AU/ was something I thought about
She was tied to a chair. Regina looked around and tried to make out where she was. Confusingly she wasn't really scared. At least not for herself. She was scared that her kidnapper might get after Henry. But she couldn't do anything against it. The moment the curse broke Whale had taken Regina.
The door opened and light flooded the dark room. Whale smiled wickedly. He had a little piece of bread in his hand and a little cup with water. "We wouldn't want you to die away before I had my fun in torturing you, would we?",he asked her and walked over to her. Slowly he put the cup on Regina's lips and tried to give her some water but she refused. "I rather die.",she spat and he slapped her hard.
Regina tried not to scream in pain when he cut her old wound open again. "Regina… you are here for 10 days now and still no one is searching for you. Give up. It makes it all easier." "Never. I will never give up but neither will I ever let me be controlled from someone like you.",Regina said disgusted and he poured the water over Regina's face. She shuddered. "You didn't want to drink it but it was filthy. On the one hand a good decision but on the other hand… you are in a garage without isolation. It's cold outside… I bet soon you get pneumonia and then you will be begging for warm things and medication."
She looked away but he grabbed her chin and turned her face again. "You won't ever turn your head again when I'm talking with you!",he screamed and she spit in his face. He grabbed a fistful of her black hair and punched her in the stomach. She muffled a scream and he laughed. "That was for my brother." "I didn't do anything! Maybe to the other's but YOU always hurt ME when we met! I don't even know who the fuck your brother is!",Regina screamed and felt his fist connect with her jaw.
She felt dizzy but forced herself to stay conscious. Maybe she could escape. He pushed her from the chair and she hit the ground with a loud thud. "Bastard…",she murmured and he kicked her in the stomach. Regina tried to move away from him but he kept kicking her in the stomach and ribs until he was satisfied. Regina just laid there. Trying not to breath to deep. "With that pace I won't live a bit longer.",she spat and he kicked her a last time. He then kneeled down and gripped her throat. He started to choke her.
"So now back to my brother. You've met him. He was one of your guests at a ball but because you couldn't keep yourself away from him he had to die. Your mother killed him because you found him attractive.",he spat and Regina looked at him anguished. "That… wasn't… my fault…",Regina gasped and he growled angrily. "It is! Why do you have to ruin everyone's life?",he screamed and looked around. The dim light from outside which fell through the door didn't help him much. He found what he searched for and walked over. Regina tried to catch her breath.
"Do you know what this is, your majesty?",he asked and lifted the heavy tool up. She tried to recognize it but she was to light-headed to actually understand what he wanted from her. "It's a hammer… my my… you are definitely lacking in intelligence. Maybe I should make you to my experiment. How long can a person live in imprisonment until he loses his mind?",he said and walked back to Regina who whimpered.
She was scared now. She didn't wanted to die. She had to tell Henry that she was sorry and that she just was scared that he would hate her. She had to tell him that she loved him. Whale laughed at her and raised the hammer. "Please…",Regina whispered and felt how the hammer crashed on her ankle. It broke instantly and Regina cried out in pain. "Please… I'm sorry…. I'm sorry…",Regina sobbed. She tried to suppress it because it hurt like hell.
"Oh, now you are sorry for all the things you've done to my family?",Whale asked and Regina nodded slowly. "I… I was… a child… nothing more than a…",and then a realization hit her. Snow was also nothing more than a child when she told her mother about Daniel. It wasn't her fault. It was the fault of her mother and now she made Snow's life a living hell without a real reason.
He snorted and hit her other leg a few times before he pulled her up again and sat her down on the chair again. Regina looked at him pleadingly. He got angrier and just hit her face a few times until he saw that blood ran. Regina's nose was broken and her lip had a deep cut. She was almost unconscious but looked in his eyes. He looked back but he didn't like what he saw. He saw a broken woman in front of him. Not the powerful queen he had expected. He saw a woman who just wanted to be loved and not hurt.
He shook these thoughts out of his mind and straightened himself. "Tomorrow you should eat or I will be far more brutal.",he said and watched how Regina slipped in unconsciousness. He sighed and left the garage. He closed the door and locked it before he went back to the house.
Emma and her parents were worried about Henry. Since the curse broke no one had heard from Regina. Her car wasn't removed from the parking lot in front of the hospital. Henry always told them that Regina was kidnapped. They didn't wanted to listen. At least David didn't want to and Snow had to stay on his side. Emma tried to find her but also didn't found evidence.
"She is missing for 10 days!",Henry said desperately in the diner and everyone looked at the sad kid. "Maybe she just left town…",David said and Emma looked at him disbelieving. "Right and that's the reason why she leaves her car, money, house and son here…. that's so logical…",she said and that made everyone think about it. Regina wouldn't leave Henry behind. And if she would have than she wouldn't leave the only ways of getting away in Storybrooke.
"We need to find her. Someone surely captured her and is torturing her…or… or they… they killed her… I didn't want that… I wanted the curse broken but… but I didn't wanted that she… no…",Henry started crying and Emma held him. "We really need to find her, Charming… She is the only one who really can tell us something about the curse.",Snow said and David nodded reluctantly.
"Fine. But I don't think that we will find her.",he said and they sighed. "How can we help?",Ruby asked from the counter and they looked up. Everyone looked at them expectingly. "We need to go through every house, no matter if someone lives in there or not. We need to check hiding points and the forest. We have to check everywhere where someone could have brought Regina without being noticed.",Emma said and they all nodded. "We could use dogs.",Snow said and looked apologetic at Ruby who just smiled friendly at her.
Regina was woken up by a bucket of water poured over her head. She looked at Whale. He flung her over his shoulder and left the garage. "Let me down!",she struggled against his hold but he gripped her just harder. She hissed in pain. It was night and really cold. "I will let you free. It's to dangerous to keep you.",he said and drove a bit away. When he was a bit away from the popular parts of Storybrooke he pushed her out of the car and drove away again.
Regina looked around. She didn't like to admit it but she was scared at night. She knew her legs wouldn't work so she just tried to get on her good knee and her hands and tried to crawl back to the city. She shivered violently and she felt how her strength weakened. She had to take short breaths. She didn't knew how long she tried to crawl to the city center but she knew that if she would stop she would die."Help!",Regina screamed but her lungs hurt to much. She pictured Henry in front of her eyes and got her strength from it.
Emma got a call from a citizen. "Am I speaking with Sheriff Swan?",the woman asked. "Yes, what's wrong?",she answered. "I think the Mayor is on the street. I can't see it well but I fear that she would attack me if I would try to approach her." Emma listened to the woman and got the street. She called Ruby to check it out because she wouldn't be fast enough there.
Ruby drove to the street and couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the small frame on the ground. She quickly got out of her car and ran over to her. "Regina!",Ruby said worried and kneeled down next to her. Regina lifted her head a bit and shied away from her. "Don't hurt me…",Regina whimpered and Ruby shook her head. "No, I want to help you.",she assured Regina and stopped her.
"What happened to you?",Ruby asked and helped Regina down on the ground. "Whale… Whale… he… he hit me…",Regina said and gripped Ruby's jacket. Then she saw that Regina was wet. Ruby took quickly her coat off and wrapped Regina in it. She got her phone and called the ambulance and then Emma. "It is really Regina. She is pretty beaten up. I called the ambulance.",Ruby said and looked down at Regina.
Regina tried to stay awake but the warmth of Ruby's coat and her body heat helped Regina into a sleepy state. "Regina… stay awake…",Ruby said and shook her softly. Regina hissed but opened her eyes again. "Tell… tell Henry I …I love him… and… and Snow… that… that I… I'm sorry…I… I didn't… didn't want to …to destroy her life… It wasn't… wasn't her fault…",Regina choked out and Ruby cradled her in her arms. "Hey… we all agreed to find you. You won't die on me today, Regina." "It's… okay.",Regina said and smiled slightly. "They… they have to know… only… important… thing."
"No. Henry misses you. He has to see that you are still alive. And I won't be the person who he can blame on letting his mom die. You won't be dying tonight.",Ruby said and saw the ambulance arriving. "They are here. They will take good care of you." "Don't leave…",Regina pleaded and Ruby nodded. "I won't, I promise." Regina followed her gaze to the ambulance. They ran to her and like Ruby promised she didn't left Regina's side. Emma arrived a few minutes later and sank on her knees on Regina's other side.
"You… came.",Regina whispered and Emma nodded. "Yes." "We need a bit space. We have to support her ribs a bit more. They nodded softly. The paramedics lifted Regina up and laid her down on the ambulance bed in the car. "One of you can come with us.",the paramedic said and Ruby lifted her hand. "I promised her not to leave her alone." Emma nodded and Ruby got in. "Look, I'm still here." Regina looked at her thankfully.
"Thank…you.",Regina whispered and then looked at the paramedics. "Pain… painkillers.",she asked them pleadingly. They smiled softly at her and got a bottle. "It will be difficult to swallow them.",one of them told her and Regina shrugged. They helped her taking them and Regina laid down again. She fell unconscious and the paramedics started to check Regina again.
"What is with her?",Ruby asked and the man looked at her. "She has broken ribs, probably some of them cut organs but we have no sign of internal bleeding. Her right leg and left ankle are broken as well as her nose and her cheekbone. She has cuts on her legs probably because she crawled to the city quite a time and one on her temple and her lower lip.",he explained and Ruby looked at her sadly. "That's horrible…" "Yeah, she may be the Evil Queen but no one deserves this kind of treatment. I hope Dr. Whale can help her." "No… he was the one who hit her. She told me that when I found her…",Ruby said and the paramedics blanched.
"No…but… he is the only doctor in this city… we can't fix her without a doctor who treats her ribs…",the other paramedic said and Ruby sighed helplessly. "But maybe Emma can get a doctor from the outside.",she said and the paramedics nodded. "Do you think Regina is in danger unconscious?" "She is stabile right now but it can clearly change.",the paramedic answered and Ruby nodded and pulled her phone out of her pocket.
"Emma? You have to get a doctor from outside Storybrooke. Whale is the person who damaged Regina this bad. And we have no second doctor.",she ordered when Emma picked up. "I'm calling my friend.",Emma said and hung up before she dialed the number of the friend of hers. "Cindy? I need your help…",Emma said and heard a sigh. "I won't help you… You left me to often without a word. Fuck off." Cindy hung up without another word.
Ruby and Regina arrived in the hospital. Nurses rushed to them and looked shocked at Regina's damaged body. "We need Whale.",one female nurse said. "No, he hurt her.",Ruby said and everyone froze. "What?",they all asked in unison and then looked back at Regina. Emma rushed in the hospital. "Is your friend coming?",Ruby asked hopefully but Emma shook her head. She looked defeated and walked to Regina.
"Regina? You have to wake up.",Emma whispered and shook Regina softly. "Too early.",Regina mumbled and Emma smiled softly. "Wake up. We need you.",Emma answered and Regina slowly opened her eyes. She looked in Emma's green eyes. "What's going on?",she asked and winced. "We can't find a doctor who can treat your wounds…but we won't let you die. We'll find another way.",Emma said and held her hand. Regina shook her head. "I just want to see Snow and Henry… and than everything is alright…",Regina answered and Emma shook her head.
"No. It's not alright than.",Emma argued and Regina shrugged slightly. "I don't know how much time I have. Please just bring them to me.",Regina pleaded and Emma nodded defeated. She pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Snow? Could you and Henry come to the hospital? It's urgent. We found Regina.",Emma said and heard how Snow got Henry and rushed to the door before she hung up.
"They are coming, Regina. Just hold on." Regina smiled gratefully. "I will, don't worry." They were all standing around Regina who fought hard against the pain in her lungs and looked at them confused. "Why are you all here?",Regina asked then and everyone shrugged. "Because Henry is right… you don't deserve to die… actually is this world far less dangerous and more peacefully than our old world. It's just better and you made sure even if we weren't together with our beloved ones that we at least would have a carefree life.",Ruby said and the other nodded.
Regina closed her eyes shortly. "I've cared the whole time I was reigning but you never acknowledged that. One day I was like you… not a royal and I've heard what you said about me… I was so angry that you hated me although I tried to kept you fed and carefree… you just didn't saw the good sides and that's when the murders started… I never knew how to control my anger… And… and I'm sorry that I killed all these people… I just never had someone who at least liked me…I never had someone to rely on… I was jealous… jealous because Snow got everything I've ever dreamt off. A loving mother, her true love even if he was a peasant, a child, friends who doesn't turn their backs on her when it was rough, subjects who followed her everywhere… the subjects weren't that important to me in my youth but when Leopold died… I just wanted to feel respected once…",Regina was sobbing by now and it broke everyones heart.
All Regina ever wanted was love and she fought so hard to be loved and in the end it still wasn't enough. "It's not to late.",Emma said and Regina looked at her. "It is…I've ruined so many lives… I took so many… Nothing can make this undone… I wish I could but I just can't…" Emma sighed and the door to the hospital flew open. "Mom!",Henry shouted and ran to her. He saw the blood on her. "What… what happened to you?" He was scared. "It's nothing, my dear boy… I just wanted to tell you something.",Regina said and cupped his cheek.
"You… you won't die, will you?",He asked her shocked but the look on her face shattered every hope. "I will probably… Whale… he did this… and he is the only doctor… but that's not what I wanted to tell you. I..I wanted to tell you that I love you and… and that I'm sorry that I made you think that you are crazy…I… I was just so scared that you would hate me. You were the only light in my darkness… I'm so sorry… so so sorry…" Henry looked at her sadly. "I love you too, Mommy… Don't die. Please."
He cried and Regina held him as good as possible. "Don't cry, my dear boy. You were perfect… you broke the curse. You did it. You figured it all out. You are the smartest boy on the world. I love you. Don't forget that.",Regina said and smiled softly. Snow looked at Emma sadly and confused. "Snow…",Regina said and Snow walked to her. "Yes?",she asked softly and took her hand. "I'm sorry… You… you were never fault at Daniel's death… you were just a child…",Regina whispered and Snow started to cry. "I was just so consumed with hurt. So consumed with anger. I was jealous… jealous that you could marry your shepherd and I had to watch my stable boy die… Never change… Promise me that." Snow nodded. "It was my fault… I should have seen her tries…" Regina shook her head. "You couldn't and that's alright… you were merely over 12. She was a master in manipulating. I'm sorry that I ruined your life and the chance to watch Emma grow up… I'm sorry for the losses I caused you… I'm sorry for the sleeping curse…"
They watched how Regina let her walls down. They watched how Regina let herself feel the pain she caused. "It's okay. I forgive you… I forgave you a long time ago, Regina… I was selfish… I wanted you as my mother and never thought about your feelings… I'm so sorry for putting you through this." "We all make our mistakes… that's what humans do.",Emma said and the group around them nodded. Doc came with his dwarf friends in the hospital and quickly to Regina.
"If you allow I can do the surgery.",he said and Regina smiled softly. She nodded and the hospital staff sighed relieved. They quickly brought her in the ER and put her under medication before they started to operate her.
"She really changed.",Snow said and Emma and Ruby nodded. Henry was asleep on Emma's lap. "Do you think that she will make it?",Emma asked and looked at Snow who nodded. "I hope so. But she was always a tough woman. That won't bring her down. But I'm concerned about Whale. We need to get him.",Snow said and they both nodded again. "I'll call Granny and she will spread the message.",Ruby said and stood up. She walked away with her phone in her hand.
TBC…?