The Cold One

"For Robin and me," Regina said, her large doe eyes pleading.

Emma Swan cringed at the sound of Robin's name off Regina's lips. The darkness had been vanquished, and Emma was more depressed than ever. She'd been through hell and back for Hook, and these days more often than not she wished she'd simply left him there.

"Sorry," Emma said, coldly sitting at her desk, giving Regina a smirk. "You'll find, Madame Mayor, we don't all live and breathe to serve you anymore."

Regina sat down with a sigh ignoring her instinct to threaten Emma with a fireball.

"Emma," Regina said sweetly. She didn't see the pain behind Emma's eyes, or feel the ache in Emma's chest from the sound of Regina saying her name. "We've hardly left Storybrooke, and I just really want some time with Robin. Well...I said we should take Henry, but he thinks it's a good idea we go alone. We've been..." Regina trailed off and Emma's heart pounded in anticipation.

Please say you're unhappy. Please say things are falling apart for you too.

And Emma hated that she wanted that. She also wanted Regina to be happy, but lately...she wanted to be the cause of her happiness. "Look," Regina said. "I just want some alone time with him...to rekindle what we have."

Emma numbly started shuffling through papers. "Sorry," she said again. "I've got too much work. Henry can't stay with me for a week, so either take him with you, or cancel your trip." She got up. "Now if you'll excuse me," and she opened the door.

"Emma," Regina said, her voice thick with disappointment. "Why are you being so cold?"

Emma's eyes welled with tears, and she turned away before Regina could see. Of course Henry could have spent the week with her, but she didn't want Regina to go. "I have work to do," she said. "I'll thank you, Madame Mayor, for not wasting my time coming to me with personal issues."

Regina felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She got up feeling the color drain from her face, and left.

What is wrong with Emma?

The months had fallen off the calendar since they had come back from the underworld of the old land. She and Hook had moved in together, and Robin of course lived with Regina, but slowly Regina had noticed Emma had become more and more distant. Mean while, Regina was trying to be happy...but she felt as though something was missing more than ever lately.

She craved the adventure, having something to fight. She had thought she wanted everything to settle down, sink into a normal life, and now that she had everything she could want, she wondered more and more if it was only what she thought she wanted after all.

She walked in and Robin was there waiting for her. "What did she say?" he asked. Robin had been the one to come up with the idea of going away. Regina had mixed feelings about it, but she wanted to try and make it work with Robin. Still, even though Emma had been a stone cold bitch about it, Regina was secretly relieved they wouldn't be going.

"Darling," Regina said. 'I'm afraid it's not going to happen right now. Sheriff Swan has too much work-"

"That's absurd," Robin said. His jaw tightened. "What work does she have to do in an imaginary town."

"Storybrooke is not an imaginary town anymore," Regina said.

Robin paced back and forth.

"We might be able to go in the spring," Regina said.

"Spring," Robin muttered. "Whatever that means." He sat down before Regina and took her hands. "Do you ever...wish we were home?" he asked.

"What? You mean back in the old world? This is my home now."

"But why?" Robin asked.

"Henry and Emma are here," Regina said. "And Snow and Charming: my family is here."

"Aren't I your family too?"

There was a tense silence between them.

"We could take Henry with us," Robin said.

"Out of the question," Regina said. "I could never take Henry away from Emma. She's his mother-"

"She is not!" Robin bellowed pacing again. "Why should everything we do revolve around her? You raised Henry as your own."

"He is not my own," Regina said firmly. "Besides, I don't want to leave Storybrooke. This is my home. Emma is in our life, and it's going to stay that way."

The fire place blazed with life suddenly.

"A lot of good she does," Robin added callously. "Hook says she's like a ice queen since they returned. Barely even puts out."

"You need to watch your mouth," Regina said. She didn't know why she felt so defensive of Emma, but she felt her hands grow hot, and hid them behind her back. "The only one who can bad mouth Emma is me," she said. Robin looked at her tensely when the front door opened and shut.

"Mom!" Henry called.

Saved by the child, Regina thought with relief. "Enough," she said quietly, but firmly to Robin.

Henry ran in and hugged Regina. "What's for dinner?"

"Hungry are you?" Regina asked, running her fingers through Henry's hair and admiring what a fine young man he was growing in to. "What sounds good?"

"An evening alone," Robin said, although he knew he'd end up hanging out with Hook. He stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

"What's wrong with him?" Henry asked.

Regina shrugged. "What do you say we head over to the Charming residence and invite ourselves to dinner."

Henry brightened and Regina smiled. Maybe Emma will be there, Regina hoped.

Meanwhile, Hook sat depressed while Emma paced about their apartment, pulling shirts from the dresser and shoving them into a bag.

"If you aren't happy here we can get a new place," Hook said pleadingly.

"It isn't the place," Emma told him. "I just need some time. Things haven't been right with us for a while."

Rage pulsed through Hook as he took Emma roughly by her arms and shoved her against the wall.

"You could have left me in hell," he said. "Why bring me back here just to leave me?"

"You're alive. You're free to do whatever you want," Emma told him. She jerked her arms away and spun kicking him lightly in the chest to get him to back off. "And so am I."

She went to the door and opened it to find Robin with his fist in that air about to knock. "Perfect timing," Emma said looking at Hook.

"Sheriff Swan," Robin said, his jaw tight. Emma gave him a cold smile and left.

"Women," Robin said helping himself to Hook's rum.

"Tell me about it," Hook said.

Emma Swan had dropped her things at the gym, and taken her frustration out on a punching bag until her knuckles were swollen. She still wasn't satisfied. She walked to Snow's intending to tell her everything and ask what she should do when she saw Regina and Henry at their table: they were all having dinner together.

Cold sharp tears stung Emma's eyes. She envisioned herself sitting beside Regina, their fingers laced together under the table. Everyone happy and together. The longer Emma had stayed with Hook the clearer it had become: he wasn't the one. He wasn't her family, not like Regina.

She wanted to go in and be with them, but she was ashamed at the way she had treated Regina. If she saw her she'd probably throw one of her signature fireballs her way, and Emma couldn't blame her.

She turned and left, wiping tears from her eyes.

She stashed her bag under the staircase outside their door and headed for the woods. Night had fallen, and Emma stormed through the trees angry and confused about everything. She wanted to come clean: tell Regina how she felt, but she knew it might bring about the end of joy for them. Regina loved Robin, although Emma knew he could never give her the kind of true love Emma held for her.

Regina probably barely cared for Emma at all.

Emma wiped more tears from her eyes and pulled her flask, taking two nice, long sips.

"Emma Swan," a voice called brightly.

Emma rolled her eyes and turned, surprised to see a brunette woman. She had wide set eyes like Regina, and wore a power outfit similar to her style.

"Do I know you?" Emma asked, softening.

"You don't remember me?"

Emma stared at her, but couldn't place where she'd seen her before.

"I was a friend of Lily's," the stranger explained. "You and I only met once."

Emma searched herself, but couldn't recall. No matter, she thought. This was a sweet distraction. Emma offered a sip from her flask, and the stranger politely declined.

"What brings you to Storybrooke?" Emma asked numbly. "Is Lily in trouble?"

The pale brunette shook her head, but her eyes had a shine like the stars. "I only came for one thing."

She suddenly shoved Emma lightly against the tree. "Whoa," Emma said, dizzy from the scotch and excited to have a woman pressed against her. "You move fast," she said.

"No time like the present."

She suddenly kissed Emma on the mouth.

Regina, Emma thought imagining her instead of whoever this woman was. There was a coldness to her kisses and Emma shivered, pushing her away.

"Wait, I'm sorry, you're great looking, and as high as I am, I have to at least ask you your name."

"It doesn't matter Emma," the woman said, and her eyes turned red.

Emma pushed against her with all her might and took off running. She didn't make it ten yards before the stranger caught up, running ahead of her swinging her fist suddenly pushing Emma in the jaw and knocking her back.

"Damn," Emma said rubbing her jaw. She looked at the stranger. "A kiss, followed by a kiss with a fist," Emma smiled, thinking of Regina.

"That's a big smile for someone who's about to die!"

"You remind me of someone," Emma said, and she sprung up, kicking the stranger in the face, and making to run again. This is so weird. Who is this woman?

Emma felt someone take a fistful of her blond hair and rip her so she fell on her back, her spine making contact with a sharp rock that stuck out from the earth. The wind was knocked from her. "This has been fun," the woman said, stepping on Emma's throat.

The woman kicked Emma in the face, nearly knocking her into a coma. Emma tasted her own blood on her lip, and her vision was dizzy."I love to play with my food, but time is running out."

The woman straddled Emma, held her down by her wrists, and leaned down to lick her neck. Emma pushed against her, squirming with all her might, but she realized she couldn't move at all. Then the fear set in.

"What the hell are you?" Emma croaked.

"Mmm," the woman said enjoying the struggle. "I'm tempted to beat you into a bloody pulp, destroy you forever...but that wouldn't serve to punish the guilty ones."

"The guilty ones?"

The woman held Emma down like a twelve ton iron lock, and she whispered in Emma's ear: "Later, when they asked how this happened...tell Regina that Cordelia did this."

"Cordelia," Emma said, and she realized suddenly why this woman reminded Emma of Regina.

The woman smiled, and the glamour spell she had put on herself wore off and Emma saw exactly who she was, her true form.

"You!" Emma cried. "But you're dead!" Cordelia's eyes turned bright red, and she opened her mouth wide extending two long fangs.

"No!" Emma cried, struggling.

It was too late. Cordelia sunk her fangs into Emma's neck, and drained her of every drop of blood she had. It was the worst pain she'd ever felt: her life force slowly being sucked from her.

Cordelia smiled above Emma suddenly slitting her own throat open with a long fingernail, bleeding over Emma's mouth. The blood tasted like cold metal, and Emma coughed and choked trying to spit it out as tears sprung from her eyes.

"Drink it or you'll die," Cordelia whispered.

Emma swallowed, gagging. She felt her body stiffen and lock tight. She couldn't move. She was forced to watch as Cordelia dug a grave for her, as she did she hummed a tune that was all too familiar to Emma. Cordelia rolled Emma into her grave and Emma wanted to scream as dirt was flung over her body, and she was slowly buried alive until at last the sky, the stars, and moon went totally dark.

Regina awoke on Snow's couch with a stiff pain in her neck to the smell of burnt coffee. She looked around and went into the kitchen to see Henry alone.

"I made breakfast," he said.

Regina winced at the sight of burnt pancakes. He poured her a cup of burnt coffee, and Regina smiled, but dumped it down the drain as soon as Henry turned. She gave him a hug and waved her hand towards the pancakes, spelling them to be cooked perfectly.

"This looks great," she said. "Have you heard from your mother?"

"Not yet," Henry said.

They had all texted Emma last night when she hadn't turned up and Hook had called wanting to speak with her. "She isn't with you?" Regina had asked.

"No, she left," Hook said glumly. "I think...she needs a break from me."

"She isn't herself," Regina said. "She must be going through something."

Although, over one too many glasses of wine Emma had been complaining about Hook a lot lately. It pained Regina to see Emma so unhappy, but inwardly Regina wondered if she wasn't just as unhappy as Emma was...or was she just better at hiding it?

What does Emma want? Regina thought. What do I want?

She made a fresh pot of coffee and thanked the Charmings for letting her stay.

The day wore on, and soon it was late again. There still hadn't been any word from Emma. They banded together. First, they searched the town, they searched the woods, and Regina knew (or thought she knew) all of Emma's hiding places.

Finally, they all stood in a circle while Regina cast a spell to summon Emma's form. Instead a shallow crack formed in the earth.

"Oh no!" Regina exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"What does that mean?" Snow asked.

"It means-" Regina suddenly looked at Henry and stopped. "Uhh it means I'm rusty as hell and haven't cast the incantation correctly." A tense moment passed. "Henry...could you...go get that one big purple book...upstairs in my bedroom, uh, it's a spell book."

Henry rolled his eyes, but left. Regina snuck up to make sure he wasn't listening when she grabbed Snow and Charming.

"I did not do the spell wrong. The crack is formed because it means Emma is dead," she explained in a mad whisper.

"Dead?!"

"Shhhh! We can't alarm Henry when we aren't certain-"

"Could it mean anything else?" Charming asked. "Like she's been taken to another world?"

"Not usually," Regina said.

"Ok, well for now we keep looking," Snow said, tears threatening to spill. "We don't quit. We keep looking."

"She's been acting so strange lately. So unhappy. I should have stayed with her yesterday!" Regina said, feeling the worst kind of guilt. Who was Regina without Emma? Snow put her hand on Regina's arm.

"It's not your fault. We have to stick together, and keep trying." Regina nodded and they pulled themselves together as Henry came back.

They told everyone to keep their eyes peeled for Emma. They tried every summoning spell they could, and nothing worked.

At last night fell and they all went to bed.

Regina walked in to her room with a glass to scotch disappointed to find Robin there.

"Where have you been all day?" he asked.

"Looking for Emma," Regina said. "She's missing."

"You could have at least called," Robin said. Regina looked at Robin and wondered why she had never seen how truly self centered he was for someone who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Then again, he had gotten Zelena pregnant literally right after he'd left Regina. Why had she ignored the signs?

"Did you not hear me? Emma Swan, my best friend, the mother of my child, the woman who has saved my life on multiple occasions is missing," Regina said not bothering to hide her rage.

"For fuck sake, Regina. You are the mother of your child." Robin said standing.

"You don't understand," Regina said turning from him.

"I understand," he said definitely. "Emma broke up with Hook. She just needs some time."

"No," Regina said. "Even if that were true Emma would never leave without letting us know. She isn't someone who just runs off without any explanation."

"Are you sure? Now that she's gone why can't we just take Henry and go home."

Regina snapped. Everything that had built up in her finally came to head. She threw her scotch glass against the wall with a scream. "Why can't you understand! I am home!"

Robin grabbed Regina by the arms, holding her too tightly. "This has never been my home! I gave up everything to come here and be with you."

Regina's hands glowed with fire, burning Robin, while her eyes went dark with malice. He let go and she shoved him away, leaving burn marks on his chest.

A tense silence passed as they stared hard at each other.

"I never asked you too," Regina finally said, her eyes like daggers. "If that's how you feel then go back to your Lady Marion and your precious land."

Robin didn't say a word. He simply left, and Regina wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again.

She sat on her leather recliner by the window and lit the fire with a wave of her hand. She drew her hand towards the broken glass and scotch, the glass fragments and drops of liquid levitated coming back together as their perfect form. The glass of whiskey came to her and she drank all of it in one swallow burning her throat and ears, and settling the knot in her stomach.

She began to weep, but she couldn't tell why. Was she weeping over Robin or Emma? In her heart she knew the truth. She'd give anything for her friend to just be there for her.

"Where are you Swan?" she muttered, crying. She cried and cried until mercifully she fell asleep in her chair.

Tap, tap, tap.

Regina was in a dream. She was with Emma and Henry, they were having a picnic in the sun, and Emma put her hand on Regina's leaning in closer but this irritating tap, tap, tap kept interrupting.

Then an eerie voice called Regiiiiiinaaaa.

Tap, tap, tap.

Regina!

Regina awoke with a start. "Emma," she said, and looked around.

Tap, tap, tap.

Regina looked towards her window and thought her heart would jump out of her throat when she saw Emma's pale face in her window staring at her.

"Hi Regina," Emma said.

"Emma," Regina went to the window and opened it. "What the hell are you doing? I thought you were dead! I texted you 42 times and called you 73 times!"

Emma didn't say anything. She just gave a carefree smile. "Can I come in?"

"How did you get up here?" Regina opened the window all the way, but was startled to realized Emma was simply hovering outside, not standing on anything.

"Since when can you fly?" Regina crossed her arms. "I can't even fly."

Emma just gave the same eerie smile. "Please let me in," she said. "Please."

Regina was afraid. She hesitated. Emma looked pale, and like she'd been starving for weeks. Still, she knew Emma would never hurt her. She was glad to see her after all, but she knew something had gone terribly wrong. At least Emma was alive and they could figure it out together.

"Yes," Regina said finally. "Please come in."

Emma gave a mad smile, and floated higher, levitating into Regina's home. Regina watched Emma's blond hair fan out as she created wind. Emma turned to Regina with that ghost like smile. Finally, she was right where she wanted to be.