Thank you for your reviews!:) Did anyone else see the finale for OUAT? It was amazing! I can't wait till season 3! Fall can't come soon enough but at least we still have fanfic to keep us from going crazy lol Sorry this chapter is so short. This is just one of those transition chapters. I'll try to make the next one longer but for now, enjoy!

Chapter 12 What Were You Thinking?

As much as Regina wanted to rebel against Snow's order of staying put on that couch, exhaustion won her over and she found herself in a light sleep until she was awaken by a warm gentle hand on her cheek. She smiled softly as she recognized that touch. Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt his soft lips on hers. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. It was then that the sickness finally hit her. She felt terrible. Her sinuses were stuffed and her throat was killing her not to mention how warm the room suddenly became. She looked up at Jason's concerned face.

"Gina, you're burning up," he said. He was worried and she can tell. Great, now she wouldn't be able to get him to leave which she had planned on doing after he dropped off her soup. She didn't want him seeing her so sick... so weak and not to mention contagious.

"Mary Margaret went to go pick up some medicine," she whispered as she tried sitting up and like Snow had done earlier he lied her back down.

"No, don't get up," he said. "I'll be back." She felt too sick to protest and simply just did as he asked. He came back with some water and a cool hand towel. After helping her drink the water, he placed the towel on her forehead and she closed her eyes in pleasure. It felt so cool against her flushed skin and she didn't even have the energy to worry about Jason seeing her like this. She guessed he can stay till Snow returned.

"So you and Mary Margaret made up?" he asked as he continued to cool her down. She opened her eyes and literally felt herself melting at the affection she saw in his soft brown eyes. No one besides Snow had ever took care of her like this and the rush of emotions was exhilarating.

"Yeah, we did," she whispered, sounding out of it as if she were on the verge of sleep.

"I'm glad, now get some sleep," he said just as they heard the door open and close, followed by Snow's footsteps.

"Jason hi, is she ok?" she asked as she approached them with concern.

"No actually," he said as he stood. Regina had fallen into a fever induced sleep. "She's burning up and I'd hate to leave her alone."

Snow could see the genuine concern in his eyes. She glanced at Regina to see her asleep and noticed the packaged bowl of soup from Granny's on the coffee table. She laid the bag of medicine next to it before moving to feel Regina's temperature for herself.

"She won't be. I'll be here with her till she gets better," she replied looking up at him.

"Are you sure? I can stay and call in," he said. He'd rather be here making sure she was ok than going back to work.

"I'm sure Jason. Go back to work and I'll call you if anything." She needed to stick with her end of the deal if she wanted to stay and that meant making sure Jason stayed away just for a few days. Hesitantly, he agreed and she felt bad for the longing look in his eyes as he knelt down beside his girl, his hand caressing her cheek before giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Get better Gina," he whispered and after saying his goodbyes with promises from Snow that she'll call, he finally left them alone. Snow locked the door once Jason left and went back to her sleeping stepmother. She looked flushed and tired and Snow knelt beside her to cool her down with the towel.

"Regina, what were you thinking?" she whispered to herself, thinking on how she had gotten sick in the first place. Snow couldn't help but think back about the last time Regina was burning up with fever. Cora had magically made her ill just to break her and use her for power. Snow was disgusted that Cora could even do that to her own daughter. She wondered how differently life would have turned out if Cora would have been the loving mother Regina never had. If Cora had simply loved her daughter then Regina would have married Daniel. Snow would have never lost her mother and Emma wouldn't have grown up alone but then Henry wouldn't have been born. She guessed there were some good that had come out of this whole mess that Cora and Rumplestiltskin created. She wasn't sure how long she was sitting there till Regina started to stir.

"Hey, how are you feeling," Snow whispered as Regina barely opened her eyes.

"Jason… he was here," she mumbled, her throat burning even as she whispered.

"He was worried but I convinced him to go back to work." Regina closed her eyes in relief.

"I'd hate if I get him sick," she said.

"I really don't think he cares about getting sick as long as you're being taken care of. I think he would have stayed if I didn't insist I'd call him every once in a while."

"I don't need to be checked up on," she said, not at all sounding like she had intended too. She sounded exhausted.

"He cares about you. That's part of being in a relationship."

"How do you know we're…" She was too upset yesterday and had never gotten around to telling Snow that she and Jason finally made it official.

"The way he looked at you before he left said it all," Snow said softly as she wiped Regina's forehead with the towel. "Congratulations by the way and I talked to David. He said it probably be a good idea if you stayed with us till you're better."

"Is that really necessary?" Regina complained to Snow's surprise. Regina never complains.

"This house is huge Regina. If you were upstairs and I were… let's just say in the kitchen getting you some water I wouldn't be able to hear you if you needed me or if you were to pass out or something. I'm just saying my place would be easier to look after you."

"Fine," she said, feeling too tired and too sick to argue.

"Great, let's go. David's on his way with the car."

"You planned this already? What if I were to say no?"

"We made a deal Regina and that means as long as I get to take care of you then I decide where I get to take care of you."

"You're driving me insane kid," she grumbled making Snow laugh as she headed towards the stairs to pack some of Regina's things.

Regina was practically out of it by the time Snow and David got her in the guest bedroom up in the loft. Emma had seen them bringing her in and as Snow was upstairs getting her settled, Emma nervously paced the floor with David sitting on the couch watching her. She was nervous. As soon as Regina woke up she planned on giving her an apology and to reassure her that she can still see Henry even if he was still grounded. She stopped her pacing the moment Snow came down from the loft.

"Is she awake?" Emma asked, trying not to sound too eager. She just wanted to get this over with already.

"No, she was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. She'll probably be out for the next few hours."

"Great, call me when she wakes up," Emma grumbled and Snow could see the flicker of guilt flashing in her eyes before she turned and left the apartment. Snow and David exchanged worried glances. They both knew she was beating herself up for the harsh words she had shouted at Regina. Snow had filled David in on what happened when he came back late last night.

"I'll go talk to her," Snow sighed, leaving David to keep an eye on the sleeping former Queen upstairs. She followed her daughter out into the hall.

"Emma, wait. She'll understand."

"Easy for you to say," she said, turning to face her mother. "Besides Henry you're the only one she completely trusts enough to forgive so easily. She only trusts me to a certain extent and after the way I treated her last night…" she trailed off, shaking her head in disgust for her own actions. Never mind that Regina threw her against a wall. Now that she thought about it, she felt like maybe she deserved it. "I hurt her way more than she hurt me."

"You were scared and she knows that," Snow said as she took her daughter's hand and affectionately brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "She'll understand."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because she was just as scared as you were when Henry had run away to Boston to find you which is also the same exact reason why she tried to run you out of town. Trust me Emma, she went through the same thing as you and felt the same fear. Fear makes people act without thinking."

Damn, she had a point. Emma sighed in defeat and she felt Snow squeezing her hand. "What if she tries to use magic again?" she asked.

"Honey, after everything she's done to change and the person she had become do you really think she's going to use magic to intentionally hurt you?"

"No but she's still Regina. She's scary when she's mad. Now I know why Henry doesn't act up around her."

Snow laughed and pulled her in for a hug. "You'll be ok. Just remember to be patient with her. You know how she gets when it comes to dealing with emotional confrontations," she advised before pulling away.

"Yeah I know, she closes herself off and gets hostile." Snow smiled softly as Emma began to visibly relax.

"I'll call you when she's feeling better enough to talk, for now why don't you go make sure Henry didn't get sick as well. It's enough that Regina's sick, we don't need Henry getting sick either."

Emma smiled warmly and was grateful that her mother's words had relaxed her nerves. She suddenly just felt tired and thought that maybe spending some time with Henry before her apology would be a good idea. Besides, the kid was smart for his age. Maybe he can help her figure out what to say without offending the once Evil Queen. After all, besides Snow he knew her better than anyone.

"Kay, I'll see you later Snow and thanks."