Life had been good since Regina became the Good Queen. The realms were united, all hidden in the magical little nook in Maine. Where people from all sorts of stories could live out their happy endings. Being the Good Queen was Regina's happy ending. And yet.. she couldn't help feeling a sense of discontent.

Emma was happy with her pirate and her daughter, Hope. Snow and Charming were raising Neal. Henry was off with Ella and Lucy, and Zelena had Robin, and Robin's girlfriend, Alice. And Regina? Regina had no one. Sure, she was visited by all of her family, but consistently? She was on her own. Rumple's words all that time ago when this had all started rang in her mind: she'd always have a hole in her heart. Gods, he wasn't even with them anymore, and still he found a way to be right.

Loneliness weighed heavily on Regina like the crown upon her head. No matter what she did, she couldn't seem to find anything that made it feel like any less. She'd tried to interact with her people more, she'd tried joining in with activities and led events. But nothing helped. That was what led her to the bar that evening.

The next morning, sunlight flooded in through the windows, landing over Regina's bed. The warmth peppered the smooth skin of her face as she stirred, her hand coming up to rub crystals of sleep from her eyes. Her sleep had been peaceful and restful, thankfully - though her waking was disturbed by a rather piercing headache, alongside achiness over her body.

Regina groaned softly as she opened her eyes slowly, squinting against the light. That was the last time she went drinking while she was in the feels. She sighed, shifting to turn over – and seeing a head of hair flowing over her pillow beside her. Regina yelped, sitting bolt upright and wincing at the ache in her head. Who was in her bed? Had she brought someone home last night?

"Hey. Hey, wake up."

Regina muttered, shaking the person's shoulder to try and wake them. She tried to keep her voice calm and authoritative, refusing to allow herself to show how unnerved she was by this turn of events. She didn't do one night stands. They weren't her thing. But maybe her time as Roni had a bigger effect on her than she'd initially thought.