Chapter 18 – The one with a lonely Christmas.

Emma and Henry are gone the next morning. They'd bid quiet goodbyes and apologies to the rest of the cast—except for Regina, of course—and simply hopped a plane to Boston, refusing to finish the convention weekend. So when Regina enters the greenroom on Sunday morning to suffer one more group panel, she's stunned to find the entire cast frowning at her in various stages of anger or disappointment.

"What?" she snaps, irritated and exhausted after a long, sleepless night. But one quick glance around the room tells her all she needs to know; Emma and Henry are gone.

"I don't know what the hell you said, but you broke her heart," Ruby mutters, probably the angriest of the group. "Real shitty of you."

Ruby turns away and refuses to acknowledge her anymore, while Ivy just gives her a look of sympathy and disappointment—probably mostly disappointment—before shaking her head and returning her attention to her phone. Graham won't even meet her eyes, and Mary Margaret and David just kind of shrug and grimace before minding their own business.

No one sits with her or speaks to her, and Regina just sinks into a seat at the far corner of the room and waits for the MC to call for them, missing the way Emma would always perch at her side and Henry would always curl up under her arm, the both of them somehow loving her unconditionally until the day she ruined everything.


"Emma dropped out on Sunday and the con wouldn't refund my photo op ticket. Not cool."

"Shit went down this weekend. Entire cast of Kingdom Come looked miserable after Emma ditched on Sunday. wtf is going on?"

"Is Emma and Ruby still together? What is up with Regina stonewalling every KavaReina question? Like tf happened this weekend?"


They're renewed, of course. Gold has his fingers in everyone's pockets and so long as his son continues working on the show, it'll probably never end. It's like Grey's Anatomy 2.0.

Emma had naively signed a four year contract when she'd first been brought back in season three, so regardless of how much she doesn't want to return, she is legally obligated to finish filming season six. Henry doesn't mind so much since Leroy has offered him the job of camera trainee, and after a bit of outright begging, they managed to convince the production to give them their own townhouse in Vancouver this time around. No more sharing with Regina, no more shadowing Regina like an overpaid bodyguard, no more seeing Regina at all except on set when absolutely necessary.

It's all tense and uncomfortable and feels like unnecessary drama that could have been avoided if everyone had just been honest in the first place, but Regina is resigned and Emma is hurting inside, and neither care to make any efforts to fix it.

It's a bizarre thing working with someone who hurt you immensely, someone who you want to hate yet can't help but love. Emma hides in the safe company of her other castmates when they're in the greenroom, and Regina always returns directly to her trailer when she's not needed on set, preferring to keep her distance from her co-stars on a whole other level. It's easier to escape Emma's wounded avoidance and the others' judgmental glances that way. Henry is harder to ignore as the young man works with the camera department now, always scurrying around set with gear in his hands. He stares at her sometimes, hurt and upset and still yearning for her affection, and she tries to convey her regrets in silence, too much of a coward to say it to his face.

Belle had originally feared that Emma and Regina's fallout would ruin their performance together, but somehow it's gotten better. The fire in their eyes burns brighter, the anger in their fights is explosive, and the desperate longing in their touches and kisses are utterly mesmerizing to watch. The two of them are darkness and light in front of the cameras, yin and yang, and they unapologetically dominate every scene they're in.

As much as it hurts them both, they're also stubborn women, and they manage to keep up this charade for far too long. Days turn to weeks turn to months, and as the Christmas break draws near, they're reminded of a much more memorable Christmas from years past.

Regina doesn't wear her necklace anymore, the beloved pendant hidden away in her jewelry box at home, and Emma has since replaced her scarf, the red cashmere one hung up on a hook in their Boston apartment and never touched again. Both gifts a reminder of what had been.

"Hey Ems, can we talk?"

Ruby pokes her head into Emma's trailer, hair already wound and tucked beneath her red cap and her nose pink from the cold. She looks tentative for once, quieter than usual, and Emma motions for the brunette to join her while she tidies up for the holiday hiatus.

"What's up, Rubes?"

Dropping down onto the couch, Ruby momentarily fiddles with her fingers, the nervous tic garnering Emma's full and mildly concerned attention.

"What?"

"I want to break up," Ruby blurts out, grimacing in apology. Emma blinks, unsure if it would be appropriate to laugh or not.

"Um, okay? We were never a real couple, Rubes."

"I know, I know! I mean, Belle and I really appreciate you covering for us—"

"I was happy to help—"

"—and you know I love you, Ems, but I don't want to spend another holiday in Boston acting like a cute couple for the paparazzi. I want to meet Belle's family, go out shopping with them, spend Christmas with them."

"Are you asking for my permission?" Emma finally chuckles. "Go! Go be gay with your girlfriend. If that's what you guys want to do, I'm happy for you."

"You don't mind pretending to break it off with me?" Ruby asks, but she's already relaxing in her seat with a thankful smile, knowing she can always count on Emma.

"Of course not. Are you guys ready to deal with Gold, though? He might not react well to the news, and our show kinda relies on his funding."

"Belle says she's got it handled," Ruby says with a small shrug, never one to doubt what her cunning Australian girlfriend is capable of. "She's already got two plane tickets ready for us as soon as we leave set today."

"Well, that's great, Rubes. I'm happy for you two." Motioning for Ruby to stand up, Emma proceeds to pull her into a hug, squeezing the other woman tightly for a moment and taking comfort in the tight squeeze she gets in return. It stings to know that Ruby won't be appearing on her doorstep this Christmas like she has before, but she's happy for her friends regardless. "Enjoy your trip, okay? I can't wait to hear all about it."

"Thanks, Emma." After a moment, Ruby turns her head to press a soft kiss to the blonde's cheek. "We love you. Take care of yourselves, okay? We'll see you and Henry after the break."

"Yeah. Go on, get out of here," Emma teases softly, swatting at Ruby's ass. The brunette squeals and laughs, leaping out of Emma's trailer and happily slipping and sliding her way down the snow-covered path towards the director's trailer. Emma leans in the doorway and takes in a breath of crisp winter air, sighing softly as she resigns herself to wait. Since Henry's working for the camera department now, she'll have to sit around until he's helped them load out their gear and is officially wrapped himself.

"Hey, Em," a light voice says, and she tilts her head to find Ivy standing nearby, her hair and peacoat already lightly dusted with snowflakes and her cheeks pink from the cold. "My folks are away traveling this year, so... I don't suppose you and Henry would mind some company over Christmas?"

Maybe she's telling a white lie to make sure they're not moping around this Christmas, or maybe she really doesn't have anyone else to spend the holiday break with, but either way, Emma smiles warmly and resists the urge to cry as she motions for Ivy to join her in her trailer.

"Come on in, Belfrey. Let's have some hot cocoa while we wait for Henry."


Regina returns to LA for the holiday, dreading what awaits her at home and feeling mildly relieved when all there is is a letter from Cora. Her mother has no time to spend Christmas with her, thankfully, but expresses her approval in Regina's clear-cut rejection of Emma and her coldly professional responses to her KavaReina ship.

Regina rips the letter to shreds and throws it into the fireplace.

She's resigned to a silent Christmas, too, since the newly divorced Marian had decided to backpack all across Europe to do some soul searching, and is just settling down in front of the fire with a glass of wine and an old framed photograph of her father for company when the doorbell rings. She almost considers ignoring it, especially if it's her mother dropping by to catch her unawares, but eventually drags herself up to answer it after the fifth persistent ring.

Wild red hair and a manic smile are the last thing she expects to find.

"Zelena?" she sputters, mouth agape as her older half-sister invites herself inside, stomping off the rain and hanging her dripping coat on a wall hook without prompting.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Reggie," Zelena chirps, planting a wet kiss to Regina's cheek before swirling away into the kitchen to help herself to some wine. Regina just shuts the front door and follows wordlessly, still trying to digest her sister's presence. Last she'd heard, Zelena had been filming a string of rom coms in New York, too busy and too caught up in the celebrity lifestyle to really have time for her. It's not like she minds, they were never particularly close as children and even less so as adults with crazy careers, but Zelena's sudden appearance now has her reeling.

"Well, this isn't terribly depressing," Zelena mutters, noticing the framed photo of Regina's father on the coffee table as she sweeps into the living room. "I know mother can be an absolute cow for company, but did you really plan on spending your Christmas alone with a photo of your father?"

"He's an excellent listener," Regina grumbles, snatching the photo from the table and returning it to its corner on a cabinet. Since Zelena's already splayed herself out on the couch, she decides to perch in the armchair, wine glass cradled between her hands. "What are you doing here, Zelena?"

"What, can't I want to spend Christmas with my darling little sister?"

"We've never tolerated each other enough to spend holidays together," Regina snorts, but it's not without some shred of affection for the redhead. They were never very close, but their sibling rivalry has always pushed them both to be the best they could be, and she respects Zelena for that.

"Fair enough." Zelena smiles, wry, and shrugs delicately as she takes a few gulps of her stolen wine. After a moment, she sets the glass down on the coffee table and tucks her legs up beneath herself, stark blue eyes curiously examining Regina from across the short space. "I've been seeing a lot of rumors on Twitter lately. You've got yourself into quite the debacle, haven't you?"

"Oh, not you too, Zelena," Regina groans, her patience already running thin. "Believe me, Mother has given me plenty of grief over it already. I don't need your snark as well."

"Is Mother the reason you've decided to become a grade A bitch? I mean I know bitchiness is in our blood but this is a whole other level."

"Excuse me?"

"Did you know that Emma was my personal security once?" Zelena says instead, opening the tin container on the coffee table and peeking inside, grinning to herself when she finds chocolates. Regina scowls in protest as Zelena pops one into her mouth.

"I'm aware. She mentioned what a pain in the ass you were."

"Liar. Emma adored me." Zelena sticks out her tongue, sitting back with her wine glass to take another sip, savoring the deliciously bitter mix of wine and dark chocolate. "She's a hell of a woman. I'd date her if I was gay."

"Zelena!"

"But I'm not, and you apparently are."

"I'm not—"

"Please. You're an excellent actress, Reg, but some things can't be faked."

Regina's nostrils are flared with her rage and, if Zelena was anyone else, she'd be scared. As is, she just smirks, meeting her younger sister's furious gaze head on.

"You two were peas in a pod before your characters got into a relationship. Hell, you two were moving towards something good, we all saw it. Then mummy dearest flies down to Vancouver for a surprise visit and suddenly you're acting like a bloody douchebag to someone who's basically been your best friend for nearly six years. I know we've always fought over Mother's approval, but dear god, when did you become so spineless?"

Regina could argue back. She could. But it's Christmas and she's tired and lonely and if Zelena ditches her too then she really will be pitifully alone, and that's an outcome she doesn't want now that her half-sister is here.

"She said she'd disown me," Regina says quietly, eyes dropping in shame. "She said a gay scandal would ruin everything I've worked so hard for."

"And you believed her?" Zelena scoffs in disbelief. "Regina. Do you know how often she's threatened to disown me? My miniscule role in that fashion movie, the weird TV show we got stranded on an island for, when I married Walsh, when I tried going blonde. It's all a bluff, she's not actually going to disown you. You're a celebrity and you make her a lot of money. For God's sake."

"But the gay scandal?" Regina pushes, anxious for an excuse. Zelena rolls her eyes.

"You're not in a relationship— no, that dopey Graham Humbert doesn't count—and last I heard, Emma's relationship with that Lucas girl is for PR. Neither of you are married; it can't be a scandal if you're not cheating. And as for the gay part? Get with the times, Regina! Gay celebrities are the new fad. Everyone loves a good coming-out story. There's literally no good reason for you not to be with Emma."

They stare at each other for a long moment, Zelena smug and Regina a mixture of shock and frustration.

"Are you done?" Regina snaps, cheeks burning with embarrassment. Zelena shrugs and finishes off her wine, standing and moving towards the kitchen for a refill.

"Sure, we may as well enjoy the Christmas hiatus together," she throws over her shoulder. "I've said my piece; it's up to you if you decide to grow a pair and go after the woman you're clearly in love with. Life's too short to prioritize your career over happiness."

The redhead disappears into the kitchen, scrounging through her fridge for food and more free alcohol, and Regina just sinks back into her armchair with a sigh, her mind and heart heavy with indecision.