The results from Regina's scans showed that there was some damage to her brain that the Blue Fairy couldn't fix. It would take time for her body to recover and for them to see what she would be dealing with. The day after her hospital visit, Emma took Henry to Granny's for breakfast and then school. She had to stop at the station for a bit, but her mother and Cora were with Regina. David was already at the station. Regina was sitting up in bed when Emma walked into the loft. The blonde walked over to her adoptive mother. Emma told Snow and Cora to go out for lunch since she had gone out to breakfast with Henry. The two women left as Emma walked over to Regina. "Have you been up yet?"
"No, why?"
Emma brought her mother's walker over, "you need to get up."
"Emma, I'm too tired right now."
"You're always tired because you're recovering. You need to get up."
"Emma, I haven't walked in twenty-three years."
"All the more reason to start now."
"Emma," Regina began to panic, "I don't think I can," she said all choked up.
Emma moved the walker to the side and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I can't even begin to imagine what your life has been like since you left Storybrooke, but I believe in you and I know you can do this. You may not do it well for a while, but you won't get better if you don't try."
"You're really going to use my own words against me?"
"It got me to practice reading."
"You promise you'll be right beside me?"
"I won't leave even if you ask me to."
"I may need help getting my legs off the bed."
"I'm here to help."
"Okay," Regina said quietly. Emma helped her mother move until she was sitting on the edge of the bed. The sheriff placed the walker in front of her mother.
"Whenever you're ready."
Regina grabbed onto the walker, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She began to stand and felt Emma grab onto her elbow. The blonde left one hand there and placed the other around her mother's waist. She had a feeling Regina would need more help and she knew the exact moment it was time to step in. "Thank you," Regina breathed out.
"See, you did it," Emma smiled. "Do you want to try and take a step?"
Regina's legs were shaking terribly, "maybe a few. I don't know how much longer I can stay standing." She pushed her walker forward, slowly lifted her right foot, and took an unsteady step. Regina then took a slow step with her left. She was able to take six steps before needing her daughter to help her back to bed.
Emma helped her mother get settled in bed and then gave her some water, "I'm really proud of you."
"Thank you, dear," Regina panted.
"Get some rest." Emma kissed her mother's temple and helped her to lie down. The woman was out in seconds. Emma smiled and went to start lunch.
It was close to one when Regina finally woke up, "Emma," she mumbled.
The sheriff walked over to the bed, "hey, how do you feel?"
"Still a bit sleepy."
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah, but I need my wheelchair."
"I wasn't going to make you walk. I don't think you're ready to go that far anyway. I mean, I could bring you a tray so you can stay in bed."
"I'd rather eat at the table."
"Okay," Emma brought the chair closer to the bed. She lifted her mother and placed her in the chair. Emma knew the woman was still sleepy and didn't want to risk her falling by trying to move from her bed to the chair. The blonde wheeled her mother to the table and locked the wheels of the chair. Emma served her mother lunch and joined her.
"Didn't you eat?"
"I wanted to wait for you."
"Dear, you could have eaten something."
"I had some chips," Emma said and laughed as her mother rolled her eyes.
Cora and Snow walked into the loft, "are you just now having lunch?" Snow asked.
"I helped mom stand and take a few steps after you two left. It wiped her out, so she slept for a while."
Cora leaned down to place a kiss on her daughter's head, "I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, mother."
Emma looked at Cora, "it's fine with me."
Regina was confused, "what?"
"I asked Emma if she wanted to call me 'grandma.' She said that she needed to think about it and make sure it was a fit."
"She is my only grandma. Actually, my only grandparent in general," Emma said.
"Technically, Regina is your step-grandmother and Cora is your step-great-grandmother," Snow clarified.
Regina glared at the woman, "my mother is the only one," she insisted.
"Oh, ma, Eva called while you were out," Emma said, "she said she couldn't get ahold of you."
Snow pulled out her phone and sighed, "I had it on silent. I don't know how that happened."
"Anyway, she said that she is moving back to Storybrooke. I explained everything to her and that we'd figure out where she could stay."
"Eva?" Regina asked.
"I had another baby after Emma turned six," Snow said.
"I'm glad you were able to be a mom," Regina said.
"David and I named her Eva Regina Nolan," Snow revealed. "The three of us decided it was right."
Regina was speechless, "that's very sweet," she said emotionally. "I look forward to meeting her."
"Mom," Emma said, "why don't you try having a baby once you've recovered? I mean, you're the same age you were when you cast the curse."
"I can't have children. I took a potion to make sure that I couldn't."
"What? Why?"
"She didn't want me to ruin them the way I ruined her," Cora said.
"Maybe it can be reversed?"
Snow could tell that Regina was uncomfortable with the subject, "why don't we clean up?" she suggested to her daughter. Emma went with Snow to the kitchen to clean. "I know your heart is in the right place, but Regina has only been able to speak and slightly move for three days. She needs time to heal and she has permanent brain damage. She may not be able to go through a pregnancy," Snow said all of this as softly as possible.
"I know," Emma sighed, "I guess I feel terrible that she missed out on so much with me. Not that I didn't feel that way about you and dad. I just mean that..."
"Emma," Snow cut her off, "it's okay. I know what you meant."