Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides the idea for this story. I only borrowed the characters.

It was only 11 in the morning, but Emma couldn't wait for Mary Margaret to return from school already. She had a strong cold and couldn't move a finger without a lingering pain going through her body. Her lungs were sore from coughing and a pounding headache rummaged in her head. Over the year, Emma figured out that her colds are following a certain pattern: at first, she has a sore throat, then she gets a massive headache, fatigue sets in, fever, aching limbs and in the very end of her cold her nose starts to run.

Regarding her recent state of illness, no running nose yet, which means there was still more to endure until she would be healthy again.

When Mary Margaret was at home, she made food and tea for Emma, but when she's at work there was no way for Emma to get any food without having to crawl on the floor, because she was that weak. All she could do was sleep and wait for Mary Margaret to return this afternoon.

Emma turned around in bed with a moan and fell asleep again.

A key was put in the lock and the door was unlocked. Emma woke up in surprise. Steps made their way upstairs, but not the familiar muffled slippers, but a rather loud sound like the clicking of high heels on wooden steps.

"Miss Swan, rumor has it that you are battling a fierce cold and in order to support your recovery, I brought some of my specialties against colds and other vicious illnesses." Regina Mills stood in front of the bed with a beaming smile.

Emma stared in bewilderment at Regina standing in front of her in her flat with a basket of food. Emma didn't have the fainted idea of a hungry feeling, but she was definitely craving for some strength in her weak limbs.

"M- Madam Mayor! I didn't expect you to come!" Emma croaked.

"You most certainly didn't, no." a wide smile graced her face "but I felt the duty to take care of you as long as Ms Blanchard is at work. I have: chicken soup, cooked carrot sticks and some refreshing yoghurt with pineapple slices."

She placed the basket on a nearby table and walked back towards Emma: "Please try to sit up I will adjust the pillow in your back."

Regina bowed forward while Emma was struggling to get up. Gravity is three or four times stronger if you're sick, Emma thought.

When Regina moved to the basket a whiff of her perfume, not one of those flowery ones, but one of those whose wearer you can already imagine when you breathe in the scent. An elegant, graceful woman. That's how the perfume smelled like. Thank God, my nose isn't clogged yet.

"You don't have to do this!" Emma suddenly protested.

"Oh, Miss Swan, I am quite sure that you need something to eat and without good chicken soup you won't be on your feet any soon." Regina beamed at Emma with that awfully broad smile Emma simply can't resist.

Regina opened one of the containers and took a spoon in one hand, a napkin in the other and walked towards Emma again. She gently placed the napkin on Emma's chest and handed her the container with the soup and the spoon.

"Thanks" Emma mumbled while she shoved the first spoonful in her mouth.

"Be careful, the soup is still very hot."

Emma grimaced, because she burned her tongue.

"Didn't I tell you?! Don't be so greedy." Regina threw a crooked, slightly malicious smile at her.

"Mhm."

The soup tasted delicious and was exactly the kind of thing Emma needed. Hot soup, lying in bed and Regina. She couldn't care less about the rest of the world in that very moment.

Regina took a chair and propped it next to Emma's bed and sat down.

"Your merry flatmate will come back at 4:15, so you still have enough time to finish the food I brought with me."

"Why do you know when Mary Margaret is going home? You don't live near her workplace or our flat." Emma's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Miss Swan, this is certainly no concern of yours, so don't wreck your pretty little head about it."

Emma was dumbstruck and couldn't form a proper reply. She called me pretty?

For the rest of the time, they didn't say anything and Emma went on enjoying the situation. Every now and then she glanced to her right. Regina didn't look like she was in a hurry at all. As the mayor doesn't she have something more important to do than caring for Storybrooke's sheriff?

She finished the soup, the cooked carrot sticks and now she was starting to eat the yoghurt with pineapple slices, but the fruit acid hurt her throat and made her cough.

Regina quickly turned towards Emma and looked at her I concern. Then it began to dawn on her: "Of course! Your sore throat! Pineapples don't get along with a sore throat. I am sorry that I forgot, Emma."

"It's alright. Just a little scratch in the throat." Emma's eyes grew wide. What is going on?! She addressed me with my first name!

Regina bit her lip in slight embarrassment.

"I guess you're finished now. I hope the food was to your taste and I apologize once more for the pineapples, Miss Swan." Regina put away the containers and the napkin.

She packed her picnic basket, straightened her pencil skirt and smiled at Emma, still flustered: "Get well soon, Sheriff Swan!"

"Th- thanks" but Regina was already gone.