Emma knocked nervously on the door on Mifflin Street. It opened and Regina ushered her inside. "Would you like something to drink, Miss Swan?"
"Um, no." She said immediately.
"Water, tea, coffee?"
"Oh, water is fine."
"Yes, you should hydrate; you look like you're taking a cold." Regina said and told her that she would be in the den in a moment and to make herself at home. "Though, I know you will." She said with a knowing smile and a wave of embarrassment rolled over the blonde once more.
Oh, fuck, she thought again and sat down on the sofa. Her day off had been spent at home trying to figure out what to do with the new development with Regina. It had been her plan to stay in bed and sleep until her meeting with the seductive woman that night; but she found herself lying in bed, staring at the rafters, and trying in vain to remember what had happened the night before.
"Miss Swan?" Regina stepped into the room, carrying with her the sultry smell that always clung about her. Emma wondered vaguely if it was some sort of brand of perfume they carried in Evil Empress shops. She took the water offered.
"Thanks."
"Of course, it's the least I can do for you agreeing to our…arrangement." She said.
"Arrangement?" Emma's heart stopped. Please tell me I did not sign a contract.
"Yes, meeting tonight."
"Right, about Mendelson."
"Yes," Regina began, "The gist of the story-"
But Emma stopped her, "Nope, no gisting-"
"That's not a word."
"I don't give a shit." Emma snapped back, her patience was nearly gone, so bad had the past few weeks been. "You will tell me all of the story: every bit of it. Leaving nothing out, because if we're going to work together on this, we have to be equal partners. I'll know everything you know, and you'll know everything I know-"
"-that's not saying much-"
"-And, Regina, if you're lying to me, I'll know." She finished with her eyes closed, trying to maintain a handle on her emotions. God, this woman is going to end me.
"Very well, Miss Swan." Regina hissed, irritated at having once again, been robbed of control. She began her story, telling Emma of the little boy and his father and her boredom with Storybrook. Regina haltingly told of her plan to keep the boy as she searched Emma's face for any sign of judgment or shock before realizing that she cared about what the blonde thought of her; of how she saw the Mayor she had never known.
But Regina found no judgment, no irritation or anger. The blonde simply listened, digesting what she had heard and assimilating the facts into what she knew now. The Mayor finished her story with the confrontation of the grown man in his apartment. Emma narrowed her eyes and sipped her water, taking care to set it on the coaster Regina had carefully shifted under her glass.
"So this guy, is that kid you met thirty years ago?"
"Twenty-nine, and yes." Regina said and then, "What?" She asked when Emma gave a soft chuckle.
"It's just weird to know that I'm twenty-nine and you look twenty-nine but you're really like 60 something, right?"
Regina exhaled loudly, "Your parents are not far behind me." She reminded her.
"I didn't mean to offend you, I mean, obviously, you don't look that old…not that it's old…" Emma took a deep breath. She'd hardly been able to form a sentence all damn day. "It's just, your age doesn't matter so long as you look twenty-nine, right?"
Regina watched the younger woman struggle, surprised that she was finding a small amount of sympathy for the blonde; she truly had had an awful few weeks and it was beginning to wear her down. "Of course," Regina said dismissively, not wanting to consider her true age either. "Any pertinent questions?"
Emma asked her to clarify a few things before inhaling deeply. "So what happened to Mendelson's father?"
"He's not here."
"That's what you told Mendelson." Emma said.
"That was the truth."
"Where is he then?"
"I sent him to a…friend."
"A friend? Regina, spit it out."
The brunette snapped her gaze up in anger. "He was locked up in the asylum for a while until I was contacted by a magical being in this world."
"This world doesn't have magic outside Storybrook."
"There are those that have traveled here from our land or others like it. They have magic."
"How did they find you?"
Regina tilted her head. "My reputation proceeded me."
"Pheromones, no doubt. So this being," she made air quotes with her slender fingers. "took care of him? How?"
"Erased his memory and sent him on his way from what I understand." Regina said. "That was the plan at any rate."
"In exchange for what?"
"Excuse me?" Regina's head snapped up at the insulation in the blonde's voice.
"All magic comes at a price, right?"
"Information, I provided information." She said looking at the blonde curiously, "Well, Miss Swan?"
"Well?" Emma asked and resisted the urge to say, Well, what?
"Now that you know of the mess I have caused would you say that I deserve whatever Mendleson is planning?"
That was an odd question from the brunette. Emma gave her a sideways glance of suspicion; trying to tell if she was inviting her to criticize her. "That depends on what he is planning." She returned wearily. "But no, Regina. I know you won't believe this but…I don't think you deserve the torture that man is sure to want to inflict. None of us do."
Regina winced at this expression, reminded that her mistake could possibly cost her Henry. Her eyes gazed at the blonde. "So no indignant speech? No, Savior-esque oration about good versus evil?"
"You're being dramatic. I've never been one for speeches anyway. You were always the one so clever with your…words." Emma had almost said mouth. And from the look on the Mayor's face, she knew it. "I'm just tired and ready to go to bed." She wished she could snatch back the words as soon as they were gone.
"Well, by all means; don't let me stand in your way."
"That's not how I meant it…I didn't mean here…with…in your…like last night."
"Oh, but last night was such fun." Regina slid closer to her and Emma bit her lip.
"Well, I don't remember it-"
"You don't remember crawling into my bed and then stripping?" Regina cackled on the inside with glee at the look on the blonde's face.
"No, I don't."
"You don't remember snuggling down next to me this morning with your leg draped across me like I was some piece of ass in your bed?" Regina's mouth was close to her ear as Emma sat very still and quiet.
"No." She whispered back. "And I'm sorry, Regina, I had too much to drink last night; I just never would have imagined I would have crawled into bed and…" she trailed off, embarrassed at not remembering a single moment of it. "had sex with you."
Regina leaned back and cackled in a very wicked witch sort of way, it seemed to the blonde. "My dear, we didn't have sex."