Regina sat in her office, the day was coming to an end, and her head had finally stopped pounding. Emma had the day off and took the opportunity to spend time with Henry. The two had really come closer; they would bond over anything an adult could with a toddler. Regina saw so much of Henry in Emma, the way the ate, the way they seemed to ramble on about nothing in particular, and they way they had Regina wrapped around their fingers. Regina could never really pin point her favorite thing about the two's similarities. She was happy they had become even closer.
Regina jumped slightly at the sound of her desk phone ring.
"Regina Mills." She answered preparing herself for whatever dumb councilman that would be on the other line. She however was not prepared for what she did hear.
"Regina," The voice on the other end is shaky; she can hear a small child crying on the other end. "Regina, I don't know what to do he is burning up, and h-he won't stop crying. I've tried everything I can think of, all he wants is his mommy. You're his mommy, he wants you." Emma's voice squeaked at the last word, causing Regina's heart to sink.
"Alright Emma, its ok, tell him I'm on my way. Try to stop the crying or he will dehydrate himself." Regina stood and rushed to her door grabbing her keys and her purse. "I need you to take three deep breaths for me, and then go talk to our son ok?" Regina walked out of her office before mouthing to her secretary that she was leaving early.
"Ok, I think I can do that. "Emma tried to say reassuringly, but it came out as if she was a helpless child, and Regina turned her walk into a run.
"I'm going to hang up so I can drive ok? I'll see you when I get home. Try to sooth him, stop the crying." Regina knew Emma had nodded; she wasn't really looking for a response. The line went dead and Regina raced home.
Regina came barreling up the stairs following her son's cries. She quickly grabbed the thermometer from her bathroom, and ran to the toddler's room. When she stepped inside she saw Emma kneeling by Henry's bed with her hands on either side of his face. Her cheeks wet with tears, no doubt from fear. She was whispering something but it wasn't audible over the screams from the boy.
"Hey, I'm here." Regina said rubbing Emma's back, before running the thermometer over Henry's head. Emma moved away from the bed and backed into the wall. "His temp is 105 we need to get him to the hospital. Get a bag of some clothes for him I'll meet you in the car ok?"
Emma nodded moving quickly around the room to grab a shirt, pants, and other clothes that might be needed. Regina scooped the crying boy in her arms and made her way downstairs. She pushed through the front door and out into the driveway. Once the boy was buckled she looked toward the house for any sign of the blonde. After a few moments Emma came running down the porch steps, closing the door behind her; Henry's bag in hand. She climbed into the backseat as Regina took her spot behind the wheel.
They rushed to the hospital, dodging red lights, and stop signs. Emma held Henry's little hand and continued to whisper this time Regina could hear it was a song, and her heart grew with the warmth at the words:
"Little Ducky Donald, went wading in a puddle, went wading in a puddle so small.
He said it doesn't matter how much I splash and splatter.
I'm only a ducky after all."
Emma finished, as Henry's crying slowed long enough for him to squeak out a "Quack Quack," every time the song was finished. This went on until they made it to the hospital. Emma unbuckled the toddler and slid out of the car with him in her arms. Regina following as they raced into the ER.
"Hello ma'am how can we help you?" The triage nurse asked but as soon as she saw the crying child she motioned the three into a private room.
"He has a high temp." Regina said when Emma had set him on the bed. The blonde backed away and let Regina take over.
The nurse asked several questions to Regina about Henry. With all the commotion no one noticed Emma slip out of the room and leave. As soon as the doctor came in to confirm appendicitis, the boy was taken up to the OR. Instinctively the brunette reached for Emma's hand. Nothing was there. Her heart dropped as she left the room and barged into the waiting room. Emma wasn't there either. She walked down the hallway, and made a turn toward the restrooms. Emma wasn't there. She made her way slowly back to the waiting room, her heart pounding with worry, not only for her son, but for the blonde whom only knew to run.
As she passed another hallway, she heard quiet sobs echo through the air. Regina followed the sound until she came upon a blonde crouched against the wall, shaking viciously.
"Emma?" Regina knelt down to look at the girl, and pulled her chin up so they were face to face.
Emma's eyes were blood shot and her cheeks were stained with tears. Her entire body shook, and her face was pale as the walls of the hospital.
"Oh Emma" Regina pulled the blonde into an embrace allowing herself to sit on the floor. "It's ok; he's going to be just fine. He has appendicitis; they have him in surgery right now." Regina began rocking the crying blonde in her lap.
"H-he looked so scared, I feel so stupid. I didn't know what to do, I froze up. I'm an idiot." Emma cried out burying her face in Regina's chest. There was no point in putting her walls up, she was too tired.
"Emma Swan, you are not an idiot, you are however a new mother. You think I was just, all of the sudden, a genius at parenting when I brought Henry home." Regina looked down to see Emma pull away. The blonde wiped her cheeks off but didn't let go of Regina's hand. "Your son cried for days, I couldn't get him to stop. I practically had to beg him to give me a chance." She let out a nervous chuckle, and then brought her free hand to cup Emma's cheek. "You'll get there, ok?"
Emma nodded and leaned into the hand on her cheek. She looked into Regina's eyes and held her glance for a few moments.
"Miss. Mills? Is that you?" A nervous voice broke the two apart and Regina glanced at the nurse before them.
"Yes, it's me." She said standing, bringing Emma up with her.
"Henry just went under, if you'd like I can take the two of you to the waiting room closest to the OR." The nurse said, this time with more confidence. When Regina nodded the three went down the hall, into a large waiting room, where only three other people sat.
"We'll come and get you when he is finished." She smiled and walked away, leaving the two mothers behind her.
Regina moved to a couch on the far side of the room, Emma at her heals still holding onto the brunettes hand for dear life.
"I'm sorry I left the room." Emma finally said when they had settled on the couch. Emma's head sat on Regina's shoulder, and the brunette had begun a steady movement of rubbing her thumb on Emma's hand. "I don't know what came over me. I've never been one to freeze in a situation like that."
"It's ok, dear. It happens to everyone at some point in time. No one has it all together." Regina tilted her head to look and the woman on the shoulder. "You understand that right?"
"But I've been trying so hard to make sure he knows I love him as much as you do, and yet he still cried for you." Emma chocked back a sob, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.
"Yes, but you got him to listen to you when you sang, he even tried to sing along." Regina pulled Emma's upper body into her lap so she was looking into green eyes below her. "I've never been able to do that."
Emma cracked a small smile and brought the back of Regina's hand to her cheek, nuzzling into it. "Yea I guess I did." She closed her eyes and let Regina run her finger through blonde locks, until the blonde fell asleep. Regina would blame it on exhaustion or anxiety, but secretly she knew it was only because Emma felt safe enough to sleep there.
Regina watched Emma sleep as she continued to run her fingers through blonde hair. Nothing made Emma look more like Henry then when she was sleeping. That was Regina's favorite thing about the two, if she was being honest.
AN: So what do you think? I wanted to have a situation that would open Emma more, as a parent, or new mother. Thanks for all of the reviews on the last chapter! I hope everyone who is in school is having a good beginning of the year!