Early in the afternoon, Regina watches Emma and Henry play a video game, all three on the couch.
Henry glances at Emma then leans forward to look at Regina. "You know you don't actually have to watch us?"
Regina smiles at him. "Thank you, sweetie."
"You just normally read or something."
"I'm fine like this." She looks back at the screen hoping he drops the subject. Admitting that her head hurts too much to read is not going to happen.
Emma and Henry look at each other and then pause the game. Emma lays her hand on Regina's leg. "You okay, babe?"
Regina smiles at her. "Tonight is your last night here. What do you two want to do?"
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Emma, I am perfectly fine. What do you two want to do tonight?"
Emma turns to Henry. "Any thoughts, kid?"
He shrugs. "I don't know. I was thinking about going to see Grace, but I'd like to spend time with you guys too."
"Well," Emma starts, "We don't have to go out anywhere. We could always just stay in and do a dinner. Invite Grace over?"
Henry nods. "I'm sure she'll come."
Emma turns her head to Regina. "Up for cooking? I'd do it, but we should probably try to impress Henry's girlfriend-" She turns back to Henry. "Girlfriend?" He nods with a big smile. "Atta boy." She looks at Regina to finish, "Rather than give her food poisoning."
Regina locks her fingers in her lap and clenches her hands to ward off the pain before nodding. "That sounds lovely. Why don't you two go to the store and buy the ingredients?"
Henry leans around Emma. "You're letting us go? By ourselves? To buy dinner?"
"This is for your girlfriend, Henry. I think you should be responsible for the meal."
His face falls. "But you're gonna cook it right cause…"
Regina smiles. "Yes, now both of you go."
Emma leans forward and kisses Regina's cheeks then lips. "Are you sure you don't want to come along?"
"It will be nice for you two," she replies, rubbing Emma's arm.
Emma kisses her one more time before getting up and following Henry out the door.
As soon as the door closes, Regina clamps her eyes shut and lays herself out on the couch, one hand covering the growing lump on her head.
Regina wakes to the voices in the kitchen. She slowly sits up, closing and opening her eyes in intervals to reorient herself. Standing up, she runs her hands over her hair and straightens her clothes. She takes a step and wobbles slightly.
Emma stops in the entryway of the living room at the sight of Regina steadying herself on the arm rest and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Regina, are you feeling alright?"
Regina forces herself to stand up and smile. "Just fine. I stubbed my toe."
"Oh. Ow." Emma walks to her and kisses her. "We got the goods."
"Thank you." Regina holds onto Emma's arms. "What are we making tonight?"
"Well, we wanted to do lasagna, but you put a lot of stuff in that, and you didn't answer your phone, so we gave up on that."
Reaching into her pocket, Regina reveals her phone, seeing the few missed calls from Emma and Henry. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear the ring."
Emma grabs the phone. "You probably put it on silent." She checks the volume button and sees the sound is on. "Or you're just deaf. It doesn't matter. We ended up with ravioli, fish, and kale. I don't know if those go together, and neither of us is sure why we got kale, but that's what we have to work with."
Regina smiles and tries to put her phone back in her pocket, but it falls to the ground. She silently cusses herself for the notion of having to bend over, but fortunately, Emma beats her to it.
Emma slides the phone into Regina's pocket, taking advantage of the opportunity to kiss her shoulder and neck. In her ear, she asks, "Since it's my last night, am I welcome in your bed?"
Regina places a hand on Emma's chest, the other still holding tight on her bicep. She turns her head just enough to kiss Emma's cheek. "Of course, my love."
Emma smiles into her neck and wraps a hand around Regina's waist to pull her close.
Regina winces at the sudden movement, but Emma doesn't notice, too focused on kissing the exposed skin in front of her. She closes her eyes and takes a few breaths shallow enough for Emma not to feel a change.
When she feels ready, she opens her eyes and squeezes Emma's arm. "Let's go to the kitchen. Maybe I can work some magic with your hodgepodge of foods."
"Not yet," Emma replies, running a hand up Regina's back and moving to kiss the other side of Regina's neck and shoulder. She locks her fingers in Regina's hair and tugs to give her more access to Regina's neck.
Regina lets out a small whimper and her nails dig into Emma's chest and arm.
Emma releases her grip on Regina and leans back. "What's wrong?"
"My hair is a little sensitive, and it surprised me."
"Your hair is sensitive? Since when?"
Regina pushes back on Emma slightly. "It just happens sometimes. I enjoy your kisses, but can we please go to the kitchen?"
Emma nods her head. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry if I hurt you."
Regina loops her arm under Emma's and leans on her. "It's fine, my love. I need to get started on dinner."
They move from the living room slowly, Regina not letting Emma walk too quickly. "Henry is picking up Grace so he'll be here in an hour or so," Emma tells her as they enter the kitchen.
Once they make it to the island, Emma lets go of Regina to start unbagging groceries while Regina retrieves pots and pans.
Regina directs Emma around the kitchen, minimizing her own movements, to get everything prepped to cook. For the fish, she opts to cook it in white wine. She fumbles with the cork before giving up. "Please open this," she says, tapping the bottle on the counter next to her.
Emma steps up next to her and uncorks the bottle. "Never thought Regina Mills would meet a wine bottle she couldn't defeat."
Regina smiles and takes the bottle offered to her. When she tilts the bottle, her body leans with it and she stumbles, nearly falling to the ground.
"Regina," Emma lunges forward to catch her and help her up. Once standing, Emma studies Regina's face. "What is going on? You didn't just stub your toe in the living room, did you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Regina answers while her knuckles are turning white from gripping Emma's sleeves.
"In the living room, you stubbed your toe."
"I never stubbed my toe."
Emma grabs Regina's face and looks back and forth between her eyes. "You don't look well."
"I'm fine," Regina tries to smile.
"Stop lying to me. Are you sick?"
Regina slowly shakes her head. "I just got dizzy, that's all."
Emma grips Regina's waist when her knees buckle a bit. "Regina, something's wrong with you. You're starting to scare me."
"Please, Emma, I'll be fine." She takes a deep breath and releases Emma to prove she can stand on her own. "Let's finish dinner."
Emma tightens her grip on Regina, not letting her step away. "Tell me what's going on. Do you feel sick? Does anything hurt?"
"My head," Regina whispers.
"What?" Emma asks, leaning closer to Regina.
"My head," she repeats a little louder. "My head hurts, Emma."
Emma's eyes widen as she pulls back to see Regina's face. "From when I… pushed you?"
Regina slowly nods. "I'm sorry."
Emma's eyes immediately start to well with tears as she shakes her head. "Please, please don't apologize. This is my fault. I'm so sorry for hurting you."
"I need to sit down," Regina says, leaning heavily against the counter.
"You need to go to the hospital," Emma responds, shifting to carry Regina.
Regina pushes back away from her. "No."
"Regina, I think you have a concussion." Emma's eyes shine from the tears slowly starting to fall.
"I agree, but there's nothing they can do at the hospital. I don't need that idiot Whale to just tell me to take aspirin." She stretches to turn off the stove.
Emma shakes her head. "Regina, you need help. I don't know what to do."
"I need to sit down. Help me with that," Regina pleads.
Emma swiftly picks up Regina and takes her to the couch. She looks down on her. "Please let me take you to the hospital."
Regina shakes her head slowly and closes her eyes. "I just need some aspirin and maybe ice for my head."
Emma nods and sprints to the kitchen to get the medicine and ice pack.
Trying to ease the dizziness and nausea, Regina focuses on a spot on the wall and takes slow even breaths.
With materials in hand, Emma kneels in front of Regina. "Here," she says softly, presenting the medicine and a glass of water.
Regina slowly takes the medicine while Emma moves to sit next to her, carefully pressing the ice pack on Regina's head.
Pushing against Emma's chest lightly, Regina coaxes her to lie down then lays against her.
Emma keeps the ice pack on Regina's head and leans forward to kiss her hair. "I'm so sorry, Regina. I am so so sorry. I never meant to hurt you." Realizing Regina is already asleep, Emma lets her tears fall freely as she clutches Regina's shirt with her free hand.
