Hello again! So...I had different plans for this chapter, but felt the story needed a little something, and that became the majority of it. This one may not give you the answers you wanted, but I think it sets up the next one nicely and will allow things to take off without seeming rushed. I hope you're not too disappointed. I mean, we all love angst here, right?...Right? *nervous laugh*
PS I'll now be noting flashbacks instead of just italicizing them, to communicate the timeline clearly for those listening on audio apps. My apologies for not doing that sooner!
Regina's temples throbbed from anxiety and overexertion as she kept a death grip on the railing to make her way downstairs. She hadn't a clue what time it was or how many days had passed since she'd woken in her foyer and crawled to her room. Her time since then was spent in her bed and on the floor of her shower, alternating between fever dreams and cold showers to counteract them.
The initial knock on her front door sent a shot of adrenaline up her spine but she hadn't moved from her bed, hoping whoever it was would leave. Much to her chagrin, the knocking continued and the ringing of the doorbell began, proving her surprise guest had the same thin patience she struggled to hold onto now.
Despite their persistence, she took her time making her way down, refusing to chance stumbling and allowing someone to find her in a heap at the bottom. Her mind felt clearer, but her physical strength hadn't bounced back, and she knew she couldn't push herself without consequence.
Regina's irritation peaked when the knocking became louder and she finally snapped, shrieking at the door angrily, "I'm coming!"
Her tone sounded shrill and her voice faltered, raspy from the amount of times she'd thrown up the toxic fairy magic that worked through her system. It was perhaps the most vile and potent magic she'd been on the receiving end of, and further validated her distaste for fairies. She'd never understood how the nasty little beasts were portrayed so preciously in this world when their magic could be as foul as the dark one's.
Regina reached the last step when the door suddenly swung open and she froze in fear. Her knuckles turned white around the stair railing, waiting to see who stepped across the threshold. She frowned deeply when Granny Lucas made it to the main level of the mansion and stopped, holding a large basket in both arms.
"Girl?!"
"What do you want?" Regina snapped and watched Granny turn to look her way.
"What do I want?" Eugenia scoffed indignantly, eyeing her over her glasses, "Is that how you greet all of your guests?"
She bristled at the nerve of the older woman, always finding it grating that Granny didn't seem to be intimidated by her. Regina had always been able to keep people in line with a sharp look or biting remark, and it was rare anyone could keep up with her wit or possessed the nerve to counter it. Eugenia Lucas, however, had been the exception to that rule.
"Did you come to huff and puff and blow my house down?" Regina snarked and took the last step down, keeping her hand on the railing for balance.
"Not today," Granny merely shrugged, watching her with a skeptical expression, "But it looks like it wouldn't take much more than a stiff wind to blow you over right now."
Regina rolled her eyes and let go of the railing in an attempt to appear stronger than she felt, "I'm fine."
"Don't look it."
"Oh? Is that an assessment of my health from the woman who sells grease for a living?" Regina scoffed.
"It doesn't take a medical degree to see you're ailin'. Lucky for you, I got just what the doctor ordered," Granny tapped the basket she held with one hand before taking off towards Regina's kitchen.
"What do you think you're doing?!" She trailed after her at a slower pace, shocked by the gall of the woman.
Regina's breathing was labored by the time she entered the kitchen and found the wolf at the counter, emptying the contents of the basket. She squinted and cautiously made her way closer, until the scent of food sent a sharp hunger pain through her.
"When was the last time you ate?" Granny asked without looking up to acknowledge her presence.
Regina frowned blankly at the food as she tried to process just what in the hell was going on, "Why are you here?" she asked instead of answering Granny's question.
The older woman looked up at her then, one brow arching as if she might be worried for Regina's mental capacity. "What does it look like? I brought you something to eat."
"Why?" she demanded, staring the older woman down.
"Did that fairy magic knock all the sense out of you?" Granny sighed, "I brought it 'cause you're unwell, girl. Didn't figure you could cook for yourself."
"I'm fine," Regina lied.
Eugenia snorted, "Oh yeah? I got down steps faster than you just did before my knee-replacement."
"Just how did you know I've been under the weather?" Regina's jaw twitched in frustration, knowing her argument was futile. The last glimpse she saw of herself in the mirror looked haggard, and she couldn't imagine she appeared any better now.
"Ruby thought that spell might've done more than you let on."
"I told her I was fine." Regina's concern grew over just how many people Ruby might've told, knowing there were plenty that would love to catch the Evil Queen in a weak moment and exact revenge.
"Wolves can sense when another animal is sick or wounded. Plus, she said you nearly fell on your ass a couple of times," the gray-haired woman shrugged.
"Who else knows?"
"Just me and Emma. Ruby was going to bring this over, but we figured all hell would break loose if Snow caught wind of it."
"Then why are you helping me?" Regina shook her head, "Keeping tabs on me for Snow and Emma?"
"Not unless we need to," Granny answered, seeming unfazed by the accusation. "Emma did want me to tell you that Henry has been asking to visit."
The wolf appeared to be speaking truthfully, but Regina was not yet convinced of her motivations. Though the mention of Henry did soften her, and she allowed herself to veer off topic momentarily, "Have you seen Henry? How does he seem?"
"Emma brought him in for breakfast just this morning," Granny nodded reassuringly, "He's worried about you and Charming all weekend, but he's alright. He's a smart boy."
All weekend…Two days. It had only been two days since she'd absorbed the spell, but it'd felt like a week of torture between the pain and the not knowing.
Regina swallowed thickly at the emotion constricting her throat, clearing it quietly before she could speak, "And David…is he...still?"
"Afraid so," she answered in a softer tone.
Regina suddenly felt the weakness of her body weighing her down, making her aware of how long she'd been standing. She glanced towards the barstool beside her at the counter, silently contemplating how meek it would make her look to sit from exhaustion in Granny's presence. But her aching head and shaky legs told her sitting would be less humiliating than collapsing, so she pressed her hands on the counter and gingerly lowered herself on the stool.
Relief caused her to audibly exhale before she could help it and she looked up to see if Granny had heard. Thankfully, the woman had her back to her as she rifled through Regina's cabinets without permission, and she was too exhausted to summon any irritation over it. The strain on her body from simply coming downstairs reminded her just how weak she truly was. It mixed with her mental fatigue and made her feel defeated, bringing an onslaught of emotions that had tears pooling in her eyes without permission.
Regina kept her gaze fixed on the counter while she gathered herself, hearing the kettle beginning to steam and the opening and closing of the refrigerator door. She was thankful that Granny did not seem to notice her moment and it hit her again how odd it was the woman was there in the first place. She wracked her brain for an explanation, not understanding why the Lucas' would extend kindness to her when they were Snow's allies.
"There's enough of those salads you always ordered for lunch in the fridge to last you through the week," Granny spoke again, but Regina did not look up until a mug of tea slid across the island to rest where her gaze had been fixed.
"What is this?" Regina frowned at yet another act of kindness that baffled her.
"Tea," Granny eyed her incredulously once more, "You sure you don't need to go to the hospital and have your head scanned?"
"I mean this—all of it," she shook her head in frustration, angry at the way her eyes glossed further from confusion and exhaustion, "You all hate me. You were on Snow's royal council for god sake! Why are you pretending to care if I live or die?! Are you trying to get a confession out of me or something?"
"For what?" Granny frowned.
"For David still being asleep!" Regina's eyes widened as she motioned frantically. She had lost her patience entirely, but she knew her meltdown was in no way intimidating. The way she unraveled now would humiliate her later, but she had reached her breaking point. "For Snow's kiss not waking him up. Because I don't know why. I didn't, I wouldn't…" her expression twisted with pain as she held Granny's stare and refused to look away until the woman believed her.
"I know that," the older woman answered calmly and shrugged her shoulders.
"You…what?" Her lips parted in surprise at the answer.
"I said I know you wouldn't do that, not to David," Granny repeated and gave her a look Regina couldn't decipher before she nodded towards the mug on the counter, "Now drink that. It'll be good for you."
Regina's gaze dropped to the mug to eye it skeptically, still confused by Granny's answer. "Do you know something?" she frowned as the thought occurred and shot an accusing look at the wolf, "Like who was behind his not waking up? Otherwise, how would you be so sure that I wasn't?"
Granny rolled her eyes at her scrutiny, pausing from opening a takeout container and speaking frankly, "My concept of time may have been altered during the curse, but it's not now. I've been running that diner for damn near three decades. That's a lot of years watching you and that boy making eyes at each other across your booth in the corner."
Regina's lips parted and she felt heat creep up her neck, "We didn't make...eyes across the booth," she denied, feeling entirely too exposed and embarrassed.
"Oh, that's right. Sometimes you couldn't even stand the table between you, so both of you'd sit on the same side," the older woman pinned her with a knowing look that made Regina want to crawl under the kitchen island. "If you couldn't tell, I wasn't born yesterday, girl. I saw the way you looked at him."
"Well, I had to play my part, didn't I?" Regina scoffed and her stomach flipped at the knowledge her love for him had been that obvious. If Granny was able to recall it so clearly and sensed it had been genuine, who else in town had noticed? She'd allowed herself to be careless during the curse, not bothering to be subtle once she'd fallen for David. It hadn't seemed risky at the time, considering they were supposed to be a happily married couple, and she hadn't foreseen the curse ending.
"Hm," Granny hummed with a hint of empathy in her gaze, "Well, you did a fine job of playing a happy wife."
"I had years to practice," she deadpanned, deflecting from how vulnerable she felt as she lifted the tea cup with shaking hands and inhaled. The strong aroma of the tea made her scrunch her nose and she jumped on the opportunity to change the direction of the conversation, "This smells unpleasant."
Granny snorted, sporting an unamused expression and letting the criticism roll off of her back, "It's the poison," she joked dryly, "Brings out the flavor."
Regina's brow arched, "At last, a reason for your visit that actually makes sense."
"You'd think it would, wouldn't ya?" Eugenia rolled her eyes and picked up her basket from the counter, "Just so you know, I heard Archie ask Henry and Emma about you. He noticed you haven't been out and about since...so he'll probably pay you a visit soon. Figured I'd give you a heads up since he's easy to scare. May want to greet him a little nicer than you did me."
"I'll consider it," Regina shrugged and watched Granny round the island to make her way out, "Thank you…" she added, her eyes darting awkwardly between her tea mug and the older woman, uncertain of how to express her gratitude without appearing weak.
It was a foreign concept to accept such gestures and she didn't know the proper response. David had been the only one in her adult life that she'd let take care of her, and even that had taken a few years into their marriage for her to truly give in to.
Luckily, Granny seemed to sense this and kept her response as dry as their banter had been, "Mhm. Now don't let my food go to waste."
Regina felt the morning sun warming her bedroom, alerting her another day had passed, and begged sleep to keep her for just a little longer. But in mere seconds, her eyes opened without permission and she blinked slowly, taking inventory of how her body felt. No throbbing headache? That was a first in days.
She stretched under the covers, relieved to find that most of the soreness had worked its way from her muscles. While she was sure she'd still tire easily for another few days, the more severe side effects of the fairy magic seemed to be over. Not waking up in pain felt like sheer bliss and she rolled onto her opposite side, reveling in being able to move without discomfort.
Her gaze fixed on the pillow beside hers and she extended one arm, splaying her fingers over the side of the bed she faced. The side of the bed she'd slept on out of heartache when the curse ended, and the side she avoided now out of grief. David's side.
She could outline his profile by memory from the many mornings she'd woken to the sight of him. Sometimes she'd trace his bicep with her index finger if he slept on his side. Other mornings she'd gently scratch her nails over his bare shoulders as he laid on his stomach. She was usually draped over him when he slept on his back, his sprawling frame leaving her little room nor choice, though she'd never minded.
Those mornings were her favorite, when she could quietly study him and soak in the peace he'd brought to her life. She would admire the strong lines of his bone structure and ghost fingers over toned muscle until blonde lashes fluttered, giving her a glimpse of blue eyes that were somehow as piercing as they were warm. And her heart belonged to the moment that followed, when his sleepy gaze finally focused enough to see her and he smiled at her presence.
It was an affectionate smile, adoring and full of desire, crinkling the corners of his eyes endearingly when his mouth curved up in contentment. Watching the varying emotions play out in his expression never failed to make her chest warm and her stomach flutter. His reactions to her, the way he looked at her and touched her, had provided an overwhelming clarity of what she'd always longed for, but at a depth she hadn't been aware existed.
During their first years together, she'd cautiously regarded his devotion, jarred by the unfamiliar feeling of companionship. It made her sick with envy and heartache to realize the magnitude of what had been stolen from her with Daniel. The cruel twist of Snow White's true love being the one to show her the extent of what she'd lost felt like a knife in her gut. What was supposed to be her revenge, her victory, had come with a new wave of grief. It was torture to live with, knowing what David offered was only due to the curse, but still wanting it so desperately.
So she had resigned herself to observing the fabricated love he gave at arms length. She tried to simply go through the motions, to focus on the physical rather than the emotional. But she'd still blurred those lines along the way, because even the physical turned out to be something entirely new and special to her. To have a husband that kissed her and held her and cared about her pleasure, healed her in a way she hadn't expected.
And the longer she studied him, the more she realized how disastrously her approach had backfired on her. Keeping herself emotionally disconnected from him hadn't worked, because he expressed his love just as physically. Learning to read him had been something she'd thought would keep her safe, a tactic she'd used for decades to protect herself, but with David it had only gotten her in deeper.
There was no ignoring David's heart, because he wore it on his sleeve. His good intent was evident in the way he carried himself and his light was contagious. She tested him countless times, desperately searching for some dark and malicious part to surface and prove him as deceitful as most men she'd known. Yet as time passed, he only proved himself more genuine.
It had fascinated her to be close to someone so open and safe and trustworthy. There wasn't an emotion David felt that he didn't express, and it gave her a sense of security to be able to anticipate his mood by simply looking at him.
When he was happy, it radiated from him as soon as he entered the room, and his charming smile would bring her a sense of calm that let her know all was well. When he was worried, his brow would crease and his shoulders would tense, making her aware something troubled him. And for the first time in decades, she found herself wanting to bring someone comfort instead of pain.
On the rare occasion he was angry, his blue eyes darkened and his jaw clenched, looking like every ounce of strength in his impressive frame was prepared to wreak havoc at any moment. Though she'd never been scared of him, not in spite of how physically he displayed it, but because of it. Leopold had veiled his moods with an eerily calm expression, giving her no indication of what awaited her and keeping her in suspense of when he might lash out.
The years spent with her first husband left her especially sensitive to shifts in people's behavior, sudden movements, and loud noises. There'd been a few times she'd instinctually flinched at David harmlessly reaching for her or raising his voice, but she'd never truly been afraid. She'd calmed as soon as she met David's gaze and remembered that it was him, and he looked heartbroken to know he'd startled her.
There was always an underlying warmth in the way he looked at her, no matter how angry he was, that promised he'd never cause her harm.
Regina missed him. Worried for him. Wanted to go to him. She ached to see him there on his side of the bed, but smiled at the thought of his unruly sleeping habits. Every side of the bed was David's and hers had been on his chest, with her face tucked into his neck and her limbs folded around him.
A tear escaped the side of her eye, hitting her pillow and causing her to inhale sharply at the painful place her mind had taken her. She couldn't keep wallowing in her misery like this. She had to get a grip on her self pity if she planned to be any sort of mother to Henry or have any chance at custody.
She forced herself out of bed and slipped on her robe as she padded her way towards the bathroom. Seeing herself in the mirror made her wince and she took a deep breath, mustering up the willpower to make herself presentable. Washing her face helped her feel somewhat better, but then her eyes landed on David's cologne bottle as she reached for her lotion. Like a true masochist, she couldn't help glancing to his side of the sink where his things were, just as he'd left them.
So many fucking products.
A smile ghosted her lips, thinking of how she used to tease him for primping more than she did. It wasn't true, but she suspected he put more care into grooming than most men from the Enchanted Forest did. That had always pleased her about him, but goading him for it was just too easy, and he was always a good sport. Most of the time he'd simply humor her with a playful smack of her bottom as he left the room, but some mornings she'd push his buttons just a little further and rile him up for a different reaction.
Flashback:
"David, that's enough," her voice was hoarse as she curled her hips up in desperate search of more friction, more anything. Anything to end his torture and finally push her into her release. What started as a fun game for her had turned into sheer torture.
"I told you what you have to do, honey," he murmured as he pressed slow kisses up the side of her neck and nibbled down on her earlobe, "Just ask me nicely."
"Stop tea-ahhhh-teasing!" Regina tried to sound firm, digging her nails into the back of his neck a little vindictively at his achingly slow pace between her legs as she sat, spread for him on the edge of the vanity.
"Mmm, you feel so good," David groaned down her ear, keeping his hands planted on her thighs as he held her open and rocked in slow, deep motions he knew would have her almost there, "You're so soaked for me," he murmured with a grin, grunting when she gripped his ass and pulled him to the root impatiently.
"Yes, yes," She gasped at her own forceful motion and anchored her thighs higher around his waist, "Fuck me."
"I will, as soon as you beg me," he scraped his teeth back down her neck and raised a palm to cup one of her bare breasts. She growled at that and arched into his hand, pushing firmer when he refused to toy with her nipples the way she liked.
Regina huffed, becoming irritated at the game when he wouldn't bend, "All of this over your fragile male ego?" She narrowed her eyes at him and gripped the vanity for leverage, letting out a cry of relief when she was able to rock herself on him.
"Not so fast, sweetheart," David chuckled, groaning under his breath as he scooped her up with both hands under her ass and stepped backwards. He grinned as her eyes flashed dangerously, having nothing to cling to but him as he began lifting her up and down his shaft in the same agonizingly slow pace.
Regina looked between them and let out a strangled moan at the display of his strength as he stood in the middle of their bathroom and pumped her with ease. She panted when her body produced another wave of warm arousal and watched the corners of his mouth curl smugly as he felt it.
Her hands clung to his neck and her thighs gaped wide, forgetting her pride at the feeling of being so open for him. He barely seemed winded as he stood steady and gripped her ass, moving her up and letting her sink back down. She felt her neck flush hotly as the wet sounds she made around him became louder, making it obvious she was losing control.
"I bet all it would take for you to fall apart right now is me pressing you up against the wall and brushing your clit with my thumb," David's expression was tense when she met his gaze, "Do you want me to make you come?"
"Yes, yes, please," Regina heard the traitorous words falling out of her mouth before she could stop it, forced out by the desperate heat flaming deep in her abdomen, "Please make me come."
David noticed the change of temperature first. The scorching flames of purgatory felt like they'd been suddenly snuffed out and everything went dark. His skin no longer felt sweaty, but comfortably warm and dry instead. Then there was a rippling in the air around him and a sudden burst of light, forcing him to blink rapidly as his eyes adjusted. When they finally focused, it took him a moment to process where he was before he let out a breath of relief.
Gold's shop. He was back. He'd made it home.
David turned to the side of the bed suddenly, unsure of who would be there, and certainly not expecting to find no one. He frowned in confusion and discomfort as he sat up, working out his stiff muscles and looking himself over for injury.
There were no signs he was hurt, which caused him to worry briefly he might be dead. Though nothing had been threatening him in the in-between world before he woke, and no one could've harmed him in this realm while he was under the sleeping curse, so being dead didn't add up.
He stood up from the bed, wincing at his soreness and wondering just how long he'd been under. The shop was quiet and seemingly empty as he looked around, giving him no answers.
David circled the shop, confirming it was empty, and began to worry something had happened to everyone in his absence. Panic set him towards the shop's exit in long strides, desperate to find out what exactly was going on. He pushed the door open with force, charging out in such a rush that he hadn't seen the person coming in until he'd nearly plowed them over.
"David?!"