Lots and lots of SnowQueen in this chapter - hurray! Enjoy and leave some love ;) I love the response I get for this fic, quite a few of you seem to have taken a shine on this unusual pairing and that really makes me happy.

-np

Regina groaned. She'd just woken up seconds ago and her head was killing her. She felt like a bus had run her over and when she sat up she got quite dizzy so she sank back into the sheets of her bed, closing her eyes.

Literally two days ago her life had been kinda perfect. Alright, she had to confess that Henry could be quite the brat sometimes. But still. She had her family, a wife she loved and who loved her back.

They weren't meant to be but her curse had developed a life of it's own, putting them together like this.

She'd hated Snow with all her heart and now after 28 years she couldn't get herself to stop loving the woman. She just couldn't hate the woman who'd brought breakfast to her bed every Valentines Day, who built bird houses, had ticklish ears and sang "Hit me baby one more time" while doing the laundry. She couldn't and she didn't want to.

There were a great many things between them that had happened back in the Enchanted Forest but she was willing to work through them because all that she wanted was to hold Snow White in her arms and never let go.

She turned to her right side and winced when her move applied pressure to her shoulder. Quickly she moved back to lay flat on her back again.

"Regina?", she suddenly heard the sweetest voice she knew from out of the corner of the room.

Slowly she opened her eyes. There she sat. Snow. Paler than usual and eyes still full with sleep.

She must've slept in this chair to be by her side. She remembered how Snow had cradled her in her arms back in the kitchen and the sweet words she spoke to her but nonetheless she'd thought that her love would go back to Charming. They were true loves after all...

"You stayed", Regina managed to croak out with a small smile on her face.

Snow didn't reply anything but hurried over to Regina's bedside, leaning in to embrace her before awkwardly stepping back when she remembered Regina's wounds.

"I wouldn't leave your side for anything", she said and instead settled for carefully sitting down in the bed and combing Regina's raven hair with her fingers.

"I was so worried, Regina. I thought you'd die and I'd lose you forever...", tears welled up in her green eyes and she had to calm herself back down before she resumed talking. "That moment when I saw... when I saw that sword push right through you... that moment I knew. I knew that I loved you and that I wanted to make this right, to try this with both of your sides and I thought I wouldn't get another chance... There was so much blood and..."

"Shhh, honey. I'm here", Regina whispered. "And I'm not going anywhere without you. I was so afraid you'd leave me and choose Charming... After all he is your true love."

Snow smiled. "You better don't or I'll hunt you down and drag you back here."

Then she sadly looked at Regina. "I think David and I were meant to be, but only in our old world. I believe that people can have second chances at true love and I think I found mine in you. I guess it is only fitting. After all I am the reason why you lost your first one and I can't begin to tell you how sorry..."

"Stop it. Stop it right now", Regina harshly interrupted her. "Don't you feel guilty for Daniel's death. I know I gave you every reason to feel this way but I had almost three decades to come to my mind. I can see things clearly now, Snow", the queen took Snow's face by her chin and tilted it up so she could look into the forest green eyes.

"You were just a child, Snow. A mere child who'd lost her mother and didn't want me to lose mine. Every person with a heart would've done what you did and I am so so sorry for all the pain I've caused you. The only person guilty for Daniel's death is my mother. Not you, not me, not magic. Only Cora."

Tears of relief were freely flowing down Snow's face and Regina thought she'd never been as beautiful as right at this moment.

"Would you bent down a little, honey?", she softly asked. "I'd love to kiss my beautiful wife but I can't manage to move my body the way I need to."

Snow chuckled and bent down. "You are such a charmer, Regina."

"You love it", Regina teased. "Now please shut up and kiss me."

"As you wish, your majesty", Snow teased back and met her wife's lips in a soft kiss, putting all her love into it.

Unfortunately they soon had to come up for air because of Regina's weakened state from her still healing injuries.

Her breathing was hard but she still managed to smile and say, "You know, honey, I woke up with the king of all headaches but after seeing you it seems to have just disappeared."

"Eww, gross", a voice from the door alerted them to another presence. "I thought you were the Evil Queen and princess Snow White, not Candy Cane and Lollipop."

Snow and Regina faced their friend who was standing in the door frame, smiling and balancing a tray with bread, marmelade, cut up fruit and orange juice.

"I'm sorry", Belle now sheepishly said. "I really should've knocked but I thought you were still out, Regina. And as Snow practically hasn't left this room for the last four days, I thought I'd bring her some breakfast before you wake up and hex me for starving your girl."

"I've been unconscious for four days?", Regina exclaimed. "Who the hell has been taking care of my town?! The office must bea mess right now, I really should get up and..."

"Uh uh uh. No, just no, Regina Mills. You are not getting out of this bed today and you can deem yourself lucky if I let you go to work in a week. You almost died on us. So no", Snow scolded the woman who groaned and sank back into her pillow.

"Fine", she quietly said. "I swear, being married to Snow is like having your very own pet dragon, Belle."

Belle chuckled. "Well, I'll leave you and your little dragon alone for a moment and make a second breakfast for you. You gotta be hungry after four days."

Right then Regina's belly gave a loud rumbling sound.

"I better hurry, huh?", Belle said to a blushing Regina. "I'm glad you're okay, Regina." And then she left the room to fetch something to eat for her starved friend.

"Don't think I didn't hear that dragon comment, Regina", Snow said but laughed nonetheless. It was relieving to be able to joke like this with Regina again.