Regina held a silver picture frame in her hand. Henry had taken the snapshot it contained with the camera Emma bought for their camping trip. That had been a year ago, when they were still pretending that nothing was wrong with their marriage.

In the picture, Emma was sitting beside the lake in a foldout chair, while Regina soaked her feet in the water and smiled back at her. Henry raised the camera over his head to make sure he captured them all.

For six months, the rolls of film had sat untended on Regina's desk. Henry only insisted on developing the photos after Emma moved out. He kept the album in his bedroom, but chose to hang the one photo that pained her the most in a place where she would be forced to see it daily. She returned the photo to its prominent spot on the mantel, then sat on the couch and pressed her fingers into her temples.

For Emma, it felt strange to be standing in the kitchen of a place she once called home. The lingering familiarity was offset by the occasional discovery of something different. New dishcloths in the drawer that used to hold the cutlery. New cutlery where their mugs used to sit together on the counter, waiting to be filled with their morning coffee.

Emma shook herself out of the reverie of what used to be and focused on the task at hand. Regina might have bought the decorations that she'd put up, but for once she baked the cake all by herself. She smoothed the chocolate frosting with the knife one more time and then stuck the candles into it carefully.

Content that she'd succeeded in her task, Emma left it where it was for later, when they'd surprise Henry when he got home from school. People were already showing up – Snow was happily making sandwiches while David watched and ate the scraps.

Emma took the liberty to lick the knife clean and tossed it in the sink before she double-checked the banner she'd hung over the entryway. That was when she caught sight of Regina, and it took all her willpower not to ask why she wasn't helping. "Something wrong?" she asked, jutting her chin petulantly.

Put on the defensive by the look of self-righteous judgment that she found on the savior's face, Regina offered up a bitter smile in return. "You have chocolate on your chin and your cake is lopsided. This is Henry's sixteenth birthday. I'd like it to be memorable. And not because you ruined it for him."

The rapid fire aggressiveness should have been something Emma was prepared for, but given it was their son's birthday she'd forgotten that being around Regina meant constantly shielding herself from well placed barbs. Two could play at that game. "Lopsided, huh? I guess it has that in common with your ass." Emma's smile was blasé as she wiped her thumb against her chin and licked it clean. Not for one second did she think that Regina wasn't perfectly proportioned, but Regina had pissed her off and now she was worried what other people would think of her cake.

For an instant, Regina's guard slipped and the ice in her eyes melted, leaving behind big wet pools that were full of sadness. In the time it took to stand and fold her arms over her chest, her nostrils flared and all evidence of her wounded feelings were gone, replaced only by rage. "That would be a convincing insult, but there's one problem with it. You practically drool every time I bend over or exit a room."

Emma snorted and looked around; it gave her time to pretend Regina's words didn't sting, and like she hadn't blushed guiltily. Especially when she remembered what it had felt like eight months ago, when every attempt at seduction had been knocked down; after a few months of that Emma had started to feel dirty for even wanting to be intimate with her wife. Then Regina had started to talk about divorce. Now here they were, in the process of it. "Oh you were expecting an insult? I thought we were just swapping facts."

Snow spotted the confrontation from where she stood in the doorway to the kitchen. She raced over at a comical speed and wedged herself between her daughter and Regina. "Henry will be home any minute," she reminded them. "Please, try to get along. For Henry's sake."

Emma offered a tense smile to her mother then bowed her head to resist any callow remarks such as 'she started it' even though, technically, that was true. Regardless, Snow was right. This wasn't about them, it was about Henry; she just had to keep that in mind when Regina was actively trying to get under her skin. It never took much, considering Emma still loved her.

Regina put some distance between herself and Emma, but as soon as Snow returned to making sandwiches, she gestured to a box by the door. "The last of your things," she explained. "You keep forgetting to take them. Here's a fact for you: if you leave them here one more time, the whole box will go out in the morning with the trash."

"Seriously? You're giving me it now?" Emma sucked in a deep breath and shook her head as she cast her gaze towards the ceiling. Of course Regina couldn't wait until tomorrow to get rid of the last remaining parts of her - that, admittedly, she'd stalled in removing herself because… Because once there was no trace of her within the walls of the mansion, it would be like she'd never lived there. It felt like she was being erased. "Fine. I have space in the bug anyway." She grumbled, and grabbed up the box before Regina said anything else.

With the worst timing imaginable, Henry burst through the door with a broad grin on his face. He sensed the tension between his moms right away and stepped by them to get to the stairs. "If you're fighting again, I'll just be in my room."

"Henry, wait," Regina pleaded, and quickly put her hand out, eager to show her son that she was capable of behaving. She placed her fingers gently on top of Emma's wrist, though even touching her soon-to-be ex was enough to make her feel lightheaded. "Your mother baked you a cake, your grandparents are here, and I have a special surprise for you. We want to have a nice afternoon. All of us. Together. Please?"

Henry shrugged off his backpack, and reluctantly headed in the direction of the kitchen. "Fine. I was hoping there would be cake."

Regina's barely there touch still managed to make Emma's heart skip a beat and for a second she truly hated how much she still craved the contact. Enough to not move from the ghosting fingertips against her wrist. "What kind of birthday doesn't have cake?" She damn well knew for sure that Henry had always had cake. Unlike herself growing up, but she'd never say that in front of her son. "Don't you dare think about taking a piece before I've lit the candles!"

Emma raised her voice as Henry walked off towards his grandparents, and rolled her eyes when he turned to smirk at her. That? That was all Regina.

Regina waited until Henry was out of earshot, and then she pulled Emma aside. "It's okay with me if you want to leave the box here until you've found a place for it. Come and get it whenever it's convenient." It wasn't an apology, but it was her best effort at being civil, for Henry's sake.

Emma frowned as her arm was tugged; she loathed how much she liked the feel of Regina's hand wrapped around her bicep. She knew she'd just have to deal with the fact that their marriage was almost officially over. In the back of her mind she'd convinced herself it wasn't too late to fix things. Only she had no idea what was broken, other than herself. "No, you're not." It wasn't said in anger, or in accusation, as Emma blinked back at Regina. It was hauntingly somber. "If you were, you wouldn't have packed it and set it by the door."

She was tired of trying to force her way into the brunette's life when the woman was trying so hard to eject her from it. Emma didn't let herself dwell on it as she shrugged out of Regina's grip and made her way outside to stash her stuff in the back seat of her car.

Unable to tear herself away from the sight of Emma packing up her final possessions, Regina stood rooted in her spot by the front door and clutched at her side in dismay. She had to swing the door shut, and if she did it a bit more forcefully than she intended, that wasn't her fault.

Outside, Archie strolled up the walkway, leading the rest of the party guests. Granny and Ruby slowed down when they saw that the back hatch of Emma's bug was open. It looked like Emma had been living out of her car these past few months.

Rumpel and Belle came after the Lucas family, and they also stopped to watch Emma struggle with the last box of her belongings.

Then Ruby rushed over to help, scooping up a bundle of shirts that had tumbled out onto the driveway. "Hey Em," she said sheepishly. "Where's the birthday boy?"

"Thanks, Ruby." Emma sighed in gratitude, even though she felt the burn of humiliation creep up her neck as the guests witnessed her struggle to push her things into the bug. She took the shirts and tossed them haphazardly into the back seat before shutting the door and pointing towards the house. "He's in the kitchen, probably trying to steal frosting before anyone catches him. I'm glad you could make it." Emma offered a small smile and walked Ruby into the house.

Snow and David greeted everyone warmly, but Regina seemed to be preoccupied.

Regina was frowning critically at the cake Emma baked for Henry, and resisting the urge to openly embarrass her ex in the presence of their family and guests. She sensed that Rumpel was staring at her in disapproval and moodily glanced in his direction.

"So, am I getting a car?" Henry asked with a lopsided grin. "Think of it this way: if I have my own car, you and mom won't have to see each other when I'm going back and forth between her apartment and the house."

There was no doubt in the Emma's mind that if getting Henry a car for his sixteenth birthday meant that Regina didn't have to look at her again, Regina would buy him one.

Snow winced a little and exchanged a worried look with Charming, who stepped in to clap a hand over Henry's shoulder. "Aren't you going to say hello to all of your guests?"

Grateful for the change in conversation, Emma joked, "Yeah kid, at least pretend you're glad to see everyone, or they might take the presents back." It was a hollow threat that Ruby and Belle chuckled at, and for a brief second she could almost pretend things were as they used to be.

Regina glowered at Emma, and then moved off to set out the food, without stopping to acknowledge anyone. She stayed in the kitchen, putting the final touches on her pasta salad while all of the guests made themselves comfortable at the table in the dining room.

Archie noticed that whoever did the seating arrangements had made a point of placing Emma as far from Regina as possible, but as soon as the former queen entered the room again, he knew distance would be no obstacle to their fighting.

"Well if I can't have a car can I at least have a motor bike?" Henry pleaded as he sat between Ruby and Archie.

"Not a chance. At this rate you'll be lucky if you get a skateboard." Emma grinned teasingly and grabbed the seat she'd been given, between Belle and David.

Henry slumped for half a second before he glanced around the table and then pointedly between his mothers. "You know, with a little magic, I bet you could make me a hover board. That would be so much cooler than a car!"

Emma rolled her eyes but a lazy grin tugged at her lips. It would be cruel to point out that he couldn't pick his friends up or take a future date out on a ride on one of those things. "Nice try kid, but we don't play around with magic. You know that."

A sudden snort from Ruby earned the tall brunette several bewildered glances, Emma's among them. "Was it yesterday or the day before that you were adding sprinkles to everyone's drinks at the diner?"

All attention shifted back to Emma, and she blatantly ignored Snow's raised eyebrow as she muttered quietly, "I wasn't playing. I was practicing. There's a difference."

"Right, there's a huge difference between putting sprinkles on your hot cocoa and adding them to Leroy's whiskey." Ruby's smile was mischievous, until a well-placed elbow from Granny wiped it from her face.

"That happened one time." Emma hissed quietly, and ignored the way the woman mouthed 'twice' to Belle who tried to hide her laughter.

At her place on the far side of the room, Regina thought back to all of the early birthdays, when she and Henry were alone. Her son had trouble making friends, so she was never able to throw the types of parties that most parents gave their children. But she always spoiled him with gifts and sweets, up until the day that he turned ten years old. He spent that birthday in his room, after slamming the door shut and shouting in her face that he hated her.

For all of his smart mouthed remarks and insensitivity, Regina noticed a sadness in her son's eyes whenever he glanced between his two mothers. She knew he was upset about the divorce, and it bothered her more that he chose to quietly shoulder that burden instead of screaming out loud about it.

She sat in an armchair and absently ran her hand over her stomach, while she stared emptily at the gathering.

In a small box wrapped in silver paper was a set of keys to a truck that Regina left in Rumpel's driveway. She waved her hand and the gift vanished, reappearing in a place that Henry would never look - in a shoebox, at the back of her closet. She chose not to think about the fears or sentiments behind the last minute decision.

She had been thinking of a million ways to insult Emma - she could ask if a skateboard was all that the sheriff could afford, or she might point out the crumbs on her shirt, or draw attention to the rip in the woman's jeans. There were so many chinks in Emma's armor these days.

Instead, she picked up the bowl with her pasta salad and scooped some onto a paper plate. "You always said this was your favorite," she softly explained and extended her hand.

The moment Regina passed the paper plate to Emma all humor drained from the guests and the blonde shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah," Emma said quietly, because she didn't know what else to say with everyone listening. She struggled to swallow the lump in her throat but managed to flash a watery smile at Regina as she took the pasta salad. "Thank you."

"While we're on the subject of sprinkles and magic," Regina quickly added, "did you use a spell to bake Henry's birthday cake? Because I wouldn't be surprised, quite frankly." For a change, Regina's remarks were playful rather than harsh, and she even wore a hint of a smile. "You nearly burnt down the house the last time you made brownies -"

"Actually, I helped her bake it," Snow interjected, seeming uneasy. "Emma made the frosting all on her own, though."

"No wonder it's so lopsided," Regina dryly replied.

"We did what we could," Snow defensively insisted. She noted the sudden difference in Regina's behavior with unease - she had seen these drastic mood swings before, usually when the woman was in the middle of an emotional crisis.

"And I'm taking cooking lessons," Emma mumbled, bristling at being criticized in front of everyone. Did Regina really have to humiliate her on the kid's birthday?

"It looks delicious," Henry assured his grandmother, and then stuck his fork into the plate of pasta salad that Regina gave to Emma.

Emma's mood plummeted much like Henry's fork in her pasta, and she pushed the plate towards him without even tasting it. "You can have it kid, I don't have much of an appetite."

"So," Archie helpfully chimed in, sensing trouble and wishing to avoid it. "What are your birthday wishes this year, Henry? Any special requests?"

Henry shrugged at Archie's question and scooped another forkful of pasta salad into his mouth. "I think I've learned enough about the cost of wishes. I won't ever make any." It had been meant as a joke but they all knew how serious he was.

"Well what do you want? There must be something," Belle added softly with a smile.

Henry shrugged again, but when he spoke it was to his plate. "I just want everybody to be happy."

Regina swallowed thickly and stared at a fixed spot in the air, then swept her pitiless eyes over to Emma. "We are happy," she stated, and a rich laugh came from somewhere deep inside of her, from the dark void in her heart that had been opened once again. "I've never been happier," she said, in the voice of the Queen. She glanced coldly from face to face, considering each of her guests while she wore a poisonous smile.

Emma met Regina's gaze head on with an incredulous look of her own. They weren't happy. She sure as hell wasn't happy. The mocking challenge in Regina's laughter caused the muscles in Emma's jaw to jump, and she resisted the urge to call Regina on her bullshit. Not right now. Not in front of the kid, and not in front of everyone anxiously studying their plates.

Miraculously, Regina snapped herself out of it, and dug her fingernails into her palm to keep from slipping back into old habits. But she made the mistake of peering back at Emma, at the hole in the savior's favorite old jeans, and before she knew it, she was saying, "you might also want to learn how to sew, now that you're making the attempt to act like a grown up and cook for yourself..."

Emma wasn't surprised when Regina directed another insult her way. The tone acerbic, the words as sharp as knives. No, there was no surprise. Only anger on Emma's part. The quiet, dangerous kind that bubbled beneath the surface while she looked on with a stolid expression.

"Regina," Snow begged. "Please don't."

"Oh, I didn't mean to insult you," Regina told Emma, although she was smirking. "My apologies, dear. Now, would you like to light Henry's birthday candles, or shall I?"

"You didn't." Emma spat back through a smile. Though her green eyes seemed darker than moments before as she held Regina's gaze. It was Emma's way of letting her know she saw through her. Though she did laugh herself when Regina tried to offer her the invitation to light the stupid god damn candles on the cake the brunette clearly hated. "You know what, why don't y-"

"You get the gifts ready, and we'll bring in the cake?" David cut his daughter off before the situation got any more volatile, and proceeded to drag her into the kitchen away from everyone else in the hopes of granting her breathing space.

Emma's hands balled into fists and for a second all she could do was slowly turn in a circle as she established there was nothing she could release her frustration on. Impulsively she grabbed the nearest dishcloth and pressed it against her mouth to stifle her scream.

The sound of Emma's muffled screams caused Regina to frown. If she was being honest with herself, she would have realized that the only reason she delighted in getting Emma worked up was because every time she succeeded in ruffling the swan's feathers, she could be sure that Emma's love for her still existed.

Beneath all of the raw hatred and betrayed feelings was an attraction, a bond so strong that not even their impending divorce could sever it.

Regina exhaled breathlessly, soothed by the rush of blood that pounded through her heart, the hot white fury in her veins. Then, all at once, she wanted to cry - but she wouldn't give in to such foolish compulsions. Instead, she glided into the dining room to collect the gifts, and paused to eavesdrop on David and Emma.

"I'm sorry, Emma," David sighed. "We'll help you get through this. The party, and the divorce. You just have to hang in there."

He wrapped an arm around Emma's back and held his grown daughter for a moment. He kissed her forehead and then moved away to light the candles on the cake.

As always, David's advice for his daughter was predictable and useless. Regina rolled her eyes and sneered, unaware that she was being watched.

Archie had followed Regina into the dining room. She didn't realize he was there until he interrupted her thoughts by asking "is there anything you want to discuss? You've been coming to see me these last few months, Regina, but I still haven't figured out what's going on with you. It seems that most of the time, you act impulsively, and against your own wishes. Why do you seem so determined to make Emma your enemy? If you feel that parting with her is inevitable, wouldn't it be best to go your separate ways without this added heartache?"

"No," Regina bitterly replied.

Archie took a tentative step closer, his naturally soft voice lowered further as he tried to make sense of the mess Regina was so intent to make. "Often, we seek to hurt others before they have a chance to hurt us. It creates a wall of sorts, one to hide behind. It grants us the illusion of power when really what we feel is vulnerable, so the higher we build, and the more we hide. Do you…" Archie paused. One nervous fingertip pushed up his glasses and he bowed his head. "Forgive me for asking, Regina, but do you still have feelings for her? There's no judgment here…"

Emma was oblivious to the conversation happening beyond the open door. She still struggled with physical affection from her parents because it had the added bonus of making her feel vulnerable even as it granted comfort, and so it was with a heavy heart that she stepped out of David's embrace and flung the dishcloth onto the nearest counter. "You know I used to believe that. I thought if I did what Regina wanted, moved out, gave her space, that maybe we'd talk about why she suddenly couldn't stand to be around me anymore. But the way she's acting now?"

The blonde shook her head and blinked back the swirling emotions that threatened to take hold of her. She wouldn't cry on Henry's birthday, well at least not here, where Regina could pounce on it and claim that she'd ruined everything all over again. "She hates me…" Emma's tone was devastated, and her voice wobbled slightly, betraying her on some level by exposing how very close she was to breaking down.

With a sniff and a quick bounce on her heels, Emma tried to rid herself of the emotions she didn't want to face and turned her attention on the cake. With the candles flickering brightly it didn't look so bad, and yet she hesitated before attempting to pick it up. "I should have just bought the damn thing." She hissed, as if it were the cake's fault it looked somewhat like a mudslide. "What if the candles topple over and set the carpet on fire? What if it tastes as bad as it looks?"

David put an end to Emma's mild hysteria by lifting the cake up and announcing, "Where this is going it won't matter what it looks like, and hey, it's chocolate. It's going to taste just fine. Come on, we better get back before Henry think's we've ate it ourselves." Then, with a gentle nod of his head towards the door, they made their way back to the party.

"I'm not hiding from anything!" Regina raged, as she followed Emma with her eyes and then balled her fists as though she was considering squashing the bug. "Go back to the party and chirp in someone else's ear. I didn't pay for this session." She thought she knew exactly what she was doing; she intentionally provoked Emma, not only to make sure the woman was still emotionally invested, but also because she wanted the savior to agree to the divorce. Her peace of mind depended on it - she would continue to push Emma away whenever necessary, and pull Emma close when it suited her.

In the current moment, she preferred to keep Emma at arm's length, because in two day's time, they would have to sign the divorce papers. Once that happened, she believed a great burden would be lifted from her heart. It would change them, of course - the finality of it might keep Emma away for a while, but over time they might be friends again. Over time, Regina would learn how to regard Emma the way she once had, and there would be no risk of...

Her mind cut her off at the sudden lurching of her stomach; she felt Archie reach for her, touch her arm, but she was already hurrying away from him, and rushing back into the living room.

Regina's sorrowful eyes sought out Emma's and in her weakness, she almost dragged Emma aside and confessed to everything. But the candles were burning brightly between them, and all of the guests were singing Happy Birthday, and Henry blew hard but didn't make a wish.

Whether she liked to admit it or not, and right then she'd deny it with her dying breath, Emma always scanned whatever room she was in, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Regina. It was beyond her control, she would always be drawn to the woman, even when her heart was breaking. Despite being surrounded by the people she loved a stab of pain shot through her at the emotion in the brunette's gaze, and her first instinct was to rush to her side. Only, she couldn't. So she stood there, helpless, with everyone else and sang to Henry, while her gaze lingered on her wife in the hopes of conveying that she was still cared. That she still loved.

Regina broke eye contact with Emma and clasped her hands tightly together as Snow offered to cut up the cake. Everyone took a piece and started eating, praising Emma's newly acquired baking skill. "Way better than I expected," Ruby admitted honestly. "I think it's even better than Granny's -"

Regina would have liked to taste the cake, but she might not keep it down.

Henry ate most of the cake himself, and then began tearing open his presents: Rumpel gave him a pocket watch and, Belle brought him a set of books; Ruby's gift was a bottle of cologne and some cold hard cash. Snow knitted Henry a sweater that was both sentimental and hideous, but she and Charming also gave him new clothing and video games, and several heirlooms befitting a young prince.

Regina's gifts were costly and carefully selected - a new leather saddle, camping equipment, and a laptop he needed for school. The last was a scrapbook of sorts, since he cherished pictures so much. The pages included photos of the two of them when he was younger, but there was also a whole section dedicated to Emma - a photo of the savior when she was only eighteen, along with a few other small items that were with him when he had been turned over by social services. At the end of the book were pictures of the three of them as a family, from better times.

The presents were all thoughtful, and some were particularly pricey – and then there was Emma's awkwardly wrapped, small package. The blonde nervously stuffed her hands into her back pockets and cringed slightly as the kid tore the gift open. Though she relaxed considerably when he gave a whoop of joy over his new iPhone. "I had a guy put on a ton of apps and games, and it's got all our numbers programmed in. Happy birthday, kid."

Henry rewarded her with a bright grin, and began playing with the apps on his new phone until Charming suggested they test out his new video games. The two of them goaded Ruby and Rumpel into playing, while Granny, Snow and Belle went to drink tea in the kitchen.

Emma caught herself smiling at the sight of Rumple being taught 'the magic of gaming' from Henry, but her smile faltered as she turned to find Regina standing next to her.

"Emma?" Regina asked softly. "May I have a word?" She gestured to their mudroom, which stored their laundry machine and dryer.

The look Emma gave the brunette asked what the hell she'd done wrong now, but the words that left her mouth were, "Sure, no problem. Lead the way." Once they'd ventured away from everyone else and Emma's anxiety threatened to reach its peak, the blonde sucked in a deep breath and swallowed the urge to raid the liquor cabinet. This wasn't her home anymore. "So…" She said, and stuffed her hands into her back pockets. "What's on your mind?"

Regina stole a glance down at Emma's soft, pink mouth and thought how easy it would be to kiss the savior, to back the woman against the far wall of the mudroom, where they would be out of earshot so long as neither of them moaned or screamed. She did push Emma gently into the mudroom, but once they were inside, she pressed herself against the shut door and forged ahead along the hard path of lies she paved for herself. "It's time I explained myself," she carefully began, "You're always asking me why, and the truth is, there wasn't... a specific reason."

She recalled the day when Emma sat in a chair in her office, claiming that she could always tell when the brunette was lying. Then she lost her nerve to go on, and placed a hand on Emma's shoulder. Her fingers were curling through Emma's hair, and she stepped nearer, as close as she had been when they danced together at their wedding or lay beside each other in bed at night. With an exhausted sigh, she held onto Emma and rested her head on the woman's shoulder, soaking in the comfort that the contact provided. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry…. that we ended up being wrong for each other."

Emma found the mixed signals almost as maddening as the lies Regina currently attempted to spoon feed her and she would have said as much had her breath not caught in her throat at the close proximity of the woman. Sure, the past six months had minimized their contact, what with being cast out of the mansion like an evil spirit, but her body… It craved Regina's touch, her very presence so close that she could inhale the mixture of clean scents and perfume with each breath. If Regina were a drug, Emma knew she was an addict, and that was why even as her body hummed, her stomach churned, and she broke out in a cold sweat. "Regina, that's not true, I know when you're lying. I always know when you're lying."

Even as her mind screamed to create distance, her heart screamed just as loud to grab Regina; to take her right there against the door until the woman forgot about wanting a divorce, until she forgot everything except Emma's name, and the insanity just stopped so the world could make sense again. "Don't say that. We're not wrong. We fit together like jigsaw pieces. You know it. I know it. Everyone in this whole damn town knows it. Regina, please…" The blonde whispered against dark hair, not quite against an ear for fear of crossing a line and being punished for it. "Just tell me what happened." She pleaded, and if her voice hitched from the emotion, or her chin trembled, well she carried right on anyway. "One day we were great and then… And then it was like you couldn't stand the sight of me and I know we didn't fight; I would have remembered, I would have brought you flowers, I would have made it up to you…" Unshed tears caused her vision to blur. "I would have fixed it."

Emma straightened up to take in a stuttered breath, to try and compose herself as best she could, before confessing something she swore she wouldn't ever say again. "I love you." She choked out. "Do you honestly not love me any more?" This was it, the question Emma never had the courage to ask before because she knew, whatever the answer was, she'd have to accept it. Even if it shattered her into million pieces.

"I wish I never loved you."

Regina's chest rose and fell with a harsh shudder, and her eyes were like two spots of black ink when she stole a glance up at Emma. Mascara ran down her cheek in a crooked flourish, as if someone signed off on this misery. "Nothing can change how I feel. I made a mistake when it comes to us and I have to live with the consequences of that. So do you."

Regina stepped out of Emma's way and held the door open for her. "You should go."