Why does fate intertwine me with you?

Regina falls apart

Emma's POV

Worry. Worry and Fear is all that I can feel right now. Regina and I are safely back in the walls of 108 Mifflin House, and Henry is safe, but I still feel worried and fearful. And now I know that its not just me feeling this way. Both of us returned to Regina's home and the queen quickly poured each of us a drink. We sat down near the ashy fireplace, and remained in our own thoughts from then on. I now look up across me to find Madame Mayor seated regally, and not uttering a single word since we left Henry's old castle location. How strange it is to see the usually bitchy, but confident, Mayor reduce down into an insecure, quite possibly despondent, small woman. She hasn't made a sound yet, merely drinking her glass of apple cider mindlessly as she continues to stare off into space. It actually...well, it actually scares me.

"Uh...h-hey. Regina? Are...are you feeling alright? I know that you're clearly not okay with this all and uh...I dunno, maybe we can talk?" I ask hesitantly. I doubt she'll want to, but at least if she snaps at me, I know that she's better than she appears to be now.

The silence is seriously starting to creep up on me. I keep taking a swig of cider, regretting that it burns my throat each time, but it's giving me something to do, and that's okay. But I almost drop my glass when I hear Regina start to speak.

"Swan." She mumbled out almost wordlessly.

"Yeah? Regina, what is it?! Please, tell me, yell at me, I don't care! Just keep talking." I guess I must sound crazy to her, but I mean...if you saw Regina Mills quiet, and worried of all things, then surely you would react the same?

"I...I am really not okay with this. It's too much." She takes a long pause, I know I am exaggerating but it felt more like hours waiting for her next words. "And the worst part...the worst part is that I don't know how to fix it." I hear a small choke come from where Madame Mayor is seated.

"Oh damn, Regina, don't cry." I realize in an instant that I am already seated beside the queen, and then I hug her; running my hand in circles around her back. I can feel her emotions fighting inside me, and damn they are strong. She's so sad, it's heartbreaking. I don't even care if we are supposed to hate each other right now either. That can wait. Right now, I am going to comfort Regina.
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Regina's POV

I have stooped to a new low. Okay, so showing weakness was one thing, but allowing Emma of all people to see and try and calm me down from a breakdown, TWICE might I add, is another. I am just SO glad that mother is not around anymore, as bad as that sounds.

More tears flood down my cheeks, and I hate it, I hate it so much. Why am I so weak? I don't deserve any happy ending with the way I am now, not even precious Snow would act like this. How am I supposed to protect Henry either? No wonder he prefers Emma over me, at least she can keep calm. And I don't even have a solution to our problem, so what happens after that? We're cursed forever, all because I am a pathetic excuse for a living being. I hiccup this time before tearing up again.

"Hey! Regina, I know you're beating yourself up in there. It's not your fault. I don't expect you to be able to come up with the answer to our problem, you didn't do anything wrong." Ms. Swan half whispers in my ear, still rubbing circles on my back.

Her touch is nice, dare I admit it. But this just makes me feel even more terrible; Emma suffers because of me. Always me. "Swan, I always do the wrong thing. People say it themselves; I'm the Evil Queen."

"Bullshit."

"E-Excuse me?" I sniffle back in surprise, water still leaking from my eyes.

"You heard me. Bullshit. I know you Regina. Okay, maybe only your angry side, but still. You're not an evil person. And you never were." She turns around behind her and grabs something.