ONCE UPON A TIME X READERS

[REGINA MILLS DRABBLE]

Based on Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri: And who do you think you are? / Runnin' 'round leaving scars / Collecting your jar of hearts / And tearing love apart

Warnings: angst

Word count: 607

Once Upon a Time, you had loved Regina. Loved her innocent, free soul - loved the person she was. Her mother had been horrible, power-hungry and wouldn't spare a soul in getting what she wanted, and she manipulated your best friend, but she wouldn't budge. She talked back to her mother if she dared, but she didn't listen. She loved her mother despite her being horrible - and in some way, Cora loved Regina too. She wanted nothing but the best to her, but the problem was that she didn't care what Regina wanted. She wanted Regina having what she didn't when she was young.

As time went on, Regina had become colder. She started to practice dark magic with Rumpelstilskin, and doing so, her heart started to blacken. She started to become evil and power-hungry - in some ways worse than her mother. And you didn't recognize her as the Regina who she had been when you befriended her originally, who you fell in love with - she was a monster now, obsessed with killing off Snow White, who had been manipulated by Cora as a child, and unknowingly breaking Regina's heart. Snow was the reason the love of her life was dead, and she would never let it go, or so she swore.

And when you heard about The Dark Curse, you had had enough. She had completely become obsessed with destroying Snow and the Prince, their happiness, and you packed your bags, making your leave from the castle. Regina spotted you marching towards the front gates, and her voice echoed through the courtyard. "Y/N!"

You froze, swallowing your tears, your broken voice, and turned to look at her, as she quickly made her way towards you. "What?"

"Where are you going? The curse is almost ready, we have a better life soon, but if you leave this castle... you'll lose your memories." she furrowed her eyebrows as she saw your static expression - you already knew all this.

"That's what I'm counting on." you muttered, and turned away again, but were stopped by Regina gripping your hand. "Let me go, Regina."

"Why do you want to leave me?" she asked, and for a moment you thought you heard her voice crack slightly. "You're my oldest friend, the only one who-"

"Shut up!" you screamed at her, causing her to let go of your hand and staggering back, you had never raised your voice at her. "You are seeking for revenge, collecting hearts, leaving scars. Who you think you are? Not the Regina I know. You're a monster. Just like your mother." you watched Regina's eyes darken at your last sentence, and you knew you had poked the right place. "Your mom made you just like her. I was ready to be there for you until the end, but it was you who pushed me away. I loved you, Regina."

Her eyes softened again, but she didn't say anything anymore. She watched you leave, walk out from the gates, disappearing into the cold, dark night.

Regina went back inside, and swiped everything off from her vanity table as she let out a shriek of agony. She had loved you for so long, too scared to say it to you - and now she found out you had loved her too, but that her hunger for power had pushed you away.

She took the heart of her father with her, holding her tears back - in the new world, the world without magic, she would find you again. And you could start over. You could be happy forever.

But would it truly be love if you weren't who you thought you were?