"I do too," Emma mumbled, her hands shaking and her eyes locked on the floor. "You were first," she said.

"You deserve better," Regina whispered, and this time it was clear that it wasn't Hook she spoke about. "Much better,"

"I deserve to be happy," the blonde stated, the ring on her finger burning her, burning her with the weight of exceptions she cannot handle, burning her with the need to be everyone else's savior, burning her with the knowledge the being an orphan was somehow easier than being the child of Snow White and Prince Charming.

"Emma," the name slipped from red full lips and Emma couldn't hold her tears anymore. Emma. That who she always was when it came to Regina. Emma. Idiot and clumsy Emma. It was so easy to get lost in the sensation of being simply that. So easy to get lost in brown warm orbs. So easy to forget. Forget who they were.

"Maybe we can be happy," Emma suddenly declared. And it came so hopeful, so sweet and naive, that Regina smiled a genuine smile. It was so unlike them to talk like that. To talk about feelings and maybes, it was so unlike them to dream about what if. It was so unlike them, that Regina wanted to scream, she wanted to kiss Emma and drown, drown in her sweet addictive scent, drown in her lips, drown and drown and drown until they will both forget about this world. Until they will both forget about all the reasons they can't be together. About Evil Queens and lost princesses, about the ring that was still on a white, slender finger.

"Emma," she breathed again, reaching for the blonde's hand and squeezing her hand hard, letting the pain of the diamond cut her, ground her, remind her. "We can be happy," she said at last and she let go from the blonde hand. "You can be happy," she wiped a tear from her cheek before she leaned and kissed Emma's cheek.

"But I lo-"

"Don't," Regina plead with her, "Please," she begged and Emma could see how hard the brunette fought to hide her pain, "I won't be able to," she broke down, her hand reaching and palming the pale cheek, wiping away the tears, she was so close now, so close she could taste the salty tears, so close she could feel the blonde's heart, so close that she knew how painful it will be to step away. "I won't be able to let go," she finally confessed, her breath tickling pale lips, every syllable is both heard and felt.

"Don't let go," Emma said as she leaned in, kissing the brunette tears away, "Don't let go," she plead as a new wave of tears slipped from brown eyes "Don't let go," she kept kissing the tears, her own now covering her cheek and it was so unlike them. It was so unlike them to cry in front of another person, to beg for a kiss, a hug, a touch, it was so unlike them to be comforted, it was so unlike them that in some weird beautiful way, it fit perfectly.

"Kiss me," Regina finally asked, a small foolish smile gracing her lips.