After the sun had already started to rise. Emma had taken Henry downstairs to get some breakfast in the hospital cafeteria. They had made it back upstairs with a fresh helping of breakfast for Regina as well. The brunette had not been brought back in her room when they got there. Henry was feeling slightly uneasy about that but with Emma's reassurance he calmed down quickly.
Oh and Zelena called.
"HENRY MILLS!"
"Hey aunty Z." Henry said with a small voice, knowing full well he had screwed up by leaving the house without telling anyone. The entire Charming-Mills clan had opted to stay in the mansion where they all could be informed of Regina's condition at the same time. And everyone had agreed that the best place for Henry to sleep was his own bed.
"WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU LEFT WITHOUT WAKING ME UP?! IF YOU DISAPPEARED AND SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU, YOUR MOTHERS WOULD HAVE HAD MY HEAD ON A SPIKE!" Zelena was not taking it easy at all. Having her sister injured so badly set her nerves off even worse than normal.
"I know, I should have told you. But mom texted me and I... wanted to check on her." Henry was genuinely remorseful of his actions and he knew he could have handled it better. His family was just as worried about his brunette mother as he was.
That quieted Zelena down. She knew how hard this was for Henry and for his nephew she took few deep breaths before continuing with much softer voice. "Regina is awake? Is she okay?" was the next inquiry.
"I think so. Ma said they took her to get her leg checked out and we are now waiting for her to come back." Henry informed her.
"We will be coming over in a while. I just gotta have Bella fed and wake up the rest of the Charming's. Your grandmother is awake as well, going just as nuts about you being missing as I was. But I will spare you the never ending babbling Snow is capable of so we can have a move on." Henry could hear Zelena pick up a fussy Bella.
"I'm sorry Zelena. I really am." Henry felt a need to apologize again.
"It's okay Henry. This is about Regina, so I understand. See you in a bit kiddo." Zelena smiled.
They hung up the phone and Henry let out a deep breath. Emma was munching away on her second sandwich keeping an eye on her son. Their son. "Everything okay?"
"Well, half of Storybrooke probably woke up to aunty Z screaming at me, but we are good." Henry smirked, a first real smile the entire morning. Emma couldn't help but to smile back at him and that was the moment when the door to the room opened and Dr. Whale and few of his nurses pushed Regina's bed back in.
Henry and Emma jumped up simultaneously and rushed closer to the bed. "Mom!" Henry threw himself at his mother, who looked at him wide eyed but pulled him into her arms.
"Henry? What are you doing here? Darling, is everything alright?" worry was pulsating off Regina in waves as she looked over her son. Henry was sat comfortably next to her on the bed as the nurses parked it in its original place.
"I'm fine mom, I just had to come and see you." Henry cuddled close to his mothers side, not willing to let go. Regina seemed to be completely content with that as she adjusted herself slightly to make them both more comfortable.
Emma had followed close behind and she took the hand that was not wrapped around Henry and pressed a kiss to it. Regina looked up and their eyes seemed to lock once more. It had been a common occurrence ever since Emma had waltzed into town all those years ago.
"Hi." Emma whispered, tracing small patterns on Regina's soft hand.
"Hey." Regina whispered just as quietly back. She wanted to kiss Emma so badly but she didn't know how to voice that want. It seemed however, that she didn't have to. Emma leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to the brunette's lips. Brown eyes closed immediately and a small hum bubbled from her throat.
Henry was looking at them wide eyed. He knew something had happened between his mothers when Regina had gone missing but a development this good? He did not see this coming. He reached out for Emma's free hand, giving it a squeeze. That seemed to be the thing that woke Regina up enough to realize that Henry had seen the sweet exchange between his mothers.
"Henry! I- I-" she desperately tried to wrap her head around the situation. "What you just saw-"
"It's okay mom, I know you guys love each other. This isn't news to me." Henry laughed at his brunette mothers scandalized look. "I knew ma loved you, I have known for years now!"
"Kid!" Emma laughed. "Give your mom a moment. This is a lot to take in." she pressed a kiss to Regina's forehead. "How are you feeling? What did Whale say?"
A throat was cleared and the small family jumped a bit. None of them had realised doctor Whale was still in the room, ready to give them an update. He had his 'doctor face' on but when he opened his mouth it was clear he was very confused.
"We took Regina out for an x-ray to see what is the state of her leg. As soon was we got the leg under the ray it was very clear that the entire leg had healed. There were no fractures, none of the multiple procedures we had to make when we operated. We even took off the cast but all the x-rays came off perfect. Her leg is fully healed as is her head. I have no idea how that's possible, but she is ready to go home." doctor Whale closed his folder. "I do want to run some blood tests if that's okay and I need you to come back here for a check up next week Madam Mayor."
"You really have no idea what could do this? Isn't there anything in medicine that could cause such a fast recovery?" Regina could feel a headache coming on. She was done with mysteries.
"I'm afraid not. I'm sorry Regina." doctor Whale looked genuinely apologetic. No matter what had happened between them in the past, Whale took his job very seriously and above all, he wanted to help people.
"It's alright Victor. At least I'm alright. So we can go home?" Regina held onto her little family even tighter. Even when it was yet another puzzle she was happy that she was alive and well and that they would let her leave.
"Yes you can. I need you to sign a few things, but after that you are free to go." doctor Whale said as he left the room.
"I'm so happy you are okay mom." Henry said as he helped Regina up from the bed. In that moment Emma realised she had not brought Regina any clean clothes. When Regina looked around for her clothes Emma waved her hand and neatly folded pile of clothes appeared on the bed. Regina raised an amused eyebrow but proudness was shining brightly behind her eyes.
When she lifted the clothes up however, she turned to glare at Emma.
"What? You need to be comfortable. You are in a hospital, Gina." Emma was quick to defend herself as Regina held up one of Emma's many hoodies. This one had pugs on it. So very regal.
"But I cannot be seen like this, Emma." Regina knew she was whining but she didn't wanna appear weak. She was sure that the details of her accident had spread far and wide and she didn't want to give anyone the reason to doubt her badassery. Yes, it had been actual years since the last hostile confrontation with an angry fairytale character, but some things took a while longer to change.
Emma didn't hesitate to step forward and take a hold of Regina's cheeks gently. That had a calming effect on the brunette as the chocolate eyes were fully concentrated on the beautiful face in front of her. Somehow Emma knew exactly what to do to calm her. Regina wanted to slap herself for not seeing any of the signs before.
"I know what's going on inside your head right now. I know what you are afraid of. I know it's hard for you to believe me, but please, please. Just listen." Emma started of gently, her gaze never wavering from Regina's. "Wearing a hoodie with pugs on them isn't a sign of weakness. No one will think that, because the only thing they will see is you, standing there after going through yet another agonizing experience. You survived, you pulled through. For Henry, for..." she paused as if uncertain, but found the courage to carry on." ...for me. For our family. That is what makes you brave and strong and absolutely brilliant. Regina you are the strongest person I have ever met and I know for certain that the town will agree with me. You are our hero. You are my hero." Emma's words were becoming more and more a whisper and only Regina was able to hear the final words before the blonde completely quieted down.
Even after she finished, Emma didn't let go of the brunette's face. The eyes that had just glared at her were filled with tears, just waiting for a permission to fall. As the first tear made it all the way to her chin, the second one was captured by the pair of pale lips. Gentle kisses were placed on top of each tear that broke free, until there were no tears left. Regina was in awe, completely unable to speak. She just stared at the blonde haired, red leather wearing miracle that was standing before her.
"I love you Emma." was the only thing Regina managed to breathe out before she fell into Emma. They wrapped tightly around each other and just held each other. Emma pressed her lips to Regina's in deep kiss.
That's when they were interrupted.
"Why wasn't that true love's kiss?" Henry asked, clearly disappointed that his mothers hadn't been able to create a rainbow light.
"Because, my darling boy, I'm quite sure we already had one." Regina chuckled.
Simultaneous "WHAT?!" was only thing she got back and she laughed louder. In those seconds in being wrapped in Emma's arms it had all clicked for her. It all made perfect sense.
"What do you mean Gina?" Emma tried to regain eye contact but small giggles - oh yes, madam mayor was honest to god giggling - made it impossible for Regina to concentrate.
"Yeah mom! You obviously know something, so let your poor swans in on the secret." Henry was flashing his best set of puppy eyes at his mother. Regina wanted to ask about the swan comment but thought the best of it. She would ask Henry later, but now she had her discovery to share.
"I'm quite sure our true love's kiss happened after Emma told me she loved me. It happened here, at the hospital after I had woken up and after we had our talk." Regina decided to fill Henry in. "I could feel this... burn, like the blood in my veins was slowly starting to boil. At the time I just thought it was that amazing kiss, but now considering everything..." she flashed a winning smile at Emma who was still staring at her dumbfounded.
"I was feeling ice. The warmest, the most calming kind of ice you could feel. And like you said, it kinda seemed to be running where my blood normally goes. It felt like we were in a bubble almost?" Emma was doing her best trying to describe her experience, even when it seemed to make no sense. Henry was getting more and more confused by the minute, so he chose to remain quiet, observing and processing.
"I think that was our true love's kiss. I don't know was there a rainbow light but in all fairness, my eyes were shut pretty tight." Regina said and pressed a kiss to Emma's cheek. They were still very much holding each other, not willing to let go when they were finally free to just touch each other.
"But you said it all made sense now? What all?" confusion looked absolutely adorable on Emma Swan and Regina could not help herself as she pulled the blonde into another kiss. Henry rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny being happy for his mothers. It was about a goddamn time.
"My head. My leg. True Love is the most powerful magic of all." Regina was waiting to see a realization to bloom on Emma's face and in a while it did.
"Your true love healed you? How does that even work?" Henry had had enough of being quiet.
"There was no curse to be broken, no villains to vanquish. The only problem the true love seemed to find was my head and my leg." Regina explained turning her head towards her son to make sure he understood.
"Our true love healed you?" Emma asked for a confirmation and when Regina notted, a wide grin spread on the blondes face. "That's badass." she seemed incredibly smug.
"Badass? That's all you got to say?" Regina was playing outraged but the smile on her face couldn't fool anyone. She pinched Emma's side that made the blonde jump and squeal while jumping comically away before dissolving into laughter. Not many people knew that Sheriff Swan was incredibly ticklish. Henry was yet again chocking on his own laughter on the bed, his limbs waving around wildly.
It took Regina a while to realize that she was laughing just as loudly as her son and true love. The pure happiness she felt in that moment was something she had never felt in her life. It made her feel complete. If this was what true happiness was, she wished it would forever be hers in a shape of her little family.