Disclaimer: None of OUAT characters are owned by me, I'm just borrowing them to help exorcise some of my own demons!
Authors Note: Please, please review and let me know if i should keep posting this one. It's my first OUAT story and i'm a little terrified but i really want to know what you all think. This story has a long way to go and it's going to take our ladies on quite a journey. Angst, romance, hurt and comfort all within the coming chapters, and most definitely some f/f action, but we've got to build up to it! So please let me know if your up for the journey and REVIEW!
All That I Have
By Readyquill
Regina stood in front of the mirror stretching the sleep from her limbs. The pale blue satin of her pyjamas gently hugged her body. As she turned her head to the right she noticed two large lumps on the side of her neck. Her hand immediately covered them, pressing gently to inspect the abnormalities. Her brow furrowed in concentration and confusion. Taking a closer look she turned her head to examine the other side. There was nothing there, just the smooth expanse of olive skin. The lumps were definitely new and unlike anything she has seen before. Clamping her hand over them she turned away from the mirror.
''I'm sure it's nothing" she said to the room, trying to convince herself. Speaking this aloud however did not lend truth to the matter, and Regina felt the tiny grip of fear begin to take hold.
She stepped into the shower and, unsuccessfully, tried to ignore the sensetive area on her neck that she couldn't help but concentrate on. Gently she explored the rest of her body, in the guise of a thorough cleanse. Soapy warm hands slid carefully over a well-toned and cared for body.
As her hand reached high on the left of her chest her movement paused and her breath caught. There was another small lump just below her collar bone. Regina straightened, took a deep breath and pulled her mayoral façade into place.
"I'll visit the doctor later today." She shook her head lightly and pumped some face wash into her hands. Scrubbing her face with vigour as if to scrub away the doubt and fear, her fingers brushed over another tiny lump on her jaw near her ear. Regina's hands began to shake.
"I'm sure it's nothing" she said again, disgusted at the doubt she could hear waver in her voice.
Regina hurried to get dressed. Henry was with Emma and with him gone the house seemed to expand and echo around her. In this space, the door locked and no threat of interruption it was too easy to give in to the emotions within her and feel. So Regina straightened the scarf around her neck, picked up her hand bag and headed out the door opting for a coffee on her way to the office rather than breakfast at home this morning.
SQSQSQSQ
The needle pierced the skin with ease if not a little carelessly. The pathologist wasn't known to Regina but she was certainly known to him. He did very little to hide his animosity towards her. Regina watched as her blood was drawn from her left arm to fill three glass vials. When it was done Regina remained in her seat and looked at the man with a piercing glare.
Looking away he quickly said "Don't worry, I know there are a lot of people that would love to get their hands on this, but I am a professional and have sworn an oath to care for all my patients. No one but me will know who it belongs to. We'll have the results in four days."
"Thank you." Regina said, standing carefully and exiting the room. Four days. She had four days to wait to see what these... lumps were. "It will be fine" she tried again to tell herself.
The grip of fear only seemed to tighten within her however. For the first moment she thought perhaps the curse hadn't been such a great idea. If she was in Fairytale Land this wouldn't be happening and if it was she would have the power to eliminate whatever it was stuck within her.
SQSQSQSQ
Having had so much blood taken from her the former mayor knew she needed something to eat. Her hand paused before gripping the door handle to 'Granny's'. A deep breath and she pushed the door and stepped across the threshold. The quiet chatter within died immediately as the occupants of the room saw her enter. She glared at them as well as she could. Knowing they despised her only because of her own actions didn't make it any easier. She took a seat at the bar and ordered a slice of apple pie and a coffee.
"Thank you" she said as Granny practically threw the pie and coffee at her. Slowly the chatter began to fill the room again and Regina felt her shoulders relax just a little, until she felt someone walk up behind her. On full alert but not wanting to react until she knew she was in danger Regina waited.
"Hey" said the blonde Sherriff as she took as seat next to the Mayor. "Everything okay?"
"Why wouldn't it be Miss Swan?" Regina bit out, not quite as fiercely as expected.
"Well that for a start" Emma pointed at the pie 'I never thought I would see you voluntarily eat someone else's apple pie. And you don't seem to be quite yourself."
Regina looked up at the blonde woman, a little surprised at how easily she could be read. "I assure you I'm fine. Just hungry." Regina looked back at her plate. A part of her wanted so much to tell the other woman what was happening, that she had found lumps on her body that didn't belong there and she had just had what seemed like three pints of blood taken and that she was afraid of what it all might mean. But the fear of giving away that much information, of sharing that much of herself, and with the woman that was such a threat to her in the first place, kept her silent.
"Okay then." Emma said as she moved to leave.
"How is Henry, Miss Swan?" Regina asked without thinking. She wasn't ready to be alone in a place where everyone else had company. And she desperately wanted to see her son, to hold him and kiss him and tell him she loved him more than anything in the land. But with him in school for another three hours that wasn't going to happen, so speaking with the Sheriff about Henry seemed to be the next best thing.
"He's fine, he's working really hard to look after his 'steed' as we all have to call it. And David is teaching him how to fight with a sword. I think it must be every little boys dream come true, to be the grandson of a prince."
"Well it certainly was Henry's dream, the son of a princess, too bad he's also the son of an evil queen" Regina practically whispered to her plate.
Emma looked at the former Evil Queen curiously, something was definitely up. "Yeah he is. About that, I was hoping to bring him by your place for dinner one night.' Regina looked at the Sheriff with surprised brown eyes.
Emma continued "I want Henry in my life, I'm not going to go anywhere, and I want what's best for him. I'm his Mom. But you are his Mom too. I don't want to take him away from you. He needs you. He may not think it at the moment, and I know he's still pretty hurt about a lot of things, but he wants you to be good because he wants you in his life so much... When he has nightmares and calls for his mom, it's you he's calling for.' Pale eyes reflected a hint of pain as she gave away that precious piece of information, 'So, can we come for dinner?"
Regina had to fight to swallow the lump in her throat. Realising where she was she hid her emotions behind the walls she had created so long ago.
"The both of you? Supervised visits?' Regina sighed 'I would love to have Henry come for dinner and if it means I must put up with your presence to do so, then I'm willing to make that sacrifice."
Emma suddenly realised how it must have sounded "Regina, it isn't that I don't trust you with Henry, I do. I know he is the one thing you will do anything to protect. It's for Henry that I think I should be there. If he sees that we can get along, that I'm comfortable around you then maybe he might start to feel the same way."
Regina was shocked, once again, at the Sheriff's motivations. Schooling her features she stood and looked at the blonde.
"Very well Miss Swan. I'll expect you both this evening at six thirty." Then just before she walked away she turned her head slightly towards the other woman.
"Thank you, Miss Swan."