More Than She Wanted
-The Queen's Sick Day part I:
Regina feels it as soon as she's awakened by Emerald and Amelia's demand to be fed this instant. A throbbing in the back of her head and her stomach is twisting and tying in knots. She's definitely coming down with something.
After the babies have been fed and brought downstairs, she briefly mentions to Mal that she isn't feeling too well. The dragon immediately gets concerned and tries to banish Regina to the bedroom, but Regina declines, and insists that it's just a bit of flu. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. The dragon doesn't look too convinced, and neither does Henry.
Emerald and Amelia, who are now five months old, are babbling on in their bouncers. They are starting to become very active babies, and Regina reckons it won't take too long before they can sit on their own. Emerald's eyes have gone from dark blue to brown, and Amelia's hair is as light and golden as Maleficent's.
Regina pushes her untouched plate of breakfast away. She isn't feeling very hungry, and sticks to her morning tea instead.
,,Aren't you gonna eat something?" Mal questions and raises an eyebrow.
,,I'm not hungry," Regina says.
,,Don't you think it would be better to go back to bed instead, my dear?"
,,Absolutely not," Regina dismisses. ,,I've already told you that it's just a bit of flu. It'll pass. Besides, I have plenty of things to do."
,,Like what?" Mal asks and crushes a piece of bacon between her teeth.
,,Like folding the laundry, clean the nursery, clear out my vault, and then we happen to have two little dragons who needs entertaining as well."
,,You do realize that you could use magic to do the laundry and clean the nursery, right?"
,,You can't use magic to do everything," Regina insists. ,,It's c-c-ATJOO!"
,,Bless you," Henry says and frowns. ,,Are you sure you should do anything besides staying in bed today?"
,,I'm fine," Regina dismisses and blows her nose. Several times.
Maleficent frowns, but Regina ignores her insist gaze.
Regina continues to sneeze repeatedly through breakfast, but she stares her wife and son down when they try to comment on it.
After breakfast, Henry leaves for school, and Mal offers to take the babies out on a little stroll. Regina quickly accepts that offer. Some alone time while she cleans the nursery would be great.
Maleficent quickly bundles their little dragons up in clothes that fits the windy weather. Then she places the two babies in the stroller and gives Regina a look. A look that tells Regina that she would prefer if the brunette went to sleep instead of working. Tough. Regina has plenty of things to do. She doesn't have time to be sick. She waves Maleficent off and settles for blowing both of her children a kiss. God forbid that they should catch something. Maleficent leaves, and Regina watches as she strolls down the pavement with the babies in the stroller.
Regina heads upstairs. The nursery truly is a mess, but she refuses to use magic to fix it. She will not be known as the mother who cheats and uses magic to do ordinary things. She starts out slowly with folding the baby clothes Mal left behind the last time she changed the babies. Damn dragon. Why can't she never clean up after herself?
Once the baby clothes have been folded, she moves on to stuffing it away in one of the many drawers. Body stockings in one drawer, pants and skirts in another, socks in another and so on. Strange that Maleficent can't seem to remember that very simple system. She may be an amazing mother to their children, but she isn't the most organized person in the world. That's what happens when you spend the day locked away in a dark castle and does nothing beside counting your gemstones.
With the clothes out of the way, Regina moves on to tidying the cribs. Once that's done, she considers whether she should dust in here or not. The sun is shining brightly through the window and illuminates all the tiny specks of dust in here. Dusting it is, then.
Regina walks out of the nursery to find the remedies to dust in there, but when she reaches the stairs, she's suddenly overpowered by a wave of dizziness, and her stomach clenches like she's gonna be sick.
She has a raspy feeling in her throat. Regina tries to clear her throat. It doesn't work. She tries to cough once. It only makes it worse. Now her lungs feel like they are full of gravel. Wonderful.
Regina coughs one more time as she walks down the stairs. She's still feeling dizzy. Maybe she should sit down for a while before continuing the cleaning.
She ends up sitting at the kitchen table with her head buried in the crook of her arms. Not exactly how she planned on spending her morning. She doesn't have time to be sick, not with two little ones who craves her attention.
Regina inhales through her nose and exhales through her mouth. She's still feeling quite nauseous, and she dearly hopes she's not gonna be sick. She already had enough of throwing up.
,,Hello?"
Regina's break is interrupted by Snow's voice. Why is Snow here, Regina wonders. And more importantly, what happened to knocking before entering?
Regina doesn't get the chance to ponder further about it before the door to the kitchen is pushed open, and Snow pops her head in.
,,Uh.. hi?" Regina frowns in a "what the hell are you doing here" manner.
,,Hey," Snow says briskly and sits down next to Regina. ,,I ran into Maleficent. She told me you weren't doing too well today."
,,Did she now?" Regina counters. ,,I think she's overdoing it. I'm just a bit under the weather, that's all. Don't tell me she send you over here to check up on me."
,,Not directly," Snow says sheepishly. ,,But she implied that she would roast me if I didn't."
,,She's always so delicate." Regina says humorless and buries her face in the crook of her arm once more.
,,So, how are you feeling?" Snow inquires and raises an eyebrow at Regina's un-queenly behavior.
,,Like I'm about to get the flu," Regina admits and shakes her head. ,,Damn it. Just what I needed, with two babies and all."
,,Relax, Maleficent can easily handle the babies for a few days," Snow tries to soothe.
Regina doesn't feel soothed at all. ,,Can she also nurse our children when they are hungry?"
,,Touché." Snow says. ,,She can do much, but not that."
,,Exactly. So you see, I don't have time to be ill."
,,Maybe it's just a twenty four hour thing," Snow says. ,,Lots of those going around lately."
,,Let's hope so," Regina groans. ,,If only I weren't nauseous I would be able to deal with this."
Snow's eyebrows raises towards her hairline. ,,You're not pregnant again, are you?"
,,God no," Regina says completely unfazed. ,,Not that I know at least."
,,One can never be too sure," Snow grins, but Regina shakes her head.
,,Believe me, dear. I wouldn't be in doubt if I were pregnant."
,,How so?" Snow questions and raises an eyebrow again.
,,I think your questions are getting a bit personal, my dear," Regina warns, and Snow holds up her hands. ,,I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."
,,Apology accepted."
Snow initially wants to stay until Maleficent comes back, but Regina rejects her kind offer and insists that she's doing fine. It works. The princess leaves the mansion with lots of well wishes for Regina.
Regina abandons her plan about dusting the nursery. Truthfully, she feels kind of miserable, and the only working cure for her dizziness is to lie down. Thus, Regina wobbles over to the couch and lies down. She's really not feeling that good. She's freezing even though the mansion is perfectly warmed up. Regina coughs again. Ow. That hurts, she observes. She's definitely experiencing pain in her right lung when she coughs. Not pleasant at all. Damn it. She really is sick. And she, who never gets sick. Bloody unfortunate.
Regina curls into a ball on the couch in an attempt to get a bit warmer. She has even used magic to summon the thickest blanket in the house, but it doesn't seem to do the trick. Should she simply go to bed instead? No. definitely not. She may be sick, but she's not that sick.
She closes her eyes, and she must have dozed off, because when she wakes up, Mal is just coming back from her little stroll with the babies. The girls seem to be fast asleep, and Regina is relieved. That means that the feeding can wait a little while longer.
Maleficent immediately frowns when she spots Regina lying on the couch, and Regina quickly sits up to calm her wife's irrational fears. Big mistake. The room is spinning. She clutches her head and groans quietly.
,,How are you feeling, my darling?"
,,I think I'm sick," Regina confesses.
Maleficent sits down next to her and touches her forehead. Her frown goes deeper. ,,You think you're sick? Regina, you're burning up!"
,,Huh. Fever is strange," Regina muses. ,,I shouldn't be burning up when I'm freezing."
,,Maybe I have something that can help with that," Mal says and pulls something out of the grocery bag. ,,I bought you some chicken soup."
,,With garlic?" Regina asks hopefully.
,,Not just garlic, extra garlic."
,,You are amazing," Regina sighs. ,,That's my favorite."
,,I know my dear. That's why I bought it," Maleficent quips as she lifts Amelia and Emerald out of the stroller and into their bouncers instead.
,,Hey there, pretty girls," Regina coos. ,,I would give both of you a kiss, but I won't risk you getting what I have right now."
,,I'm sure they understand," Mal says gently.
,,Oh and by the way. Don't send Snow White over here to check on me," Regina says darkly.
,,Why not? I was worried about you."
,,That's sweet, dear. But I am perfectly capable of being sick without Snow White as an audience."
,,Normally, you are more fond of Snow White," Maleficent observes as she keeps an eye on the chicken soup.
,,Yes, I find her more delightful when I'm not sick," Regina half-jokes. ,,She thought I was pregnant."
,,Oh." Maleficent chuckles. ,,Why would she think that?"
,,I made the mistake of telling her that I felt slightly nauseous, and she jumped the conclusion," Regina says and shakes her head. ,,Pregnant. She must be insane."
,,Now, now, sweetheart. That could very well have been the reason for your nausea." Maleficent jokes, and Regina narrows her eyes at her.
,,Keep dreaming," the former queen tells her wife. ,,We have enough children already."
,,I'm not sure I agree with you," Mal says half-serious and serves the chicken soup for Regina.
,,Thanks," Regina takes a slurp of the soup. ,,Good." She tells Maleficent.
,,So I'm not completely unable to cook," Maleficent observes and nods. ,,How are you feeling?"
,,Not perfect I'm afraid. My head hurts and I have this irritating cough."
Maleficent sits down next to Regina and puts a hand on her forehead. The dragon frowns. ,,I don't like how warm you feel. Maybe you should go to bed instead."
,,I don't feel like going to bed," Regina says. ,,I'll be fine."
,,So stubborn," Mal says and frowns again.
Regina just shrugs and sips the soup. It feels very nice in her throat, and it provides her with a bit of warmth.
Maleficent waves her hand and makes the fireplace light up with flickering flames. Another wave of her hand, and Regina finds herself dressed in a warm pajamas and covered with the duvets from the bedroom.
,,Was that really necessary, dear?" Regina questions and coughs again.
,,Yes. You're sick." Mal shrugs. ,,Now eat your soup and lie down."
Regina laughs dryly and eats the rest of the soup.
,,What do you normally do when you're sick?" Maleficent questions when Regina has finished the soup.
,,Sometimes I watch a movie," Regina says and coughs dryly.
Maleficent stands up and walks over to the DVD player. ,,Any preferences, dear?"
,,"The Sound of Music" " Regina says immediately. She always watches that movie when she feels under the weather.
,,I've never seen that," Maleficent says as she pops it into the DVD player.
,,Well, consider this the perfect opportunity, then."
Mal sits down, and somehow Regina ends up lying down on the couch with her head in said woman's lap. Maleficent threads her fingers through Regina's dark hair and rubs her temples in very slow, soothing motions. Once in a while she wraps the blanket a bit tighter around Regina.
Regina closes her eyes and sighs contented. Sick or nor, this is all very nice. Maleficent's fingers in her hair, the flickering flames and the quiet movie on the screen.
,,Thank you," Regina murmurs quietly without opening her eyes.
,,For what?" Maleficent replies and brushes her thumb over Regina's cheekbones.
,,For taking care of me."
,,Sweetheart," Maleficent sighs deeply. ,,You don't have to thank me for that. I want to take of you. In fact, it's a privilege."
Regina responds to that by taking Mal's hand and brushing a light kiss to her knuckles. It's not the first time she feels like the luckiest woman in the world, and it certainly won't be the last time.
,,It's a charming movie, I see why you like it," Maleficent comments.
,,Just a pity I can't keep my eyes open to watch it," Regina sighs.
,,You can sleep," Mal says gently. ,,Just sleep, my dear. I'll take care of you. And the babies."
Regina sighs again, and the last thing she feels before nodding of, is Maleficent's fingers in her hair.
Throughout the movie, Regina dozes of and then wakes up again. She slips in and out of sleep, and all the time Maleficent sits right next to her. At some point, Regina is certain she hears Mal express concern about her flushed cheeks and warm forehead, and the brunette tries to calm her wife despite being barely conscious.
Fever dreams are strange. At one point, Regina finds herself back in her castle in The Enchanted Forest, and suddenly she's back in the cell where she was awaiting her penalty so many years ago.
The dreams are distorted and not many of them makes much sense. The only thing that really makes sense, is the dragon that keeps flying in and out of her dreams. If only she could keep dreaming about that, but her sub-conscience wants it different, and suddenly, she's back at her castle again. Dressed in one of her infamous Evil Queen attires. It's like Regina is watching the scenery from above, and she cringes when she hears her own, menacing voice.
No. don't, don't! Regina wants to yell, but it's too late. The queen plunges her hand inside an innocent person's chest and rips his heart out.
Please stop it! Please don't do it!
The queen crushes the man's heart and laughs triumphantly.
NO! Please don't!
,,Regina? Regina, wake up!"
Regina jerks awake. Her cry for help dies on her lips, and she opens her eyes to Maleficent's face only inches from her own.
,,Maleficent?"
,,I'm right here," the dragon confirms. ,,And you're okay. Just breathe."
Regina pushes herself up to a sitting position and tries to shake the dream off. ,,That was horrible."
,,Sounded very unpleasant," Maleficent says gently and strokes Regina's cheek. ,,You screamed in your sleep, that's why I woke you up."
,,Thank you for waking me," Regina says gratefully and rubs her eyes.
Maleficent puts her hand on Regina's forehead once more. The dragon frowns. ,,I don't like this. You are still very warm. Maybe I should call doctor Whale."
,,Please, no doctors," Regina rasps. ,,I just need to sleep some more."
Before Mal gets the chance to argue, Emerald wakes up and begins to fuss. Amelia soon follows suits, and both babies whimpers.
,,Is it feeding time already?" Regina questions and hides a yawn behind her hand.
,,I think it is," Maleficent says and sticks out her bottom lip. ,,I'm sorry you have to do this when you're this sick."
,,It's alright," Regina assures and unbuttons her pajama shirt. ,,Bring them over."
Maleficent quickly gathers both babies in her arms and brings them over to the couch. Regina nurses her children half lying down and with her eyes closed, but she must have fallen asleep halfway through it, because when she opens her eyes again, her children are gone, her shirt has been buttoned, and she finds herself in the darkened bedroom instead of downstairs on the couch. Did Maleficent use magic to transport her up here, or did she in fact carry her? Regina is tempted to say option two. The dragon also left a glass of water standing on the bedside table, and Regina drinks eagerly. It feels nice. Her throat is completely dry from coughing.
Regina lies back down in the bed. Her entire body feels too heavy, and her eyelids can't stay open. She wraps the covers around her and quickly falls asleep again.
Her dreams are still distorted and strange, but not directly scary. The nightmares she had earlier is gone.
Regina's thoughts are muddled, and she can't quite separate dream from reality. At one point, she's certain she saw Maleficent sitting on the edge of the bed and holding her hand, but when she opens her eyes again, the dragon is gone, and Regina is alone in the bedroom.
Later on, somebody holds a new glass of water up to her lips, and gently encourages her to take a sip of it. Regina does so, and is rewarded with a light kiss on the forehead.
Later again, she hears her babies coo, and Maleficent's sincere apologies for making her do this while she is sick. Regina only has a vague idea about what "this" is when she feels cold air on her exposed chest and hears the contend little sucking noises coming from her children.
At one point, she's sure she can hear Henry in the bedroom. Or possibly right outside. Maleficent's voice coming from downstairs, and then footsteps on the stairs. Regina isn't sure what to make of any of it. Her ears feel like they are stuffed with cotton balls, and her head is buzzing. Her otherwise well-functioning muscles feels like they been replaced with jelly.
When she opens her eyes again, the lights have changed. The bedroom seems darker, but it could just be because the curtains are drawn. Regina rubs her head. She feels completely lightheaded, and at first, she has no idea what woke her up. But then she hears her children whimper.
,,Is it feeding time again?" she asks vaguely and her fingers twitches as she unbuttons her pajama shirt.
,,Yes it is. I'm sorry." Maleficent says gently and rub Amelia on the back.
,,'S okay," Regina mumbles. ,,The babies have to eat whether I'm sick or not."
Maleficent places the babies in Regina's arms, and the brunette is relived that her children are able to feed without guidance. All she has to do is making sure they don't slide down her chest.
,,How are you feeling, my beauty?"
,,Mmm?" Regina says with half closed eyes. ,,Oh, I'm spectacular. Swimmingly. Perfect. Couldn't be better."
Maleficent chuckles quietly. ,,I think you're babbling nonsense, my dear."
,,Yes, I think I am too," Regina mutters.
She must have fallen asleep again. The next thing she feels is Maleficent's fingers slowly buttoning her pajama shirt again.
,,I don't want you to get cold," Maleficent says quietly.
,,I'm not cold," Regina protests. ,,I'm sweating."
,,That's a good sign."
,,Now go away, dragon," Regina yawns. ,,I'm sleeping."
,,As my queen commands."
Regina sniggers and falls back into her death-like sleep.
To Be Continued..