Author's Note: Inspired by "Hello Darkness by New Year's Day" I own nothing.

The pearl white mansion on 108 Mifflin Street seemed to have a certain gloom and despair that wasn't there before. It had always served as a monument to Regina's greatness and power, and showcased her authority and rule over Storybrooke. Even when her curse crumbled from underneath her, the house remained. Now, it seemed haunted and distant. Shutting up the memories of a woman far to complex for this world, or any world for that matter, to fully understand.

Emma had arrived earlier just as the street lights were turning themselves off. She noticed the uncharacteristic dread that coated the house's doors, but reasoned it was merely because the sun hadn't had the chance to rise over the porch columns. She quickly learned that wasn't case. The front door eased open making a long, low creaking sound you only hear in the movies.

"Regina? Regina, I got your call. You sounded urgent?"

The only answer that returned was the echo of her own voice.

"Reg..."

Her foot cracked under a shattered mirror in the hall. Among that lied a broken crystal glass and dried whiskey stains caked on the whitewash walls. Emma sense's went on high alert. Thinking on her feet, she went through her phone history and dialed Regina's cell. Instantly, a set of muffled rings beckoned from an upstairs bedroom. Emma eased the phone down from her ear as the other end continued to call her up the stairs.

"Regina? You okay?"

None of this felt right. Emma continued to call out for some sign of life. The house sat in darkness already mourning what Emma couldn't accept. The stairs sagged and moaned in pain as the sheriff slowly walked toward the noise for the ringing phone. With another creak of a door, Emma's worst fear was confirmed.

Regina had dressed herself in her finest business attire. A simple but elegant three piece suit with blood red high heels showed off her body perfectly but couldn't hide her lifelessness. The room reeked of overbearing lavender. Emma recognized it as the expensive perfume she had flown in from Paris. Regina had also taken the time to fix her hair and make up. Not to much curl. Not to much rogue. However, none of that seemed to matter. Emma couldn't help but focus on the queen's hallow eyes. They were wide and glazed over showing no sight of the person she once was. Her head was cocked to the door like she was waiting for someone to show up. Her arm lay outstretched like it had given up reaching for something or someone. She didn't look peaceful. Regina looked tortured, scared, and broken. Emma could hear the clock ticking in the corner. The silence from Regina's body drowned out all motion and reason. Emma couldn't do anything. She couldn't gasp, cry, or scream. She tried to breath but even that failed her. She could only stare at the shell of Regina Mills. Her mind flashed back to the 911 that bought her to the house. She was about to lock up the station for the night when the call came in.

"Miss. Swan?" The voice was small and quiet.

"What is it, Regina?"

"I need you... I need you to..."

"What? You need me to... what?"

There was a small whimper on the other end. Emma cupped the receiver close to make out Regina's voice before the line went end.

"Nevermind."

On the bedroom nightstand, there were two notes. One on simple monochromatic white card stock which read "I'm coming Mother." The other was an envelope marked "Sheriff" in regal loopy cursive. Emma scolded herself for admiring Regina's penmanship and reluctantly started to read.

Congratulations Miss. Swan. You've won. You've killed The Evil Queen.

Emma could almost heard Regina's sarcastic chuckle.

Lucky you. Of course, this means you get full custody of Henry.

Oh god, Henry. The thought of telling him stung a deep space in her soul she didn't even know existed. Tears wielded up in her eyes.

You take care of him, you understand. He is the only good thing I've done with my life, even if he wasn't biologically mine.

Regina would die for her boy. Now, she denounced his relationship to her? It sounded so defeated.

You must make him forget me. He has his whole life ahead him and a far better family to support him with me gone. I know I'm the pariah. At best, I can be categorized as the wicked step mother. This makes my next confession all the harder. It's why I left this note for you. It's why I called. I know you could never love someone as evil as me.

No, it couldn't be.

That's right, Miss. Swan. Not only did you kill The Evil Queen, you melted her heart of stone. I've loved you since you first pulled up in that ugly thing you call a car. I fought like hell against it, but the heart wants what the heart wants I suppose.

Emma looked over Regina's body laying inches away from her. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Of course, this only makes me feel like more of a fool. You broke my perfect little curse and shattered my perfect little town. You turned my son against me, and you ruined my happiness. Yet, I love you. You made revenge not enough for me. You made my anger a fleeting high that couldn't satisfy me. And I hate you, but I love you. As I secretly wrestled with this behind my wall, a part of me prayed you'd notice. That the savior herself would come and fix broken old me. Yet, you had your family. The family I took from you. A family I never had.

"I never had them either, Regina. We were very much alike you and I."

All that being said Emma, I'm not afraid of the darkness that is waiting for me. The tortures I have suffered at the hands of countless people have prepared be for the hell I will share with my loved ones. I only ask one thing from you now. Let me die as Regina. I trust you can keep my secret. Consider it a dying wish. It was a broken promise that got me into this mess. It clouded my heart from being capable of having true love. Let's just hope you didn't inherit your mother's loyalty. I will not be the topic of idle gossip.

"Come on, Regina. Don't shut down now."

I doubt you can reciprocate my feelings. I just needed you to know they existed. Before I said goodbye. I love you, Emma Swan. I always have. Please forgive me.

And that was it.