Chapter One: Waiting for you
Regina rested upon the door frame, her foot franticly tapping on the tile floor, she was growing impatient and she really couldn't take it any longer. "I can't cope anymore." She huffed, pulling at the sleeves of her blue silk shirt.
"Hey," Zelena smiled, going to place a reassuring hand on Regina's shoulder. "She'll pull through. Now sit down and relax. It's not good for you, or the baby." Zelena grinned, resting her hand on Regina's small bump.
"I can't help it Sis, they haven't told me anything. It's been days!" Regina sobbed, turning to lean her head on Zelena's shoulder.
Zelena sighed softly, pulling Regina into a warm, gentle embrace. "Dry those eyes darling. I'll go ask a nurse what's going on." Zelena then lead Regina to a hospital chair, she sat her down and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Wait here. Please."
Regina nodded, snorting gently. "Okay." She rubbed over her small growing stomach. "Your Mommy will pull through, baby. I promise. I can't wait to tell her the news when she wakes up, you're going to have two mommies who love you more than you'll ever know." Regina smiled.
Zelena returned with David. David stepped towards Regina and offered out his hand, Regina glanced up, she stretched out her left hand, her heart sinking as she gazed over her wedding band which was accompanied with a gleaming diamond band next to it.
As David pulled her up, he smiled weakly. "Emma's awake." He muttered, his eyes finding it hard to remain in contact with Regina's.
"What's the catch?" Regina coughed, grumbling.
"Regina, Emma lost some of her memory in the accident, she's having problems recalling the last couple of years…" Zelena stuttered as she made her way towards Regina.
Regina's heart sank even further, she felt her body fall, with her breath taken she almost fell to the floor, but with a quick act, David caught her.
Regina grabbed on to David's shirt, burying her face into his chest, her eyes filled with tears, she began to sob quietly into him. David wrapped his arms around her, cradling her softly.
"They don't know if she'll remember everything. But, they believe with reminders and going back to normal she should, it will take time. But hopefully having Henry around, and you," David squeezed Regina. "She'll recover."
Zelena made her way over to her sister. "Don't worry, Regina. You'll have us, we all know the history you two have, I'm sure we can find some way to help her memory."
Regina carefully pulled away from David. "I can speak to her, alone? Just for a bit?"
"Of course, if you need us we will be outside."
"I'll call Henry, let him know Emma's awake." Zelena smiled, giving Regina's hand a little squeeze.
Regina half smiled, she took a deep breath and made her way into Emma's room.
Emma's eyes were closed as she laid under the white hospital sheets, her body attached to machine after machine to monitor her body.
"Hey, Emma." Regina whispered under her breath.
Emma opened her eyes slowly, gazing over Regina. "Hey."
Regina coughed, wiping over her eyes before grabbing a chair and sitting down next to her wife. "Emma," She muttered once again. "You won't remember me, but…"
Emma's hand gently extended out, reaching for Regina's hand. "Regina," She smiled faintly, grasping at the soft skin of the brunette. "I remember, just not well." Emma looked down at her own hand which was laced in Regina's. "I'm guessing you're my wife now?" She smiled.
Regina watched Emma, Emma's smile brightened the moment, taking away a little bit of Regina's fears.
Regina looked down and gently squeezed her hand. "Yeah, we married last year."
"I see. Do you have any photos?" Emma asked.
"I do." Regina pulled out her phone. She began showing her the wedding photos, scrolling through them one at a time.
"Oh look at Henry! He is so sweet and charming!" Emma laughed.
Regina grinned, she looked at Emma, she'd missed her ever so much, and her absence had only made her heart grow fonder.
"Wait, what's that?" Emma raised her eyebrow, and looked at Regina.
Regina shook her head. "What's what?" Regina looked at her phone. "Crap."
"Is that a baby scan?" Emma pursed her lips. "Are we having a baby?"
"Yes," Regina mumbled. "I was going to tell you the day of the accident. We were all gathered at your parents' house. I found out that morning…"
"How far along are you?" Emma asked, all her attention focused on Regina.
"Three months." She bit the inside of her lip.
"Oh, whoa. That's, exciting?" Emma shrugged.
"We found a donor, Henry's dad…" Regina felt Emma's hand slip out.
"Who?" Emma asked.
Regina blinked. "You don't know about Henry?"
"This is a lot to take in, I just got my head around you being my wife, I just, need a moment."
Regina got up to leave, but Emma quickly grabbed onto her hand. "No, don't go. Stay. Tell me the story of how we met, tell me about us. I want to know."
Regina took a deep breath, placing her hand on her stomach. "Are you sure? I don't want to pressure you?"
Emma nodded and patted the chair where Regina was sitting.
Regina sat back down, idly fiddling with her fingers.
Emma smiled. "I'm listening."
Regina rested her hands on her skirt. "Okay." She swallowed hard. "We met at your father's birthday party, two years ago. It was fancy dress, you had the cutest little cat outfit on, your father introduced us and we got on almost instantly. We went on a date one week later at the steakhouse on the waterfront and then the following week we spent our first night together, then not long after that, you asked me to be your girlfriend."
Emma smiled. "I remember the cat outfit."
Regina continued. "We went to our first basketball game the following month, in Chicago. We had a romantic week away, that's when you told me about your son. That you had him when you were seventeen, with Neal, you're ex-boyfriend. But you weren't in the right frame of mind, so you gave him up for adoption, to give him his best chance. You were worried that it would scare me away, but it didn't it made me grow fonder of you, I felt like I really knew you, you were never afraid of anything."
Emma scratched her head. "I don't remember any of that."
Regina frowned. "It was one of my favourite weeks away with you." She sighed. "The following month we went on holiday, just us two. We travelled to Madrid. That's when we first told each other we loved one and other."
"I…" Emma shrugged. "I'm sorry Regina, I just don't…"
Regina shook her head. "I didn't think you would. I had false hope…" Regina began to sob again. "I can't do this…"
"Regina…"
Regina didn't look at Emma, she just decided to leave, with her heart on her sleeve she just couldn't deal with the pressure.
"Regina! Zelena yelled, watching her storm past.
"Not now, Zelena." Regina grunted. "I'm going home, I need to be alone."
Zelena crossed her arms. "Fine, but I'll be over in a few hours to check on you."
"Whatever." Regina grumbled.
Zelena looked at David. "She's not coping well."
David raised his eyebrow. "Not at all."
Zelena turned to go into Emma's room, but stopped. "I think you should spend some time with Emma, she remembers you. She needs you."
David nodded. "Please take of Regina, she's family."
"I always do." Zelena smiled. "It's the first time Emma broke her heart."
David just raised his eyes and disappeared into the room.
Zelena's eyes widened as she gritted her teeth together. "It's going to be a long night." She muttered to herself.
Henry appeared from the corner, dressed in his usual coat and scarf and walked over to Zelena.
"Aunt Zelly." He smiled. "Where's Mommy?"
"Regina left," Zelena placed her hands on his shoulders. "Emma's struggling to remember things."
"What things?" He asked. "Like she's my birth Mom and Regina's my adoptive Mom?" He exclaimed loudly.
"What?" Screeched Emma, who was stood at the door way on her crutches.
"Oh no." David muffled.
Zelena clutched onto Henry.
Emma looked at David. "Henry, Henry is mine and Neal's son?" Emma swallowed hard. "I think I need to," She stopped and looked at Henry. "I didn't know."
"It was fate." Henry smiled. "You and my Mommy met due to fate. You are both my parents, two adults who had never met till a few years ago, fell in love before finding out that they already shared a son, and now they share a heart."
Zelena gripped on to Henry tighter, he may have been thirteen but she still felt the need to protect him from it all.
"I was only a couple of years old when Regina adopted me, she was young just turned twenty one. But she had money and a powerful background, so the adoption went through." Henry frowned watching Emma's reaction.
"I think I'm going to go to bed, I'm no longer hungry." Emma scoffed.
"Come on Henry, let's go home." Zelena smiled softly.
Zelena took Henry's hand and lead him away.
"I'm sorry Daddy, I'm hurting everyone. I just, I just can't remember." Emma began to cry, her eyes puffing up with her uncontrollable tears.
"Oh sweetheart. It will be okay." David rubbed Emma's shoulder. "The Doctors say you can leave tomorrow, and you are able to go back to work whenever you feel ready. We were lucky that there was no major damage to your body, you just hit your head, which caused this."
Emma looked up at him. "But where is home?"
"Where ever you feel comfortable going."
"Can I go home with you, and stay with you and Mom?" Emma asked, wiping at her eyes as she sat down on the hospital bed.
"Of course sweetheart. Now get some rest and your mother and I will come and get you in the morning." David kissed Emma's forehead and then left the room.
Regina sat on her purple silk bed sheets, holding onto Emma's pillow tightly as her tears rolled down her cheek. She didn't want to let go of anything, she just felt so hopeless, she wasn't in control and she didn't like it. Her life had been full of negatives, her of possessive parents controlling her, but with Emma, she was free. They had a connection, their love for Henry, their passion for teaching and their admiration for each other.
She missed her wife ever so dearly, she felt her grip on the pillow loosen, a rush of weakness filling her body. She collapsed on the bed, all alone she could only think about Emma, all the good memories, she felt like she losing them. Regina clutched at her wedding bands and then at her growing bump.
Regina was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening, she quickly wiped away her tears and made her way down the stairs to greet Henry, who was with Zelena and Zelena's wife, Belle.
"Regina. I'm so sorry." Belle muttered.
Regina smiled, gently giving Belle a hug.
Henry quickly took to Regina's arms as Belle pulled away. "Don't worry Mommy, I'll protect you, take care of you and Baby Swan in there."
"I know you will, Henry."
"I love you, Mom." Henry kissed Regina's cheek and went upstairs.
Zelena gently hugged Regina. "If you need me I'll be a call away. Or next door, considering I live there."
Regina smirked. "Haven't you got children of your own to go home to?"
Zelena laughed. "A stroppy fifteen year old and a ten going thirteen year old? I'd rather stay here."
Belle chuckled, looping her hand in Zelena's. "Robin is just like you! She's a crazy fifteen year old with high demands!"
"And Gideon is just like you, a ten year old boy with a fascination of books and fairy tales." Zelena smirked, kissing Belle's cheek.
Belle blushed, turning to the door. "You did meet me at a library."
Zelena leaned forward and kissed Regina's cheek. "Get some rest, it's the start of a new week tomorrow, hopefully things will sort themselves out."
Regina just nodded, watching them leave before closing and locking the door behind them.
Regina walked into her living room, she heading to the thermostat, she cranked the heat a bit, October in Vancouver was never the warmest. Tucking her short raven hair behind her ears, she gazed over her the living room, her house felt empty. She just wanted to see Emma sitting on the couch, sipping hot cocoa and cinnamon reading the newspaper in her tight white tank top that she wears for basketball coaching.
She closed the black curtains and headed upstairs, it was time to have a hot bath and just forget about things for a little while. She began to run the water, slumping on the edge of the curved bath tub, she reached over to her phone, and glancing down at the screen she noticed a text from Emma. It read;
'Hey, look I'm sorry I don't remember anything from our lives together, but no matter what you're still my wife. I may struggle, a lot, but I want to remember, I've been looking through the photos on my phone, of us. Our engagement party, our wedding and our honeymoon. They made me happy, I had a happy life before this, and I don't want to lose it, these memories we made, I want them back. On our wedding day I made an oath. I'm going to live up to it. Once I'm out of here and feeling myself, can we meet, go for coffee? Can we just get to know one another?'
Regina wiped away the tears that fell upon her cheek, she didn't know what to say. She put the phone down on the side next to the sink, she wasn't ready to reply. She needed a night to sleep on it, to think about it. She may have wanted Emma back so much but she didn't' know if she could cope with Emma being the way she is. How could Regina spend the entire coffee 'date' with Emma and not kiss her? The intimacy she felt completely gone.
She undressed and got into the bath tub, all her worries sinking away as the hot water danced over her soft skin, she rested her head on the headrest behind her and closed her eyes, letting the bubbles push all away her troubles.
After half an hour Regina awoke, she'd fallen asleep. She rubbed her eyes and quickly got out, the stress of the day had finally got to her. She slipped her black silk night dress on and headed into her bedroom. Climbing into her bed she grabbed Emma's pillow and held it close to her, she was just about to close her eyes when she heard a faint knocking on her bedroom door.
"Mom?" Whispered Henry. "You still awake?"
"Yeah, come in Henry." Regina said, rolling over and pulling herself up so she was sitting.
Henry made his way into Regina's room, Regina chuckled looking at Henry, he was wearing a pj set that Emma bought him when they first met two years ago. Blue cotton with a yellow car pattern.
"Mommy got these for me when we first met, the gift was ironic because she drove a yellow beetle," Henry laughed. "I miss her."
Regina patted the bed. "Me too, kid."
Henry sat down, looking at his Mom. He just frowned, cuddling up to Regina. "Will things be normal again soon?"
"I hope," Regina squeezed him. "I really do."