Regina watched her as she slept, and for no other reason than she had wanted to make sure Emma was safe.
She could still remember the savior's lifeless body after having had internally battled the darkness. The Dark One wanted to destroy them all, in addition to doling out the worst most painful punishment to the former Evil Queen.
Sitting on the Emma's bed brushing tentative knuckles down her cheek, Regina remembered the hatred in the blonde's eyes, aimed at her, as the Dark One's voice called the former Evil Queen a betrayer to the darkness. Where Regina was once a force to be revered by everything unholy, that she was now just a distant memory of that dark power because she had allowed herself to be corrupted by light magic. The Dark One wanted to crush her to make an example of her, because after all, through Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One took credit for making her the evil one she once was.
Right before it was about to strike with fearsome retribution, Emma Swan intervened and warred from within, fighting to keep Regina safe. She had never seen a struggle like it nor had Regina ever had another person continually sacrifice themselves for her like Emma Swan repeatedly did. Never. No one.
They were all safe now, Emma had survived and was resting, and it was over. With the help of Gold's guidance combined with the power of the Sorcerer, and the magic of Regina, Maleficent and Lily, and no doubt from Emma within. The Dark One was vanquished from Emma's body leaving the Savior an inch from death's door.
Regina recalled the cold wet pavement hitting her knees as she fell to the ground over Emma, sweet Emma, whose cheeks were deathly cold.
She lifted her gaze now from the pale hand she was lovingly stroking on the bed and she found those green eyes, amassed with light, light magic, looking back at her.
"Hi," Regina smiled, brushing knuckles against Emma's cheek making her smile.
"Hi." Emma sounded, her voice still hoarse and scratchy from her tortured screaming. She tried to move up but Regina pushed her shoulders back down.
"Emma, you've been physically put through hell, you should not move. It will take a few days for your body to completely heal."
"Can't stay in bed. Not for days."
"You must."
"What if I… need to pee?"
Regina stifled a grin, "Do you?" She shouldn't be pleased by the tiny spread of mischief on the savior's face, but the brunette was. "Miss Swan, are you cracking jokes after nearly dying?"
"But, I didn't." Emma's look became serious, "Because you saved me. I knew you would, Regina."
The older woman readjusted herself among the covers, careful not to make too much noise. No one knew she was here after all, in the middle of the night. "I had help, Emma."
"Not in kissing me."
The kiss. The seal of their lips that brought Emma back from the dead. Regina was still figuring it all out. She hadn't thought it would make a difference and yet somewhere in her heart, she was desperate with hope that it would. She knew the exact moment that Emma had died and even thinking of it now brought tears to her eyes.
"I slipped away, Regina. It was so weird. I actually felt myself leave my body and I was floating…"
"You were dreaming."
"No!" Emma reached out and laid her hand atop the other woman's. The blonde was determined to tell her. "I was floating away and I… I tried to get back. I could see you, kneeling over my body, sobbing for me, needing me, pleading me to come back and I wanted to."
Emma watched Regina sniffle and try and blink back her tears and Emma gripped her hand a little tighter, as tight as her feeble strength would allow, in sympathy. The brunette smiled at her weakly and Emma thought she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, very much like she had the first time they met, that fateful night so long ago.
"Regina, it was so strange to feel like I was hovering over the scene and yet still feel your lips touch mine. And the wave of light that rolled from us. And all of a sudden, I was able to come back. I was hurtled back into my body and it was as if air and energy was suddenly thrust into me."
The older woman remembered after kissing her how Emma gasped fighting for breath and nearly jackknifing up. It was startling, gratifying and an immediate realization that her kiss revived Emma Swan. True Love's kiss.
Regina smiled down at her. "We can talk more tomorrow. I just poofed in to make sure you were okay," The queen folded her hands on her lap. "Had to know."
"Don't leave me, Regina. Please, stay." The blonde gathered as much energy as she could to slide her pain stricken hand over to the other side of the bed and lift the covers in invitation.
Regina stood up and looked down at Emma who was still very frail but when she slipped her coat and scarf off her shoulders she saw the pleased light in Emma's eyes. Taking her shoes off but leaving on her dress, Regina walked to the other side of the bed and slipped into the cool sheets until her body met the heat of Emma's. She turned onto her side and protectively draped an arm around the savior and the blonde sighed in relief as if having Regina close was the best medicine.
"If you want to move a little closer, that's fine too." Emma dared and Regina couldn't help stop her smile from blooming.
"Go to sleep, Miss Swan," she ordered and moved even closer.
"I'm just saying. Imagine Mary Margaret's face when she comes to check on me in the morning and finds you here." Emma turned her head fully toward the brunette and jibed, "She'll have a cow and this will all be worth it."
Regina chuckled then and moved in more and now it was as if they were nearly sharing Emma's pillow. "Hush now. Go to sleep, Emma." Regina closed her eyes and inhaled Miss Swan in and let the woman completely fill her senses. She was okay. Emma was going to be okay.
"Regina?" Emma ventured with her eyes closing.
"Yes?"
"Will you kiss me again?"
Regina's eyes opened and Miss Swan's beautiful face was mere inches away and the blonde's eyes were closed and her lips parted. The dark haired woman lifted her head slightly and moved slowly closer and as she neared Emma's eyes slit open and watched. They both did, wanting to see this kiss unfold.
In a light touch, Regina's lips opened and captured Emma's in a sweet 5 second caress. Then, they split apart and the queen laid her cheek back down on the pillow.
Emma smiled and her chest expanded happily with a quick intake of breath and perhaps another emotion that she would gladly ponder about later. "Yeah… even better than I remembered."
The tips of Regina's mouth curled up and the whites of her teeth shone. "Now get some rest." The queen settled in and gently pulled the savior, mindful of her injuries, into a tighter embrace and she felt Emma's hand resting comfortably on her leg as if to keep Regina from going anywhere.
"Regina?" She heard after a minute or two and she bit back a laugh and pretended annoyance.
"What is it, Miss Swan?"
"Will you kiss me like that in the morning too?"
Regina palmed Emma's cheek lovingly. "Any time you want."
