The Love of Friendship

See You Again

Regina

I stared at my friend's limp body, the heartache tearing through me, the one person who knew me, who I saw grow up, evolve, become a wife, a leader, a mother, the little girl who I acted like I couldn't stand, but in reality made the torturous nights with her father a tad more tolerable. She was gone.

"Thank you for being the mother I never had." Her words rang through my head and I started to register the sounds that were coming out of my mouth, Henry and Emma were sobbing behind me and Roland came over to me and buried his face into my chest crying as well.

I reached over and closed her eyes, standing up, everyone came out of their houses and shops to see the carnage that took place, among those were Granny, I stood up and saw Neal rush out of her shop with a hopeful look on his face.

"Mommy!" He yelled, I stood up and rushed over to him, he gasped when he saw his mother laying lifeless on the cold concrete. I raced over to him and scooped him up into my arms, taking him away from the prying eyes of the community.

I ran to Snow's loft and burst into tears, but determined to stay strong for my nephew. I sat down on the bed that was freshly made with Neal and let him scream into my chest, the heartache of losing his mother, the only parent he had known fresh in his little heart. I cried with him, how was he going to grow up without his mother? He kicked and cried and wailed as he replayed the image of his mother's dead corpse laying in front of him. He clung to me and refused to let go, hanging onto me so tightly that his tiny fingers left marks on my biceps.

I picked up the phone and fumbled with it, my vision blurry from crying.

"Hello my love, how are things?" Robin asked in a smooth voice. "Robin you need to come home now." I whimpered quietly, Neal had fallen asleep on my lap and I had to contain myself.

"Darling what's wrong?" He asked with fear in his voice. "Snow died." I sobbed, shaking as I cried. "Oh my god Regina I am so sorry, of course, I'm on my way home right now." I hung up and placed Neal inside of the crib while I gathered his things and flicked my wrist, making myself appear in my house.

I laid Neal down on my bed and came downstairs, collapsing on the couch, dropping my face into my hands and sobbing harder than I ever had before.

"Regina?" I looked up and didn't even realize what time it was, Belle had Carolina's hand and Danielle in her arm. "Oh Belle I'm so sorry." I said taking my kids from her, setting Danielle in her seat. "Regina I'm so sorry." She said crying as well, hugging me tightly, I held onto her and let her out.

"Mama don't cry!" Carolina said, her lower lip quivering, I was scaring her so I attempted to pull myself together for her sake. "Mama is just a little sad, you see Noni-."

"NONI!" She squealed, clapping her hands at the sound of her aunt. "Yes, Noni, but she's not here anymore, but she loved you very much." I said squeezing my daughter, trying to console myself. She sat up and wrapped her little arms around me and pressing her face against my chest. "I miss her mama." She said frowning, I felt my heart break and I nodded at her, trying to hold my tears back.

"I know. I do too."

The doorbell rang and I snapped back into reality, I got up and answered the door, Zelena was standing at the door with a happier attitude than me. "Auntie Lena!" Carolina cried, toddling over to my sister and holding her arms up, Zelena tickled her stomach then stood up. I tried to compose myself before I lost it again, but I would not cry in front of my daughter again.

"Sweetie why don't you go and play over there." I said pointing to her giraffe and blocks over in the other room.

"Regina? What's going on?" Zelena asked in a concerned voice, I bit my lip and felt the tears well up in my eyes. "Mother is now the Dark One, well she was angry at us for taking her magic so she came to kill us and our families, well she had this monster thing that attacked us, and Snow pushed me out of the way when the monster's arm was going to crush me. Well I thought I could heal her but it's talon impaled her and-." I stopped and felt the tears roll down my face, Zelena tilted her head and she hugged me tightly. "I am so sorry." I pulled away and wiped my eyes, the sorrow was now changing, it was now being fueled with rage, the same anger I felt when I looked at my mother after she killed Daniel, after she watched me drink the potion, after she tried to use me to get Rumple's dagger.

"She has to suffer." I said in a low growl, standing up quickly, rushing towards the door. "Regina no." Zelena said holding me back with her arm, I tried to pull away but she made me face her, freezing me. "She killed my friend!" I protested, she shook her head and gave me a stern look.

"Regina listen to yourself, this isn't you, this is the Evil Queen talking, don't revert back to her, this is what got you on this path in the first place!" She scolded, I whipped my head over to face her and felt my rage build. "YOU DON'T KNOW ME!" I blurted out, she looked hurt and sat me down. "Regina, I do know you, and this is exactly what you stopped me from doing in the Enchanted Forest! Mother hurt me and I wanted to make her pay, but if you revert to your old ways you will lose everything! Henry, Roland, Carolina, and now Neal! Snow trusted you with her son because she knows you are good! Don't prove her wrong by doing this! Regina don't become the Evil Queen again."

"That's all I know how to be." I said in a monotone voice, Zelena shook her head and squeezed my hands. "No! You are better than this! We will stop Cora, but we will not give in to hatred and vengeance." Zelena said calming me down, I sniffled and nodded, crumpling into her, she rubbed slow circles on my back and then sat me up, giving me a sympathetic smile.

"Nina I want mama!" Neal whined wandering into the living room, his eyes still puffy from crying, I picked him up and placed him in my lap, rocking him back and forth. "Sweetie, mama isn't here anymore, and she's not coming back." I tried to say as gently as possible, his eyes widened and he started wailing again, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Regina I'm home!" Robin said rushing in, I stood up and balanced Neal in my arms, Zelena quietly let herself out and gave us all some privacy.

"Robin." I whimpered, leaning into him, tears falling down my face, he nodded and kissed my forehead, wrapping Neal and I into his arms, I looked out the window and realized how late it was, the sun completely gone. "Let's go to bed." He said leading me gently up the stairs, I placed Neal in the spare bedroom, he thankfully had fallen asleep so I could change and talk to Robin for a bit.

"Sweetheart I am so sorry, I know you loved her." He said holding me tightly, I buried my face in his chest and cried, he cupped my head and then pulled away, laying me down in bed , pulling me close and shutting the light off. "Try and sleep darling." He whispered in my ear, I curled into him and started taking deep breaths, attempting to get some sleep.

I woke up to the feeling of little fingers tapping on my face, I opened my eyes and saw Neal weeping at the edge of my bed, reaching his arms out to me, I pulled him in between Robin and I, he nuzzled himself under the crook of my arm and his tears started wetting my nightgown, making my grief for this little boy grow immensely.