"Once upon a time, there was a queen and she cast a glorious curse that gave her everything she wanted. Or so she thought. She despaired when she learned that revenge was not enough. She was lonely. And so she searched the land…" Regina stopped talking when the door of Lena's hospital room opened behind her.

"I'm sorry. Don't stop because of me" Emma apologized.

"I was just…" Regina couldn't finish her sentence because tears were welling up in her eyes.

"I know" Emma replied and gave her girlfriend a soft kiss on the head.

The door swung open again, Regina and Emma turned around to see Belle walk in. "Any change?" she asked. Both woman next to the hospital bed shook their head. "Uhm…Are you sure?..." Belle's stammered.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked confused. Regina shared her confusion.

Belle couldn't seem to be getting any words out anymore so she just swallowed hard and pointed to the young girl in the hospital bed. Regina and Emma turned around. What they saw made their eyes grow as big as those of Belle's.
Lena was surrounded by a soft emerald green light. Like a protection spell, Regina thought. That moment Henry walked in the room with Snow, David and Ruby. The last one bumped against the Charmings because they froze to the ground at the sight of the green glowing girl.

"Hey, why…" Ruby protested until she too saw Lena glowing emerald green: "What's going on with Lena?"

"We don't know" Emma answered.

The light started to move over Lena's arms and legs. It gathered together on her chest where it made one big ball of emerald green light. Lena moved her arms without opening her eyes. She laid them against her chest with her hands around the ball of light, like she was holding it in place.

"What…" Emma started.

"…the…" Snow continued.

"…hell" Ruby finished.

The green light got brighter and brighter. It got so bright everyone had to look away. When it faded, the group turned there gaze back towards the young girl in the hospital bed. Instead of a ball of light, Lena was now holding an emerald green egg.
Mouths fell open and gasps were heard. Then the biggest one of all when Lena gasped for breath and opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize where she was. Everyone around her was too stunned to move or talk.

"Mom…" Lena said, turning to look at her mother. That seemed to be pulling Regina out of her haze, along with everyone else.

Regina couldn't hold back the tears. "Oh my…Lena…" she cried and leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead. When Regina released her lips she let her head rest on Lena's. Emma laid a hand on the young girls thigh and smiled, happy tears rolling down her cheeks. Meanwhile Ruby had walked around the bed and she too couldn't hold back her tears.

"Why is everyone crying?" Lena asked with a hoarse voice.

"We're all just really happy you're finally awake" Emma said, still smiling.

"Do you know what happened?" Henry asked.

Lena thought about it. Then she looked at her chest, where she was holding the egg. "Elliot" she softly said, the memories of her talks with Elliot coming back, and sighed: "He's gone."

"He's…dead?"

Another sigh. "Yeah." Lena pushed herself up so she could sit upright, her muscles feeling stiff.

"Be careful, honey" Regina said worried.

"I'm okay mom. I promise" Lena smiled reassuringly.

"The egg…" Belle said from the back of the room, her curiosity tingling: "Is it Elliot's?"

Lena nodded: "He said that I was chosen to protect it."

"Elliot chose you?" Henry said amazed: "Cool."

"Why did he chose you?" Regina asked confused: "I know you two were really good friends but…you're still a kid. How are you supposed to look after a baby dragon?"

"It's part of my destiny."

"Your destiny?"

"My destiny as a protector of dragons."

Regina woke with a startle. She had been dreaming about Lena, that's she was still in the coma-like sleep. She carefully jumped out of bed, not wanting to wake Emma. On her tippy toes she walked to Lena's bedroom and silently pushed open the door. At first Regina felt like the worry flowed away when she saw her daughter safely asleep but then she heard the soft sobbing.

"Lena?"

No reaction.

Regina walked further inside. Lena was lying with her back towards the door so at first Regina didn't see Lena's face. The closer she walked towards the bed, Regina finally noticed the tears rolling down the young girls face.

"Oh honey" Regina spoke softly and set herself down on the edge of the bed. She place a gentle hand on her daughters shoulder: "I was wandering when you would let go of the strong face you were putting up." The soft sobbing turned into real crying. Regina laid herself down behind Lena and pulled her daughter close to her chest. No words had to be said. Just the comfort of the hug was enough. They lay there for about ten minutes until someone in the hallway broke the silence.

"Honey?"

Regina turned around to see Emma in the doorway.

"Everything okay?"

Regina just smiled weakly. That's when Emma heard the sobbing. She knew enough. She walked around to the other side of Lena's bed and laid herself down. Lena was cuddled up between two of the most important people in her life. She was sad but she also felt safe. With a last glance at the emerald green egg that rested on a pillow near the window, Lena closed her eyes and finally fell asleep.

Next chapter coming soon.