Gave everyone a chance to catch up on the story. Hope you like it so far!

Chapter 10: Come back to me

April 4th, 2014

David looked at each of the persons present in Regina's hospital room. Sarah, Archie, and Whale were standing on the other side of the bed, ready to act if Regina required any medical attention. Emma, Rumple, and Blue were toward the door, readying the magical help shall he need it. Whale had stopped giving Regina the sedative four hours ago. All they could do now was monitor Regina's condition and wait for her to wake.

His heart broke when his eyes wandered back to Regina's form on the bed. She was on her back, wrists and ankles restrained. Her skin had a more greyish tone, from not having seen the sun in a month. The skin around her mouth and nose was dry despite the IV fluids she had been receiving. David moved her feeding tube carefully and kissed her lips. "Regina, come on, baby. We're here to help you."

Regina began to stir and whimper half an hour later. She cried out when images of Cora, Leopold, and the Evil Queen flashed before her eyes. David was rubbing her cheek, trying to comfort her. "You're ok, sweetheart. You're in Storybrooke." He tried to establish their bond but Regina was not awake enough for him to lock onto her magic. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her arm soothingly. "We're going to help you."

Cora was restraining her. Regina tried to move but her hands and feet were bound. She screamed. But the tube prevented the sound from coming out. Her throat was on fire but he kept thrusting at her. Tears were flowing down her cheeks as Regina futilely struggled on the bed. A hand on her arm, grabbing her to go play after the grueling night she had spent with her husband. "No!" Regina whimpered.

David concentrated on establishing their bond. His heart was beating wildly in his chest; he hated to see her in pain. As soon as he managed to touch Regina's magic, she fought against it. Regina was thrashing on the bed, pulling at the restraints. "David,..." Whale warned. "We need to sedate her." Her heart rate and blood pressure kept climbing; if they did not stop soon, she would have a heart attack.

David poured all of his energy into the magic and finally managed to get through to Regina. His mind was immediately assaulted by flashes of Regina's life: Cora, Snow, Leopold, Rumple as well as the faces of the innocents she had massacred. David screamed and collapsed on the floor, holding his head in both hands. Emma was by his side in an instant. "Dad!" She called out before turning her attention to Whale. "Sedate her!"

The doctor had not been waiting for Emma. Regina's body went limp within a few minutes of the injection. They had failed. And one look at her father told Emma that he had lost all hope of bringing Regina back.

ECECEC

April 6th, 2014

David had not eaten nor slept in the past two days. Every time he had tried to close his eyes, all he could see were the jumbled images from Regina's mind. He could feel her pain and despair. He looked up from his chair on the other side of the room as Whale and his team were preparing her for electroshock therapy.

After the failed attempt, David had agreed to let Whale attempt the electroshock treatment. It had not been an easy decision, but they could not let Regina relive her past for much longer. Besides, she had already started to develop an infection from the feeding tube Whale was currently removing.

Henry had taken the news the hardest, accusing David of taking the coward's way out. He had screamed that True Love should have worked but David did not love his mother enough. The words had felt like salt on an open wound because they reinforced his own belief. Regina was in this situation because of him and there was nothing he could do to help her. His love was simply not enough.

David rubbed his face with both hands as Sarah was placing the electrodes on Regina's temples. The nurse had also voiced her objections to the treatment: even if it was successful in bringing Regina back, there was no way of telling the type of side effects she would suffer. At best, she would likely suffer from memory loss and migraines. At worst, she could lose all of her memories and higher brain functions.

The soft whimpers from Regina brought David out of his dark thoughts. Whale was forcing a mouth guard in her mouth and she was fighting him. "You said she was going to be under general anesthesia."

"She will be. When we start the procedure." His friend reassured him.

The situation felt wrong. "Stop." Whale turned around abruptly, his eyes questioning his friend. "She wouldn't want that."

"David, we're out of options." Sarah tried to reason with him. Although she agreed with the statement, their only other option was to let Regina go. After the failed attempt, the group had reconvened the following day to talk about treatment options. Regina did not have direct family that was old enough to make the decision. By law, and in the absence of an advanced care directive, Whale was in charge and he had decided to let David make the final call. David had agreed to try one last treatment after hearing Henry's sobs through the thin wall separating his bedroom from the master bedroom at the mansion.

"I want to try again. I want to try to reach for her with our magic." He stood and moved toward Regina, removing the mouth guard. Regina settled almost immediately on the bed.

"Her heart rate and BP were through the roof, David." Whale warned. "If it doesn't work, I may not be able to treat her today. We would have to wait."

David nodded, understanding the implications. "It will work." He locked eyes with his friend. "Because this time, we're taking the restraints off as well."

"David…"

"No. We tried it your way. I told you she would be too scared. Let's give her a chance to wake up feeling safe."

"You said it yourself: she is reliving her past over and over again. Even if you manage to establish your bond again, you'll have to deal with her memories."

"I know what to expect this time. Get Archie, Blue, and Emma here and let's get her back to her room." He gently pulled the electrodes off her skin and removed the restraints. "You're going to be just fine, Regina. I promise. But you need to trust me." He kissed her forehead, barely listening to Whale instructing the orderlies to get Regina back to her room.

EC

Two hours later, Regina was safely laying on the bed in David's arms, who was murmuring gentle nonsense in her ear. She had begun to stir half an hour ago and it wouldn't be long until she fully woke. "You're ok, sweetheart. I know you're scared but you need to trust me. I won't hurt you. I will never hurt you." Regina fisted his shirt and whimpered, images flashing before her eyes. David kept talking to her soothingly, keeping his tone even despite the mounting fear in the pit of his stomach. "I love you." He kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers for a few seconds before peppering her face with tender, soft kisses. As soon as he felt Regina's magic awakening, David gently extended his toward hers, pouring his love and support through the bond.

Regina was squirming on the bed but unlike last time, she was not trying to free herself from David's embrace. Her vital signs were also within normal range. Whale and Archie took a step back, giving Regina and David some privacy. The Prince was still reassuring Regina as best he could. He had no intention of forcing his magic on her. She needed to make the choice on her own. All he could do was show her a promise of love.

Regina cried out. She could feel the binding spell preventing her from reaching toward the warm magic full of promises. "Blue, remove the binding spell." David asked. "Now."

"But…" The fairy protested before Emma put a hand on her forearm.

"Do it." Emma nodded in confidence. "She needs to know she is safe."

The fairy executed herself and Regina reached out for David with her magic, letting his love soothe her fears. She opened her eyes and clung to David with all her strength. The Prince smiled at her softly in response. "You're ok… Everything is ok, beautiful."

Regina wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. The Queen cried. Her wails could be heard through the entire hospital wing. Emma was shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the next. Regina was a very private person and she felt like an intruder on a moment that should only belong to the Queen and the Prince.

David rocked her gently, holding her close to him. "You're ok, sweetheart…" He kept repeating the words until Regina finally quieted.

"I can't." Her voice was hoarse from disuse and the feeding tube. "I can't." She repeated.

"Can't do what?" David tried to look at her but she tightened her grasp on his shirt in response.

"It's slipping… I can't keep our bond." She was crying. "Please, please don't let me go back there." She begged.

David had a fair idea of the "there" Regina was referring to: her own mind. Regina was right: they needed to act quickly. "I'm not, baby. I'm going to help you. Do you trust me?" He felt Regina nod weakly against him and David outlined the plan.

Regina did not try to argue: she felt too weak to do so. The plan was crazy but she did not want to go back into her memories. David felt the fears, pain, and skepticism. "My heart belongs to you. Take it." He whispered to her.

Emma exchanged a worried look with the fairy. "Let her." Blue whispered. "She has her magic. It might prove better in the end."

Regina let her hand slide down from David's neck toward his chest. Her fingers curled over his heart. She had done this a thousand times. People screaming in pain.

David closed his eyes, concentrating on love and on keeping the demons of Regina's past at bay. "Take it." He repeated. Slowly, Regina's hand sank inside his chest, delicately grabbing the organ she cherished so much. She placed the glowing heart in between them, caressing its side. David moaned as she handled his heart with the utmost care. However, he could feel his control over his magic slipping: they did not have much time. "Your turn, baby." David placed Regina's hand over her chest.

Regina hesitated for a few seconds. "You deserve a chance, Regina." David assured her, feeling the doubts that had suddenly invaded her mind. "We deserve that chance." He kissed her forehead and pushed against her hand.

Regina plunged her hand in her own chest and removed the bright organ. David gently took her heart and placed it against his, intensifying their bond. Soon, the two organs were beating as one, the powerful magic palpable in the air. Their love felt incredible. Slowly, David took his heart and placed it against Regina's chest. The queen pushed his hand inside her chest. The Prince looked at Regina for any sign of discomfort but all he saw reflected back in her brown chocolate eyes was love and trust. "How are you feeling?"

Regina's eyes rapidly filled with tears. She could feel all of David's love and concern for her. The feeling was more powerful than their bond. "I'm ok. Thank you… thank you so much."

David wiped the tears away. "I love you."

Regina gave him a soft smile before pushing her heart into David's chest. The Prince gasped as he felt her fears and pain. He closed his eyes and tried to calm the heart beating inside his chest. He smiled as soon as he felt the incredible amount of love Regina held in her heart. He opened his eyes and smiled. "I love you." Regina repeated, running her fingertips over his cheek. She leaned toward him and kissed him hesitantly at first. However, as soon as she felt David respond, the kiss became more passionate.

Regina was back. Love had brought her back after all.

ECECEC

Enchanted Forest, 34-year-old Regina

Regina collapsed on the floor as soon as her mother disappeared inside the mirror back to Wonderland, taking the only person who loved her with her. In her rage, Regina had imprisoned her father into one of her heart's chests. He was Cora's prisoner, in another realm and in that instant, she had no hope of seeing him again.

Regina screamed in agony as her heart was shattering in a million of tiny pieces. The two guards at the entrance of the dining room slowly retreated. They had witnessed the Queen's despair before. It had often turned into anger and a few snapped necks.

However, today was different. Regina had truly lost everyone she cared about. She curled into a fetal position on the floor, uncaring about ripping her beautiful gown in the process. She hated her life. She hated herself. She was broken beyond repair. Her father was wrong about her: there was nothing to save. All she had ever wanted was revenge and that had been taken away from her.

Regina plunged her hand into her chest, taking her heart out. The battered organ was almost completely black, the light struggling to shine on every beat. Regina squeezed it slowly, reveling in the pain coursing throughout her body. The Queen laughed as she squeezed her heart; this was a poetic way of ending her life. As she was about to crush the organ to dust, she was knocked unconscious by a wave of powerful magic. "No, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin pried Regina's fingers open to protect the heart he had spent so many years to turn. "Not yet, Regina. Not until you get me my son!"