Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time nor its characters. I am not making a profit of this. This story is a fanfiction.
Now that's out of the way, hi everyone! I couldn't resist from writing another story-line for OUAT. I will be working on both. This story is set to the time-line of Season 2, when the curse is broken. This is just a little story I am adding onto everyday. S.P.I.N is my main story, but when I get sidetracked, I write this one.
Chapter 1: The Scandal
Her heels clicked against the hard tile as she made her way over to the Sheriff's office. She was not happy. Her hand flew against the door, causing the door to smash against the wall with a resounding thud.
Her target lifted her blonde head in surprise. Hazel eyes flashing with apprehension.
"Whoa, Regina. What was that fo-" Sheriff Emma Swan cut off as she rolled her eyes tiredly. Her voice lowered to a resigned sigh. "What did I do this time?"
The Evil Queen of Storybrooke strode her way across the room to the Sheriff's desk. Her dark eyes swirling with fury. She slammed a hand down on the desk.
"You've got a lot of nerve, Miss Swan. I had thought you had more control than to stoop to such levels. I am going to enjoy firing you."
"What are you going on about?" Emma rubbed her temple slightly. She'd had woken up in low spirits this morning, and Regina's yelling was not helping her headache.
Regina threw down a paper on the desk, her fingers splayed across the page. She lowered her head towards Emma. Her eyes hard and unforgiving.
"May I remind you to keep your little fantasies to yourself next time, Sheriff? Such low tactics are unbecoming even for you."
Emma stared down at the tabloid paper. Her eyes adjusting to what she was looking at.
It was a picture. Emma traced her finger across the image. Two women were lip-locked, their bodies were interlocked with each other. The lighter haired of the two had her thigh wrapped around the brunette's waist. The brunette's hands were possessively wrapped around the blonde. It took a few seconds for Emma to realize the blonde who was showing such passion and vunerablity, was her and the brunette was Regina.
The one who was currently in her office giving her such a look that would have buried her 6 feet below if they could.
"No way- Wh- When did this happen!?" Emma shot up from her chair. "How- What are you doing to me!?"
Regina scowled and she retorted. "I should be asking you the same question. I can have you brought up on charges of assault and slander."
"ASSAULT? Are you serious!? You're the one who has me pushed up against the wall." Emma jabbed her finger at the picture.
Regina's face flushed red as she stood straight. "Obviously, you slipped something to me last night."
Emma gaped at Regina, and sudden anger coursed through her. "You're crazy, you know that Regina? You could have used magic on me. I don't know what game you're playing at here, but this is crossing the line."
"I could deal with you trying to have me arrested, trying to keep me from Henry, hell even putting that stupid boot on my car. But I am sick of it, and this? This is enough." As Emma was talking, she'd stepped around her desk, her finger shoving into the older woman's chest.
Regina stood firm. She stepped forward, pushing Emma up against the desk.
"As I recall, you were the one who invited me to the diner last night. How do I know you didn't have ulterior motives?"
Emma stared at Regina, disbelief written on her face.
"I invited you because I saw you were trying to change and Henry wanted you there."
"This picture says otherwise. Now you tell me what happened."
"How would I know!?" Emma raised her voice, frustrated. "Why don't you ask whoever took this damn picture? Have you asked Sidney? You know, your newspaper guy."
"He's actually...away on business. I'm certain he's not here." Regina deflated, her tone flat.
Emma's hand rose up to pinch the bridge of her nose, to deal with the increasing painful headache she was really starting to hate.
"He's your lackey. Don't you have like some tracking device on him?"
Regina struggled and barely was able to stop the lift that was tugging on the corners of her mouth. "Miss Swan, he is a human. Not a dog."
"He might as well be." Emma muttered under her breath. She spoke up as she ran her fingers through her golden locks. "Where did he go then?"
"I'm throughly unimpressed with your interrogation skills, Miss Swan. Sidney is not suspect, I suggest trying someone else."
Emma scowled as she picked up her bear claw and tore into it. "Do you have a better idea who took this picture then?"
Regina looked on, quite disgusted with the barbaric act that Emma treated her food.
"Would I be here if I knew?"
Emma tossed the bearclaw on the desk, her appetite all but gone.
"Fine. Let's go." She grabbed her keys and coffee cup to go.
"There is no let's." Regina retorted. "I have places to be."
"I'm sure you can twist this around to be some kind of crime against you. And I say this is pretty damn high on the list of 'problems' you got here, which is none so far."
Sheriff and Queen locked eyes in battle. Emma smiling as she recognized the look of resignation in Regina.
"Fine. But we are taking my car. Your car is a death trap." Regina strode passed Emma, already on her way out the door.
Emma scowled as she followed after Regina, her mouth stuffed with the last of her bearclaw.
Emma shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat of Regina's black Mercedes. Fidgeting and moving about until she finally decided to shrug off her leather jacket and tossed it into her lap,
"Really Miss Swan, you're worse than Henry with sitting still." Regina remarked, as she drove. Her eyes were vigiliant on the road but every once in a while she would look over at Emma. Amused to see the blonde woman who was clearly having trouble settling.
"I can't help it. Your seats are really..." Emma struggled to find the word. "stiff." She frowned.
Regina rolled her eyes slightly. "Like it's any better than that death-"
"Hey. Don't go there. My bug has got me through some tough times. Anyways, where are you going?"
"To the diner, of course. Even you should have figured that one out."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Of course, through this really annoying and painful headache I have. Sorry, Regina. Not too keen on thinking right now. Seriously, how come you don't have a hangover? You went through the same thing."
Regina only smiled mysteriously. "I am not like you, Miss Swan. I have my ways."
Emma groaned inwardly as she laid her head against the cool feeling of the window.
The brunette felt a flicker of concern for Emma. She started at the sudden feeling, she wringed her hands on the wheel tightly as she pulled her Mercedes over to the sidewalk in front of Granny's Diner.
"Now, I'll do the talking. You just listen and see if you can remember anything." Regina stated, already setting the groundrules.
"No." Emma stepped out of the car, placing her hand down on the top of the car. "That's my job description. Besides people don't really trust you."
"Now, you finally want to do your job?" Regina remarked, her tone light and sarcastic.
Emma closed her car door. "I've always done my job. You were the one who always stopped me." She opened the front door of the diner, holding it open for Regina. "After you, your majesty." Sarcasm heavy in her tone.
Regina smirked as she brushed past Emma and stepped into the establishment. Immediately the hum of noise inside dissipated into hushed silence.
Eyes watched the Evil Queen warily. Regina straightened her posture and managed to somehow give a withering look at everyone in the room as she strode across the floor up to where Ruby was standing behind the counter. Being more jittery than she normally was. Ruby was obviously holding in her excitement. Regina had an idea why.
Ruby already getting the usual for Regina, prepping her coffee and an apple scone, her body running back and forth behind the counter.
"I prefer having toast and a banana today." Regina spoke, dismissing the scone she normally had.
Ruby quirked her eyebrow up but got rid of the scone as she replaced it. She bit her lip as she handed the order to Regina.
"Wow, a big step for you? Change is good." Emma grinned.
Regina stayed silent as she regarded Emma cooly. "I thought you were going to do your job today."
Emma kept the smile on her face as she crossed her arms and leaned towards Ruby.
"Did you enjoy the party we had last night?"
Ruby seemed all too eager to answer the question. Finally able to talk.
"Yeah! We need to do that more." Then she blurted, "I think you two enjoyed your night more than others though." She winked at the two women. Regina moved to stand up but Emma kicked Regina's chair. Regina threw a severe glare at Emma then moved her glare over to Ruby.
"You will not discuss that with anyone." Regina threatened.
"Sorry but nearly everyone in town has already heard about it." Ruby said apologetically.
Regina cut a look back out to the patrons in the diner. They quickly averted their eyes as they made to act as if they hadn't been staring at them.
Emma quickly spoke, realizing that Regina was a hair's breadth away from destroying everything in her sight.
"That's why we are both here actually. We can't remember anything. We're hoping you can help us."
Ruby frowned. "Wait, you don't remember anything?"
"Yeah, do you really think we would do something like that?" Emma questioned, Ruby stayed silent as she gave a look. "Nevermind don't answer that."
Regina scoffed in disbelief. "Unbelievable. This whole town is twisted."
Emma held in the remark she was going to say.
"Well..." Ruby thought, her head cocked to the side. "Emma, you left the party when Regina left. That was when everyone was eating. You two never came back."
"And you didn't think to look for us? Your precious Savior gone with the Evil Queen?"
Ruby shrugged. "Henry stopped us. He told us that you were different."
Regina stilled, the anger that was building inside subsiding significantly.
"Henry did?" She asked softly.
"Yep. He even stepped in front of the door to stop us. He's brave, like you Emma. He thought you two should start to get along and that you-" She paused to look at Regina. "-would stop trying to get rid of us."
Emma smiled. "He's an impressive kid."
"That's really all that happened. You two just never came back."
Regina scowled unsatisfied and just a little upset that people already acknowledged Henry as Emma's son. "Did anyone else leave after us?"
Emma softly thought out-loud. "I think we should be asking who wasn't at the party."
Regina's mind filtered quickly as she pondered. "There are few people who would gain from causing us such trouble. And I can only think of one who controls the news like I can."
"Gold." Emma said out loud the same instant Regina thought of his name.
After the two women left the diner and settled back in Regina's car. Emma turned to look at the brunette. "But that doesn't make any sense." Emma said. "Why would he do that?"
"Dear, I'd really thought you'd catch on by now. For the same reason I curse this town. For the same reason Snow White ate that apple. For the same reason..." Regina glanced over at Emma. "-that you came to this town."
"Love?" Emma murmured out.
"I have to admit though, I am not sure why he thought... getting us in that position would do anything." Regina chose carefully. She hadn't wanted to acknowledge that she had been...kissing the blonde. She couldn't help the slight fluttering in her stomach though as she thought of it.
"Dunno, why don't we ask him ourselves?"
Regina looked over at Emma drolly. "With what proof, Sheriff?"
Emma threw up her hands in frustration. "Again, I am not in my right state of mind."
Silence followed. Regina's knuckles once again turning white as she battled with her thoughts.
The hell with it. If she doesn't want it, that dog can eat it.
"Take what's in the bag."
Emma looked over at Reginam confused with her sudden command.
"Wh-?"
"Just eat what's in there." Regina cut off.
Emma stared at Regina, half-wondering if she'd gone insane. She reached into the bag.
"But this is from the diner." Emma started.
"Once again you have managed to impress me with your skills. Yes, it is." Regina remarked sarcastically.
Emma didn't say anything as she pulled out the food Regina had ordered. She looked at the warm toast in her hand and peeked into the bag to see the banana. She felt a smirk tug at the corner of her lips.
"You didn't order this for yourself, did you Regina?" Emma asked.
When the Evil Queen did not respond, Emma continued.
"You knew that I had a hangover. I'm guessing these-" Emma gestured to the bag. "are to ease it?"
Instead of the snarky response Emma was expecting, Regina surprised her once again.
"Someone has to watch after you. No one else is."
Emma became silent as she ate her toast. She was touched and shocked to see the earnest reply from Regina. She enjoyed the rare stances of genuine emotion that Regina showed to her. Emma felt her heart flutter more than it always did when in the presence of the brunette.
"Thank you, Regina. Really, this makes me feel better." Emma smiled warmly at Regina.
Regina who had been watching Emma from the corner of her eye, returned her eyes quickly to the road. Her lips thinned as she tried to calm the rush of warm emotion when she had seen Emma's smile. Luckily, for Regina, she saw Gold's shop ahead.
She pulled her car over to the sidewalk.
Emma was snacking down the banana and she looked out the window.
"Didn't you say we needed proof?" Emma asked as she scarfed down the last of her toast along with the banana.
She really is a barbarian with her food. Regina thought as she raised an eyebrow at Emma.
Emma smiled sheepishly as she chewed her food.
Regina smirked and she opened up her car door.
"I never said we couldn't pay a little visit, Miss Swan."
I hope since you read this far, you liked the storyline. Please let me know by dropping a review if I should continue this one. Until next time!