Greetings, My Doves! Again, you will hate me, and I shall chuckle deeply at your cries of outrage.

Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and follows (Almost 200! WHOO!). The brighten my day. J Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Keep on Tryin' by Poco, We Found Love by Ed Sheeran, Rain by Patty Griffin


Emma pressed one finger to her lips in a shushing motion and then glanced down at a still slumbering Regina when Ruby and Belle appeared at the door of her hospital room. Sometime during the night, Emma had asked the nurse to help her move over to give Regina more room. The gruff woman had scowled and scolded her for allowing the other woman to remain in her bed but ultimately gave into her request in lieu of waking the former evil queen.

To her delight, Regina remained asleep or at least semi-unconscious and readjusted her position. She had hummed quietly and removed her arm from beneath Emma's neck and then nuzzled into her shoulder. Her hand wrapped around Emma's bicep when she settled into the new position, but it now rested limply against Emma's hip. Even asleep, it seemed that Regina knew where she could and couldn't touch Emma's injured body.

After she'd woken, she'd remained awake, dozing off occasionally when the morphine kicked in, and watched over Regina. She knew the woman's nightmares tormented her and longed to comfort her again, even though she barely managed to comfort herself. Her strength had returned in that dark, quiet room as she worked through her pain and confused thoughts surrounding Regina. She'd meant what she said, she'd forgiven her, but she also knew that forgiveness wasn't something you flipped on and off. It was a process that took effort every second of every day until the hurt and fear subsided. She knew she'd undoubtedly miss a step and falter, probably more than once, but she knew Regina understood as long as she kept trying.

Henry sat quietly on the cot, book in his lap, looking expectantly at the women as they took in the scene before them. He seemed comfortable with his mothers cuddling on the bed, like the sight was perfectly normal.

If they hadn't known any better, they could have sworn that they'd walked in on a married couple and their kid in the dim hospital room. Unknowingly, Emma's thoughts reflected theirs, eyebrows climbing at comfortable connectedness of her friend and the new librarian. She'd missed a lot. Ruby's arm held Belle around the back, fingers peeking from beneath her arm beside her breast. Beneath a red cape, Belle held Ruby's hip possessively. A white plastic bag hung from Belle's free hand, a drink holder full of foam cups in Ruby's.

"We brought breakfast for Regina and Henry," Belle explained quietly and finally released Ruby when Henry stood.

She moved to the boy and wrapped him in her arms before digging in the bag and presenting him pancakes and crispy bacon. Ruby handed him a cup of hot chocolate and ruffled his hair.

"Hey kiddo," she grinned at the boy who had become like a little brother or a nephew to her.

Belle beamed up at her lover as she snagged her coffee out of the cardboard tray and then dug into the bag again. Ruby smiled, knowing exactly what she sought, and then retreated to the chair on the opposite side to watch Belle and Henry together. She sat the tray on the floor beside the chair and then leaned back, sipping her own coffee.

"I'd have brought you one, but it's too early to sneak you coffee and food yet," Ruby said to Emma without taking her eyes from a doting Belle and a grinning Henry. Emma's eyes followed hers.

"This is Treasure Island. I read it last night while I was waiting for Ruby to come home. I couldn't put it down!" Belle exclaimed in an excited whisper, clearly trying not to wake Regina with her enthusiasm.

"Awesome!" Henry beamed and then handed the book back to her, his attention turning to his breakfast. "Will you read it to me while I eat?" He vibrated with energy, and the two women observing the interaction knew that Belle never even considered disappointing the boy.

"Of course!" Emma smiled and then turned her eyes back to Ruby. Something dark glinted in Ruby's eyes, bad news always showed in the eyes. Emma decided to wait until Regina awoke, and apparently, Ruby had too.

She felt compelled to say something but remained silent, knowing if she spoke to anyone but Regina then she'd be obligated to carry a conversation. She hadn't the energy, so she leaned her head against Regina's and listened to Belle's gentle cadence as she enthralled Henry in yet another story. Ruby closed her eyes and leaned her head back, content to leave Emma to her own thoughts for now. The young waitress seemed lighter, calmer. Every now and then Belle's accent thickened with a particular word, and Ruby smiled widely before hiding behind her coffee cup, eyes never opening.

This was the scene Regina awoke to find surrounding her. No one noticed her opened eyes, so she took a moment to revel in the warmth of Emma's body pressed into her front. Her hand still held Emma's tightly, but she'd moved during the night and now leaned her head heavily into the sheriff's strong shoulder. Her throat stung suddenly at the love and companionship in this tiny dim room, realizing that she'd brought all of these people together in one way or another.

She squeezed Emma's hand unconsciously as the emotion grew. Emma turned her head slightly, catching her eyes but indicating nothing to the others that she'd awoken. One tear rolled down her cheek when Emma pressed her lips to her forehead and left them there, content to hold her a while longer. Unfortunately, her bladder only granted her a few minutes of Emma's embrace before forcing her to move.

Ruby cracked her eyes lazily at the movement and then settled into the chair again.

"Brought you coffee, Grouchy Pants," she pointed one thin finger towards the floor and then closed her eyes again. Belle narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend, and then offered Regina a hesitant smile.

"We also brought breakfast if you're hungry," she finished and then returned her eyes to the book silently.

"Thank you," Regina said in a deep, raspy voice thick with sleep. She sat up slowly, muscles protesting. Emma's hand flew to her shoulder when she hissed in pain. The uncomfortable position was worth every second in exchange for the restful sleep she'd had, so she waved in dismissal of everyone's concern. She felt fantastic in spite of her sore body.

"You certainly leave your mark on a girl," she quipped with an eyebrow raised in Belle's direction. Belle's ears turned red and Ruby choked on coffee. Regina nodded in satisfaction that her comment had hit its mark and then disappeared into the bathroom.

She immediately moved to Henry when she returned and kissed his forehead. He smiled at her weakly and then dropped his eyes to half-eaten pancakes and picked at them absently with the plastic fork. Her eyes narrowed at the reaction and then glanced between the other three women in the room who shrugged. Henry had been fine a moment ago.

"Henry, is something the matter?" Regina asked, ignoring her angry knee as she knelt in front of her son.

"I guess not," he replied and then propped his head on his hand beside his breakfast on the side table.

"Henry," Regina tried again and touched his shoulder. He slapped her hand away and stood, knocking her over onto her butt in the process.

Ruby stood but stayed in place. Regina stared up at her son in confusion and hurt. Belle looked as though she couldn't decide if she wanted to help Regina off the floor or comfort Henry, so she stayed still and clenched the book in her lap.

"You are ruining everything!" He squawked, his pre-adolescent voice cracking. "Belle is supposed to love the beast, and The Savior is supposed to defeat The Evil Queen. But you're tricking her. I heard what you said to her last night. I saw you kiss her. She can't even fight back right now, and you're taking advantage of her! She's vulnerable and you keep telling her that you love her even though you don't. That's what The Evil Queen would do. I thought you'd changed, but you're still the same. You're evil!" His emotions overcame him, and he bolted from the room.

Ruby and Regina both moved together towards the door, but Belle stepped in front of them and held up her hands.

"Let me talk to him," she pleaded with the overprotective women. Ruby immediately conceded and stepped back, waiting for Regina's response.

"I suppose he doesn't want to see me right now. I think it would be wise if you calmed him," Regina clipped reluctantly. Belle nodded and then sort of ran after Henry in her heels. Her short blue dress bounced with the movement, and Regina smacked Ruby's shoulder when she caught the wolf staring.

"You have no idea," Ruby muttered and then reclaimed the chair beside Emma. Regina raised an eyebrow at the off-color comment but too upset about Henry to press her further about their sexcapade yesterday.

Emma's wide eyes begged Regina to say something, save her from her silence. Regina sighed and sat on the cot. Emma's hand immediately sought hers. With the cat out of the bag already, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Emma's. Ruby twitched and then averted her eyes.

"I do love you, Em," Regina reassured as she tucked blonde hair behind an ear. "He doesn't understand, but he will one day," Regina hoped she hadn't just made a false promise. They both knew that if Regina chose between Emma and Henry that the adult orphan would be abandoned again no matter how much she was loved.

Ruby cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "I have to tell you guys something," she started nervously and wiped her hands on her black slacks.

"I found Spencer last night. He had the portal hat. It's gone. He burned it, and told me to pass on a message to you. Basically, that he destroyed any chance of Snow and David returning, and if given the chance, he'd kill Emma, too," Ruby relayed the information quickly. Her face fell when tears filled Emma's eyes.

Regina saw them, too, and then they were gone. The deep, vacant stare that Emma had during the first two days she'd been awake returned. She retreated into her mind, and there wasn't anything Regina or Ruby could have done that would have stopped it. Her fingers lost their grip on Regina's hand, but the dark woman held her tightly, not willing to simply allow it to happen.

"Emma, we'll find another way," Regina vowed as she stood and brushed her free hand over Emma's hair. "We'll find another way, Emma."

Ruby was on her feet and out the door yelling for help when a scream tore from Emma's throat. She thrashed and tore at her IV, Regina's hands, anything within her reach. Ruby returned to the other side of the bed and forced Emma's hands into the mattress. She felt a little sick restraining Emma in this way, but she was on her way to hurting one of them or herself. She fought Ruby, tears streaming down her face, but she was no match for the wolf.

"Page Zambrano," Lauren yelled as she sprinted into the room, syringe in hand. She nodded to Ruby as if asking the wolf if she was restrained completely, and then stuck the needle into Emma's arm.

Almost immediately, the sheriff calmed under the influence of the chemicals. Lauren shoved it into the sharps container and then returned to Emma's side.

"Miss Swan, I'm going to check your incisions. It won't take long unless you've torn something loose," Lauren explained her actions to Emma, even though the green eyes unfocused and crossed much like the first night she'd awoken.

"What the hell happened?" Nurse Danes fixed Ruby with a glare and then turned it to Regina.

"She found out the only portal on this side had been destroyed last night," Ruby gritted out and then caught Regina's eyes, intentionally leaving out the bit about Regina potentially having to choose between the woman she loved and their son. One hand brushed sweaty blonde hair gently and the other held Emma's, but her eyes were on Regina's.

Regina stood frozen, unable to process the giant leap backwards Emma had taken. She should never have allowed Ruby to tell her about the hat. Her breath sounded loud in her ears. She swayed as everything slowed down, darkened around the edges. Love is weakness, her mother's voice flashed through her mind, and she wavered on her feet.

"Regina!" Ruby's voice cut through her haze, and everything sped up once more as the different sounds of the room crashed into her.

She pulled her body forward, taking her place at Emma's side. Ruby stepped back, hovering just out of sight with a hand on her waist. Regina almost yelled about the unwanted contact but realized that Ruby was prepared to catch her if she fainted. She grabbed Emma's hand as Lauren pulled the hospital gown up. Little red stains already seeped through it, so Regina knew that she'd injured something, but she forced her eyes to look anyway.

A dark purple bruise quickly spread over Emma's lower stomach near the incision above her belly button. Lauren gently pressed a gauze pad over the blood from the incision. The blood atop the skin was superficial, coming only from a small tear in Emma's otherwise healed flesh. She'd have had her stitches out soon if not for this.

"Fuck this!" Lauren said in frustration. "Call Zambrano and tell her to meet us in the O.R. She's got internal bleeding, and it looks bad. We'll have her prepped by the time she gets here." She stomped the brake release and pulled the bed forward, kicking anything in her way. The cot skittered and then slammed into the wall. And then they were gone.

Ruby caught Regina about the waist and held her upright when she wavered as her hand slipped from Emma's. Regina turned into Ruby and pressed her face into shoulder without hesitation. They'd moved far beyond the pretense that they cared nothing for each other and openly expressed their affection despite the prying eyes of the hospital staff and family members of other patients.

Ruby wrapped her strong arms around Regina's quaking back and shoulders and held her tightly. "She'll be okay, Regina." It was more than needed to be said. Regina never responded to optimistic platitudes anyway, but Ruby's warm body and loving arms held her together as she fell apart.

That's how Belle and Henry found them when they returned hand in hand. Belle took a moment and allowed the situation to wash over her and accept it. She squeezed Henry's hand tightly and pulled him forward, hating herself for what she was about to say.

"Ruby, Leroy just called. I'm sorry. I was playing with your phone and stuck it in my pocket earlier. The diamonds have disappeared from the mines, and there is something magical happening in the woods, a green glow." Belle explained.

"It's the glow of Fairy Magic," Regina said as she wiped her eyes and pulled away from Ruby. "It's Gold, I'm sure of it."

"What would Gold need with Fairy Magic? Doesn't he have enough of his own?" Ruby asked her, clearly torn between staying at her side and running to Belle's. Regina helped her decide when she moved to her son's side and slipped an arm around his shoulders. Ruby relaxed visibly when she touched Belle's arm.

"Fairy Magic is generally good magic, but it is volatile. If he were trying to close a portal, the protective nature of Fairy Magic would be most effective," Regina explained to her less magically inclined crew.

"Mom! Snow White and Prince Charming. They're going to come through the portal. We have to get there! We have to save them!" Henry jerked on her hand, but she held fast.

"Henry, if there is in fact a portal open, it isn't going to be David and Mary Margaret. Cora is ruthless, and there is no way they could have defeated her. Gold is ensuring Cora will not reach this land." Regina spoke to her son but also met Ruby and Belle's eyes.

Belle looked confused, but Ruby almost agreed with her about the likelihood of Snow and Charming's success. A glimmer of hope sparkled, though.

"No!" Henry pushed at her hips. "You never believe me! You want me to believe that you're good, then be good. Have faith in me, Mom! What about Emma? She'll never know if it was her parents or yours that you killed!"

The boy's chest heaved up and down with emotion. Regina stared at him for a long time, trying to reconcile the son she raised with this budding hero. She glanced between Belle and Ruby and then disappeared.

When she reappeared, she stepped quickly towards Gold and the portal. She flung her magic at him, but he deflected it easily. His eyebrow raised in amusement as he twitched his fingers and sent her flying into the tree near the well. This morning had started so perfectly, she thought sardonically and then pushed back.

"Can't let you do that, Regina," Gold chided his former student. "Still letting your heart rule your head, I see." He sniffed and nonchalantly turned to watch the swirling green vortex of power that he'd created.

"You intend to kill whoever comes through, don't you?" Regina confirmed as she pushed against his magic. She was weak and out of practice and cursed her inefficiency.

"It's going to be Cora. You and I both know that will end badly for everyone, us especially. Consider this my way of taking care of the situation even though you were too weak to make the deal," he taunted, and Regina let his words build her anger. He wasn't stronger than she was. She only needed to tap into that dark place she'd locked away since falling in love with Emma.

"Hey!" A shout startled both of them. Ruby blazed through the woods, absent one red cloak. She moved gracefully, allowing her wolf strength and speed to propel her forward.

"Let her go!" She demanded as she skidded to a stop barely out of breath.

Gold flung his wrist, and she flew several feet and hit the ground unconscious. Regina knew that she was fine, but watching her former mentor harm someone she'd come to care deeply for pushed her anger over the edge. She broke free from his grip just like she had from her mother's on her wedding day and sent him flying away from the well as she dropped to the ground.

Her knee screamed, and she fell to the soft dirt for a moment, breathing through the pain. Belle and Henry's call were heard in the distance. Using her son's safety as inspiration, she pulled herself up and hobbled to the well despite the pain. She gritted her teeth and took a steadying breath, knowing the pain in her knee would be nothing compared to absorbing this amount of Fairy Magic. She did it anyway.

Electricity tore through her hands and then her whole body as she sucked the magic into her vessel. It warred with her Dark Magic, each seeking dominance in the singular vessel that had been created to hold only one. Every nerve ending exploded beneath the harsh burn of Fairy Magic. There was a reason Fairies used dust rather than absorbing the magic into themselves. It hurt like a bitch and was nearly impossible to control in these concentrated doses. In reality, it lasted only thirty seconds, but Regina felt the pain of several life times by the time she fell limp against the tree again.

Belle knelt by Ruby, and Henry stood between her and the well, looking expectantly. Her vision swam and her head throbbed. The magic she'd just absorbed beat against her mind, trying to escape, trying to take control of her. She flung some of it towards Ruby, and the girl woke immediately. The action alleviated the pressure for a few blissful seconds, but the urge built almost as quickly as it dissipated. How much had she absorbed?

She whimpered and waited. If Cora came through that portal, she'd blast her mother to hell with the magic itching to be freed. Henry's hopeful face slowly fell, and she wished that she had the ability to move, to hug her grieving son. He wanted so desperately to believe good always won, but she hadn't the heart to tell him all of the reasons why she knew it didn't.

"Henry, I'm sorry," she whispered, thickly. Her voice sounded nothing like her own in her magic-filled ears. She pressed her back harder into the bark of the tree, finding relief in the physical pain it caused.

"No," Henry whispered, and Regina hoped that he didn't blame her or yell at her until she released the foreign magic into the world.

Gold succeeded. Whoever had come through that portal had been killed. Gold. She flung her hand towards the man just getting to his feet and held him in the air with a bright green glow. Relief immediately exhausted her shaking muscles as the magic left her body. He wasn't injured, but immobilized. His glare amused her, and then his eyes flicked to Belle and Ruby. They weren't actually doing anything untoward in front of the man, but anyone with vision saw the gentleness in Belle's eyes as she brushed her knuckles over Ruby's face.

Regina sighed when the magic ran out and dropped her teacher to the ground without warning. She might have lowered him gently if she wasn't so pissed at him for making her absorb Fairy Magic in the first place.

"Mom!" Henry squalled and ran to the well. Two hands slapped onto the surface, hauling a body over the side of the well.

Regina pulled her hands up, magic at the ready, but only gasped when David's lithe body tumbled over the side followed by Mary Margaret's. Henry flew into their arms, and they shared a three-way hug. Yippee, Regina thought as she struggled to her feet. Ruby ran into Snow's arms happily, and Regina's heart clenched as she pressed her back into the tree, allowing it to support her weight. The idiots had returned, and now she'd lose everything.

Gold glared at her. He, too, stood apart from the reunion. His eyes flicked to Belle who was being introduced to Snow and David and then back to hers. He realized that Belle had let him go, and he blamed her. Let him, she thought and then rolled her eyes. He wasn't worth the effort right now, no matter how satisfying it was to know that she'd just beaten him.

"Mom saved you!" Henry's voice cut through her revelry. "She took all of the Fairy Magic into her body, like this…" He demonstrated her stance with spread arms and hanging head. He added a few body quakes for good measure, not realizing that she'd basically been electrocuted.

"Thank you," Snow said quietly and hugged Henry again. "Where's Emma?" She glanced around, clearly expecting her adult daughter to appear from behind a tree.

Belle and Ruby glanced at each other and then Regina. Henry answered. "Emma got shot saving Mom. She's in the hospital," Henry offered when no one else spoke.

"She what?" David finally spoke. "Why would she do that?" His righteous anger flared, and Regina rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps she wanted a chance to kiss me again," Regina snipped. She knew the Charmings wouldn't believe for a second that Emma had fallen for her, and they'd feel like fools again when Emma finally confirmed the truth.

She fell against the tree again when David's fist connected with her mouth, reopening the cut from Ruby that had begun healing. She grunted when her back hit the tree, eyes unfocused for a moment.

"Don't!" Ruby's angry voice cut into her haze, and she squinted her eyes into focus to find the wolf with flaring angry yellow and firmly gripping David's throat. Snow hugged Henry tightly, watching the unlikely scene. Belle looked at Ruby with glazed eyes, and Regina wondered for a moment just how wild the young librarian actually was if seeing Ruby angry turned her on that quickly.

"Red, what are you doing?" Snow implored in her sickly sweet voice.

"It's Ruby for starters," the deputy demanded and then released David's throat. He rubbed the area, more in shock than pain. "And a lot of shit has gone down since you two decided to go gallivanting off in The Enchanted Forest." She unconsciously retreated to Belle's waiting hands, emphasizing her point without meaning to.

"Regina helped keep this town from blowing apart. She saved my life. She saved Emma's life, so you could at least give her the benefit of the doubt until you figure out what's happened," Ruby finished with much less ire, eyes returning to their chocolate-y hue now that Belle's arms circled her hips.

Snow's eyes flicked between Belle's hands laced tightly together on her best friend's hip bone to Ruby's arm wrapped confidently around her shoulders and then to Ruby's eyes. Finally, they settled on Regina, realizing that she'd done nothing in retaliation against David's unprompted attack. Her forehead bunched for a moment, and then she touched her husband's shoulder.

"Let's go to the hospital, Charming. We don't have to figure anything out right this second," Snow ordered the man, and he conceded. They left without further commentary, Henry happily squished between them. Regina allowed it for now, knowing her son needed physical confirmation that his grandparents hadn't died during their journey.

"That's a hell of a way to mark your territory, Witch," Ruby barbed her lightly, bringing her back from the anger that surely swelled in her chest.

Regina sneered, touched her fingers to her lip, studied the red on them. "And yet more stately than peeing everywhere. Promise to never tell me about your sex life," Regina deadpanned and tried to breeze past them indignantly, but she faltered.

Ruby caught her bicep and steadied her just before she face-planted into the ground without ever losing her grip on Belle. Her vision darkened at the edges and then cleared. Ruby said nothing and made no show of slipping her arm beneath Regina's shoulders. She just did it, and Regina slumped into the wolf gratefully, fisting the back of her tanned shirt for leverage. Her head jerked sharply sending another wave of dizziness over her eyes when Belle's hand covered hers. The librarian smiled at her over Ruby's chest and then dropped them to the ground to carefully watch her path. Nothing else was said all the way to Ruby's cruiser at the edge of the forest.

When they reached Emma's room, David stood guard by the door, waving off adoring fans. Regina rolled her eyes and pushed forward without any aid, unwilling to let the idiots see her weakness. He allowed Ruby and Belle to slip by easily but held a hand up when she tried to walk past him. She stared up at him with angry eyes, hoping they weren't flashing violet.

"Emma is no longer your concern. We'll take it from here," David explained proudly, believing himself a good father.

"Do not presume to tell me what is and is not my concern, dog catcher. Shut the damn curtains!" She yelled at Snow when the light streamed across Emma's bed. She'd returned in the hour they were gone, so apparently the fix had taken very little time, which meant it wasn't as serious as they anticipated.

"Regina, go home," Ruby said from behind the prince. "David, give us a minute," she ordered and shoved the prince inside the room before he summoned a response.

"I'll talk to them and so will Emma when she wakes up. Until then, go home. I'll call you. You look like hell, and I'm pretty sure you haven't showered since Emma woke up the first time," she shoved the keys to Mills' mansion into Regina's hand. She'd forgotten that she'd given them to Ruby.

"Emma doesn't want to speak to anyone. Ruby please," Regina begged, and Ruby's face fell, knowing that no power on this earth would keep her from Belle if she were injured. Regina cleared her throat. "Shut the curtains. She hates the bright morning light," she finished pathetically.

"I will," Ruby promised, touched her shoulder and then returned to the full hospital room.

"Miss Regina," a small voice called from behind her. She turned to find Lauren wringing her hands nervously.

"Emma's okay. She pulled some stitches in her abdominal muscles, so it wasn't quite as bad as we thought. It was just really close to the surface of the skin, which is why it bruised so quickly. Eva… Dr. Zambrano fixed it. It should only set her recovery back a few days," the girl informed her of Emma's condition anxiously, eyes flicking back and forth between her hands and Emma's room.

"Thank you, Nurse Danes," Regina said graciously, not even bothering to hide her emotions. It would have done no good anyway.

Everyone on this floor already knew how she felt about Snow and Charming's daughter. The nurse nodded and then scampered off, not willing to be caught conversing with The Evil Queen now that their prince and princess had returned and clearly still shunned the woman. Regina sighed. Two steps forward, three steps back. She waved her hands over her head and poofed in the purple smoke.

She reappeared in her bathroom as per Ruby's instructions. She wasn't used to following commands, but she knew the young woman to be correct. She ached everywhere and probably smelled, too. She stripped her clothes slowly and set her phone on the floor next to the huge square, marble tub before adjusting the water to temperature. She avoided the mirror intentionally, not wanting to see the grief in her eyes.

She stepped in painfully, her knee aching far worst without the brace, plugged the drain hole and then switched the flow of water to the shower head. The hot pressurized water beat against her skin deliciously, soothing the soreness in her muscles, but the relief lived only a brief moment.

Here, in the silence and safety of her ivory tower, she allowed herself to feel everything. She'd saved Emma's parents at the risk of losing Emma and the tentative acceptance of the town she'd gained in their absence. It was the right thing to do, but that fact made it hurt more, not less. Every time she tried to be better, it blew up in her face. Perhaps this was the reason all heroes came with a self-righteous narcissism. They believed everything they did was the best choice because everyone had an opinion and eventually wore away their confidence with criticism.

She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in them and let go. Here, she had this luxury. No one judged her. No one burdened her with their opinions. Here, no one heard her haunted and hollow wailing for the love that may have once again slipped from her grasp.