They must have been driving for hours when Regina finally pulled into a gas station on the side of a country road, all the driving didn't much bother her as she was used to late nights at the hospital anyway. She turned the car off with a sigh and looked over to see if Emma wanted to get anything or just get out of the car for a moment, though as she was about to speak she paused. The blonde was asleep, slumped down into the seat as comfortably as a person could be in a vehicle, her head was against the seat facing Regina, lips parted slightly.
Regina smiled slightly, though when she took in this sight a little longer than intended she looked away quickly feeling embarrassed. She dug around under the seat for her purse and then as quietly as she could left to go gas up her car. 'How much sleep does this woman need anyway?' She thought, trying to will away any other thoughts she was having about the blonde at the moment... Like just how long Emma had been looking at her before she fell asleep? or how cute her expression was just then.
"Hey."
Regina heard the voice come from across the parking lot, startling her out of her thoughts and into almost dropping the pump she was trying to put away. The lot was nearly empty and she hadn't expected any interaction much less what was about to happen.
Turning slowly to the front of the store she flashed an irritated look, both to try and cover up the fact that she startled so easily and that she could still feel the red on her face from her previous musings.
"Um, sorry but could you give me a hand for a second?" The man asked. Regina paused to think it over, the voice seemed genuine... and if it did turn out to be some weird country murderer hopefully Emma would at least wake up and notice.
She approached the man who was bent over the hood of his truck, having a rough time with keeping the hood up as he worked. She grabbed the hood for him and held it up and in turn he looked over and gave her a gentle smile. "Thanks." He said, going back to study the motor of his less than fancy Ford. "What brings you out here?" He spoke seemingly trying to make small talk.
"Helping a friend get back home." She left out all the unnecessary details, studying his hands as he worked. "What about you?"
"Oh, I live out here, just can't get enough of the countryside I suppose." He stated, the smile never seemed to leave his face.
"Looks like the countryside hasn't been too kind to you." Regina remarked, gesturing to the engine. His smile was seemingly contagious as she found herself with a small one as well.
"Yes, well..." He stopped working and wiped the car grease off his hands with a nearby rag, reaching up to take the hood from Regina. "I wouldn't have it any other way... I love the trees, the stars, fresh air and all of the things you just don't get from a city, you know?" He said and reached out to shake Regina's hand.
She looked at the hand as if it were on fire, something about this was oddly familiar. Though she couldn't tell if it was because everything was suddenly so strange... She took his hand and shook it despite her subconscious telling her not to shake someones dirty hand. "Well, I guess I should get back on the road." She stated breaking the magnetizing eye contact, she just couldn't shake this feeling... whatever it was.
"Ah, of course." The man said letting Regina take a few steps towards the convenience store before calling back to her. "Wait!" He spoke, rummaging around in his truck and then jogging up to her as quick as he could. "Here, take this." He placed a folded torn piece of paper into her hand before tilting the bill of his hat toward her. "Names Robin, you can call me Rob if you like."
"Regina." She replied and with that watched him jog back to his truck, get in and not without a few failed attempts, drove away.
"That was weird..." Regina said under her breath as she finally entered the store to pay for her gas. She met eyes with the only worker behind the desk waiting for her with an almost mischievous grin, both hands down on the desk patiently waiting. She walked past him to grab a couple sodas feeling his eyes on her the whole while as she did.
She returned to the grinning man who rang up her sodas and told her the total of the gas. Pulling out a debit card, she swiped it and it seemed like it was processing forever, it gave her an excuse however to open the small piece of paper Robin had given her. On it was a simple phone number, scrawled out as if in a hurry. Her eyes trailing out the window after where his truck had left and then slowly back to her car where the Savior still lay sleeping.
"Which one will you choose, dearie?"
The voice knocked her out of her thoughts as she happened to get lost in her head all too much these days. "What?" Regina asked turning her attention to the store clerk who was now leaning against his cane.
All he did was point to the small card reader screen that read 'Credit or Debit?' and she suddenly felt stupid for asking, shoving the paper into her pocket.
After all of that was said and done she was relieved to get back out on the road, the blonde unaware of everything that had just happened. Though as the car started crawling back up the country roads it was enough to jostle Emma awake.
"Where am I?" Emma opened her eyes slowly, the yellow road lines against the light of the headlights coming into focus slowly.
"Relax, you're alright." Regina's voice spoke to her calmly and Emma looked to the brunette whose eyes were still glued to the road. "Here, I got you something to drink." Regina proceeded to hand her the root beer she had picked up from the gas station.
It was true that this Regina would not know of the significance of root beer in their friendship but it caused Emma to smile anyway. She gave a simple 'thank you' and decided to roll down the window just a small amount to feel the soft breeze, the sound of crickets nearly overwhelming the noises of the car.
By the time they almost made it to Storybrooke it was nearly three in the morning and Emma had directed Regina to pull over. The two both stepped out of the car, the headlights remained on for what little light they provided.
The Savior stepped up to where the town line was, and then turned around to take in Regina's very confused expression. "Look I... I guess I don't know where to begin here." The blonde started, rubbing the back of her head nervously. It was true, she didn't know how much she could get away with telling Regina where it wouldn't totally backfire in her face. But right now was the moment, there wasn't any more room for 'what if's.' "Please don't freak okay? I will explain it all to you." Emma pleaded, biting her lip. Regina did sense that Emma was desperate to tell her something so she nodded for the Savior to continue.
And in that moment Emma pulled out the dagger, the light from the headlights bouncing off of it causing an almost diamond appearance.
"Whoa, whoa-" Regina started backing back up towards her car a little, her hands coming up slightly in defense. "Please don't tell me you're some ex-serial killer about to show me where they hid all their victims." Somehow she knew Emma wasn't going to hurt her, after all she could have so many times when her guard was down and Regina felt like even in a situation like this she could hold her own even if Emma was planning something malicious... though how strange the blonde was, well, that was another unpredictable story all together. One that Regina wasn't really sure she was ready to learn.
"No, please. I didn't do anything... it's not like that." Emma dropped her hand with the dagger in it to her side.
Regina looked around with her eyebrows raised. "Then why did you take me all the way out here, at night, with no houses around just to get out of the car and show me some knife." She used her hands to gesture around her for good measure.
"Because this isn't just some knife, and the life you're living, this isn't you." Emma pleaded, looking into Regina's eyes.
Regina's eyes narrowed at the Savior. "Then prove it to me, show me what I am."
"I hope I can."
Emma slowly walked over to the brunette, when they were reaching distance she held out the dagger for Regina to take very carefully as to not make any wrong moves. She knew the brunette was so close to just filing her away under 'mentally deranged,' and that was a very dangerous thing.
Regina took the dagger by the handle, making a mental note that it was heavier than it seemed. She ran a finger over the adornments of the blade stopping at the name Emma Swan.
"Okay... and what is this supposed to do?" Regina asked after a moment of studying it.
"Well." Emma sighed, placing her hands in her pockets and looking off to the side, she knew if the situation was reversed she would in no way be believing any of this crap, and it made her that much more nervous to say it, "It controls me, as the Dark One. I need you to take it because once I step over this line... my power could be enough to destroy everything." Okay yeah that sounded real sane. "I ended up here and in New York because..." She studied Regina's face as if to gauge how far was too far. "I saved you, the other you." Emma stopped short at telling Regina exactly who the 'other her' was.
Regina cracked a small smile, the situation just too crazy. "You expect me to believe all of this?"
"You believed in me once." The Savior said, no hint of a smile. She turned to the town line hoping to whatever was out there that she could cross the line and perhaps things would return to normal, at the very least she could prove herself not psychotic.
Seconds seemed like minutes, they stretched on as Emma stepped closer to the line. Knowing her fate as the Dark One could very well be behind this invisible wall.
The only sound was her footsteps echoing their small steps as she crossed the yellow line, it was only then after a few moments that she realized she had been closing her eyes and holding her breath for what was about to happen. As she exhaled she realized in dismay-
Nothing had happened. No 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign. No town in the distance. No feeling of any magic inside of her.
Emma spun around to Regina who was still just observing and her mouth went dry, she knew she looked absolutely fucking bonkers right now.
