A/N: As promised, here is another update. :) This third installment is soon to come to an end. Just a few more chapters to go. Not sure how many, but I will make it great ones. The next chapter will have a surprise in store. For all of you 50 shades fans- you know what I'm talking about- *wink* no spoilers, please! Happy reading my lovely readers. Great to be writing for you again. New material as well as old will be posted soon.

"They've transferred him to Lenox Hill Hospital. I'm heading there now. Oh Regina, I didn't see the car. I just didn't see it."

"Mother, calm down, please." Regina stands from her desk. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, dear. But, you're father…" Cora's voice breaks. "Just come. Please."

"Okay. I'll come… I'm on my way." She hangs up, gathering her purse and shutting off her computer. Daddy, no, no, no. This can't be happening. She takes a few steadying breaths, picks up the phone again and calls Hades. He answers on the second ring.

"Gina?"

"I'm sorry but my father was just in an accident. I really have to go see him. My mother is with him."

"Of course. Go. You must go. I hope your father's okay."

"Thank you. I'll keep you informed." She slams the phone down. "Kathryn!" She quickly calls out, aware of the anxiety in her voice.

Moments later, Kathryn peeks in, finding Regina stuffing papers into her briefcase. "Yes, Gina?" She frowns.

"My father has been in an accident. I have to go." She hears Kathryn gasp in fear. "Cancel all my appointments today. And Monday. You'll have to finish prepping the e-book presentation- notes are in the shared file. Get Courtney to help if you have to."

"Yes, of course," Kathryn nods. "I hope your father is okay. Don't worry about anything here. We'll be fine."

"I'll have my phone on, in case of anything." Regina reaches for her suit jacket and briefcase off the desk. "I'll call you if I need anything."

"Please, do. Good luck, Gina. I hope he's okay."

Regina gives her a sad smile, her eyes fall on Jones who leaps up to his feet as soon as he sees her.

"Mrs. Swan?" He asks, his brows knitted together in confusion by the brunette's sudden appearance.

"Jones, please take me to the Lenox Hill Hospital- now." Her voice is firm.

"Yes, ma'am," he says, frowning, but opens the door. He rushes around her, racing down the parking lot. "Mrs. Swan. May I ask why we're heading to the hospital?"

"It's my father. He's been in an accident."

"I see. Does Mrs. Swan know?"

"I'll call her from the car."

Jones nods and opens the rear door to the black SUV, and Regina climbs in. She's trying hard to maintain her composure but her hands are trembling as she reaches for her phone to dial Emma's cell.

"Mrs. Swan." Ingrid's voice is crisp and businesslike.

"Is Emma there?" Regina breathes.

"She's somewhere in the building, ma'am. She's left her phone charging with me."

Regina groans more to herself than for Ingrid to hear. "Can you tell her I called, please, and that I need to speak with her? It's urgent."

"Is everything alright, ma'am? I could try to track her down for you."

"Just have her call me back, please." She begs, fighting back tears that prickle at her eyes.

"Certainly, Mrs. Swan."

Regina hangs up, clutching her phone in her hand tightly, she can't contain her tears any longer.

Jones' blue eyes watch the brunette from the rear view mirror as he keeps on driving. "If you don't mind my saying, ma'am. I just know your father will be alright."

How sweet. That actually makes Regina smile a little. With all the Robin situation, she has come to know Jones well- still not as well as Gold- but enough to take a liking to him. He seems serious, with the task at hand at times but deep down, he is very sweet.

"Thank you, Jones. I hope so." She whispers.

Regina's phone rings, Love Me Like You Do starting her as it plays out on her phone.

"Emma," she gasps.

"Regina. What's wrong?"

"It's my father- he's been in an accident."

"What?"

"I'm on my way to the hospital now. I don't know how but apparently my parents were here and my mother didn't see the other driver… and…" Her voice breaks, her eyes glossy as they look at the road out the window.

"Please tell me that Jones is with you."

"Yes, he's driving."

"What hospital?"

"Lenox Hill Hospital."

"I'll meet you there. I have business to finish up here, but as soon as I do, I'll come down."

Ever the white knight in shining armor. Regina's eyes tear up more to her wife's sweet words. Her emotions all over the place.

"I have a meeting with some guys from Taiwan. I can't blow them off. It's a deal we've been hammering out for months. But I'll leave as soon as I can."

"Okay," Regina whispers. She wanted to tell her to stay, to not trouble herself in leaving work, but the truth was, she wanted her with her. "Don't rush. I don't want to have to worry about you, too."

"I will." Emma pauses. "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry."

Regina's lip trembles. "Drive safely. I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. I'll be with you as soon as I can. Keep Killian close."

"Of course, I will."

"I'll see you later."

"Bye." Regina hangs up, looking out the window again, praying, hoping that her father will be alright. He has to be okay. He just has to.

Jones pulls up to the drop-off point and leaps out to open the car door.

"I'll park the car, ma'am, and come find you. Leave your briefcase, I'll bring it."

"Thank you, Killian."

He nods, and Regina walks briskly into the buzzing ER reception area. The receptionist at the desk gives her a polite smile, and within a few moments, she's located her father and is sending her to the OR on the third floor.

He's being operated on? Oh no. She rushes into the elevator and goes up to the third floor. The doors couldn't open fast enough, and when they did, Regina rushed out to be met by another receptionist.

"Can I help you?" Asks the nurse.

"My father, Henry Mills. He's just been admitted. He's in OR 4, I think."

"Let me check, Ms. Mills."

Regina nods, not even bothering to correct her as the woman gazes intently at her computer screen.

"Yes. He's been in for a couple of hours. If you'd like to wait, I'll let them know that you're here. The waiting room is there." She points toward a large white door hopefully labeled waiting room in bold blue letters.

"Is he okay?" She asks, trying to keep her voice steady.

"You'll have to wait for one of the attending doctors to brief you, ma'am."

Wait? I don't want to wait! I want to know now! "Thank you." Regina mutters. As she opens the door to the waiting room, she is met with her mother, her eyes red from crying. But not only her mother, Daniel and Mr. Colter, his father are also there.

"Gina!" Mr. Colter breathes. Clearly him and Daniel were with them as well, because Mr. Colter was in a wheelchair, his legs bandaged up, while Daniel luckily only suffered a few bumps and bruises, same as Cora.

"Regina, dear." Cora pulls her daughter into a big hug, and Regina can't resist the urge to let out a few tears.

"Mother. What happened? How are you here?" Regina asked, giving Daniel a quick hug. "Daniel, are you alright?"

"Just bumped up." He gave her an apologetic smile.

"We wanted to surprise you, dear. Your father was persistent in coming to see you and Emma, Steve," She motioned to Daniel's father, then to him. "And Daniel were nice enough to pick us up from the airport and offered to drive us to you until some drunk driver cut in front of us but made poor Daniel swerve out of the road and straight into a tree. And now your father…" Cora couldn't hold back the sob anymore.

Regina pulled her into a hug, her eyes stinging with fallen tears.

"Ma'am, shall I get you all some tea?" Jones asked.

Regina pulled away from her mother's hug, wiping her tears, her eyes on Killian as she nods. "I'm sorry, everyone- this is Jones. Security."

Jones gives everyone a curt nod and disappears to collect tea.

Regina rubbed at her temple, her stomach turning and twisting in knots. "Do we know how he is?"

"He's in surgery." Daniel informed her. His hand falls on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Gina."

"It wasn't your fault, Daniel. These things happen. What matters now is that daddy is fine."

Cora held onto her daughter's hand as they sat around the waiting room. "Are you cold, dear?"

"I'm fine."

Daniel grabbed a hold of her other hand freely. "Christ, Gina, you're freezing." He removed his jacket and placed it around Regina's shoulders. That brought a smile to his father's face, as well as Regina's.

"Thank you, Daniel." She smiled at him once more, pulling his jacket more onto her body. "Do we know anything about the other driver?" She asked.

"The police took the asshole into custody. Seven in the morning and the guy was out of his skull in alcohol." Daniel shook his head.

Jones comes back and hands everyone a cup of tea, giving Regina the first tiny smile ever.

Regina hated this. She hated waiting for news on her father's well being. What was taking them so long? The only time she waited for devastating news and it ate her alive was when Charlie Tango was sabotaged and no one knew where Emma was. Her stomach feels like it is turning inside out again, she feels nauseous and she's sure she will throw up. She takes a small sip of her tea as time crawls slowly, when she feels Daniel's hand grab onto her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Suddenly the doors part open and everyone looks up expectedly. Emma enters, her eyes and face darken as she notices Daniel's hand covering her wife's.

"Emma!" Regina quickly leaps up from her seat. Thank God. Her arms wrap around her wife's form, drawing her in, inhaling her sweet intoxicating scent, her warmth, her love, burying her nose against her chest. A part of her feels stronger, calmer and more resilient because she's here.

"Any news?" Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head, unable to speak.

"Daniel." The blonde nods in greeting.

"Emma." Daniel nods. "This is my father, Steven Colter."

"Yes, Mr. Colter- we met at the wedding." She shakes the man's hand firmly. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live. Thank you, Mrs. Swan."

Daniel quickly retells the story of the accident.

"Cora," Emma shakes her hand gently, leans in to place a kiss on the woman's cheek.

"Emma. I'm glad to see you, dear. Even if it is under these circumstances." Cora smiles.

Emma smiles, her eyes move toward Daniel and his father as she takes her wife's hand in hers, sitting her down, taking a seat right beside her.

"Have you eaten?" She asks Regina.

Regina shakes her head.

"Are you hungry?"

She shakes her head.

"But you're cold?" she asks, eyeing Daniel's jacket.

Regina nods. She watches as Emma shifts in her chair but says nothing.

The doors swing open, and a young doctor in bright blue scrubs enters. He looks exhausted. Everyone stumbles to their feet in an instant. The blood drains from Regina's body.

"Henry Mills?" Regina whispers as Emma stands beside her, putting her arm around her waist.

"You're his next of kin?" the doctor asks. His bright blue eyes almost match his scrubs.

"I'm his wife." Cora blurs out.

"And I'm his daughter." Says Regina.

The young doctor smiles at everyone. His eyes shifting between Cora and Regina. "I'm doctor Crown. Mr. Mills is stable, but in critical condition."

If it wasn't for Emma holding her, Regina could swear she would faint.

"He suffered severe internal injuries," says the doctor. "Principally to his diaphragm, but we've managed to repair them, and we were able to save his spleen. Unfortunately, he suffered a cardiac arrest during the operation because of blood loss." He held up his hands, quick to notice everyone's horrified look. "We managed to get his heart going again, but this remains a concern as he's had this problem before. However, our gravest concern is that he suffered severe contusions in the head, and the MRI shows that he has swelling in his brain. We've induced a coma to keep him quiet and still while we monitor the brain swelling."

Cora broke down crying, grabbing a hold of her daughter's hand.

"Is that really necessary?" Regina asked, tears prickling at her eyes.

"It's standard procedure in these cases. For now, we just have to wait and see."

"And what's the prognosis?" Emma asks coolly.

"It's difficult to say at the moment. It's possible he could make a complete recovery, but that's in God's hands now."

"How long will you keep him in a coma?"

"That depends on how his brain responds. Usually seventy-two to ninety-six hours."

"Can we see him?" Regina whispers.

"Yes, you should be able to see him in about half an hour. He's been taken into the ICU on the sixth floor."

"Thank you, doctor."

Doctor Crown nods, turns and leaves.

"Well, at least he's alive." Says Cora, sounding fearful but hopeful.

"Dad, maybe we should go. You need to rest." Daniel suggested to his father. "We can come back a little later once you've rested," his eyes fall on Regina's. "If that's okay?"

"Of course." Regina nods.

Emma looks over at Jones, nods, and he quickly moves. Her eyes fall on Daniel and his father. "Jones will drive you."

"Oh, that's okay. We can take a cab." Said Daniel.

"Please. Killian can take you."

"Well… thank you, Emma." Daniel nodded, reaching over for Regina to hug her goodbye. "Stay strong, Gina." He whispers in her ear. "He's a strong and stubborn man. The odds are in his favor."

"Thank you, Daniel." She quickly shrugs off his jacket and hands it to him.

"Keep it, if you're still cold."

"No, I'm fine. Thank you." Regina's eyes move to her wife, who is regarding them impassively. She feels Emma's hand fall into hers.

"Your father is in my prayers, Gina." Said Mr. Colter, smiling warmly and turning to Cora to say his goodbyes.

"Cora, why don't you go along with them? Jones can drop you off at our apartment. You need rest." Said Emma.

Cora shook her head. "Oh, that's so generous of you, dear, but I want to be here when Henry wakes up."

"Emma's right, mother. You should rest. We will stay here a while and then you can come back later, visit daddy." Regina agreed.

"I wouldn't want to impose." Said Cora.

"It wouldn't be any imposition, Cora." Said Emma.

Killian waited at the door for instructions while Cora smiled and nodded.

"Very well. Thank you, Emma." She leaned in to place a kiss on the blonde's cheek. Her eyes moved toward Regina. "I'll come back later after I rest."

Regina placed a kiss against her mother's cheek, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze as she watched her leave with Jones, Daniel and Mr. Colter.

Once Emma and Regina were left alone, Emma's hand came up to caress her wife's cheek. "You're pale. Come here." She sits down on the chair and pulls the brunette onto her lap, folding her into her arms again, and Regina willingly snuggles up against the blonde, feeling grateful that Emma is here to comfort her in this time of need. Emma gently strokes her hair and holds her hand.

"Can I persuade you to eat something?" Emma asks.

Regina frowns. "Not now. I want to see my father first." She feels Emma's body tense, but she doesn't push her about eating. "How was the deal with Taiwan?"

"Amenable," she says. "They let me buy their shipyard for less than the price I was willing to pay."

"That's good."

"Yes. That's good."

"But I thought you had a shipyard, over here."

"I do. We're going to use that to do the fitting-out. Build the hulls in the Far East. It's cheaper."

"What about the workforce at the shipyard here?" Regina asked.

"We'll redeploy. We should be able to keep redundancies to a minimum." Emma kisses her wife's hair. "Shall we check on Henry?" she asks, her voice soft.

The ICU on the sixth floor is a stark, sterile, functional ward with whispered voices and beeping machinery. Four patients are each housed in their own separate hi-tech area. Henry is at the far end.

It's a shock to Regina to see her father, a strong, smiling, small for his size but big at heart man, looking so small in this big bed, surrounded by all this machinery. He has never looked so helpless, so diminished. There's a tube in his mouth, and various lines pass through drips into a needle in each arm. A small clamp is attached to his finger. His leg is on top of the sheets, encased in a blue cast. A monitor displays his heart rate. It's beating strong and steady. Regina moves slowly toward him. His chest is covered in a large, pristine bandage that disappears beneath the thin sheet that protects his modesty.

With the beeping of the machinery and the hiss of the ventilator, it's signs that her father is still alive. He is still here.

There's a nurse off to the side, checking his monitor. Emma stands at the end of the bed, watching her wife carefully as the brunette clasps her father's hand. And once Regina makes contact with her father's warm skin, it becomes her undoing. She collapses onto a chair by his bed, rests her head against his arm and begins to sob.

"Oh, daddy. Please get better," she whispers. "Please."

Emma puts her hand on her wife's shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

"All Mr. Mills' vitals are good," the nurse says quietly.

"Thank you," Emma murmurs.

"Can he hear me?" Regina looks up at the nurse to ask.

"He's in a deep sleep. But I am sure he can." She smiles kindly before exiting the room.

Emma gazes down at her wife, ignoring the blonde nurse who stares dumbfounded at her before leaving the room. "I need to make a call. I'll be outside. I'll give you some alone time with your dad."

Regina nods, giving Emma a sad but sweet smile. She feels Emma place another kiss against her hair before walking out. Regina turns to her father, holding his hand again, and very quietly she begins to speak to him. She tells him all about their trip to Aspen, about Emma taking her sailing, about their trip to Paris and about their future home, and how she wishes to make their home a welcome, warm, loving place to welcome all their friends and family. She talks about the colors and the portraits Emma gifted her with for their future kitchen. And promises to take him fishing up to Aspen with Emma and how he could invite Mr. Colter and even Daniel.

When she looks up, Emma is sitting quietly at the end of the bed. She isn't sure how long she's been there.

"Hi," the blonde says, her eyes glowing with compassion and concern.

"Hi."

"So, I'm going fishing with your dad, Mr. Colter, and Daniel?" she asks.

Regina nods.

"Okay. But for now, let's go eat. Let him sleep."

Regina turns to look at her father one last time. She doesn't want to leave, but she knows she can't do anything but wait.

"Come. I've given our numbers to the nurses here. If there's any change, they'll call us. The Langham hotel is just two blocks away from here. I've reserved a room so we won't be far from the hospital. We'll eat, rest up, then come back this evening."

Regina nods and willingly leaves with her wife, hand in hand.

The Langham hotel suite is just as Regina remembers it to be. She is startled to be back here. The memory of when she first spent the night with Emma, after she rescued her from Daniel like some white knight in shining armor comes to her mind. It all started here.

"Home away from home," says Emma, her voice soft, putting her wife's briefcase down beside one of the overstuffed couches. "Do you want to shower? A bath? What do you need, Gina?"

Regina looks over to Emma, and she's taken back to the morning she woke up with a massive hangover, asleep in the very bed within the suite. Crushing on this beautiful woman more and more. And now, here they were- here she was- her wife. Her Emma. Her all. Oh, how far they've come. In a million years, Regina never thought Emma would change this much and for her.

"A bath. I'd like a bath." Regina murmurs.

Emma hates seeing her wife this way. So vulnerable, so broken. She wanted to care for her, do whatever she wanted. She hated not being able to fix things with a magic wand, the snap of her fingers.

"Oh, Gina," Emma murmurs. "I've not seen you like this. You're normally so brave and strong." She couldn't think of anything else to do but pull her into an embrace, an embrace that Regina welcomed herself into. Her arms wrapped around her wife's form so tightly. "Baby, he's alive. His vital signs are good. We just have to be patient," she murmurs. "Come." She takes Regina's hand and leads her into the bathroom. Gently, she slips Regina's jacket off her shoulders and places it on the bathroom chair, then, turning back, she undoes the buttons on her shirt.

Regina lies against Emma's chest, her back pressed against her wife's naked body. Her eyes are closed as the warm water feels so deliciously relaxing, and with Emma's skillful hands massaging away at her scalp- she almost forgot the situation with her father. Feeling this intimate with her wife, suddenly took Regina back to the time Lily showed up in her apartment and Emma remained behind with her, later discovering that she gave her a bath. Was it like this? Was this what Emma did with her? The thought modified her. Emma obviously cares for Lily's well being, her paying for the woman's art school was proof enough.

"You didn't get into the bath with Lily, did you? When you bathed her." She asks, needing to know.

Emma stiffens and snorts, her hands continuing their delicious massage. "Of course not." She sounds astounded.

"Good."

Emma tugs on her wife's hair, making her tilt her head up so her brown eyes meet her own green ones. "Why do you ask?"

Regina shrugs. "Morbid curiosity."

Emma's face hardens. "I see. Less of the morbid." Her tone is reproachful.

"How long are you going to support her?" Regina asked, giving Emma a I-Know-You're-Paying-For-Her-Classes-look.

"Until she's on her feet. I don't know." She shrugs. "Why?"

"Are there others?"

"Others?" Emma's brow furrows.

"Exes who you support."

"There was one, but no longer. That was before you. She's a doctor now and has someone else."

"Another dominant?" Regina asks.

"Yes."

Then, Regina remembered something Lily had told her before. "Lily told me you never allowed her to call you by your name. Is that true? She referred to you as mistress."

Emma sighs. "Regina, why are we talking about her?"

"Because… whether you liked to admit it or not- you cared about her, Emma. Maybe not loved her- not the way she wanted you to, but you were the only one who cared enough to find help for her when her husband turned his back on her. You're paying for the woman's art classes. You care."

Emma tenses, remaining silent for a minute. "Yes. I do." She pauses. "And I never allowed any of the fifteen to call me by my name. Not until I met you. To hear my name rolling off of your tongue… it was… liberating. As much as I tried to fight to leave you alone, to not pursue you into becoming one of my submissives- I couldn't stay away from you." She chuckles. "As I said before, I loved you ever since you set foot in my office, and I knew that my life would never be the same. Lily, Susan, every other one I had ever had, they would kneel at the sight of me. They would do everything in their power to please me, and they suffered punishments at my hands when they didn't do as they were told."

Regina shuddered at the thought of Emma using a cane or paddles on them. The one memory of Emma delivering one blow after another to her with a belt made her behind suddenly sting again.

"But you never fail to amaze me. You don't crumble at the sight of my anger, you defy me time and time again. You were never like them. The day you left me, it gave me the strength I needed to get rid of all those demons that would turn me into this horrible person. The type of person I was with Lily and every one of them." She held onto her wife's hand, giving it a squeeze. "You really are the strongest woman alive, Regina Swan."

Regina leans up, pressing her lips against Emma's thin ones, kissing them with every inch of her love.

After the bath, Regina finds Emma working on her laptop when she steps out of the bathroom, dressed in a pair of jeans and one of her NYU hoodies. Thank God for Gold, who brought over some clothes for them. Emma is wearing a pair of black jeans, her converse, a white shirt and her red leather jacket. Her hair tied up in that messy ponytail she loves to see her in so much.

"Ready?" Emma looks up from her laptop, shutting it in place as she stands.

"You look so young dressed without your suits and dress pants and dress shirts." Regina teases.

Emma smirks, her eyes glowing. "And to think you'll be thirty tomorrow. Makes me seem younger."

Regina hums. "Yet sometimes your hearing is questionable." She smirks, which disappears in an instant. "I don't feel much like celebrating tomorrow. Can we go see my father now?"

"Sure. I wish you had eaten something. You barely touched your food."

"Maybe after we see my father. I want to wish him a good night."

As they arrive at the ICU, they bump into Daniel, just about to make his way out. He's alone.

"Gina, Emma, hi." He greets.

"Hi, Daniel. How's your dad?" Regina asks.

"He was too tired to come back. Your mom is with your dad right now and a group of doctors."

"What's going on?" Regina asks anxiously.

"He's good, Gina. Same… but all good."

Relief overtakes Regina's body. No news is good news.

"Hey," Daniel grins. "I'll see you tomorrow, birthday girl."

"Sure. We'll be here." Regina smiles a tiny smile.

Daniel eyes Emma before he moves in to give Regina a hug. "Bye, Gina."

"Good night, Daniel." Replies Regina.

"Emma." Daniel nods as he's walking away.

"Good night, Daniel." Emma says, watching him walk away toward the elevator. "He's still nuts about you," she says quietly.

"No, he's not. And even if he was… he'd be wasting his time." Regina shrugs because right now she doesn't care.

Emma gives her wife a tight smile, a smile that makes the brunette's heart melt.

"Well done, Mrs. Swan," Regina murmurs. "First time you didn't foam at the mouth."

Emma's lips part, she looks wounded but amused as well. "I've never foamed at the mouth. Let's see your dad. I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Regina's eyes widen in alarm.

"Come." Emma takes her wife's hand, both push the doors to the ICU open.

Standing at the end of Henry's bed is Mary Margaret and Cora, deep in discussion with Dr. Crown and a second doctor, a blonde man Regina had never seen before. Seeing them entering the room, Mary Margaret grins.

"Emma." She kisses her daughter's cheek, then turns to Regina and folds her in her warm embrace. "Gina, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. It's my father I'm worried about."

"He's in good hands. Dr. Whale is an expert in his field. We trained together at Yale."

Regina's eyes move toward Whale, then her mother who hugs her.

"I've been talking to Dr. Whale. He seems very capable, dear."

"Mrs. Swan," Dr. Whale greets her formally. He's slender, reasonably young, blonde and not bad looking. "As the lead physician for your father, I'm pleased to tell you that all is on track. His vital signs are stable and strong. We have every faith that he'll make a complete recovery. The brain swelling has stopped, and shows signs of decreasing. This is very encouraging after such a short time."

Regina's eyes find her mothers, and both share small smiles with the new doctor. "That's great news."

Whale smiles warmly at both women. "It is. We're taking real good care of him." His eyes move toward Mary Margaret. "It's great to see you again, Mary Margaret."

"Likewise, Victor." Mary Margaret smiles.

"Dr. Crown, let's leave these good people to visit with Mr. Mills." Crown follows Dr. Whale's way to the exit.

Regina hugs her mother once more, both Mary Margaret's words and Whale's rekindling their hopes that Henry would make a speedy recovery.

Mary Margaret reaches for Regina's hand and squeezes it gently. "Gina, sweetheart, sit with him. You and your mother and talk to him. Everything will be fine now." She smiles. "I'll visit with Emma in the waiting room."

Regina nods, and Emma gives her her reassuring smile before stepping out with her mother, leaving both mother and daughter in the privacy of the room with Henry.

Regina slips into one of Emma's t-shirts and slips into bed beside her.

"You seem brighter," Emma says cautiously as she pulls on the covers to cover them both up.

"Yes. I think talking to Dr. Whale and your mom made a big difference. Did you ask her to come?"

"No. She wanted to come and check on your dad herself."

"How did she know?"

"I called her this morning." Emma cuddles her wife in her loving embrace, kissing her hair. "Baby, you're exhausted. You should sleep."

"Hmm," Regina murmurs in agreement. She did feel tired. After an emotional day, who wouldn't be? Although a thought does cross her mind: We aren't going to make love? She gazes up at Emma, and realizes that they aren't. Not tonight at least. And she appreciates that Emma has taken quite a different approach to things. As much as Emma did want Regina, because she always wanted her, she knew this wasn't the time to try anything. Not yet. Regina snuggles further into Emma's warmth.

"Promise me something," Emma says softly.

"Hm?"

"Promise me you'll eat something tomorrow. I can just about tolerate you wearing another man's jacket without foaming at the mouth, but, Gina… you must eat. Please."

Regina smiles and her eyes close. "Okay," she whispers, feeling Emma's lips kiss at her hair. "Thank you for being here," she murmurs, placing a gentle kiss on the blonde's chest.

"Where else would I be? I want to be wherever you are, Gina. Being here makes me think of how far we've come. And the night I first slept with you. What a night that was. I watched you for hours. You were so… angelic," she breathes. "Sleep," she murmurs, and it's a command.

Regina closes her eyes and drifts into a deep sleep, wrapped in dreams of her wife's loving embrace.