Secrets
It was moments after Emma had left Regina at the school, that she walked into the Sheriff's office where she found her father. Charming looked at his daughter with questioning eyes, as her hair seemed in disorder and she was wearing the same clothes like the night before, meaning she couldn't have been home at all, making him like Snow wonder where she had been. They had no idea what to tell Henry the very same morning when he asked where Emma was, then again she was an adult so she didn't really have an obligation to tell them either.
Still as her father Charming couldn't help, but to ask, "Where were you all night?"
"The meeting with Regina ran late and I ended up spending the night at her house," said Emma with a shrug, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"You spent the night sleeping with her, I thought you two hated each others guts," he said, his eyes widened in shock.
"Dear lord, I said I spent the night at her house, not that we were sleeping together," said Emma with a frown. She couldn't help but to picture Regina on top of her, riding her hard.
"Bad choice of words, so how did the meeting go?" he wanted to know, knowing them to meet to talk about his grandson.
"Good, Henry are to spend every Friday afternoon to Sunday at her house, she just picked him up after school. Minding me can you drive me to first get my car and then hers, I promised to drop it of," said Emma, dangling the keys to Regina's precious Mercedes in front of him.
"She at first wouldn't let you near his son and after last night she trust you with her car," he said, surprised, knowing no one ever to drive Regina's car.
"We made some agreements to make it more livable, and it's just a car," said Emma and rolled her eyes.
"Just make sure you know who you're dealing with," he said in a warning tone.
"Oh dad will you relax," said Emma.
"Fine, fine, so should we go or?" he asked, figuring it was best to get the matter of the cars out of the way as soon as possible. She nodded and followed him outside.
It was the next day and Regina was down by the apple tree, getting some apples, nothing extraordinary about that, after all she did love her apples, and right now she planned to brew some more cider from them.
What was unusual was that she was humming of joy, her head was up in the sky, and for the first time she was thinking about Emma in a more pleasant way. She of course had gotten the car delivered the previous afternoon as promised, with a note and a box of chocolate thanking her for the night before and the same morning, hoping to do it again soon. Regina found it both mushy and sweet, then again in all her life no one had ever given her something like that.
She picked another apple and put in her basket, feeling a bit sad about not having the chance to call her the night before, but in the end she had been too busy with Henry and she had gone to be earlier than usual, feeling drained. Not in a bad way though.
She sighed with satisfaction, when she heard a too familiar tone say, "So how did the meeting go."
"Mother!" Regina exclaimed, turning to face her, feeling her happiness leave her at once. She looked at the older woman that to a change was dressed in a normal outfit, not a Fairytale one. She was wearing a black pantsuit and a white blouse, much like the ones she used to wear. Around her neck a golden chain.
Cora frowned, looking at her daughter. Of course there would be no surprise as she was not expected, she very seldom were. Still it would be nice to be greeted in a pleasant way every once in a while. She was however surprised to see her daughter in a pair of worn out denim jeans and a white t-shirt with the print of an apple on front. Her tone was dry as she said, "I said how did the meeting with Emma go? And what are you wearing?"
"It went just fine, I'm going to have Henry every week from Friday afternoon to Sunday. And since when did you start caring about what I wear?" Regina asked, after all she was an adult, meaning she was free to wear what she liked. And the choice of her outfit had to do with two things, "Landry day and the fact that she was spending the day at home with her son so she would have no need to dress up."
"And you are okay with seeing him that little?" Her mother asked, leaving the subject of her clothing be for now.
"It is an improvement as it is more than what I did have, if you don't count when he lived here to begin with," said Regina with a heavy sigh.
"I can't believe you will settle for that, he's after all legally yours," said her mother in a serious tone, as they started to walk back towards the house.
"Please stay out of this, mother, I don't want anyone to get hurt," said Regina, looking towards the house where her son had grown up.
"Would it be that hard to let me help you, I only want what is in your best interest," said Cora.
"Yes, last time you did that someone I cared about ended up dead, and I had to marry a king," said Regina, her tone sounded bitter.
"You have to see that love…" Cora got cut of by Regina saying, "Is weakness, you say it over and over, but you are wrong. I love Henry and…"
"Yes?" her mother inquired, looking at her with burning eyes.
"Applejack," Regina saved herself, her trusty old horse, or one of them.
"You and those damn horses, will you ever outgrow that, you are after all a grown woman Regina," said her mother in a serious tone.
"I sometimes need an outlet, riding is good for that," said Regina, her voice sounded snappier than she meant it to be.
"And what about a man in your life, Henry could use a father you know," said Cora, ignoring her daughter's tone.
"I managed alone for years, there is nothing wrong with him having two mothers instead of a father, and he got a male role model in David," said Regina.
"That wimp, and two mothers, are you moving in with her, is that what you are saying," said Cora mortified.
"Of course not, don't be stupid," Regina objected strongly, feeling how it hurt to say just that.
"Good for a moment there I thought you had a change of heart," said Cora with a sight of relief.
"Regarding her no, but unlike you I do have a heart, minding me to ask, where do you keep yours?" Regina asked.
"That my girl I will never share," said Cora.
"As long as you didn't put it in me," said Regina, challenging her.
"I can only tell you as much I would surly die of heartache if you did die," said Cora with a heavy sigh.
"I…I love you too, mummy," said Regina and hugged her, the older woman hugged her back.
"Just don't do anything stupid," Cora whispered, her tone surprisingly soft.
"Have a little faith," said Regina, breaking free, walking up the stairs and inside. Cora stood looking after her, knowing for sure her daughter was in love. She had only heard her hum once before and smile like she had under the apple tree once before, and that was when she was in love with Daniel. She sighed, hoping with all she had the one that made her daughter's heart beat was Emma Swan.
"Shit, shit, shit," Emma said, putting up her hair in a ponytail after putting on her makeup. She was so very late, having not heard her alarm.
"What is going on?" Snow asked, as she was in the kitchen at this point. After all she had to be at work as usual around 8.10 am, her first class started at 8.30 most days. She however knew her daughter not to leave the apartment before her classes started. For her to even be up and late at 7.45 was highly unusual.
"I…" Emma stopped, turning very red, not wanting to say she was meeting Regina for a coffee, the two had been meeting in secret for about two weeks now.
"Who are you going to meet so early," her mother inquired.
"No one, just going for a walk before work," said Emma, grabbing her jacket and running out.
"Do you believe that?" said Charming with a yawn, appearing in the kitchen area of the apartment, joining his wife.
"I wasn't born yesterday, she is sneaking off to see anyone," said Snow with a sigh.
"Why not tell us?" he said, wondering why she didn't trust them.
"She doesn't want us to know, but you you do want to find out, you can always follow her. She can't have gotten that far," said Snow, giving him a please do so look. He sighed and nodded, dragging on some jeans, a t-shirt and a shirt before he also left her.
Emma made sure no one was following her as she went to Ruby's for two take away cups of coffee, saying one was to her father. Then hurrying further around a corner, into a back alley. She saw Regina waiting, dressed in a black trench coat going over her dress so Emma could not detect the color.
No time was wasted; she put the cups down on her ground, and went to wrap her arms around Regina and kissing her. First a gentle one as a sort of hello, then deepening it, becoming more demanding. As she backed away from a flushed Regina, panting, Emma said, "This is not working, I need to have you again, can't I come by your house tonight?
They hadn't done other than making out heavily on a random appointed place since their first drunken night together, that was now three weeks ago. In the end it was driving Emma insane as the making out lead her to wanting more than she could get in a back alley.
"I need to get up early, as do you, it will only be messed up if we spend the night. And we both know you can't do to another round of questions from other your parents or Henry as you all live together now," said Regina with a heavy sigh. She hated it as much as Emma.
"Please, Regina," it has to be a way, Emma pleaded, knowing that it had to be at her terms as well, or it would never work.
"Meet me at the stables at one," said Regina, after thinking for a second.
"The stables, really?" said Emma with a frown.
"I'm taking Applejack for a ride, I do so every Tuesday and Thursday at once, don't be late," said Regina giving her another, heated kiss, before leaving her Emma, taking the cup of still hot coffee with her. Emma groaned before she left the back alley as well.
From a distance David James was watching, swallowing hard. Could this be, the one his daughter was seeing was Regina? No there had to be another reason for their meeting he quickly figured and shook it off, heading to the Sheriff's office, much like his daughter.
Regina wasn't really staying focused at all; she was at the moment going over the economics of the stable and Belle's library. Belle had asked her the morning before if it was possible to do some changes to add some more shelves and books for the children. As Regina was pro that idea she had promised Belle that she would look into it. Of course the library had it's own budget, but I was limited, so Regina was seeing if she could move some money around from someplace else to meet Belle's request. Sighing she figured the best way of solving it would be to pay for it herself, after all she had more than enough money to spare. So she decided to transfer some money from her accounts to the library's later on.
She also needed to order more pellets for the horses and order in two more saddles as the old ones was starting to get worn out. As she looked at the order she decided upon a third one so she would have two more for her adult riders and one more for the children. After all there were people of all ages both having their own horses there, much like herself and or simply just taking lessons.
Regina looked at the time, it was nearing 12 pm and she was getting hungry. Not that strange as it was far past her regular lunchtime, which was around 11. The middle-aged woman was wondering if she for a change should take her lunch at Ruby's, so that she could have something more interesting than her regular salad. After all she would have to drive to the stables in the first place, and it wouldn't hurt to be around the town's people either. So after having changed to a pair of black booth cut thighs, a turquoise show coat, and of course her long black boots. She always wore them at the stables, and after a quick look in the mirror she drove down to Granny's diner.
Once inside she sat down at a table by the window, and Red quickly came over and asked, "Do you need the menu or…?"
"No, I'll have a chicken burger with fries, and some salad with ranch dressing on the side," said Regina.
Red frowned a little by this and said, "Anything to drink with that?"
"A soda bottle to go, surprise me and a glass of water," said Regina in her regular dry tone.
"Okay," said Red and was about to go and put in the order when Regina said, "Can I please have some apples and carrots to go?"
"For Applejack and the other horses?" Red asked, assuming she was going to the stables and that would also explain her big meal.
"Yes, can you hurry, I have a new mere coming in at one," said Regina, making Ruby do just that.
Ruby was watching Regina as she was quickly ate her meal once it arrived. It was the first time in a long time she had been there for a meal on her own, and even longer since she ordered anything other than her regular salad. As soon as she was done she paid the bill, grabbed her soda, and the bag with carrots and apples before she left. Only moments later Emma came in, flushed in the face.
"What happened to you?" Red asked with a frown.
"Dad was giving me a third degree, making me so late, I'm supposed to be at the stables at one to…never mind. A coffee to go, please," said Emma. Red made it and gave her the cup, and Emma quickly ran out to her waiting car and drove off.
"What was with her?" Granny asked as if was seldom Emma was that stressed.
"If I am not mistake she's Regina's new mere and she was going to the stables to be broken in," said Red with a slight laugh, making her grandmother's eyes widen. To Ruby it was too coincidental that both women should happen to be at the stable at once, especially since Emma didn't seem that into horses. At least to her knowledge.
As she was about to make another round with the coffee pot, both Cora and David James came inside, neither looked too pleased to see each other. As they came to the counter, he said, "Cora, what are you doing here?"
"Eating, last I checked it was not illegal to order a salad with some fries and a shake," she said in a dry tone. 'Like mother like daughter,'" he thought.
"Not unless you don't pay," he said.
"I would never leave the bill," she said, rolling her eyes slightly at him.
"I hope not, have you any idea where that darling daughter of yours is?" he asked her.
"What is it to you?" Cora wanted to know, not that she actually did know at this point.
"I would like to have a word with her," said Charming.
"Well then I do suggest you take that up with her, not me," said Cora, rolling her eyes at him, turning to Ruby and saying, "Salad with fries on the side and a strawberry shake."
"I'll bring it in a second," said Ruby with a nod, and Cora went to sit down by a table, Charming on the other side.
"Surly you must have some idea where she is, I've just been calling her house and her cell, but she is not picking up," he said with a sigh.
"And I can't help, but to wonder why…Even if I did know I see no reason as to share that with you. What are you planning on doing to her, drag her in for another pointless interrogation over something she didn't do," said Cora.
"If you are referring to the case of Archie, you made that very believable, even so much so that I should hold you accountable for that," he said.
"I would be careful with my accusations, Charming, especially since I do believe you lack, what do you call it in this world, oh yes evidence," she said, challenging him.
"Careful or you'll do what?" he asked her.
"Trust me when I say you don't wish to go there," she said.
"Fine, and so I do take it you are aware that your daughter might be seeing mine," he said to change the subject.
"Don't be outrages, she would never do that, she hates your daughter I'm quite sure," Cora said as Regina had never inclined otherwise.
"I think you are wrong," she said, wondering where he got that from.
"What will you do when I prove I'm right," he said, frowning at her.
"Deal with it when you can bring your proof," she said in a vicious tone, making him back off and leave her.
Cora sighed heavily knowing all too well that he might be right, her daughter had seemed happier than what was usual lately. Ever since that night she met Emma to talk about Henry. She of course knew that if Regina wanted to see her love she would have no problem doing so most times a day, if she was only careful not to get caught.
When was she ever going to learn, Cora wondered. She was always to follow her heart now wasn't she? Hadn't she already learned from her mistake from Daniel or would she need more to get that following her heart wasn't always the wisest thing to do.
Daniel…the stables, there was where she had to be Cora was sure, and so she were to finish her meal and go to find the evidence.
Meanwhile Emma had parked her car outside the stable, only to find Regina brushing and sweet talking with what she assumed to be her horse. By the looks of it a red brown stallion with matching mane and tale color wise. He however had some drawings going from between the eyes and a bit further down. They were in the shade of black.
"Hey," Emma said coming closer, the horse moved a bit and looked at her, but Regina seemed to calm her.
"You're late," said Regina and looked at her.
"I'm sorry, dad…"Emma said with a sigh.
"Never matter, I was thinking we could go for a ride, for privacy, I've taken out Thunder for you to ride," said Regina, nodding towards a big, black horse.
Emma swallowed hard as the beast seemed all other than friendly, stamping to the ground hard with his hoofs. She looked back at Regina saying, "You want me to…ride that, he seems dangerous."
"I do, I think it would do both some good, now go and put a saddle on him," said the other woman with a smile.
Emma nodded wondering what good it would do for her to ride something like that, most likely getting killed in the process. Still she neared him carefully, in front of him so he would see him saying, "We can do it the easy way or the hard way, just let me get the saddle on and you can do what you wish after that."
He looked at her as he was trying to decide, before he neighed. Regina looked amused seeing her girl nearing the most troublesome horse in the stables. She had bought him a little while back and was still working on breaking him in. Emma somehow got the saddle on and managed to get on him. She smiled satisfied saying, "I did it."
"I can see that," said Regina and got on her horse, she was however not using a saddle. Emma frowned by this, of course she had said earlier that her mother didn't like her riding without, but still.
"Ready," said Regina and smiled at Emma.
"Sure why not?" said Emma, as she already had managed to get on the bloody horse.
"Giddy up, Thunder," said Regina, making the horse set off with haste. She giggled as she heard Emma yell, "I'll get you back for this Regina."
"We better catch up, giddy up, Applejack," she whispered in a soft tone, making him run off too.
From the side of the barn Cora was watching with wondering eyes. Why would her daughter put Emma at risk on a horse that seemed that dangerous, unless it was to save her or she had something else in mind. The older woman shook it off, she couldn't be that stupid, and this was obviously to harm Emma. Still she was to keep an eye on here from now on as there was no way she would ever let Regina date someone like Emma.
Thank you for reading, feedback is always appreciated :o)