A Forbidden Fruit

"It's TB... The test results just came back. TB is short for "Tuberculosis". It is an infection caused by bacteria. It mostly affects the lungs but can also be extra pulmonary and reach the liver, spleen and kidneys. Thankfully, the odds were in your favor."

"I can assume that I will be in this isolated room for a while? What about my Merida? She doesn't have it does she? Oh gods, please tell me she doesn't have it!"
Doctor Whale looked away and Zelena cried out more devastatingly than she ever had before. This had hurt so much worse than when her skin had turned green with envy. To know her child was in the same position as she, almost killed her. Immediately she asked to see her daughter and Doctor Whale obliged. He called in a nurse to bring the infant in and like Zelena, she wore a hospital nightie. Zelena held her close to her heart, so she would be at peace, but Merida began to wheeze and cough. And for the first time in a very long time... Zelena used magic, to place a protection spell over Merida. Doctor Whale ran out the room, probably to call for Regina. Zelena laughed, she hadn't planned to harm her baby... Only to protect her baby from others and vice versa. She had to admit, she hadn't thought it would work... Zelena didn't have her pendant and with out it, magic was difficult to control. However this magic came from love, not from hatred. Promptly, a nurse came back to retrieve the baby and Zelena knew it was time to say goodbye. She kissed Merida's forehead and handed her to the nurse, who looked uneasy. Baby Merida began to cry as the two left the room and Zelena could feel her eyes begin to burn.

00

"Mayor Mills, we need to know what she's done to the baby. I think you'll want to come here and check it out for yourself. She used magic."

Magic... Regina thought. That wasn't impossible, in fact it was very probable. She peeked into the room Zelena had been put in. The same room they had kept David Nolan in for all those years. She felt around for Robin's hand and found it. He hadn't contracted the illness and for that she was greatful. Slowly she turned around to head to the room Doctor Whale was keeping the baby in. It was almost half way across the hospital and the walk felt like it would take decades. In due time, she reached the room, but was unable to go in. She could hear little Merida coughing and only imagined what her sister had done. Now, as government, she was required to take a TB shot, but just for the sake of spreading or catching it, she placed her own protection spell on her. She slowly walked into the room and picked up Merida. She could sense the magic on her, like one could sense coffee in morning.

"No need to worry, Doctor. She hasn't harmed her in any way. If anything, she's protected you and I from her. Nothing, not even illness can get past a protection spell. Only the blood from a family can break it and I certainly won't be breaking it anytime soon."

"Mayor Mills, if this spell is keeping the TB from being passed from one to another... Will it keep the illness from becoming pulmonary?"

Regina began to think... She was byfar advanced in magic, but sometimes magic was just unpredictable... She might never know. However, she did know that Zelena had protected her others from her child for one reason. That would be so that Merida could come home and be taken care of, instead of being stuck in the hospital. Looks like we're not all bad mothers... Regina thought. She told Doctor Whale about what Zelena's intended purpose might be and the doctor reluctantly agreed to let her go, but only after she recieved some antibiotics. Quickly, he sent the nurse for isoniazid and rifapentine,

"That's a lot of antibiotics... is she even old enough for those?"

"The nurse and I are hoping she is. Merida is a strong baby girl, but we won't know whether this will compromise her immune system. We can only hope for the best and we'll need you or Robin to make regular trips to the hospital so we can be sure she's reacting well to the antibiotics."

Regina felt her heart drop. She was scared for the child. Surely Merida would be as stubborn as the rest of her family and pull through. No matter how she came about into the world, she deserved to live.. She deserved to thrive.

00

"I'm sorry Doctor Hopper, but I can't let you in there, even if I wanted to!"

The nurse slowly pushed him away from the door. Archie began to run his hands through his hair in frustration. Leaning up against the wall, he used it to slowly slide down on the hospital floor. This shouldn't have happened... Archie hung his head in defeat. If he hadn't upset her last week, this might have never happened. Doctor Whale still hadn't told him what was wrong, but then again, he wasn't family so it wasn't his business. He knew he would have to find out soon, he couldn't be her Doctor if they didn't inform him. He continued to stare at the ground, until her heard the sound of shoes coming toward him. Even then, his head was lifted only enough so he could see the shoes. With a single glance, he knew who was coming to comfort him.

"You'll need all your energy, Jiminy. The Lord knows it's been a tiresome day for you all."

Her voice purred with pity and Archie looked her in the eyes. As she slowly bent over, he noticed the nun wore a weak smile but her doe-y eyes were filled with hope. In her hand, she held a cup of what smelled like coffee and he gladly accepted it. She gestured for him to take hers as well and he did so, while she made her way to sit down beside him. He awkwardly smiled as he handed her coffee back to her and the two exchanged gratitude. Archie wasn't sure what to do in this situation, he had known her for so many years... Decades even. Still, their conversations were minimal. She was always busy with the convent and he never stopped to make time. The two sat together in silence, sipping their coffee.

"I heard the Doctor say it is tuberculosis... I am sorry, Jiminy. I know how much your patients mean to you."

Archie could feel a tear begin to form in his eye and he looked up, trying to not to let it fall. He felt Mother Superior's hand rest on his but he didn't dare flinch. Years of always being alone and he'd always held someone's hand to support them. Now, someone was supporting him. Of course, she was a nun, who's only obligation was to keep his spirits up. She was the forbidden fruit. However, it mattered not to Archie, who only longed for a someone to be close to him.

"I can't believe this is happening... Tuberculosis treatments are every week. Six months of antibiotics being pumped into her system."

"It could be worse, there could be no treatment at all."

He finally began to let himself hold her hand. However, her gloves were making his hands a little too warm. He didn't want to say anything, but the look on his face had told the nun he was feeling uncomfortable. Without a second thought, she began to take them off, exposing her petite hands. Quickly, she intertwined their hands once again. As nice a feeling as it was, Archie couldn't shrug the feeling of awkwardness... The feeling that any moment he would wake up from a dream.

"It's just, so much has happened in such a short period of time... I don't know how she's been able to make it past this month."

Archie began to feel the need to get up; He needed to go out and get some air. Archie made his way up swiftly, but perhaps too swift. His coffee splashed outside his cup and splattered on his shirt. Quickly, Mother Superior was up to her feet and pulling her hankerchief out of her coat. She dabbed his shirt lightly, praying that it would not set the stain. Thankfully, her handyworked paid off and she found herself looking into the eyes of Doctor Hopper. Both were too entranced to move, their eyes lingered. If it had never been clear before it was now... Archie's adrenaline was pumping and without thinking, he kissed her on the lips. She reciprocated and found herself lost in the moment. The kiss was perhaps the most intimate thing Archie had ever felt. Gently, he pulled himself away from her lips. It was so tempting to continue with this affair, but it was wrong. What if someone found out? Perhaps someone seen them together and had Archie's liscense pulled and Mother Superior lost her job... Even worse, what if Zelena had seen it. He cared for her so much... He knew that at least a small part of her cared about him too. They weren't together, not even close, but this kiss felt like a betrayal on Archie's part.

"I... I am so sorry. This is all my fault"

"No, Doctor Hopper... I'm afraid we both owe each other an apology. It was wrong for me to reciprocate such a gesture. I only pray this won't affect our time together."

Before Archie could answer her, she turned around and took quick steps to leave the hospital. Archie began to pace across the lobby, hoping no one had seen what had just taken place. A nurse called for him and he bolted to attention. The nurse had come to inform him to see Doctor Whale and that he could visit Zelena shortly. In only a few strides, he found himself with Doctor Whale, who brought along Regina to put a protection spell over him, before he went to visit Zelena. Finally, he would be able to go in, but not all of him could go in. No, that secret kiss... Mother Superior, they could never come into the same room as Zelena.

"Gave you quite a scare, didn't I, cricket? You're as pale as a ghost. I guess you'll be sad to know, it's not that easy to get rid of me."

Without a second thought, he rushed to her side and gave her a hug. Indeed, she had scared him and he hoped it would never happen again. He smiled at her with his blue eyes but she only rolled her eyes at him in return. Of course, he hadn't expected anything else. Zelena wasn't going to change, she was already perfect the way she was.

"Me? Rid of you? Not a chance."

Author's Note:

So many secrets in this chapter! Everything is sort of in the air right now, so do forgive me. This definitely won't be the last we hear of the forbidden kiss between Archie and Mother Superior... But as for now, it's all a matter of what Zelena was going to tell Archie before she passed out.