Regina could hear Emma's steady breathing as the woman had finally fallen back asleep. Regina glanced at her phone once more, no message. She sighed. Then her thoughts wandered. What if they had run off together? Well how would she feel. She loved Emma, would it hurt? Maybe…but she would have her princess still. Did she want to trade? No, that was a horrible thought. Her wife and her had a happy marriage, the Queen was amazing but Emma told her she was the best version, and she could tell when Emma was lying, she hadn't been.
Regina was lightly running her hand through Emma's hair as her thoughts ragged on. Inner conflict helped her waste the time until the morning.
...
There was a knock.
A glance over to the window told her the sun was just rising. The knock became louder with every passing moment. Emma started to stir.
"Regina…what…" Regina slid the sheets aside and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"Stay in bed Emma." But Emma heard the brunette's voice waiver.
At the door was David, red eyes, trying to catch his breath.
"Right …outside…StoryBrook…car accident."
Regina's hand flew to her stomach, she was going to be sick. She started to fall but Emma caught her.
Gripping Regina tightly to ground herself.
"How long?" The Blond spoke up when Regina could not.
David was shaking, she could notice it now.
"I'm… not sure…there's not much time, a-a lot of blood…"
Regina was hyperventilating.
Emma started off firm, "Regina, hey, we have to go ok? Let's go see what we can do, it's not over yet."
When had this Emma become so strong? Right when she knew Regina needed her to be, the Regina who cared for her when she couldn't be strong anymore.
…..
They arrived at the scene. The Queen had gone through the window and was laying in front of the car. Her face full of bloody cuts. Regina didn't know what scared her more, seeing what she looked like after a horrific accident or what Emma would look like. Regina froze. She turned, eyes watery, to Emma.
"I-I can't, I can't see you like this." Regina shook and sunk to the ground.
Emma was in a state of shock as she walked over to the car and saw herself, she looked perfect, besides the fact that she must have hit her head pretty hard.
Dr Whale walked up behind her.
"Coma, blunt trauma to the head, internal bleeding. They hit an ice patch pretty hard, slamming into a few trees while speeding."
Emma stroked her own face, tears falling.
"Is there nothing you can do. How..how do I tell Regina…"
Whale just shook his head confused.
"How are there two of you I thought…"
But Emma wasn't listening, she didn't owe this man an explanation.
She looked back Regina was still shaking on the ground.
Emma walked back over to her, ignoring whale.
"She's, your Queen, I'm s-sorry Emma I should have stooped them, I should have stopped them."
She had started to shriek.
Emma pulled Regina to her, Regina beat her hands against Emma's chest halfheartedly, then gave in crumbling into her.
"I'm sorry."
Neither woman felt the cold. They felt their losses equally.
Emma normally would have seen this as just another person who left her. But then there was Regina, sitting in her arms. From what she remembered of Regina's story, Regina would feel the same. True she had left a lifetime of disappointment behind her, or had until now. This event was tragic enough to bring back old fears and tendencies.
Emma, the shattered, scared, little abandoned princess needed to be strong for Regina.
She pulled her face to look at her own.
"Hey," the shaking was still there but the sobs got quieter, "I am here. Ok? I am here."
Regina was shaking her head but before she could speak Emma put a finger to her lips.
"Look, I need you, I can't raise my son alone, both of them need us. I know it hasn't sunk in for me yet, so I need you to still be here when it does. I need you to hold me and tell me it will all be ok, that you will be the one to never leave."
Another look at the carnage, "Is there anything we can do to save them? Their memories."
Regina sighed, let her hands be enclosed with Emma's.
"Dream catchers…We can have their memories." She said as a sob escaped past her lips.
"Help me? I-I I need your magic Emma." Regina's eyes were pleading Emma nodded.
A moment later there were two dream catchers. Regina held one to the Queen's head as Emma walked to the car and gathered her own.
….
Someone came and drove them home, they didn't even remember who. Regina walked in the house and pulled Henry into a hug.
"Mom what's wrong?" Regina tried to stay strong.
"I'm sorry, we did everything we could…"
Emma was leaning against a wall. She felt stronger holding her memories, Emma's.
Henry's face dropped, "Ma? Mom?"
Emma walked over, not sure what to say, Henry pulled them both into a hug.
"At least you two are alright."
They had expected anger from him, for him to lash out that his birth mother was gone.
But he surprised them but being relieved they were alright.
Henry continued to take care of little Henry for the night, it helped keep his mind off of things.
Emma walked into the bedroom.
"Regina?"
Regina was not on the bed, there was light coming from the bathroom.
She found the proud woman sitting on the toilet with her head in her hands.
Emma knelt down in front of her with her hands slightly running down Regina's arms.
"baby look at me."
Regina didn't move.
"Regina… I miss her two. Truly. But I am not going away. I won't leave you. You took care of me and loved me when I didn't know what to do…and that is what I will do for you. I love you Regina. I loved the Queen, but You..." confession time, " are my True Love. I know Emma was your wife, she was amazing and I am her, or I can be…I will take on those memories for you. You can have her back Regina…"
She neglected her own tears as her hands found their way to Regina's face.
Regina didn't meet her eyes.
"How are you so strong…after all you have been through…"
She took a broken breath.
Emma rubbed the pads of her thumbs under Regina's eyes.
"Because…" Gaining strength, "You need me."
Regina took another shaky breath and looked into Emma's emerald eyes.
"Emma," Her voice broke staring back was her Emma the strong determined sheriff.
"I can't ask you to be her…"
Emma moved one of her hands to grip Regina's.
"But I would you know, for you."
A/N: Hey guys! :D not done yet but were getting there. SO how are you hanging in there? The feels still in tact? Do they stay them or see what happened if they take on the other memories? what's ur vote?
