A/N: As always, your positive responses are overwhelming and you are rewarded with a sooner-than-planned update. For those of you wondering, this story will probably only get a new chapter once a week, like Medical Mystery. Sorry! But having a full time writing job means I can only really do my fics at the weekend. Anyway … onwards.
The tinted windows made the streets beyond almost impossible to see. It was also pointless to try and hide who was inside the vehicle which was being flanked by countless police officers on motorbikes, Regina mused. Not to mention the fleet of sleek black cars which stretched before and after her own. Everyone knew the President of the United States was gliding past, protected by bullet-proof glass and metal. It was ridiculous, she mused, how much of the country's budget was spent to keep one person alive. That said, she didn't exactly want to be assassinated so she supposed she would have to get used to it.
"And I've told them Robin is off-limits too," Zelena continued, drawing Regina out of her reverie. "We don't need people prying into your marriage already. The interviewer sounded pissed when I spoke to her earlier."
"Well, she's supposed to be the best, right? I'm sure she'll make do with talking about the agreed-upon topics," Regina said.
"If she doesn't, it will be the last interview she ever does," Zelena glowered. "Now, when you're discussing your childhood and your father's connection to politics, make sure you mention his relationship to Obama. We want you associated with his presidency as much as possible and these first few months are going to be difficult what with you needing to undo a lot of the legislation Trump forced through."
"I know, I know," Regina sighed. "How long is the interview?"
"Thirty minutes," Zelena replied. "Live, remember."
"And afterwards I have which engagement?"
"A dinner with Robin in a romantic restaurant," Zelena said. "We wanted to do something public to show you two are celebrating your new appointment and that you're working as a team right from the start."
Regina sighed. "Are the public really buying this?"
"Yes," Zelena replied. "Because I am excellent at my job and despite what I think of that imbecilic man, he does have rather a talent for acting as if the two of you are very much in love."
Regina gave a dry chuckle. "Well, at least he has his uses."
"You wouldn't be in the White House without him," Zelena said. "Now, this interview is probably going to spend some time on your university years. I'd like you to emphasis more your time at Harvard than Yale because we need to get the businessmen onside and reassure them that while your entire campaign was focused on giving a voice back to every American, their greedy capitalist fists will still be stuffed full of money."
"I suppose I'll find a more eloquent way to say that, sure," Regina said. "This interviewer, by the way, is she the one who predicted my win in Texas?"
"God no," Zelena said. "She got fired after that. I mean, who in the right mind would believe an always-red state like Texas would ever have voted for the first female president?"
"I'm hurt," Regina deadpanned.
Zelena ignored the sarcasm. "No, this one is the woman who replaced her. Emma Swan. She's actually an excellent political correspondent which is probably why she was so pissed when she called me this morning about the limited questions. We chose her because she's incredibly popular as well as a talented interviewer. You're in safe hands and she's not stupid enough to push the boundaries I've set for her. You've watched her show several times."
"The Swan Show, right?" Regina asked. She didn't have much time for watching television but she had kept abreast of some political commentary shows during the election. The woman, if she remembered rightly, had startlingly green eyes which zeroed in on her guests the moment she sensed weakness. Regina, however, had spent all her life perfecting her political veneer. It was impenetrable.
Emma and Ruby scanned over the final list of questions together less than ten minutes before the new President was due to arrive at the recording studios. They weren't great, but they were the best the duo could come up with given their restricted scope.
"Right, I've got to head to make-up," Emma said at last, handing the page to Ruby to get the questions printed onto embossed 'The Swan Show' cue cards. "Can you please let me know when she gets here. I'd like a few moments with her before we go on air."
"Is that even possible?" Ruby asked.
"I have no idea," Emma admitted. "I've never interviewed a president before. I've never wanted to, come to that. But if you manage to find her publicist, I'm sure you can work your magic."
Ruby laughed and nodded. The two women headed out into the corridor together before each turning a different way. Ruby hurried off towards the rear entrance through which the President would be arriving, dropping off the question with admin on the way. And Emma strolled down towards makeup and collapsed into her usual chair.
"Are you nervous?" asked her stylist, a young woman named Tina Bell whom Emma spent too much time with for her own liking.
"Not really," Emma replied, picking up a newspaper and hiding behind it, hoping the woman would get the hint.
"I'd be so nervous if I was going to interview the President," Tina continued as she began to brush out Emma's blonde hair. "I mean, what are you going to ask her?"
"Questions," Emma said. "Although not interesting ones," she added glumly.
"I'd ask her about that dress she wore to the inauguration. Oh and that beautiful blue one she wore the night she won the election. Do you remember?"
Emma wasn't a girly girl but she had to admit she could easily conjure the image of the newly elected President of the United States walking onto the stage to deliver her victory speech. She wasn't sure whether it was because Regina Mills was the first ever female President, that her success meant at last the evil man who had been running the country for four years was ousted, or because of the dress itself. Whatever the reason, Emma definitely remembered the dress Regina wore that night.
"Fashion and style isn't really my thing," Emma said, looking pointedly over the top of the newspaper and catching Tina's eye in the mirror.
The blonde laughed as she began to tease Emma's hair into a complicated knot on the top of her head. At last she fell silent, concentrating on preparing the woman for what was to be the most viewed television interview in US history. Emma sat patiently, half reading the newspaper and half thinking about the woman she was soon to meet. The blonde had been a democrat all her life and had championed Regina's Presidential campaign from the first day. And now, after years of admiring the woman's work, she was going to not only meet the first female President of the United States but interview her live on television. Emma didn't usually get nervous but as the realisation dawned on her, she felt her heart beat just a little faster.
A sea of people parted to let the Presidential car and its convoy through to the rear parking lot of the television studios. Regina wondered how long it would be before the paparazzi got bored of taking photos of the Mercedes. Soon, she hoped. They pulled up outside a small door and Graham appeared outside her window. Did the man never sleep? Regina wondered to herself. She was ushered out of the car and into the building, Zelena hot on her heels and various other people hurrying along behind them. They were escorted into a large dressing room where Regina's own stylist was waiting for her. She was already dressed but what with it being a live interview, she knew her hair and makeup was going to be done and done again until it was perfect.
Sinking into the chair, Regina closed her eyes and allowed Belle to get to work on her makeup, listening to Zelena all the while as she continued to chat away about the upcoming interview. Well, Regina was only half listening. After all, the interview was just about her as a person and she hardly needed to prepare to talk on that subject.
A knock on the door interrupted Zelena from her briefing regarding where Regina should say she likes to vacation. The red-haired publicist marched over and opened it a crack, peering to see who was disturbing them.
"Hello, are you Zelena West?"
"Yes, and you are?"
"Ruby Lucas, I'm Emma Swan's assistant. I was wondering if it would be possible for Emma to meet with Madam President before they went on air, just to allow them to get to know one another a little before the cameras turn on."
Zelena glanced at her watch and then looked over her shoulder. She made eye contact with Regina in the mirror, silently asking her opinion. Regina liked that about Zelena; although it was the job of the Brit to make sure her public persona was presented as well as possible, she also valued Regina's input. The brunette shrugged and nodded her agreement.
"We'll be done in ten minutes," Zelena said, turning back to Ruby. "Please ask Miss Swan to come here as our security team are still sweeping the rest of the building and Madam President will not be moving anywhere but to the stage just before the recording begins."
Ruby nodded her understanding and disappeared. Zelena turned back to the woman around whom her life had revolved for the past three years and resumed her prep work. Regina closed her eyes again as Belle began to style her hair.
"She'll see you in," Ruby checked her phone, "eight minutes."
"Shit," Emma said, crumbs tumbling from her lips as she dropped the sub she was munching on and reached for her notes. "Did you see her?"
"The back of her head and her reflection," Ruby nodded. "She's even more beautiful in real life."
"Is a mirror real life?" Emma asked as she scanned over the finalised questions once more. "And you're meant to be making me less nervous, remember?"
"I thought you didn't get nervous," Ruby teased.
Emma narrowed her eyes. "It's the fucking President of the United States. I'm allowed to be nervous just this once, ok?"
Ruby held her hands up in mock defence. "Well, let's be nervous and walk. They're in that fancy dressing room we never use out the back of Studio A. I get the feeling we shouldn't be late to meet with the President."
"Probably not," Emma agreed. "Um, how does my makeup look?"
"You've got mayonnaise in the corner of your mouth but your makeup is fine," Ruby replied, handing over a tissue so Emma could wipe away the evidence of her hurried dinner. "Why do you always eat after getting your face done?"
Emma shrugged. "I was hungry," she said, standing up and brushing the crumbs from the material of the dress a television stylist had handed to her. If Emma was disinterested in what the President wore, she was even less interested in her own fashion choices. But Tina had said she looked great and Ruby too had agreed that the dress suited her.
The two women walked through the maze of television corridors. Everyone they passed wished Emma good luck. She smiled and thanked them but with every passing second the nerves were mounting. She wasn't usually a nervous person. Sure, her job involved live interviews with high profile politicians on a regular basis but she enjoyed her work and she knew she was good at it. For the most part, it was the politicians in the spotlight not her. But this interview was different. This thirty-minute broadcast would make or break her career.
She had been honoured to be asked to do the interview in the first place. As soon as her boss told her he had been approached, she had jumped at the chance. She had been excited about it all week, not quite daring to believe that finally, after years of hard work, she was being recognised as a talented political interviewer. But now, with the seconds until they went live ticking away, she suddenly realised what a colossal responsibility she had. Not only that, thanks to the new President's publicist, it wasn't even going to be a political interview at all. It was going to be a conversation which belonged on Ellen or Oprah or another chat show. The Swan Show was not about finding out more about politicians' childhoods. It was about current affairs and pressing political issues. A tinge of anger and annoyance now mixed with her nerves as she remembered that long list of off-limit topics.
"Emma?"
Her boss' voice called out from behind her and the blonde turned around, Ruby also pausing in her steps.
"Hi August. Is everything ready on-stage?"
"All good," replied the head of the network, August Booth.
The two of them had known each other for years and it had been August who gave Emma her own show after her predecessor tanked her own reputation with that ridiculous prediction regarding the votes in Texas. Emma admired August's own work as a broadcaster before he moved behind the camera and on up the corporate ladder.
"We've secured a few minutes with Madam President before the recording so I'm in a bit of a hurry," Emma said. "Did you need anything?"
"I just looked over your cue cards," August said. "Rather vacuous questions, I thought."
Emma glowered. "I had no choice. This publicist is a real ball breaker and I'm not putting my career on the line by testing her. You saw the list of acceptable questions. I'm doing the best with what I was given."
"You've not even got anything in there about her husband. People want to know what it's going to be like having a First Gentleman."
"I know, I know," Emma said. "He's taboo too, apparently. Goodness knows why they don't want us talking about him now because he's been stood behind her throughout every rally for the past two years. This would be a great time for her to demonstrate what a supportive husband he is and how he's going to fit into her new presidency."
"Reckon you can steer the conversation around to him?" August asked.
"Do you want me to be blacklisted as a political correspondent? If I fuck this up, the network gets it as much as I do."
"Well, what if she mentioned him first? If she opens the door, will you drop some questions in about the First Gentleman?"
Emma sighed. "Sure, August. But if I get annihilated by this Zelena West woman, Henry and I are moving in with you. Deal?"
"Deal," August laughed. "How is Henry? Will he be tuning in to watch you tonight?"
"He thinks it's embarrassing," Emma said. "What fifteen-year-old boy wants their mother on television. No, I think he's going to the cinema with his friends. Anything to avoid politics because apparently they're, and I quote, 'boring as fuck'."
Ruby and August both laughed. Considering his mother had lived and breathed the election and American politics for over two years, it was hardly surprising that Henry was sick and tired of hearing about it.
"Emma, we've gotta go or we'll be late for Madam President," Ruby said.
"Right. See you in a bit, August?"
"I'll be behind camera two the whole time," August promised. "And don't tank your career for me but if there is an opening, you know what to do."
Emma nodded and followed Ruby down the corridor towards the dressing room within which the President of the United States now sat. Even without that knowledge the presence of two bodyguards on either side of the door gave her location away. When they arrived outside, Ruby glanced at Emma to check she was ready. The blonde let out a short huff of air and nodded, standing up a little straighter as Ruby's knuckles rapped on the wood.
"You're late," Zelena said as she opened the door. "Emma Swan, I presume?"
"Yes, apologies, Miss West, I was just discussing some last minute details with the head of the network."
"Come in," Zelena said, standing back. "I trust everything is prepared?"
"We're all ready," Emma nodded as she stepped into the room and looked around.
Regina, who had been sat reading over a briefing from her office regarding military commitments in the Middle East, looked up at last. She cast the papers aside and stood, extending her hand towards the blonde woman who had entered.
"Emma Swan, it's great to meet you," she said, her hand clasped in a firm but slightly sweaty grip. Regina was used to that by now. Meeting the President made people nervous.
"It's an honour to meet you too, Madam President," Emma said. "I'm very much looking forward to our interview later and I'm grateful you and your office chose me to host it."
Years of experience was the only reason Emma was able to continue functioning as a normal human being. She had met politicians before, sure. She had met beautiful women before, of course. But when Regina Mills' eyes met her own, she could have sworn her brain short-circuited. Emma had been following the Democrat's career for years before she even launched her bid for the presidency. She had admired her work, her policies, and then the election campaign itself. And now, in Emma's own place of work, she was meeting the woman who had made American history.
"Well, we were all thoroughly impressed with your previous broadcasting and the reputation of your show," Regina said, oblivious to the flurry of emotions passing through the blonde's head. "Please, come on in and take a seat. Let us get a little more comfortable around one another before those cameras turn on and the world starts to watch."
Emma did so, her feet somehow walking forwards and sitting down in the chair indicated to her. She crossed her legs and clasped her trembling hands in her lap. Regina smiled softly at her.
"This is going to be a big night for both of us, I sense," the President said. "Are you happy with the topics up for discussion?"
"Oh yes," Emma said. Behind her, Ruby rolled her eyes.
"Great, well I think this is going to be a fantastic interview then. A combination of your hosting skills and the fact that I haven't spoken much about my personal life should make for excellent television, don't you think?"
"For a generic chat show, sure."
If Emma had been a cartoon, she would have clapped her hand over her mouth. As it was, she settled for widening her eyes as the words she had said reached her brain.
Perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"
And for those who mentioned them, yes I love my alliterative titles! What can I say? It's my thing!