"Emma, you can't live like this." David said as his daughter walked into the precinct with red eyes. Whether they were from crying or drinking, he wasn't sure. Emma ignored him and went to flop down at her desk.

"Did you take Henry to school?" He adked.

"No, he was gone when I woke up this morning." Emma replied as she popped her third aspirin of the morning. Her head was throbbing like hell. But headaches came with hangovers unfortunately. For a little while last night, she'd been able to pretend that the woman she was in love with wasn't just a couple blocks down the street, that that same woman hadn't left her and their son, that she was still waiting for Emma to come home. She could think that Regina would welcome her with open arms and a smile or a sassy remark, when in reality, Regina was in love with someone else. She shared her bed, her home and heart with someone else. Someone who had not hurt her.

"Emma." David put an arm around her as his daughter started to cry, but Emma suddenly shoved him away.

"No, don't try to comfort me now. This is your fault. I listened to all that bull that you and Mary Margaret were spouting about true love. Regina wasn't evil anymore and she loved me! And I loved her! She would still be mine if I hadn't listened to you!" The lights began flashing, some of the bulbs exploding as Emma raged, glaring at Prince Charming, her father with pure hatred. "If I had just fought for her. If I'd told her how much I loved her." Emma took a few deep breaths before turning and racing out of the station. She simply ran, not knowing where she was going and not caring.

xxxxxxxx

Henry watched Regina and her new friend as they walked through the park, holding hands, stealing kisses and laughing. He'd never seen his mother so happy before. They were interrupted by David as he rushed up to Regina and said something to her. Regina made a face and said something that he presumed was sassy and snarky before turning to her friend and giving her a kiss. She left with David and the blonde sat down on a bench. Henry watched his mother and grandfather leave before turning back to the blonde woman...who was no longer there.

"You must be Henry." Henry nearly jumped out of his skin as he spun around to find the woman standing behind him.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"My name is Alize and if you wanted to know who I was, you could've just asked instead of hiding." She crossed her arms. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Yes." He said.

"Then why aren't you?"

"I wanted to see my mom."

"Which one?" Alize asked, eyebrow raised.

Henry narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you going to tell?"

"I'm sure they'll find out sooner or later." She offered her hand and helped him to get back to his feet. "If you wanted to see Regina, all you had to do was come to the house."

"I wasn't sure she wanted to see me. I treated her badly, for a while after I found Emma, and she didn't deserve it."

"Hey, your mom loves you, dearly. She misses you, emails Emma about you all the time-"

"She emailed Emma? I only got one, a few months after she left. Why wouldn't she tell me?"

"I don't know kid." Alize shrugged. "But you should get to school."

"So you're a goody two shoes?" Henry asked with a slight smirk.

Alize's own lips cracked. "I'm not so sure your mom would want me around you. Emma, not Regina. I don't think she likes me."

"Because you're with mom."

"Doesn't that get confusing? Having two moms?"

"Sometimes. Mom was showing you around right? How about I finish her tour?"

"You checking me out, making sure I'm good enough for your mom?"

"Yep. I'll call it Operation Lion."

"Operation Lion?"

"You have golden hair, like a lion."

Alize smiled. "Come on."

xxxxxx

"What now?" Regina asked as she and David found Gold near where the well once stood. He was holding the broken pieces of what looked to be some kind of spherical object.

"Didn't work. We need a new plan." David said. "Should we try Plan A?"

"Whatever, where's Swan?" Regina said.

David shrugged. "She ran out of the station this morning and I haven't seen her sense."

Regina sighed heavily. "I swear, idiots. You're all idiots. Where the hell could she be?"

"I don't know. I checked the docks, that's where she usually goes."

"Did you ever stop to think about, I don't know, her HOUSE!" Regina sighed again. "I am 1000% down with this town." She waved her hands and appeared outside Mary Margaret's apartment. She magically unlocked the door and pushed it open. Emma was sitting on the couch, a tall bottle of alcohol sitting in front of her. It seemed to be untouched. "Are you alright Miss Swan?"

"Regina?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Regina asked, studying the heartbroken blonde.

"Wallowing."

"Can you do this another time? We need to fix the well and we need your help. Now."

"Did you ever love me?"

"What?"

Emma looked up, eyes puffy and red but still clear. "Did you ever love me?" She repeated slowly and louder this time.

"Of course I did." Regina replied without hesitation. Judging by the look of surprise of Emma's face, she could tell her answer was unexpected. "After everything I've been through, with you and your dim-witted family, did you think that it was easy for me to let you in?" Emma said nothing. "I opened myself again, even after you screwed up my chance with Robin by bringing Marian back. I still somehow fell in love with you."

Emma gulped. "I didn't think-"

"You never do." Regina interrupted. "The fact of the matter is, you broke my heart after I found the courage to give it away again. But I'm over that and I'm over you. The only reason I'm back right now is because of this damn well and the damage it could do if left unfixed. Once it's done, I'm leaving and will probably never see you again unless it concerns Henry. Like you said 'it's not about us'. It's about him and his safety." She crossed her arms. "Now Miss Swan, I suggest you get over me. I suggest you get up off the couch and wipe your face then march your ass down to the well so we can fix the damn thing and I can leave this godforsaken town."

"You can't just throw away the fact that we loved each other!" Emma roared, rising unsteadily to her feet. "We have a son, who you left!"

"You and him left me no choice!" Regina returned. "He didn't want me. You didn't want me. What was the point of me staying?!"

"I don't know!" Emma screamed. "I just didn't want to lose you."

"You didn't lose me, you threw me away." Regina growled bitterly. "And now, after all of this heartache and pain, you want me back? Sorry, I'm taken. Now, get your ass up so we can fix the well." She threw her hands in a familiar gesture before disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

Emma stared at the spot where the love of her life had stood moments before, slowly processing what the brunette had said. She knew she should've had expected anything else from the Regina but the complete truth, but the truth hurt nonetheless. It only served to increase the bitterness that she felt deep inside, the growing anger and pain. She knew she shouldn't hate Alize, not when she was making Regina happy, but she was too heartbroken and angry to rationalize anything.

Emma turned to go wash her face and made her way out to the well.