"How is he?", came a familiar whisper, breaking the silence in the room.
"The same, no change", the words tore off hopelessly.
"I brought some coffee", started the voice again, "Let's get out for a walk, while drinking it". The soft tone of voice with whom was directed the command, make the young woman, sitting next to her husband's bed, to stand and take the coffee cup from the other woman.
"How do you feel, Emma?", the question were asked seconds after they were outside.
"I am fine", came in defence the well acquired answer.
"You don't have to lie to me, Em... I thought that we are friends", said Regina. This time Emma won't get away that easily.
"What do you want me to tell you, Regina?", replied Emma angrily. The armour was starting to crack.
"I want you to tell me how you feel", said Regina, squeezing the cup in her hand like her life depends on it.
"You want me to tell you how I feel", repeated Emma in frustration, "How I feel... I feel... I feel fine!"
"For God's sake, Emma", said through clenched teeth Regina. She was running out of patience. "Don't you see, you are not okay... Every moment you are going to explode like an atomic bomb and the only thing that you are repeating is that you are okay..."
"And what should I do, Regina? Tell me!", asked Emma with a more soft manner, trying hard not to burst in anger in front of her husband's best friend.
"Pour out your feelings, so you can at least have some relief, god damn it", shouted Regina angrily. Shouting was something very rare for the brunette. Truth be told that it was something that she was doing specifically when Emma was around. The girl just knew how to play with her nerves.
"That won't help me...", said Emma looking at Regina with gratitude. "There is no point in the self-pity".
The self-pity wouldn't lead to any good. It would only make her weaker and right now she have to be strong, for her and for John even for Regina. They needed her, now just wasn't the time to show her pain. Regina could see all of that, the role that Emma destined for herself. To be a support for everyone. Regina could see the tiredness on her face, her shaking hands from the too much coffee, the hopelessness in her eyes. Regina could see all of it and her heart was filled with helplessness. She doesn't knew what to do, but she was determined to try, until she succeed. She just had to change the tactic.
"You are stubborn like a donkey, do you know that!", said Regina with a little smile.
"So I've heard, thank you", said Emma, jokingly. It was the time she can change the subject, so she shoot the first thing she could think of. "How are the things going on with you and that girl Sidney?"
The question caught Regina off guard. It wasn't only because she and Sidney were broken up a long time ago, but also because she couldn't remember telling Emma about Sidney in the first place.