The next week had been fairly uneventful as far as Storybrooke went. The nuns got flooded out, and Granny's had a small kitchen fire. No one was hurt in either case but it gave something for the Sheriff to do while she completely avoided Hook. She had taken to sleeping at her mom and dad's place just to avoid him making a scene at her apartment. She didn't want to deal with him and after the crap he pulled at Regina's, and more so, the mayor's admission on her feelings about how they had gotten together, she was more than ready to just put the whole thing aside and move on.
She felt stupid for not taking her friend's feelings into account and was more than a little ashamed about getting involved with him after what he did to her in the first place. It made her physically ill to think she let Henry be alone with him and what that had done to Regina. It wasn't something she wanted to think about.
So she did what she did best and hid away. Until Saturday night, when her parents had their date night and 'forgot' their daughter was sleeping on the couch.
The next morning she was packing up her stuff when the couple came down into the kitchen.
"I am officially scarred for life now!" She exclaimed jovially.
David looked up at her with a smile ear to ear, "Hear that Snow? After 30 years, we still were able to scar her!" Mary Margaret laughed. "Emma! Don't be so dramatic! Stay. Please?" Emma slung her overnight bag over her shoulder. "Really, you guys have been great but I am paying for an apartment. I can't hide from swashbuckling douche bags forever." David walked over to his daughter, put his arms around her for a big hug. Emma looked over at Mary Margaret who nodded her head to encourage her daughter to let her father have his moment. Emma begrudgingly put her arms around him. "Thanks Dad." He kissed her on the head and tried to hide his very manly tears at his daughter using the D word instead of his cursed name. Mary Margaret put her arms around her daughter as well, "You are welcome here anytime sweetheart. We love you." Emma rolled her eyes, but secretly loved it when Snow treated her as if she were her actual daughter. "Thanks mom!" she said and headed home before they broke out into a charming family song.
She of course had Sheriffing duty so she didn't go directly home. The week's escapades had piled up some serious paperwork and she was not looking forward to the hours of work ahead of her. She plopped down behind her desk and whipped out her phone immediately.
Emma: Can I just magically poof this paperwork into another dimension?
Regina: No, Miss Swan, you MAY not.
Emma: U nvr let me have NE fun!
Regina: YOU make me crazy.
Emma: As long as I'm the only one!
Regina: Your mother is a close second.
Emma: HA! OMG I was on the couch when charming date night ended last night!
Regina: do tell…
Emma: I'll be making an apt with Hopper ASAP!
Regina: He is over-priced. Wine is cheaper.
Emma: Family dinner same time tonight?
Regina: Your son wants to eat at Granny's. Meet us there at 5?
Emma: I'll get us a booth, I'm out of here at 4.
Regina: You can't avoid your apartment forever Miss Swan.
Emma: I know.
Regina: Have you heard from him?
Emma: No. tg
Regina: Really Miss Swan?
Emma: yeah that just happened.
Regina: See you tonight, Emma.
Emma: CU L8R
Emma cracked up knowing the queen was rolling her eyes hard enough to get stuck and then cracked down on the paperwork, in triplicate, for her Majesty the Mayor. She rolled her eyes. 'It's not even like we are a real town!' she said to herself. 'Thank god for You Tube!'
Regina and Henry Mills walked into Granny's at 4:45 sharp. Regina looked around for Emma, then directed Henry to grab a booth in the corner. As they sat down, Henry asked, "I thought she was meeting us?"
"She is dear, she probably got held up at home. She is always punctual for our dinners darling." she replied with a warm smile. Ruby came over and handed them both a menu and took their drink order.
Regina had been developing a relationship with many of the town's inhabitants. Ruby had been one of the few who didn't necessarily have a grudge against the Queen and thus made getting to know her much easier. They didn't have much in common, in this world or the old one, but Regina found her point of view on almost every subject, refreshing.
Red was a free spirit and they had long conversations in the diner about being a wolf in a world where people hunted you. "I always respected that you banned wolf hunting in your kingdom." Ruby had once said.
"Wolves are beautiful magical creatures dear, hunting for sport isn't hunting it is slaughter. I won't have it, not in my kingdom, not in my town." The queen decreed. Ruby had lifted her glass. "You're alright for an Evil Queen, Mayor Mills." Regina clanked it with her own, "You're not bad for a mangy mutt, Miss Lucas." They both laughed. Regina never made friends in the old world, nor the new, but Ruby Lucas' personality made it easy and she was grateful.
It was 5:10 and Emma had yet to show and Henry was getting restless. Regina pulled out her phone.
Regina: You are late.
Regina: Miss Swan?
She put down her phone and turned to look out the window almost expecting to see the blonde at any moment. Ruby came back around and Regina said, "Henry why don't you order sweetheart?" The waitress sat down next to the tween and asked, "The usual kiddo?" Henry stiffened up at her closeness and nodded his head silently. Neither woman seemed to notice how the boy had started looking at the leggy brunette as of late and her proximity made him both uncomfortable and ecstatic. The wolf pinned her attention to the Mayor, "Yours as well Regina?" The mayor was checking her phone and put it down to pay attention to the brunette. "Not quite yet, I'll wait for Emma. She should be here soon." Ruby got up from the table and stated, "Oh is she coming? She texted me and said she would be here at 4 but never showed."
This news gave Regina a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "She told me she would be here when we got here. She is never late for Henry." the mayor said almost to herself. The feeling she had when they arrived at the diner in the absence of the blonde grew steadily.
"I'm going to go call her."
Regina got up, went outside and phoned Emma's cell. The call went immediately to voicemail and she ended the call without leaving a message. She walked to the street edge and shaded her eyes as she looked down the road. Emma's bright yellow bug was still in front of the station. Regina lifted her cell up and dialed the station's main line. No answer. Regina's sinking feeling was instantly replaced by panic. 'Something is wrong.' She rushed back into the diner and pulled Ruby aside. She handed the woman forty dollars and said, "Watch Henry, something is wrong. If you don't hear from me before you close up, call David." Ruby nodded. "Yeah sure no sweat Regina." Regina walked over to her son who was on his own phone. "Honey, I'm going to go track down your mother. Hopefully I won't be long, listen to Ruby."
"Mom, is everything okay?" the boy could hear his mother's worry despite how she tried to mask it.
Regina put her placating smile on to soothe the worried look in her son's eyes. "I am sure everything is fine darling. Be good for Miss Lucas please."
She kissed his head and he waved as she walked out the door. She whipped out her cell once more.
Regina: Emma, I've been calling you. You need to answer please.
She opened a new Text.
Regina: Your daughter isn't with you and Snow is she?
David: No, it's Sunday, isn't she with you?
Regina: If she was, would I be asking…
She shook her head at herself and deleted the last message. 'Idiots I swear' she thought to herself.
Regina: No. She is very late. I'm going to the station to check on her. She is not answering her phone nor the station.
David: Okay. Want me to meet you there?
Regina: No, I don't even know if there is anything wrong. I'll find her.
She worried that she was panicking for no good reason, surely that flea infested crustacean wouldn't hurt the savior, right? She then added;
Regina: I'm a little worried about Hook. He didn't take the break up well.
David: Yeah but you don't think he would do anything do you?
She gave that a thought then decided yes, he was and always will be out for number one.
Regina: Well, I do, but I've always thought he was a scumbag.
David: lol scumbag, your Majesty?
Regina: quiet charming.
David: Okay, well what can I do?
Regina: Give me a moment.
Regina got in her car and drove it down the block and parked it in front of the station behind Emma's bug and the cruiser. The station was unlocked and she called Emma's name as she entered the building. Nothing but silence answered her. She entered the office and the paperwork Emma had been complaining about earlier was strewn on the floor. Her stomach dropped and she turned to run out of the station, back to her vehicle and drove straight to her mausoleum.
Regina picked up her phone as she drove up main street and dialed David Nolan's number.
"David, the station is open, but she isn't there. It looks like there was a struggle." she tried to keep her voice steady as her internal emotions swirled within her.
"I'm on my way." the man said and she could hear him grab his keys.
"I'm no longer there David. I'm on my way to my crypt. I have a locator spell that I can find her with. Her phone seems to be off so GPS won't work." she rambled as she climbed from her vehicle and raced as quickly as her tight pencil skirt and high heels would allow, toward her magical hideaway.
"Where is Henry?" David asked. She could hear the worry in his seemingly calm voice and knew the man held the level of fear she herself did.
"He is with Red down at Granny's." She answered then thought about how he was an action guy and was terrible at sitting on the sideline, she added, "Would you mind going to the station and locking it up? Then perhaps go keep Henry company?"
Relief seemed to flood the man on the other line and he agreed emphatically. "We are on our way!"
"Thank you David." she replied with sincerity and ended the call.