A/N: Thank you all for the love, I can't ever say that enough! :) I hope you all enjoy Emma's arrival in Storybrooke in this next chapter. I definitely a lot of it into my own personal writing, but I am very happy with the outcome of things. Please, don't forget to keep dropping those reviews, that push me to write more for you all. I know you are all eager for more updates not just on this new story, but others that are still in the works. I promise to get to them in time. Happy reading!

Just a reminder, please don't ask to copy or translate my works into other languages or for other fandoms. My answer will always be a reluctant NO. Thanks.

After hours of flying, Emma finally found herself on a bus ride away closer to Storybrooke. It surprised her how half empty the bus seemed to be. She would have thought there would have been more tourists coming in. But the less people the better. Like her, Nala didn't take kindly to being surrounded by a big crowd of people.

The sign to Storybrooke zoomed by, and Emma's head whipped along the view of her window. Her heart was beating faster than what it had been, when she had first joined the service. She had arrived. And she was so fucking nervous. What would she tell Regina? Where would she even begin?

"Alright," the bus driver pulled on a lever that opened both double doors to the bus. "End of the line, folks. Enjoy your stay!"

Emma allowed for everyone to step down first before she stood, swung her olive colored duffle bag along her shoulder. It felt strange carrying her only belongings in one bag, dressed as a civilian in a pair of tight, but worn out and faded jeans, a long sleeve black shirt, with her oversize military olive green jacket to match her duffel bag and combat boots. She didn't want to let her hair down loose, so she just picked it up in that familiar messy ponytail she always wore. Her dog tags hung proudly along her neck.

Nala followed closely as she stepped out of the bus, looking up at the town that would be her home for the time being. It was exactly how August had described it. It was quiet, calm… but it wasn't her home. This was August's home. The place he had missed dearly, and talked so much about until there was no more saliva left on his tongue. The home he will never see again.

Guilt was a terrible companion to have, but it was one that Emma could not rid herself of. She shouldn't be here. She couldn't do this. She should turn right back around, hop back on that bus and just allow it to drive her away- far away- from here. August should be the one standing right along this sidewalk, looking up at the place he grew up in- not her.

She couldn't even imagine Regina's reaction- she didn't want to- once she saw her. Suddenly it wasn't so much guilt that took over Emma, but fear. A fear she didn't even feel while being out there halfway across the globe, fighting for what she believed was right.

Where would she even start? Hi, Regina. I'm Swan. Emma Swan. I'm the one who has been writing to you, and suddenly- out of nowhere- ghosted you because I was too much of a chicken shit to come forward about what happened to your brother. It was my fault. I'm sorry for your loss, by the way.

No. She couldn't do this.

She needed to leave. Now.

"Hey-" a voice called out that startled Emma back into reality. It belonged to an older woman, stalky, short, with glasses resting along the tip of her nose. She looked like she didn't take shit from anybody. "Are you just going to stand there like a statue? Or is there a reason you're here?"

Emma stood to attention, looking down at the woman standing before her with two large grocery bags occupying both her arms. "Just visiting. I was told there was a B&B in this town."

"Really?" The woman's eyebrows shot straight up. "I happen to own the B&B. Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, ma'am," Emma nods curtly.

"Well, good. Smart girl. With tourists coming in and out of this town, you won't get anywhere without a reservation, believe me." She nods, "This way." Without warning, she shoves one of the bags right into Emma's chest. "Here. You can help me carry one. You seem quite capable. Or is that too much trouble for you?"

"No, ma'am." Emma shook her head, following close by the older woman, feeling every pair of eyes in that town look her way.

"I'm Eugenia Lucas. You can call me Granny, everyone else does." She waved a hand in the air carelessly. She pointed to a diner just a few blocks up. "See that diner? I own that, too. It's the only decent place where you can get something to eat, because I cook the meals." She admits proudly.

Emma looks over to the diner, seeing a few heads on the inside, popped up to attention in her direction.

"Don't mind them," Granny mumbles under her breath. "You'd think this town would be used to outsiders by now. You just stand out too much, I guess." She eyes Emma quickly. "You in the service?"

"Yes, ma'am." Emma nods proudly.

"Well, good. We could use someone capable around here, if you ask me. Not too many capable souls in this town." Her eyes flicker down to Nala, who is walking close to Emma's side. "She with you, I presume?"

"Yes, ma'am." Emma halts her steps as Eugenia does, right in front of the B&B.

"Now, I'm sorry, but I have a strict, no dogs policy." Eugenia glares.

Emma looks down at Nala, who whines as she stares up at Emma with big round eyes. "She's a service dog."

"Exactly my point," Eugenia crosses her arms along her chest. "She could be a vicious killing machine for all I know. We have children around here, not to mention one with a serious heart condition-"

Heart condition. Henry! Emma's eyes slightly light up at the mention of a familiar name.

"I'm sorry. But I can't have that dog biting a child or worse, peeing on my rugs."

"Hey, Gran, sorry I'm late I had to help Re- hello!" Ruby grinned, her eyes eyeing Emma from top to bottom. "Who's this?" Her hips leaned along the door.

"A guest," Eugenia murmurs, her eyes never leaving Emma's. "I was just explaining to this young lady here our no dogs policy. But I think there's going to be a problem."

There would be a problem. Because if Nala wasn't wanted then neither was Emma. But she did make a promise to August, and she intended to keep that promise.

"I didn't see anything about a no-dog policy on the website when I made the reservation." Emma stands tall.

"Is that right?" Granny tightened her arms along her chest. Her eyes narrowed over to Ruby.

"I give you my word, there won't be a problem, ma'am," said Emma. "as I said before; she's a service dog, and she's quiet. She only bites on command or to protect me. She's actually kid friendly. You won't even know she's here."

Eugenia's eyes looked down at Nala, who now laid by Emma's feet obediently. Her ears smeared back.

"Oh, Gran," Ruby rolled her eyes. "Let her stay. She doesn't look to be like a trouble maker to me. Just this once." She holds up a single digit.

Granny grumbles, obviously not happy. "Fine. But if I find one pee stain on my carpet- one-" she holds a shorter digit than the young lady standing next to her. "She's out of here, along with you. Understood?"

"Loud and clear." Emma nods.

Ruby grins, "Come with me, I'll check you in." She holds the door open, watching Emma intrigued as she steps inside. Hurrying over to the check-in desk, Ruby quickly flips the giant book open, sliding her perfectly manicured nail along the page until she stops at a blank spot. "Okay…"

"That's a long list." Emma said, placing down the grocery bag along the desk.

Ruby grins proudly, "Yeah. Between here and working at the bakery, life can get pretty crazy in a small town. You might not believe that, but it's true." Her eyes take in Emma's appearance once again. "So…" she leans into the desk, her smile playing on her ruby red lips. "How long will you be gracing us with your presence, soldier?"

"Until September."

"Okay…" Ruby's hand begins writing along the page, until it halts. Her eyes stare up widely at Emma. "Did you say September?"

"Yes, ma'am." Emma nods.

Ruby's mouth hangs open, it reaches the check-in desk.

"Flirt on your own time, Ruby." Granny murmurs, pushing her granddaughter aside and taking over the check-in desk.

"Gran," Ruby grinned. "She just paid all the way to September."

Granny's eyebrow cocks up, "You can afford that much?"

"It's already paid for." Said Emma.

"Alright, soldier," Granny's hand writes down the dates, along with the room number before reaching for a single key with a yellow tag hanging off its end, labeled with the room number. "You're in room number 208."

"Thank you, ma'am." Emma shook Eugenia's hand firmly upon seeing the woman stretch her hand out to her.

"So you know, you're in charge of feeding her on your own," Eugenia nods toward Nala, who sits patiently by Emma's side.

"That won't be a problem." Emma assured. It wasn't Nala they should be afraid of. She wasn't the killer as much as Emma was.

"Welcome to Storybrooke, Ms…" Granny narrowed her eyes.

"Swan," Emma supplied a slight nod, remembering to force a smile that she hoped looked friendly enough for a town such as this one. "Emma Swan."

Ruby's eyes grow wildly at the mention of the soldier's name.

"Well, Emma Swan, breakfast is at-"

"I'm sorry, excuse me-" Ruby lightly shoves her grandmother aside, eager for confirmation. "Did you say Emma Swan?"

"Yes, ma'am." Emma nods. Her brows furrowed as Ruby simply raced out of the B&B, even Nala's head jumped to attention, following Ruby's startling movements. Emma's eyes looked down as Nala let out a low growl. "Nala. Down." Her fingers tapped the air, and Nala's head planted itself by her feet, along with her entire body.

Eugenia nodded, truly impressed and it took a lot to impress her. "Alright, Ms. Swan… as I was saying. Breakfast is served between seven A.M. and nine A.M. unless you want to help yourself to the diner, you go right ahead. Dinner can be arranged, but you're on your own for lunch, and so is…"

"Nala."

"Nala," she said, her face momentarily softened at Nala's head tilt at the mention of her name. "Well, since my granddaughter is so incapable of showing you to your room, why don't you come with me?" She makes her way around the desk and heads up the stairs, "You can carry your own bag, can't you? I'm sorry to say but that looks awfully heavy."

"Yes, ma'am." Emma adjusts her duffel bag along her shoulder, holding it securely within her grasp as she follows Eugenia up the steps.

"Thank you." A woman thanks Regina with a kind smile after having paid for one of her delicious apple pies.

"Thank you." Regina smiled sweetly. "Come again." Her smile is gone as soon as she sees Ruby storm past the customer, almost knocking the poor woman over.

"Gina! Regina! Come quick!" Ruby breathes, practically hyperventilating through her lungs.

Regina's eyes stare at her friend widely, "What's the matter?" She rushes from behind the counter.

"The bed and breakfast… come… now."

"Is it your grandmother- what? Ruby, tell me!"

Ruby grunts, reaching for Regina's wrist in a hard grip as she begins pulling her out of the store. "Just come on! Trust me!"

"Well, where are we going? Ruby, what's going on?" Regina hisses under her breath.

"You'll see! Now, come on!"

"But the bakery-!"

"Here you are," Granny watches Emma carefully as she enters the room, looking around in silence. "I'm sorry if this isn't what you expected, but it's the best we have. We've been meaning to get this place remodeled but our budget is as tight as it is, I'm afraid."

Emma took in the room. It was exactly how August had described it to her once. This entire town was exactly how he described it, it almost brought tears to her eyes as she swallowed down a lump that suddenly formed in the back of her throat. The room was all made out of wood, almost antique looking. There was a single window that looked out into the town, and a desk placed privately along one of the corner walls. There was one bathroom, and a full size bed. No TV, but that was okay. Emma didn't really need a television. It was perfect.

"So… will this do?" Granny asks.

"It's perfect. Thank you, ma'am." Emma nods, facing Eugenia once again.

"I have to ask. That bag of yours," Eugenia nods to her duffel bag that Emma places along the bed. "You have weapons in there?"

Emma looked down at her duffel bag before looking back up at Regina. "I have a handgun, and my hunting knife. Clip is empty." She answered truthfully.

Eugenia's eyes narrowed for a short moment, her hand resting along the door handle, "Well, then… enjoy your stay, Ms. Swan."

"Thank you." Emma nods slightly, seeing the door close. She plops along the bed with a heavy sight to her, her fingers quick to scratch along Nala's head. "So what do you think? You like it here?"

Nala blinked up at her owner.

"Yeah, I agree… It's very different." Said Emma.

"Ruby, this is crazy, I am not-" Regina whispered.

"No-" Ruby held up a hand, halting Regina's protests. "Just knock. Say hello. Trust me." She grins, taking a step back once Regina lifts up her fists along the door.

Nala growls slightly before hearing a knock just outside of her door. "Nala." She called out, seeing her sit in attention before reaching for the door in two long steps. As the door swings open, Emma's heart dies all together, her eyes widened at the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in her life. It was her. Regina.

Regina blinks, her eyes looking up at Emma, unable to comprehend why her heart was acting all kinds of funny inside of her chest right now. Her stomach was a turmoil and she wished it would stop. Or maybe not. "Hi," she breathed.

Emma's mouth had suddenly gone dry, all she could do was swallow another hard lump that ached her throat. She wished she could stop staring so damn much, but it was impossible when the woman behind all of those letters was standing right before her. Right now.

Regina blinked herself awake as she felt a slight stab along her rib by Ruby's nail "Oh, um… welcome wagon." She grinned, holding up a basket of freshly picked apples. "You won't find better apples than in this town, I promise you." She couldn't understand why Ruby insisted on her doing this, but here she was. Welcoming a complete stranger into her town. A stranger with the greenest and most intense eyes she had ever seen in her life.

Emma reached for the apples, feeling a shock of electricity travel up her arm, through her fingers that brushed slightly with Regina's. She wondered if Regina felt it, too. But evidently, she had turned into a damn mute to even extend her greeting.

"Well," Regina offered another smile. "I hope you enjoy your stay. I trust the room is… good enough?"

Emma nods, because that was all she could do. Here she was, a twenty-eight year old woman making a fool of herself in front of the woman she had been dreaming to meet. Like a damn teenage girl standing in front of her middle school crush.

"Well, if you ever need a tour guide… think of me." Regina grinned, feeling so incredibly stupid right now. Why couldn't she stop smiling around this stranger?

Ruby rolled her eyes just outside the room, keeping by the wall.

"Oh, you have a dog!" Regina bent down to smile at Nala, who wagged her tail and shifted by Emma's leg, but she didn't attempt to touch her. "Aren't you just the most beautiful dog I've ever seen? I bet she charmed herself into Granny's heart, huh?" She looked up at Emma. "May I?"

Emma nodded stupidly. First impressions were important to Nala, if she didn't like Regina, then there would be no recovery from that. But judging from that tail wag, and at how gently Nala moved into Regina's touch as soon as she scratched her behind the ears, she could tell she had won her over.

"I'll tell you what, if Granny gives you any problems about her, she is always welcomed to stay with me. She seems sweet," Regina smiled at her, giving another good scratch. "She's a service dog?" She stood upright, looking up at Emma.

There was so much that Emma wanted to say to her. For starters- the truth- about how she was grateful to her. Grateful because thanks to Regina, Emma survived out there. She taught her about gravity, and gave her a listening ear from miles away. She'd opened a window to show her another life was possible, a world Emma destroyed and then abandoned her after without so much as another correspondence.

"Yes, ma'am, she is." Emma nods.

"Oh." A dark look crossed her face, and Emma could see it. All the pain, all that grief that must be eating her inside. But it didn't take Regina long to recover from that, putting on her best fake smile into place. "Well, as soon as my son figures out you have a dog, you might have yourself a daily visitor. He's been after me to get him one, but… well it's not in the cards, or in my schedule to train a puppy."

A jolt of excitement bolts through Emma at the thought of finally getting to meet Henry.

"They can be quite the handful," said Emma, running her hand over Nala's neck.

"Are you…" Regina eyes Emma from head to toe. "Are you her handler?" Her eyes study her face.

"I am. We served together, do serve together. We're looking to be on terminal leave, actually. Soon. But that won't be official until we get called back one last time." Emma runs a hand down Nala's neck again. "We are both new to this whole domestic thing, but I promise we won't pee on the carpet."

The smile Regina flashed her way was brief but real. Emma wanted that smile back. She wanted to see it every day. Every minute- second that passed by.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Regina, running a hand along Nala's head. "So she's trained in explosives, I'm guessing? Were you EOD?"

Here it was, the moment of truth that would define Emma's entire purpose in this town. She was sure Regina's smile would fade, and she would no doubt, get an earned slap across the face.

"She's trained in explosives and scenting people. She's only aggressive on command and really loves anyone who will throw her favorite toy." Emma's heart was about to explode like a damn grenade.

"Explosives and people? That's rare in a service dog, isn't it?" Regina's brow wrinkles as if she's trying to remember something.

Emma had no doubt that somewhere within his letters, August made sure to mention Nala to her. "For most dogs, yes, ma'am. But Nala is a special operations dog, the best of the best." She scratches along Nala's ears, squeezing a little bit of her fur.

Regina's smile that had manifested on her lips for Nala had gone. Her eyes looked up at Emma, then. Her legs took a step back and suddenly, that wall- that pride- plus the grief Regina had been living in that August talked about was visible. "Special ops?" She murmured.

"Yes." Emma nodded slowly, allowing Regina to put the pieces of the puzzle together herself.

"And you're… you just took leave and decided to come here? To Storybrooke." She crossed her arms over her chest, her fingers rubbing along her own forearms in a nervous habit, before her hand took over to toy with her snowflake pendant.

"I was told about this place many times in my time of service." Said Emma.

Regina nods, taking another step back. "You're young. I figured you would rather be in service than in a small town such as this one. W-wh-what are you doing here?" She blinked.

Here we go. Emma drew in a slow, steady breath. "My best friend died." Her voice was barely a whisper, but she knew Regina had hurt her given the horrific expression playing on her face.

Regina's eyes widened, the white around them were now bloodshot from the tears that gathered within the beautiful brown color of them. Tears that she was quick to blink away, and in a millisecond, her spine stood up straighter than Emma had ever seen since their encounter, and that wall she had built around her, now stood twelve feet tall.

She wasn't just wounded. She had shut down.

Regina's eyes took in the name tag hanging off of Emma's neck, but she didn't dare read the name engraved on it. Instead, she looked up, boring her stare right into Emma's own green eyes. "Swan?" She whispered, so low, she wondered if she had gathered her ability to speak at all.

After all this time… four months… the mystery name had a face after all. And it was standing right before her, manifesting a body that she thought was lying out there somewhere, across the globe, rotting away or possibly being eaten away by some kind of hungry, neglected animal. Or stored inside a casket, that now resided six feet under ground, along with August's.

Emma nodded slowly, like the bobble head she had suddenly turned into at the mere presence of Regina. I'm sorry, Regina. I'm sorry about August, your brother. It was my fault. I blame myself and therefore you should blame me, too. He is the one that should be here with you- not me. But by God, I missed you. I missed your letters so damn much. I crave your words more than my own oxygen. So many things happened to go through her head at that moment. So many things she still wanted to say, but she couldn't unscramble the way to say them.

"W-how?" Regina breathed, her eyes more bloodshot than before.

"August sent me. He sent me… to watch over you."

"No," Regina shook her head, her feet continuously backing up- away from her.

"Regina." Emma took a step forward.

"No." Regina held up a hand, backing away further until her back hit the wall. "You-" she pointed a menacing finger as if it were a gun. And that aim was deadlier than a gun. Emma could see it in her eyes- in the sudden grief, mixed with anger that suddenly took over. "You're supposed to be dead."

"I am." Emma nodded, unable to deny that mutual agreement they suddenly shared.

"You're not supposed to be here. He is!" And there it was. The words she had feared to hear out loud. Truly and angrily spoken at her.

"I know. I know and I know this is too much to take in right now. I know I'm the last thing you expected to see marching into this town, but, please…" Emma held up a single hand, reaching inside of her duffel bag where she carried August's letter.

Regina's eyes widened far more than Emma thought they could at the sound of the crackling paper.

"Let me show you. Please," Emma took a slow and steady step, carefully holding out the letter toward her. "Just read the letter. These are his words-"

"No."

"His last words to me- to you." What Emma saw before her now wasn't a deer caught in headlights. She was a battered, broken woman grieving for her brother, and the ghost of a friend she thought she had found in Emma. "Here." She moved the letter a little more forward. A letter Regina didn't even bother looking at.

"I don't want that." Regina shook her head.

"Regina-"

"No! I don't want it, I don't want any of it- or you." Regina's chin wobbled but she fought back against that emotion almost instantly. Her eyes cold as they bore into Emma's again. "I thought you were dead. I mourned for you, too. And when four months passed- four months- I thought for sure you were gone."

"I was, believe me I was." Emma breathed, feeling a hallowed ache that slammed into the walls of her chest. Her own eyes turned bloodshot, fighting back tears of her own. "I wanted to die so many times after he was gone. August and I… we were planning on coming back together, and we would have. But then- it all happened so fast-"

"Stop!" Regina's eyes shut tight, her fingers rubbing at her temples. "Please… just… stop." Her voice broke a little, but quickly composed itself as her dark eyes spit venom directly at Emma. "I don't need this. And I don't need you. I don't need a walking, talking reminder that he's gone. I'm not weak, and I most certainly don't need a babysitter."

"I understand that. And I'm sorry he's not here." Emma's throat bobs, her wind pipes tightening within, making it difficult to swallow. "I'm sorry for everything, but I'm here to make it right. I'm here to protect you- to- to keep you safe-"

"Keep me safe? Protect me?" Regina let out a dry chuckle. Her eyes spitting venom once again. "How in the hell are you going to protect me, when you couldn't even protect him?" She spat those words out with so much hatred, even Nala felt it as she whimpered and lowered onto Emma's feet. Her head shook as her hand landed along the door handle.

"I should have died," Emma whispered, her voice threatening to break, but she swallowed down that emotion with the rest of the ones she was feeling right now. "It should have been me that night, but August-" her voice halted upon seeing Regina's hooded eyes look up at her again. "He fought like hell, Regina. Even in the end," she holds out the crumbled and worn out letter. "He fought like hell to bring me home to you."

Regina remained silent for a moment. All that anger, all that hatred… all that grief she had on lock down, it was all resurfacing and splatter along the walls of this room. At Emma. Swan. The woman she had been writing to for months and months and never heard from again. "He only needed to fight like hell to come back home. And he failed." Regina swung open the door, which up until now she hadn't realized it had been closed in on them. She stopped, her hand remaining on the handle, but she didn't bother to look back at Emma as she said, "This isn't your home. As far as I'm concerned, Swan died out there on that battlefield with him. So, do yourself a favor, and be on the next bus back to wherever it is you came from."

Emma watched as Regina fled the room, and her legs were quick to run after her, all while commanding Nala to stay put. She didn't stop until she reached the bottom of the stairs, where Ruby and Eugenia stared wide-eyed at the spectacle playing before them. "I'm not going anywhere," Emma announced, watching as Regina halted at the door to the exit. "You need anything, and it's yours. You need help? You've got it. I'll be there."

Regina let loose a mocking laugh as she decided to face Emma head-on this time. "Like I said before, Ms. Swan…"

"Emma," Emma answered, desperate to hear her say it. Her real name.

"I don't need a babysitter or anyone's charity. I've been taking care of myself since August ran off and joined the army after our parents died."

Emma had never felt the desire to hold anyone quite like she wanted to hold Regina right now. She wanted to hold her tightly against her chest and protect her from anything that threatened to harm her. Her hands ached, slightly trembling at the desperation of wanting to touch her, of wanting to wipe away those tears that Regina stubbornly refused to let free.

"It doesn't matter if you want me or not," Emma spoke again soon after watching Regina turn back toward the door. "Because I'm not here on your wishes. I'm here on August's. This is all he asked of me, so unless you have the authority to kick me out of this town, I'm going to keep the promise I made to him."

Regina whirled around, taking three steps toward Emma, which was all she needed to get to the bottom of the stairs, but not enough to be close to Emma. "Okay. Anything I need?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Anything." Emma nods.

"The night August died-"

No. Anything but that. Emma's hand twitched slightly as she tucked it securely inside of her coat pocket.

"You were there, right? You were with him in his last moments."

Emma can't do anything but nod.

"Then tell me, what happened that night? What went wrong? How is it that you are here- alive and in one piece- and he's not?" Regina crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for an answer that never came. "Well?"

"That's classified." Emma always thought of herself as an asshole, when she wanted to be. But she was an honest one.

"Classified?" Regina scoffed, shaking her head. "God, you're all the same, you know that? Loyal as anything to one another and nothing left for anyone else. Look… just tell me what happened. I deserve to know." Her eyes bore hatred into Emma's own as she looked up.

"Knowing what happened to August… to us out there… none of that would do you any good. It would hurt a hell of a lot more than it already does. Trust me."

Regina scoffed once more, unfolding her arms and tensing her body up more. She rubbed at her temples once again before she looked up at Emma, and that fake smile was back on like a spotlight. "Welcome to Storybrooke, Ms. Swan. I do hope you enjoy your stay."

With that, Emma watched as Regina stormed right out of the door, Ruby rushing to be by her side, following her out just as quickly. Emma sighed, fighting back tears of her own before marching up the stairs and back into her room where she shut the door.

As soon as Emma plopped back down along the bed, Nala was by her side, rump perched along the floor, her entire body snuggled up to her leg. "Yeah, that didn't go so well." She murmured to Nala, scratching the back of her head. Her eyes looked around the room that would be her domain for the remainder of her stay. "Well, August… I made it. I'm here. So if you have some pointers on how to win over your sister, I'm all ears."

Emma's stay might be temporary, but she was here, and she would stay to do what she promised she would do. Not because it was her mission. But because somewhere along all those exchanged letters with Regina, Emma had fallen in love with her. She had fallen in love with her strength, her words, her insight and kindness, her grace under impossible circumstances, her love for her son, and her determination to stand on her own. Hell, Emma could list a thousand reasons more but it would be never-ending. All she knew was, Regina had whatever was left of Emma's heart.

But, really, none of that even mattered because to Regina, Emma wasn't the woman she exchanged letters with. Not anymore. She was nothing more than a stranger who stumbled unwelcomed into her hometown.

And even that was far more than Emma deserved.