**** I do not own OUAT nor its characters ****

CHAPTER 1

Emma shut her eyes tight and turned her head away as if that would keep out the truth lying before her. She clutched at the steering wheel while cursing Regina's stubbornness that the woman had forced her to resort to these measures. She swallowed down a wave of nausea. It wasn't until she'd heard the screech of tires come to a rest that she turned back to the scene before her.

Regina's precious Mercedes lie crushed in the middle of the road. Regina's body lay still in the middle of the street.

Emma walked over and felt for a pulse. She threw back her head and emitted an oath of gratitude that she found it. She cradled her head in her arms as tears began to pour down her face. Suddenly Emma felt a presence behind her but didn't bother to look around. She knew it was the imp. "You didn't tell me it was going to be like this."

"You didn't ask dearie. We agreed any means necessary as long as no one got hurt,' Gold shrugged away her concerns since they were of no concern to him nor his business there. "Now dearie, you're going to have to move out of the way while I do my work."

Emma adjusted her position to allow Gold access to Regina. She moved to Regina's head and placed it on her bent knees. She had decided that this was the only option she had left. But seeing her lying there had really cut her to the core. She bent and grazed her lips with her own.

Gold bent and began to place his hands upon Regina's head. Emma stopped him. "This isn't going to hurt her right?" she asked nervously.

"That was part of our deal dearie," again he began to place his hands on her head. Emma stopped him again.

"And she won't remember any of this right?"

"Indeed," Gold stretched his arms out so that his sleeves would fall back. Then he began to place his hands on Regina's head again. He hesitated and looked over at Emma waiting for her to interrupt again. He knew that she was having second thoughts about her decisions but a deal was a deal. And she was the one who had come to him.

Emma once again had to look away. Her stomach and her heart just couldn't take seeing what came next.

Gold proceeded to place his hands on Regina's head. He muttered an incantation beneath his breath. Black smoke poured out and surrounded Regina's body. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. And so was he.

Emma opened one eye for a peek. When she saw nothing, she opened her other eye. She looked around her wildly searching for Gold. "Damn it! If that imp double crossed me I'm - ."

"Em-ma," Regina's voice was weak and hesitant.

Emma's heart pounded as she stared into her eyes. "Regina! Are you okay?"

Regina tried to sit up but Emma's arm kept her still. "You were in an accident. Rest a minute. And then I'll get you to the hospital."

"An accident? What kind of accident? What happened?"

Emma wasn't sure how to answer. Her eyes lighted on the car and she pointed. "A car accident. Come on, let's get you to the hospital." Emma bent and picked up the petite brunette. It still amazed her when she had her arms around her that Regina was actually pretty small.

She put her in the passenger seat of her car and took off for the hospital. Regina lay with her eyes closed and her head back against the headrest. She was breathing a little hard but it wasn't forced. She didn't really seem to be in too much pain. Or so Emma hoped.

She kept glancing at Regina throughout the car ride. It was hard to gauge whether or not her plan had worked.

She pulled up to the hospital and ran inside. She came back out with a wheelchair. She helped Regina into it and then wheeled her back inside. "We need help over here," she yelled. "We need a doctor."

A nurse ran over and grabbed the wheelchair and began to wheel it in the back. Emma jogged along beside it. "What happened?"

"She had a car accident," Emma gasped out. They entered an area that said personnel only beyond this point.

The nurse turned and held up her hand. "We've got her from here. You can wait in the waiting room."

Emma began to turn back to the waiting room. Then she turned back just before the doors closed in front of her. She stuck her head through the opening. "And she's pregnant," she yelled to the nurse.

The nurse nodded to let her know she understood and wheeled Regina into a room. Emma went back to the waiting area. She took a seat and bounced her leg as she waited for the verdict. "That damned imp," she muttered below her breath.