Title: Weakness
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Graham, Emma, Regina
Parings: Regina/Graham, Graham/Emma
Warnings: Spoilers for Episode 7, Somewhat AU, adult themes.
Summary: I couldn't bear to have Graham dead, so I wrote him another universe.
Different choice, another universe, yes? Thought so.
She held the heart in her hand, still beating against her palm. Her own heart was racing, and she was feeling - she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She wasn't supposed to feel anything - she never felt anything with Graham anyway - well, the physical, yes - but nothing emotional connected them.
It was simply a declaration of power, convincing herself that she ruled this town, not whoever Mr. Gold might think himself to be.
It was only for the physical pleasure - and for her own security that they were just what they were to each other. Graham was bound to her beck and call.
She never questioned his feelings, he never questioned her motives.
She'd sworn she would kill him if he ever strayed. She clenched her fist against the beating heart - and she felt him screaming in pain - this was why she hadn't been able to kill him the first time - something about him got to her the way only one other really had - she'd wanted to forget about the one she had to leave behind.
The one she was forced to leave behind. To marry who she was supposed to marry - to be a mother to a girl she could barely understand.
She hated Graham because he reminded her so much of the one she had lost. And yet, because of that, she could not bring herself to kill him.
A piece of her might be missing that she couldn't fill now, she thought that would make it much easier.
But it didn't, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Angry at herself for her own weakness, she placed the heart back in the box, slamming the drawer which housed it, and stalking out of the crypt, forgetting to be careful about putting everything in its place.
She didn't see the wolf crouched behind a bush, watching her every move. But she knew he was there.