More Than She Wanted

-Food Poisoning

All the good feelings from the previous night vanishes when Regina wakes up the next day with a stomach that ties in knots.

And an intense need to vomit.

Regina quickly kicks the covers away and rushes into the bathroom where she kneels down and vomits into the toilet. She silently curses her bad luck and scrapples after her toothbrush, but Maleficent who simply transported into the bathroom is faster than her, and hands her the toothbrush.

,,Thank you," Regina says meekly and brushes her teeth thoroughly.

Maleficent tilts her head at her. ,,You seemed well enough last night."

Regina ignores the innuendo. ,,Apparently not."

,,Maybe you should see doctor Whale?"

,,I am not seeing doctor Frankenstein. I'll be fine. It's probably just food poisoning or something like that."

,,Have you eaten a bad salad, my beauty?" Maleficent quips.

,,I don't eat salads only." Regina says and brushes her teeth again. Just to make sure.

,,Jokes aside, you need to get some medicine for it, my dear."

,,Which I will. I'll stop at the drugstore on my way home from work," Regina promises.

,,You are not going to work today!" Maleficent says sternly.

,,Try and stop me," Regina scoffs.

,,I'm sure I could."

,,Of course you could, but you won't."

,,Won't I?"

,,No. I feel fine," Regina insists.

Maleficent isn't entirely convinced. ,,You've just been sick."

,,But now I'm fine so…" Regina doesn't finish the sentence, instead she puts her toothbrush away and leaves the bathroom without giving her wife a second look.

She nearly runs into Henry in the hallway. The teenager frowns at her. ,,Was it you I heard vomit two seconds ago?"

,,Yes, but I'm fine now," Regina dismisses with a reassuring smile.

Henry's expression is a perfect copy of Maleficent's. ,,You're not fine if you throw up, mom."

Regina keeps the smile plastered on her face. ,,Alright, I might not be fine. But I will be. I'm gonna get some medicine for food poisoning, nothing to worry about."

,,Food poisoning?" the teenager questions.

,,Yes. Maybe Granny's cooking is going downhill," Regina jokes.

,,That's not very likely," Henry sniggers. ,,Maybe your stomach doesn't agree with Mal's cooking."

,,There is absolutely nothing wrong with my cooking," Mal says mock offended as she emerges from the bathroom.

Henry chuckles.

Maleficent loses the argument, and Regina goes to work exactly like she does it every other day. She keeps the nausea under control by swallowing frequently throughout the day, and forces herself to smile at Sarah when the young woman points out that Regina looks a little pale.

She is not unwell. She just has a twinge of food poisoning. That's all. Nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing to worry about. Her wife and son just needs to stop coddling her, for god's sake.

Regina would rather die than to admit that maybe Mal was right. Maybe she should have called in sick this morning. She's feeling pretty terrible right now. The sooner she gets her hand on some tablets, the better. She's definitely not coming home early from work. That would only strengthen the dragon's theory about Regina being sick. As in "need to stay in bed and be fed chicken soup"-sick, and that is most certainly not the case. Not at all.

She concentrates on her work, and tries to keep her uncomfortableness at bay, but she's still grateful when it becomes so late that it's appropriate for her to leave the office. Her stomach still feels strange, but that could very well be because she has avoided to eat anything since the bit of breakfast she had, and she hasn't vomited since, so that's a good thing.

At least the dizziness from yesterday is gone, Regina notes as she steps outside. Maybe that means that the illness is subsiding once and for all. Good. Then she'll only have to take a couple of tablets, and then she'll be back to her normal, strong self.

Regina enters the pharmacy and quickly finds the tablet she needs. She grabs the medicine and heads for the counter.

There's a small queue and Snow White is waiting for her turn when she spots Regina.

,,Oh hi, Regina."

,,Hello." God, she's not in the mood for a conversation.

Snow's green eyes instantly focus on the little box in Regina's hand. ,,Are you sick?"

Not you too. ,,Just a bit of an upset stomach I think. Nothing to worry about. Are you sick?"

,,No, but Neal's got a bit of a rash so…"

,,Oh. I see."

,,You haven't been at work today then, have you?"

,,Of course I have."

,,Regina! You shouldn't be working if you're sick, for pity's sake. You should be home in bed."

,,No thank you."

,,I'm sure your wife is more than willing to nurse you back to health," Snow smirks.

,,Possibly. But that's not necessary. Apart from feeling a bit nauseous, I'm fine. Or I will be. Thanks to this," she waves the medicine in her hand.

,,Hmm," Snow doesn't look entirely convinced. ,,I still think it's a bad idea to work if you're ill."

Regina groans. ,,Please stop talking. It's bad enough I have to deal with Maleficent coddling me. Not you too."

,,Is your wife coddling you, Regina?" Snow smirks. ,,What a tragedy."

,,Shut up," Regina grumbles. ,,I'm not used to being.. coddled."

Snow's smile grows wider. ,,Well, I rather like the thought about her coddling you. You deserve to be coddled once in a while."

,,I don't like it," Regina says with a sneer. ,,I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

,,She's only doing it because she loves you," Snow reminds her with a soft smile.

,,I'm well aware. And you're next in line," Regina points out.

Snow steps over to the counter and pays for the cream to Neal, and then it's Regina's turn. She quickly throws the box on the counter. She's getting more nauseous by the minute.

,,Will that be all, Madam Mayor?" Sneezy asks as Regina pays for the medicine.

,,Yes. Goodbye," Regina says rather sharply and stuffs the medicine down her purse and spins around to leave the drugstore.

,,Feel better, Regina," Snow says kindly as the brunette leaves the pharmacy.

,,I will. Thank you."

Regina for once chooses to use magic to transport herself straight into her bathroom where she immediately takes the first tablet and downs with a large amount of water. There. A couple more of those and she'll be fine in no time.

Regina opens the door to the bathroom and finds her wife lurking outside the door. ,,How are you feeling?" Maleficent inquires and cocks her head to the side.

Regina shrugs.

,,What does that mean?"

,,It means that I don't feel perfect at the moment, but I will be fine. I've taken a pill."

,,Do you need to lie down for a while?"

,,Of course not. I'll just.. sit on the couch for a while."

,,You would be so much more comfortable in our bed," Maleficent argues.

Regina shakes her head firmly. There's no way she's going to bed in the middle of the day.

,,I could keep you company," Maleficent suggests innocently.

,,Your attempt of trying to make me lie down is charming dear, but it doesn't work," Regina drawls and saunters down stairs.

,,It was worth a shot," Mal mutters behind her.

Regina chuckles to herself. Once again Mal demonstrates her attachment issues, but then again, she's never seen Regina sick before, so maybe it's only natural for her to express her concern. Regina isn't used to having a concerned wife who watches her every move, so this is all very alien to her.

The brunette actually decides to sit (well, lie) on the couch for a while, and before she gets the chance to protest or argue, Mal has fetched a pillow and a duvet from their bedroom.

,,I am not sick," Regina says sternly.

,,Of course not," Mal says calmly.

Regina senses that her wife doesn't believe her one bit, and is tempted to throw a nasty remark at her. But she doesn't. Maleficent is only trying to help, she reminds herself, and manages to send the blonde a grateful smile.

,,You are very welcome, my beauty. Even queens gets sick," Maleficent quips with a little half smile.

,,I'm not a queen anymore."

,,You'll always be a queen to me."

Regina rolls her dark eyes. ,,That was a very sentimental remark, my dear."

,,I know. I'm grateful no one was around to hear it."

Regina sniggers to herself.

,,How are you feeling?"

,,Alright I guess."

,,Can I get you something to eat?"

Regina makes a retching sound and gurgles half of her water down.

,,I'll take that as a no, then."

,,I don't think my stomach is quite ready for food. But thank you for the offer."

Maleficent nods and flashes her a smile. She grabs one of Regina's naked feet and places it in her lap, and Regina closes her eyes as Mal draws circles on her foot. It's all very nice, but…

,,I'm bored," Regina states matter of factly.

Maleficent chuckles quietly. ,,I'm sorry to hear that, my dear."

,,Any good suggestions on how I can entertain myself?"

,,Well…" Maleficent drawls and smirks at Regina. ,,If you haven't been sick, I would have found a way to entertain you."

,,I think you have a one tracked mind, my dear," Regina accuses softly.

,,Yes. Yes, I do. And who can blame me? I am after all married to the most beautiful woman in all the realms."

,,,Now you're just talking nonsense. Maybe you're coming down with a sickness too."

,,The fairest of them all," Mal teases and gives Regina's foot a soft squeeze.

,,Is that your way of telling me that you have a fantasy about Snow White?" Regina says without batting an eye. It's a foul joke really, but the look on Maleficent's face is definitely worth it.

,,I've already told you, princesses aren't my thing. I prefer queens."

,,Glad to hear that."

They continue to banter and insult each other. Maleficent doesn't budge from the spot on the couch until Henry returns home from school. The teenager frowns when he finds Regina at home instead of work. The brunette opens her mouth to tell her son why she's home early, but her wife beats her to it and promptly tells Henry that Regina is sick with a stomach bug. An accusation Regina denies.

,,I'm not sick," she says firmly and glares at Maleficent. ,,I'm just a bit uncomfortable, that's all."

,,Have you seen dr. Whale?" the boy inquires with a raised eyebrow.

,,No. That's not necessary. I've taken a pill. And I'll take them for the rest of the week. That should calm my stomach down."

,,Alright. Are you contaminating?"

,,I don't think so. Mal's been sleeping next to me, and she isn't sick. Why?"

,,Scoot over," the teenager grins to Maleficent.

The dragon obeys and Henry promptly sits down next to them on the couch.

Regina smiles as they all three huddles together on the "too small for three people"-couch. Maleficent and Henry is the best cure for her sickness. She'll probably be fine by morning.

To Be Continued..