Chapter 30

When Regina arrived home, she was greeted by Robin, who was crawling around the foyer and kept trying to pull herself up on her toddle truck.

"Hey, sweetie, great job," Regina smiled as she unwrapped her scarf from her neck and slipped out of her high heels.

Robin gave her a big baby laugh and then disappeared into the living room at a frantic pace.

"You're back. How's things?" Zelena came out of the doorway, Robin on her hip, who was immediately playing with her curls.

Regina shrugged and hung up her coat. "It's all right, I told you."

With a raised brow, the redhead eyed her. "And that's it? You pass out, cut your hand, and that's it? Everything's all right?"

"Zelena, I... Can I arrive first, before you ask me all these questions?" Regina asked, looking at her with a pleading expression in her eyes. Moreover, the pain Emma's deteriorating condition had caused in her still flickered in them.

The red-haired witch seemed to sense this, for she did not probe further, but nodded curtly and stepped aside so that her sister could pass.

After washing the smell of clinic from her body and changing her clothes, Regina joined Zelena and her niece in the living room, where she dropped onto the sofa and let out her breath with a sigh.

"Can I ask now?"

Regina rolled her eyes and fixed her gaze on her. "My hand looks fine, I've been given pills for the arrhythmia. And Whale wants me to go to Archie."

"How can Archie help with that?" Zelena wanted to know.

"He still thinks it's all psychological." Again, she rolled her eyes, then put her elbows on her knees so she could rest her head in her palms. "And Emma thinks I should go to him too, so she thinks I'm crazy too."

Zelena set Robin down on the floor and rose, only to take a seat right next to her sister a moment later. "No one thinks you're crazy, Emma certainly doesn't," she countered, putting an arm around the brunette. "On the contrary, it says a lot about you."

Regina snorted. "Yes, that I'm weak."

"No, not that you're weak. It shows how much you sacrifice yourself for others and how strong the love in your heart is. After all, that's what everyone always thinks you're not even capable of." Urgently, Zelena eyed her and squeezed her uninjured hand, her eyes still fixed on hers. "Emma and Henry are the two people you would give up everything for and who you love so unconditionally that it makes you sick when they aren't well."

Regina was silent for a while, letting the words sink in. She couldn't really deny what Zelena was saying, but it was just as hard for her to accept it. "If you're going to go that far, you're going to have to add yourself and Robin to that list too," she finally said with a wry smile.

"Then you'll go to Archie?" Zelena asked, not letting on how moved she was by Regina's words.

"I don't know. I need to think about it in peace. And I approached Emma about the assumption that she's depressed, I've ruined everything." Unhappily, she shook her head and slumped back against the back of the sofa.

"You didn't. You just care about her, she'll understand."

"That's not what it sounded like," Regina replied dully, staring into the empty fireplace.

"Just like you, she needs time. And I'm sure she's not doing very well either, so it's quite normal for her to react defensively to such a statement at first," Zelena pointed out, pressing a kiss to Regina's forehead. "Everything will be fine."

"Don't say that," Regina muttered, shaking her head again. "That phrase only makes you feel worse when it doesn't come true."

"But it will. Have faith."

"Look who's talking!" Regina ironically said as she eyed her sister. "Who turned green with envy instead of seeing that life got better already?"

As if she had slapped her, Zelena flinched slightly and then turned her gaze to Robin. "That's not me anymore," she almost whispered.

Immediately seeing her like this, Regina felt sorry for her words and gently reached out to stroke her sister's hand. "I know. Please forgive me. It's... just so hard, I can't do anything for Emma and it frustrates me and hurts me and it makes me fall back into old patterns and hurt the people around me."

Zelena nodded curtly and stood up to settle on the floor by Robin. "She'll be walking soon."

Smiling, Regina nodded and watched her niece try again to keep her balance on her little feet. "I think so, too."

"Is Emma very badly off?" Zelena finally inquired in a low, serious tone of voice that was rarely heard from her. There had to be a reason for Regina seeming to be constantly lost in her thoughts and getting irritated so easily.

Regina swallowed and tore her gaze away from Robin to fix it on Zelena. "She's brave," she replied curtly, forbidding herself to allow the tears that were beginning to well up.

"But still, she's not well, is she?" Zelena echoed cautiously.

"She...", Regina started and broke off again, unable to put her thoughts into words. "It's not just the disease and the treatment that's causing her pain and nausea and discomfort. If she knew she was going to get better soon, she'd probably just accept all that. It's that fear that it's all for nothing. I have it and I can see it in her too and it hurts so much to look at her and see in her eyes just that. Fear. Fear that she's going to die. And then it's not even fear for herself, it's fear that I'll break because of her death and that's even worse because if it wasn't for me, she probably wouldn't put such pressure on herself. It's a vicious circle and I don't know how to break it."

Zelena was silent for a long time, and it almost seemed as if she didn't want to answer at all, when she took a deep breath and said softly, "And that's exactly why it would be good to talk to Archie. Maybe he can really help you break out of this circle, which in turn would also be good for Emma, because as you just said yourself, she suffers when she sees how great your fear for her is."

"I'll think about it," she said again, but Zelena's words had changed something in her. She was no longer so extremely averse to the whole thing, and after all, Archie had proven in the past that he was trustworthy. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time she had to ask him for help and this time it was even less about her and more about helping her girlfriend. "I haven't really eaten anything today. Do you want to maybe meet Henry at Granny's and have lunch together?" she finally suggested. She desperately needed a change of subject, and besides, it was really true that she was pretty hungry by now.

"Sure, I'd love to," Zelena agreed immediately, turning her eyes to her daughter. "I'll feed her at home, maybe she'll take a nap in her stroller later." As soon as she finished her sentence, she grabbed Robin and gently carried her into the kitchen, leaving Regina alone in the living room.

At first, the brunette just listened to her sister's voice talking softly to her baby and the occasional sounds she got in response from Robin. Eventually, however, she reached for her smartphone and texted Henry that they were meeting at the diner.


An hour later, Zelena and Regina carried Robin up the steps at Granny's in her stroller and took a seat in the booth Henry was already saving.

"Hey Mom, hi Zelena," Henry greeted the two women, glancing at his sleeping cousin. "Do I need to worry?" he then immediately wanted to know, looking his mother in the eye.

"No, you don't," she replied immediately. At first, she had wanted to ask him how he came up with that, but then it seemed foolish. After all, there was more than one reason in their family at the moment for which one could have been worried.

The teen shrugged and sipped his cocoa which Ruby had already served him while he waited. "I was just puzzled by your message. Sounded so serious, like you needed to talk to me," he explained.

"We just didn't feel like cooking, that's all," Zelena replied in response, making eye contact with Ruby and then beckoning her over.

"Hi, what can I get you?" the young waitress asked, who rather unusually for her today was wearing a sweater and jeans that showed no skin.

"Hi, I would like a herbal tea and a ham omelet," Zelena immediately ordered, who flipped the menu shut and passed it to the next person.

Regina didn't have to look inside to choose. "The garden salad, please. And a coffee. Large and black."

Zelena raised a brow and looked at her sister from the side. "The coffee isn't exactly good for your..."

"No offense, sis, but I'm certainly not going to stop drinking my coffee just because you think you have to play mother hen for me now," Regina interrupted her before she finished her sentence.

"I'll have a Coke and a hamburger. With fries, please," Henry placed his order before the situation could escalate.

Ruby gave him a grateful look and a wry smile and left the table for the kitchen.

"The salad is nothing proper to eat and the coffee ruins the healthy effect right away anyway." Zelena still wasn't done with her moralizing.

"If you keep this up, by the time the food comes I'll have completely lost my appetite anyway, then I'll just drink the coffee and go again. Without you," Regina stated dangerously calm, a clear sign that she was about to explode.

"I'm just saying," Zelena countered with a shrug, briefly rocking the stroller as Robin stirred in her sleep and threatened to wake up.

Regina pursed her lips into a smirk. "See, your kid is bothered by your constant complaining, too." In response, she earned an icy glare from Zelena.

"Hey, can you guys stop that?" Henry asked, looking back and forth between the two arguing adults. "You guys better tell me what's new with Emma."

With those words, he finally managed to silence both women.

"I last saw her before I went home. I haven't heard from her since then either," Regina explained honestly, who looked lovingly at her son.

"And how was she then?" he continued to ask, taking the last sip of his cocoa.

Regina was searching for the right words to describe Emma's fragile state in the most flowery terms possible when Zelena beat her to it.

"Why do you think your mother is taking an extra-large black coffee and that mound of grass?" she asked sarcastically, as Ruby was distributing the ordered food and drinks on the table, pretending not to have heard Zelena insulting her grandmother's cooking skills.

"I know she's not well. I... was just hoping you could tell me more specifics," Henry said, staring at his burger. Suddenly, his appetite was gone, too.

Regina made an effort to give Zelena only a scowl and not verbally attack her again before turning to her son with a softer expression and putting her hand under his chin to lift his gaze. "Henry, you know how Emma always fights. And she's doing that now, too. It's not all that easy, of course, but she's doing the best she can."

"That's not really an answer," Henry noted, leaning out of Regina's reach. "Can I go see her?" Regina's silence was answer enough for him, so he nodded and bit into his burger.

"Henry, no, it's not like that," his mother replied, who had regained her speech. "I know you'd like to see her, and I'd like that too. But we have to be considerate of her now and put ourselves in the back of the line. And right now, it's just that she'd rather be alone."

"But that's what she always says, Mom! Of course she has to say that because she wants to protect us. Would you like to be alone all the time if you were in the hospital and feeling bad? She's scared and now she's alone. Do you really think she'll get mad if I check on her for a minute?" Hope was reflected in Henry's gaze, but so was the fear of being wrong and making things worse.

For a moment Regina had again lost her voice and looked at her sister seeking for help, who, however, shrugged unhelpfully. "I don't know if this is such a good idea, Henry. I understand your thoughts, I really do! It's just... I don't want to risk upsetting Emma. She's going through so much as it is, and she shouldn't have to endeavor to be strong for us. She would never show weakness, you know that. And if we're not with her, then she has a chance to let herself go for once."

Henry thought about it for a while, nibbling on a fry. "Do you think it would be okay if I texted her first?" he finally asked.

"That's a wonderful idea," Regina nodded, "just please don't be too disappointed if she declines the suggestion, all right?"

Henry nodded absently, but was already not really listening to her, as he was already busily typing the few lines to Emma. After sending it, he finally devoted himself fully to his meal and dug in.

Zelena had already eaten her omelet and was pushing the stroller back and forth.

Only Regina was still looking at her salad, as if she wasn't sure if it might bite her if she looked away for too long. Finally, she sighed softly and forced herself to reach for her fork. After all, they were all right about one thing: she needed to eat, for her sake and Henry's and Emma's.

"How was your doctor's appointment, Mom?", Henry wanted to know after he had emptied his plate, leaving only the Coke glass circling on the tabletop with a few sips left in it.

"It's all as it should be," Regina replied to the question, looking up from her food. "A few more days and the stitches can be removed too," she explained, raising her bandaged hand.

Zelena rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Is there anything you have to say about this?" Regina asked, turning to her.

"I mean, this is stupid. We have magic and you don't use it!" Zelena said indignantly, stroking Robin's hair briefly as she whimpered softly in her sleep.

"That's nothing compared to what Emma must be going through!" Regina retorted irritably, glaring angrily at her.

Zelena laughed out loud and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "So what! Does it help her in any way that you're playing the martyr and you're in pain too? I don't think so." By now, she didn't care what Regina thought of it; a green cloud of magic formed around her hand, before sending it towards the brunette.

Regina jumped up from her seat and held her bandaged hand as she cried out in pain. "What are you doing?" she cursed, unwinding her bandage in frustration. She stared at her palm in disbelief. "Thanks a lot, Sis!" she blurted out angrily, turning the inside of her hand so that Zelena and Henry could see it. The wound was just a thin red line that was already starting to fade, but the stitches were still stuck in her skin.

"Sorry, my bad," Zelena grinned, blowing into her teacup before taking a sip.

"Oh, come on, certainly not mine!" Regina retorted, annoyed, holding Ruby by the arm as she walked past their table. "Miss Lucas, I wonder if you would have the kindness to hand me a pair of scissors?"

"Are you crazy, Mom? It'll become inflamed if you do that with Granny's sewing scissors!" Henry intervened.

Ruby raised a brow and hurried to get away before the Mills sisters thought of other things to do. The commotion they had caused had already caused a few anxious looks to be cast in their direction.

Sighing in frustration, Regina nodded. "All right, back to Whale in the ER then," she growled, giving Zelena a murderous look. "When we get home, you'll be back at your farm, do we understand each other?"

Perplexed, the redhead looked at her little sister. "I was just trying to help you, it wasn't deliberate!"

"I even believe you, Zelena," Regina sighed, all her anger gone at a blow. "But I want us to go on living our lives normally, and in that normality we both have our own houses," she added, looking her in the eye. "Robin and you can come visit anytime, of course. Thanks for all your help lately. I really appreciate it."

Zelena swallowed and finally nodded. She understood what her sister meant, even if she was still worried that she would jump right back into all her work as soon as she didn't have an eye on her anymore. When Regina came over to her, she hugged her goodbye before Regina paid for the food and walked outside with Henry.

"She really doesn't deserve this, Mom," Henry mused as they stepped out into the icy air compared to the diner.

"She'll get over it," was all Regina said, eyeing her son. "Have you heard back from Emma yet?"

Saddened, Henry shook his head, whereupon his mother gently placed a hand under his chin, making him look at her.

"I have to go to the emergency room anyway. It may drag on, as usual. Maybe she'll text you back while waiting." At Henry's nod, she put an arm around his shoulders and poofed them in a cloud of purple mist to the front of the hospital.

Henry staggered back slightly. "Man, Mom! A little warning would have been nice," the teenager noted, but then had to laugh.

"Next time," Regina smirked, before entering the clinic with her son, her face serious again.