She was so tired of waiting…
She'd been waiting 11 years, 11 years for her child to return… this woman to return. But now they just had her waiting more… she needed to be in that room with Emma, she needed to get up from this seat and…
"Mayor Mills." Finally she takes a breath out, a breath she didn't even know she was holding.
"Dr. Whale what is taking so long?!" She quickly gets up and stares him up and down, doubting his profession.
"It was quite a complication Ms. Mills, these things cannot be rushed." He reminds her.
"She has a concussion and had to get a few stitches." He looks down reviewing his pad, making her impatiently tap her heel on the waiting rooms floor.
"And?" she nervously asks, dreading the worst, already waiting for fate to torture her somehow.
What would happen now, memory loss? Her heart clenched, at least then Emma would have a reason to forget her.
Fate… her fate was almost inevitable. Pain.
"Emma will be fine, she is out of harm's way… she's awake now if you'd like to."
"Please just take me to her." Regina interrupts him once more, relieved to hear there was nothing else to add to her list of punishments. Punishments for being an Evil Queen…
"You may see her as soon as you'd like, but you did not let me finish, do you not want to know about Emma's friend, the complication we had?" It was that man, that manwho helped her daughter escape that night, it was Emma's boyfriend…. If that is what he still was.
"That… that is none of my business." She answers to herself more than Whale.
"It sort of is Mayor Mills. You see Emma is not in a good state of mind at the moment, she needs to rest and take it easy, and from what I understand that is her companion is it not? You must let her know, she will take the news better than I could ever explain… unless you'd prefer me to give her the information?" He responds like the smart ass he has always been, even without his memories he taunted her.
"What was the complication?" She questions, ignoring his insolent response.
"The impact was so harsh that his brain is now swollen, we've tried bringing the swelling down but we've had no luck… as of now, Neal Cassidy is in a coma."
Regina looks down not knowing what to feel… this man was one of the reasons her daughter had not returned, he was… he had stolen her away from her, and He had possibly done things to her that she could not bear to think of… things she spoke to Emma about as a child… things she spoke of to Emma as an almost teen… things she feared for her daughter, things that were taken from Regina… things she hoped weren't taken from Emma.
Her heart palpitated faster and her palms began to sweat, she felt something she had not felt since… since she left that night so long ago… the night she discovered Emma and this man.
But she could not… she could not think of such things, she could not feel such things, she'd stopped them long ago, along with her dreams, those forbidden dreams.
This man… he saw her beautiful teenage daughter become a woman, and she'd missed it all... he stole that from her.
If she were in the enchanted forest she'd…
But there was no sense in wanting him dead; she had enough reasons for Emma to hate her.
All that mattered now was Emma being home, Emma was here now.
She would be there for Emma, just the way she'd always been. She'd comfort her and be her shoulder... Just like when she was a little girl, that girl that still needed her.
"I will talk to her…" her anger subsides, calmly answering Dr. Whale.
"Oh and Regina…" He looks at her seriously.
"Yes Dr. Whale?" She lifts an eyebrow up.
"I'm glad she's back." He smiles the most he can, and quickly walks away, letting her take it in.
"Emma is back." She smiles to herself.
...
Knock knock!
Emma's dazed eyes look towards the hospital room's door, she hoped it was Neal...
She needed to someone familiar she needed...
"Oh no…" she let a stressed breath go.
She'd done it again, she let it slip… not even 5 seconds in town and she'd called her queen…
"Common Emma… you're not a kid anymore." She tells herself quickly.
She really hoped it wasn't, it wasn't…
The doorknob softly turns, the door slowly opening.
Regina...
It was too late; she could no longer feign sleep, she could no longer leave town.
"Emma." She could see the ageless woman's eyes begin to water as soon as she spoke her name.
Only she could say that name and make it sound so special…
She squeezes her eyes shut, regretting her thoughts instantly… she was not that person anymore, she was Emma, bail bonds Emma, strong, adult Emma.
She hears Regina's elegant but tentative walk making her way next to her, she could feel that warm heat just inches away.
"Emma… it's Mom." There it is, what she feared.
She opens her eyes wanting to narrow them towards this woman, but failing as soon as she lays her eyes on her up close.
"Regina…" Mom was no option for her; it only reminded her of what she lost. What she let go of so long ago.
She could see hurt hazel eyes land on Emma's hands… she knew what her mother, what Regina wanted… to hold it, to hold her now same sized hand and pretend everything was just like then, just like before she tore them apart, before she ripped that title "Mom" away… before she forced herself on her, before she was ever even worthy… worthy?
Here it comes, the insecurities… her reasons… she was already thinking like before she left, she was already thinking of the impossibilities… this woman would never love her, not in the way she thought she did… the way she forgot she did… it was all coming back and she did not want it!
"Ah." Her head suddenly throbs, an instant ache appearing.
"Emma!" Regina places her hands suddenly on Emma's scratched face and gently cradles it.
"What is it?" she asks in panic.
She could never worry her Mother… yes, that's what she was wasn't she, and she could not help to be.
"My head … " Emma breathes out.
"Let me get Whale in here." She quickly stands up and frantically looks for the buzzard to call for help.
"Mom, MOM!" Emma lets go, trying to calm her… she wasn't that little girl anymore and she would show Regina… she would show her mother that.
Regina's eyes are wide, like if she'd heard an infant say the words Mom for the first time.
"I'm okay Regi… I'm okay Mom." Emma smiles warmly, as if no time had passed.
Regina's tears slide down her pale cheeks…
"Oh Emma." Regina quickly makes her way towards her bed, impatiently wrapping her soft arms around her tightly… warmly.
"I've missed you too." Emma whispers, extending her muscular arms around her in return.
She feels something she'd always wanted… a perfect fit.
After a few minutes of utter bliss Emma let's go, realizing something was wrong.
Neal would have been here by now, making sure Emma could deal, but he wasn't…
The crash! Neal was with her and….
"Where's Neal?!" Emma questions in a panic.
Not noticing Regina's face fall, hating the fact that she'd ended the moment over her most important thoughts. Neal.
…