another love, and really why was she surprised? Villains never got their happy endings. She just thought they were finally past all that. Maybe it was just a fate she couldn't escape.
As her tears fell harder, so did the rain that pelted her skin, feeding off her emotions. Her sorrow darkened the sky above her, her vision blurred by flashes of light and all sound drowned out by a thundering boom. She expected the earth to split beneath her and swallow her whole. She wished it.
Suddenly a warm hand slipped in her grip and all of it stopped; the thunder ceased, the lightning stopped and the rain slowed. It was a soft drizzle now, but Regina couldn't feel it because the person next to her had shielded them both under a large black umbrella.
Regina looked to her left. "Emma." She leaned against the woman who had become her friend, someone she would cast curses for, go to hell for. "Why is this happening?" She sobbed.
Emma wrapped her arm around the smaller woman, offering as much strength and comfort as she possibly could. "I really don't know Regina. You're not alone okay?"
"But I am. I always will be right?" The mayor looked away in grief. "Because everyone I decide to let in just end up suffering. They die Miss Swan. I'm destined to be alone."
"Well… I'm not going anywhere." At this Regina looked into bright green eyes, open and honest. "Let me in. We can help each other."
Guilt hit the brunette hard and she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm sorry Emma. I'm so sorry I couldn't save Hook."
"I truly b believe everything happens for a reason. I hate that Hook is gone but I have to believe something good will come out of it."
"How do you do that?" Regina was searching, grasping for a glimmer of hope. If anyone would provide it, it would be a product of true love.
"Because after everything we've both been through, I refuse to believe that this is it for us." Emma said us because she knew the woman next to her didn't believe she was worthy of a happy ending. "We will have our happy endings Regina, I promise."
"I don't know how to move on from this savior. Last time I lost love I…"
"You were alone. But now you're not." To emphasize her point, Emma pulled Regina tighter against her side. "You have me Regina. So you call or text me any time, night or day and I promise I'll be there for you." Emma's hand had been rubbing soothing circles against the other woman's hip and Regina surrendered to the embrace, because she actually believed Emma Swan.
"We should head out Emma. Everyone will be waiting for us." Regina reluctantly pulled away, a practiced smile on her face. OF course Emma saw right through it, but let it go, not wanting to push. Regina turned back to Robin's casket, resting her hand on it. "Goodbye Robin."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the rain poured down once more. Emma used the umbrella to cover them both as they walked to Regina's car, heading over to Granny's together in complete silence.
…
"Regina." Snow and Charming mournfully walked to her table. "Today is not a day I would wish on anyone and I truly hope we never have another one like it." Snow took her former step mother turned friends hand. "I know it won't help much, but I am so so sorry for your loss Regina."
The Mayor sighed. "Thank you Snow." She squeezed the woman's hand softly, showing her that she was really grateful. It was a lot for her to take in; having her long time enemy comforting her for lost love. She was really and truly happy that they had let that go and they were in a good place now. They were family.
Charming wrapped his arm around his wife. "We are here for you Regina. Call us if you need anything. If you need us to take Henry for a weekend, anything."
"Thanks David, thank you Snow." Regina wanted to be okay but she wasn't. She was exhausted. "Would you mind staying with Henry for a bit? I'll be right back."
"Sure." Snow and David answered in unison.
Regina walked toward the bathroom. Once out of sight she passed the women's bathroom and walked up the stairs to find an empty room. She magicked the door open and walked in, stepping into the quiet and solitude of the small room. Regina was overwhelmed by emotion, allowing herself to completely breakdown now that she was away from curious eyes. She fell into the large bed, her tears soaking the pillow beneath her head. she couldn't breathe and everything ached; too much for her to bear.
The Queen, who once took hearts decided in that moment to reach for her own; her hand disappearing in her chest before pulling out the glowing organ. As soon as her heart was removed, she felt an enormous weight lifted off of her. She still hurt beyond belief, but at least she didn't feel like she was being torn to pieces.
After days of not sleeping, she finally gave in and fell asleep, her heart tucked safely against her, her worries temporarily fading away.
…
Emma saw her parents sitting with Henry. She scanned the room, looking for the brunette. "Hey kid." She kissed Henry's head. "Where's your mom?"
"I saw her go to the bathroom a while ago but haven't seen her since." He frowned.
"I think she went upstairs Emma." Snow offered to her daughter who was also grieving her lost love. She was proud of the woman in front of her, caring so deeply for others, even in the midst of her own pain.
"Thanks mom. I'll go get her."
"Ma?"
Emma turned around to see tears in Henry's eyes. He was growing up so fast but he was still the ten year old boy that came to get her in New York. "What's up?"
"How… how can I help mom?" Henry felt such sorrow for both of his moms, but he knew Regina's suffering was different, going back for years. He knew she was the one more susceptible to fading away. "I don't know how to help her."
"Oh kid…" Emma hugged him as tight as she could. "You just be there for her okay? Let her know every single day that she isn't alone and that she's so loved."
"Okay." He sniffled. "I will do that I promise." He squeezed the blonde before releasing her.
…
Emma found the room with ease and slipped inside. Regina was laying the bed sleeping, curled away from her. She closed the door and made her way over to the bed, wanting to cover the Mayor with a blanket. She felt a need to protect and care for her; after all she made a promise.
Green eyes widened in shock when she saw what was being gently cradled in the the woman's hands. Emma didn't know what to do, but she knew that Regina couldn't be left alone like this. She went back downstairs quietly.
"Hey Hen. Stay at the grandparents tonight okay?"
"Sure… um… is everything okay? Is it mom?"
"She's just really tired kid. I'm gonna stay with her so she doesn't wake up alone okay? I'll make sure she's okay."
"You won't leave her?"
"Never." Emma instantly felt the weight of that single word, knowing it was completely and utterly true. She was there giving Regina forever without even meaning to. They were family. "We'll see you in the morning for breakfast okay?"
"Okay. I love you ma." He hugged her. "Give mom a hug for me please?"
"Promise."
Emma got back upstairs, hoping to quietly slip back in the room without waking the exhausted woman. Instead she was greeted with wide open brown eyes staring at her from the bed. "Gina you're up." The Mayor looked at her curiously. "Oh… I found you sleeping earlier and went to tell everyone they could just go home. I was just gonna crash on the floor."
"Why?" The voice laced with gravel and pain whispered through the dark room.
"I promised I'd be here for you." She took her shoes off and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her legs beneath her body. "I have something for you." Emma waved her hand, a white cloud conjuring a beautiful white box; a crown engraved on it and a ruby gem placed in the center.
"What is that?" Regina inched closer.
"It's a safe place Regina." Emma closed her eyes, a tear falling down her cheek. "For your heart. Until you're ready to put it back where it belongs. I promise it'll be safe. Only you, Henry and I can even touch this box." She handed it to Regina who took it with tears in her eyes.
"You must think I'm a coward. I can't even grieve like a normal person." She tried to look away, ashamed of herself, but warm fingers wouldn't let her. She felt the slender hand beneath her chin, pulling her gaze to green orbs.
"You don't have to do that with me Regina. You're the strongest person I know. Sometimes the pain is too much to bear; I understand, you know I do."
Regina held her heart close to her chest but didn't try to put it back. "How can I do this again? How do I move on?"
"Find a way Regina." Emma held her hand out. "But until then, I will protect your heart okay? Trust me."
"I do." Regina had only ever given her actual heart to one other person, Robin. As she handed the organ over to the blonde, she felt something she hadn't felt since that day long ago. She felt safe, completely protected.
Emma took the heart from Regina who gasped loudly.
"Oh my god I'm sorry… Gina what did I do?" Emma panicked slightly, not realizing that her emotions and therefore magic had somehow affected the Queen's heart. Emma thought maybe she squeezed a little too hard. She followed Regina's gaze, looking to her hand to see a faint white glow. "Regina? What is that?"
Regina was crying, shaking her head. "That's impossible."
"What's impossible? What is it?"
"Emma…" She looked deep into Emma's eyes. "It's love."
Emma carefully placed Regina's heart in the white box, putting it on the bedside table. "Well…"
"No. It's not possible Emma."
"What's not possible?"
"You can't love me." Regina whispered, but Emma heard her as clear as day.
"Maybe it's because you're my best friend? I mean I do love you Regina." Emma knew deep down that it was a lie. Her love for the woman next to her was real and she knew it since they met; even when she hated her, she loved her. She simply lied to protect the woman who seemed to loathe the idea of loving her.
"No." Regina wiped her wet cheeks. "Emma that's… that's true love. That was magic I… I felt it." She pointed to her chest. "Here." She was so confused. This wasn't supposed to be able to happen for her again. "Do you think I'm crazy?"
The quiet in the room was deafening.
"You're not." Emma decided that she needed to follow her own advice and be brave. "You are not crazy. There is love in my heart for you Regina. There has been for a while, but everything happened the way it happened and I never had a chance to think of it really. We both lost our soul mates but it doesn't change the fact that deep down inside… I do feel love for you."
Emma moved so she sat next to Regina, leaning against the headboard.
"You can't love me."
"Yeah… you keep saying that but you aren't telling me why."
Regina sighed heavily. "Do I really need to say it Emma? How about I show you again?" Before Emma could respond, tan fingers pressed against her temple.
Emma winced in pain.
Daniel's death destroyed her, her father's heart turning to dust between her fingers, killing Snow White's father, massacres in the Enchanted Forest, casting a curse that destroyed everyone's happy endings. Henry eating a poisoned turnover, Henry abducted by Pan, Emma and Henry driving away from Storybrooke, 'You would have been enough.' Robin fading away before her eyes, dying to protect her.
As she came to, Emma gasped violently for air. "What was that?"
"I didn't show you my memories Emma. I let you have them. I let you feel them." She leaned in toward the blonde. "Now tell me… do you still want to love me?"
Emma didn't answer. Instead she leaned in, closing the small space between them and pressed her lips softly against the brunettes.
Emma bringing Henry home. Seeing Regina for the first time. Envying the Mayor for raising her son, hating the evil queen for almost killing him. Regina absorbing the magic from the trigger, risking her life to prove that she wasn't that evil. Her friend giving her memories of a good life with Henry, Emma never gave him up. Regina changing, Regina breaking the new curse. Saving Regina from the darkness. Regina saving her from the darkness. 'You can lie to everyone else, but you can't lie to me.' Saving each other. Regina going to the underworld for Emma, staying for Emma and losing love again. Emma holding her heart.
Emma pulled away slowly. Dark brown eyes bore into her soul. "Emma."
The savior pulled Regina's face toward her gently but with a burning intensity before she whispered against her lips. "Now… tell me again that I can't love you."
Aloha! My overall goal is to create this story and get it out of my head. I hope you all enjoy it and hopefully get some good feels from it. I promise as little angst as possible and as much fluff as I can possibly come up with. Love you all. 3
