The Queen was brought into the royal suits nearest the Prince and Princess' chamber and laid in the large feather bed that once belonged to King George. Her frame was slight and her breathing a horrible rasping from the collapsed lung. Just her color confirmed her suspicions that the arrow had been poisoned, but they called the healers anyway who dressed her wound and gave the princess grave predictions. Days at most.

Snow refused to believe them. Nothing as petty or cowardly as an assassin's arrow could take down Regina.

The Blue Fairy was called and she came by the morning, cold and falsely concerned, she examined the wound, "The poison has already spread. The Evil Queen is strong but no one could be expected to survive this."

Snow shook her head, "There must be something you can do."

"There is, child, but that doesn't mean that I will do it. She is cloaked in darkness and a force for evil in this world. I will not intervene so she can continue to harm others."

"But I don't understand you stopped her execution," Snow said disbelievingly, moving to sit on the side of Regina's bed and pressing a cloth to her forehead to remove the sweet glistening there.

"You stopped the execution, Snow White, I stopped the arrows so that you would not spend the rest of your life regretting that you spoke too late. But that is not the same thing as saving Regina's life." The fairy flew over to look down at the queen. "Let her pass, Snow. For the good of your kingdom."

Snow shook her head. "My kingdom is not a better place by allowing her to die."

"Isn't it?" David said quietly, placing his hand on Snow's shoulder. "We still don't know why she was on the castle wall with you."

Snow looked up at him confused. "She was there because she was lost."

"I'll say." Grumpy commented from his position near the door, himself giving a frown towards the fairy who was studiously ignoring him.

"Regina has been lost for so long but ... I think she just needs help finding her way back home." She stood up, "And I'm going to find what she needs to survive this so she can get that chance."

She started towards the door, but David grabbed her arm, "Where are you going?"

"Lake Nostos."

"But Snow, Lake Nostos is dried up."

"I will comb the sands to find its last drops," she said firmly.

"Don't be silly, Snow." The rasping low voice made everyone in the room freeze. Regina's eyes fluttered a little, "There is no more water in that lake. A fool's errand."

"What does that matter, Regina, you already think me a fool."

"That's a given. But it's also a waste of time." Regina looked at the fairy, "Tell her."

The Blue Fairy looked annoyed at even the appearance of taking orders from the Evil Queen.

"By the time you road to the lake, even if you found water immediately, and road back the poison would have run its course."

"So you won't help and you are telling me I can't do anything either?"

There was a humorless laugh and everyone looked at the Queen in her bed who was smiling.

"What is so amusing?" Prince Charming asked, annoyed and unapologetic about that annoyance with the dying monster.

"For once, my dear Snow White, you get to learn what the rest of us have known about fairies. They only help those who serve their own needs. What she nor your husband want to tell you but I will, is that you personally would be better off to let me die."

"You are giving up?" Snow said incredulously.

"I am being realistic about my chances and I have no desire to spend my last days watching you play hero." Regina smiled though, "But I wouldn't be so smug you self righteous little moth. Just because you wish it I think I'll just not die."

David raised an eyebrow, "I wasn't aware one could avoid mortality by stubbornness."

But there was a small smile on his wife's face. "You don't know Regina very well."

"Shut up, Snow." Regina said with a sigh and closed her eyes again falling back into unconsciousness.

In the days that followed Regina's fever spiked and Snow had soldiers travel to the top of a nearby mountain to bring back ice in hopes of cooling her down. She stayed with the queen as long as she could but was pulled away by affairs of the kingdom. The thief Robin of Locksley was had raided a tax carriage and as much as Snow wanted to believe that the famous outlaw had honorable intent for the money the war with Regina and George left the kingdom strapped for gold and the possibility of a terrible winter coming and poor crop yields.

"I wish I'd paid more attention to what you tried to teach me as a teenager about ruling."

Regina shook her head, "No, you don't, I was trying to show you off as the spoiled brat you were." The queen groaned, still too weak to sit up or even to stay awake for long periods of time. "Though I might be sure you are really dealing with the right thief. Unless you are a lot more efficient than I would guess you aren't likely taxing the people at a rate that would draw his attention. But you do have enemies who have an interest in driving the kingdom into the ground."

Snow raised an eyebrow, "You for one."

"True, but I'm suffering through your care giving so believe I have a good alibi."

"Maybe." Snow said with a wink. "George you think?"

"Or maybe Locksley is not as discerning as they say. You are after all the rich and as long as he's giving to someone poorer than you it probably doesn't matter."

"I'll keep that in mind," Snow looked down at her. "You better be alive when I get back."

"I'd hate for my death to inconvenience you, Snow." Snow rolled her eyes, but just as she was about to leave. "Why are you doing this?" The question was softer, less sharp, than a lot of Regina's words to Snow.

"You saved my life."

"Reflex."

Snow smiled. "I am doing this because I believe in you."

"You haven't always."

"You don't make it easy," Snow said with a smile. "But perhaps there is a nobility in the struggle. To believe and to help you believe that you can be a good woman again."

"Go catch your thief, Snow."

Regina closed her eyes again and Snow grinned knowing that she'd won the exchange.

Snow was gone for a day and a night before Regina woke again. She'd already lived longer than the healers thought she should. Snow had said Regina didn't know how to stop fighting and perhaps she was right. But she was still weak and largely without her magic. So when the figure crept into the room and picked up a pillow she didn't have the concentration to summon the magic she needed to deal with the threat.

"You really have learned how to be a royal, shepherd. Smothering is one way to kill without getting blood on the silk."

He stopped cold, clearly not expecting her to be awake and froze.

She smiled. "Don't let me stop you. You had worked up the bravery to murder me and all."

"It's not murder to let you die."

"But that's not quite what you are doing is it, Charming?" Regina challenged. "You came in here to commit a murder. At least have the courage of your convictions."

"I can't let you continue to terrorize the kingdom and to hurt Snow."

Regina raised an eyebrow, "I can't hurt Snow, or have you forgotten your undoubtedly short sighted deal with the Dark One?"

"You ... she'll never be able to live her life with the power you hold on her heart."

Regina shook her head, "Put down the pillow, sheep boy, you may fit your brother's clothing but you don't have his heart. Or lack of one."

With all her strength she turned onto her side, away from him, and David put down the pillow.

The Queen had been right.

Demon she might be but he couldn't kill a defenseless woman.