A/N: I didn't think I was going to do another chapter but here it is. Remember I'm still new to writing Swan Queen and I hope I got the characters pretty close. Hope you enjoy it and let me know if you want me to continue.
Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a time characters or receive any money for the fictional stories I create.
As she lay sobbing over the form of the blonde sheriff her eyes grow wide as she felt a large inhale of breath under her and the prone body of Emma Swan starts to cough. "Emma," she questions in a breathless whisper. "Emma?"
Emma gives her a pained look as she pulls away from the blonde. "Regina," she mutters, teeth gritting in pain before her eyes roll into the back of her head.
"Emma," Regina cries out as she shakes the blonde. She waves her hand before the Charming's standing over her can protest and a puff of purple smoke surround her and the woman in her arms.
…
Regina stumbles under the weight of Emma in her arms as the puff of smoke releases them into the hallway of the hospital. "Someone help," she calls, as she finally collapses, cradling Emma to her chest. In a matter of minutes she's surrounded by nurses, trying to figure out what is wrong and who is hurt.
When they see Emma unconscious they start to pull her away from Regina. "You have to let go," one young nurse with blonde hair pulled into a tight bun says. "We can't help her if we can't look her over."
Regina slowly releases her clutch on Emma's red leather jacket and allows them to load her onto a gurney and wheel her away. She stays in the middle of the hallway, trying to even her breathing.
The same blonde nurse who had talked to her before finally reappears by her side. She wraps an arm around the mayors bicep and helps her stand, leading the dark haired woman to a seat against the wall. "She'll be okay Madam Mayor," the woman says quietly as she rubs circles into the older woman's back. "She's a fighter you know that." Then she once again disappears, leaving the former queen to her own devices.
…
"Regina," her name startles her and her head whips towards where the voice came from. She sees Mary-Margaret and David. "How is she," the younger, dark haired woman asks.
Regina who had gained some composure back since appearing in the hospital replies, "I don't know." She stands and starts to pace, running a hand through mussed hair. "What an idiot? Why does she always have to act like a savior and run around trying to save everyone? One of these days she's going to give me a damn aneurism."
"If I remember correctly Regina, she was trying to help you," Mary-Margret snaps back.
Regina freezes mid-step and turns to her former step-daughter. "You think I don't know that? I was there."
Mary-Margret goes to say something else but stops when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She turns to David who shakes his head. "It's not Regina's fault and you know it. Yelling at her won't get news on our daughter any faster."
Mary-Margret sighs. "You're right. I apologize Regina."
Regina nods stiffly and crosses her arm across her chest. "Apology accepted, it seems Miss Swan's condition has everyone's tensions running high." She sits down once more, shoulders drooping in on themselves and hears Mary-Margret and David sit beside her.
The lull in conversation doesn't last long as the younger woman leans into the older one. "Was what you said true? That you love my daughter?"
Regina's head shoots up as she gives a wild-eyed look to the woman beside her. She rings her hands; contemplating denying outright what she'd told the blonde when she'd been dead.
She's saved from answering as a nurse clears her throat in front of the three. Regina's notes it the blonde one again. "The sheriff is asleep right now. She lost a lot of blood and will be asleep for a while now but she should make a full recovery."
"Thank you," Mary-Margret says.
"When can we see her," David asks.
The nurse smiles. "You can head in anytime." The three nod and the nurse walks off.
Emma's parents head for the room, Mary-Margret stopping only when she sees Regina hasn't followed them. She turns back with a questioning eye but Regina waves her off. "I'll be in, in a minute." She gets a nod in response.
…
A minute turned into half an hour and Regina is still sitting when the two leave Emma's room. "Regina," Mary-Margret says quietly.
"Hm," Regina hums, in acknowledgment, not looking up from her hands.
The younger woman lays a hand gently on Regina's shoulder. Regina looks up. "It's okay, she's fine. She's alive."
Regina nods. "I'm sorry," the dark haired mayor says, quietly. Mary-Margret nods but doesn't say another word as her and David leave the hospital.
…
Finally Regina works up the courage to enter Emma's hospital room. She pauses in the doorway and looks around the room, her gaze resting on the pale form of the woman she admitted loving. Approaching the bed she pulls a chair closer and sits down in it. Her gaze roves over Emma's face, searching for anything out of the ordinary. The blonde's hair is a matted halo around her head and her face is extremely pale but that's about it.
Regina takes a cold hand in hers and rubs Emma's knuckles absentmindedly. "You gave us quite a scare back there Miss Swan. I thought I lost you." Regina wipes a lone tear that makes its way down her cheek. "I don't understand what's with you Charming's and your need to save everyone. If you wouldn't be so damn heroic you might not end up almost dying practically every day. Henry would be devastated if you were to die Miss Swan, you've got to think about him when you go running into battle. Our son needs both his mothers no matter what he thinks." She says nothing else as she sits staring into space and contemplating what her life would be like without the blonde sheriff. Without the woman she had hated and learned to love. It was not a life she wanted.
…
A gruff rumbling sound wakes her. She sits up slowly, wincing at the crick in her neck and blinking her eyes to clear away the sleep. When she is clear-headed enough to realize what is going on the first thing she notices are sea blue eyes staring back at her.
"Emma," she says, emotion cracking her voice on the second syllable.
Emma gives her a hooded eyed smile. "Hi."
Regina smiles back at her. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I just died," Emma says, her voice scratching. She lets out a cough and Regina watches as it painfully rips through the blonde's body. Not being able to bare seeing Emma, the goddam savior, looking like this she lifts a hand and rests it gently over Emma's chest. Her hand glows red, the magic soaking its way from her hand to Emma.
Emma pulls in a less painful breath. "Thank you," she says.
Regina nods. "Who says magic isn't good for something?"
Emma chuckles. Then her face grows serious. "What happened to me?"
Regina hesitates, licking her lips slowly to bide her time and moving her hands into her lap. Well, trying to move her hands into her lap. On hand stays stubbornly in Emma's tight grip, the blonde's eyes flashing with defiance when Regina sends her a questioning look. "You-" she cuts off, her throat constricting. She clears her throat and tries again. "A man I'd wronged in the past attacked us in the street. He'd made a deal with Gold and was able to obtain magic to try to kill me. Foolishly and without thinking about your safety as per usual, you stepped in trying to help. He did something to you, hit you with the magic intended for me- I'm assuming he had no idea how to control it- and we think it killed you. Before we knew you'd been, well you know, dead, I killed him."
Emma interrupts before the mayor can say another word. "Regina, you killed him."
Regina looks down. "I did just say that Miss Swan, try to keep up." Regina catches Emma roll her eyes with a smirk before she continues, "You hadn't moved once since you'd been hit when we finally got to you; you see you had flown back several feet. But you hadn't been breathing when we found you. You're parents," she says with a disgusted look on her face, "thought we could do nothing to save you. I managed to bring you back."
"How," Emma says, trying to stifle a yawn.
Regina pats Emma's hand. "That's a story for another time dear, get some sleep."
Emma's eyes go wide in panic. "Will you stay?"
Regina freezes in her seat before she says quietly, "If you'd like." Emma nods, her eyes already slipping closed. She hums in approval once before her breathing evens out and she falls back into sleep.
Regina was always one to take what she wanted, always knew how to get it for herself. Emma Swan however was a wild card. The dark haired mayor wasn't always sure whether that was good or bad but right now she had bigger things to worry about: like Emma Swan finding out True Loves Kiss had brought her back, much more the fact that her sons other mother had administered it.
She was questioning what she had grown to be her mantra after Daniel's death. Was love weakness?
…
"You didn't have to help," Emma insists. "I'm fine."
"Yes we did," Henry retorts. "You don't always have to do everything on your own."
Emma rolls her eyes and musses his hair. "Kid, walking home does not take three people."
"Mom," he says, turning to his other mother. "Tell her that she's being ridiculous and to stop complaining."
Regina opens her mouth to reply but is cut off by Emma. "No, Regina, tell our son that he is being ridiculous and that walking a few blocks home is not going to kill me."
Once again Regina goes to say something only to be cut off by her son this time. "Some company never hurt anyone, mom. A walk home with your family won't bring this sour mood of yours down even further."
Regina stiffens, her jaw clamping tightly shut after she registers what her son said. The dark-haired mayor side-eyes Emma who has a small smile on her face, despite the fact her and Henry had been arguing. Regina holds her breath as the blonde replies, "I'm not in a sour mood." This time Henry rolls his eyes. Emma smirks and wraps an arm around Henry's neck. "Fine, a walk home with you and your mother won't kill me." She winks at Regina over the top of Henry's head and Regina offers what she can only hope is a decent smile. With that wink the weight of the pendant hanging around her neck grows heavier.
…
This time Regina was fully conscious when she picked up her phone. She'd been in bed a few hours, tossing and turning and knew she needed to hear the blonde's voice one last time.
It rang, once, twice, three times before the dial tone clicks. "What," Emma's voice snaps.
Regina's breathing hitches but she clears her throat and speaks. "Miss Swan." She almost chuckles as Emma groans. Almost.
"Regina, you've really got to stop with these night time calls. Can't you talk to me during daytime hours like a normal person," Emma questions. Regina can picture the blonde sheriff throwing an arm over her head.
"I'm sorry," is all Regina says.
Emma sighs. "You can't use Henry as an excuse this time Regina; he's at your house. What's going on?"
Regina hesitates. "I wanted…" She trails off. She clears her throat again. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay."
This time Emma hesitates. "I'm okay Regina," her voice is soft. "Have you slept?" When the dark haired woman doesn't reply she takes that as a no. Emma sighs and for a few minutes the two just listen to each other breathing. Finally Emma breaks the silence. "I'll be right over."
"I think that's rather unnecessary Miss Swan," Regina argues.
Emma snorts in a very unladylike manner. "Don't give me that Regina, and the door better be unlocked or I'm breaking in again." With that Emma hangs up the phone, not bothering to wait for a reply.
Regina sighs as she once again tosses her phone onto the nightstand by her bed. Why couldn't she just let things rest?
…
Regina heard the front door open and then close with a dull thud. She was once again wrapped in her bathrobe but was sitting on a couch in the parlor. "In here Miss Swan," she calls quietly as Emma's boots fall heavily on tiled floor.
Emma's blonde head peeks around the corner and Regina offers her a small smile. "I'm sorry for waking you up again," Regina says as Emma walks further into the room.
Emma gives Regina a tired smile. "As much as I'd appreciate a full nights rest, it's alright." She takes an olive-skinned hand in hers as she flops down beside Regina. "I'm okay though, see? I'm very much alive and ready to get under your skin in the morning."
Regina can't help herself but to asks, "Not now?"
Emma chuckles. "No, not now; I'm too tired. But we can resume all the usual bickering for when we wake up." Regina gives her a puzzled look to which Emma responds, "If you think I'm getting back in my car and driving all the way home tonight you're crazy."
Regina stands. "Then I'll go prepare the guest room."
Emma's hand catching her wrist stops her. "I'm not moving from this couch, so if you plan on going to bed go do so, but I'm crashing right here."
Regina hesitates, wondering if there was an underlying offer. She starts to leave, deciding it was her best option. She gets to the door of the parlor before Emma's voice stops her. "Regina, will you stay with me?"
Regina turns back and swallows thickly. Not trusting her voice she nods and moves back beside Emma. The blonde stretches, not so much unlike a cat, and pats the spot beside her on the couch. Regina perches on the edge as Emma situates herself so she's lying across the couch. "I won't bite," she says, with a playful wink. Regina rolls her eyes and lies down beside the blonde, her back pressed firmly against the blonde's front so she can't fall off the couch. Emma pulls the throw blanket from the back of the couch over the two of them and wraps an arm around Regina's middle. "If you fall off the couch don't blame me," Emma whispers into Regina's ear as her breathing evens out and Regina can tell she fell back asleep.
It is not too long after that, Regina too fell asleep. And might it be noted it was the best sleep she'd had in years.
…
She did indeed fall off the couch that morning and it was Emma's fault. Well her fault and Henry's.
Henry had walked in and upon seeing his mother's curled on the couch together shouted, "What are you guys doing?" This caused them both to jolt awake, Emma's movements sending Regina flying.
"Mom," Henry exclaimed rushing forward.
At the same time Emma shouted, "Regina!"
Regina laid there on her now sore back and tailbone and stared up at the ceiling in shock. "Regina are you okay, I'm so sorry," Emma says, as she bends down by the dark haired woman's head.
Regina chuckles and holds her arm out for Emma to take. "I'm fine. Henry, what have I told you about yelling in the house?"
He looks as if the carpet is the most interesting thing in the world. "Sorry." Then he looks up at them with a smirk on his face, one, Regina notes, that reminds her of his biological mother. "What were you guys doing?"
"We were sleeping Henry," Emma says sternly. "Nothing more."
He waggles his eye brows, another Emma-like action. "Was that all you were doing?" He pauses and then frowns. "You know what, don't tell me."
Regina lets out a sharp bark of laughter, trying to cover it up with a cough. Emma sees and can't help laughing as well. "Just sleeping Henry," Regina replies. She looks up towards Emma, flushing slightly when the blonde catches her. Emma holds out a hand which the dark-haired mayor takes. The sheriff pulls Regina up. "Why don't you stay for breakfast Miss Swan," Regina asks, once she's pulled her clothes into place.
Emma gives her a beaming smile. "I'd love to," she replies. She ruffles her son's hair and wraps an arm around his shoulders. "What do you say kid, you okay if I join you and your mom for breakfast?"
He nods excitedly and still in his blonde mother's arm grabs Regina's hand pulling the two women towards the large mansions kitchen.
Regina and Emma share a smile over Henry's head.
…
"Mary-Margret told me."
The voice startles the former queen. She jumps and whirls around, a hand flying to her chest. Emma stands in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her and a neutral look on front of her face that gives nothing away. "Swan," she says, confusion flicking over her features briefly. "She told you what?"
Emma takes a few steps into the kitchen and unfolds her arms. "About how you saved me Regina," she says quietly. She catches Regina opening her mouth to reply but rushes to continue, "and normally I'd rush over here and demand answers about if it's true or not but I thought I'd try things a little different this time. Being rational and calm seems to get the best answers out of you anyway." Regina stays silent so Emma sighs and pads quietly towards Regina until she reaches her side. "Regina how did you save me?"
"It shouldn't matter how I brought you back Miss Swan. You're alive, that is all that should matter. And did you break into my house again," the dark-haired woman exclaims, backing away from the blonde.
Emma disregards the questions with an eye roll and matches Regina step for step. "Don't do that," Emma says her voice lowering. "You don't get to tell me what I should and shouldn't do or know. Tell me."
Regina swallows thickly. "When you were dead or well I don't know cursed—whatever the man did to you—I tried everything to bring you back. When my arsenal of normal tricks up my sleeve did not work, I tried the last thing I could and kissed you." She trails off and stares into the savior's deep blue eyes, waiting for some sort of reaction… scratch that, a rejection, if she's being honest with herself.
Her tongue flicks out to lick her lips, wetting them at their sudden dryness and her breathing hitches as Emma's eyes drop to watch the action. "You're saying true love's kiss brought me back," Emma asks.
Regina hesitates, wondering if it's a trap, but then slowly nods. Emma doesn't say anything and the two stay standing barely an arm's length apart from each other for several minutes in silence. Finally tired of waiting Regina makes her move, pushing herself away from wall and trying to move past the blonde savior standing in her way. She had always hated silence, always felt the need to fill it, like if it was quiet to long her deepest thoughts would be heard. This silence, from the normally outspoken blonde was very unnerving.
Regina's shoulder brushes against Emma's and she stops when she feels a cold hand encircle her forearm. "Regina," Emma says.
"It was a fluke Miss Swan, it was probably the result of something I'd tried that took a little while to kick in. What it may have been does not have to change anything between us," Regina explains hurriedly, still aware of Emma's hand on her arm.
Emma's voice is so quiet when she speaks the dark haired mayor almost misses what she says. "What if I want it to?"
Regina stiffens. Emma pulls on the arm she's holding gently, turning the older woman until they are facing each other. "You always hide behind your façade Regina; always taking care to not show anyone who you really are. Nobody gives you credit for the countless battles you've helped us in since I have come to Storybrooke, nobody thanks you and I'm sorry for that. Regardless of what you think, you saved my life and for that I am forever in you debt." Emma pauses. "You deserve happiness and I'm sorry for not realizing it before." She moves closer to Regina, her hold on the former queen growing stronger as she pulls the woman closer; one hand still on her arm the other around her waist. "Tell me to leave and I'll go. Tell me if I've gone too far and I'll back off. We'll take this slow, but if you let me I will try."
Regina's heart quickens at that; it thuds against her chest so hard she knows Emma can feel it. She leans forward, bridging the gap between them. Unlike the last time she was in this situation, the savior's minty breath mixes with her own. She takes the risk and smooth's her lips over Emma's warm, soft, pink ones. The blonde responds, a hand cupping Regina's cheek.
When the two pull apart Emma wipes away the lone tear that trails down Regina's cheek with the pad of her thumb. She smiles fondly at the older woman. "You're stuck with me now," she says with a laugh. "I won't ever let you go."
"Let's just see if that feeling lasts," the dark haired woman replies, her own smile growing watery.
"It will," Emma says, matter-of-fact. She kisses Regina's cheek and the dark haired woman leans into her touch.
Regina realized in that moment that she'd let the blonde mother of her son into her armored heart, and that surprisingly she was rather happy about it.
And you didn't let her go.