Snow was walking up and down across the waiting room. Occasionally David had tried to make her sit down, but she just couldn't do it. Her daughter was in an operation theater with a concussion that had almost killed her. Her daughter, the daughter she couldn't raise, the daughter she couldn't love for twenty-eight years. All because of her. Regina. The same person who tried to kill Emma. The same person who ran away as the coward she was.
" Snow, please..."
" Shut up, David! How can you be that calm? Our daughter's life is in danger!"
" She'll be fine, darling. She's strong." But he wasn't sure of it, Snow could see it. His eyes were filled with tears. He was pale, and his legs were slightly trembling. Snow dried her tears.
" I'll kill her." she growled. David stood up and came up to her, hugging her tightly. He said nothing.
Snow watched Henry over David's shoulder, clung to Red, who was trying to comfort him. His gaze was empty, locked on the floor. He was weeping, but not crying anymore. When Whale had called her, and she and David had ran to the hospital, they had found him immobile, standing in the middle of the waiting room, eyes on the door beyond where Emma had disappeared. He was white on his face, totally covered in tears and soil, and there was a stain of blood on his cheek. Emma's blood. Henry had told them what had happened with flat, empty voice. He had kept weeping all the time. Then he had silenced, and stayed that way for the hour that had passed. They had hugged him, but he didn't react. When Red had come, she had somehow managed to make him sit down, and she had stayed with him since that moment.
Regina succeeded in destroying him, too. Because he was shattered, it was clear. Snow doubted that he could ever ride over this thing.
" What the hell happened?"
The known imperious voice made the room shiver. Snow distanced from David and came at Rapunzel.
" Your beloved Regina tried to kill my daughter, here's what happened!" she spit out with rage, challenging the imposing figure of the warrior. She widened her eyes, but then clenched her jaw.
" Snow..." David tried to say, but Rapunzel came closer to her, locking gaze.
" There must be a misunderstanding..." she replied with low, harsh voice, her eyes suddenly darkened.
" No." Henry's thin but hoarse voice made them all turn to watch him. He was eying Rapunzel with a hateful gaze. " She threw her down of the saddle with magic. She..." his voice faded away with his gaze. Snow's heart crushed for the thousandth time that day. She approached her grandson, trying to hug him after sitting next to him. He stayed still in her hug. Snow glared at Rapunzel.
" Do you still think that we're misunderstanding?"
Rapunzel was speechless. She alternated her gaze between all of them, then lowered it. When she gazed up again at her, Snow saw only determination in her eyes. " This can't be real. She'd never do something like that without a reason."
" She was jealous!" Snow cried out, suddenly standing up. " She wanted him only for herself! She always did!"
" You know this's a lie..."
" A lie? You weren't here, you don't know what she did to keep him with her! She's just a selfish monster, Rap..."
Snow didn't see her moving. One moment she was screaming at her, the moment after she had the warrior's hand on her throat, and her back was pressed against the wall. Rapunzel's face, a mask of rage, was almost touching hers.
" Don't you dare, Snow White..."
Shivers ran through her spine at the sound of that voice. She looked in her eyes. She thought that they were blue. She was sure that they were blue. But now... There was only darkness there. She couldn't see their color anymore. It was like looking directly in the Death's eyes. There was nothing there, but a death's promise.
" Hey! Let her go!" David shouted. Snow saw his hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. He was pulling, but she didn't move.
" Why are you so blind?" Snow asked with the little breath Rapunzel's grasp left her. " How can't you see who she is?"
Rapunzel snorted, a fierce rage that contorted her features. She moved closer, and spoke with her lips almost touching her left ear. " I trust her more than I'll ever trust you, child."
She suddenly let her go and rapidly walked away, her heavy steps loud in the silent room.
It couldn't be real. Regina would have never, ever done such a coward action. She knew her. She could be cruel, ruthless, violent, but never craven. There had to be a mistake. Henry was probably just angry with her for having hurt Emma. He was just a child, after all.
She had to find Regina now. Even if she wasn't in danger, thing that she thought she was however, as everyone seemed to think that she wanted to murder Emma, she couldn't leave her alone in that moment. But where could she be? She didn't know that town. She had only took a walk around Granny's and on the shore, and she had just been in Regina's and Snow's houses... Her house! A safe place, her refuge. It sounded logical. She could begin from there.
Regina tried for the umpteenth time to dry her eyes but, everytime she did, new tears gushed from them. She couldn't forget Henry's gaze. And Emma's immobility. If she was dead... She couldn't even think it. Henry would never forgive her. She could never forgive herself: Emma had always tried to help her. She had saved her life more than once, and saved Henry's happiness even more. She was in debt with her. But, still, was Henry her main worrying. He had already lost his father, if he'd lost his natural mother too... He'd be destroyed. Regina began again to sob in despair, hugging her legs. She had never felt so bad, so desperate, not even when Daniel or her mother had died. Or her father. She had killed him. She had killed her own father. She had killed so many people. But Emma... That shouldn't have happened. It was an accident, true, but... If only she had been more controlled! If only she wasn't so impotent against her own rage...
Regina put a hand on her chest, right there, over her heart, where the pain was unbearable. She could almost feel it get darker. She suddenly felt the need to see it. Gathering her power she pushed against her chest. Her finger began to enter it, leaving her breathless. It was a horrible sensation. She thought about how many people she had made feel that way.
Three soft knocks on the door startled her. She stopped pushing, her fingers between her ribs, not really touching them, as if they weren't real. She thought that the crowd would come to take her head. She imagined screams, insults, thrown stones. Surely not three kind knocks.
Regina pulled away her hand, taking two seconds to catch back her breath. She stayed silent, waiting.
" Regina, are you in?"
Rapunzel. Her eyes uncontrollably filled with tears again. Relief and fear flooded her. And pain as, for a moment, she thought, hoped it could be Henry. She let her head lean on the wall, eyes on the door. " It's opened." she said tiredly. So she realized she actually was tired. Of fighting, hating, killing. She was so weary.
The door opened, Rapunzel rapidly went into the house and shut it, locking it. She then murmured something. A light-blue light sprung from her hands, and passed through the walls. A protective spell. Regina snorted, weeping. The Blue Fairy or Rumplestiltskin could break it in a moment.
" Are you crazy? To leave the door opened? Snow wants you dead!"
Regina paled. So Emma was...
Rapunzel kneeled next to her, and took her hand. Regina couldn't find the strength to look her in the eyes.
" Emma is being cured. She'll be fine, Victor is taking care of her."
Regina stared at Rapunzel in disbelief. The warrior was looking at her with a worried gaze. That beautiful, deep, caring look she always addressed to her. New tears wetted her cheeks. Rapunzel's face contorted with pain, actual pain, and her eyes got bright with tears. A hand of hers gently leaned on her cheek, making her give a start and widen her eyes. That touch was so gentle she had to cry more. Regina sobbed, suddenly clasping Rapunzel, hiding her face between her neck and shoulder. The warrior, after a trembling moment of hesitation, held her tight to her, caressing her back with one hand, ruffling her hair on her nape with the other, and so making her sob louder.
" Shush, it will be fine, it will be fine..." she whispered, succeeding somehow in calming a little her heart, after a while.
Regina had no idea of the amount of time that they spent that way. She only knew that, when she finally stopped crying, she was exhausted. It was like if she had lost all of her forces. She could barely stay sit.
Rapunzel broke the hug at her tiniest hint. When they distanced, Regina almost choked realizing that she had cried too. She instinctively caressed her cheek, making her falter. Shaya tried to hide everything with a snort.
" You're contagious." she tried to joke, but with a sort of apologizing smile. Regina pulled back her hand. What was she doing?
" Hum, s-sorry, I... I lost control. I didn't want to cry on you..." Regina glanced down, but Rapunzel's hand on her shoulder made her lock gaze with her. She was smiling.
" Hey, I'm here for you. I'll always be."
Regina tried to hold the damned tears. She'd always been alone. She had never felt that warmth, the one she was now experiencing. It was beautiful.
Rapunzel pulled back her hand, leaving a cold emptiness at its place.
" Tell me what happened." she said, now serious and vaguely sad.
" Didn't Snow already tell you? I almost killed her daughter."
The warrior sighed. " Aye, she said so, but she also said that you did it because you were jealous of Henry's love towards her. Thing that I sincerely can't believe. So, tell me what happened."
Regina gave her a long stare. She looked determined. Rapunzel had never doubted of her nature, she suddenly realized. Rapunzel had never thought that she was evil, or she wouldn't be there, giving her comfort, trying to know the truth with that sweet determination in her eyes. Again, Regina had to swallow back the emotion.
" It... it was an accident."
Regina clearly saw the slight relief in Rapunzel's face. Not as if she feared that she could have wanted to kill Emma, no, it was too small to be so; it was more like if she had had a confirmation of her thoughts. She couldn't help but stare at her for a while, again.
Rapunzel raised her eyebrows. " What?"
Regina smiled, and watched her blue eyes brighten. " Nothing." she muttered, still staring at her.
The warrior frowned again, but she even gave her a little smile. " Alright. So...?"
" Right, hum... Well, we were fighting, actually. Me and Emma."
" Why?"
" Because... I was angry. I was before them with the horse, and I heard them whisper. They didn't want me to listen. They hid so many thing to me... It makes me go mad! I thought Henry trusted me now, but... I was angry. I said them how I felt, Henry tried to protect Emma and I got angrier. Then Emma almost made me fall from the saddle and, when I told her, she began saying horrible things about me, wrong things... And I slapped her. I didn't want but... Henry was afraid. I tried to apologize with him, but he stepped back. He run from me. I... It killed me. I couldn't believe that it was happening again, that my son was running away from me with fear! I began crying, I lost control. And I was still angry." Regina stopped for a moment, snorting. " I'm beginning to think I always am. And then Emma put a hand on my shoulder, and I... Rapunzel, I swear it, I only wanted to push her away with my hand..."
" But you lost control of your magic." the warrior finished for her, nodding with a knowing gaze in her kind eyes.
" Yes." Regina whispered, clasping that look, its understanding, its kindness. " I... I never meant to... She flew down on the ground, and hit her head... And then she was so still..."
Rapunzel hugged her again, rubbing her back. That warmth filled her again, making her sigh in relief.
" It wasn't your fault, Regina. It was an accident."
" I thought I had the control of my magic. And now Henry hates me..."
" He's just a kid, Regina. He's scared for his mother, nothing more."
" No, he hates me. I saw it in his eyes."
Rapunzel broke the hug and grabbed her from her shoulder, looking at her straight in the eye. " He doesn't. He loves you, you're his mother."
" Emma is too."
" Still you're the one he calls "mom"."
Regina's jaw fell.
Rapunzel gave her a tiny, bitter smile. " Good. " She stood up, stretching a hand towards her. " Stand up. We have to go."
Regina stayed still. " Where?"
" To the hospital."
" Do you want me dead?"
Rapunzel arched an eyebrow. " Real question?"
Regina shook her head. Rapunzel succeeded even in making her smile. " Rapunzel, you said it too, Snow..."
" Snow can kiss my ass. Stand up, Regina. It's time to make them face the truth. "
Red was about to have an heart attack. Almost two hours and Victor didn't exit that fucking door yet. Henry didn't talk, Snow was a fury, David was trying not to fall to pieces and now Grumpy had begun muttering heavy insults towards the former Queen and her " blonde watchdog". Red felt a little offended at the name. It wasn't fair, but she didn't even try to make him notice it. It would have just made things worse.
She didn't really know what to think. It wasn't impossible that Regina did what Snow thought, but she really didn't believe it. Regina had actually changed in the last period.
The operation theater's door finally opened, showing an exhausted Dr. Whale. Everyone stood up and went to him.
" How is she?" David and Snow asked at the same time.
" She's fine." Victor smiled. Everyone sighed in relief. " We stopped the bleeding. We just had to suture the wound and plaster her broken wrist. We'll keep her under watch for a few days, then she'll go back home."
" Can I see her?" Henry's voice was so harsh that Red could barely recognize it. Victor smiled.
" She's asleep now, but yes, sure. Go." he added, pointing at the hallway at his right. Henry immediately ran there.
Victor smiled, then looked at David and Snow. " She will sleep till tomorrow. She may have an amnesia. There's always this possibility with concussions."
David hugged Snow, who put her hand on her opened mouth. She was weeping.
" Is it permanent?" he asked with broken voice.
" Generally not." he shrugged. " Maybe she would heal faster with some magical help..."
Snow fiercely glared at him. " Magic hurt her enough. I'll banish it from this town."
Then she walked away towards Emma's room, followed by David.
Red met Whale's gaze.
" Was she serious?"
Red shrugged. " Dunno. She's angry, but she has her reasons to hate magic."
Victor nodded. Red couldn't help but admire his thoughtful face. She smiled at him. " Well, Emma is good, so... better if I go back to work. Too many people watching her sleep."
He smiled back at her. " True. See you tonight."
Red felt her heart beat faster. " T-tonight?"
" Yes. I was thinking to eat at Granny's. Will you be there?"
Red blushed instantly. " Oh, yes, sure!" Stupid! He'll never ask you on a date! Look at him, the perfect doctor, with his white coat... His sexy white coat...
" Good! See you there." He smiled again and turned. Red almost run away in embarrass. Did he notice? She hoped no.
She was so concerned in her embarrass that she almost thumped on Rapunzel: the warrior avoided her at the eleventh hour.
" Mind your steps, Wolf Cub." she murmured with low, threatening voice. Regina, fucking Regina Mills was walking next to her. Ruby immediately turned and began following them.
" Hey hey, wait! Where are you going?"
" To visit Emma."
" You can't!" Red passed them and stopped, forcing them to do the same.
" Why?" Regina asked. Her eyes were so dark that the wolf inside Red agitated.
" B-because Snow is inside, and if you two meet, only one will survive. And I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't be you, Regina."
" Regina? You regal bitch of my nuts, you almost killed my bestfriend's daughter! "
Grumpy heard them, it seemed. Ruby sighed.
" Grumpy..."
" Witch! Snow should have killed you when she could..."
" Grumpy." Rapunzel's voice froze him. It froze everyone, actually. Red felt her gaze on her, and stared back at her, swallowing. She was calm, but rage burnt as unextinguished embers behind her eyes.
" Let us pass."
It wasn't a request.
Red stepped back. The wolf was carving inside herself, trying to hide from those blue eyes.
David caressed again her daughter's blonde hair. There was a spot where it missed, a white rectangle of gauze that hid the wound that had almost killed her. His other hand was on her broken wrist ( the left one fortunately), as if he could heal it simply touching it. Never more than that day he wished to know how to use magic. Just to heal his daughter. Only to see her open her eyes as soon as possible.
He felt his eyes get wet, and hold back the tears. He had to stay strong. For Snow, and Henry.
The boy was on the other side of the bed, holding Emma's hand, his tiny, pale face left inexpressive.
Snow was behind him, she couldn't see his face.
" She's fine, Henry." David said smiling at him. His grandson barely glanced at him. " She's just sleeping."
" I know." he said in a growl. He was angry, David realized. He sighed. He was, too. How could Regina have hurt his daughter? She had nothing to do with her hate towards Snow. Emma was a victim of their hate! She had grown alone, without her parents... And now this. He caressed her hair again. " You don't deserve all of this..." he whispered without even notice.
" Indeed she doesn't."
Regina's voice startled him. He leaped up, upsetting the chair he was sitting on. He watched Snow put herself between the brunette and the bed. He realized a second later that Rapunzel was there too, standing next to Regina, giving a hard stare at Snow.
" Get out of here." his wife said with threatening tone. David went closer to her. Henry had stayed still, he noticed with a glance.
" Not until you hear what I have to say."
" Get out of here!" Snow shouted. David tried to calm her by leaning a hand on her back, but she refused it shaking her shoulders. " Now!"
" You should go away." he suggested to the former Queen. She barely looked at him. The flash of the memory of Henry doing the same, a minute before, hit his mind.
" It was an accident." Rapunzel intervened. She wasn't looking at Snow anymore. She was gazing at Henry.
" You weren't there, you don't know..."
The warrior glowered at his wife. " I know what happened. You don't. You'd better listen, Princess."
" Hey, don't you dare to threaten my wife!"
" I'm not." she smirked at him. " You'd be hiding under the bed if I was, Charming."
He was about to reply, but Regina put a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. " Don't be rude, dear. They're rightly angry. You don't have to make enemies because of my mistakes."
She wasn't mocking them. She was serious, it seemed. David, still challenging Rapunzel with his gaze, clenched his jaw. He was damn angry. He sneered at the warrior. " Heard your mistress? "
" David!" an astonished Snow cried out, open-mouthed, suddenly turning to watch him. He blushed. This wasn't him. His rage suddenly disappeared.
" S-sorry, I didn't mean..."
Rapunzel gritted her teeth, but she said nothing. David saw Regina give her a quick, worried glance before she continued.
" How charming of you, Prince David. A good example for my son."
" I'm not your son."
Regina literally swayed and paled as if someone had stabbed her. Henry's voice was unrecognizable.
Rapunzel tried to remediate: " Henry I know you're furious but..."
Henry was standing now. He and Regina had locked gaze. The brunette was silently weeping.
" I'm sick of your excuses. You're evil. I hate you! "
The absolute calm whereby he said it was creepy.
David looked at Regina. She looked broken, desperate.
" Henry, don't you dare address your mother this way!" he shouted, making him finally look at him. He felt Regina's gaze on him, too. He could almost feel her surprise. " She doesn't deserve this treatment!"
" She does." David heard Snow's voice say it, but he couldn't believe that had truly been her to say those words. He looked at his wife. She was grinning at Regina. The destroyed, hurt Regina that was staring at her with that pleading gaze.
" Snow what are you..."
" She does, David! She's a murderer! She's a monst..."
" It was an accident." Rapunzel's voice covered Snow's. " Regina was in pain, and she couldn't control her magic. She never meant to hurt Emma. She just wanted to be left alone with her pain, and you know why, Snow White?" The warrior had rapidly approached his wife. She looked like a tidal wave about to crush on her. All that anger... " Because she's used to. You left her alone when Cora killed Daniel, when you thought that your happiness was more important than hers and insisted for her to marry your father. I saw her, Snow White. I saw her pain from a hundred feet of distance. She was right in front of you every bloody day, and you saw nothing."
" I was a child!"
" You still are."
There was a moment of silence. It seemed that Rapunzel was trying to stay silent, but she couldn't. Here eyes were bright of tears. David couldn't see Regina behind her, but he bet hers were, too.
" And even when you grew up? I guess you knew what sex is, Princess."
" W-what...?"
Rapunzel snorted devilishly. " See? You can't even think about it..."
" What are you talking about?"
Rapunzel came closer to her, fury in her eyes. " I'm talkin' about marriage duties, child. "
Snow stepped back, a hand on her mouth. David was shocked, too. He had never thought about it. He glanced down, unable to watch Rapunzel's burning eyes. He barely heard Regina cry out her name. He looked at the former Queen. Their gazes met for a second, then they both lowered them.
" I'm sorry, Regina. But I told you." Rapunzel moved, catching his attention. She was now standing next to the brunette again. Regina was awkwardly staring at the ground.
" Henry." Rapunzel kindly called him. David turned to watch his grandson. His eyes were wide open, and he was looking at the warrior. " You know that it was an accident."
Henry hesitated. He was confused. He looked at his mother, then at the other one. He looked even more confused then.
" Henry, I know you're angry with your mother, but it wasn't her fault. She'd never, ever hurt you. Never. She knows you love Emma, so she'd never hurt her, too. Can you believe me?"
They looked at each other. Henry didn't make a move.
Rapunzel pressed her lips together in a smile before going on. " Listen, it's a bit that I'm around. I kinda know people. I... let's say I can see inside them. You're a good boy, Henry. You're pure. Emma is, too. And your grandfather. " She winked at David, making him arch his eyebrows. He didn't see that coming. " But me, your grandma and your mother, we aren't. As Rumple isn't. Or Red. We're stained... or totally dark. You can guess who might I refer to." She laughed, then mouthed "Rumplestiltskin". Henry almost smiled. She smiled widely. " And I'm not much better, but... Am I so terrible?"
Henry hesitated, but finally he answered with a hint of voice. " When you're angry."
Rapunzel laughed. " True! You see? It's the thing that me and your mother have in common: we're pretty hot-tempered." She laughed again, and this time he smiled. Regina almost cried, behind Rapunzel. " Aye, I know. But there's only one reason why we get that angry..." Rapunzel's tone had changed. Her voice was slightly trembling, and her cheeks were red now. " And that reason is love, Little Prince." She paused, evidently holding back the tears. She looked terrorized. Henry made a step towards her. " She was so afraid of losing you that she lost control on the only thing she has ever had control on: magic. She didn't want to hurt Emma. She hates herself for what happened, believe me."
Henry stayed still for a bit, but then he ran towards her. No, not towards Rapunzel. He passed her and hugged Regina so tightly and with so much outburst that she hit the wall behind her. The former Evil Queen fell on her knees, crying and hugging her son.
" I'm sorry mom, I'm so sorry..." he was saying to her, weeping. She folded him in her arms, drowning in his hug.
" It's all right sweetheart! It's all right..."
David felt tears in his eyes.
He looked at his wife. She was watching the scene with a weird expression. She wasn't moved at all. She looked almost... angry. She glanced at him. Yes, she was angry. But not with Regina. He was neither, no more. David hugged his wife, breathing her scent.
" I thought I lost you." he whispered in her ear. He felt her shiver.
" I lost myself."
David broke the hug to look her in the eyes. She looked shattered now. " I'll have to find you, then." he tried to smile.
She tried too, but without success.