I managed to get a chapter in before work. Enjoy and thank you for reviewing!

Chapter 11 I Know You Miss Her

"Are you sure you don't want to talk to her?" Jason asked as her phone rang for the fifth time that morning. He and Regina were sitting on the couch together with her cuddled into his side as he held her. He had come over to invite her for breakfast and when he sensed something was wrong she had told him what happened the night before except for the part about using magic on Emma. Using magic again after so long felt strange as if she were a drug addict getting her first fix after a year of being clean. She didn't plan on using it again but the need was still there. Even though she had just lost her family she didn't plan on going back to her old ways anytime soon. She still had Henry even if she was banned from seeing him and plus she still had Jason. It hurt that Snow turned her back on her after everything they've done to fix their once broken relationship. Now that she was gone Regina realized that for the past year Snow had become her best friend and now that she was gone… it hurt deeply. Emma was right, no matter what she'll always be evil. It was indeed the price she paid for using magic.

"I have nothing to say to her," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Like you said, you and Emma are both good friends with Mary Margaret. Maybe she just didn't know who to side with. Maybe she was staying neutral," he suggested, running his hand through her short dark hair in comfort. Regina scoffed in disbelief.

"No, she clearly made her choice," she answered which was followed by another sneeze. Jason frowned in contemplation.

"Gina, you've been sneezing all morning. Are you getting sick?"

"No," she grumbled stubbornly, clearly in denial. She did feel a little off today. Her throat was tickling her and her sinuses felt as if they were going to be stuffed up in a few hours. It's all in her mind, she tried convincing herself. She never got sick since coming to Storybrooke except for when her mother had magically made her ill but that didn't count.

"Really," he said, his voice teasing. He could tell she was coming down with something even if she wouldn't admit it. She was dressed in black slacks and a gray sweatshirt and besides from her riding clothes this was the most casual he had ever seen her. She seemed to be listless in his arms as if she simply just didn't have the energy to hold herself up and by the sound of her voice he can tell that her throat was bothering her.

"Jason, I never get sick. That's a fact."

He let the comment go as he thought about the reason why she was getting sick. She should have called him. He would have been there for her. He would have kept her from going out in the storm without a jacket.

"You could have called me you know," he said softly, meeting her gaze.

"I didn't want to worry you."

"I could have been there with you."

"I know but I don't think it would have been a good idea if Henry saw you so soon before our talk."

"That's right, because I'm trying to steal you away," he said smugly making Regina smile affectionately.

"Don't flatter yourself dear."

"I will talk to him though if it's aright with you, just so that he knows I'm not trying to take you away from him." Those words were said with so much care and Regina looked up at him in awe.

"You would do that?" The fact that he cared about her son's feelings meant so much to her. He leaned down and kissed her softly. It felt like ages but really it only lasted a few minutes before they pulled away.

"Henry is a good kid and I don't want him to worry about losing you." She smiled, a beautiful glowing smile and he couldn't help but kiss her once more and when the need for air became too much he started placing loving kisses on her neck, making her shiver with approval. The feel of his barely visible scruff felt good against her skin and she leaned into his kisses, tilting her head slightly back to give him better access. It wasn't till the sound of the phone ringing once more then they pulled away with labored breathing. Snow was calling again, she knew it was Snow and the sudden reminder of losing her made it hurt so much more. She sadly rested her head on Jason's shoulder and she felt him placing a soft kiss on her head.

"I know you miss her Gina. Just answer the phone."

"What am I supposed to say?" Her voice was shaking with grief and all he wanted to do was hold her. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her lightly on the lips, their faces just inches apart when they pulled away.

"Just tell her how you feel," he whispered. He seemed to have said the wrong thing because Regina seemed to retreat. She sat up, putting distance between them and he could see the change in her facial expression as if a wall had suddenly gone up. He wasn't sure as to what just happened but he could see her closing herself off.

"I'm not talking to her," she said in a clipped tone. She hated discussing feelings especially when she didn't even know what she was feeling. Her mask was on and this time Snow wasn't here to pull it off. She didn't care. She had emotionally closed herself off for years before Snow put a stop to it. It was only a matter a time before she went back to her old habits.

"She's your best friend."

"Not anymore," she said, her voice void of emotion as she got up and pulled the phone cord from the wall, putting an end to Snow's insistent ringing.

Emma walked into her mother's apartment to see her sitting at the kitchen counter with the phone. Her eyes were full of worry and with a guilty conscious Emma knew exactly who the concern was for. She hanged up with a sigh.

"What is it?" she asked.

"She disconnected her phone."

"Snow, what I said to her… I was angry ok."

"I understand Emma but did you really have to call her evil? You know she is anything but that. She's changed so much and now it's like we're back at square one. I can't even talk to her now."

"She used magic on me Snow!"

"I know but she was angry Emma. She couldn't control it. That doesn't make her evil and you know as much as I that she would never use magic to hurt Henry." Emma seemed to think about it for a second and realized with annoyance that her mother was right. Maybe she had gone too far last night. Regina was right when she said Henry was a runner. He runs off plenty of times when she herself was watching him so what was so different last night when he ran away from Regina? Maybe it was the fact that he was now living with her did she feel that she had to be more responsible for his safety and it was then that she realized that what she felt last night is what Regina must have felt everytime he ran off in the past to be with his real mom. She really needed to talk to this kid about running away but first she needed to apologize to Regina. It really wasn't her fault. From her own experience, Henry was quick and sneaky and she now knew that she didn't have a right to keep him from her. Regina has the law on her side as to whose son he was and she was lucky that the other woman didn't threaten to take back custody. All that mattered to Regina was Henry's happiness even if it meant letting him go. Great, now she felt even more guilty and thought maybe she deserved more than being thrown against a wall.

"I hate when you're right," Emma grumbled as she plopped down on the stool next to Snow.

"What do we do Emma? She thinks she's not part of this family anymore."

"I'm going to go talk to her," Emma said confidently but Snow stopped her.

"No, let me. Please Emma. She looked at me with so much hurt and betrayal. I need to make things right and then you could apologize."

It was the early afternoon when Snow finally had the courage to come over. Regina had left her car last night so Snow decided to bring it back as well as her now washed and dried clothes and heels. She approached the front door and rang the doorbell and thought it was strange when no one answered. She had called her office a while ago and was told Regina had taken the day off for some unknown reason. Snow thought maybe she was just too upset to go to work but when Regina finally opened the door after the third ring, Snow saw what was wrong. Regina looked terrible and briefly wondered if it was just exhaustion from last night or if she was sick.

"You… what are you doing here?" Regina's voice was cold and Snow realized with guilt that Regina's walls were up.

"I'm here to talk Regina."

"I don't want to talk," she said and just as she was about to close the door Snow stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"Regina, I'm sorry ok. Please just talk to me." She held up the neatly folded clothes and heels as if it were a piece offering and Regina angrily met her gaze. Even though she was angry and wanted nothing more than to shut Snow out she couldn't and her resolve melted. She shrugged her arm away, took her clothes, and turned away before stepping inside without a word. She left the door open and Snow took that as an invitation to inside.

"Are you feeling ok?" she asked as she followed Regina to the living room and watched as she set the clothes down on the coffee table before uncharacteristically plopping down on the couch and pulling a blanket up over her shoulders.

"I'm fine," she said irritably. Snow sat on the recliner, not sure where to start.

"Are you going to talk or not because some of us have things to do," Regina said although her tone lacked the usual punch and she simply just sounded tired.

"Right, Regina what happened yesterday was out of line. Emma shouldn't have said those things. You shouldn't have used magic and I…" She trailed off when she realized Regina's cold expression and the fact that she wasn't even looking at her. She got up and sat on the couch next to her stepmother and she literally felt her chest constrict when Regina recoiled away from her. The mask was up and what Snow wanted more than anything was to pull it down. She reached out so that Regina would look at her.

"I should have stood up for you when you needed me. There was no excuse but when I saw Emma flying into that wall I was speechless. I was shocked that you had resorted back to magic and used it on my daughter. You could have seriously hurt her Regina." At those words, Regina angrily pulled away.

"I don't need a lecture from you Snow. I get what I did was wrong. I'm evil ok, I admit that."

"You're not evil," Snow said sternly. Regina scoffed.

"Your daughter said it herself and for a moment I know you believed her."

"No I didn't. That's not who you are Regina; we've been through this. I was just conflicted and a little disappointed in you too. I know it's hard to control your magic when emotions are high but I thought you loved me enough not to use it on my child." The words disappointment and love made Regina's cold expression falter for just a second. She never thought in her life that being a disappointment to Snow can hurt so much. She never meant to make Snow doubt her for even a second. She was just so angry last night and she didn't even realize what she was doing to Emma before it was too late. As much as Emma and Snow were in the wrong last night, so was she. They all were.

"Regina," Snow said after a moment of heavy silence. "You know I don't like it when you close yourself off."

"What do you care? I'm not part of your family anymore," she said matter of factly, meeting Snow's gaze for a second before looking away.

"How could you even say that? Just because you slipped once and used magic doesn't mean we're going to disown you. You're my mother Regina." At those words Regina didn't say anything and her mask was still stubbornly in place, making Snow feel even worse about last night. Regina really did hate her now and all she could feel was an incredible sense of grief and loss for the woman she had come to know so well in the past year. Snow sighed in defeat. There really was no getting through to this woman that had once been her best friend.

"Alright Regina, I tried to make things right but I understand if you hate me now. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

No, that's not true! She doesn't hate her and Regina needed her to know that and as Snow stood Regina grabbed her arm tightly before she could walk away. She knew everything Snow had said was true but her pride and stubborn nature kept her from what she really wanted… making amends with her best friend and stepdaughter.

"Snow wait, I don't hate you," she said, her voice strain with emotion and Snow could see the carefully placed mask crumble before her eyes. "I'm just mad that you didn't stick up for me but I can never hate you… not again." Her Regina, the Regina she knew so well was sitting before her instead of the emotionless shell that was here just moments ago and Snow couldn't help but let the tears fall. She was so scared that she may have lost her again and that the hate Regina had once harbored would come back with a vengeance but those words got rid of those fears and now all she could feel was immense relief.

"Snow no, I didn't mean to make you cry," Regina said as she got up and hugged her stepdaughter. The gesture was so loving and Snow felt herself melting in her arms.

"I thought I lost you," she whispered and the sound of her voice broke Regina's heart and she never felt as guilty as she did now. She shouldn't have over reacted. Regina pulled away and reached out to dry Snow's subsiding tears.

"I'm here ok," she said softly, giving her a small smile. By the touch of Regina's warm hand and the way her cheeks were flushed, Snow knew something was wrong and her expression grew concerned.

"What?" Regina asked as Snow placed the back of her hand on her forehead and then to her cheek.

"Regina you have a low fever."

"It's just from the level of emotions in this room. It's making me ill," Regina stated as Snow pushed her back down on the couch. Regina gave her a questioning glare.

"What are you doing?"

"You're sick."

"No, I'm not," Regina protested right before she sneezed.

"I'm going to bring you some soup and medicine," Snow said as she made Regina lie down against her will and covered her with the blanket.

"Don't bother," she started to say before Snow interrupted her.

"Regina, you're coming down with the flu because you decided to half drown yourself during a below freezing storm in Maine. Why couldn't you curse us somewhere like Florida?"

"I was going to say that Jason is already on it. He was here this morning and even though I insisted I was fine he's planning on bringing me soup during his lunch break and as for Florida, I hate the heat." Snow smiled as she sat on the coffee table across from Regina who sat up but Snow only pushed her back down.

"Ah so he wouldn't take no for an answer. I like him. He's perfect for you," she said thoughtfully. Regina was getting frustrated with Snow coddling her and had given up trying to sit up.

"What are you insinuating dear?" she asked.

"I love you Regina but sometimes you're too stubborn for your own good and the fact that Jason doesn't put up with that is actually perfect." Regina laughed and Snow was surprised. She was expecting her to deny that trait.

"So what, you two plan on nursing me back to health…." Regina seemed to trail off and Snow could see by the look on her face that she realized something unpleasant.

"Regina?"

"Snow, I'm going to be gross once this thing fully kicks in. You can't let him see me like this. It's bad enough he saw me dressed like this."

"Dressed like what? Casual?" Snow asked in amusement. Regina can be funny when she panicked over what Jason might think of her appearance.

"This isn't funny! I'm going to be contagious and sick and…Just don't let him try to take care of me, please."

"You're going to need someone here with you." Regina huffed at Snow's statement.

"Fine, you could stay here and coddle me as long as you keep him out."

"Deal, now I'm going to run to the store and pick up some medicine," Snow said as she stood and pushed Regina who had immediately sat up, back down. "And you are going to stay on this couch."

"What did I get myself into?" Regina sighed as she looked up at the ceiling. Snow smiled.

"Try to get some rest," she said and before she could leave Regina spoke up once more.

"Snow, I really am sorry for everything." She looked back at her with a soft smile, her eyes shining with the kind of love only a child could have for their parent.

"I am too Regina."