This chapter is for Marina with the prompt: "Emma gets hurt, shot while working or something like that and Regina freaks out because she can't lose Emma and be left to raise the kids by herself. A little angst and fluff."

Emma walked towards Granny's, cursing her bug for finally breaking down. Hopefully she would make it to Granny's on time. Regina had a thing about being late, especially when it was family time.

As she was walking past an alley, an arm reached out and roughly pulled her into the darkness. Emma struggled, but was pushed to the ground before she would harm her attacker.

Jumping to her feet, Emma looked in confusion at her attacker. Since the person was dressed in all black and wearing a mask, it was hard to identify who it was. "Who are you?"

"Someone who's trying to help you," the attacker said. Emma noticed with shock that it was a female voice. "You can't continue your relationship with the mayor. She's evil. Far more evil than you realize."

"What is with you people?" Emma asked in annoyance. "She's not the Evil Queen anymore! She's my wife and the mother of our three children. Move on."

The attacker shook her head. "Evil never dies, no matter how much light is shown. The only way to expel the darkness is to destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Emma asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means," the attacker said, pulling a gun out of her coat. "That's it's time to say goodbye to your lovely mayor. I just wanted to make sure that you were out of the way. Can't have you stopping me." With that, the attacker ran off, towards the diner.

Emma cursed before chasing after her. The attacker had a huge head start, mainly because Emma had been far into the alley, and had been caught off guard.

The attacker glanced back at Emma before starting to run faster. Emma inwardly groaned before picking up her pace. She couldn't let this crazy woman hurt Regina. It wasn't an option. Not to mention the fact that Henry, Ava, and Lola were all with Regina in the diner.

Emma was starting to gain on the attacker, but they were quickly starting to reach the diner. Panting harshly, Emma knew what she had to do. Pushing herself one last final bit, Emma caught up to the attacker before tackling her to the ground.

"Get off!" the attacker shouted. "I have to do this!"

"Like hell you do," Emma growled, trying to grab the gun. They fought each other, Emma trying to get the weapon, the attacker trying to keep it.

Time seemed to slow as a single shot rang out. Emma didn't realize who had been hit until she felt the pain in her side and saw the blood starting to gather on her shirt.

The attacker blinked and looked at Emma in surprise before dropping the gun and quickly running away. Emma watched her go and gritted her teeth against the pain as she heard the door to Granny's slam open.

"Emma!" Regina exclaimed, running to her. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Something like that," Emma said, putting pressure on her wound. "I may need to go to the hospital."

Regina looked at her in confusion until she saw the blood on Emma's shirt. Her eyes widened as she visibly paled. "Someone shot you."

"I'll be fine," Emma said. "I just need the bullet removed and be patched up and it'll be fine. No big deal."

"No big deal?" Regina asked. "No big deal?"

"Listen to me," Emma said. "You can freak out in a minute. But right now, I need you to poof us to the hospital."

Regina nodded and grabbed Emma's hand. Before they left, she turned to Henry. "Take them home," she said, nodding towards Ava and Lola. Henry nodded and pulled his sister's close.

"Eyes open," Regina said to Emma. Emma's eyes snapped open before she smiled guiltily at Regina.

"Fine my ass," Regina grumbled. Emma chuckled before Regina poofed the two of them to the hospital.

Regina paced back and forth in the waiting room. Henry, Ava, and Lola were all home safe and sound. Lola had even been able to cast a protection spell on the mansion. Her magic was getting better.

Snow and David exchanged a glance as they watched Regina pace. Really, they were watching her fingertips, which were glowing purple. Regina never lost control of her magic.

"What's taking so long?" Regina asked. Snow and David jumped at her voice. She sounded like she had when she was the Evil Queen. Guarded. Angry.

"I don't know," Snow said quietly. "I'm sure they're doing the best that they can."

"Yes, because that seems to be doing so much right now," Regina said sarcastically. Snow and David winced at her tone.

"Maybe you should sit down," David suggested. "Take some deep breaths and calm down."

"I don't think you understand," Regina said, glaring at him and Snow. "I cannot lose her. If I lose her, I will lose myself. And I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm pretty close to losing it." She held up her hands to prove her point, which were still glowing purple.

"I have never lost control. Even when facing my mother, my magic has never gotten away from me. And right now, it finally is," Regina said. "That is how freaked out I am right now."

Snow and David were at a loss for words. Regina had never admitted to being freaked out by anything. Snow went to say something, but Whale walked out into the waiting room, immediately gaining Regina's attention.

Whale glanced at Regina's hands. "Everything okay out here?"

Regina waved her hand dismissively, causing some of the lights to flicker. "Don't worry about it. How's Emma?"

Whale glanced at the lights before looking at Regina with a little trace of fear. He had never seen her lose control. "She's fine. We removed the bullet and patched her up, so she'll be able to go home in a couple days. We'll keep her here to make sure nothing gets infected."

Regina nodded in satisfaction. "Can I see her?"

Whale glanced at her hands, which were still glowing purple. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

David placed his hand on Regina's arm before she let her magic loose. "Let her see Emma," he said. "It'll be fine."

Whale sighed before nodding. Regina smiled gratefully at David before following Whale back to Emma's room.

"Don't stay too long," Whale cautioned. "She needs her rest."

Regina nodded, but planned on staying as long as she pleased. If anything, she could just place a barrier around the room.

Emma opened her eyes as soon as she heard the door open, smiling when she saw Regina enter. Regina didn't smile back, choosing instead to just sit next to Emma's hospital bed.

"Regina?" Emma asked. "Everything okay?"

"No, everything's not okay," Regina said. She held up her hands and watched as Emma's eyes widened. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

"Your magic," Emma said. "You're losing control."

Regina nodded. "Seeing you bleeding in front of me, and then having you whisked away by doctors and me not knowing what was going on just added up." She looked down at her hands, sighing as they continued to glow. "I can't make them stop."

"Because you're still freaking out," Emma said. She scooted over, patting the spot next to her on the bed. Regina smiled before sitting next to her, quickly wrapping her arms around Emma. Emma leaned into Regina's embrace, patiently waiting as Regina calmed herself down.

Regina sighed in relief as her hands stopped glowing. Just having Emma in her arms made everything better again.

"See?" Emma asked. "I told you that I would be fine."

"I could have lost you," Regina said. "You could have died. And I would have had to take care of the kids on my own. Some things only you can do. I don't play video games like you do. You're the cool mom, and they can't lose you, and I can't lose you. I can't."

Emma squeezed Regina gently, trying to stop her rambling. Regina took a deep breath before resting her head on top of Emma's. "I'm sorry for scaring you," Emma said. "But the person who shot me was going to shoot you. I couldn't let that happen. Not with the kids with you."

Regina tensed. "You took a bullet for me? You told me that that was just an expression!"

Emma chuckled. "It usually is. I don't regret it though. You're safe, and that's all that matters to me."

Regina rolled her eyes affectionately. "Curse you and your need to help people."

Emma laughed before wincing. "As much as I would love to laugh, I probably shouldn't."

Regina hummed in agreement, beginning to play with Emma's hair. Emma sighed in content at her touch, slowly starting to fall asleep.

A couple minutes later, Regina smiled as Emma's breathing finally evened out, indicating that she had fallen asleep.

"Don't you worry," Regina whispered to her. "I will find out who did this to you."

Lola used magic! Did you catch it?