"Has she been asleep this whole time?" Emma whispers as she enters the dark room, tiptoeing toward Thirteen's bed.
"She was agitated when you left-"
"I am so so-"
"No, no," Mr. Hadley quickly shakes his head, "not because of you, her body is shutting down now. Dr. Foreman came in and gave her something to knock her out." His dark eyes sweep back to his helpless daughter lying lifeless on the bed and he presses his fist against his mouth to fight back his tears. "She doesn't have much time left, he said she might hang on until tomorrow, but that's just because Remy has always been stubborn," he says through a wet chuckle, his free hand cutting through the space between him and his baby girl to hold her hand.
"I'm sorry," Emma says, her eyes filling with tears all over again as she slumps into another chair directly across from him. "Is there anyone I can call for you?"
"No," he sighs, "Remy's brother passed away a few years ago."
"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."
"Her brother suffered from the same damn disease," he confesses, completely breaking down. She watches as his dam bursts and the tears flow like a steady stream down his face. "He was starting to dwindle and he begged Remy for help. She went to jail for a year, luckily, they couldn't prove that she supplied the drugs for him to kill himself. She claimed he stole them from her, but I know. I know she wanted to end her brother's misery," he cries and all Emma can do is stare in horror with her mouth hanging agape. "I lost my whole family from this disgusting disease," he sobs, bowing his head to rest against his daughter's hip as he finally allows his troubles to come pouring out.
"Mr. Hadley-"
"Mike."
"Mike, I'm so incredibly sorry, I know what it's like to lose your whole family. My parents died in a car accident when I was five and I grew up in the system," she reveals, hoping that her rambling will help in some peculiar way.
He doesn't say a word, instead he reaches across Remy's body and holds out his hand. Emma hesitates for a moment, but she knows he could use someone to lean on, some kind of comfort, so she tentatively places her hand inside his and allows his strong grip to hold her and ease his troubles. They sit there, in the dark despite the early afternoon, listening to the beeping machines while drowning in their own horrific thoughts.
Emma isn't quite sure how much time passes before there's a timid knock on the door, forcing she and Mike to leap back and wipe away the stale tears sticking to their cheeks. She expects a nurse or a doctor to come in and check on Thirteen, but she most certainly isn't expecting a nervous brunette peeking her head through.
"Regina," she gasps, leaping from her chair. "Wha-what are you doing here?" She softly questions, dashing toward the door where the mayor is slipping through.
"I-" her dark eyes wander to Remy and her father before she swallows thickly and holds up a takeout bag. "I thought maybe you two would be hungry," she offers with a shy smile that instantly confuses Emma's brain.
"You-what?"
"Sub sandwiches?" She meekly suggests. "Mr. Hadley, would you like a sandwich? I'm sure you have yet to eat today," she politely says, pulling out a tightly wrapped foot-long and extending it to the man.
"Yes, thank you." He quickly accepts the sandwich and hastily unwraps it without another thought which has Emma's mind spinning in a million different thoughts.
"Regina, can I speak with you outside?"
"Of course." Regina sets down the bag on a table in the back of the room and turns to Mr. Hadley again. "There are some chips in the bag if you'd like and some napkins as well."
"Thank you," he says around a mouthful and ignores them as they step out into the hall.
"What are you doing here?" Emma blurts out the moment the door closes behind her.
"I'm..." she struggles to swallow, closing her eyes for a brief moment before those wet orbs meet Emma's, "sorry."
"You're sorry?"
"Yes, I'm sorry," she concedes. "I've had some time to cool down and think about everything. I-I completely understand that you could not possibly tell me the truth about your identity. I know that compromises your career and the person under investigation. I'm a Mayor after all, and I understand your obligation."
Emma blinks, her head twitching from her flabbergasted state of mind. "Did my Captain threaten you?"
"No," Regina firmly declines. "Although, he did call and speak with me about the importance of the investigation and I did vow to him that I would not compromise the case."
"Okay," she trails off suspiciously, folding her arms across her chest, "so, why are you here? I'm confused. I really thought I would never see you again. I really thought I was going to be the one obsessively apologizing."
Regina's eyes fall closed for a moment, her lips pursing as she releases a deep breath. "I knew you were keeping something from me, I could feel it, but I told myself that whatever you were hiding, I would forgive you for, because despite everything, you helped bring my baby boy back," she confesses, those rich eyes glossing over at just the mention of her son. "Of course, he will still need some help, but you opened him back up again. He believed in you and trusted you and even though that damn book may not be true, Emma, you're his Savior. You did come and rescue him and for that alone, I owe you," she says through a watery smile, that produces a frown around Emma's lips. "Looking back, yes, you did try to keep your distance and I see how you tried not to cave under the circumstances. I can't hold this against you."
"Regina, I really am so sorry."
"I know."
Emma's toes wiggle inside her boots while she rocks nervously from the amount of anxious nerves rippling through her bloodstream, but she has to ask. She has to know.
"So, um, do you think maybe we can start over?" She timidly inquires, just one corner of her mouth curling into a half smile that always seems to steal Regina's breath away.
"I would like that," Regina softly whispers and just like that, Emma can feel the weight lifting from her tired shoulders.
A sly, cocky little smirk slips so easily across Emma's face as she sways from left to right and reaches for the woman she's falling so hopelessly for. Regina attempts to remain stern and in control, but Emma grips the sleeve of her jacket and tugs her in closer.
"Good, because we have only just begun," she murmurs so delicately as her fingers swim through a sea of inky tresses to curl behind Regina's neck.
Timid green eyes search deep inside hopeful honey and Emma finds a type of safety she has been longing for her entire life. Her heart expands two sizes too big for her chest and it forces her to dive forward and capture Regina's plump lips. She inhales sharply, promising herself to memorize the moment she found her home and presses her lips more firmly to express her love for this woman without having to say those three little words just yet.
She knows it's inappropriate to indulge in the middle of the hall in the hospital, so she slowly breaks the kiss and rests her forehead against Regina's. "I promise, I won't ever lie to you again."
"You better not, Miss Swan," Regina sternly commands, her fingers curling into the red leather, so she can jerk Emma's body even closer. "This is your last chance. Don't screw it up."
"Never," she exhales with a dopey smile consuming her entire face. "But I really should be heading back inside." She slowly breaks apart their embrace and offers a sheepish smile to convey her apologies.
"Of course."
"Hey, umm, how come you and Mr. Hadley seemed so...chill with each other?" She finds her mouth asking before her brain registers the words.
"After our heated argument, I came back up here to find you, but you weren't here. I apologized to him for causing a scene and actually I spoke to Remy as well, before the doctor came in."
Emma blinks in surprise and steps back. "You did? What did you say? What did she say?"
"Mr. Hadley accepted my apology, he understood the circumstance and as for Remy, she said I would be a fool to refuse you," she chuckles, shaking her head, obviously amused by Thirteen's personality and it immediately brings a smile to Emma's face. "She said that nobody loves like Emma Swan and if I'm worthy enough to be on the receiving end, it's something that shouldn't be taken for granted."
Emma's smile slips into a frown because of course Thirteen would say something so sentimental during a time like this. As strong and brave as Thirteen is, or at least portrays to be, she still has the biggest heart. Emma still isn't quite sure how to deal with all these overwhelming emotions, so she tries to joke her way through it all.
"She might have been really high off the drugs." Regina simply hums in return, quickly noticing Emma's defense mechanism when she's uncomfortable with her emotions. "I should head back in."
"Would it be alright if I sat in there with you? Or would you prefer if I wait in the lobby?"
"Why would you want to wait here?" Emma questions, flabbergasted by the offer.
"I want to be here for you. I know this is going to be a very difficult time, and I would like to be there for you."
"Seriously?"
"Yes, of course," Regina declares with conviction. "Does that make you feel uncomfortable? Having us both in a room together?"
"No, no, not at all."
"Do you think she will mind?"
"I don't think she is aware of what's truly going on right now," Emma sadly admits, glancing over her shoulder even though there's a closed door blocking her view of the woman inside. "I think it's up to her father, honestly."
"Why don't you head back in there while I go call Robin and check on Henry. I'll be back in a little bit."
"Okay," she agrees, and she is completely caught off guard when Regina leans in and pecks her cheek like it's the most natural action, before she spins on her heels and sashays away. "Okay," she repeats, taking a deep breath to calm herself down before she heads back inside to eat that sandwich Regina so kindly purchased for her.
She rests her forehead against the door and closes her eyes as she feels her cheeks burn crimson, and it's all because she's falling in love with the way Regina is always concerned about her and her eating habits. Nobody has ever taken the time to wonder if she's eaten properly for the day and now she knows she'll never be the same.
XXXX
Time seemed to move a lot quicker than she anticipated in that depressing hospital room and she knows it's because she's begging for more time with Remy Hadley. Their paths crossed for just a split second in comparison to Emma's lifespan, but that brief moment impacted her life and flipped her whole world upside down.
She was always a loner in the world and she expected her life to remain that way, but Thirteen weaseled her way inside her heart with her playful banter and quick quips and in a sense, sometimes Regina and Thirteen's sarcastic comments resemble one another's. She wouldn't trade one single moment with Thirteen and she's so grateful for her beautiful presence, she just wishes they had more time, even if she knew in the end it would come to this. She rather have Thirteen's memory than nothing at all of her beautiful soul. She will take Remy with her and hold her close to her heart and thank her every day for showing her how magical it feels to have love in her life.
She's been sitting by Remy's bed for six hours straight, holding her hand and listening to the machines beep rhythmically behind her. It's a soothing sound, reminding her that Thirteen is still with her. Mr. Hadley has been on the other side of the bed the entire time as well, dozing off here and there, but never releasing his daughter's hand either. Regina would pop in every hour or so and check in on them, offering coffee, neurotically straightening up the room or refilling the water pitcher. She would constantly disappear with the excuse of checking in on Henry, but Emma knew she felt uncomfortable in the room, not knowing Remy and she felt like she was intruding. But she also knew, how much Regina was trying to be there for her after all the times Emma has been there for her as well.
Regina's knuckles lightly bouncing off the door, is what startles Mr. Hadley awake. Emma smiles at the man and softly answers for Regina to enter.
"Are you two hungry? I can order dinner or maybe grab something from downstairs?" Regina kindly offers, generating a sappy grin to spread across Emma's entire face.
"Actually," Mr. Hadley leaps to his feet and furiously rubs his hands down his face to wake himself up. "I'm going to go down to the cafeteria and stretch my legs. I'll be back shortly."
"I'll call you if there's any change," Emma quickly declares to settle his worry before he slips out the door.
"Would you like some alone time with her?" Regina quietly asks as she lingers near the door, so unsure if she's welcome or not.
"Come sit, Regina," she instructs, motioning toward the seat Mr. Hadley left vacant, but Regina opts for the couch in the back of the room. "How's Henry? Is he alright with you being gone?"
"Yes, I told him you had a family emergency and I was hanging around to make sure you're okay. I suppose that marks one good deed for the Evil Queen in the hero column," she sarcastically quips, rolling her eyes dramatically.
"Is he still on the curse thing?" Emma balks, leaning her elbows on the edge of the bed while mindlessly playing with Thirteen's fingers.
"I don't know," Regina sighs heavily, sounding utterly exhausted with the conversation already. "I think he's given up on the theory, but he's still unsure about me."
"He's getting there, he is," she firmly demands, looking Regina square in the eyes and urging the woman to trust in her words. "He's with Robin?"
"Yes, he's actually staying with her and my sister. Maybe a weekend with Zelena and he will come running back to me with open arms."
"Either that or he'll come back with some crazy idea that she's the Wicked Witch of the West," she snorts, inspiring a throaty chuckle to escape Regina's puffy lips.
"Emma?" The scratchy voice shreds through the laughter, provoking Emma to lean in closer and gather Remy's hand between hers.
"Hey, I'm here," she acknowledges, bringing Thirteen's hand up to her lips, so she can feel her. "I'm here," she repeats, kissing the cold knuckles and watching intently as those tired eyes struggle to peel apart.
"Where's my dad?"
"He went downstairs to the cafeteria to grab some dinner, he hasn't left your side all day," she explains, allowing her warm breath to wash over the icy fingers before her.
Regina remains silent, watching them closely without a drop of jealousy inside of her. She knows how special Remy is to Emma and vice versa, and yes Remy has Emma's past, but Regina has Emma's future. As she sits and observes how attentive Emma is toward Remy in a moment like this and how loving and supportive she is, it all just solidifies that she's picking the best partner to share her life with. Emma is exactly the kind of gentle soul she and Henry need in their lives. And watching this all play out, is just making Regina fall even more in love with Emma Swan, not Allison Cameron.
"Emma," Thirteen's voice cracks like a frozen pond beneath the pressure of a crushing weight, "this, this is it," she stammers, struggling for her next breath and shaking her head as thick tears soak her cheeks. "I don't, god, I don't want to die," she cries out hysterically, encouraging Emma to leap to her feet and gently crawl into the bed with her.
All while Regina sinks back into the couch and attempts to make herself invisible in the private moment. She thinks maybe she should run straight out of the room, but another part of her is persuading herself to stay, knowing that her presence alone will offer Emma the courage she needs to stay strong for Thirteen right now.
"I know, I know," Emma softly whispers, running her fingers across Remy's temple and holding her impossibly close to her chest.
"I change my mind, I don't want to die just yet," she sobs, generating a thick liquid to coat Emma's eyes as well.
"You-you did this, didn't you?" She timidly asks, so unsure if she even wants to know the truth. "You had at least another five years."
"I didn't want to suffer like my mom and my brother. I-I couldn't...I couldn't go through..." she's practically hyperventilating, so Emma slowly rocks her, whispering sweet nothing against her temple. "Emma, I don't want to die."
"I know."
"I'm so scared. What if there's nothing. What if-"
"Ssshhhh, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay. You're going to a place where you won't be in pain anymore alright. No more fear about this disease or how much pain you will be in when the future comes. It's going to be peaceful with your dad watching over you."
"Please, Emma."
She has no idea what she's pleading for but it shatters Emma's heart and she wants to sob along with her, but she knows she has to be brave for her.
"I love you, Thirteen, and I'm going to take you with me. You'll always be in my heart."
"I love you, Emma. I'm so scared. I don't want to die. I just want to go back to your apartment. I just want to be back in your bed," she begs frantically, clinging to Emma's red leather jacket, knowing her life depends on it.
"Okay, lets go back," Emma wholeheartedly agrees, startling Regina, because oh god, is this blonde seriously thinking of sneaking her out of the hospital? "Close your eyes, Thirteen. Relax. Breathe," she softly whispers, causing both brunette's in the room to settle down. "Just listen to my voice."
Regina quietly stands up from the couch and sneaks out of the room undetected by Remy, but Emma watches her closely as she disappears. For one, Regina wants to offer Thirteen and Emma some privacy. However, she also wants to inform Remy's father and doctor that she has woken up agitated and hopefully they will grant her something that will sweep those haunting thoughts away.
"Just think about lying in my arms," Emma whispers so delicately once Regina is out of the room. "Your skin is always so soft and you always smell so sweet."
"You always smell like vanilla."
"Thanks," Emma chuckles and presses a kiss to her temple once more, allowing her lips to linger. "You know what my favorite time is with you?"
"The one time where we almost passed out in the shower-"
"No," Emma laughs, inspiring a lazy chuckle to escape Thirteen's mouth as well. "The night you insisted on having the windows open as it poured outside."
"I loved the way the rain sounded against your fire escape with every kiss you pressed against my body."
Emma quickly closes her eyes, but it's too late, the tears are aggressive and demanding that she acknowledges them. As they embed into her flesh, they remind her that she needs to remember this pain, remember Thirteen. Losing a loved one can be painful, yes, but that pain makes her who she is. The pain made her a strong, badass, independent woman and she needs to accept that and be okay with it.
After all, the pain made her Emma Swan.