Too Late

"Get out of here, you wicked wench!" yelled her father after the telltale shattering of glass.

Zelena fled to her boyfriend's house. Fiyero would understand. She always went to him when her father was drunk and violent.

As soon as he began to comfort her, she felt a burning sensation. She gasped and Fiyero asked what was wrong.

"My chest burns," she sputtered.

"That's one of the signs!" Fiyero said excitedly.

"Of what?" she asked, even though she knew the truth.

"That you have a soulmate!"

Zelena, crying tears of joy and anxiety about all of it. Of course she's happy, but knowing it's official that their meant to be together is heart-stopping.

She asked for privacy and ran to the other room. Zelena quickly undressed and looked down. Sure enough, she saw the word Fiyero written carefully. It's his handwriting.

Two months later

Zelena met Fiyero at their meeting spot, under a large tree. He looked at her, his face stony.

"Is it true you have magic?" he demanded.

"Y-yes how did you find out?" Zelena stuttered.

"I overheard your father drunkenly yell at you."

"It's not-" she started.

"My mother was killed by magic," Fiyero stated, "and it's evil, wicked. Stay away from me witch."

Zelena stared as he walked away from the place they had shared for months. They had embraced, kissed and comforted one another here, and Fiyero threw all that away.

Zelena could tolerate her father's beatings and even his physical and mental abuse. Not knowing at least one person cared about her killed her. Now she only had her father.

She felt cold, a hollow feeling in her chest. Without looking, Zelena knew Fiyero's name had faded from her chest.

Episode 5x16: Our Decay

Zelena was indeed charmed by Hades. She had felt something in her heart she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew that he couldn't really love her. Everyone knew you only ever had one soulmate, though hers broke her heart. No, Hades couldn't love her. Her one chance for love floated away so long ago.

Episode 5x21: Last Rites

Zelena was about to plunge the Olympian Crystal into Hades' chest. The moment seemed to be going in slow motion and instantly she regretted it. It was too late to stop now and as she stabbed him, she locked eyes with him, conveying one message: I love you.

As soon as he was gone, Zelena felt a painful burning deep in her chest. She sobbed. It couldn't be possible. No one ever had two soulmates. That just didn't happen.

As soon as she could get away from Regina, she ran to the bathroom. Sure enough, Hades was written in intricate block letters. The irony of it all was enough to make her depressed. Of course he would become her soulmate when she could never have him again.

Zelena sobbed in the bathroom for what seemed like forever. Finally, she cleaned herself up for Robin's funeral. She couldn't let anyone know about the tattoo above her heart, least of all Regina.

She remembered what she used to do when she was a kid after Fiyero betrayed her. She mentally put titanium armor around her heart. Zelena had let Hades chip away at it, but now her armor was stronger than ever. She could only afford to have room for love in her heart for two people: Regina and her daughter.

How cruel it was, Zelena thought as she walked to the graveyard, that she was shown what could have been when it was too late.