A/N: So for this story and all my Swan Queen ones follows the assumption that Daniel was a woman, and Regina has always been a lesbian.
Timeline is: season 2 in Storybrooke, when Emma is given nearly full custody of Henry and everyone remembers their lives in the Enchanted Forrest.
This chapter is full on Angst, but promises for fluff later.
Regina stops by the apparent to drop of Henry for his time with Emma.
Emma answers the door and looks straight past Regina to Henry. "Hey kid, I've missed you," she says rumpling his hair as he hugs her leg, Regina's brow furrowing at being ignored.
Henry runs into the interior of the apartment to say hi to Mary Margaret as Regina remains at the threshold. She leans in closer as a threat, "Miss Swan, I suggest you not let anything happen to him or you'll have to deal with me." She continues darkly grabbing, her nails stabbing into Emma's arm that was draped across her chest "And you haven't seen anything yet." Regina lets go and steps back continuing with a more professional demeanor, "Are we clear?"
"Uh- Yeah. Crystal," Emma stammers a little thrown off by what just happened.
"Good," Regina quips as she flips her hair over her shoulder and strides away. Emma stands there dumbfounded just watching her walk away.
Mary Margaret comes up to Emma after she shuts the door, "How was that? That looked intense."
"Nothing I can't handle."
When Regina comes by to retrieve Henry she was an entirely different person. She was pleasant and appreciative. Henry bubbles with excitement to tell Regina about all the fun he has had. Emma turns to leave her be as Henry runs off to get his stuff, but Regina stops her by grabbing her wrist, this time much gentler "I - uh- just wanted to say thank you for -uh- taking such good care of Henry. He seems really happy," she says smiling. "I don't know that I've ever seen him so happy," she continues her voice betraying her ruse that she is only happy, not instead sad that she could not bring Henry such profound happiness.
Emma just weakly smiles. "Uh- my hand" she says noticing that in Regina's sadness she never let go.
"Oh- um - sorry," Regina lets go. Emma being not quite sure but thinking she saw her wipe away a tear with her now free hand.
Regina brings Henry back to the apartment "You ready kid? Were going on an adventure!" Emma asks through her big grin.
Henry quickly rushes past both his mothers to beat Emma outside. "Be careful you might slip," Regina calls after him futilely.
"Bye, Madam Mayor," Emma says confident as she passes by brushing against Regina on her way out after Henry.
"Uh- Regina," Snow calls from inside the kitchen, "Do you have a minute?"
Regina steps inside. "Now what could you want?" Regina demands.
"I - uh- I - do you want to sit down? would you like so tea?" Snow stammers.
"Mary Margaret, I really don't have time for a pointless rendevouiz right now. I have pressing city business to get back to. If this is all you needed, I will see myself out." Regina turns to leave.
"No - uh- it's about- " Mary Margaret starts leaving Regina hanging, "Emma."
"Emma?" Regina turns back around Cheshire grin upon her face.
"You know I never told anyone about your secret," Mary Margaret confesses as she turns away to put a kettle on.
Regina scoffs. "I find that extremely hard to believe seeing as how Daniel is dead. And this has nothing to do with Emma. I'm leaving!"
"It will." Snow replies. "No obviously, I know you know I told Cora. I told you so, and there's not a day that goes by I don't regret that... " she trails off. "But I meant everyone else. I could have when you spread all those lies against me. I could have exposed you to the entire kingdom, so they would turn on your more, but that wouldn't be fair. Nobody should be ridiculed for love." Mary Margaret comes around the bar to where Regina is sitting, wanting to reach out to comfort her step-mother but not sure if she would allow such a motion. So she just looks at her softly. Regina's eye twitches and she stands up brushing her skirt straight and quickly wiping her eye.
"If you're not ready to talk about it, it's okay. I just thought you might be, now. And what better person to talk to than someone who already knows and has accepted you despite everything. I was a child before and I didn't know how the world saw people like you and now as an adult to me it still makes no sense."
"People like me? How so? What are you talking about?" Regina questions each question with increasing anger. The kettle echoing in true. "You don't know me," Regina dares darkly.
"I won't be the one to say it," Mary Margaret replies simply, "nor will I make you."
Mary Margaret gets up and goes back to get the kettle. "I see you're not ready to talk my mistake," she says passing across the bar a tea mug. "I'm sorry to have upset you."
"What did this have to do about Emma?" Regina asks confused.
"It's just, I see the way you look at her - I've seen that look before-" Mary Margaret begins confidently, but unsure whether to continue. But she looks to see Regina staring at her expectantly. "It's the way you looked at Daniel." Mary Margaret flinching and bracing herself for Regina's response.
Regina remains there composed, not moving, lips pressed, eyes closed, like the calm before a storm. She reaches out for the mug taking a sip. Mary Margaret lets out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Then Regina goes to gracefully set the cup back down, when she suddenly changes its course and she hurls it off towards the wall, shattering splintering into a million pieces. "That's-" Regina catches her breath, "that's what you did to my heart," she yells, "when you killed Daniel!"
"I never- " Mary Margaret interrupts.
"Killed, had her killed, SEMANTICS! She's dead! Because you lived. Because I saved you." Regina sobs.
Mary Margaret turns away. "When you killed her, you killed me. I could have been happy. I could have been good. You made me!" Regina rips out her own dark heart and shoves it at Snow. "You made this."
Mary Margaret looks down at the blackened blob before her. "I know. I know and I am so sorry."
"Just crush it" Regina harps. "Finish the job. Finish what you started. Kill me," She pleads.
"Regina, no!" Mary Margaret grasps. "You - I - you have plenty to live for."
"Really? And what is that? A son who prefers your daughter? Who you all *let* me visit. Even after I took care of him alone for eleven years. No friends or family to speak of," Regina quips. "All I have is blackened heart!" She yells breaking down into tears. "Please just crush it. If you ever cared even a little about me. Please," Regina begs.
And at that moment suddenly the door opens. Regina quickly grabs her heart from Snow's hand and shoves it back in her own chest. In walks Emma and Henry and Regina acts as normal and confident as ever. "What happened here?" Emma asks eying the shattered pieces on the floor. Mary Margaret goes to speak but finds hardly any voice so only Regina's answer of "Nothing. I was just leaving," is heard as she turns and grabs her purse. Mary Margaret looks up at her with tears welling in her eyes. "Goodbye, Henry," Regina stoops to hug him on her way out.