Regina felt things first – the sensation of lying in a bed, something around her nose that was immediately bothering her and pain, not major pain – as if it was dulled somehow.

She was tired, but started the process of forcing her eyes to open if nothing else to find out where she was because she was sure this wasn't her bed. Once her eyes were open she knew immediately she was in the hospital.

She tried to think of how she got there, and then it came back to her – a fire at the stables.

As she attempted to sit up the pain in her midsection forced her back down immediately. The horse had kicked her, that she remembered.

There was a tube feeding into her nostrils. Probably for oxygen, she thought. The heat and the heaviness of the smoke-filled air suddenly felt like it was in the room with her and she took an extra deep breath which only served to hurt her midsection again. She felt in that area and discovered that there was a thick wrap of bandages around it. Her shoulder was also feeling painful, and she thought about how she had tied the rein to her wrist to hold on but the horse had drug her when she fell off.

Her eyes were already starting to close when she realized there was another tube, this one somewhere near her arm. She was asleep before she could figure out where it went.

…

When she awoke next Tink was there to greet her. Her friend smiled widely at her, "Hi," she said. "How do you feel?"

Regina took note that the tube was still feeding her oxygen. "How many horses were lost?"

Tink shook her head, although she shouldn't be surprised Regina would asked her that. "Three horses."

Regina closed her eyes momentarily. "Do they know what caused the fire?"

"Arson."

"Arson? Who would do that?"

"Apparently there was a teenager who was taking lessons out there, I think someone said her name was Ellen, anyway, her boyfriend felt like she was spending too much time there and got angry and he said he didn't mean to do it, that he got upset and set fire to some of the hay."

"Ellen. Yeah, I oversaw her doing the barrel racing a couple of times when her instructor was out. She's a good kid. I don't think I ever knew she had a boyfriend. But I remember this one horse was tied in its stall and it shouldn't have been. I struggled to get it untied. That horse, it was Ellen's. The boy must have tied it in place before starting the fire."

"Yeah well I think Emma is ready to send him to prison for life."

"What? He is a kid."

"He is. Only 16. But he did set fire to the stable and well, you ended up here."

"I am fine," she said. "Although, what is this tube?"

She moved a little to try and see what this tube was that was just under her arm.

"It's a chest tube. Your lung collapsed, and um … you sort of technically died."

"I died?"

"For a minute or maybe five. I wasn't there. But your heart stopped and they couldn't get you revived on scene but they finally did when they got you back here, or maybe it was in the ambulance. I am not really sure. All I know is I was with Ruby when Emma called her and asked her if she could go pick up Henry at your house, but by that time you were already here and alive again."

She sat up as best as she could, which was not good at all, but Tink used the controls to move the bed's back up. "Henry, is he ok? I mean no one told him that did they, about my heart stopping?"

"He knows, but don't worry, he knows you are ok. He would probably be here now if Emma had insisted he go to school. This is like the first day they have gone back to school due to the weather."

"How long have I have been here?"

"Three days. I guess you've woken up a couple of times but only for a couple seconds or so. Speaking of which I should let the nurse know you are awake," she said standing up. "And let Emma know."

"Wait, why would you let Emma know?"

Tink smiled, "because she has been worried to death that you weren't ever going to wake up."

Regina smiled as Tink left. Somehow the idea that Emma was worried about her made her feel good.

…

"Mom!" Henry yelled as he entered the room, throwing down his backpack and hugging her as best as he could with her in the hospital bed. She held onto him for a few seconds more than strictly necessary. As she did, she saw Snow was standing in the doorway.

"He demanded I bring him here right after school," she said.

"Thank you," Regina said.

"How are you?" Henry said. "Are you in pain at all?"

"A little, but nothing serious. The doctor said I could get the chest tube taken out tomorrow or the next day. They need to evaluate my breathing with out these tubes in my nose or in my chest before they left me go home, but they said it shouldn't be an issue."

"That's good," he smiled. "I've been staying mom or grandma since you were hurt."

She looked at Snow again, "Thank you for watching him."

"You are welcome. I will leave you two alone. Henry I will be out in the lobby when you are ready to go, but there is no hurry whatsoever."

Snow left and Henry sat down.

"Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yes," she smiled. "Breathing has been a little rough, but I am ok."

"People were saying what you did was pretty heroic, and um … stupid."

Regina laughed and then took a moment to keep her breathing intact. "It was stupid and you should never, ever run into a burning building. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, I've already heard the lecture from Emma on your stupidity."

Regina smiled again, "I bet she did. How is she? I vaguely remember her being there that night."

"She was worried about you," Henry said. "I think she was scared that you were going to die. I was scared."

"Oh, Henry, I am sorry," Regina said her eyes turning to concern. "I didn't … I wasn't even thinking about anything except for getting the horses out. They were trapped in there and I couldn't let them die trapped like that without trying to do something. I shouldn't have though. I should have …"

"I was really proud of you," Henry smiled forcing Regina to smile again.

"I just wish I could have saved all the horses."

"You saved a lot though," Henry said.

"Has Emma been here, to the hospital I mean?"

"That first night when they brought you in, but that is it."

Regina masked her disappointment. "I am sure she was busy with the arson investigation."

"Yeah, but that was pretty quick. The guy admitted to it the next morning."

Regina tried not to think about how that must mean Emma just didn't want to see her. She spent the rest of the time talking to Henry about going back to school after all the snow and other mundane topics before telling him he should go home with Snow. She was getting tired again and hugged him one last time before he left.

She laid there for a while thinking about various things, but always her mind went back to Emma. She thought Emma might have been there when she had fallen from the horse that had carried her out of the barn but she wasn't sure. She had this impression like Emma was looking at her and she had tried to say something but none of it was substantial enough in her mind to tell her if she was remembering something that was real. Finally, she closed her eyes again to sleep.

…

Emma entered the hospital room only after asking the nurse to check if Regina was sleeping first. She had stopped in every night, way after visiting hours to sit at Regina's bedside for a bit while she slept. She knew that Regina had finally woken for more than a few seconds earlier that day, but she waited until this late hour to visit, hoping she would be asleep.

The truth was she wasn't sure what to say to her if she was awake.

How was she supposed to tell Regina that when she had seen her lying in the snow that night with her heart stopped that her own heart had stopped beating as well? How was she supposed to say Regina that if she had died that she too would have felt a part of her die?

It was ridiculous to Emma. She shouldn't be feeling this way toward Regina. This woman had lied to her and even when she had overlooked it and gone on a date with her it was a disaster. Yet here she was feeling compelled to visit her.

"Life would be so much simpler if you were just Sara," Emma said. This wasn't the first time the thought had occurred to her but it was the first time she had given voice to it. She had loved Sara. She knew that. She accepted that. But the moment she found out Regina was Sara, it had all changed. Yet as Regina embraced a new life, Emma found she couldn't let go of Sara. She had to accept that Sara was Regina.

But that date.

She still didn't understand why that date was so awkward. Or why the spark that was always there between her and Regina was suddenly gone.

Emma had chalked it up to it meaning that what she had with Sara would never be repeated with Regina. Then the fire had happened. She kept playing it over and over in her mind. She hadn't been quick enough to stop Regina and then when Regina was lying there in the snow there was nothing Emma could do. Emma realized that Regina could have died and nothing Emma said or did would matter.

That night she only stayed for 10 minutes knowing she couldn't handle any more than that.

…

Regina wasn't happy that the doctor wouldn't release her after taking out the chest tube, but she supposed another day in the hospital wasn't going to kill her. They had given her a breathing test and according to the results she was just below the limit of what they felt was a safe parameter for letting her go.

Henry had come to see her after school and Tink had been by earlier which made her happy. Even Archie and some of her co-workers had come by. They had chipped in and bought her flowers which were now over by the window.

But now that she was alone she was bored. She had never been much of a TV watcher which is why she was flipping through the channels now. The controller almost fell from her hand when she heard knock on the door frame only to look and see Emma standing there.

"Hey, I need to get your statement," Emma said walking in. "Is now a good time?"

"Sure," Regina said, turning the TV off.

Emma sat on the chair next to the bed and Regina couldn't help but admire how toned Emma's legs were.

"Can you tell me what happened when you arrived at the scene and anything you observed?" Emma asked.

Regina could tell from the tone of her voice that this was indeed a formal visit. She explained to Emma what she could recall and Emma asked only a couple of questions before thanking her for her time and standing up to leave. She reached the door before Regina called out her name.
"What this boy did was wrong and he should face consequences, but I don't think it should be so severe that it ruins things for him. Maybe he could help us rebuild the stables or do some other community service."

"You could have died," Emma said her voice wavering a little.

"But I didn't and if anyone in this town understands the value of a second chance it's me and I think this boy needs that – a chance to show this was a stupid, irrational reaction. I can tell the judge myself, but I hope you see that this is the right thing to do and will support it as well."

Emma gritted her teeth and averted her eyes for a moment. "His actions destroyed a building and resulted in the death of several animals and the injury of one person. I think the judge will decide what is best for him."

"What is best is for him is to not be ruined by this," Regina persisted.

"Hey, you weren't there. You were there but you weren't there. You didn't have to see that building on fire from the outside. You didn't have to stand there being held back by firefighters who were keeping me from running inside to drag you out," Emma said advancing on the bed. "You didn't watch as horse after horse came out but you didn't. And when you did come out … damn it you had no right to go in that building. You should have let those horses die."

"I couldn't do that."

"What if you had died? You almost died. What do you think would have happened to Henry? What do you think life would be like for him if you died that night? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I just reacted. I had to try."

Emma ran a hand through her hair. "No you didn't. You shouldn't have. Maybe you should start learning how to make good decisions."

"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, I think you know. How many decisions have you made that end up screwing other people over?"

"I've made more than my fair share as you are well aware of sheriff. But I don't need a lecture from you about it."

"Maybe I think you do. Maybe it's time you learn you aren't queen anymore or even mayor and you can't just make decisions that affect other people's lives."

"Whose life are you worried about, Henry's or you own?"

"Fuck you Regina."

"Right back at you Miss Swan."

Regina was so angry she was ready to leap from the bed and take Emma on, but when Emma closed the distance between them with her lips, Regina was taken aback, yet she still started to kiss back. Emma's lips on hers felt like a memory being reborn. Regina suddenly wished they weren't in a hospital or at least in a hospital room with the door shut and locked.

The kiss was everything that had been missing from their date.

Emma pulled away first as Regina was essentially stuck in the bed. They stared at each other for several breaths.

"You could have died," Emma said, this time in an almost childlike voice.

"I know," Regina said. "It wasn't my intention for it to end up like it did. I am sorry you had to see that."
Emma shrugged and Regina knew the other woman was trying to deflect the emotions of the moment. "Just don't do it again," Emma said before walking out.

Regina closed her eyes as soon as Emma left. She could still feel the kiss upon her lips.