Authors note: I'm back after this long, long hiatus. Truly sorry it took so long, it's just that I had some problems with forming the words and writing what I actually want to write. So, that's the reason. I think there will be only one or two chapters left in this story, and I hope to write them as soon as I can. Though I'm really busy with school right now, being in my final year and all.
Anyway, enough of my rambling and I hope you all enjoy the chapter.
...
Absolutely nothing Regina was doing was working.
The brunette was sitting on her bed, the book she had gotten from her vault earlier that day resting heavily in her lap. She pushed her black rimmed glasses further up her nose, carefully flipping to the next page, so as to make sure that the fragile paper didn't tear. This page still not contained the information Regina has been looking for. Claire was lying next to her on some blankets that Regina put around the newborn to keep her warm. It was already dark outside, signaling another day that had passed without Regina finding a way to save her sister. Without finding a cure to this bloody ice-curse.
Well, not that she hadn't already found a solution, it was just that that particular solution wasn't an option in her sister's case. True love was not something that was in full supply.
Regina scoffed silently, closing the book with a sigh. True love just couldn't be the only solution, there had to be some other way she could stop the ice from reaching Zelena's heart. The red-haired woman had gotten worse since yesterday, the ice now quickly going up her arm and turning the tips of her hair white. It didn't matter how much blankets were wrapped around her, the witch just kept on shaking, jaw trembling and eyes glazing over.
"Have you found anything yet?" Robin asked softly as he stepped out of the bathroom, wearing flannel pajama pants and a gray t-shirt with a small v-neck. He ran one hand through his wet hair, causing the dark locks to stick out at all sides and small droplets of water to soak his shirt, leaving specks of water on it, coloring the gray fabric a couple of shades darker.
"No." Regina sighed, pulling the glasses from her face and placing them on the nightstand together with the spell-book. "I haven't found anything yet, there is almost nothing to find on this type of magic, let alone a cure besides the ever nauseating true love." She moved one hand through her dark hair and stretched her back. A satisfying pop signaling she had been sitting in that position for way too long.
Robin chuckled, moving slowly towards the bed and sitting down on his side as careful as he could trying to make sure their daughter remained in her peaceful sleep. "You do remember we have true love, right Milady?" His voice was soft, comforting as he leaned over the baby to place a kiss on the side of Regina's head, one hand curling around her waist. "And I wouldn't call what we have nauseating." His hand moved up from her side and instead cupped her cheek, softly tilting her head to the left so he could place a loving kiss on her full lips.
Regina hummed, slightly deepening the kiss. "I don't know." She whispered against his lips, a smirk playing on her own. "Maybe lightly sickening?"
The snort that left Robin throat caused warmth to spread through her belly and Regina moved her hands up his arm and towards the hand that was still resting on her cheek, weaving their fingers together. It felt so intimate and loving and Regina thought she'd never felt so happy before. She leaned in closer, her free hand shot down towards the bed, stopping herself from falling over. The sudden dip of the mattress however, caused Claire to softly jostle, waking the newborn from her sleep.
It was the piercing cry that broke the lover's trance. They were both panting slightly, their cheeks flushed and Robin softly chuckled as he stared down at the tiny baby between them, who was now looking up at them with big, watery brown eyes.
"What's wrong, baby girl?" Regina murmured, lifting the baby from its mountain of blankets and instead placing her close against her chest instead.
"We might have woken her up." Robin smiled, his fingers stroking the small hand in front of him.
Regina smirked, her eyes twinkling as she looked up at the man next to her. "How about you take her to the nursery, and then we can continue this?" Her voice sounded innocent, her lips slightly pouting as she winked lazily. "We have about three hours until her midnight feeding."
Robin had never been faster to get out of bed.
...
"Are you sure you're not going to need my help, mom? Especially now that Robin isn't here." Henry asked for the third time that morning, making sure she was absolutely sure. It was her first day alone ever since Claire was born, well technically she wouldn't be alone, but it wasn't as if aunt Zelena would be of any help.
"Yes, I'm sure Henry." Regina smiled, sweeping her free hand through his unruly hair. Claire was nestled against her chest, playing with the silver necklace that was hanging around Regina's neck. "Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."
"But Robin isn't here and it's the first time you've been alone since Claire's been born and-"
"Honey, you forget I've raised you and there was no one around then." Regina tried to ease his worry, because there was absolutely nothing to worry about. She'd been completely alone when she had raised Henry, and this situation was the exact opposite of that. Robin was just a phone call away, he'd been called in to the camp of the Merry Man for something early this morning, though he'd promised it wasn't something too serious. He'd taken Roland with him so Regina's worries had been soothed. Robin would never bring Roland along if it was something dangerous, he was a good father to all of their children and he would never endanger them. There was nothing Regina was more sure of than that particular fact.
"Mom, I can stay home today, it's not as if I would miss much and grandma can sent me my homework, or I can go get it at the apartment." His dark eyes were determined, his mouth in a straight line, signaling he was serious.
It was strange to see her little boy so grown up and serious and she wondered where the time had gone. Where was the little four year old that always begged to be lifted up into her arms, or the six year old that would always try (but never succeed) to climb the apple tree that was standing in their backyard. She missed those days, but would never trade them for the boy he was now. This handsome boy who wanted nothing more than to help his mother with his sister, the boy who was worried about her even though it was not his place to worry about her. She was the parent, and even though he seemed so grown up now, he was still and would alway be her child.
"Stop worrying, Henry." She lightly scolded and pulled the boy into her side. "It isn't your job to worry, that's mine." She placed a kiss on top of his head, standing on her tiptoes because the boy was almost as tall as her. "Now go and get your backpack from your room, you're going to be late."
Henry looked at her, eyes still filled with doubt, but he moved to the staircase anyway. His shoes sounded loud on the stairs as he ran upstairs and when he stepped into the kitchen again his mother was standing by the counter, sipping tea from a black mug.
He swung his backpack over his shoulder, his hand smoothing down his hair. "Are you still not changing your mind, mom?" He tried once again.
Regina sighed and put her tea down. "I would almost think you don't want to go to school, Henry." She smiled. "Does it have anything to do with that girl, Grace?"
Henry's cheeks and the tip of his ears turned pink as his eyes shifted to the floor, looking anywhere but at his mother. "No." He muttered, but it was an easy caught lie. "I just don't want to leave you all alone here."
"I'll be fine, Henry. I promise." Regina repeated, letting the lie slip because she didn't want to embarrass her son anymore. "No, go to school. I need to feed Claire and I'm pretty sure you don't want to be around for that."
There was no objection anymore after those words and Henry left the house with bright red ears that had his mother softly snickering behind him.
...
She was just re-buttoning her blouse when she heard it. A loud bang resounding from upstairs and it could only be coming from one room. Zelena's room.
Regina held Claire tighter against her body as she almost ran up the stairs. Her heart was pounding in her chest, threatening to almost jump out and blood was thumping in her eardrums. Her hand closed around the door handle, pushing it open. She hadn't checked on her sister this morning yet, but now Regina wished she'd have gone in earlier. The ice was now quickly progressing and Regina thought she could actually see it spreading over almost translucent skin. Normally red hair was now almost completely white, the only red that was still visible was some hair near the hairline.
It seemed the loud bang she'd heard was from Zelena falling out of the bed as the former witch was now crumbled in a heap of blankets on the floor next to the queen sized bed.
"Zelena." The name left her throat in a worried whisper and she looked down at the newborn in her arms. "I need to put Claire down and then I'll help you." She said quickly, jogging towards the nursery. By the time she returned to the guest bedroom Zelena was occupying, the woman had already rolled herself over on her back. Her body was shaking violently, teeth making awful sounds as they clashed together with harsh shudders.
Regina crouched down next to her sister, slowly placing her hands under the woman's arms. She wished Robin was here, he would've easily lifted the woman back on the bed, whereas Regina didn't actually have the physical strength to do so. Her teeth clenched and the muscles in her arms strained as she finally managed to get Zelena's upper body back on the bed. The former Evil Queen huffed, lifting her sister's legs so Zelena was fully lying on the bed again.
Green eyes followed her form as she dropped herself onto the bed, sitting next to the dying woman. Regina furrowed her eyebrows in sadness. She hadn't realized the ice would be so fast to spread. There was no way she was going to find a cure in time before it reached her heart.
Zelena coughed, a wheezing sound that sounded like someone who had been smoking one pack a day for the last ten years. "What now, little sis?" Her voice sounded strange, small and Regina thought she could hear a hint of fear buried in there somewhere. "Did you finally realize there is no way you can save my life?"
Regina's eyebrows lifted. And Zelena noticed it too.
"What?" Zelena chuckled softly. "You thought I was unaware I was dying?" Her eyes moved towards her arm that was completely covered in ice. "It's kind of hard not to notice. Half of my body is turned into ice." Her eyes moved away from her arm and instead stared blankly up towards the ceiling. "I appreciate that you still tried to find a cure, though. It's nice to know not everyone is eager to have me dead."
Regina wanted to say something, wanted to say that not everyone wanted her dead. But that would be a lie, so instead she said: "Is this some sort of pity party?" Her voice was curt. "You're still somewhat breathing, aren't you? So there's no use in giving up already."
Zelena sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I finally understand." She said with a grin that bordered on insane. Maybe the ice was doing things to her brain.
"Understand what?"
Her neck slung to the right, staring into deep brown eyes. "Why Rumple chose you, why he wanted you and no one else."
Regina narrowed her eyes, confusion shining through. "How so?"
"Because you're so... so stubborn. You just keep going, keep having some small sliver of hope that it'll all work out. You don't ever stop believing even if you yourself think you did. You, Regina, you don't give up, you're incapable of giving up. It's somewhat admirable truly." Zelena released a chuckle. "You were the perfect girl to break."
Regina's expression turned into that of a scowl as she clenched her hands into fists. Zelena caught the sudden shift in tension and she shook her head. "No, you don't understand. It's not an insult, it's a compliment."
"How can that be a compliment, really, do explain." Regina snapped, her eyes shifting to the picture of a white lily that was hanging on the wall facing her.
Zelena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is that, even though I tried to kill you and... and you child, you still saved my life, still gave me a second chance and that's- I can't even try and begin to explain what that means to me. You truly are what they call a hero, even though the title sounds nauseating to me."
A throaty chuckle filled the room as Regina shook her head. "Believe me, it doesn't sound any better to me, so please refrain from calling me a hero. The last thing I need is to be associated with the un-Charming clan."
A lazy smile was the signal that all this talking was starting to take it's toll on Zelena's energy and Regina moved the blankets up to cover the woman from neck to toe. "Don't give up just yet, though." She said softly, her hand moving some of her dark hair behind her ear. "I promise I won't stop trying to find a cure."
"The only cure is true love, and that's just not in the cards for me, little sis." Came the exhausted reply and Zelena's glazed eyes started to slip shut.
Regina sighed softly, standing up from the bed. "Just hold on for a little while." She walked over to the door and turned around one last time. "I will be back in two hours to check on you again, try to stay on the bed this time." The words were accompanied by a sad smile and she closed the door behind her with a soft click.
...
Hope you liked it and if you find the time, please leave a review, they're my writing fuel. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with Zelena, so if any of you have any suggestions, please share.