Twice Upon A Tale

S1E21

An Apple as Red as Blood

The day that Emma Swan entered Storybrooke with Henry was what Regina had always considered the worst day of her life.

For months, she'd been having issues with Henry. He had been distant, quieter, seemingly absent from his own life. It were as if he lived in his own little world in his head; she had tried to talk to him, to be there for him, but he had no interest in her intentions.

He was convinced she was evil.

So imagine the heartbreak when he'd sought out a woman he'd never met but had merely given birth to him. Imagine the soul crushing pain she'd felt when Emma Swan knocked on her front door with her son alongside, and looked at Regina with the same eyes she saw in Henry every day. The gut wrenching agony of watching Henry dote over this woman who he didn't even know was more than she could bear; and from then on out, she had decided Emma Swan must go.

And then she kissed Emma Swan. And then they kept kissing. And sure, they kept on hating each other as much as two people who secretly loved the others company could, and okay, they didn't get along and yeah, they disagreed on most (if not all) things.

But somehow, Regina's soul had grown to like having Emma around (though she constantly told herself it was a preference just because she preferred Emma to be around doesn't mean she needed Emma around).

So when Emma showed up at her house early in the afternoon wearing a frown and two furrowed brows, Regina knew their next conversation wouldn't be a good one.

"I'm going to be leaving town" Emma said, wringing her hands together nervously. "It's what's best for Henry. I need to get away for a bit, of course I'll be back to see him every now and then. And to see you" she tacked on, watching as Regina raises an eyebrow.

Emma's wearing her signature leather jacket and some jeans, her curls sitting loose down her shoulders as she stands in front of Regina, each hand tucked into a jean pocket after she finished wringing them together with every word.

"And why would you be visiting me?" Regina countered, wondering why on earth Emma would be leaving in the first place.

And also wondering why she wasn't happy about it.

Ever since Emma and that stupid yellow tin can of a car drove into town, she'd been trying to get her to leave. Their personal attraction to one another didn't mean Regina had wanted her to stay, ever, but now that the blonde was announcing her departure, she had found instead of glee she was filled with a sinking despair.

"Because I love you. And you love me, even though you've never said it" Emma states, and when Regina opens her mouth to protest she's surprised once again to find that nothing comes out. She has no words that could possibly convince Emma otherwise.

Because Emma is right, but she couldn't say that.

"You don't have to go" is what comes out instead. Regina doesn't want to sound desperate and she hates that her voice sounds pleading, but she really doesn't want Emma to leave. Not anymore.

"I never thought we'd be here" Emma smiled a sad smile as she leaned against the doorframe "you telling me to stay, me insisting I go. We switched places apparently"

Regina takes a moment to memorize every single feature of Emma; the way her mouth curves upwards in a smile, the way her green eyes sparkle in delight, the way her hair falls in golden waves down her shoulders so nonchalantly. Her throat begins to dry, and she realizes she's scared that this could be the last time she sees Emma.

What happens if Emma leaves and decides to stay gone? What happens if she leaves and she forgets everything? Regina didn't know any specifics of the curse affecting memories outside of Storybrooke because nobody who was there ever bothered to leave and nobody who wasn't from there decided to stay.