A/N - Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, fav, follow, and review!
Chapter Four - Welcome to Storybrooke
Arms and legs crossed, one perfect eyebrow perched up, and an amused grin seemed to be Regina's only position for the last hour in Emma's living room as Emma ran through lists in her head of contacts she could call on for help. Shaking her head as she dismissed the likelihood of calling on anyone that could already being in her parents' pocket, she'd move on to the next candidate, state their qualifications, and, no - with another head shake - they couldn't be trusted either. Watching Emma go through the whole thing as a job-hiring process was completely entertaining to the brunette.
Finally finding herself bored, however, and saving Emma from her indecisiveness, she interrupted one of Emma's long-winded tangents. "If you don't mind, Miss Swan, we'll get nowhere if we're depending on you to come through with someone of use, and I happen to know someone that can help us. Or at the very least get us on the right track."
"And you didn't say anything? You've just been sitting there all… regal and shit, watching me with that look on your face, while I've been killing my brain trying to come up with ideas?"
Regina couldn't help the laugh as she countered, "I hardly think it takes much to 'kill your brain,' Miss Swan."
"Woman!" Emma continued with an exasperated sigh, "As much as I really enjoy hearing you make fun of me, just who is this person that might help us?"
"Ruby, my best friend. We grew up together. She's more like my sister, really. I know she'd help me with anything, we just have to go to see her to get anything out of her. It's one of her unspoken rules. Are you okay with that?"
"Well, we need to get out of here for now, anyway. If you trust her, so do I," Emma boldly declared, a small twitch of her eye giving away her reluctance to trust a complete stranger. "Call her."
After hanging up to what Emma could tell would have been a juicy conversation about Ruby's current boyfriend had green eyes not been locked on her the entire time, Regina cast a glance her way and relayed her friend's message.
"Ruby says she's looking forward to our visit."
"She did, now? Seemed to me she said a whole lot more than that," Emma returned the same grin Regina wore.
"You heard that?"
Emma laughed, "Oh God, how could I not? How did she put it? 'He's the Houdini of di-'"
"That'squiteenough, Miss Swan," Regina snapped, cupping her hand over Emma's mouth to keep her from finishing that dreadful sentence. "The less the both of us know about that the better." Once she was sure her point made it across, she dropped her hand from the blonde's lips.
Regina couldn't help herself at being impressed by Emma's skills at eavesdropping. A talent no doubt sourced from her long-term stint with mob enforcement.
Thankfully, Emma had dropped that particular subject and moved on to the most pertinent one. "How far are we traveling?"
"Eight hours without construction or accidents."
"Sounds like hell," Emma joked, who actually enjoyed the hours she spent on the road in her spare time. It was precisely why she had a prized cherry red motorcycle, jet black Mercedes Benz and a lemonade yellow Volkswagon Beetle Classic in her garage mere feet away. "I'm in. We should leave now to make better time. The sooner we get out of here the better for both of us. We can take the Mercedes in the garage. No one important knows about it."
"You certainly are prepared for these scenarios, aren't you?"
"I've definitely lived through enough. Let's see. The time my parents got kidnapped and I had to go to Brazil to rescue them, and after that they were held hostage at that fancy hotel, the White, isn't it? Yeah. And then, oh that was the worst one, some deal with a sex trafficker had gone wrong and I ended up chasing a caravan of at least four-dozen women for several hundred miles until I could get them free," Emma gazed off to nowhere in particular, "You know what? I think I really hate what I do. Minus rescuing those women, of course. I'm tired of it. Of living only to rescue those that don't deserve it. Maybe even start helping the ones that do deserve it. Someone to balance the odds. Put them back in the right favor, you know?"
And even though Regina could tell Emma was rambling to no one in particular, she still felt her words sting her ears and put a weight on her chest. Of course, she thought, Emma wanted no part in any of this. She was playing a role to stay alive, much the same way as Regina.
Regina, too, had always wondered what the side of good looked like. Was it true? Did the good ones finish last? Or did the selfless deeds truly measure up for something more, like a chance at redemption, perhaps? Or was it futile in the end, to wonder the consequences of such actions instead of only pursuing them for the good, and good alone?
Selfishness was at the backbone of every person; personal morality dictated one's posture. Somehow, Emma stood with dignity and confidence, two things Regina found both soothing and alluring.
-xxx-
With as little time wasted as possible, both women were quickly in a an incredibly comfortable and distractingly shiny luxury car. It took even less time, it seemed, to break into a fight about who retained the rights to the drive's playlist.
Emma had pulled over just outside the freeway, refusing to continue until they'd reached an agreement. Regina giggled as she considered this the most amusing hostage situation she'd ever been in, causing Emma to claim the brunette wasn't taking this seriously, and eventually, winning her control over the musical entertainment.
Driving now with a victorious smile, Emma bopped her head in unison with the beat, catchy pop and rock seemed to dictate the majority of the ride. Regina was surprised, assuming Emma would be darker in her taste, but most of the songs were so cliche and full of grandiose romantic ideals even she found charming.
As the drive wore on, much of their time was spent in what would have been an awkward lack of communication had both of them not been feeling the same sense of relief as they sped farther and farther away from the anxiety and fear long since turning into twinkles of light in the rear-view mirror.
As yet another song ended, Emma began to twitch with excitement as the new one began, and Regina assumed this one was a favorite of hers. Watching the blonde carefully in amusement, she let out an audible gasp as Emma began to sing.
"It's been a long time since I came around,
Been a long time but I'm back in town,
And this time I'm not leaving without you.
You taste like whiskey when you kiss me, oh
I'd give anything again to be your baby doll,
This time I'm not leaving without you."
She stopped, turning to the eyes fixated on her. "What? Not a fan of Lady Gaga?"
"I just hadn't imagined you sang so well, that's all."
"Ah, just one of my many secret talents," Emma wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
As Regina pondered the tone in Emma's voice, her stomach grew warmer, an uneasy sensation of intrigue and admiration for the blonde growing tighter at the base of her spine. Must have been a chill, Regina thought, just a damn chill.
The moment was broken by a loud, long yawn and Regina took stock of her surroundings for the first time in four hours. They were entering a small town, "Welcome to Storybrooke," a quaint little sign greeted.
"What an absurd name. Did a toddler with a penchant for fairytales come up that?"
Emma laughed, "What, 'Storybrooke?' I think it's cute. And listen how quiet it is. Imagine growing up here. Raising kids here. In one of those big houses, dogs and all the children of the neighborhood playing in the yard while the adults enjoy a barbecue…" She trailed off, a somber expression taking over her typically uplifting features, and continued, smiling half-heartedly at the brunette, "A girl can dream, right?"
Regina smiled, wondering how such an old soul still managed to thrive in the body of Emma Swan. She was too perfectly well-rounded for someone who was technically a mob enforcer, and her heart ached, hoping that once they got out of this, or rather, if they got out of this predicament, they would be able to share the life Emma just described.
They. Regina blushed, adjusting herself so Emma couldn't see her reddening cheeks. Did I really just think about a future with a Nolan? Chalking it up to exhaustion, she shook the thought right out of her head.
Not even a mile into the town, the car came to a stop outside an old gray building, adorned with a wooden gray sign above its door reading "Granny's Bed & Breakfast."
"Come on, I'm not going to be able to drive any more tonight and you look ready to conk out any second. Let's get a few hours sleep and go from there," Emma reasoned after catching the glimpse of skepticism lingering in Regina's eyes. "Besides, no one knows we've left yet and it'll be a bit before they realize. We have some time to relax, Regina."
Regina contemplated this for a moment, and finding no flaw in Emma's logic, she nodded silently and opened the door. Emma quickly followed suit, and they were soon in a warm, welcoming lobby that resembled more of a living room than anything else. It smelled of apples and cinnamon, probably the product of the candles lining the counter.
An old woman with small, rectangular spectacles appeared from the staircase, a stern expression covering her entire body. "Christ, it's late! Or early, I don't really care which, but you folks sure know how to wake an old woman."
"I-I'm sorry. We just need a room and-"
"No need, I don't ask for explanations. I just rent out the rooms. I suppose given the hour at night you two won't mind sharing a bed, then, hmm?"
Both women turned beet red, swallowing hard a few times.
"Two beds, actually. Please. Or two rooms. Whichever you have." Emma responded stiffly. She was fully aware of Regina's eyes on her.
"Too bad, ladies. One room with a queen. That's all I've got right now. This is a busy time here, so you get what you get. Still staying?"
A silent conversation seemed to play out between the two women. A steady stream of consciousness relayed back and forth by the magnetic force of both their eye contact and body language. They couldn't say truthfully that the idea was completely without its appeal, they just didn't know how to handle the sudden rush of everything they were running toward and away from.
"It'll be fine, thank you."
After handing over her credit card and ID, but paying double the fee in cash so her card wouldn't be run and their location blown, Emma followed Regina to their room, silently beating herself up for the entirety of the last 24 hours.
Upon entering the room, their eyes were accosted by the bright rose pink wallpaper that covered the bottom half of the walls, and a lather of equally abrasive pink paint succumbed to the top of the walls. A single queen size bed sat in the center, and a window seat sat to the left.
"You take the bed, Regina. I'll squeeze into the window seat."
"No, Emma, I couldn't possibly, you paid for the room and-"
"And it's my family that's trying to have you killed. The bed is the least I owe you, trust me. Just take the bed," Emma insisted.
If she hadn't allowed Killian Jones to fool her, Regina's life wouldn't be in danger now. If she hadn't let her hatred take over, she may have left her family's business before she ever got any real start in it and none of them would be in this mess. At least, that's what Emma's guilt-ridden mind kept convincing herself. At the end of the day, it always boiled down to Emma's failures.
Which was why Jones' betrayal really hit her hard. He had grown up with her. He had always received the praise and encouragement Emma expected for herself, but the Nolans seemed to treat Jones more like their son and Emma as the hired help. Sure, she still retained more power than he ever had, but when things fell through for him, which it almost always did, she was there to clean up his mess by order of her parents. She really should have known better the moment she saw him standing at that pier that night.
With thoughts of Jones, the Nolans, and Robin echoing throughout her already overworked mind, she settled in to the cramped space by the window, hoping she could get get some decent sleep before having to head off again in the morning.
Regina, on the other hand, was juggling stubborn thoughts of the blonde laying only a few feet away, who could have easily given in to Jones and Robin if she had really wanted, let them get away with what they were planning, and walked away from it all without ever looking back. Instead, she chose to put Regina first, risking everything for a stranger's safety. Putting herself right at the steps of death's door, all for her. A woman she should, by all accounts, care nothing about.
Yet, here they both were, on the same team, trusting in each other. In all honesty, Regina could hardly regret it at all. She liked Emma enough. They were having fun when they weren't talking about their possible imminent deaths. And, if she were reading the signs correctly, forming a bond beyond that of friendship.
Drifting off to sleep, her last thought was of the blonde haired beauty crammed into the small space by the window.
A violent scream tore through the room, jolting Regina awake so quickly she nearly fell out of the bed. While frantically looking for the source of the sound, another cry ripped out and deep brown eyes locked on Emma Swan, who was thrashing wildly about, seemingly fighting off an invisible enemy.
Not wanting to get too close for her own safety, Regina grabbed a pillow from the bed and gently pushed it into Emma's side several times, whispering, "Emma! Emma, wake up."
The thrashing subsided immediately, and the only thing that remained was a pale, terrified woman, trembling and gasping with wide eyes at Regina. She returned the look with one of both understanding and kindness and smiling softly, she asked, "Are you okay, Emma?"
The blonde shook her head slowly.
Regina frowned, not sure how to handle this sensitive situation. She'd never really experienced nightmares as an adult. Her traumas didn't include the the kinds of things Emma's surely did. Regina never had to kill anyone. She was never stripped of control in any way. Regina was in new depths here with Emma, but she had an overwhelming desire to provide comfort in any way she could. Before thinking it through, her mouth moved on its own accord.
"Do you want to sleep with me? On the bed? There's plenty of room for the both of us, you know. Always had been, you stubborn fool," Regina smiled, eyes twinkling playfully.
The low chuckle that emerged from the blonde's throat was enough to make Regina's heart burst.
"Okay," Emma said softly.
Regina extended her hand for the blonde to take, and she did without hesitation. A surge of warmth extended far beyond where their hands touched, and she wondered if Emma was feeling the same thing. Leading her to the bed, Emma took the right side, Regina on left. They laid so still and stiff, they may as well had been turned to stone.
Two sets of lungs working overtime and hearts that couldn't seem to stop beating at ribcages like a set of drums were the only sounds that could be heard for almost ten minutes before Regina cleared her throat, deciding to take a risk. Now or never.
"Do you want me to hold you?"
It was said so quietly, Emma almost hadn't heard it, so it took her a moment to respond. She frowned, clearly thinking hard about the question.
In that single moment, Regina held her breath at the blonde's hesitation, fully expecting rejection to be her only response.
"Can I hold you, instead?"
Regina could have laughed, but she would have hated herself for spoiling the moment. Instead, she just offered her most sincere answer.
"Yes, Emma. You may hold me."
Emma shifted to the center of the bed, Regina soon following, before they both met in the middle with curious stares. Regina turned over, allowing Emma to scoot almost completely against her backside, and looped an arm around around the her waist, holding her closer than Regina thought she would.
With a sharp inhale, Regina felt Emma's nose pressing gently into her neck, a barely audible mumble beneath the nose tickling her hair. "Is this okay, Regina?"
"Yes, this is perfectly okay, Emma. Now get some rest."
Despite the almost positive assumption that neither woman would be able to sleep at all after that, they ended up drifting off into one of the most restful sleeps either one had ever experienced. There wasn't a single occurrence of another nightmare, nor any anxious stirring. They merely slept, close enough to feel each other's heartbeats, hear each and every breath. Close enough to melt together, and they did, as much as they would let themselves that night.
When morning finally came, Regina found herself alone in the bed. She remembered falling asleep with Emma. She remembered the tranquility Emma's arm around her had offered. She remembered falling asleep with a smile as her whole body thrummed with excitement and possibility. She remembered wondering what it was like to wake up next to Emma Swan.
She also remembered that for Emma, it was comfort from a nightmare. That was all. There was little chance Emma found their night together anything more than a warm body to cling to for stability.
Before her path to complete personal derailment could continue, a soft and rhythmic knock at the door ceased her overthinking.
"Yes?"
Emma emerged from the other side of the door, a large paper to-go bag in her right hand and a cup holder in her left.
"Breakfast and coffee?" Emma asked, avoiding all eye contact.
"What's this for?" Regina countered, eyebrows raised in her usual fashion.
"It's a thank you. For last night. For… Well, thank you. No one's ever done that for me before, and I just thought… It would be nice to do something nice for you."
Regina was speechless for a moment. It was curious to her how Emma had felt obligated to do something kind in return for something that required no thanks, let alone felt obligated to do anything more for her than she already had.
"Emma, you don't owe me anything. You've gone above and beyond for me already, going up against your family. I know your life will be on the line as much as mine once you're found a traitor. And as for last night, Emma, I…" She trailed off, not sure if she should, or even could, put it to words.
Emma lowered her head, staring at the floor, and with a timid smile, raised her head and tipped it sideways at Regina.
"Me too, Regina." she winked.
A long moment of silent understanding stalled the air in the room before Emma spoke again.
"Now, let's eat so we can go meet this Ruby of yours."
