Henry was getting worse.
The breathing treatments weren't working, and all of his energy was going into pulling oxygen in and out of his lungs. He had pneumonia and his condition was deteriorating quickly.
Emma called out of work every shift for the first week that Henry was in the hospital. She camped out in his Intensive Care room, never leaving his side. The days and nights stretched into a long series of endless mechanical beeps , watching her son grow paler and sicker by the hour.
The only thing that kept her from floating away with grief and fear was Regina's constant presence. She had been Emma's anchor during that week. She never said things would be okay, and Emma appreciated her raw honesty. She didn't need false hope and expectations, she needed a shoulder to cry on and a person who distracted her and kept her thoughts from growing too dark and morbid.
She also made sure that Emma ate well; Regina would go home and return with Tupperware containers full of homemade lasagna, hearty minestrone, homemade chicken salad sandwiches and mugs of hot cocoa. Regina visited Emma's apartment and brought her fresh clothes to change into, and she always got the softest most comfortable sweats and shirts that Emma had. She was half convinced that Regina had taken them home first and washed them, as she swore they smelled like her.
Remarkably, for as well as she took care of Emma, Regina helped Henry more than any nurse or doctor. She kept his spirits bright even when he was too tired to hold a book or watch a movie. She'd sing to him as he fell asleep and make him laugh and smile when he woke.
Emma gave him more hugs and kisses than she could ever remember giving him before, and when she looked at her son lying in the stark hospital bed, looking so small and fragile, tears would spring into her eyes, but she never let Henry see her cry.
She would turn away and Regina would be there to catch her. She'd stumble from the bed side, arms limp and mind reeling, and land gently into sure arms. Regina's hugs and kisses were a balm to Emma's soul.
They talked quietly with one another late into the night. Sharing stories from the past and getting to know each other without addressing their attraction to one another. Emma didn't consider Regina merely a friend.
They were too close for to only be friends.
…
Time seemed to stand still. Henry was in stasis. Emma had to go back to work or risk losing her job altogether, but Regina vowed to stay at Hospital at night when she was off working.
Emma treasured the moments when she'd get off work in the morning and rushed to the hospital to find Henry awake and Regina reading him stories at the side of his bed. She owed Regina the world for the times when she would doze off in her arms on the one uncomfortable semi-recliner chair in the room. Regina's chest made a much softer and better pillow than any of the standard issue hospital ones.
Emma would burrow her face against Regina's neck and cry freely, letting out the tension and the sadness that had become bottled up inside her. Regina would hold her and stroke her hair and accept it. She felt guilty for putting so much on the other woman. She didn't feel she deserved to have someone who was so good and understanding and taking on a burden that wasn't hers to bear.
…
"I want to talk to you…away from the hospital today," Emma greeted Regina with a request she had been thinking about for a while and working up her nerve. With everything happening to Henry, and Emma trying to simply survive, she hadn't taken the time to get a clear hold on her feelings and the rapidly progressing situation with Regina.
Regina nodded and took her hand, "Has something happened with Henry?"
"No, I mean…I want to tell you…" Emma paused and took a deep breath, and Regina wrapped her arms around her and gave her a warm, tight soul tingling hug. Emma's voice started to shake from emotion, but she felt it was important to continue. "…How grateful I am that you're here for me and for Henry. It means the world to us."
Emma felt Regina relax, she held the fabric of her blouse in her hand, and kept hugging her. "I think we could both use a little bit of time away from the hospital in that case. Would you like to go out to dinner?"
"You mean somewhere besides the hospital cafeteria?" Emma chuckled wearily. For as often as Regina brought homemade dishes, Emma liked to eat a lot and she spent all of her time at the hospital, so green bean casserole and overcooked chicken had become a staple in her diet, along with the occasional boat of fried cheese curds. For a hospital, the food selection wasn't all that nutritional or healthy.
"Instead of sleeping on that chair all day why don't you come to my house and sleep in a real bed for a change?" Regina offered sympathetically, glaring disdainfully at that damned chair at the bedside. "Then after you've slept we can go to dinner."
Emma practically moaned thinking about a real bed with soft covers, and no beeping machines. "That sounds so good."
"Henry, how are you feeling?" Regina leaned over him and kissed his temple, affection shone in her eyes for the boy she'd come to care about so much.
Henry yawned as he stretched and smiled up at Regina, "I'm feeling better today. I slept pretty good last night," he said cheerfully, and then added, "but I could definitely sleep some more."
"Good, dear, get your strength up. Is it okay if I steal your mom today to make sure she gets some rest?" Regina bit her lip as she asked Henry for permission.
"That's cool, mom needs you too," Henry smiled and patted Regina's hand softly.
"Oh, does she now?"
"Yeah, we both do," Henry confirmed and both of them turned their smiles to Emma who sat and watched Regina and Henry interact.
"Henry, about your trip…Since you're working so hard to get better right now, I was thinking we'll reschedule it for when you're feeling your best. How does that sound?"
Emma knew Regina had been putting off the discussion for a while since she didn't want to stress Henry out as he was working on his healing.
What Henry said next didn't surprise Emma at all, but Regina went speechless.
"I only want to go to Disneyworld if you come with Mom and me," he replied sincerely. "I don't care when we go, I want to get better first, though."
It wasn't the first time that Henry had asked for Regina to come on the trip, and prior to this time, Regina had declined stating that it wasn't really part of her job. Things had changed so much, and Emma knew that Henry having the wish to look forward to was helping with his slow and arduous recovery. Regina was such a huge part of that and at this point she felt like family.
"If-if your mom says it's okay, I'd love to join you on your wish trip," Regina sniffled, tears were filling her eyes as she was overcome with emotion. This time it was Emma's turn to smile at both her son and the woman she had come to love. As they looked at one another over Henry's bed, she realized that whenever she pictured the future, she pictured Henry: grown and healthy, and with both Regina and Emma.
There was nothing she wanted more, and it was then that she knew she was in love. She wasn't sure how it had happened or if Regina really felt the same about her, but she knew it was true.
"I think it would be great," Emma confirmed with a teary nod of her own.
"Awesome. Mom, would you mind stepping out for a minute so I can talk to Regina alone?" Henry sounded so commanding and much like his nurse, Mary Margaret. He was becoming a bit bossy.
"Yeah, I'll just…step outside for a moment," Emma stood up and walked to the door, glancing back as Regina and Henry waited for her to get out of ear shot. What they were talking about Emma didn't know.
A few minutes later, Regina emerged and asked if Emma was ready to go. She yawned in response, popping back in to say good bye to her son.
….
Emma stretched out in Regina's car and let her thoughts carry her away. She was dying to ask what Henry had discussed with Regina in private, but didn't want to appear too eager to know. Regina's hand found Emma's knee as she drove them to her house.
She'd been there once before, but the house seemed larger than she remembered it. Fatigue was catching up with her as they pulled up to the drive. They went inside, and Regina immediately marched Emma up the stairs and into the master bedroom.
"Take a shower or a bath, I'll get you something to sleep in," Regina placed her hand on Emma's back and rubbed soothing circles as she pointed out the door to the bathroom and mentioned the towels were in the linen closet.
The dim clinical shower in the ICU room was functional, but the soap at the hospital dried Emma's skin. Regina's shower was akin to a luxury resort with a pulsating shower head control and a huge assortment of expensive soaps and lotions. She looked in the mirror under the incandescent light and noticed that her hair had lost its shine and bounce, dark puffy circles under her eyes stood in stark contrast to her pale cheeks.
She needed rest and stress relief of the highest quality. Emma was sure she'd heard Oprah say how important it was to take good care of yourself so you have the energy to take care of others. Currently, she was in no position to care for anyone or anything.
The heat of the shower started to unwind her tense muscles and aching joints. She had grown accustomed mentally to being twisted up in the chair and uncomfortable, but her body hadn't. She was slightly worried her growing need and dependence on Regina would make it hard for her to sleep in the woman's bed without her to cuddle up against.
Emma hadn't taken the time to be alone with her thoughts. She had a rule that she only allowed herself to cry once a day and never in front of Henry. She'd been crying a lot more than that recently, breaking her own rule.
The hopelessness and exhaustion was all becoming too much. What would she do if Henry died? How much longer could they stay in the hospital? How much longer could they fight?
She lost track of time as she sank to the shower floor, pulled up her knees and held her arms around herself as she looked up into the water spray. The perspective change was disconcerting, and she didn't know what to ask for or what she needed in order to be okay again. There didn't seem to be anything. The colors were fading, she was past the point of feeling and things were just going numb.
"Emma? Emma, you've been in here for a long time. Did you fall asleep?" Regina spoke with a tone of worry, as she knocked on the bathroom door.
Emma sniffed and broke out into a sob over the sound of the shower. It felt too hot, the steam was suffocating her as she struggled to breathe amidst the storm of emotions that were bombarding her.
At the sound of the sob, Regina didn't hesitate to open the door and come inside. Emma put her head against her knees and shook it, unable to tell Regina to leave her alone. She didn't have the strength, and she hurt all over: inside and out.
A moment later, she registered the sound of the glass sliding door opening and felt a rush of cooler air.
"Emma…" Regina's voice cracked with emotion.
Emma knew she looked awful, her hair wet and stringy, water matting it down, her face raw, red and swollen as she tried to hide her face against her knees. She felt Regina sweep her water heavy hair off of her shoulder and stroke her shoulder.
Then nothing. Emma didn't move or look up for a long moment. She wanted Regina to stay as well as leave her be. She wanted to stay in that fancy shower until she used up all the water and then sit there some more.
She finally lifted her head and looked through the fogged glass, Regina was unbuttoning her blouse and sliding her pants down her legs.
Emma blinked through her tears in disbelief, when the other woman pulled the shower door open wider and stood in front of Emma completely nude.
As she carefully stepped in and lowered to her knees behind her, Regina hovered over Emma's shoulder and whispered, "If you're not getting out I'm getting in."
Regina started to wash Emma's hair with sweet smelling shampoo. She massaged her scalp to help her relax as soap suds and bubbles slid down her forehead and dripped down her face, eventually being washed down the drain until the soap was all gone and the water ran clear.
The feeling of being cared for so thoughtfully and intimately made Emma crave more. She shuddered and twisted her head. To look Regina in the eye. Their eyes met and Emma bridged the gap, pressing her wet mouth against Regina's. She kissed her desperately, needing the sensation to help bring feeling back into her mind and soul.
Regina kissed back at first, surging forward to kiss harder, then she abruptly pulled away when Emma went to change position and get more leverage. "Emma, I don't want to this when you're so…vulnerable."
Emma exhaled the breath she had been holding. Her heart was beating faster as she was becoming aroused, her thoughts shifting from pain to the more pleasant distraction of Regina's soft lips and wet, naked body.
"I don't want to talk, I want you to touch me," Emma articulated carefully, conveying her desire by twisting onto her knees, and running her palms up and down Regina's shoulders. She slid her hands under her arms and wrapped them around her back, pulling them together, so their bare chests touched. "Please, Regina, touch me."
The last word was whispered against Regina's neck, as Emma bowed her head, kissing and nipping at her sensitive skin. Regina gasped over the sound of rushing water, and threw her head back to allow Emma full access. Emma looked down and saw Regina balling and releasing her fists, fighting her instinct to reach out for her.
"Come on, you're mentally and physically exhausted. I need to get you into bed," Regina spoke in a strained tone, forcing herself to wrench from Emma's grasp. She sighed softly with regret as Emma felt herself beginning to crumble all over again.
She allowed Regina to turn off the water that had become lukewarm. She allowed Regina to help her up from the shower floor, and out the door. Regina wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, and used another one to dry Emma's body and hair.
"Lay down in my bed," Regina guided her to the side of the bed, and lifted the covers. "You don't have to get dressed, just lay down and close your eyes."
Starting to feel guilty and self-conscience for all but forcing herself on Regina when she was just trying to help her, Emma dropped her towel, worried more about other problems then the fact that she was still damp and still naked as she got into bed. She shook her head and winced, feeling she'd really made a hot mess of things. The bed was unbelievably comfortable, and her body melded against the mattress.
"Sit up a bit," Regina handed her a glass of water, and urged her to drink. "You don't stay properly hydrated, relying on all that caffeine to keep you going."
Emma wondered how Regina managed to stay so calm and unfettered after the shower. She was still wearing only a towel and Emma was naked in her bed. Not really thinking, Emma was just running on instinct at this point and her self-control was severely lacking. Just when she thought she could manage to be a mature adult about the situation she'd think of how good Regina's lips and body felt against hers.
She reached out and tugged on Regina's towel, and looked up at her with pleading wide puppy eyes, "Will you sleep with me?"
Regina hesitated for a moment, her eyes shifting to the right and her lips parted to protest, but Emma tugged on her towel again, and Regina untied it, dropped it to the floor, and slid into bed. She took the water from Emma and placed it on the night stand, and wrapped her arms around her. Emma relished the feeling of resting her head on Regina's chest and having her hair stroked. It was the same as she had grown accustomed to at the hospital in the dreaded chair, but much better and more comfortable.
Allowing herself to finally relax, and enjoy the cuddling, Emma realized that Regina wasn't put off by her attempt to seduce her. She had seen her at her worst and was still there, holding her and taking care of her.
Just as she was starting to drift off, thoughts troubled her. She had to ask, "What did Henry talk to you about?"
Regina sniffled and Emma felt her chest rise under her cheek. "Sleep now. We can talk about everything later."
"No, please...tell me," Emma lifted her chin to read Regina's murky and sad expression.
"Henry wanted to make sure that I planned to stay with you…after…after he dies," Regina struggled with the phrasing. "He said that I take such good care of him and of you, that he won't have to worry about you when he isn't with us anymore."
Emma closed her eyes and felt a fresh rush of warm tears slide down her cheeks as Regina wrapped her arms around her body tighter. "He's going to die and he's not going to get his wish granted… he shouldn't be worrying about me. He's so young and it's not fair."
"I made him a promise to grant his wish," Regina's chin crumpled as she started to cry too. "He's not well enough to travel. He doesn't have the energy to make the trip to Disneyworld. What if he doesn't recover? I can't break my promise."
Emma listened to Regina, and remained quiet. She was finally facing the reality of the situation. "Why are you doing all of this for us?"
"Henry is special. He's wise beyond his years and he…." Regina turned her head away, "Emma, the things I feel for you…"
"I love you," Emma interrupted. Regina snapped her head back and stared at her in shock.
"I love you." Emma repeated it as she laid more firmly on top of Regina, crawling over her and bringing their faces together. "Right before we met I had made a wish of my own. I was driving to work late at night. All the stars were shining and twinkling in the sky and I wished for someone to help me through this."
She kissed Regina then, she couldn't help but put all her passion into it. Breaking the kiss, she struggled to finish her story, "I met you the next day."
Regina was quiet for a moment, and Emma worried that she had gone too far. That the emotions she was feeling were all coalescing to cloud her judgment of their relationship. She was vulnerable and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It wasn't a good time for fragile declarations of love.
"I've asked myself why I let myself get so close to you and to Henry, and I can't explain it or rationalize it. I want to be with you. I feel more at home in the hospital with you and Henry than I do here," Regina made a confession of her own. "I love you too."
Emma might have dreamed those words coming from Regina's lips.
….
When she woke up, afternoon light was filtering in from the windows and Regina was still naked and asleep in bed with her. Groggy, Emma stretched her legs and enjoyed the feeling of delicate fingers holding onto her hip, and warm skin against her body under the covers.
She smiled and stroked Regina's hair; She played with it as she admired the other woman's beauty. "Gorgeous," she murmured, feeling a thousand times better than she had that morning. A bit of rest and cuddle time with Regina made her feel much less desperate and alone.
Licking her lips, Emma shifted closer, trailing her fingers up and down Regina's stomach. She tentatively kissed her cheek and then her forehead reveling in the ease of the intimate gesture. She watched as Regina's lips curled into a smile and then her eyelids fluttered, and she focused sleep clouded chocolate eyes on Emma.
Emma didn't give her a chance to speak. She kissed her, letting her lips and tongue welcome her back to wakefulness. There was simply no way that Emma could live another minute with this naked woman in the bed and not indulge her long held fantasies of making love to her. It had never been appropriate, or the right time, and they hadn't even defined the nature of their relationship up until Emma's admission of love.
Emma wanted to say 'yes' to life and opportunity more often than she said 'no.' She had been closed off and barely functioning for ages. She knew there would still be many days ahead like that, but in this moment,, she had the opportunity to feel things with Regina that she hadn't been able to feel for a long, long time.
And the woman beside her was into it. She felt fingers tangling into her hair, pinning their lips together in a display of need. Emma moaned into Regina's mouth and shifted away, hungry to kiss, lick and nip at her chin, her neck, her skin, and all of her.
Regina's soft gasps and encouraging hands, egged Emma on as she pulled back the covers, and nestled her knees between Regina's thighs. Covering her body with her own, Emma picked back up with her mouth, trailing light teasing kisses over Regina's clavicle, and down the middle of her chest. When she looked up, right before laving her tongue over a hard, plump nipple, Regina was watching her intensely.
They locked eyes as Emma gently sucked and worked the edge of her teeth over Regina's nipples: one and then the other, replacing her mouth with her hand to pinch, roll and squeeze. She loved the way Regina seemed to heat and ignite with the sweet directive of her mouth and fingers. Now she wanted to make her spontaneously combust.
Her hips were rolling, slow and wavelike, churning against Regina's. Emma was getting incredibly aroused, but she kept up the teasing, glacial pace of her hips, knowing that it was driving Regina crazy and getting her wet with anticipation. She had waited this long, she wanted to make the moment last.
Regina had other ideas. She shifted on the bed, wrapping her legs around Emma's hips to pull her closer. Her jaw was set firmly as she ground out between punctuated ragged breaths, "More. Emma, please."
How could she refuse such a sweet request? She did say 'please,' Emma bit her bottom lip as she smiled at the sight of Regina, her eyebrows arched, mouth hanging open and starting to look a little bit grumpy as Emma kept grinding into her, slow. Slow and sensuous. This was nice. More than nice. This was what she had missed and needed. It was more than a distraction; it was an endorphin release and a real connection.
Naked skin on skin, grinding, kissing, love making, teasing, foreplay, tasty, luscious, lick…
Her thoughts were firing rapidly, bits and pieces of sense memories as she slid into primal feelings and fluid movements. She dragged her body down Regina's and replaced her hips with her lips, letting go and getting lost on taste and sensation. Regina was hot and very wet, her body was as receptive to Emma's mouth as a memory foam pillow, and Emma worked to make an impression.
She couldn't say she was disappointed in how quickly Regina came when she had sucked on her clit and swirled her tongue around and around the hard little bead. She wasn't disappointed, just surprised at how hard Regina's muscles twitched and jerked in orgasm. Then, how quickly Regina recovered and turned the tables to return the favor.
She held her breath, trying to keep in the sounds of her enjoyment, as Regina kissed her body with such reverence that she couldn't help but shake and turn her head away in shame as tears leaked from her eyes.
"Hey," Regina paused her ministrations and gently got Emma's attentions as her tone changed to worry, "Want me to stop? I can just hold you…"
"No," Emma shook her head and wiped frantically at her eyes. She was hoping that Regina wouldn't notice her haywire emotions. "It's good, I'm…overwhelmed."
Regina nodded in understanding and cupped her cheek in her hand, looking at her with thoughtful, warm eyes that stole her breath. "You don't have to be quiet; I like the sounds you make."
With that Emma realized she had been holding not only noise back, but tension, emotions: everything. She let it go, relaxing into Regina's capable hands as she felt her nose and hair tickle at her ribs, and a wet tongue dip into her belly button.
She threaded her fingers into black, silky hair and spread her legs wider at Regina's insistence. Her mouth filled with saliva as pleasure hit every nerve and clouded her head. She swallowed and gasped at the feeling of Regina's intimate exploration. Her inner thighs were kissed repeatedly, a surprise nibble of her hipbone brought a sharp sensation, not quite painful, but enough that her senses heightened with sensitivity. She squeezed her own breast and pushed her hips up, instinctually seeking more, as Regina was doing something incredible with her tongue that had Emma panting and squeezing her nipples and grinding her wetness into her face.
"Oh," she screamed. "God!" she whispered breathlessly, which prompted Regina to focus all her attention on pushing her tongue inside to light up Emma's pleasure receptors all around, and then she was getting licked: wet and slow, from bottom to top. She felt slick and warm and enveloped in love and desire. Regina was tactile, real and really good at hitting all the good spots.
She felt herself building up to something big, things were speeding up: her respiration, Regina's mouth, fingers, rubbing all at once and everywhere, and then she was orgasmed. The joy running high and emanating out, spreading through her body thoroughly and rushing to her head. As she sighed in contentment and enjoyed the aftershocks she wondered why she had waited so long to indulge in this with Regina.
They cuddled up; fitting together like sexy puzzle pieces as they kissed and comforted each other until they fell asleep together once again.
….
One all too brief reprieve from the hospital was enough to recharge Emma's batteries, but not enough to fully damper the unending stress she was experiencing. After sleep, sex, more sleep, and a little more sex, Regina took Emma for dinner.
It was different between the two women: better. They hadn't been shy with touches and cuddles before, but after sharing their bodies the touches were less hesitant and freely given and received. They were inseparable. It actually felt like a date, and Emma reveled in the escape.
She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and for once, she wasn't fighting back tears after dinner when they both returned to the hospital to visit Henry. He was in good spirits, still weak with his breathing compromised, but he wanted Regina to read him stories, and Emma to help him eat a bit of spaghetti they had brought from the Italian restaurant they had for dinner.
"I have to go to work, but Regina is going to stay tonight," Emma leaned over her son, kissing his cheek. "I'll see you first thing in the morning."
"Regina and I can have a slumber party with nurse Blanchard tonight," Henry said with enthusiasm.
"How lovely," Regina sassed as she rubbed lotion onto Henry's hands and arms. Emma knew that Regina didn't really get along with Henry's nurse. She didn't think she was doing enough to take care of Henry. Emma thought she was great and very motherly.
After she kissed Henry goodbye, she leaned over the bed and kissed Regina: softly, quickly. Henry hadn't had the most positive reaction to the display before, and Emma was nervous to show him that their relationship was elevating again. This time he blushed, and said, "I knew it. Mom, did you have a slumber party with Regina today?"
"Something like that," Emma admitted bashfully. Regina arched an eyebrow and smirked at Emma in the way that always made her breath catch and her heart flutter. Clearing her throat, Regina stood up from the side of Henry's bed.
"I'll walk you out," she murmured in the most suggestive way.
"Bye, Henry, I love you," Emma said as Regina guided her by the small of her back out of the hospital room. Once they were in the hallway, Regina took a few steps and opened a door marked 'Supply closet.' She held the door open and nodded for Emma to enter the dark room.
Once inside, Emma turned around in confusion until Regina checked the hallway for any passing by visitors or medical personnel, and then followed her in, shutting the door behind her. The room was completely dark. Emma felt hands on her waist, slipping under her work shirt, smooth and pleasant on her back. Regina stepped close, wrapping her up in a tight hug and kissing her gently. "Oh," Emma sighed when Regina pulled away for breath.
Passion overtook her and she pushed Regina back until she was up against a shelf. A bottle of hand sanitizer or something fell off and crashed onto the floor, but Emma was wholly focused on kissing Regina back.
"I want to take you, hard and fast," Emma said between heated kisses as she struggled to unbuckle Regina's belt. In response, Regina put her hands on Emma's shoulders to steady herself as she widened her stance and threw her head back against the shelving unit. "Hurry then, no teasing," Regina hissed as Emma's hot fingers gained entry into her pants and cupped her sex with her palm through her silky panties.
She did have to hurry, she couldn't be late to work, but that was the last thing on her mind as she sucked on Regina's neck and massaged her breasts through her blouse with one hand, the other snuck between the fabric of her underwear and skin. Emma was pleased to find her wet and open, her fingers sliding easily inside as she worked her thumb back and forth over her clit. The speed and readiness of Regina's arousal made Emma marvel as she fucked her fast in the supply closet. It wasn't ideal, but she was enjoying the taboo. She had watched a lot of 'Grey's Anatomy' and this sort of thing was definitely appealing, as well as a long held fantasy she hadn't consciously realized.
She swallowed Regina's cries with her own mouth as she came all over Emma's hand. She was incredibly hot, and Emma was painfully aroused, but she knew she was definitely out of time to do anything else. Which was a horrible realization as Regina slid down onto her knees and lifted Emma's shirt to kiss her bare stomach.
"I have to go to work…" She pulled Regina back up and gave her a parting kiss as she helped her straighten out her clothes and fasten her pants back up.
"I don't want to let you go," Regina whispered as she tilted her head and studied Emma's flushed face and dilated pupils. She kissed her sweetly, "that was wonderful."
"Yeah…" Emma agreed as she reluctantly pulled open the door, the bright fluorescent lights in the hallway hurt her eyes. Regina followed her out looking satisfied and slightly guilty. Nurse Blanchard was passing by. She turned her head and watched the two women with suspicion. Covering up their activities, Regina reached back into the room and grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer off the shelf.
"Just looking for some of this," she commented to Mary Margaret, whose demeanor softened, but her gaze continued to linger as Regina pumped some clear gel into Emma's hands. "Um… you should probably wash them too."
Emma snickered, nodding to Regina and gave a little wave as she scurried down the hallway and off to work.
….
The next morning, she was feeling good. She had made a decent amount of money in tips. She had enough to make that month's rent for her practically unused apartment. She had more hope in Henry's health. Nothing was really indicating he was improving, but she was choosing to look at the hopeful possibilities rather than the worst case scenario.
As she approached Henry's hospital room, holding coffee in both hands: one for Regina and one for her, she heard a strange sound. A familiar high pitched melody was coming from inside her son's room.
Then she heard laughing as she got closer, confusion clouding her mind.
"It's a small world after all…" Emma recognized Regina's voice singing. When she opened the door she wasn't prepared to be greeted with a barrage of Disney themed costumed medical personnel. Henry was sitting cross legged on his bed, grinning ear to ear as he ate a big drumb of purple cotton candy, surrounded by five costumed singing characters. He was wearing plastic Mickey Mouse ears.
She stood in the doorway watching Nurse Blanchard dressed up as Snow White, handed him a shiny red apple. She almost didn't recognize Regina dressed as the evil queen, but she did recognize that cleavage. She was a bit more glamourous in her makeup and corseted purple dress than the drawing in Henry's storybook portrayed her.
A short-statured respiratory therapist was decked out as a dwarf, the dopey one by the looks of it. A man with a curly black wig, red jacket and fake hooked hand, was singing louder than anyone else. Dr. Whale was dressed as…Cinderella. That was different, Emma thought, but he managed to pull off the glass slippers, blonde wig and blue ball gown with aplomb. One of Henry's other nurses was a red head, so naturally she was in a mermaid costume and sitting on the end of the bed, flapping her green tail as she sang.
The song ended, and Henry yelled for her to come in, "Mom! Check it out. This is the best day ever!"
"What's going on?" Emma took a few steps closer to the bed, and Regina came around to greet her. She handed over the coffee and Regina smiled shyly in gratitude.
"Since Henry can't go to Disney just yet, I thought I'd do my best to bring Disneyworld to him," Regina breathed out, and her face fell as Emma's chin crumpled and she started to cry. She couldn't help it; she was overcome with emotion. Regina opened her arms and Emma fell into them, acutely aware of all that evil cleavage pushed up against her own chest.
"I love you," Emma said through her tears. She couldn't believe how thoughtful Regina, first class wish granting extraordinaire had been in organizing a special day for her son.
"Alright, so it's not Splash Mountain, but we were waiting for you to get here. There's a special bouncy castle outside for Henry to play in with some of the other kids in the hospital," Regina informed her.
"A bouncy castle?" Emma was floored. She had always wanted to throw Henry a birthday party with a bunch of friends, foods, costumes and a bouncy castle, but she'd never been able to afford it.
"Yeah, Mom, it's awesome! Don't worry, I promise I feel good enough to play for a little while. I won't overexert myself," Henry shook his head at seeing Emma's tears.
He'd spent too much time in the hospital, a kid shouldn't even know the word 'overexert' Emma thought, but she took a deep breath and leaned into Regina's hug, nodding to assure him she was okay.
Regina stepped away and moved over to the side of the room where she came back with a plastic tiara and a big poufy pink dress.
"For Princess Emma to wear," she offered and laughed as Emma looked down at the yards of taffeta fabric and the glittery bodice.
"Really?" Emma blinked in doubt, but Henry's hopeful smile and Regina's teasing grin convinced her to put on the dress and head downstairs to the hospital courtyard, where the Cinderella bouncy castle awaited.