At the behest of Regina and Emma— a battle lost as soon as they'd joined forces— Dr. Whale reluctantly agreed to hold their meeting in Henry's room. If anything, the fact that Henry could possibly hear them only made the mothers want to stay more. They didn't care what they would be talking about, just as long as they were at their son's side. Nothing could, or would, take them away from him again.
Standing at the foot of her patient's bed in a clean pair of scrubs and her hair pinched together by a rubber band, Dr. Whale didn't need a chart or papers to explain this to the parents. She wasn't an intern anymore; she'd memorized most, if not all, of the information she was about to relay. "Henry suffered from cardiac arrest yesterday," she began slowly. "From the labs we ran, it seems to have been a result of the medication he's been on— the one to keep his blood pressure steady. It's not uncommon for something like that to happen when combined with the other—"
"Drugs?" Emma questioned sharply.
"I- I'm sorry," Regina said as she shook her head. She sat next to Henry and held his hand in both of hers, as though she were praying with it. His small fingers and delicate wrist seemed to remain frozen, no matter how warm Regina was herself. "Are you telling me that my son— my 11-year-old— had a- a heart attack?"
Dr. Whale opened her mouth to respond, but Emma beat her to it. "That's exactly what she's telling us," the blonde bit. "Because of the cocktails they've been pumping into the kid, he's in a coma now, right? Don't even think about lying to us; I know when people bullshit." Emma planted herself behind Regina. She managed to wedge herself right between the woman and the digital monitor recording Henry's heart beat. If Whale didn't know any better, she'd have thought they were a family just like the rest of the ones on the ward.
"I don't understand. How could you let this happen? Why didn't any of you catch this?!" Regina growled.
Doing her best to remain unaffected, unfazed by the accusation, Dr. Whale shoved her hands in her pockets. "As I said, it isn't uncommon. But, unfortunately, the warning signs aren't widely known."
"So, what are you saying— you guys aren't qualified to be doing this stuff?" Emma snarled. Whale bit her tongue.
For a moment, the only sounds in the room were the machines beeping and Henry's unnaturally loud breathing. The rubber pump that filled his lungs with oxygen rose and fell in a staggered motion, as if it were struggling to work, which didn't go unnoticed by Regina. It had been doing that all night, breaking rhythm here and there. It didn't seem to be affecting the rest of Henry's vitals, but Regina didn't care: she didn't like the fractured movements.
"What do we do now?" Regina asked, the grief already oozing through her question.
Keeping her head held high, unwilling to show her own uncertainty, Dr. Whale responded, "Right now, we halt radiation treatments. My team is already working on finding a substitute medication for his blood pressure. I've made a note for the nurses on the case to check in every 20 minutes, 15 if they can." Making purposeful eye contact with both of the haggard mothers, the young doctor made them a promise— something she never did to any patients' families. "This isn't permanent. I told you this before and I'll tell you again: I will do everything in my power to see that Henry makes it through this. You have my word."
"Who's a hungry boy? Are you a hungry boy?" Regina cooed at the six-month-old on her hip. With one arm, she held Henry firmly against her body and with the other, she prepared a plate of carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas, all mushed into an easy-to-consume texture. The air around smelled quite sweet, though a bit puckery as well. Regina had gotten accustomed to the scents that came with baby food, and sometimes, she even liked it. The peaches she would give Henry as a treat always brought a sense of comfort.
The little boy beside her giggled in excitement as he watched his dinner slowly form before his very eyes. "Jaja lana," he said confidently, reaching out with hands wide open for the tasty platter.
"Not just yet, sweetie. Oh, but I know what you like," the young mother grinned. Setting Henry in his booster seat, Regina pulled up a chair with a sippy-cup filled with apple cider. Scooping a spoonful of one of the orange substances, the brunette beamed at her son and made airplane noises, all the while relishing in the delighted laughter that exploded from Henry. Opening his mouth as wide as he could, he happily ate the indiscernible vegetable and gave his mother a gracious smile.
"Appa lop pop," Henry cheered and clapped wildly. Almost as if they were in agreement with him, several cars honked at one another just outside their window. Henry never seemed to mind the noise that accompanied their new abode, not even when he was sleeping. The sirens and screeching of tires were nothing new to him; however, their last home wasn't as close to the city as this.
"Oh really?" Regina raised an eyebrow "Is that so? Well, if you like it that much…" Acting as though it were a train, she moved the spoon in an up-and-down motion and mumbled an even-toned,"chugga chugga chugga chugga choo choo." Another enthused snort escaped the pucker between Henry's chubby cheeks, which were as rosy as Santa Claus's. His dark hair stuck to his forehead in sweat as he hungrily packed away the rest of his meal.
"Mmma!" Henry exclaimed when he'd finished every last bite. The blue bib that had been tied around his neck was covered in goop, though the wearer didn't mind.
Kissing the top of his nose, Regina gave Henry his bottle and kept diligent surveillance as she washed the remnants off of his plate. Careful not to trip over the various boxes, she was beginning to get used to them being spread around their new apartment. Their kitchen, which also doubled as a dining room, was overflowing with bags and suitcases, most of which contained Henry's belongings: clothes, toys, blankets, books, etc. In fact, most of the things she'd packed were Henry's.
As Regina placed the dish in the washer and closed the door, a loud buzzing rang through the room, causing Henry to drop his cup. In an instant, Regina wiped off the mouthpiece and returned it to the startled boy. "Hello?" she asked into the intercom apprehensively. She wasn't expecting any company and she was positive that Henry wasn't either.
"Regina?" There was a pause. "Regina, it's me."
As soon as she heard that voice, Regina spun around and pressed her back against the wall, her arms outstretched and her palms flat against the surface. Her gaze traveled to Henry, who was blissfully sucking away at the last drops of juice. This wasn't how she envisioned ending her first Saturday evening in her new home. But, before she could stop herself, Regina pressed the appropriate button and sucked in a breath. It was only a matter of seconds before their guest would arrive.
Frozen in her spot, Regina bit her lip and listened for the footsteps that would soon make their way towards her loft. Sure enough, the sound of rain boots clomping up the stairs and vibrated through her body. With each scuff against the floor, Regina's heart beat just a little faster. To think, she even recognized the pattern of the footsteps too— the staccato of the heels against the hallow ground.
Instead of waiting for the inevitable knock, Regina swung open the door so quickly, she was literally nose-to-nose with the woman. A little thinner, her hair a little straighter than the last time Regina had seen her, and her eyes just a little darker than before, Emma Swan stood at the threshold; her clothes were soaked, her straight-curls were drenched, and she was slightly out of breath, but there she was in the flesh. For the first time in six months, Regina and Emma were in each other's presence.
After letting her mouth hang open for several moments, Regina immediately yanked Emma into their flat."Take this off," she ordered as she unzipped the blonde's coat. Unbothered by the cold, Regina collected Emma's wet materials and held them at an arm's length.
"Namo tep alo," Henry mused innocently.
As if she'd been struck by a dagger, every muscle in Emma's body tightened. Wide-eyed, she nodded to the child in the yellow high-chair. "Is— is that him?"
Regina didn't answer the question, but merely lips pursed together. "You wait here," she commanded. The last thing she wanted to do was leave Emma and Henry alone together, but she had no other choice. She couldn't very well allow her friend to freeze to death on their welcome-mat. Regina disappeared down the hallway and searched frantically for a towel— something, anything to keep Emma warm and dry. Regina was still on duty, though, and lent an ear to the dining room. Neither Emma nor Henry said anything. To her own relief, Emma hadn't even approached the child when Regina returned. "Here," she said gruffly and thrusted a pink sheet towards Emma.
It was as though she were under a spell. Emma couldn't stop staring at the tiny creature across from her, and him her. They locked gazes, hooked on one another. Emma noted every loose strand of brown hair and every twitch of his fingers. It was like she was watching him in slow motion; everything else around her was a blur.
Likewise, Henry was transfixed by this large human, one he'd never met before— or one he didn't remember meeting. Having finished his bottle, he sat quietly and gawked at Emma, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. There was something about her green spheres, the way they pierced through him, Henry let his guard down.
Regina witnessed the intriguing encounter and knew instantly what was happening: Emma and Henry were bonding, making up for lost time. A voice in her head screeched for her to put a stop it, to remind them of her presence. But, the human side of her, the more sympathetic side, wouldn't let her. She bent her right knee, as if to start towards Henry, but she was stuck in her spot.
"Can… can I hold him?" Emma asked distracedly, only after pinching herself to make sure it wasn't a dream. She'd been imagining this for a while; she'd been waiting so long.
"No," Regina replied too sharply for Emma's liking. She saw the blonde flinch and quickly amended her statement. "Not wearing that. My room is at the very end of the hall. Go pick out a shirt and some pants. I don't want him getting sick."
Relieved at the condition of her desire, Emma practically raced down the corridor. In a flash, she'd kicked off her jeans and threw her shirt onto the ground. She rummaged through a box that looked like it had clothes in and grabbed the first items she could find. A gray button-down and black slacks replaced her red shirt and blue-jeans.
When she arrived back in the kitchen, Regina was just cleaning Henry's hands and face. He squirmed under the scented wipe, wrinkling his nose in disgust. But soon enough, he was spotless. Lifting him up by his armpits, Regina avoided Emma's longing expression and held her baby boy close, not wanting to hand him over just yet.
"Henry," Regina mumbled, "see this woman over here?" She pointed at the terrified figure. "Her name is Emma. She's… she's a very special friend. She's going to introduce herself to you, ok?" Although every piece of her screamed how bad of an idea it was, Regina walked over to Emma and glared at her with a clenched jaw. "He's a lot heavier than he looks," was all she said before placing Henry in Emma's unsure arms.
Overcome with fear, Emma almost gave Henry back the second he was in her grasp. However, when Henry peered up at her with those curious eyes— her eyes— she was suddenly a thousand times more comfortable and relaxed than she had been in a very long time. His chin glistening with drool and his fist shoved into his mouth, Henry seemed to fit perfectly in Emma awkward embrace. If he was uncomfortable, he didn't show it.
Regina knew she was being foolish, but she couldn't help but feel though she were intruding on a private scene. Less than three feet away from Emma, she took a mental snapshot of the blonde cradling Henry. She saw in Emma what she herself had experienced the first time she held Henry as her own: uncertainty, helplessness, confusion, but most of all, love. The lust Emma had embodied when she looked at the boy had disappeared, as her wish had finally come true.
If Regina was waiting for an explanation, Emma couldn't sense it. All she was sure of was that she didn't want this to end any time soon. Even when she started to smell something unpleasant, she didn't want to let Henry go. "I think he, uh…" she murmured.
Although she'd been hoping for a chance to take Henry back, Regina restrained herself. "Would you like to change him?" she offered. "Here, come with me." Spinning on her heels, she lead Emma into the only room of the house that hadn't been plagued by boxes and packaging peanuts. "Lay him down right here," Regina instructed as she gestured to a foam cushion on a wooden dresser. Emma rested Henry on the soft surface as the brunette gathered the necessary materials and presented them as if they were treasures. "First, lets get him undressed." Regina observed as Emma tenderly removed Henry's denim overalls. "All right, now here's the fun part. Pull those two blue tabs. Yes, that's right. Lift his legs in the air— be gentle. Hold your breath and… remove the diaper."
"Holy mother of—" Emma stopped herself as she tried not to gag.
Regina released an accidental chuckle at the severe reaction, remembering the first time she changed Henry. "You're almost done. I'll take this," she grabbed the used nappi, "now wipe him with towels." Turning her back on Emma, Regina could hear the heavy mouth-breathing behind her and smirked to herself. "Good," she commended when she saw Henry's clean bum. "The final touch. Elmo goes on the front," she informed as Emma held the diaper with one hand. "Slide it under his back, lift that side between his legs, and press the tabs where Elmo's hands are."
Henry kicked his legs anxiously, though with less energy than he usually did. His body was slowly winding down."I did it," Emma wowed. Helping the child into a sitting position, she smiled at him proudly.
"Yes, you most certainly did." Regina glanced down at her watch and made a sucking sound between her teeth. "It's his bedtime." Again, her insides twisted as she offered Emma another olive branch. "Would you like to read him his story for the night?"
"Can I?" Emma countered swiftly.
Regina gave her an earnest nod and ambled over to the bookcase. "This seems to be his favorite."
Reading the title, Emma raised her eyebrows. "Really?" At the sight of the colorful cover, Henry reached out for the object desperately. "Goodnight Moon it is, then."
"I usually sit on the rocking chair. That combined with the story, Henry's out after just a few pages," Regina said as she grazed the side of Henry's face with her knuckle. "I'll give you two some… I'll just be in the kitchen if you need me." Pressing her lips against her son's cheeks, Ms. Mills murmured in Henry's ear, "Goodnight. Mommy loves you."
It physically pained Regina to leave Henry's room— to not be the one tucking him into bed. Everyday since she'd brought him home from the hospital, she'd been the first and the last face he saw. He woke up and was greeted by his mother; he feel asleep and was sent off to dreamland by the same person. For Henry, Regina was all he knew. And for Regina, Henry had become her everything. He'd wiggled his way into her heart and became her life. Henry was Regina's.
Waiting at the dining table with a cup of tea, Regina was on the edge of her seat. She braced herself for the sound of Henry's door closing, for Emma to reappear before her. She dug through her brain for something to say, to tell the blonde. With every fiber of her being, she just wanted answers.
"You were right. Henry's most definitely down for the count," Emma sighed, having glued herself to the wall— a fair distance from Regina.
"Why are you here?" Regina questioned abruptly. For once, she wasn't sure if she'd meant to do that or not. And, for once, she didn't apologize for her tone.
Emma had been readying herself for this moment. It was what kept her going through the storm, what fueled her to walk all this way in the pouring rain. She wanted— she needed the chance to explain. Emma knew she couldn't keep running. Folding her arms over her chest, she replied rather calmly. "I wanted to see him."
"Why now? Why not before? I called you, Emma. I called you every night."
"I wasn't ready."
"Now you are?"
"Yeah, I am." Letting all of her weight fall against the dense surface, Emma crossed one leg over the other and looked down at her unpainted toenails. "Look," she began breathily, "I'm not here to take him away. I don't want… He belongs with you."
Regina whipped her head up and blinked at Emma. "What?"
Shrugging, Emma replied, "I just— I had to know what he looked like. I couldn't… Regina, I never held him. I didn't him to grow up and think that—" Choking up, she couldn't finish the rest of it. Emma swallowed hard and trudged on. She just happened to fast-forward a bit. "He may have come out of me, Regina, but he's your son. I can see that. I needed to see that."
Like a balloon that had just been popped, Regina let out a long and tired exhale. "Thank you. I- I'm sorry if I came across as rude. You have to understand, I—"
"I'm not done," Emma interrupted quietly. "You're Henry's mom, but me? I'm his mother. Nothing will every change that, no matter what we do— no matter how much paperwork we fill out or how hard I try to act otherwise. I'm not asking you to share responsibilities. But you were right before: I can't do to Henry what my parents did to me. I can't live my life knowing I did that."
Regina's lips were moving, but no sound was coming out. "I'm not sure I'm following," she muttered.
"I don't want to abandon Henry, Gina. But I don't want to be his parent, either. I can't be."
"Then what do you want?"
Cautiously taking several steps forward, Emma squared her shoulders. "To get to know Henry. To be his friend. To watch him grow up."
Now worn out from her whirlwind evening, Regina couldn't look and less convinced. "And just what role would you see yourself having?"
"I dunno. And honestly I don't care. Lemme be a long lost cousin or whatever— hell I could even be 'Aunt Emma.' Just something." Taking the seat across from Regina, Emma attempted to put her hand over the brunette's, but Regina pulled away. "I told you: you're Henry's mom and that's something I would never steal away. I'm not going to change my mind about him being with you. I know it's a lot to ask and I'm sorry. But please, let me do this one thing? Let me be a part of his life. You won't regret it. You have my word."
"I know. Yeah, I know, Gold. I do remember what you said. No, I'm not lying to you. Well if you don't like the way I'm doing it, why don't you find someone else? OK, fine, and the same to you!" Emma punched the red button on her cellphone and resisted the urge to launch it into the beige-colored wall across from her. If she aimed just right, she could have broken both her phone, and the unbelievably tacky watercolor the hospital thought was calming. But, instead, she tightened her fist around the device and sulked. There were too many witnesses anyway.
Emma dropped her face into her hands and groaned into her palms; the heat of her own breath made her cringe. Regina had stayed up all night with Henry, never nodding for even a second. Emma tried to sit it out with them, to be an adult, but she lost the war. At five o'clock, Henry's first morning where he didn't wake up, the blonde stomped out of the room and into the hall. It just happened to coincide with her boss ringing her up and badgering her about their case. In all honestly, Emma had forgotten about her assignment. In the excitement of the last 24 hours, the rest of the world had dissolved; all that mattered was Henry.
As yet another foot cart rolled past a frustrated Emma, the elevator doors parted and an older couple rushed onto the floor. The woman whipped her head back and forth while the husband squinted at the signs above them. Emma was too busy growling swear words to notice either one of them.
"David! She's over here!" Mary Margaret hissed as she pulled the man by the sleeve of his shirt. "Emma! Sweetie!"
Almost as though the fire alarm had been pulled, Emma leapt in her spot and frantically searched the space around her for the source of panic. Her quest didn't last long, though; in fact, it was cut short by the abrupt hug her mother gathered her in. "Mom? Dad? What- what are you doing here?" Emma asked into Mary Margaret's shoulder, her question nothing more than muffled syllables.
"I called them." All at one, David, Mary Margaret, and Emma turned to look at the forlorn woman in the doorway. Regina stood with her weight against the frame, her arms crossed over her chest, and dark circles under her eyes. It'd been quite some time since she'd last seen Emma's parents, and they were equally as surprised to see her in such a state. They remembered her being more put-together than her current appearance. "Or rather, I texted them," Regina murmured after covering a wide yawn. Emma merely stared at her, shocked that the brunette had made such an effort; she was also confused as to when Regina had the chance to do so. She didn't remember the woman leaving… except to go to the bathroom.
"We came as soon as we got the message," David said. "I'm not gonna lie, we kinda wish it'd been from you, Em." He brushed Emma's jaw with his knuckles and soon, she leaned into his hand completely. Unashamed and without hesitation, the blonde let herself become engulfed by her parent's embrace. Doctors and nurses passed by and they'd seen enough in their careers to recognize a reunion.
When they needed some more oxygen, the trio broke apart. Mary Margaret, however, still held onto Emma's arm. "May we?" she wondered timidly. Regina gave them a curt nod and made a path for the Nolans to enter the cramped room.
Their fingers intertwined like vines, Mary Margaret and David both took a deep breath before crossing the threshold. As soon as they took their first steps, the older woman was the first to go. Her nostrils began to flare violently as her eyes filled with tears; her pulse quickened and goosebumps rose along her neck. David, meanwhile, clamped his teeth together and wore a sharp frown. The scar he'd received during a botched arrest seemed deeper as he pursed his lips together. Although they weren't related by blood, Mary Margaret and David loved Henry the same way they loved Emma; he was their grandson, no matter what the circumstances were. He was part of their family.
While the married couple gathered around the comatose child, Emma and Regina hung back by the adjoining bathroom. Regina never took her eyes off of her baby boy, while Emma struggled to look at him for more than 10 seconds.
Leaning over just close enough for Regina to hear, Emma whispered a gracious, "Thank you."
"What for?" Regina countered, as if she truly didn't know.
Gesturing to David and Mary Margaret with her elbow, the currently-unemployed bounty hunter said, "For this."
Regina shrugged casually and rolled her eyes, though on the inside, another piece of her heart shattered. "They're his grandparents. They should be here."
"Yeah, but he doesn't know that."
"He may not. But we do, and that's enough for me."
Together, Henry's mothers watched as Mr. and Mrs. Nolan talked to grandson as if he were awake. David spoke of his most recent adventures on the force, which included rescuing two hostages at an apartment in the Bronx, while Mary Margaret gave Henry book suggestions. With great hesitation, she even placed her hand on top of Henry's. And, although they weren't sure much he could understand, neither her nor David revealed their true identities.
With her parental units keeping Henry company, Emma turned to Regina and bit her bottom lip. "Listen, Mom and Dad can hold the fort for a bit. What do you say we get some fresh air, huh? Just for a few minutes?"
"No. Absolutely not. I'm not leaving him," Regina replied instantly. The last time she left, Henry landed in a coma. She didn't want to think about what else could happen.
"Please? I promise, he'll be ok with them. Just five minutes?" Emma pleaded softly.
It wasn't without a hard glare at the woman that Regina reluctantly agreed. "Five minutes," she said through gritted teeth.
Grabbing their attention with a short wave, Emma sent a telepathic message to her parents, to which they both reciprocated with a nod. "We'll be right back."
A/N - Sorry for the wait, folks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This will probably be the last flashback for a while, if not for the rest of the story. Now that we know how Henry came to be Regina's, there's not much else I can give you history-wise that's as important. But, we'll see. I've got a very clear idea how I'm going to end this, and it'll probably get wrapped up within the next couple of chapters. I'm not making any promises, but I hope to end this story on a good note! Thanks and I'll be back ASAP!
