Regina is not sure if it started with Robin’s death or when she successfully managed to split herself from the EvilQueen. All she knows is that she’s been feeling like… not even like crap, because crap is something. And she’s been feeling like nothing.
It had started like sadness and sorrow and anger and sadness. In the beginning she had even felt like killing someone. But then she realized that she literally doesn’t have it in her anymore. She could no longer actually do it. And she's not sure what's worst, still having the craving or not being able to do anything about it. She has lost an actual part of herself, a part she'd thought she's never miss. But she does, she does, and it pains her. Maybe even more than the loss of Robin. Maybe not, cause that fucking hurts, too.
But that was weeks ago. Now, she’s succumbed to the fact that she deserves to feel pain, she deserves to feel like nothing. So now she's lying on the bed, curled up into the fetal position, hands clucthing the pillow, staring blankly at the wall in front of her.
Zelena has been watching her sister swirling in this downwards headed spiral, and she hasn’t been to do anything about it, especially with a fatherless baby on her arm. But when she finds her sister staying in bed all day for… she doesn’t even know how many days in a row now, she can’t stand it anymore. She can’t stand it anymore, so she calls on Emma.
Emma hasn’t set foot in the mayoral mansion, hasn’t seen Regina since the road trip back to Storybrooke after New York. She should have and she feels bad enough about it already when she receives Zelena’s call. Shit. She was supposed to make sure to bring back Regina’s happy ending, but she’s been way too focused on her own, and now she’s totally let Regina down. Shit! But still, she doesn’t hesitate. She poofs right in to the mansion before Zelena even manages to hang up.
“She’s upstairs”, Zelena says, not even startled by Emma’s immediate presence. Emma just nods, and heads towards Regina.
Regina doesn't really react when Emma enters her bedroom, as if she hasn't even noticed her come in. But when Emma's scent catches her nostrils, Regina's eyes shift from that one spot on the wall she's been staring at all morning.
Emma doesn't say anything, she just lies down in bed next to Regina, their bodies twisted towards each other. Regina let's out a sigh that sounds like her breathing has been restricted all day and her airways have finally, finally been cleared and she visibly relaxes, closing her eyes.
Her fingers twitch when Emma's gently touches them, and she opens her eyes again, meeting Emma's with so much fear and vulnerability in them that Emma doesn't even hesitate to close her fingers of one hand tightly, reassuringly around Regina's. With the other, she reaches out and touches Regina's cheek, causing Regina to close what's now tearfilled eyes yet again. When a single drop breaks free and runs down her cheek, Emma brushes it away with her thumb, pulling herself closer to Regina and kissing her on the forehead. Regina sobs then, letting out the tears she's been holding in for so long, and Emma keeps her hands in one of her own while she guides her head down to her chest, leaning her chin on top of it.
Her other hand moves behind Regina's neck, her fingers rubbing soft, soothing patterns into dark hair while Regina shakes her sorrow and sadness out into Emma's comforting embrace.
When the sobbing calms and there's only quiet tears rolling slowly down her cheeks, Emma removes her hand from Regina's neck only to place it on top of her own and Regina's between them and speaks for the first time. "Hook proposed". Emma doesn't know why this is the only thing she feels is important to say to Regina in this moment, but she knows that it most certainly is. Regina pulls away to look at her with questioning eyes. Emma might even dare say that she notices a hint of disbelief directed towards her before she continues. "I said no". And that is definitely relief crossing Regina's features. She still doesn't say anything, though. All she does is blink away fresh tears and keep her eyes otherwise trained at Emma's. The air is loaded with something, and their joined hands are now in between their faces, both of their heads resting dangerously close to said hands.
It's Emma that draws them impossibly closer and kisses Regina's knuckles, causing Regina's eyes to flutter shut. It's Emma who drags her fingertips down Regina's underarm, across her elbow, up over her bicep until they find rest on Regina's cheek and jaw. Regina leans in to the touch, craving it. Her voice is raw from not being used for anything other than crying for days, but she wouldn't be able to do anything other than whisper anyways when she sighs out "Emma". It's filled with so much desperation, such plea to have her hopes met, to be loved, that Emma really only has one way to reply.
She closes the distance and kisses her, kisses her, kisses her.
This time, when her cheeks are wet and Regina tastes of salt, she doesn't know if it's from Regina's tears or her own, but she knows that this feeling that they have between them..? This feeling is happiness.
And when they wake up in the morning their fingers are still intertwined and Regina has a smile on her face for the first time in weeks.