A/N: Alright, so I did say to be prepared, as things were going to go down hill very quickly. I wanted to rip this chapter off like a band-aid, so I made this one slightly longer than my last one. I literally have tears in my eyes, so if I misspelled any words, forgive me. On another note, please don't freak out. I promise you, SQ will be endgame. But they will have to go through a lot of changes first. I hope you hang in there with me.
"Emma Swan!"
Everyone at the ceremony cheered as Emma walked up that stage, officially graduating. Not the entire town had gone, of course, but Regina, Ingrid, Ruby, Marco and even Kathryn had attended to see her walk up and off that stage, ready to embrace whatever her future brought her.
Ingrid had a few tears running down her cheeks, wiping them away as her clapping never ceased. Ruby wouldn't stop cheering for her best friend, hers being the only voice that was heard chanting her name. Marco fought back a couple of tears of his own, as over the course of the time, he had looked upon Emma as his own. Also, he couldn't help but miss his son and think about what might have become of him had he lived.
And Regina. She wanted to run up that stage and congratulate her the most. She fought back a couple of tears of her own, but smiled brightly and proud at her as she walked back down from that stage with her degree in hand.
The nurse turned to look at her best friend as she elbowed her playfully, "Look at her. Our baby is growing up so fast." She teased, her smile growing as Emma finally caught up with them. "Emma! Congratulations!" She pulled the blonde in a tight hug. "You did it, kid!"
Emma smiled, returning every bit of the blonde's hug, "Thank you for coming."
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world."
Emma smiled brightly as she stood before Regina, leaning in to capture her lips in a few peppered kisses.
"Congratulations, soldier." Regina smiled, her arms wrapped around the blonde's body, handing her a bouquet of flowers, "These are from all of us."
Emma took the bouquet, her eyes meeting her favorite pair of brown ones before her.
"How do you feel?" Asked Regina, noticing a more sense of maturity in the blonde. Not that she never did before, but achieving a goal she knew she always wanted and now graduating from it, made her seem as if she was ready to take on the world. Because that's who Emma was.
The soldier released a much needed withdraw of breath, her smile never leaving her as she thought about the nurse's question. How did she feel? She felt exactly that. Like she could take on the world. Like the most fortunate person on the face of the earth. She wasn't sure what would be next for her, but what she was certain about was that she wanted to do it all with Regina by her side. Forever.
"Like it's time for another big change."
"You're not moving out of Storybrooke, are you?" Ruby exclaimed, already freaking out ahead of time, causing everyone to laugh around her.
"Ruby." Kathryn shook her head, smiling over at the brunette, "Whatever Emma wants to do with her life is entirely her business." She reached out for the younger blonde, placing her usual kiss on her temple and another on her cheek, "I'm so very proud of you."
"Thank you. This wouldn't have been possible without your support and encouragement."
"Emma." Marco chuckled with delight as he held the blonde in a fatherly hug, "Congratulations."
"Thank you. If only August were here." Said the soldier.
Marco's eyes blinked, his lip quivering as he fought back tears, "He is. I know for a fact that he wouldn't miss out on this grand day."
"Well, let's not cry about sad situations, not today." Ingrid smiled, her hand caressing the blonde's back, "This calls for a celebration back home with a couple of Granny's delicious burgers."
"I second that." Emma raised her hand, already salivating over the thought of food.
Ruby was the only one who had something to say, "Come on, you guys. We're already in the city, let's find a place to eat here! Have an adventure for once!"
"Now Ruby, it's late enough as it is. I promised your grandmother I would have you back after the ceremony was over." Ingrid warned her as the younger brunette simply rolled her eyes in response.
"Unfortunately, we won't be able to go back with you to Storybrooke. We have an early shift tomorrow morning." Said Regina, looking over at the blonde with an apologetic look. "But you go on ahead, we can always celebrate some other time."
Emma smiled at the older brunette as Ingrid spoke, "That's a shame! I know how much you love Granny's burgers, Regina."
"I'll be sure to save you one. Don't worry." Emma placed a kiss on the nurse's lips, her smile never leaving her, "Go save lives."
Regina gave her one last kiss, smiling, "Drive carefully on your way back, please. I love you."
"I love you too." Emma smiled, hugging Kathryn one last time.
"Don't worry, Em. I'll take care of her for you." Said Kathryn, causing the younger blonde to chuckle.
"I know you will."
"Bye!" Kathryn waved off, just as everyone else did until they went on their way.
Emma turned to glance over at the brunette nurse one last time, until she looked over at Ruby who had wrapped her arm over her shoulder.
"Come on. We'll go get drunk off our wits." She smirked as Emma laughed along.
Hours later into the night, that's exactly what Ruby and Emma went off to do. They weren't falling off their feet drunk, but they had a couple of shots in them as they sat by the bar. The jukebox serenading them with music at a low volume.
"Cheers." Said Ruby, her glass softly clanking with Emma's as both women drank down their shots. She continued as she served another round, "I never say this to you, but now that I've had a few drinks inside of me, I have the courage to say it." She paused, looking over at her best friend, "But, I am so proud of you. With everything that you've been through… almost on the verge of dying in a hospital across the globe. Meeting Regina on top of that. Your life could be a hell of a story."
Emma swallowed the liquor down that she had just drank, feeling that raspy burn in her throat "I'm not about to write about my life, Rubes."
"Why the hell not?" Asked Ruby, placing her shot glass down, "I guarantee you it would sell. A lot of people love biographies."
The blonde chuckled, "Including you? Weren't you the one who swore she would never touch a biography because they were just too depressing?"
Ruby rolled her eyes, "Alright, so a girl has a right to change her mind. Besides, who knew my best friend would become a world famous author, huh?" Her elbow nudged the blonde playfully.
"I don't know about world famous, Rubes" Emma laughed, "Besides, I'm not even an author yet. I'll need to write for that."
"Well, then get to writing."
Emma rolled her eyes, "It's not that simple. After writing, there's a process that would have to happen before it actually becomes anything worth reading. Publishers, literary agents, etc."
"Yeah, so?" Ruby's brow raised.
Emma's brows shot up to meet her hairline, "I would have to travel to New York or Boston for that. And right now how things are… with Ingrid."
"Whoa, what's going on with Ingrid?" Ruby gave her all her attention on that subject.
Emma shook her head, "I don't know. She seems worried sometimes, panicked- but every time I ask her what's wrong, she always tells me she's fine." She sighed, "Anyway, until I find out what it is that's been bothering her, I wouldn't want to leave Storybrooke. She's done so much for me, I couldn't leave her alone, you know?"
Ruby nodded, "Of course, yeah. Ingrid's been like a mother to you. Literally."
Emma nodded in agreement, "She is my mother. I would give my life for her in a heartbeat, just like I would give it for you and Regina and anyone else I cared about a great deal."
Ruby took the shot away from the blonde, who had been babysitting it rather than drinking the next round she had served her, "Alright. I think you've had enough of these. You're beginning to get all mushy on me here." She continued as Emma laughed, "Regina may love all that mushy stuff, but not me, alright?"
Emma's smile grew at the brunette's name. Her eyes lighting up as her mind wandered off, thinking on all the changes her life had had in just the course of two years. How much their relationship had grown over that same time. How she could no longer live without breathing the same air as her.
The brunette snapped her fingers in front of the blonde, waking her up from her many thoughts, "Am I going to have to carry you out of here?"
"I'm fine, Rubes."
"Ingrid isn't the only one acting weird, you know. You have too in the course of these past few days. What's up?" Ruby's eyes remained focused on the blonde, knowing her well enough to know for sure she had been hiding something.
Emma chuckled, "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"
Ruby smirked, "Perks of being your best friend. Now, what is it? You can tell me. It's big, isn't it?" Her eyes grew wide as Emma's smirk grew, "It is! It's huge! What is it? Tell me!"
Emma dug inside her jacket pocket, her hand closed in a tight fist as she brought it up on the bar. Ruby's eyes grew wide, her mouth dropped open as once her best friend opened up her hand, she could see a shiny ring staring right back at her.
"Whoa! No way!" Ruby's eyes moved to look up at Emma, her hand coming up to reach for the ring, only to retrieve it back, not daring to touch it. "Is that… what I think it is?" Her eyes fell back on the ring that still rested on the palm of the blonde's hand as she nodded her answer. "Holy shit. You are in way over your head for this broad, huh?" She chuckled as did Emma.
"Ruby, you can't tell a soul." Emma warned her with a single glare, her hand closing in on the ring as she placed it back inside one of her breasts pockets, "The only reason I'm sharing this with you is because you are my bestest friend, and you would kill me if I didn't tell you."
"Who do you think I am, Mary Margret?" Ruby's brow raised, "I won't say a word, Em. If I die tomorrow, I'd take it to my grave. You can be sure of that."
"Good." Emma took back her drink as she drank it down. Smiling at the still shocked look on Ruby's face.
"Emma Swan thinking about marriage." The brunette scoffed with a chuckle, "I never thought I'd live to see the day." She drank her own shot down, serving them another round, "Well, hell, this really calls for a celebration! When are you thinking about popping the question?"
Emma shrugged, "I haven't really thought about that yet, actually. I don't want it to be just a simple moment, you know. I want it to be special, in some place special. In a moment that Regina will remember forever."
"Well, knowing you and your creative mind, I'd say that won't be too hard to figure out." She smirked, clinking her glass along with Emma's, "Regina would be crazy to say no."
Emma chuckled, chugging down her next round altogether with Ruby.
Emma carried that ring in her breast pocket through the course of days passed. Just waiting, hoping for the right moment to ask that question that would change both hers and Regina's lives forever. She was scared, of course. Not that the brunette would turn her down, but of her actually saying what her brain had been telling her for days. That maybe it was too soon.
No. It couldn't be too soon.
It just couldn't be. So, her and Regina haven't exactly seen things eye to eye lately. Just like she knew when there was something wrong with Ingrid, she knew when there was something wrong with Regina.
She worked a lot, that was one thing. But, lately it was as if the brunette didn't have much time to stick around. Anytime she wanted to set up a day for them to spend together, or call her, or would want to go into the city, Regina would always tell her she had work, or that her mother was visiting, therefore she couldn't spend time with her.
Which wasn't a complete lie. Cora had visited once and from the brunette's stories alone, Emma knew how intense Regina's mother could be. So she stayed away. For Regina's sake.
Well, today, Emma would make the drive into the city and make time for them. Whatever the cost, she would make the drive into the city and see her.
She drove for what seemed like hours on end, her foot stepping on that gas pedal so hard it made her drive over a few speed limits. She had called Regina earlier to alert her that she would be making the drive, she just didn't say at what time.
Emma wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do in this moment or not. But, she was already halfway and wasn't planning on turning the car back around.
Once she arrived into the city, heading her way towards the brunette's apartment. It was then she decided that maybe she had turned around. Because she honestly couldn't believe what she saw next. She pulled her car over, far from the brunette's usual spot to eat breakfast at sometimes. A corner cafe, very much like the one they had eaten breakfast at in Germany. She was there, only she wasn't alone.
Emma shut her engine off, her eyes focused on Regina and the man that happened to be there with her. His hand was cupping her own and she did nothing to move her hand away. Not a flinch, nor any sort of movement. It was as if she was frozen.
She waited, her eyes focused on the man who scooted in his seat to sit closer to the brunette. It was Dr. Locksley. But why would Regina be having breakfast with him? At some point in their short conversation, she distinctly remembered Regina, telling her that she wasn't feeling up for visitors because she had caught the flu and didn't want to pass it on to her.
The soldier had never been one to be the jealous type. Sure she would get jealous. Who in their right mind wouldn't from time to time? But, right now, it was really getting to her more than any other time. Especially when she had caught Regina in the biggest lie ever. Because she sure as hell didn't look sick.
Well, okay. Maybe a little. Her complexion at some point did seem to have gone a little pale. But, whatever it was they were conversing about, she needed to find out. She wanted answers. That still didn't justify her lying to her. She never had before. Regina didn't even mention Robin being here in Boston, much less that she was seeing him.
A fist pounded on the door, causing both the brunette and older blonde to jump as they stood on the other side of it. She knew it had to be Emma.
"Kathryn, tell her to go away, please." Regina whispered, as Kathryn shook her head.
"I will do no such thing!" She shouted, causing the brunette to place a hand over her mouth.
"Please!" Regina whispered, her eyes burning with unshed tears, "I am beginning you. Talk to her. You have to lie for me."
"No!" This time the blonde's voice was a whisper as they heard another hard knock at the door, followed by Emma's voice.
"Regina, I know you're in there. Open the door."
"Regina, this is crazy. You can't possibly keep hiding from her like this, lying, sneaking around. You have to tell her what's going on."
Regina shook her head, "Kathryn, I can't! Look, I will explain everything to you once you make her leave. Just… please. Just this once, do this for me."
Kathryn sighed, filling up with rage as even she didn't know what was going on with Regina lately. She had been acting so different towards herself, towards Emma. She couldn't understand what had changed, but even seeing Robin around lately was new to her. She didn't understand this one bit, but she finally gave in. In hopes that Regina in fact, would explain once she answered that door.
"Fine. Go into my room and don't come out." Kathryn rushed her off as Regina did just that. She released a heavy sigh, composing herself as she pulled open the door, acting as surprised as possible, "Emma. What are you doing here? Regina didn't say you were coming over."
"Is she here?" Asked Emma.
"She's asleep. That damn flu really got her this time." Kathryn hated herself for lying to the younger blonde. She didn't want any part in whatever Regina had going on lately.
"I know she isn't sick, Kathryn." Emma spat out.
"What are you talking about?"
"It's Robin." Emma replied, "Doctor Locksley- he's been around, hasn't he?"
"Emma, I swear-" She couldn't help but notice the green color in the soldier's eyes grow dark.
"Look, I don't know what's going on with her lately. I mean, she's always way too busy to even see me and the very little time we see each other, it's always to fight. And now…" Emma sighed, running a hand through her golden locks. Growing increasingly frustrated, "Now, you tell me she's sick when just an hour ago I saw her having breakfast with that asshole. Now, I know you know something that you aren't telling me."
Kathryn's lips parted in shock. She knew Robin had been around, but that from Regina seeing him, that she had no clue over.
"I swear to you, I have no idea what's going on with her. But, I intend to find out. You can be sure of that."
Emma's jaw tightened. She didn't want to think that out of nowhere Regina grew tired of her. No, that couldn't be what's happening here. She didn't have a right to doubt her that way.
"Let me talk to her. I will. I will find out exactly what's going on and have to talk to you." Kathryn's hand rested on the blonde's shoulder, "You can trust me."
Emma nodded, releasing another sigh as her hands tucked inside her pockets, "Fine. Just… just tell her that whatever the problem is, whatever is going on- we can resolve it. Like we always have. Can you do that? Please? Just tell her I love her."
Kathryn nodded, pain displaying in her eyes, "I'll tell her." She released a sigh of her own, her forehead resting on the door as she closed it shut after Emma had left, looking pretty defeated.
"Is she gone?"
Kathryn turned to her best friend at the sound of her voice, growing angry, "What the hell is going on here, Regina? You aren't only lying to the woman you love, but now you are lying to me!"
"Kathryn-"
"No, I am not lying for you anymore! You need to talk to her, Regina, whatever the issue is. She's-"
"I can't talk to her! I can't-"
"She knows you are clearly lying, Regina! She saw you with Robin, which frankly I would like to know what's going on there as well." Kathryn's hands rested on her hips, her eyes never moving from the frustrated brunette, "Are you sleeping with Robin behind her back?"
There was silence.
Pools of tears formed under Regina's eyes, as Kathryn's only widened in surprise.
"What in the hell is wrong with you?!" Kathryn shouted, "What could you possibly be thinking, sleeping with that… that lunatic!"
"It's not what you think, Kathryn."
"Oh? How so?"
Regina's features grew increasingly frustrated, "I'm not doing this to hurt her. You have to believe me."
Kathryn chuckled sarcastically then, "Really? So, she's right to have her suspicions then. You haven't only been lying to her but you've been lying to me about fucking him." She shook her head.
Regina hated that look in her best friend's eyes. She hated herself for being weak, she felt weak. Not for sleeping with Robin and giving into his sick desires, but for not being strong enough to be able to fight this. For not being strong enough to tell Emma the truth of what was really going on. And now, she feared that because of that she had to let go of the one person she loved the most in this world.
Kathryn scoffed, moving quickly towards her bedroom as she pulled out her suitcase from her closet, not caring that Regina followed right behind her.
"What are you doing?" Asked Regina.
"I'm leaving." Kathryn pulled open her drawers as she began throwing her clothes inside her suitcase, without so much as looking at Regina.
"Leaving? You can't leave, Kathryn, not now." Regina stood by the doorway in shock.
"I refuse to help you lie to Emma any longer. You want to mess things up with her, fine, that's your choice. You're the idiot. But I refuse to hang around and watch you break that girl's heart." She tossed a pair of her shirts into the suitcase in anger, "Do you even realize what the fuck you are doing? Do you even plan on telling her the truth, Regina? How could you let someone like Emma go- how could you do that?"
"I had no choice, Kathryn." Regina's tone was cold, tears rolling down her eyes this time.
"Oh, spare me! You have a choice! Just like you could have told me what you were doing, or at least have the decency to tell me why you are doing this to her." She stood before the brunette with her arms on her hips again, "What the hell happened that you felt you needed to do this to her?"
"Can you stop defending her so much and think of me for once? I am your best friend!" Regina shouted this time. The vein in her forehead ready to pop.
"Best friend?! I am clearly not your best friend anymore, Regina Mills. If I was your best friend, you would have told me what you have been doing to Emma instead of going around behind my back." The blonde shook her head, slamming her suitcase shut, "Maybe you and Robin deserve each other. But, I'm not sticking around to watch you throw away a good thing. Not anymore."
Regina closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks as Kathryn's shoulder lightly brushed hers as she moved past the door.
If she didn't confide in her the truth behind this big change, she would go crazy.
"Robin has someone ready to hurt Emma if I so much as see her again."
Kathryn stopped just outside the hallway, her back still to Regina as she continued to explain. Her voice breaking this time.
"Not only her, but her family. Ingrid, Ruby, everyone she cares about." Regina swallowed the lump in her throat as more tears made themselves known, "That's why when Robin showed up, I suddenly started seeing him. Hating myself for having to lie to the woman I love." She sobbed her words out, "I'm lying to her to save her, Kathryn. I couldn't bear it if something happened to her because of me."
Kathryn was back inside the bedroom, looking into the woman's eyes as they couldn't stop themselves from crying.
"If anything were to happen to Emma, or Ingrid or anyone else because of me, I would die too." She paused, "I will tell you everything, how it started, how it happened, when but you have to please, listen to me. Because now more than ever, I really need you."
And she did. She sat right beside the broken brunette, defeated just as she was feeling at that moment, ready to listen to her entire story as Regina told her that on the night of Emma's graduation, Robin had surprised her at the hospital.
She had confronted him, of course, but he told her he was able to find her thanks to her mother for providing him with her new address. He had a friend who helped him locate her well enough that he had received vivid details of everything that happened in her life before showing up in Boston. So much so that he had found out about her relationship with Emma. That's when he started having the blonde followed, focusing more on her than the brunette. And earlier on, that sight Emma had seen while she was parked with her yellow bug across the road from that breakfast cafe? That was him coming clean to her about everything.
HOURS EARLIER…
Robin's hand cupped the brunette's as she remained frozen before him. She couldn't move, nor breathe. She was in complete and utter shock as Robin calmly continued his explanation as to how things would be for her from now on. For them.
"You have to believe me, Regina, when I say that I didn't want things to end up this way. But, you insisted in denying me a chance with you, therefore you left me no choice. And, what's worse, you couldn't even be honest with me about seeing… Emma Swan. That's her name, isn't it?" He asked calmly, taking a sip of his coffee.
All Regina could do in that moment was focus on each of his movements as he dipped that coffee cup towards his lips and placed it back down. Too afraid to even look anywhere else.
"Served in the military, honorable discharge over a shattered leg that you heroically repaired. Now she lives back in her hometown. Storybrooke. Right?" His stare remained cold even as Regina's color drained from her entire body at how much information he had on Emma, "It was her that night in your apartment, wasn't it? At first, it was all very fuzzy, I thought it was Kathryn all this time but it was her. Emma." He chuckled at the memory, which he so well remembered, "The way she jumped in front of that glass ornament to save you. That's when I knew."
"Why?" Regina's voice was a broken whisper, her eyes holding back unshed tears, "Why lie if you remembered every detail of that night?"
"Because you lied to me. Because you couldn't tell me the truth about who you were seeing." He sipped at his coffee as the brunette's remained untouched.
She chuckled, "Would it had made a difference?"
Robin shook his head, "No. Because this is where everything becomes real simple for you."
"Simple? You call this simple?" She scoffed, "You have been lying, lurking around for God knows how long, paying someone to secretly watch over Emma and I all to get me to sleep with you." Her voice raised an octave, "Well you got what you wanted. You made me feel like I had no way out, and betray the woman I love. What more could you possibly want, Robin?"
Robin sighed, placing the coffee cup back down on its plate. He scooted his chair next to the brunette who wanted to try everything in her power to move away, but his grip was much stronger. His breath tickling her cheek as he sat more near her, his voice a whisper. "I need you to break your soldier's heart."
Regina's eyes met with his cold blue ones, remaining in silence. Her brain wondering when in the hell did everything get so out of control? Why now? Why at all? Why to her? Why to Emma?
Robin's other hand moved up the woman's thigh, "She was able to have you for two long years, years that I spent dreaming of the day I'd see you again. Now, it's my turn to have you." He paused, his hand coming up towards the brunette's face, holding onto it with a strong grip as she tried moving away. Forcing her to look into his eyes so she would know he was in no way kidding, "Now, my friend has taps on Emma Swan at all times. He's a cop, Regina so it would do you no good to go to the police or anyone with this allegation. I will allow you to see her one last time, say your goodbye's, but you have to break her heart. She has to believe that you no longer love her, that it was all… a game."
"You're wasting your time." Regina's voice broke, her eyes dark with hatred towards the man, "She won't ever believe that. She's too smart to believe any of that."
"Then, you make her believe it." Robin's voice was cold, it sent chills down her spine. She had never seen this side to him before. She knew the man had his temper, but never like this. "I remember at some point in your life you wanted to be an actress instead of a nurse. Do you remember that?" His smile was just as sarcastic as his words, "Now is your time to shine. You will make Emma believe that you no longer love her and you and I can start living our life the way God always intended."
Regina's tears fell with ease, just as her heart broke, "What if I can't?"
Robin sighed, shifting in his seat as he pulled Regina closer to him, "Then you really will be saying goodbye to her for good. Your a nurse, you save lives every single day. It's time for you to save her again, Regina. Hurt her to save her. Why, just think of all the lives you would destroy if anything bad happened to your beloved soldier. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
"Why are you doing this, Robin?" Regina had to ask, her voice breaking once again as it had been since they met up at that cafe.
"Because it's the only way you will see reason and come back to me. Because sleeping with you isn't simply enough. I want what you have with Emma. I want a life, marriage… kids."
Her heart stopped at his words. Her words were lost on their way out as her lips parted open.
She blinked, swallowing the lump in her throat that had formed again, "If I…" She drew in a breath, trying to compose herself as some people were staring. She needed to be in control of her emotions right now. If she so much as slipped up, Emma would die. She believed Robin would make sure of that. "If I do this. If I… break her heart to live with you. Will you give me your word she will live? Her and her family."
Robin nodded, "They will be safe. You have my word."
Kathryn held onto Regina so tight, it caused the brunette to break after coming clean of the nightmare she had just gone through. Like a nightmare she was hoping to wake up at any moment, look over and find Emma sleeping beside her. But this wasn't the case. This was real. Robin was in Boston and was determined to have her to himself at all costs.
Kathryn was fuming, that went without saying. She had seen Regina heart broken in her time, but never like this. What was worse was that she would have to break Emma's heart sooner rather than later. While Regina wasn't even quite sure how she would be able to do that without breaking apart herself.
She just knew that if she didn't do it. Emma would cease to exist.
So, as Kathryn held her throughout that entire day until she passed out from exhaustion. She reminded herself that would need to be cold. As cold as possible, more than she knew how to be.
As much as it angered her because together- her and Emma could withstand anything. Any storm headed their way, any fire ready to burn, any stream ready to take them away. They could beat it all. But not this. This time, there was no beating it.
She saved her once from a shattered leg. Now it was time for her to save her again.
She needed to lie convincingly when she would see her again, for the last time.
She would need to break her heart.
To save her.