It had been almost a week since the accident. Emma hadn't left Regina's side unless it was really necessary. She wanted to be there if... no, when she woke up. Sitting in the chair next to her bed, one hand held Regina's and the other ran through the brunette's hair. She placed a soft kiss on her forehead like she'd come to do so often in the last few days. Hoping that that would wake her up. She hated feeling helpless and she was mad. Mad that the universe wouldn't just give them a break. That the universe kept on being cruel to them. To her. To Regina. After all they'd been through. Why was she not waking up?
Moving her hand from Regina's hair, she placed it above her other hand that was still holding the brunette's hand.
"Baby please wake up" she whispered to her. She waited and studied her beautiful face for a moment. When there was no response, Emma broke down yet again and cried. "I can't keep doing this without you. I just don't know how. I need you. Henry needs you. We miss you so much."
You have to wake up. I need you. We need you. Regina had heard those words so many times in the past few days but tries as she might she just couldn't get her eyes to open. She couldn't move. She just lay there and listened to the conversations and activities going on around her only to slip back into oblivion time and again. It felt like being trapped in her own body. Like she was in her own personal hell. Why couldn't she just wake up? She couldn't bare the pain she heard in Emma's voice. Why couldn't she just wake up and let her know that she was okay? Was this her punishment for the evils she had committed in her life? Was she finally paying for the agony and pain she had caused in her life? Not that she didn't think she deserved it, because she did. She just didn't want the people she loved to pay for them too.
"Regina, I don't know if you can hear me but if you can, please come back to me." Emma choked out in her own tears and sorrow.
How she wanted to squeeze her love's hand. To respond in a way so she'd know she could indeed hear her. She tried. She wanted to reach out. She wanted to see her. But her body just wouldn't cooperate. Unconsciousness claimed her and she fell asleep again.
When she wakes up the next time Emma's head is on her stomach and she's sobbing quietly.
"You promised we'd get married. I need you awake so that can happen. I need you in my life, Regina. To help me raise Henry. He needs you to be there for him, baby. He'll be going off to college in a few years and you have to be there for that. You can't miss anymore of his growing up than you already have...I was thinking that since he'll be going off soon, we could maybe consider having another baby so the house wouldn't feel so empty. Not that I wouldn't love having you all to myself but I just want a chance to raise another child with you..."
She opens her eyes but shuts them again quickly. The sight of so much brightness feeling foreign considering the amount of time she's spent in the dark. She raised her hand and she was grateful that this time her body actually obeyed her brain's command. She reached out and ran her fingers through the mass of blonde curls.
Emma's head shot up, raising it so suddenly that Regina's hand weakly fell back on the bed.
"A girl" Regina croaked.
"Regina?!" Emma's voice was horse but relieved. She grasped Regina's hand from the bed and squeezed it tight then held it against her tear stained face, so she'd be certain that she was not dreaming.
"A little girl. We'll have a little girl." Regina whispered.
"Okay" Emma laughed as she stood up and placed a soft kiss on Regina's forehead.
"Henry?" the brunette asked.
"He's fine. He went home with my mother for the night. He'll be back in the morning. He's going to be so happy to see you" Emma smiled as she run soft fingers along Regina's cheek failing miserably as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Don't cry. Please. No more tears..." Regina said, raising her hand up to the blonde's face and wiping her tears away.
"They're happy tears. I'm so happy to have you back. I thought..."
"Hey, its okay. I'm okay. Come here" Regina moved further on the bed and patted the empty space she'd made for Emma.
"I don't want to hurt you. I should get Dr. Whale so he can tell us if you're really okay" Emma said.
"I'm fine. Come on. I just want to hold you tonight. Just you and me"
"Okay" Emma said as she got into the bed and let the sorrow, fear and exhaustion of the last few days overpower her body for the first time that week. In the arms of the woman she loved above all else, she fell asleep. Not a single worry in the world.
Emma was jolted awake from her terrifying dream by the sound of a siren which must have been from an ambulance. Brightness illuminating the window that had a thin layer of curtain fabric drawn over it. Her sudden movement caused something to stir beneath her. Regina. She sighed, relief and gratitude washing over. The events from earlier that night replaying in her uneasy mind as she closely studied her love's face.
Her body relaxed, reassured of the fact that Regina wasn't lying motionless on the road like she had been in her nightmare. She found herself in awe as the moon continued to provide a striking beam of light. She watched Regina's beautiful face illuminated. Her eyes fell to her lips and she allowed herself a second to think of how much she had missed their sweet taste and smooth feel. Her fingertips ghosted over them before pushing back some of Regina's hair from her forehead.
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Regina shot up, the irritating sound of the siren yanking her from her sleep. Her hand instantly found Emma's and pulled her body to her's as she breathed heavily.
"Hey, its okay," Emma whispere in a na attempt to calm her down.
Regina's arms lovingly and protectively wrapped around Emma's body. The blonde's fingers moving in soothing circles across the brunette's covered skin as she gradually felt her relax.
Regina was the first to wake up the next morning. She squinted slightly at the bright light peeking through the thin curtains. Emma was still asleep, her mouth slightly agape as her chest rose and fell. Regina took her time to appreciate the beauty that lay in her arms and how lucky she felt. She had yet gotten another chance at life. With the woman she loved and their son and a family she wouldn't have thought in a million years to call her own.
"Mom?" Henry's voice startled her from her thoughts. Hearing him call her that after such a long time and seeing him standing there, alive and well brought tears to her eyes. She just couldn't find the words to tell him how grateful she was. How much she loved him.
"You're awake!" He took off from the door and into the direction of her bed only to stop suddenly. Looking deep in thought, tears sprung to his eyes then he dropped his gaze to the floor.
"It was all my fault. I'm so sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to..."
"Sweetheart..."
"...and you almost died. And mom was so mad at me. I'm so sorry"
"It was not your fault! And I would have done it a thousand times over if it meant keeping you safe. You are what matters most. Both to me and Mom. She must have been really scared but I'm sure she wasn't mad at you. We love you more than anything. So don't apologize, okay." Regina said as she looked at the sleeping blonde in her arms before returning her attention to her son.
Henry reluctantly nodded but he still didn't seem convinced.
"Will you please come closer? I want to feel you. Will you do that for me?"
Henry nodded as he walked the remaining steps to where both his mothers laid, one of them still dead to the world and fell into the arms of the brunette. He buried his face in her hair and sobbed. He too from the happiness of having her back.
Nothing else would have mattered to Regina at that moment. They had been through alot, true. She had been through alot. But what she was sure of, was the fact that she'd go through it all again if it meant experiencing this moment right here. Everything she'd ever dreamed of, she had in her arms.
"What did I miss?" the blonde's sleepy voice startled them apart.
Regina laughed and then placed a soft kiss on Emma's head. "Nothing," she smiled. "Go back to sleep"
"Okay."she whispered, she laid her head on the brunette's chest and snuggled closer to her. Then she let herself slip back into sweet oblivion.
"You should get some rest too." Henry said after a while.
"No. I think I've had enough rest. I just want to get out of here."
"True. But she hasn't," He said, pointing to his blonde mother, "and she won't be able to sleep without you close to her for quite a while. Go on, I'll watch over you both"
"My little boy is becoming a man. A very brave man." Regina said in a mocking voice.
"All thanks to you and Mom." He placed kisses on both their foreheads before pulling back and occupying the seat the blonde had been the previous night.
"But..." he started.
"What is it?" Regina asked, concern evident in her voice.
"...I'll always be your little boy, you know that, right?"
"I do. My little prince." Regina said as happy and grateful tears fell down her face.
Hi guys. I'm so sorry for the late update. I feel awful but life has been happening, like I always say. I think you can probably tell that we are almost coming to the end of the story. Let me know what you think. What you would like to see happen and just anything. Thanks for the never ending support. Its been great.
Love, A.