"You know, I don't believe you when you when you tell me you hardly know her or talk to her," Christina said walking in to Regina's office after the appointment with their patient. She saw Regina shrug her off and decided that wasn't a good enough answer for her today so she shut the door and made herself comfortable in the chair that was in front of Regina.
"Christina, really, I assure you that Emma and myself hardly converse. She is mostly on Arizona's service," Regina said flatly.
"Nope. Un uh. Don't buy it. I know you. I've known you since our first year of residency. I've only seen you look at one person the way I saw you looking at Swan and gosh, that was what? At least 5 years ago. Regina, it's ok to like her. You don't have to be afraid to be happy."
"I'm not afraid to be happy! I have Henry, and I'm more than happy with him. I don't need to be dating to be happy." Regina snapped.
"Didn't she get a concussion saving your spawn? All I'm saying is that I don't want you to miss your chance with someone who would be perfect for you because of what she did to you."
Regina knew who the unnamed "she" was that Christina was speaking about immediately and her stomach dropped at the thought of the woman's face. Mallory, her ex-fiancé, had completely devastated her and left her broken during their messy break up. The pair had met while at NYU and became inseparable from day one. Her and Mal ran in the same circles and had the same friends. They got along swimmingly and seemed like a perfect match, however both women were extremely stubborn and neither had made a move until a month before graduation. They basically became pin pals after graduation wanting to hold on to the spark that they had discovered at the end. Regina was going to Princeton for medical school and Mal was going to law school at Georgetown to eventually become a prosecutor and later a politician.
Just like every relationship, the beginning was exciting and new with promise. Regina knew she would fall for the woman and she did fast and hard. Mal had stimulated her mind like no other person had before and Regina cherished that quality. Most of her previous suiters were quite attractive- until they started speaking, but when Mal spoke to her she could feel herself melt. She was smart, witty, sarcastic, and never backed down from what she believed. Unfortunately, those same characteristics are what ultimately lead to their demise.
During graduate school they snuck off together as much as they can. Sometimes Regina would fly to D.C. and sometimes Mal would fly to New Jersey but they normally met in random coastal towns and would explore for 2-3 days before they had to return to reality. Regina thought she had a love story that was movie worthy. She met a smart, beautiful woman who treated her like a queen and made her feel safe. She fell for a woman who gave her hope for a future and hope for starting a family and getting the proverbial happy ending.
After graduation, Regina planned a whole surprise trip for her and Mal where she would tell Mal that she was accepted in to the residency program at Storybrook Medical and that she wanted her to move to Storybrook and begin their lives together. Regina had been so nervous about the entire thing. She booked a hotel in Chicago for a three day get away and would ask her at the best Italian restaurant in the city and bought a beautiful black dress that appeared custom fitted to her body. She stumbled through her proposal about living together and Mal had accepted without another thought. She knew she could be a prosecutor anywhere. They had lived together nearly a year when Mal at brought up the prospect of having children.
At first, Regina had been quite reluctant about bringing a child in to their lives. Their relationship was like all other couples and its ups and downs. Their career paths were not that of other people though. Regina sometimes worked 48 hours in a row on her service, and there were times Mal wouldn't come home until midnight from working on a case. Regina didn't want to raise a child until she was done with residency and started working at a permeant station. She delayed the baby talk for just over a year and then Mal proposed. Looking back, the proposal itself had been quite generic. The ring Mal got Regina was absolutely stunning but somewhat flashy for Regina. Regina had an idea that the ring was more of statement about Mal then a true sentiment of her feelings. Regina felt like the marriage was the next logical step in her life and accepted.
A few months into the engagement, the talk of a child resurfaced once again. Mal had used most of her free time looking in to adoption agencies to lay down the ground work after Regina agreed they could begin a family even though she still felt uneasy about raising a child. It took nearly a year for them to adopt a small baby boy and Regina knew once she looked the child in the eyes that she would do anything and everything to make sure this child was loved and would want for nothing.
The first three months with baby Henry seemed to pass by very quickly. Both parents had developed a routine to help with Henry's sleeping and eating needs. Regina quickly became the more dominate parent and would later end up resenting that Mal put her in that role. As the days went by family life became more taxing. Regina and Mal were so tired that they both used any down time to relax. Their lives became "boring" compared to what it used to be. There was no excitement in their relationship anymore. There was no mystery and very little physical chemistry left between the two.
Regina had become tired of feeling like she was raising a child with a roommate instead of a partner. She wanted her Mal back and she was determined to rekindle the spark that brought them together no matter what it took. Her plan was to dress in a dress that she knew Mel couldn't resist and fuck me heels and march down to the DA and take her fiancé on her desk during her lunch break. It would have been executed magnificently had she not walked in on Mal going down on one of the officers she worked with, Ursula.
Regina was mortified when she walked in on them and that quickly turned to anger. There was no way she could do this to me, Regina thought, no fuckin way. But, Mal had in fact, committed infidelity. Multiple times and that was something Regina just couldn't forgive. She had given up so much of her life to commit to an unfaithful woman with whom she shared a child. She was so hurt, so broken, and so resentful.
The only person who had been there for this was Christina Yang. She had witnessed the relationship from inception to finality. She wasn't Mal's biggest fan anyway so this had solidified the dislike she had for her. She would hold Regina when she cried. She'd calm Regina down when she felt like destroying Mal. Christina had been her rock and her biggest cheerleader and even helped with Henry when she could with as little complaining and sarcasm as possible. Christina had become her best friend and her family which is probably the only reason she was getting away with this conversation right now.
"Yes, I'm sure we both remember last time someone was 'perfect' for me. I became a single mother whose ex-fiancé married the police officer she was having an affair with. Ended swell," Regina said sarcastically.
"I'm aware of your previous situation Regina but Emma isn't Mal. Mal was always shady; you just couldn't see it because you were blinded by love. Mal was all about appearances and completely superficial. Emma doesn't seem to care about what other people think, she cares about her patients. Did you know she told little Kate she was like Superman and they have this little bond together? Emma has amazing heart which you already know. Besides, she rescued Henry. Did you at least make her a 'thanks for saving my kid' cake?" Christina asked.
"What? A 'thanks for saving my kid cake'? Christiana you're ridiculous" Regina said and thought back. Maybe she should make her something special or invite her for super at her house. Only problem was that it had been a couple of months and that would be awkward- 'hey, thanks for saving my kid last quarter '. Absolutely not.
"Fine, maybe not a cake but I do think you should at least talk to her. Plus, she's hotter than Mal. Have you seen her arms? I'm not a gay, but dang." She said with a smirk.
"How can you be certain she's even in to women let alone me? I can't walk around hitting on employees all willy nilly because I think they're hot."
"So, you do think she's hot? There's a start. And yes, she's in to women. She always smiles when that nurse Elsa hits on her. Come to think about it, a lot of the nurses hit on her so you might want to make your move before it's too late and she starts seeing someone else." Christina said as she stood up and headed towards the door. "I'm just saying Regina, it's time to move on and put yourself back out there. You know I love you and want nothing but the best for you but you need to get laid. You've been an ass lately." Christina said with a smirk and walked out.
Regina just rolled her eyes and begins to formulate a plot to head Christina's words and at least share a meal with Emma Swan. What's the harm in sharing a meal?