A/N: I just wanted to say, thank you so much to those who reviewed on the last chapter, I really appreciated reading your comments. Also, thank you to the guest reviewer(s). I've never received comments on that scale on any chapter of any story before and they really helped me get through last week. Thank you so much, I am happy you are enjoying the story so much. :) I'm sorry I couldn't update last week like you asked for but this next chapter is nearly three times the length of the last one so I hope I am forgiven. Thank you for reading and I am looking forward to reading your comments everyone!

It was late afternoon, and Regina had been sleeping ever since the bad turn she had taken earlier that day. She moaned softly from where she was still lying in bed, and her eyelashes began to flutter weakly as she started to finally wake up.

"Regina? Regina can you hear me?" A soft female voice asked from nearby.

Still half asleep, Regina could feel something cool against her forehead, and there was a light breeze dancing across her skin. Through the windows that somebody else must have opened she could hear the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling softly in the wind.

"Regina?" The voice asked again in a hushed tone in case she wasn't truly ready to wake up just yet.

The brunette gave another quiet moan and began to stir under the blankets. She reached her arm out across the other side of the bed as if she were searching for something.

"Hey Regina." The voice greeted softly.

Regina forced her eyes open, but found herself squinting against the light as she tried to get a clearer vision of the silhouette in front of her.

"It's about time you woke up," the kind and familiar voice said.

"Mary Margaret?" The mayor whispered as the other woman's features swam into focus.

The younger brunette smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Regina's brow furrowed as she reached a hand to her forehead and discovered that a cold compress had been placed there. She continued to stare cautiously up into her stepdaughter's eyes but didn't offer a response to the question.

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked, not unkindly.

"Henry called me, he was worried about you." Snow replied. Her tone was still soft, and Regina could see hints of concern in the younger woman's eyes. "Do you remember what happened?"

Regina's hand dropped lightly from her forehead as she thought back. "I remember I wasn't feeling well after Kathryn left... I remember Henry coming to see if I was okay. I don't remember much after that."

Snow nodded understandingly. "You gave him quite the scare."

"What did happen?"

"Henry said you were really sick, and then not long afterwards you fainted..." Mary Margaret explained gently. "...But not before you asked him to get your parents for you."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, more specifically you asked for your father. You didn't want your mother to come... or you didn't think she would come... Henry wasn't sure. But it's like for a minute you forgot they were gone."

Regina's eyes grew concerned as she tried to think back. She sat up slowly and leaned her pillow upright against the headboard so she could lean back against it as she talked to Mary Margaret.

"Henry said he caught you when you fell, he said you almost smashed your head against the vanity in the bathroom. It might have been a lot worse if he hadn't been there."

"I don't remember any of that." Regina said in a quiet, haunted voice.

"I wasn't sure if you would or not, you had a pretty high fever." Snow replied a little sadly, looking to Regina's bedside table. "Would you like some water? It'll help."

"I'm fine thank you." Regina responded distractedly. She felt terrible for what she had just put Henry through.

"Have some anyway, you're dehydrated."

Regina sighed, taking the glass that was offered to her. She muttered a "thank you," before taking a sip.

"When was the last time you had a proper meal?"

Regina took another sip to avoid Snow's sympathetic gaze. "I haven't been able to keep anything down."

"That's what Henry told me too. You need energy. I was thinking maybe–"

"Where is Henry?"

"He and David are outside, why?"

"What?" Regina panicked, starting to get up. "No, he shouldn't be out there. I told him it was too dangerous, he–"

Regina suddenly froze when a fresh wave of dizziness overcame her. She gave a soft gasp of discomfort as she pressed her hand to the side of her head, closing her eyes tightly to stop the room from spinning.

"Hey, don't push yourself." Mary Margaret said gently. She took the glass back from her stepmother so she didn't drop it, and she pressed her hand lightly against Regina's shoulder to get her to lie back against the pillows again. "Don't worry, they're in the backyard and David would never let anything happen to Henry. He'll keep him safe I promise."

Mary Margaret picked up the compress that had fallen from Regina's forehead and returned it to its previous position.

"Keep this on, you've been running a fever. It's a lot better now but your temperature is still a little high."

Regina took the compress and held it against her skin.

"How long have I been asleep for?" She asked thickly, trying to estimate the time of day by looking at the sunlight outside.

"Well you've been asleep since I got here and that was three hours ago."

Regina gave a soft, destitute moan. "And how long was I asleep before that?"

"Don't worry, I think Henry only waited about half an hour before calling us."

"Was it you and David who brought me in here?" Regina asked in regards to her bedroom.

"No, actually it was Henry."

"What?" Regina asked, confused.

"Well he said you walked by yourself but he helped you. Once you were in bed you fell straight to sleep."

Regina gave a troubled sigh, she still couldn't quite remember. Forgetting the compress, she placed it on the bed beside her.

"He stayed with you you know." Snow said gently. "He called me from your cell phone. I got the keys from Emma and then David and I let ourselves in. When we came upstairs Henry was curled up next to you."

"He was?" Regina whispered softly, wishing she could remember.

"Yes, he was really worried about you. He was so sweet. He wouldn't leave your side, not until about half an hour ago when David and I convinced him to go down and have some lunch. And even then he only agreed to leave because I promised him I would look after you while he was gone."

A soft, loving smile graced Regina's lips at those words. "How is he doing?"

"He's okay. It took him a while to get over the shock of it all but he's a strong boy."

"I know he is." Regina whispered, closing her eyes. She couldn't help but think back to the morning before, when Henry had so selflessly thrown himself between a bullet and her. If she'd had any doubts of his love for her before then, they had most certainly been crushed in that very moment.

"I should go see him; I want to make sure he's alright." Regina said, forgetting her dizziness as she tried to get up again.

Snow gave her a sympathetic smile as she sank back into her pillows a few seconds later, scrunching her eyes closed tightly.

"I told you, you need energy." Snow repeated kindly, reaching for something in her purse.

"What do you suggest?"

Mary Margaret held out a bottle.

Regina's eyes narrowed as she stared at it. "What's this for?"

"It's sunscreen."

"Yes, that I can see. My question is why are you giving it to me?"

"Put it on. We're going outside."

"What if I don't want to go outside?"

"Too bad. You need energy, yet you can't keep any food down right?"

Regina just stared at her uncertainly.

"So I'm offering you a solution."

"How on Earth is this a solution?"

"The sun gives us energy. Or at the very least it is a mood enhancer and that will make you feel like you have more energy. It's not nearly sufficient enough but for now it'll have to do. Besides, when was the last time you were outside anyways?"

"Yesterday." Regina replied dejectedly.

"Come on you know that's not what I mean." Mary Margaret said gently.

"Then what do you mean? I barely even left my front porch yesterday and I was attacked by a homicidal mob. If my choices are between a vitamin D deficiency and death, I should think it would be obvious which one I would prefer."

Snow huffed, choosing not to respond to that. "We'll be in the backyard. No one will even know you're there and David and I will be with you the entire time." Her expression changed somewhat and her tone softened again. "You can't stay cooped up in here forever Regina, it's not healthy."

With that, Snow gently pushed the glass of water back into her stepmother's hands.

Regina accepted it but didn't take another sip. Instead she looked uncertainly up into Snow's eyes.

"Why should I even trust to you? You told everyone that I was leaving Storybrooke–"

"What?"

"–and now they've blocked all of the roads out of town. I know Emma told you that we were considering our options and you and David were the only other people who knew... If you really do want to see me torn apart by this town then I would prefer it if you just told me straight up, rather than putting on this charade." Regina said, closing her eyes as her head began to spin again.

"The roadblocks? But I didn't have anything to do with those!" Snow defended herself in surprise.

"Oh didn't you?" Regina asked, lowering the hand that she had placed over her eyes. "Kathryn told me that the townspeople heard it from you. She said you were upset and that you didn't want Emma to leave."

"Regina–"

"My guess is that you were hoping they would do something like this. You knew they would do everything in their power to keep me from leaving and you hoped they would save you the trouble of trying to stop us yourself."

Snow looked genuinely shocked for a few moments, until a look of devastated realization appeared in her eyes.

"Regina... I'm sorry..."

"Of course you are." Regina replied in bitter disbelief.

"No... I mean it, that was a complete accident."

Regina gave a doubtful laugh at that, but immediately regretted it as she felt the side effects of it in her temple.

"No, really." Mary Margaret insisted. "I was just talking to Ruby. I didn't even think that anyone else would be listening. We were at the diner, someone else in the restaurant must have overheard and warned the others. I'm so sorry."

"For discussing my personal business in a public place? Yes you should be."

"Well I was talking about Emma–"

"But by association you were also talking about me." Regina scolded her quietly, trying to avoid another wave of dizziness.

Snow nodded ashamed. "I'm sorry Regina... I know how important it is for you to get medical treatment. I would never have intentionally trapped you here just so my daughter would have to stay with me, not when I knew your life was in danger. Emma would never forgive me if anything happened to you because of it, and I don't think I would ever be able to forgive myself either."

At the look on Regina's face, Mary Margaret knew she had to explain. "Emma told me what's been going on." Her voice dropped to an almost whisper. "I know you're dying, and I really do want to help. When it comes down to it, what really matters is that we're family."

Regina's expression changed. She had the ghost of a smile on her lips as she folded her arms defensively. She remained quiet for a few moments but found herself believing the younger woman.

Assuming that Regina wasn't going to say anything, Mary Margaret decided to continue. "All families have their problems and I know we've had more than our fair share in the past, but now that we have Henry maybe this is our chance for a fresh start."

"I think I would really like that." Regina said softly.

"So would I." Mary Margaret smiled.

"And Snow... it means a lot to me that you still see me as family after everything we've been through."

Mary Margaret gave a soft smile in response. Regina didn't say that she felt the same, but Mary Margaret knew from their conversation at the school prior to the curse breaking that it was the truth.

"So... how much did Emma tell you?" Regina asked carefully.

"Everything."

Regina gave a small nod. "Well if what Kathryn says is true, then that makes you one of a very select group of people."

Snow had a troubled look in her eyes. "That's the part that I don't understand. Why not let everybody know? They may be callous but I can't believe they are completely heartless. Maybe they would be more willing to spare you if they knew how badly you've been suffering."

Regina's expression darkened. "Or perhaps they would just see me as an easier target."

Mary Margaret folded her arms around herself as she thought this over. "I don't know... It's true that the villagers have been acting terribly over the past two days, but maybe things are going to die down soon? A lot of those people may have hated you in the Enchanted Forest Regina, but they never went as far as to try to kill you."

"Because they knew I would obliterate them if they tried to lay one finger on me."

"That may be true, but if they had really wanted to destroy you trust me, they would have found a way. Possibly even through magical assistance. They never rose up against you and that has to mean something."

"But now I've overturned their whole lives... ripped them away from their homes... maybe this curse was the final straw for them."

"I think it was just a shock. They're good people Regina, I'm sure we can find a way to make them see that what they're trying to do is wrong. There have been times when I've hated you more than I believed myself possible of hating another person and now look at me, trying to nurse you back to health! If I can see your good side after everything you and I have been through together, they can too."

Regina studied Mary Margaret's expression for a few moments. "Why are you helping me?" She asked in guarded curiosity.

"Because you're family." Snow repeated. "And I know you still have good in you. I know that despite all the bad things you've done, deep down you're still that same person who rescued me all those years ago."

"And who exactly is that?"

Snow gave her a warm smile. "A woman who has the most genuine kindness and the strongest of love. Even after the curse, I've seen that love inside you."

"You have?"

"I've seen the bond between you and Henry, and I've seen how devastating it is when one of you is taken from the other–both ways might I add. It's that kind of love that this town needs right now, and I'm not about to let a few unhinged villagers sever it. If they do there is no coming back from that. There's been enough fighting in both worlds; it's time to end the bloodshed once and for all."

"I agree." Regina said softly. She blinked back a few tears that had formed at Snow's words about Henry. "But how do you suggest we handle the townspeople? I know you and David have already tried to talk them down, and poor Emma has been mediating non-stop. Nothing seems to be working. They're not going to stop until I'm dead."

"I'm still working on it..." Snow said quietly. "But the connection between a mother and child is so precious. It should never be forcefully broken under any terms. I know relationships aren't always easy but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be fought for. I care about Henry, and he cares deeply for you. I'm not about to let this family be shattered apart again."

Regina blinked back a few more tears at the thought of being torn away from her son. However she also shifted uncomfortably where she was sitting back against the headboard and tried to ignore the elephant in the room, so the phrase went.

Snow gave a soft smile at the look on Regina's face. "I know what you're thinking."

"I'm the reason you lost your baby." Regina stated for her.

Snow nodded, there was a bit of a sad, faraway look in her eyes until she met Regina's again and saw that they were full of remorse.

Regina searched Snow's eyes. "So because of me, you never had the chance to raise your daughter, and yet you want to help me with Henry?"

Snow took in a deep breath, trying to fight the wave of heartache that was welling up inside her at the thought of what she'd missed. "Well I can't say that it doesn't still hurt, but it does mean that I know the pain of the separation all too well. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even you."

Regina felt a wave of emotion at her stepdaughter's words. "Snow..." She whispered, but found herself not knowing how to respond.

Snow smiled softly and took her stepmother's hand. "I also know how hard it is to lose a mother, and I'm not about to let Henry go through that."

Regina looked away as she felt a tear roll down her cheek. She didn't however, withdraw her hand from Snow's.

"We're going to get through this Regina, you're going to be fine." Snow insisted gently.

"But even if we can stop the town, what are we going to do about..." Regina trailed off as her words got caught in her throat.

"We'll get you to a hospital." Snow assured her. "I know you probably don't want to stay with Storybrooke General, and I can't say that I blame you... So maybe Boston is the best plan after all."

Regina met Snow's gaze again. "Even though you and David wouldn't be able to go with Emma?"

Snow smiled sadly. "I have to trust that she would come back to visit. And maybe once you're better you could all move back here."

Regina gave a soft, heartfelt sigh.

"I still don't understand why magic can't cure this kind of thing." Snow said thoughtfully. "It's always been hard for me to accept that with all the wonderful things it can do, its limitations include not being able to cure one stupid illness."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion, but she didn't get the chance to ask why Snow would think such a thing because her stepdaughter had already leaned forward and pulled her into a soft hug.

Regina was surprised for a moment or two before she wrapped her arms around Snow in return.

"I can't imagine the amount of pain and loneliness you must have been feeling to do what you did. And I think it's cruel that after everything you went through you still have to suffer this way."

Regina rubbed the younger woman's back softly. "Thank you Snow, that means a lot." She whispered.

"We're going to fix this." Snow said, pulling back from her stepmother. "This world has many wonders, and one of those is it's medical knowledge. You're going to be fine, I know it."

Regina gave her a small smile, she was still worried about what was yet to come but she was glad she had someone else on her side. She knew she and Snow had a complicated history, but she had still been hurt when she'd thought Snow had given her up to the town.

"So how about it?" Snow asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Regina gave her a questioning look. "How about what?"

"Outside."

Regina looked up into Snow's still apologetic eyes, it was clear that she still felt badly for accidentally betraying her stepmother.

"I'm not really a sunbathing kind of person." Regina replied amiably.

Some of the sparkle returned to the younger woman's eyes again. "I assumed as much, which is why I brought this." She said triumphantly, holding up the sunscreen. "You won't get the full benefits of the sun, but at least you won't get burned either."

Regina sighed good-naturedly in defeat.

"Come on," Snow insisted with a smile. "I promised Henry I would come get him the minute you woke up. I've already broken my promise. You're not going to keep him waiting now are you?"

Her stepmother eyed her tiredly. "I thought you said I should be taking it easy?" She pointed out lightly.

"I'll help you get downstairs." Mary Margaret assured her gently. "Henry's been really worried about you. Don't you think the best gift you can give him right now is to show him that you're making an effort to get better?"

Regina looked away from her, not really having a response.

Snow watched her stepmother guardedly. "When I was talking to him earlier I realized something... He doesn't know you're sick does he? Well I mean obviously he does because he can see it for himself... But what I mean is, Henry doesn't know that what you have is terminal if it goes untreated does he?"

Regina met her eyes again. "No. He doesn't. I was going to tell him, I just couldn't find the right moment. I didn't want to burden him even more. Although, I did actually decide on telling him today, but that was before... well, everything that's happened."

Snow nodded understandingly. "Well I don't think you should keep it from him for much longer. He's beginning to realize that things might be worse than you and Emma have been letting on. But if anything happened to you..." Snow shook her head, trailing off. "He would never forgive any of us for keeping this from him. He would want to know."

"I know." Regina whispered, ignoring the tears in her eyes.

Snow gave a soft sigh, knowing it was time to move on from that subject. "Listen, I'm not trying to be insensitive Regina, but I don't think letting you stay cooped up in here is doing you any great kindness."

"That's what Emma keeps saying."

"And she's right. If we're going to make sure that you have even a chance of getting better, then we need to make sure you're taking good care of yourself. And getting a bit of fresh air once in a while falls into that category."

Regina gave her a look. "Fine. I'll come outside if you really want me to that badly."

Snow looked pleased if not slightly surprised. "You will?"

"Yes. And while the sunscreen was thoughtful of you, I think I'll be wearing long sleeves anyway so I won't be needing this–"

"But the sun's good for–"

"And I'm going to sit in the shade."

"But–"

Regina placed her hand on Mary Margaret's arm to stop her. "Trust me, the fact that you're getting me to go outside is a big enough victory in itself. Just pride yourself in that for now."

"Okay," Snow replied warmly.

"Now, I think I'd like to see my son please." Regina said softly, already mentally preparing herself for the long journey down the stairs.

Mary Margaret nodded. She got up from the bed as Regina pushed the covers back. Still suffering from a bit of dizziness, she allowed the younger woman to slip her arm around her waist and take her hand.

"I hope you're right about this," Regina grumbled tiredly as she reached for Mary Margaret. She shut her eyes against the dizziness as her stepdaughter helped her up, and then the two women slowly made their way down to the main floor.