Rain fell in sheets on the hot streets of storybrooke, steam from the sweltering asphalt rising up around Emma Swan as she pulled her leather jacket closer around her shoulders. Her yellow curls matting wetly to her cheeks. She did not know where she was going, having had to leave her VW bug broken down on the side of main street. One foot in front of the other. Black leather boots splashing in the growing puddles. So lost in her thoughts, and self flogging for not filling her gas tank, she did not notice the black Mercedes approaching from behind until she heard the deep velvet voice of Regina Mills calling her name questioningly from a slit window beside her.
"Emma?" Regina paused cautiously, "Are you alright?"
Emma did not turn, though she did stop walking.
"i am fine." her voice felt fragile and sounded almost foreign. "i just..." she sighed "i needed to think."
Emma turned her head slightly right and made eye contact with Regina who looked deeply concerned. Her dark eyes seemed to be more honey colored in the darkened afternoon light.
"get in." Regina demanded gently as she unlocked the doors.
Emma wanted to decline but quickly realized it foolish not to take advantage of shelter from the storm and hurriedly made her way around to the passenger side and hopped in, flinging water in her haphazard actions. Regina smirked as she wiped away some droplets from her coat.
"can you take me home, please?" the blonde asked in a tone that let Regina know she didn't really want to go home. Emma sniffed, her nose beginning to run. A weak cough forced its way out and Regina raised one eye brow.
"OK..." was all she said, as the tires squeaked, sliding in small river that was once main street.
Emma laid her head back against the old leather headrest and waited. Regina sensed the need for quiet and said nothing as she made her way to Mifflin Street.
"wait. Why are we at YOUR house?" Emma asked slightly annoyed, opening her eyes as they pulled into the driveway of the over sized white mansion.
Regina just sighed again, as she usually did when dealing with Emma's melancholy moods.
"You're soaked. You could catch a cold and I have a feeling that mongrel of a man you live with is the reason you're wondering the streets in the middle of a rain storm." Regina looked at her matter-of-factually as she released her seat belt and kicked the door open with her black, high heeled shoe.
Emma rolled her eyes. Regina was irritatingly accurate much too often.
"...thinks she is so smart.." Emma mumbled under her breath as she kicked her own door open and slammed it shut in an outward expression of her tumultuous emotions.
"So. You gonna tell me whats going on?" Regina probed gently, walking into the foyer, Emma skulking in behind her almost resembling a pouting toddler.
"No."
Regina continued to the kitchen, Emma still close on her heels.
"Drink, Then?" Regina didn't even pause for the small "yes" before the bottle of Whiskey was unscrewed and a golden liquid was being poured into two wide mouthed glasses.
Holding a glass in each hand, Regina turned around quickly, liquid in the glasses perfectly composed. Extending one of her hands to Emma who eagerly accepted the beverage.
"Thanks." Emma offered absentmindedly as she turned to sit at the small table in the breakfast nook. Regina sitting gracefully across from her.
Emma swirled her whiskey absentmindedly, her fingertips clutching the glass by its rim. The amber liquid churned smoothly as she stared at it, unseeing; her bright green eyes ordinarily so full of expression and vigor were dulled by the growing ache inside her.
Regina regarded her with worried eyes, her curiosity growing by the moment.
"Please, Emma. You can talk to me."
Emma looked up through her eyelashes, not raising her head. It had taken many journeys but she did consider Regina a friend now. Even danced with Regina at her wedding to Killean last month. She did care for Regina, and Regina had proven that she cared for Emma. But still, Emma wasn't sure she felt comfortable talking to anyone, let alone someone so newly "good".
" I... OK." Emma was feeling the days drama weakening her resolve, and she did need to talk to someone.
Regina looked almost elated that Emma was confiding in her. Taking a quick sip, she sat on the edge of her seat and waited for Emma to continue.
"He's an ass." Emma started. Taking a sip of her own glass, Emma slammed it onto the table with a bit more force than she intended, splashing a few drops onto her hand. Regina reached over, not caring about the alcohol and placed her hand on Emma's.
"what happened, Emma?" Regina probed, "You've been married what, a month now? And I thought everything was great!"
Emma, distracted by the warm hand covering hers, choked on her words.
"on the outside..."
Regina was getting worried. "Emma, did he hurt you?"
Emma kinda of chuckled. "No... he wouldn't dare."
slightly relieved, Regina bowed her head and waited for Emma to go on.
Taking a deep breath, Emma began recanting the events earlier in the day.
"He's an ass. Plain and simple. I swear once a pirate always a pirate. And insecure! Pompous, egotistical, moronic... UGH." Emma snorted in aggravation. "He called me his house wife."
Emma looked up at Regina, pure rage in her eyes. "can you believe that?"
Regina chuckled.
"I am glad my life is amusing to someone." Emma drolled. Slightly rolling her eyes.
"Emma," Regina squeezed her hand, prompting Emma to look her in the eyes. "please continue."
Emma pulled her hand away and drew the glass to her lips again, taking a long, drawn out swallow and set the empty glass gently onto the table. Pulling her hands into her lap.
"I don't think I Love him." Emma admitted quickly, and hung her head.
"What?" Regina was shocked.
"I am never happy when I am around him. I am annoyed by almost all of his mannerisms and our sex life.. well... lets just say its one sided."
Regina's eye brow raised again, not quite understanding what Emma meant. Emma saw the quizzical expression on brunettes face and giggled.
"its all about him, and never about me." Emma clarified.
Realization flooded Regina's face as her cheeks flushed. An embarrassed smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. .
"Oh." was all she could choke out.
Clearing her throat, Regina stood up abruptly. Her heels clicking loudly on the tile as she retrieved the bottle from the fridge and refiled Emma's glass with double the amount of liquid as before. Raising her glass in salute to the gesture, Emma smiled and took a few sips. Feeling the chromatic liquid burn its way down her body.
"Anyway," Emma continued, as Regina sat down again, this time beside Emma, "i couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was suffocating. I had to get out of there." Emma looked at Regina beside her. Warm eyes locking her in a gaze that seemed to transfix her very soul.
"I'm so sorry Emma, I had no idea."
a strange expression masked Regina's face that Emma couldn't quite place. Shrugging her confusion away, Emma leaned back in her chair.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
Regina furrowed her brow, "Of course." her tone was soft. And Emma smiled her thanks.
"Is Henry Here?" Emma questioned.
Regina laughed as she stood up, taking both glasses with her to the kitchen.
"No, he is having a sleepover at Auntie Zelena's." Her tone playful. "She wanted to get to know her nephew and he wanted to visit baby cousin."
Emma's eye brows shot up in amusement. "wow, that kid is amazing." she chuckled.
Regina sauntered across the kitchen and stopped in the hall just past the door way.
"You coming?" She asked over her shoulder.
Emma rose from her seat and followed Regina, making their way through the mansion, up the stairs and to the end of the long hallway to the guest room.
"i didn't know you had a guest room, I was just gonna sleep on the couch!" Emma looked around the room looking very much like a child in a candy store. Trailing her fingers along exotic blankets draping the bed and plopping down onto an oversized white chair.
"Emma." Regina shook her head, "Its a Mansion..."
Emma laughed, for the first time since she left Hook confused in the kitchen of their Victorian home.
"very true."
Regina smiled genuinely.
"My bedroom in right next door, if you need anything. There is a bathroom through there," Regina gestured to the door beside the entrance to the room "it connects to my bedroom so be sure to lock both sides when your in there." Regina smirked and winked. A gesture unnoticed by Emma who was still looking around from her gigantic chair.
"Cool, thanks!"
"Well," Regina stood up and gently took the door nob in her hand, "Have a good night." Emma barely had time to say "You too!" before the door was elegantly closed and Regina was gone, leaving Emma alone in a dimly lit, large and suddenly empty feeling room. Rain still tapping lightly on the window as Emma stood up and crawled into the canopy bed, still clad in her damp clothing. As she drifted quietly into her dreams, she noted her gratitude for her friend.
Just outside the bedroom door to the room where Emma was falling asleep, a graceful hand placed silently, palm pressed against the rough wood. the brunette woman's forehead gently resting upon it.
