Speechless

                 

"It's no tale mate," Hook says, shaking his head in defeat. "She won't make it past midnight. It's spreading as we speak."

            Mary-Margret falls into David's arms and buries her face into his chest. But while she tries to hide herself from the truth of the matter, David holds her tight and faces it for the both of them. "First off, I'm not your mate. Second, there must be some way to rid the poison from her. A spell, a potion...anything."

            "I'm afraid there's no way."

            "So what are supposed to do? Watch her die?"

            Hook looks over to Emma. She lies gracefully, tucked beneath the baby pink and white covers of Mary-Margret's bed. Her eyes are shut and she wears a light smile over bare lips. It would be a sight for sore eyes if the poison invading her bloodstream wasn't steering her right to death's door. "I think we should cherish the time we have left with her."

            Regina's had enough of this. She can't bear to hear this hopeless attitude any longer—and from the Charmings no less. "If you think I'm going to sit at her bedside and have my last little chat with her before this dreamshade of yours swallows her whole, you've all gone insane. We will find a way to cure her."

            Mary-Margret lifts her head off of David's chest and meets Regina's promising gaze. That's exactly what it was. A promise. She wasn't going down without a fight and she most certainly wasn't going to let Henry lose a mother.

            "Regina," Mary-Margret says softly. It's in a tone that Regina has never heard escape the woman's lips. It sounds like she's given up, like she's prepared to stop trying and accept Emma's fate. "Not even Gold can create an elixir right now. She's too far gone."

            "Leave the pessimistic attitude to me dear. It doesn't suit you. There is a way and we will find it," Regina says with unusual optimism. Though, she's not even sure if her confidence is convincing enough.

            Truth is, as of this moment, there is no way. But like hell Regina isn't going to find it. Emma jumped in front of a poison dipped arrow that day in Neverland—quite foolishly may she add—too save Regina's life. She almost wants to cure the blonde just so she could strangle her for being such an idiot.

            If the Charmings weren't so keen on limiting Regina's use of magic, it could have all been avoided. She could have happily put a stop to every single one of those ungrateful delinquents. Not only did they threaten her life, they threatened her son's. And that is territory no one meddles with.

            One fireball and Emma wouldn't have been lying on that bed. One fireball and Henry would still have two mothers.

            But of course not.

            Regina had to be good. And Emma is paying the price.

            See where good gets you?

***

            "Once again pirate, you've proven yourself to be as useless as the hook on your hand," Regina drawls as she struts into the Charmings' apartment. He rolls his eyes, bringing a malicious smile to Regina's lips. But it softens almost instantly at the refreshing sight of Emma.

            She's awake.

            "You found something?" David asks eagerly.

            Regina nods hesitantly, swallowing the lump at the back of her throat. Her gaze still fixed on the blonde. Emma looks up at her with watery eyes, glazed with belief. It's a look that puts Regina at ease for a moment. It's a look that brings reason to everything she's about to do. "But you won't like it."