Part six Regina does look tired and pale Emma thinks to herself as she and Mary Margaret hover in the doorway of her office, they had brought coffee and cake.
Mary Margaret holds up the takeaway bag, "May we?" she asks.
Regina barely looks up from her desk, pen in hand, "No, I have a meeting" her voice devoid of emotion.
"No you don't, I checked your diary" Emma tells her firmly, she is determined to get to the bottom of this. Henry had been worried again this morning as Regina had barely spoken to him when he called her last night, saying she had a headache and cutting his call short, besides Emma was getting fed up of the mayor's presence in her head. She had her own crap to deal with, this was getting sorted and sorted now.
Emma stepped Into the room, shut the door firmly behind her, locked it, strolled towards the desk, took a seat and pressed her arms firmly against the desk, she caught Mary Margaret taking the seat next to her out of the corner of her eye, hands folded in her lap, mild smile on her face.
Regina just openly stared at them both "What the hell do you think you are doing Miss Swan?" she snarled hackles raised.
"Look Regina, I know you are mad at me and I don't blame you, I would be pissed to but we both know it was unintentional. I will apologize a million times to you if that is was it will take to make things right between us but I will cannot regret my decision to save a woman's life, but that is not why we are here." Emma gestured at her mom, who nodded encouragingly. She took a deep breath "Something is wrong, more than you just being angry with me, Henry is worried, we are worried, I'm not asking you to share the details of your personal life but I know you and I know when you are hiding something and I think whatever it is scares you".
Mary Margaret interrupted softly "we care about you Regina and so does Henry, I know you feel deeply with your whole soul, maybe your emotions are making you unwell?" She ventured "we don't wish to pry but if there is something physically wrong, please don't ignore it" she implored.
Emma hadn't considered that but it kinda made sense, Regina had always been driven by her emotions, mostly anger but now that she had practiced light magic perhaps the combination of the two was taking a physical toll on her. Henry had told her, Regina had promised she wouldn't go back to fighting Emma, she had been bitter and hostile towards her but she had taken it no further. If Emma hadn't suspected there was more going on than Regina misplacing her keys, if Robin hadn't ran away from her last night and if she hadn't found Regina unconscious she would have given her space and time but that had happened and she couldn't ignore it, anymore than she could have left Marian in the Evil Queens dungeon.
Regina's expression was unreadable, Mary Margaret reached her hands across the desk where Regina sat unmoving, she curled her fingers over the top of her hand, "Regina please" she pleaded.
Snatching her hand away, Regina stood up sharply, chair scrapping back, she turned to the window, back to them.
Emma shot a worried look at Mary Margaret, who gave her a tiny smile. Regina hadn't demanded they leave, she hadn't thrown them across the floor, she wanted to talk Emma thought but she doesn't know how, she needs a little push but if they pushed too hard or in the wrong direction? well Emma couldn't see them getting another chance.
Swallowing hard, Emma decided to direct the conversation away from Regina's emotions and try another tact, "what happened yesterday? Robin stole your keys didn't he? Did he want something from your vault?" "That's none of your business" Regina snapped immediately.
"Regina you were unconscious" Emma pushed, Regina hadn't denying it, Robin was involved in whatever was going on and Emma was now pretty sure, they were not having an affair, if whatever was going on between them was of that nature, Regina would not be allowing this conversation.
"I know Robin has been at your house late at night, I think he took your keys, I saw you the two of you together and it looked like he was threatening you" she ignored her mom's small intake of breath as she processed this new information. Now she had said it out loud she realised that image re-playing in her mind, nagging at her, of Robin's hands on Regina holding her in place, the anger on his face and how Regina had fled from him, not returning to the party had bothered her the most. "What" Regina cried swirling round to face them, hands raised and clenched, she looked full of malice but Emma could see her eyes reddening, Regina was swallowing hard trying to maintain her control but she was failing.
"How dare you, come into my office and pry into my business, what right do you have to spy on me? she fumed, breathing hard, a flicker of pain ran across her face, she let out a groan, hand clasped at her chest, she staggered forward, hitting the desk, bracing herself with her one hand the other still on her chest, she tried to hide what was happening to her but Mary Margaret was already racing to her side, Regina was pushing her away but she was shaking so hard she lacked the strength. There was a silent struggle between the two woman as Mary Margaret refused to let go and Regina continued to push her away, suddenly Regina gave in and sagged against Mary Margaret. Emma slowly walked round the desk taking her gently by the elbow and leading to the couch.
"Put your head between your knees" Emma told her, careful to take her hands off Regina as soon as she was seated. Emma was a little shocked that Regina actually took her advice and indeed put her head between her knees. Raising to fetch a glass of water she took her time as Mary Margaret rubbed slow circles on Regina's back. Slowly her breathing calmed and she took the glass of water from Emma with a trembling hand.
Whatever Emma had been expecting this morning it was not this, she had never seen Regina allow herself to be so vulnerable in front of them and frankly it was a little scary.
They waited in silence as Regina started to speak.
"After Marian's return, I found it difficult to control my emotions so I found a solution" she started.
And I bet it was magical Emma thought, obviously Mary Margaret was thinking along the same lines as she asked quietly.
"Did you remove your heart again?" she asked.
Emma snapped her head up, what the hell? honestly these people, what was wrong with a couple of bottles of wine and a pint of ice cream, that was her go to solution for heartbreak and betrayal.
"Yes" Regina said quietly, she looked at Mary Margaret almost ashamed.
"Regina" Mary Margaret said "you know that doesn't work, you still feel with your soul"
"I know, I know but it worked a little" she gave a small shrug and looked up at Emma "after all you're still alive Miss Swan".
Emma gasped catching Regina's meaning, she hadn't removed her heart because of Robin, well she probably had, but she had also done it to stop her from feeling the depth of hate and vengeance against her.
"For Henry?" Emma stuttered out.
Regina shook her head slightly, chewing her cheek "yes and for you both and for me, I didn't, don't want to go back to being that person. I don't want to see the look of disappointed in his eyes or yours" she said quietly looking at Mary Margaret. "After everything that has happened, after Zelena, I cannot go back down that road, it will truly break me and I cannot allow that to happen but Robin he knew".
"You told him" Emma reasoned.
"No if course not, he just knew, he came to my house to try to get me to return it".
How would he know? Emma wondered and why did her mom suddenly look so much more upset.
"He felt you take it out?, he's your true love?" Mary Margaret had a hand in front of her mouth.
"Wait what?" Emma said, realisation slowly dawning on her but Maid Marian was Robin Hood's true love everyone knew that, she'd seen the movies.
"Apparently you can have more than one true love" Regina said blankly.
"Oh Regina" Mary Margaret sighed.
"I just needed some time to think and it did helped but Robin wouldn't leave it alone, when I refused to see him, he approached me at the Diner, gave me a note saying although he cares deeply for me Marian is his wife and he owes it to her, and Roland and to himself to be with her, which is what I expected" Regina said staring blankly ahead, words falling from her "I expected it of course, he told me he would walk through hell for her, she is his true love and I, well a year of fighting and a few days of being together, it doesn't compare does it." She continued softly waving her hand away at Mary Margaret 's soft protest. Regina pushed herself away from the couch and walked the room towards the drinks table, picking up the decanter she poured herself a drink. Emma studiously ignored the tears, Regina was discreetly brushing away, she had to hand it to her, it was but rough and Regina was handling it with dignity. Emma remembered how happy Regina had been, how different she had been with Robin by her side, how it must hurt her to know that Robin would have been hers, to know he was truly for her, a true love but then she had snatched it all away from her. Regina was talking again, forcing Emma out of her thoughts "He said he didn't blame me for what might have happened to Marian had you not brought her back Emma and that I shouldn't blame myself but I am to blame, this is my fault and as much as I would like to believe otherwise, I simply cannot ignore it"
"Regina" Mary Margaret said "that's very admirable but you were a different person then, you can't let your past ruin your future, you deserve happiness".
"Do I?"Regina gave a small humourless laugh "and at what cost this time? Shall I steal him from his wife? I could have done, I could have taken him back" she laughed again shaking her hair back "In fact I did try, I almost succeeded but it was" she trailed off "well you saw Emma, tell me did it look like a happy ending to you?" Regina gave her a brazen stare, Emma dropped her eyes, she knew Regina was talking about what she had witnessed on the fire escape, "it's not my business" she replied willing Regina to find her intent to be one of concern not of judgement.
"It turns out the Evil Queen maybe a lot of things but a home wrecker she is not" Regina laughed again. "He was angry though, about my heart, adamant that I return it, so yes I think he stole my keys and broke into the Vault".
So he has it, your heart" Emma asked wincing at the double meaning.
"No he does not" Regina said. "You put it back?" Mary Margaret asked hopefully.
"No I did not" Regina replied.
Emma's own heart begin to sink "Regina, where's your heart?" she asked.
Regina tossed back the remains of her drink "well that's the rub, I don't know, it's certainly not where I left it"
"So it's been stolen? " Emma asked shocked "I presume so" Regina replied "and where ever it is, whoever has it, I fear their intentions are not in my favour" she confessed.
Mary Margaret holds up the takeaway bag, "May we?" she asks.
Regina barely looks up from her desk, pen in hand, "No, I have a meeting" her voice devoid of emotion.
"No you don't, I checked your diary" Emma tells her firmly, she is determined to get to the bottom of this. Henry had been worried again this morning as Regina had barely spoken to him when he called her last night, saying she had a headache and cutting his call short, besides Emma was getting fed up of the mayor's presence in her head. She had her own crap to deal with, this was getting sorted and sorted now.
Emma stepped Into the room, shut the door firmly behind her, locked it, strolled towards the desk, took a seat and pressed her arms firmly against the desk, she caught Mary Margaret taking the seat next to her out of the corner of her eye, hands folded in her lap, mild smile on her face.
Regina just openly stared at them both "What the hell do you think you are doing Miss Swan?" she snarled hackles raised.
"Look Regina, I know you are mad at me and I don't blame you, I would be pissed to but we both know it was unintentional. I will apologize a million times to you if that is was it will take to make things right between us but I will cannot regret my decision to save a woman's life, but that is not why we are here." Emma gestured at her mom, who nodded encouragingly. She took a deep breath "Something is wrong, more than you just being angry with me, Henry is worried, we are worried, I'm not asking you to share the details of your personal life but I know you and I know when you are hiding something and I think whatever it is scares you".
Mary Margaret interrupted softly "we care about you Regina and so does Henry, I know you feel deeply with your whole soul, maybe your emotions are making you unwell?" She ventured "we don't wish to pry but if there is something physically wrong, please don't ignore it" she implored.
Emma hadn't considered that but it kinda made sense, Regina had always been driven by her emotions, mostly anger but now that she had practiced light magic perhaps the combination of the two was taking a physical toll on her. Henry had told her, Regina had promised she wouldn't go back to fighting Emma, she had been bitter and hostile towards her but she had taken it no further. If Emma hadn't suspected there was more going on than Regina misplacing her keys, if Robin hadn't ran away from her last night and if she hadn't found Regina unconscious she would have given her space and time but that had happened and she couldn't ignore it, anymore than she could have left Marian in the Evil Queens dungeon.
Regina's expression was unreadable, Mary Margaret reached her hands across the desk where Regina sat unmoving, she curled her fingers over the top of her hand, "Regina please" she pleaded.
Snatching her hand away, Regina stood up sharply, chair scrapping back, she turned to the window, back to them.
Emma shot a worried look at Mary Margaret, who gave her a tiny smile. Regina hadn't demanded they leave, she hadn't thrown them across the floor, she wanted to talk Emma thought but she doesn't know how, she needs a little push but if they pushed too hard or in the wrong direction? well Emma couldn't see them getting another chance.
Swallowing hard, Emma decided to direct the conversation away from Regina's emotions and try another tact, "what happened yesterday? Robin stole your keys didn't he? Did he want something from your vault?" "That's none of your business" Regina snapped immediately.
"Regina you were unconscious" Emma pushed, Regina hadn't denying it, Robin was involved in whatever was going on and Emma was now pretty sure, they were not having an affair, if whatever was going on between them was of that nature, Regina would not be allowing this conversation.
"I know Robin has been at your house late at night, I think he took your keys, I saw you the two of you together and it looked like he was threatening you" she ignored her mom's small intake of breath as she processed this new information. Now she had said it out loud she realised that image re-playing in her mind, nagging at her, of Robin's hands on Regina holding her in place, the anger on his face and how Regina had fled from him, not returning to the party had bothered her the most. "What" Regina cried swirling round to face them, hands raised and clenched, she looked full of malice but Emma could see her eyes reddening, Regina was swallowing hard trying to maintain her control but she was failing.
"How dare you, come into my office and pry into my business, what right do you have to spy on me? she fumed, breathing hard, a flicker of pain ran across her face, she let out a groan, hand clasped at her chest, she staggered forward, hitting the desk, bracing herself with her one hand the other still on her chest, she tried to hide what was happening to her but Mary Margaret was already racing to her side, Regina was pushing her away but she was shaking so hard she lacked the strength. There was a silent struggle between the two woman as Mary Margaret refused to let go and Regina continued to push her away, suddenly Regina gave in and sagged against Mary Margaret. Emma slowly walked round the desk taking her gently by the elbow and leading to the couch.
"Put your head between your knees" Emma told her, careful to take her hands off Regina as soon as she was seated. Emma was a little shocked that Regina actually took her advice and indeed put her head between her knees. Raising to fetch a glass of water she took her time as Mary Margaret rubbed slow circles on Regina's back. Slowly her breathing calmed and she took the glass of water from Emma with a trembling hand.
Whatever Emma had been expecting this morning it was not this, she had never seen Regina allow herself to be so vulnerable in front of them and frankly it was a little scary.
They waited in silence as Regina started to speak.
"After Marian's return, I found it difficult to control my emotions so I found a solution" she started.
And I bet it was magical Emma thought, obviously Mary Margaret was thinking along the same lines as she asked quietly.
"Did you remove your heart again?" she asked.
Emma snapped her head up, what the hell? honestly these people, what was wrong with a couple of bottles of wine and a pint of ice cream, that was her go to solution for heartbreak and betrayal.
"Yes" Regina said quietly, she looked at Mary Margaret almost ashamed.
"Regina" Mary Margaret said "you know that doesn't work, you still feel with your soul"
"I know, I know but it worked a little" she gave a small shrug and looked up at Emma "after all you're still alive Miss Swan".
Emma gasped catching Regina's meaning, she hadn't removed her heart because of Robin, well she probably had, but she had also done it to stop her from feeling the depth of hate and vengeance against her.
"For Henry?" Emma stuttered out.
Regina shook her head slightly, chewing her cheek "yes and for you both and for me, I didn't, don't want to go back to being that person. I don't want to see the look of disappointed in his eyes or yours" she said quietly looking at Mary Margaret. "After everything that has happened, after Zelena, I cannot go back down that road, it will truly break me and I cannot allow that to happen but Robin he knew".
"You told him" Emma reasoned.
"No if course not, he just knew, he came to my house to try to get me to return it".
How would he know? Emma wondered and why did her mom suddenly look so much more upset.
"He felt you take it out?, he's your true love?" Mary Margaret had a hand in front of her mouth.
"Wait what?" Emma said, realisation slowly dawning on her but Maid Marian was Robin Hood's true love everyone knew that, she'd seen the movies.
"Apparently you can have more than one true love" Regina said blankly.
"Oh Regina" Mary Margaret sighed.
"I just needed some time to think and it did helped but Robin wouldn't leave it alone, when I refused to see him, he approached me at the Diner, gave me a note saying although he cares deeply for me Marian is his wife and he owes it to her, and Roland and to himself to be with her, which is what I expected" Regina said staring blankly ahead, words falling from her "I expected it of course, he told me he would walk through hell for her, she is his true love and I, well a year of fighting and a few days of being together, it doesn't compare does it." She continued softly waving her hand away at Mary Margaret 's soft protest. Regina pushed herself away from the couch and walked the room towards the drinks table, picking up the decanter she poured herself a drink. Emma studiously ignored the tears, Regina was discreetly brushing away, she had to hand it to her, it was but rough and Regina was handling it with dignity. Emma remembered how happy Regina had been, how different she had been with Robin by her side, how it must hurt her to know that Robin would have been hers, to know he was truly for her, a true love but then she had snatched it all away from her. Regina was talking again, forcing Emma out of her thoughts "He said he didn't blame me for what might have happened to Marian had you not brought her back Emma and that I shouldn't blame myself but I am to blame, this is my fault and as much as I would like to believe otherwise, I simply cannot ignore it"
"Regina" Mary Margaret said "that's very admirable but you were a different person then, you can't let your past ruin your future, you deserve happiness".
"Do I?"Regina gave a small humourless laugh "and at what cost this time? Shall I steal him from his wife? I could have done, I could have taken him back" she laughed again shaking her hair back "In fact I did try, I almost succeeded but it was" she trailed off "well you saw Emma, tell me did it look like a happy ending to you?" Regina gave her a brazen stare, Emma dropped her eyes, she knew Regina was talking about what she had witnessed on the fire escape, "it's not my business" she replied willing Regina to find her intent to be one of concern not of judgement.
"It turns out the Evil Queen maybe a lot of things but a home wrecker she is not" Regina laughed again. "He was angry though, about my heart, adamant that I return it, so yes I think he stole my keys and broke into the Vault".
So he has it, your heart" Emma asked wincing at the double meaning.
"No he does not" Regina said. "You put it back?" Mary Margaret asked hopefully.
"No I did not" Regina replied.
Emma's own heart begin to sink "Regina, where's your heart?" she asked.
Regina tossed back the remains of her drink "well that's the rub, I don't know, it's certainly not where I left it"
"So it's been stolen? " Emma asked shocked "I presume so" Regina replied "and where ever it is, whoever has it, I fear their intentions are not in my favour" she confessed.
So thoughts?
Bit more emotional as promised. Coming up Robin and Regina interaction plus Regina's pov as well as Emma's.