Regina's POV

I lean against the closed door, not yet ready to turn around. I've been in this room a million times over the last three weeks. It's different though now. Now that I am alone, truly alone with her, it somehow feels different. Somehow it feels more real than it ever has. This whole time she has been here I have had this numbness, like this all isn't quite real. Ever since I got that phone call nothing has felt real. Every day I replay that day over and over again, wishing there was some way I could change it. What if we had decided to meet later? What if me being so busy, and having little free time, had caused her rush to meet me? What if we hadn't had that stupid fight and just met at Granny's for lunch like we usually did, instead of her coming to my office to talk?

I relive that day every night in my dreams. Nightmares I guess you would call them. Every night it's the same thing. Me sitting at my desk, checking the clock for the millionth time, wondering what could possibly be taking her so long to get here. Me getting angry at Emma for the fact that the sheriff's station is a mere 5 minutes away by car, and the thought that she was purposely taking her time to annoy me crossing my mind. Me pacing my office starting to feel panic forming in the pit of my stomach. And then finally the dream starts to slow, and time stands still. The only thing heard is the ringing of my phone. I turn and grab it, not recognising the number. That is when the nightmare truly begins. The voice on the end of the phone pulls the ground from under me. My whole world shatters with a simple sentence, and with that I wake up. I wake up from my nightmare to my nightmare. I cant escape. At least in dreams when you wake up everything is better, everything is okay. But you cant escape a dream that's not a dream. You cant escape a memory. Those words will be forever embedded in my memory, playing over and over again like a broken record… "It's Emma, there's been an accident.. I'm so sorry Regina."

We thought for sure she wouldn't make it. On the surface she looked fine, like she was in some sort of deep sleep. Underneath that mask of perfection lay disaster. Her head had hit the wheel during the accident. The doctors aren't sure when she will wake up.. if she'll wake up.. and if she does, there's no knowing what she will be like, what kind of damage the accident had caused. Brains are complex organs. The heart, now that's easy. The heart is simple, its easy to understand. Not the brain, there's no telling what damage has been done, no amount of medicine or magic can help fix it.

I don't know how long I have been standing, leaning against the door, my back to Emma. I know I cant waste anymore time though. Slowly I turn and make my way to her bed.

She looks so peaceful.. I mean.. if you ignore all the wires and tubes. She's looking better than she did though. I swear there's a little more colour in her cheeks. Sitting down I take her hand. Slowly I lean down and kiss the back of it. Once again the tears are falling and I quickly wipe them away.

"How dare you." Before I can stop myself the words are just flowing out. I cant stop. "How dare you Emma! How could you do this to me? To Henry? You make me fall in love with you, you make me believe in love again, believe that I can have a happy ending and.. and then you go and get into an accident!? How dare you!"

By now I am yelling. I'm sure a nurse could probably hear me but I don't care. I cant stop the words from falling out and with one last scream I push the bedside table across the room, smashing a vase full of flowers onto the floor. Its ironic really, how easy it was for that glass to smash. It was once something whole, it held something beautiful, and with one move, one strike, it shattered. Shattered into a million pieces. That vase is me. I finally felt whole with Emma, I felt complete. She was beautiful and together we were perfect. Then one move, ONE MOVE and we shattered, broken into a million pieces, unsure whether we are able to be fixed again, or whether we are broken beyond repair.

Suddenly I am falling, unable to stand any longer as the pain finally takes over my body. This pain is different to the pain I have been feeling. This pain is the pain of a broken heart. This is the pain of never knowing if you will have what you want most. I never knew I wanted her until I had her. I didn't get enough time with her. This can't be the end. This can't be it. I'm sobbing so hard I can barely breathe, slumped over on the floor, head on my knees holding myself. Holding myself.. Emma has been the one to hold me when I have been upset. The last time she held me can't be the last time. I raise my head and bring my hand to the bed, lifting myself up. I grab her hand one more time. Gently I bring my lips to it and kiss it once more before grasping hold of it. I need her to feel me. I need her to hear what I am saying. I hold her hand like this it's the last time; tightly, gently, desperate.

"Emma, you listen to me now okay? You are going to get through this. We are going to get through this. I don't care what the doctors say, you are going to wake up and you are going to be fine. Do you hear me? You are going to be fine! You have to be, okay? I can't lose you. I only just found you. I never knew I had dreams before you. I never thought I could love someone the way I love you. And Emma, our love is forever. I will love you forever. So you have to wake up. You promised me you would never leave. Do you remember? We were sitting outside on the grass eating apple turnover. You were making fun of me for making such a typical 'evil queen' dessert. You told me you loved me. Do you remember? It was the first time either of us had said it. You told me you loved me, and you promised me that you will spend forever loving me. Forever isn't over yet love. It is only our beginning. So please, please wake up so I can spend forever hearing you say you love me. I just need to hear it one more time. Please Emma.. please.."

When I finally control my crying I sit back in the chair and rest my head on the bed. Fingers entwined with my loves I slowly drift off to sleep.

An unusual sound rips me from my dreamless sleep as I quickly raise my head to discover the noise. Then I see it, Emma choking, struggling. It's awful and horrifying and heartbreaking. I run to the door and yell down the hall for help. Within seconds a doctor and two nurses come running in. All I can do is stand there, watching once again as strangers take care of my girl. Helpless, frightened, and wondering if she has finally stopped fighting and is leaving me alone.