A/N Thank-you so much for all of the lovely feed back and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up, its been a really busy few weeks.

Roland's MRI came back clear, and his follow up x-rays were booked for Monday afternoon, so the boy spent a long weekend lying in bed getting steadily more bored of the television. His fever had finally broken on Friday evening and after a couple of good night's sleep he was feeling worlds better and eager to get up and about.

But to the boy's frustration Doctor Whale stood firm on his no walking about until he had the results of Roland's follow up x-rays rule, he did however give the okay for Regina to push him down to the children's playroom on Sunday afternoon providing that he didn't overdo it and he remained in the chair.

It wasn't what Roland wanted but it was better than nothing and he passed a pleasant couple of hours colouring and talking to some of the other children that were well enough to leave their beds, before his mother had taken him outside for a walk around the grounds, her pushing the chair that he still sat in of course.

They stayed outside enjoying the fresh air until Regina noticed that the child was falling asleep where he sat, and she took him back to his room. She rolled her eyes when she entered the room and spotted a wrapped gift from Robin, that he had no doubt had somebody else deliver just as he had done with the last two parcels that he sent in because heaven forbid that he would actually visit his son himself.

Moving the gift from Roland's bed, she pulled back the blankets then carefully lifting the boys sleeping body from his chair placed him back into his bed before taking her usual seat beside him.

Having barely slept sitting in the chair beside Roland for the past three nights and not bathed beyond a quick daily wash and brushing her teeth in the hospital bathroom using the washbag that Zelena had kindly bought in for her, Regina was looking and feeling a little dishevelled, but still she refused to leave her sons side to go home.

Emma was a frequent visitor as was Zelena who had bought Henry to visit every day that Roland had been in there, she had become even more invaluable than before now that Roland was in hospital and even though Regina, still had some reservations about the woman's possible role in Roland's accident, she had been forced by Robins constant wheedling over the phone to accept that she just couldn't be sure whether it was her or Zelena who left that window unlocked and whoever's mistake it was she knew that they weren't likely to make it again.

Roland seemed fine and everybody deserved a second chance, right? Robin certainly liked to remind her on a regular basis of how he had given her a second chance not so long ago and so, she hadn't mentioned sacking Zelena again.

Robin had not returned since he had left on the day of Roland's accident. Sure he had called and spoken to Roland plying the boy with also sorts of excuses about having to work late, he had also sent in some expensive gifts to placate him, the most recent of which transpired to be a hand held games console that he had been asking for, for a while with a variety of games, a gift that they she and Robin had discussed between them months prior and decided would be an ideal birthday present for the boy or so Regina had thought but that was Robin for you always doing whatever he wanted with little to no regard for the thoughts and opinions of anybody else especially his wife.

The man himself remained noticeably absent and at times like this, when it was quiet while Roland slept Regina couldn't help but wonder what it was that her husband was really up to, because she sure as hell didn't believe his stories of working late every day, his son was in hospital for goodness sake and Regina knew full well that he could have gotten away if he wanted too, not that she would ever tell Roland that of course.

The chid had of course been ecstatic about his gift and he had happily played on it until it had been time to go to sleep for the night, and now Regina sat beside his bed lost again in quiet reflection.

A soft knock pulled Regina out of her thoughts, she blinked and looked up to see Emma standing at the door with a small smile on her face.

"Can I come in?" she murmured.

"Of course, you're always welcome, you know that" Regina replied a genuine smile gracing her features.

"What were you thinking about just now?" Emma asked, "whatever it was it looked intense."

"Oh, you know just about how I might have almost killed my son again" Regina broke down and started to cry as she spoke.

"Hey, stop that right now" Emma said moving further into the room. "And come here" she instructed opening her arms to receive a now openly sobbing Regina.

Regina rose to her feet greeting the embrace and burying her face into Emma's shoulder as she continued to cry. They stood like that for a few seconds and then Emma moved to sit in the chair that Regina had just vacated pulling the now silently crying brunette into her lap and holding her close, stroking gentle comforting circles on her back as she spoke softly to her.

"For the record I don't for a second believe that you left the lock off that window" she murmured into Regina's ear and the brunette sobbed harder.

"And you have to stop blaming yourself for the car accident" Emma continued, she felt Regina tense in her arms at those words, and she knew why, they never spoke about this, mainly because Regina didn't ever want to and Emma usually respected that, but it was time that something was said, Regina bottling it up like this wasn't good for her.

"It was hardly an accident" Regina mumbled into Emma's shoulder just loud enough for her to hear.

"But it was baby it really was" Emma insisted, it came out so naturally that Emma didn't even notice her use of the word 'baby' but Regina sure did and she had felt her body react to it too, her breath hitched, her heart raced and she had to fight to keep her feelings under control, focusing instead upon the subject at hand.

"I purposely drove into a tree with my three-year-old son in the car, how can you call that an accident" she retorted, the words coming out a lot more harshly than she had intended because she was still trying to get a grip on the emotions warring inside of her body.

"It wasn't like that and you know it" Emma replied sounding a little cross now but only because she cared so much, "You had a complete psychotic breakdown Regina, you didn't even know that he was in the car, you said yourself he was supposed to be with Robin and that was where you thought he was, you weren't well and you spent almost a year on a secure psych ward getting better afterwards, you never tried to kill your son and you never would and I won't let you say those things about yourself do you hear me? I won't" Emma spoke with furious conviction and squeezed Regina closer.

"Or are you seriously going to tell me that you would have still driven into that tree if you'd been aware that Roland was in the car with you? Emma asked.

"What" Regina gasped eyes widening in horror, "Of course not, I could have sworn his seat was empty, I would never…"

"Exactly, It wasn't your fault baby" there it was again, and Regina's heart raced anew "and Roland, he wasn't hurt, the kid slept through the whole thing and doesn't even remember it happening, you're better now, you've got your meds and you're better, and you didn't do this Regina, I don't care what your asshole of a husband says I know that this wasn't your fault so don't waste any more time thinking that it was."

"Thank-you I really don't deserve you Emma" Regina sniffed in response nuzzling into the space just under Emma's chin.

"You deserve way more than just me Regina, even the entire world is less than you deserve" Emma replied earnestly, and Regina began to cry anew and not for the first or last time she wished with all of her heart that she wasn't stuck with Robin, this was what and who she wanted, but would she ever get to have Emma Swan the way that she wanted to?

With Monday came Roland's follow-up x-rays and when those came back clear too but a discharge date for Roland still wasn't given Emma stepped in and insisted that Regina take some time to go home, shower and change.

"Roly will be fine" she insisted, "I won't leave his side and I'll call you immediately if anything happens which it won't and you can call me as many time as you need to but please Regina go home for a few hours, just to get freshened up properly and change your clothes or go to my place if you'd rather and borrow anything you like of mine to wear, trust me you'll feel more human for it after."

"Fine" Regina conceded "But as much as I'd like to take you up on your offer of your place, I'd better go home, Robin will only think it weird if I don't and it's not even as though I can use the excuse of your place being closer to the hospital because it's not" she sighed having already thought through and thrown away every possible reason for going to Emma's and returning to the hospital wearing her clothes, over returning to her own slightly closer home.

"I suppose I'd better call a cab" she added taking out her phone.

"Take my car it'll be quicker" Emma offered pulling out the keys and holding them out for Regina to take.

"You know that I'm not allowed to drive" Regine replied, eyes wide with surprise.

"Why not?" Emma jumped in "Because Robin said so? The doctor gave you the okay months ago, Stop letting him hold you back Gina" she said then seeing the look of fear in her friend's eyes she softened.

"Look, If you don't feel ready I totally get it, I won't push you into something that you don't want to do Regina, I'll even book you the cab myself" she said taking her own phone out and beginning to scroll looking for the number of a reliable cabby that she knew "I just didn't want it to be because of him that's all" she added earnestly.

"Is this why you refused my offer of a new car?" Regina asked "Were you hoping I'd get so sick of that bug of yours that I'd want to drive my own car again" she chuckled.

"Eh, that and I love my trusty old girl." Emma smiled.

"Your car is a girl" Regina laughed.

"Please, all cars are girls" Emma laughed back "And boats and maybe planes".

"Shut up you idiot and give me those keys" Regina smiled and swiped at the keys that Emma still had dangling from the hand that wasn't currently occupied with her mobile phone.

"You mean" Emma gaped.

"That its time, yeah I guess it is and thanks Emma, for everything" she smiled again, kissed Roland on the top of his head, pulled Emma into a quick hug then left the room.

It was a strange feeling stepping out of the hospital, she'd only been in there for a few days but already it felt like Regina's new world so returning to the old one outside was a bit of an adjustment it mildly reminded her of the feeling she had, had when getting out of the psych ward, after she had finally been discharged though that had been a far more intense version of this feeling and it had taken her months to fully adjust and feel okay out in the world again, now the feeling lingered almost as though it were in the back of her head.

Emma's bug as always was easy to spot even among the other cars in the busy carpark.

"About the only good thing about you huh" Regina grumbled as she lowered herself into the driver's seat and fastened her seatbelt, "now be a good girl and start for aunty Regina" she chuckled remembering Emma's earlier words.

She turned on the engine and it roared to life first time then she gripped the wheel and looked through the window and suddenly the tree trunk was hurtling towards her all over again and Regina sat frozen, knuckles turning white from her grip on the wheel as she continued to stare at what wasn't really there.

The truth was that she had tried this several times before in the second car that Robin kept in the garage and every time was the same. She sat there with the garage door open and engine running, frozen in place staring at tree trunks that weren't there flying towards her at speed and then eventually she'd come to her senses, shut off the car's engine close the garage door and go back into the house to call a cab and have it take her wherever she wanted to go.

She hadn't ever told Emma that though because she couldn't bear for her to think of her as failure the same way that she thought herself one every time she failed to drive out of that garage.

Urgent banging on the window startled Regina out of her trance she jumped and blinked out to see that she was still in the parking lot with the engine ticking over, and a concerned nurse was looking in at her indicating that she should lower the window so that they could talk.

"Are you okay?" the nurse asked as soon as Regina had cracked the bugs window open enough for her to heard through it, "You were totally out it just then."

"Yeah, sorry it's just been a really long few days, my little boys in here" she explained.

"Oh, I see, yes that is difficult, but are you sure that you're, okay? Maybe I should take you back inside and get you checked over before you drive anywhere." The concerned nurse replied looking as though she didn't really want to let Regina go anywhere just yet.

"No really, you just caught me having a bad moment but I'm fine now, I'd just be wasting your time If I came in" Regina smiled.

"Well only if you're sure" the nurse said still not sounding entirely convinced that letting Regina go was the right thing to do but unable to stop her she stepped back and gave the brunette room to maneuverer out of there and Regina seeing no other option did just that.

She pulled the car out of the parking space and expertly guided it out the lot and just like that she found herself driving again and apparently, she hadn't lost her touch.

It gave her such a freeing feeling to able to do this again and she knew that she wouldn't be quick to give up this newly re-found freedom.

The first thing that Regina spotted when she pulled the bug up onto the drive was the flattened bush that Roland had fallen into, she stepped out of the car her eyes rising up to the windows that were closed now, tears pricking in the corners of them as she thought of all of the times that little Roland's face watched through that window for her to come home, or waved goodbye and how close she had come to losing that forever.

"You drove?" an incredulous voice suddenly spoke up from behind Regina startling her, she had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she hadn't heard Robin's car move onto the drive behind her.

"Your home at this time of day" Regina replied hastily wiping a stray tear from her cheek before tearing her eyes away from the empty window and turning to face her husband who had just stepped out of his car. "And yes, I did drive as a matter of fact and quite well if might say so myself."

"But you know that you're not supposed to be driving" Robin replied slamming the door of his car closed and taking a few steps nearer to his wife, "And yes I finished early today so that I could go visit Roland, who's with him now anyway or did you leave him alone in there?" he asked narrowing his eyes at her as he spoke.

"Bit of a cheek coming from the man who hasn't been back to the hospital since his son was first admitted four days ago, if you can't be bothered to visit your son then you could at least arrange for something to be done to tidy up that hedge before he comes home and sees it like that" Regina glowered and waved a hand towards the flattened plant beneath Roland's window "and no he's not alone, Emma's with him" she added.

"I might have guessed it would be her" Robin muttered.

"Oh, and I suppose you would rather I had left him alone, would you?" Regina retorted.

"No, no it's just well, you know how I feel about her and hospitals for that matter, you know how hard it is for me to be in them since you, well you know" he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he waited for her to respond but if he was hoping for understanding he was about to find it sorely lacking.

"How you feel about hospitals!" Regina thundered "What about how I feel, I was the one stuck in the place for a year and I've still been there every day since our son was admitted, you are truly unbelievable Robin Locksley. Oh, and as soon as Roland is better, I'm getting a new car" she told him stalking towards the house as she spoke.

"But Regina" Robin called after her.

"But Regina nothing" Regina interrupted turning to face him again "The only reason I'm not allowed to drive is because you say so, but it's not about you or what you want Robin, it's about what I need and when I'm ready, and I'm ready Robin and what I need is to get some of my independence back, move on from the past and stop wallowing in it!"

And with that Regina turned on her heel and went into the house without pausing to look back at her gobsmacked husband as she left him in her wake gawping after her on the drive.

She stomped into the kitchen, filled her favourite flask with cold water and moved to put it into the fridge for later.

"Regina please be reasonable" Robin pleaded as he came into the house behind her and closing the fridge door Regina turned to face Robin again her face like thunder but if the man noticed he didn't seem to care and nor did it slow his pace.

"You look exhausted darling, think about it, what if you fell asleep behind the wheel? You did a great job driving here today and I'm proud of you Regina really I am but I'm also concerned and I'm coming to visit Roly today, so why don't you let me drive you back to the hospital with me and then I'll bring Emma back here to collect her car later and I'll get someone to come out and tidy the hedge first thing in the morning what do you say hmm" he moved closer as he spoke stopping in front of Regina and reaching to place his hands on her shoulders, then bending slightly at the knee he lowered himself just enough to peer into her face while he waited for her to answer.

This time Regina did flinch under his touch and quickly pulled away.

"I'm going to take a shower" she said "and then I'm going to drive myself back to hospital but please do arrange to get that hedge sorted" she added before she turned her back to him and went upstairs leaving him to fume in her wake.

It felt wonderful to stand under the shower, hot water from powerful jets cascading over her neglected skin and washing away days of hospital grime. Regina sighed contentedly feeling grateful that Emma had pushed her into doing this, she hadn't realised just how much she had needed it until she emerged a little over thirty minutes later feeling refreshed, revigorated and ready to take on the world.

As she sat at her dressing table drying her hair, she wondered what she could to do to thank Emma for stepping in and getting her to take some much-needed care of herself, but what could she do at such short notice without delaying her return to her son in the hospital too much?

She pondered for a while, but nothing came to her until she reached to retrieve her flask from the fridge and her eyes fell onto the block of cheese sitting beside it.

It wouldn't be much as far as thank-yous went but it was something and she could do something more for her friend once Roland was back at home, besides Regina knew her best friend well and she knew that Emma would love this, so she picked up the phone hit dial button.

Then she grabbed her cold flask and headed out of the door, Robin had apparently left already, which mercifully meant that there wouldn't be another face off with him today, so she was free to just slide back into the driver's seat of the little yellow bug, wedge her flask into the cup holder and leave.

Less than twenty minutes later Regina's was smiling across the counter of Grannies diner taking a paper bag from the brunette waitress, grannies grand-daughter Ruby in one hand and a take away cup in the other containing Emma's favourite order of a grilled cheese sandwich and hot chocolate topped with cinnamon, food had always been the way to that girls heart and Henry was the same as Emma in that way Regina thought with a fond smile as she thanked Ruby and headed back to the car.

Placing the sandwich on the passenger seat and securing the drink in another cup holder Regina wasted no time pulling away from her parking spot outside of Grannies and heading back towards the hospital.

She was halfway there when she reached for her flask flipped open the lid and took some deep gulps of the cold water within, as she drank her face screwed up in disgust and she fought to keep control of the car as she spat a mouthful out spraying the steering wheel with the foul-tasting liquid.

Whatever it was, it wasn't just the water that she had put into the flask then placed into the fridge to chill.

She easily detected the bitter edge of freshly squeezed lemon juice because she herself often flavoured her water that way, but not today and then there was something else that she didn't recognise but whatever it was it tasted awful and even the bitter lemon juice couldn't mask it. The liquid that she had swallowed sat heavily in her stomach making Regina feel nauseated as she wondered what she had just consumed.

"What the hell is wrong with that" she murmured to herself wondering if perhaps some washing up soap had accidentally been left in the flask when it was last washed up as she flipped the lid back into place and put the bottle back into the cup holder.

She hadn't managed to think too much more on it or even drive much further when a heavy drowsy feeling began to creep over her, she tried to shake it off, opened the window hoping that the cool afternoon air would help but it didn't.

Regina was suddenly falling asleep fast, and the car was beginning to drift towards the trees, she saw the treeline coming towards her like one of her echoed memories in slow motion but as always, she was powerless to stop it because darkness had already claimed her.

As luck would have it the car came to a gentle stop just beyond the tree line where it remained well hidden from the road until Regina came to a while later blinking into the darkness.

Darkness she thought, where had the light gone?

She turned on the cars internal light and grabbed at her phone, the battery was low, and she had more than eighty missed calls, most of them from Emma but some from Robin and Zelena too.

It was also eleven pm she had been asleep for around eight hours.

But how had this happened? she thought looking frantically around the car for clues and sighing when she saw the paper bag containing a now stone cold grilled cheese, followed by the carboard cup of cold chocolate and then her eyes fell onto the flask, and she remembered the taste of the liquid inside, that bastard she thought, he was so desperately to keep control that he actually drugged me.

Regina had to think and think fast, she couldn't just go running into the hospital accusing Robin of drugging her, he'd probably have here committed again and destroy the evidence, no she was going to have to be smarter than that, much smarter. So, ignoring her missed calls and the messages that she hadn't bothered opening yet she pulled out from the tree's and headed towards Emma's apartment, the blonde's keys were on the same keychain as the bugs, so it was easy enough to let herself inside.

Once there she quickly located a flask and poured what remained of the contents of her own drugged flask inside it screwing the lid on and placing it into the back of Emma's refrigerator, she'd tell her about it as soon as she could but for now, she swilled out her own flask and filled it halfway with fresh water.

Then she text Emma.

R: Don't react or tell anyone you're messaging me.

E: What the hell Regina, where have you been we've all be worried sick.

The reply came almost instantly and Regina felt a pang of guilt at having made Emma worry even if it wasn't really her fault.

R: Somethings happened, I can't explain but I will and I'm okay, I need to know is there anywhere that wasn't check where I could say I was when you were all looking for me.

E: My place, I guess, we didn't bother to go there because you said you weren't going there.

R: Thanks Em, I'll see you soon.

With that she took a quick look around and spotting Emma's favourite hoody grabbed it and left to go back to the hospital.

"Regina where have you been, we've all be so worried" Robin feigned concern pulling her into a hug the second that he saw her appear in the doorway of Roland's room.

"Thank god you're okay" Emma added hugging her next and though they had been texting each other earlier so she had known that Regina was okay prior to her arrival at the hospital Emma's relief at actually seeing her in one piece was still very real.

"Momma, you're back" a sleepy Roland added to mix, the noise and sudden activity waking him, then he coughed dryly, apparently he had still not completely recovered from his illness despite his fever breaking several days earlier.

"I'm thirsty" he croaked.

"Here" Regina replied a wave of inspiration coming over her, "Have some of mine" she said and she flipped the lid off of her flask "It's got a bit of lemon in it but I know you like that" she smiled and just as she had many a time before offered her son a sip from it, she of course knew that the drugged water had all been cleaned away but Robin didn't and his face was a picture as he watched his son bring the flask to his lips and if Regina didn't know what he'd done before his behaviour next confirmed it.

"You don't what that old stuff son" he said, and he couldn't snatch the flask away from the child fast enough, it's been hanging around hours, here have this instead he said pouring Roland a cup of water from the jug that the nurses had placed by his bed.

"But Mommy's flask keeps it colder, this stuff is always warm" Roland whined reaching out for the flask which Robin promptly pulled out of the small boy's reach.

"Well mommy's is all gone now" Robin replied tipping what remained of the water in Regina's bottle down the sink in the room as he spoke.

"What's wrong with Regina's water?" Emma asked evidently confused by Robins behaviour and Regina had to fight not to burst out laughing, not because it was funny because it wasn't, it wasn't funny at all, and Emma would probably want to kill Robin when she found out just how ironically close to the truth she was with that comment.

"What" Robin exclaimed looking a little flustered "Don't be silly, there's nothing wrong with it, it's just not fresh, that's all."

"Okay" Emma responded hands up in defeat "I just wondered what all the fuss was about that's all".

"I'm not making a fuss" Robin huffed.

"If you say so dude" Emma mumbled.

"I do say so" Robin stammered "Anyway" he turned on his wife changing the subject in an attempt to detract everybody's attention away from himself "Where the hell have you been all day Regina, the last time I saw you, you were at the house but that was hours ago, I went back to look for you when you didn't answer your phone but the car was gone and I couldn't find you anywhere, we've all been worried sick about you!"

"Yes, about that" Regina bristled and feigned embarrassment "It was cold when I got back into the car and it's so warm in here so I knew that Emma would need this when she left to go home" she paused to throw the hoodie that she had bought to the hospital with her at Emma, smiling when the blonde caught it deftly.

"I don't know what came over me" Regina sighed "One minute I was sitting on the couch feeling a little woozy and the next I was waking up and it was dark out, I left my phone in the car when I ran up to the loft, so it didn't wake me when it was ringing. I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to worry anybody, I guess I was more tired than I realised, and it suddenly caught up with me".

"For god's sake Regina" Robin jumped straight in "You could have been behind the wheel, you could have crashed, I told you, you should have let me drive you back here!"

Emma winced at that and so did Regina, but she remained firm and steady with her response.

"Yes well, I wasn't, and I didn't" she said simply "And I know what you offered Robin, but I don't need you holding my hand all the time, I'm a grown woman, yes I was tired and yes I fell asleep on Emma's couch for a few hours, but this doesn't change anything Robin, I need to get my life back together starting with a new car as soon as Roland's well enough".

Robin glared at her with a face like thunder, had they been alone he would have replied with a few choice words but he couldn't do that now, not in front of people especially people like Emma who didn't know when to keep her big gob shut and her nose out of other people's business, she had a horrible habit speaking up about situations that didn't concern her and it pissed Robin off no end.

He had thought her an easy target when she had moved into his house eighteen years old and heavily pregnant with the child that he and his wife would be adopting and his wasn't blind, he knew his wife was attractive and he'd seen Emma's attraction to her right away, he even toyed with the idea of suggesting that he take her as a second wife, that was an idea that appealed to him massively but he quickly realised that wasn't something that was ever going to happen.

Emma had no interest in men at all, Henrys dad had been a drunken mistake when Emma was nursing a broken heart, a one off to get the woman that she missing out of her system, it was stupid and it didn't work she just felt repulsed at herself the next day when she had left his place and gone to collect the morning after pill before she'd returned home to take a long hot shower.

But of all the luck in the world Emma had, had the worst or so it felt at the time. Weeks had gone by without her period showing up, then came the nausea had hit and finally she had, had picked up a test and sat on toilet with a defeated sigh as she watched the second line appear.

She didn't have the heart to seek out an abortion this kid had survived the morning after pill, he seemed to have a will to live and so she had done the only other thing that she could do and chosen adoption.

Neal, Henry's biological dad was in jail by the time Emma had, had her first scan, he was at the start of what would be the start of a long stretch and he had nothing to offer the kid, so he'd easily agreed to give up his parental rights and Emma had found a nice couple to adopt her son.

That was until she'd gone for her second scan, saw her baby wriggling about again and discovered that he was a boy, then she had wavered, wondered about keeping him herself, but knowing that she couldn't give him what he needed she had asked for an open adoption instead of the planned closed one and the couple had declined to agree with those terms so Emma was back to square one until a few weeks before Henry's birth when she had finally been paired with the Locksley's.

Regina had been wonderful to her from the start, insisting that she leave the hostel that she had been staying in and move in with them for the remainder of her pregnancy.

Emma hadn't been expecting the world when she had asked for an open adoption, she just thought she'd be able to have some pictures and see the child as he grew maybe as a friend of the family, but she did end up getting the world at least that was how it felt.

Regina had taken care of her and insisted upon her staying long after Henry's birth, she had seen him hit all his first milestones before she had gotten her own place nearby and then she had seen him almost every day after that and even been paid to be his nanny for a little while.

She had been there when Roland had arrived and helped Regina through that mess, because as much as Regina loved Roland, they all did, there had been moments when Regina had crumbled over the whole situation and needed help getting herself together again.

Henry had turned out to be the biggest blessing of Emma's life but the one stand with his father had been a massive mistake and Robins hopes of a second wife were dashed long before he had ever gotten around to suggesting it.

Emma had quickly become a thorn in his side because he found that she really wasn't the weak naïve girl that he had first thought her to be, and he didn't have the same pull over her as he did over his wife.

Regina so desperately wanted a full family unit for her children that he had gotten away with a lot more than most women would put up with, it wasn't that Regina was weak, more that he knew how to exploit the weakness that she, like all people did have.

It took all of Emma's will power not to smile smugly at the look on Robin's face as his wife stood up to him in that hospital room and she felt more than a little proud of Regina but still she wondered what had happened to her friend that afternoon that had made her feel unable to tell everybody in that room the truth there and then.

Fortunately she wouldn't have to wait long to find out, Robin left very quickly after Regina's late night arrival and Zelena had left to meet Henry off of the school bus and not wanting to worry the boy with his mother's unknown whereabouts hadn't returned with him as she usually would that day so with Robin out of the way that just left Emma and Regina sitting with a now sleeping Roland.

"So, are you going to tell me where you really were for half the day?" Emma asked brows raised questioningly the second that Robin was out of earshot.

"Not here" Regina murmured moving to peek through the blind on the door to check that Robin really was gone before she returned to take a curious Emma by the hand and led her out of the room quietly padding down the corridor in the opposite direction to that in which Robin had gone until they came to a vacant restroom.

Pushing the door open she pulled Emma inside and locked it behind them.

"I think he drugged me." she spat the words out in disgust before she could lose her courage.

"He did what" Emma gaped appalled.

"I drank from my flask on the way over here Regina explained "the water it didn't taste right so I spat it out, but not before I'd swallowed a few mouthfuls, then I suddenly felt really sleepy, last thing I remember is drifting towards the tree's" Regina shuddered "and then I woke up in the dark, still in the car, just out of sight of the road, anyone who went to look for me must have driven straight past without realising I was there".

"My god Regina, he could have gotten you killed" Emma cried out pulling Regina into her arms, "I'll kill that bastard, I swear I will" she murmured furiously into the brunette's hair and Regina chuckled softly.

"As sweet as that is" Regina smiled leaning back in Emma's arms so that she could look her in the eye "It probably wouldn't be advisable, I don't want you ending up in prison my love" she murmured reaching up to gently caress Emma's cheek, the blonde sighed and leaned into the touch.

"But you can't let him get away with this" Emma suddenly reached up placing her own hand over the one that was pressed lightly against her cheek tears springing into fiery eyes.

"Oh, I won't, don't you worry about that, I just need to play it smart, get evidence that Robin can't dispute."

"The evidence" Emma gasped in realisation "Robin tipped it down the sink, no wonder he was acting so weird but what were you thinking offering that flask to Roland?" Emma asked.

"I was thinking that I could see what Robins reaction would be, confirm my suspicions" Regina shrugged, "and" she added "I was thinking that I'd already emptied the contents of my flask into one on yours when I stopped by your place and picked up your hoodie, it was only water that Robin tipped away" she smiled, and Emma almost burst out laughing.

"You freaking genius" Emma smiled placing a hand on each of Regina's cheeks and leaning forward to plant a kiss on the brunettes forehead but Regina's smiling face looked up at the last second and Emma without thinking planted it on her lips instead.

It didn't last more than a second before Emma stumbled back looking horrified.

"I'm so sorry Regina, I don't know what came over me."

"I'm not" Regina murmured grabbing Emma by the belt loops on her jeans and pulling her close again planting a chaste kiss on the blondes' lips finally claiming what she wanted even if it was only for a blissful second, then she was pulling away again before Emma had even had a chance to properly react.

"But we can't do this not now, it's too risky" she added softly, her eyes edged with regret as she turned to unlock the door so that they could get out of there before they did something that they would later regret.

"One day?" Emma asked in a small voice.

"One day" Regina agreed flooding Emma's heart with hope as she watched the woman, she loved but could not yet have push the door open, one day is better than never she thought as she followed her out.

"Would you be able to send a sample of whatever the hell was in my flask off somewhere where it can be analysed" Regina asked as they walked back towards Roland's room together "I don't know when I'll be able to reimburse you, but I'll pay you back as soon as I can do it without arousing Robins suspicions" she assured her friend earnestly.

"Consider it done" Emma smiled lacing her fingers through Regina's and giving her hand a quick squeeze before she released it again "No repayment necessary, getting rid of that ass hole will be plenty payment enough" she said pausing to pull Regina into a quick embrace outside of Roland's door.

"Don't worry we'll get him" she said before she released Regina, collected her things, bid the brunette goodnight, and headed home, leaving Regina to settle in for another long night next to Roland.

Emma was good to her word she found a site online later that night downloaded the information and ordered a sample kit, three days later a sample was in the post headed for a lab to be tested while the rest of the spiked drink remained safely in Emma's refrigerator.

The day after the suspected drugging incident came with good news, Roland was finally allowed home, and this was great news for all.

Regina helped the eager boy into his outdoor clothes, while Emma packed his last few items still scattered around the room.

Robin rather predictably hadn't bothered to return so it had been Emma who had come to pick them up mid-afternoon and Regina squeezed into the back of the bug to hold her sons' hand as they travelled home wishing to God that the poor boy had a better father.

As they got closer to the house a previously excited and chatty Roland became noticeably quieter and as they pulled onto the drive Regina saw his wide brown travel fearfully towards the flattened bush under his window and she quietly cursed Robin for not having the sensitivity to get the damn thing pruned before Roland came home as he had promised that he would.

Mercifully Roland didn't dwell on it for long and as his eyes move to look and the scene greeting him from the front door in wonder Regina swore to get somebody in to deal with the misshapen bush first thing in the morning, even though the blessed thing had probably saved Roland's life and Regina wouldn't get rid of it entirely, in its current state it served as a painful reminder of just how close they had come to losing him.

Roland was out of the car now and running towards the front door where Zelena and Henry stood waiting to greet him under a colourful balloon arch that had a banner reading,

'Welcome Home Roland' across it.

"The decorations continued into the house and Zelena had even laid out a little welcome home party with Roland's favourite nibbles in different dishes on the table.

"This is wonderful Zelena but you really didn't have to do all of this" Regina smiled.

"I wanted to" Zelena shrugged "and so did Henry."

"Well, it was very good of both of you, what do you think Roland?" she said crouching to her son's level.

"I love it" Roland squealed tucking into the nearest plate of goodies.

Regina had insisted on taking the rest of the week off of work to be with Roland and unable to find a reasonable argument against it, Robin had reluctantly agreed and called John to let him know not to expect Regina back for a few more days, he wasn't there to welcome Roland home and though his absence didn't go unnoticed everyone still had a great time at the little party anyway and Regina thought it wonderful to see Roland back home, in the clear and finally back to being himself again.