"Miss Swan you don't have an appointment."Regina looked up when Emma Swan burst through her office door followed by Regina's flustered secretary Brenda. Regina raised an eyebrow as Emma marched in and threw herself in the chair across the desk from her.She waved a hand to tell Brenda that it was alright. Regina took a moment to look over the savior. Emma looked like she hadn't slept in days and Regina was pretty sure the clothes she was wearing were the same ones as the day before.
"Hello, Miss Swan to what do I owe the pleasure?"Regina asked after realizing Emma wasn't going to start the conversation.
"I can't do it anymore."Emma whispered sounding utterly defeated.
"You can't do what?"Regina asked.
Emma sighed heavily."I can't be the person everyone wants me to be."
"What do you mean?"Regina was starting to feel concerned for the woman.Emma wasn't one to show emotions so if she was doing so now it meant something big was going on.
"I just can't be the daughter Snow and David want me to be or the mother Henry wants.I sure as hell can't be the all mighty savior that the entire town expects me to be."Emma told her.
Regina stood from her seat and moved to sit in the chair next Emma."What brought all of this on?"
"This morning I woke up and I honestly couldn't think of a single reason why I should actually get out of bed.I turned off my alarm and just lay there staring up at the ceiling trying to find the will to go on."Emma sniffed trying to prevent the tears that were fighting to fall."Then I heard Henry, David and Snow in the kitchen talking."
Regina put her hand on Emma's arm trying to offer the sheriff some comfort."What were they saying?"
"They were planning on how they were going to declare Snow the queen of StoryBrook and do away with all the government jobs."Emma told her.
"Of course they would nominate Snow to be queen."Regina scoffed at the idea."Let me guess they want to turn the town into a monarchy and give Snow absolute power and have her knights uphold her laws."
Emma nodded."That wasn't all though.Snow and David were talking about my arranged marriage to Neal."
"They are arranging a marriage for you?!"Regina knew they were stupid but to think that they could make Emma marry someone she didn't choose was over the line even for Snow.
"Oh yeah. Apparently as the princess of the White Kingdom it is my duty to be with Henry's father who they claim is my true love."Emma was still shellshocked by what she heard them planning.
"Is he your true love?" Regina didn't think he was but didn't know for sure.
"Of course not."Emma laughed bitterly."Neil was a bad mistake that I made. I clung to him because he was the first person to show me any attention.I was young and confused my dependency for love.I know now that I didn't actually love him.Hell I barely even liked him."
"Have you told you parents all this?"Regina asked.
"I've tried but they won't listen. They won't listen about my hatred of Neil, my want to be sheriff, a job they say is unbecoming of a princess, or my want for Henry to move back in with you. The other day Snow started making comments about replacing my wardrobe.I'm honestly afraid that one day I will come home and they will have gotten rid of everything I own and replace it with things only they approve of."Emma had been thinking about putting locks on her bedroom door and her closet door just in case.
"You want Henry to move back in with me?"Regina was surprised to hear that as Emma was one of the people who helped Henry move out in the first place.
"I think it would be better for him. My parents and Neil have it in his head that he is a prince and the rules don't apply to him.I had to put my foot down the other day when they decided Henry didn't have to go to school anymore."Emma expected the rage she saw in Regina's eyes.
"They what?!" Regina realized she might have to be more forceful in trying to be a part of Henry's life.
"Didn't you know?Princes don't need to know anything that is taught in the American school system. What use is math and science when you will have your own court mage and advisors to do the accounting.All Henry needs to be taught is how to rule a kingdom."Emma told her.
"I'm really considering going back on my no killing policy."Regina grumbled.
"No killing policy?"Emma asked confused.
Regina waved her off."You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me."Emma said.
"Fine. I have never killed another human being."Regina told her.
Emma was taken aback when her magic claimed that Regina was telling the truth."Then why do people think that you have murdered thousands?"
"When you want people to choose your side in a fight the best way is to make them believe their enemy is more evil than you are."Regina explained.
"I'm starting to think that I haven't been told the whole truth about certain things."Emma had never picked up on Snow outright lying to her but she easily could have overlooked anything in her need to be loved and accepted by her parents.
"I find if you tell the same lie over and over again you start believing it's the truth yourself."Regina said.
"What am I going to do about Snow?"Emma had come to Regina's office to get her advice.
"What do you want to do about Snow?"Regina asked.
Emma thought it through."I know I don't want to stay at the loft anymore.Do you know of any rentals?"
"I have a property you can use."Regina wouldn't mind helping Emma.She surprised herself when she realized that her hatred of Snow didn't even factor in to her decision.
"I thought you just had the mayor's mansion?"Emma remember the uproar when Snow took over as mayor and learned that the mansion didn't actually belong to the town but Regina herself.
"Regardless of what the town may think if I was ever voted out as mayor I would give up the mansion to the winner of the election.It's because of that I have another property down the street from it.The only reason I didn't turn it over to Snow was because I didn't think she deserved it. I know it was petty but in the end it worked out."Regina explained.
Emma laughed."I almost want you to get voted out of office just to see her face when you turn the mansion over to the someone else."
"The mansion is just a house.I'm not truly attached to it."Regina hadn't put that much effort in making the mansion a home.The only reason she did anything to it was for Henry's sake.She had always been planning on living in the other property after the curse broke and she got her daughters back.
"If you would be willing then I would gladly accept the offer to live there."Emma figured if the property belonged to Regina then her parents would think twice before trying to live there with her.
"I think that's a good start."When Emma gave her a confused look Regina explained."To making your life your own.Having your own personal space away from your parents might give you a better relationship with them."
"I doubt it."Emma scoffed at the very idea."Unless me moving out coincides with them having brain transplants then I doubt they will change their views on how I live my life."
"I don't want to influence you on what kind of relationship you have with your parents but my personal opinion is maybe you should take a break from them for a few days and work out exactly what you want to say to them and then tell them all your concerns.If after you talk to them they still insist on controlling your life then you should rethink how involved you want them."Regina said.
"What if they decide they don't want me anymore?"Emma whispered confessing her true fear.
"Oh Emma."Following her instincts Regina stood from her chair and pulled Emma up and held her tightly rubbing Emma's back and whispering words of comfort as the woman sobbed on her shoulder."It will be alright."
"I'm not so sure."Emma said once she got herself under control.She found it surprising that she wasn't embarrassed breaking down in front of Regina. For some reason she felt an odd kinship with the mayor feeling like Regina somehow knew exactly how she felt.
Regina pulled away and grabbed a tissue from her desk and gently wiped Emma's tears away."It will get better.You just have to remember that you lived your whole life without them.They may be your parents but they aren't the reason you are the way you are and I don't know about you but I like the way you are. I wouldn't change you for anything."
"Thank you Regina."Emma gave her a small smile feeling a lot better than she had when she first walked in.
"It's no problem.Now how about I arrange for some people to go with you to the loft with boxes and help you move.Ruby has a truck that I know she will gladly let you use."Regina said.
"I don't want to bother anyone."Emma said.
"It won't be a bother I promise.When do you want them to come by?"Regina asked.
"I would like to do it while Snow and David are at work."Emma figured it would cause less drama if her parents weren't home.
"Ok I'll call Ruby and some others and have them meet you at the loft in about 30 minutes.Is that ok?"Regina was already pulling out her phone and texting people.
"Thank you Regina.I really didn't feel much hope this morning but now I think I finally have something to look forward to."Emma told her.
"It's no problem.Let me know if you need anything else."Regina said.
"Do you have the key to the house?"Emma asked.
"Ruby has it and the security codes."Regina had given Ruby access to the property in case something happened to her and Ruby needed a secure place to go.
"Then I'll call you later."Emma waved once and made her way out the door.
"Good bye Emma."Regina called out.Sitting back in her chair she let out a sigh. When Regina woke up that morning she would have never thought that Emma would have come to her for emotional support.She was friends with the sheriff but didn't think they were close enough too comfort each other.Not that Regina minded. She genuinely liked Emma and was happy that she was nothing like her mother.That would have made a lot of their interactions in the beginning almost always end with violence.She sure as hell wouldn't have been allowed to live freely.It was a good thing that things were turning out the way they were.The only thing that would make her life better would be reuniting with her daughters.