She woke up knowing he wouldn't be next to her but she wished he was. She remembered that in the morning Leopold would hold her. He did that up until about 5 years of marriage. Then he stopped and they slept in different rooms.
Regina made the bed smiling like a fool while doing it. She had forgotten how good he was. How sweet and gentle he could be. She was going to miss him.
She surprised herself. She had been fighting so many emotions toward her mother and her father and Daniel and Robin and Leopold it made her dizzy.
She had surprised herself most of all with Snow. Snow White the girl who ruined her life 40 years ago is different.
Raising Henry changed her so much. She had shown her how to be a mother. How to put someone's happiness before yours. He had shown her how to love even if there is no love back. He had shown her that evil doesn't always have to run through your veins. You can be good if you choose.
Regina was choosing good. She wanted nothing to do with Gold/ Rumple. But, she had to talk to him this time. For Robin to get back to home. She would do that tomorrow, today she would see granny and try to find Tinker Bell. Today no stress, no pleasing the king, no stepping on egg's waiting for one of them to break. It was just her, granny, Snow, and Ruby. She couldn't wait.
While Snow isn't Henry, she is hers.
"Morning Snow" Regina said taking her seat next to Snow at the table.
"Morning Regina! When will Ruby be here?!" Snow asked.
"Soon enough my Snow Bell." Regina said with a smile and then she started eating.
Snow just pushed her food around on her plate. It was one of her many many nervous habits.
"Snow what's wrong?" Regina asked.
"That stable boy. Damion? Daniel? Do you love him?" Snow asked. "I saw that you were kissing him when the horse freaked out on me. Are you going to leave me? I mean us" Snow asked.
Suddenly everything made sense. Snow only told Corra about Daniel because she didn't want to lose yet another mother. She didn't do it because of any other reason. She wanted a mother, she wants a mother. She gasped when she realized how much Snow and her were a like. Snow wants the love of a mother and Regina wants the love of a child. Unconditional.
"I did yes. But now, now I love your father. I really do" Regina told her.
She meant it. She didn't feel for Daniel the same way she once had but that wasn't because of Leopold. That was because of Robin. She had never loved or been loved the way he had loved her. She did love Daniel but in calm best friend sense. Now, she wasn't sure how she felt about Robin let alone Leopold she did love him but, she loved Robin too.
Snow smiled and hugged Regina.
Tamara their maid came into the room and told them their guest had arrived. They thanked her and got up to leave.
"Are you going to play with Ruby in your room?" Regina asked when they met up with Granny and Ruby.
"Yep." Snow and Ruby started walking. "I love you mother!" Snow shouted from down the hall.