Emma was sitting at her desk reading the newspaper when she heard the door to the sheriff's station open. She hadn't been expecting anyone, and Mary Margaret always called before coming, so Emma knew who it must be.
"Miss Swan, look at you, working like a dog to earn the tax payer's hard earned money." Regina said as she sauntered into the office, leaning on the door frame as she studied Emma.
"Hello, Regina, what can I do for you today?" Emma responded, looking up at Regina from under her newspaper.
"I have come to report a missing child." Regina answered, looking around Emma's office as if she might find criminal evidence pointing towards Emma.
"Who?" Emma asked, setting her newspaper down, not sure if this was a hoax.
"My son, Henry. It seems he was abducted on his way home from school today." Regina answered as she walked up to Emma's desk, leaning over as she placed her hands on opposite ends of the desk.
"You know Mary and David are taking him bowling, Regina." Emma reminded her with a patronizing tone.
"Well, I don't remember giving my permission." Regina answered, smiling as she cocked her head to the side. "And he is legally my son, which means should he be found with those two, I could take them to court."
"Go home Regina. They'll have him back in time for dinner." Emma picked the newspaper back up, but not before Regina grabbed it and tossed it to the floor, "Hey!"
"Henry may have taken a liking to you and your parents but that does not mean that you three have the right to be involved in his life. He is my son. You gave up your rights as his parents. Mary and David didn't even know Henry was their grandchild until a few weeks ago. So if I were you, I would keep my distance. Magic is back, Miss Swan, and I have no problem using it on you." Regina said in a menacing tone as she smiled at Emma.
"Your empty threats don't worry me, Regina, if you were going to use your magic on me you would have already." Emma smiled, leaning in to Regina as she spoke.
Just like that Emma was pinned to the wall behind her desk by nothing at all. Regina was still behind the sheriff's desk and Emma seemed to be stuck to the wall. "Let me down!" Emma demanded as she tried to wiggle her way out of Regina's spell.
Regina strolled over to Emma, meeting her nose to nose. "Never challenge me, Miss Swan, for you will regret it." She took a small step back and looked Emma up and down, laughing as Emma struggled to squirm herself free.
With a twist of Regina's wrist, Emma fell to the ground, landing on her hands and knees in front of Regina. "Oh, you're bowing to me now, are you?" Regina smirked as Emma quickly stood up.
"I'm still the one with the gun, Regina, don't test me." Emma warned.
"Or what?" Regina chuckled, "You're going to shoot me? At least make believable threats, Miss Swan."
"Hey, you listen to me-" Emma started, but was interrupted when the wind was knocked out of her as she crashed into the wall behind her again.
"No, Miss Swan, you listen to me," Regina approached Emma once again, getting too close for comfort. "You will leave Henry alone. And you will start by not coming to the theatre for the school play tonight, or there will be hell to pay." Regina took a step back and chuckled as Emma gaped at Regina, her face white as a ghost. "That's all."
Regina moseyed out of the office and into the hall, turning to smirk at Emma threw the window before she flicked her wrist and Emma once again fell to the ground, on her hands and knees, out of breath and furious.
As Emma entered the theatre she searched the crowd for Mary and David, but they were nowhere in sight. She took a seat in the back, hoping no one would see or talk to her. She hated small talk. The lights began to dim and chatting parents began to take their seats. Emma observed the crowd as they wandered off in different directions of the auditorium.
The lights went completely out and a single boy approached the microphone, "The students of Storybrooke Middle School present to you an Original Play by Hansel and Gretel." The boy walked off the stage as instruments started playing an eerie tune and fog rolled onto the stage, clearing up to reveal a house made of cardboard boxes with candies drawn all over it.
"Cute, isn't it?" A voice startled Emma, coming from her left. She turned to see Regina and her eyes practically jumped out of their sockets. Shit. "You know, I lead Hansel and Gretel to that witch's house. I can't wait to see which little girl plays me." She added.
"She won't do your evil soul justice, I can promise you that." Emma whispered back.
"It's funny that you showed up here, I thought I made myself clear in your office earlier today, you were not to come tonight."
"What can I say? Thick skull I guess." Emma shrugged as she watched children dance around the brown house on stage.
"Well, Miss Swan, I do hope you enjoy the show," Regina muttered before getting up and finding a seat next to Sidney in the audience. Emma's eyes narrowed as she thought about what Regina had said. She really doubted Regina was going to let it go that easy.
The play went on and Emma cheered at the end, proud of the three lines Henry had delivered perfectly. She decided to stay in her seat and wait for the theatre to clear out, hoping to see Mary Margaret and David as they left, but no such luck. She stayed seated anyway, since other parents seemed to be doing the same, waiting for their kids to come out.
When she saw Henry come out from the backstage doors, Emma made to get up to greet him but found herself strapped to the chair as if invisible ropes were keeping her in her seat. "Fuck you Regina," Emma muttered under her breath as she struggled for the third time today to wiggle herself free from the invisible ties forced upon her.
She watched as Henry greeted Regina and they walked up the aisle in her direction. She watched as Regina spoke with another mother and pouted as she saw Henry leave with the mother and the other boy, never having seen that she had come to support him.
She was so focused on Henry she barely noticed Regina approaching her, "Miss Swan, no standing ovation?" She asked, smirking as she leaned over the seat in front of her.
"This isn't funny, Regina, let me go." Emma demanded.
"Now, you see, I can't be doing that since it seems you have to learn things the hard way." Regina chuckled as she waved goodbye to parents passing who seemed to take no notice to Emma's stiff position.
"Regina, I swear-"
"Hush now, Miss Swan, I'll be back soon, I hope during your time alone you can think about every possible meaning the words 'keep your distance' could hold." Regina smiled as she stood up and walked out of the theatre.
The lights went out and Emma was left in the darkness, all alone.