A Chance To Mend

Chapter 1: We're Back

"We're back." Snow's voice echoed in Regina's ear, stating the obvious. Regina looked down, a single tear rolled down her face as her breath hitched in her throat. Those simple little words meant so much more, it meant that She could never see the only person she loves, her son.

Regina quickly used the back of her hand to wipe away the tear and forced herself to look forward. Regina's stare was gazed and empty, She wasn't really paying attention to the conversation between Snow and Aurora. The only thing she could think of- could feel, was the aching in her chest. The feeling weighed on her, it was her heart. One after another it pounded her down, deeper and deeper into sorrow.

"Regina?"

Regina looked towards Snow in reply. The gazed look still holding in her eyes

"Regina, we said your name three times already." Snow said concerned.

Regina furrowed her brows. Ignoring her concerns, she asked, "What do you need?"

"We are taking back the castle, but with you by our side." Snow said looking towards David with a smile, but David's gaze was looking at Regina, he was still concerned. He could see the emptiness in Regina's eyes, the pain that dwelt there.

"How wonderful." Regina's sarcastic voice answered as she tried to avoid Charming's gaze, that she could tell was pointed at her. "When do we leave?"

"Now"

The Charmings, the dwarves, and The other people Regina didn't bother herself to remember packed up and made way to the castle.

Regina began to find it harder to walk, harder to want to walk. Her chest ripped at her, begging to be felt. The sorrow was to heavy, she couldn't take it anymore. Slowly; not to be noticed, she let herself fall to the back of the group until she was able to sneak into the cover of the trees. She tried to move fast so she could catch back up with the group eventually.

She fell to the cold ground and let herself weep until she brought her hand to her chest and pulled her heart out. She looked at the small shriveled organ, it was completely black in all corners of her heart besides one. It was small but it was there, a red glow, there was hope. Hope she mocked herself, and she began to dig.

~~~

"Charming, have you seen Regina?" Snow asked David.

"No I haven't... Do you want me to go and find her?" David said.

"Yea, thanks." Snow said with a smile and gave David a quick kiss. David gave her a smile back and turned away.

David ventured off into the woods looking for Regina. He knew calling her name was pointless and there was the chance she would run. So he kept quiet as he searched threw the woods. Soon enough he heard something, crying? He asked himself. He followed the sound until he came across to source of the quiet cries, Regina.

David glanced over her and noticed the dismantled dirt to the side of her. He could see something, it was glowing. "Is- is that a heart?"

Regina jumped and took a breath silencing her cries, "No ones you'd miss." Regina's voice said scratchy from her crying.

"Oh my-... Is that your heart?"

Regina looked at the small dark heart in disgust. "Regina, you can't just bury your feelings in the woods."

"Watch me." Regina glared at David.

"It won't make you feel better, you won't feel anything..."

"That's the point!" Regina raised her voice but it wasn't in anger, she seemed overwhelmed.

"It will get better, with your heart, but you have to give it a chance to mend. If you don't you will never find the thing henry wanted you to find most, happiness." David didn't know why he was trying to convince her to keep her heart so much, but he couldn't think of letting her bury it away forever.

That is what henry would want and she knew it.

Regina let out a sigh of exhaust and dread as she looked back down at the blackened heart. She brought her hand around it, encaging it in her fingers. Slowly she brought the heart to her chest, pausing for a moment deciding wether or not she should really do this.

"You can do it." David's simple words of encouragement gave her the push that she needed and she pressed the heart into her chest.

It was like a wave of sorrow, it took her breath away. The pain put all its weight on her, not holding back. She tried to keep her tears in but they demanded they'd come out. Regina kept her face turned from David's, she didn't want him to see her like this, weak, something to be pitied.

"Are you okay?" David asked.

"I'm fine." Regina said trying to convince herself more than she was him, but she couldn't lead herself to believe it. "I'm fine." She demanded herself to believe, but still, she disagreed.

"Regina?"

"I'm fine!" Regina said looking up at David with tears burning in her eyes.

"Regina," David sighed under his breath.

"I'm fine." Regina began to cry those two little words.

David came up beside her and sat down on the damp ground, placing a hand on her back. "I'm fine." She sobbed. David moved his hand across her back and brought the other one around her in a deep embrace.

Regina fell into to him as her cries took over her and she grabbed at the fabric covering his chest. "I'm fine." She repeated over and over trying to make it true. But with every 'im fine' she said the farther from the truth it felt.

David shushed her cries rocking her slightly. He was taken aback by this women. This woman that he knew to be so strong and powerful, beautiful... He trailed off in his mind, to this, still beautiful but in so much pain. Henry was all she had to live for, all she loved and he had been ripped away from her.

David knew what the pain she was going threw felt like. The loss of a child is nothing anyone should have to be put through or bare. He would know better than anyone, for he has lost his daughter twice now. He wanted to shout and cry out and just let his sorrow go as well, but he needed to be strong, he told himself, for her.

After a long while, her cries slowly began to soften and she realized what she'd done. Regina raised her head and looked at David. "Don't say a word about this to anyone, as far as you're concerned it never happened." Regina said threateningly.

David wasn't taken aback, he understood and nodded his head. "Come on let's get you back to the group." He offered her a small smile, standing up.

"Okay." She said standing up as well.

They returned to the group that had stopped and waited for them and explained to Snow that Regina had just fallen behind and gotten herself lost. Snow believed it, Regina didn't know how she believed it but she did. She was to trusting, but the group continued on their journey to the castle all the same. And what a long journey that would be.

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