Chapter 5: Tensions Boil Over

"Thank you so much, John," Robin said, letting his friend into his house. "Roland's stopped throwing up but still needs to recover and get some fluids and electrolytes into him."

John grinned. "No problem. You know I love to spend time with Roland, even if he's sick. Any instructions?"

Robin shrugged. "Not really. Just give him some Pedialyte and keep his food bland for now. And monitor him for a fever. Otherwise, I imagine he'll nap on and off for most of the day."

"Sounds good to me," John said. "Dare I ask how the mayor is doing?"

"I honestly don't know," Robin admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "She had a bad day the other day and then yesterday, she did everything I asked. Today? Who knows?"

John clapped him on the back. "Good luck, mate."

"Thanks," Robin said, heading into the living room. He had set Roland up on the couch and his son was wrapped in his blanket as he cuddled his Teddy bear. Kneeling next to the couch, Robin ran his fingers through his son's curls. "I'm leaving now. Be a good boy for your Uncle John, okay?"

"Okay, Papa," Roland said. "Tell Regina I said hi and thank you for helping take care of me yesterday."

Touched by his son's message, Robin nodded. "I will, I promise. See you tonight. Love you."

"Love you too, Papa," Roland replied as Robin kissed his forehead. He then closed his eyes, holding his teddy bear tighter as he went back to sleep.

Robin stood and grabbed his bag. "Call my cell phone if you need anything. Otherwise, I'll see you at four-thirty."

"See you then," John replied. "And good luck."

Thanking him, Robin headed out of the house and got into his car. He drove to the mayor's house and parked outside, bracing himself for what would be waiting for him when he got inside.

Mary Margaret greeted him at the door. "How is Roland? Was it just a twenty-four-hour bug?"

"It was," he replied, stepping into the house and taking off his coat. "I kept him home from school today so he could recover as he's still weak. A friend is with him."

"I'm glad he's feeling better," Mary Margaret said. "Regina will be too. She sounded very fond of him. Then again, Regina always had a soft spot for children."

He nodded, thinking back to how she treated Roland and talked to him when he was awake. "I could tell. She's a natural mother."

"Yes, she is," Mary Margaret said. "When I have my own children, I hope I'm even half the mother she is."

"I'm sure you will be," he assured her, entering the kitchen. Mayor Mills sat at the table, eating breakfast. She didn't acknowledge him though Henry did. Robin greeted the boy warmly before saying: "Good morning, Madam Mayor."

She slowly took a sip of her coffee before setting the mug down. Glancing at him, she had a neutral expression as she said: "Good morning."

Robin bit the inside of his cheek as he realized what kind of day it was going to be. He decided to just ignore her and moved toward the kitchen's island to prepare her morning doses for her.

"How is Roland?" she then asked, though when Robin looked up, she still wasn't looking at him.

"He's recovering at home," Robin replied. "He needs a little more sleep and a lot of electrolytes."

"And I assume someone is with him?" she asked as if he was an incompetent father who did not know how to care for his own child.

He placed his hands on the counter as he tried to keep his annoyance in check. "No, I gave him a big bottle of Gatorade and told him I'd see him later. He's four, he'll be fine," he said, making sure each word dripped with sarcasm.

She grimaced before looking over at him. "Okay, I worded that wrong. Who is with him now?"

"His godfather," Robin replied, appreciating that Regina recognized that he was a good father. "My best mate. I'd trust him with my life. He's taken care of Roland before."

"So he's like Aunt Mary Margaret and Uncle David to me?" Henry asked, reminding Robin that the boy was still present. Henry looked intrigued.

Robin's annoyance ebbed and he nodded, smiling. "Yes, exactly like that. Roland even calls him Uncle John."

"That sounds sweet," Mary Margaret said. She then looked at Henry. "Say goodbye to your mother and get your coat on. It's time to go."

Henry jumped up from his chair and walked over to his mother, kissing her on the cheek. She told him to have a good day and said she loved him. After repeating it back, he crossed to the sink. Robin intercepted him, taking the plate from him. "I've got it. Have a good day, Henry," he said.

"Thank you, Mr. Locksley," he said before leaving the kitchen.

Robin placed the plate in the sink and walked over to Regina. "Are you done?"

"I am," she said, pushing the plate toward him. "But I'm still drinking my coffee. I'll take my pills when I'm done with it."

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically, walking away from the table as he fumed. How dare she just order him around when it came to her medication! It was his job to tell her when to take them, not hers.

Mary Margaret stuck her head back into the kitchen. "We're on our way. Have a good day, Regina. And as always, be nice!"

"I am not one of your students," Regina snapped but Mary Margaret had already gone. Which meant Robin was alone with an irate mayor.

Just perfect.

He finished washing the plates before grabbing two of her pills. He approached her with them and a glass of water. She watched from the corner of her eye before purposefully looking away from him. "I'm not done with my coffee," she told him.

"Too bad," he replied, setting the pills down. "You need to take these almost immediately after eating. So take them and then finish your coffee."

She glared at him. "And if I don't?"

He shrugged, crossing his arms as he looked down at her. "I'm not the one likely to be throwing up everything I've eaten in the past twelve hours. So it's your choice."

"Fine," she replied, taking the pills. Regina washed them down with the water he had given her. Handing him the glass back, she asked: "Happy?"

Robin took the glass back as he sarcastically said: "Ecstatic."

"Good," she replied. "Can I finish my coffee now?"

"Be my guest," he said, walking back to the sink. "And then you can take your other medications before I do my morning examination."

He heard her hum behind him. "And then I'm going to get some work done. It's bad enough you cost me a day and a half."

"I didn't cost you anything," he replied, not even looking at her. "You did that."

"Whatever," she said. "Can you get my chair? I'm ready to get to work."

He slowly turned to find her glaring at him. Robin crossed his arms. "Medicine and exam first."

She sighed loudly. "Fine."

"Thank you," he said, pulling out his supplies before approaching her. He gently turned her chair so he could look her over better. "I'll be as quick as possible."

"Good," she said, still not looking at him.

Robin checked her blood pressure and listened to her lungs. He frowned as he asked her to take a deep breath again. She struggled to do so and he didn't like the sounds he heard as she did so. Placing his stethoscope back around his neck, he asked: "Does it hurt to breathe?"

"No," Regina replied sarcastically. "It's easy with several broken ribs."

He counted to ten to bite back his own sarcastic response. Robin then asked: "I'm sorry. Does it hurt more than usual to breathe?"

"Maybe," she replied, toning down the sarcasm. "Why?"

"Because it sounds like you might not be breaking up the mucus in your lungs," he said. "We should work on that."

She frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"It means that there are some breathing exercises I would like you to do to help really fill your lungs and break up the mucus in them," he said.

"Can we do them later?" she asked, huffing. "You've already kept me long enough from my work."

He scowled, wishing she would be more focused on her health than her work. Robin knew her health was in more danger than her career but it was clear her toxic mother had twisted her mind to think the other way. "Fine, but I will hold you to it," he said.

"Whatever," she replied. "Can I go now?"

"You may," he said, annoyed and frustrated. It seemed she was determined to make herself worse and there was nothing he could do to stop it for now. But he would not give up and hopefully would find something that would finally get through to her.

Robin stood and rolled her wheelchair over to her. She moved into it and he then took her down to her office. Once she was in her office chair, she still didn't look at him as she said: "I should be fine until lunch. Please don't disturb me."

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically, bowing mockingly to her. He then left, not waiting to see her reaction. She could be mad for all he cared. Or maybe she would finally realize how she was behaving.

And maybe pigs would fly.

Robin felt exhausted by the time he returned home. He turned off his car but sat there for a moment, his eyes closed as he tried to build up the energy to head inside and take care of his son. Maybe John would be willing to stay longer so Robin could just climb into bed and sleep, praying it would give him the energy to deal with Mayor Regina "I Know Better Than Anyone With Actual Degrees and Experience in Medicine" Mills. It seemed she felt the need to make up for how agreeable she had been the day before and fought his every suggestion, from lunch time to doing her exercises. He was still very concerned about her breathing and knew she needed to rest so her body could heal.

He just wished he knew how to get her to stop.

Opening his eyes, he climbed out of his car and headed into his house. He took off his coat and hung it up as Roland raced toward him. "Papa!"

"Hello, my boy," Robin said, scooping him up and hugging him. It raised his spirits to see how energetic Roland was compared to this morning. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Roland replied. "I didn't throw up once and my stomach didn't feel weird at all today."

Relief flooded through Robin and he kissed his son's forehead. "I'm glad to hear it. Were you good for your uncle?"

"He was," John said, coming out of the kitchen and watching them. "We had a lot of fun today, didn't we, Roland?"

Roland nodded happily. He then turned his face away from his uncle to Robin, asking: "How is Regina?"

"She's feeling better too," Robin said, knowing his son wouldn't begin to understand how complex the mayor's case was. It also wasn't right for him to even complain about her to him, even if he was older. So that seemed to be all Roland needed to know.

He then kissed Roland's cheek. "And she says she's glad that you're feeling better too."

"I like Regina," Roland said. "She's nice."

"She loves children," he agreed, one of the few good things he could say about the mayor at the moment. "Especially adorable little boys like you."

He tickled Roland's stomach, drawing laughter from his son. After kissing Roland's cheek again, Robin set him down and sent him back into the living room before motioning to the kitchen, silently asking John to join him in that room.

"So, how was she really?" John asked, keeping his voice low once they got into the kitchen.

"Even more stubborn than usual," Robin said, his voice just as low. "It was like she believed she needed to make up for yesterday."

John sighed, nodding. "You thought that would happen."

"I know," Robin replied. "But it was still so frustrating. Especially because I've been hearing a concerning rattle in her chest the pass couple days and I'm worried she's developing pneumonia but she's not taking it seriously."

"You can't help those who don't help themselves," John reminded him. "You can do your best but if she's determined to destroy herself…"

Robin sighed. "I know, I know."

"But I also know you," John said. "You're a helper. You love to help people and you want to help her, no matter how much she fights you."

"Yeah," Robin replied. "And I have a call in to Archie for some advice but he's out of town. I hope she doesn't develop pneumonia and ends up back in the hospital."

John shrugged. "I know you care about all your clients but I think with this one, you're going to have to let her face the consequences of her actions. Or rather inactions."

"I know, I know," Robin said, thinking of Henry and how worried he would be if his mother ended up in the hospital again. "But it's just not going to affect her."

"Maybe that's going to be the wake-up call she needs," John argued. He sighed. "Put it out of your mind for now, Rob. Just focus on your son. Okay?"

Robin nodded, knowing his friend had a point. "Yeah, I will. I should probably get dinner started. Do you want to stay?"

"I would love to," John said. "In fact, I'll make dinner. You go relax with your son."

"You've already done so much. I can't ask you to make us dinner. You go home. Get some rest yourself," Robin told him, feeling bad and not wanting to inconvenience his friend anymore.

John shook his head, grinning. "I'm fine, man. You're the one who looks dead on his feet. Go. Rest. I've got it."

Knowing he was likely to fall asleep on his feet while making dinner, Robin nodded. "Thanks, man. I owe you."

"Don't worry. I'll find a way to collect," John teased him, winking. He then gently pushed Robin out of the kitchen and into the living room. Robin kissed Roland's head and said he would be right back out. Stumbling into his bedroom, he changed from his scrubs and into sweatpants and an old t-shirt. It was a night for comfort.

Robin returned to the living room and sat down on the couch with his son. He opened his arms and Roland moved into them, cuddling against Robin. "I missed you, Papa," he said.

"I missed you too, my boy," Robin replied, rubbing his son's back. He had always been the one to take care of Roland when he was sick even before it was just the two of them so he knew it had been a little unusual for anyone else to take care of him. "Uncle John is making us dinner so we can spend all night together. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good," Roland said, resting against him. "Can we watch Robin Hood?"

Robin chuckled, nodding. "We can watch it after dinner and then it's to bed. You need more rest to make sure you feel extra better tomorrow."

"Okay, Papa," Roland said, trusting his father knew what was best for him.

If only Regina would trust him like that.

After eating dinner with John, Robin said goodbye to his friend and Roland hugged his uncle. John left the house and Robin put Robin Hood on for his son to watch before bed. They snuggled on the couch together, a blanket covering them as they watched the movie. It was a wonderfully relaxing evening.

Roland started to doze off, resting his head against Robin's chest. He snuggled against his father, clutching onto his favorite Teddy. Smiling, Robin rubbed his son's back and urged him to fall asleep. It would be easier and he could just carry Roland to bed later.

BZZT. BZZT. BZZT.

Robin frowned as he reached up, picking up his phone. He checked the screen and surprise filled him when he saw Archie's name there. Glancing down at his sleeping son, Robin answered the call. "Hello?"

"Robin, hi," Archie said. "I'm sorry, I know it's late but I had some free time. Do you have time to talk?"

"I do," Robin replied, lowering the TV. Roland slept on, not noticing at all. Thank goodness his son was a deep sleeper.

"Good," Archie replied. "So tell me about your patient."

Robin sighed. "Well, she's younger than most of my patients, probably about my age."

"That is unusual," Archie said. "Why does she need an aide?"

"She was in a terrible car accident," he replied before cataloguing all of Regina's injuries for Archie.

The therapist listened intently before saying: "That's certainly a lot. She's lucky to be alive, it sounds like."

"Yes," Robin agreed. "And while part of her knows that, the other part considers what she's going through to be worst than death."

"Well, I'm sure it's tough to go from a healthy and independent adult to needing an aide, especially when you're still so young," Archie replied.

Robin paused, wondering how to convey how serious Regina's actions were. "It's more than that," he said. "Let me tell you about the day before I called you…"

He described Regina's breakdown on the floor and having to sedate her. "She just kept repeating that she wasn't weak and that she needed to work or else someone would destroy her," he said.

"Oh," Archie commented. "That's certainly interesting."

"It has to do with her mother," Robin said. "I don't know much except that she was a toxic influence in her life and that's messed with her head."

Archie hummed in response. "And you think this fixation on not being weak is why she's so resistant to your help?"

"Yes," Robin said. "From what I can tell, Regina wants to hide herself away and keep everyone from seeing her until she somehow emerges fully healed and at full strength again I guess after creating a cocoon and staying in there like a caterpillar, I don't know."

"Okay," Archie said, chuckling. "Do you think it's vanity or pride?"

Robin thought of Regina before saying: "Pride. And the fear of being considered weak. I wonder if it's an intense case of imposter syndrome."

"No," Archie replied. "Just based on what you said, I'd say it's a lot more than just imposter syndrome. But without talking with her myself, I couldn't start to diagnose her."

"But could you give me any tips to work with her?" Robin asked, desperate for something. "I'm at my wits' end with her, honestly."

"I can hear it in your voice. And you haven't found anything that makes her more agreeable?" Archie asked.

Robin paused, considering his time with Regina. "Children. She's a very good mother and will be more agreeable when there are children around, usually her son but I also had to bring Roland around the other day. She barely put up a fight the entire time he was there. But I did pay for it today."

Archie chuckled. "Alright. Well, you've certainly given me a lot think about for now. I'm going to sleep on it and I'll give you a call when I figure something out."

"Thank you, Archie, I appreciate it," Robin said, feeling a bit relieved that his friend and colleague was involved as well.

Maybe he would finally be able to get through to Regina before she did irrevocable harm to herself.

They hung up and Robin sighed, turning off the movie. He picked Roland up and carried his son into his bedroom. Tucking the boy into his bed, Robin kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, my boy. Sweet dreams," he whispered.

He left the room and returned to the living room. Robin laid down on the couch again, turning on the news. Once he heard the weather for the night day, he would take a shower and then go to bed himself. He would need his sleep before dealing with Regina the next day.

Robin had a feeling he was going to need all his energy to deal with her.

"Is something wrong with your breakfast?" Mary Margaret asked, leaning against Regina's chair.

"What?" Regina asked, feeling like she had just been snapped back into her body. Her mind felt groggy and unable to process much this morning. It also didn't help that she couldn't breathe through her nose.

Mary Margaret frowned, pressing her hand to Regina's forehead. "You feel warm."

"I'm fine," Regina said, though she could hear how nasally she sounded. She doubted she was being very persuasive.

"Maybe Robin should take you to the doctor's," Mary Margaret said. "Get you checked out."

Regina frowned, not wanting Robin to have to take her out of the house. She didn't want anyone to see her in her wheelchair or looking so pathetic. "It's probably just a cold. I'll be fine," Regina insisted.

"I would feel better if Whale told us that," Mary Margaret replied, crossing her arms.

"Let's compromise," Regina said, hoping she would still be able to win in the end. But if Mary Margaret thought she was also winning, she would be more amenable.

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes but asked: "What do you have in mind?"

"I promise to take it easy today and rest," she said, crossing her fingers behind her back. "If I still feel sick tomorrow, I'll go to the doctor's then."

"Alright," Mary Margaret replied. "But if Robin says you did anything but rest, I'm taking you to the hospital tonight."

Regina mentally cursed. She had forgotten that Mary Margaret would have a spy this time and that Robin would not lie for her. But she had made the compromise so she would have to honor it. "Fine."

"Good." Mary Margaret said as the doorbell rang. "I'll go tell him about your new plans for the day now."

She walked out of the kitchen as Regina tried not to slump in her chair. Her perfect plan was about to be foiled by the warden Mary Margaret had gotten to take care of her. But Locksley couldn't keep an eye on her all the time. She would find a way to get some work done when he wasn't paying attention.

"Mom?" Henry appeared in the kitchen doorway looking concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"It is, sweetheart," she assured him, not wanting to him worry about her all day. He was a child and deserved to be carefree. "You go to school and don't worry. I'm fine, okay?"

Mary Margaret placed her hand on Henry's shoulder as she returned to the kitchen. "Go get ready for school, Henry. Your mother is in Robin's capable hands."

"Absolutely, lad," Locksley told him. "Go on. I'll look after your mother."

Henry nodded, leaving the room with Mary Margaret. Locksley approached Regina, looking concerned. "Mary Margaret says you're not feeling well. I hope Roland didn't give you his stomach bug," he said.

"No," she told him. "I think it's just a cold."

That caused his frown to deepen. "With broken ribs, it's never just a cold. You need to take this seriously, Regina."

"I am," she lied. "I'm sure Mary Margaret told you that I'm going to rest all today."

He nodded. "And I've been charged with making sure you do that. After all, you have a reputation."

"You're going to make sure I'm good girl, huh?" she asked, feeling annoyed already. He was likely going to be guard dog around her and watch her like a hawk.

Just perfect.

"I am going to make sure you get the rest you need so you can feel better and don't have to go back to the hospital," he told her. "That's my main goal."

"Which means you need to listen to him," Mary Margaret said, returning to the kitchen in her coat. She used her teacher voice as she asked: "Got it, Regina?"

Regina rolled her eyes and was about to make a witty retort when a coughing jag overtook her. She coughed into a napkin as she hunched over, pain coursing through her body as her broken ribs were jostled from the force of her coughing. Over it, she heard Robin tell Mary Margaret to go and that he would handle everything.

He placed his hand on her back, rubbing it as her coughing stopped. "How much pain are you in right now on the scale of one to ten?" he asked.

"Eight," she wheezed, deciding not to play it down like she usually did. "Do you have some painkillers?"

"I do," he assured her. "Why don't I go get your chair and take you into the living room? I'll get you comfortable and then give you some medicine before taking your vitals."

"Alright," she said, not sure she had much of a choice at this point. He certainly was not going to take her to her office right now. She needed to play the long game for today if she wanted to get her way.

Locksley pulled over her wheelchair and helped her transfer into it. He then rolled her into the living room, leaving her behind for a few minutes as he made up the couch into a little bed with blankets and pillows. Soon she was under those blankets and she had to admit it felt good to lie down. Her eyes started to close as her body wanted to give into the pull of sleep already tugging at her.

"Here you go," he said, handing her two pills and a glass of water. He watched as she took them before kneeling with his stethoscope in hand. "Okay, let me check your vitals."

Robin checked her blood pressure and her temperature before listening to her heart as well as her lungs. He frowned at that point, shaking his head. "I don't like how that sounds. I think you should go to the doctor," he said.

"It's just a cold," she insisted. "I'll sleep and drink plenty of fluids and be fine tomorrow. You'll see."

"And if you're not?" he asked, challenging her.

She shrugged. "Then maybe I'll consider going to the doctor."

He pressed his lips together. "I think you should do more than that. You should go see a doctor tomorrow."

"I'll take that into consideration," she said, pulling the blanket over her body. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to get some rest."

"Alright," he said, standing again. "I'll come check on you in a little bit. I want to make sure you don't develop a fever or that cough doesn't get worse."

"Just try not to wake me," she told him. "I'm very cranky when woken up."

He rolled his eyes before giving her a mocking bow. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

"Don't call me that," she snapped, her blood boiling as she recalled her first election. Her opponent had tried to paint her as an elitist who thought she was better than everyone else because of how she was raised. He had argued that she would use the mayor's office for her own personal enrichment and not serve the people of Storybrooke. Regina had to work overtime to combat the negative image of her and thankfully people realized she did not think she was a queen. However, the moniker still came up every now and again from those who did not like her or her decisions, trying to paint her as an uncaring Evil Queen.

"Then don't just snap orders," he told her. "I am not here to be your servant. Try to be more cordial."

She huffed as she closed her eyes. "I'll take that into consideration as well. Now, I'm going to get some rest."

Regina listened as he walked away before letting out a sigh. Sleep pulled at her and she decided that a nap couldn't hurt. Maybe she could pretend to feel better after it and convince Locksley to let do a little work after all.

No one would ever accuse her of not caring about the people or their town ever again.

Robin tiptoed into the living room and checked on Regina, finding her asleep still. Her nap had lasted most of the morning, much to his relief. Even if she was being stubborn about going to the doctor, he was glad she was resting and not working. Hopefully a few days of rest and lots of fluids would help her but he worried that the situation was already worse than she realized.

He placed his hand on her forehead. She sighed as she shifted away from him but she remained asleep. Though she felt a bit warmer than usual, he didn't think she had a fever and let out a soft sigh of relief. No fever was a good sign.

But he worried it wouldn't stay that way for much longer.

Pulling his hand back, Robin looked over the sleeping mayor. He had heard something rattling around her lungs that morning when he listened to her chest. With her broken ribs, Robin worried she was experiencing the onset of pneumonia and not just a cold as she claimed. If she remained in denial for much longer, she would likely get sicker rather than letting the pneumonia be nipped in the bud.

And then there was a good chance she would end up back in the hospital and prolong her recovery.

Robin hoped that Archie called him back with some tips soon. There had to be something he could say or do that would get through to Regina before she did more damage to herself. He worried that it would fall onto Henry to convince his mother but that was not something he wanted to place on the shoulders of a ten-year-old and he doubted Regina wanted to do that as well. Maybe he would need to convince Mary Margaret that they needed to take a stronger stance when it came to her treatment.

Though Regina was sleeping rather than working, so maybe she was starting to realize she needed to take better care of herself. Maybe this was a small victory that they could build upon and get her closer to complete recovery.

He could only hope and wish.

"You are still fever free," Locksley said, reading the thermometer. "You still have an appetite and your cough doesn't sound as bad."

Triumph filled Regina, even though her body felt like someone had poured concrete into it and she still struggled to pull in deep breaths without much pain. "See? I told you it wasn't that bad. I just needed some rest."

He raised an eyebrow. "You need even more rest, Regina. It's the only way to help your body recover."

"Well, do I need to sleep or just lie on the couch?" she asked, trying to figure out her next steps with him.

"I guess you can lie on the couch," he replied. "But no working."

She gave him her sweetest smile while she crossed her fingers behind her back. "I promise."

"Alright," he said. "Do you want the remote to watch TV?"

"Can you get me my tablet?" she asked, her mind slowly coming up with a plan despite the fog filling it. "I would like to continue reading my book."

He looked hesitant. "Just to read?"

"Okay, you caught me," she said, holding up her hands though one arm could not go very high. "I might play some games too."

"Fine," Robin said, sighing. "Where is it?"

She told him where it was and he retrieved it, handing it to her. He then stepped back and watched her power it on. Regina then made a big deal about opening up her reading app and showing him the book she was reading. That seemed to place him and he nodded, relaxing. "I'll be in the kitchen getting everything ready for your afternoon routine. Just give a shout if you need me," he told her.

"Or you could just check up on me," she told him. "You know – do your job?"

He rolled his eyes before leaving the room. Pleased, Regina closed the book and opened her email. It was time to catch up on work.

It took some time but she managed to go through all her emails. She answered the most pressing before marking some others to answer the next day when she wasn't being monitored so closely. Regina then pulled up a proposal she had been reviewing and continued reading it, hoping to make a determination before the day was over, even if she had to fight to keep her eyes open or to push back the fog.

Locksley interrupted her a few times to check on her and she kept pulling up the book, making sure to advance the pages just in case. He seemed to be fooled and he kept leaving again, allowing her to focus on her work.

Then came an email with a red exclamation mark.

An emergency.

She opened the email and frowned as she read about an emergency involving a water main break. Her deputies were trying to coordinate resources but it seemed they were absolutely hopeless. If they wanted to minimize the amount of time residents were inconvenienced, she was going to have to take the lead. Glancing up to make sure Locksley wasn't lurking around, she managed to place a call on her tablet.

"Madam Mayor! I didn't expect you to call," her deputy said, sounding slightly panicked.

"I'm sure you didn't," she replied, "but a water main break is a big deal and I'm not seeing many solutions. What are you doing?"

She heard her deputy gulp before he launched into their plans to get everything fixed. Within a few sentences, she knew he was about to make everything worse and demanded that he conference her into a call with her other deputies. It seemed Regina had to do everything to make sure this town ran the way it should and no one was inconvenienced for too long.

No one needed her to rest. They needed her to run Storybrooke, just like they voted for her to do.

Regina pulled up the town plans as her deputies were all conferenced in and they got to work. They plotted the best way to reroute traffic while the water main was shut off as well as get water to any affected houses or businesses. She wanted to get the water main back up and running as soon as possible, so she approved extra overtime to make sure that happened. Regina figured she could work out the budget later. As they started to discuss how best to drain the water, someone started to clear their throat with an annoying regularity. They also started to say her name over and over but she ignored them, busy with her plans and getting them out so they could be quickly implemented.

"Whoever is talking and clearing your throat, please stop," she snapped after a while. "It's not going to work."

"Madam Mayor, what are you talking about?" one of her deputies asked. "No one is doing that."

She scowled. They would not convince her she was going crazy. "Nonsense. I can hear them loud and clear. You can't pretend you can't. It's not like it's not happening on my…"

Her voice trailed off as she turned her head to find Locksley standing next to the couch with his arms crossed. Locksley scowled at her as he said: "Good. I have your attention now."

"Can you excuse me for a moment," she told her deputies. She pulled her phone away and muted it before looking up at Locksley. "Can we push off my afternoon routine until I'm done?"

"You're supposed to be resting," he told her. "Not working."

She sat up a bit straighter. "It's an emergency. There's a water main break and I'm needed. I think we can push back my afternoon routine for a little bit longer. When are Mary Margaret and Henry supposed to get home?"

"They're already here," he replied, motioning to the entrance of the living room. Regina's heart sank into her stomach as she slowly turned her head to find Mary Margaret standing there with her arms crossed. She had never seen her friend so angry, her face red and a fire burning in her eyes as she glared at Regina.

"Madam Mayor? Are you still there?" a deputy's voice came from her phone. She glanced down at it before looking up at Mary Margaret again.

Her friend glared at her. "Go ahead. Answer them."

"This won't take too much…" A coughing jag hit Regina, pain spreading through her chest as she was unable to stop herself. She realized that the medicine Locksley had given her was wearing off and that maybe she hadn't recovered as fast as she had hoped she had.

Regina's afternoon was going downhill very quickly.

Mary Margaret took her phone from Regina's hand and unmuted it. "Madam Mayor is on leave. I have no doubt you can figure everything out on your own. Goodbye," she said, ending the call.

"Here," Locksley said, holding out a little cup to Regina. "It's time for another dose so this should help your cough."

She downed the nasty tasting syrup before handing the cup back to Locksley. Mary Margaret took her tablet from her and shook her head as he apologized. "She said she was just going to read. I even checked and she was reading a book each time I looked," he said.

"It's not your fault," Mary Margaret assured her. She glared at Regina. "She's good at being sneaky."

"Can you not talk about me like I'm a naughty child?" Regina asked, snapping as her coughing jag finally ended.

Mary Margaret crossed her arms. "Stop acting like one and maybe I will."

"How dare you!" Regina exclaimed before another coughing jag hit her. The medicine had not yet taken effect and she struggled to catch her breath.

Locksley moved toward her and patted her back as Mary Margaret shook her head. "I can't talk to you when you're like this," she said before leaving the room.

Regina caught her breath as Locksley handed her a glass of water. "Here, drink this," he said.

She sipped some water, letting the cool liquid soothe her throat. Regina took a breath and didn't cough, which was a relief. "Thank you," she said.

"Oh, you do know that phrase," he replied, setting the glass down again. "Imagine that."

"Excuse me?" she snapped. "You dare talk to me like that?"

He nodded. "I think it's about time someone did. You don't get boss people around just because you're the mayor."

"But I am your employer," she told him.

"No, you're not," he replied.

She frowned, wondering if she had finally pushed him to quit. "What do you mean by that?"

"Mary Margaret pays for me," he said, motioning toward the kitchen. "Your health care only covers so much and she's paying for the extra. Because she cares about you and wants you to get better. And what do you do? You essentially spit in her face."

"I do not!" she protested, struggling to sit up more so she could have some dignity while she gave him a piece of her mind.

He stepped closer, crossing his arms. "Don't you? Your friends and your son are doing everything they can to help you heal and you are doing everything you can to keep from doing that. I know you love them but how can you look at Mary Margaret putting together meals for you, laying out your medicine for the day and then taking care of you at night and still plop in front of your computer for hours? Or listen to your son tell me each morning to take good care of you and hear his concern in his voice but still worry more about what some imaginary adversary might say in the next debate? How can you not want to do everything you can to get better for not just your sake but theirs as well?"

"I…I…" Regina swallowed, guilt now gnawing on her. Was Robin right about her putting her career over her family? If the positions had been reversed, would she put up with Mary Margaret trying to teach rather than recover or would she be upset with her friend for not doing so?

"You can't argue my point because deep down, you know I'm right," he said, backing away again. "I'll leave you with that thought. I'd wish a good night, Regina, but I hope you have one where you really, really think about what you're doing to yourself and to your family."

He then turned and left the room. She heard him saying goodbye to Mary Margaret before her front door opened and closed. Robin was off to pick up his son while she had deal with her own as well as her friend.

Mary Margaret appeared in the doorway, fire still burning in her eyes. "I can't believe you, Regina," she said.

"Mary Margaret, I can explain," Regina started but stopped when her friend held up a finger.

"I don't want to hear it," Mary Margaret said. "I'm going to make us dinner and then you are going to bed. I am also taking your phone and your tablet as well. And in the morning, I'm calling Town Hall to disconnect your access to your work email. You are going to rest and not think about work. Got it?"

Anger coursed through Regina. "You can't do that. You have no power to tell them to cut the mayor off from her job!"

"Watch me," Mary Margaret told her.

"Are you trying to destroy my career?" Regina asked, ignoring how her chest burned as she yelled at her friend.

"No," Mary Margaret yelled back. "I'm trying to keep you from destroying your body. You can always rebuild your career! You can't rebuild your body!"

David appeared, frowning as he entered the living room. "What's going?"

"Your wife is overstepping her boundaries," Regina told him. "You need to talk some sense into her and convince her she can't tell Town Hall to cut me off."

Mary Margaret glared at Regina. "You can't order my husband to order me around, Regina."

"Last I checked, he works for me," Regina snapped.

"That still doesn't give you the right to meddle in our marriage," Mary Margaret replied. She shook her head. "Maybe we should just go home and leave you to your own devices. I will not watch you self-destruct, Regina."

"Wanting to work is not being self-destructive," Regina told her, wishing her friend would be on her side and not so combative. If Mary Margaret really wanted her to get better, then she had to know that letting her work would do that. She turned to David, hoping he would understand. "Tell her."

He held up his hands. "I don't know what's going on but whatever it is, don't pull me into it."

Regina scowled as she turned back to Mary Margaret, figuring she would have to spell it out for her friend. "I think trying to keep my normal schedule will do a lot for my mindset and that will help me heal faster."

"No," Mary Margaret said. "You want to keep your normal schedule so you can pretend that there is nothing wrong, that you aren't injured. This isn't a cold that you can power through with that mindset. You are injured and you need to rest in order to recover."

She stepped forward, not giving Regina a chance to answer. "I know your mother is screaming in your mind, Regina. And she's wrong. She's always been wrong. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to do it all. There's no shame in being injured, Regina. And no one is waiting to use this to destroy you. The only one doing that is you. And you need to stop. If not for yourself then for me and David and Henry. We need you. Please."

"I need to work," Regina begged her, hating that she had to resort to that. "Please, Mary Mar…"

Another coughing jag took over her body and Regina pitched forward as she covered her mouth, coughing into the elbow of her right arm. Pain racked her chest as she struggled to breath past the coughing, wanting it to end. She felt someone patting her back as tears blurred her vision before it was over, leaving only the lingering soreness in her chest as she leaned back against the pillow behind her.

"You need to listen to your body," Mary Margaret told her softly. She readjusted the blanket covering Regina. "I don't want to cut you off from work, Regina, I know how important it is to you. But if you won't take care of yourself, then I'm going to do everything possible to do so instead."

She walked away, telling David she was going to make dinner. He stepped closer to Regina, sighing. "We just want you to get better, Regina. And we're going to do whatever it takes to do that."

He patted her good leg before leaving the room, no doubt to change before dinner. Regina wanted to yell and bring both back so she could make them see why she needed to work. But her chest continued to hurt as she tried not to cough again while her head felt like it was filled with cement. The room began to spin and she closed her eyes, hoping it would help as her body sagged. Sleep tugged her under and she gave in, hoping she would feel better when she woke up.

Then she would unleash hell on her friends and Locksley.

A/N: Uh oh. Regina is not feeling well and still in denial about it. What's going to happen and how much worse is she going to get before she realizes that Mary Margaret and Robin are trying to help her?

Find out next time!

-Mac