David entered the living room carrying a steaming cup of tea. He placed it on the coffee table in front of Regina who was curled up under a blanket; her head resting on a pillow that was propped against the arm of the couch. After they had returned from their walk Regina had started feeling worse than before and had decided to take it easy for the rest of the day.

"I thought you could use this." David said.

Her eyes followed him as he sat down beside her. "Thank you," she mumbled. Although she didn't reach for the drink.

Kaelyn was asleep in a play pen a few feet away and Regina watched her through half-closed eyes. She could still remember clearly the images of herself, holding Kaelyn's lifeless form in that dreadful hospital. A tear splashing onto the baby's cold, pale cheek...

Regina mentally shook herself trying to make the remnants of the dream disappear.

"Are you feeling any better?" David pretty much already knew the answer judging by her flushed skin and lack of energy.

Regina swallowed, "not really. And I'm starting to feel a bit weak."

"Should I book a doctor's appointment?"

"No... I'm sure it's just a virus. It'll go away soon enough."

When David touched her arm he could feel her shivering. "I'll go get you another blanket."

"There's no need, I've already got one." She reached down beside the couch and brought a second blanket into view. "I had to take it off because I was getting too warm before."

She sat up and draped the new blanket around her shoulders. David slid closer to her and she leaned against him. He wrapped his arms around her to help keep her warm, and she closed her eyes. She tried to relax in his embrace but the chills that seemed to reach every inch of her body were preventing that. Not to mention the steadily increasing throbbing in her head.

"How much time until I can take some more medication?" She asked.

David checked his phone, "about an hour. Can you wait that long?"

"I guess I don't really have a choice do I?"

"Here." David leaned forward to grab the tea and handed it to Regina. "In the meantime try this."

She sat up straighter and her hand came out from under the blankets to take the drink from him. She stared at it for a few seconds, debating. Finally she raised the mug to her lips and took a tiny sip, followed shortly by a fuller one.

"How is it?" David asked.

"It's perfect. " She said, settling against his shoulder again.

David stared at the top of her head. He didn't know if he was imagining it, but her voice seemed sad to him. It could just be that she was sick, but then again he had also noticed the pain in her eyes that afternoon in Kaelyn's room, and even before that in the morning. She had seemed to become more and more withdrawn recently as well. To top it off were the dreams she'd had earlier that day. She had finally told him about her first dream on their walk. Were the nightmares simply just caused by her fever or was there something deeper behind them?

"Are you ok Regina?" He asked delicately. "Besides being sick I mean. If there was anything bothering you, you would tell me right?"

Regina stared at Kaelyn's sleeping form through the screen of the playpen.

"Regina?"

"Hmm?"

"If there was anything bothering you," he repeated, "anything at all, you would tell me wouldn't you? "

When she didn't reply David leaned forward, trying to see her face but the angle she was sitting at made it difficult.

"I only want to help." He said.

"I know you do..."

"Then please, tell me what's going on."

"David..."

He waited but she didn't continue."What is it Regina?"

She nestled closer to him and pulled the blankets tighter around herself, the cup of tea sitting abandoned on the floor.

"I don't want to talk about it right now."

"So there is something wrong?"

Defeated, the brunette sighed.

"David please, not now."

"You're worrying me Regina."

She didn't respond.

"Is it serious?"

Just then Henry walked into the room. "I'm back! Emma dropped me off early, she had to... is everything okay?" He looked from Regina to David and then back to Regina whom he noticed was crying.

Regina sat up straighter, "yes everything's fine Henry. I'm just not feeling well that's all." She wiped a tear away and smiled at him. "Did you have fun today?" She glanced sideways at David who was watching her closely.

"Ya..." Henry stepped further into the room and frowned. "You don't look very good."

"That's no surprise, I feel terrible." She said rubbing her forehead. Feeling quite hot again, she took off both of the blankets and draped them over the arm of the couch. Next she picked up the cup of tea from the floor and returned it to the coffee table so it didn't accidentally get spilled onto her immaculately kept carpet.

She started to stand up but a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her, causing her to stumble. David was up in an instant to steady her. She held on to his arms and shut her eyes tight in attempt to stop her vision from spinning.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly. "Maybe you should sit back down."

"Okay," she whispered, and he helped her lower slowly onto the couch.

"Is there anything I can do?" Henry asked.

"Why don't you go get your mom some water?" David answered.

Henry nodded and hurried out of the room.

David was sitting beside Regina again. Her eyes weren't quite focusing on him and he could tell that the fever was getting higher.

"Regina I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"For what?"

He could hardly hear her. He felt guilty for making her so upset, but he was also apologising for whatever it was that was tormenting her. He wished he knew what it was.

"Just tell me what I can do." He guided her back into his arms and she as much as collapsed against him. His hand found the back of her head and he held her close.

A quiet sob escaped from her lips.

Henry soon returned with a glass of water. He held it out for Regina but she wasn't paying attention. He looked to David, silently asking what to do.

"I'll take that." David offered, "thanks Henry."And so the boy passed him the water and then just stood there at a loss of what to do next.

"Is she going to be ok?"

"She will. Here Regina, drink this, it will help." She wouldn't take the glass from him so he set it down next to the tea. "Don't worry Henry, fever's are rarely dangerous. It's usually just because of a virus."

"You'll be ok." Regina mumbled.

David looked down at her.

"What did she say?" Henry asked, realising she had been speaking to him.

"I don't know." David lied.

A tear fell from Regina's eye. "You don't have to be afraid."

Henry crouched in front of her and she reached for his hand. She tried to smile, but it faltered quickly.

"I'm sorry." She said to him.

Henry's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

Another tear threatened to fall and she blinked it away. "Can you forgive me?" She squeezed his hand weakly.

Henry looked up at David who still had his arms wrapped around her trying to comfort her. David rubbed her back. "Shhh Regina. I think you just need some rest."

"Henry," her voice broke. "Please."

Henry's eyes were glistening with frightened tears. "Mom, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please Henry."

"Uhhh... I do. I forgive you."

Regina seemed to relax upon hearing that, she closed her eyes and leaned against David. She didn't let go of Henry's hand.

"David what does she mean?"

David however, felt just as confused as Henry looked. He shook his head at a loss for what to say.

"I don't think she's thinking clearly." David whispered to Henry. "Fevers can have that affect. I wouldn't worry too much about it." Though David's own expression betrayed his worry.

"Okay," Henry responded, but he didn't look convinced. "Mom? ... Mom?"

"Regina?"

Her hand slipped from Henry's.

Deep breathing from Regina told David that she had fallen asleep. David considered carrying Regina upstairs to bed, but decided it might be best to leave her on the couch.

"Henry," David whispered, "can you get one of those blankets?"

David carefully picked Regina up and laid her down across the length if the couch. He then helped Henry place the blanket over her. Finally he knelt down in front of Regina and felt her forehead, which was still very warm.

"Come on," he whispered to Henry, indicating that they should leave the room. "He placed an arm around the boy's shoulders and started to lead him away. Henry glanced back at Regina as they went. When they passed Kaelyn David checked on her. She was still fast asleep.

Henry followed David into the kitchen, looking a little disconcerted. David noticed this and tried to reassure him, "honestly, don't worry. She's going to be okay. I promise."

"But why was she talking like that? What does she want me to forgive her for?"

"I don't know Henry." David patted Henry on the shoulder. "Maybe she was just starting to dream again."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes." David himself wasn't sure. His latest conversation with Regina made him feel like there was more to it but he didn't want to scare Henry.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

It was after dinner, David had already fed and changed Kaelyn and Henry was busy reading in his room. David had left the bottle of pills on the coffee table in case Regina woke up, but they remained unopened. David was just passing the living room when he could hear Regina whimpering. Doubling back, he rushed to her side. She was struggling in her sleep again, much like she had that morning during her first dream.

"Regina, wake up." He tried to reach out to her but her constant thrashing made it difficult.

"Regina, it's ok, it's just another dream. Wake up."

After a while of him speaking soft, comforting words to her, Regina began to calm down. Every once in a while she moaned, but she had stopped struggling.

David was sitting beside her now, rubbing her arm slowly. He heard a soft mumbling but had barely seen her lips move.

"Regina? What did you say?" He whispered.

She didn't repeat it, instead she shut her eyes even tighter causing her brow to crease.

"You're okay Regina. You're at home. Henry and Kaelyn are safe." He added the last part because judging by her last two dreams there seemed to be a common theme. And if this one was anything like the other two, he wanted to reassure her that nothing was going to happen to any of them.

"David..." She barely whispered, still asleep.

"I'm here."

He ran a hand through her hair as she let out a very soft cry.

"Tell me what's going on. Why have you been so unhappy?"

She had been avoiding telling him and he thought maybe now that her defenses were down she might confide in him as to what was bothering her. Even a tiny bit of information might help him to figure it out.

"No..." She sobbed, shaking her head ever so slightly.

He took her hands in his. "Please Regina. I hate seeing you like this. I want to be able to help."

"You can't..."

"Why not?"

She paused. "... It's them... I'm... afraid..."

"Who Regina? Who are they? You don't have to be afraid sweetheart, I won't let anyone hurt you."

She sobbed and shook her head again, saying no more. A tear ran down David's face as he watched her curl onto her side and wrap her arms tightly around her torso, falling back into a deep sleep.

Warning, next chapter starts off dark