Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.

Author's Notes: Given the prompt "Have you lost your damn mind?" this is what I wrote.

Protective

The door to the diner was actively shut versus closing on its own and the sound of angry footfalls reached its intended table to stood at the edge glaring down at the wavy blonde hair of her long time friend, hands propped on hips. "Have you lost your damn mind?"

"Regina. How nice of you to join us."

"How can you be so blasé when you were nearly the one knocked against a rock with a concussion?"

The blonde woman looked down at her clasped hands and shook her head quietly bemoaning this town's damn short circuit gossip rags. "Snow told you," she spook softly, looking up apologetically at her silent companion. The brunette across from her shrugged noncommittal before returning to sip graciously on the herbal tea, blatantly ignoring the conversation. It was Regina's fault in the first place after all.

"Maleficent!" Regina hissed through grit teeth, chocolate eyes quivering with unguarded emotion. The dragon sorceress looked up and glowered at the shorter woman before rising to stand toe to toe with her.

"She is my daughter, Regina. I will always run after her, straight into danger if necessary. Surely, you must understand this," she explained with such as much heat to her words as the former queen had in hers. Maleficent sighed before grasped at her friend's left elbow and leading her to a back part of Granny's diner near the stairwell to the Inn before further fuss was made. "Why are you so upset, dear?" she queried, trying to get a read on the younger woman who now refused to look in her eyes.

Regina gulped, as she reached a hand up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear and rub at her neck afterwards. "I was...afraid you would get hurt," she admitted in a quiet voice, fearful of revealing just how scared she had been. The blonde smiled kindly before tilting Regina's chin up to view her face.

"You're talking to a dragon. And I'm right here. Perfectly well," she whispered, conveying in her cerulean eyes how grateful she was for the concern. Regina's lips parted to huff out a brief laugh before she also smiled. She moved her hands to cup Maleficent's cheeks before pulling her down for a gentle kiss.