Brief mention of some past abuse (nothing graphic) and vague spoilers for the season one finale, but even then you'd have to have seen it to know what to look for.
Come on, Regina. Open those beautiful brown eyes for me.
The honey soaked voice penetrated the brunette's unconscious mind, slowly pulling her from Morpheus' grasp and into the light of a new day. Wanting to linger just a moment longer between the realms of sleep and the waking world, Regina kept her eyes tightly shut hoping her blonde lover would leave her be for just a few more precious moments. If she kept at it long enough, she knew from experience that Emma would join her and proceed to wake her in the most delightful way.
Luck, it seemed, was not on her side this morning, however. The space beside her was cool, suggesting the blonde had been awake for a while, and she could hear someone moving around the room despite their attempts to keep quiet.
Well, if Emma is already up and moving around, I'll just have to convince her to come back to bed.
A self-satisfied smirk pulled at full, red lips as Regina's eyes fluttered open to find her wayward lover. She didn't have far to look, which was good since the last vestiges sleep still clouded her normally sharp vision, as the woman in question was standing over her watching her slumber.
This will be easier than I'd hoped, the brunette thought as her eyes fell shut once again and her smirk spread into a full out grin.
"Mmmmm… Good morning beautiful," Regina purred as she stretched her back like a contented cat.
Flames of anticipation and desire licked down her spine at the low, familiar chuckle that answered. It promised to be a 'good morning', indeed.
"I'm glad to see they have you on the good stuff."
Wait… what?
"Huh?" was what actually made it out as the unusual and unexpected comment snapped the brunette into full alertness.
Sitting up in the narrow bed with rails on either side, dark eyes quickly scanned the eggshell concrete walls, mesh covered windows, black speckled linoleum floor, and tan curtain that made up the small space she now occupied.
Confusion reigned as she turned to her girlfriend standing beside her in black slacks and deep blue turtleneck covered in a long, white lab coat. A stethoscope hung around her pale neck as bright, green eyes flicked to the various machines surrounding Regina before marking something on the clipboard held within dexterous hands.
"Emma, just what in the hell is going on here?" the brunette demanded.
Jade eyes snapped up to meet glaring brown as Emma's brow furrowed in uncertainty and a frown settled on light pink lips.
"Ms. Mills, I realize this is all very confusing for you, but I'll happily answer any questions you have once I finish checking your vitals and complete a quick exam."
A disbelieving laugh sounded throughout the enclosed space as Regina tried to stand up, before being halted in her attempt.
"I'm all for the 'sexy doctor' fantasy you have going on here, but this isn't funny anymore. So, just let me out of these things," she shook her arms causing the rails of the bed to rattle as she pulled on the soft restraints holding her in place, "and we can go home where we have all the necessary accessories, but with the added bonus of a bigger bed and fewer prying eyes."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Mills, but you seem to have me confused with someone else," Emma responded evenly.
"Oh no, dear, I know precisely who you are and where you'll be sleeping tonight if you don't remove these cuffs this instant."
It wasn't a request.
"Release me," Regina ordered in her most menacing register when the younger woman made no move to obey, "or I will tear the railings from the bed myself."
"If you'd just give me a minute," 'Dr. Emma' called out over the clanging metal as Regina began to wrestle against her bonds. "I'll explain everything…"
"ENOUGH!" Regina roared as she stopped struggling to glare daggers at her soon-to-be-ex-lover if she wasn't released right this fucking minute. Emma well knew she had issues with restraints. Evidently, it was a lesson that bore repeating.
"I don't know how you got anyone else to play along with this moronic little joke of yours, Emma Swan," she sneered, "but it is time to stop. Now!"
The brunette was satisfied to see a little fear creep into the depths of the shocked green eyes staring back at her. Slowly, the other woman set aside the clipboard that had acted as a shield during Regina's rant and shaky hands swept aside fallen locks of mousey brown hair that had worked loose from the long plait they'd been woven into.
"Do you need any help over there, Doctor?" a disembodied voice called from the other side of the curtain.
"I think we're fine here, Angelique," the younger woman answered, never breaking eye contact with Regina.
"The hell we are," the brunette growled as she leaned into the other woman's personal space.
"I have no idea what possessed you to pull this asinine stunt, but, lover or not, I swear if you do not release me immediately, you will bear witness to a dark side of my magic that few have ever seen and lived to tell about."
Regina had no intention of breaking her 'no bad magic' promise to the blonde, but she hoped slipping into her Evil Queen persona would impress upon her girlfriend how utterly serious she was.
"Nurse Dodson, can you bring me 20cc's of risperidone, please?"
Apparently not.
Before Regina could respond, a stocky woman with jet-black hair and mocha skin made her way around the curtain.
Righteous indignation turned to cold dread with the arrival of the nurse in her beige scrubs. After nearly 30 years stuck with the same people in such a small town, Regina knew every face in Storybrooke, but this woman… She'd never seen this woman before.
The thin wisps of anxiety that Regina had been able to suppress until now began to envelop her heart as the unfamiliar nurse followed Emma's order unquestioningly.
Wide, frantic eyes watched as the bright-skinned woman handed over a syringe full of swirling purple liquid. A buzzing in her ears drowned out every sound around her and the world narrowed to her staccato heartbeats and panting breaths as panic took hold.
"Nooo!" Regina shouted as she desperately tried to escape.
Not again. I won't be someone else's lab rat. Never again.
"Angel, get me the diazepam," the doctor ordered as she moved to restrain her flailing patient.
Regina struggled against the two pairs of hands pushing her down onto the bed, but wasn't strong enough to resist their combined force. The clatter of a metal tray and various other items hitting the floor ricocheted off the bare walls as the brunette fought with all she had. Despite her best efforts, a sharp prick stung the flesh of her upper arm and a calming fog filled her agitated mind before she slumped back once again.
"Good job getting that second needle ready so quickly, Angelique," the fair haired brunette praised her friend as she picked up the fallen hypodermic, thankful that the transparent liquid encased within hadn't been jammed into her during the scuffle.
"Who knows what kind of damage she'd have done to herself if you hadn't been so quick."
"No problem, Cam. Never know what you're gonna run into in this place, ya know," the nurse responded with a quick wink as she finished picking up the scattered objects and returned to her duties.
"No, you never do," Allison Cameron agreed under her breath. She cast one last searching glance over the supine woman before grabbing her fallen clipboard and continuing with her rounds.
Waking once again in the darkened but familiar room, Regina couldn't hold back her cries of distress as shuddering sobs wracked her delicate frame. Memories and fears the brunette thought long buried had resurfaced and coalesced in this single nightmare with a wicked vengeance.
Her alarming sounds caused a flurry of movement from the body beside her as the blonde wrapped Regina in her strong arms in an effort to comfort the distraught woman. Tears carved visible tracks down flushed cheeks as the brunette buried her face in Emma's neck, releasing all her fear and confusion in the secure embrace.
"Shhh… it's alright, sweetheart. It was just a dream. You're safe now," the blonde gently cooed into Regina's ear as nimble fingers carded through raven locks.
She's dead… she's dead. My mother is gone. She cannot harm me.
Regina repeated the mantra again and again until she could feel a small remnant of her lost control returning.
Emma gently rocked her girlfriend, dropping soft kisses on the top of her head while whispering soothing, nonsensical words until the brunette's sobs had calmed to the occasional sniffle.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Emma asked softly.
Regina choked back a helpless whimper as she shook her head.
"Okay," the blonde replied easily as she carefully lowered them back down onto the mattress, making sure Regina settled comfortably on top of her as she ran a consoling hand up and down the brunette's back.
Regina basked in the blonde's touch and allowed herself to be lulled back to sleep, hoping that Emma could keep any more nightmares at bay.
A/N: So everyone know what's going on now?! It's no fun to put that stuff in the summary cause it ruins the reveal. That's the best part! H'okay so... This is not a House crossover so don't expect to see any of the other characters here. It's a great show, but frankly it's too smart for me and I'd never be able to do it any justice. I just couldn't resist using Cameron since she already exists and is also played by the lovely Jennifer. That being said, House fans may need to suspend their disbelief or ignore the Cam from the show completely, cause I'm not too familiar with her character so I'm sure mine will be nothing like theirs. Also, a doctor I am not so please do not use any medical things from this or future chapters. Everything I know comes from Google. Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who commented on the last chapter, even though there was very little to comment on. Much love to all of you!
