Authors note: Well there we are, guys. I don't want to say finally, but it is kind of finally (if that makes any sense). It was a heavy emotional rollercoaster but to be honest, I loved every second of it. I want to thank all of you for standing by this story, I know it has sometimes been very heavy and triggering material and I appreciate the effort it took you all to read it and review it. I love all of you and I hope you all have an amazing 2016. Now I sound like you'll never see me again but that is absolutely not the case. I'm currently working on three other stories and one of them is also SwanQueen. Hope to see you there and otherwise I'll see you later!

xxx A

...

Regina was nervous as she walked towards the main entrance, the double doors automatically swinging open. God, she hated hospitals, absolutely loathed them. The smell was probably the worst of all for she could still clearly remember it. 12 months earlier she had been the one to lay in one of these rooms and it was a fact Regina would probably never forget. She could remember feeling so small, just laying there while her father told her stories. They were meaningless but they soothed her worried mind which was occupied with thoughts about Emma, about her mother and sometimes about Leo and all that he did to her. It had taken her 12 months of intense therapy to merely accept that it had happened to her and not some figment of her imagination. Archie told her it had been her coping mechanism for being put through such terrible abuse for so long.

She smiled kindly at a passing nurse before turning left. Regina knew the way by heart even though Emma had never allowed her to come. Every time she had asked the blonde the only answer she got was a harsh no, before Emma timidly left the room. She had talked to Archie about Emma too. Mainly about the worry she felt every time Emma would shut her down like that. He had told her that she was probably ashamed and that she shouldn't worry, Emma will learn to accept and when she's ready she'll tell you, but that was easier said than done. Regina wanted to be there for the blonde the way Emma was there for her. Emma was her rock, the only one who understood how she felt and the only one she could turn to after a nightmare, or a flashback.

Even though they were not actually living together, they might as well be. Either Regina would be at Emma's small apartment or Emma would be at Regina's family home seeing that that was the place Regina now lived. Temporarily, she keeps telling herself, but she knew better. She couldn't leave her father alone right now. The death of her mother had hit him hard and he was not well. And to be completely honest, she didn't think she was ready to get a place for herself. The thought about living alone gave her the chills. So therefor she was more than okay living with her father until she was ready.

"Ah, Regina." The nurse with dark hair and even darker eyes said in her thick English accent. "Did she finally allow you to come?" The woman smiled kindly, a teasing glint in her eyes as she eyed the computer screen that was in front of her nose. "Emma is in room 45B."

"Thank you, Freya." Regina responded with a tight smile before rushing towards the B-wing. The thing was, Emma wasn't exactly aware that Regina was stopping by. Archie had warned her when she first told him of her plan to stop by unannounced. He said it could end badly, Emma could get really mad, but right now she was willing to take that risk. She loved the blonde, dare she say it and she wanted Emma to know that she was able to see past it. She wanted Emma to know that she was strong enough to handle this, that Emma could lean on her this time. They had survived a terrible trauma together and they could also heal together. Regina actually cringed at that one. God, when had she become such a cliché?

There was a rectangular shaped window in the door and Regina carefully peaked inside. This was the room, she could still turn around and leave. She wouldn't even have to tell Emma when the blonde would inevitably call this evening. They actually called every night and even though her father never said anything about it she knew that smile of his. Like he was aware of something she was not. She did not particularly like that smile. With a sigh Regina realized she had been standing there for a couple of minutes already. Damnit Regina, she scolded herself quietly, you don't back down for anything, remember what mother taught you!

Her head was held high and there was a comforting smile on her face. She didn't want Emma think she was a threat, like she was there to laugh at her. The only thing she was there for was support and so she opened the door.

Emma Swan was as beautiful as ever with her flushed cheeks and sweaty forehead, wearing a soaked-through tank top and tight black running shorts. The skin above her prosthetic leg was red and looked irritated, but Emma just kept going. She was standing between two bars, her arms shaking from using all the strength they contained to keep herself from dropping down onto the floor.

She was standing, upright on her two feet and it was the most beautiful thing Regina had ever seen.

"Emma." The name left her red lips in a whisper. There was awe in her voice, pride too as she stood there with tears blurring her vision. "You're standing, Emma."

The blonde in questions was shocked beyond believe to see Regina standing there in the doorway, unable to even get mad at her for just showing up without telling her so. "Regina? What-"

"Emma, you're standing!" The brunette repeated again, she dropped her purse down on the chair next to the door and quickly walked over. They both forgot the nurse who was situated in the corner as they focused only on each other. "Emma, I'm sorry for just showing up like this, I know you didn't want me here. But I just want you to know that you don't have to be ashamed, especially not in front of me, not after all that we've been through. You saved my life, Emma Swan and I just want you to know that now it's my turn. You can let me in, Emma. I won't hurt you, or shame you, I'd rather die than do that to you. And you know why, Swan?" She smiled, her cheeks turning a color pink Emma had no other choice but to describe as 'cute'. "Because I love you, Emma." She softly placed her hands on Emma's sweaty cheeks and carefully kissed her on the lips before quickly backing away again.

God, what had she just done, that was not supposed to have happened.

"I- I'm so sorry, Emma."

But instead of getting extremely mad like Regina thought she would, the blonde just started laughing. Hard. Emma slowly moved her weight to her good leg and released one hand from the bars. She curled her free hand in glossy dark hair that belonged to the woman in front of her and almost hungrily smacked their lips together for the second time that day. She was grinning smugly when they finally parted for air. "It's fine, Regina. More than fine. I shouldn't have pushed you away, I know all you want to do is help and I should have let you." There was a small pause before Emma spoke again. "Because I love you too, Regina Mills. I've loved you from the moment I saw you."

A cough sounded from the corner before the forgotten nurse spoke up. "I don't want to interrupt you girls but we've got to move along, miss. Of course your girlfriend is welcome to stay."

And neither women thought to correct her.

...

Well that's that, Emma is still alive. Truth be told for a moment there I actually thought about letting Emma die, just for the dramatic effect but I couldn't get myself to do it. It would just be too sad after all they've been through. Instead I opted for something more along the lines of a happy ending. Hope you enjoyed.

Much love.