The earth beneath her shook. She gripped whatever she was gripping, harder. She was being reluctantly roused from sleep. No, it wasn't the earth. It was her. Someone pulled at her. Shook her.

"Not now," she mumbled, and thought she could easily slip back into her deep deep sleep. She felt like she could sleep for days. Forever even.

"Miss Swan!" The voice pierced her sleepy warm haze. There was no mistaking Regina's admonishing tone.

"Reg-" she managed to say, slurred and slightly dismissive.

"Miss Swan!" The words were loud, angry and very close. She opened an eye to find two brown ones staring at her, inches from her face. That startled her.

"Huh?"

"Eloquent as always."

"Wha..?"

"Let me go!" Regina demanded.

"What?" Emma opened both eyes and realised she had both arms wrapped around Regina in a tight, vice-like grip.

She released Regina. She felt a little off kilter and confused. She glanced around the room. Afternoon sun streamed in. The room still secure.

"Sorry-"

"Why am I naked?!" Regina pushed away from Emma, and sat up.

Emma rubbed her eyes and forehead. She came to the slow realisation she had no feelings in her hands. She looked at them. It took seconds to work out what she was looking at. She sat bolt upright herself.

Her hands were a mangled mess. She heard Regina gasp.

"Just exactly what happened last night?" Regina looked aghast at Emma's hands.

Emma felt a hot wave of nausea. Pain shot through every fibre of her. She swayed and forced herself not to pass out.

"What happened?" Regina's demand softened to concern.

"You, don't remember?" she asked, incredulous.

"Remember what? That you got me drunk? That my head feels like its filled with lead." She raised an eyebrow. "That no matter what I do, I can't seem to hang onto clothes ever since we started travelling together!"

The accusation made Emma smile.

"This isn't funny!" Regina glanced over her body. Emma's eyes followed Regina's. She was thankful that Regina appeared completely healed. She pulled Regina into a quick hug, took her head in her mangled hands, and kissed her on the lips.

"Thank god." Relief was clear on Emma's features, and confusion on Regina's.

"For what? Letting you squeeze me to death?" A thought dawned on her. Her brown eyes sparkled with mischief, then clouded over with her usual unreadable demeanour. "Did you…? You had another dirty little dream about me."

Emma laughed and licked her bloodied cracked lips. "May be."

Regina gave Emma a look of horror.

"We didn't…?"

"How? By tongue alone?" It was Emma's turn to get irritated. The smile gone from her face. She launched herself to a standing position. Shaky, but upright. She glanced at her hands with shock and surprise. The sight made her stumble backwards and she hit her back against the wall.

"I don't understand. How did I…?"

Regina went to stand in front of her. "What did happen last night?"

Emma looked up, searching Regina's face. "You really don't remember?"

Regina shook her head.

"What's the last thing you do remember?"

She watched as Regina's brow creased. "Having something called alcohol at that horrible bar." Her eyes narrowed. "Watching you flirt with the whore, while I was forced to talk with that grubby little man."

"That's, all you remember?"

Regina rubbed her forehead. "Yes. Was there anything else to remember?"

Emma shook her head, then closed her eyes. She was torn.

"And where are my clothes?"

"I'm not sure Regina. Maybe at the hot spring?" Emma gulped and looked away.

Regina took Emma's hands in hers and lifted them up to inspect.

"Looks like you've broken a lot of bone. This one's worse. We need to get the swelling down." She examined the wrists. "So much for travelling today, hey? I suppose one more day or two here won't be too bad."

"That's a matter up for debate."

Regina's face screwed up in a mix of intense worry and curiosity. "These are rope burns. You were bound? Emma! Are these your only injuries?"

"I don't know," Emma stuttered. She thought about what else hurt. Pretty much all of her.

Regina gently touched Emma's hands, then examined all the exposed skin.

"You're hurt," Regina said. Her voice soft, low, and sympathetic. Emma just felt pain and confusion. Tears barely contained.

"I'm okay," she lied. There was an imperceptible quiver of her lower lip. She knew she felt far from okay. She gave a sigh. Her jaw set firm, and she withdrew her hands with a yelp. Her blonde hair was tangled and had fallen forward. A lock hung in front of her eyes. Regina tucked the lock behind Emma's ear, and attempted to catch Emma's eyes.

"Your chin, your neck, and the back of your head. You've been hit. Beaten. Who did this?"

Silence lingered.

"Emma? Who did this to you? Was it," she paused, "that grubby wolf man? I'll kill him."

"No, Regina."

"Who then?"

Emma went to move away, but Regina stopped her. She placed an arm either side of Emma, and blocked her.

"Tell me," Regina commanded.

Emma said nothing. Regina let out a cry of frustration. "Let me help you at least. Trust me. I can do that."

"I'll be okay. I'll mend on the way out of this town and up the mountain. Just bandage me." Emma tried to escape Regina's embrace. But Regina didn't budge.

Regina smirked.

"Unlike you, my dear, I don't need to dream about you in compromising positions to heal you."

Emma sighed. Her shoulders slumped.

"Please Emma. Let me heal you. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to see you in compromising positions. But not in dreams. In the flesh."

"Regina, I-"

"Don't get coy on me now Miss Swan." The words sounded harsh, but her face showed warmth and openness. "I think we need to see where this goes." She pulled Emma's shirt up. Emma closed her eyes and heard the sharp intake of breath as Regina saw the bruised ribs.

She didn't object as Regina removed her shirt altogether.

Regina stepped closer. Her naked flesh on Emma's. Despite the pain, there was a flush of tingling warmth.

"And unless you can articulate a meaningful objection, Miss Swan, I'm going to make love to you now."