Chapter 1: In The Shadows

Shutting the front door with a soft click and making sure to lock it, the Sheriff of Storybrooke discarded her boots by the door and hung her thick brown leather jacket at the coat rack before stepping further into the dark and silent first floor of her home and checking all the windows and doors are all locked.

It was half past twelve in the morning when she finally reached home and as silently as she's capable, climbed to the bedroom after her long day at work. She was about to pack and went home at 10pm but a disturbance call from the bar by the pier got her delayed until late hours.

Reaching her bedroom, she saw her wife was asleep with the bedside lamp on, a book on her lap and glasses still perching on her cute button nose. A smile crept on her lips at seeing that her wife has waited for her but soon enough the smile was gone when the guilt surfaces. Her wife waited for her until she fell asleep. God knows how long that had been since.

She quickly showered and pulled on a tank top and a panty on before walking to her wife and removing the glasses and book and set them on top of the bedside table before shutting off the lamp. In semi-darkness, she managed her way to her side of the bed and climb-in. Scooting closer to her wife, she spoon the sleeping brunette and planted a kiss on her exposed shoulder. Her wife stirred at the action and turned slightly, peeking an eye at the sheriff.

In a groggy voice, eyes barely open, "You're home." She states the obvious before asking her wife for the time.

"It's 12.50am. Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up." She answered before planting a quick kiss on her wife's lips.

"It's okay. I just thought you texted me saying you would be home at about 10.15pm? Did something happen?"

"I got a call on disturbance at the bar by the pier. The bartender who was on break said he heard screaming and maybe some shadows of guys fighting. But when I went, there's nothing. So just to be safe, I did some area search. Sorry it took so long." Answered the sheriff, but she had this distracted voice and faraway look, like she's lost in her own mind.

"Hey, is everything okay? I know that look Emma."

"I just… There's this case me and my deputies are working on. There are some shady things going on at the pier. I don't know… Nah don't worry about it. Let's sleep. I heard the Mayor have an early meeting with the town sheriff." Emma said while wiggling her brows.

Her wife playfully hit her on her arm before in an authoritative voice said, "Yes I do. And I expect the Sheriff to be on time this time. Or there will be punishment."

"Mhmm… I like the sound of that."

"Of course you would dear." Her wife replied with an eye roll before giving her a long slow kiss. "Goodnight my love."

"Goodnight Regina. I love you."

It was three days later when Emma was in the middle of doing the station budget while listening to Ellie Goulding's Something In the Way You Move on blast in her sheriff office when one of her deputy, David, knocks on her office window.

Pressing the mute button on her portable speaker, she lightly shouted, "Yeah David?"

David peeked his head in the office and informed her that his heading home for the day and that Neal, the other deputy just arrived and was changing in the locker room.

Parting their goodbyes, the sheriff press the play button again and continues with her work after Neal stopped by to inform her that he is going for patrol.

Emma was on her last page of the budgeting sheet when she felt like someone was watching her. Looking at the clock, she noted that it was only 15minutes to 4pm and there shouldn't be anyone in the station as Neal just left for patrolling 20minutes ago and her night deputy aren't due until 7pm later.

Standing from her desk and stretching her muscles for having seated for the last 2hours, Emma slowly walked out her office to have a look around the station while attending to get some coffee at the pantry at the same time.

After sweeping the station and coming up with nothing, she settles back in her office and decided that maybe all the mathematics was slowly killing her brain and she's just imagining things.

Having nothing else to do except kill some time and maybe waste some paper for making paper balls, she decided to text her wife.

Emma: Yo sexy ass! Watcha doin?

She snorted at her own text waiting for her wife's reply.

Regina: What do you want? And stop being a perv!

Emma: I'm not a perv. I'm funny.

Regina: So that's what they call it now? Calling people sexy ass is funny? What do you want Emma?

Emma: For me it's funny. You're no fun! :(

Regina: Sheriff, please tell me want you want. I have a pile of paperwork to finish by 530pm.

Emma: Well… I miss you :)

Regina: You texted me to tell me you miss me? Seriously Miss Swan?

Emma: Swan-Mills, thank you very much. And yes, but I guess it was a mistake. Won't bother you anymore Madam Mayor. GOODBYE!

Not even 5 seconds later, the Sheriff's phone was blasting with The Story by Sara Ramirez and Emma smirk, knowing that it's her wife calling. Putting her best hurt voice, she answered her phone.

"Yeah?"

"Honey, I'm sorry. I miss you too. I'm just very busy at the moment. You're never a bother. Well, that's not true. But you know what I mean."

"Is that your way of apologizing? Because it's not very effective."

"I'm sorry Emma. Just so you know, I miss you very much. And you know what else dear?"

Grinning to herself, knowing her wife felt bad, Emma tried to milk the situation. She's not even mad truth be told. "What?"

"I love you and as soon as I'm done here, I'll go home and make some apple crumple for tonight's dessert. How about that?"

Pretending to be thinking hard, "Hmm… I guess…"

"Don't stay mad for too long okay? You'll be home at 5.30pm too right?"

"Yes. I'll get Henry from the sitter and should be home around that time."

"Okay. See you later. I love you Emma."

"I love you too Regina."

Ending the call, Emma lets out another snort at how soft her wife actually is with her loved ones.

Not long after, Neal came back and they chatted for a while and next thing she knew, it was a quarter after 5pm. She packed her stuff and locked her office door before bidding goodbye to her deputy and went to her beloved bug and was pulling out on the road a few minutes after.

What she didn't notice was a block from the station, in the dark shadowy alley, someone was watching her every move.

To be continued...

All mistakes are mine.