Hey people!

This story is slowly coming to an end. I already plotted the rest of it, it will be three chapters more :)

For the guest asking if I'd write more Snowing moments, yes. Not next chapter but the one after that one will be completely Snowing, with no Swan Queen Drama. I already started writing it down.

I don't think I have else anything to say other than thanks for all the follows, favs and reviews (including all the guest ones - specially Raquel who always comments!)

MARY MARGARET'S POV

Outside, it was raining, it had rained for two weeks now. It was strange, taking in consideration we were in summer time. But then again, you couldn't trust Storybrooke on having a normal weather, not ever. Ruby and Emma were already half way through their semester, and surprisingly they had managed to stay on top of their class. It made me extremely proud. David and I were supposed to visit them this weekend on our way to the airport. Emma would keep David's truck while we were in Napa Valley.

I was so excited to go on this trip with David, it was our first holiday together, and he had decided to take me to Napa Valley out of all places! I had never been there, but I had heard so many stories about the vineyards. So many romantic stories, I knew we would make some good memories.

After putting some water to boil to make some tea, I leaned against the kitchen table and continued reading a book that I had found in Emma's room. Three knocks caught my attention. I furrowed my eyebrows and glared at the door. I wasn't expecting anyone. Ruby, Emma, Belle and my parents were out of town, and David was working until 6 p.m.

I closed the book shrugging and placed it on the table as I walked towards the door. It was Regina. I let her in and close the door behind me. She entered, not saying anything, but I could see that the unspoken words were putting down some heavy weight on her. Regina stopped in front of Emma's room, admiring the order and sighed. For a moment I thought she wouldn't cry. But she didn't. Regina Mills didn't cry in front of other people.

Regina then walked towards the kitchen and sat on one of the chairs. She took the book I was reading it and studied the first page with a sad face. I hadn't noticed the inscription when I first took the book. But now that Regina was caressing the paper with her thumb I noticed that it had been her the person who gave it to Emma. The brunette closed the book but didn't let go of it, as if she wanted to hold onto something that reminded her of her times with Emma.

I waited for her to say something, despite of Regina being my best friend's ex-girlfriend and my boyfriend's ex-best friend, we didn't hang out just the two of us, and we usually needed Emma's jokes or David's ability to change topics to have a conversation with a normal flow of words.

"Tea?" I asked when I realised that the water was boiling.

"Yes, thank you," Regina replied, polite as always.

Regina stayed in silence as I prepared two cups of tea. She muttered a 'Thank you' when I handled her a cup and then stayed quiet again. I took the opportunity to study her. She looked as if she hadn't sleep in days, as if she had the world on her shoulders, the confidence that she usually irradiated was completely gone. The woman sitting in front of me was a broken woman, there were no remnants of the Regina I once knew.

"I don't know how to continue," Regina suddenly broke the silence, her eyes never leaving the cup in front of her, "Emma was my cornerstone, I don't feel like I can do this on my own,"

I tried to read her face, her feelings behind her words, and every inch of my body yelled that she was telling the truth, "I'll help you,"

"You will?" she asked, shocked at my generous proposition,

"Yeah," I said, "This meant a lot to Emma, I wouldn't want it to go to waste," I added, "You know she'll come back, just to vote for you,"

"She will?" Regina asked again, this time more shocked than before.

"She loved you," I pursed my lips into a thin smile

For a moment Regina smiled, and then her face when dull again, "She did,"

"I think she still does," I added "And you..." I started, she stared up at me, "Are engaged to Daniel...?" I asked.

"She told you that?" I nodded, she breathed out, "No, I'm not. He asked, and I said no,"

"Why?"

Her gaze told me everything I needed to know: Emma.

Regina had turned Daniel's proposal down for Emma. For the first time in a long time I felt like there was still hope for Emma and Regina. I couldn't wait to tell David about it, to tell Emma. I stopped my thoughts right there. Telling Emma could be a double-edged blade, it could put the blonde at ease, but it would also wreck her, destroying all the progress she has made during this time.

"How is she?" Regina asked me.

"She's doing great. Both she and Ruby are top of their classes," I replied with a proud smile, she smiled back at me. It was a small and weak smile, but it was a smile, "Why didn't you tell her?" I asked curious.

"About what?"

"Her parents sponsoring you,"

She sighed, "Because at first we didn't need them," Regina started talking, "The party was supposed to be small, with not much details, just a normal cocktail party," the brunette explained, "But then Emma decided to go hard on everything, and I couldn't stop her. If you would have seen how her eyes shined when she talked about fireworks or cirque du soleil acrobats, I couldn't tell her no." Regina studied the cup of tea again. "Of course a huge party didn't hurt my image. But it was her big chance too, she needed the party to be a success, and I needed to make it happen,"

"Even if you were ending up broke?"

"I had already asked the bank for loans, I can show you the paperwork," she said, "The Nolans saved me from owing money to the bank,"

"You were willing to spend all your money on Emma's crazy ideas?" Regina nodded, "Why?"

"Because she's Emma. And I..." her voice trailed off, I reached out and grabbed her hand, trying to reassure her with my presence "I... I love her," Regina said, "I love her!"

I smiled at Regina, and she smiled back at me. This time it was a big smile, she looked more at ease as well, as if all her worried had magically done away.

"Why didn't you tell her?" I asked, "Why didn't you try and explain?"

"It just happened so fast. Mr. Nolan called me before midnight, and then, the next day Emma told me she loved me, I couldn't tell her that her parents gave us money, not after her confession, because I knew how she would react,"

"Yeah, you got a point,"

"Will you please talk to her?" Regina said, almost in a begging tone, "I'm not asking her to be my girlfriend again, I'm just asking for her not to hate me,"

I could. I could tell Emma the truth without mentioning that Regina was not getting married to Daniel. Or I could just tell her the whole truth. I knew Emma was miserable without Regina, and it looked like Regina was pretty miserable with the blonde too. Would it really be so bad to just tell Emma the truth? No, I told myself, the problem was not telling Emma the truth, the problem was Emma accepting the truth.

"I'll try," I nodded. Try was the only thing I could do. "I'll try my best,"

"Thank you for the tea," Regina stood up, "And for listening, and for caring. You're a good friend. They are both lucky to have you," she added referring, not only to Emma but also to David.

I pursed my lips into a smile and I felt as if my chest would explode from pride. "Anytime, Regina," I said opening the door for her. "And Regina," I called her when she had already left the apartment, "They'll come around, eventually," I stated, "Both of them,"

"I hope so," she replied and walked down the stairs.

"I hope so, too," I whispered, closing the door and leaning against it.