Regina seeks advice from Merlin on her fate. Robin and Roland leave for England, and a few weeks later Regina gets more than a surprise!
Storybrooke Hospital
Regina noticed the changes in Storybrooke Hospital almost immediately. It looked freshly painted, the wood floors stripped and polished, the bustling staff in new uniforms, and the reception desk bristling with IT equipment.
Merlin's doing?
"Good morning, Mrs. Swan-Mills, isn't it?" said the receptionist who she vaguely recognized.
"Yes, good morning. I'm here to see Professor Sage?"
The younger woman looked down at her screen. "He's just come out of theatre so, I've paged him, and he'll be with you in a couple of minutes. Second floor, room twelve."
Regina smiled, pleased at the unusual courtly efficiency. She headed into the refurbished elevators, up to the meeting room, before knocking.
"Come in?"
As she walked into yet another newly-refurbished office, Merlin appeared to be dictating something to a nurse who tapped notes into her tablet.
"Thanks, Rose. Would you let me know when Vincent's ready?" The nurse nodded, stepping away as he stood and approached his new arrival.
"Regina, nice to see you 're looking so much better than two days ago! How are you feeling?" He stopped and, without asking permission, placed his warm hands either side of her face, to massage her recently restored jaw. Reminding herself it had only been days since the man magically healed her battered features, she just smiled back.
"Better. Apart from some soreness and aching."
"To be expected, unfortunately." He satisfied himself all was healing correctly. "You've Victor Whale to thank for the important bit, the surgery underpinning the jaw. Tricky thing, surgery on the mandible! Needs a delicate touch."
"Impressive, seeing he got his medical degree from a curse?" Even now, Regina was unable to resist a small dig.
"The same way you and I got our own skills, you mean? Magic? Actually, he's a rather brilliant surgeon, though I know you dislike him. His skills will be much in demand in New York."
"So, you're really taking our only surgeon? I know I've had issues with Whale in the past, but he's all we've got! And now he's spending most of his time in Robin's new village."
"Where he's needed, and appreciated, believe you me! You're aware my daughter, Anna, will be staying here in Storybrooke for the next six months? She's a first-class surgeon, a Cardiologist as it happens. And my field's Obstetrics and Gynaecology."
"You're staying as well?" Regina was more than surprised the world's greatest sorcerer would be sticking around in a tiny Maine town.
"Coming and going. I'm training up another surgeon; I think you'll like him. Plus, you now have a paramedic on call between here and Sherwood. You already know her. Caroline? Robin's cousin?"
"Carrie? I thought she said she was a nurse. Is she trained?"
"Anna and I trained her ourselves. Using magic, of course! She was already a very skilled midwife. She always undersells herself, does Carrie. She'll be a brilliant asset. To the town, and Victor."
Regina sighed. In years past, she'd been at the very epicentre of the town, not allowing changes, or hires, without her permission. Now, the entire community had woken up, thanks mainly to the arrival of the man in front of her. And Robin.
"Good, I rather like her. A wise decision."
"Thank you. Now, you asked to see me?"
Regina stalled, unsure how to begin. "Yes. Well, this is difficult for me to explain. I need some advice. Not medical, nor magical. More…moral?" The Sorcerer nodded for her to continue, staying silent.
"Robin told me you're able to communicate with the Underworld. With the dead? He didn't give me any specific details but, I need to know..." she hesitated, gathering her thoughts. "Am I damned to go to hell, Merlin? No matter how I've lived my life since I was the Evil Queen?"
His expression changed as he studied her, and for a moment she felt more like prey being watched by a calculating predator.
"No Regina. Everyone's capable of being pardoned by the gods. But only if they're genuinely contrite and at least try to atone. To repent for past sins."
"So my parents? They're not together in the afterlife?"
"I wouldn't like to go into the details, but suffice to say your father, Henry, is now in Heaven, or Paradise, or whatever you prefer to call it, together with those who genuinely loved him. And of course those he loved too. He's very happy."
"And my mother, the Red Queen?"
"Ah…" Merlin sighed, shaking his head, a look of sadness on his face. "Cora would've been weighed and assessed before the Celestial Court, like everyone else. They see everything, you know? Nothing's hidden. They see not only whether she was truly repentant for her crimes, not just to those who knew her, but to the rest of the people whose lives she destroyed. Whether she did anything during her life to rectify any of those actions. Did she ever seek forgiveness? Did she show any form of contrition? Without that, the gods always seek eternal retribution. Magic does come at a price."
That told her all she needed to know. Cora's in Hell for eternity.
She swallowed, her throat now dry. "I've committed so many crimes as the Evil Queen. I took many innocent lives. I'm told I'm reformed now, but is there anything I can do, after the event, to avoid damnation?"
"You could just as well be asking a priest? Of course there is, Regina. You've lived a good life these last few years. Don't just regret past crimes; do something about them! Speak to people you've wronged. Don't just ask forgiveness but do something specific to help them now! Your magic provides you with good fortune and great abilities. Use them for good! There's people still living in the forest who're still there because their parents were killed or harmed by you. Return their stolen property, or their money? Try to heal their pains? And then, only then, beg for their forgiveness."
"I think there's a good few who could never forgive me, no matter what I did."
"Probably. But you know what? The gods at the Court see everything! They see into your soul. They see whether you're trying to gain forgiveness for your own sake, or whether you truly mean it. And if you do, like so many others you'll be sent by the Court to purgatory, which the Underworld was originally intended for, before Hades ruined it. However, thanks to the admirable efforts of those such as Robin, Arthur and others, much of it is restored. Once there, you'll need to atone and face all of those who've harmed as a result of your actions. All of them! Even those no longer there who have moved on to Heaven. After that, the Court willing, you'll be sent to Paradise, redeemed."
"How would I even start? To redeem myself, I mean?"
"Well, to give you an example. This afternoon, I'll be carrying out a tympanoplasty procedure." He saw the confused look. "That's an operation to repair the ear drum, on a young lady called Lydia. Lydia's an orphan, currently under the care of Robin's men. Her parents were killed by your guards. By one of the Evil Queen's rampages through her village. She lost her hearing only a few years ago, after being told of her foster mother's murder in Storybrooke. A woman who you may remember."
Regina knew she wasn't going to like the answer but didn't remember killing any woman here? "In Storybrooke? Her foster mother?"
"Johanna Mendel, a former ladies' maid to Queen Eva. Your mother threw her off the clock tower, while you stood and watched. And you laughed, as I recall? The dream catcher shows everything."
Regina felt sick at the memory of her mother's final murder, before she herself died as a result of Snow's trickery. Everything he said was true, and she felt ashamed.
"While you're at it, remember Sheriff Graham Humbert? That poor man you held captive for years, and whose heart you crushed? Well, part of his stipend was spent supporting a young boy he fathered before he was murdered. That boy's name is Christian. He's about twelve years old now, and he still lives in the woods under canvas. Rarely comes out, even for the men. He's alone. Perhaps he could be helped by a truly repentant former queen?"
Regina starting weeping, pulling out a cotton handkerchief to dab her eyes.
"Graham had a child? How could I have never known that? If I'd known, I'd never have-!" She remembered how she'd held his heart in her hand, crushing it, and the life out of him. "I really don't deserve forgiveness, do I?"
"You do if you earn it!"
Merlin stood, walking around his desk to sit opposite, collecting her hands in his. "Yes, you were a monster, Regina. That's why they called you the Evil Queen. But…you can still do something about it to balance the scales. It's never too late, if you TRULY repent and try to do something to atone for past crimes. If you don't, then you can definitely expect the same fate as Cora."
She nodded, quietly sniffling. She needed to do something. She needed a plan to undo the huge mess she'd caused.
One week later...
Time passed, and the day came when Robin, and Roland, would leave for England, along with Merlin's daughter. A day Regina had been dreading. She hadn't seen him all week, though she'd managed to tame the longing for her former lover, even though the thought of him being out of her life again, even for only two months, was depressing.
The initial argument Robin had with Emma about his trip had been settled. The two of them had again apologized to one another, and they'd awkwardly hugged it out. Regina finally agreed that Roland would benefit from seeing his only remaining biological family, and the trip to Europe could be seen as educational. Mr. Jasper, the Headmaster of Storybrooke School, had also agreed. Honour would stay behind this time, though there were many tears shed at the news her newly restored daddy would be leaving them for six weeks. His other daughter Robyn had also been upset, but he'd assured them both he'd be back with Roland, that he loved them so much, and the next time he went on a trip like this he would definitely be taking them with him.
"But why you going, daddy?" the little blonde one groaned. "Why can't I come?"
They'd been through this several times already, but Robin again patiently explained. "Honour, I'm going to be meeting some uncles and cousins and family I've never met before. And hopefully find my little sister Maria too. Rolly and I are going to have to do a lot of very tiring travelling, and I'm not quite sure what it's going to be like. I'm also going to have to go to a 'special' school so some of Merlin's friends can teach me more magic."
"School?" said Robyn, currently sitting on his knee on the sofa, Zelena having left them to talk. "Like my school?"
"Yes, my darling, a little bit like your school, but a magical one. Sometimes, Roland will spend time with my family while I'm in Avalon."
"Avalon? Isn't that where Arthur was supposed to come from originally?" Emma asked. "We went to Camelot and it was supposed to be somewhere near there, so how come you need to fly to England?"
"Merlin said there's several places called Avalon, as decoys against former dark forces. Apparently, the real Avalon is in the far west of England, in a place called Cornwall. It's hidden from the non-magic world, like Storybrooke, but it's a world centre of magic."
"I've heard Gold mention it." Regina added. "A place of 'healing', if I recall? Why do you need to learn there? What can you learn from a 'Hogwarts' that you can't learn from Merlin himself?"
"Dad said Robin's a 'Stage Ten'." Celia Sage had been listening to the conversation. "There's things that need much more intense training. Divination, mind reading, multiple persona control, and of course, realm-jumping Dad's taken me to Avalon once to meet some of my former half-brothers and sisters. It's wonderful, but a bit weird, meeting people who have died."
"Realm-jumping?" Henry gasped. "You mean Robin can jump through realms without magic beans? That means he must be able to go backwards and forwards in time, right? That's fantastic!"
"Yes and no. There're loads of very strict rules about that! If you do anything wrong, anything at all, you can screw up thousands, maybe millions of lives in the future! Henry, imagine you could go back in time to stop Hitler or any other dictator being born? If you did that, you and billions of others would cease to exist, replaced by others! That's why he needs special training. I don't know what they do there, but dad says it's the best way to teach Robin how to control his higher level powers."
Robin stayed silent, looking at his two girls, balanced one on each knee. "I promise we'll be back as soon as we can." He kissed each on the top of their head as he hugged them. Honour and Robyn both leaning into him, hugging him tightly. Regina and Emma exchanged a look, knowing the girls had totally fallen in love with their father, and he with them.
Regina pondered whether Robin would still be the same person when he returned, with seemingly limitless powers?
As hugs and kisses were exchanged, Roland being completely smothered by Regina, she whispered to Robin. "Can I have a quick word before you go? Emma, would you join us?"
~oOo~
The three left the small group as Regina led them into the living room at the back before closing the door. Emma and Robin gave each other a look, unsure of what she was about to say.
"Gina, what is it?" Emma looked concerned.
"I wanted to tell you both about something I've decided to do with the rest of my working life. I need to tell you now as, when Robin gets back, the three of us will need to organize school pick-ups and drop offs." Both nodded for her to continue. "Well...it's been five years since I was Mayor and as you're aware, I haven't been able to face a full-time job since…well, you know?"
"Go on. What have you decided to do?"
"I want to become a paramedic. Maybe even a doctor, one day."
"Whaaaat! Where the hell did this come from?"
"Blimey!" Robin was equally surprised. "That's a change and a half! What brought this on?"
"I spoke to Merlin, and he said something that disturbed me. Robin, do you remember last week, in the hospital when you were…erm…torturing my sister? You told me about making amends for the lives my family have ruined?"
"Yes. I'm sorry I was blunt, but I never meant-"
"Everything you said was true! I need to make some sort of recompense for the lives I've destroyed. So, I figured a good way would be to do something specific. I have no wish to return to being mayor or anything like that in the future but, well, I was chatting to Carrie yesterday and I looked at what she was doing. She said she was only a nurse but she's a hell of a lot more than that! Merlin's training her up to be a full paramedic and I realized that was one way I could get my hands dirty and help people, seeing as we're seriously short of trained people. So, I asked him to train me. With magic of course, to save time. I've no wish to spend five years in medical college."
"When did you decide all this?" Emma sounded hurt that she was only hearing this now. How could she keep that from her? "Well thanks for letting me know? It's not like I'm your wife or anything?"
"Well, good for you, Regina. I think it's an excellent idea." Robin earned a glare from Emma.
"I finally made my decision this morning. And thank you for your support, Robin."
He saw the irritated look in the blonde's eyes, knowing a storm could be brewing between them. "Well, good luck. Whatever you decide, I'm sure we'll be able to work the children around us all? Now, I best be going. Merlin's sorted out tickets and money for the journey, and a fairly convincing passport. I think we have everything so, I guess I'll see you in six weeks?"
He wanted to kiss her goodbye properly, but Emma was standing right beside them, and he didn't want to stretch her patience. So, he wrapped his arms around the brunette, pulling her into a hug. "Take care. Look after one another, and our loved ones."
She looked up into eyes that never failed to mesmerize. "Be safe, Robin. Do take care of Roland." The pair were inches from each other's mouths, Emma watching closely and oddly enough, not feeling any sort of jealousy or irritation.
"For heaven's sake! Just kiss him already?"
Regina looked a little shocked by the remark, but Robin just looked down at her lips and smiled. "Well, if your wife insists?" before then pressing his lips firmly against hers. Regina felt the old familiar buzz and although hesitant for a second, she responded by returning it. No tongues were introduced, but it definitely wasn't chaste either! It lasted a good few seconds before they separated, Regina's cheeks blushing as she looked at Emma before stepping back.
"Yeah, have a good trip, thief! Take care of Rolly," said the blonde who, without prompting, stepped into Regina's vacated place. Robin, without hesitation, wrapped his arms around her, just as he had her wife. "Always," he whispered, before fastening his lips to Emma's, which caught her completely by surprise! But, after a moment's hesitation, she responded in kind.
Regina stood transfixed, not believing what she was seeing. They were kissing. And it wasn't exactly chaste. Seeing her loves in an embrace sent all sorts of odd feelings though her. The pair seemed to sense her gaze, finally separating. Now it was Emma's turn to blush. Robin, sensing the odd turn of events, realized he needed to leave.
"Look after our babies, mums, and please keep an eye on Robyn for me? I don't think I could ever trust her mother."
He trooped out the door and back to join the rest of the party where they made their final goodbyes. Regina leant in.
"Emma, what just happened?"
Mifflin Street – Five weeks later
"Hi Gina, hi Emma!" shrieked Roland, as the two women appeared side-by-side in front of the tablet.
Roland had already learned how to use the new device for video calls, and he'd called them at least twice a week since he left Storybrooke, five weeks ago. He'd used it regularly, when Robin allowed, to keep up with his sisters, his big brother in Harvard, and a couple of special friends back home. His father said he needed to look after the grown up device and be mindful of local times to avoid calling people in the middle of the night due to the time difference.
"Hello, my darling!" Regina felt a little weepy, seeing his magnetic grin. "We've missed you, my knight! Is everything okay? Are you having a good time?"
"It's fine, mum. Brilliant, actually! But I really missed you too, and we're coming home next week. I spoke to Henry yesterday. He said he'll also be back home in two months."
"Yes, we're missing him too!" added Emma, "It's not been the same without having our boys around. Have you been having fun?"
"Definitely! We went back to London for a few days, to meet some more of dad's family. I met Auntie Maria! She might be coming back with us for a while. She's lovely, you'd like her. Although when she met dad, they kept crying all the time! He thought she was dead, and she thought he was dead. Dad said they were happy tears, but…"
"I'm so pleased Roland, it must be wonderful for him. Where's your father now?"
'He's with Gumpy! Hang on, I'll go get him?" The boy left the screen quickly to bellow something incomprehensible down the stairs, followed by "GUMPY, COME QUICK! MAMA'S ON THE CALL!"
"Gumpy?" Emma whispered. "Who the hell's Gumpy?"
After a short commotion, the women heard more than one deep voice get louder, as someone entered his room. The boy came back to the screen, sitting on his bed as a large, silver-haired, grey-bearded man, probably in his eighties, settled down to Roland's right.
"This is my great-grandpa! Gumpy!" He introduced the man, who wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer and leaning into the screen.
"Or you can just call me Christian?" He chuckled, his voice deep. "Christian Locksley, at your service, mi'ladies! It's been wonderful spending time with young Roland here. Now, I guess you must be his mothers, Mrs. And Mrs. Swan-Mills? Robin told me how wonderful you've been since he 'died', but he never told me just how stunningly beautiful you were?"
They smiled back at the old man. Though he looked at least double Robin's age, she could still see a resemblance between him and his grandson. The light beard, though grey. More lines certainly, no dimples, for a change, but that devious twinkle in his pale blue eyes? He even flirted like Robin!
"Why thank you, kind sir, you flatter me! Though do call me Regina? This is Emma, my wife." She wrapped an arm around her other half.
"Pleased to meet you, sir!" said Emma, politely.
"Please, none of that 'Sir', 'Lord Locksley' or "My Lord' rubbish! Just call me 'Chris', or 'Gumpy', as your delightful young lad keeps calling me? And Emma? So, you're the 'Saviour of Storybrooke' right? Robin spoke very highly of you. Says you're a legend!"
Emma was touched he'd praised her. "Don't believe all you hear, Chris!"
Before he could reply, several loud noises was heard from somewhere near the screen, followed by a woman screeching and laughing. Two adults, a man and a long-legged woman in a red skirt, crashed into the room, falling on to the bed right behind Christian and Roland. The woman appeared to be laughing hysterically, but trying to get something off the man. Roland looked behind, and started giggling when he saw his father, clutching a mobile phone, with the unknown woman trying to get it.
As the camera refocused, Regina felt slightly annoyed at the sight of this woman clambering all over Robin on a bed? "Give it!" she ordered. "Rob, you sod! Give it! Delete that photo this instant!"
The woman, quite tall and lean, with long dark-blonde hair, clambered upright for a moment before launching herself on to Robin's chest with her knees up, the former outlaw gasping as the breath was temporarily knocked out of him.
"Rolly, help me get your dad's camera?"
Initially worried Robin was either being attacked, or molested, Regina stiffened to call out, before noticing he and his unlikely assailant were laughing? Well, laughing and wheezing.
"Coming Auntie M!" Roland yelled, as he tried to grapple with his dad for the phone. "Tickle him, M! Dad's really ticklish under his feet!"
The woman instantly obeyed, turning, before grabbing a foot, dragging a sock off before forcing a knuckle hard into the base of his foot.
"Argh! That's not fair! Rolly, you traitor!" yelled Robin, giggling like a child. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
Robin surrendered the phone to his boy, pretending he'd had it dragged from him. The older man, now also laughing at the pair's antics, chided them. "Will you two behave? Honestly, you're making Roland here look like the adult! We have guests, if you haven't noticed?"
Robin, still laughing and now lying flat on his back with his son triumphantly sitting on his chest, turned his head to see the tablet computer screen and two women, one scowling, staring right back at him.
"Gina? Emma? Sorry, I didn't see you there!" He'd be blushing if his face wasn't already red from the battle.
"Clearly!" said Regina, scowling. "And who's your friend? This lady sitting on you, who so desperately needs to steal your phone?" she frowned as the woman in red, now climbing up off the bed, straightened her skirt before walking around to join the older man, sitting down, to face the camera.
Robin spoke first. "Oh, that's no lady, Gina! That's-"
"Maria Locksley!" Said the now smiling, red-faced woman, out of breath. "Robin's much, much, much, so much younger sister. Hi!"
"Oh, my goodness! Why, it's...lovely to finally see you Maria." Regina's expression changed from jealous irritation to surprise, in a heartbeat. Now she could see her properly, the resemblance was striking! Though less worn and very feminine, Maria had a similar look. It wasn't just her colouring, or those pale blue eyes. It was the intense expression and genuine grin as she smiled, albeit with long wavy hair curling around slim cheekbones. Maria Locksley was stunning! Regina was temporarily lost for words at the sight of her, especially now Robin came to sit down on the bed next to her, bringing a protective arm around his sister.
"Maria, let me introduce two very special friends of mine. On the left you have Emma, and on her left, Emma's wife Regina. They're Roland's adopted mums, and they live in Storybrooke, near our new village. Emma, Regina, this is the little sister I thought was dead! We finally met up this week and I'd forgotten how annoying she can be? And a phone thief to boot..." At that, he playfully dug a hand into her side, making her shriek, dropping the phone into his waiting hand. "Gotcha!"
Maria rolled her eyes at her brother, turning back. "It's lovely to see you both, ladies! Sorry about the fight, but this idiot, this swine, took a picture of me asleep! With my mouth open, and a fake beard of Roland's! I was just trying to get it off him to delete it, before he posts it!" She jabbed him in the side as he pulled her closer and she finally rested a head on his shoulder, smiling.
Emma had been watching the happy interplay between brother and sister, with a silly grin. She imagined what it would have been like to have a big brother of her own. "So, Maria, what do you do? Do you live near your grandparents? Are you married?" as she asked, she immediately regretted the last question, thinking she may have overstepped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
"It's fine, Emma, I don't mind. I'm a freelance veterinary surgeon and I live in London, a good five-hour drive away from Gumpy here. But I try to get down to Avalon whenever I can. Oh, and I'm single now; divorced about two years ago. No children. He didn't want them."
Emma also saw her resemblance to Robin. She's definitely beautiful, she thought. Emma had never really taken an interest in other women before, though since starting her first, hopefully only, gay relationship with Regina, she started to notice them more. And just how much Ruby would like this one!
"Maria took me to the Tower of London." Roland butted in. "It's where Queen Elizabeth and her dad, Henry, used to cut the heads off and burn people they didn't like! We went on a big wheel near the river and had a meal up a really, really tall tower called the Shard. We went to see a big show in the evening, and there was a green witch called Elphaba and lots of really good songs!"
"Elphaba? You took him to see Wicked?" Regina knew the story was very loosely based on her sister's life. Roland nodded. "Well, you lucky thing! I'm going to have to visit London some time myself."
"Definitely! You all have to come!"
Emma nodded. "We'd love to. But first, we need to get you home, safe and sound. Rob, do you need collecting from Logan next week?"
"Nice of you to offer Emma, but we've done an awful lot of shopping over here. So thanks, but we're going to need to hire a big van or something. We're also going to be bringing back an extra passenger. So don't worry."
"Passenger?" Regina's brow rose.
Maria waved a hand. "Yup, I can't wait! I get to see my nieces! I'm coming over with Rob and staying for a few weeks."
Regina smiled. "That'll be lovely. Then I look forward to meeting you, Maria. I've already made good friends with your cousin, Caroline?"
"I can't wait to see Carrie! She was my very best friend until…well, you know? Everything…" She looked up at her big brother with a tinge of sadness.
He just tightened his grip, pulling her in closer. "I know".
The following day.
The day after Roland and Robin's last web call, Regina had woken up feeling decidedly…odd? Light-headed, she'd tried to manage breakfast but the strange metal taste in her mouth put her off. She couldn't even face her coffee. Emma, seeing her feeling under the weather, assumed she may have some sort of bug brewing, and opted to drop Honour off at school on her way to her interview with Hank and Mulan. Regina had gone back to bed for another hour, before deciding she should fight it, and would feel better after a decent walk.
That's how she now found herself sitting in Granny's nursing a coffee. But even that tasted weird?
"You feeling okay?" Said a kindly voice from above. She looked up to see Dorothy Lucas peering down at her, looking concerned. "You seem awfully pale! Can I get you something?"
"I'm fine, thank you. Perhaps I'm coming down with a cold."
Ruby, now appearing from the kitchen holding two large plates of food, maneuvered past her wife. "Coming through, my hot stuff!" she pecked Dorothy on the back of the head as she squeezed past her to Leroy and Nova, who were sitting at a nearby table. Although the dwarf looked delighted to see the plates laden with bacon, eggs, sausages and fried bread, Regina wasn't. Just the smell made her retch. She shot up, squeezing past Ruby as swiftly as she could, before racing into the ladies' bathroom where, within seconds, she was kneeling against and dry heaving over a toilet bowl.
"Oh god! Not now," she groaned as more retching kicked in.
She stayed like that for another minute before Ruby appeared from nowhere, one hand resting on her back, and the other attempting to lift her hair from her face and away from the bowl. "Th…thank you!"
"No problem. I know Leroy's fry ups aren't your thing, but I didn't know they'd do that to you?"
"It's not that; Emma eats them too. It's just-" and again, she turned her head down, to retch once more. "Don't worry. Just Let me just rest here a moment. I'll be out soon."
~oOo~
After resting outside to catch her breath, Regina decided to head to the drug store. Roaming the shelves to find anything to stop the nausea, her gaze came across something that drew her attention, freezing when she saw a particular package she'd used the last time she'd experienced sickness like this.
No. It can't be that, surely? I protected myself! And Emma!
Just wanting the pain to be over, she grabbed several packets of tablets, plus two of the items she'd spotted, before making her way to the counter, greatly relieved to find an older sales assistant she didn't recognize or, more importantly, recognize her.
~oOo~
An hour later, a shell-shocked former queen sat on the bathroom floor, back against the wall, too stunned to speak. She barely heard Emma banging the front door shut and making her way into the kitchen, arms full of groceries.
"You back, babe?" she yelled, as she saw Regina's keys, two packs of pain killers and Dioralyte on the kitchen table. Hearing no answer, she popped a few items into the fridge before taking her coat and shoes off, and walking up the stairs.
"Gina?" She stepped into their bedroom. The older woman's jacket and bag lay across the bed and the en-suite bathroom door open. She stopped the moment she saw the brunette sitting on the bathroom floor, knees up to her chest. "Are you okay?"
Noticing her for the first time, Regina looked up, ashen-faced. "Not really, no."
"What's wrong, babe? You ill? Rubes said you felt sick earlier. Have you been to the-?"
That's when Emma spotted the stick resting on the edge of sink. Stepping closer, she picked it up, eyes instantly drawn to the blue lines, one word, and a baby figure.
Pregnant!
~oOo~