Regal Cricket (friendship) - session
This is a part of my story, where Regina is pregnant and in a quite bad place both physically and emotionally. Archie tries to help her.
I have always wanted to write a session with these two, and I feel quite content with how it turned out in the end. Okay, I’m proud. :) That is why I am posting now this part alone too.
Enjoy! And review please! Hugs!
Regina/Robin romance (mostly mentioned in this part of the story)
Yes, Hook brought Emma and Henry into the Enchanted Forest during the Missing Year.
Pregnant Regina - angst (wuhuu!, exciting!)
He was getting used to her appearance, that she was sitting in front of him as The Queen now. Her makeup intending to cover the circles under her eyes and also to apply as a tool of intimidation. Or simlpy a mask to help her face the world.
„I hear you dreamed about Roland again.”, started Doctor Hopper their session, his calm voice always meant to be soothing, but like most of the times only ending up making Regina irritated.
She smirked loudly in response, so unladylike that it would have made him smile if the situation hadn’t been this serious. Then she sighed frustrated, looking everywhere but the cricket. „I hate it.”, she lashed out finally.
„Hate what?”, he quered, still the epitome of serenity.
„When you are talking about me.”, she added, as if it should have been obvious for him.
„You don’t give us too much choice.” he explained, studying Regina carefully but not less thoroughly.
She was wringing her hands in her lap, the straightness of her spine, forced and faltering. Her breathing got a bit sharper every now and then, as if she has been sniffling.
She also just proved his point with still not saying anything about last night.
„Robin told me that you woke up screaming Roland’s name and that you couldn’t fall back asleep after that.” Doctor Hopper continued, getting right to the point as all would expect from him.
He had known Regina for quite a while and knew how difficult it was for her to open up. He was always very patient with her, but he also knew which string to pull, and which one should be left alone. Until those oppressed ones too, would start to twang on their own to chant about tales so horrible that even he had to go to have some drinks after.
„You need your rest, Regina. And I don’t solely mean sleeping. I mean rest in general. Peace for your body and soul.”, he continued, bending a little closer to her.
She still refused to look at him.
„And for that you need to forgive yourself. You need to accept that what happened wasn’t your fault.”, he added, his gentle tone almost hypnotizing.
Or was it only her wearyness due to the sleepless night and the both physical and emotional roller coaster from yesterday, what caused the numbness she was feeling?
She knew she had to try this to get better, to get stronger at least mentally. That she should talk so Archie could help her, but she couldn’t stop her strength fading away. And this made everything even more hopeless.
„And how exactly would I do that?”, she snapped suddenly, finally looking him in the eye, though hardly seeing through the tears clouding her vision.
„By talking about what happened that evening. Talking about what you feel. Talking about your pain, your fears.”, he explained, his professionalism wavering a little when he noticed Regina’s cheeks shining from her tears as she turned her head, „I know it’s scary, and it may sound too much, but we will take one step at a time.”, he tried to reassure her.
„I need to get him back. I have to! I can’t rest until I do.”, she said, swallowing down as much as she could from her overflowing emotions.
„There you are. That’s a good start. A great one, actually. Now we know how much it unsettles you and we can start working on it.”, he beamed, with a strangely too expressive delight about his accomplishment.
After collecting himself from the enthusiasm of getting somewhere with Regina, he suddenly realized how tired she was getting. Her fingers, previously squeezed into tight fists from letting her repressed emotions outburst, were again fidgeting in her lap uncertainly.
The concern grew in him when he saw her putting one hand against her middle. The othervise loosely fit, though not less regal looking burgundi dress with black patterns and laces, hugged her tighter around the waist, showing that against all odds, the baby kept growing inside her. Despite all the signs he had learned about her not so simple condition through the past weeks, he still hoped that he could push her a little bit further before it would hurt them by any means.
„Actually this is why you sent Hook to bring Emma here, so she could help you save Roland. So she could do the things you can’t do due to your condition.”
She nodded, looking frighteningly defeated.
„You have to try to concentrate on the things you are able to do in order to save Roland. Also on the things you have already done to get closer to saving him. Because you were the one giving the instructions to Captain Hook how he will be able to return to the land without magic, then how he could bring Emma and Henry here. Do what you are capable of doing and stop wasting your time on things from the past.”, he shared his advice with the Queen, speaking very slowly and almost whispering.
„I’ll try.”, she sighed, failing to dismiss any longer how much of a toll this conversation took on her. She took deeper, calmer breaths as she started to stand up from the couch. „Thank you, Doktor.” she added, with forced simplicity, looking him in the eye genuinely while thanking him.
He understood the meaning behind her words. He has been expecting her excuse for a while, and seeing how difficult it was for her to stand up only verified his concernes. He was able to read her after all the time she has spent with him, with her heart open and her soul naked, so she wouldn’t need to explain him that she couldn’t continue. That she was weak but wouldn’t admit it, wouldn’t say it out loud.
„Archie.”, he reminded her with a light smile.
„Yes, Archie, I’m sorry.”, she corrected herself, her smile barely reaching her eyes as a soft moan slipped through her open lips at the end of her sentence.
„Regina…”, Archie called for her, fearing that something was wrong. He stood up and stepped next to her to be closer if needed. He would have taken her free hand - the one she wasn’t pressing softly into her middle - to offer support, but he knew better than to do something uncomfortable for the Queen. He remained reachable, always studying her posture.
„Robin is waiting for me outside.”, she whispered to lessen his concernes.
„Good. I would have suggested that someone should walk you back to your quaters.”
„I’m fine.”, she insisted, however she was only eyeing the door behind the Doctor, but wasn’t taking any step into the direction of it.
„But you’ll definately need rest. You’ll have your first magic lesson with Emma this afternoon, if I recall correctly?”, he reminded her in an attempt to destract her attention. At her nod, he continued, „I suppose it is going to drain you enormously too, so you rest as much as…” he was deciding on the right amount in his head, when he noticed Regina swaying slightly on her feet. „I suggest you rest until the time of the lesson comes.”, he finished quite abruply, eyebrows knitten when he saw the color draining from her face.
„Would you… would you walk me… to the …?”, she stuttered, but wasn’t able to finish it as again a moan slipped through her pale lips.
To Archie’s biggest surprise, the moment her knees started to weaken her hands desperately tried to grab at his jacket, finally getting a steady hold on his collar. She was completaly leaning on him. He carefully slipped his arms around her and managed to keep her from falling.
„I’ve got you.”, he murmured into her ear. He felt the air against his neck leaving her body through shaky breaths, and felt the shivering of her chest against his own. Her strong fingers were digging into his shoulders for a momet, until they were loosening their tight grip before her knees buckled again.
The baby was furious inside her.
„Hey, I’m going to lay you down on the couch and then bring Robin in, okay?”, he whishpered, his usual calmness wavering.
He gently helped her lay down on her back, slowly lowering her onto the couch. He then hurriedly turned to the door, but Regina grabbed at his hand, before he could have stepped out of her reach.
„Do you… Do you think I deserve to find him?”
Her loose grip stopped his movements first, but her barely audible words almost stopped his heart too. He was speachless. He, who had learned about many of Regina’s battles, of her failures of her sufferings, but most of all her unhealthy relationship with herself, was shocked by her question.
How could she think so little of herself?
„You deserve it! And you deserve so much more, Regina!”
„All I deserve is this suffering.”, she mumbled.
„Please, don’t say that.” He pleaded, watching her through his glasses helplessly, as her dark eyes overflew with tears.
„I am just so tired.”, she formed the words with some difficulty. Her eyes searched the room, like she wasn’t sure where she was exactly, before she started to blink slower.
„You can sleep now, you are safe here, Regina.”
Her only answer was a long sigh, as if with it she was letting go of her burdens to finally be able to rest. Her breathing got even and her features smoothened out.
Robin got worried when he saw Archie standing in the door alone. The Doctor guided him to the couch, to the sleeping Regina. As he took in her state and kissed her on the forehead his heart became a bit lighter.
She was just sleeping. She was finally sleeping.
„Everything is going to be fine.” Robin whispered, as his nose brushed her white cheek and his hand was playing with her hair.
