folklore

betty

Regina watched as her true love embraced his once-dead wife. It would be a sweet reunion, a lovely homecoming to witness, had it not been for the fact that Robin was reuniting with the woman he'd told her that day that he'd walk through hell to be with again.

Robin's wife crouched down and wrapped her arms around Roland. As the sickly sweet scene unfolded, Regina spun around to leave, coming face to face with Emma Swan.

"You?" She asked, her voice coming out much weaker and more broken than she intended it to. "You did this?"

"I... didn't know," Swan said.

"Of course you didn't. Well, you'd better hope to hell you didn't bring anything else back," Regina countered, breezing out the door and into the cool night air.

It was refreshing to feel the breeze on her face. The cold wind made Regina feel less like she was going to break into a million pieces and more like she should be... ripping out hearts, or something. Taking a deep breath, she started down the stairs and toward the street that would take her home. Unfortunately, before she could make her getaway, the bell on the door behind her jingled, and Regina knew it could only be one person. Swan.

"Regina."

"Not now, Swan." Ah, yes. There she was- the Evil Queen. Her biting, vicious voice was back.

"Regina, I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was when I brought her back. I didn't intend to hurt you."

"Well, your intentions don't really matter, now, do they?" she said, turning on her heel to face the blonde. "Once again, I'm the one to feel the brunt of heroism. Always a villain, even when I'm not."

"I'm not going to apologize for saving someone's life, Regina."

"She was going to die anyway. What did it matter?"

"It mattered because she was a person, and she didn't deserve to die!"

"Maybe she did!"

"Well, you would know, Regina! I saved her from you!"

Regina blinked, startled. Swan, of all people, knew how far Regina had come. She wouldn't have called the two friends, necessarily, but she figured Emma was probably the closest thing she'd ever have. Coming from her, that just... hurt.

"The woman that did that... That was who I was. Not who I am. I worked very hard to build a future for myself. You of all people should know that."

"That's not what I meant-"

"Well, that's certainly what it sounded like, Ms. Swan. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone."

But before Regina could poof herself away like she intended, the door to Granny's opened once again, and out came more people she didn't want to be around.

"Marian, please meet her. I promise she's not at all what you think," Robin was saying. He looked up and Regina made eye contact with him, pursing her lips.

"Regina, I want you to meet Marian. I want us to talk about this."

Marian, who had been practically hiding behind Robin, now looked indignant.

"Robin were... Are you two... together? Do you know who she is? What she's done? She's a monster!"

"I suppose I deserved that," Regina muttered, lowering her head.

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" Mary Margaret asked, and Regina wondered when she had gotten there. She hadn't heard the door open again.

"Well, no one's been incinerated yet, so that's a good sign," David quipped.