"Your Majesty we need to go."A man dressed in black armor said.
"I can't." Replied a sobbing dark haired woman."I can't let them go."
"You must."A woman dressed in fine clothing told her.
The man stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder."Regina we will take care of them.This isn't good bye. I have no doubt that the curse will break and you will be united again."
"I will miss you both but I know that you will be taken care of.I love you."Regina kissed the two babies cradled in her arms and handed one to the man the other to the woman. As soon as they had the babies they disappeared into the wardrobes and with a spark of green light both were gone. Regina collapsed to the floor not even caring about the dark mist spreading over the lands or the men dressed in white armor bursting into the room.
"Where are they!" One of the guards demanded.
"You're to late."Regina told him laughing as the man growled and ran her through with a sword. Her last thoughts as she succumb to darkness were at least her girls were safe.
"Here is your food Regina."Ruby said as she set down a plate of eggs and toast in front of Regina.
"Thanks."Regina ignored the sad smile she received in reply and focused on her food.She had initially wanted to stay home but knew that if she did she would give in to the depression and not want to leave ever again.
"Where is she?!"Snow White demanded as she stepped up to Regina's table.
Regina held back a flinch at the instant flashback those words caused. She gave Snow a bored look and asked."Where is who Snow?"
"You know dammed well who I am talking about."Snow said.
"Wow swearing. That certainly doesn't fit with the wholesome imagine of Snow White."Regina looked around and realized it was because the diner was empty that Snow cursed.
"Don't mess with me Regina.Where is my daughter?"Snow once again demanded.
"I have no idea where the sherif is. Did you check at home?"Regina asked.
Snow pounded her hand on the table causing Regina's coffee to spill."I know you know where she is. Tell me now or there will be consequences."
"What would those be?Making an entire realm believe that it was me who cast the curse.Or maybe taking over as mayor once the curse was broken.Or maybe poisoning my son against me?"Regina hardened her glare."What else could you possibly do that would actually effect me."
"I could do a lot once I find your daughters."Snow threatened.
Regina met Ruby's gaze and shook her head.She didn't need the wolf to get involved."I welcome the day that you face my children because I doubt you will live long after you do."
"Not if I kill them first."Snow said goading Regina.
Regina wasn't going to lower herself to Snow's level."Snow I have no idea where your daughter is.Now leave before I decide to remind the people of this town why they should actually fear me."
"This isn't over."Snow hissed as the bell over the door rang and some of the town's residents came in. She put on her fake smile and walked passed them on the way out the door.
"You should tell everyone what she has done."Ruby said for what was not the first time and wouldn't be her last.
"What does it matter?Her life is slowly going to hell anyway."Regina said.
"Still if you told people they would respect you more."Ruby held up a hand to stop Regina's reply."I know you don't care if they respect you but the people who care about you do.It isn't right that everyone thinks Snow is this pillar of good when it was her actions that condemned us all."
"I know you don't agree with me but I honestly don't have it in me to do anything.Snow did what she did to ruin my happiness and all she did was ruin her own.I will get the girls back no matter what it takes.In the mean time I don't want to waste my time dealing with this town's pettiness."Regina told her.
"You should at least tell Emma."Ruby urged.
Regina sighed thinking of the savior. She did want to tell her everything but didn't feel like it was her place to do so. She also admitted if only to herself she feared Emma wouldn't believe her and she didn't want to deal with losing the good relationship she had with the woman."It's not my place."
"Then you should have Rumple do it."Ruby wasn't going to back down.Regina deserved better than what she was going through.Ruby knew first hand what a good person the queen was and hated that everyone cast her as the villain.
"You know she wouldn't trust him after what Neal did.There is also the fact that Snow spread far and wide those stories about the dark one. He has an even worse reputation than I do and all because he wouldn't help her with the curse." Regina felt bad for the old man. His son betrayed him and people thought he was the devil because he wouldn't help Snow White.
Ruby growled."That's another person you should go after.You are strong enough to take care of both of them.Hell you could do it at the same time."
"You know my policy on killing."Regardless of what people thought Regina didn't kill people.She had never killed even one single person.It went against everything she stood for.Even during the war with Snow White she took prisoners instead of outright killing.Snow White on the other hand didn't take prisoners no matter what happened even in the face of surrender she would kill an unarmed man before showing any mercy.
"I hate how honorable you are sometimes."Ruby grumbled. If Regina was actually as bad as people said she would kill off the entire town minus a few people for the way they treated her.
"It's my honor that keeps me sane."Regina told her.
Ruby sighed."I just want you to be happy and it pisses me off how everyone treats you.You don't deserve it."
"I know I don't but I take pleasure in knowing that even though Snow cast the curse to ruin my happy ending her life is turning into anything but a fairytale."Regina said.
"That is true.She the lost her role as mayor when she fucked it up so bad, now she is dealing with her daughter who quite obviously is on her way to hating her and David.If we could just get Henry away from the pair things would be even better." Ruby had hoped that Henry would have given Regina a chance to explain her side of things but Snow and David had the boy's mind twisted as soon as the curse broke.
"It's neither here nor there."Noticing Ruby's doubtful look Regina explained."I love Henry like he was my own but Rumple and I knew when he went in search of Emma that I would probably lose him.That's not saying that I would reject him if he ever came back but I had already been planning on him aligning himself with Snow."
"It's still not right."Ruby said.
"No it probably isn't but those are the cards I have been dealt."Regina finished the coffee that didn't spill from Snow's tantrum and stood"Have a good day Ruby."
"You to."Ruby replied. As she watched Regina leave the diner she felt her heart break all over again for the woman.Regina and Rumple had been all alone for almost 30 years waiting for Henry to break the curse being the only two not effected. They still couldn't figure out what happened when it was cast that made everything so different than Snow had wanted when she cursed them.Ruby knew that Regina had spent all that time trying to figure out a way to get her daughters back from whatever realm she and Rumple had sent them to but had had no luck so far in figuring it out.Ruby made a mental note to meet up with Rumple later.She and a few of Regina's old guards had been getting together to figure out how to convince the town that it was Snow not Regina who cast the curse but weren't having any luck on coming up with anything and wanted to know what the old man thought.