I'm Sorry
Chapter 5
"Alright Emma. I will not touch you. But you do have people who love you. Your parents, Hook, and Henry will be devastated if you do this. People who care about you- Granny, Ruby, Grumpy, Archie, and Belle all come to mind with little thought. I am certain there are others, people you have helped that I am not aware of. And you have to admit the majority, if not all, of the town at least like you for breaking the curse. You will be sorely missed." Never expected that I would have to say that pirates name and the word love so close together.
"Oh, please. My parents have a new baby that they get to raise. Named him Neal. I guess that was nice. I had to talk long and hard for them to not name him Daniel. Talk about cruel. And thoughtless. Anyway. Henry has always had you, even when he was being a little shit. You make a better parent than anyone I have ever met. As for Hook- he was a distraction at best. I tried, but kissing was as far as I could stomach. Since Snow can no longer push me at Neal, Hook is the next 'best' for me. Just someone else to hand me off to."
Regina can almost taste the bitterness from Emma's tone. Yet another thing we have in common-pushy mothers. Really, neither name should have been considered. Thoughtless, indeed.
"I don't want Henry wondering what he did or didn't do that caused you to do this. I don't want to have to explain that I found you and left you to die. Especially as I have already forgiven you for the incident in question." Guilt with a twist.
"What? There is NO forgiveness for what I did, ever. I hurt you, lost your trust…lost your friendship." Tears begin falling anew.
"No, Emma. I admit, I was furious at first. Yet another person meddling in my affairs. But once I let myself think about how I felt about Robin…I allowed the idea of having a soul mate to override all other considerations. I want to choose- not leave my happiness to fate, fairy dust or a lion tattoo."
"That does not excuse that I hurt you, something I had hoped to never do again."
"Emma, people hurt one another every day. Some do so on purpose, some by accident. You and I, I am sorry to say, will hurt each other from time to time. I believe we have been through enough that these hurts can be overcome. Now please, let's go, let me take you home."
"Wait, before you go or disappear…" Emma closes her eyes, lips moving soundlessly as she reaches into her own chest, removes her heart and casually tosses it at Regina. "Take this with you, it has belonged to you for a long time anyway."
"EMMA!" Eyes on the warm heart, Regina holds it gently, carefully cupped in both hands. Never has a heart beat so strongly, glowed so brightly, not even Henry's. Becoming accustomed to the light, the scars from heartbreak are like a metropolitan roadmap. Regret is so pervasive but underneath is love. So much love, yearning to be given. For Henry, Snow, David…and for me, most of all for me.
Returning the heart to its owner, Regina leaves her hand resting on Emma's chest allowing her own tears to fall. Only then does she realize Emma is unconscious again.
I can care for her better at home. When the smoke clears, they are both gone.