Emma sat on the couch cradling a glass of red wine in her hands. Wine. That's the only alcohol she consumed recently, all thanks to her wife, Regina.
She'd frequently wind down with the brunette after the brunette returned home from a hard day's work. Which was almost every single day, thanks to the unnecessary complaints the lovely residents of Storybrooke had for her.
Emma recently found herself waiting up for Regina, drinking a glass or two all by herself and heading to bed before Regina even returned.
She'd wake when Regina got into bed carefully, trying not to wake her. She always woke up though. She'd say 'I love you' to the brunette and Regina would rub her arm and tell her to go to sleep and Emma would pull Regina close and bury her face in Regina's neck. Usually Regina would put her hands on top of Emma's or intertwine their fingers, but that hasn't happened as of late.
Emma brushed it off, happy to have the brunette here with her.
...
When morning comes, Regina would be out of bed before Emma even awoke from her sleep.
She'd look over her shoulder and give Emma a smile as the blonde watched her get ready.
Usually they'd talk about small things or important things. Usually, they'd just talk in general. They don't anymore.
Emma got out of bed and kissed the brunette on her cheek and whispered good morning.
Usually Regina would deepen the kiss and allow the blonde to drag her into bed for a couple more minutes to just snuggle and steal kisses.
Now she just pulls away and tells Emma she has to get ready or she'll be late.
Emma would smile in understanding and allow her hand to linger on Regina's arm before heading to Henry's room to wake him up for school.
...
When Emma returns to their room, Regina would be done and already on her way downstairs to find her travelling mug filled with coffee ready for her.
She wouldn't have a chance to thank the blonde as Emma would now be in the shower getting ready for work.
She'll leave without saying goodbye to her wife.
Emma would stand under the shower forcing the hurt away.
On very rare occasions, she'll cry in confusion, hurt and comprehension as to what she thinks is happening.
The tears would only last a few seconds as she'd will herself to pull it together and curse herself for even thinking the things going through her mind.
...
Sometimes Emma would pick up lunch for Regina and return to the station without seeing her wife due to an important meeting she was in.
...
Sometimes she'd call and get told that her wife was in a very important meeting or was on the phone with someone important.
...
Emma noticed Regina had a slightly different smell. Her own perfume mixed with someone else's. It smelt familiar, but she couldn't place it.
...
Then came a day she walked into Granny's during lunch and saw her wife having lunch with her close friend, Kathryn.
Kathryn noticed Emma first and greeted her with a smile. Regina turned around and moved to stand up.
Emma stopped her before she could fully stand and told her she should enjoy her lunch as she should be going back to work immediately.
She kissed the brunette on her cheek and said farewell to Kathryn before exiting Granny's.
It was when she walked past Kathryn that she got a whiff of the other blonde's perfume.
It was the same one lingering on Regina.
Emma continued walking and willed the current thoughts from swirling around inside her head.
...
One Wednesday Emma walked over to the mayor's office with lunch. When she got to the front desk, Regina's assistant was nowhere in sight.
She made her way over to Regina's office and stopped outside the door when she heard laughter. It wasn't Regina's. It was Kathryn.
Emma turned the knob slowly and quietly opened the door. She peaked through it and saw Kathryn sitting on top of Regina's desk right in front of the brunette.
Regina told Kathryn she had to go and apparently the blonde pouted, because Regina sighed and told her to stop pouting as she knows how weak it makes her.
Regina then stood up and said, "Baby please." and kissed her before telling her to leave again.
Emma stumbled backward, a frown etched between her brows. She turned around and walked out of the office.
When she exited the building, she bent down, hands on her knees, panting heavily.
She couldn't breathe.
Ruby saw her and helped her catch her breath. Emma didn't know how she got home, but here she was, tucked in her bed.
Ruby came into her room and handed her a cup of camomile tea.
Emma thanked the concerned brunette and told her she'd be okay.
Ruby reluctantly took her leave and Emma deflated.
Her wife was cheating on her. The one person she trusted with her whole life has betrayed her in the worst possible way a wife could.
Two years of friendship. Three years of a romantic relationship. Five years of marriage. Ten years.
Emma has suspected this. She didn't want it to be true. Now she had proof. She saw it with her own eyes.
...
Emma wanted to make things right. She loved the brunette way too much to just throw it all away.
She'd kept the secret for a month, but things seemed to be getting worse.
Regina kept coming home late. No 'I love you's' were shared. No kisses. Not even chaste ones on the cheek. No spooning. Nothing. They barely spoke. Only at breakfast when Henry was around.
...
One night Regina came home to find Emma lying in their bed, crying heavily into her pillow.
"They said you haven't showed up to work this whole week."
Emma tried to calm her sobbing, but only managed to make herself cry harder.
Regina felt horrible seeing the blonde like this. "Baby..." She said as she walked over to the bed.
"I know I'm not the only one you say that to" Emma got out between sobs.
Regina stopped the hand that was reaching out to Emma.
"I know about Kathryn."
Emma's biggest fear was coming true. Finding a home, adapting and being undeniably happy... and then having to give it all up.
Emma turned around, her back towards Regina. "I love you so much, but you're hurting me. You were everything I've ever wanted and so much more. I'm sorry you didn't feel the same way. I'll leave first thing in the morning."
Regina stared at the sight of Emma's body wrecking with sobs for a few seconds before softly saying, "I'm sorry."
She then quietly exited their bedroom, leaving a heartbroken Emma behind.
...
I am so SORRY. I can't believe I wrote this. I'm sorry. It was a dare! A horrible, HORRIBLE dare.