On the matter of Regina's friendship with Emma: of course she would, at least as the story goes on: they're basically a retelling of Moses' family in "the Prince of Egypt" in a LOT of ways... and like with his own historical case: Gina would really develop a friendship with Emma; on the basis that like his family- she was kind of on a trajectory towards despair.
You see: in the situation of Imperial Egypt in Exodus, the backstory to Moses, his stepmom was kind of brokenhearted if not overtly jealous of her pals- the reason why is she thought she was kind of rejected by the inhabitants of Heaven- it was seen as shameful for a woman to be childless, and Gina was really kind of annoyed to the point of freaking out that her mom'd bullied her into marrying a man she didn't like, really at all, and killed her love-interest; now in Leopold's views; finding that out by a chat with her; I'd really kind of be annoyed with my "mother-in-law" Cora, about blackmailing her *kid* into a marriage; and me? I'd feel kind of disgusting and scammed, not by Gina, but by her mom; so Gina'd be safe, but her mom? she'd be in danger for that nasty trick on her kid!
Course, Gina, annoyed if nothing else; sterilizes herself- in a dumb episode of attempted revenge; of *course* she'd be fond of Emma about adopting the blonde lady's biological son!
Now we factor in that, canonically; of *course* like with Moses' families; she'd be "catechizing" his other mom in her beliefs; correct or not- it is rooted in charity and friendship.
It is simply the idea that all loves are the same kind is something that does not in and of itself follow. Yes, true friendship *can* lead to more intense kinds, but it doesn't add up that it necessarily *will*.
