"Honestly. I don't even have an active role in my life. Shit just happens and I'm like, 'Oh. This is what we're doing now? Ok.'"
The meme stands out, white on a black background, and Regina can't help feeling like the words are a perfect summary of what her life has become since the death of Robin and the split from her dark self. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting when she crushed the evil queen's blackened heart, but it certainly wasn't this feeling of utter futility.
Cora had always taught her that being good was a weakness, and in the face of recent events, Regina was starting to believe it. Every move that she made, the evil queen was two steps ahead. Oh, she'd managed a small victory with the note to Zelena, but had it really mattered? Snow and Charming were still cursed. Emma had tried breaking the new curse with a kiss to her father's forehead, to no avail. For some reason, though true love's kiss from parent to child – or vice versa – had worked in the past, this curse didn't play by the rules. Regina didn't understand how that could be possible and her lack of understanding frustrated her to no end.
She turned away from her computer and was poring through the books of magic that Emma and Captain Guyliner had brought up from the vault, when she felt someone enter the room from the door behind her. It wasn't Henry, and very few others would have dared to enter her house unannounced, even now. A very soft, feminine clearing of throat told Regina who it was in an instant.
"I still don't know how to help you," she told Snow, feeling even more miserable at having to say it out loud.
"You will," there was a whisper of movement and then she felt Snow's reassuring touch on her shoulder, "I have faith in you."
"That makes one of us," Regina growled, her frustration showing through, "I feel so useless!"
Snow's fingers tightened against her shoulder, giving a squeeze, "You are not useless. We need you to help defeat the queen and don't you forget it!"
In spite of herself, Regina felt a little smile creeping onto her lips. Snow was always so determined. What had been horribly annoying in a bratty, ten-year-old girl was endearing in the woman she had become. If only Regina could make the queen see Snow through her eyes. She reached up and settled her hand atop Snow's. "I won't forget. I might not believe you, but I won't forget your faith in me."
"Maybe that's what's missing. Maybe you need to believe."
Regina looked up at Snow then, turning so that she could see Snow's eyes. She was greeted by the serious, certain look that she'd known Snow would be wearing. It reminded Regina of a little dog standing up to a lion to protect its family, and it made her smile wider. Something tugged at her heart, and before she knew what she was doing, she pulled Snow down to her level and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on Snow's lips. The wave of magic was as unexpected as it was breathtaking, and both women pulled back, dazed.
"What the hell was that?" Snow demanded, her eyes unfocused and perhaps somewhat dreamy.
"I believe that was true love's kiss." Regina's response came out far more matter-of-fact than she'd expected it to.
"But I… But you…"
"I don't hate you any more, Snow." This time the words were quiet, and Regina found herself studying her hands.
Snow was clearly having some trouble processing. "But we're…"
"You're my step-daughter?" Regina offered. That wasn't it, and she knew it, but it seemed the kind thing to do, to give Snow that way out.
She really needed to stop underestimating the younger woman. A soft hand caught Regina's chin and drew her gaze upward. "You actually love me? Like…love love?" The words came in a whisper. Regina nodded.
"And you love me, or that wouldn't have happened."
"I've always loved you. Always. You were just so hell-bent on my destruction that you refused to see it."
Regina didn't know what to say. She wanted to kiss Snow again, but she wasn't sure that she dared. The evil queen wouldn't have hesitated to take what she wanted, but Regina wasn't that woman any more. In the end, it didn't matter. Snow was the one to kiss her. Slow and tender, they shared a kiss of love and acceptance. When it finally broke, Regina was surprised to find that she was crying. Looking up through her tears, she saw the other woman was too.
And suddenly Regina was pushing back her chair and pulling Snow down onto her lap, hugging Snow like her life depended on it. Because maybe it did. Maybe Snow was her life. Maybe she had been since that fateful day when Regina saved a young princess from her runaway steed. She pulled Snow into a third kiss and it was like a puzzle piece, long missing, at last clicked into place. Snow was her love, Snow was her family, Snow was her home. Snow was her happily ever after.