A/N: Here's another one-shot that I came up with from a set of pictures on Tumblr form marynesq. Hope you all enjoy! Minor language. Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT!

It's been two days… two fucking days since I got the damn flu. I feel like death came through my window, took me by the throat, shook me until I saw stars, poured liquid fire down my throat, and stabbed me all over my body. I've been sick as hell; I can hardly get out of bed. I started getting the symptoms of the flu on Friday night. By Saturday morning, I'd gotten a fever any my body ached all over along with a minor headache. I was still able to walk downstairs. Sunday rolled around and I don't remember much of what happened. I know I had a terrible headache, Mary Margaret came to check up on me, I could barely move, I got some great soup, and David came up with Henry to see if I was all right. I have no clue what time all that happened, but I do know that it did happen. That's a start, right?

So now, I'm lying in my bed trying to figure out if I really need water or if I can live without it until someone comes back home. David took my place as Sherriff until I feel better, Mary Margaret's doing her schooling, and Henry's off, hopefully, at school. It was hard getting them all out of the house, that's for sure, but I managed to get out of bed and walk down and back up the stairs to prove to them I was capable of moving. Thank god they left after that because I was totally exhausted from that trek. And that's why I don't want to get up and go all the way downstairs to get a glass of water; I'm too tired.

But… I'm also really thirsty. This is obviously a major dilemma; I'm too tired to get up, but I'm really thirsty. Damn these decisions.

I'm trying to sit up when my head starts pounding viciously. I whimper from the drumming behind my skull but continue to sit up. I manage to get to my feet, my bed supporting me of course, and to the door of my bedroom. A hand goes to my head, trying to magically make the headache go away. It doesn't work. I groan in disappointment and begin my journey down the stairs.

Every step I take makes my body ache even more, but the burn in my throat makes keep moving. I make it to the fridge and shuffle my way over to the couch, not entirely strong enough to make it back up to the stairs. Thankfully, Mary Margaret got some blankets and an extra pillow out and put them on the couch just in case. Gotta love parents sometimes. I lie down on the pillow and shuffle under the blanket and try to drift off. Right when I'm about to fall into a deeper sleep, a knocking at the door rouses me. My vision is cloudy and my head's still pounding, but I manage to croak a "come in". My voice is hoarse and throaty, and I try to clear it, but it doesn't work. More congestion just comes up in a fit of unhealthy sounding coughing. The knocking persists, sounding a bit more frantic.

"Miss. Swan, I suggest you come unlock the door so I can come in." That's the last person I expected to be at the door. Henry told me that he'd find someone to bring me a bowl of soup for lunch, but I thought he meant Ruby or Mary Margaret or anyone else but Regina.

"Ugh, Regina," I whine, trying to sound convincing, "can't you magic yourself in here? I can't really get up." I clear my throat again trying desperately to get my voice back to normal. It only ends up in another coughing fit.

"You know I promised Henry no more magic." It sounds more like an accusation than anything.

"Regina. I seriously can't get up. My legs feel like Jell-O. I swear I won't tell him. Please." I don't beg. Ever. But I can't get up, and I figure I have to try something to get her to come in. I hear a heavy sigh, and I know I've won.

"Fine." I can practically hear the eye roll in her voice. Suddenly, there's purple and black smoke in front of me, and Regina's standing there. I blink rapidly, trying to clear my vision. I see the Granny's bag and am eternally grateful. "Having a rough day, are we?" She mocks. I don't have the energy to roll my eyes, but I try my best to glare at her. "Miss Swan, I must say, you look like death." She smirks as I try to come back with something coherent. I open my mouth to say something, but a coughing fit takes over first.

I can hear the fluid in my lungs working its way up, and, for a second, I can almost swear I see concern flood Regina's eyes. She sets the Granny's bag down next to the couch and grabs a dishrag lying on the counter in the kitchen. I watch her run it under the water as my coughing slowly calms down. I'm breathing rapidly when she comes back and lies the rag on my forehead. The cool seeps into my hot skin, soothing it immediately.

"Thanks." I sigh; she nods indifferently. My voice is still rough and catches in places, but I can manage to talk. "Did Henry ask you to come?" She looks up at me, and I can see the pain behind her eyes at the mention of his name.

"He told me he was concerned about you, and that he wanted me to ask Miss Lucas if she could take you some soup. I went and told her what Henry said. She told me that she was too busy and asked me to take it to you for her." She gives me an annoyed look mixed with something else, but my minds too foggy to process it. I close my eyes, my dizziness overwhelming me.

"Regina?" I mumble, my head falling back onto the pillow.

"Hm?" For a second I'm taken off guard with her informal reply, but I'm too tired to really think about it.

"I'm really tired." I say, my lips barely moving. I hear her give a soft chuckle, but I chalk it up as my imagination.

"Eat first, and then you can go to sleep. I'll get you some medicine. It's in the bathroom, correct?" I give a grunt in response, but I keep my eyes closed. Within seconds she's back with a thermometer and some Nyquil. She holds the thermometer near my mouth, and I take it in my mouth obediently. She turns it on and waits until the beeping goes off. She takes a look at it and frowns.

"What? What's it say?" I watch her face as she contemplates what to do.

"You're temperature is high. 103.4 to be exact. I just need to get you a new towel to try and break your fever. Hopefully the medicine will work, too." She takes the rag off my face and feels how unnaturally hot it is. She nods her head before she goes back to the kitchen and puts it under some more cool water. She comes back over only to put the rag on the table and look at me expectantly.

"What?" She rolls her eyes.

"You need to sit up if you're going to eat." I groan in response, really not wanting to do anything, but I begin to sit up anyway. My whole body protests as my arms threaten to give out on me. Right when I swear they'll give out, I feel an arm wrap around my legs, pulling them down to the ground. I yelp in surprise, but only receive another arm around my middle, pulling me up to a sitting position like I'm a delicate flower. I almost scoff, yet I stop myself. Unsettling warmth runs through my whole body at the contact. Regina's arm quickly retracts once I'm settled, and she grabs the Granny's bag off the floor, bringing out a salad and a bowl of warm soup with a plastic spoon for me and a plastic fork for her. I glance at her fork and raise a eyebrow at her, thoroughly humored that she's using a plastic fork. She just glares back at me. She takes out two water bottles after that.

"What, you don't want to share a water?" I ask with a throaty laugh. I try not to cough afterwards, but I can't help it. The terrible coughs wrack my body for a few minutes, and suddenly I feel a hand on my back rubbing in soothing circles. My coughing starts to slow, but the hand continues to rub until my breathing returns to normal.

"Are you okay?" Regina asks tentatively. I nod, not daring to speak after that I-don't-think-I-can-breathe feeling. She gives me a small smile that almost melts my mind. I smile back at her, but quickly delve into my soup. I know she can't see my blush considering my whole face is flushed, but I still feel like I should hide it from her. It must be this damn flu getting to me; I'm never shy.

I glimpse over at her every few minutes to see her eating her salad with a small smile on her face, obviously one she's trying to hide.

"Do you miss this?" I turn to look at her fully, her confused expression totally worth my slip of the tongue.

"Excuse me?" I look down at my knees, feeling bad for bringing it up.

"You know, taking care of someone that needs you? Like when Henry ever got sick…" I trail off, not daring to look up. I feel her stiffen beside me, but I force myself not to look at her surely stony face. Suddenly, she starts moving around, gathering her stuff.

"I think I should go." My head snaps up, causing my headache to come back full force. Her back is to me, but I can see her hunched shoulders.

"No, Regina, wait. I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just- I don't know, curious? It was stupid." She doesn't move for a while, but I squeeze my eyes shut, not really sure why I don't want her to leave. Or maybe I just don't want to be alone anymore. "Please, Regina, I didn't mean it. Don't… don't go. I need some company." She still doesn't turn around.

"Then call up one of your friends. Or, better yet, call up Neal." She spits. I blink in surprise. Was that… was that jealously? But before I can process it, my mouth's already moving.

"Oh, yeah, cause Neal is the first person I would call!" I snarl right back. She spins around confusion and fury in her dark eyes.

"Well, why not? Isn't he supposed to be your Prince Charming? He is Henry's father." Anger spills into her voice. I bark out a cruel laugh that almost starts another coughing fit.

"Oh yes! The guy that got me thrown in jail. That's my Prince Charming. How incredibly fitting!" I say sarcastically.

"Well, that is how the rest of you Charmings seem to start out." She rolls her eyes mockingly. Adrenaline rushing, I find the strength to stand up and shuffle over to Regina, my eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I'm not a Charming. I'm a Swan. My parents didn't raise me. I'm nothing like them. Maybe personality wise, but I don't have the same interests in people as they do. I would rather choose the damaged, unwanted, unloved person because that's who I am. I'm not into Mr. or, in my case, Ms. Perfect like everyone else seems to be. Because I'm just as beaten and bruised as everyone else that lived in this world or the next. I was the bad guy once. You think I don't know what it's like to be unloved, unwanted, and damaged goods? That's all I've been up until last year. So you don't get to tell me that I'm just like every other Charming because I most certainly am my own person. I have my own category that I fit under." I manage to get through my little spiel with no hitches, but as soon as the last word leave my mouth, my adrenaline runs out, and I'm quickly running out of breath. My legs start to give out again, and I feel extremely tired. My eyes start to droop as I fall to the ground. Arms circle around my waist as I fall into a strong body. I whimper when my body hits the couch again, but instead of being thrown angrily onto the couch, I'm surprised when Regina sets me down gently, pulling some blankets over me.

"You really aren't like most Charmings." I swear I didn't just imagine the words being said, the soft brush of a hand on my forehead, the gentle drop of water on the tip of my nose, the breath that covers my face, or the soft lips on my cheek. I swear it wasn't a sweet dream when she spoke my name. "Sleep Emma. You need it. I'll be back later." Later is so vague is the last thought I have before my mind slips into an uncomfortable sleep.

When I wake up again, I hear the door rattling. "Regina?" I question softly.

"Emma, honey, did you say something?" I hear more than see Mary Margaret in the kitchen.

"Mom's up?" I hear Henry from upstairs. A gentle smile flutters across my face.

"Yeah, kid, I'm up." I chuckle, trying to keep the coughing to a minimum.

"Great! Did Ruby come by to give you your lunch?" If I wasn't flushed from the fever, I know I am now.

"Uh, no kid, Ruby couldn't make it." I give him a smile, trying to get off the topic.

"So, you didn't get lunch?" He sounds concerned now. I sigh.

"No, uh, Regina came by with it. Ruby couldn't make it because the diner was busy, but Regina brought it by." I heard a plate drop in the sink rather sharply.

"Henry, could you go to your room?" I can hear the tense way Mary Margaret says his name, and apparently, so can he. He runs up the stairs quickly, not bothering to argue. I hear Mary Margaret's footsteps coming rapidly over to the couch.

"Emma. What do you mean she came over and gave you lunch? She didn't hurt you did she?" I roll my eyes at Mary Margaret's first line of thinking.

"Well, I'm alive aren't I?" My sarcastic reply obviously takes her off guard a bit, but I mean it. "Mary Margaret, just because she's the alleged Evil Queen doesn't mean she's always trying to hurt someone. In fact, she helped me a lot today." My eyes drift from Mary Margaret's intense gaze, and I turn to look anywhere but her.

"Oh my god! Is that… is that her lipstick?" She whispers, obviously frustrated. Immedately my hand goes to my cheek and wipes.

"W-What? No. I mean, yes, but it's not what you think." I stutter. She gives me the look. I mean, the look. The look mothers give their daughters when they're caught doing something they're not supposed to be doing. I narrow my eyes at her. "Besides, even if it was what you're obviously thinking it is, would that be so terrible? Hypothetically, I mean." My eyes remain narrowed, and I know by the look on Mary Margaret's face that she's trapped.

"Yes, it would be, but not because she's a woman or anything, but because she's the Evil Queen, Emma. I know, I believe she's changed too, but I can't be okay if, hypothetically, you were dating Regina. Hypothetically, of course." I contemplate that for a bit. I look Mary Margaret dead in the eye.

"I'm confused." I confess in a pout. Mary Margaret laughs lightly.

"I know. And Emma, if I were your friend, I'd tell you that I talked to Ruby today, and she said that Regina ordered a bowl of soup along with her salad and left without saying anything at all to Ruby about coming here. But I'm your mother. So… you have to forget I just said that." I smile at Mary Margaret, completely and utterly grateful for her somewhat acceptance.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." I say with as much sincerity as I can manage. She gives me a winning smile back.

"I may not agree with you hypothetically dating Regina, but it's your choice. I love you, and I only want you to be happy. If Regina ends up making you happy, then congratulations, I'm truly happy for you. You're my little girl, but you also have to make your own choices." She touches my cheek briefly before a knock comes at the door. I blink back my tears as Mary Margaret gets up to answer it. I hear her chuckling, a knowing look on her face. She opens the door, and I'm surprised to hear Regina's voice on the other side of the door.

"Snow. I left something here earlier." Mary Margaret just grins at her before motioning to the couch. I swear I can see Regina flush a bit.

"Ah, Miss Swan, are you feeling any better?" I smile at her and sniffle a few times before answering.

"Yeah, a bit, but not much." She sits on the couch next to me and gives a smirk. I look at her questioningly before she looks around quickly and starts to wipe at my cheek with the pad of her thumb. I squirm a bit at first.

"Stop moving." I grumble a bit, but keep squirming. She rolls her eyes. "You're so irritating." She huffs before grabbing the sides of my face and focusing completely on the task of wiping her lipstick off my cheek. I watch her face as she concentrates finding it incredibly cute how she scrunches her nose and furrows her brows. I suppress a smile, at the image before me.

"Stop touching me." I grumble, smacking her hand away. Her hand, as cheesy as it is, stays in mine. She rolls her eyes again but doesn't remove her hand. Slowly, I twist my hand around until my fingers are locked in hers. I smile down at the ground, content with just being here. I look up at her, and her eyes are trained on our joined hands. I take a deep breath before diving all the way in. "You know why I love my bug so much?" Her eyes snap to mine in curiosity and disgust.

"I have no clue why you love that deathtrap." I roll my eyes at her, but keep the conversation going.

"Well, when I first saw it, I loved it because it was neglected. Nobody else wanted it. It looked, as you say, like a deathtrap. It was used and abused, but it didn't seem very loved, if loved at all. I kept it because, as terrible and ugly as it is, it's all mine. Nobody else but me wants it. Sure, it puts up a fight every time I try to do anything with it, but I've loved it where nobody else would, and that makes it mine and completely worth everything that I went through to get it." I can see Regina's jaw clenching and unclenching, but I can also see the contemplative look on her face. "So," I continue, "would you mind, when I'm one hundred percent better of course, going on a date with me in my little, loved, wanted, beautiful bug?" I give her my winning smile, but I know my eyes are pleading. She looks over at me with a shocked expression that soon turns into one of complete and utter awe, a blush certainly covering her cheeks now.

"Miss Swan… Emma, I think I'd like that." It's a quiet confession that sends my heart fluttering with anticipation.

"Great! Uh, fantastic. I… I guess I'll call you, or I'll come see you when I'm better, and we can set a date." I think about my wording before correcting myself. "I mean, we can come up with a night to go out… on a date." She smirks at my stuttering, but ends up smiling by the end of my spiel. She untangles our hands, and I feel the loss immediately, but then it appears on my cheek. Warmth floods my body at the contact that I definitely don't dislike. I smile up at her, but before I know it, the contact is gone, and Regina's getting up, and Mary Margaret is walking into the room, and then she's out the door and gone. I blink up at an awestruck Mary Margaret.

"Did I just get a date?" Mary Margaret laughs.

"Not so hypothetical anymore, is it?" I lie back down, my head back to it's usual pounding.

"No, it's not."

A/N: So... What'd you think? Please tell me what you thought of it. Any prompts people want me to do, I'll do them to the best of my abilities. Thank you so much! Love you all!

~SwanQueen101