Emma's phone rang. It was Graham.
"It's my day off, and I'm hungover. This better be good," Emma answered half-jokingly.
"Emma, there's been an accident at the mine. The front entrance collapsed, and...and I think Henry is trapped inside."
Emma's heart jumped to her throat while her stomach bottomed out. "What! What do you mean? Is he OK!?" Emma demanded.
"We don't know. Regina and I are here, but we can't find Henry or hear him. His tracks are leading into the tunnel."
"I'm on my way," she stated, hanging up and flying to her car. Pushing her Bug to the limit she drove as fast as she could to the mine, trying to keep calm and forcing dreadful thoughts from her brain.
Screeching to a halt at the trailhead to the mine Emma could see firetrucks and an ambulance blocking the way. The trail was too narrow for the trucks to drive down it, and people were assembling rescue equipment to walk down the path.
Emma jumped out of her car and raced down the path, her adrenaline flooding her body with energy. As she got to the mine entrance, she could see Regina, Graham, and the Fire Chief standing next to a Jeep in a heated discussion. Emma's heart clenched at the sight of the Mayor, and for a moment she considered turning around and running away; it was how she usually dealt with her problems; but today was different. Henry was in trouble, and Emma would walk through fire to get him back.
As she approached the group, Emma was beginning to get the gist of their discussion. Regina was demanding that they remove the rubble at once, and the Fire Chief was trying to tell her that they could do more damage than good if that caused a further cave-in.
"I don't care what you have to do, you get my son out of there NOW!" the Mayor yelled into the man's face.
"Madam Mayor, as I've said, we don't know where Henry is. He could be right behind that pile and if we cause a cave-in, he could be crushed."
Regina put her hands to her head, closing her eyes and looking more desperate and undone that Emma thought possible. She resisted the urge to run to Regina, wrap her arms around the Mayor and comfort her, but the harsh words from last night still rung in her ears.
When Regina opened her eyes, she looked directly at Emma with desperation in her features, pouring her soul into the blonde, begging her to make everything better. For a moment the anger between them was forgiven, but not forgotten. Emma walked over, hands in her pockets to keep herself from embracing the Mayor in front of all these people.
"So whats the plan?" the blonde asked. "How are we getting Henry out?"
The Fire Chief spoke again. "We are getting equipment together while we wait on a map of the mine so we can find the best extraction point."
"And how long is this going to take?" Emma asked curtly.
"Well we just don't know. Could be an hour, maybe two," the man answered.
Regina scoffed. "That is unacceptable. There could be poisonous gasses down there and Henry may not have an hour!"
Emma hadn't thought of that. Now she was really getting freaked out.
A young man ran over to the group with a rolled-up paper. "I've got the plans! Here is the map of the mine."
He rolled it out over the hood of Graham's Jeep and the group gathered around.
"There is an air shaft not far away. It the closest entrance to the front of the mine, and is probably our best shot," the Fire Chief pointed out.
There was agreement that this would probably be the best way in and out, and the Fire Chief turned to a group of rescue workers to explain the plan.
Emma marched around to the drivers side of the Jeep and hopped in.
"Where do you think you are going?" Regina demanded, speaking to Emma for the first time since their fight.
"I'm not waiting. If Henry is down there with poisonous gases, we don't have time to stand around and formulate a plan."
"You can't be serious! What are you going to do?"
"I don't know! But I have to do something!" she cried, turning the key in the ignition as the engine revved to life. "Are you coming?" she looked at Regina expectantly.
Regina hesitated for a moment, but the determination she saw in Emma's eyes left little doubt that this woman could move mountains if she wanted to. Regina hopped in the passenger seat and Graham scrambled into the back as Emma scratched off, leaving the Fire Chief yelling in their dust.
SQ
Luckily the air shaft was not too far and the Jeep was able to make it over the bumpy terrain. When they got there they saw a metal grate in the ground, marking the entrance but sealing it at the same time. Graham hopped out and grabbed the hook on the wench on the front of the Jeep. Securing it to the grate he motioned to Emma, who reversed the Jeep and pulled the grate clean off. The two women hopped out of the truck and ran over. The shaft was dark and deep, but wide enough for a person and a half to fit through.
"How will we get down there?" Regina asked.
"There is some rope and climbing gear in the truck. We can lower someone down," Graham answered.
"I'll go," Emma offered at once.
"No. It should be me. I'm his mother," Regina argued.
"No, it has to be me. We need Graham up here because we won't be able to pull him up just the two of us, and I'm stronger than you; I have the best chance of getting Henry out," Emma stated decisively.
Regina opened her mouth to argue, but she found that she couldn't. Emma slipped into the harness, grabbed a flashlight and a walkie-talkie while Graham tied one end of the rope to a tree and wound it around an adjacent tree for leverage. Tying the other end to Emma's harness he looked at her and nodded. "Get in, find Henry, and get out. Don't spend any more time down there than you need to. Use the walkie if you need anything," he instructed, clipping the other walkie to his belt.
"Ok," Emma confirmed, taking a breath and stepping near the edge of the pit. It was dark and scary, but not so terrifying as thinking about Henry down there hurt, or worse.
Before she could start her descent, Regina stepped over to her and placed her hand on the other woman's arm. She looked at Emma with pleading and fear, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Emma..." she said shakily. She wanted to say she was sorry, she wanted to say she was afraid, she wanted to say so many things, but the lump in her throat kept her from talking. Emma reached up and cupped one hand to the side of Regina's face, pulling her in so their foreheads touched. Graham looked away, slightly embarrassed at the intimacy of the gesture. The Mayor sighed a deep sigh.
Emma spoke first, "Don't worry, I'll get him out. I won't let anything happen to him. I promise," she whispered. She pressed a reassuring kiss to Regina's forehead, then pushed her back gently. "I'm ready," she signaled to Graham, who positioned the rope behind his back and around the tree to disperse as much weight as possible. Regina joined him, clutching the rope with shaky hands. Together they lowered Emma into the pit.
SQ
"This is taking too long," Regina was pacing back and forth as Graham held on to the rope, waiting for Emma's signal.
"It's ok, we have to have faith," Graham tried to reassure her.
Regina was growing more and more agitated with each passing moment, her fear spreading across her face. Graham wasn't sure what to say to make her feel better. He was never very good with words, especially when it came to Regina. He had been more of a physical comfort for the Mayor in the past, and while he never minded his role in her life, he never felt close to her either. He always thought she was beautiful and desirable, but her coldness kept him at a distance.
When he saw how Emma was with her, he suddenly had an understanding that he never could have given Regina what she needed. Emma was far more qualified for that job, and he was glad that the Mayor had found someone who made her happy.
Finally, a voice crackled over the walkie-talkie, "I got him! Pull us up!"
Graham and Regina pulled with all their strength, the rope coming up fast. The top of Emma's blonde head appeared first, followed by Henry's brown tussled hair. Regina felt an overwhelming sense of relief, followed by a severe feeling of dread as she realized that Henry was not moving.
"We need an ambulance, Henry's unconscious," Emma managed, quite out of breath from her exertions.
The four people piled in the Jeep, Graham driving while Emma and Regina cradled Henry in the backseat. Regina was stroking and soothing Henry's hair, her voice cracking and her tears falling on his face as she whispered words of reassurance to his immobile form. Emma's heart was breaking at the sight of the Mayor crying over their son.
Gone was the rigidness of the Mayors features, and in its place was raw pain and anguish. Regina's love for Henry was so apparent that Emma wondered if she herself even loved Henry that much. Emma tried to hold herself together as best she could. She had to be strong for Henry, and for Regina.
They got back to the ambulance, the paramedics working quickly to administer oxygen. They rushed Henry towards the hospital, sirens wailing and lights flashing. Emma and Regina tailed behind the emergency vehicle in Regina's Benz, neither woman speaking. Too much had happened within the last twenty-four and they were a little overwhelmed to say anything.
As they pulled into a parking space at the hospital, their eyes met. Emma nodded in encouragement but was unable to muster a smile. Her heart was still hurting from the previous night, and while she wanted to resolve things with Regina, she had to take things one at a time; Henry coming first.
SQ
The heart monitor beeped rhythmically, counting each of Henry's precious heartbeats. The doctor reassured Regina and Emma that he would be fine and just needed to rest. Henry was suffering from carbon dioxide poisoning, but his condition was stable and he would recover in time. He woke up for a few minutes when they got to the hospital, enough to give a sheepish, lopsided smile. Regina thought she had never been so happy in her entire life. Now he was sleeping off the drowsy effects of the exposure.
Regina sat on the edge of Henry's bed, holding his hand and watching him while Emma sat in a chair across the room watching Regina. The brunette had been sitting like that for hours, so quiet, so serene, so unlike the volatile woman Emma had come to know. Emma could see the cumulation of Regina's fears in the lines of her face as she stared down at her son. Emma remembered what Mary Margaret had said, that Regina was a lonely person and was just afraid of losing her son, and probably Emma as well, which was why she put up such a front.
The deputy could see the vulnerability in the woman as clear as day; she was only human after all. Emma suddenly wanted to forget everything that happened between them and take care of her.
Standing up, Emma walked over and placed a hand on Regina's shoulder. The contact was small, but it still felt nice to Regina, the touch warming her shoulder slightly.
"Come on, we can't do anything more here. Lets get you home."
"I'm staying with my son," Regina stated earnestly.
"Regina, Henry will be fine," Emma reassured her, rubbing her thumb lightly across the fabric of Regina's jacket. "The nurses are checking on him every 5 minutes, and they will call the second he wakes up. You need to get some sleep. You can't do anything for Henry right now, and you need to be rested so you can take care of him when he wakes up."
They Mayor bowed her head slightly, feeling like she hadn't slept in years. She was utterly exhausted, and the thought of laying down for a bit did sound pretty good. "Ok, but just for a few hours," she said, giving in.
Emma drove them home in the Mayor's car, Regina all but passing out on the way to her mansion. Emma walked Regina into the house and guided her up the stairs towards the bedroom.
"I'll run you a bath," Emma offered, walking into the bathroom before Regina could protest. The brunette was to tired to argue anyway, and started to undress. Shedding layers of clothes and privacy, she walked into the bathroom naked and sank into the tub gratefully, closing her eyes as the warm water enveloped her body.
Emma looked down at the lovely form of the woman in the tub, and realized how much she missed being with her, kissing her, holding her close. But there was still distance between them and Emma didn't want to complicate things. She turned to go before temptation got the best of her.
"Where are you going?" Regina asked quietly, keeping her eyes closed.
"Home. I'm going to get a few hours of sleep too."
Regina opened her eyes and looked up at Emma. Before she could stop herself, the word was already out of her mouth. "Stay," she asked, the trauma of the day bringing out a need that a simple bath couldn't quite fulfill.
Emma looked at the beautiful woman before her who was asking something real from her for the first time, and Emma couldn't say no.
Taking off her own clothes, Emma stripped in front of the Mayor and slid into the tub, situating herself behind the other woman. Straddling Regina's body and wrapping her arms around the brunette, Emma pulled her close and rested her chin on the brunette's shoulder.
Regina allowed herself to be held. She was mentally and physically drained form the events of the day, and she just needed someone to take care of her for a moment. Emma's arms were strong and familiar. Her hands floated heavily across the brunette's abdomen and brushed the undersides of her breast slightly. There was nothing sexual in the embrace, rather it was meant to be comforting and reassuring. Even though their fight and exchange of harsh words were still a fresh memory, they couldn't erase the women's true feeling for each other. After today, it was obvious that some things were more important than pride.
They sat like that for a while, neither one speaking. It felt so nice to just be together. Their physical contact was like a band-aid on a wound; not necessarily healing, but trying to do so. They allowed the serenity of the moment to take over as the warm water washed away tension and stress.
Emma eventually grabbed the body wash that was on the edge of the tub and poured some of the fragrant soap into her hands. She began to rub it over the Mayor's shoulders and back, massaging stiff muscles until they began to relax. The brunette bit her lip, the touch bringing back so many memories of all the ways Emma had touched her in the past and she stifled a moan.
After Regina's olive skin was washed clean of the soap, Emma moved onto her dark, luxurious hair. The brunette's hair had always entranced the blonde, the way it shone, they way it moved, the way it framed Regina's perfect face. Emma grabbed the handheld shower head and poured warm water over the chestnut locks. She worked the expensive shampoo that she couldn't even pronounce into Regina's hair and massaged her scalp. This time the Mayor couldn't hold back the moan of pleasure that reverberated from her throat. Emma smiled to herself.
Regina's hands reflexively found their way to Emma's thighs as the blonde's ministrations finally distracted her mind enough to let her body fully relax. Regina's fingertips brushed across the soft, wet skin, feeling firm leg muscles twitch ever so slightly at her touch. Emma swallowed thickly, trying to suppress the small bloom of arousal that threatened to make itself know between her thighs. The blonde washed the remaining shampoo from the other woman's hair, concentrating on the task to keep her mind off of the feel of Regina's slick body between her thighs.
Once Regina's hair was clean, Emma continued to finger the dark strands of hair, brushing her thumbs down the slender neck, tracing small patterns across the olive-toned shoulders. It was as if Emma's hands had minds of their own. Inside her heart was still hurting and subtly protested against the intimacy, wanting to push Regina away. But Emma's body yearned to touch the other woman, called out to be close to her, demanded to touch and stroke and feel.
The mix of emotions made Emma's head swim, so she let herslef give into the impending exhaustion from the day and tried to ignore the conflct between her head and heart.
Eventually the temperature of the water cooled. Emma reluctantly flipped the drain on the tub and watched the soapy water slowly disappear. The pair stood up as water trailed off of their skin. Emma reached for two towels, wrapping the first around Regina before covering herself.
They made their way into the bedroom and Regina opened a dresser drawer to pull comfortable clothes out for the both of them. They dressed in silence, not wanting to break the tender moment that they both knew couldn't last. Regina moved towards the bed and pulled the covers back to slide underneath them.
Looking back to Emma she reached out a hand, a simple gesture that meant so much more. Emma climbed into bed next to Regina for the first time and snuggled in behind her, wrapping her arms around the Mayor's waist securely and burying her face into the back Regina's neck. The two women fell asleep almost instantly, sinking into the softness of the mattress and the warmth of each other's familiar form.