Chapter 2: The little Swan.

"Ma'am? Do you hear me?" the little girl insisted rising from the floor and approaching to where she was, next thing Regina knew was that the little blonde girl was poking the mirror with her index finger.

"I—I'm Regina," she replied still confused, "who are you?" she asked still incapable to believe what was happening.

Her question made the child laugh.

"I already told you miss, I'm Emma," the girl said running to bring the chair that was in the corner of the room, she placed it in front of the mirror and sat staring at the brunette curiously, big smile, tears still moistening her checks.

"Yes, of course, well, it's really nice to meet you Emma, but what I meant was, who are your parents? Where do you live?" Regina queried, wondering why was that the first time she saw that girl, "I don't recall seeing you before."

She knew it was almost impossible that she had never seen this girl around the town or in her mirror, not once in the five years she had been trapped in this hell of a curse, and yet hope was growing inside her, maybe and only maybe she was not the only one trapped in the curse, maybe this little girl would become the company she craved, almost as bad as she had craved revenge when she was the evil queen in the enchanted forest.

Careful what you wish for. Wishes, desires, they should come with a big warning in the front, "don't try, you are not worth enough for happiness".

"I don't have parents miss, I live in an orphanage in Boston, are you from Boston too?" The blonde answered.

Hope is a big bubble that is waiting for the right moment to explode right in your face.

"I'm afraid not, little one," she answered looking at the girl with sadness, "I live in a town called Storybrooke."

It was not like if this was the first time she saw an orphan, actually there were several children out there, that were in the same situation that this little girl, by her own hand and doing, however somehow this little blonde girl was different to any other child she had ever met. And she didn't deserve to live a life deprived from the happiness and love that only her parents could give her.

"Since when do I care about anyone else's happiness but mine?" She recalled asking her father once.

Maybe it was just her loneliness talking, maybe it wouldn't matter if the girl was the daughter of Snow White in person, maybe she would feel exactly the same if that was even possible. As unbelievable as it sounded and felt, she actually cared.

"Okay," Emma shrugged, "are there many playgrounds there?"

"A few," Regina smiled.

"I like playgrounds, a lot of lots, like this much" the blonde said separating her little arms as wide as she could.

"That's a lot of love kiddo, maybe someday we can play in a playground together, would you like that? " she replied laughing.

"Will there be ice cream Miss?" the child asked her eyes shining bright in anticipation.

"I think that there is a high possibility of that happening," the brunette laughed.

"Then I think I will like to go play with you a lot of lots ma'am."

"You don't need to call me ma'am or miss every time Emma, you can call me Regina," she said to the kid, still laughing at Emma's honest excitement over ice cream.

"Sister Helena says it's disrespectful to call grownups by their names only," Emma shrugged.

"But sister Helena isn't here right now, is she?"

"She is not, Regina," Emma whispered to the mirror giggling mischievously.

Days went on and Regina used her magic mirror to talk with Emma every single day, no exceptions. Occasionally she even told the girl bedtime stories, stories about princes and princesses and the scary evil queen and her dark curse. Anyhow, the girl seemed to enjoy everything she told her about the Evil Queen, her eyes sparkled every time she talked about capturing Snow White and finally be near to her longed for vengeance and then, when she talked about Snow's miraculous escapes, the girl always made a pout and started complaining.

"But why can't the Evil Queen get her happy ending?"

"Villains don't get happy endings darling, well, that's what I've been told," Regina answered shrugging.

"But why? Villains are way more super cool than heroes, they have magic, and magic is so cool and they are beautiful like you Gina, why can she be happy?"

"Believe me little one, I've been asking myself the same question my whole life, now sleep little Swan."

"Will you stay until I sleep?"

"Always."

"I love you Gina," Emma let out in the middle of a yawn.

And just like that, those three words she thought she would never hear directed to her, came from a five year old girl and warmed up that empty hole in her heart she had had for such a long time.

"I think I love you too, little Swan," she whispered but the little girl was already asleep.