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The fire crackled merrily, running counter in every way to Regina's heart. Two days had passed since Tinkerbell had told her how selfish she had been in not entering the inn, in not meeting the man with the lion tattoo. Again, they sat together, their history providing a distance between them the cold would never allow. Tink shifted and Regina sighed.
"You are wrong, you know?" She said softly and Tinkerbell startled, surprised to find the thick silence shattered.
"About what?" The blonde inquired, and the Mayor could hear that Tink was adamant that whatever it was Regina was going to say, it would have no influence at all on Tinkerbell's frame of mind. She would see about that... Tinkerbell was a hopeless romantic, after all. Keeping her voice soft and unthreatening, she dragged her eyes from the fire to the fairy next to her.
"About ruining my chance at happiness. I did run that day, and I did miss a chance at true happiness... and the man with the lion tattoo did as well..." She trailed off a moment, in thought, as her eyes automatically found Emma across the fire. She sat off by herself, map in hand, deep in thought. Regina stifled the urge to go to her in her time of greatest need.
"I believe in soulmates", she said, aware of how dangerous the first two words were in a magical place like Neverland. "I also believe that I am not the person that I was anymore. Because of what I did, he isn't anymore either, I fear. But what I did do is leave us both open to other lives, for new love to come into our lives. I can only hope he found his as well." A sharp silence. Regina returned her eyes to Tinkerbell so she would not have to see Snow comfort Emma.
"There is no love in your life, Regina. You ran from your chance!" Tinkerbell's words were spat at her in a rough whisper and a fire lighted the green eyes that met hers.
"I did, and if I hadn't... I would have never had Henry, I would never have had my son." Regina explained vehemently.
"You could have had your own son, with him!" Tink tried again, almost desperately this time.
"Tinkerbell, you are missing the point. You were right, the pixie dust pointed me towards the man I was perhaps supposed to have if everything in the Realm had stayed as it was supposed to stay. But the dust was also wrong; it pointed me to the next best thing... because the best thing hadn't been born yet." Regina whispered, eyes sliding across the campfire on their own accord. Again.
"Who...?" Tink asked, and Regina could hear the romantic in her former friend's voice return. Regina swallowed.
"Henry's mom." She spoke wistfully. Next to her, she heard a gasp. A small smile ghosted across her lips and fate took that moment to turn Emma's head in her direction. Their eyes met across the distance and Regina willed hers to speak the words she would never be able to say to the blonde sheriff, Henry's other mother, her would-have-been pixie dust approved soulmate, Regina was sure. Emma swallowed, Regina held her gaze, and next to her, Tinkerbell sighed contently. "You see, you were just too early..." Regina added to Tinkerbell under her breath, a warmth infusing her voice she had not heard in herself for years. The pixie was silent a moment.
"Alright, I can work with that." The ex-wish granter finally hummed, and Regina's smile widened imperceptibly. "Perhaps you are not such a lost cause after all".
"That is what I'm hopeful for." Regina admitted, and now it was Tinkerbell's turn to smile.