Snow teared up and ran outside onto the front porch. Ruby followed after her.

"You okay Snow? It's okay, Emma is going to be fine." She tried to console the pixie haired woman.

"It's not going to be okay! I'm such an idiot, I should have seen it before. Why didn't you tell me?" Snow was trying hard not to raise her voice.

"Tell you what, Snow? What are you so upset about?" Ruby played dumb.

"Are you blind? Did you not just see them together? That is true love if ever I saw it. Regina and Emma are each other's true love!"

Ruby gave her friend a weak smile. "I know but for some reason they can't see it, or won't see it."

Snow began crying again. "She can't marry Hook. I don't understand. How did this happen?"

"They're both too hard headed to see what's right in from of them. I've been trying to talk some sense into them for ages but they just ice up and pretend it doesn't bother them. What can we do?"

Back inside the house, Emma was starting to feel better. She awkwardly sat up trying to put some distance between herself and the brunette. "Thanks for saving me, again. Sorry I cried all over your shirt."

"Emma. We need to talk about this. They are getting worse and you've been avoiding me since the party. I understand if you don't want to hang out but this is serious. You can't let the worry of what might come to pass stop you from living in the here and now. What were you angry about this time?"

"I wasn't. I was just lying on the couch and they started then my Mom turned up and they got stronger." Emma lied.

Regina huffed. "I can't help you if you keep lying to me. You were upset or angry about something and by the look of the state you were in when I got here, it must have been more than just wedding jitters."

Emma closed her eyes. "I was just thinking about how unfair this is. How useless it all is. I wish I could get excited about everything. I wish I was happy but I'm not. I just feel nothing but fear when it happens."

Regina pulled her back into a hug. She didn't care if Emma felt awkward or not, she needed to hold this woman. "Maybe that's the problem, Emma. You need to stop being afraid."

"I can't."

Snow and Ruby re-entered the house. Regina broke away from Emma this time, not wanting the pair to see them in such an intimate position.

"Emma, honey. Are you feeling better?" Snow asked.

"Yeah Mom. Sorry you had to see that. I feel a lot better."

"I think you should stay with Regina for a while, until you can both figure out how to stop this from happening. You shouldn't be alone." Snow suggested.

"I don't need a baby sitter Mom! Plus, I'm sure Regina doesn't appreciate you offering her time out for her." Emma was annoyed with Snow but she wasn't sure why.

"It's fine Snow. Of course I will be there for Emma if she feels it is necessary but honestly, I'm not sure there's anything I can do to help." Regina shot a glare at Emma. She didn't like being spoken for.

"But you are helping, Regina. I couldn't bring her out of that state. The way you got through to her was amazing. Where is Killian anyway?" Snow added.

Emma plastered on the fakest smile she could manage and said, "On the Jolly Roger. We are doing the traditional, not seeing each other before the wedding thing."

Snow laughed but soon became serious and concerned again. "Oh Honey, you do know you only have to do that the night prior to the wedding, right? Are you two ok because if you're not, you know you don't have to go through with this."

Emma avoided Regina's gaze. "We are perfect! And yes, we know it's only bad luck to see each other one night before the wedding but we need as much luck as we can get." She tried to keep it light, but with Regina sat so closely to her, she was finding it difficult to keep up the charade. Her words sounded empty, even to herself.

"Ok, well, I'm gonna get back to your father. He'll be wondering where I am. Ruby, shall we?"

"Yeah Snow, just give me a minute. I need to talk to Emma and Regina about some bridesmaid stuff. I'll catch up ok?" Ruby winked at Snow.

"Oh okay! I'll get going. See you later Ruby. Love you Emma. Bye Regina." Snow left.

Regina turned to Ruby and stared her down. "I'm sure whatever it is can wait Ruby. You don't want to upset her."

"Regina, it's fine. We need to catch up on this stuff anyway." Emma waved off.

Ruby grit her teeth. "Okay well, the thing is, I can't be your bridesmaid, Emma."

"What?" Both women exclaimed.

"I actually believe in love and romance and all that gooey happily ever after stuff and honestly, I don't think you do. I think what you are doing is wrong going through with this after he cheated on you and you cheated on him." Ruby continued angrily.

Regina face palmed and sighed.

Emma looked between the two women questioningly. "What? He didn't cheat and neither did I!"

Ruby made a whatever face and shook her head. "Just admit it Em. Regina already told me anyway so it doesn't matter."

"You told her? What the hell Regina?"

Regina scowled. "I did not tell her anything Emma! Wolfie over here was grasping at straws until you just basically admitted it!"

"Very mature Regina!"

Ruby interjected before they tore themselves apart. This wasn't the plan she had in mind.

"Oh will the pair of you get over it already! I know Tink slept with Hook and I know you slept with each other. I'm not blind! I just don't get why you still want to go on with this fake fairy tale. If there was ever a time to pull out, this is it!"

Emma sighed. "You don't get it. Nobody does. Yes, Killian isn't perfect but neither am I. Yes, he slept with Tink and Regina and I had a thing. Look. Kill and I have an open relationship. There are no secrets, we just don't go bragging about it around town. It means nothing."

Ruby held up her hands and snarked. "Woah. Ok. I'm sorry. Obviously I got things wrong. I'm gonna go. Seems like you have everything figured out Emma. Good job!"

Regina began to ready herself to leave. The sting of Emma's words burning a hole in her heart.

"Regina, wait. I didn't mean it like that." Emma grabbed a hold of the brunette's jacket sleeve.

"Miss Swan, I'm not a child. I don't need you to sugar coat anything for me. I don't know why you are under the impression that it meant anything to me either. It didn't. Now, if you'll kindly let go of my jacket, there are some things I need to attend to."

Emma felt the stabbing pain in her chest. She deserved it. This was a pain she could handle. This rejection was something that was comfortingly familiar. It was better that Regina felt nothing for her.
"Of course. Thank you for your help today."

With the anger bubbling under her skin she spat, "It was nothing." And disappeared in an angry plume of purple magic.