Emma Swan was late. Again.
A situation such as this wouldn't have most people fearing their life, but in Emma's case that's exactly what was at stake. Only having been late once in her two and-a-half years working for Heart-in-Fist publishing company, her boss, Regina Mills, was not pleased when Emma had started showing up tardy a few weeks earlier.
So now as Emma speed-walked towards the elevators, she wonders how long the lecture would last this time. Regina Mills is not one to be stood up, no matter if it's a minute pass, or longer. Her cold demure is rather infamous in the office and through out the publishing branches. Everyone knows not to mess with her perfect line of order on things or all hell would break loose. And that is exactly what Emma was doing now, standing in the small elevator, yanking against hells gates.
Emma breaths out a sigh of relief once she hears the soft ding of the elevator announcing she had finally arrived to her floor. But this feeling doesn't last her long, having collided with Archie, the mailroom guy, in her rush to Regina's office. One of the two cups of coffee she was holding spilled across the floor, a large portion of it splattered on the middle of her shirt.
"I am so sorry, Emma!" He exclaims, his kind green eyes growing wide.
"Damn it!" Emma huffs out a breath, today is definitely not one of her best, "It-its fine Archie, you just didn't see me." She pulls the now sticky, stained shirt away from her skin, cringing. "Do you know if anyone left behind some spare shirts?"
Archie swallows and gestures towards a door to his left, "I think there's a few back there. Again, I am so very sorry."
Emma waves him off and speeds off into the room, clutching the remaining cup in her hand tightly. Sighing, she shifts through the small array of clothes, choosing a silky dark blue shirt. Glancing at it quizzically, she shrugs and throws it on quickly, tossing the stained one aside. She risks a glance at her watch and her heart rate picks up yet again, she was close to becoming three minutes late. "Shit!" she mutters, scooping up the cup and rushing to her boss's office.
Regina Mills is the kind of person who likes the world to be set in an orderly fashion; nothing should ever be out of place. That's why she is the most successful editor the publishing world has ever seen, the woman has a gift in getting people to do whatever she pleases. She can get even the most stubborn of authors to make an interview, get struggling authors a best selling book with just few calls to the right people. She's the kind of person who just doesn't lose.
Except for today.
Regina rubs her temple tiredly as she processes the events that just ruined her morning, possibly her entire week. Who was she kidding; this news was the beginning of the end. She lets out a weary sigh and picked up the thick manuscript that lay on her desk, something like this should be reserved for a later time, back in the quietness of her apartment with a glass of wine, hell, probably a whole bottle.
A frown lines her face as she realizes her snarky, overly opinionated assistant hasn't arrived yet. Her jaw sets at the thought, one more slip up and she would have to do something about this. When she had first met Emma she had seen a great potential in her as did the rest of the editors, but what Regina wants, Regina gets.
What a mistake that was.
Though the blonde woman held potential in becoming a great editor, she obviously needed to work on her edict. She is always voicing her opinion on any and all manuscripts Regina receives, having the nerve to interject with her own suggestions. But Regina can't help but admire her boldness, something no other employee has ever done, and to stand up to Regina Mills takes a set of steel balls. Maybe that's why she hadn't fired her yet, though she was on the route to receive her second tardy of the month.
Just as Regina completed her thought, a frazzled Emma comes bursting in, nearly cracking the glass on her office door. "So sorry, Ms. Mills, there was traffic and my s-" Emma starts to explain breathily.
Regina holds up a manicured hand. "There are no excuses for tardiness in life, Miss Swan. What if this was an important meeting with a client? Not only would you be late, but voicing such childish excuses would just add to your unprofessionalism. You would lose ranking and a client, now sit." She flicks her pen towards the seat placed in front of her desk, eyes returning back to the paper in her hands.
Emma blinks but takes a seat cautiously, having never been asked to sit in this chair before but she was almost sure it could not be at a pleasant expense.
Regina continued to read her manuscript, marking the paper as she went along. Emma waited impatiently for her to speak, taping her short nails against the metal railing of the chair. Unable to contain herself she clears her throat. "Um, Ms Mills, was there a reason you wanted me to sit?" She asked warily.
Regina's eyes rise up slowly to meet the woman across her, "I'm sorry, Miss Swan, I was stuck in traffic." Her chocolate eyes darken with amusement, as Emma's blue ones narrow. "See? Not so fun, now is it?" setting the papers aside, she laces her finger together, placing her hands onto the surface of the desk. "Now I trust you received an email for today's agenda?"
Emma, just remembering the coffee in her hands, sets it down on the desk. "Uh…yea, I got it. You have two meetings today, one with Color's magazine, Huntress Smith wants to discuss the details of your interview and the other is an on-call meeting with Merida Ginger, the girl who sent you that draft of that parody book on the Hunger Games a few weeks ago." Her eyes roam down the page, knowing better than to miss anything. "Oh, Frank wants you to call him back, he says it's urgent." She looks to her boss, awaiting instructions.
Regina lets out a small huff, "Move the Color's interview to next week, cancel Mary's or whatever her name's, and find out what Frank wants, if it was that urgent he would have called me personally." She opens her mouth, ready to discuss the unnerving news she had been told, feeling that her assistant had the right to know. She pauses, after reaching for the coffee cup, and squints at the writing on the side, important agenda pushed aside for the moment. "Who is Ruby and what made last night 'so amazing' that she wants to 'hook up again sometime'?" She turns the cup around so her now red-faced assistant could see.
"I uh…" she clears her throat, "I guess I accidentally gave you my cup." She stammers a rarity for her.
Regina's eyebrow quirks, "Really now?" She takes a small sip, "You like apple cinnamon lattes?" her voice hints at light amusement.
Emma nods, her blush deepening. "Yea, it's one of my guilty pleasures I guess." She shrugs.
Regina nods slowly, taking another sip. Her eyes roam over Emma, making the woman feel slightly uneasy, though she doesn't look away. "I do hope you're enjoying my shirt, Miss Swan." She observes quietly, noting how the shirt hugs the blonde in all the right places.
Emma's eyebrows rise as she glances down at it. "I knew it looked familiar, but I didn't know it was yours. But, yes it is very comfortable, thank you." Her lips twitch, "Silk, right?"
Regina's eyes narrow, still looking at the shirt before flicking her gaze up to meet Emma's smirking expression. "Yes it is." The two women hold each others gazes, both filled with grudging admiration and curiosity.
"So I'll get right on this." Emma breaks the contact, holds up the paper then crosses the room to her much smaller desk to get started on her days work.
Though Regina would never admit it to anyone, much less the woman a few feet away, but their level of odd understandment with one another has become rather…..appealing.
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Shortly after she had hung up on a disappointed Merida, the phone rings again. "Regina Mills office." She speaks, making her voice sound as professional as possible. Hearing the voice on the line, she sits up straighter in her seat. "Hello, Mr. Jones, how may I help you?"
Unlike Emma, at the name Regina has the irresistible urge to pull her guard up as far as possible. Killian Jones is almost as deadly a worker as she and he wasn't pleased when she landed the role of head editor, which stuck him with second-in-command. Killian is more of a captain, not a first-mate, so hearing his name is not something Regina is particularly fond of.
Across the room Emma nods, "Sure, ok would you like to-oh well I'd have to ask-alright Mr. Jones we'll be there." Emma cringes, feeling Regina's eyes snap up at her at those words. She was well aware of what went down between the two, but frankly, they both scared the shit out of her. "Ok uh see you soon, sir." She hangs up the phone gingerly, reluctantly looking up to find her boss staring her down. "Mr. Jones wants to speak with you immediately." She says, sounding bolder than she felt.
Regina's eyes narrow. "So I'm just supposed to go running because you said I would? Tell him I'll be there when I have time." She focused back on her paperwork, trying not to let anger surge her.
Emma sighs, "Regina, you know he'll just keep calling until you go. So just go get it over with." She flinches slightly at her slip of informality.
Regina's eyes snap back up to meet Emma's. They silently confront another in a heated debate, each wondering who will back down first. Surprisingly, Regina breaks the eye contact and sighing, gets up slowly from her desk. "Fine. Come along Miss Swan."
Emma blinks in shock. "You want me to come?"
Regina rolls her eyes, "What do you think, 'come along Miss Swan' means?"
Glowering, Emma steps away from her desk and joins her boss at the door. "But why?"
"He seems to have taken a shine to you; it might come in handy as a distraction, seeing as in I'm no mood to argue at the moment." She smirks as Emma rolls her eyes.
"I highly doubt that, Regina." There goes that informality again; Emma wonders why her boss hasn't called it out yet.
Pausing to look over at her assistant, Regina asks. "Why? You're an attractive woman."
Emma's eyes widen at the complement, almost tripping over her own feet, having been taken completely off guard. No one can muster a smile from the brunette, let alone a complement. What the hell is going on today? "Tha-thank you?" unsure if it's a trick or not, Emma decides not to dwell on the matter. So why did her heart swell at the words?
"You're welcome." Regina turns her eyes straight ahead when they reach the main hallway, ignoring the stares of hatred and fear shot her way. She had grown use to not being the most likeable employee here, it use to bother her, until she realized she controls them all.
They enter Killian's office to find him lounging at his desk, feet propped up, eyes closed contently. Hearing his door open, his mouth stretches slowly into a smirk. "I knew you would come, Regina, you just couldn't resist could you?" he greets, eyes still shut.
Regina rolls her own. "Actually, Killian I just couldn't resist the though that this would be the only time I would need to see you today." She counters back, crossing her arms.
"From what I hear, darling, you won't be seeing any of us anytime soon." He snaps back, causing Regina to flinch. Killian opens his eyes slowly and upon seeing Emma before him quickly removes his boots from the desk and sits up. "I wasn't expecting you to bring anyone."
Regina shrugs, her blood still running cold from his comment. "Is there a law that says I can't bring in my assistant to meetings?" She observes Killian's sudden change in demure at the sight of Emma.
He shakes his head. "Not at all, please have a seat." Keeping his eyes trained on Emma, he gestures towards the two chairs placed in front of his desk. They each sit, waiting for him to speak. He finally turns back to Regina, making Emma breathe a silent breath of relief. "Let's get straight to the point then, shall we?" A smirk is plastered back on his rather handsome face. "I've heard that you will no longer be working with us." He starts, causing Emma's head to whip to Regina, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. A cold chill spreads through Regina's body, like a slow plague, which she would much rather endure than the fact that Killian is now voicing the very thing that she had finally managed to push into the very back of her mind. Now it was the only thing dominating her brain.
Killian's grin widens, "So it is true. So very sorry to hear that, guess you should've been a bit more demanding in getting that green card approved, eh love?"
Ok, now Emma was beyond confused. Regina's leaving? Green Card? None of this was adding up in her head. Unless…Emma's eyes narrow as she looks at her soon-to-be former boss.
"Fantasy, Spain, such a beautiful place but so hard to escape from." Says Killian in mock sympathy confirming Emma's thoughts as he holds up a news article stating the title Fantasy, Spain: Romantic Getaway or Prison?Emma had heard whispers of the place before, but never considered it relevant until now. But now it seems apparent, it was Regina's birthplace.
Regina's fingers curl tightly around her armrest. "I'm aware of its hardships." She replies crisply, trying to subtly link tears away.
"What. The hell. Is going on!?" exclaims Emma, unable to hold back in silence.
Both Killian and Regina turn to her, one looking smug the other in a state of mild shock.
"Your boss didn't tell you?" Killian asked, "Well that's just not right, now is it? Regina, love, why didn't you tell her?" he speaks to them both as if explaining something to a first grader.
Regina grinds her teeth together. "I don't see how this is any of your conc-"
"Oh but my dear, it is. You see," Killian tilts forward in his chair, eyes gleaming wickedly, "Once you're gone, everything you own here at this office will belong to me. Everything." His eyes shift to Emma, who stares him down murderously.
Regina refrains from emitting a growl to escape her throat. "If you lay one finger on anything of mine, so help me…" She grips the arms of her chair so tightly her knuckles turn white.
Killian isn't phased at the least, grinning. His content expression makes something snap in Emma, she grabs Regina's shoulder, "Honey, calm down, we have nothing to worry about."
Regina pauses at Emma tone; she fixes her confused face to her. "What?" could she have passed out and was now hallucinating?
"You don't need to stress out; you have enough to think about with the wedding plans." She slows her speech, praying Regina will catch on.
Thankfully, she does. Her eyes widen as she nods. "Of course… dear. Always looking out for me." She throws in a smile though her mind races with confusion.
Killian, however, was left completely in the dark. "Wedding?" he asks, his smugness evaporated.
Emma nods, turning to him. "Yea, mine and Regina's." Her heart thumps in her chest, why was she doing this?
Regina can't help but frown a little at these words. Has the world turned upside down? But seeing Killian's expression quickly turned her lips up into a smirk. "That's right." Hesitantly, she reaches for Emma's hand, hoping to drive him to the edge.
Killian's eyes dart to their now intertwined hands then back up at their smiling faces. "Are-are you serious? You," he points to Emma, "are marrying her!?" the finger is now in Regina's direction. "Emma, you deserve so much better." He voice grows low, pleading.
Emma frowns, "You know, I think you're right." She looks over at Regina, who was trying to hide the hurt that spiraled up into her chest, "I do deserve better, that's why I'm marrying her, not you." Killian recoils in shock, his eyes narrowing.
Regina can barely contain the shock in her expression either. What brought this on? What good deed had she done to deserve this? Regina couldn't think of a single thing, which only confused her more. "Thank you, honey." She replies quietly. Emma shoots her a small smile.
Killian, having gotten over his rejection, groans. "This cannot be happening." He pauses "Does the Board know about this?" suddenly the smugness has made a comeback into his tone.
The women exchange a brief glance. "No, but we were planning on telling them soon." replies Regina, shifting in her seat.
Killian smirks, "Why not today? I'm sure they would be ecstatic about this…lovely news."
Emma opens her mouth to speak but Regina replies for them both. "Of course, we would love to tell them now." She speaks confidently, though her throat tightens.
"Excellent." Killian picks up the receiver to his ear and punches in the number. After a few moments of silence he speaks up. "Mr. Booth, always a pleasure. This is Killian Jones, from the editing department….Yes, glad you remember….Of course…I have some interesting news that I'm sure you and Mr. Hunters will be pleased to hear….Its about Ms Mills….yes…..of course…..we'll be there momentarily…..see you soon, sir." He hangs up, grinning up them evilly. "The Board will see you now."