"I can't do this," Emma sobbed, looking at herself in the mirror.
Her red cap and gown stared back at her, making her cheeks a similar color.
"Emma," Regina sighed. "This is what you've been reaching for forever. You want this to be over."
"But I don't want her to leave!" the girl cried, slamming her fists against the wall. "This is bullshit. Why does it have to be like this?"
"Oh, baby girl... She's gonna come back and visit. She's not gonna be gone forever. She's always going to be your best friend."
"No, she won't! She's going to go to college and find new friends and completely forget about me!"
"She's not going to forget about you, even when she makes new friends."
"How do you know?"
"Because you're unforgettable, Emma Swan."
Turning so that she was facing her lover, the blonde backed herself against the wall and shut her eyes.
"I'm not ready to do this. I'm not ready for college in the fall."
"Honey, you're gonna do great. You're smart, and you're determined. Don't panic, okay? I know this is scary, and that today symbolizes the end of a huge chapter in your life, but there's so much more to come, and you have so much more to give the world. This isn't the end of your life by any means."
"I'm going to fail! I'm going to fail all my classes without Belle, and I'll have to drop out and-"
"I'm not going to let you fail. I'll be right here to help you, sweetie. You're not going to be alone. And there will be tutors at school and plenty of people to help. Most professors are happy to give students a hand when they're struggling. You're a hard worker, and if you don't give up on this, you'll do fine."
"What if I get through it and I end up being a terrible therapist? What if-"
"Emma. Let's get through today, okay? Let's celebrate your huge accomplishment with your friend and spend the day looking forward to a new chapter in your life."
"I don't want to fucking celebrate my best friend leaving!"
"You're not celebrating her leaving. You're celebrating your achievements and the bright futures you're both walking into."
"GOD DAMMIT!" the girl screamed, crouching down close to the floor. "I need my best friend!"
"You'll see her, honey. She'll come home on holidays. She told you that. She promised you. She'll follow through. I know she will. She adores you, and she's going to miss you just as much." When Emma said nothing, Regina knelt down in front of her and lifted her chin until their eyes met, adding, "Your life is just beginning, and you won't have to do it without her. Or me. We're going to be here for you, no matter what the distance."
"I love you."
After sharing a sweet, slow kiss, Regina stood and helped her lover to her feet, saying, "I love you too. Now, let's go get your degree, baby."
"Belle!" Emma cried, throwing her arms around the girl as soon as they saw each other at the school.
"Hey, Em..."
The embrace that followed was weak and half-hearted, and when the blonde looked up to investigate the coldness, she found tears in her friend's eyes.
"Oh, come on. Don't fucking cry. You're gonna make me cry, and I've already been doing that all morning."
"What? Why?" Belle asked anxiously, reaching up to dry her own eyes. "Did something happen?"
"No, idiot! You're leaving me in a month and this symbolizes the end of everything we've-"
"No, it doesn't. It symbolizes how hard we've worked to get where we are."
"Well, why the fuck are you crying then?"
"Because, I... Okay, fine. Yeah. It does symbolize the end of something. But we have all summer, right?"
"Yeah... I guess so."
"Emma..."
"Keep your shit together, so I can keep my shit together!"
"I can't," Belle cried, squeezing the girl tightly in her arms. "Fucking Hell I'm gonna miss you. So. Fucking. Much."
"We're not saying goodbye yet," Emma sniffled. "This is just... This is just graduation, yeah? We're getting our diplomas and getting the fuck out. This is what we've always wanted, right?"
"Yeah, but... Now that we're not in school together, you're not gonna need me anymore."
"Are you fucking kidding me right now? You think I kept you around because you helped me with homework?!"
"Well... I mean..."
"Belle! You're my best friend! I love you."
"I love you too, Em."
"Don't cry, okay? Seriously. My mascara's gonna run if I cry, and I already look like shit, so let's not make it any worse."
As Emma gently wiped her friend's fresh tears away, the girl said, "You look beautiful. Anyway... Regina must be very proud of you. I'm proud of you too."
"Yeah. Didn't think I'd ever graduate, at the rate I was going," the blonde laughed. "Thanks to you, I passed, and I'm getting the fuck out of here."
"You know, Em... Nothing's going to change between us after I leave, unless you want it to."
"You'll always be my best friend."
With a smile, Belle sat down on a bench in the hallway. With a half an hour left before the start of the graduation ceremony, they had time to kill.
After a few moments of silence where the brunette rested her head on her friend's shoulder, Emma softly asked, "Hey, Belle?"
"What's up, hun?"
"I think... I think I'm gonna move in with Regina."
To the girl's great surprise, Belle's face and eyes lit up as she lifted her head, and a smile spread across her lips.
"I knew you'd change your mind!"
"What?"
"She's the one, Em. She's gonna take care of you until death do you part. You're making the right choice. I know you're scared, but she's not gonna leave you."
"Yeah, but what if-"
"Emma. Don't run."
The girl wanted to object, to protest that she did not, in fact, run from anything, but she knew what Belle was thinking and decided to remain silent, knowing that her friend was right. She did run. From almost everything. But running from Regina was something she couldn't do. She was determined to tie herself securely to her lover, no matter how difficult or broken her ability to trust really was. Regina deserved that kind of commitment.