A/N: Alright, so I wasn't planning on posting this until it was complete, but as soon as I watched this movie and started writing this, I couldn't resist. *wicked grin* this is a fic based on the movie The Bounty Hunter. A special thank you goes out to SheriffSwan28 for telling me about this hilarious film and went on about how this was so an Emma & Regina situation lol, (you were right!). I do hope all my readers and followers enjoy this first chapter.
Emma was driving her yellow Volkswagen beetle down a highway one afternoon in the city of Boston. A smile on her face as her thumbs drummed to the music that was playing on her radio. She had taken the career of bounty hunting for some time now, she was very good at it, considering she used to work for the Boston Police Department. Today, she had successfully captured yet another bounty, but this wasn't just any bounty to her- which is why it was so special. Her smile, of course was gone in a matter of minutes as she smelled smoke coming from her car.
Her eyes grew wide as she looked towards the trunk of her car, which was up front, "Gina?" she grew worried as more white smoke began coming out from the edges of the trunk, "Regina? Oh, shit."
She turned her steering wheel slightly to the right, as she began coughing from all the smoke that was now entering her car, ignoring the cars honking behind her as she pulled over to the side of the road, hopping out of her car as quickly as her feet could move her. A giant cloud of white smoke came out as soon as the blonde opened up her trunk, while Regina started making her way out of the trunk with a flair in her hand she had lid up in the trunk as a way to escape. A grunt was heard coming from Emma as she bent down after receiving a direct closed fist punch to her stomach from the brunette.
"Did you really think I was going to stay in there the whole time?" the brunette grabbed on to the collar of the blonde's red leather jacket as she was still bent down from just having her hair punched out of her stomach, while Regina made her entire way out of the trunk while she tossed Emma aside as she made a run for it, while the blonde rolled onto the grass. But, all those years in the police force weren't for nothing, as Emma all but stood up as she ran after the brunette.
"Come back here." the blonde shouted at her, while the brunette kept making a run for it, as much as she could in her heels.
She didn't get very far as Emma ran faster, grunting in the process as she jumped up in the air, catching Regina as they both tumbled on to the grass. She has had many bounties before, but after learning that her ex-wife was the wanted felon she was to bring in, she couldn't pass up the opportunity. There was no way Regina Mills was getting away from her.
24 HOURS EARLIER...
A fourth of July parade was happening near a road that had been closed for such event. A gigantic crowd already gathered around as float after float passed by, decorated with red, white and blue balloons. Emma was leaning up against a public mailbox, keeping an eye on Neal who was dressed up as uncle Sam as he was walking on two tall stilts which were hidden underneath the very long red and white striped pants to go with his outfit. He was all smiles, waving at the crowd, totally unaware that the blonde was keeping a close eye on him. In fact, she was so focused in catching Neal that she neglected the fact that Leroy was keeping a close eye on her within the crowd, who just spotted her and began walking towards her.
"Bingo." Emma grinned as she began moving through the large crowd, while she made her way towards Neal.
"Jackpot." Leroy smirked as he made his way towards the blonde through the crowd.
Emma placed her hands to each corner of her mouth as she shouted towards Neal, "Hey, Sam!"
Neal waved over at the blonde, but his eyes widened as soon as he realized who the blonde was.
"Yeah, you! Come here." Emma began walking as Neal began walking away from her. She groaned as she was caught off guard and came to a halt as Leroy stood before her, "Not now, Leroy. I'm kind of busy."
"You owe my boss money." the shorter man told her.
Emma chuckled, "Hey, I owe everybody money."
She grunted as Leroy threw a punch right to her stomach, making her hunch over, but Emma was quick to punch the man right in the groin, pulling him back up by his jacket, headbutting him and tossing him onto a table that was placed near them and a crowd.
She groaned as she saw Neal running away from her, "You really gonna make me chase you?" she ran as fast as she could, moving between the crowd as she pushed someone out of the way, who thanks to that push fell against a gigantic paper cake on a float, which soon caught fire due to the sparkler the man had been holding, while Neal ran as fast as he could. He climbed into an apartment window, leaving his stilts and pants hanging over the railing as he ran across the apartment, doing all he could to get away from the blonde chasing him. Emma ran into the apartment building, wanting to make her way through the doors, which were locked so she ran back outside as Neal climbed out another window as he ran across the rooftop, quickly running the opposite direction as Emma was already up there, chasing after him again.
Neal came to a stop as he reached the edge of the building, looking down at a police van that was parked just in front of him, he jumped off, only to be surprised that Emma jumped right after him as her arms wrapped around him in mid air. Grunts were heard coming from both of them as their bodies collapsed onto the police van, rolling off of it and onto the pavement.
A group of officers, including the two that were inside the van surrounded both Neal and Emma, guns aimed directly at the pair as they laid separately on the ground.
"Hands behind your head. Now." an officer told the blonde as she laid on the floor flat on her back.
Emma held her hands up, "Take it easy, skippy." she slowly reached for her side pocket of her jeans, handing over her badge of her new found career, "I'm on the job."
The officer reached for her wallet as her badge shined with the sunlight reflecting on it as the cop looked at the blonde's new business card, followed by her ID. He smiled as he held it up for his fellow officers to see.
"Oh, wow. Look at this. Bounty Hunter." he looked down at Emma in a mocking manner, "Figures. Why don't you get a real job?"
Emma stood up from the pavement, smiling sarcastically at the officer, "Why don't you kiss my ass?" she limped a bit over towards Neal, who was standing up to his feet, as she pulled him up, placing his hands behind his back, "Come here. Oh, your mother must be very, very proud." her handcuffs sounded as she placed them around his wrists.
"Oh, I am so insulted." replied Neal, "You know, for your information, I don't even know who my mother is. So, the joke's on you."
The same officer came up to the blonde as he grabbed her by the arm, "Turn around. Hands behind your back."
"What?" replied Emma, her brows furrowed.
"You heard me. Let's go." his cuffs sounded as he took them out.
Emma groaned, "Oh, you gotta be kidding me."
Neal laughed as another officer grabbed a hold of him, while the other turned Emma around as he snapped his cuffs on her.
Elevator doors opened to The Boston Journal opened up that same morning as Regina removed her sunglasses, walking out of the elevator so elegantly, her eyes falling upon Graham who walked passed her, "Hey, Graham. Did you get my email?"
"About the suicide, yeah? He's got a sister in Atlantic City. He's address is on your desk." Graham replied, walking away as Regina continued her path.
"Thank you." the brunette smiled, turning his back on him.
"Anytime." Graham's eyes focused on Regina's ass as she walked away, "Day or night."
You couldn't blame anyone for looking. The brunette's ass did look great in that pencil skirt she was wearing. Robin's head followed Regina as she walked by his cubicle, making her way towards her own as she sat in her chair. She released a sigh as she saw a pint out of her police report with her mugshot, after she had landed in jail. But, that wasn't all that annoyed her as she sat in her small area at work, was the yellow post it note that had been placed on top of the paper, reminding her that she had court tomorrow at 9am.
"Ha-ha. Very funny." she looked around the room as she turned in her chair, ripping the paper off of her cubicle, "Who did this?"
"You know, I actually think it's pretty sexy that you're out on bail." said Robin as he sat on the edge of her desk before her, as the brunette ripped up the paper in half.
"Robin, get off my desk." she demanded as she threw a glare his way.
"Right. Oh, sorry. I forgot." Robin quickly stood up, standing before her now.
"It's ridiculous that I was even arrested in the first place." she bent down to reach for her purse, bringing it up to her lap, "I mean, assaulting an officer? It's a joke." she slammed her purse on her desk.
"Yeah. Tell me about it, I've been there." Robin chuckled as he leaned over the brunette's desk, "Hey, did you ever get anything going on that suicide story?" he asked her.
Regina looked over at the man, knowing well where this conversation was already heading, "Um, no."
"Because, you know what I was thinking? That maybe we should work together on it, as a team." he suggested, feeling pretty hopeful she would say yes.
"Mhm." Regina kept her focus on her computer in front of her as Robin continued speaking.
"You know? Mills-Locksley style. Yeah." he chuckled, "You know, that way you can knock it out that much faster. Plus, it would give us a little time to reconnect in our, uh…" he scratched his head nervously, "relationship."
"Robin, we are not in a relationship." her eyes remained focused on her computer as she said this as Robin's face fell, "We made out one time at the Christmas party. I was very drunk, and I was heartbroken. I would've made out with anyone."
Robin's brows furrowed, "Wait, you mean, even with a woman?"
Regina chuckled as she looked at him over her shoulder, "Exactly. It really wouldn't have mattered."
Robin shrugged with a smile on his face, still hopeful, "You're right. It doesn't matter. Because you made out with me."
"Yes, I did." she nodded as she stood up from her desk, "Alright, I'm going to use the bathroom."
A phone at a bar rang as Rogers placed the glass he was cleaning on top of the bar as he answered, "This is Rogers."
"Rogers, it's Regina from The Boston Journal." said the brunette as she sat on the toilet in a stool in the ladies' room.
"Regina? Wow. Long time no talk. Where have you been hiding yourself?" he asked.
"Well, right now I'm actually hiding in the bathroom at work. Listen, I need you to ask around about a suicide." she looked down at her notes that she had taken with her to the bathroom, "A Daniel Colter, Rivington Street, the night of June 23rd."
Rogers wrote down her information on a notepad, "Twenty-third. Anything else?" the man had always been good friends with her and Emma throughout their relationship, and was always glad to help her out at her job with information.
"Yes. I have proof that there was a black SUV with stolen plates parked at the scene. It might be something, you never know." said Regina.
"Alright. Cool. If I hear anything, I'll give you a shout."
"Great. Thanks." she hung up the call as she held her cell phone on her lap.
"Who are you talking to?"
Regina gasped as she was caught by surprise by no other than Robin's voice, already becoming annoyed, "Robin." she pushed open the stool door as Robin peeked out of the one next to hers, "What are you doing in the ladies' room?"
"Well, you see, I was-" both their heads turned as the toilet flushed on its own, indication that while he was in there stalking on Regina, he went ahead and used the toilet. Robin quickly looked back at the brunette in a nervous state, "I uh, I was standing out front, there…" he pointed towards the door, "By the door, but I started to feel a little creepy."
Regina's brows hit her hairline as she looked at the man, "And this is the less creepy option?"
Robin nodded with a smile on his face, "Yeah, I think so."
Regina rolled her eyes as she walked past him, "Get out of here."
"Oh, come on. Hey, let me buy you a drink." he followed close behind the brunette.
"I have a date." Regina quickly replied.
"I didn't say what night."
"Alright." she turned to face him, "Well, then I have a date every night. Every night until the end of time. Okay? So just please stop asking me."
"Oh, love is so funny. Isn't it?" Robin chuckled as she finally left the restroom. He was obviously not going to give up making up whatever stories he had going on his head about his supposed relationship with Regina.
After a while at the office, Regina went to the location where said suicide happened as she scoped the ledge of the building out, standing in the exact same spot she was told the jumper had killed himself. Her attention was soon captured by her ringing cell, which she quickly answered as she saw who was calling.
"Hello, mother."
"Is this a bad time?" asked Cora through the other end of the phone.
"Well, yeah. I'm actually kind of in the middle of something." she held up her index finger, "But, you know what, as long as I have you on the phone…" she looked down over the ledge of the roof, "If you were going to jump off a building, would you chose the side with trees?" her head turned towards the trees that were underneath her, "Or would you chose the side with a straight shot to the cement?" she asked, looking towards the other side at nothing but pavement.
"Well, the trees would certainly be prettier on the way down. Kind of a nice last picture. But, it might break your fall and you could end up as a vegetable. Frankly, dear, I don't think I can take that on right now." Cora replied as she sat back in a all leather chair, enjoying a foot massage as her face was covered in a avocado mask, as she sported slices of cucumbers on her eyes.
"So, the cement?" Regina asked, unimpressed with her mother's advice.
"Definitely. Why do you ask?" asked Cora.
"Well, I'm on the rooftop at Rivington and 6th, and I was wondering-"
It was there, Cora sat up straight as fast as she could, so fast that both cucumbers slipped from her eyes as she panicked, "Now, you listen here, young lady. You have every right to hate your life."
"Wha-? Mother." Regina's brows furrowed. Did her mother actually believe she was about to commit suicide?
"I mean, my God- who wouldn't? After some of the choices you've made-"
"Mother." Regina spoke at the other end of the phone as Cora continued.
"And that whole thing with Emma-"
"Mother!" the brunette shouted this time.
"What?"
"I'm working." Regina explained.
"Oh." Cora paused for a second, her features more calm as she spoke again, "Well, okay. Well, just to clarify, you know, we all make mistakes, dear…" she began lying back down on the chair as she placed a slice of cucumber on her eye, then the other, "But, you know, you married a woman who made you crazy and then divorced her for the same reason."
Regina shook her head, not believing what she was hearing, "I-"
"You just have to-" Cora's voice was cut off as the brunette hung up the call, no longer interested in where this conversation was going. It wasn't enough having to deal with a stalker at work over a lousy kiss that wasn't even all that great in the first place, but she couldn't just stay there and listen to her mother talk about how bad her marriage with Emma Swan had turned out. Especially, not on this specific day.
In that very moment, Emma sat in a jail cell surrounded by other prisoners, her eyes looking straight at David who stood near the officer that was keeping guard.
"I'll take the stupid looking blonde one." David told the officer.
"Come on." the cop opened up the cell as Emma made her way out.
David was another great friend to her and Regina, him and the blonde used to work together in the police department, and unlike Emma, he continued his job as an officer, so of course, no matter how many times Emma screwed up, he would be there. That being said, after he bailed her out, they both went to have a bite to eat at a diner nearby.
"I do not like getting these phone calls." said David as Emma placed a couple of her french fries in her mouth.
"I'd bail you out if you ever got in trouble." replied Emma.
"But, you can't, because you're not a cop anymore." David shook his head as the blonde took a bite of her burger next.
"And, what do you mean "these calls," huh? That's only the second time you've bailed me out." she chewed more on her food as she spoke, "These" implies way more than two."
"Look. I know that this is a very tough time of the year for you."
Emma's brows furrowed as she squirted ketchup on her fries, "What are you talking about? It's summer. Who doesn't love summer?" she asked, completely wanting to ignore the fact that today was in fact a day that was supposed to be a special one.
And, I'm trying to be sensitive to your situation." David lifted his finger towards his friend.
"Oh, what, a girl who works her own hours?" she grabbed a hold of her burger as she brought it up to her lips, "Lives her freedom? Lives the high life?"
David looked over at the blonde as she took a bite of her burger once again, "Have you talked to her?"
Her eyes went from looking into David's to completely avoiding them as she looked down at her plate of food, really not in the mood to talk about Regina Mills, "Talked to who?"
David rolled his eyes, "Sandra Bullock. Who do you think?"
Emma placed her burger on her plate, already losing her appetite, "Why the hell would I talk to her?"
"You know what? Maybe I should have left your ass in jail." David's voice was filled with annoyance already.
"Would you relax?" said the blonde as she took a pair of fries off her plate, "I'm fine."
"Oh, you're- No. You are not fine, okay?" he continued as Emma took a drink from her soda, "You are a woman in pain. And, how do you think that makes me feel since I'm the one who set you two up?"
"Well, I guess this makes this whole thing your fault, huh?" Emma chuckled, trying to make a joke out of a painful conversation as she continued to eat her food.