Chapter 8: Healing
Regina's eyes slowly start to open as Mary Margaret lays her down on a cot in the nurse's office. "Miss Blanchard?" she croaks, staring dazedly around the room. "Why am I..." Suddenly, her face pales, and she frantically tries to push herself up before hissing in pain and collapsing back onto the thin mattress. "Where's Emma? Is she okay?"
"Right here," Emma says, stepping out from behind her foster mother so she can be seen clearly. "Not a scratch on me, thanks to you." Regina's eyes quickly dart up and down the Emma's body. Apparently satisfied that the blonde is unharmed, she slowly lowers her head, wincing as it touches even a reasonably soft surface. "How are you feeling," Emma asks sympathetically.
"Like I fell out a window."
"Well, at least your snark is still intact."
"Regina," Mary Margaret says quietly, "Nurse Astrid needs to take a look at your injuries. Is that okay?" Regina gives a slight nod and squeezes her eyes shut, tentatively reaching a hand towards the teacher. Mary Margaret stares at it for a minute in confusion before taking it in her own and giving it a soft squeeze. "You're so brave," she whispers. "Emma is just fine, and you will be, too."
Nurse Astrid is trying her best to be gentle, but there's absolutely no way for this examination not to hurt. Emma finds herself cringing in pain just hearing the description of Regina's injuries. "Her leg is fractured in at least two places, definitely a couple of broken ribs, and maybe a skull fracture. We should get her to the hospital right away to check for a concussion and internal bleeding - someone needs to contact her mother."
Regina remains stoic while the nurse touches her body in all the broken places and shines painful lights in her eyes, but the second her mother is mentioned, she completely loses it. Instantly, she's half-sobbing, half-choking, and clutching Mary Margaret's hand like her life depends on it. "Not Mother, please," she cries desperately. "Don't call her! Miss Blanchard, don't let them call my mother! Please?"
Mary Margaret takes a deep breath before nodding. "Get Gold," she orders Mr. Nolan, who Emma now realizes has been standing silently in the doorway the entire time. "He can heal her with magic. There's no need to worry the mayor unnecessarily," she breezily tells the confused nurse.
Nolan jogs out the door, and Nurse Astrid nods reluctantly before busying herself getting ice packs and pillows for temporary pain relief. Mary Margaret nods at Emma to hold Regina's other hand and turns back to the injured student who is still whimpering, "Not Mother, not Mother."
"Not Mother," Mary Margaret agrees, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind Regina's ear and then cupping her palm against a tear-stained cheek. "No one else is going to hurt you today." Shuddering, Emma squeezes Regina's hand tighter, and Mary Margaret gives her a reproachful look. "I know it's hard, but you have to stay calm for her," she whispers. The teacher strokes Regina's cheek and starts softly singing a tune Emma eventually recognizes as "With a Smile and a Song' from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Emma stares in amazement at the scene unfolding before her eyes. If anyone had asked her, even a few minutes ago, how Regina would have reacted to Miss Blanchard touching her face and singing a song from a movie that doesn't seem at all her taste, she might have guessed that such an interaction would end in violence. Instead, Regina seems to lean into the contact, and her breathing gradually grows more relaxed. At first, she thinks that perhaps the other girl's pain is so great that her need for comfort is superseding her pride, but as she watches more closely, she realizes that's only half of it. There's something incredibly familiar between the two of them, something routine, like this is not the first time Mary Margaret has dealt with a hurt or terrified Regina and probably not even the first time she's sung that particular song to her.
The song is finished and Regina's tears have mostly quieted by the time Nolan returns, panting, and tells them he can't find Gold anywhere and not even Miss French knows where he is. Mary Margaret sighs deeply, wheels visibly spinning in her head as she tries to think of a backup plan. Nolan suggests, "We could call Mother Sup-"
"Emma can do it," Regina interrupts. The four other occupants of the room stare at her like she's suddenly sprouted a second head.
"Emma can what now?"
"Heal me. You did it before."
"That was just a cut, and I - it was an accident," Emma sputters. "I didn't know what I was-"
"Emma, take a breath," Mary Margaret cuts in, and the blonde immediately remembers that she's supposed to be staying strong for Regina.
"I'm sorry," she says quietly. "But I don't know what I'm doing, and I really don't want to hurt you."
"Just try," Regina pleads. Her face is pale, and the pain in her ribs is inhibiting her ability to take even the shallowest of breaths. She needs someone to do something, and fast.
Emma looks back and forth between Mary Margaret and Nurse Astrid, who both look dubious but try to nod encouragingly at her. Meanwhile, Regina is regarding her with huge, trusting eyes that are simultaneously heart-melting and terrifying. "Maybe still call Mother Superior, just in case," the nurse suggests.
She decides to start with the broken leg, since it's probably the least likely to have life-threatening effects if she messes something up. She's healed only once, without knowing that it was even happening, and it was a cut. A large, dangerous cut, but still not a skull fracture or a concussion or internal bleeding. She lets her hands hover half a centimeter over Regina's leg and closes her eyes. Magic is controlled by emotion, she remembers. For the moment, she forces herself to forget that it was Zelena who said it. You simply channel that emotion into willing what you want to be done. Willing what she wants to be done is easy - healing Regina's leg - but she doesn't even know what emotions she's supposed to channel. She's pissed, obviously, at Zelena, and at herself for doing so little to help, even though it's what Regina told her to do.
But even more than angry, she's scared. She's scared absolutely shitless that she won't be able to do what's needed and something will happen to Regina, who, even in such a short time, has become the person she cares most about in the entire world. Regina herself, surprisingly, doesn't seem afraid at all, at least about that. She believes in Emma completely, even with absolutely no evidence, and that makes her either the bravest or craziest person the blonde has ever known. She's never been believed in before, not like this, but then again, Regina is also the first person who has unquestioningly accepted her, who has protected her, who has not only explicitly stated that she wants her to stick around but shown it with all her actions and -
Emma's thoughts are interrupted by a small gasp from Mary Margaret, and she opens her eyes to see blue light radiating from her fingertips and Regina's leg in a much more natural configuration.
"I did it," she whispers in shock.
Regina wiggles her foot and nods. "Yes, you did. Now please do my ribs so I can actually breathe again."
Emma tackles the busted ribcage with much more confidence, spirits buoyed by the return of color to Regina's cheeks when she can finally inhale without pain. She's just about finished repairing Regina's skull (and hopefully any brain bruising) when Nolan walks back in, both Gold and Mother Superior at his heels.
"I'm okay," Regina informs them. "Emma healed me."
Gold briefly hovers a hand over Regina's forehead, and a wave of blue light passes over her body like some kind of magical x-ray. "So she did," he muses. "Well done, Miss Swan." He regards her with a mixture of respect and amusement.
"So, Regina is-"
"Her wounds are healed, yes, and quite thoroughly, too," Gold informs Mary Margaret and Nurse Astrid. "She'll feel very weak for a while and probably need to rest for the remainder of the day, but there should be no lasting ill-effects."
"Well, that's great then," Miss Blanchard says brightly, placing a hand on Emma's shoulder.
"Miss Swan may also be a bit exhausted from summoning so much power at one time. I will excuse both students from their afternoon classes." Mary Margaret opens her mouth to say something, which Gold seems to anticipate. "Due to the...circumstances, I will waive the requirement of a legal guardian signing Regina out of school. You may take both girls home."
"And Zelena?" Nolan asks from the doorway.
"Rest assured, if she shows up in my classroom, I will deal with her."
"She won't," Emma mutters.
"Let Gold worry about it, honey." As the other teachers file out, Mary Margaret looks back and forth between Emma and Regina. "I gather there's a lot that needs to be talked about, but for now, let's get the two of you home."
Regina looks worried. "Home...?"
"My home, at least for the next few hours. Now, do you think you'll be able to walk to the car, or..." Regina slowly sits up and places her feet on the floor, but the second she tries to put any weight on them, she starts to collapse. Luckily, Emma and Mary Margaret both catch her before she hits the floor. "It's okay, sweetheart, I've got you," the teacher says soothingly, once again taking Regina in her arms and carrying her out the door. Regina just nods and leans her head against Mary Margaret's shoulder, and Emma follows wordlessly behind, still too much in shock to be feeling the exhaustion yet.
xx
Regina is pretty much asleep by the time they arrive at the apartment and Mary Margaret helps her onto the couch. Emma tries to lend the other girl some pajamas so she won't have to nap in her suit, but Regina only stares at them in confusion before closing her eyes.
"You sure you don't want to lie down, too?" Mary Margaret asks Emma for the third time.
"I think I'm okay," Emma replies. She's not feeling the exhaustion Gold predicted - instead, she has an excess of energy, and she's also worried that if she allows her eyes to close, she'll be forced to once again see Regina flying through the window while she just stands there powerlessly.
Her foster mom just shrugs and picks up her phone to view the text message she's just received. "Do you think you two will be okay on your own for an hour or so?" she asks. "Mr. Gold just called an emergency faculty meeting."
"Sure, I mean, I feel fine, and she's just sleeping."
"Call right away if you need anything," Mary Margaret urges, casting one more worried glance at both girls before she leaves.
Left to her own devices, Emma bounces restlessly around the apartment. She drifts between the computer and TV, though neither captures her attention particularly well, and manages to eat an entire bag of potato chips. She also periodically checks to ensure her sleeping friend is still breathing.
Eventually, Regina starts to stir. "Emma?" she murmurs tiredly.
"Hey, I'm here. Everyone's safe - you can go back to sleep now."
"Can you..." Regina's voice trails off, and her face blushes crimson.
"Can I what? It's okay, you can ask me anything."
"Can you help me put on those pajamas? I don't think I can...do it myself."
"Yeah, of course. Like I said, anything." Emma immediately helps the brunette out of her now-wrinkled suit and into some much more comfortable flannel PJs. She tries very hard to ignore the fact that she is not only seeing Regina in her underwear but also touching her when she's practically naked. Now is not the time or place to be turned on.
"Is it normal to feel like this after you get healed?" Emma asks curiously. It's a little scary to see the always strong and prideful Regina Mills barely able to sit up on her own.
"Healing takes a lot of energy from both parties," Regina explains sleepily. "That's why it's such difficult magic. I'm surprised you're still standing."
When Regina is settled back on the couch, her face flushes again and she asks tentatively, "Emma, when you said 'anything,' did you really mean it?"
"Yeah, why? What do you need?"
"It's just...can you...I don't want to be alone," Regina finally manages to say.
Emma nods. "You want to be big spoon or little spoon?" she asks. Regina looks confused for a moment before rolling onto her side and patting the space in front of her, and Emma immediately kicks off her shoes and nestles herself into the curve of the other girl's body. She's got about five inches on Regina, so the fit is a little off, but it still feels right for them.
"I need to be able to see you," Regina explains quietly.
Emma closes her eyes as she feels her friend gently wrap her arms around her waist and rest her head against the back of her shoulder. Then she finally allows the fatigue to overtake her body and drifts off to sleep.
xx
Mary Margaret returns a little later, toting both girls' backpacks and a large bag of groceries. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she whispers to Emma.
"No problem. You need any help with those groceries?" Emma tries to get up, but she hears Regina groan sleepily behind her, and the arms around her middle tighten.
Mary Margaret chuckles. "Looks like you're on teddy-bear duty. I've got it."
"What did Gold say?" Emma asks, voice quiet but urgent.
"Well, for starters, Zelena's disappeared. No one can find her, so that puts a bit of a damper on our efforts to find an...appropriate solution...for the problem."
"She'll be back," Emma says darkly. "She's the type that can't resist hanging around and gloating."
"Be that as it may, I think tonight is the wrong time to focus on that aspect of the situation," Mary Margaret says, eyes now focused on Regina's sleeping form. "Did she say anything when she woke up?"
"Nothing monumental. I think she's too tired to talk."
Mary Margaret nods. "Okay, then you two keep resting. I'll be there if you need me." The teacher sets the two backpacks on the floor next to the couch and retreats to the kitchen.
About twenty minutes of dozing later, Emma is awakened by a loud ringing sound from Regina's backpack. Sleepily, she reaches for the bag and tries to locate the phone before it can wake the brunette behind. "That's my mother's ringtone," Regina whispers, instantly alert.
"Found it," Emma says triumphantly, twisting around to hand over the phone, but Regina makes no move to take it. Instead, she shakes her head, eyes filling with tears and the same panicked expression she wore back at school when the nurse suggested calling her mother.
"I've got this," Mary Margaret says briskly, suddenly appearing at the door. She grabs the phone from Emma's hand and schools her face into its typical pleasant expression. "Hello, Mayor Mills...Yes, this is Miss Blanchard. Regina is at my apartment...of course, I've asked her and Emma to give a presentation in my class tomorrow...Yes, Madam Mayor, I'm aware that it's very short notice for a school assignment, but naturally, Regina volunteered...Both girls are working very hard - Regina has been such a good influence on Emma's schoolwork, you have no idea...Yes, it will probably take several more hours, so I believe it would make sense for Regina to stay for dinner." She raises an eyebrow at whatever the mayor's response is. "Oh, of course. I'll let her know...No, Madam Mayor, it won't be a problem at all. Regina is never a problem...Yes, of course I'll make sure she completes all of her other assignments...Have a nice evening, Madam Mayor."
Mary Margaret hangs up the phone and turns back toward Emma and Regina, who have been listening with bated breath. "Regina, your mother evidently has some business to take care of in Portland tonight. She's asked if you could spend the night here. I told her yes, if that's okay with you." Regina's entire body sags with relief against Emma's, which Mary Margaret takes as a yes.
"I'm going to grade some quizzes in the other room, and then I'll probably make lasagna for dinner," she informs them. "Call if you need me."
She's practically out the door when Regina suddenly calls out, "Miss Blanchard? Thank you."
xx
After another hour of napping, Emma feels normal again, and Regina is at least strong enough to get up on her own.
"Do you think it's true?" the brunette suddenly asks.
"Do I think what's true?"
"That Zelena is my sister."
"Oh..." Emma had practically forgotten that piece of information in all the chaos following it. "Um, I really wouldn't know. She doesn't exactly look like you, but she might look a little like your mother."
"That's what I was thinking," Regina admits. "Not to mention some of their...behavioral tendencies. And that would be a valid explanation for why she hates me."
"She hates you because she's crazy."
"But think about it," Regina says seriously. "I mean, you said your parents abandoned you. How would you feel if you still lived in the same town with them and found out they had another baby a year later that they kept?"
"Depending on the situation, I'd probably be pissed," Emma admits, "but...you can't think that excuses how she treats you."
"Doesn't it? You can't tell me you wouldn't resent your sibling if that was the case."
"Sure, I most likely would, but there's a difference between resenting someone and actively trying to end their life! A really big difference. Zelena's a twisted psycho, pure and simple."
"Another trait she shares with my mother," Regina mutters darkly.
"You know, with everything you've said to me about your mother, I'm starting to think Zelena was lucky to get out of that shit, if it's really true."
Regina shrugs. "I know I'm the one who brought it up," she apologizes, "but I'd rather not discuss this right now."
"No problem, we can change the subject. At least you don't have to see her tonight."
Regina manages a half-smile, and the two girls walk out into the kitchen where Mary Margaret is starting to gather ingredients for lasagna, which Emma has deduced must be Regina's favorite food besides apples, given that the teacher always decides to make it when she's around.
"Emma, you left your Facebook page open," her foster mother informs her.
"Sorry, M&M."
"Oh, it's not a problem, but Graham messaged you. He says he's going down to Granny's to shoot darts with the gang, if you want to join."
"Sounds fun," Emma shrugs. "You want to go?" she asks her friend. "Knowing those guys, the invitation's probably open."
"I, um..." Regina immediately starts to look overwhelmed at the prospect of social interaction with people who saw her fly through a window and possibly also physical movement.
"It's okay, we'll just stay here," Emma says quickly.
"No, you should go. I've been hogging you all day - I'm sure your other friends want to see you, too."
"Regina..."
"I'll be fine, really. Besides," she adds, like an idea has just popped into her head, "I'm sure Miss Blanchard needs someone to help with dinner." Mary Margaret looks shocked, but she nods in affirmation.
Perplexed, Emma looks back and forth between her friend and foster mother and tries to figure out if she trusts them alone together, but the look on Regina's face says clearly that this is something she desperately needs.
"Okay," Emma finally says. "I'll be back in half an hour, and this apartment better be in the same state that I left it."