A mixture of POV. I don't know how old 'baby neal' is in the show but in this fic he is 3.
Unbeta'd. Disclaimer: OUAT and characters belong to ABC and not me.
She only saw her husband to kiss him good night before taking the burden of the curse. She had a toddler who loved to, almost waddle around, hiding behind the chairs. Laughing at her when she tried to get him to do almost anything. She had failed at protecting her daughter again- she thought she knew Killian, saw the way he looked at her, believed that they were meant to be, but clearly she was wrong. She had let her unblinding faith in true love fail her once more. She lived in Storybrooke, had lived an alter ego for 28 years, forgiven and become friends with someone who had literally destroyed her happiness, travelled realms, defeated villains. So when she had woken up to Regina saying to meet her at Aesops Tables she thought it was a brilliant idea. Emma would be out the house, she could be there for her- but not in the pushy mother way, as a friend and they needed a girls night. Perhaps if it quietened down for one second it would have happened sooner.
/
Regina needed a drink. She didn't want to drink alone, lord knows she'd done too much of that. Swigging whiskey from the bottle,it reminded her of him, the closest taste she could get. The taste acquired-not quite sweet but not bitter either, it was rich, wholesome almost. Now it was just a bitter memory.
She had lost him again. It wasn't him, not her Robin, and she had thought that would have made it easier, that some version of Robin got the life he deserved. It didn't. In fact she think it made it hurt more. Robin of Locksley got his happy ending because he didn't love her. She was the problem. She killed everything she loved. It was all her fault. She had Henry and he was her world, and that was enough, but he wasn't enough for her, not forever. He was no longer a boy. He was growing, no had grown into a handsome young man. He would find his way in a world and she would be his mother whom he would visit when he wanted that familar feeling of home. She would be loved by him, treasured by him, but he would have his own family one day and that would come first. So yes she was miserable and didn't feel like being alone tonight- not in the house. It was so quiet again. Plus as mayor of the town she really did have a duty to check out the new establishment and to make sure it met the town codes.
/
She was fine. She knew Killian would leave. they always did. She just decided to believe, more fool her. She had looked through all his things- looking for a note, an explanation. She thought he would leave something. Clearly it was a lie. It was something neither of them were a stranger too.
She knew Regina was up to something the second she saw that smile. That always meant trouble, she'd memorised it in the first couple of weeks of storybrooke during the feud between the two women.
She didn't want a girls night. She didn't want company. She wanted to sit at home with Henry in a slightly awkward silence and pretend everything was ok. She wanted a night to think. Of nothing and everything.
She should have known really. Regina was never one to give up. She wanted to be mad, but deep down she knew this would help, that as much as she wanted to be, being alone wasn't what she needed. If she had a hangover she couldn't run. Not that she wanted to run- she had, against all her own rules, created a life here. She had found home. She just hated that everytime she found something, it seemed to be at the cost of something else. Plus her mother was slightly tipsy.
/
Snow wasn't quite sure when the buzz hit, she refused to accept it was after her first drink. Regina had to be lying. She could hold her drink. So maybe she was a bit of a lightweight but she just wanted to well be freeeeeee.
She heard Regina groan and had she been more sober perhaps she would have said something but as it was she was already challenging them to a game of darts. Winner pays both tabs. She added the horns for good measure- seriously had no one told them how stupid those hats were.
She picked up the darts and looked towards the board, the room was all spinny and she was sure the colours weren't usually this mixed up. No she was frickin Snow White she could do this. Bullseye. Three times.
Nailed it.
/
She knew it was a stupid question, a pointless question. A question that no matter how sincere it was asked it always sounded patronising but well if there was a better way of asking then someone would have found it by now: How do you feel? Angry, sad, like throwing things, crying your eyes out? God knows she'd done all of them. Sometimes all at once. She was glad she had magic the next morning. Emma's answer of non commital and shrugging it off was what she expected but as she went to ask more she heard snow screech.
Did Snow never learn? Regina didn't know why she was asking herself that question. Maybe she'd had more than she thought. Nope even Drunk Snow was honest, too honest and a tattle tale. Fabulous.
Well this was going to be entertaining or utterly embarrassing. Almost certainly both, and perhaps she was a terrible friend but boy was she looking forward to watching this- turning towards Emma, who's cheeks now had a blush that was not related to alcohol she offered "Do you want to break this up?" They both knew the answer, but she felt slightly less bad for offering.
/
She didn't know what to say to Regina she was open. Hook left it sucked. Everything sucked. Everything always sucks. Isn't life just about learning to deal with all the sucky things.
She wanted to cry, but honestly no tears would come out. She was exhausted, like she could sleep for a hundred years, but she couldn't sleep. She wanted to throw things but was scared she wasn't being able to stop. She just wanted to feel wanted- not because she was a saviour, or a mother, or daughter. She wanted to be loved as Emma.
"They're leaving without paying" Oh good lord, her mother was smashed and now she was starting a fight with a group of Vikings, at least it put a halt to a talk she was not ready for continuing.
She cringed when her mother set the wager, but grinned when Regina asked if she wanted to stop it. She denied, she needed a distraction and just because she wasn't the cheeriest company doesn't mean Snow couldn't have fun.
/
Fuck Snow White. Seriously that damn princess was just frickin perfect. Who could do that drunk.
So she was good at knife throwing, well she was a mean pool player. Time for a little friendly game.
/
Actually drinking sounded like a good idea- maybe she did need to let loose.
Let loose didn't happen, she should have known tonight would be a cry in the bottle drunk not a happy go lucky day. Still Regina got what she wanted. And it was true. She did probably need to let it out. To let go, move on.
The hug she received from her mom and Regina was nice, comforting. She wasn't completley alone. Not this time.
/
Regina didn't want to be right, she knew Emma knew that but part of it still stung, She knew it was just hurt. And leaned in to hug her friend, there was little else she could do.
/
Snow felt her heart ache for her daughter and once again she regretted her decision to drink quite so much - today was supposed to be about helping Emma and she'd let her daughter down again. She hugged her daughter, because there wasn't anything she could say.
/
They decided to call it a night after that, Emma was exhausted and just needed sleep.
Regina practically dragged Snow back to the loft, she had sobered up a bit towards the end of the night but the fresh air had really hit her. She unlocked the door, she almost missed the dramatic entrance, got Snow a glass of water and some asprin. She'd need them in the morning, bid her good night before leaving her to wake her husband.
Snow hadn't been this drunk in a long time. The cold air had made her head pound and the walk to the loft was longer than she remembered. She leant on Regina, glad she was there. She thanked her, for walking her home, for caring about her daughter, for being a friend, a confidant. She went to kiss her husband. She had kept him asleep long enough.
Regina returned home and walked towards the door at the end of the corridor. She sat on the bed. It smelt like him. Robin of Locksley.
She crawls into the covers, and hugs a pillow letting a single tear slip down her cheek . Goodbye my friend, enjoy your happy ending.
I don't really like this ending but meh it's okay I suppose. Review?