The cold air nipped painfully at Regina's skin, her decision to not wear a jacket over the sleeveless black dress had become increasingly regrettable as the cold air seemed to tighten around her. She looked at her feet, concentrating on the worn toes of the black stilettos that made walking over the cracked and brittle Storybrooke sidewalk all the more difficult, she tried to push away the memories that ran through her mind.
"What do you see in me?"
"Hopefully the same thing you see in me, a second chance."
Her eyes burned as tears fought there way to the surface, making her eyelids swollen and heavy. You don't need you second chance when you still have the first. She blinked her eyes once, twice, three times, before the tears disappeared, leaving her with bloodshot eyes.
"What is it?"
"I just never thought I'd have this."
"Well maybe things work out when they're supposed to. Maybe it's all about timing."
She let's the tears fall this time. Let's them burn angry tear tracks on her face, it doesn't matter who sees anymore. Everyone already knows the great and terrible evil queen… is finally broken.
"Papa! Papa! It's 'Gina! Look Papa! Over there! See her!" No. No, this can't be happening. Not now, not ever. She turns slowly, the whole time wondering if she should just turn and run, or better yet just use magic to run away. That's what she's always done, right? But no, this is Roland, this is different. She sees him now. He's across the street bouncing up and down in front of the new sundae store that had just come up, his little tiny pointer finger aimed straight at her, his curly mop of hair bouncing as he turned to pull on his papa's hand. But Robin already knows she's there, his gentle blue eyes meets her sad brown eyes and they stay like that, an interlocked gaze full of unspoken words and broken promises. But his wife pulls him away, out of their silent apology.
Regina looks down again as more tears threaten to pool her eyelashes. He's there with his wife, he choose her. He doesn't need Regina anymore. And when she hears Roland, sweet little innocent Roland, say "Papa, why is 'Gina crying?" She can't take it anymore. Spinning on her heel she treks off down the sidewalk, not even paying attention to where her legs take her, she just needs to get away. She walks and walks until her legs burn and ache and she just wants to collapse but she can't. She can't let them see her like this. So she keeps walking until she involuntarily falls to her knees, her hands flying to her face and her body is racking with sobs.
"Regina? Regina!" No! Why did he follow her here? She grits her teeth.
"Leave! Just get away from me! I hate you!" She screaming, her fist clenched so tight that her nails dig into her palms, leaving angry cuts. "I hate you!" She screeches at him again. It's a lie. She could never hate him, but she needs to be angry. Anger was her constant, she knew at least it would always be there.
She feels his arms wrap around her, his forehead resting gently on the top of her head. She slams her fist over and over again into his chest. She doesn't want him to let go, needs the warmth his touch provides. But she just has so much anger…
She's screaming at him again, "I hate you! How could you do this to me!" Her words stab into him like a knife and he feels his heart sink to his feet. He hates himself, hates everything he's done to hurt her. So he let's her beat her fist angrily on his chest, no matter how much it hurts. Let's her scream at him until her voice grows hoarse and she's reduced to angry insults barely above a whisper. But it isn't until she utters 9 simple word, that he collapses. "You told me you'd never leave me. You lied." He feels warm tears running down his own cheeks, falling onto Regina's hair.
"I'm so sorry Regina." His voice is barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry."