CHAPTER TWO:

Regina entered the mansion at 5pm sharp. She presumed Henry wouldn't yet be home, The Charming's rarely had him home at an appropriate dinner time, and often they would send him back fed – if you counted a burger from Granny's as a proper meal. At least she would have some time to herself to figure out what the Hell brought on that pain in her arm. She poured herself a glass of cider and lit the fire. She knew it would be easier to simply manufacture a fireball and throw it in, but she was much more wary of her magic, especially the dark magic that she had learned all those spells on. It would be far too easy to summon the anger, than the love. Especially now.

As she emptied the bottle into her glass, Regina realised she'd had far too much to drink. Although she barely noticed. She looked at the time, 7.45pm. Henry was generally home around 8.30, she couldn't have him see her barely able to stand. She reached for her phone and fumbled to enter her pass code. After a few attempts it unlocked and she found Emma's name and hit dial. After only two rings, the blonde answered.

"Hello?"

"Is Henry with you?" Regina slurred.

"Uh, yeah. We're just watching X-factor… are you drunk?"

"Miss Swan," Regina started, clearly intoxicated, "I do not get drunk."

"Reg…" Emma was quickly cut off.

"I do however need you to let Henry sleep over tonight as I… uh… am busy."

"Okay. Sure." Emma was wary to hang up. In one day she discovers that Regina is having nightmares, and now she's drunk? Something felt off in Emma's gut, but she simply said, "not a problem."

"Okey dokey," Regina half-giggled before hanging up.

Emma looked up to see Mary Margaret and David staring at her intently. "Regina asked if Henry can stay the night and I said yes," her parents beamed and Henry immediately got up for a second serve of ice-cream to celebrate. Emma stood and took Mary Margaret by the elbow, leading her away from Henry.

"What's wrong, Emma?"

"I think something might be wrong with Regina."

"Why?" Mary Margaret furrowed her brow, "Because she's letting Henry stay?"

"No," Emma said bluntly, "because she has had more alcohol than cursed Leroy."

"Oh. Well she's probably still… working through things." Emma shook her head, no way would Regina want Henry to stay here over staying with her, "I think it's more than that. I think I'll go check that she's alright."

"Emma…" her mother's voice had that concerned tone, the one that always came with an alternate option.

"Just to make me feel better, okay?"

Mary Margaret looked worried and let out a small sigh, but she smiled and nodded anyway. That was one thing Emma loved about her mother; she was so kind hearted, she couldn't say no to kind-deeds.

Emma arrived at the Mayor's house and quickly ran the steps to the porch. She tapped her fist against the door and waited. No one came, so she hit it a little harder, just in case Regina had missed the first one. When no one answered, Emma began to worry, so she turned the knob – and as it was thankfully unlocked – let herself in. She walked through to the living area in which she had sat on her first day in Storybrooke, when Henry and come and found her in Boston. Regina was sitting on the floor, a bottle of cider in hand, a knocked over glass sitting on the table. She watched as Regina took a swig straight from the bottle, something she had never seen the brunette woman do.

"Regina?" Emma asked relatively softly, so she didn't scare her. Regina's head turned around so that she could see who had said her name, "Emma," she mumbled. Emma walked over and kneeled down next to the woman, who looked as though she'd drunk her way through an entire cellar.

"Do you know what I love about this world?" Regina slurred.

"No, what?" Emma said, sitting down fully.

"Indoor plumbing. Water that you can just choose whether it's hot or cold and turn on and off. And toilets. There may be no magic, but that is ingenious." Regina giggled and went to have another mouthful of cider.

"Whoa, there," Emma said, and took the bottle out of the brunette's hands, "I think that might be enough for one night. Don't you?"

"I could set you on fire, you realise that right?" Intoxicated Regina was nowhere near as threatening as sober Regina.

"With the amount you've had to drink, I doubt you could get your mojo working." Regina laughed heartily, and Emma realised that she hadn't heard that sort of laughter for a long time. She didn't know if she'd ever heard it from Regina; laughter from the stomach, free and happy. Emma couldn't help but smile, and then laugh along, it was contagious. Before long both women were lying in stitches on the floor, struggling to breathe. When they finally found their breath, Emma said, "I think you should get to bed now, it is a school night after all." She wrapped her arm around the brunette and half-carried her up the stairs, Regina only partially conscious. Emma helped her on the bed and took off the Mayors shoes "if anyone could see the Queen like this" she thought, laughing silently to herself. After she pulled the covers over Regina she turned to leave, finally feeling her gut settle. As she reached the doorway she heard a small voice say, "don't go." She turned and saw the woman looking up at her from under thick eyelashes, "the nightmares," Regina said quietly, licking her lips, "the nightmares." Emma felt a tug at her heart as she watched the former Evil Queen close her eyes and drift off into sleep.

She sat on the other side of the bed, and whenever she tried to leave she heard Regina's voice saying, "don't go." Her voice sounded so young and laced with fear, how would she leave? She thought about calling Mary Margaret to tell her she was looking after Regina, but didn't want to wake her. Instead she sent her a text:

E: At Regina's. Going to stay and make sure she's okay.

A minute later her phone pinged. Damn, why hadn't she thought to turn it to silent? She quickly set her phone to vibrate so that it wouldn't wake Regina. Then she read the reply from her mother.

M: Okay. It's a little weird. But okay.

E: I owe her.

M: Emma, you made a mistake… you saved a life. It's hardly a bad thing.

Emma didn't reply, she didn't really feel like having that conversation with Mary Margaret. Again. Instead she just laid down beside Regina and looked up at the ceiling.

45 minutes or so later, she heard a small gasp come from Regina. Emma checked, but she was certain the other woman was still asleep. Regina's chest started to rise and fall faster and more heavily, but the woman did not stir to waking. Emma thought perhaps she had imagined it, but then Regina started making incomprehensible sounds, the blonde presumed they were words although she couldn't actually make out what Regina was saying. Emma could tell that this was the beginning of a nightmare; Regina's fingers had clenched, her eyebrows were forming a frown and she was still murmuring unintelligibly. Emma didn't really have experience in comforting people, she sat up trying to figure out what to do. Did she wake her? Or was it true that it's bad to wake someone when they're having a nightmare? Shit. Emma was aware that she was more than a little out of her depth. She decided to wait, perhaps the nightmare would end on its own. After a little more time passed, Regina's nightmare began to worsen, she began to shake and Emma knew she would have to wake the other woman soon.

"Regina," she cooed softly, trying not to jerk her out of it like earlier. She then lightly touched Regina's hair, pushing it back while saying her name over and over, to try and rouse her. Regina's eyes snapped open, but she was nowhere near as disoriented as she had been in her office that day. She closed her eyes hard and groaned.

"I'm gonna be sick," she said quickly, trying to move towards the bathroom. She was still drunk, and her coordination suffered because of it. Emma swiftly wrapped her arm around Regina and helped her stumble to the bathroom, where she pulled back the brunette's soft hair, as she heaved up the contents of her stomach – which was almost entirely alcohol.

"Damn, Regina," she said softly. The other woman groaned in response.

After an hour of holding her hair, fetching her water and speaking in soothing tones, Emma was relieved when Regina said she was ready to go back to bed. She helped the brunette – who had regained some motor skills and could finally walk – back to the bed, and again laid her down and tucked her in. She went back to her place on the other side and sat next to her.

"Regina?" Emma asked sensitively.

"Mmmm?"

"Have you always had nightmares?"

"Mm, only since the curse broke," she spoke slowly, forming each word individually.

"What do you dream about?"

"Memories," and with that, Regina slipped back into sleep.