She didn't know what had woken her up until she opened her eyes to find that she was alone, it was ridiculous but she had become so used to having Emma close as she slept that being without her…well, it was disconcerting to say the least. Things had been slightly uncomfortable after the blonde's revelation the previous afternoon but she had remained strong in her resolve and hadn't faltered when Regina had asked her if she really meant it.

Regina, like most other nights, had spent as much time as was physically possible for her with Henry before she retired to bed, she wanted to be there for her son and show him that she was okay…even if it was a lie, even if it was an illusion, she would do anything to bring his smile back and bring back the piece of innocence that had been taken away from him in all of this. Regina could tell he was trying to be strong, for her benefit if not one else's but her heart broke with every forced smile and last night had topped it off.

She could hear Emma pottering around in the kitchen, tidying up after the meal they had just eaten. Regina was slowly getting better with the amount she could keep down but she could still see the disappointment that crept onto Emma and Henry's face when she would push the plate away.

They had moved into the living room in order to watch one of the many movies that Henry had found during his scrimmage of their collection, she hadn't paid attention to it at all. She was too focused on the feeling of her son's head lying in her lap, one of his arms lay across also and she couldn't help the hand that automatically fell to play with his brunette strands. They would do this many a night in the past, before any talk of the curse had arisen. Movie night at the Mills Mansion was something of a tradition and an exciting one at that but…this just helped to identify just how much things had changed.

Henry may want to be around her now but what was the reason? If she hadn't have been attacked could she really fool herself into believing that he would be here now? No, he would still be attempting to avoid and ignore her as he had been doing beforehand, as would Emma yet she claimed that Regina was everything to her, why? Because she was now some poor, pathetic, broken shell of the woman she once was? Because she was easier to handle now that she was practically terrified of her own shadow?

Suddenly she felt as though she couldn't breathe, she tried to remain as still as possible so that Henry wouldn't suspect but she felt as though her throat was closing up and her heart wasn't beating properly, she could feel herself running hot and cold as she slowly sat up as quietly and calmly as possible. Her son sat up with her and allowed her to move, too engrossed in the movie to be fully aware of what was happening around him.

Her heart was beating triple speed now as her vision seemed to bounce when she walked, she felt like crying out, sure she was about to collapse or die on the spot. Her hands were trembling as she walked from the room with her eyes down, walking straight into Emma.

"Woah," Emma laughed but then noticed how pale Regina was and the sound of her laboured breathing as she staggered past her towards the stairs. "Hey, what's going on? What's wrong?"

Regina didn't like appearing weak but she had never felt this way before, it was terrifying and she wanted it to stop. "C-can't b…br-breathe"

Emma caught her before she collapsed onto the first step, she was shocked at how much Regina was trembling, the woman was practically grey. She recognised the signs of an anxiety attack but knew the brunette wouldn't appreciate anything other than comforting until she was able to feel a bit more like herself. An anxiety attack was one of the worst feelings in the world and it didn't matter how many people told you that you were going to be okay, that these things couldn't kill you…it didn't matter, once you were having an attack the only person who could help you was yourself.

"Hey, come on," she sat on the laminate floor; Regina was clinging to her as she inhaled ragged breaths, "just breathe for me Regina, okay?" Henry had heard her panic and come out of his movie coma in order to offer comfort if needed, one look from Emma however had him going back the way he came, he knew by now when to get involved and when to just leave his birth mother to it.

Her breaths were starting to come slightly easier now but she could still feel the suffocating feeling within her body, the blonde's hand rubbing soothing circles on her back and being crushed by Regina's was helping to keep her grounded in the present and her familiar scent was being accepted willingly with every inhale that the brunette took.

"I've got you, I'm here…you're okay"

The mantra was repeated until, slowly, the heavy sounds of breathing had decreased in volume and the vice like grip on her hand had lessened but she still kept the woman clutched against her. Regina's face had now moved to bury itself in the crook of Emma's neck as the hand on her back moved up to stroke through silky dark locks.

Neither were sure how long they remained in that position, Emma with Regina kneeling between her legs, their bodies flush against one another as she mirrored the blonde's breathing speed. Finally she allowed the brunette to pull away slowly, her eyes downcast as she remained sitting just before the younger woman who's hands came up automatically to cup her face.

"Emma I'm so-"

"Shh," she pressed a finger against soft lips, "please don't apologise Regina"

She only nodded in response as she allowed the woman to pull her in to her calming embrace once more, it was thinking about this kind of thing that had started the feeling within her but now that she was actually there…she couldn't help but feel as though it was where she was supposed to be.

The feeling of fear was beginning to creep back into her now as she thought back, what if she really had scared Emma off? What if she had left? Her breathing was growing heavy again as her heart rate picked up once more but before she could become too worked up she heard the soft click of her door being opened. Her eyes shut automatically as she caught the smell that was purely Emma and felt the slight chill of the night air that still clung to her, where had she been?

She could only listen as the woman unzipped her jacket and removed her jeans, she reached for the pyjama bottoms that she had removed earlier in order to leave the house for what she needed to do and climbed into the bed beside Regina. Her hand automatically came to drape over the petite brunette as she pulled her closer out of need to feel the warmth of the brunette she thought to be sleeping.

Her eyes began to droop as she allowed sleep to come to her but not before she pressed her lips softly against Regina's temple and whispered softly.

"I've got you"

Emma awoke before Regina, a normal occurrence now as the older woman hadn't slept a full night through since long before the attack and if not for the blonde's presence she suspected she wouldn't sleep at all.

As was also usual, the brunette had turned in the night to face Emma, her hand placed on the blonde's chest in order to feel the soothing reverberation of her heart beat. Her other hand had managed to moved up and lace within the golden curls that were spread over the pillow, Emma smiled at the sight. In this moment she looked so serene, so opposite to how she had looked hours before. Then it came back to her…and she knew what would become common knowledge very soon yet she would have to act as though she didn't know already.

The uneasy feeling in her stomach all but disappeared at the deep breath Regina took, it was her tell when waking up. She nuzzled into Emma's neck for only a second before drawing back slowly. Her eyes were heavy as they slowly blinked over, the red tinge only slightly lessened than the previous morning, perhaps her nightmares were dropping off slowly, Emma could only hope.

"Hey," she breathed softly, her hand instinctually coming to brush away a few errant strands from Regina's eyes, she loved the woman like this, warm and tired not yet aware of the rest of the world. This was her safety net, her cocoon in Emma's arms.

"Hi" she finally replied, her eyes closing once more and after a few moments Emma suspected she had fallen asleep again until she spoke without looking at her, "where did you go last night?"

She had already prepared her answer for this knowing she would need something if anyone should have seen her moving about town so late, "I got a call on the radio, someone heard a disturbance outside their door and wanted me to check it out"

"Did you get it taken care of?" her voice was still sleep laden but Emma could still hear the suspicion there, if anyone was going to get the truth from her it would be Regina.

But the woman couldn't know the irony of her question, couldn't know the true meaning behind Emma's reply.

"Yeah," she pulled the brunette in closer to her as she allowed her eyes to drift shut again, "It's taken care of"

Rachel Stenson hated her job; she hated the monotony of it. Every day here was the same and since the imp's girl had been released from imprisonment by the same man who now lay in a coma in the room next to where hers had been, her only job was now to enter the room every morning to take the vitals that remained exactly the same…pointless.

She didn't know what had happened to him, who had put him here but she had heard the rumours, every resident in town had discussed the guilt of the woman who had so conveniently disappeared from plain sight. The other rumour that had then been spread was that of the town Sheriff punching her best friend in the face for calling the woman up on it when she had finally made an appearance, it was all very strange.

Her rubber soled shoes squeaked on the mint green linoleum of the floor as she made her way down the chilled hallway towards the only room being occupied. Her nose scrunched up at the revolting smell that grew stronger with every step. It was like the smell of burnt tarmac…or burnt plastic, she held a hand over her nose as she tried to ignore the potent stench.

It was stomach turning but the sooner she did this, the sooner she could make her way back upstairs to patients who actually needed her help. Little did she know that, upon opening the door, she would never again make it back up those stairs, that she would never again be of any help to anybody and that she would be occupying the room right next to the one she would soon be found outside cowering and screaming her way into insanity.

It wouldn't be the screaming that would alert others to the situation in the basement for the sound wouldn't travel that far, the asylum was built there for that very reason…no, it would be the smell, the smell that would trail from the open door of the room and float up through the air vents before pouring out into the open hallways of the hospital…

The smell of scorched flesh, the smell of Jefferson's still burning, tortured corpse…

It had indeed been taken care of.

Once again, we will hear more about how Rumple tortured Jefferson but this is just the result of which, hope you enjoyed. 100th reviewer gets a one-shot of their choice :)