Chapter 14

Adelaide Barker used to be a well-known royal chambermaid and nurse during her time in the Enchanted Forest. Every royal family had heard of her, and wanted her in their staff. After the damn curse, Adelaide has worked under Doctor Whale for 29 years at Storybrooke Hospital as a nurse. She had encountered every drunken rant and stupid comment that cockroach of a man had ever said, but still, she did not have the courage to quit her job. She needed it to keep her house. Adelaide was certain that Whale would force her out in retirement in a couple of years though. Who needs a 65-year-old nurse? Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw a blonde female running through the door of the ER.

"We need some help over here! It's the Mayor, she's badly injured!" The blonde yelled. Adelaide could recognize her as the town's sheriff, Emma Swan, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. Regina was hurt? No one in the ER even acknowledged her. They showed some sort of reaction when Miss Swan screamed for help, but when they found out who needed help, everyone was suddenly busy.

"What is wrong with you people? There is an injured woman in my car, she nearly died, like five minutes ago, so get off of your damn asses and help me!" Emma screamed, a frantic look on her face. Putting down the chart she had in her hand, Adelaide jogged over to Emma and grabbed her upper arms.

"Hi, honey, would you like to tell me what's wrong?" Adelaide asked the sheriff who was currently in a massive shock, trying to calm her down with subtle strokes up and down her arms.

"Regina she…she was dead. My dad is in the car with her. Can you help her please?" Emma said, her lip wobbled and eyes tired. Adelaide nodded, and Emma gave a loud sigh of relief.

"Lead the way, Miss Swan." Nodding, Emma turned around; appreciately grabbed the nurse's hand, and led her out of the ER and out into the parking lot where a vintage Mercedes Benz was waiting.

"Her hand let go of my shirt!" David came running from the other side of the car towards Emma and Adelaide.

"Sheriff, go grab something we can lay her down on." Adelaide told Emma firmly, which made the sheriff move quickly towards the entrance. David furrowed his brows when he saw Adelaide's face when she studied Regina. She looked sad, and almost sorry. No one cared for the queen. Emma came running back with a stretcher and a blanket.

"Here, lay her down," Adelaide said and guided David towards it.

"What the hell happened to her?!" The nurse yelled as they ran towards the entrance, ignoring the glares from the hospital staff, including doctor Whale, the only surgeon on call.

"I don't… magic… and I…" David stuttered out, clearly overwhelmed by the situation.

"Okay, let's just get her inside." Adelaide looked down at the beautiful woman and felt incredibly guilty. How could this be the same woman she left some 35 years ago?

Walking down the halls of the castle after the big wedding that took place that day, Adelaide was exhausted, stumbling her way to her bedroom. Looking out the window, she saw the sun starting to rise, which meant that she did not have a lot of time before she had to get up again and make the royal family their breakfast. Her head snapped up when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. However, the steps seemed almost reluctant. It was dark so she could not quite tell who it was, but when the person stepped into the light, Adelaide could not help the gasp that escaped her lips. It was the young queen. Her always-beautiful face was swollen and purple, and her lips were covered in blood.

"…your majesty? Are you alright?" The younger brunette just looked at the chambermaid with a heart-breaking smile.

"Yes miss, I'm fine, thank you." The queen started to walk away, but Adelaide stepped in front of her, hindering any way of stepping around her. The older woman carefully brought her hand up to Regina's face, and carefully pulled her hair away from her face, to inspect further injuries on her face. When she touched a severely bruised spot, the queen winced and pulled away.

"Your majesty, may I ask how this happened?"

"No, you may not." Adelaide was not an idiot. She knew. However, she nodded at the queen.

"Well, will you at least let me help you clean your wounds up?" She asked with a kind smile. The queen looked surprised at first, her mouth agape, opening and closing several times before she broke into a grateful smile. She did not have to be alone.

"I would like that very much, thank you."

That was just the first of many times she had helped the queen. Regina was just 18 years when she married a man thrice her age. It was very common in the Enchanted Forest, but it did not make it any less…disgusting and stomach churning. Rolling the stretcher into an OR, she grabbed Doctor Whale by his coat and pulled him into prep area.

"What the hell, Ms. Barker?" Whale yelled at the nurse; however, Adelaide did not even flinch.

"You are operating on Mayor Mills," Whale did not look amused and was about to interrupt, but the older woman cut him off, "You will not like it, but you will do it. That woman does not deserve this. If you don't believe me, don't do it for her. Do it for her 11-year-old son who loves her dearly, and I know that you care about Henry too. You are a doctor; you took an oath to heal whomever, regardless of what they have done. So, get scrubbed and do your goddamned job, you sleazy, no-good-"

"Jesus Christ woman, I'll do it!" He said and slammed the chart on the table, before getting ready for the surgery. The nurse smiled. "That's all I ask."

Walking out into the waiting room, she was met by two blonde sheriffs running towards her, bombing her with several questions at the same time.

"Quiet!" The nurse yelled at them, making heads turn towards them.

"Doctor Whale just took Miss Mills into surgery, it will probably take up to eight hours. Her injuries were extensive, and since it was magic, it will take longer." David let out a relieved sigh and Emma smiled.

"Thank you so much-" Emma stopped a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, what's your name?" The nurse let out a little laugh at the flushed sheriff.

"Nurse Adelaide Barker, at your service." She reached her hand out for the young sheriff to shake, which Emma accepted gratefully. After a few minutes of small talk, Emma announced that she was getting coffee, leaving the nurse and her father alone. The nurse eyed David carefully, which he noticed.

With a small smile he said, "What?"

"Be cautious and patient with her, and she will become the greatest joy in your life." With that, the nurse turned around and left a dumbfounded David with tears in his eyes. He was scared he was losing her before he had even found her.