Author's Note - We're back with this fic! My co-writer and I were busy with a lot of fun life stuff (really no, it wasn't fun), and have finally finished the next chapter of this story. Sorry for leaving you all hanging for a long time with the cliffhanger.

So ... nothing's ever simple with these two, as this chapter will show, especially with Emma's struggles. Also, thank you to the guest reviewer that said they hoped this story wouldn't be abandoned and it had potential. That was really sweet of you whoever you are! And thank you to everyone that reviews and follows this story. Please continue to let us know how you liked it, loved it, have questions, concerns, or criticism... it's all good because you took the time to read it and it can only help us find the passion to write for us AND you. And to get better at it.

Also as a silly, we the writers and Astrid are well aware a ton of HIPAA laws were violated in the writing of this fic ;)

Nicholas cried out as the mayor's car struck the tree. He'd been there in the first place because he had thought there was loose change in the street. On his way to meet his sister for a food gathering trip, Nicholas had thought that finding spare change would make Ava happy. What money they had, she always said, was running low.

He stood in the street several more seconds, scared and unsure what to do as he stared toward the mayor's car. She had not emerged from it nor was there any sign of movement. Nicholas sprinted toward Main Street. There was a pay phone and he knew he could call for help from there. He hurriedly punched in 9-1-1 and stammered out an explanation that a car had hit a tree on Mifflin, and that he thought it might be the mayor who needed help. Without providing any other information, Nicholas hung up and ran back to meet his sister.

Billy, one of the mechanics at the garage, had been kind enough to set up a folding chair for Emma outside the main door, since she had insisted that waiting inside was not an option. She was clearly in a hurry, but it was going to take time replacing the tires and give it a quick once over before her trip back to Boston, at his insistence. The last thing he wanted was Emma's car breaking down on the way home! She was appreciative towards his concern, and the monetary incentive was definitely helpful in lighting a fire under his ass.

She glanced at her watch then shifted her weight on the chair so it was easier to pick her boots off the ground, then rest them against the chipped white paint on the side of the garage. Emma stole a glance back towards where her Bug was being worked on, sipping her coffee, and wondering how she was the only one that needed work done today. Yes it was a work day and it was early morning, but there was always someone else that needed an oil change, even in a small town. Storybrooke was far too quiet in its mundane existence, despite knowing better. She'd be happy to leave what drama she uncovered and was apart of soon enough.

The phone rang in the shop's tiny office and - being alone - Billy had to wipe his hands on a rag and hurry in to answer it. He glanced at the blonde on her folding chair and grimaced.

"Ambulance has already been there? Yeah, I'll be right there. Tow the car back, Sheriff," he confirmed.

Hanging up, the slender mechanic went outside to approach the blonde stranger. "Um… there's a problem. There was an accident and I have to go pick up that car. I'm really sorry. Working alone and all… I'll take off 10% or something for having you wait longer."

"An accident?" Emma's mind wondered if her car's vandalism and the accident were connected, only because nothing ever happened in this town. She had only been here for a few days and Storybrooke was your typical small town with little idiosyncrasies that stood out amongst the small population.

"What happened?" she pressed.

Billy squirmed and looked like he wanted to crawl under the workbench in the garage. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "Uh… it's the mayor. I guess she slammed into a tree down the street from her house. I gotta go get her car. Mike and me will work on her repairs soon as I finish your tires."

Emma felt her heart drop and wished it hadn't, because it meant that those lingering feelings she was trying to run from were still potent enough to cause an immediate reaction of panic and longing. It angered her that she felt more than mild concerned when she asked Billy how she was. "Is Mayor Mills all right?"

He shrugged. "Sheriff didn't say. I think she's at the hospital, but, he just asked me to go pick up her Benz."

"You better get going then. Wouldn't want you getting in trouble with the Sheriff. Appreciate the discount," she said and fished out her phone, immediately calling the hospital. Despite the terrible things that woman had done to her, Emma didn't want her dead. Regina had a child, her birth son, to take care of. It would be a quick inquiry into her condition and then let it go.

Billy nodded and shuffled off to the tow truck.

At the hospital, Astrid the novice nun jumped when the phone rang, then chuckled at herself and picked up the receiver. She was volunteering, as the other novices did, as part of her service to the community.

"Storybrooke General Hospital. How may I direct your call?"

"I'd think the ER. There was an accident in town and wanted to check on the status of the victim." Emma wanted to keep herself distanced as much as she could from this, pretending this was like any other investigation during a job, clean and clinical, no matter how hard her heart was clenching in anticipation of the news.

Astrid glanced up at the large monitor. The operators in the small hospital were seated near enough to the emergency room to be aware of the comings and goings in the department. It was early and quiet, so she had an idea of who this caller could be asking about. But, it puzzled Astrid deeply that anyone was calling about her.

"Which patient?" she asked.

"Mayor Mills," answered Emma.

Henry is her only known family, but… Astrid shrugged to herself. If someone cared enough to ask about the mayor, that meant something, right? Going with her intuition rather than the regulations, she glanced up at the display and dropped her voice to a whisper.

"She was hurt badly. I believe she's still unconscious. Her son is here… but he's all alone." Astrid looked beyond the glass partition and gazed at Henry Mills, who looked… conflicted, at best.

Half expecting to sweet talk her way into information because of privacy laws, Emma obtained far more information then she needed. Which made this even harder because now she felt bad for the kid. None of what happened between Regina and her was his fault. His delusions were perpetrated by his mother's sickness. But damned if she wasn't choking up by the knowledge that Regina was seriously hurt.

"I'm sure the Sheriff will make sure he's fine. Thanks for letting me know how she is. I know you didn't have to," she said and hung up.

She worked her jaw, sorting through the mixed emotions that were afflicting her. On one hand, Emma was relieved that Regina wasn't dead, but hurt badly could hold a multitude of outcomes that she didn't want to wish on the woman. She also couldn't deny wondering if the woman got what she deserved.

"Oh no…what if ..." she paled and trailed off, realizing the time frame and when they had last spoken. Dialing the hospital again, Emma needed to be sure about her hunch before casting further judgement on what punishment Regina deserved.

Despite being hung up on, Astrid answered with the same chipper tone when the phone rang again. "Storybrooke General Hospital. How may I direct your call?"

"Oh good!" Emma was relieved that the same person picked up so she didn't have to explain the reason for calling again. "Sorry about hanging up, but I had one more question."

"Yes!" Then, she dropped her voice to a whisper. "What can I help you with?"

Looking down at her phone, Emma blinked in confusion. She never had spoken to anyone so helpful and eager before. If only all of her previous jobs had gone this smoothly. "When was Mayor Mills brought in?"

Astrid glanced back up at the ER display. "Within the last hour… they've been working on her ever since, as far as I know."

"Shit," she whispered, cradling her forehead as Emma leaned forward. "Any idea when the accident occurred?"

Not that it mattered. She had a pretty good idea when the accident was and what the catalyst was. When Emma had laid into Regina, who had the audacity of believing she had nothing to prove to the woman she hurt, it was entirely possible that the mayor had come immediately after her.

Astrid paused and looked at the receiver. She supplied rather unhelpfully, "I'd imagine a matter of minutes before she was brought to the hospital?"

"Can you find out?" she pressed.

Astrid said, "One moment, please," and put the caller on hold.

The novice glanced around, spied where Dr. Whale had set down the mayor's chart, and then quickly skimmed its contents. She frowned, unable to read most of his chicken scrawl, but the time of arrival was confirmed and so was the EMT's notes on when they'd rescued Regina from her wrecked car. She went back to the phone and whispered the details that had been recorded as on the other end as Emma's heart sank even further.

She was incensed at the mayor's inability to take ownership of the mess she caused and called her out on it. Once ending the last call she had with her, Emma never believed that the hubris of Regina Mills would allow her to mend anything since there was nothing she could do about it - her own words. The woman was so adamant that she didn't want to try and see she could be wrong. But she actually did try to at least see her.

"Thank you," she replied gravely. "Good-bye."

Looking up at the garage, it was really surreal seeing the doors wide open without a care in the world that something could get stolen. No one in Boston would have ever left her alone at their shop just to tow a car in. They would have locked the shop down and left her outside, if the waiting area wasn't doable, or have left the poor person stranded until a replacement could come in. This small town trust and hospitality was unnatural for a city girl like her that grew up knowing not to trust anyone.

"You're an idiot, Swan." She convinced herself she was doing this for the kid as she got up. Astrid said he was alone with his mother unconscious in bed, and no child should be alone for that.

As she pulled down the garage door, she wondered where was the rest of Regina's family? Was Henry it? Graham was nice enough to him but even he couldn't stay with Henry all day at the hospital, and the vibe around town was the mayor being quite friendless. They were questions to ask Henry when she arrived at the hospital if he felt comfortable in answering them. She found a piece of paper at the front desk, scribbled a note letting Billy know she went for an errand, and would be back for the car later.

Is this all my fault?

That was the question that Henry kept coming back to as he sat on the uncomfortable waiting room chair in the ER, his legs swinging as his feet did not reach the floor. Graham had left after promising to check back, and the sheriff had even said he'd talk to Miss Blanchard about picking up his homework for him.

Graham was nice.

His mother was the Evil Queen, who had finally tried to do the right thing. Henry realized she had to have been heading toward Emma to intercept her because she was traveling the wrong way on Mifflin Street if she were just going to town hall like any other morning.

And now that she was injured, would Emma even find out? Or, would she leave either way? The questions plagued Henry, but he still came back to the most difficult one of all: Is this all my fault?

Henry sighed, and sat there, waiting nervously for news as Emma just walked through the sliding glass doors of the ER's entrance, glad she had followed her instincts to check on him. Glancing quickly around the waiting room, it was clear he was still alone too. He looked up, eyebrows arcing up into his bangs. Henry jumped off the seat and walked toward her.

"You're here," he said in surprise.

"Yeah. Billy told me he had to get your mother's car." Her eyes went from Henry to the closed double doors across the room. "Any word on how she is?"

"No. Graham and Dr. Whale said she needs surgery, so she's still having it now." Shoulders slumped, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his school uniform pants.

Emma was relieved that her assumption about Graham was correct, and that he had been here for Henry as long as he could. She looked back at him, how sad and defeated the kid looked. That look when you know there's nothing you could do to fix a terrible situation. "They say how long the surgery will be?"

"No. But I hope she's done soon" Henry replied in a monotone. "I heard a nurse saying how bad Mom was injured."

She mashed her back teeth together, berating herself for allowing that woman have such power over her. Regina was responsible for how this played out, but Emma harbored guilt. Whether it was irrational or not, that was what she was struggling with. Was it right for her to feel this remorseful towards her abuser?

"Want company, Kid?" she asked, squeezing Henry's shoulder with a forced smile to hide her own internal struggle. "Billy has my number in case he has to call about my car."

While Henry didn't want Emma to go, he was conscious of the fact that both of his mothers thought he was crazy now. Regina might have gotten beyond that when she confessed he was right about the curse, but Henry was still stinging from that. And now, Emma thought he was crazy for believing in what he knew was true and real! He sighed, and put his faith in the idea that the longer Emma stayed in town, the more she could start to believe too.

"Yeah, thanks. It's weird just sitting here by myself," he replied. More quietly, Henry added, "Mom would be glad that you're keeping me company."

"I figured. Why I came over despite … everything that happened. I didn't want you hanging around here by yourself if I could do something about that." Emma completely ignored the muttered comment, having no desire to care what Regina would and would not like right now. "Can I get you something to eat or drink while we wait? They got to have a cafeteria around here. Or some vending machines…?"

"Not hungry," Henry said. He settled back onto one of the uncomfortable chairs. "Thanks, though."

"Right. Sorry," she said with a noticeable wince and took the chair next to him, lightly patting her own thighs back and forth rhythmically because she had no idea what to say. Forcing certainties about Henry's mother was wrong because there were no such things, let alone convincing him that she actually meant them was insulting the kid's intelligence.

"This is all my fault. I thought that bringing you here would bring the happy endings back. Instead, you two fell in… whatever, broke up, and now Mom's hurt bad." Henry sighed heavily.

"None of this is your fault. Just because you brought me here, doesn't mean your mother isn't held responsible for her actions. I'm sorry that those choices got her hurt and it's making you think you'd cause them," she answered truthfully.

"Mom didn't choose this. Not unless you believe in the curse now…?" he asked, voice raising slightly with hope.

"Henry …" she said in gentle warning. "Your mom and I had a fight on the phone this morning. My guess was her trying to see me and got into an accident along the way." Emma of course left out her own speculations that the mayor was quite possibly overly emotional over their argument and may not have been paying attention, or driving recklessly, in the process. "I didn't want that to happen, and I'm sorry you're going through this, but please … if I'm going to stay here with you, no curse talking." She was adamant about that, and it came through in her tone. "I'm not trying to be harsh, Kid. But ... things were tense last night, and I'm not in the mood to talk about it or hear any references to what the fight was about."

Green eyes locked onto the hopeful brown eyes she was disappointing. "Okay?"

"Well, it's still not her fault. I'm the one who ran away to find you, and made you bring me back here. If I'd just stayed… and…" Henry's voice drifted off, because he didn't know what came after that. "If I'd just stayed here, you two wouldn't have had a fight. Mom wouldn't need surgery. Nobody would be hurting if not for me!"

Flinching at Henry's outburst, Emma hunched over in her chair and sighed. "Maybe that's true. But then, who knows what would've happened if you didn't? Can't change the past, Kid - no matter how many what ifs and wishes you use. You can only move forward and hope things turn out the way they're suppose to be."

He glanced at Emma then, sad because she didn't believe, but excited because that's exactly how her parents would talk! Henry didn't dare say that, though, since she was all prickly about the truth.

"What happens if Mom doesn't get better?" he wondered aloud, feeling a genuine stab of panic at that potential reality.

"I don't know, Kid," came the unhelpful response Emma. "Do you have any other family in town? Or did your mother talk to anyone about your well being in case she needed someone to take care of you for any reason?"

"No. Her parents died… a long time ago," Henry said with a sigh. That was the truth anyway. "And Mom's never even had a cold that I can remember. She never talked about anyone taking care of me but her. And I pushed her away."

Emma looked at him, opposing emotions vying in competition as to how she should feel were weighing on her. There was no way she could take care of a ten year old boy as his adopted mother recuperated, or if the worse happened, actually take care of a ten year old indefinitely! She wasn't sure how the law worked if she would get Henry by default or if he'd become a ward of the state! That reality made her pale, her stomach churning as the bile slowly rose up her throat. She wanted her son to get adopted to avoid being passed around in foster care!

"Let's wait and see what happens then. Not get ahead of ourselves until we know what happens to your mom. Right?"

"Right." Henry nodded, taking that as very good advice. His adoptive mother was a strong, fierce woman. And, knowing that he was waiting for her, she would fight to pull through surgery and recovery. What would happen after that was anyone's guess.

Dr. Whale emerged, looking unusually tired. He stopped short and stared at Emma with a puzzled expression, as if deciding how best to proceed. He crouched down in front of Henry and focused on him.

"Henry, since you're the man of the house, we need to have a chat about your mom."

Straightening up further in the uncomfortable chair, he put on his best strong expression, that ended up as a fragile attempt at best. His voice did not waver. "How is she, Dr. Whale?"

Whale had heard that the blonde was Henry's birth mother, but that didn't necessarily make her family in this sense. He lifted a brow. "Henry, I'll… need your permission to talk in front of… Miss Swan, is it? Or, we can go somewhere private."

Scrunching the right side of his face together, he looked at Emma and wasn't sure what to do. Emma gave him a warm smile. "Won't hurt my feelings if you want to speak to the doc alone, Kid. He's right. She's your family, and you need to do what you feel's right."

Henry tried to be clever about this and figure out if hearing his mother's situation would engage Emma, or if it would make her even more wary. He didn't know, however, and decided that she should just stay put. They had cared about each other, even if Emma didn't understand it was real.

"You can talk in front of Emma, Dr. Whale," he said. Then, he repeated, "How is she?"

"Very well then, Henry." He only briefly glanced at Emma before his sole focus was on his patient's son. "Your mother did well during surgery. She was banged up pretty badly, but the accident had caused a few of her ribs to break. One of them injured her lung and I closed up that area. The good thing though Henry is that she's breathing on her own. She'll recover but Regina has to stay in the hospital for maybe a week to monitor her progress. I don't want to release her too soon and have her right back in here. We both know she won't like that, but you're going to have to keep at her to help her know what's best." He smiled and pat his shoulder. "Do you have any questions so far?"

Henry bit his lip and frowned in concentration, thinking about all of this. His relationship with his mother had taken a radical turn, literally overnight, and the boy was working through that.

"Did she wake up yet?" he asked.

"Only briefly after surgery to make sure she was all right. She'll be more awake once you see her in her room. Just know she'll still be groggy because of the anesthesia and pain medication," he explained.

Henry nodded. "When can I see her?"

"Soon. I'll send a nurse for you once she's settled. Promise." Patting his knee, Whale rose to his feet. "And I'll go check on her now. Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Dr. Whale," Henry replied.

"You're welcome, Henry." He gave Emma a brief nod before heading back back through the ER doors towards recovery.

So focused on mentally preparing for the sight of his mother in a hospital bed, he'd stopped pondering who the doctor might be in his book. Henry sighed and looked at Emma, wondering what she was thinking. To be honest - even she had no idea what to think. She just wanted to keep any remnants of guilt, concern, betrayal, and anger out of her thoughts in fear of leaking that through into her voice when speaking with Henry. It wasn't at all fair to him.

"See, Kid?" she smiled down at him. "Your mom will be fine. I know quite a few people who were hurt much worse than she was in similar situations. She's lucky, which is good. Plus, sounds like Whale's a good doctor. She's in good hands."

"Yeah. She's lucky," he agreed. Henry folded his hands in his lap. "I guess Miss Blanchard or Dr. Hopper will have me stay with them… if Mom's gonna be here for a week. I don't think they let kids stay at the hospital overnight."

"Well, pretty sure your mom's going to be awake to have that discussion with you." Her mind briefly thought about what Henry had shared with her, of who Regina and Mary Margaret really were - that it would be a cold day in hell if the Evil Queen would have her son staying with the enemy Snow White. It was just a brief, foolish, thought that only made her feelings of betrayal reignite, making her desire in leaving to flare up once again.

"Yeah."

Crud, she didn't even bite! Henry thought.

"So, when's Billy going to have your car ready?" he asked.

"Soon actually." She glanced up at the clock hanging up the registration desk. "Might have to check in with him."

"Oh."

It was a single word, but Emma would hear how deflated and dismayed Henry sounded by that. He didn't know what to do. After all, there was this weird relationship Emma and his mother had briefly formed, and there was the curse at stake. If Emma left, would he be able to find her again? Could she actually leave? Would she get hurt again if she tried?

Looking up at her pitifully, he asked in a quiet voice, "Please don't go?"

"Henry," she sighed in warning as Emma looked down at the floor. "I don't belong here. I don't want to be here. And honestly? I'm worried about you staying here with her."

The boy sighed, having no idea how to dig himself out of this mess. He wanted to believe what Regina had said, that she had truly fallen for Emma. She had to have if admitting her feelings had broken the curse she'd put on the apples. But, he also wanted to strangle his mother for hurting Emma in the process, for letting "whatever happened" go unchecked instead of doing it right.

But, she is the Evil Queen. So what else do I expect? Her to be heroic? he thought. But how do I be the hero for her?

"It'll be fine. Mom will get better and life will go back to normal-"

Under a curse, forever.

"-and you can go back to yours, knowing we're here if you ever change your mind about us," he said.

"Seriously?" She looked up at him directly, locking eyes with her birth son with tempered patience and concern. "You're fine with the situation I'm leaving you in with her? Because if you're not, Henry, I can come back with a reason to bring you back with me. I'll admit I'm not your mom's biggest fan with what she did to me, but it doesn't have to continue being that way with you."
Ironically, Regina's Mills had nothing to fear from Emma Swan in regards to her son. She never wanted to take Henry away from the supposedly perfect home that he was adopted into. It was the layers of deception that were peeled away when Emma finally wanted to get him out of this unhealthy environment. She may have no legal reasons to take him away now, and she had no proof to what really happened here. It was just her words against the mayor's, which meant Henry needed to take the first step and go with her.

If only she knew that it really was the truth that both of them had spoken, but there was nothing tethering her here in any way to believe that his book was real…

"No, you can't," Henry replied matter-of-factly. "It was a closed adoption so we're not even supposed to know each other. There'd be no way. Believe me, I thought of all that before coming to find you."

He smirked, remembering the threat he'd played on Emma at her Boston apartment when she said she'd call the police. Henry had said he would say she kidnapped him. Ironically, now they were nearing that as a possibility, at least in conversation.

"Mom has been… kinda evil-" Henry held up a hand, forestalling any argument from Emma with regard to the curse. It was just he didn't have the vocabulary to call her self-interested. "-for a long time. And, if she cursed… uh, drugged you like she admitted, that is bad. But, that's because she hasn't been able to trust or love in a real long time. My running away to find you scared her. You scared her. But, if she really said she loves you, she means it. And she's sorry. Because my mom doesn't apologize for anything to anyone."

Henry was so bright and insightful, that it was difficult for Emma to really believe he was the product of that woman's upbringing. He even acknowledged what his mother had done was wrong, didn't offer any excuses, just an understanding as to what had driven her to act.

"Still doesn't change the fact you don't hurt the people you supposedly love - scared or not. There's a lot you don't know about me, but I can share this. I can't be around people who hurt me like that, and what your mother did was unforgivable. There …" she sighed, feeling that conflict beginning to simmer under her anger once more. That guilt starting to chip away at this uncaring exterior that she was clinging onto in front of Henry. Regina was in the hospital because of her. She had been willing to try and earn Emma's forgiveness, and it was that recklessness that got her into that accident. But then again, who knew how their conversation would have turned out.

"Look, I can't forgive her. Okay? She hurt me bad and I'm not taking the chance of it happening again." Glancing at her son, Emma placed a tentative hand upon his shoulder and hoped he wouldn't take offense to what she said next. "I'm worried about you though. I know she won't hurt you, but her actions are not what a good mother should be modeling. You shouldn't be sitting here rationalizing her actions to me because they're wrong. Like I said, scared or not, there's no excuse for what she did to me."

Henry shook her hand off, frustrated. "Neither are yours, so don't try to act all superior now. Forget it. I want to go see my Mom."

He leaped out of his seat and made his way toward the receptionist's station, getting up on tip toes to inquire if he could go see Regina yet, leaving Emma frustrated. She wasn't trying to be superior to anyone, but Emma had never drugged anyone into having sex with them, toyed with their emotions. Now she was being labeled as being an offender to Regina? She didn't need this from the kid that brought her here to Storybrooke.

"Fuck this town," she grouchily said to herself before removing herself from the chair she was sitting and the ER. She dialed Billy immediately as she stormed towards the exit but ended up stopping when she recognized the voice of the woman who had helped her over the phone. The call connected and she heard Billy saying hello over and over again, each time more irritably, but Emma was too transfixed on the novice sister oddly juggling the receiver in hand that she was about to drop. Hearing her voice reminded Emma of how concerned she actually had been for Regina. No matter the bravado she pulled in front of Henry, or how much she wanted this town to fuck off, Emma did care and wondered how Regina could have fixed the unfixable.

Billy already had long hung up as Emma approached the few cubicles on the opposite side of the receptionist area which were away from Henry, thankfully. She got the nun's attention. "Hey, could I ask a favor?" Emma had grabbed a general thank you card the ER gave out to patients that were discharged and scrawled something on the inside.

Astrid paused and lifted her brows. "You were with Henry, right? Poor boy. What can I do for you, miss?"

"Yeah. I was." She glanced back at Henry who was being led into the back by one of the nurses. Presumably to see his mother. Emma looked back at the woman, saw her name badge, and gave Astrid a nod. "Could you give this to Mayor Mills when you're able." Emma handed over the sealed envelope to her. "Nothing major. Just a get well card."

"Once Henry sees her, you can go up to the floor too," Astrid suggested. "I'm sure she can use all the friends she can get…"

The novice had not yet recognized Emma's voice to realize this was the person she had spoken with before.

"Yeah, I appreciate the thought, but that's just … not going to happen right now. Lot of things I need to do that I've been putting off," she said with the briefest of smiles. "Just make sure she gets the card. Okay?"

"Okay. Certainly! I'll walk it up myself when I have my break," Astrid offered with a matching, sympathetic smile.

"That's really nice of you, Astrid." She pointed at the badge the novice was wearing as Emma's smile turned thin and forced. "I appreciate it." And then nodded politely. "Have a good day."

"You as well," the nun replied, having no comprehension of how much the blonde woman had been struggling in their interaction. She fingered the card and slipped it into her purse, ready to carry it up to the mayor, later, as Emma left the ER for the garage once again.

Regina blinked her eyes open and stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling. She had never been in Storybrooke General Hospital as a patient in the whole 28 years of the hospital's existence. The mayor winced when she tried to move and realized that it hurt to try to do so. She felt groggy as if her thoughts and perceptions had been muted.

Gradually, it came back to her. Damned Hansel… Nicholas… in the middle of the street. Veering to keep from running him down, and the old tree came into view too fast to react. Regina remembered that much at least. She could only imagine the state she was in. One hand was immobilized by an IV and the other, she found, hurt to move. It was in a splint so Regina could only surmise it was sprained.

"Henry…?" she called out, hoping that he'd come to her room.

"Mom!" shouted Henry, hopping down from the chair he pulled over to his mother's bedside. "You're awake!" He held her good hand and squeezed, so happy that his mother finally regained consciousness.

Tears pricked her eyes at having Henry happy to see her again. "I am… Are you okay, Henry? I'm so sorry about this... if I scared you."

He thought about his talk with Emma and knew he wasn't entirely fine, but he hid it as best he could because he was genuinely happy to see his mother awake and talking. "You did scare me, but it doesn't matter. Dr. Whale said you can get better."

Regina smiled tiredly. Talking was more difficult than she expected it to be. The injury to her lung compromised her. "Yes, so he told me as well. Just a bit banged up. Afraid that... he feels I need to stay here a few days."

Henry looked at her shrewdly. "Don't have to soften the blow, Mom. He said it could be a week."

She sighed. "Yes. I… suppose we'll have to make arrangements... for you. Perhaps Sheriff Graham will let you stay with him. That might... be an enjoyable week... for you, hm?"

"That would be so cool! Does that mean I get to ride in the squad car?" he asked eagerly and already anticipated his mother's rebuttal. "I promise not to get involved in anything official. Except to turn the sirens on."

Regina just rolled her eyes. It was clear the medications were still taking her for a ride because the mayor didn't give her son grief for his ideas. "When… the Sheriff comes by, I'll ask him then and see... if… he's agreeable."

Not like he'd disagree. I own him, she thought.

"Is… Henry, it was Nicholas in the road. I was trying to avoid hitting him with my car. He's… is he okay?"

"Oh! So that's what happened! Graham said a boy called 911 but didn't leave a name. No one else came through the ER except you. So, he should be okay."

He was so excited to hear about his mother's concern for another person in town, and that she avoided trying to hit Nicholas. That never would have happened before Emma came to town. It made him angry that his birth mother, the savior, couldn't see past that! His mother was trying to change!

"But what about you? Can I get you anything, Mom? I was told you couldn't eat anything yet, but I can get you some ice if you want."

She smiled at him, so happy that Henry loved her again. Regina could hardly believe it, considering how contentious things had been with her son for months, but she wasn't going to knock this stroke of fate.

"Thank you, my prince. Ice would be lovely. You'll…" She flushed, hating this part. "...have to help me with it though."

"It's okay to ask for help, Mom. Doesn't mean you're weak." He gave Regina the controls to get the bed to a comfortable height, that way he was free to help spoon the small ice pieces towards her mouth.

The mention of weakness took her back to her mother's mantra on the topic, briefly, and wondered if Cora had been right after all. Trying to fix things with Emma, because she loved her, had landed her in the hospital. Or was that the curse's doing, to keep itself intact? Even Regina didn't know.

"Thank you, Henry," she said, accepting ice chips. Regina had never felt so parched as she did now! "These are better... than my best cider right now."

"Well, I wouldn't know, since I'm not allowed to drink it," he quipped, smiling as he scooped up some more ice. "So I'll just go with it, Mom."

Regina smiled with genuine mirth at his reply, accepting additional ice chips until she had him stop. The last thing she needed to do, while incapacitated, was end up losing the fluids she'd just taken in!

"Henry… since our operation turned into a real... operation for me, do you know of Emma's... whereabouts?" Regina asked tentatively.

She watched her son's face become overshadowed with disappointment and the briefest flickerings of anger. "What's it matter? She's leaving," he muttered dismally as he shoved the spoon into the cup.

"You saw her?"

"Yes," he answered with a scowl.

Regina read Henry's expression and sighed. "We… tried, Henry. We can't force her to stay. I realize that much. If… if Emma doesn't wish to be here, if what I did was too much to forgive, as she's said…"

"She came to check on me, but I know she wanted to see you! She's just too stubborn to admit it!" he argued but even Henry had lost some of his passion. "She just wouldn't listen. And I got frustrated so I just let her go. I was more concerned about you anyway…"

Considering the lengths that Henry had gone to to find his birth mother, his admission was very significant to Regina. The tears came back, filling her brown eyes as she stared at her son. She sighed softly.

"Thank you, Henry. This… was a serious scare for me. For what would've happened to you if I were more… seriously injured." Regina frowned. "We'll fix our little family and… if Emma goes, perhaps that is for the best?"

"You still don't get it." Henry sighed, figuring that his earlier thoughts were wrong about having to track his birth mother down again. "Emma can't leave, Mom. She already tried and it didn't work. So, it's not going to work this time either. Not until she breaks the curse."

"It's the drugs, Henry. But, of course I know. It was my curse… but she doesn't believe. Best we just leave her alone," she replied, sounding tired rather than cross as he lectured her on the particulars.

If this has brought my son back to me, that's all that matters then, pain-medication-addled Regina thought.

"I guess." He slumped back into his chair, feeling as if nothing made sense. The savior was supposed to break the evil queen's curse. Instead, the evil queen accidentally cursed Emma into falling in love with her, who happened to feel the same, which broke the curse originally placed. He couldn't get Emma to talk to his mother, and now his mother was acting defeated. This was nothing like the true love that Henry read about!

She lapsed into silence then, not for a lack of knowing what to say, but because the drugs that flowed into her system made her sleepy again. Regina fought against them, gazing at her son.

"You'll… stay nearby? Even if I doze?" she asked instead of commanding.

Even with his mind in a whirl at what to do about his moms, Henry's heart remained here, at the hospital. "Not going anywhere, Mom," he assured her. "Promise."