Chapter 28

Lost in thought, Emma watched her brother sitting happily on the picnic blanket Zelena had spread out in the garden, while Robin lay next to him, rolling slightly back and forth, her eyes fixed on the little toy digger the older boy was holding in his hands. When someone suddenly draped a blanket around her shoulders, she looked up in surprise to meet her mother's smiling face. "Thanks, Mom," she said softly, giving her a smile as well. Until that moment, she hadn't even been aware that she had her arms wrapped around herself, shivering.

Snow took a seat in the lawn chair next to Emma and put a hand on her shoulder. "Can I get you anything?"

Gratefully, Emma shook her head. "I'm fine," she just returned, continuing to watch the children playing.

"Do you want to go inside?" Snow asked further.

"I said I'm fine," Emma repeated a little more sharply than intended and immediately looked apologetically at her mother. "I do have the blanket now and while the sun is still shining, I'd like to stay outside." She couldn't help it that her thoughts kept drifting to the days ahead that she would have to spend in the stuffy little hospital room.

"Okay," Snow finally nodded, reaching into her purse. "I think it's time for your present," she decided, unearthing a small, bulky package that she handed to her.

Emma tilted her head and eyed her mother. "You don't have to get me anything," she countered, sighing.

"We've missed way too many of your birthdays. At least let us give you something now," Snow said, sliding closer to her daughter so she could put an arm around her. "Come on, open it!"

Just for her mother's sake, Emma pulled as enthusiastically as possible on the red ribbon that adorned the yellow package and unfolded the paper. Gently, her fingers then stroked the soft, light gray cap and matching scarf.

"I hope you like it, you're crazy about those beanies, aren't you," Snow immediate responded before Emma could even say anything. "I knitted the things myself and now that winter is coming..."

"Thanks, Mom," Emma interrupted her, pulling her into a tight hug. She wondered if all her medication made her so emotional, because she couldn't explain it any other way that her mother's hand-knitted things brought tears to her eyes.

"You're welcome," Snow replied softly, stroking her daughter's back. "Your dad wants to congratulate you in person later, too."

"That can wait, let them have their fun," Emma stated and as she looked over at David and Henry who were staring more or less expertly at the meat on the grill, the smile returned to her face.

"As you like," Snow nodded. "Do you think I should go inside and see if I can help Regina and Zelena?" she then asked uncertainly.

Emma reached for her hand and held it tightly before looking into her eyes, shaking her head. "Leave them alone, they've got this covered."

"How's Regina?", Snow then wanted to know seriously.

Emma shrugged one shoulder. "Definitely much better than yesterday." While Henry had merely been concerned to know what had happened, Snow had positively lost it when she discovered Regina's bandaged hand. "Zelena makes sure she doesn't overexert herself," she then assured her.

"I've offered to help you so many times. Why does she always have to be so stubborn?" Snow complained.

Emma smirked. "You know her. She wants to do everything herself and everything has to be perfect. Don't think it's because of you. She doesn't want to be helped by her sister either, only she doesn't care."

Snow was silent for a while and finally quietly wanted to know, "Do you think I'm not persistent enough?"

"No, that..." Immediately Emma shook her head and looked at Snow seriously. "That's not what I meant to say, Mom. You know, her pride just won't let you help her around the house. With Zelena, it's another story. Don't take it personally. She doesn't hate you anymore, but you two have your history, and it's hard to change that," she cautiously reminded her.

Nodding, Snow looked away from her. "Yeah, I guess I can never make that up to her."

"She's forgiven you, Mom," Emma said quietly. "But she won't let you in her kitchen, even I have to fight for that," she then grinned, nudging her lightly in the side. "Now stop worrying your head about it. I think the men could use some female help," she laughed as David panicked, taking the half-burned sausages off the grill and piling them onto the plate Henry was holding.

"Obviously," Snow sighed and walked over to her husband and grandson.

Emma looked over at the three of them for a while longer before lowering her gaze to the knitted clothes in her lap and stroking them again. Her mother must have really tried hard and put in a lot of her free time; after all, Neal kept her busy most of the time. Then, presumably, she had devoted herself to her gift in the late hours of the evening. Another chill ran over her body, whereupon she without further ado wrapped the scarf around her neck.

"Fancy, I don't know that one," Regina stated, who carried a bowl of fruit salad in her uninjured hand.

"You can't. My mom gifted it to me," Emma explained, also holding the cap up for Regina to see.

"The color makes your eyes shine," Regina immediately noted, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Do you know how far the meat is? We'd be done."

"There were some fights over there. I hope no one got burned, except for the sausages," Emma grinned and pushed herself up out of her chair. "I'll help you carrying."

"You don't have to, Zelena's bringing the last two bowls. Go ahead and sit at the table," Regina replied.

Emma bit her lip to hold back any comment and took a seat at the garden table instead. Her gaze slid over the many dishes on it and she wondered who was going to eat those quantities. After all, they were only six people and two small children. "Weren't you talking about a little picnic?" she asked Regina, raising a brow.

"Yeah, so?"

Meaningfully, Emma looked at the crowded table.

"Well, that's nothing. You can eat most of it some other time," Regina waved it off and, to Emma's surprise, took a seat next to her.

"You sit down with me before everyone else is seated? What happened?" the blonde joked, taking Regina's hand as she looked her in the eye.

Her girlfriend just shrugged her shoulders for a moment and returned the look. "Sometimes I am good after all and listen to you. Besides, this is the last afternoon I can spend with you here for now."

Emma nodded briefly and swallowed. Sure, she tried to banish her thoughts of the upcoming chemo to the back of her mind, but the far worse notion was that Regina's test results tomorrow were bad and she was sicker than she thought after all.

"I'll come visit you as often as you want me to," Regina promised her in a whisper, misinterpreting her strained look.

"I know," she nodded, resting her head on Regina's shoulder. "But what's more important to me is that you rest. I'll give you enough work to do when they kick me out of the hospital."

"Food's ready!" Henry's shout prevented the answer that had been on the tip of Regina's tongue as everyone gathered around the table shortly after. He carried a well-filled plate of all sorts of different meats and set it down before wrapping his arms around Regina from behind. "How are you, Mom?" Having returned from his sleepover that morning and learning of his mom's collapse, he was more concerned than ever and kept inquiring about her well-being, even if he was acting more confident than Snow.

"All right, Henry. I won't break down again," she assured him, stroking his hair.

"You don't know that," the boy countered, however, letting his worried gaze slide over her pale face and the bandage on her hand.

Regina shook her head and pointed to one of the chairs. "Sit down, Henry. Zelena is helping me and so are your grandma and grandpa. Everyone here is looking out for me."

"That's right," Zelena said, who settled Robin into her highchair while Snow lifted Neal onto a pile of pillows David had stacked in one of the lawn chairs so his son could see over the edge of the table.

"Look how they are gazing adoringly at each other," Emma smirked, which made Regina laugh and Henry grin as well.

"Just don't tell Zelena that, I'm sure she won't let her daughter play with Neal anymore!"

"Why?" Emma asked in wonder.

"Well..." Regina couldn't help but grin, "you don't think she'll let herself be driven away as Robin's number one so quickly, do you?"

Now Emma had to laugh, too. "When you're right..."

"What are you two smirking about?" Zelena wanted to know, looking back and forth between the two women in turn.

"Nothing at all," Emma waved it off. "We were just wondering who was going to eat all the food," she lied dryly, taking a spoonful of pasta salad on her plate after Henry had given her a grilled Camembert.

Zelena just shrugged. "At least I won't have to cook all the time next week."

"Don't think I'm going to eat barbecue sausages for a week!" Regina complained indignantly whose plate had only had salad on it so far. "And Emma can't eat anything flash-fried because of her kidneys."

"Can you guys maybe work this out later?" Emma asked, then raised her voice slightly to address everyone. "Thank you all for being here and spending the afternoon with us. I know you guys certainly wanted a real party, but I think it's fine the way it is. Enjoy!"

Snow and David gave their daughter a gentle smile which she returned and shortly thereafter silence returned for the most part as everyone began to eat, interrupted only by brief conversations or babbling from the children.

After everyone was satiated, Henry played a little with Robin and Neal while the adults chatted with each other. Although it was a pleasantly sunny afternoon, October forced them to go inside just a little later, as it was finally getting too cold to sit in the garden any longer.

Emma's gaze slid happily over the faces of her family members as she lay in Regina's arms and her father lit a fire in the fireplace. It was one of those moments she wished would never pass.


"Last step," Regina said softly as she helped Emma upstairs a few hours later, her arm around her slender waist.

The blonde had thoroughly enjoyed the day, but it had also strained her at the same time and the challenge of lifting her feet onto the stairs was almost too much for her. "It'll be alright," she murmured nonetheless, taking a deep breath as they reached the top landing. "Thanks, I can manage."

Regina lowered her arm and watched Emma's dragging steps into the bathroom. As she obviously wanted a few minutes alone, the brunette went back downstairs to give Zelena a hand with the cleanup. "Is Robin asleep yet?" she inquired as she walked into the kitchen to find both her sister and Henry there.

"Yes, I already took her upstairs an hour ago," Zelena nodded, closing the lid of the plastic box into which she had just filled the herb curd.

Regina grabbed another box to do the same with the pasta salad.

"Has Emma gone to bed yet?" Henry wanted to know, closing the dishwasher door.

"She's in the bathroom," Regina explained, looking to her son. "Why do you ask?"

Henry unconsciously ran his hand over the back of his head and shrugged. "Well, I haven't even given her her present yet. Somehow the right moment never presented itself while Grandma and Grandpa were there."

"You can still give it to her now," she suggested, nodding toward the stairs.

For a moment Henry looked around the kitchen, but then decided that just about everything was done and headed for the stairs. As he passed Regina, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Are you okay, Mom?"

Surprised and slightly taken off guard by the question, Regina nodded. "Yes, of course I'm fine, Henry." She smiled and gave him a kiss on his mop of brown hair as well. "Sleep well then."

"You too," he nodded. "Good night, Aunt Zelena."

"Night, Henry."

Before going to the bedroom, Henry made a brief stop in his room to retrieve the small square box from his closet, around which he had tied a blue bow. It was plain to see that the gift had not been wrapped by Regina's capable hands, but that was precisely its charm. When Henry had knocked quietly and entered, he found that Emma was not yet in bed, so he took a seat on the edge and turned the box over in his hands. He didn't look up again until the door opened and Emma came in wearing her pajamas. The wide neckline of the top allowed him a clear view of the catheter in her subclavian vein and the emergency dialysis access port on the other side of her neck as well as her very prominent bones. He tried not to let on how shocked he was at her tremendous weight loss, which was otherwise mostly hidden by her loose clothing while she covered the accesses with turtlenecks and instead stood up to help her with the final stretch.

"Kid, what are you doing here?" she wanted to know in wonderment, somewhat short of breath, and leaned against her son, who by now was a bit taller than her.

"I heard it was someone's birthday today," he smirked, supporting her as she made her way to the bed before taking a seat there again along with Emma. "Happy birthday, Ma," he then whispered, placing the box in her lap.

"Henry, you shouldn't have. You are my greatest gift," she said immediately before she leaned her forehead against his. "Thank you," she then whispered touched and pulled him into a hug.

"You don't know what it is yet," Henry said, snuggling up to her.

Emma laughed and tugged on the ribbon. "Then let's find out," she nodded and moments later was holding a dark brown leather wrap bracelet with a wooden tree of life set in the center. It was simple, yet elegant because of its various interweavings. "That's beautiful, Henry," Emma said softly, who immediately knotted it on her wrist. Then she turned her gaze to her son and put a hand to his cheek. "Thank you from the deepness of my heart."

"The seller said that the tree represents strength and immortality," he explained, stroking his finger over the small, intricate carving.

Emma pulled up one corner of her mouth, trying not to look too much like she was about to cry, because that's exactly how she felt at that moment. "I guess I could use that right now," was all she finally managed to get out, hugging Henry again.

"You're tired, ma. I'll leave you alone now." It wasn't a question; he could see it clearly in all her movements. "Will you send me a message tomorrow and let me know how you are?" was all he asked her. He would leave for school before Emma woke up and by the time he got home she would be gone.

"If that's what you want, of course," she nodded, stroking his hand with her thumb as he stood up. "I love you, kid." Her eyes were fixed on his, as if memorizing their color and shape.

"I love you, too. Sleep tight."

"You too." Emma watched her son leave the bedroom and then sank backward into her pillows. Her head ached and she was tired, so incredibly tired. In her now reclining position, an invisible force seemed to push her eyelids down without her being able to do anything about it. Before she could fall asleep, however, Regina slipped under the covers beside her and pulled her into her arms. "Hey," she whispered, forcing herself to open her heavy lids a crack again.

"Hey," Regina replied softly, stroking her hair. She had been holding back her gift as well since she had wanted to present it to Emma in private, but now she would just wait until the next day to do so. "Sleep, my love. I love you," she said thus only and breathed a kiss on her lips.

Emma smiled softly and snuggled into Regina's arms. "I love you too."

Regina's heart pounded wildly in her chest when the rare words passed Emma's lips with such ease and then reached her ears like music. Shortly after, she recognized from Emma's calm, deep breaths that she must have fallen asleep immediately. It felt good that she was so comfortable in her arms that she could relax like that. After no one had shown her love and affection in her early years, it had been no easy task to capture her heart and make her trust her. At first, Regina had believed that it was her own fault; after all, she had personally made sure that Emma had to lead this life. But gradually it had become clear to her that Emma kept not only her, but anyone who approached her too far and triggered feelings in her at a distance, for fear that she would be disappointed and hurt again.

Regina's fingers slid through Emma's blond hair and she inhaled its scent deeply. Even though they had been a couple for over a year now, she was still grateful day after day that she, of all people, had been given the honor of being Emma's closest confidante. She swore to herself that she would not lightly jeopardize this privilege by breaking her promise to take care of herself. She had even toyed with the idea of offering Whale to stay at the hospital for some tests the next day, just to reassure Emma that everything was fine with her. But she didn't want to put Henry through having neither of his mothers home. Not because he was too young to take care of himself for a few short days, but because Regina knew how she herself was feeling: Knowing that Emma's treatment was draining her of more and more strength by the hour was bad enough. However, she didn't even want to imagine how Henry must feel about it; after all, Emma was his ma and Regina at least wanted to be there for him at home and not be the reason he worried twice and leave him to fend for himself as well.

With one last look at Emma, she finally turned off the bedside lamp and then snuggled back against her. She wasn't tired, nor would the nervous knot in her stomach have let her sleep, but Emma needed the sleep, and so she listened to her breathing in the darkness and focused on her skin under her fingers until sleep took her too.