A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you to the few of you who reviewed on the last chapter, I always love hearing from you! I tried to get this next chapter up a lot faster than I usually update, but my classes started again and I'm still doing a lot of hours at work so updates might slow down again. I will definitely do my best though. For anyone who reads Pieces of A Dream, I am currently working on the next chapter for that as well, I am sorry that it has been like 6 months since I've updated that one. I'll leave you to read this next chapter now xx
Emma took her time as she made her way up the stairs. She had to admit she was nervous. What if Regina did know what her plan was? How would she react? Emma remembered the last time Regina was mad at her, really mad at her. Regina had been trying to talk to her about something very important and Emma had pretended not to hear her. Emma had intentionally walked at a pace Regina wouldn't be able to keep up with and even though she could hear Regina calling her, she kept going. She felt the familiar twinge of regret at that memory. Did she really want another repeat of that?
She took a deep breath before pushing the door to Regina's bedroom slowly open. The two occupants were both awake, and Emma was relieved to see two sets of mostly empty dishes sitting on the bedside tables. She had been worried; if Regina had refrained from eating for any longer Emma had feared she may starve to death.
Regina and Henry both looked up at her from where they sat as she entered the room. She dropped a messenger bag she had been carrying onto a nearby chair.
"Hey..." Emma sighed through her words, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Hi Emma." Henry responded.
Regina gave her a tiny, cheerless smile in response. "Where did you go?" She asked, her eyes drifting briefly to the bag.
Her change in demeanor felt almost like an ice bucket had been dropped over Emma's head.
"Town," Emma said, fiddling with the blanket so she didn't have to look Regina in the eye. "I wanted to see what the crowds in the streets are like. It's definitely not as bad as it was when the curse broke... People aren't fighting each other so much anymore."
"Is that all you were doing?" Regina asked, hinting that she knew Emma was lying.
Emma's hand touched the bottle hidden inside her pocket and she grew nervous when she saw Regina's eyes flick down towards it too. If Emma acted quickly she could soak her own shirt sleeve and then hold it over Regina's face until the other woman blacked out; it would be so easy. In mere seconds she would be able to pick Regina up without dispute and just put her in the car. They could finally be on their way to Boston and with any luck Regina would stay asleep until after she had been admitted to the hospital. Regina's suitcase still needed a few more items, but most of the bags were still in the trunk from when they had been planning to leave before Julie and Katie and the house fire and the kidnapping and everything else that had gone down. However something inside Emma told her to wait.
When Emma didn't immediately respond, Regina nodded her head, looking away.
"Regina–"
"I heard you and Mary Margaret," Regina interrupted her, her voice a little shaky.
"What?"
"At first I thought I dreamt it... but then there were a few things Henry said... and he's been so restless. I can tell he's excited to go." Regina looked down at the boy sitting next to her, giving him a knowing look as his face flushed a little red. Regina's words had been gentle, but he could tell she was hurt.
Emma felt sick. "Oh..." She shuffled uncomfortably, looking at Henry who gave her an apologetic look. "Regina I'm sorry. I know what it sounds like but I honestly have only the best intentions. I never wanted to hurt you, I just–"
"Emma," Regina stopped her, closing her eyes for a few moments. She didn't want to hear it. She breathed a heavy sigh."Emma..." She began again, more slowly, "if I told you one more time that I don't want to go... what would you do?" Regina asked with a bit of a catch in her voice.
"I–"
"Please Emma, tell me the truth." Regina whispered, the pain evident in her eyes.
When she didn't respond, Regina gave a frustrated sigh, once again shaking her head slightly as she looked at Emma in disappointment and betrayal.
Emma had a guilty, and apologetic look on her face as she tried to think of something, anything to say. But she knew that Regina already knew the answer to her question, and there was no possible way to make it sound any less worse.
"Emma if you knew what this felt like you wouldn't try to force me to do this. You would let me go." Regina whispered.
"But why Regina?" Emma's voice dropped to an almost whisper too. "Why do you want to give up?"
"I already told you Emma. I can't do this anymore, I just... I can't. It's too much. I just need it to be over. And I want all of you to be safe, it's too risky for you all to keep trying to protect me."
"But Regina we are just as much in danger if we stay here, more probably. Whale and Blue are taken care of... Sidney is dead... but that doesn't mean that someone else who was on their side won't still come after you."
Regina didn't respond, she closed her eyes, giving another small shake of her head as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Regina..." Emma's voice broke. "I don't want to say goodbye. I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet. I need you." A few tears streamed down her face as Regina's gaze dropped again.
"Emma..."
"Me too," Henry's small voice broke in. "I don't want to grow up without you Mom."
Regina's tired eyes saddened at his words, she pulled him into a comforting hug.
"Regina if I knew what it felt like... if the situation was reversed and I was the one who was sick, I know you would be doing the exact same thing as I am right now."
Regina breathed an incredulous laugh. "What? Trying to get your parents to help me kidnap you? Trying to force you to do something that..." She shook her head softly, "that filled you with the most overwhelming fear..." she whispered.
"No," Emma replied softly. "I know you would be trying to do everything you could to save me. You would call me a stubborn idiot and then convince me that leaving is the right choice. Regina I never wanted to hurt you. I knew it was going to make you hate me and the thought of that killed me... but I also knew it would be worth it. If what I did made you hate me, but the outcome was saving your life and making sure our kid grows up with his mother, yes I was really willing to choose that over letting you die. Regina your life is worth saving. You just have to fight for it."
"I have fought for it. I've fought for far too long now. I just can't do it anymore Emma." Regina's eyes were desperate, she just wanted someone to understand. Everyone could guess but no one could know what it was really like for her.
"Yes you can!" Emma countered. "The fact that you're still here proves that you can! You're the strongest person I know Regina. You just need to be strong for another few hours. We'll make it to Boston, you're going to be okay. The care they will give you at the hospital will make it so much easier to fight. It will take the pressure off, all you'll have to do is rest."
"But Emma even if we did get there, it's not like I'm going to be magically cured once we arrive. I'll still be this sick, I'll still be at death's door. My health is more fragile right now than I ever imagined it could possibly be. There is still a very good chance I won't make it through this."
"But you'll be receiving some of the best medical care in the world. Please Regina you have to try. If not for yourself, if not for me... at least do it for Henry."
"Leaving him is the hardest part of all of this, but I don't think Henry wants to see me suffering for the rest of my days." Regina said, her eyes drifting to meet his. He dropped his gaze away from hers, but he burrowed deeper into her arms.
"Of course not. But after everything that's happened it would kill him to lose you now." Emma sniffled, blinking back a few tears as she watched her son. "It would kill me too." She said quietly. "But if we get you to the hospital then no one has to say goodbye. They'll help you, they can help with the pain you're in. Kidney failure is not supposed to be a painful death. You shouldn't be suffering this way."
Regina looked up at her with a saddened, wounded look in her eyes. "But Emma there are still so many people out there who want to see me die. If we do try to leave and we get caught..." Regina closed her eyes, shaking her head softly. "I can't go through it again, please don't put me back in that situation. Please don't put yourself, and Henry in that situation. I don't want to see either of you get hurt because of me."
"But anyone could show up at the front door at any time Regina. You'll be so much safer in Boston, and so will Henry."
Emma feared she was imagining it, but she swore she could see the doubt growing in Regina's eyes now as the brunette looked down at Henry.
Regina was shaking her head slowly and if Emma knew the woman at all, the look on her face meant she was close to agreeing to something she didn't like. Emma's heart skipped a beat.
"Okay..." Emma said in a tired, exasperated tone. "How about this... If you really, really don't want to go to the hospital... If you would really rather let yourself die... we can stay at my place. That way you'll be far away from all the dangers in Storybrooke. And so will Henry." She said, emphasizing the last sentence. "We could just disappear from society and spend the days cuddled up under blankets on the couch watching movies and stuff with Henry. We can bring anything from here that will make it feel more like home. Hell, I'll pay for Mary Margaret and David to ship everything in this room if it would make it easier for you. Your furniture will take up most of my apartment I'm sure... but I'm okay with that as long as it means you would be comfortable. I know it won't be the same as home... but I'll take care of you. And as for anyone in town who might want to stop you from leaving... I'll seriously just run them over. Seriously. We can take David's truck, it's bigger. I'm sure he won't mind if we dent it up a bit."
Regina was eyeing her sideways with a look that almost resembled amusement. Emma had missed that look.
"Would that at all help?" Emma asked, her voice rose in hopeful teasing. Henry sat up and waited for Regina's response.
"Emma..." Regina breathed, there was the ghost of a smile on her face.
"Come on Regina, you can't honestly want to spend the rest of your days wondering when the next mob will show up." Emma said more softly. "I know you're just scared of what could happen when we try to leave... and I get that... but Regina, this isn't how your story is supposed to end."
Regina's gaze dropped to her lap, the corners of her mouth tugged a little and Emma thought she was finally going to see a real smile.
"Is that a yes?" Emma nudged her very gently.
"Emma," Regina drew out the word as she closed her eyes in final deliberation. She took in a deep breath, folding her arms around herself. "If it really means that much to you, I'll go with you to Boston... Or at least I'll try to anyway." Regina said with a small catch in her voice. "I'll do it for Henry," she brushed her fingers through his hair.
Henry gasped, "really?!" He asked hopefully.
Emma's change in expression could have lit up the sun. She took in a deep breath and opened her mouth to respond when Regina lifted a hand to stop her.
"But let me make one thing quite clear Miss Swan, if you end up getting me killed out there..." her features softened, "just know that my ghost will haunt you for the rest of eternity."
Emma breathed a laugh, blinking back tears as she pulled Regina into a relieved hug. "I would be disappointed if you didn't." She said softly, relieved when Regina didn't push her away. Her voice turned more serious. "But Regina, I won't let you down. I'll get you to Mass General, I promise."
Regina burrowed into Emma's embrace. "I really hope so," she mumbled.
"Are we really going to go?" Henry asked, folding his legs underneath him as he sat up beside them.
Regina gave a timid nod as she continued to lean against Emma. She gave him a small smile but her eyes were full of worry.
"I'm really glad you changed your mind Regina. I would have never forgiven myself if I–" Emma sighed, not finishing her sentence. "I really didn't want to force you to do anything against your will."
Regina was silent for a few moments. "Then why were you going to Emma?" She asked quietly.
Emma breathed another heavy sigh, subconsciously wrapping her arms more protectively around her friend. "You know why." She whispered, closing her eyes as the thought of losing Regina tormented her once again.
Regina closed her eyes too. She wanted to be angry at Emma for what she had wanted to do, and she wanted to be angry at the others for not trying to stop her, but she just couldn't. Emma was trying too hard to hold on to her, and there were worse crimes than that.
"None of us want to lose you, Mom." Henry said in a small voice.
Regina gave a small nod, pulling back from Emma and rubbing Henry's arm affectionately before he molded back into her embrace. She felt a few fresh tears fill her eyes. "So... can I ask what your plan was?" She asked, hastily blinking the tears away.
"It doesn't matter Regina," Emma said uneasily.
"No, tell me," Regina insisted gently. "What were you planning to do?"
Emma swallowed nervously, glancing at Henry before her eyes met Regina's again. The other woman's brown eyes were boring up into hers and Emma knew Regina wouldn't give up until she had an answer.
"Okay," Emma breathed. "You're going to be mad... but I did have the very best intentions."
Regina's eyes narrowed as Emma reached into her pocket and withdrew the small vial.
"What is this?" Regina asked, taking it from her.
"A sleeping potion." Emma responded.
Regina's eyes grew wide as they flicked back up to Emma's.
"I got it from Gold." Emma shrugged apologetically.
"What?!"
"I know... I didn't know what else to do. I needed to get you to the hospital but I couldn't think of any way to get you there without hurting you and... I just couldn't do that."
"But how could you trust him Emma? For all you know this could have killed me."
Emma shook her head. "I know what it sounds like but trust me, he was telling the truth. He wants you to make it through this."
"Emma he caused the fire here, he helped them to take me in the first place and he was well aware of what they were going to do to me. You told me so yourself."
"I know..." Emma's tone was ashamed. "But he also helped us find you again. He's pissed off at you because of what happened with Belle... but in his own twisted way he cares about you. He was your mentor once wasn't he? You guys kind of made the curse together... I know you two aren't exactly friends, but if he wanted you to die he wouldn't have helped us find you. I think with the amount of history that's between you he can't just let you die."
Regina shook her head, making a small noise of disbelief. "Not unless it's at his own hands." She muttered.
Emma nudged her again. "Come on," she said softly. "I think deep down you know I'm right. It's horrible, but I think he saw what happened to you back in that house as a kind of penance... and I think now, at least in his view, you're paid up. At least until you do something else to piss him off." Emma teased.
Regina sighed, looking down at the bottle again. "Even if that is true... Emma if I were you I would put this someplace where no one else can get their hands on it. If Rumple gave this to you I am willing to bet that it's dangerous."
"Okay, I'll give it to David to put in the safe at the station." Emma responded. "In the mean time... can we please just go already? We've already wasted so much time. You're here, Henry's here, my car is here, all three of us are finally on board with the trip...I see no reason to delay."
Regina wrapped her arms around herself nervously. "I don't know... I think we should still discuss a plan first. I want to be sure this goes as smoothly as possible. I really don't want us to end up in an ambush."
"Okay... we can wait until later tonight, like the plan was last time? Less people are patrolling the streets at night, we might have a better chance in a couple of hours."
Regina nodded thoughtfully, although her brow was still furrowed in worry. She was about to respond when the sound of someone clearing their throat softly from the doorway caught their attention. The two women looked up to see Snow, David, Kathryn and Ruby standing there.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we think we might have a solution." Kathryn said.
"It's a little crazy..." Ruby admitted. "And a little risky, but honestly any attempt is going to be."
"It's definitely not flawless... but I think it will give us a good chance." Snow said. "Just at least hear them out."
A/N: Thank you for reading, please do leave a review! Take care xx