Chapter 11.
"So do we just follow after your mother then?" Rose asked having been quiet all this time. Emma, Henry and Regina turned to look at her. Rose looked slightly out of place in her full regal armour.
"Who are you?" Henry asked, ever inquisitive. Emma smirked as Rose looked down to Henry.
"It's true, you are all questions." Rose replied to the boy. Emma chuckled slightly.
"Henry, this is…"
"Rose?" Regina interrupted Emma. Rose turned to her old friend smiling slightly as she did.
"Hello Regina."
"Rose? Rose who?" Henry continued to question.
"Might I suggest that we answer that as we join the others?" Rose said. Nodding in agreement, Emma walked on with Henry, Rose and Regina close behind. As they walked Regina remained quiet as Emma explained whom Rose was.
"So that would make you my great aunt?" Henry surmised. Rose sighed heavily at the title.
"How about we don't use 'great' in the title." Rose suggested. "I'm not that old, nor do I wish to be reminded of it." Rose grumbled.
"OK." Henry agreed as he went into Gold's shop buzzing with the excitement that his family was home. Emma laughed slightly as she followed after him.
"Quiet you." Rose said as she followed Emma in, Regina still quiet although amused, stepped in to the shop with the rest.
At the back of the shop Mary Margaret sat beside David leaned down to him and kissed him. A wave of magic rippled through the room as David's eyes fluttered open.
"You did it." He said as he awoke.
"Did you ever doubt I would?" Snow smirked, happy tears falling from her eyes.
"No, but the burning room did give me pause." David smiled as he kissed his wife again.
The back room of Gold's shop was a bustle of merriment at the return of Emma and Mary Margaret. As Emma left to speak with Gold, Rose looked around the room at the people in it. Some she vaguely recognised others she didn't, feeling closed in she exited through the back door to get some air. Wondering around outside Rose took in her surroundings; it was very strange, even the air felt different to her. All seemed quiet but this did nothing but to put the warrior queen on edge. As Rose took her time walking back round to the front of Gold's store she heard the front door open and all those that were inside pouring out, all so happy and thick in conversation. No one seemed to notice her as she stood back watching the crowd leave, Rose however noticed who was missing. Stepping back in to the shop Rose walked to the back room again, over hearing Mr Gold speak to Regina.
"Congratulations. You've reunited mother and son, who knows may be one day they'll invite you to dinner." Gold sneered at Regina tormenting her. Rose stepped in to the back room as Gold turned to leave. Rose stood to her full height given her nearly a good couple of inches height over Gold. She stared down at the man who looked back at her. "Welcome to Storybrooke your majesty." Gold smirked. "I hope you enjoy your stay." Gold continued as he brushed passed Rose. Rose watched him leave then turned back to Regina. The woman looked broken, Rose could see the woman she once knew in form but her spirit seemed all but distinguished. Walking toward Regina Rose stopped just in front of her and held out her hand to her, palm facing upwards. Regina looked to Rose for a moment before placing her hand upon Rose's forearm, gripping it tightly as did Rose of Regina's arm.
"I've missed you old friend." Rose said smiling lightly. Regina gave Rose a watery smile, as much as she wanted to, Regina couldn't bring herself to break her façade and fall into Rose, so desperate to be comforted by her friend but in need to stay strong and proud. The moment was broken suddenly by Rose as she grabbed her side and fell to her knees still holding Regina's arm, tighter now than before.
"Rose, what is it?" Regina asked dropping beside her, a look of concern covering her face.
"Your mother packs a powerful punch." Rose explained looking up to Regina her hand still covering her side where Cora's magic had struck her. Regina went straight into action using her magic to teleport them both back to her house. They both reappeared in Regina's entrance hall. "I'm not sure that's the best way to travel." Rose said as her head spun slightly from the travel.
"Where did my mother strike you?" Regina asked as she lowered Rose gently the rest of the way to the floor.
"Where didn't she?" Rose joked then cried in pain as Regina's hands ran across her side. Her brow furrowed, as she looked to Rose's armour.
"We need to get this off of you." Regina explained as she waved her hand using her magic to quickly remove the armour, leaving Rose with the white under shirt she wore, blood had already stained the garment. Lifting the shirt gently Regina saw the damage caused by her mother's magic. Lightly pressing her fingers around the wound Rose sharply breathed in from the pain. Regina looked up to Rose who was growing pale, sweat beading on her forehead, Regina knew this was not good. "The magic my mother has used to strike you is a kind of a curse, it's a form of poison that's beginning to course through you." Regina explained as she got up and rushed into her kitchen.
"Wonderful." She could hear Rose say sarcastically.
"I can heal you." Regina said as she returned holding a hand towel she had just soaked in water. "But it will be painful."
"Painful is better than dead." Rose commented as Regina placed the towel on the wound doing her best to clear away blood so she could clearly see the wound.
"You may not be saying that when I begin." Regina explained looking intently at the wound. Rose grabbed Regina's hand forcing the once Evil Queen to look at her.
"I trust you with my life Regina, I always have. Just do it." Rose said as she released Regina's arm exhausted from the exertion of the move.
"You've been gone too long." Regina said raising an eyebrow at Rose's words.
"So have you." Rose retorted. "Please Regina, just do it, what ever it is just do it." Regina looked at the wound, she could see the dark magic spreading through Rose's veins, if she was going to help it had to be now. Regina circled her hand conjuring items to appear beside her. Rose watched as Regina picked a small silver dagger. "Do you intend to stab me?" Rose quipped.
"Not quite, this is an athame." Regina explained as she used the athame's tip to prick the top of her own finger wincing slightly as she did. Next Regina picked up a small potion bottle allowing a couple of drops of her blood to fall into the bottle, Regina quickly pulled together a potion in the small bottle, covering the opening with her thumb she shook it. Once satisfied the ingredients had combined, Regina looked down to Rose who was finding it harder to stay awake. "Now this is really going to hurt." Regina explained as she removed the towel from the wound. Before Regina could do anymore the front door opened.
"Rose!" Mary Margaret called out dropping beside her sister. Emma rushed in grabbing Regina's wrist stopping her from whatever she was about to do.
"Let go of me!" Regina snapped.
"What are you doing?" Emma snapped.
"Trying to save her life." Regina explained pulling herself out of Emma's grip. Mary Margaret looked from Regina to Rose.
"It's alright Emma, let her help." Mary Margaret said holding on to her sister's hand.
"Why thank you." Regina sarcastically said. "Now as I was saying, Rose, this is really going to hurt." Rose watched as Regina poured the potion on to her wound. The pain was immense, the potion seemed to burn and stab at her all at the same time. Rose screamed out in pain, Mary Margaret continued to hold on to her hand whilst Regina replaced the towel over her wound again when Rose started convulsing.
"What's happening?" Mary Margaret asked panicked.
"The potion is doing its job." Regina explained as she kept the towel in place over Rose's wound. Suddenly Emma grabbed a hold of Regina pulling her away from her aunt.
"What do you mean the potion is doing its job?" Emma demanded. Regina kept her eyes locked on Rose. "Regina, what do you mean?!" Emma demanded again. Regina turned to her as she answered angrily.
"Rose was injured by one of my mother's curses. The poison from that attack was slowly killing her. I have created an antidote which is now fighting against my mother's magic to save Rose's life. If you want your aunt to survive I suggest you release me so I can help her." Regina explained pissed off. Emma looked down to her aunt again, the convulsing had stopped but she still looked in pain.
"Emma." Mary Margaret looked to her daughter pleadingly. Emma released Regina who returned to Rose's side. Regina felt Rose's forehead and checked her wound. Her brow furrowed as she looked back to Rose's face. "Regina?" Snow looked to her stepmother concerned.
"I've managed to stop the spread of the poison but she's not out of the woods yet. Rose has a fever, it may take some time but it should break."
"Should?" Emma asked not convinced.
"Rose needs to rest, her body is battling magic but she's obviously exhausted from previous battles." Regina explained noticing now the bruises and cuts that Rose had collected recently. "It's going to make the healing process slower."
"We should get her to the hospital." Emma decided.
"And they will do what exactly?" Regina questioned. "Can science fight magic?" Regina asked. Before Emma could answer Mary Margaret did.
"Regina's right Emma. A hospital can't help Rose right now. But Regina you can." Mary Margaret said looking to her. Regina sat back not prepared to hear that from Mary Margaret. "You can help my sister can't you Regina?" Snow asked.
"Yes, I can." Regina eventually answered as she looked down to her old friend.
"Then please do." Snow said. Regina looked between Mary Margaret and Emma then to Rose.
"She'll have to stay here with me." Regina began to explain. Emma moved forward to object when Regina stopped her. "If she's with me I can care for her 24/7."
"Alright." Mary Margaret agreed. "If that's best for Rose, just please Regina do everything you can to save her."
"I already am." Regina said. With a wave of her hand purple smoke covered Rose as she disappeared. Emma looked to Regina eyes wide. "It's alright I put her upstairs in one of the bedrooms to rest. I suggest you two should go home to your family and do the same, there's nothing you can do here to help Rose." Regina explained as she stood up straightening her clothes as she did, standing at her most regal. Mary Margaret followed suit standing and reaching for Emma.
"Very well, please call us immediately if there are any changes in Rose's condition." Mary Margaret said as she headed towards the front door again.
"I will." Regina agreed.
"And Regina. Thank you." Mary Margaret nodded her head to Regina as she and Emma left her house, Regina shut her front door after them. Standing with her back against the door Regina took several deep steadying breaths before she went upstairs to check on Rose.