Rating: Rating M just for future chapters, but this chapter is pretty tame, except for a few cuss words here and there.
Side Note: I know this is slow starting, but just bare with me guys. Thanks to obsessivelyaddictive and sinful-obsessions for helping me plan this chapter a bit. I know it's short, but I swear to God it's gonna get better. At least I hope so anyway. Lol!
Emma sat on the couch in Regina's office with a glass of apple cider in her hands. She didn't dare make eye contact with Regina, unable to really look at her. The silence was awkward as Regina sat across from her, nursing her own glass of cider. Emma had said she'd wanted to talk. She even had plenty of questions lingering in her head, but when she'd sat down on Regina's couch facing the other woman, she just couldn't seem to get the words to come out.
So silence had ensued while Regina sat quietly with a look of irritation on her features. They were clearly both uncomfortable with being alone like this. While animosity lingered in the air between them, at least they weren't flinging insults at each other like they usually did. And frankly, Emma was tired of arguing with her anyway.
It seemed to be quiet for too long between them because eventually Emma cleared her throat, wiggling in her seat. She was getting restless, just sitting there. Emma perched herself on the end of the couch and knocked back the rest of the cider. Her head swam for a minute and she had to close her eyes. But when she opened them, she set her jaw in determination and steadied herself.
Placing the glass on the table in front of her, and feeling Regina's eyes on her the whole time, Emma finally found the words and the nerve to say what she's wanted to say since Henry fell into the coma. "It's all your fault." Emma blurted before she could even think about stopping the words.
Regina had been close to taking a sip of her cider before Emma had spouted her words. She stopped mid sip and her eyes widened, obviously not having expected Emma to just suddenly say that. Her brown eyes narrowed and she set down her own drink. "I'm not the only one to blame here, Ms. Swan." With Regina's use of her last name, Emma rolled her green eyes and stood up. "Okay, look, I didn't come here to argue." She folded her arms against her chest and leaned to the side a bit. Regina raised a well trimmed brow and frowned. "Then please, tell me, what did you come here for?" She folded her own arms and crossed her legs, sitting back a bit. Her eyes never left Emma as she started pace back and forth in front of the couch.
Emma didn't know why she was so nervous to have this conversation. But her heart was beating wildly in her chest and she was warring with the overwhelming need to punch Regina in the face. That wouldn't do anyone any good though, Emma knew that. More fighting would not help their child that was laying helpless and in a coma. Their child…. Emma was stunned to find herself thinking that way. Even though she was more than mighty pissed with Regina for putting him in this coma, she knew Regina was very much Henry's mother. She had taken care of him all these years and he had turned out to be a good kid, a very smart kid. However, none of that changed their situation.
Finally, after another moment of pacing, Emma let out a long breath she had been holding and sat herself back down. After removing her coat and draping it on the back of the couch, she continued. "I'm just going to get it all out there." She started, ignoring Regina's icy glare. She had to use all her willpower not to say something sarcastic. "I think it's about high time you come clean with everything and be completely honest with me." Emma emphasized on the everything, making sure Regina understood. Which, of course she did. She had a feeling she knew where Emma was going with this. "Well, I…" Regina began, but was quickly cut off by Emma.
"I'm not finished yet." She threw her own icy glare to Regina before continuing. "Not only do you need to be honest with me about everything, but we need to stop all the fighting between us. Because in case you haven't noticed, we're fighting for the same cause now….Henry's welfare." Emma stopped for a moment to lock her eyes with Regina. Neither woman broke eye contact as Emma carried on. "We're on the same side now, Regina. Whether we like it or not." Emma pursed her lips and went limp on the couch, falling into the back of it.
Regina huffed a sigh and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes. "Well, it's clear neither one of us likes it…" There was a moment of silence before Regina begrudgingly let the next words fall from her lips. "But you're right. We are fighting for the same thing now. And Henry is all I care about. So if I have to work together with you…" There was a sneer in her voice and her upper lip turned up in disgust at the thought. "To save Henry, then that's what I'll do."
Emma almost smiled at how pained Regina sounded at the thought of having to work together with her. She kept the smile at bay though, know that something like would certainly spark an argument with the temperamental woman. "Good to know you agree." Emma stated, leaning forward just the tiniest bit. She placed her elbows on her knees and linked her fingers together, eyes dancing over the woman sitting in front of her. "And now that we're on a somewhat level, albeit shaky, ground…" Emma paused, a frown turning her mouth down. "We need to talk about Mr. Gold." Regina shook her head. "Rumeplstiltskin." She corrected. Emma just rolled her eyes and waved her hand. "Whatever. Whoever he is, we need to talk about him. I need to know what he's capable of. I need to know what you know about him. Everything."
It was Regina's turn to rise from her seat and start a small path back and forth. She'd stop every now and then to gaze at Emma, studying the blond almost like the words she needed were written on her face. She turned from Emma for a moment and walked to her desk, leaning against it after turning around to face Emma once again. "He's dangerous." Regina began, tone as serious as a heart attack. "He is capable of things you wouldn't believe." She sucked in a breath and leaned further onto her desk, arms unfolding and hanging by her sides.
"I honestly have no idea what he is planning. He fooled us both when we were trying to save Henry. All I can say is we better prepare ourselves because there is no telling when the little imp will return." Regina's lip twitched as her lips stumbled over imp. "So, in essence, we have to stick together. Especially since we need to protect Henry. I don't know what he'll try to do to him. Especially since he's the perfect way to get to either one of us." Finally Regina gave a long sigh, shaking her head. "I know working together doesn't appeal to either one of us, but you're right. We are very much on the same side this time."
"Hooray." Emma muttered sharply under her breath, rubbing her face with her hands. She knew she needed to stick with Regina, but that didn't mean she was excited about it. Regina just rolled her eyes, lifting herself from her desk and walking back to her seat. "There's one thing I want to know." Emma said from behind her hands. Regina raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It took Emma a moment to raise her head. When she saw Regina questioning face, she continued. "Can he use magic here?" Emma tilted her head, practically expecting Regina to confirm that he could.
Regina bit her lip for a moment. She used to be sure of that answer. But now…oh now she had no clue. "To be honest, I'm unsure of whether he can or not. I'd like to think he can't, since magic is not possible in this world. However, I would not be surprised if he found a way to use it. And if he has, well…"
Regina paused, turning even more serious, tone dropping an octave. "Then we have no chance of winning." Emma swallowed, eyes going wide. "And let me guess, you don't have any magic at all here either?" Regina features turned from worried to hard in an instant. "No, Ms. Swan, I do not. Otherwise I would have more than likely used it by now." The fact that she would have used it to save Henry went unspoken.
Emma sucked in a long breath, unsure of where else to go with this conversation. There were still so many questions bouncing through her mind. "Okay, so, as long as you don't have magic…Rumpelstiltskin shouldn't either…right?" She raised her thin eyebrow, eying Regina carefully. Emma didn't entirely trust Regina. Not yet. And not that she thought she ever would. There was just too much that had gone on between them. The woman had tried to kill her for God's sake. Regina bit her bottom lip, resisting the urge to shrug her shoulders like she'd seen Emma do a million times. "Not necessarily."
If at all possible, Emma's frown deepened further. Regina's eyes squinted just a little more as her forehead crinkled further. "There's a possibility that he could have figured out how to get only his magic back. But we won't really know until he shows up again." At those words, a shiver ran down both of the women's spines. Emma hated the feeling of being worried someone was coming after her. But she wasn't afraid for just herself this time.
She was also afraid for Henry's life. And maybe also Regina's, not that she'd ever admit it. The conversation died after that, Emma not having the stomach to talk about it anymore. Regina sat on the couch with a scowl on her face, staring at the floor and completely ignoring Emma. Well, trying to. The blond kept pacing and shuffling, so it made it had not to notice that she was in the room.
When the silence became too awkward, became too much, Regina bolted up from her seat on the couch and made her way to the office door. "I think maybe it's time for you to leave now, Sheriff. I'd like to be alone." That, of course, was a lie. Alone was the last thing Regina wanted, but she was not about to admit this to Emma of all people. Emma scowled at Regina's bitchy tone, but turned to head through the door anyway.
Regina had the front door open and waiting for Emma as she waited for the blond to get her ass in gear and get out of her house. Just as Emma stepped one foot over the threshold, she stopped and turned towards Regina. "Thanks for uh…talking with me about all that. I know…I know it wasn't easy." It sounded like those words were hard for Emma to say, but Regina just brushed it off and rolled her eyes. "You're welcome. Goodnight, Sheriff Swan."
Emma had to jump away from the door to avoid getting hit by it as Regina quickly shut it. "Jesus." The blond muttered to herself, shaking her head as she made her way back to her bug. She was inside it's warmth and was grinding the gears to leave when she realized she had forgotten her leather jacket inside Regina's office. "Well, shit!" Emma griped, turning her car off and getting out a little more forcefully than was necessary.
She made her way back into the Mayor's home without evening announcing she had come back in. Instead, she just slipped down the hallway and back into they Mayor's home office. What she hadn't expected was the older woman to still be sitting in there, perched on the edge of her couch. What was even less expected was to see Regina crying.
Emma swung the door open and stopped mid stride to her jacket. Regina jumped, startled by the sudden intrusion and began to frantically wipe at the tears streaming down her face. It only served to make room for new ones and smear the mascara down her face even more. Emma looked like a deer caught in the headlights, unable to move or blink as her wide, green eyes stared at Regina.
It was in that moment that Emma felt her heart clench and break a little for the woman standing in front of her. Slowly, and with a little trepidation, Emma shuffled over to Regina, arms coming out to bring the older woman into an awkward embrace. "I'm sorry, Regina." The blond whispered, but stopped there. She didn't know what else to say. In fact, she wasn't even sure why Regina was crying. Well, she had a hint, but Henry might possibly not be the only reason.
Regina sank into the hug for a moment, stunned by the warmth of it. Stunned even more by the feeling of human contact. She couldn't remember the last time she'd actually been hugged. Even Henry had stopped hugging her a long time ago. However, the feeling didn't last long as she remembered it was Emma that was hugging her. Her body went rigid and she jerked back from the embrace. A look of disgust replaced the look of pain in a matter of seconds.
"I don't need you comforting me. I don't need anyone." Her tone was harsh, unrelenting. Her darkened eyes flickered over to Emma's jacket, realizing this was why she'd come back. Walking over to it, Regina pick the jack up with her thumb and forefinger, holding it out to Emma like it stunk. "Now please take your jacket and leave my home, Ms. Swan."
The blond looked on in shock for a moment, stunned momentarily. However, her brain kicked back into gear and reminded her that she shouldn't have expected anything else from the Mayor. "I was just trying to…" Emma stopped herself, snatching her jacket out of Regina's hand. "Ya know what? Never mind. I wasn't trying to do anything, but get my jacket. Have a nice evening, Madam Mayor." Emma spat the word like it tasted bad in her mouth.
In a way it did really. Anything having to do with Regina always left a bad taste in her mouth. Emma muttered to herself as she went back to her car, complaining about how she was never comforting anyone, ever again. "Should have known better, Swan. Should have known better." She mumble with regret as she slipped back into the warmth of her bug.