Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the rights to Once Upon a Time.

Chapter Four - Road Block

"Regina."

Staring open-mouthed, Emma ignored Regina's blatant inspection of her attire. "What are you doing here?"

Knowing the woman wouldn't have the hospitality to ask her in, Regina walked past Emma. "I've come to discuss our arrangement."

Making a sweep of the room she noticed a rumpled bed adorned with distasteful sheets, a nightstand, a rotting desk, and a bathroom she dared not enter. Regina couldn't understand why anyone would want to sleep in such filth, much less set foot into it. Yet here she was. Relieved, she noticed the still packed bags on the bed.

"How in the hell did you know I would be here?"

Regina looked every bit as defiant as a hawk that had caught its prey. "Magic, of course."

Emma stiffened.

The mayor tipped her head to the side as Emma clearly didn't catch the jest. "Really, this is the only hotel for miles and that piece of junk you call a car sticks out like a sore thumb."

Regina's mocking tone caused the blonde's face to redden in frustration. "I thought we agreed Henry would be better off with me gone. Now I am. You wanted that, remember?"

"Well, things don't always go the way you want them to. People can be unpredictable. That's what life is like when you have a child, not that you would know anything about that."

"I never wanted this!" Emma emphasized with her arms outstretched. "My life was just fine before Henry showed up at my door. Then I got to know him. I got to know my son, Regina, and he made me realize my life wasn't all fine before. It hurts to let him go, but I did what I had to do, for Henry."

"It relieves me to know that you understand this is not all about you."

Emma rolled her eyes.

Regina paused, looked down and then up to meet the woman's pale green eyes. Her voice was low and just above a whisper. "Henry is asking for you to come back."

"And you? You want me to come back as well?"

"If I didn't, Miss Swan, I wouldn't be here in this sordid hovel of a room asking you."

"But you haven't asked me yet."

Getting flustered, Regina sucked in a gasp of air and let it out to calm herself. "Will you get in your ugly yellow car and come back to Storybrooke? Please?

Emma smiled at the sardonic request. She was enjoying this a bit too much and wondered if Regina was too. Suddenly, a thought struck her.

"How were you going to convince me to return? What was your big plan, Regina? Blackmail? Kidnapping? Seduction?"

As soon as Emma made the last suggestion the mayor moved luridly close into the blonde's personal space and drawled, "You have no idea what I am capable of."

Emma gave a soft chuckle despite the serious look on the brunette's face. "Is that supposed to be some sort of come on?"

The smirk on the face in front of her told Regina that this wasn't going to work. She suddenly felt strangely out of breath being in such proximity to the other woman. There was no reason this shouldn't work, she thought, because it usually did with the weak minded. Regina was starting to learn that this girl was anything but easy.

"Don't get me wrong, it's kind of hot, but I think it suits you a little too well. It's so 'Evil Queen,'" Emma quoted using her fingers to emphasize.

Regina glared at the blonde. "This is not a game."

"A game you seem to know rather well, wouldn't you say?"

"I don't know, dear, you appear to be immune to my charms."

Emma realized then that the mayor had not removed herself from her very close proximity. Before Emma knew what she was thinking she replied, "If you wanted me, all you had to do was ask."

"If you were under my spell you wouldn't realize it until it was too late."

Leaving Emma to ponder the notion, Regina took a step back and exited the hotel room. As she carefully made her way down the crumbling steps outside she wondered if there was any truth to Emma's last words.

Emma's attention snapped back at the sound of the door slamming shut. Shaking her head she felt as if she had woken from a dream, and as with all dreams, confusion began to fill her mind. What had exactly just happened? Emma thought.

She wasn't sure what troubled her more, that Regina had asked her to return to Storybrooke or the way Emma had felt in the woman's presence. In the past, they both had gotten in each other's faces more times than she could count. The right hooks and verbal jabs they traded were a testament to how much these two hated each other. This time, though, there was an unexplainable, almost pleasing sense of desperation between them. She remembered catching a fleeting look in the mayor's eyes as they were breathing the same air.

The queer feeling in her stomach told her that what had transpired between her and Regina was no dream and was in fact very real; too real.

Emma shook her head again to clear her mind. Plucking her bags off the bed she hurried out of the room.

Emma ran out to meet Regina as she was unlocking her car door.

"Did you come to berate me some more, Miss Swan?" Regina asked with a sigh.

"No, I just wanted to know which exit you were taking because 108 seemed a bit slippery the last time coming in to town.

"The 109."

Nodding, Emma turned towards her own car. Before she got too far she shouted back, "Must have been one hell of a spell, huh?

Regina didn't turn around, but unknown to the sheriff acknowledged with a silent smile.

The two women drove separately on the freeway keeping a safe distance from each other physically, and as Regina would have it, mentally as well. The Mayor of Storybrooke did not like being controlled. She had always been the aggressor in her encounters with the townspeople. They would cower in fear whenever she approached and acquiesce to her every wish. It satisfied her, but not for long. For years Regina had longed for a good fight, and ever since that mysterious blonde haired woman arrived Emma Swan had graced her with that opportunity.

After an hour or two of driving in the night they took their exit at the 109. Emma looked out her windshield to see the outline of a familiar forest looming before her.

Suddenly, Regina's car swerved up ahead. Emma squinted and saw through the fog the red lights of the Mercedes braking. The early morning dew must have left the road slippery because Emma's VW also began to lose traction. Emma slowed down but not too fast as to spin out. Regina was not so lucky.

The second her VW came to a halt Emma ripped open the door and sprinted towards the wreck shouting, "Regina!"

"Ugh," came the reply.

Emma was staring down at a slightly bruised and scraped (but alive) mayor. The visibly pained woman grabbed hold of Emma's shoulders as she was hauled out of the ruined Mercedes. When they were a safe distance from the scene Emma dropped Regina in exhaustion.

"Umph, hey!"

"Sorry," Emma responded, thinking about the city hall fire, "you were heavier than I remembered."

Regina glared and then winced in pain.

"Did you break anything?" Emma's voice of worry spoke through the mist. The hurt woman gently covered her throbbing arm.

"First a bounty hunter, then sheriff... now you're a physician?"

"Let me see, it could be dislocated."

Regina was about to draw away from Emma's helping hand but something in the distance caught her attention.

"Oh, no."

"Really, it's probably not that bad. Just let me remove your jacket so I can be sure there are no bones sticking out."

"No, not my elbow. Look!"

Emma followed the direction Regina was pointing to. With the exception of a ditch sporting a considerably dented Mercedes there was nothing out of the ordinary with this picture. She looked back in confusion and worry.

"Regina, I think you might have a concussion. We should take you to Dr. Wh-"

"Emma!" the brunette grabbed a handful of the woman's leather jacket and stared hard into her eyes. "I am not seeing things. I'm not dizzy, I don't feel nauseous, and I am certainly not seeing two of you, thank God. Now help me up and walk me ten feet ahead."

Emma's mouth fell agape and then closed. It was the first time Regina had used her given name. This must really be serious, she thought.

"Alright, but we're taking this slow." She brought Regina up onto slightly wobbly legs and pulled her close. The injured mayor leaned into the embrace with vexation and a little gratitude.

The two women shuffled forward. After a dozen paces Regina gripped the helping shoulder in alarm. "Here, stop."

She didn't let go of Emma. If this was what she feared then she would need the support. With a deep breath Regina extended her good arm forward. Her hand met resistance and she immediately snatched it back in surprise.

Emma flinched at the quick movement. "What is it?"

Before Regina could answer, an apparition gleamed before them; a barrier glowing in soft purple through the smoky fog. The hunched woman stretched out her arm a second time and glided her palm over the seamless obstruction. A soft crackling ran across the surface.

"What is this thing?" Emma tilted her head back to take in the size of what was in front of her. She guessed that the enormous dome must be big enough to enclose an entire town; a town like Storybrooke. "Regina, I don't remember seeing this the last time a drove through here."

The mayor noticed the agitation in Emma's voice. Turning her head she gave up a look mixed with fear and pity. There was nothing that could prepare this woman for things to come.

"We're being kept out of Storybrooke."