Regina shifts her gaze first. Her voice quiet. She can't look at Emma that would be her undoing.
"Get out." Emma barely catches it.
Her green eyes grow more vivid with perspiration.
"What?" She's shocked, Regina kissed her.
Regina covers her mouth with her hand, Emma hears a sob rip its way through. This is escalating so fast.
Regina's crying, sobbing, shoulders shaking, her whole body quaking.
She wants to scream 'get out'. But she can't, she wants to get out, but she can't. She is everyone's second choice. She is not a happy ending, she is an evening, an evening that ends too soon. She hopes Emma will run, flee quickly, before she sees more. Before Emma see's Regina's scars written like a book in her eyes.
Emma sits there, developing a deeper sense of sadness than she has ever felt. She thought she knew sadness, but this, what she is watching, this is heart wrenching. This is a messy break, a woman out of control.
Emma could run, she wants to run, but more than that she wants to protect somebody. She wants to be what no one has ever been for her, a savior. Regina's vulnerability gives her strength, strength she didn't know she was capable of, the kind that only comes because you know someone needs you.
She is still watching Regina fall and just when she can't take it anyone, she moves behind Regina, wraps her arms around the brunette's, and tries to soothe her.
But Regina thrashes in her arms, and grows louder.
"NO! You don't want me! I'm a Villain! NO! I'm a Villain….I'm …a Villain…Ima…."
Emma holds tight. She won't let go, not this time.
"Shh Regina, it's ok, shhh no you're not…" She keeps saying words of encouragement, as they fall on deaf ears Regina continues her mantra.
But quickly she begins losing her energy. No longer thrashing, just shaking slightly as she cries.
Emma just holds her and waits.
"Maybe I want a villain." Emma says with a shrug once Regina has quieted down.
Regina is finally listening and turns in Emma's strong hold. Her eyes search for meaning in Emma's.
"What?" Her eyes are lined in red, tears still flowing without much effort. But the sobs have stopped at least for this moment. Because she is caught off guard.
"Regina if you insist on being a villain, then you will be a villain. But I care about you, a lot. I care about Regina Mills. If that woman is a villain fine, so be it, maybe I want a villain."
Regina sniffles, Emma can't mean this. She can't. She wants to be with a villain?
"But I will never see you as anything more or less than Regina, here you are just Regina, to me you are just Regina."
Emma runs her thumbs under Regina's eyes after reluctantly releasing her hold. She pushes Regina's hair behind her ears.
"Just Regina." She smiles her own wet smile.
Regina shakily puts her hand on her own chest, a last stitch effort to protect her heart. Emma sighs and puts her hand over Regina's.
"You are my first choice Regina." Searching Regina's eyes for the first hint of a reaction.