After the curse was finally broken, thanks to Emma Swan, Regina found herself feeling utterly alone. Even her own son, Henry, wouldn’t speak to her.

Months have passed since that moment, and things haven’t improved for the mayor. She feels a deep ache for her adopted son, for their bond that once was.

Even during the curse, she missed the conversations, even if they were obligatory. The absence of connection now weighs heavily on her heart.

Regina trudges down the snowy sidewalk of Storybrooke. It’s the first snowfall of December, and she wraps her long black coat tightly around her, the black pantsuit beneath barely visible.

Her hands are tucked into her pockets as she heads toward the diner. When she opens the door, the scene inside takes her breath away—everyone is there.

A Christmas party.

Feeling blindsided, Regina realizes she wasn’t invited. In fact, she hadn’t even known the townsfolk were celebrating.

Frozen in place with the door half ajar, she simply wanted a meal. She didn’t anticipate seeing… everyone. Emma, David (Prince Charming), Mary Margaret (Snow White), the dwarfs, Henry, and even you.

Overwhelmed, Regina turns sharply and nearly stumbles out the door, tears brimming in her eyes. The Ex-Evil Queen has always been known for her cold demeanor, her insistence on keeping emotions at bay. Yet in that moment, witnessing her son and you all together, her defenses shatter, and she feels the weight of her loneliness like never before.