Regina's eyes fluttered open to sunlight streaming through the curtains onto her face. She groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head in an attempt to make it dark enough to fall back asleep. An uncomfortable feeling in her stomach kept her awake however. She brought her knees to her chest and tried to will it away, but it wouldn't leave. What was...She sat up, a hand going to her stomach. "Mother!" She screamed, anger filling her voice. The sheets bunched up in her hands as her fingers curled. She tried to control her breathing but she was too angry. Her chest heaved.
"There's no need to yell, dear, I'm right here," Cora's voice came from the shadows near her bed. Regina glared when her mother stepped into sight. The intensity of her loathing deepened when she saw the satisfied smirk on Cora's face. Cora, noticing the look, raised her brows. "What? I haven't even done anything this time?
"You told me it wouldn't harm her. What's wrong with her?" Regina demanded.
Cora scowled at the accusation. "Nothing is wrong with her," she snapped. "But there seems to be a problem with you."
"Oh right, I'm the one with the problem. Because forcing your daughter to marry someone against her will and killing the child in her womb is completely normal!" Regina all but screamed at her mother, her eyes wild.
"I will not be spoken to that way!" Cora rose her hand and a force pressed against Regina's mouth, keeping her from speaking any more. "I did not kill that child, although you came perfectly close to it with that foolish adventure to the stables of all places," she spat the word. "Need I remind you that you are going to be queen? Now stay here and rest." Cora paused with her hand on the doorknob to look over her shoulder. "I highly suggest you listen to me unless you want to lose the princess. Any more little adventures so soon after that potion will wear you out which will harm the fetus more than you." And then she was gone.
Regina flopped back against her pillows. Her scream of frustration was muffled by the magic that was still keeping her mouth shut. Tears began to leak out of us eyes. She squeezed them shut in an attempt to stop the flow. How could she have let this happen? What kind of mother was she?
The questions running through her mind were cut off by a soft hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from the contact, curling around her stomach. "Regina, it's just me." Regina peeked over her shoulder. Henry was sitting in a chair next to her bed. Regina rolled over and threw her arms around him. Tears soaked his shoulder as his own arms wrapped around his daughter. No words were exchanged. He let her cry until nothing was left. It was the only thing he could do for her since he couldn't stop Cora.
When all the tears were finally gone and her sobbing had subsided, Henry patted her back gently. "Feel better now?" He asked. Regina nodded. "Good. Is there anything I can get you?" Henry pushed his daughter gently back against the pillows again. She sighed, letting him but her frown made it obvious she wasn't happy about it.
"I can't do this, daddy," she whispered softly. Henry's heart tore at the defeated sound. Regina had always shown such strength against Cora, something he had never been able to do. He had let Cora terrorize and torture Regina without trying to stop it. And it had gotten to the point where she had broken the spirit he had always admired so much in his daughter. He couldn't let this happen. For once, he had to stand up to her, for his daughter. The only problem was that there was no way to win in a head-on encounter with Cora. No, they had to be sneaky. They had to outsmart her.
"I know, sweetheart," Henry pressed his lips to her brow. "We'll find a way around this. I promise. But for now, sleep. You've had a rough time and you need your strength."
Regina sighed and settled deeper into her bed. "Can you…" she bit her lip, hesitating to ask what she wanted to.
"Can I what?" He prompted.
"Can you sneak Daniel up here?" Regina rushed her words.
Henry chuckled. He patted her knee on his way past the bed. "I'll see what I can do. Now rest! Either he or I will be back shortly and I want to see you asleep by that time." His look was stern but Regina knew it came from a place of love rather than power. So she closed her eyes and attempted to sleep, though it wasn't until a while later she actually slept. Not until Daniel joined her on the bed, his arms wrapping around her in a harbor of comfort.