Thanks for the support! And thanks for my beta cyr1988, who's help is essential!

TW: physical abuse.

"So, we're in your personal chambers in your castle?" said Emma while walking around the room, looking for clues, "Do you have any idea what might happen now?"

"I don't know," said Regina with a defeated sigh.

Of course, she knew that the Evil Queen was going to be one of her demons, she just didn't expect for it to be so soon. Regina was not ready for whatever the Evil Queen had in store. Frankly, she didn't think she'd ever be ready for that.

"My queen," a voice startled them, "News, from the White Kingdom."

It was a familiar voice, to both of them. A voice they hadn't heard in a while. Gently, Regina trusted little Emma with Emma and transferred the little girl into Emma's arms. Then, she walked towards the source of the voice. Her heart beating faster with every step she took.

"Graham?" Regina asked.

Regina ignored the fact that Graham had news, which were probably not new to her, and caressed Graham's cheek. He flinched at the contact, and the movement reminded Regina that in the Enchanted Forest, they were not lovers. She didn't have time for lovers in the Enchanted Forest.

"Your majesty?" the hunter asked, confused by the display of affection.

She removed her hand from Graham's cheek and asked, "What is the news?"

"Snow White is pregnant," he replied. His voice was almost steady, but at the end of the statement, his speech flickered.

"Men without their hearts don't show emotion in their voices," an inner voice reminded her. Regina studied Graham in silence before commenting on Snow's pregnancy. Unlike the past encounters with their demons, Graham seemed like his normal self. Granted, his facial features were not as soft at the late Sheriff's but he didn't have any diabolical resemblance.

Was he really the demon she had come to face? Or did she have to figure something out?

The doubt made Regina clear her throat and put her Evil Queen mask on. "So the brat is pregnant," she tried to inject venom in the statement but Emma was not buying it, and neither was Graham. "What else?"

"I made acquaintances with a very peculiar friend while I was there. His name is Robin Hood," Graham said, "He claimed he could break into any vault, so I dared him to break into yours."

"Did he manage to break in?" she asked. Her voice breaking as she did, because she knew Robin, and she knew he could break into any room he wanted to.

"Yes, he did." Graham took a step closer to her, "And, he gave me something that's rightfully mine. Something that you took without consent." he grabbed Regina by the neck, "I thought I'd feel fear. But I feel so much anger," the hunter added while he started to choke the brunette.

"Gra - ham..." the former Queen struggled to say his name, "Please..."

"You took my heart, Regina!" he yelled, "You made me do all those terrible things!"

"I'm ... sorry," she muttered, because she was. She regretted so much, all the things she did as the Evil Queen, and especially the things she made Graham do.

"You will be!" Graham shouted and applied more force to his grip around Regina's neck. He started lifting Regina's petite body until she was looking straight to his eyes. "Your reign of terror ends today."

During her dark age, Regina never choked anyone to death. Choking was one of Cora's favorite disciplinary methods. Regina, being on the receiving end once too many times of this harsh punishment, hated the squeezing sensation and the following panic that set in a few seconds later.

Regina felt her head pulsing, probably from the compromised blood flow. She was sure it would explode some time soon. Her vision started to cloud and she tried to gasp for air, but it was pointless.

"Let go of her!" Regina heard someone said, and it felt like coming home, "Let her go, Graham. You'll kill her!"

Emma. Regina thought. And then, she blacked out.

When Regina came back to her senses, the first thing she heard was voices.

"I know you're scared, kid. I am too. But we need to be brave right now."

"Emma?" Regina asked, sitting up and slowly opening her eyes. They were in Storybrooke. "Are we home?"

"No." Emma replied coldly, "When I tried to get Graham off you, we transported to Storybrooke or some version of it anyway." She shrugged and looked at the empty streets.

Emma looked down at Regina. Angry bruises started to appear in her neck, they were proof that their encounter with Graham had indeed happened and it was not just a product of their imagination.

Regina's gaze shifted from the grown up Emma to the little one, who was holding onto Emma like a lifeline. The girl had been crying, and she still looked shaken, probably from the scene she just witnessed.

"Is it true?" Emma asked, "What he said? Graham. Is it true you took his heart out?"

The former Queen took a deep breath, because she knew this conversation was unavoidable. "Yes. I took his heart when he failed to kill your mother," she replied while standing up and dusting off her slacks.

"Did he... Did you return it before you cursed everyone to Storybrooke?"

"No."

"You killed him. Didn't you? It wasn't a heart attack," tears started running down Emma's face. "Henry was right. You killed Graham!"

"Emma, please." Regina took a step forward. Emma held her little self in a similar manner that she had seen David holding Emma, placing one hand on the back of the girl's head in a protective way.

"Don't come closer!" Emma yelled and held the little girl closer to her, "I thought - I thought you changed for Henry!"

"I did!"

"You killed Graham after you adopted Henry!" Emma said in an accusing tone, "I never judged you for your days as the Evil Queen, but Graham. Graham was so many years after that!"

"Yes! I did!" Regina admitted, "I was jealous and I was scared. The curse was weakening. He was starting to remember and I was afraid of what would happen. I did something horrible and I have to live with that decision every day! Every time I see your sheriff's badge, I want to cry. It is a constant reminder that I killed an innocent and good man."

Around them, Storybrooke shifted into their glass cell. Apparently, Graham was not a demon she needed to overcome, but rather, a confession she needed to share.

"Emma, you need to understand."

"There's nothing to understand. You are a monster," Emma said, not raising her voice but cutting Regina deep with those words. "Just, stay away from us." Emma added and walked towards the furthest corner in the room.

Regina decided to respect the blonde's wishes, and dragged her feet towards the opposing corner - so much for having the grace of a Queen. It was when she had her back against the glass wall that the exhaustion, both mental and physical, took their toll. She slowly slid downwards and hugged her knees tightly.

"You are a monster." Emma's words echoed in her mind.

She felt insignificant. Not because she had almost died, but because the only person that had never seen her as the Evil Queen had now learned the truth. Regina was rotten to the core. There was no redemption for her. And with that ugly reality, she cried herself to sleep.