Shaya

Chapter 10 - Forgive me

The tender was waiting for them on the line between the beach and the jungle, hidden under some enormous, now dry leaves. Regina and Emma managed to put the almost immobile warrior on it, with Charming's help. She was terribly pale, and her closed eyes had dark rings under them. She never stopped trembling. The bend on her hip was blooded. Regina went behind her and let her lean sitting against her. Hook was rowing hard to make them reach the invisible ship as soon as possible.

Regina put a hand on Rapunzel's forehead. She was burning. " Hold on Shaya... hold on..." she whispered in her ear. " I haven't spared you for nothing..."
Rapunzel was still breathing, but didn't answer.
A movement in front of her caught her attention.
" Why?" Emma asked. Her curious expression was identical to Henry's.
" Why what?"
" Why did you spare her? Why does she still have her heart?"
Regina tried to answer, but although she herself had wondered many times, she had never found the answer to that question.
" I don't know. It... it felt wrong to kill her."
Emma looked confused, but satisfied. She nodded once, a sarcastic attempt of smile on her lips. " Does it ever feel right to kill someone?"
Regina clenched her teeth. " Yes, when you hate that someone. "
Emma's face was the essence of disapproval. Regina's rage grew a little more.
" But it feels wrong the same. You can hate, but you can even listen to your conscience..."
" Sometimes, Miss Swan, one can't. Sometimes it's just too much painful to succeed in..."
" Stop it!" a weak voice moaned between them. Rapunzel coughed because of the effort made for speaking. " We have to be united... both of you are right. Stop arguing. "
Regina stared at her, then glanced at Snow, perceiving her stare. The idiot was sillily smiling at Rapunzel. The younger woman noticed her glare, and embarrass colored her face.
" She's right. " she said as to justify herself.
Regina, with an enormous effort, nodded once.
" So we're three. Four, with you."
Snow openly smiled at her. Regina felt pretty uncomfortable at that look, and lowered her eyes on the horizon, to her right. Hook had turned the boat. The Jolly Roger had to be... A big "thump" announced everyone that the Jolly Roger was actually right there. Emma risked to fall outboard, and glared at Hook. He sneered.
" Sorry. "

David and Snow carried her to the Captain's room. The man laid her down delicately on the soft bed. Snow had already run away. In less than one minute she was back with an almost white bandage and a rum bottle. David helped his wife taking off the blooded bandage and disinfect the wound with the alcohol. Rapunzel barely moved. She was sweated and mortally pale, her breath was weak, and she was still trembling. They took off the ripped leather armor and swathe her hip with the gauze.
Regina entered the room exactly when they finished. She was holding a flask in her hand. David moved to make her pass, not losing a single second of what was happening. He was still alert since the battle, like if it didn't actually ended. He didn't know why. Snow's hand found his, and he stared at her. She darted a glance at Regina and then at the door.
He gave a look at the bed again. Regina, kneeled next to the bed, was gently holding Rapunzel's head up, and now was slowly making her drink the water.
David gazed back at Snow, and her eyebrows lifted in a mute question. He nodded and they silently walked out of the Captain's room.

" How is she?" Emma asked as her parent came back on the deck. She was adjusting to her belt the sword that Hook had just given to her. The pirate was sharping his hook behind her.
" She..." Snow began, but David stopped her.
" She's bad, Emma. You have to go now, and run as fast as you can to tell Rumplestiltskin that we need him if you want to save her. He'll take you back here in a heartbeat with his magic."
Father and daughter looked at each other for a long moment. When she nodded, he gave her the tiniest of his smiles. " Go." he said in a hurry tone.
Emma tensely smirked at him.
" All aboard!" she then archly said. Hook jumped laughing on the boat, stretching one arm towards Emma. She took his hand, but before she could go on the boat Mary Margaret's voice held her still.
" Be careful Em." she said to her daughter, clearly worried. Emma tried to reassure her with a brave smile.
" Don't worry. I'm the fucking Savior, and I'm gonna save my son and Rapunzel. I'll be here before you notice I'm gone."
She smiled and jumped on the boat without Hook's help.

Rapunzel was violently shaking. Her eyes rolled upside down for a few, terrible moments. Regina put a hand on her forehead. She was burning.
Regina's hand was quickly getting cornered by a weak, purple light, but the warrior's hand grabbed fiercely her wrist.
" Don't! " she said with a broken voice.
Regina looked in her reddened eyes. The light blue of her irises was hypnotizing with that contrast. " You'd need some rest..."
" No!" She coughed, and her face contorted in a pain expression. She let go her wrist, and her arm fell heavily on the blankets. " No. If I fall asleep, I won't wake up. Believe me."
Regina took a deep breath, then nodded. So she almost killed her, trying to help her. Fine.
" Listen. It's not Emma's fault." the warrior said, her eyes shut, probably in the effort to concentrate enough to speak.
The confusion assaulted the brunette. " What are you talking about?"
" She won't be in time, but it's not her fault. None can help me now, but it's fine, I..."
" Stop saying bullshit, Rapunzel! You'll heal. Rumplestiltskin will heal you. "
She smiled sadly. " Oh sure, he would, if he was here. But he's not. So listen to me."
" He's not, but he will."
She smiled again. " Aye, but too late. Regina, please, let me talk. I have little time."
Regina nodded angrily. She wasn't dying. She couldn't be dying. " Okay, talk. But you have time."
" Aye, sure. However... I didn't want to betray you. I just wanted you to do the right thing."
Regina's eyes widened. " I know it, Rapunzel, you don't have to..."
" No, wait. You think I didn't want to kill Snow White because I thought it was wrong."
Regina thought about it. It sounded right. " Yes. Isn't it?"
" No. Oh, well, aye, but not only for that. I mean, obviously it was wrong, but not only for her. It would have been wrong for you. You would have payed for having done the wrong thing. Once you would realize that she was innocent, you'd been destroyed. That's why I did it."
Regina was speechless. She'd never thought about that. The fact that she thought about her, and not about Snow, moved her. None had ever done it before, not knowing what she had done at least. But she was right. Rapunzel was absolutely right. But one thing. " She's not exactly innocent..."
The warrior chuckled, holding a cough. " Indeed. She's a badass with that bow. "
Regina managed to smile.
Rapunzel was visibly trying hard to stay awake." Regina..."
Her eyes fixed in Rapunzel's. She had a strange look, familiar and unknown at the same time. Regina felt a similar sensation on her stomach. Now she was really confused.
" Tell me."
The warrior stayed silent for a while, just staring at her. She still had that odd look. Regina's heart started beating faster, and she didn't even know why.
" Just... I may tell you weird things. You know, the fever... Just, don't listen to me. Better, go out. Wait for your son on the deck. The sky is gorgeous tonight. Watch it for me."
Regina's hand reached Rapunzel's, making her give a jump as if she had burned her. Another hint of confusion stabbed Regina's mind.
" I'll wait here with you. You'll have to forgive me for this, too." she sassily smiled at the other woman.
But the smile suddenly disappeared from her face when an uncontrolled smile lighted Rapunzel's face, and a single, bright tear slid over her cheek.