Regina and Henry came running into the E.R. of Storybrooke General Hospital, rousing Snow, Charming and Dr. Whale from their quiet conversation.
"Where is she, where's ma?" Henry asked while the mother at his side looked around, searching silently for her lover, the fear and devastation she felt clearly written across her face.
Snow looked up and toward the room where her daughter lay.
Henry followed her gaze and walked purposefully into the direction.
"She's asleep, Henry," Snow called after him.
"I won't wake her," he answered in a monotone no child should ever have to use. But Henry had learned how to suppress emotions, he had learned to cover his feelings and appear strong. He went quietly into Emma's hospital room and sat down on the bed, taking her hand and holding it.
Regina was merely watching him go, paralyzed by the sight of Emma in that colorless room, in a colorless hospital gown, no color on her usually rosy cheeks. She looked back at the three adults who hadn't resumed their conversation yet and then toward her little family. She seemed unsure of what to do.
"She's gonna be alright, Regina," Snow said.
"What happened?"
"She fainted," Snow answered but seemed unable to give more information about the medical condition of her daughter.
Regina looked at Whale.
"Why did she faint?"
"I'm sorry, Madam Mayor but I don't feel comfortable discussing Ms. Swan's condition with you. Hospital regulations, you understand," he said.
Regina looked at the man perplexed, not because he had the audacity to defy her but because he so obviously enjoyed doing it. He was barely containing a smirk and Regina felt her ire rise.
"I wrote those hospital regulations, you moron," she told him.
"Then you know best that I can't talk about a patient's condition with anyone outside the family."
Regina took a step toward the man, her hands balled into fists, her eyes burning into him. She had half a mind to blow him into oblivion just because she could but instead she said:
"The sheriff and I are engaged. I am part of her family." Her voice was ice.
At her words, David's head jerked around toward her. He had seemed determined to ignore her presence but it seemed he couldn't do it any longer.
"Well, in that case," the doctor started talking again. "I'm not sure why Ms. Swan fainted. We're still running some tests, bloodwork, drugs and alcohol... When she came in I thought it might have been dehydration, that's why she's on an I.V. For now her condition remains a mystery, unless..."
"Unless?"
"Unless her condition is less medical and more magical?" he asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"Are you implying that I've had something to do with what is wrong with her, doctor?" Regina asked.
"It wouldn't be the first time now, would it?" he gave back.
Oh, yes, he was enjoying himself and, yes, she was so close to fireball-ing him into the next century but in the end, and at the end of a long staring match between them, Regina simply lowered her head.
"I didn't do this," she said and looked up into Snow's eyes.
"I didn't think you did," the other woman acknowledged.
Regina nodded and then followed Henry. She went into Emma's room timidly, saying a few low words to her son. He nodded at her and she walked around the bulky bed to Emma's other side. She stood for a moment next to it, just looking down at Emma with a worried expression, then she reached her hand out, caressed Emma's cheek.
Snow, David, and the doctor all watched. Maybe the doctor was reminded of a young woman who had once begged him to bring her lover back to life, maybe Snow thought of an even younger girl whom she had surprised in a lover's embrace at the stables one evening. As for David, he had no comparison to make. He didn't know this Regina, frightened of losing someone she loved, caring, and protective of a lover. And he didn't want to know that Regina.
"Did you call her?" he asked turning to his wife.
"Yes, of course. They had to know where Emma was," Snow told him and included Henry because she knew David would understand it better this way.
"She probably had something to do with this, whatever it is," he said through clenched teeth.
"What? No, David," Snow started saying and took a step closer to him. She wanted to lay her hand on his arm but he turned away.
"I'm going to find out what she did to Emma," he said and then started leaving.
"David," Snow called after him but he didn't stop. He left the hospital.
"I'm not sure he's wrong, you know," Whale said.
"You don't know anything about this, Whale. Regina loves Emma, she would never hurt her," she told him and he inclined his head.
"You show an inordinate amount of trust in a woman who cursed us all, who tried to kill us all."
"If Regina had wanted to kill us all she would have succeeded at some point. Don't you have tests to run, doctor?"
They stared at each other for a moment, then Whale gave her a professionally empty smile and excused himself.
Snow remained where she was, watching Regina and Henry sitting at Emma's side.
Emma woke to the sight of a clinically clean room and two worried faces which hung above her own, talking to each other. Her head felt fuzzy, her mouth as if she had cotton balls stuffed into it.
She wanted to say something but there was only thought enough in her head for a simple sigh. However, it made Regina and Henry realize that she was awake and that was all she had wanted to accomplish.
"Ma," Henry exclaimed and smiled relieved.
"Emma," Regina whispered and it sounded strained.
"What...?"
"You fainted," Henry answered the unasked question and saw Emma frown.
"What?" And this time it was mere disbelief at what she was hearing.
"Henry, honey, could you... go to the vending machine in the waiting area and get some chocolate for Emma?"
"Chocolate?" Henry asked surprised.
"Yes," Regina assured him and he looked from one of his mothers to the other.
"Alright, but I'll be right back," he said, sensing that there was something going to be said Regina didn't want him to hear. He got up from his perch next to Emma and left the room.
"Chocolate?" Emma repeated Henry's question with a raised eyebrow.
Regina sighed.
"You think this has something to do with magic? Dark magic?" Emma asked, clearing her head of the cobwebs while she tried to sit up.
"Here," Regina said, handing her the control for the bed. Emma used it to bring the headrest into a semi-declining position.
"The doctor doesn't seem to think it's medical. And I can't think of a reason you would suddenly faint, Emma."
"Unless I'm pregnant," Emma gave back with a small smile.
"That's... well, it's not impossible but I don't think it happened... I mean, I would have to consciously make an effort... unless, I didn't have anything to do with it," Regina said, raising a questioning eyebrow at Emma.
"Well, if it's not from you then it must be... a miracle of biblical proportions," Emma finished and they smiled at each other. "That means I'm not pregnant," Emma said sobering. She reached for Regina's hand which was lying on her thigh and pulled it into both of her own.
"I know you wanted to talk about this... me getting you pregnant and all but... I think we should first find out what is wrong with you and how we can prevent it from happening again," Regina told her.
Emma nodded.
"What's your theory?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," Regina said. She had thought about Whale's words while she had sat with Henry and waited for Emma to wake up. Could she have been somehow responsible for Emma fainting? Even if she hadn't wanted it? Even if she hadn't done it on purpose? Was her magic maybe toxic to Emma?
But they had done magic together before and Emma never seemed to have suffered any side effects. And Regina had never unintentionally 'leaked' some of her magic at people; she didn't think she could. But maybe something else had.
"I was thinking about the box at Gold's shop," Regina finally continued. "It's the one thing that came to mind that you had contact with today and that was... new."
"Yes, but I never even touched it," Emma argued. "And I haven't been affected by Rumple's magic at all so far. Are you sure it's about magic and not just...," she looked up at the I.V. bag dripping steadily into her veins. "I don't know, low bloodsugar?"
"Then the chocolate would help either way," Regina said.
"But you think it was the box," Emma deduced from Regina's expression and the mayor nodded.
"Do you remember what happened?"
"I... was at the bar. Neal was there with dad, drinking beer. I sat next to dad and... I got so angry that Neal was there with him. I felt... like they were talking about us, sharing their prejudices against you. It got me so mad and I... I think I yelled at my dad. But then I got dizzy and then... nothing," Emma recounted what she could remember.
"Why were you at the bar? Did Robby call the station?"
"No, I had... promised my mom to talk to David about... us. She feels like she doesn't get through to him anymore," Emma explained.
"So you went there to meet him?"
Emma nodded. She looked at Regina who had lowered her eyes to their hands which were entangled, touching each other.
"I didn't mean to keep this from you. I just..."
"I talked to David," Regina interrupted Emma.
"You did?"
"Yes," but that was all she said.
"What did you say to him?" Emma wanted to know.
Regina took a deep breath but didn't answer right away. She looked outside to where Snow was talking to Henry. She turned slowly back to Emma.
"I told him to either get over himself or butt out of... our relationship. I don't want him to hurt you anymore," she admitted.
Emma gave her a small smile and lifted one of her hands to cup her lover's cheek.
"You're precious," Emma said and pulled Regina's head to hers so that their foreheads touched.
"You're my family, Emma. I need to... make sure you're happy. And he has no right to make you feel bad about... us."
"No, he doesn't. That's why I was angry with him earlier," Emma agreed.
"How angry?" Regina asked and pulled away so as to look into Emma's eyes.
"How...? I... I was just angry," the blonde said.
"Very angry? Really mad?"
"Yeah, but..."
"Unreasonably mad?" Regina kept asking and Emma looked at her. Then she seemed to think back to before she fainted and nodded.
"Yes, I was... beyond angry. I... is that how it feels, dark magic? Like white, hot anger?"
"It can... but only if you can't control it or... well, I guess it would feel like that if you hadn't had any prior experience with it," Regina mused. "I should have known this could happen. I didn't even stop to think how it could affect you because it hadn't so far."
"This is not your fault. I was... unprepared."
"Yes, but only because I...," but she only got so far before Emma put a finger to her lips.
"Shhh, it happened. Now we know better," she said.
Emma didn't take her hand away, instead she let her finger linger on Regina's lips. She touched the prominent scar at Regina's upper lip.
"Emma," Regina warned with a sexy little smile. It still sometimes took her by surprise how fast the mood between them could change. From worried to argumentitive to playful and then breathtakingly erotic. She felt her body shift closer to Emma in sheer irresistable need to be with her. And yet she knew that they were exposed to looks from outside in the glass-walled room.
"You take my breath away, woman," Emma breathed and Regina closed her eyes. She took Emma's hand in her own and kissed its back.
"I'm so relieved you're okay," she answered, pressing her face to Emma's hand. "I don't know what I'd do if you... were hurt."
"You'd take care of Henry," Emma said and Regina opened her eyes. They looked at each other for a long moment. Regina nodded in silent promise then she leaned forward and over Emma. They kissed.
"You are aware that the walls are see-through, right?" Henry asked from the doorway a minute later.
His mothers looked at him and at Snow who stood behind him wearing a small smile.
"How are you?" she asked Emma.
"I'm okay, mom."
"Do you know what happened?"
Henry and Snow came into the room as Regina sat up again, her back suddenly rigid and uncomfortable.
Henry came over to her side of the bed and handed her the chocolate he had gotten from the vending machine.
"Thank you, Henry," she said, sorting through an assortment of different chocolate bars and handing him a Snickers.
He grinned and let himself fall into one of the visitor's chairs.
"Regina thinks something in Rumple's shop may have affected me. We don't know what, though," Emma quickly added. They had agreed that afternoon not to tell anyone about their discovery that Rumple might still be alive and Emma thought it best to keep knowledge of the little magic box a secret as well.
"Affecting you how?" Snow asked.
"I don't know, maybe it just clashed with my savior-senses... 'Gina thinks it's probably dark magic," she said looking at her lover for backup.
"I'd have to go back and look at what Emma touched today. I wouldn't want anyone else to.. touch it," Regina said.
"Won't it affect you?" Snow asked.
"Differently, probably. But I'll take some chocolate and I'll be fine. Not that anyone would notice whether I'm evil or not," she tried to joke but it fell flat.
Emma squeezed her hand and she looked at her.
"I would notice," she said seriously.
"So would I," Henry said from his place and she looked over at him.
There had been few moments in her life Regina had felt this loved, this cherished and it brought tears to her eyes. Snow's presence made these awkward and she rubbed at her eyes self-consciously.
"I'll be careful," she promised Emma and Henry.
It was late when Regina and Henry entered the mansion. Dr. Whale had insisted on Emma spending the night at the hospital for observation and the sheriff had almost thrown her I.V. bag at him. Regina had talked her into staying but it had taken time and a lot of tlc until the blonde finally - poutingly - consented.
"Mom?" Henry was saying as Regina locked the front door.
"Yes?"
Regina turned to him and lay an arm over his shoulders as they were walking toward the stairs that led to the second floor.
"What you're doing at Gold's? It's dangerous, isn't it?" he asked looking up at her with a frown.
Regina looked back at him, wondering what to tell him. She knew what he wanted to hear - the truth - but she wasn't sure it would be the most helpful thing to tell him.
"Please be honest," he asked of her and she had to smile.
He knew her well and their history seemed to allow for him to ask this of her.
"It can be dangerous, yes," Regina said. She wanted to continue but he asked:
"Then why do it?"
They were at the stairs now. Regina looked up and decided that this conversation might take longer than them reaching the second floor and their respective bedrooms. She was exhausted and knew that Henry was, too; he had almost fallen asleep during the ride home. But she also knew that Henry was worried about Emma, probably about her as well, and postponing this conversation would only deepen his fears.
She sat down on the stairs and Henry joined her.
"This is important for everyone, Henry. Rumple might have had a way for everyone to go home again. You know why I have to do this, I'm responsible for everyone being here, I should help getting them home," she told him.
"But not if it kills you," he protested.
"It's not gonna kill me, Henry. Or Emma. I would never let Emma help me if I thought... I didn't see this coming, Henry, please, believe me," she begged of him suddenly anxious that he should think her responsible for Emma getting hurt.
"I'm not blaming you. I know you would never hurt ma but... this thing, whatever it is, in the shop, it hurt her. I don't wanna lose either of you, you're my moms."
Regina pulled Henry into her arms and held him. He held onto her for a while, then pulled back again.
"I don't want you going there anymore. Every time you come back from the shop, you're moody and your eyes... they get all cold. I know you want to redeem yourself but it's not worth it if it makes you evil again. And it's not worth it if Emma or you get hurt," he told her.
He had a strong argument and she knew it, but she also knew that they couldn't give up now that they were so close to finding what they were looking for - with Rumple's help. They could also maybe bring him back and she knew that would make at least one Storybrooke citizen very happy, a Storybrooke citizen she owed some happiness.
"Listen to me, Henry," she said. She put one hand to his cheek lovingly. "There was something in the shop today, a box. I think, no, I'm sure it's what made Emma sick. We didn't want anyone to know about it because... well, it may be dangerous. I guess, what happened to Emma today proves that it is. I'm gonna take care of it, hide it where people can't find it. And then we're going to resume our search. We'll be more careful from now on, I promise you. We'll not take any chances on our health and I'm just gonna leave whenever I feel... the evil. But I can't let everyone down now. I need to do this. Do you understand?"
He looked up at her sadly but he nodded.
"You be careful, right?"
"Very. And I won't let anything else happen to Emma, you have my word," she promised him.
"Or to yourself," he added and she smiled.
"Or to myself," she vowed.
"I was scared today," he told her.
"So was I, Henry. I don't know what I'd do without you or Emma. I love you both so much."
Henry smiled sheepishly.
"There's one thing I thought about on our way to the hospital, you know. I thought it would be okay as long as you would kiss Emma when we got there. True Love's Kiss," he explained at her perplexed face.
"You think... I... I haven't even thought about that," she admitted.
"Good thing I have. You would have saved her, you're her True Love," he said confidently and hugged her once more before he rose from his seat. "I'm tired. Goodnight, mom."
"Goodnight, Henry. Sleep tight," she told him and he climbed the stairs.
Regina remained seated. She thought about what Henry had said, she thought about the whole day, the things that had happened. Tears slipped from her eyes as the tension of the day fell from her remembering Henry's trusting exclamation that she was Emma's True Love.