Chapter 2

Regina did her best to keep her eyes trained on the crossword puzzle. Henry and Ruby would arrive at the hospital soon. After catching Emma up on how Henry was doing they had run out of things to talk about. The silence would have not been so awkward for Regina if only Emma would stop her constant fidgeting. The movements were one thing, but the grunts of pain that came with them were harder to ignore.

Regina rested her pen to look at her sternly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Emma answered casually without making eye contact.

Regina didn't believe her to begin with, but the gig was up as Emma couldn't wait two seconds to start moving around under her blankets again. "Miss Swan."

Emma dropped her head back on her pillow and let out a loud groan. "Fine." Carefully, she sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed.

Regina was greeted by Emma's exposed back. Her hospital gown was loosely tied and did nothing to cover up the canvas of bruises.

"Enjoy the view."

It was Regina's only warning before Emma nudged the IV rack into reach of her left hand and pulled herself to her feet. Emma's pasty white butt might have been the only part of her that was left unmarred. With her first step she tried and failed to hide the pain. She held her ribs with her casted arm.

Regina shot to her feet, tossing the crossword puzzle and pen aside. "What are you doing?" She asked with concern.

The blonde gazed shamefully at the floor. "I have to pee."

"Well why didn't you say so? Let me get the nurse."

"I can do it." She took another step to prove her point. The pain knocked the wind out of her. She bent forward in an attempt to get it back and hide the water in her eyes.

"Emma!" Regina worried. She hurried to the other side of the bed. She helped hold her up with a hand on her waist and another on her elbow.

"Thanks." Emma grumbled as they slowly made their way to the room's bathroom. They made it as far as the door when Emma stopped them. "I got it from here."

"Emma…"

"Regina, I said I got it." Emma's stern voice left no room for argument. She shuffled in the rest of the way and left Regina behind on the other side of the door.

"I'm here if you need me." She said loud enough to get through the wood of the door. She leaned against the wall to wait for Emma. "What am I doing?" She mumbled, shaking her head to herself. It was obvious the stubborn oaf didn't want her help and yet Regina had the constant urge to keep trying. If Emma wasn't going to take care of herself then she was going to do everything in her power to keep Emma alive.

A crash sounded from inside the bathroom. "I'm okay!" Emma called out before Regina could ask.

Emma wasn't going to make it easy.

…

Tired, sore, and sweaty Emma made it back to bed without any further injuries. She sat on the bed, and without prompting, Regina lifted her legs into it. The woman who she had once considered the enemy pulled the blankets up and basically tucked her into bed.

"Regina…" She found herself saying.

"Hmm?" Regina hummed as she focused on carefully freeing Emma's arms from the blankets so they rested on top.

"Why are you doing this?" They spent the better part of a year being awful to one another. Emma had crashed down into more than the town sign. It may have been Henry that brought her to town, but Emma had decided for herself to stick around. She interested herself into Henry and Regina's lives without a real invitation. But after everything here was Regina being good to her, and Emma didn't understand.

Regina paused her movements, surprised by the question. "I told you." She thought of something to say after a moment of simply looming over Emma. "Henry loves you. You're important to him therefore-" She cut herself off.

"Therefore?" Emma lightly pushed wanting to know where it was going. Suddenly she found herself staring deep into chocolate eyes. Eyes that were so close staring right back into hers. Emma held her breathe as Regina seemed to move closer.

Emma felt Regina's breath on her lips as she whispered. "I have to tolerate you."

Her breath escape in a puff as Regina backed away with a smirk. She watched Regina settle back into her chair and pick up a book. It seemed they would go back to ignoring each other until Henry showed up. Something tugged inside her chest. Something like disappointment?

Emma rolled her eyes at herself and stared at the ceiling. She was bored of being stuck in a hospital bed.

It wasn't long until Nurse Krem came in with a tray of food to distract her. He adjusted her bed to help her stare at the food in front of her. It was a late breakfast of blueberry pancakes and oatmeal. Her empty stomach rumbled with need. She knew if she tried to reach for it the movement would cause a bite in her shoulder. She was still tired from her trip the bathroom and just didn't have the energy to try.

"Emma, you have to eat. How do you expect to heal if your body doesn't have any energy to burn?" Nurse Krem chastised. "Back me up here, Mrs. Swan."

Regina was going to give herself an aneurysm with the way she was trying not to cringe while forcing a smile. "Please, call me Regina."

"Alright, Regina." He smiled, none the wiser. "Pull your wife card and tell Emma to eat."

"Nurse Krem is right, dear. You need your strength."

"If you say so, babe." Emma grumbled. At least if Regina was still playing the charade she couldn't openly mock her. She went for it, moving her left arm up inch by inch. She concentrated all her strength. She knew she could make it.

Only, to the rest of the world the amount of effort showing on her face didn't add up to the actual progress of her arm. Regina looked to Nurse Krem to do something.

"Hey champ, don't hurt yourself." He gently pushed her shoulder back until she relaxed. "You have the Mrs. here to help you with all the heavy lifting." He picked up the plastic fork from the tray and reached across Emma to hand it to Regina.

Regina hesitated for a moment staring at the offered utensil but eventually daintily accepted it.

They were both unsure about the first bite. Regina took her time cutting them up and getting just the right about of maple syrup on them. When she stalled for as much time as she could, she presented a fork full of pancake triangles to Emma's mouth. "Open."

Emma narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

"Would you prefer I make airplane noises?"

"I like trains." Emma gave a lopsided grin.

"You're a child."

Nurse Krem chuckled at their antics as he finished filling out some details on her chart. "Make sure she eats as much as she can. Airplanes or trains."

Regina tried again, bringing the fork up to Emma's mouth as Nurse Krem closed the door behind himself, but Emma only pressed her lips tighter. "Miss Swan." Regina chastised in frustration.

"Mrs. Swan?" Emma winked.

The mayor sighed deeply before going in for another attempt. She locked eyes with the blonde and glared into her soul. "Choo. Choo." She cheated. As soon as Emma opened her mouth to laugh, Regina shoved a bite of pancakes into it.

She immediately regretted the decision. Her glare disappeared and was replaced by a frown and furrowed brow, worried that she had been too rough with the already injured blonde.

Emma watched the emotions play out on her face. There was no denying it anymore. She chewed with a smug smile on her face as the thought went through her head; Regina Mills cared about her.

…

Henry had been fidgeting since Regina talked to him on the phone and told him the G-rated version of what happened to Emma. Ruby did her best to distract him on the drive over, but she had trouble drawing him out of his own head for more than two seconds.

"Just remember what your mom said." Ruby tried again in the elevator ride up to Emma's floor. "Emma's a little beat up, but she's going to be okay." She couldn't be sure he was even listening.

He kept his eyes forward and didn't bother to acknowledge Ruby had even spoken to him. How Regina put him with him day in and day out, she'd never know.

The elevator slowed to a stop on their floor. Henry ran out of the elevator before the doors fully opened. Of course he didn't actually know where he was going and darted away in the wrong direction.

Ruby sighed, but at least he was moving like a human again. She causally left the elevator and propped herself against a wall to wait for boy wonder to find his way back.

If Henry had a tail it would be between his legs as he came down the hall, making his way back to Ruby with slumped shoulders.

Ruby uncrossed her arms when he stopped in front of her. "Are you actually going to listen to me now?"

Henry nodded without looking at her.

Ruby sighed, "Come on." She wrapped an arm around his shoulders with a reassuring squeeze and followed the directions Regina had given to navigate the halls.

…

The door burst open just as Regina was bringing a spoonful of oatmeal to Emma's mouth. In the doorway Ruby had her hand up to knock, but Henry came running through.

"Emma!" He made no sign of slowing down. He was going to crash right into her.

"Henry, no!" Regina tossed the spoon onto the hospital table and stood to get in his way. She captured him in her arms and held him tight. They nearly toppled over with his momentum.

"Let me go!" Henry yelled, struggling in her arms. "You can't keep me from her! You're not my real mom!"

"Henry!" Both Emma and Ruby chastised.

Henry stopped struggling enough for Regina to hold him at arm's length. "I'm not trying to keep you from her. She's hurt. You have to be gentle."

He peeked around Regina and his eyes widened as he really saw Emma for the first time.

The tension in his shoulders ceased and she knew it was safe to let him go. She stepped away and joined Ruby by the door.

Ruby captured Regina's hand in her own and gave it a tight squeeze. "You okay?" She asked quietly.

Regina only managed a tight smile and a nod. Ruby bumped her shoulder into the mayor's, eliciting a better smile. It was a small smile, but it was real.

Emma watched the exchange, but Henry's shuffling drew her attention to him as he came closer. "Is it really not as bad as it looks?"

"Get in here, kid." She motioned him in for a hug.

He was careful, but she flinched as his head came down on her sore shoulder. She managed to get one arm around him, but still didn't have the strength to rub his back like she wanted too.

Ruby had a sly smirk on her face as she leaned in to whisper in Regina's ear. "Were you feeding Emma?"

"Shut up." She snapped back as quietly as she could manage.

Emma's eyes narrowed. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the blush spreading across Regina's cheeks and the way Ruby laughed and wrapped an arm around her spoke volumes. It didn't make any sense.

…

"How many were there?" Henry sat cross-legged at the end of Emma's bed trying to extract every detail of Emma's fight against the bikers.

It was a delicate game of telling him only enough to answer his question and satisfy his curiosity. It would have worked if only he would run out of questions.

She looked over to Regina, who had migrated back into her chair, to see if it was a question she could answer honestly, but she was busy rubbing at her neck.

"No more than I could handle." Emma went for the safe answer.

"Like 10?"

Emma chuckled as Henry nearly hopped in excitement. "Sure kid, like 10." She looked back over to Regina to share her amusement, but she had moved on to shifting in her chair uncomfortably.

Before she could say anything about it Ruby stepped up behind the mayor and took over, massaging Regina's shoulders and neck.

"Mmm, thank you." She practically moaned.

"Mhm." Ruby simply hummed in return.

The eyebrow that wasn't swollen shot up to Emma's hair line. Whatever was going on, she didn't like it.

"Emma…" Henry picked at the seam on his jeans. "The biker guys are in jail now, right? They're not coming back?"

His worried face distracted and brought her back to what was important. It broke her heart to see him scared for her. "Hey," She reached for him as best she could and he met her hand with his most of the way. "Don't worry about that. Everything's fine." The ones who attacked her where safely locked away, but there were more where they come from. Henry, of course, didn't need to know that. She gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday."

"It's okay." He shrugged without really looking at her.

"How was the party?"

He just shrugged again.

"That good, huh?" She risked another glance at Regina.

Ruby was finally keeping her hands to herself, but Regina was staring at her intently.

"Um," She turned away from her and back to their son. "Was there cake?"

The question brought back his smile and he practically lit up. "Double chocolate. I saved you a slice."

"Awesome! I can't wait." She smiled back.

"Somebody's popular today." Nurse Krem came through the open door teasing Emma. He paused mid-step to take a second look at the boy. "You must be Henry." He welcomed the new comers with a wide smile. "You're older than in your picture."

Henry's eyes squinted, wondering how a stranger had seen a younger picture of him.

Krem examined the contents left over on the pushed aside hospital table. "Nice job Mrs. Swan," He said, impressed. "That's the most Emma's eaten since she's been here."

Henry's squinted eyes moved over to Regina and were joined by Ruby's raised eyebrow.

"Yes, well." Regina cleared her throat. "She really likes trains." She managed to further confuse them.

He chuckled as he once more filled out a chart. "So Emma, how do you feel about going home today?"

"You're kicking me out?" She frowned. Normally she would jump at the chance to get out of the hospital, but there was something unappealing about going back to her trashed apartment and suffering alone.

"Only if you're up for it. The doctor prescribed some medication to help manage the pain."

"I guess." Emma sighed. She'd survive, just like she always did.

"Great." Krem picked up the food tray. "I'll make sure your paperwork gets started."

The room was quiet until Krem made his exit. Ruby checked to make sure he was really gone and a smirk overtook her face. "Mrs. Swan? When did that happen?"

"Last night apparently." Emma said in mock adoration. "We held hands all night."

"Emma," Regina snapped. "Shut up."

"Make me." Emma's grin slowly faded as Regina's eyebrow arched. She found the clicker to her morphine drip and spammed the button in hopes of blaming her accidental flirting on the drugs. She found Henry's squinty eyes still on her, confused as ever. "So, cake." She turned the conversation back to something he would understand. "I could go for some chocolate now, actually."

"I'll get you some!" He lit up and hoped off the bed in a hurry. He made it as far as the door before he turned around. "I don't have any money."

Regina sighed as she stood, collecting her purse. "Let's go then." Any excuse to get out of that chair.

Ruby filled the vacant seat almost immediately. "You should have called."

"I know." She didn't want to look at her. Without Henry there to keep up with, she used the excuse of the exhaustion to close her eyes. Silence fell upon them as they waited for mother and son to return.

Ruby got comfortable, kicking her feet up on Emma's bed and leaning back in the chair. "Seriously Em, Regina and I would have been here in a heartbeat."

Regina and I. The words echoed in Emma's head. She hadn't been gone that long. It felt like just yesterday she was listening to Ruby's endless rant about Regina's snootiness. Now they were touching and smiling at each other and having secret conversations that made Regina blush.

Emma pushed Ruby's feet off the bed.

"What the hell?" Ruby nearly fell out of the chair.

Emma's eyes snapped open to stare accusingly at her. "When did you and Regina get so chummy?"

"A lot can change in a few months." Ruby shrugged.

"What, so you like her now?"

"She's actually kind of funny once you accept she's a sarcastic asshole." Ruby paused to purse her lips. "Don't tell her I said that though. Last thing we need is a sarcastic asshole with an inflated ego."

"You spent hours complaining about her and now all of a sudden you're friends?"

"It's not all of a sudden; we've spent a lot of time together since you've been gone."

Emma's lip curled in frustration. She was starting to get an idea of what kind of time they've been spending together. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you asked me to?"

"I asked you to keep an eye on her, not sleep with her!"

"What?" The same question came from two places, the first from Ruby, and the second from Regina standing in the doorway.

The chair slid backwards as Ruby stood. "I can explain."

"Don't bother." The anger won out in Regina's voice, but the devastation was still there. "I should have known." She held her mask until she turned around, but Henry was suddenly in the doorway holding an armful of candy bars.

"Mom?" He frowned. "What's wrong?"

For a moment she almost believed he actually cared, but then she remembered who she was and what he thought of her. "Ask your mother." The mask reemerged as she strutted passed him.

No amount of chocolate bars could make up for all the confusion he had suffered in such a short time. "What did you do?" He accused the women left in the room.

Ruby bowed her head, heavy with guilt. She couldn't just stand there, after a short delay she made a decision and hurried after her.

"Regina, wait." She caught up with the mayor as she was waiting for the elevator.

Regina's foot tapped with impatience, both at the slow elevator and Ruby's presence. "Go away."

"Just hear me out."

"No." She was done listening to her lies. She was also done waiting for the damn elevator. She pushed through the door to the stairwell.

Level by level Ruby was right on her heels nagging at her. "We have to talk about this."

Regina showed no signs of slowing down, intent on descending all 8 floors.

"Regina, please." Ruby begged, already out of breath and falling behind; cold pizza did not make for a nutritious breakfast. "Where are you even going?!" She called from two staircases up.

Her only response was the fading echo of Regina's heels clicking against the steps as they left her behind.

…

Regina had no idea where she was going. She left the hospital and got into her car, then just drove in circles around the block for a while.

She didn't feel right leaving Henry up there, but it was better than two Mills' stewing in the car. When she lost control like she knew she would, she didn't want him there to see her cry. With Emma unable to move at least she knew he wouldn't go anywhere.

Veering off the path, she found herself going the way she had come, back to Emma's apartment building. She got in the same way, simply waiting until someone came out.

She pushed through the unlocked door and ducked under the police tape. Pausing for a moment to examine the splintered and broken wood where the door latch should go. It was if the door had been kicked open.

She would have worried about burglars, but luckily all of Emma's belonging were destroyed and scattered across the floor. The blood might have been a deterrent to even the lowest of thieves.

Glass crunched under her feet as she did her best to navigate through the disaster zone. The holes in the drywall continued in the hallway. Regina could only imagine what the bigger dents in the walls were made from, perhaps from bodies slamming into them.

She continued into the bedroom. It was a disheveled mess, but a separate hurricane from the rest of the apartment; a hurricane better known as Emma Swan.

Sheets were rumpled at the end of the bed, surely having been there since the beginning of time. She stepped around the clothes and open boxes that were scattered around the room. Kicking one of the boxes she examined its contents and found it full of clothes and Emma's belongings, as if she had never bothered to unpack.

Regina sighed and took it as a sign; she knew what she had to do.

She picked up a few random articles of clothing and tossed them in to random boxes. She couldn't tell what was clean or dirty, but that was Emma's problem. She steered clear of the underwear and bras, but continued gathering things together.

As she closed up the first box, her head snapped up suddenly hearing crunching footsteps in the living room. She cursed herself for not remembering to close the door behind her. She could only imagine what someone would be doing in Emma's apartment, probably looking to finish the job.

She shrunk back to the nightstand, staying low. There was nowhere to go.

Her hand brushed against a long hard cylinder under the bed. She gripped it instinctively, and pulled out a strong, wooden baseball bat.

With the bat tightly in her hands, she scrambled for the door and pressed her back against the adjacent wall. She could only listen as the footsteps wandered around the apartment. Her throat tightened as they turned and headed her way. They came closer and closer until one foot was through the doorway.

Regina swung the bat with everything she could.

"Whoa!" Ruby ducked under the speeding bat. It bounced off the doorframe and left an indentation. Her eyes widened at the bat wielding mayor. "What the hell Regina! You could have took my head off!"

"Yes, well, I didn't." The adrenaline drained away at the sight of Ruby, though it would be a while before her heartrate settled. "Why are you here?" She pointed the bat at her chest accusingly. "Come to spy on me some more?"

"I didn't even know you were here." Ruby reasoned. She pushed the bat aside and brushed passed going further into the room. "Emma sent me to pick up some clothes for when she gets discharged." She peeked into the stuffed boxes and she walked passed them. She finally settled to dig through a box of jeans. "I think I'll hang back and clean up a little bit too. She shouldn't have to come back to this mess."

"She doesn't actually think I'll let her come back here does she?"

Ruby paused and looked up from the box. "You know you're not actually her wife, right? You probably don't get a say."

"She's coming home with us and that's final."

Ruby threw her hands up, surrendering. "It's not me you have to convince."

They finished packing in a silent agreement that Regina would get her way. Regina picked out sweat pants and a tank top that would be sufficient enough for Emma to wear, but she did let Ruby handle the underwear department. Ruby still had some groveling to do and was in no position to fight.

"I'm sorry." Ruby suddenly spoke in the middle of closing up the boxes.

"Not now, Miss Lucas."

The silence lasted only a second before Ruby started again. "I wasn't spying on you. I was spying on Henry." She gave a sheepish smile, but Regina's glare told her it was not any better. "Emma just wanted me to keep an eye out. She was worried."

"Then maybe she should have shown up when she was supposed to, instead of having you pretend to be my friend." Regina snapped.

"I wasn't pretending."

Regina's glare intensified. "You lied to me. You used me."

"Maybe it started off that way, but the more I got to know you the more I saw you're not just a scary mayor."

Regina huffed; Ruby wasn't doing much to plead her case.

"We're friends, Regina, whether you like it or not. I never told Emma anything that anyone else couldn't tell her."

"Like what?" Her curiosity won out.

"Like Henry's kind of brat, but he's okay."

"…Fine." Regina picked up a box, putting a pin in the conversation. She headed for the door expecting Ruby to follow. She paused and turned back as Ruby picked up a box herself. "Why does she think we're sleeping together?"

"Duh!" Ruby laughed. "Because you're hot and she's jealous."

She mulled it over for a moment and nodded. It was logic even she couldn't argue with.

…

"Just in time." Nurse Krem greeted the women as they came into the room and he finished removing the drips and needle from Emma's arm. "Someone's eager to get out of here."

"I bet." Ruby said slyly. "It's a long drive home."

She just got there and already Ruby was raising her suspicions, her apartment was only ten minutes away. "What does that mean?" Her friend evaded her stare so she switched to the mayor. "Regina, what does that mean?"

Regina sighed, her plans of not telling Emma anything until the last possible second were ruined. "We're going back to Stroybrooke. All of us."

"Yes!" Henry shot up from the chair and cheered.

"No." Emma quickly smothered his hopes. Her eyes darted from Regina to Henry, looking for a valid excuse. "My job is here."

"And how much work do you think you're going to get done in your condition?" Regina argued.

"Um," Krem stepped away from Emma. "Why don't I go…something." He sped pass Regina and Ruby and closed the door behind himself.

"I'll be fine at my place."

"And who's going to take care of you?"

Emma recoiled in disgust. "I don't need taken care of."

"Really?" Regina took a predatory step forward. "Then what are you going to do about food? You know that thing you love so much?"

"I'll figure it out." Emma grumbled. "I'll order in or something."

"That would be very convenient, considering your locks don't work. They could let themselves right in, you wouldn't have to get up. Which you have no problem with anyway, right?"

"Alright, I get it, but I can't just drop in on Mary Margaret and ask her to babysit me."

"Who said anything about Mary Margaret?"

Emma's eyes strayed to Ruby.

She opened and closed her mouth. "Uh, I guess you could stay at the B&B. I'm sure Granny wouldn't-"

Regina's dramatic sigh cut her off. "You're staying with me and Henry."

"Yes!" Henry cheered again.

"No." Emma rejected the idea. Her son melted into the chair and crossed his arms in a huff. "I'm sorry, kid, but that's just not gonna happen. I'll stay with Ruby."

"Miss Lucas does not have the time nor the resources to assist you the way I can. No offense." Regina threw in at the end for good measure.

"Facts are fact." Ruby agreed with her friend.

"You're the mayor." Emma reminded. "How can you have more time than a waitress? No offense."

Ruby crossed her arms very offended.

"I can work from home when necessary, and Henry will be there to help with the small things. Right, Henry?"

"Right." He was hesitant to agree, afraid Emma would shoot him down again.

"It will only be for a few weeks Miss Swan, just until you're back on your feet." Regina pressed. "Then you can go back to your sad little apartment."

"It's not that bad is it?" Emma wondered.

"No." Regina reassured. "It's worse."

Emma relented. Her apartment was going to need a lot of work before it was livable again. She was definitely going to lose her deposit. "I guess I could stay for a while."

"Really?" Henry beamed.

"Just for a little while." She didn't want him to get too excited. She'd be out of Storybrooke again in no time. She shifted in the bed wanting to sit up. The sharp pain in her ribs froze her in place and had her clutching her side. "Uh, Ruby? Could you help me get dressed?" She said through grit teeth.

"Wouldn't you rather have your wife do it?" Ruby teased, and was rewarded with both women's death glares. "Alright, alright." She learned her lesson, at least for now.

…

Regina and Henry waited patiently outside Emma's room, listening to her complain about Ruby's methods of helping until they erupted into a string of profanities.

Regina pressed her lips and turned to her son. "You didn't hear that."

"Hear what?" He grinned up at her.

"Good boy." She appreciated his lies.

The door swung open and bounced off the wheelchair Emma was sitting in. "Ow." The complaining continued.

Ruby backed up the chair to open the door enough to fit them through. She pushed forward and caught the chair on the edge of the doorframe, making Emma jolt forward. She clutched her sides with her casted arm. "Damn it Ruby, let Regina drive."

Things went more smoothly with Regina doing the steering as the four traveled down the halls until they reached the nurse's station.

"All set?" Krem stood up behind the desk.

"I think so." Emma said from the chair. "Thanks for everything, Krem."

"It was my pleasure." Krem offered sincerely. "I'm glad your family is here for you."

"Yeah..." Her voice lowered. "Me too." Maybe there weren't exactly family, but they were the closet she had ever had.

Krem's attention shifted to Henry. "Take good care of your mom, okay?"

"What?" Henry was confused until he realized he meant Emma. "Oh, right." He grinned. "I will."

...

Henry ran ahead in the parking lot as he spotted the cars. "Shotgun!" He called out and ran to the passenger side door of Ruby's car. "Oh," He remembered Emma's condition. "You can have shotgun, Emma, but I get to control the radio."

Regina slowed and brought the wheelchair to a gentle stop in front of the red car. "Don't you want to ride with me?"

"No offense mom, but you kind of drive like a grandma."

Regina deflated only slightly, and stood tall again with false bravado. Henry at least had the decency to look guilty.

"Actually, I think I've had enough of Ruby's driving for one day." Emma admitted.

Henry frowned, disappointed at her decision and accepting it was too late to change his.

Ruby left the women's side and moved to unlock her car. "So, we'll see you at your place?" She asked Regina.

"If you go even slightly over the speed limit with my son in your car, I will find out and I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do."

"Yeah, yeah." Ruby rolled her eyes. "I know the rules."

After getting Emma into the car and returning the wheelchair, the women were well on their way to Maine. They weaved in and out of traffic on the freeway, like a shark hunting for its prey.

Eventually, they caught up to the red car going exactly the speed limit in the middle lane. Regina pulled up beside it on the left and waited until both driver and passenger looked over.

Emma waved innocently unware of Regina's plans.

"Hold on Miss Swan." Regina shifted the gear and stepped on the gas. The black Mercedes roared forward leaving Ruby and Henry in the dust.

Emma braced her only good hand on the dashboard as they weaved much faster through traffic. Regina did not drive like a grandma.

...

It was late in the day when the elevator doors opened and a man dressed in too much leather stepped out. He held a bouquet of flowers and a determination in his step as he came to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me," Killian Jones smiled in a way he might have thought was suave.

Krem looked up from his papers, already unimpressed.

"Perhaps you could help me? I'm looking for Emma Swan."

Krem's fingers drummed against the desk as a warning bell sounded in is head. "Are you family?" He asked.

"She's my girlfriend."

"Really?" Krem sat up, smug that he could see right through this guy. He wasn't so easily fooled. "You just missed her, she went home with her wife."

The flowers bent under the pressure of his crushing grip. Swan having a wife was something he should have known. "Thank you." His smiled turned forced and lost its sparkle. He turned on his heels without another word and stalked to the elevator.

He pushed the crushed flowers into an old man's chest as he left the hospital. His arms swung aggressively as he walked through the parking lot to his waiting motorcycle.

Revving his engine loudly, he peeled out of the parking space. The back of his leather jacket stood out like a billboard. In the center adorned a skull and crossbones, and overtop, curvy letters read The Jolly Rogers.

a/n sooo this is now gonna be a multichapter fic. I'm gonna shoot for shorter chapters so I can post sooner. I have a bad habit of changing my mind about the order I want things in, so if i just post shorter chapters we'll all just have to live with it :P

Important note: I know I literately just started this again but I have a work thing coming up and I'm gonna be without technology or free time for roughly 3 months. I leave the week of thanksgiving. I hope to post more before then though, I guess we'll see what happens. The point is, I'll be back and I hope you'll understand my delays. :)