The Only Exception (Swan Queen)

Chapter 23

Do you ever want to run away and start over? Wipe the slate clean. Begin all over again with a blank canvas? It's okay, we all feel that way sometimes. It doesn't mean you don't love your life or the people in it. It doesn't mean that you wouldn't give your last breath to see them happy. Sometimes when we yearn to be selfish, it means we have been selfless for too long. ~Lang Leave, Selfless.

Regina's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at the sight of the blonde who was fast asleep next to her. She let out a content sigh.

Emma moved in two months ago and everything was great. Or at least, it had been until recently. Emma had been distant for the past week and Regina couldn't understand. She didn't want to pressure her into telling her what was wrong. She figured that Emma would come to her when she was ready.

Regina cuddled into the crook of her neck and the blonde shifted. "Good morning."

"Morning," Emma responded in a monotone voice as she sat up.

Regina moved away from her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay, Em?" she asked gently.

She nodded, getting to her feet. "I'm fine, Regina," she snapped causing her to flinch. "I have to get down to the station," she grumbled before walking off towards the bathroom.

Regina sat there for a moment in shock. She rarely called her Regina anymore. It's always Gina or Madame Mayor if she's being playful. This was a new turn of events.

She slipped on her slippers and made her way down the hall to Henry's room. She knocked gently.

"Come in!" a soft voice from the other side called out. Regina walked in and Henry smiled. "Morning, mom," he greeted her from his bed, a book on his lap. She let out a small sigh and his eyebrows knit together. "You okay?"

She walked over and sat down on the end of his bed. "Have you noticed anything different about Emma?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't really want to include their son on whatever was going on but she had to know if he had noticed a shift in her too.

"Is something going on?" he asked, setting his book to the side.

Regina shrugged. "I don't know," she mumbled. "She's just been distant lately."

Henry sighed. "I'm sure she'll be fine, mom. I think she just needs a bit of space for a little while, she's not used to being in the same place for long and moving in with us was a big step for her."

"I'm just worried about her," she whispered.

"I know, mom," he whispered, shifting to wrap his arms around.

Regina smiled, rubbing the boy's back. "Come on. We'll get started on breakfast before Em goes to work."

#

With the help of Henry, they finished off a small batch of chocolate chip pancakes. Henry smiled as he gathered plates from the cupboard.

Regina looked up as she heard the soft thumping of boots coming down the stairs and smiled as Emma walked into the room.

"Grab a plate. Mom and I made pancakes!" Henry squeaked happily.

The woman shrugged. "Not today, kid, I gotta go. I'll see you both later," she muttered, pulling on her coat, and leaving without another word.

Henry stood there for a moment with an empty plate in his hands. "She's never denied our chocolate chip pancakes before," he mumbled with a frown. "She didn't even hug or kiss us goodbye."

The disappointment and sadness spread across the young boy's face and Regina fumed. Emma distancing herself and avoiding her was one thing, but upsetting Henry was another. Across his face, all she could see was disappointment and rejection.

Regina scowled. "I'm going to go see if I can get some answers from her," she muttered. She pressed a sweet kiss to Henry's forehead before making her way out of the kitchen.

#

She walked into the station like a woman on a mission. "Emma!" she yelled. She turned the corner and came face to face with a very confused looking David.

"Are you okay, Regina?" he asked.

She crossed her arms. "I'm looking for Emma. She said she was coming here."

He shrugged and shook his head. "I have the morning shift today. I haven't seen Emma at all. Is everything okay?" he asked, turning swiftly into the role of concerned father.

Regina let out a rough sigh. "She's been shutting me out and now she's rejecting Henry, I don't know what's wrong with her," she muttered. Have you noticed anything different about her these past few weeks?"

David stood there in complete shock. "She's what? No, I haven't, but I honestly haven't seen her much this week," he mumbled.

"Do you have any idea where she could be?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, Regina, I wish I could help. But if I see her, I'll let you know," he promised with a kind smile.

She nodded. "Thank you, David," she mumbled with a grateful smile before walking out of the building.

The more time Regina spent searching the town, the more annoyed and scared she could feel herself becoming. Although, she didn't know which emotion was stronger.

After two hours, she gave up and decided to take a walk through the forest to try and clear her head. She racked her brain trying to figure out what could have happened, what she could have done that made Emma become so distant.

She was about to turn around and head home when she saw a flash of yellow on the road. Regina made her way towards it and found Emma sitting on the hood of the bug, staring out at the open road across the town line.

She cleared her throat slightly causing the blonde to jump. "Hey!" she called out.

Emma looked over. "Hey," she mumbled before turning away again.

Regina made her way closer. "Is everything okay?"

She scoffed "seriously, Regina?"

"Well, you haven't been speaking to me lately, so what am I meant to think?" she snapped. "Not to mention earlier on. Do you understand how upset Henry was? If you're not going to talk to me, fine, but don't do that to Henry." Her tone was harsh and demanding. Annoyance had trumped fear and she was not going to hold back anymore.

"Okay," the blonde muttered, still not looking up at her.

Regina scoffed. "You are such a hypocrite, Emma Swan," she growled. The woman's head shot up at the accusation. "When I'm upset it's all 'You can talk to me, Gina. Tell me what's going on.' But with you it's block everyone out and don't say shit." She ran her hand through her hair. "I mean, what the hell is going on, Emma?" She wanted answers and at this point, wasn't concerned about hurting her feelings.

Emma hopped off the hood so she was on her feet and standing in front of her. The blonde towered over her by a few inches but Regina stood her ground, glaring back up at her. "I feel stuck, Regina. I'm not going anywhere here. It used to be exciting, now it's the same thing every day and I'm sick of it," she snapped.

Regina frowned. "Then why'd you start a relationship with me? You could have left once the town was safe again. Why'd you move in with me? You had so many opportunities," she pressed, wanting further explanation.

Emma ran a hand through her thick blonde mane. "I don't know, okay. I just don't want to be here any longer. I stuck around for Henry and nothing else."

Regina faltered slightly. And nothing else. The words echoed in the back of her mind. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying. "Then leave if you don't want to be here. I'm not going to stop you," she snapped. "If you're so miserable here then pack your stuff and get out. Go, do whatever you want." She didn't even give her a chance to respond before engulfing herself in her signature purple smoke.

Regina landed in her vault and sank to her knees. She let out a ragged sob as she finally released the tears that she was holding back.