Authors note: Someone asked for more Regina/Emma interaction. Well here you go. ;)
...
The sound of the engine roaring was the only thing that filled the quiet afternoon air. Emma's green eyes were fixed on the faint white line that crossed the road, signaling the border. It should have been easy to just push down the gas pedal and drive over the line, leaving behind Regina, Henry and Peter's grave. But the thing is, it sure as hell just wasn't. There was still some weird feeling in the pit of Emma's belly and it felt like guilt. Which was weird because Emma had tried on numerous occasion to apologize to the woman, stating that she really didn't know Peter had been married, but it had been useless. So Emma had given up and instead tried to avoid the woman as best as possible while she waited for her car to be fixed.
And the moment was finally here...
Emma let out a loud sigh as she dropped her head on the steering wheel and mumbled a curse under her breath when her skull connected painfully hard with the solid material. She willed her foot to push down, but the muscles remained unmoving. Something just didn't feel right. She glanced at the dashboard clock and groaned. 5:30 PM, she had been sitting here for at least two hours.
Maybe she couldn't leave because she hadn't seen Regina at all today? No- not Regina. Maybe it was because she wanted to see Henry one last time? Yes, that sounded about right, she had always had a soft spot for children. Or maybe just this child because it was Peter's. That must be the reason why she was unwilling to leave this town. Emma had to admit to herself that she had loved Peter, maybe not love love, but love nonetheless.
Yes, she just needed time to close this chapter. Sure, the last time she had actually seen him was over two months ago and that was only briefly. But now was different, now it was sure that she would really, really never see him again.
It was not because she had felt some strange unexplainable connection towards Regina Mills. It was certainly not about that. Like, at all.
It was because she wanted to say goodbye to her boyfriend.
At least, that was what Emma was trying to force herself to believe.
Another groan filled the small space of her beat up big and Emma again bumped her head on the steering wheel for good measure this time.
"Fuck it, Swan." She reprimanded herself as she stared up at the rearview mirror. "You are a goddamn grown woman and you're capable of making your own decisions. If you want to turn this car around and drive back to Storybrook, you sure as hell will!"
And just like that, Emma did.
...
Emma was driving almost over the speed limit. She had allowed herself one quick rife around town and then she would drive back to Boston and go on with her life, forgetting that all this shit had ever happened.
She was deep in thought until a loud bang somewhere from her right caught her attention. She heard the sound of an explosion and then the sound of glass hitting stone. Emma snapped her head to the right and quickly turned the steering wheel in the same direction. Only now did she notice what had happened.
The loud explosion had come from Town Hall. The windows had burst and the road was covered in glass. Emma jumped out of her car, not even bothering to turn the engine off. Her eyes were glued to the total destruction in front of her.
The glassless windows were completely opaque, caused by the black smoke plums that escaped in the air. Even though Emma couldn't see anything, she was sure she heard something.
Just a faint, almost unnoticeable sound.
It was enough proof for Emma that there was someone inside.
She ran towards the door, the glass crunched under the soles of her boots as her breath formed puffs of air all the while grabbing her phone and dialing 911. The - now almost evening - air hit her in the face but Emma was anything but cold as she put her phone back in the pocket of her tight jeans.
She could feel the adrenaline coursing though her veins and the heat that came from the expected fire inside of Town Hall.
Emma reached out for the door handle but then quickly pulled back. The metal was scolding hot. There was no way of touching that without getting at least first grade burns. But Emma also knew there was absolutely no time to wait for help. Pulling the sleeve of her red leather jacket down she used it to open the door.
A big plum of smoke met her the moment the door was open. Tears formed in Emma's eyes as the biting smoke hit her eyes. She coughed and buried her mouth and nose in the crook of her elbow as she stepped inside.
Black and red. That was all Emma could see. Flames and Smoke.
And then a body.
But not just a body.
A pregnant body, a pregnant body that Emma knew belonged to none other then Mayor Regina Mills.
Fuck!
Emma leaped over a fallen chair and hurried her way to the now unnervingly still body. Regina's face was pale and her eyes were closed, there were black smudges on her cheeks but the woman still looked absolutely beautiful.
Her shaking fingers moved to Regina's throat as she prayed that the brunette was still alive. The moment she found a faint but nonetheless beating pulse, Emma let out a relieved breath. She looked at the woman's pregnant stomach with a worried glance. She didn't know why, but Emma reached out a hand and carefully laid it on Regina's protruding waist. Tears of happiness filled Emma's eyes as she felt a soft kick against the palm of her hand.
They were both alive.
The relieved feeling didn't stay long, however.
How the hell am I going to get her out of here?
Emma bit her lip as she looked the body in front of her up and down and noticed a steal frame that was trapping Regina's ankle.
Shit...
Emma quickly stood up and pulled her sleeves down again. She grabbed the frame and tried to lift it so she could free Regina's ankle. But the frame was heavy and Emma let out a pained whimper as the frame remained unmoving.
She needed to get Regina out off here.
Now.
Another try, but the damn metal stil didn't move an inch.
"Shit." Emma cursed as she coughed again. There was not much time left. Regina's already weak pulse got weaker by the minute. Emma's lungs were burning by the lack of oxygen and the smoke caused her eyes to tear, blurring her already limited vision.
Emma clutched her fists as she grabbed the metal again. In the distance she could hear sirens. She bent through her knees and used all the strength she had left. Heaving breaths were taken as Emma finally felt a movement. The heavy metal was lifted slowly and Emma let out a roar as she pushed it to the side.
The blood was pounding in her ears as Emma dropped to her knees next to Regina's body and put her arms under the brunette's knees and back. Emma felt faint in her head as she lifted the surprisingly light body in her arms. Her legs were shaking as she started to walk towards the exit.
And then there was blinding light. Even thought it was starting become dark, light were blinding Emma's eyes. Giant construction lamps.
Emma didn't even register it as Regina's body was pulled out of her arms by a firefighter. There was yelling and more light. She felt how someone grabbed her arms and she was pulled towards one of the two ambulances.
"Are you alright, miss Swan?" A young woman asked as she sat the blonde down on a gurney.
Emma wasn't even surprised that the woman knew her name, rumors spread like wildfire in small towns like this.
Emma managed to nod and she felt how an oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth. She took big gulps of the air and started to feel better already.
The young brunette - who was apparently a doctor - grabbed the small light out of her pocket and used it to test Emma's brainfunction.
"You seem to be fine, miss Swan. Other then some light burns on your hands and some smoke inhalation, you're fine." She said with a reassuring smile.
Once her hands were treated and bandaged, Emma pulled the oxygen mask off her face. "How's Regina?"
The brunette shook her head. "I know no specifics, but Mayor Mills has been taken to the hospital. The same place you're going miss Swan."
...
Emma was sitting in the hospital bed, the oxygen mask had been replaced with a tube. She was biting her bottom lip, sorry for Regina was the only thing on her mind right now.
The door opened and revealed doctor Whale. "How's Regina? I mean, Mayor Mills." Emma immediately asked.
Dr. Whale didn't react straight away as he grabbed her chart from the end of her bed. He studied it with a professional look and then looked up. "You're good to go miss Swan, but I would like to keep you here at least for tonight." He waited until Emma nodded before continuing. "And as for Mayor Mills, she hasn't woken up yet, so we can't be fuly sure, but it looks good so far."
"And the b- the baby?"
"The baby is completely healthy." Whale said and then shot her a small smile. "It's all because of you miss Swan. You should be proud of yourself."
And then he left.
...
Katherine was waiting for doctor Whale to come back. Henry had eventually exhausted himself with all the crying - which was understandable of course - and was now sort off asleep in her arms. Henry had been with them when the accident happened. Regina had called and said that she needed to work on something and asked Katherine to pick him up.
Katherine was so glad she complied.
Dr. Whale came walking in the waiting area and smiled at her. "Regina had just woken up, she's fine other then that she inhaled a lot of smoke. The baby is completely healthy. You can go see her now."
Katherine nodded her thanks and turned her attention to the small boy in her arms. "Henry?" She softy, nudged the brunet.
Henry yawned as he opened his eyes.
"We can see mommy now, Henry."
Henry's bottom lip quivered. "Is mommy alwight? Auntie Kat?"
"Yes Henry, your mommy and sister are both alright."
Katherine quickly walked towards Regina's room and stopped when she saw her friend lying in the hospital bed. She looked so small, Katherine had never seen her look so... vulnerable.
Henry started to struggle in her grip and Katherine quickly put him down. "Mommy!" The small scream caused Regina's eyes to snap open. Her brown orbs immediately watered when she laid eyes on her son.
"Henry." Regina's voice croaked as Henry used the chair to climb on the bed. She pulled him in a tight embrace and kissed his head.
"Don't cwy mommy." Henry said softly as he wiped the salty liquid from his mother's cheeks.
...
Emma was standing in the door opening. She was wearing some scrubs seeing that the clothes she had been wearing yesterday smelled like smoke. Dr. Whale had cleared her, so now Emma Swan was standing in the door opening of Regina's room.
She thought the brunette was asleep so the sudden voice startled her.
"Do you plan to come in miss Swan, or are you just going to remain standing there?"
Emma blushed as she stepped inside.
"I heard what you did." Regina said and Emma thought it sounded almost nice.
"Yeah, well. I was just in the neighborhood, you know." Emma said as she looked down at her shoes.
"I want to thank you, miss Swan." Regina said as she slowly sat up and rested a hand on her stomach. Emma had never imagined she would see the brunette like this. Regina face was cleared form makeup and her hair was tousled from the pillow.
She looked beautiful.
"You saved me, and my baby."
"It's nothing."
Regina sighed. "It is something, miss Swan. So would you please just accept my gratitude so we can move past this."
"I see nearly dying hasn't stopped your snark." It was out before Emma could really think the words over."
"No it sure hasn't, dear." Regina smirked as she leaned further in the pillows. "So when are you going back to Boston? I'd hate to stroke your ego any longer by keeping you here and let the people of Storybrooke believe that you're some sort of hero."
Emma felt anger fill her stomach, but stopped herself from taking the bait. "Well you know, Madame Mayor. I've inhaled quite a lot of smoke from you know, rescuing you, and I've heard that there's nothing better for my recovery then clean air. Were better to get clean air then right here, in Storybrooke?"
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