Hey everyone, So I'm still updating Just Another Love Story, so no worries. But this idea just came to me all of the sudden. In this,
Regina is essentially Booth from Bones while Emma is Brennan.
However, while this chapter follows the first episode pretty closely,
that won't be the case for the whole story. Both Emma and Regina will likely have different back stories, and their personalities will be more like their personalities in OUAT. That being said, I I love a lot of the humorous subplots and interactions in Bones and will probably be getting a lot of inspiration from my favorite episodes.
Ruby glanced up at the arrivals board at Dulles and swore under her breath as the screen wavered in and out.
"Um...there's something wrong with the arrivals board," she shouted out to no one in particular. None of the hundreds of people in her vicinity even glanced her way. "Figures," she huffed in exasperation. She knew she was running late and could only hope her friend hadn't decided to take a cab home. That would so be something Emma would do. Finally she walked up to the counter.
"Excuse me," Ruby began in her most flirtatious voice, but was cut off by the man throwing up his hand as he continued to type. Ruby rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, I just have a question about the flight from Guatemala-"
"What part of 'wait a minute' do you not understand?" said the man testily, not even glancing up at Ruby.
Ruby sighed, exasperated and in one smooth motion ripped open the top four buttons of her shirt, revealing a lacy corset that exposed about half her ample breasts. She smirked as the asshole at the counter was rendered speechless and stared at her like he was seeing his first half-naked woman (and maybe he was, thought Ruby). Though, to be fair to him, she hadn't really given him the opportunity to be much smoother.
"Right...so that flight from Guatemala?"
"Seriously Rubes?" said an amused voice behind her. "Please tell me you tried 'excuse me' first."
"Sweetie!" Rubes launched herself at Emma. "Of course I did! This was just more effective."
"It always is," laughed Emma. "Though I'm guessing you found a way to deal with my absence, what with having the apartment to yourself for about a month."
"I didn't do anything like that...or at least not a lot of it." Ruby scoffed. "I was commissioned to do a few nude paintings though." she added as an afterthought.
Emma looked at her incredulously. "Please don't tell me this was in our apartment."
"Well I don't exactly have a studio unless you think I could have done them at the Jeffersonian. I'm sure that would have gone down well."
"Yeah, but now I don't trust any of the surfaces in our apartment."
Ruby shrugged. "Probably a good rule of thumb." Emma rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the amused grin off her face. As fascinating as it was examining bones from ancient tribes in Guatemala, it was definitely good to be back home. Emma almost groaned at the thought of actual running water and porcelain toilets instead of holes in the ground.
But as they began to walk towards the exit, Emma felt a prickle and the hairs at the back of her neck stood up. Honed instincts from years of foster care sensed the threat. She whipped around.
"Why are you following us?" She said practically in the face of the large well built man in a suit. He didn't respond but instead grabbed her arm. She instinctively twisted his arm and forced him to the ground.
"HELLO! IS THERE ANY SECURITY AROUND HERE?" Ruby screamed out. "Yeah, Emma, kick his ass!" Ruby whacked the already incapacitated man on the head with her purse for good measure.
"I'm homeland security!" He yelled as he struggled to free himself. Emma immediately let go of the guy.
"Ok, clearly there's been some misunderstanding!" she shouted at the 20 or so men with guns who had surrounded them. "He didn't even identify himself! He could have been about to kidnap me for fuck's sake."
The man stood up angrily, trying to hold on to a modicum of dignity.
"Give me your bag, ma'am," he growled. Emma sighed. That's what this is about?
He grabbed her briefcase and opened it. With a high pitched girly scream that made even some of his men snicker, he dropped the bag as a very real human skull rolled out.
"Boo." Emma grinned. Ruby just rolled her eyes.
"Ok, so this is so not how I wanted to spend my first few hours back in DC." Emma said with a roll of her eyes. She was in an airport interrogation room, and although she wasn't handcuffed, the man she had earlier brought to the ground was sitting in front of her with a scowl on his face and handcuffs in his hand, clearly itching to use them. Ruby, after seeing the trouble Emma was in and realizing she was free to go, airily waved goodbye and promised to meet her at the apartment. Thanks a lot, Rubes.
"Well maybe you should have thought of that before you decided to illegally transport human remains," said the man. Emma rolled her eyes again.
"Look," she said in a falsely sweet tone. I'm sorry I beat you up in front of your friends, but next time identify yourself. I'd have been happy to answer any of your questions."
The man turned slightly red. "I don't think you realize how much trouble you're in, Ms. Swan -"
"Dr. Swan." Emma wasn't usually an asshole about making sure everyone knew her credentials, but she wasn't about to take any more crap from this guy. He looked taken aback as he looked at her white tank top, red leather jacket and skinny jeans up and down. Emma smirked at his incredulous expression and continued. "I have a permit to carry human body parts, due to my job as a forensic anthropologist."
"I'm pretty sure that permit doesn't extend to carrying human skulls in your backpack, Dr. Swan," said a husky, overtly feminine voice behind her that Emma knew all too well. She didn't even bother looking around and instead let out a loud groan and let her face fall in her hands. "You've got to be fucking kidding me. Can this day get any worse?"
"Not my best day either, trust me Dr. Swan," said the woman as she strode in like she owned the place. Emma groaned again.
Agent Regina Mills. The more forgiving said she wasprobably the best agent the Bureau had ever seen with one of the highest closing rates of anyone. Her less than warm personality and tough as nails attitude was her way of surviving as a young woman in a male dominated profession.
The rest just called her a bitch.
Emma tended to fall in the second category even though she had only worked with her once before. The two had gotten in a screaming match almost immediately, and even though they solved the case, Emma promised herself she would never work with the woman ever again.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Emma asked wearily.
"Saving you," Regina replied smoothly. Emma looked up at her in suspicion. As always, Regina looked her best, in simple black slacks and a white button down shirt (top 3 buttons opened) tucked in, showing off her slim, athletic build. Her weaponry hung loosely at her side, and although Emma had never seen the woman use it, her marksmanship was legendary. Her short, perfectly coiffed hair hung to her shoulders and her plump red lips were twisted into a smirk.
"I'll take it from here," The man scowled at her but acquiesced without another word. Emma had no idea if things got better or worse for her. It didn't look like she was going to be arrested, but she was vaguely certain that Regina absolutely loathed her. Whatever. The feeling was mutual.
"So, Doctor," said Regina in a bored voice as she gestured to Emma. "Shall we?"
Emma looked over at her companion from the passenger seat of the standard issue SUV, her brilliant mind working a mile a minute. "Oh my god," she finally got it. "Oh my god! This was all a set up! You need me for something and set this whole fucking thing up!"
"Well, if you hadn't been carrying a human skull in your messenger bag, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to set you up." said Regina all too smugly.
Emma scowled angrily. "You're a piece of work, Mills."
"I went through the normal channels," Regina defended herself. "But that - " her mouth curled in distaste. "artist you work with was being uncooperative." Emma laughed outright at that one. If possible, Ruby hated Regina even more than Emma.
"Well after the last case, I asked her not to put your calls through. Believe it or not, we aren't at the beck and call of the FBI."
Regina rolled her eyes, a gesture that looks childish on everyone else but manages to be regal on her.
"Look, we found a body. Advanced stages of decomposition. As creepy as it is, that seems to be your thing."
"Well looks like you have to find someone else whose 'thing' it is."
Regina was irritated. After being rebuffed by that bitch at the Jeffersonian (perhaps she shouldn't have been so very rude to that artist girl with bare midriffs and inappropriately short skirts), she decided to organize this whole affair at the airport. The truth is, Regina was - and she really hated to admit it - desperate. This was a position she hated to be in. But when a body turns up in the Arlington Cemetery lake and all the top FBI forensic team are stumped, Regina knew that she would have to bring in the best. Even if it did involve a bit of grovelling on her part.
"Dr. Swan," she began as magnanimously as possible.
"If you don't let me out, I'm screaming 'KIDNAP' out the window."
Regina pulled over and before she could say anything, Emma was out.
"Seriously, Dr. Swan? Are you a child?" shouted Regina as she jumped out of the car and sprinted after her.
"You're a condescending ungracious bitch who doesn't know how to ask for a favor if it would save your life," Emma bit out as she kept walking.
Regina laughed. "Please, tell me what you really think of me."
"Trust me, I'm holding back."
"Dr. Swan, I get it. You hate me and trust me, the feeling is mutual. But I'm hoping that despite all the evidence to the contrary, you have an ounce of professionalism."
"See!" Dr. Swan stopped and whirled around. " That's what I'm talking about! Do you really think I'll help you now?"
Regina closed her eyes, praying for patience. "I'm sorry. What I meant to say is that I hope we can both be professionals. Despite everything, I know you're actually intrigued. Admit it, you actually love working cases."
Emma scoffed, hating how right Regina was. "Maybe, but the company seems to be less than desirable."
"Dr. Swan, you are the best. And I am the best. Imagine what we could do if we overcame our...differences and worked together."
Emma still looked skeptical. Regina pressed the bridge of her nose, feeling the beginnings of a migraine. "What would it take for you and your brain trust to help me catch a killer?"
Emma thought for a second. What would it take? And then she had it. "Full participation, not just in a lab in the field too."
"Are you joking?" Regina scoffed. "That's unheard of! You wouldn't know the first thing about working in the field. Plus I could never get my higher ups to agree."
"Please, everyone knows that you're BFFs with the Deputy Director Gold." Regina bit her lip to stop from retorting. Her relationship with Gold was...complicated.
"Fine, if I can convince him to let you accompany me in the field, there are some ground rules. Actually there is only one. You do exactly as I say at all times. You may not speak without my permission, and if I see fit, I will ask you to leave at any point. You are not to conduct any part of the investigation by yourself. Do I make myself clear? And before you get angry and call me a control freak or whatever vulgar names you use, this is primarily for your own safety."
Emma nodded solemnly. "I agree to those terms."
Regina smirked. "Well Dr. Swan, it looks like we're partners."