'Its not the goodbye that hurts, but the flashbacks that follow.' -Unknown

Regina knew she couldn't draw out the dinner making. For one Henry was starving and so was she and for two she knew this talk with Emma was long over due. It needed to be done. With the cold wind whistling just outside the farm house, Regina scooped her son a bowl of hot steaming stew and handed it to him. Crackers included. She then scooped herself a helping and went as far as scooping some for Emma. She set the two bowls on a tray she stole from Granny's diner a while back and then a thought instantly hit her.

Ruby.

The she-wolf never came into the kitchen with her and by the sounds of it she wasn't in the living room either. Where was she? Regina just gripped the edge of her kitchen counter and internally growled in frustration. What the fuck was she going to do?

"Mom, are you okay?" Henry asked. He had looked up from the comic book he brought and saw his mother trembling where she stood.

"I'm fine dear, eat your food." She said with a surprisingly calm voice. She didn't feel fucking calm. Picking up the tray that held two bowls and two glasses she walked into the living room where she instantly spotted the note. Patiently, she gave Emma her bowl and glass before setting her own food and drink on the coffee table. She walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a poker, pretending to pole at the fire but really she grabbed the note and hid it in her cooking apron. She was wearing a simple knee length skirt and white blouse.

"So, what did you have to say?" Regina asked as she sat down after placing the poker back on its holder.

Emma wiped her mouth with the napkin Regina conjured up. She had taken her jacket off as it lay on top of her back pack next to her feet. "Killian and I broke off our marriage,"

Regina had her spoon mid way to her lips when she heard Emma say those few words. She froze again, this time her heart the only thing moving. Of course it leapt in her chest. She lowered her spoon to look at Emma and blink as her brows furrowed. "Why? You love him Emma,"

"Loved,"

"Huh?"

Emma wiped her mouth again. "I loved him. As in I don't love him anymore,"

"I understand the pretense dear," Regina set her food down as she had become instantly nauseas from all the hope her body was beginning to form. "What I meant though was why?"

"I figured we weren't right for each other. After I found out you left I got a little upset and tried to find you. I used a mirror spell to see where you were and that's when I found Henry with you," Emma went on to explain how she tried to convince Henry to take her with him but refused. Regina felt a sense of pride swell in her chest at their son protecting her from his real mom.

She watched the savior as she continued. Leg crossed over the other and hands resting in her lap, Regina allowed her eyes to roam Emma for once. The high cheek bones, sculpted jaw and chin. Green piercing eyes. Nothing like Ruby's but still just as beautiful. The way the corners of her mouth wrinkled when she smiled, teeth and all. The slender neck that led to her collar bone. Those breasts. Always looked amazing in anything. Flat stomach. Long slender fingers that Regina wondered how they'd feel deeply insi-

"Regina? Are you listening to me?" Emma asked, almost offended.

"You were saying how Killian gave back the ring and left." Regina recited and lazily drug her eyes back to lock with Emma's. "So yes, I am,"

"Oh," Emma was sure Regina was checking her out but shook her head anyways. "Look, the main thing is that I have jumped the gun with Killian and-"

"You think?" Regina scoffed. Emma narrowed her eyes at her. "Sorry, continue," Regina raised her hands.

"As I was saying…." Emma trailed off, "…..I wanted to apologize to you. For how I have acted,"

"That's it?" Regina asked. Emma nodded so the Queen sighed and tilted her head to the side. "So let me get this straight. You came all the way here to apologize to me for marrying guyliner?"

Emma's lips twitched at the old nickname but nodded.

"And that's it? Nothing else?" Regina was tired of hinting with the insufferable blonde.

"Well, there is one more thing," Emma held a finger up before leaning down to grab her back pack. She unzipped it and pulled out a black box. Regina's half heart begin to rhythmically beat, her eyes widen. Emma opened the box and before she could grab the item Regina stood.

"No," she shook her head as she stood up from the couch and stepped away. "Do not touch it. Leave it in there,"

Emma looked up at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Emma, if you know what is good for you. You will take the half of my heart I gave you and leave. Now," Regina tried again, her back to the nearest wall it could find in order to stay from the blonde.

"Regina, I just wanted to return it to you,"

"I don't want it," she said through gritted teeth.

"It's yours though…"

The closer Emma got to her the more both halves of her heart began to pound. If Emma were to give her other half back now, after everything they had been through she would experience every pain, every emotion every feeling she ever had towards the blonde twice as hard as before. And she honestly did not think she could handle it. Plus she gave it to Emma to keep. Not to just loosen the load of emotions but to also show Emma she loved her. If she gave it back, Regina would understand where she stood in Emma's life.

"I am begging you Emma," Regina was now in tears as she took some steps away from the blonde. "Please, just keep my heart and go,"

"Why?" Emma pushed.

Regina closed her eyes while the tears fell harder. Her breath became shallow and it pained her to even smell how close Emma was to her. "Because….. Emma, I fucking love you," she whispered.

"I know you do," was Emma's response. Then her fingers pressed deeply into Regina's breast bone, the pain excruciating as the Queen gasped. Her other half was ripped from her chest and now both halves were nestled in the palms of Emma's hands. The electrical current shooting through Regina's body at the feeling. It was so strong she felt like throwing up. Her watery eyes opened to see Emma standing right there, so close, with the saddest of eyes she had ever seen. And then Emma fused the heart together so it was now a mixture of black and bright red.

Her body was becoming numb from all of the emotions. Even though her heart wasn't in her body, there was still an invisible cord that tethered from inside of her to the heart. So everything that happened to the heart happened to her body. She felt EVERYTHING. She even felt the scorching kiss Emma's lips made when they pressed in the center of her heart. She whimpered at the feeling. And with that, Emma pushed the heart deep within Regina and turned to leave.

A strangled groan left her lips as she slid to the ground and waited for Emma to leave her house before the sobbing commenced. Pulling her legs up to her chest, Regina cried silently at what had just happened. The emotions were so overwhelming she felt sick and then all of a sudden a wave of guilt hit her like a truck. Why was she feeling guilty?

Outside]

Emma knew what she had done was risky, and the slight guilt filled her heart but apparently it worked. She smiled widely at herself but it vanished when anguish filled her body. This was her price for what she had done and she was okay with it. As long as Regina figured it out soon enough. Everything would go back to the way things were. She made her way to the well and hopped in, preparing herself for what was to come.

Inside. Living room floor.]

After Regina reassured Henry that she was okay after he found her crying on the floor, Regina told him to go get ready for bed since they had a big day in the morning. She waited a few beats before pulling out the note from her apron and reading it.

'Regina,

I knew she was here before she even step foot in the door. We both knew there was no way this would or could work. You love that dumb dork far more then yourself and as much as I want that with you, I will never fight against True Love. I love you but only as my equal, as I've said before. I will be okay, I promise. I'm gonna find myself while I'm here and hopefully my True Love. Everything will work out my Queen, all you gotta do is believe. Emma loves you, never doubt that. Its why she's here. I'm always a howl away. Stay sane sweetheart. We shall cross paths again.

Xoxo Ruby'

Regina was crying again half way through the letter, and this time she felt every ounce of pain she held for Ruby. But then realized that it wasn't as much as she could have remembered. Because she cried for an hour till her heart began to feel calm. That was strange. Regina felt like she should be heart broken but she wasn't. What the hell?

Storybrooke]

Emma made it back in a days worth. The moment she stepped foot outside of the well her heart squeezed painfully and the urge to cry became unbearable. She curled into a ball against the tree and cried. It took almost two hours to get her emotions in check. Damn Regina, you struggle hard to keep all those in line, don't you? Emma asked herself. Regina must really have a lot on her shoulders. Something Emma wanted to help with.

She picked up her bag and walked home, a little gloomy from the earlier emotion hit.

AN: Ah, maybe one or two more chapters after this one and it'll be done. So I will be wrapping it up very soon. Hope that's okay. Ill give extra brownie points to anyone who can guess what I did. Or rather, what Emma did. New chapter will be posted tomorrow. So enjoy these two for now. See ya soon!!! :D