This is an AU Crossover, where everything that happened on Chase is canon, except Paolo got shot instead of Isabella. I got the idea from a vague post on tumblr where Regina had a vault of all the Lana Parrilla characters that no longer existed (for one reason or another) so yeah, enjoy! Unbetad, all mistakes are mine.
From The Desk Of Regina
August 2nd, 2012
We stopped with the illusions and the games today. Ms. Swan and I finally agreed on something; we couldn't continue sneaking around. I admit I've grown fond of the blonde Sherriff/Savior/Charming but if I'm to get back my job as mayor, and the respect of those in this town I can't have any scandals hanging over my head. She mumbled something about how she didn't really care one way or another but I know she was hurt. I've been with her long enough to catch the dejected look that crossed her face. I'm going to miss her though – she was fantastic in bed for one thing. *sigh* anyhow, when have I ever gotten everything I wanted?
Until next time,
R.
Regina signed off her blog and put her laptop down on the nightstand beside her before drifting off into a dreamless sleep, the left side of the bed cold and empty for the first time in months.
Isabella let out an appreciative "hm" at her sister's latest blog posting. She had been living in the "real" world since the 80s, when she found a magic bean and escaped the Enchanted Forest to that time, so while Regina was fully grown in 1983, Isabella actually grew up in the hippie era, growing up with Bruce Springsteen, Cabbage Patch Kids, Madonna and Gremlins. When the Internet and blogging became big in the late 90's, Isabella made it her mission to look for traces of her sister on the web.
Once Regina had set up her blog April 2009, it was basically the same until sometime in August of 2011, someone named Emma Swan came to Storybrooke and shook everything up. Regina put enough description into her blog posts that Isabella felt confident in jumping into her life and fixing things with Emma.
"Seems like it's time to take a little trip to Maine" Isabella said to her empty apartment, picking up the suitcase she had packed weeks earlier. She made her way down to the car park, and geared up for the seven-hour drive from New York to Maine.
Crossing the border of Storybrooke, which was particularly difficult to find since it wasn't on any map, Isabella felt her whole body tingle. "Magic? Here?" she was surprised to say the least. She magiked herself a vintage navy Mercedes, so not to draw any attention to herself when the doppleganger drove into town.
"Tsk tsk" she shook her head. "This town looks like it got stuck in the 80's."
She stepped out of her car into Granny's Diner, the only restaurant she'd seen since she entered the town. "Mornin' Regina!" the old woman greeted from behind the counter. It didn't take much reasoning to figure out who it was.
"Hi Granny, could I get my usual?" Isabella held her breath hoping Regina had a 'usual'
"Coming right up Ms. Mills" she smiled.
Isabella slid into a booth, taking a seat in front of who she hoped was Emma. "Blonde curls? Check. Red leather jacket? Check. Smug expression? Check." Isabella ran through the identifying features she gleaned from Regina's blog.
Emma cocked an eyebrow. "Back so soon Madame Mayor?" Damn she was irritating and she knew her for the grand total of ten seconds. "Your hair looks longer and you look…younger?"
"I combed my hair differently and are you saying I usually look old?!" Isabella put her hand on her chest feigning offence.
"No Regina, you know that. When'd you get the tattoo?" Emma questioned, pointing to the feather that decorated Isabella's right hand.
"Oh that, I usually cover it up." She saved. "It's not appropriate for a mayor to be inked, you know?"
Emma raised her eyebrow again.
"Listen Emma." She leaned across the table, channeling the regal attitude she'd seen pouring from Regina's blog. "You know I loved you, in fact deep down I probably do, but I'm at the top, I'm mayor, you work for me."
Emma hung her mouth open in shock.
"Does it hurt you to hear the truth?"
"You…you never said…" Emma stammered and her face grew hot. "You never told me you loved me."
Isabella mentally face palmed. She said it in her blog but not to her face?! "Oh yes well…" she ran her fingers through her hair nervously.
"Hey." Emma took Isabella's hands in hers. "If it's worth anything, I love you too."
Isabella's head swam. Pablo hardly told her that he loved her, and now it was too late. He jumped in front of a bullet that was meant for her outside the courthouse, and now she had no one.
Isabella shuffled in her seat "I want to give us a shot. I feel like a new person Emma. I swear it's been so long since I've felt happy and…" she trailed off, realizing she meant the words she was saying to the blonde she hardly knew.
"Are you-" Emma cut herself off. "Hey someone has the same car as you!" Emma pointed excitedly.
"Shit." Isabella thought to herself. "Kiss me." She leaned across the table, closing the distance between her and Emma until their lips met, soft and eager. Isabella's heart hammered in her chest, but with love, and adrenaline, knowing it would only be a few seconds until-
"Good day Ms. Swan" Regina glared at the blonde. "Who's the hussy?" she spat bitterly. Regina stood a few feet behind Isabella with her arms crossed over her chest and Emma pushed herself away from the woman in front of her.
"Re-Regina?" Emma asked confused as she moved her head between the two women in front of her opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Isabella stiffened, petrified of what would inevitably happen.
"Who do you think you are?" Regina asked Isabella, still not seeing her face.
Isabella stood turned painfully slowly, until she was looking at Regina's shoes. Regina didn't notice the resemblance between the woman standing in front of her, or Emma's baffled expression.
"Well?" Regina closed the distance between the women and used her finger to coax up the head of the unknown brunette, until their eyes met and she retracted her hand like it was on fire.
"Hey Reg." Isabella smiled sheepishly.
"ISABELLA?!" Regina shrieked, earning the attention of the entire diner. She lowered her voice before speaking. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I'm just trying to help." Isabella mumbled.
"Help? How could you know anything of-" Regina's eyes darkened in anger. "Come with me." Regina took her twin by the arm and dragged her out of the diner.
"Why the hell were you reading my blog?" Regina spat.
"I missed you dammit!" Isabella threw her hands up in exasperation.
"That's fine and dandy but that is my personal business why didn't you just call me Isabella Marie Mills?!"
"Cordova."
"You're married?" Regina asked hopefully, her eyes flying to her empty ring finger.
"Widowed."
"Oh." Regina replied flatly.
Isabella shrugged her shoulders. "Long story short, got involved with the wrong people, made some bad deals" her voice lowered to a whisper "killed a few people…"
Regina's eyes shone with unshed tears. "What?"
"My adoptive sister for one. She would've gotten in the way" her voice hardened.
"What the hell Bella did you join the mafia or something?!" Isabella looked down and hugged herself defensively. "Oh my god." Regina hugged her sister tightly, not letting go until her arms hurt.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore alright?" Isabella pleaded. "It's in the past."
Regina stepped back. "May I ask, why did it take you so long to find me?"
"It didn't take me long to find you Regina. It took me some time to… catch up." Regina scrunched her face up in puzzlement, coaxing Isabella to continue. "I landed here in what ended up being 1983"
"As did I." Regina added matter of factly.
"But I was a little girl, you were all grown up. I didn't think you wanted a little girl traipsing behind you. And besides" Isabella laughed. "Time wasn't moving here, I didn't want to be young forever!"
Regina joined her sister, both of them laughing in the parking lot. "Come home with me?" Regina asked tentatively, clinging to the last bit of family she thought she'd lost long ago.
"Okay."
Regina looked to her sister's car. "Do you really drive the same car as me?"
Isabella laughed again. "Oh nah! I just didn't want the whole town to stop and stare when 'the mayor' drove up in this!" Isabella waved her hand and a puff of orange smoke engulfed one of the Mercedes, and when it cleared produced a silver Porsche Carrera.
Regina let out a low whistle. "Well I'll be damned."
Isabella beamed. "You can drive it if you'd like."
"But how will I get my car home?"
"It'll still be here later, huh?" Isabella playfully bumped Regina's hip.
"I suppose." Regina turned back to the Porsche and started grinning like a small child on Christmas. "Ok let's go."
She jumped into the drivers seat, with Isabella sliding in beside her. "Alright to start it you-"
"I know!" Regina shrieked gleefully as she put the car in gear and tore out of the driveway leaving tire marks in their wake.
Regina stepped out of the car too soon for her liking, and walked up to her front door. She turned around when she saw Isabella gawking at the mansion.
"You coming?"
"It's… it's the biggest house here. It's like you're their Queen or something."
Regina tilted her head one way, then another. "Couldn't help myself," she said with a smile. "Now come on, it's even better inside."
Isabella walked over the threshold, and found herself awestruck again. "Wow."
"You get used to it." Regina's voice dropped to what she dubbed the Evil Queen octave, just for her amusement. "Now how would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"
"Alright." Isabella agreed. "Too bad the apples don't come from your tree back home" she mused.
"Ah, but they do Ms. Cordova."
They sat in Regina's living room, each with a glass of cider in their hands.
"Do you have any children Bella?"
Isabella got a far away look in her eyes. "I did. They're gone now, with Paolo."
"God I'm so sorry."
"Thank you. I have to ask." Isabella shifted uncomfortably. "Where's mom and dad?"
"I… I sort of…" Regina couldn't find the way to tell her sister what had become of their parents.
"It's ok Reg, it's okay."
Regina smiled. "Now more importantly, why were you kissing Ms. Swan?"
Isabella laughed, relaxing back into the sofa. "Because I'd had it with you not thinking you could win Regina! Do you know how depressing your blog is? Every thing that happened you found a way to make it your fault. You kept destroying everything!" Isabella saw she struck a nerve as Regina was silently crying. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Isabella put a tentative hand on her twin's leg, rubbing small circles when she jumped.
"We're not so different are we?" Regina asked with a small smile.
"No, I suppose not." Isabella returned the smile.
"Of all the lands, and all the realms, we both ended up here. It seems we were meant to find each other again"
Isabella hugged her sister. "Never leave me again."
"Never."
From The Desk Of Regina
August 3rd 2012
Things are looking up. I was reunited with someone I thought I'd lost long ago, and perhaps, just this once, I can have a happy ending. Ms. Swan and I are going to work on things, perhaps we rushed into things too quickly. Bella is going to have to wear a collar or something though – she can't keep going around pretending to be me!
Until next time,
R.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I do have some ideas that I could write into a second part, venturing more into the relationship between Isabella and Regina but I'm not sure if people would be interested in reading it :p Reviews are always nice, and they make my writing better!