Regina woke to the beeping sound of the hospital machines monitoring her vital signs. At first she thought it was all part of a dream, but gradually she remembered. She looked down at the bandage on her leg, at the place where the blood had partially soaked through despite the stitches. Concentrating, Regina began trying to heal it with her magic. Nothing happened.
She pushed herself up into a sitting position on the bed and tried again. The monitors picked up her distress, sending a signal to a nurse's station and a few moments later the door to her room opened, admitting hospital staff. She didn't notice Henry and Emma slip in behind them.
"Take these things off me, I need to get home." Regina ordered them, pointing at the various wires.
"But…"
Regina yanked them out herself, wincing in pain as she did so. A nurse began trying to fuss over her.
"Mom?"
Henry's tentative voice caught her attention and she waved the nurse away. "Henry?"
"You're okay." He dodged the other people in the room to come and give her a hug.
She turned to keep her injured leg out of the way and hugged him back. As she looked up, she saw Emma. Her arm dropped away from Henry.
"I left Granny with… at your house." Emma told her. "We need to finish our chat. Can you do that without magic or do I have to arrest you?"
Regina's eyes narrowed. "I have to get home."
"Everything there is fine. We can either talk in front of everyone, or get them to leave and give us some privacy. It's up to you."
Regina flexed her hands, testing for her magic. Nothing.
"I guess I don't have a choice." She told Emma, plastering a fake smile on her face.
The room cleared quickly at the sight. Emma shooed Henry to the door. When he tried to protest, Regina asked him to go. Shrugging his shoulders, he reminded them he would be right outside, watching them.
Emma dragged a chair across the room, so that she could sit closer to the bed. She motioned for Regina to make herself comfortable and sat down.
"Okay, here are the rules. I'm going to ask you some questions and you are going to answer them honestly. If you don't…"
"You'll know because you can detect lies, blah blah blah…"
"And I will let everyone know about your daughter… our daughter…"
"She's not…" Regina stopped herself before finishing that sentence, quickly changing her words. "Telling everyone will put my daughter in danger. Is that what you want?"
Ignoring her, Emma began. "Question 1: Is Daniel her father?"
"He… I told you, he returned to Storybrooke."
"That's not an answer. Try again. Question 2: Is she my daughter?"
"I have never heard of two women having a child together, without magical aid from a fairy wish. As I know I would never make that wish and I assume that you…"
"I didn't really get a lot of notice that we would be…"
"Did I pass your lie detector? Can I go now?"
"The dates still don't match."
"What?"
"Daniel's return was too far away, whereas we… I can't remember exactly when…"
"I didn't exactly keep track of the date myself. Nor when you kissed me…"
"So what does SBDN stand for?"
"Where did you get that from?"
"Answer the question."
As hard as she tried, Regina couldn't think of a good enough lie and without her magic she couldn't make Emma believe it. "Stoybrooke Date Night. The fairies were holding a singles meeting thing and after Daniel told me to find love again I thought I'd give it a try."
"On Valentines Day. My birthday."
"The anniversary of the curse." Regina pointed out.
"And that's when we…"
"You were avoiding your parents, clearly you have issues deciding to come home with me instead of returning to them to celebrate. I had been talking to you about Henry, not interested in dating anyone there."
Ping.
"I think you'll have to break down those sentences, there was a lie in there somewhere."
"I'm not going to sit here so you can check every little detail. I have to get home to my daughter. Speaking of which, why did you leave her with Granny?"
"Uh…"
"Let me understand this, you thought she was your daughter and yet when you had a chance to be with her, you ran away again bringing Henry here to see me. Is that correct?"
"Hey, you're the one who wants to keep her hidden away like some princess locked in a tower…"
"I don't know why you didn't announce it to everyone. Honestly, did you swear Granny to secrecy using your lie detector? That woman spreads gossip faster than…"
"It was either Granny or my mother. I knew you'd want someone reliable to look after her…"
"Oh really, those were your two choices?"
"I've never looked after a baby before!" Emma finally began to raise her voice, getting even more irritated when Regina just smiled in victory.
"Take me home, Miss Swan."
Emma stood up and pushed the chair away from the bed. "Get there yourself. Henry and I are leaving."
She was turning the handle on the door when she heard Regina try to stand. As it opened and Henry came to see what was happening, there was a curse and thud. Emma looked back over her shoulder. Regina was sitting on the floor, looking a little dazed.
Henry pushed past Emma and went to her side. "What happened?"
"I just stood up too fast. It's nothing, I'm fine."
"Here, let me…"
Emma watched as Henry put a hand under Regina's elbow to help her stand. She sighed and leaned out into the hallway, looking for someone to come and help. It was typical of Regina, refusing to show vulnerability. Why she didn't just use her magic…
"Hey, you…" Emma realised she didn't know the nurses' name.
"Yes?"
"We need your help in here."
The nurse muttered something about being kicked out of the room before, but Emma just ignored her. Regina was sitting on the edge of the bed, her feet touching the floor. Henry was standing at her side, looking a little worried. The nurse tried to examine her leg, but Regina waved her away.
"Let her look at you."
Regina looked over and glared at Emma. "I'm fine." She insisted.
Emma just folded her arms and tilted her head, looking amused at Regina's words. "Then prove it. Walk to the door."
Regina tried pushing herself off the bed, but the injured one bent at the knee and struggled to right itself. She had to hold onto the bed and Henry helped her to sit back down.
"Get me a wheelchair." Regina ordered the nurse.
"You're still bleeding." Henry told her, looking down at her leg.
"I can heal at home." She turned to look at the nurse. "Go."
Emma rolled her eyes as the woman rushed out past her and Henry fussed around Regina. "And who's going to look after you while you're healing?"
"I'll manage."
"You have stairs in your house."
"Everything I need can be brought downstairs."
"I can help," Henry turned to Emma. "Can't I, mom?"
"You have school." Regina reminded him.
Henry looked at Emma, trying to encourage her to offer. Regina wasn't about to let that happen.
"Emma has work. If I need help I can hire someone. My magic is exhausted from what happened, as soon as it's back to full strength I can heal my leg and be back to normal."
An orderly brought in a wheelchair and helped Regina to sit in it. She was still in pain with her leg and Emma kept expecting her to ask about some medication to take home.
"I'll need to call a cab." Regina informed the orderly.
"We can take you home." Henry offered.
"I refuse to go in that yellow monstrosity. It's not safe."
"It has seatbelts." Emma countered. "Plus if we take you home Granny is less likely to ask questions."
"I can handle her."
Emma winked at Henry as they reached the elevator and he pressed the button. "Maybe she could help out until you're on your feet?"
"Just get me home." Regina surrendered.
A nurse brought Regina some paperwork to sign; then the orderly wheeled her out to the car park.
"This is a hospital wheelchair, so I have to take it back once you get to your car." He warned her.
"How many wheelchairs do you have?" Emma asked.
"I dunno. Ten, twenty maybe."
"And how many times have they been needed?"
"Uh…"
"That's what I thought. I'm sure Dr. Whale won't mind if Regina borrows this one, at least until she can get her own."
"I'd have to check."
Emma smiled. "You go do that."
He looked nervously at the chair. "You'll wait right here?"
"Oh no, we don't have time. Whale knows where I live, if he wants it back." Regina told him, tugging on a door handle.
There was a creaking sound as it opened.
"Just needs a little oil, not a safety hazard." Emma assured her.
"Why don't you sit in the back with me?" Henry offered.
"I want to see exactly what speed your mother does on these roads. Just because she's the Sheriff…"
"I would never speed with Henry in the car."
"Plus the bug makes a funny noise if it goes too fast. I remember when I brought Emma to Storybrooke…" Henry joked.
Regina frowned and held her arm out to the orderly to help her into the car. "Maybe put an ambulance on standby."
