A/N: TW-mentions of child abuse. Location completely made up for this story.
Henry, Regina, and Emma are on their way to the center of Storybrooke so they can take Emma to the hospital to be checked over. They are close enough to the hospital that they can just walk from their location in the woods.
Henry is walking ahead while Regina and Emma walk at a slower pace hand in hand. Regina notices that Emma is slowing down more and more.
Just as they are to the end of the woods and main street comes into view, Regina stops and turns to Emma, "Hey, you doing ok?"
Emma nods and yawns, "yeah, but I'm sleepy"
Regina looks at Emma and says, "Ok, lift your arms. I'm going to pick you up ok?" Emma nods and lifts her arms.
Regina is expecting to have to exert herself when picking up Emma but is sadly surprised that she is almost as light as a feather.
Emma wraps her tiny arms around Regina's neck with her bear squished between Emma and Regina. Emma's long legs wrap around Regina's waist, and her head tucks perfectly into the crevice of Regina's neck. Regina strokes Emma's knotted and dirty hair and begins walking again.
Seven minutes later Regina is walking through the center of town, with Henry at her side, and Emma clutched to her chest. She knows the rumors are going to be going wild she can hear it now, Did you see the Mayor? She came from the woods, carrying a child! I bet it was her bastard daughter, she kept hidden like a dirty little secret.
Regina ignores the stares and walked into Storybrooke medical center.
When Regina and Henry walked in looking dirty and sweaty everyone froze.
Regina sighed annoyed, "Great, now that you have seen all of us do you think you could do your jobs and come check on Emma here?"
One of the nurses at the desk paged Dr. Whale, while another grabbed a stretcher.
Regina went to put Emma down on the stretcher when Emma tightened her hold on Regina and refused to let go.
Regina stroked her hair again and said, "Emma sweetheart, we are at the hospital, I need you to be checked over before I can take you home."
Emma shook her head, Regina sighed and gently asked, "Do you want me to go with you?"
Emma pulled away from Regina's neck and shy nodded her head.
Regina smiled and said, "ok."
Regina held onto Emma tighter and turned to Henry, "Henry, I am going to go with Emma ok. I need you to call Graham and tell him what's going on and to get him here. When you finish wait in the waiting room."
Henry nodded and gave Emma a thumbs up. Regina looked back at the nurse and said, "We don't need that" looking at the stretcher "I am going to be going with her"
Regina could tell that the nurse wanted to argue but Regina just raised an eyebrow. The nurse caught that raised eyebrow and motioned for Regina to follow her. The nurse led them to a small examining room, and placed a standard children's hospital gown on the examining table. The nurse said to change into the gown, take everything off except underwear, and flip the light switch when they were ready.
When the nurse left Regina was able to set Emma down on the floor.
Regina asked, "Do you want me to turn around so you can get dressed?"
Emma shrugged her shoulders, handed Regina her bear, and took of the shirt she was wearing.
Regina tried but failed to hold in a gasp upon seeing Emma's black and blue back.
Emma heard the gasp and quickly put the grown on, to try and cover herself up.
Regina wanted to kill whoever hurt Emma, she wanted to rip out and crush their heart.
But Regina saw Emma's vulnerability and decided to bottle up her feelings and help Emma.
Regina put the bear down on a chair that was in the corner of the room, look at Emma and asked, "You want me to tie the gown in the back for you?"
Emma looked at Regina and nods her head, "please".
The 'please' is so soft Regina almost misses it. Regina ties two bows closing the dressing gown while Emma takes off her sneakers and jeans.
Regina lifts Emma up onto the examining table. Regina then picks up Emma's clothes, folds them, and places them on the chair, next to the bear.
As Regina is placing Emma's clothing down she notices writing on Emma's sneakers, "Emma Swan- Zurem Hill Orphanage".
Regina walks over to the wall and flips the light switch indicating they are ready.
Regina's mind wanders while they wait for Dr. Whale, what has happened to Emma in the past? How she end up in the woods? Regina then thinks Do I really want to know?
Just then Dr. Whale knocks on the door.
hope you enjoyed. I will be posting again soon now that I am back home, on my computer, and have internet again, YAY!