So Regina finally left the Town hall accompanied by the Sheriff. She didn't need to dodge the gaze of anyone since most of the people were gathered around David, visibly in full heroic 'Charming' discourse …

Regina rolled her eyes while listening to the 'Prince of desperate situations' in full speech. She had to admit it, each person present seemed touched by his words. Although she would never admit it, she was too when David advised the people to do nothing against her because she had indeed caused a lot of misfortunes and hatred, but that curse had also brought good changes in their lives. He talks about the Queen as an example of change through her behavior and personality, he introduced her as a woman in reintegration since Henry entered her life and the magic had come out of it.

Regina looked down for a moment. She tries in vain to hold back her tears when her son's name is pronounced by David. As she looked up, she stepped back in a defensive way when she realized that the crowd had turned towards her.

For many of them, they had never seen the Queen suffer so much. Some were jubilant while grumbling, others decided to abandon any idea of revenge towards Regina thanks to David's speech.

David continued for a moment, encouraging the inhabitants to resume their work, their lives, their habits which were now accomplished conscientiously.

xxx

A few days later, after a busy day doing her Sheriff's job, Emma decided to go watch Henry who was still in a coma. She was surprised to find Regina asleep next to him. It was probably the only time the brunette seemed peaceful. Emma looked at them for a moment, then she went to the other side of the bed to kiss her son's forehead, she was astonished to want to reproduce this tender gesture on Regina.

She shook her head.

*Has the day been so rough for me to think that?* She thought.

However, she had to admit it, Regina was very different at this moment than awake. She seemed gentle, tender and almost friendly. Emma smiled while thinking about what Regina would do if she knew the blonde suddenly found her almost 'friendly'. It must be said that the pair was working rather well, they spent a lot of time together looking for solutions for the comatose state of their son. Yet they had avoided resorting to a particular person in Storybrooke, but there was really no other way right now…

Emma began to gently wake Regina, more in fear of putting her in a rotten mood than anything else. She caressed her cheek for a moment. She still had to tell her that there was no more alternative, they had to play their last card. Regina grunted slightly, frowning, which made Emma smile even more. How the Evil Queen could be such an adorable sleepy … Emma shook her head again, visibly surprised by her own thoughts.

Regina stretched slowly. She glanced at what could have awakened her and was surprised to see Emma standing near her with her hand still on her cheek. She looks at Emma's hand, and then her eyes, then her hand again before giving her a questioning look. Emma was at a loss so she removed her hand. She cleared her throat and broke the silence now unbearable.

"Uh … Sorry Regina. I just wanted to wake you up … uh … gently …"

"Well, you succeeded, Miss Swan. Although, avoid doing this again …"

The Queen rose gracefully from the bed while not daring to take a look at the blonde. In fact, the touch of her hand on her cheek had been one of the best moments of recent days. Now, she was no longer receiving affection or tenderness.

The more she spent time with Emma, the more she blamed herself. She realized gradually that the blonde wasn't responsible for the condition of her son, but she was the only one to be responsible. She was increasingly racked with guilt. Beside, Emma had noticed that. She regularly offered to have lunch or dinner with her to make sure she feeds herself a minimum, but most of the time Regina preferred to stay with her son, she had no appetite anyway.

"I guess you have a good reason to wake me up Sheriff …"

Emma had decided to call the Mayor by her first name, in fact she hadn't really decided, it just came like that along with a kind of closeness between the two women. Nonetheless, Regina didn't seem to want that closeness at every moment. Most of the time, the Queen became distant again in the presence of other people, but Emma could look around her right now, there was no one except her son still unconscious … So why these 'Sheriff' and 'Miss Swan' she thought buried in favor of a comfortable 'Emma'? That she particularly liked to hear in Regina's mouth, though.

"I finished the investigations you had asked me. I had help from my parents, Ruby and many others but no one seems to have a solution."

There was a dead silence. Regina stared at her with an ounce of annoyance as she was informed of this new failure.

Before she can express her frustration, Emma continued.

"There's still a last chance … You know that there's still someone who's probably able to help us to …"

She paused in the middle of her sentence. Emma pursed her lips in front of what she expected to see: Regina in a raging state.

"I know what you think about, or rather who. I have no intention to call on his services. You know it as well as me he will try to fool us, to make one of his corrupt deals, still … if he accepts! Now that he was reunited with his Belle, he's pissed at me. He will never want to help me."

Emma slowly approached her with a smile.

"Maybe not you, but Henry yes."

"What makes you think that? Rumple has never been interested in anyone but himself."

"Let's try regardless. We don't really have any other choice for the moment."

Regina groaned a bit before nodding.

The two women arrived half an hour later in front of Gold's shop. They looked at each other apprehensively before pushing the old wooden door.