A/N: This is a short chapter, but it needed to happen
In the middle of the night, Emma curls against Regina in the hospital bed, Henry and Mary Margaret away at the hotel again. She kisses Regina's cheek. "Things didn't go so well today. I don't know if you heard, but I just about told my dad I hate his guts right now."
She sits up a bit. "I just don't get it. How was withholding information from me a good idea? I'd really like to know."
After a sigh, she cuddles her head in Regina's neck. "But don't worry, when you wake up, I promise to give you at least a day before I question you about my dad and Gen. Unless you willingly give up the information, of course. I'd like that. But I won't pressure you."
"I imagine…" She runs her fingers along Regina's stomach, drawing shapes. "I imagine I'm going to be too overwhelmed to worry about anything other than kissing you and probably crying way too much for either of us. You're gonna be ready to kick me out of here."
She quickly wipes away her tears and kisses Regina's cheek again. "I love you. Wake up for me. Please." She ducks her head back in Regina's neck. She lays her hands over Regina's and shuts her eyes to go to sleep.
A few hours later, just as light is pouring in through the windows, Emma wakes up to a tickling sensation on her head. Her eyes shoot open, but she deflates when she realizes her hair was just being lightly blown by Regina's exhales.
She kisses Regina's cheek and sits up to get off the bed, but her hand doesn't come willingly. She looks down to see her fingers interlocked with Regina's. Her mouth drops open as she stares at their hands. "Regina?" she whispers, too afraid to look at Regina's face.
The room is silent, and Emma doesn't move a muscle. Swallowing nervously, she slowly looks up at Regina's face. "Regina, are you awake?"
She stares at her for a long time, hopefully. Her heart settles heavily when Regina doesn't respond. With a loud exhale, she leans down and kisses Regina's cheek. "I love you."
She pulls away, but the grip on her hand tightens. She stops again and stares at Regina. "Babe? I- I really hope I'm not imagining this." She gets close to Regina's face again and whispers, "Can you hear me?"
Regina's eyes flutter open.
Emma pales instantly. Unsure if she's seeing things right, she whispers in her ear again. "Are- are you awake?"
Regina blinks and squeezes Emma's hand again.
Emma collapses on top of her, wrapping her arms tight around Regina, and starts sobbing.
After a while, Emma feels Regina's grip loosen. She pulls back and sees that Regina is unconscious again. She grabs her face. "Regina?" No response. "Regina, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand again."
Nothing changes. "No, no, no. Come back to me. Please!" Emma drops her forehead against Regina's and cries again, begging for Regina to regain consciousness.
Hearing Emma's sobs, a nurse rushes into the room. "What's wrong?"
Emma slides off the bed. "She- she opened her eyes, and she grabbed my hand."
The nurse smiles. "That's good news, I'll alert the doctor as soon as she arrives."
"Wait," Emma shouts before the nurse can leave. "She fell back under or asleep or whatever again."
The nurse nods. "Yes, it will be a process for her to come out of the coma. They don't really just wake up then chase bad guys the next day like on TV."
"Oh," Emma whispers, slightly embarrassed.
The nurse approaches her and puts a hand on her shoulder. "This is a very good sign. Your wife will be okay."
Emma smiles at her weakly. "Why are you being nice to me? I thought all of you hated me."
The nurse shakes her head. "Some of us recognize mistakes happen. And if you really hurt her, you wouldn't be so happy for her to wake up." She pats Emma's arm and leaves the room.
Emma crawls back in next to Regina and kisses her cheek. "As long as it takes, babe."