„I'm all in". Those words still in mind Maleficent watched Regina from the back of Cruella's car. Regina breathed heavily after the stunt Cruella had just pulled. A train. A fucking train. Although she had never seen this machine before it definitely looked capable of killing them all. Maleficent shook her head slightly. Hopefully this had been the last "test" Regina had to undertake tonight. Sometimes Maleficent definitely questioned Cruella's sanity.
"Are there any more tests I need to pass?" Regina asked trying to keep her voice steady. She looked out of the window as they drove along a narrow road in the middle of a forest.
"You did not pass that test. But it was fun to watch. I think not. Other opinions?" Cruella answered and turned around to look at the two witches in the back of her car.
"Cruella, watch out!" Ursula screeched. Cruella's head whirled around just in time to see the deer run onto the street.
"Fuck!" Cruella hit the break as hard as she could. At the same time she swung the car around and their trip ended abruptly when they hit the trunk of a tree at the side of the road. Cruella got stuck between her seat and the steering wheel, Maleficent and Ursula were thrown against the front seat and Regina crashed through the windshield.
Maleficent shook her head and slowly pressed her palms against her throbbing head. As soon as she saw Regina lying completely still on the hood of the car her eyes widened in shock.
"Regina!" She whispered in shock and quickly scrambled over Ursula to leave the car because her own door was blocked. Groaning Maleficent limped towards Regina.
"Regina!" She called out again and grabbed the brunette woman's arm. Maleficent cleared her throat. There was pain radiating from her leg and the pounding in her head increased.
"'Gina" Maleficent said again her voice shaking. She heard sirens becoming louder and louder. Probably Cruella or Ursula had regained consciousness and had called help. The edges of Maleficent's vision began to blacken and then everything went black.
The next time Maleficent opened her eyes she stared at a white ceiling. She blinked to clear her vision. She frowned trying to remember where she was and how she got there. Suddenly everything came back rushing into her mind. The accident. Regina.
Maleficent sat up quickly. She breathed deeply to get rid of the dizziness. She cursed as she saw that someone had changed her out of her usual clothes and into a hideous white hospital grown. With the flick of her wrist she changed back and was just about to leave the room when a voice stopped her.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"Cruella. Where is she?" Maleficent asked turning around slowly to the woman that had most likely been sleeping in a chair in a corner of the room.
"I guess you are talking about Regina, aren't you? Well, she's in surgery right now-"
"What?! What's wrong with her?! Cruella, I swear if she doesn't make it, I'm going to kill you! I swear! I'll kill you!" Maleficent hissed. Cruella only raised her hand in a calming motion completely unimpressed by Maleficent's outburst.
"Oh darling, you don't need to worry about your…whatever she is to you. She is going to be fine." Cruella smiled smugly.
Maleficent rolled her eyes. She turned back to the door and was just about to turn the door knob when Cruella stopped her by placing a hand on Maleficent's shoulder.
"What?!" Maleficent asked annoyed. "I really need to find out about Regina's whereabouts."
"I know I just want you to know that I am sorry. It was an accident. I didn't- I am sorry." Cruella said with remorse in her voice.
Maleficent nodded courtly and gave her a quick smile before hurrying out of the room. She made her way down the long hospital floor.
"Where is she?" She barked at a passing nurse. The poor woman looked completely frightened.
"I-Who?" She asked with a shaking voice.
"Regina." Maleficent growled dangerously. "Where. ?"
"Surgery." The nurse whispered now shaking out of fear. Then she worked up the courage to add: "With all due respect, you should not be-"
Without even giving her one last glance Maleficent strode past her almost stepping into a room that had to be the waiting area considering the amount of Regina's relatives and friends waiting there for her. Obviously Cruella had been right when she said that Regina was thick as thieves with the heroes. Hidden behind the door she watched how a young boy, Regina's son, walked up and down the room nervously. How Emma Swan sat in a corner waiting quietly for information and even Snow (that stupid bitch) sat there with her Prince Charming pretending to care about Regina. Pathetic. Why would she ever want something like that? Stupid. It was stupid. Family was for weak people. Love was for weak people. Regina wasn't doing herself a favor by being in a relationship with the savior. She would never have been one of their gang again. Regina had changed too much for that. She would have never become a "Queen of Darkness" as Rumplestiltskin had put it so eloquently so many years ago.
A single tear slid down her cheek. From the corner of the eye she saw a man in a white coat enter. Whale. Maleficent took a cautious step forward. In their haste to get answers from the doctor no one noticed Maleficent eavesdropping.
"How is she?" The young boy asked.
"She is going to be fine. She was lucky. Some fractured rips, a broken leg, a concussion. But we were able to stop the internal bleedings meaning that given time and rest she will be okay." Whale said and gave them a court nod when no further questions came. He turned around and left the room. Maleficent watched how relieved everybody was. When she could not take it anymore she turned away and made her way down the corridor. She wanted, no needed, to find Regina.
The hospital was a maze of corridors which all looked the same. Maleficent gazed through every window seeing surprisingly many patients for such a small town as Storybrook. It took her almost twenty minutes to find Regina's room. From outside Maleficent could see her dark brown hair peeking out from underneath a heavy blanket. A monitor next to her bed peeped continuously.
Maleficent let herself into the small sterile looking room. The sun shone brightly though the window. Maleficent closed the curtains. For a moment she simply stood at the end of the bed watching the younger woman intensively. Everybody else would have interpreted the look on her face as uncaring and cold but inside Maleficent was extremely worried. Regina could have died. She could have died right in front of her eyes. Once again Maleficent was astonished at how many emotions she was capable of. Ever since her child had been stolen from her she had tried to bury her feelings underneath a layer of impassiveness but for some reason Regina managed to break through her protective walls continuously.
"Are you raveling at me being so weak?" Regina asked with a raspy voice.
Maleficent smiled weakly. "No. It wounds me that you think so little of me."
"Really?" Regina doubted. "You know, there was a time when I thought I knew you but the woman who stands in front of me now is only a shadow of my old friend. The wish for revenge for whatever crime the Charmings committed against you seems to have eaten up your soul and twisted your mind. Right now you are just like me thirty years ago."
"I don't think I understand." Maleficent said with a monotone voice.
"Of course you do. You know exactly what I mean you just don't want to accept that I am right." Regina paused for a minute. "What are you going to do now…what are you going to do with me? I guess you have seen my family and friends waiting for me meaning that my cover is blown now."
"It was from the beginning. Just as much as you claim to know me I claim to know you too. Do you really think you could ever fool me? The mistress of all evil?" Maleficent asked and walked around the bed and sat down on the chair next to the hospital bed.
"So if you knew I was a traitor from the beginning why did you even pretend to give me a second chance in the first place?" Regina asked a little confused.
"Well, a long time ago we were friends. I…that was a good time." Maleficent simply said. Regina nodded understandingly. Maleficent was not an easy person. She had not many friends and no family that she knew of. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe she wanted some.
"Maleficent, are you lonely?"
Maleficent looked at the brunette woman in bewilderment. "No."
Regina raised a single eyebrow doubtfully. After some moments of enduring Regina staring at her Maleficent sight quietly. "Just for a moment imagine that I were lonely, what would it be to you? You have your family and friends. You can allow yourself the luxury of choosing your friends. Why would you choose me? I am difficult, grumpy and vicious at the best of times. I am no friend material in any way."
"You are right. I can choose my friends and I choose you although you are a pain in the ass most times." Regina answered laughing quietly at Maleficent's astonished expression.
"You are?"
"I am" Regina confirmed. "Would you like that?"
"I would" Maleficent answered after hesitating for a short moment. She smiled. "Now, I'll let you get some more rest."
When Maleficent left the room and passed the waiting area once again she took a moment to observe Regina's family and friends again. This time they looked a lot less pathetic. That by far didn't mean she liked them but at least they were not pathetic anymore.
I hope you enjoyed the story! I would appreciate feedback very much!