OQ One Shots (#OQPromptParty)

SPOOKYOQ DAY ONE - MASK

Regina

My fingers went cold as the icy mist of my soulmate's soul began to vaporize before my eyes. I felt as if I could reach towards the mist, I could prevent his limp body from crashing to the floor. However, it inevitably crashed, causing me to hurl myself towards it in a blur, desperately trying to claw him back into my life.

Hades and Zelena quarreled behind me, making my head run wild with the thoughts that I couldn't sort out at the moment. I watched as he threatened my life, the glowing crystal that made me tremble for some horrid reason, because I had never wanted to die so badly.

I watched tiredly as my sister slammed the crystal into the older man's heart, causing him to vanish as well, her audible cries telling me that his reign of terror was over, but my nightmare was only beginning.

I slid to my knees and pulled my lover's body towards my lap, setting his head upon my knees, as if he'd wake up comfortably. But sadly the steady rise and fall of his chest was gone, and I could feel him growing cold in my very arms.

I hastily let go of my sister and began to cradle him close to my chest, all my grief mixing like a murky brook in the woods. He was cold, so very cold, all the life sucked from this body that was nothing more than a shell to me, a mask that use to mold a person.

I didn't notice the sound of the coroner arrive, or the noisy sheriff with her father, drilling my sister with buckets of questions. Nobody had shifted their attention towards my direction, allowing me to take a few more shallow breaths and shudder.

"Regina?" I heard my stepdaughter question as she barreled into the room, gasping at the mess that my office was in.

"I fell." I insisted, instantly rising to my feet, every trace of grief gone from my expression. I am the mayor of the town. I am the queen, and queens don't cry.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry." Snow frowned, stepping forward to hug me, but I instinctively backed away, forcing myself to raise an eyebrow at her, faking confusion and annoyance.

"That I fell? Jesus Snow, I'm not a baby, you don't need to be hugging me for every damn paper cut I get." I snapped, catching her off guard, along with her entire family.

"Regina...that's uncalled for." Emma began to argue, but I snapped my head over to the blond who had dark, puffy bags under her hazel eyes, still raw from her own grief, making me even more annoyed.

"Oh, suddenly you're all lovey dovey with mommy? The last time I recalled, you still call her by her first name every time you get butt hurt with her." I snarled, making her eyes widen with the hate in my words, along with her father who remained silent for the sake of the moment.

"Look. I know you're hurting, but so am I, so instead of snapping, maybe we can work on it together, your hurt-."

"I am NOT hurting. I'm tired and I need a drink." I bit off, glaring at my sister who was finished with the coroner, now bouncing a screaming baby.

"Just- I need you all to leave me the fuck alone." I grumbled, stomping out of my office with my purse clutched to my side.

Snow

I sighed as my stepmother stomped out of her office, her knuckles white as she rushed out. I felt David's reassuring hand on my shoulder as he began to rub the tense knots out.

"God, I don't know why she's acting like that, you were just trying to help." Emma grumbled, signing off on some forms that the coroner was forcing on her, her pen dancing angrily on the pages as she scribbled her name off.

"She's mourning." I defended, looking over at the spot on the marble that was now stained with blood where Robin had smacked his head, a lump forming in my throat.

"So am I, you don't see me biting anyone's head off." My daughter groaned, ushering us out of the office that I had a feeling that I'd be using for a while.

"Everyone is different, and you know Regina isn't someone who is very candid with her vulnerability. She terrorized an entire kingdom the last time she lost a love, at least she isn't doing that now. I saw her evil mask slip on faster than I have ever seen it go on before. So you can't blame her for being short, because she's afraid to feel what she is really feeling." I explained, rubbing my temple before rushing off.

Regina

I quietly nursed a heavily spiked apple cider, curled on the sofa in my nightgown. The clothes I had in the underworld had begun choking me, making it impossible to breathe with them clinging to my skin.

Upstairs had haunted me, it was a place that we had planned on sharing, and now it felt all too big for comfort.

"Milady?" A gentle voice questioned, one whose absence I hadn't adapted to. "Robin?" I whispered, my voice faltering for the first time since he had died.

I felt a dip in the couch and my skin prick with goosebumps, making me turn and stare at his beautiful face, my eyes not wanting to let go of this image.

"Please stay." I whispered, my hands shaking enough to drop my cider on my bare legs, creating a sticky mess. His eyes turned sadly and he reached up, placing an icy hand on my cheek.

"You know I can't. But I need you to not do this all over again." He requested sternly, making me shudder and frown at him in confusion.

"Don't put your evil mask on, you are not the person who lost Daniel again, you are a new woman who is aware of those around her that are willing to help in a hard time." He reminded, moving a piece of my bangs out of my eyes.

"You shouldn't have done this, I should've gone, Hades wanted me." I demanded, angry that he had the audacity to save a life that so few depended on.

"I couldn't let you. I love you with my entire soul, I couldn't let a piece of my soul die." He explained, making me frown and clutch his arm for dear life.

"But mine did die with you." I explained in a strained whisper, but he shook his head at me and slowly kissed me.

"No, your soul isn't dead, you just have to find those who will let it shine again." He winked, my chest tightening as I tried to memorize every feature of his face, blinking once, opening my eyes to find my couch empty.

I exhaled tiredly and slumped back on the couch, pouring myself another drink.

Snow

I raced over to Mifflin street and banged on the mansion doors, bursting through with the key when I realized that Regina probably wouldn't be up for visitors.

I raced in and found her on the sofa in a cream nightgown, sticky cider stuck to her porcelain legs.

"I said leave me alone!" She cried out, throwing the glass at the wall with all her might. "I know what you said, but I also know that you wear the thickest of all masks, and you need some help, because the pain you're avoiding is going to hit soon." I explained, watching as she dropped her head and began to sob.

"Okay, it's okay." I whispered, reaching down to help her up, she resisted at first, but I then watched her reach a bloodied hand up at me, her nails still caked with the blood of her thief.

"What if there is nothing? Just a huge, vast plane of nothing! He's really gone!" She screamed, wrapping her hands around herself. I sighed and carefully enveloped her into my arms.

"What if he feels nothing- and I can't stop feeling this!" She screamed, her knees shaking, making me tighten my grip on her as they began to buckle.

My lip trembled and I watched on as I bore witness to something so rare and heartbreaking. I had seen Regina hurt, I have seen her face trials and frustrations, but this was something completely new.

I was there to witness her removing the mask she wore.