Author's Notes (Amended): Some readers have asked if this is going to be a SnowQueen story. My answer is yes, primary, but only in the platonic/non-romantic sense. BroTP I think is the term? And there will be other characters eventually.
The drive to Mary Margaret's place takes longer than expected. She could have just poofed there of course, but she's still a bit queasy and being off on a teleportation spell? Well, she'll never forget the dark imp's laughter the first time that happened. Visibility is limited in the gloomy miasma, but at least superficially the town appears to be no worse for wear. She doesn't encounter any Storybrooke residents along the way, but she thinks that's just as well. She needs some time alone with Snow and she doesn't want interruptions. She can already hear the accusation in that irritating grumpy dwarf's annoying voice. With any luck she's not the only one experiencing lingering disorientation, and it will be some while before they have visitors.
When Snow doesn't respond to her knocking Regina lets herself in. Snow is lying in her bed in the fetal position, or as close to it as she can manage with her heavily swollen belly. Her eyes are red and puffy and she's whimpering and snuffling. Regina doesn't think she's ever seen the younger woman look quite so defeated. Even during the first curse, with her child gone, her husband "dead", and her kingdom in ruins, she'd defiantly stared a gloating evil queen right in the eye and told her she was going to lose. Regina somehow doubts the princess still believes that part about good always winning just now.
"Snow…" she places a hand on her step-daughter's shoulder but her words fail her. She remembers the pain of lost love all too well. Decades have passed, and still she's never completely gotten over it. She suspects that she never really will. The only things she ever found to help with the heartbreak were sorcery and vengeance, and in hindsight those probably weren't the best options. They only masked the despair. They didn't even begin to heal it.
Regina bites her lip and sighs. Comforting people isn't exactly her strong suit, and she's definitely not one to look on the sunny side. She lays down next to Snow and holds her close. She hopes that maybe just her presence can somehow be enough. She's lost everyone else that she cares about in this life. She doesn't want to lose her too.
Snow isn't quite sure exactly how long she cries. Time has lost all meaning to her. It must have been a while though; her body seems to have physically run out of tears. Her heart still aches so very painfully but the moisture dripping from her eyes has ceased. Her throat is thick and her tongue is dry and very faintly she can hear the more primal part of her body screaming for water, but she's just too numb to care. She feels her stepmother's weight beside her and leans back into the other woman weakly. A gentle hand caresses her hair and the two of them lay there together in silence.
More time passes by unquantifiable and Snow must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing she knows Regina is shaking her softly and trying to get her to sit up. Snow opens her eyes and groans and attempts to turn away, but the shaking soon becomes rougher and harder to ignore. "Snow…" shake shake, "Snow…" shake shake, "Snow please, you have to get up." There's a note of desperation in Regina's voice, but Snow is so tired and emotionally sore that she longs for the peaceful oblivion of unconsciousness.
"Leave me alone Regina." The words are harsh and raspy. She barely recognizes her own voice. But she's in no mood to apologize for being snappy. It's not as if The Evil Queen hasn't ever heard worse.
"No," her former nemesis counters unfazed. "Now drink this before you choke on your own tongue." She's holding a glass full of water in her hands, and Snow's far too thirsty to object when she lifts her head up and pours the cool liquid between her lips. Instinctually she gulps all the fluid down greedily. "Better?" Regina asks with a self-satisfied smirk. Snow only glares.
"Snow…" Regina begins hesitantly as she places the cup on the night stand. "I know what you're going through..."
"No you don't," Snow retorts, and Regina's expression is incredulous. "Not exactly." Snow clarifies. "Your mother killed Daniel. You didn't do it yourself," she elaborates glumly.
Regina looks away for a moment, and when she turns back her eyes are wet. "I did the second time," she whispers.
"What?"
"Frankenstein, Whale, whatever you want to call him, after you and Emma got sucked through the portal into The Enchanted Forest, he was able to bring him back. Surely David must have told you?"
"He said it went wrong. That he was a monster."
"Yes. He was confused, violent, and in pain. He almost killed Henry. But when we were alone, just for a moment, he looked at me and he spoke to me, and he was my Daniel again." Her tears are flowing freely now and her voice is wistful. "And then he wasn't. I turned him into dust, but what I destroyed wasn't just the monster, somewhere inside he was also the man."
Snow squeezes her hand supportively. "So where does that leave us then?"
"I don't know," Regina laughs bitterly. "With our children I hope." She looks at Snow's midsection seriously. "Zelena is still after him. We can't stay here forever. We have to finish what we started. I know that you're hurting. I know that you're in pain. You probably will be for a very long time. But you have to be strong now. Your family needs you. You have to protect them. I can't do it on my own," she admits.
"You're the all-powerful sorceress. What more can I possibly do?" Snow wonders sullenly.
"You can start by getting out of bed. I have an idea about how we can find Emma and Henry, and I need your help. Don't make me kidnap you Snow. It's beneath me."
"I'm pretty sure that nothing's beneath you."
Regina scoffs. "Well I guess you're right about that. But you're pretty heavy now and our recent realm jump has me feeling like crap, so since I no longer have any soldiers around to carry you I'd prefer it if you came with me willingly and under your own power. Now. Get. Up."
Snow wants to protest. She wants to stay in bed alone wallowing in her own misery until nothingness takes her, but her unborn offspring chooses that moment to remind her just what Charming died for with a sharp kick. She promised to protect this child at all costs. She won't let her husband's sacrifice mean nothing. Her currently scowling stepmother is right. She's going to feel the pain of his loss for a very long time, but right now she has things to do. If they succeed she'll have the rest of her life to mourn him.
With a shuddering breath she wipes the last tears away from her eyes, combs her fingers through her now very short hair, and slides heavily off the bed into the shoes that Regina has laid out for her. With a slight nod to the determined witch, she follows her out the door.