Break Up

Emily and Rick were sitting on the bench looking out into the water. Emily noticed Rick had been a little distant. She figured he was stressed out because of school.

Emily turned to him. "What's wrong? You seem a little distant. It's like your mind is a million miles away."

Rick knew she was going to hate him after he told her his news. "Emily, we need to talk about us."

She tilted her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay…what is it?"

He looked at her with sad eyes. "I…I can't do this anymore."

"You can't do what anymore?" she asked fearing what his next words would be.

He sighed. "Us. I can't be with you."

Emily sat back stunned. "Why not?"

"I found someone else," he said quietly. A hurt look came across her face. She couldn't have heard him correctly.

"What?"

"I'm sorry Emily but I like someone else," Rick said softly.

Emily narrowed her eyes. "Who?"

"That's not-

She stood up. "Who?!"

"Vivian Whale," he replied.

"Are you kidding me?!" she yelled. "Her of all people. She's my best friend. How could you?"

Rick held in his head in his hand. "Em, I'm so sorry but my feelings changed. I still care about you."

Emily shook her head in disbelief. He tried to reach for her but she backed off. "Save it," she said. "I never want to see you ever again," she continued with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Emily," he said. "It just happened." She brushed past him not wanting to hear his voice anymore. She walked home in a trance. She couldn't believe it could hurt this much. She loved him and he turns around and betrays her.

Emily walked in her house thankful she didn't see anybody. She almost made it to the steps when she heard her mother's voice. "Emily, is that you?"

"Yes," she tried to say without her voice cracking.

Regina walked into the foyer and immediately noticed something was off. "Em, what happened?"

Emily felt herself getting ready to break.

The front door opened and Killian walked in sensing a tense atmosphere. He looked between his wife and daughter wondering what he just stepped into.

"Emily, how was-

He couldn't finish his question due to Emily running up the stairs and closing the door. He looked at Regina. "What happened?"

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. She had a date tonight with Rick."

He growled softly. "What did the cricket do?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "We don't know if he did anything. She could possibly be upset for a different reason," she said trying to ease her husband's anger. She had a gut feeling it had to do with Rick but she couldn't focus on Killian's anger.

"I'll go check on her," Killian said.

"No. I'll talk to her. You just sit here. I don't need you running all over Storybrooke," Regina said leaving no room for argument.

She headed up the stairs. She quietly knocked on Emily's door and opened it. She found her daughter lying in her bed with her back to her. "Em," she said softly as she approached the bed.

"I don't want to talk about it," Emily stated.

"Okay," Regina replied. She took off her shoes and placed them by the dresser. She climbed into bed and held her daughter close. She felt Emily relax in her embrace.

Regina gently combed her fingers through Emily's hair. "You know that we love you and that you can tell your father and me anything."

"I know mom but I can't tell dad this," Emily said. Regina nodded her head.

They didn't know Killian was sitting on the floor outside her room. "What can't she tell me? Wait, what if she's pregnant? Oh God, I'm not ready to be a grandfather. I'm going to skin that cricket's son if she is."

He heard soft cries coming from his daughter and it took everything in him not to jump up and go to her. He couldn't see about her now. They would know he had been listening.

He heard Emily say, "We broke up."

Regina said, "I'm sorry baby. What happened?"

Emily turned to her mother. "He dumped me." Regina looked at her surprised. Why would anybody dump her beautiful baby girl?

Emily sat up and Regina followed. "Mom, he found someone else," she said tears flowing.

"He what?" she asked. She wanted to growl and magic herself to Archie's house but that wouldn't help matters.

She nodded in response. "Ugh, I must be the stupidest girl on the planet. I mean, he became distant and I thought it was stress because of school. He cheated on me. Why would he do that?"

"Because men are pigs," Regina said.

"Daddy's not though," Emily argued.

Regina let out a little chuckle. "Men like your father, David, Neal are the exceptions."

Emily wiped her eyes. "What's wrong with me?"

Regina looked into her daughter's eyes. "Nothing is wrong with you. If Rick is too stupid to see that then he doesn't deserve you."

She shook her head. "But he's with Vivian now." Regina gasped. Ruby and Victor's daughter. That little….no, she couldn't think like that. If she was still queen, she'd do some damage. She wished she was queen right now.

"Mom?" Emily asked snapping Regina out of her thoughts.

Regina blinked. "Sorry. Sorry about Vivian too. Honey, I know this hurts but it will get better."

"I can't show my face around Storybrooke again," she whined.

"Come here," Regina said. Emily leaned into her mother. "I know the pain is unlike anything you've ever felt but trust me, you will be able to walk around town and Rick will be a distant memory."

Emily simply nodded but she didn't feel like things were going to get better. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I made it without my first love for years. Remember me telling you about Daniel?"

"Yes, but that was different. He didn't cheat on you," Emily said.

"True but when I lost him the pain was too great. I went down a different path but you have the chance to be better. You have us, Joshua, Henry, Emma, Neal, David and Snow, Belle and even Gold."

"I know you all care about me," she said solemnly.

Regina kissed the top of her head. "We do care and one day you are going to meet someone who thinks you are very rare. That person will love you wholeheartedly."

"Why couldn't it have been Rick?" Emily asked.

"I don't know but I do know that it's his loss," Regina replied.

Emily was tired of talking about it. "I think I want to go to sleep now."

"Do you want me to stay?" asked Regina.

"No, I'll be okay." She hugged Emily one more time before placing a kiss on her forehead.

Regina walked out of the room and closed the door. She glanced to her right to see Killian still sitting on the floor. He looked up at her with sorrow in his eyes. Regina gave him a sad smile and helped him up.

They went to their bedroom and closed the door. "I can't believe he did that to her," Killian said.

"I know. Trust me, I have the presence of mind to teach that kid a lesson for treating her that way," Regina said.

Killian snapped his fingers. "Mind if I go over there and talk to him."

"That depends on your definition of talk," Regina shot back.

Killian narrowed his eyes. "Maybe I can get Rumplestilskin to turn him into a snail. Then I can crush him."

Regina shot up an eyebrow. "I don't think Archie would appreciate that."

"Who cares what he wants? His son hurt our daughter."

"I get it. You want to take away her pain but unfortunately, we can't. All we can do is support her. However, you do have permission to get rough with him if and only if he says something out of line."

Killian smiled. "Thank you, your majesty."