Please excuse any medical fallacies I may have created. I'm definitely not a doctor and I tried to get it to sound as medically truthful as possible without having any kind of training.
Of course, these characters belong to Kitsis and Horowitz. Let's play.
Whale's office was unlike any doctor's office Emma had ever been in. Instead of degrees and generic diagrams lining the wall there were highly detailed sketches of various body parts on parchment paper side by side with intricate formulas that she couldn't make heads or tails of. There were no filing cabinets filled with patient information but two giant bookcases, both filled with heavy looking ledgers. She had been ushered in there by a nurse as soon as she had entered the hospital but Whale had yet to make an appearance.
Too restless to sit for long she had been studying the drawings that had obviously been made by Whale himself. She remembered reading Frankenstein in high school, the mad scientist too entranced by what could be done to consider if it should. Wondering how closely Mary Shelley's tale came to Whale's and how he came to Storybrooke in the first place Emma slowly walked around the office. She was peering closely at a charcoal sketch of the ligaments and muscles of a hand when the door opened behind her.
Turning around Emma was surprised to see Regina walking into the room ahead of Whale. He gestured for them to sit as he settled behind his desk. Regina looked as confused as Emma felt but sat without comment. Emma followed suit, a thousand questions dancing on the tip of her tongue.
"I'm sorry for the delay Miss Swan," Whale began.
"Would you please just call me Emma?" she said exasperated. "I'm in no mood for formalities. What is going on? Is Killian alright? You tell me that it's urgent that I get here and then I'm forced to wait. Why is Regina here? She hasn't seen Killian in days."
"I don't know what I'm doing here either, Emma," Regina said pointedly to Whale. "The good doctor here called me and said that he needed to discuss something important with me."
They both looked at Whale expectantly.
"I needed both of you here to be able to help me figure out what, exactly, is wrong with Mr. Jones," Whale explained. "Emma, you've spent the most time with him. Can you tell us anything about his past that might help?"
"Why are you asking me? He's perfectly capable of telling you himself," Emma began heatedly but quickly understood what Whale was getting at. "Unless he can't. What aren't you telling me?"
"Mr. Jones was fine through the X-ray and then when the nurses were taking samples of his blood for testing. He was running a mild fever, told us he had a headache and was still a little lethargic in his movements. The cough he had developed is normal for the influenza virus but I was alarmed to notice how quickly it had come about and how serious it had become in the few short hours since I'd seen him last.
"Shortly after he returned to his room his fever spiked. He exhibited signs of delirium so we had to sedate him for his safety and the safety of the staff. It wasn't until I was able to examine his X-rays that I truly became concerned."
If Emma hadn't already been sitting down her knees would have buckled forcing her to. Whale had told her it was just the flu. How could something so commonplace be wreaking such havoc?
"I still don't understand what I'm doing here." Regina said impatiently.
"I would appreciate a little patience," Whale snapped. He rubbed his hand across his face tiredly. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. It's been a trying few hours"
"What was wrong with his X-ray?" Emma asked quietly.
"First let me explain that I only ordered an X-ray to be done on a hunch. Influenza is mainly a respiratory disease with varied symptoms that can also affect other areas of the body. Generally a typical adult male in Mr. Jones' age range can rely on their immune system to fight the disease with no complications."
"I don't think there's anyone in Killian's age range," she murmured, as Regina scoffed in amusement beside her.
"What do you mean?" Whale asked confused.
"He's a couple centuries old," Emma stated matter of factly. "He spent a while in Neverland and then, under Cora's protection, waited out the curse back in the Enchanted Forest."
"Really?" he sat back in his chair processing the information. "That may not fully explain what's happening but it's a step in the right direction."
"Get to the point Whale we don't have all day," Regina snapped impatiently.
"Sorry, your highness," Whale said sarcastically. Turning to Emma his tone was softer. "I could hear severe congestion in his lungs when I examined him early this morning. I had them take the X-ray of his chest due to the sudden appearance and intensity of his cough.
"The films showed airspace consolidation on both of his lungs that are characteristic of pneumonia. I can't be sure of that diagnosis until the results of his tests come back but I don't doubt that I'm right. Once it's confirmed as pneumonia and if the infection is bacterial then we can start him on a regimen of antibiotics."
"And if it's not?" Emma asked in a small voice. Her hand sought out the worn leather piece in her pocket and gripped it forcefully, feeling the gold emblem digging into her hand.
"Then we decide on a different course of treatment," he supplied, folding his hands on his desk. "Unfortunately, this isn't my main concern at the moment."
"What do you mean?" Regina asked.
"The progression of Mr. Jones' illness is highly alarming. If what Emma told me earlier this morning is correct he seemingly came down with influenza overnight and it has progressed to pneumonia in a little over twenty-four hours. I'm not going to go far as to say it's medically impossible but it is highly improbable. This is why I need your assistance Ms. Mills."
"Mine?" Regina said taken aback.
"Rumor has it that Mr. Jones' heart was taken by Gold and then returned by Emma. Seeing as how I can't question Gold about the magic," Whale grimaced at the word. "You're the only source of information I can find on the subject. You've also removed a heart or two in your lifetime, so you're also the best qualified to provide answers."
"I'm not some encyclopedia on all things magic. Gold has probably forgotten more magic than I could learn in a lifetime," Regina ground out irritated.
"We're running out of options Ms. Mills," Whale said forcefully.
Emma felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. There were no sounds, no movement, as Whale's words rang in her head. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Regina's mouth open and close as though several thoughts were fighting for release. Whale was scrubbing his face with his hands tiredly, apparently trying to push away his fatigue. She couldn't comprehend how everything had been good, really good, only to have it come crashing down around her.
"I'm sorry for my outburst but there's no way for me to predict what might happen next. He's been moved to an isolated room meant for patients with highly communicable airborne illnesses such as tuberculosis but in this case we've moved him there to keep his own exposure to diseases to a minimum. The nurses and myself wear respirators and take steps to sterilize ourselves before treating him. Unfortunately there's only so much we can do," he sighed.
"I'll see what I can find in my spellbooks but I went through them cover to cover when Marian was cursed by the Snow Queen. I don't remember seeing anything remotely close to what's going on here," Regina said apprehensively.
Whale seemed to deflate slightly at her hesitance.
"There's something else I need to ask. Was there some sort of protection you added to the curse that brought us here, both times?" He asked cautiously.
"Protection? No, I had to add that later, after Kurt and Owen stumbled into town. Gold had Belle add another protection spell when we were in Neverland. Zelena and the Snow Queen had their own ways of keeping people out, or in, depending."
"Good to know that the Storybrooke is pretty much like that movie The Village," Emma remarked. "Monsters keeping us in and good intentions keeping others out."
Regina and Whale turned to Emma with puzzled looks on their faces. She almost burst out laughing which would have been a relief. There was too much happening all at once and Emma could feel the panic clawing at her insides but the urge to laugh, to know that she still could, was encouraging. All hope wasn't lost if she could find even the tiniest amount of humor in the situation.
"That's not exactly what I was referring to," Whale said bemused. "I was wondering if you might have put some kind of immunity or safeguard into the curse to keep us from getting sick."
After a moment's consideration Regina's eyes lit up in understanding.
"Yes, I did as a matter of fact. I had no idea what this land had in store for us and without magic we were vulnerable to anything that might happen," she explained. "I made sure that we wouldn't be susceptible to the unknown illnesses here. My revenge wouldn't have been a success if half the town died from a plague as soon as we got here."
"But Killian didn't come over with the curse," Emma protested. "He's used a magic bean both times to get here."
"Exactly!" Whale exclaimed, banging his hand on his desk. "Mr. Jones isn't under the protection that Ms. Mills has put on the town. It would explain why he's sick but no one else in Storybrooke has even a small case of the sniffles. Sneezy notwithstanding."
"Who could have given him the flu then? If no one in town has been sick then there's no possible way he could have been infected," she said agitated.
"I'm not sure but I have a theory," he said carefully. "I believe that there might be a small amount of protection on the town itself and not just the inhabitants. Mr. Jones has been outside of Storybrooke, correct?"
"Yes," Emma answered. "He's been to New York twice. The second time he went straight there to get me and Henry before coming to Storybrooke."
"Are you saying that he picked up the flu from the streets of New York months ago and he's only getting sick now?" Regina's voice was laced with disbelief. "Where's the logic in that?"
"I never said this was going to make sense but it's what I'm working with," he said flatly. "I think being in Storybrooke was keeping him from getting sick, acting as a kind of suppressant on the virus. When Gold removed his heart it might have weakened the protection he was under, just enough for the virus to take hold.
"There is no flu in the Enchanted Forest, as far as I know, so he has no natural immunity to the disease. I'm not even sure a vaccine shot would have been effective. Ms. Mills, is it possible you can recreate the spell or potion that protects the town?"
"I believe so," Regina said thoughtfully. "It may take me some time to gather the ingredients."
"Time is something we may not have much of but I'll do everything I can to give you as much of it as needed," Whale said, standing from his desk and moving towards the door. "Feel free to use my office for the time being. I'm sorry but I need to check on the test results and on Mr. Jones. Good luck, ladies."
The door closed quietly behind him as Emma stared unseeing at his desk. She pulled her hand holding the leather band out of her pocket wondering if she would ever get the chance to get it to Killian. He was unconscious, stuck in a sterile room, and quickly falling prey to an illness that may have been prevented and then allowed by magic. Her hopes rested on a man who reanimated corpses and a woman who, at best, merely tolerated her presence.
"I need to go to my vault for some things and Gold's shop for the rest," Regina stated as she stood to leave.
"Wait, you're going to help? You're not even going to complain about it?" Emma asked incredulously.
"I may not be a fan of the heart eyes you two send at each other but that doesn't mean I'm not going to do anything," Regina scoffed. "Look, you're helping me find the Author so I can get my happy ending. I'm not going to stand by and watch you lose yours."
Emma's jaw dropped and she found herself at a loss for words. It had always been Emma seeking out a friendship with Regina, making amends, and being there for her after Robin left. Not only that Regina had never been an advocate for her relationship with Killian, barely tolerating them at times. Regina gave her a small encouraging smile and left before Emma could say anything in return.
Left alone in the office again Emma contemplated going out to the waiting room where she was sure her parents and Henry were. It didn't take her long to rule out that option. Her family meant well but they would inundate her with questions and then seek out answers for themselves. She just wanted to sit in the quiet and solitude of the office and let her own thoughts have a chance to settle down.
She sent a text to Mary Margaret, barely explaining what was going on and that she needed some time alone. Regina would be able to fill them in on the finer details and answer their questions better than Emma could at the moment. Without waiting for a response she turned off her phone, setting it on the desk.
Leaning back into her chair she went back to gently fiddling with the leather strap between her fingers. It wasn't constructive and she knew she should be finding her own way to help Killian but she felt too drained to do anything else. Her thoughts wandered idly from one thing to another as her fingers danced across the golden emblem. Soon she didn't have any thoughts at all as she fell into a dreamless sleep.