Snow was screaming when she landed on a hospital gurney in the middle of the ER. The doctors and nurses all turned to her.
"Page Dr. Whale."
"Call David!"
"Let's get her vitals. Bring me a monitor!"
Nurses and doctors surrounded Snow. She felt the familiar nausea from the teleporting, mixed with the painful contraction. She looked at all the faces staring at her. She wanted David. She wanted this to be over.
Regina was nearly limp as Zelena grabbed her and lifted her up. "Where did you send her? Tell me now."
Regina just blinked at her. Her eyes wanted to shut. She just needed to get the water from her pocket. She was so close now. She could do this.
"I'll find her on my own, but things will be less painful for you if you simply tell me where she is," Zelena offered.
Regina stared at her. She wasn't sure she could get to the bottle of water in her pocket before Zelena did something to restrain her. She needed to distract her.
"Was killing your son worth all this?" Regina asked.
Zelena couldn't control her anger. The tower began shaking. Regina threw her arms out to try to balance herself. Zelena was quickly advancing on her.
"I'll kill you myself. Without magic." She hissed.
Robin grabbed the witch's arm to prevent her advance on Regina. Zelena turned to face Robin and Regina took the opportunity to pull the water from her pocket and uncap the bottle. She looked up to see Zelena flinging Robin through the window.
"No!" She felt the air being sucked from her lungs. Her hands were shaking, but not from physical weakness. Zelena turned back to face Regina and Regina flung the water at her. Zelena screamed in agonizing pain and crumpled to the ground. She was disappearing into the air like she was dust.
Regina fell to her knees, tears beginning to stream from her face. When all that remained was Zelena's pointed hat, Regina pushed herself up. She was willing herself to the window. She didn't want to see, but she had to. If there was any chance she could heal him… She gripped the windowsill, and peered down. She frowned when she saw no trace of Robin. Had he survived and crawled off? It was too far of a fall.
"A hand would be nice, your majesty," Robin's voice cut through her thoughts. She leaned over the sill and saw him gripping the awning. She sighed in relief. Taking a deep breath she drew on her magic again and the next thing Robin knew he was standing next to her in the tower.
She threw her arms around him. She felt the relief flood her body. But it was like opening a dam, all the emotions she'd been suppressing for days began flooding over her. She felt tears in her eyes and backed away.
Fear, pain, regret, love, guilt. She began shaking again. She couldn't. It was too much. And there was still so much pressure. Zelena was gone, but was Snow alright? No one had their memories, she was going to have to say goodbye to Henry again, and…
"Your majesty?"
Regina met Robin's eyes. "Is she dead?"
"Yes," Regina managed to get out. She tried to take a step toward the stairs, but stumbled.
"I'm not sure how stable this building is. The whole thing was shaking pretty violently, before she tossed me out the window." Robin said.
Regina surveyed the room. Some of the walls were cracked and it did seem like some of the stones had started falling in. Had Zelena summoned an earthquake?
"Right. We should get out," Regina said.
"Do you think the stairs are safe?" Robin asked. He wanted her to magic them out, but she didn't really look strong enough to do so.
Regina paused surveying the room and taking inventory of herself. She was an emotional mess. Not the best time to be performing delicate magic. No. They should try the traditional route. "We won't know until we try," she said already moving to the stairs. Robin quickly followed. Regina took a deep breath. She needed to get herself under control.
They were about halfway down. Regina took another step and gasped when she felt the step begin to crumble beneath her. She instantly felt Robin's hand gripping her arm and pulling her up.
Robin saw her foot go straight through the crumbling step. She was falling. He grabbed her tightly and pulled. She was shaking. As he tugged her back on to the step he was on, he felt a strange sensation wash over him and saw purple mist filling the air around them. He looked at his hand on Regina's arm and it appeared transparent. At that moment he realized the shaking had increased.
"Your majesty?" He pulled her closer, but didn't move from the step. She didn't answer, but her body shook even harder.
Regina tried to shut everything out. The stairs were crumbling beneath them. They needed to get out now before the whole building collapsed. She felt her magic, and the purple cloud began to surround them. A flash of the witches hat flew into her mind, she felt a tear form. The purple began to thin. She felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. She'd killed her sister. Her last living relative. She blinked furiously willing the tears to disappear. Focus, Regina. You're not some novice like Ms. Swan. Get it together. She was vaguely aware of Robin's voice, but she couldn't let that in either. She closed her eyes and focused on seeing nothing. Empty. Black. She took a deep breath and focused on their destination. This time the purple enveloped them quickly and the next thing Robin knew he was outside.
He felt Regina's arm being pulled away from him. His legs buckled at the impact as he landed. He turned but didn't see the Queen.
Regina grunted as she landed face first on the truck bed. Well, that hadn't been part of the plan. She reached up and grabbed the edge of truck. She started to push herself up, the second she tried to put her weight onto her arms she felt the stabbing pain in her shoulder again and the arm went completely limp. She must have dislocated it again. She felt the darkness begin to overwhelm her. Not again, she thought as the pain floated away and she slipped into unconsciousness yet again.
Robin grabbed the side of the truck to pull himself up. He jumped when he felt a hand beneath his.
"Your majesty?" Robin asked. He peered over the side of the truck. The Queen was laying flat face down on the truck bed, her hand on the side of the truck still pinned under his. And she was unconscious. He was getting a little tired of carrying the Queen everywhere. He walked around to the back of the truck and leaned over and scooped her out.
He held her tight against him. He couldn't shake the feeling of happiness that came with the feeling of her heart beating against him. He must have gotten knocked on the head one too many times during the last few days. Finding happiness at being near the Queen who had killed hundreds. Including everyone she'd ever loved. He started walking. She needed a doctor; that much was obvious.
Snow was screaming with every contraction. They were coming fast. David squeezed her hand. He didn't understand how this was happening. It wasn't time yet. But he didn't let Snow see his worry.
"You're doing great, sweetheart," he encouraged.
"Alright, Snow. We're almost there. I'm going to need you to start pushing." Whale directed.
Rumple frowned. Follow the magic. The clock tower. It was crumbling.
"The dark magic doesn't feel very strong," Blue said. "Do you think she could have done it?"
"Of course, she did. I told you Regina wouldn't fail us." Tink said.
"It's possible she succeeded, Zelena's magic doesn't feel active anymore. I don't sense the Queen's either though." Rumple said frowning.
"Then she must be hurt. We have to find her." Tink said urgently.
The Queen's skin felt like a heater against Robin. She was burning up. He couldn't feel her heartbeat against him anymore. Actually, he didn't feel any movement from the Queen at all. Was she still breathing? He stopped abruptly and leaned his head down toward hers to feel her breath. But he didn't feel anything.
Panicking, he placed her on the ground and tipped her head back. He leaned his ear down to her mouth to feel for her breath and watched her stomach for the rise and fall that would indicate she was still breathing. He saw no movement.
He shook her hard. "Your majesty! Your majesty! Not now. You are not giving up now! Regina!"
He tilted her head back farther. Instinct kicked in and suddenly he knew that he was supposed to breathe for her. Not thinking about what he was doing, he plugged her noise and sealed his lips over hers breathing into her. He watched his air force her stomach to rise and fall and then still again. He tried again. A rise and fall with his breath and then nothing. Something in his mind told him to keep trying, but she showed no sign of reviving.
She was the Evil Queen. She'd killed his friends. Did he really care if she died? He wanted to say no, but he did care. He wanted her to open her eyes and snap at him again. And damn it, he still wanted to kiss her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss away the pain she was clearly feeling. But he wouldn't. Couldn't. She was trouble. But as much as he knew he should feel relief at the idea of the threat of the Evil Queen being gone, he most certainly didn't want her to be gone.
He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Please don't give up now. Keep fighting. Your son needs you." He pinched her nose shut again and sealed his lips over her continuing to breathe for her.
Tink heard Robin's screams and ran in the direction they'd come from. Rumple and Blue followed her.
They stopped when Tink saw Robin hovering over Regina's still body on the ground. Tink squinted. Was he giving her CPR? Did he even know how to do that?
Rumple and Blue looked at each other. They knew immediately that she wasn't breathing.
"Regina!" Tink cried hurrying over and kneeling beside her.
Robin looked up fear in his eyes. "I tried…I can't…She won't…"
Rumple looked at Blue silently asking if she wanted to try or if he should. Blue nodded toward him. "She's your apprentice."
Robin looked up hopefully. "Can you?"
Rumple looked solemnly at Robin. "I'll do my best. Out of my way," he said moving to take Robin's position.
And then Rumple and Regina were gone in a cloud of black.