This takes place a year after "I'm Asking You Why"
Requested by DefyingGravity10. I hope you ThiefQueen shippers enjoy this! I had fun writing this so let me know what you think. The next one shot requested by impureevilregal is going to be Henry/Regina and it'll be up soon!
Disclaimers - I don't own anything and I don't own the song "Just Give Me A Reason" by Pink
One Shot – We're Not Broken
Setting - Companion piece to "I'm Asking You Why"/one year later
"I didn't mean it," Neal whispered in the darkness of Regina's bedroom. They were lying away from each other on the bed with nothing but white sheets between them. They've been together for a year now and even though they've had their fights, what Neal had told Regina just moments ago literally made her feel like he walked up to her and ripped her heart from her chest. They had been arguing about his past with Emma. Since Henry was her son, Neal often met up with her a lot and Regina just didn't trust the other woman. She had taken Henry and she couldn't help but think she might just take Neal back from her too. She had been feeling uneasy about this for weeks until they had fallen into a full blown argument. She said things and he said things until it got to that point where he had finally managed to hurt her with just a few words... words that hurt so deeply she simply just left the living room without so much as a word and went to bed. Neal took a moment to cool off before silently joining her in the dark, neither one of them touching.
"You're the god damn Evil Queen! I'm the one who should be having trust issues right now!"
His words echoed in Regina's head and now that he spoke, she snapped out of the weird numb state she was trapped in and then she got angry.
Beyond angry.
"Get out," she said, her voice sounding calm but yet so damn dangerous. He had no right. She had told him so much of her past. It took her so long to open up to him and now that he viciously threw it back in her face, she regretted ever telling him. Plus, above all that he practically told her he didn't trust her. She's been good for the whole year even when there were times she felt the darkness taking over again but because of him and Henry she fought it. She's changed for both of them and he basically just crushed all of her progress. Since they got together, she's never given him a reason not to trust her.
"What..." His voice was full of shock and even hurt but Regina wouldn't let herself care. She wanted him to hold her and to believe his apologies but right now she was just too angry to let herself forgive him.
"Leave Neal!" she snapped, not wanting to hear him anymore. At her tone he silently got redressed and left the room. It wasn't until she heard his car speeding away that she finally let herself cry.
It's been weeks since the argument and the air between them was still so tensed. Neal had tried apologizing countless of times to her but she was too stubborn to let it go and as the days passed they could feel themselves drifting further and further away from each other. The love that was once there was slowly fading into nothing but resentment. Of course all of that resentment wasn't going to stay locked up inside them. It happened right after Henry, who was spending the night, had gone to bed. Regina was in the kitchen washing the dinner dishes that she had uncharacteristically put off till now. She was lost in her thoughts when Neal suddenly walked in.
"Something needs to change," he said.
"Obviously," she mumbled bitterly.
"Hey, I'm serious," he said, walking up to her and turning her so that she would face him.
"And so am I!" she snapped, not even caring that she was the one who was starting the argument this time. "Jesus Neal, what is going on with us?"
"I don't know," he said, sounding frustrated from her tone. "You tell me."
"What is that even supposed to mean?" she asked angrily, her brown eyes flashing. Like so many of their past arguments she can feel her anger triggering her magic and like always she fought to keep it under control.
"I didn't mean what I said Regina and you just can't let it go and now we've turned into this!"
"So you're blaming me?" she asked, sounding appalled. "You're the one that took everything I told you and threw it in my face like it didn't mean anything!"
"Wait… Gina what are you talking about?" he asked and she can see he was genuinely confused and suddenly she just didn't want to talk about it.
"Nothing dear… just go," she said, her voice sounding so anguished as she tried to pull away from him.
"No… don't do this baby. Don't bottle everything inside. Talk to me," he said gently this time as he gripped her upper arms to keep her from walking away. He can see her fighting back tears at the contact. She couldn't tell him what those words he had shouted really meant to her. He had broken her trust that night. She was afraid he'll take whatever she has to say and throw back in her face again.
"Let me go," she said, her voice low and threatening. She could barely contain her magic and Neal seemed to sense this.
"Regina… no," he said, his hand reaching out and lovingly caressing her cheek. He knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Since that fateful night she had been able to keep the magic under control but now he can see she had reached her breaking point. He could practically feel the residue of magic in the air even though it had yet to emerge.
"I've been a bastard… fine," he spat. "But I need you to control your magic." The way he said that made it worse because before he knew it Regina shrugged away from him and he found himself flying against the opposite wall. The moment he landed Regina seemed to just realize what she had done. Till now she had never used her magic on him no matter how tempted she was and she can see he was just as shocked as she was.
"Neal… I didn't… are you ok?" she asked, stumbling on her words as she rushed to help him up but he only pushed her away before getting to his feet.
"No, I'm not!" he snapped. "But you don't really care do you?" Those words were said with so much venom and his eyes were as angry as Regina's had been just moments ago. She held her breath as he walked away, not even having the strength to stop him and before she could even register that he might never come back, the front door slammed shut.
More weeks had passed and those weeks turned into months and they haven't said a word to each other but being in a small town of course they have ran into each other a few times. It was always awkward until one of them simply walked away without so much as a hi. They've officially broken up. It was a cold day and Neal was sitting at a booth in the diner, waiting for Emma to bring Henry to him. The door opened and he immediately looked up, thinking it was Henry but no… it was the woman who he had just been thinking about moments ago. Regina caught his gaze and all he saw was hurt in those brown eyes before she quickly looked away and walked back out that door. He could've sworn he heard her yelling outside and it wasn't till Emma walked in with Henry a few minutes later that his suspicions were confirmed.
"Hey dad!" Henry greeted Neal with a hug before settling next to him on the booth.
"Jeez, what the hell is Regina's problem? She just went all Evil Queen on me out there," Emma said as she sat across from them.
"Don't call her that," Neal said moodily.
"Neal, you two are clearly missing each other." After their first fight, Emma finally got Neal to tell her what had happened. Once she learned they had fought about her, Emma had tried talking to Regina to reassure her that she would never take Neal from her. Regina had only got defensive but yet confided in her that is was mainly what Neal had said to her. Emma never did get to know what those words were. Regina refused to tell her anything else.
"And she cries all the time when she thinks no one's watching," Henry added. He was the only one who would know that since he still spent his Saturdays with her. Those words had broken Neal's heart into a million pieces. Emma looked at Henry in surprise before looking at Neal.
"Have you tried talking to her yet?" she asked.
"No," he said honestly. "And she hasn't tried to either. Let's face it, it's over Emma." Nothing else was said after that and after they ate Neal went into the bathroom to clean up.
"We need to get them back together," Henry spoke up the moment his dad was out of sight.
"How? They're not even talking to each other," Emma said.
"Maybe they don't need to talk to each other," Henry said as he opened his backpack and pulled out a flyer from school. It was of the fundraising concert his school was holding. "They can write and sing a duet together."
"Kid, this is crazy," Emma said as she took the flyer and looked it over. "I know Neal can sing but we don't even know if Regina can and besides they'll have to sign up and rehearse… they won't do it."
"They will once I ask them to and maybe working together will force them to talk to each other."
Emma reluctantly agreed and soon enough Regina and Neal found themselves sitting in Regina's living room. It was late at night and after a few arguments and awkward silences, Neal sat at the piano while Regina sat on the couch a good distance away from him, notebook and pen in hand. She couldn't believe she let Henry talk her into this. That's what she kept telling herself.
Henry... I'm doing this for Henry.
Henry was what kept her from kicking Neal out. Henry was what kept her on this couch. Henry was what kept from giving up on this. He made her want to do this… to sing with Neal in front of all those people. The sound of Neal randomly pushing keys pulled her out of her thoughts. Enough was enough. They need to get some actual work done tonight. Swallowing her pride, she stood and approached him. Placing her hands on his wandering fingers, she sat next to him on the piano bench and she can feel his surprised gaze on her without even having to look at him.
"Stop," she said, trying to ignore the flutter of her heart the instant they touched or the feeling of his presence so close to her. "You need to relax and let the music come to you." She closed her eyes, took a breath and opened her eyes again before gracefully moving her fingers over the keys, a soft melody playing from the heart. Neal just watched her, his heart swelling with love for this woman just like when he first realized he loved her that night on her doorstep a year ago. When she was done, nothing was said as they let the anguished silence full of longing and yet the will to hold back from what they really want wash over them.
"I didn't know you can play," Neal said softly, being the first one to break the heavy silence between them.
"Music was part of the lessons my mother forced me to take when I was young," she said, finally meeting his gaze. Her eyes were flickering between his eyes and his lips. When had they gotten so close? Before she knew it, his lips were on hers. She froze at first but was quick to respond. It started out slow at first, her hands caressed his face and she felt him holding her by the waist and pulling her closer. They had wanted this for so long but were just too hurt to get it. This kiss meant so much more to them… it meant healing and they wanted that more than anything. They wanted the love that they had for each other. When the need for air became too much they slowly pulled away. Neal brought his hands to his face, covering her hands and bringing them down but didn't let go. She looked down at their joined hands before he released one and lifted her chin so she would look at him, her eyes full of raw genuine pain that matched his own. Besides Henry he was the only one that tore all her defenses down. He brought out the real her… the person she was supposed to be if fate hadn't ruined it.
"Hey… I'm sorry ok," he whispered. "I'm so sorry Gina for what I had said but please talk to me. How can I apologize if I barely even know what's going on inside you." A single tear managed to escape and slowly streamed down her cheek. Neal leaned in and kissed it away before lovingly embracing her.
"Talk to me. I don't even care about the things you've said back or how you used magic against me. We just need to talk." She pulled away and took a shaky breath through her now streaming tears.
"It was so hard for me to talk to you about my past and when you called me the Evil Queen like that, it hurt deeply Neal as if you ripped out my heart. I felt as if you just took everything I told you in confident and just threw it back in my face especially when you said you're the one who should be having the trust issues and then everything just got out of hand." She paused, taking a moment to breathe. "I'm sorry too," she whispered. "You didn't realize what those words had meant to me. I shouldn't have shut you out and the things I said back weren't exactly appropriate."
"You mean the death threats?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with humor laced with sadness. Her words really did hurt him too. She looked away in shame.
"I was angry and when I'm angry I get defensive and I channel the Evil Queen. I shouldn't have talked you like that. I'm truly am sorry dear."
"I know you are and I'm sorry too. I didn't know how much I had hurt you with those words. It wasn't right of me to throw it all back in your face like that." They looked into each other eyes and saw nothing but remorse. This time Regina was the one to capture his lips with hers and it wasn't till she pulled away that it finally clicked.
"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the smirk on her lips.
"Henry really is your son," she said. "He set this up. He knew if we were forced to work together then we'll talk." Neal laughed at those words.
"I'm glad he did," he said, caressing her cheek. She gave him a small smile as he kissed her lightly on the lips before getting up and picking up his acoustic guitar. He sat on the edge of the couch, facing her. They had a song to write.
"Let's try playing that melody together and then we'll come up with some lyrics," he said. Regina smiled and after playing it once more for him, they played it together. They spent the whole night talking, writing, and playing music and it wasn't long till they finally had their song.
"She knows," Henry said, the moment Emma sat next to him in the front row of the school auditorium. Today was the day of the fundraising concert and Henry had just gotten the hint that Regina knew he set her and his father up.
"What? How?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
"Oh right she's the mayor. She knows everything. I'm beginning to wonder if I made the right choice on giving her job back."
"You think she'll be mad?" Henry asked, looking up at her. The show was already starting and Henry had reduced his voice to low whispers.
"Honestly no," she whispered, meeting his hopeful brown eyes. "If they managed to fix things between them I think she'll be happy that you brought them together."
"And if they didn't?" he asked.
"She still won't be mad at you. Knowing Regina, she'll take her frustration out on me or Neal but not you. She'll probably just give you a lecture." Henry groaned and Emma couldn't help but smirk in amusement. After a watching a few performances from the townspeople, the curtain once again rose revealing Regina standing in front of the mike. Neal stood beside her with his own mike, his guitar firmly in his hands. The piano player was behind them and Emma suddenly had a moment of panic.
"Henry, can Regina sing?" she asked, not wanting to be responsible for the mayor's humiliation. She figured Regina would just play the piano or something but she realized she was wrong when she noticed her standing in front of the mike. She didn't want to feel Regina's wrath and with the tension between her and Neal, she knew the former queen's anger would be intensified.
"Of course she can. Do your really think she would have agreed to going up there if she didn't?" he asked, his gaze never leaving his mother as the music began to play. Emma relaxed as she realized he was right and before she knew it Regina's voice sounded strong throughout the room. She didn't have a doubt that this song was written about her and Neal's relationship. It was Henry's plan after all to get them to reconnect again. Even if she didn't exactly like Regina still, she couldn't help but watch her in awe.
Regina – "Right from the start
You were a thief
You stole my heart
And I your willing victim
I let you see the parts of me
That weren't all that pretty
And with every touch you fixed them"
Neal watched her, her eyes shining as she sang and he never loved her more than he did now. Her voice was as beautiful as she was and just like last night he was blown away by her talent. The auditorium was dead silent and he can see his son smiling from the audience.
"Now you've been talking in your sleep, oh, oh
Things you never say to me, oh, oh
Tell me that you've had enough
Of our love, our love
Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again"
She looked at him and he knew it was his cue. His gaze never left hers as if he were talking to her. These lyrics were everything they had and wanted to say to each other.
Neal – "I'm sorry I don't understand
Where all of this is coming from
I thought that we were fine"
Regina – "Oh, we had everything"
Neal – "Your head is running wild again
My dear we still have everythin'
And it's all in your mind"
Regina – "Yeah but this is happenin'"
Neal – "You've been havin' real bad dreams, oh, oh
You used to lie so close to me, oh, oh"
Both – "There's nothing more than empty sheets
Between our love, our love"
Neal – "Oh"
Both – "Our love, our love"
Regina - "Oh"
Regina turned to Neal holding his gaze. She couldn't keep the loving smile from gracing her lips as they started to sing the chorus together. This man was everything to her and she honestly didn't know where she'll be without him. From these past few weeks, she learned their relationship will never be perfect. They'll have their ups and downs and they'll hurt each other on the way but no matter what they'll stick together and they'll always love each other. He was what kept her from going back to the darkness that tore at her heart.
Both – "Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again"
Neal – "I never stopped
You're still written in the scars on my heart"
Both – "You're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again"
Regina – "Oh, tear ducts and rust"
Neal – "I'll fix it for us"
Regina – "We're collecting dust
But our love's enough"
Neal – "You're holding it in"
Regina – "You're pouring a drink"
Neal – "No nothing is as bad as it seems"
Regina – "We'll come clean!"
Regina and Neal smiled at each other as the audience started to cheer. She looked at Henry who had a big smile on his face and she smirked at Emma's amazed expression. She was probably expecting her to be terrible or something but at the moment Regina couldn't care less. Her family… Neal and Henry were all that mattered right now. They made her want to be good. They showed her what love really was. They saved her from succumbing towards darkness and brought her to the light and she will always love them for that.
Both – "Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
That we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
That we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again"
Neal stopped singing and watched his girl sing the last few lines of the lyrics. They had managed to pull it off together and he couldn't be more proud than he was now. He looked at his son who was beaming and he was proud of him as well. Henry was definitely his father's son. If it wasn't for Henry, Neal wouldn't be standing here today and that smile on Regina's face wouldn't be directed towards him. Regina was everything to him and he was glad they had made amends.
Regina – "Oh, we can learn to love again
Oh, we can learn to love again
Oh, oh, that we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again"
The moment she was done the audience cheered and Regina laughed as Neal pulled her into a loving hug. It was the most genuine laugh that he had heard in weeks and he hoped there would be more of those in the future. Just like the words they had put in their song, they weren't broken because they can try again and this time they wouldn't give up on each other so easily.