A/N: Hello everyone!

I'd like to ask you for something today.

Can all of you please say a prayer for my dear friends MG and Gabi today? Their mom is in hospital and she is really not doing well - so the three of them can us all the good vibes, support and prayers they can get.

I'd really appreciate your support!

Thank you!

Hope everyone is well...much love to all of you! You rock!

Raven

Just a short piece today - I hope you don't mind.

The next won will be longer, definitely.

The Bet
-Part V

Regina could not move, could not even blink.

She sat on the bar stool, frozen to the spot, her heart racing in her chest.

Emma had been shot.

And it had to be bad or why else would the hospital call her emergency contact?

"How is she?" Mary Margaret asked, sounding close to getting hysterical.

"She's still in surgery. That's all I know", Ruby stated, "I better get going..somebody has to be there if…"

She had not dared to say anything else and so Ruby grabbed her car keys, ready to storm out of the diner.

"Call as soon as you know anything, okay?" Mary Margaret demanded and Ruby nodded in understanding, but disappeared only a second later - without bothering to say Good bye.

Regina had spent all night in her study, drinking.

Her thoughts had been one big jumble after she had found out that Emma had been wounded.

Where had it happened and why?

The worst was that Regina was fully aware of the fact that nothing would have happened to Emma if she had not forced her to leave town in the first place.

And the feeling of guilt made everything so much worse.

Especially since she was not used to feeling like that. She had never cared much about other people or about the consequences for others, but now everything was different.

What should she tell Henry?

And why did Ruby not call?

Regina spent the whole next day waiting for a call from Ruby Lucas, but none came.

Was it really that bad?

Was it possible that Emma was…

She did not even dare to think that sentence to the end.

But what if Emma really had been injured badly? If she would never get a chance to talk to her again?

She had not dared to tell Henry - for one because she was aware that he would go back to ignoring her, would go back to blaming her for everything, and even if he had every right to do so, she could not handle it today.
And the other reason was that Regina had not even known what to tell her son, simply because she knew nothing about Emma's condition.
But Henry must have sensed that something was up, because he had went straight for his room right after dinner and Regina had not seem him again for the rest of the evening.

Which had left her alone with her thoughts once again.

Sbe was on her third glass of Scotch and it was close to midnight, but Regina knew that she would not be able to sleep anyway.
As soon as she would close her eyes she would see Emma and she could not bear any more reminders of the blonde, it was simply too cruel.

The sound of her cell phone made her jump in her chair and Regina's heart skipped a beat.
Was that the call she had been waiting for?
It had to be Ruby - who else would call her in the middle of the night?
But would that call bring relief or would it turn her life into an even bigger hell?

A glimpse at the display revealed that the caller was not whom she had expected, but that it was Mary Margaret instead.

Regina's heart sank, but she grabbed the phone anyway, confused as to why the pixie - haired teacher would call her at this godforbidden hour.

"Miss Blanchard", the mayor stated the obvious.

"Regina, I'm sorry for disturbing you. I hope I didn't wake you, but we need to talk to you."

"Can't that wait till the morning?" Regina growled.

"No, it's really important."

"Well, what is it, dear?"

"Could you...uhm...please...come outside? We are already standing on your porch, but we didn't dare to ring...because we didn't want to wake Henry."

Regina almost dropped the phone.
We?
Who was out there and why?
Clearly it had to be bad if Mary Margaret had not come by herself.

By the time she left her study her whole body was trembling, but Regina tried to ignore it as good as she could and made her way to the front door.

Opening it carefully so she would not wake up her son Regina Mills expected the worst on the other side of the door.

And that was when she met the faces of Mary Margaret Blanchard, David Nolan and Ruby Lucas.

The trio was standing there, worried expressions on their faces and Regina felt the knot in her stomach tighten.
So, Ruby was back and she had brought her two best friends for support to talk to her?

That could mean only one thing, right?

"Regina, I need to talk to you", Ruby started carefully and Regina was sure she knew what was about to come.

"I know you said Emma was never to return to Storybrooke, but considering the circumstances...I thought you might...rethink your decision. Because she can't stay on her own right now...she needs help. And she has no one in Boston. All her friends are here", Ruby explained calmly and Regina did not dare to move or even blink.

That had to mean that Emma was alive, right?

"I'm not sure I understand, Miss Lucas..."
It was literally all she was able to say, because Regina's head was spinning.

"Emma has suffered a really bad concussion and has been shot in the shoulder. So her right arm is currently in a sling. And she has injured her knee as well, so she is limping badly...not to mention her bruises...but it will heal in time...she just needs some support for a while", the leggy brunette stated quickly.

"I see."
Regina let out the breath she had not been aware she was holding and the extreme tension left her body.
She was relieved, really relieved. Actually she was so relieved that she wanted to cry.

For a moment she had thought Emma was dead.
Thank God she was not.

"I can take her to the Bed & Breakfast...and I will take care of her. David and Mary Margaret will help...you don't even have to see her...just...just let us help her", Ruby begged, obviously desperate.

"Very well, Miss Lucas. Bring Miss Swan to Storybrooke then."

"Uhm...actually...she is already...here?" the leggy brunette sounded insecure and ducked her head, ready for Regina's outburst of anger, which did not come.

"Where is she?"
Regina demanded to know, eager to see Emma again, but she would not share this piece of information with the trio infernale in front of her.

"She's in my car. Sleeping. The pain meds knocked her out...that's why I was able to bring her back, because she would have never agreed to..."

"Miss Swan doesn't know that you brought her back?" Regina furrowed her brow, "You practically kidnapped her..."

"We all know how Emma is, Regina. She is too stubborn to admit that she needs help", Mary Margaret added with a small smile.

"I'll just bring her over to Granny's and talk to her when she wakes up in the morning", Ruby commented, hoping it would convince Regina.

But the mayor did not pay much attention, because she needed all her willpower to surpress the urge to run to Ruby's car and pull Emma into her arms.
And she had to force herself to stay calm, because the thought of Ruby Lucas spending the night watching Emma, Ruby helping Emma to get upstairs...
No!
She did not like the idea one bit.

"I think it would be better if Miss Swan stayed at my house", Regina stated before she even realized what she was doing.

"What?!" Ruby glared at the mayor in disbelief while David's mouth hung open and Mary Margaret tilted her head in confusion.

"Miss Blanchard works at the school, Mister Nolan at the shelter and you, Miss Lucas, have shifts at the diner and the station...how do you think you will be able to take care of Miss Swan?" Regina watched the trio in front of her expectantly, but nobody dared to speak, "That's what I thought. I on the other hand can get my work done in my home office. And I will call Doctor Whale in the morning...to hire a nurse."

"Now why would you do that?" David blurted out.

"Because Miss Swan is the mother of my son", Regina replied, not willing to give anything about her emotional state away, "Henry will be thrilled to have her here...and I think it will speed up Miss Swan's healing process as well. To be around her son."

"You have a point here", Mary Margaret stated and nodded in appreciation.

When nobody else said anything Regina cleared her throat, trying to hide the triumphant smirk on her face, "Very well then. It's settled. Miss Swann will stay with me."