Guys, what happened? I got so many reviews for the first chapter and then like 4 for Chapter 2! I was so disappointed! Was the 2nd chapter not that good? Even then, I would love to know why it wasn't good!
But anyway, on a lighter note. I just found out the other day that Lucy Lawless is going to be at DragonCon. I completely geeked out that night when I found out. I had to pace around my room to calm down. It's a good thing I was alone or I would have been locked up for being insane. But they haven't found out yet, so no men in white coats so far…
I would love reviews for this chapter guys! So much! Please!
A big thanks to Laura, as always. You rock so much!
I don't own it.
Regina was worried. But she didn't show it. She sat at her desk, seemingly as calm as she ever was. But inside she was a mess. Emma had slowly been getting better but was still not feeling up to par. Regina had stayed home with her the day before but absolutely had to be at work today. And it was killing her.
"Madam Mayor?" her secretary said through the intercom.
"Yes?"
"Sheriff Swan is on the line. She said it's important."
"Thank you," was Regina's clipped reply before she quickly picked up her office phone. "Emma?" she asked, her worry clear in her tone. "What's wrong?"
"We don't have any bread."
Silence.
"Regina?"
"Emma Swan, I can't believe you."
"What?"
"I have been worried sick about you all day and then you have the nerve to call me, stating that it is important, just to tell me we don't have any bread!" Regina practically growled into the phone.
"But it is important," Emma whined. "I'm hungry."
"Well, at least your appetite is back."
"I'm still a little scared to eat," Emma said softly. "But I thought some toast would be bland enough to not have me throw it right back up."
Regina sighed, knowing where Emma was coming from. The blonde had thrown up twice since that first time at the Sheriff's office. And each time, Regina had been there to hold back her hair and comfort her.
Brown eyes closed. Emma didn't even have to try to make Regina melt. Half the time, she just batted her green eyes and grinned.
"Have you called your mother?"
"She's at the school."
"Your father?"
"At the station with Lucy."
"What about Renee?"
"I haven't called her yet," Emma muttered. "I wanted to talk to you."
Regina couldn't help the smile that crossed her face at the soft tone that came through the phone. "What if I call her and ask her to pick up some bread and then have her spend some time with you until I get home?"
"Okay," Emma said softly. "But I really wanted to see you."
"I'll be home after five," Regina said. "You can make it until then."
"What if I throw up again?"
"I'm sure Renee can handle it."
"What if I have another nightmare?"
"You can call me."
"What if-"
"Emma," Regina interrupted with a laugh. "You're going to be fine. You love Renee. And you were just saying how you wanted to spend more time with her."
"I know," Emma sighed. "But…" she trailed off.
"But what?"
"I don't want her to see me like this."
"Like how?" Regina asked. "In your pajamas and not having showered in two days?"
"No," Emma said, her tone light at the tease. "Even though I probably should take a shower." Regina heard her sigh. "I don't want her to see me all weak and stuff."
"You saw her and Lucy yesterday," Regina reminded Emma.
"Yeah, but we didn't do anything but sit around and talk. And you were there. I'll be all by myself if she comes over now."
"Renee will take care of you, Emma."
"But," Emma started but then stopped.
"But what?"
"I haven't been taken care of in years, Regina," she said softly. "Even with you taking care of me, I have to remind myself that I need it."
"Emma…"
"I don't like being weak. And especially not in front of people who love me. I'm supposed to take care of you! Not the other way around."
"Why should you have to take care of me?" Regina asked, wishing she were in front of her lover and not just speaking over the phone.
"I'm the Savior. I'm supposed to save you and take care of you. You're a queen."
"And you're a princess."
Emma scoffed. "I'm as much a princess as Grumpy is." She sighed. "I want to take care of you. I want to take care of Henry. But I can barely take care of myself right now."
"You're sick," Regina said weakly, feeling her heart break at the desolate tone in Emma's voice.
"I went years taking care of myself while I was sick. I've had foster parents who couldn't care less about me. I took care of three kids when I was fourteen. And I got the flu that year. I still did what I needed to do. And I took care of them when they got the flu. Why is this time different?"
Regina gave a small smile. "Maybe it's because you know someone will look after you."
Silence came from the other end.
"Emma, look," Regina said firmly. "You've had to do things for yourself for ages. Now, you have people around you who want to take care of you. So, let us, okay?"
"I like having you take care of me."
"Would you like it more if I wore a nurse's uniform?"
The choking noise from the other end of the phone made Regina chuckle.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Are you asking to play Doctor, Mayor Mills?"
"Not at all, Sheriff," Regina said with a smirk. "I think Nurse will be just fine."
Emma laughed then gave a small sigh. "Okay, look. You can call Renee. I probably need someone over here with me anyway. I got kinda light-headed coming down the stairs this morning. That's why I decided to eat something."
"Good," Regina stated. "I'll call her. You take a quick shower. And don't get the water too hot. I don't want you passing out."
"Oh my, God," Emma groaned. "That would be horrible! Renee would have to find me naked!"
"I'm sure it wouldn't bother her. She probably gave you baths when you lived with them."
"I was 5! Now I'm almost 30! There is a difference."
"Yes, I would say so," Regina purred. "Quite a few differences actually."
There was that choking sound again.
And Regina laughed. God, she loved teasing Emma.
Emma was lying on the sofa. After her shower, she had been exhausted. Which frustrated her. And made her feel weak. But, she shook it off, made her way downstairs (slowly but surely) and fell onto the sofa, closing her eyes and just letting herself drift off.
The front door opening made her eyes shoot open and she struggled to sit up, wondering who could be coming into the house a this time of day.
"Emma?"
The blonde let out a sigh of relief at Renee's voice.
"Hey," she said softly as Renee walked into the room, a grocery bag in her hand. "Did Regina give you a key?"
Renee nodded and sat at the other end of the sofa, putting Emma's socked feet in her lap. "She told me to just keep it, too. 'Just in case', she said."
Emma grinned and settled back down. "She likes you."
Renee grinned. "You think?"
Emma nodded. "She hasn't even given Snow and James a spare key."
Renee laughed and patted Emma's foot. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Emma answered. "Not as sore though."
"Good," Renee held up the bag. "Feel like eating some toast?"
Emma nodded and grinned. "Thanks for coming over, Mama Renee."
"Anything for my baby girl."
Emma scrunched her nose up at the title, causing Renee to laugh. "Come on," Renee said, standing up. "You can sit at the bar and keep me company. I bought some jam from Granny. She said it'll 'Cure what ails you!' Or something like that."
Regina slowly opened the door, motioning to Henry to be quiet. She had no idea if Emma was asleep or not since she hadn't heard anything else from her or Renee since that morning.
Henry nodded and ran up the stairs to his room, intent on doing his homework before dinner. If Emma had seen that, Regina was positive the blonde would comment about him being a "weird kid" or something.
The murmur of voices came from the living room and Regina made her way in, surprised to see the TV going and Renee and Emma sitting on the sofa, staring at it intently.
"Oh, gods," Renee muttered. "Is that the-?"
"Shhh!" Emma demanded.
"But-that's-!"
"Renee, hush! This is one of the best parts!"
"But that's the doorknob! It's the doorknob!"
"No duh!"
A loud noise came from the television, causing both blondes to jump.
"Ahh!" Renee screamed. "What the hell is that?"
"It's the kid! That little kid!"
"But he's got a bag over his head!"
"Because he's disfigured!"
"Well, he's creepy!"
"Ladies?"
The blondes screamed again at Regina's voice before they turned around, both with wide eyes and open mouths.
"What are you two watching?" Regina asked with a smirk.
Emma quickly paused the movie and looked to Renee. The older blonde shrugged. "Emma said it was good."
"It is!" Emma protested. "I can't help that you act like a little girl at scary movies."
"You're watching a horror movie?"
The two women nodded, Renee's eyes still wide.
Regina sighed. "Which one?"
"The Orphanage."
"The Spanish movie?"
Emma grinned. "It's awesome, isn't it?" She looked at Renee. "It's good, right? You're liking it."
Renee smiled. "Yes, I'm liking it. It reminds me of The Others. It's got a slow build."
"I love The Others!" Emma said excitedly. "We should watch that next! I have it!"
"Actually," Regina interjected with a grin. "It's almost dinner time. Renee, do you want me to call Lucy? You two can join us for dinner."
"I'll call her," Renee said quickly. "Then we can finish the movie," she added to Emma with a soft smile. "Don't start it without me." She then left the room, already calling her partner.
Regina joined her lover on the sofa with a smile. "How are you feeling?"
Emma grinned. "Much better. We watched movies all day. It was great." Emma tucked her feet under her and grabbed Regina's hand. "Did you know Renee has never seen Clueless? How crazy is that?"
"Clueless? What movie is that?"
Emma just gaped at her.
"What?"
"We are having a movie night every week." She shook her head. "I can't believe you've never seen Clueless! That's a 90s classic!"
Regina smirked. "Yes. You are feeling better."
Emma raised an eyebrow then grinned. "I don't know," she said. "I may still have a fever. You wanna check it?"
"Not with me in the room," Renee said from the doorway. "That's for later tonight. Besides," she sat down beside Regina. "I want to finish this movie before Lucy gets here."
"Why?" Emma asked. "She can watch it with us."
"No, she doesn't like it when I watch scary movies."
Both younger women just stared at her.
"What?"
"You have nightmares, don't you?" Emma asked.
Renee wouldn't look at them.
"Renee!" Emma protested.
"Okay, fine," the older blonde said finally. "I have nightmares. But I love scary movies! And this one is so good! But if Lucy doesn't know I watched it…"
"She won't get why the hell you are having horrible nightmares!" Emma finished for her with her own twist.
Renee bit her lip and looked down guiltily.
"I am so telling on you," Emma said in a sing-song voice.
"Emma!" Renee said. "That's mean!"
"She's right, Emma. You can't treat your Mama Renee that way," Regina said, earning a grin from Renee. "I'll tell Lucy."
Renee's eyes widened in shock while Emma just burst out laughing.
"Regina," Renee said softly. "You really are evil."
"You have no idea," Regina said with a smirk. "Now, start the movie, Emma. This is my favorite part."
To be continued…
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