A/N: Hello everyone, sorry for the wait! I was away in France for the OUAT convention and sightseeing for a while... and the weeks around the trip were a bit crazy. After I was home I had trouble getting back into the swing of writing but once again you have Sarah32924 to thank for the update this week, thanks for pushing me and motivating me Sarah! xox
I hope you all like the update, please let me know what you think afterwards xx
Chapter 72
Emma couldn't push the scene from her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling of unbearable helplessness and heartache as the images tortured her once again. She had envisioned this scene a few times before, unwillingly of course, and every time she did it had her on the verge of tears because for the last few weeks, this had been one of her biggest fears:
She was standing in the Storybrooke Cemetery, a distraught Henry was clinging to her side and her parents were standing next to her as an elegantly crafted casket was lowered carefully into the ground. All she could hear was the sound of Henry's quiet sobbing, and the pounding of her own heartbeat.
The casket had long been closed, but inside lay Regina, looking strikingly close to the way she had prior to getting sick. She was wearing a crisp designer suit that Henry had chosen because it was her favorite, and the person who had done her makeup had done a superb job copying Regina's style.
The service was everything it should have been as well; beautiful, respectful, but it was also a ceremony that never should have happened.
Regina was dead, and nothing would ever be the same again.
...
Emma forced herself to open her eyes and let go of the images. They weren't real, they didn't matter, what mattered was preventing those scenes from becoming real, what mattered was saving the woman in her arms.
"Regina please." She whispered, keeping her face buried in the brunette's hair. "Please."
She couldn't ignore the words Regina had just spoken to her but she also knew she couldn't let herself get too worked up over them. It had been painful to hear but she needed to remain focused.
"I'm not going to let you give up." She whispered. "Just hold on okay? Think of Henry... he wants to see you, he misses you. Please don't let go."
"Emma please just tell us what she said." Snow insisted. "Does she know what the wand did to her?"
"No..." Emma's voice broke. "No it wasn't about the wand."
"Then honey what was it?"
"It... it doesn't–" Emma began.
"It clearly does matter Emma." David stopped her. "Please just tell us, we can help."
Emma sniffled, looking up at each of her parents. Her heart was aching as she thought about how much pain, both emotional and physical, Regina must be in right now to push her to say such a thing.
"She..." Emma shook her head, still holding the brunette close.
"What, Emma?" Snow urged softly.
"She asked me to kill her." Emma practically whispered.
"No," Snow breathed. "Are... are you sure? That doesn't sound like her."
"Of course I'm sure," Emma replied stuffily.
"Is she still awake?" David asked.
Emma looked down to check on the brunette. "No. No she's out again."
If she even was awake in the first place. Emma wondered. She found herself hoping that Regina had been unconscious the whole time and hadn't truly meant the words she had spoken.
"Okay..." Snow began. "First things first, let's get her out of here. We'll take her back to the house and get Henry, we'll figure out the next step once we're all together."
Emma nodded, looking down at the limp form of the brunette again. "Okay."
"Emma are you alright to carry her? I can take her if it'll be easier." David offered.
"No it's okay I'm fine."
She secured one of her arms around Regina and slipped the other under the woman's legs. With a little help from David to keep her steady, Emma was able to stand up without any incident.
"What do you think we should do about Sidney?" Mary Margaret asked, glancing over at the bloodied remains of the reporter. "It doesn't seem right to just leave him here like this."
"We'll have to leave him for now at least," David replied. "I'll come back once Emma's left town with Henry and Regina."
Mary Margaret sighed, nodding in agreement. She took a sheet from the bed and placed it over Sidney to cover him from head to toe. When she looked up again she found that Emma had already left the room with Regina, but David was waiting for her with an understanding expression on his face.
The two of them quickly caught up to Emma and rushed ahead to open the front door of the house for her.
"Can we all fit in there?" Emma asked, seeing only David's truck.
Ruby and Kathryn had taken the car in which Emma had sped over to the house ahead of everyone in, and so the four of them were all going to have to pile into the Ford.
"We'll be alright. We might be a bit cramped but it's not a long trip." David responded.
Soon after they had stepped outside Emma heard a soft inhale of breath from Regina. There was a quiet moan, and Emma could feel Regina trying to find a more comfortable position.
Thank god. Emma thought to herself.
Regina's eyes were still closed when David helped Emma into the truck, guiding her carefully and helping to support Regina wherever possible. Once Emma was seated with Regina, Mary Margaret got in beside her, carefully slipping under Regina's legs which were stretched out across the bench seat. David got in on the driver's side and was about to start the truck when Emma felt Regina stirring just a little bit more.
"David wait," Emma said.
"Why what's wrong?"
"I think she might be waking up. I want to hear if she says anything more."
Regina inhaled heavily once, before tossing her head very gently to the side. Soon her eyes began to move under her closed lids, and moments later her eyelashes slowly began to flutter.
Drowsy brown eyes soon found concerned blue ones, and Emma could sense that Regina was trying her hardest to force her eyes to focus, even though they kept falling closed.
"Hey," Emma practically laughed in relief.
"Emma?" Regina whispered.
"Yeah it's me. I'm here. We're all here... Well–three of us at least."
Regina breathed a sleepy moan, lifting her head slightly in confusion.
"We're in David's truck," Emma explained softly. "Don't worry you're safe."
Regina breathed a deep sigh, closing her eyes again and resting her head against Emma.
"You're going to be okay..." Emma said softly, bringing her hand to the back of Regina's head. "You're going to be okay."
"The wand..." Regina whispered.
"Yeah... it got you pretty bad. Do you know what happened when you touched it?"
"It..." Regina trailed off, she was silent for a few moments, just breathing sharp, quick breaths.
"What did it do Regina?"
"It showed me..." Regina whispered with difficulty. "Showed me something."
Emma's eyebrows raised in surprise. "What Regina? What did it show you?"
"Blue..." Regina began tiredly, but she closed her eyes and didn't finish.
After waiting a few moments Emma continued. "It's okay, we dealt with her, she's locked up at the station. None of them will be able to hurt you anymore okay?"
"...tried to take everything..." Regina whispered.
"Blue did?"
"...tried to take...you...Henry...Daniel." Regina gave a quiet whimper. "Everything."
"What do you mean she tried to take us from you?" Emma asked softly. "How could she take us? And Daniel... Regina he's gone. How could she have taken him? Please Regina I don't understand."
"...tried to take you..." Regina repeated.
Emma looked up at her parents. "She's not making sense. She needs to get to a doctor."
Snow nodded, eyeing Regina sadly. "We'll do our best."
"Emma..."
"I know, it's going to be okay Regina, they can't hurt you anymore."
"A spell..." Regina whispered. "She's... not... herself."
"Do you mean Blue? Blue's not herself?"
"Punishment..." Regina trailed off, falling silent and still again.
"Whose punishment?" Emma asked. "Regina?"
"Emma don't press her so much, she's exhausted," Snow interrupted gently. "She's barely even conscious, just give her a few minutes to adjust."
Emma was leaning towards Regina, trying to hear if she would say anything else.
"Your mother is right Emma, Regina's just been put through hell. Wait until we get back to the house." David suggested. "She might be more aware by then."
"But what if she's trying to tell us something important?" Emma countered.
"Then she'll be able to tell us when we get there. Come on, we have to get Henry and get the three of you out of town. You said it yourself, Regina urgently needs a doctor. And don't you think it's time Henry got to see Regina?"
"Yes..." Emma sighed, sinking back a little into her seat.
The queen's eyes remained closed now and as the truck's engine roared to life, Emma continued to watch Regina's lips just in case she said anything else. However Regina didn't say one word the entire drive home, and Emma assumed she must have fallen asleep again. As they quickly neared Regina's house, Emma couldn't help but brood upon what the brunette had been trying to tell them, and she was unable to stop worrying about it the rest of the trip home.
A/N: Thank you for reading, please don't forget to review! Take care xx