Tallahassee
A/N: My take on what kept Emma in Tallahassee longer than anywhere else in the time between when she gave birth to Henry, and arriving in Storybrooke.
Swan Queen Fluff near the end. Characters are not mine.
AS USUAL, hugs and kisses to my Beta, Swansandqueens.
Emma Swan turned her key in the lock to the apartment she shared with Mary Margaret, and stepped into the dimly lit room, throwing her keys on the table and dropping 3 of the 4 pieces of mail she'd brought in with her. Before reaching down to pick up the mail she'd dropped on the floor, the post mark on the envelope still in her hand made her freeze. Her blood ran cold, and goose bumps pimpled all over her skin.
"Tallahassee?" she breathed out in a whisper, a small panic rising in her gut. There was no return address, but the postmark was unmistakable. Sliding her thumb under the fold at the top, she ripped it open slowly, delaying as much as she could in revealing whatever was inside. It was a short letter; only 4 sentences or so. The blood drained from Emma's face as the letter fell from her fingers, landing on top of the forgotten mail piled on the floor.
"Oh, crap." Emma said to herself, and she leaned on the large wooden table as she felt her legs almost give out. Swallowing hard against her suddenly dry throat, she bent down quickly, retrieving the letter, grabbed her keys and ran out the door, not bothering to lock it behind her. It was time to stop pretending. Time to stop hiding. It was time to live again.
It was Saturday. Regina loved Saturdays. Walking around her beloved honeycrisp apple tree, she selected only the most deliciously ripe apples to make her famous apple cider. Henry was at the park in the woods, and she had all day to herself. She was going to enjoy it. She had been having a terrible week, and this day was going to be her saving grace; or so she hoped.
She heard the engine of Emma Swan's offensively loud yellow VW bug before she saw it, that annoying rumble of metal and grease accompanied by an occasional bang as it would backfire.
"Perfect," she sarcastically grumbled under her breath as she saw the hideous car drive past the privacy fence. Her facial muscles tensed as she heard it pull into her drive and the door open and close with a creak. I am NOT in the mood to deal with THIS today, Regina thought to herself. Hiding her attraction to the blonde was becoming trying, at best.
Deep inside, Regina wondered if she stayed real quiet, maybe Ms. Swan would leave. Maybe she wouldn't notice the gate to the backyard opened and wouldn't go through it. Just MAYBE the annoying blonde wouldn't find her. Regina knew she was being ridiculous, but what was the hurt in hoping.
Regina stood unmoving, her basket full of apples lazily hanging from the crook of her arm. Every muscle in her body was tensed and ready for a fight as Emma almost ran through the gate and made a beeline for Regina. Beautiful! Regina thought. Stop it, Regina! she chided herself. There was a crumpled piece of paper in Emma's hand, and a look in her eyes which Regina did not ever remember seeing before on the woman.
Emma stopped mere inches away from Regina, nose to nose. Her frown almost looked pleading as she searched Regina's eyes. Regina only waited for an explanation, her face stone cold and impatient.
"Ms. Swan, do explain yourself. Quickly," Regina's irritation was rising. Emma lifted her chin along with the fist which held the crumpled up letter. "Can I speak to you inside?" Emma was sincere and hopeful. Regina only nodded. Accepting that today was going to be far from relaxing, she sighed and motioned for Emma to follow her into the house as she made her way to the backdoor. Emma dutifully trailed closely behind.
"What's this all about, Sheriff?" Regina asked, not unkindly, as she set her basket of apples on the kitchen counter and took a seat at the small table next to the window. Gesturing to the seat opposite her, inviting Emma to sit as well. She did so, and laid the paper on the table in front of her face down, smoothing out the wrinkles. Emma looked up at Regina and felt her stomach turn. She couldn't believe she was about to spill her guts to her so-called nemesis, but she knew Regina was the only one who could help her.
"Regina," Emma began as her voice broke slightly, "I need to tell you a story. And then I'm going to ask for your help." Regina raised a single eyebrow and dipped her head in acknowledgement, urging Emma to continue. Regina had to admit she was intrigued.
"Do you remember when you snooped into my past and found that I'd spent a longer time in Tallahassee than anywhere else in the last ten years?"
Regina scoffed. "Of course, what a silly question. Is your whole story going to be this frivolous?" Regina watched as something dark passed over Emma's features, her eyes glazed over, and she pressed her lips together tightly.
"Anyway..." Emma continued, "You wanted to know why. So now I'm going to tell you."
Regina leaned on her elbows, resting her chin on her clasped hands. Emma took a deep breath and began her story.
"I was 23, and was just looking for anywhere that would give me a job. I was headed east on I-10 just past a little town called Panama City when I saw a sign that said Tallahassee was 40 miles away. I thought the name was interesting, so I thought I'd check it out."
Regina listened, surprisingly she found herself enthralled. She'd resigned herself to the understanding that she'd never know why Emma stayed in Tallahassee, and she was not going to interrupt Emma and lose the chance to find out.
Emma looked down at her hands as she spoke softly.
"I found a decent hotel, and decided to check out the town. The woman at the front desk of the hotel gave me the names of some 'swanky places,' as she called them, but said this place called Level 8 was where I'd find the best drinks and hottest music, so, of course, that's where I went." Emma smoothed her hands over the paper in front of her again.
"I'd been there about 20 minutes when I saw this woman stand up from her table and run out of the door. No one followed her, and no one appeared to even notice, so I felt like someone should check on her. When I got out into the hall, I saw the roof access door closing, so naturally I figured she had gone up to the roof. Fortunately, I was right." Emma looked up at Regina and was surprised to see she had the mayor's complete and undivided attention.
"I found her standing on one of the beams stretching out from the rooftop, holding onto a support wire and staring down at the street 15 stories below." Emma took a moment to gather her thoughts so she could continue without breaking into tears, at least not yet.
"I asked her what she was doing, and she said she had lost the love of her life, and couldn't bear the thought of living without her."
Regina nodded. She understood that feeling all too well, her eyes suddenly growing wider as she realized what Emma had just said. "What did you do?" Regina urged her to continue.
"I told her she could find love again, she would just need to have faith, and hope, and a little patience." Emma looked Regina in the eyes, and thought she saw something faintly resembling a human emotion in them.
She sighed and went on, "Anyway, I eventually got her off the roof and bought her a drink. Her name was Layla. Layla Munroe. I talked to her all night, and the next day we had lunch and hung out. One thing led to another," Emma looked back down at her hands, laying flat on the table, "and I fell in love with her."
Emma was not looking at Regina, so she did not see the softening of Regina's eyes, or the relaxed muscles soothing over her features, or the tiny smile on her usually stiff lips.
"I don't know if she loved me back, but I had always hoped she would. And that's why I stayed for 2 years." Emma looked up again. "I waited 2 years for her to say she loved me, but I don't think she ever got over her first love."
Emma felt tears stinging behind her eyes. "I found her in bed with her neighbor. They'd been sleeping together for 6 months before I caught them. She didn't even try to apologize." Emma felt her throat constrict, and she gasped as Regina reached across the table and linked their fingers together, squeezing gently, trying to give Emma enough courage to continue.
"She had a daughter. Her name was Ava. She was 5 years old when I left." Emma sniffed. "I remember her crying and begging me to stay as I packed my car to leave." Emma closed her eyes.
"The last thing I saw of Tallahassee was that little girl, crumpled on the driveway, in my rearview mirror as I drove away." Emma's eyes fluttered open, releasing a tear as she stared at Regina. "It was the one and only time I looked back," she said, her voice deep and full of emotion.
Regina sat still for a moment, letting everything Emma had just told her sink in. She let go of Emma's hand and stood up, saying nothing. She went to the freezer, pulling out a bottle of Grey Goose, and grabbed two shot glasses from the drawer next to the freezer, kicking off her shoes as she came back to the table. She filled the two shot glasses, and offered one to Emma. Taking it eagerly, Emma emptied it almost immediately. Regina followed suit as she sat back down across from Emma, observing her carefully.
"That's quite a lot of information, Ms. Swan."
Emma nodded, not looking up from her empty shot glass on the table.
"What exactly is it that you want from me?" Regina knew there was more to the story, but she didn't want to force it from Emma. She waited patiently as Emma slowly took a ragged breath, squared her shoulders and handed the wrinkled letter to Regina. Silently, Regina took it and read it, her eyes almost tearing as she read the words to herself.
Dear Ms. Swan,
My name is Dallas Proctor, Attorney at Law. I'm writing you in regards to the welfare of Ava Munroe. Due to the untimely passing of her Mother, Layla Munroe, she has been left in your care. Please contact me upon reception of this letter.
Regards,
Dallas Proctor, Esq.
Regina finished reading, then reread to make sure she read it correctly. Stunned and confused, she looked at Emma, a furrow in her brow as she spoke, "Ms. Swan, am I to assume you are going to assume responsibility for this child?"
Emma nodded in affirmation.
"Ms. Swan, I don't understand. What exactly is it you need from me?" Regina asked.
Emma stood up abruptly, pushing her chair back as she rounded the table, kneeling next to Regina. She placed a hand on Regina's thigh and squeezed gently, urging Regina to turn towards her, which she did.
"I told you this, because I'm tired of hiding who I am. I am tired of feeling trapped and alone."
Emma watched Regina's face as she spoke. She'd never seen such compassion on the mayor's face before now.
"What I need from you is understanding and faith."
Regina still didn't understand, Emma could see. Abandoning words for action, Emma grabbed Regina by her collar and pulled her forward, crashing her lips onto Regina with passionate force. Emma felt Regina responding, kissing her back. Regina's hand curled around her neck and pulled them impossibly closer. After a few moments, Emma pulled away as oxygen became necessary. Leaning her forehead against Emma's, she spoke huskily.
"So, tell me more about little Ava. Will Henry like her?"
Emma smiled brightly. "I'll tell you everything about her on one condition." Emma pulled back to look at Regina.
"What's that, dear?"
Emma giggled and said, "That you call me Emma."
Regina nodded and pulled her into a hug.
"Wait," Emma pulled away again, but smiled. "You kissed me back!" Emma's face was beaming. Regina just laughed. A sound Emma knew she'd never grow tired of hearing.
"Dear, for a sheriff, you really are quite blind when it comes to picking up clues."
Emma just smiled and hugged her again.
"Now, tell me about Ava, but first, go call that attorney and tell him to get whatever paperwork he needs pushed through so she can get here."
Emma grinned and stood quickly, pulling her cell phone from her back pocket.
"Hold on, Emma!" Emma looked at her expectantly. "Do you have a picture of her?"
Emma smiled, looking at her phone and flipping through her pictures. Turning it to face Regina, Regina smiled as she saw the image of a small little brunette girl with big, bright, honey brown eyes and a bubbly smile.
"She's beautiful" Regina looked up at Emma and winked.
"I know," Emma said, "she looks like you." Regina smacked her arm playfully and sent her to make the phone call.
Now alone in her kitchen, Regina realized now more than ever how wrongly she'd been dealing with life. She'd gone about finding happiness in all the wrong ways. After having it ripped from her grasp countless times over, she finally thought she understood how it worked. It wasn't something which could be forced. It wasn't something which could be aachieved through magic, or potions, or spells. It's something that comes from making a choice to simply let it happen, and accepting it as simple truth.
Regina knew since the moment Emma Swan set foot in Storybrooke that things were going to change. Henry called her the savior, the white knight who was going to save them all. What never occurred to her was that Emma, the White knight, was HER saving grace. Emma would bring happy endings back by breaking through the walls of the very woman who had taken them away. Emma had slowly filled a void in Regina's heart without her even realizing it. Regina understood, with complete certainty, exactly what Emma Swan was: her Knight in Shining Armor.
When Emma returned, Regina was staring blankly through the window beside her. Lost in thought, she didn't hear Emma move behind her. She didn't realize Emma had even entered the room again, until Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's shoulders and laid her head against hers. Regina jumped slightly and smiled.
"So, you wanna hear about little miss Ava?" Emma asked, as she stood up and walked back to her seat opposite Regina.
"Please." Regina sat up straight, giving Emma her complete and undivided attention.
Emma talked endlessly about the little girl that had captured her heart. She told Regina stories of her mother, who broke Emma's heart. She told Regina about Tallahassee and the people who live there. Regina listened and laughed at Emma's stories, neither of them realizing the time flying by. Just as Emma had finished telling Regina about the time she accidentally lit Layla's curtains on fire, Regina began laughing so hard, the sound of the door opening and closing was drowned out.
Henry heard the laughter from out by the street before he even approached the house. Finding it odd, since laughter was not a common occurrence in the Mills household, he approached slowly, opening the door cautiously and closing it as quietly as he could.
He heard his Mother's laughter coming from the kitchen. He smiled, despite himself. He hadn't heard her laugh so unguarded and free in many years. Then he heard Emma laughing, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. That's weird, he thought to himself.
As he came into view of the kitchen, Regina caught sight of him over Emma's shoulder. Smiling brightly at him, she motioned for him to join them. His approach was slow, but deliberate, and as he reached the table, Emma looked at him.
"Hey, kid!" She flashed him a toothy grin. "How was the park?"
"Uhh.. Ok, I guess." He spoke cautiously. "What's going on?" Hey shifted his eyes between Emma and his Mother, who both were still grinning like Cheshire cats.
"Henry, be a dear and pull up a chair, we need to tell you something."
Henry raised an eyebrow, reminiscent of Regina, and pulled a chair over from the corner of the kitchen.
Emma and Regina carefully explained to Henry about Emma's experiences in Tallahassee, about Layla and Ava, and about Ava coming to Storybrooke. Regina was relieved to see Henry take the information in a mature stride, and never once did she see judgment or rejection on his face. She watched carefully as Emma explained to him about her feelings towards her, and Henry turned to watch Regina's face.
Henry saw Regina's hopeful expression, and couldn't help thinking how relaxed she looked, as if some weight had been lifted from her. There was something in her eyes, something old and forgotten - a light that seemed to be spreading through her. Regina watched him studying her, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"Do you love Emma?" he asked straightforwardly.
Regina raised both eyebrows, and looked at Emma. She was biting her lip almost apologetically, silently telling Regina that she didn't have to answer Henry. But something had been boiling up inside Regina since her time with Emma, something which she learned a long time ago should be shared, once it's acknowledged. Something that can be ripped from you at any moment, and sharing it was important. Regina looked Henry in the eyes, and he looked right back.
"Yes," was her simple reply.
Henry stared still, weighing the implications of everything he'd heard and witnessed since he'd returned home. Jumping down from his chair, he lurched forward, wrapping his arms around Regina's neck and hugging her tight, giving her his blessing.
Regina wrapped him in her arms, and relished the feeling of her son finally letting her in. She looked up at Emma. Emma had never looked so beautiful as she mouthed the words I love you, too.
Suddenly, Henry pulled away and jumped back, excitement coloring his voice as he spoke.
"When does Ava get here? She needs a room! We need more food. Lets give her a party!" Henry rambled, causing the two women to laugh happily.
"Wait.." Henry was suddenly serious. "How old is she exactly?"
"She's 11. She'll be 12 in 6 weeks," Emma answered.
"And she remembers you?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes. I talked to her on the phone. We used to be very close. I'm leaving to get her Monday." Emma said, Regina reaching across the table and grasping her hand again.
"Ok, then!" was all Henry said.
Emma chuckled at his simple acceptance. Regina winked at her.
"WELL, I'm famished." Regina stated. "Who wants pizza?"
Emma and Henry simultaneously raised their hands as if they were in school, Regina laughing boldly as she got up and walked to the phone to order a double cheese, extra pepperoni and black olive pizza.
I wonder what Ava's favorite pizza is, Regina wondered as she watched Emma and Henry playing thumb war and laughing happily at the table.