A/N: happy Sunday darling readers! Lots of answers and tying up of loose ends in this chapter. The problems these two women have faced will soon be behind them, never fear. I hope you all enjoy the way this storyline has progressed.
And a quick reminded that I've set up a twitter account to keep all you readers up to date. It's SwanQueenUKFF. Looking forward to chatting to some of you on there! Lots of love to you all!
"Hello. Mills Stables and Racehorse Centre." The familiar greeting reverberated through Regina's head as she gritted her teeth and spoke.
"Mother, it's me."
"Regina, darling. Are you alright?" came the sickly sweet voice. Her mother had always been a good actor. "Warden Gold told me what happened. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I'm fine mother, thank you," Regina lied, knowing it was vital Cora didn't suspect her knowledge of the older woman's involvement in the attack. "I just wanted to speak to you." Anyone who didn't know her family history would have thought this a perfectly viable statement, including the doctor stood beside Regina who smiled at the sentiment.
"Of course you did. Would you like me to fly down and visit you?" Cora offered.
"No, it's ok. I know you're busy with the stables and everything." Regina paled at the thought of her mother turning up at the hospital and pretending to fawn over her. She never wanted to see the woman again in her life.
"I am," Cora agreed. "There are so many things to do at this time of year. It would be much easier if you would come back and help once you finish your sentence."
"I want to, mother," Regina lied. It was alarming how easy this was turning out to be. "I've realised what a terrible mistake I've made and I'm so sorry."
"I forgive you, Regina dear," Cora cooed. "I knew you'd come to see that blonde slut for what she really is."
Regina's hands balled into fists and she was immensely glad her mother wasn't able to see the fury on her face at that moment.
"Yes," Regina said, swallowing her anger and pressing on with her plan. "Emma was just using me. I saw that when she pulled me in front of her and used me as a shield when West tried to attack her."
"She did what?" Cora asked, her voice low and dangerous.
"She's the reason I'm hurt," Regina fibbed. "She used me to save herself. She's the reason you'll never be a grandmother." The words caught in the brunette's throat as the one truth came out.
There was a long pause before the older Mills spoke. "What?" Cora whispered into the phone. "What do you mean?"
"One of the stab wounds," Regina began. "It lacerated my womb. The doctors couldn't save it. I'm so sorry mother. Because I fell for her charm, I'll never have children and you'll never have grandchildren."
Despite the act she was putting on, the tears rolling down Regina's cheeks were real. She wiped them away but more followed.
"I'll kill her," Cora hissed.
Through her tears, Regina couldn't help but smile. Her plan was working.
"How?" she asked, praying her mother would bite.
"West does anything I ask," Cora replied, pride evident in her voice. "That stupid woman is so eager to please me, to be my daughter, she'll do whatever I say. Only this time, I'll tell her to make sure you won't be collateral damage."
"This time?" Regina asked, holding her breath.
There was a pause. It was almost like Cora was debating how much to reveal to her injured daughter. "West was acting on my orders yesterday. She was supposed to attack Miss Swan but it seems she was outsmarted by that skank. Rest assured, I'll make sure your blonde bimbo problem is terminated before you are released from hospital."
"Thank you mother," Regina said. She wasn't sure how she managed to keep the raging anger from her voice. "I have to go, the doctor wants to check my stitches."
"Ok my darling. I'll speak to you soon. I love you."
Regina hung up without replying.
"Erm …," said the doctor, whose name Regina had learnt was Whale. He had been stood by her bed the entire time, unable to stop listening as the call unfolded, becoming more and more fascinated by the second.
Regina nodded. "If you wouldn't mind calling Warden Gold and getting him down here to listen to that recording," the brunette said cooly.
Doctor Whale nodded mutely and walked away with the hospital telephone in one hand and a dictaphone in the other.
Regina sank back onto her pillows and wept. She wept for herself and her crushed dreams of her own family. She wept for Emma and the trauma of watching her girlfriend get stabbed the younger woman had endured. And she wept for her father, who had suffered a lifetime with a cold, heartless wife.
"Emma? Do you want to join us for lunch?" Red asked, sitting down carefully on the blonde's bed.
A vague shake of her head made Red sigh. "You really should try and get up. It's been four days and it's not good for you or the baby to continue wallowing in bed."
"My girlfriend was almost killed. I'm not wallowing, I'm processing," Emma snapped, still not looking at the brunette.
"Ok," Red soothed, used to her bunkmate's difficult mood by now. "Maybe you want to come and process with your friends? We all miss you."
Emma sighed and rolled over, pushing herself into a sitting position. She looked at Red properly for the first time since she was discharged from the infirmary on Tuesday. Her friend offered an encouraging smile and patted Emma's leg through the blanket. "I just don't feel up to talking," Emma admitted, fiddling with a loose thread on her sleeve.
Red nodded understandingly. "You want me to bring you a tray again?" she offered.
"Yes please," the blonde said with a weak smile. She knew she needed to keep eating for the baby's sake but her appetite had been non-existent since the attack on Monday night.
"Any news about when you'll be able to speak to Regina?" Red asked.
Emma shook her head. Warden Gold and Booth had both denied her repeated requests to be allowed a phone call to Regina, claiming some details of the attack needed to be confirmed and therefore contact between witnesses and victims wasn't allowed.
"Well I'll keep my fingers crossed for good news when you meet Booth later," Red said, standing up from her bed and heading towards the door. "See you later Swanny," the tall woman said with a grin as she headed off down the corridor.
Emma smiled at the nickname and sank back onto her mattress. Rolling over, Emma closed her eyes and prayed her dreams weren't full of images of Regina bleeding on the bathroom floor.
"Hi Booth," Emma said as she sat down opposite her counsellor. They had met every day that week and the blonde was beginning to speak about what had happened in the bathroom. Booth knew they had a long way to go but he was pleased Emma was starting to confront the events and deal with the psychological trauma they caused.
"How are you feeling today Swan?" he asked, kindly.
"Ok. Can I speak to Regina yet?" she asked, her voice hopeful.
"Actually, yes," the man smiled, but it was nothing to the way the blonde's face lit up.
"Now?" Emma asked excitedly, feeling happiness surge through her for the first time since the attack. She was practically bouncing up and down in her chair with the prospect of speaking to her girlfriend.
"Momentarily. I have to fill you in on some details first but Miss Mills has been told to expect your call very soon."
Emma beamed and sank back into her chair. At last she was going to be able to talk to the beautiful brunette, reassure herself that Regina was alive and well and going to be returning to her soon.
"I have some news," Booth began.
Emma frowned. "Good or bad?" she asked, sceptically.
Booth paused before replying. "Good but sad," he decided on.
"Go on," Emma said, curious.
"Well firstly, I should tell you charges for attempted murder are officially being filed against West, Faery, Feinberg and Trident. All four of them are going to have a significant amount of time added to their sentences and they will also be transferred to a maximum security unit by the end of play today. The order from the court just came through this morning. You don't need to worry about them any more, Swan."
The blonde heaved a sigh of relief. She had never really doubted the three thugs would be charged but she had worried West would somehow wriggle out of it.
"What evidence did you find against West?" Emma asked.
"Actually, that was all down to Miss Mills," Booth said with a smile. "She closed the case for us and even managed to secure key evidence against the puppet master."
"What do you mean?" Emma said, frowning.
"Your girlfriend managed to get her own mother on tape admitting to giving West the command to attack you. We've arrested Mrs Mills and she's currently remanded in a prison upstate waiting to face attempted murder charges too."
"How?" Emma asked, mouth agape.
"It was quite ingenious actually," Booth said, an amused smile on her face. "Miss Mills asked the hospital if she could speak to her mother, playing the part of the injured daughter. The hospital are obliged to record all phone conversations of prisoners so everything was caught on tape. Regina told her mother you had used her as a human shield. Don't worry," Booth said as Emma opened her mouth to protest. "We know that isn't true although corroborating the real version of events was the reason you two have not been allowed contact until now. Anyway, once Mrs Mills believed you had caused her daughter's injuries, she vowed to have West finish the job for her. She not only incriminated herself as being the person behind the attack, but also confirmed your claims that West was the one who commanded the three women to stab you, well, Miss Mills. All five women will be found guilty I can assure you."
Emma listened, mouth agape. She knew Regina was intelligent but even she was impressed with her girlfriend's plan to trick her own mother into confessing.
"It's over Swan," Booth said, smiling. "You, your baby, and Miss Mills are all safe."
Tears welled in Emma's eyes as relief washed over her.
"Can I speak to her?" she whispered.
"Of course," Booth smiled. He reached for his desk phone and pulled a scrap of paper from his drawer. "This phone call will be recorded by the way," he said as he dialled the number and put the phone to his ear.
Emma nodded her understanding and waited. She was used to not having privacy after three months inside.
"Ah Doctor Whale. It's Counsellor Booth from FCI. I'm good thank you. I have someone here who wants to speak to Miss Mills. Is she available? Yes, I'll wait."
There was a pause. Booth smiled reassuringly at the blonde as he waited for the doctor to take the phone to his patient.
"Ah good afternoon Miss Mills. It's Counsellor Booth calling. I trust you're feeling better today? I've very glad to hear that. I have someone here who wants to speak to you. I'll just pass you over."
Booth extended the phone to Emma who took it with a trembling hand.
"Regina?" she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.