I'm sorry...

I saw Regina again after I left prison, which was two years later. To be exact I was 21 at the time. Regina was 25 already.

The prison I was kept in had very strict rules and old fashion ways of handling things. Which meant that girls were treated badly, and we didn't get as many food as the man. I quickly learned not to get into a fight here because the guards won't help you. They act like they don't see any of it happening. I was lucky to be pregnant because I got into a secured area with other pregnant woman, where they took better care of me and there were also nurses who came to check every two weeks.

Only they were very strict about reaching the outside world. We weren't allowed to because some of the woman who had been here before us had contacted their exes saying the baby was born and they would sue the prison, wanting that baby. It didn't do any good to the prison or to the baby's so we couldn't send back anything. Which nearly broke me.

My healthy son was born about four months after I got into prison. I named him Henry because I had actually always liked the name and it just felt right for him. It suited him. I tried giving him up for adoption but the system was rough and they said that they would get him into a foster home and then make sure that he was quickly placed into a family. But that was the same shit they had thrown on me, and kept telling me all those years 'it's okay sweetheart, this is just for now, we'll find you a family soon' and look where I ended up. I don't want my son to go through that. So even though I knew it wasn't optional for him, I kept him and took care of him in prison. Woman did that a lot here, actually. With Henry there it wasn't too bad, at least I had some company. He was the cutest baby ever.

For the first year Regina kept writing me letters and she always promised me she would wait. I remember one of her fist ones.

Emma,

How are you doing? Is the baby not kicking you too much?

I hope you're fine and that they're not too harsh on you over there. I miss you. It's weird because I hated you a couple of years ago and then all of the sudden, in one night actually, things shifted. We haven't even had a first date but I feel so connected to you. It's weird.

I am almost finished with my study and even though I'm glad I just don't know what to do afterwards. I can't just run into a random town and say 'hey, I'm your Mayor as of today.' I have to come up with a plan and maybe even move somewhere else. I don't know.. something.. I'll see.

My parents keep trying to set me up with man. They're always successful and rich but I don't want them. I want you.

I feel like I've cheated on you. I went out with one of them last night, but only because my parents wouldn't shut up about him. It went okay I guess, I mean he wasn't as bad as the others but still, I kept thinking how amazing it would have been if that person were you, if that had been our first date and then the butterflies would be everywhere. I wish it had been you.

I tried tracking down your boyfriend, but he seems to be disappeared from the planet. But don't worry, I won't give up.

I hope you'll answer one of these soon because now I feel like I'm just writing to myself. Or maybe you're just thinking that this was all one big mistake. I mean I don't even know where we're at. We had one moment, on a wedding. We're not even dating or anything. Yeah.. you're probably thinking that I'm taking this too far. But I don't care, it's not like I can stop or embarrass myself even more.

Have to go now, my mom is coming over soon (probably to introduce me to someone else)

Love,
Regina

p.s: I promise.

And Emma would always respond, even though she couldn't send them, she knew that if she wrote them and kept them then maybe one day she could give them to Regina. She knew it would mean a lot to the other woman.

Dear Regina,

I'm okay I guess, could be worse. My baby is kicking me like crazy, sometimes I can't even sleep at night. The other woman here are telling me that it's probably a boy. Now I just have to think of something to name him.

I know that it's weird. I hated you too. But then again, I always longed for you too, although I never understood that it was longing I was feeling. But now I know.

I'm so proud of you! That's really amazing! You can actually rule a town! I bet people are gonna listen to you, I would! You're gonna be awesome Regina, no matter where you end up.

You didn't cheat on me. Can't deny that I'm not jealous of that guy (I want to take you on that date) but it's not cheating. It's just that I wonder… Can't you just tell your parents to back the hell off. This is your life Regina, and you can do anything you want with it. You don't have to listen to them.

Thank you for trying to track down Neal. But I don't think you'll find him. He's good with that, disappearing.

Gosh, I wish I could be with you right now and show you just how much this is not just something stupid that's in our heads. I wanna scream to the guards here to let me send this letter but I know that they won't. Regina I really like you, so for the sake of it. Will you be my girlfriend?

Love,
Emma

As time went on, Regina's messages became more vague and short.

Emma,

I hope your baby is fine. I bet he or she is adorable.

You're almost done there, aren't you? Like three months to go. You must be glad.

Miss you.

Regina.

That was the first time that Regina had left out the 'p.s: I promise' and it freaked me out. I needed to get out of this place and go find Regina before it was too late. I had no idea what was going on since I couldn't ask but something was definitely off. So I started behaving better and better, doing extra work and being extra sweet. Luckily my adorable son made it easier for me and some of the guards in my area actually started to sort of like me, as far as that goes in a prisoner-guard relationship of course.

They let me go good behavior a month later.

When I finally stepped out of that damn building I had no idea where to go. Regina had said something about moving in with her parents in Brooklyn, New York but I wasn't sure if she still lived there since she was moving a lot because of her career. I could go to that apartment but if I found nothing it would be harder for me to get a place that wasn't too expensive for me and Henry. I decided to stay in a hotel and start searching tomorrow, when I had more energy and Henry was well fed. I also needed something to carry him with me.

When I woke up the next day I first went to the store before I started my journey to New York. This was going to be a long journey, but it better be worth it.

Around six that night I stood in front of Regina's or actually, her parents' house. I took a few deep breaths and looked down at Henry who was secured in the maxi cosi I got him. His big green eyes seemed to calm me down and I smiled at him. Then, I knocked.

Unfortunately it was Cora who opened. Her jaw almost hit the ground when she saw me and she was silent for half a minute before she could finally speak. "Emma." She breathed. "What are you doing here?"

She then noticed my kid and she seemed actually relieved. She probably thought I was happily married to some guy and came to thank them or something. God, if she only knew.

"Hey." I responded awkwardly. "Is Regina here?"

The older woman narrowed her eyes at me before she slowly nodded. "I'll get her."

"Regina!" Cora screamed inside the house while I stared at Henry once again.

"It's going to be okay." I whispered.

"Emma's here!" I heard Cora scream. Then there was silence again before finally someone came down the stairs and opened the door wider.

Regina Mills. There she was. Now I realized just how much exactly I had missed her. Regina looked beautiful, her hair was still the same as two years ago, short. But something about her wasn't quite right, she didn't seem happy, not even now.

Regina stepped outside and nudged her head towards the park. He walked there in silence, expect for the cute noises coming from Henry, which I found adorable but this time I couldn't smile.

We sat down on one of the couches and I was the first to talk.

"Look Regina I'm sorry I never responded, I got them, I did all of them but we weren't allowed to send letters and I'm really sorry but I missed you and-"

Regina hadn't actually said something to interrupt me but the look in her eyes warned me. Something was definitely going on. Where was the carefree Regina that I had in my arms two years ago? What had happened to her?

"Gina what's wrong?" I asked her. Instead of answering she looked down at Henry.

"A boy huh? What's his name?"

"Henry." I responded while Regina looked deep into my son's green eyes, the exact same shade that I had.

She nodded and smiled at him before she took a deep breath and focused her attention on me again. I saw her inner struggle and gently brought my hand up to stroke her cheek. She closed her eyes and I took it as a sign to lean in. I moved my body closer to her and kept stroking her cheek till are lips finally touched. She was so tensed up but before I could help her ease some of that tension we were interrupted.

"Regina!" Someone screamed and I jumped back. I had just enough time to see the pain flicker in Regina's eyes.

"Here you are!" The unknown person said before the man walked into my sight and instantly leaned over our bench to kiss Regina. My eyes went wide and I felt a little piece of my heart breaking. What was this?

"Daniel." Regina whispered but I could hear her. "Do you think you can give us a moment."

The man looked at me and I could take in his features. He looked friendly but I was mad at him for kissing Regina, he had no right to. She was mine, she was my girlfriend, well at least she would have been if she had gotten that letter.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies. And…. I don't think I know you. I'm Daniel." He said as he outstretched his arm. "Regina's fiancée, as you probably know."

My whole body tensed up as I took his hand and shook it. My heart starting beating faster and I felt my eyes water. This couldn't be happening, there was no way that Regina was engaged. She promised!

"Uh.. Emma." I finally managed to stay as Daniel kept staring at me. "Cute little man you got there." He said as he let go of my hand and pointed at Henry. "Well. I should go, but great seeing you." Daniel turned and left us there on the bench. Even Henry was silent.

Regina didn't even dare to look at me. "Emma.. I'm so sorry." She finally said, her voice shaking.

"You promised!" I said loudly, making a few people who were close look at us.

"You promised." I said again, but more quiet this time, only for Regina to here. I didn't care that I was crying.

"I just.. you were away for so long and you never wrote me back and I just.. I couldn't wait.. my parents-"

I interrupted her. "I knew it."

She finally looked at me. "Don't do that, Emma. They're my parents." Her glare was angry.

I huffed and laughed a little. "Regina, come on. You never liked them, why the sudden attachment. You're twenty-five for god's sake. Start living you own life. I bet that this was one of your parents' dates for you. This is real love, okay. What we have is real, remember? We have a real connection." I tried, I didn't care that it sounded desperate.

"Emma, you have to disappear. We can't see each other anymore, you can't jump in and out of my life okay. I'm going to be married soon I have to start living my life. It will hurt too much so for the sake of both of us, this needs to end. Right now." Regina said harshly.

There was the rejection again, something she said she would never do to me again. But this time it was different. I knew that she didn't want to reject me. But I also knew there was no way I could convince her of taking the risk to be with me and Henry. Her mother had too much of a grip on her.

"When's the wedding?" I asked.

"Two weeks." Regina responded, looking at the ground.

"Well congratulations on your engagement." I said as I picked up Henry and started walking away, but I remembered something and opened my bag. "I did write you. They just never got to you." I said as I dropped about one hundred letters on her lap. She looked up to me and I could see that her true feelings for me were still hidden underneath there. "I never gave up on us."

I caught Regina staring at Henry as we walked away.

You could have been his mother. I thought as we walked away from the park and away from Regina, once again.

you guys okay? I promise this story has a happy ending, just hang in there a little longer.