A/N: Thank you guys so much for all your reviews! They light up my life :) Heads up this chapter is heavy on the SnowQueen. Enjoy!

Eli Gold impatiently tapped at the crook of his cane as he waited for the hospital elevator to arrive at his desired floor. With a lazy stroke of his gloved hand he reached up to swipe a speck of lint off the shoulder of his black trench coat. Wearing it was a choice he had grown to regret. Even in late October it appeared Northern California wasn't quite as cold as he had expected. Yet another reason he hated coming to the states. The plane ride itself was reason enough to avoid the country but despite his distaste for the location he knew this visit could no longer be put off.

As soon as the elevator doors opened he stepped onto the sterile tiles of the hospital's tenth floor. A nurse sitting behind the lobby sent him a pitiful forced smile and he nodded in acknowledgement to her. On the wall beside her a navy blue sign with white arrows showed directions for the hospital rooms. At the top in bolded letters it read: ONCOLOGY WARD.

Despite it being his first time there he turned confidently to the left and headed for the room down the hall. Hushed voices carried into the hall through open doors but they didn't overpower the sound of his own footsteps. If there was one thing Gold could appreciate about a hospital it was the fact that you were always certain to find peace and quiet within its walls. At least on the surface.

As he closed in on the last room in the hall Gold felt himself straighten up and loosen his grip on his cane. He didn't know why but he felt the need to appear as formidable as possible. He wrapped his knuckles against the doorframe and allowed a warm smile, the first in years, to grow on his face. "Landed yourself back in the hospital old man?"

A raspy voice spoke up from the hospital bed. "Who are you calling old man? You're the one using a cane."

A rich laugh rang through the room as Gold walked in and approached the hospital bed. He took off his coat and draped it over a chair revealing the crisp gray tailored suit he wore underneath. He slipped off his gloves before he grasped the hand of his old friend and sighed. "It's good to see you Henry."

"It would be better if I didn't have this IV stuck in my arm," quipped Henry from his hospital bed.

Henry Mills had been in and out of hospitals his whole life. He'd had dozens of procedures for various health problems and things usually followed the same irritating routine. It didn't make the visits any easier though. Only a sense of humor could help with that. He sat in his hospital bed with an IV running through his arm and a heart monitor hooked up to his chest. Its steady beeping being the only thing to break the silence in his room. At least until his old friend had shown up.

"How are things looking?" asked Gold as he settled into a chair next to the bed.

Henry sighed. "It's looking like… things won't be ending as simply I'd hoped."

Gold paused, his voice caught in throat before he replied, "I'm sorry to hear that."

And he meant it. He'd visited Henry in the hospital many times during their youth but over the years he'd forgotten just how striking the visual could be. Even as the memories came back to him he could tell that this time things were different. Anyone with eyes could see that Henry was far thinner than he'd been in years. His voice wasn't nearly as strong as it used to be, nearly reduced to a raspy whisper. All things considered it was fairly obvious that things wouldn't be ending well for him this time around.

Gold tapped his fingers against his cane anxiously. "Where is that demon you call a wife?"

"Protecting her empire," replied Henry with a heavy breath. "She was at least kind enough to leave me to die in peace."

"In a public hospital," sneered Gold. "How generous of her." Cora had never, and would never, be his favorite person and he had never been shy about making that fact well known.

Henry ignored his jab and leaned forward in his bed as much as his strength would allow him. "Did you bring what I asked for?"

Gold tightened his grip on his cane as he clenched his jaw. "Despite my better judgement… yes I did."

He reached into the briefcase at his side and pulled out a thin manila folder. Henry's eyes lit up when he saw it but Gold held it outside of his reach. He stared at him with hard eyes.

"You asked me to make her disappear," he said in a grave voice. "I told you the cost that came with her safety. Seeing what is in this folder will not change the rules any more than your cancer. No contact is still a necessity."

Henry glared at him with mouth pressed into a grim line. "I'm well aware of the cost Eli. I've lived with it for more than four years."

"Then you know what's in this folder won't end that pain. Only feed it."

"Yes," said Henry with a nod. "But it will satisfy my curiosity and silence a few of my worries. Considering I'm on my death bed I don't think that's too much to ask."

Gold searched his face hoping to find some sign that maybe he'd waver. He sighed when he saw none. With a roll of his eyes he reluctantly handed over the folder to Henry's eager hands. Without hesitation he shakily opened it up and softly gasped when his eyes landed on a photo of his daughter, the first he'd seen in four years.

It wasn't special. She wasn't dressed up or surrounded by beautiful scenery. Instead she was dressed in a pair of old jeans with a t-shirt and pair of flats. Her dark hair was shorter than he'd ever seen, reaching just below her chin. She appeared to be leaving a grocery mart with a brown bag carefully tucked into the crook of her arm and legs frozen in mid step, completely unaware of the stealthy photographer. Henry ran his fingers over the edge of the photo longingly.

"My beautiful Regina," he whispered to himself.

Gold watched his reaction uncomfortably for a moment before speaking up. "She didn't go as far we'd hoped. At least not at first. She ended up in Ventura waitressing and tailoring on the side. Things were rough in the beginning but she made a way for herself, without my interference I might add."

"She's always been a strong girl," mumbled Henry wistfully. He flipped through the photos trying to take in every detail of each one. There were ones where she was alone, others where she was with people who Henry could only assume were her friends but the ones he lingered on the most were the ones when she was with his grandson. There were more than a few of those, featuring the two of them on a playground, taking walks and eating out. His grandson had gotten so big it took his breath away. These pictures of her with little Henry were the ones where he could tell she was the happiest. Seeing them - safe, together and free- made all the loneliness he'd felt in the last four years worth it.

"Have there been any close calls?'' he asked, his eyes never leaving the photos.

"Only one or two in the beginning," answered Gold. "But I handled them. Cora is relentless but I've arranged for her investigators to be fed false information. As far as she knows Regina is still running around Mexico living off of fake credit cards. I've made sure to keep her off your girl's trail."

"Thank you," said Henry gratefully. He narrowed his eyes as he came across a third photograph featuring his daughter and a blonde scruffy man who appeared to be her age. He held up the photo to Eli. "Who's this man she's with?"

"Robin Locksely," answered Gold in a business-like manner. "Owns the bar where she used to waitress. Bit of a checkered youth but he appears to have straightened up. He and your daughter are quite close. They've known each other for years now and she's godmother to his son, Roland."

"That's quite a bond," replied Henry thoughtfully. "Is it romantic?"

A smirk graced Gold's face. "Not yet at least. He lost his wife, Marian, around a year and a half ago. She and Regina were quite close as well."

"Oh," said Henry softly. He had hoped that over the years his daughter had found someone to share her life with but he supposed that was too much to ask for.

"She's doing well," continued Gold. "Relocated to New York about eight months ago after getting a job offer. I've had my people watch her from afar. She's getting paid well, she lives in a nice home and her boy goes to decent school."

After a moment's hesitation he added, "She seems… happy."

"Good," sighed Henry, with a small smile. "But I'm afraid that might not last."

Gold tilted his head at him encouraging him to continue.

"The doctors say I don't have much time left on this earth. A year, maybe two if I continue treatment," said Henry sadly. "My daughter is just as sentimental as I am. If she knew I was here in this state I have no doubt she would try to see me."

"Lucky for her you've managed to keep things under wraps then," said Gold.

"Lucky for me Cora's more concerned with controlling the company than finding our daughter," corrected Henry. "I managed to convince her that if the board knew I was sick they would think that her focus was split, and attempt to force her out. It was enough to persuade her into keeping my illness out of the news."

"Smart play," replied Gold with a smirk.

"But it's only a short term solution," pointed out Henry. "Once I'm gone I have no doubt Cora will make a spectacle of my death in an attempt to snuff Regina out."

"You think she'll fall for it?"

"I think Regina's guilt will overwhelm her common sense," answered Henry. "She'll blame herself for not being by my side. Try to make up for it by resurfacing. I worry Cora will take advantage of that."

"What would you have me do?" asked Gold, leaning forward in his seat.

"Only what you have already promised me," said Henry. "Look out for my daughter in my absence. Protect her from Cora once I'm gone."

Gold grasped Henry's hand with a sigh. "Of course I will look after her. She's my goddaughter after all."

The moon had just begun to rise over the New York skyline as Regina turned to examine her back in the mirror.

"You look pretty mommy!"

With a wide smile she turned to face her son from his spot on the bed. He'd been watching her get ready with great fascination all night.

"Thank you my little prince," she said tapping him on the nose.

"I still can't believe you made that dress," commented Emma from her spot in the doorway. With her arms crossed she leaned against the frame in her yoga pants and oversized t-shirt watching Regina get ready.

"Well it's been a while since I've made one from scratch like this," said Regina, plopping down on her bed next to Henry. "But making a dress is almost always less expensive than buying one. Especially when I can just take the fabric from work."

She was wearing a strapless floor length dress with a sweetheart neckline and sash tied bodice. It was ombre colored beginning with a deep magenta at her waist fading into a dark purple and finishing into pitch black at her chest and legs. Regina held up two different pairs of shoes in her hand trying to figure out which went with it best. She quickly decided on a pink pair of one-inch strappy heels.

She nodded toward a gold bracelet on her vanity as she slipped on her heels. "Emma could you help me put that on?"

"Sure," she said shrugging. She sighed as she locked the chain around Regina's wrist. Over the past few months she come to enjoy working as Regina's nanny. The hours and the pay were adequate and having a roof over her head certainly didn't hurt. She'd also be lying if she didn't say that she liked being around both Regina and Henry. They didn't give her that "outsider" feeling that she got in most of her foster homes. "So this gala-thing… it's a pretty big deal?"

"It's a charity ball slash casino night," corrected Regina. "A lot of hot shots from the city come and gamble away their money and anything they lose goes to a support the arts foundation. Apparently the design firm reserves tickets every year."

"So will there celebrities there?" asked Emma with a grin.

"I've been told it's a possibility," said Regina, shrugging her shoulders. "To be honest I don't know if it's going to be much fun. There are a lot of prospective clients so Mal wants us on our best behavior."

"Why can't I go to the ball?" complained Henry. He was laid out on the bed, already in his pajamas for the night.

Regina chuckled at him. "Because it's not a party for children sweetheart. There'll be plenty of dances for you when you get older."

Emma rubbed his back comfortingly. "Trust me kid you don't want to go to this thing. It'll just be bunch old people in stiff suits and uncomfortable shoes trying dance to music that doesn't have words."

Regina glared at her as she stood from the bed. "Thanks, now I'm really excited to go."

"Hey, the offer to stay in and watch the Toy Story trilogy with us still stands," replied Emma.

"No," drawled Regina, as she stared into the mirror putting on a pair of small dangling earrings. "The whole office is going to this event. I can't miss it."

Honestly, a night out in uncomfortable shoes talking to rich people was far less appealing to Regina than a night in with Emma and Henry. It reminded her far too much of her old life and that was only emphasized by the fact that Snow was most likely going to be there. She wanted more than anything to skip the whole event but she knew Mal would have her head if she did. Regina took one last look in the mirror before grabbing her clutch and heading toward the door. "Okay. I'm ready. Shall we go over the rules before I go?"

"Fine," sighed Emma. She walked over to the bed and gestured to Henry. "C'mon kid."

Henry quickly stood on the bed and giggled as he hopped onto her back, wrapping his arms around her neck. Emma instinctively looped his legs through her arms as she followed Regina out of the room.

"Alright," said Regina as she absentmindedly double-checked the contents of her purse. "No visitors, stay in the house, only two cookies for dessert and he cannot stay up past 9:30."

"I know," groaned Emma, readjusting Henry on her back.

"Can I have pudding instead of cookies?" asked Henry, resting his chin on Emma's shoulder.

"Fine," agreed Regina. "But that means you only get one."

She tried to ignore Henry's pout as she turned back to Emma. "Remember to lock the deadbolt behind me, okay?"

"Okay," drawled Emma.

"And after he goes to sleep you're going to study, right?"

Emma rolled her eyes at her. A few weeks after coming to live with Regina she had decided to go to night school to get her GED. School had never really been something she was good at but one day Henry had asked her about her graduation and she found herself a little ashamed to tell him that she hadn't finished. A GED wasn't the same as a diploma but at least it was one step higher than drop out.

"I don't have class until seven tomorrow. I'll study in the morning."

"Emma…" drawled Regina sternly.

"Fine," moaned Emma dramatically. "I'll study when the kid goes to sleep."

"Good," said Regina with nod. She quickly pressed a kiss to Henry's forehead before opening the front door.

"Just try to have a good time," added Emma with a shrug.

"No promises," replied Regina stepping outside.

She shut the door behind her with a deep breath. As she climbed into the cab she'd ordered and gave directions to the driver Regina tried to be a little excited about the night ahead. It'd been a while since she'd had an evening to herself and there would be good food, pretty dresses and hopefully interesting people at this event. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

The Edison Hotel was one of the most iconic hotels in New York. Built in the 1920s history practically seeped out of its walls. There were claims that Frank Sinatra had once sung drunk on their stage and Marilyn Monroe had made her first appearance as a blonde at their rooftop pool. Of course all the claims were unverified but that did nothing to take away from the hotel's charms. All it took was one step on their marble floors to make Regina to feel more glamorous than she had in years. A feeling that grew tenfold when she finally reached the ballroom.

The sign at the entrance had promised a night in Monte Carlo and boy did they deliver. The sultry sound of horns and piano keys flowed through the air mixing with the excited chatter of the event's attendants. Everyone was dressed in their finest as they gathered at the various tables to gamble. Blackjack, roulette, craps. All the best ways to lose your money were present. Right below the stage the dance floor was filled with people moving smoothly along to the jazz from the band. Waiters in crisp uniforms moved through the crowd as they passed around flute glasses with champagne. Regina stood awkwardly by the entrance trying to decide just where to head first. Luckily the decision would soon be made for her.

"Well don't you look dazzling?"

A relieved breath left her chest upon hearing the voice of her coworker. "Jefferson."

He approached her from her left side with appreciative eyes and a wide smile. "You look beautiful Regina."

She chuckled and blushed self-consciously. "Thank you. The tux seems to be treating you pretty well too."

And it was. The black slim fit tuxedo in combination with his baby blue eyes and perfectly styled hair made him look like some kind of movie star or spy or combination of the two. However, Regina tilted her head curiously at the bright pink daisy sticking out of the pocket on the right side of his coat.

"Cute flower," she commented.

Jefferson's eyes dropped down to his chest with a sheepish laugh. "Yeah, Grace stuck it in there before I left tonight and I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it."

"That's sweet," she laughed.

"Well I'm getting plenty of crap for it from our lovely coworkers," he replied with a roll of his eyes. "We've got a table near the bar. You want to join us?"

"Like I know anybody else here," she said cheekily looping her arm through his.

Just as he'd said, Regina and Jefferson found Carlotta and Ursula waiting for them at a cloth-covered table less than fifteen feet from the bar. Ursula was absentmindedly stirring the olive around the rim of her vodka martini as she watched the people in the crowd. Even though she looked beautiful in her sea green, fishtail gown her eyes clearly spelled out boredom. Carlotta's eyes held more of a devious spark but that wasn't unusual for her. Her simple halter top, black dress clung to her curves perfectly as she eyed the men next to the bar and sipped on her cocktail. She rose to her feet with a grin when Jefferson returned with Regina in tow.

"Darling you look positively ravishing!" she gushed, as she moved to kiss Regina on the cheek.

"Thank you," said Regina politely. She tried not to gag from the stench of gin when Carlotta spoke. As she sat down next to Jefferson she took of note of the three empty glasses already gathered on her side of the table. I hope to god she takes a cab home, she thought to herself. She turned her head curiously and searched through the crowd. "Where's Mal?"

"Right over there," answered Ursula, pointing out a crowded roulette table. Mal stood at the end on the table, looking gorgeous in a black full-length gown with a mermaid skirt. Her blonde hair was curled glamorously in 1950's inspired style and her lips were their signature shade of blood red. She was surrounded by adoring men of various ages as they watched her anxiously wait to see how her turn of the wheel would work out. An enthusiastic cry erupted from the crowd as Mal, Regina could only assume, won her bet.

Ursula nodded appreciatively. "Say what you want about the woman… she sure knows how to network."

Regina laughed in agreement as she grabbed a glass of champagne from a nearby waiter. Upon taking a sip her eyes fell to the bar where she saw Snow leaning against the counter sipping something that she was sure wasn't water. Her light pink cocktail dress shimmered in the light as she vivaciously giggled at the comment from a blonde girl in a red dress sitting next to her. A frown appeared on Jefferson's face as he followed Regina's gaze and caught sight of Snow and her new friend.

"Oh my god, I can't believe she brought her here."

Regina turned to him with wide eyes. "Why? Who is she?"

"Anastasia Tremaine," he said tiredly.

The name caught both Ursula and Carlotta's attention. Practically in unison they both swiveled their heads in direction of the bar. A tiny gasp escaped Carlotta as her eyes landed on the pouty-lipped blonde sitting at the bar counter.

Ursula giggled as she raised her martini to her lips. "And to think I thought tonight would be boring."

"Who is she?" repeated Regina, with a touch of urgency.

"A socialite with a penchant for drama," answered Jefferson. "Word is that everywhere she goes bad things follow."

"Bad things?" said Regina, raising her eyebrows.

"Overdoses, nude pics, car crashes," supplied Carlotta. "Basically nothing you'd want to write home to mom about."

"And she's not quiet about it either," said Ursula. "She's been in the papers nearly every week since last year. She's New York's number one bad girl."

Jefferson shook his head pityingly. "If she causes a scene here with Mary, Mal is going to be pissed and we are all going to bear the brunt of that storm."

Regina tuned out their comments and refocused her attention to the bar. Snow and Anastasia seemed to be enjoying themselves as they sipped on their drinks. They laughed together as they pointed out various people in the crowd. Regina was just about to turn away when she saw Anastasia reach into her purse and stealthily pull out a small plastic bag. Even from her spot at the table Regina could tell it contained a suspicious amount of blue pills. Her heart clenched as she saw Snow grab the bag with a grin. She quickly stood from the table with a clenched jaw. "I'm gonna go say hello."

She felt Jefferson suddenly put his hand around her elbow. "That might not be such a good idea."

"Daisy Daddy is right dear," slurred Carlotta. She ignored Jefferson's glare and pressed on. "Getting caught in their orbit might prove to be fatal for your career."

"I'm just going to say hello," insisted Regina, removing her arm from Jefferson's grip. "I'll be right back."

She strode over to the bar with determination clenched in her fist and tapped on Snow's shoulder. She turned back to face her with a bewildered look on her face. "What do you want?"

"Can we talk?" she said with a blank face.

With her pouty lips pulled into a grin Ana leaned over in her seat to get a better look at Regina. "Who's this Mary? A concerned friend?"

"Yes I am."

"No she's not," replied Snow instantly.

Tension filled the air between them and Ana quickly picked up on it. She slid off her barstool with a bored sigh. "Well while you two figure out what you are, I'm going to visit the little girl's room."

She turned back to Snow with a devious wink. "Don't start the party without me."

Regina watched her go with a vicious glare in her eyes before turning her attention back to the girl in front of her. "Snow what the hell are you doing?"

Snow scoffed as she pushed away her drink. "Okay one, that's not my name. Two, I thought we both agreed that life would go better for you if you stopped pretending to care about me."

"I do care about you Snow," she insisted gently. "And call it mother's intuition but I'm pretty sure those pills she just gave you weren't for your allergies."

Snow turned to her with eyes as cold as steel and threateningly whispered, "Mind your own business Regina or I swear I will take down that house of cards you call a life."

Regina stood frozen in shock as Snow's words washed over her like ice water. She looked into her eyes trying to find some flicker of the girl she once knew and found nothing.

A close-lipped smile appeared on her face at Regina's silence. "I thought that might shut you up."

She grabbed her clutch off the bar counter and slid off her stool. "Have a good evening Regina. I know I will."

Regina watched her walk away with a familiar ball of dread growing in her stomach. She wanted nothing more than to rush after Snow and drag her home by her hair but the weight of her secrets kept her rooted to the floor.

"I take it that didn't go very well."

She turned in time to see Jefferson approach her from behind and quickly put a smile on her face. "About as well as anything with Mary can go."

He shrugged his shoulders. "She's a big girl Regina. You're just going to have to let her make the bad choices and learn from them."

She smirked at him. "I wonder if you'll say the same thing when Grace turns nineteen."

"Hopefully I'll have done a better job of raising her than Mary's parents," he replied with a grin. His words were playful and his tone joking because there was no way he could have known about the daggers his words had just thrown in Regina's heart. The smile she kept planted on her face made sure of that.

"If you're done babysitting for the night baccarat awaits," he said waving hand toward the gambling floor in a sweeping gesture.

"Sure why not," said Regina shrugging her shoulders. Maybe a little gambling would help take her mind off the short-haired brunette who she couldn't seem to stop worrying about.

TWO HOURS LATER

"The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout…"

Snow softly sung the nursery rhyme as she stumbled across the floor the Edison hotel rooftop, a vodka martini in one hand, and her two-inch heels in the other. She didn't know when she'd taken them off. In the foggy haze of the pills all she could remember was that Ana had ditched her for some brown-haired guy in a tux and she had the sudden need to feel the night air on her skin.

She hummed to herself as the wind blew causing a ripple to run across the water in the rooftop pool. The aquamarine water practically glowed from the lights in its floor and Snow was drawn to it like a month to a flame.

"… down came the rain and washed the spider out…"

She spilled the rest of her martini in the pool as she slid into the water cocktail dress and all. Each step she took brought a bit of relief as the cool water came in contact with her warm skin. She stopped when the water reached the top of her chest and laid down against the pool's underwater steps. Her pink dress swirled around her legs like a ribbon in the wind as she laid her head against the edge. Her purse sat on the edge of the pull and she stared at it with blank eyes as she sang.

"… up came the sun and dried up all the rain…"

With shaking hands she pulled out the bag of pills that Ana had given her. She took six or seven of the blue pills and held them in her palm. For a moment she stared at them wondering just where they could take her. Maybe back to a place where she could feel something other than pain. In one move she swallowed them all like they were candy. She leaned her head back against the edge of the pool singing under her breath as she waited for them to take effect.

"…and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again."

Regina nervously walked around the ballroom floor trying to catch a glimpse of Snow and her blonde-haired friend. Gambling hadn't helped like she thought it would. All throughout the night Regina continued to be plagued with worries about Snow. Every twenty minutes or so she would search through the crowd trying to catch some glimpse of her. She'd been rather successful in her attempts to watch her from afar. Until now.

It had been forty minutes since she last Snow and Ana. Somehow that just didn't sit well with her.

Carlotta and Ursula had warned her against searching for Snow but she just couldn't let it go. The ball of dread in her stomach wouldn't let her. She left the casino behind her and ventured into the hotel's halls. It didn't take long before she saw a flash of blonde hair followed by breathy giggle. Regina turned the corner and saw Ana pushed against the wall by a brown-haired man at least twice her age. One she specifically remembered showing up with his wife. She barreled through her disgust and called out to them.

"Hey you!"

The man looked alarmed by her sudden appearance and ran off but Ana only showed annoyance at Regina's interruption. "Oh god, what do you want?"

"I want to know where Mary is," she asked in a harsh voice, folding her arms across her chest. "I haven't seen her in a while."

"And let me guess? You're concerned," replied Ana mockingly.

"I always am," said Regina in a clipped tone. "When did you last see her?"

"Like an hour ago," replied Ana, shrugging her shoulders. "She said she wanted some fresh air. Went up to the roof."

Regina's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "The roof? You let her go up their alone?!"

"Hey just because I hang out with her doesn't mean she's my responsibility!" responded Ana angrily. "She's a big girl so she should be able to handle herself."

Regina scoffed at her as she turned her back. I hope to god Snow makes better friends after tonight, she thought to herself. She quickly hopped into the nearest elevator and pressed the button on the roof. As it rose floor after floor she had plenty of time to wonder why she was so concerned with Snow in the first place. If any of their encounters in the last eight months had taught her anything it was that Snow held no well wishes for her. She'd been nothing but mean and threatening every time they'd spoken and she showed no signs of changing. Regina thought back to their conversation earlier that night. Maybe Snow had been right. Maybe life would go easier if she stopped caring.

Her train of thought was broken by the ding of the elevator. Regina wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped out onto the cold night air. The winds on top of the ten-story building were fiercer than she expected. They reminded her of the nights she used to spend on the balcony at the penthouse wishing for a way out.

She squinted at the pool and saw Snow submerged up to her neck at the stairs leading into the pool. She sighed in annoyance as she approached her. "Snow what are you doing? Mal is going to kill you."

Her words went unheeded by Snow who remained in the pool, unmoving. Regina walked closer to her and raised her voice. "Snow come on. Get out there before you catch your death."

A bad feeling settled in her chest as she reached the edge of the pool.

"Snow?" Her name came out as a broken whisper. With a shaking hand Regina reached out to touch her shoulder and pulled her hand back with a gasp when Snow's head only rolled lazily to the side.

"Snow! Oh my god!" She rushed into the pool, her dress growing more soaked with each step. The water splashed around her sides as she frantically wrapped her arms around Snow's waist and pulled her out of the water. Hysterical noises flew from her throat as she dragged Snow's limp body onto the pool deck. The wind blew against her now wet skin, causing goosebumps to rise across her back and shoulders but Regina barely noticed them as she screamed at Snow to open her eyes.

She pressed her two fingers to Snow's neck, searching for a pulse and nearly sobbing in relief when she found one. It was faint but it was there. She gripped Snow's face in her hands calling for her to awaken but she gave no response. Her already pale skin had gone a shade whiter when Regina remembered the pills she'd seen Ana slip her earlier that night. Without thinking she forced open Snow's jaw and stuck two fingers down her throat. Almost instantaneously Snow's body began to jerk forward as her gag reflex kicked in and she vomited onto Regina's hand. Regina didn't care though. She was too busy focusing on the steady rising and falling that had just returned to Snow's chest. Relief soared through her as Snow began to moan and turn to her side. Regina pulled her head into her lap and brushed her wet hair out of her face as Snow slowly opened her eyes.

"It's okay," Regina panted, in a hushed voice. "You're back."

Snow only stared up at her unfocused eyes. "I… I didn't…"

"Shh…" whispered Regina softly. "Don't speak. Just focus on keep on keeping your eyes okay? I'm going to call for help."

She reached toward the edge of the pool for the purse Snow had left sitting beside the water when she felt the girl's cold, wet hand fall on her wrist.

"Don't… please" she choked out.

"Snow, you need a hospital," said Regina in as firm a voice she could muster. Her terror over finding Snow in the pool was still flitting through every inch of her body causing her to tremble.

Snow didn't look much better but she still managed to give Regina a pitiful look. "The ambulance… the press… he'd kill me."

Regina nodded in understanding as she realized that Snow was talking about her father. The only think Leo hated more than bad press was bad press concerning his family. He'd be furious if Snow's incident made the news.

Regina looked toward the elevator and back at Snow. "Can you walk?"

Snow nodded shakily. "Yes."

Flipping off her shoes Regina rose to her feet, her dress clinging to her sides and legs in the night air. She gently pulled Snow to her feet and she shivered as the cold wind came in contact with her soaking wet dress. Regina allowed Snow to lean against her as they both hobbled toward the elevator, leaving their shoes behind at the pool. As soon as they were inside Regina pushed the button for the ground floor with a shaking hand and eyed Snow warily as the elevator began to descend. Propped up against the elevator wall she was still shivering her cocktail dress, the wet fabric sticking to her legs like a second skin. The color was coming back into her cheeks and the fact that she could stand even a little was a miracle in Regina's eyes. She didn't even want to think about what could've happened if she hadn't shown up when she did.

As the elevator neared the ground floor Regina took Snow's arm and wrapped it around her shoulders to better support her weight. She could see Snow's knees shaking as she attempted to lean against her for support and she began to wonder just how she was going to sneak her out of the hotel without anyone seeing her. As the elevator dinged signaling their arrival she hoped beyond hope that the hallway would at least be empty.

It wasn't.

When the elevator doors opened Regina was face to face with the last person she wanted to see at this moment. Mal.

Her boss stood rigid as stone in front of the elevator, her arms folded tightly across her chest and her lips angrily pressed into a thin line as she stared down at her sopping wet employees. The silent rage that burned behind her eyes made Regina shiver as Mal's gaze landed on her and Snow.

"Enjoying your swim?" she said in deathly low voice.

Regina found herself speechless as she stared back at Mal with wide eyes. A drop of water falling from her dress onto her foot forced her out of her stupor. She tried to stand up straighter as Snow slumped into her side, practically half-asleep. "Mal I-"

"Don't!" Mal gritted out through clenched teeth. "Just get her out. I'll deal with you later."

She turned on her heel and headed back down the hallway before yelling out harshly, "And use the servant's entrance for god's sake!"

Regina sighed in defeat as she watched Mal stalk away from her. I knew this night wouldn't be any fun.

NEXT CHAPTER: Robin tells Regina about his past and Snow deals with the consequences of her actions.

Please Read and review! It means so much to me. And I promise the next chapter will be posted sooner than usual.