Chapter Thirteen- Ohana

"Mama, I hwungry!" Lily stamped her tiny foot, the normally mild manner child cranky that she had to sit in a hospital chair for the past four hours with no substance. Regina hadn't spoken much since the nurse came by three hours previous to tell them that Emma was actually in surgery right now. There hadn't been any updates since then.

"Lilith Page Nolan, stop it right now!" Mallory hissed, accidentally dislodging a sleeping Elsa.

"NO! I wanna eat NOW!" Lily demanded

"Maybe you should take them down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. We haven't heard anything in a while." Regina's voice was raspy from disuse, as she looked sympathetically at the child on the verge of a full blown meltdown. Mal looked torn, before nodding her head.

"I'll call your mother on my way down there. It's early enough." Mal murmured, heaving up one of the sleepy blonde tots, while her mind was on the other. Taking Lily's hand, she led them over to the elevator.

"I'll bring you back something, you need to eat." Mal didn't leave any room for discussion before clambering part of their crew into the metal transportation box. Regina had been picking the lint off of her pajama bottoms when a doctor caught her eye. He had a grim expression on his face as he disposed of his soiled scrubs. Living in a very small town such as Storybrooke, she knew Emma was the only one who was having surgery at this time, and the look on his face had her stomach clenching.

"Mrs. Mills-Locksley, I'm Dr. Victor Whale. I was the primary surgeon handling your daughter." He introduced himself.

"It's just Ms. Mills." Regina corrected him, despite the fact that her divorce wasn't finalized yet.

"Please allow me to apologize for my mistake." He pursed his lips, not wanting to tell the already frazzled mother the news.

"How's my daughter? Did the surgery go well?" Regina questioned, ignoring his apology.

"Her surgery went as well as to be expected give the circumstances. As we first guessed, her appendix did in fact burst. However by the time she hit my OR table she was already experiencing sepsis." Whale paused for a moment.

"Sepsis?" Regina's lips pursed in confusion.

"It's an infection in the blood, if left untreated it has nearly always been proven to be fatal. We are lucky you brought her in when you did." He answered, watching the future Mayor blink back tears.

"B-But she's okay right?" Regina croaked, as the possibilities and what if's slipped into her mind.

"With sepsis comes respiratory direst. With Emma's already compromised immune system, we decided the best course of action would be to put her on a ventilator and give her body a rest. We are going to be administering antibiotics around the clock to help her fight the infection." He continued on.

"Is she going to be okay?!" Regina snapped at him running around the question.

"As of right now, she isn't out of the woods yet. However she is in good hands and we are doing all we can for her. I'm going to be here around the clock until she is back running around just like your other child, Ms. Mills." Victor vowed before being summoned away by his beeper.

She didn't move for a half an hour, absorbing everything he told her until her thought were interrupted by the numerous people who flooded the hospital waiting room all at once. There seemed to be an argument going on between the group but Regina was finding it hard to focus.

"Mommy..." Lily scurried over to her with Elsa hot on her heels, as Regina's head snapped up. She was surprised to see Mallory toe to toe with Robin, with Marian holding a two year old Roland in her arms several feet away.

"You aren't needed or wanted here!" Mal hissed, clenching her fist at her side.

"Please! I'm on her emergency contact list and her birth certificate! You're just the lass who can't tell her own kid from another! Those two don't even look anything alike!" Robin responded in a haughty tone.

"You can leave, or I can have security throw you out on your ass! After all the shit you put that little girl through, you don't even deserve to breath the same air as her. You don't have that right!" Mal sneered.

"Well I have more parental rights than you, and that's saying something. Especially since I've been holding off on signing those actual papers. What's my kids name again? Lillian ? " Robin's smirk was whipped clean off his face by Mal's fist trying to crush his nose. Neither one had noticed Henry Mills enter the hospital room until he separated the two.

"Both of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Fighting at a time like this!" He boomed, his nostrils flaring in anger.

"With all due respect sir, I have no idea who you are nor do I care. If you come near my kids, I will kick your ass!" Mallory directed her last statement towards Robin who was trying to stem his bloody nose.

"Ms. Nolan! You will watch how you speak to my father!" Regina stepped forward when the twins tried to hide behind her legs.

"Gee, I-" Mallory blushed deeply

"No! You are scaring our kids! Get a hold of yourself!" Regina cut her off, holding up her hand. Watching the blonde mumble an apology to her dad before clambering her way over towards the kids.

"Hey Sugah, how's the sundrop?" Henry went and embraced his daughter.

"She isn't doing good Daddy...her blood... She had an infection from her appendix bursting." Regina explained to the roomful of people.

"Is she going to be okay?" A concerned Marian stepped forward.

"That is none of your business!" Regina quipped, glaring at the woman.

"Regina, you don't have to speak with her that way." Robin went to interrupt.

"How is she supposed to speak to the whore who broke up her marriage as she flashes her bastard baby in her face?" A ice cold Cora appeared , appraising the situation. She had never liked the rugged man, and she certainly didn't mind seeing him go.

"Mother, the children!" Regina's eyes widen as she gestured towards the girls.

"I'm sure they will hear much worse when they come over to Nona's house. Now tell me, how is my little Chicky doing?" Cora looked around for a room that might contain her granddaughter.

"S-She's in ICU. They have her on a ventilator because of her lungs. There is an infection in her blood. Mama I don't know how her little body is going to fight this off." Regina shook her head as the first few tears rolled down her face, she swiped at them but they kept coming.

"Regina straighten yourself out right now. You can't think like that! She will come out of this stronger and healthier than ever. Now everyone,...bow your head and join hands." Cora demanded. When nobody moved she narrowed her eyes.

"I said, bow your heads and let's join hands." The edge in her voice had everyone complying quickly.

"Heavenly father, we ask that you watch over this beautiful little girl. We ask that you not only grant her the strength to overcome this obstacle but also the rest of this family. We ask the you put your healing hands on this gentle soul, and cleanse her body from the evils that try to harm it. In your name we pray, Amen." Cora started.

Dear Lord, we ask that you take my baby under your wing. That you bless this sweet sweet little girl. Father, she has been in and out of this hospital twenty-seven times not including the day of her birth. I've watched her be poked and prodded with needles since the day I've brought her home. I've been there when they pumped so much medicine and I've prayed for her recovery. I watched you bring my Pretty Bird back from her first serious asthma attack, so I know you can bring her back from this. Lord I just ask that you keep her in your heart and your healing hands. It's been just her and me for almost four years, I-I can't lose her...Amen." Regina's voice broke off towards the end, and when she went to let out a sob, Mallory turned her into her chest.

"Mama her be okay, right?" Lily's bottom lip jutted out, and Regina tried to gather herself for the children in the room.

"Yes baby, Emmie is strong. She'll be okay." Mal answered, scooping up the brunette tot.

"Yeah! Her didn't even cry when that lard ass hit her!" Elsa chimed in.

"Elsa language." Regina chastised her gently, but picked up the child when she held out her hands.

Two Day's Later

"Mama, we go seem Emmie today?" Elsa asked from the table, she had been pushing around her breakfast for the majority of the half and hour since it was set in front of her. Lily wasn't fairing too much better.

"Yes, after you both eat all your food and Mommy wakes up we will." Mallory rubbed her sore lids, nobody had been sleeping well in the past few days. Regina could barely walk past the spot Emma got sick at, even though Mal had cleaned it several times.

"I not hungry." Lily shook her head pushing her plate away.

"You said the same thing about dinner last night Lily Pad, you got to eat something. Both of you." Mal tried to put on her firm voice, but she was waning. Trying to be strong for everyone when all she wanted was to cry a little was draining.

"It's cold Mama." Elsa whined, not wanting to touch her pancakes.

"Then eat the fruit Elsa Jane, now is not the time for one of your little temper tantrums." Mallory spoke harsher than intended, and when Elsa's bottom lip quivered she was about to apologize. Until she felt a warm arm wrap around her stomach.

"Why don't you go shower and wind down a bit. I'll take care of the girls." Regina's husky voice was heavy with sleep, as she brushed her lips across the back of Mallory's neck. The blonde shivered, before nodding. These types of touches had been becoming more frequent between the two, offering some semblance of comfort.

"Okay, I'll be quick. So we can hurry and head to the hospital." Mal agreed.

"No rush. We can go around one today." Regina averted her eyes, causing Mallory to look at her.

"Why so late?" She questioned, glancing at the clock that read 8:34 AM.

"Because we are all becoming crabby. Even the girls. They both need some normalcy in their lives at this point. I figure we could walk to the park and let them play for a bit and then head over to the hospital." Regina cleared her throat before turning her body to end the conversation. Mallory left it at that before rushing upstairs to take a shower. On her way out she dressed in light washed jeans an a silk vest styled tank top and brown sandals before heading into Emma's room. The child's bed was still unmade, and the curtains hadn't been drawn yet, but her focus was on the plush ninja turtle that Emma hardly went anywhere without. Grabbing it off the bed, she headed out of the soft yellow painted room before closing the door. She went into the guest room and decided to give herself another twenty minutes to unwind.

She didn't plan on falling asleep, but she also didn't plan on being rudely awaken by a tiny foot kicking her under her chin.

"Wha the fuck...?" Mal whispered gruffly. The curtains had been pulled closed and only the barest bit of sun shined through. The offending limb was connected to a sleeping Lily, who mumbled roughly in her sleep. The stuffed Donatello doll was held in her hand but Elsa was gripping onto one of the legs so she supposed they both were sharing it. Regina was curled into a ball on the other side of the bed, her lips and eyes shut tightly as she too slept fitfully. Looking at the clock that read 3:42 she realized she had slept for well over six hours before gasping. Sitting up abruptly she dislodged Lily causing her to whine out.

"Regina!" She hissed out several times, watching the brunette's thick eyelashes flutter open.

"What?" The younger woman frowned.

"We over slept! We have to get to the hospital." Mal explained wide eyed.

"Mallory, we're not going today. Look at the girls, they are exhausted." Regina gestured to the snoring children.

"What about Emma?" Mal furrowed her eyes, figuring Regina would be the one refusing to actually leave the little girls side. Regina scowled before sliding off the bed.

"She been in there a week with no change, Mallory. I don't see the point of bringing the girls to further traumatize them." Regina gritted her teeth.

"NO, your being a damn coward!" Mallory shot back, as an idea hit her.

"Lower your voice." Regina hissed, glancing towards the sleeping kids.

"No, tell me why you don't want to go see Emma...You think any of us want to see her hooked up like that? NO! But we don't turn our back on family! Especially not the kids." Mal sucked her teeth and shot Regina a disgusted look.

"Shut the hell up, Mallory!" Regina spat.

"And you had the nerve to yell at me for not calling or texting, when your leaving her alone as she straddling her death bed." Mal continued, and was surprised when Regina picked up the first thing she could grab and chucked it at her.

The black heel hit the mirror behind Mallory as she dodged the shoe, causing the glass to shatter.

"I said shut up!" Regina screamed, effectively waking the twins who started to cry in confusion.

"Girls, it's alright." Mal tried to sooth, glancing up at Regina who looked shocked before she ran into the en suite bathroom and locked the door.

"How about you both watch Cartoons in the living room with a snack? Hmm?" Mal scooped up both girls and carried them downstairs so they wouldn't step on broken glass. Getting them set up with juice, fruit snacks and Power Puff girls only took all of fifteen minutes before she went to check on a distraught Regina.

She cleaned up the broken glass before pulling up Palmetto's shop on her phone to see an estimate on how much it would cost to fix the piece of furniture and replace the mirror. Regina came out just as she was remaking the bed. Her hair was crimped as if she clenched at it repeatedly and her eyes were blood shot.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that, especially not in front of the girls." Regina apologized softly.

"I shouldn't have provoked you. I know how much you love and care for Emma. I shouldn't have implied any different." Mallory replied.

"But you were right...I am abandoning her because I'm a coward. It hurts me so much to see her like that... I don't want to see her like that. It was just a fever." Regina's bottom lip quivered.

"Gee, it's not your fault. Emma didn't complain of stomach pain earlier. You heard Whale say not all people experience the same symptoms. We couldn't have possibly known. It was a horrible freak accident, it could happen to any one." Mal tried to assure her.

"But it didn't happen to anyone, it happened to us. And now she's fighting for her life. She doesn't deserve that. Everything that has happened to her, none of it." Regina bit her bottom lip.

"No she doesn't, no child does. That doesn't mean we get to hide here and pretend like it isn't happening though, Regina." Mallory stated.

"I can't keep doing this."Regina whispered shaking her head.

"What? You can't keep being a mother? You don't want to be there for the kids anymore?" Mallory locked her jaw, knowing what she was doing by provoking the mother bear inside the woman. When she was hit with that icy glare she knew she succeeded.

"Don't be daft! There is nothing I love more than my child. You stupid insufferable-" The younger woman was cut off.

"Then act like it! Put on some shoes, because we are going to the hospital. Even if I have to drag you there." Mal warned before walking out of the now cleaned room.

The pediatric floor was swarming, and Regina knew she had never seen it so busy since she was a little girl herself.

"What's going on here?" Mal whispered to her, clutching the girls hands tighter and leading them through the hall.

"I have no idea." Regina murmured, as they came around the corner they could see Emma's doctor being reamed out by the Chief of Pediatrics.

"You did NOT have written consent?!" He screamed at the fairly young doctor.

"Well no, not exactly. The mother told me to do any and everything-" Victor was cut off by Gold.

"You know we don't preform or change any procedure without written consent and a signed off waiver! I could have your license! You would be lucky to get a job flipping burgers!" Gold spat.

"Gentlemen what's going on?" Mal stepped forward when she seen several nurses running in and out of Emma's room.

"Mrs. Mills-Losckey, did you give the attending physician permission to put your daughter on dialysis?" Gold asked Regina.

"I don't remember...I told him to do any and everything he could to save her life." Regina's eyebrows furrowed.

"You better count your lucky stars, boy." Gold shot another glare at Victor who puffed out his chest.

"I saved that little girl! I would count it as lucky enough." Victor sneered back, before turning his attention to Regina and Mal.

"Over the course of last night we noticed Emma was experiencing acute renal failure as a cause of her sepsis. Her body was shutting down. We rarely ever put children on dialysis here, but I knew it was her best chance. I gave her, her best chance!" Victor defended.

"What's going on?! Is she okay?" Mallory asked, noticing the passionate way the doctor spoke, and the way his voice wavered towards the end.

"We've been trying to call you for over 18 hours now. She's been in and out of it since we took her off the ventilator. Her lungs are working perfectly fine and she has been breathing on her own since last night, after we put her on the dialysis. Since her condition is acute, and she is so young, we have high hopes this won't be permanent." Victor explained

"She was awake?" Regina gasped.

"Yes, now she is still experiencing fatigue so its only for 20 minute spurts but she asks for you. I have very little doubts she won't make a full recovery. That little girl in there, ...she's a fighter." Whale nodded.

"But her dialysis could be permanent. Then what?" Mal questioned

"If that is the case, we put her on the waiting list for a transplant. It works better coming from a blood relative though. Her twin would have the highest chance of being a perfect match." Gold jumped in.

"What? NO!" Mal immediately shot it down, scooping up Elsa as if to protect her. She missed the way Regina frowned deeply, as she looked at her.

"It might sound scary, but it would be Emma's best shot if it came down to it. Elsa would still have a full life with only one kidney." Gold tried to explain.

"We aren't taking Elsa's kidney, there has to be another way!" Mal snapped.

"Well if your certain...you may be a match but there is many risk that come with giving an adult kidney to a child. Much more room for error. Not to mention her body is more likely to reject the kidney. If your a match and your willing to go for it, we could test you just in case. Along with the girls father." Gold looked at her skeptically.

"We shall cross that bridge when it comes to it." Regina spoke crisply.

"Of course, you may visit her now. Everyone must scrub in and put there face mask on, as always." Whale nodded to all of them before leaving.

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"Mama I gave Emmie my Kidwees." Lily pipped up as they were all putting on the pale yellow scrubs. The statement cause both adults to freeze up for different reasons.

"That's sweet, honey. But both of you are keeping your kidneys right where they are." Mal tickled the girls, before looking towards a tense Regina.

"Are you okay?" Mal walked over to her.

"It is in your best interest to steer clear of me, Ms. Nolan." Regina cut her eyes towards the older woman.

"Ms. Nolan? Ouch." Mal furrowed her eyebrows.

"You didn't even hesitate to shoot down the option." Regina whispered harshly, so they wouldn't upset the girls.

"Of course I didn't! Why should both of them suffer for a lifetime? Go through all of those restrictions? I've been there Regina and it was no fun!" Mallory defended.

"What?" Regina looked confused.

"Before I found out I was pregnant. I went through somethings. I experience renal failure and they were only able to save one of my kidneys. That's why I never went pro." Mal explained, but Regina simply shook it off.

"So if she does need a transplant, she is ass out of luck and stuck on a waiting list? Got it." Regina bit out before leaving Mal and the kids behind to go see Emma.

The shocked woman managed to pick her jaw up from the ground and lead the twins the little way down the hall and into the hospital room. Everything smelt sterile, but there was a slight copper scent in the air she associated with blood. The tiny tots eyes were open slightly, as her hazy vision searched her mother's face.

"M-Ma...Ma?" Emma rasped out, her chest rising and falling visibly.

"Hey Pretty Bird." Regina smiled wetly, wiping her tears before they could fall onto the bed.

"H-home?" Emma looked absolutely miserably.

"Soon, I promise." Regina vowed, running her hand through her daughter blonde locks.

"Hi Emmie." Lily spoke softly as her and Elsa approached the bed. Emma simply blinked at them before her eyes fluttered closed as she nodded off.

"Her sleepin?" Elsa scrunched up her nose.

"Yes honey, she's very tired and she needs her rest." Regina confirmed.

"We take her home. She sleep in her own bed." Lily crossed her arms, causing both parents to raise and eyebrow at the normally mild manner child.

"Lilith Paige, watch yourself." Mal warned, noticing Regina tense up at her voice. She can be mad all she wants, Elsa's kidney is staying right where its at. Mallory thought. A knock at the door startled them all.

"Can I help you?" She turned around to greet a man with gelled back hair and a fairly expensive suit. He looked very familiar.

"Ahh, Mallory Nolan. It's been a while." The lawyer smirked.

"Gaston LeGume..." Mallory openly gaped at the man.

"Ms. Nolan, you have been served. I'll be seeing you all shortly." He chuckled, passing along to blue folded stack of papers before turning on his heel and leaving. Mal hurried to open the papers, hoping they weren't what they thought they were.

"What is that? Who was that man?" Regina questioned,gently rising from Emma's bed so she wouldn't jostle her.

"Mallory?" Regina called out again when she didn't answer. The brunette fed up with the silent treatment stalked over and snatched over the papers. She skimmed over them quickly but the words all seemed to jump out at her.

'Diavalo Murillo Bejarano...Mallory Elaine Nolan...establishing paternity and seeking active rights and custody of the potential biological child(ren)..."

Regina gasped as she looked from the papers to a pale face Mallory.

"What is this?! He's seeking out active custody? Of whom?! Emma and Elsa or Elsa and Lily?!" Regina demanded answers that Mallory didn't have.

"I..I-I don't know what to say.." Mallory gulped before swaying slightly on her feet.

AN: So yeah completely forgot where this was going so I'm going to incorporare some new things in that were mentioned briefly in other chapters. I just realized when writing out how the twins talk, all I can picture is Phil and Lil from the Rugrats, don't know if you guys can see it but thats totally their voices lol. If anybody has ever seen Miracles from Heaven and My sisters keeper some things from there are being incorporated because it just fits, but its not going to be the way you guys think. So anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. All mistakes are my own.