We Can Love Again

Road to Recovery

"Why is there no magic here?" Emma demanded, for the third time, "we could be completely well again in a second if we had our magic. Now we have to depend on aspirin to help with our problems."

Handing her friend a water bottle and some aspirin, the both of them gave a silent toast and took a long drink of water. Regina's new SUV was still parked underneath the hotel, among thousands of other cars. After a couple trips back and forth from their room to the vehicles they were off towards Maine.

"I'll drive out of the city, but you have to do the rest. I'm sure we'll be better once we get there." Emma said, cautiously following the long and impending line of traffic flowing out of Manhattan. Unlike their ride towards the city, their current adventure consisted of silence and remorse. Regina reluctantly apologized to Robin for her texts the previous night, and deleted a few pictures from her camera roll. Even though sleep was all she wanted, it just wouldn't come to her. So she stared out the window for a while and watched the traffic flow by around them. Being in the city had been enjoyable and relaxing to her, but there was something about the nature back in Storybrooke that made her long for it again the forest, the beach, the ocean... All they had in New York City were buildings after buildings, a concrete jungle where the sun seldom shone through.

"Was this what you wanted, Emma?" Regina asked suddenly, almost checking to see if she were still awake at the drivers seat, "this whole 'relaxing and getting away' thing. Did it work out?"

The blonde yawned as she shifted in her seat. "Yeah, it was nice. Vacations always give me a chance to breathe."

Regina was rather hesitant to continue. Digging into Emma Swan's inner emotions and feelings was always a dangerous idea.

"But you're happy in Storybrooke, right? With Henry, your parents... Killian...?"

"Of course I'm happy," Emma responded quickly, as if it were obvious,

"Storybrooke is my home. I don't know what I would do without my family, or Killian for that matter. I really do want to move in with him, I do... But I have to be there for Henry too. He doesn't see Killian as a father, which is fine really, because he already had two of those. However, you know how his imagination still runs wild- it doesn't matter how old he gets, he still believes everyone gets a happy ending. Hell, maybe one day I will end up marrying that pirate. Just... Not now. He's seen such a success between you and Robin, Ruby and Will, even Tink and Neal from what I'm hearing. I'm just not like that. I know I'm a princess, but in also from this world. There are no happy endings here."

The former mayor didn't know what she expected to hear from Emma, but it certainly wasn't that. She was speaking from her heart, and she instantly felt sorry for her- sorry for trying to run her out of town, sorry for keeping her away from Henry all those years ago, sorry for everything, really.

"Well, that's where you and I are the same," Regina said, giving her a sideways look and a hopeful smile as they drive along. "I was a princess too. But I was exposed to so much evil, so much hate and anguish. I thought the whole 'happily ever after' thing was a complete sham after Daniel died. And I know I'm the least deserving person after everything I've done, but it just... Happens. Granted, it's a lot of work, but it's all worth it in the end. We can all be more than just fairytale characters out of a book- we can write our own destiny."

Emma released an unapprised smile. "You're staring to sound like David. Maybe we're more of a family than we thought."

She had no problem admitting it; Roland meant just as much to her as Henry did. Seeing Killian interact with the both of them was an amusing yet precious memory she had.

"Just maybe," Regina clarified, sending her a small smile.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Well Madame Mayor, are you ready to drive? I've done my share- we should be home in just under four hours."