Chapter Four: An Unexpected Ride

Emma suddenly woke up when she fell ungracefully of the bed, landing with a hard thud on the carpeted floor. Her drowsy self seemed to have lost a fight against the comforter. She yawned before standing up to get ready. While she was in the bathroom, she thought of what happened the night before.

After taking a long bath, Emma put her shorts and tank-top for the night leaving her muscled arms and legs bared. She knocked on the adjoining door. After some minutes, Regina appeared at the other side. She was wearing a blue satin nightgown, which dipped down between her breasts. Emma swallowed. For one moment, Emma believed Regina's eyes darkened but it was probably because of the evening light. As displeasure was darkening Regina's face, Emma said :

"I wanted to inform you I was staying in the room next to yours just in case… "

Regina slammed the door on her face. She turned to her right facing her friends.

She hates me " Emma said with a flat voice.

She loathes you " confirmed Chip and Dale, sitting on her bed. They had watched the short interaction. If one could called that an interaction.

"I hate her ! " Emma shot back trying to convince herself.

Yes, she hated her. She refused to be interested in Regina even if a part of herself felt drawn to her. And worst of all, she didn't even knew why. All day long she had been an insufferable bitch to anyone ! But sometimes when she checked her phone a secret smile lighten up her face, completely changing her features. If Regina could always smiled like that, then she would be stunning in every way. She was also beautiful when she was angry, corrected Emma. She shook her head. No, she shoudn't follow that road.

"At least she is feeling something. She could be completely indifferent " Ruby tried to reason.

« Yeah, she talks to Emma enough to insult her… it's nearly impossible that she can loath Emma even more than she is right now.»

Ruby jabbeb August in his ribs. He feigned being hurt and Ruby went to their room by the other adjoining door.

"We don't need her to like Emma anyway " he tried to justify.

Sometimes they were like the angel and the devil standing on Emma's shoulders. But who was who ? That remained to be seen. When she was ready, she got in her friends'room. August was checking his laptop and Ruby was tidying her different outfits. All the gathered information about Regina; pictures about her relatives, her childhood, list of likes and dislikes, business press articles, all the places she had been since 8 years, and so on ; all was stuck up on the facing wall.

"There are a lot of things about her work " Emma said reading an article Regina's tremendous business skills.

"Yeah, we found little information about her personal life. Everything we have is only connected to Robin. She is secretive " August confirmed. Ruby tore off a post-it note.

"That's a list of things we can worked on " Ruby explained giving the note to Emma.

"Horse girl ? Since when it's a weakness ? " Emma asked dubious.

"Since when you're so into it, you could spend all day long there ? " Ruby shrugged.

"Favorite dish : Traditional porto rico turnovers ? Is it oily ? "

"Yeah, we know how greasy food is the best " August joked

"And she hates American fast food. She is missing something. " Emma snorted.

" Yeah, like the brain part used for politeness " Ruby deadpanned.

Emma gave a pointed look at Ruby before smirking.

"You forgot control freak " Emma added, thinking back of the day before. Regina needed to be in control of everything.

" She loves children" Emma continued " Like most women I would say. It doesn't really help. "

The last dot got her attention. Her eyes widen at the realization of this new information. She inhaled sharply and clamped her hand over her mouth. Guilt swept over her as she was reading something she shouldn't know. She was dumped into the prohibited area. Well, in all their cases it was always like that, but somehow this job felt a lot more personal than the others. She put her free hand down.

" Emma you livid "

"The last one… "

"Yeah… » August said. " That's maybe one of the worst thing that can happen to a woman. "

" Maybe that's why she is the devil in Prada " Ruby guessed.

" Ruby ! "

" What ? If I found something like that, I would feel like the world is against me and I would fight it ! But in my case, I can't afford for Prada… "

Emma took a look to this little word, meaning everything and nothing at all.

Sterile.

Regina couldn't have children. She had surely been devastated when she found about it. If Emma ever had kids, she would adopt. Too many kids were suffering in the system anyway. But knowing you can't have children biologically ? That was…

" About her disappearing, we found something. She settled in Montana and worked before in smalls ranches for 3 years, before really disappearing. Nobody knows where and why. "

" I asked Zelena and she doesn't know. She just said she ran off with a boy called Daniel. But we don't have his last name. "

" She ran off ? " Emma repeated disbelieving " I wouldn't have guessed she had it in her ! "

" That's what I said, and Zelena said if we meet their mother, we'll understand "

" Speaking of the devil, have you found something on her ? "

" Yeah, I followed your lead. Cora is from a lower class family. She had nothing. Her second husband's father had created this company and her husband – Regina's father - worked to make it flourish. When he died, she took over and she had it expanded overseas. "

" This company is her pride, she said in one article. And Regina seemed to be the one who will inherit it. " Ruby added.

Emma was kind of impressed by Cora' social climbing even if it was by marrying someone rather than doing all by herself.

" So siblings' fight over it ? "

" No, I don't think so. "

" Did you say that her father died ? "

" Yes. Henry Mills. He died 12 years ago. "

Meaning she lost her father at 23. Losing someone always brought hurt, but losing a parent this young could have created more than a deep wound depending on their relationship.

" Regina reappeared 8 years ago, asking her mother to give her a job in the company. Something she had swore she would never do Zelena said. " August continued his report.

" So something changed her mind. "

" Since then she worked at the export department. According to Zelena, she wasn't interested in being the next chairwoman but she has been working her ass off for a short while. As if it helped her forget something and she thinks it happened at the same time when Robin proposed" August explained.

Emma thought at the beginning that Regina would be like most daughters of nouveau riche. They thought they were the cat's whiskers, that they " could fart higher than their ass ". They thought everything was due to them. Regina was acting like that but there was something else. Emma believed they were missing something.

Every mission was like puzzle. Everytime they found all the pieces or at least the choice ones. But in this one, Emma wasn't playing with all the pieces and as she discovered them one by one, she didn't know how to connect them. Regina's past proved it. She hadn't always been wealthy, but she was behaving like she had. She was harsh with adults but sometimes she could show a soft spot like she had yesterday, by buying some crepes and giving it to beggars' kids on the road.

Regina was a riddle. And Emma hated riddles. It was too much of a hassle. She was hopelessly useless when she had to resolve mind games. The bodyguard prefered taking action.
That mission was just a pain in her ass.

At the end of the morning, Regina still hadn't move from her suite so Emma decided to check some information about horses. The repetitive drums of her fingers on the table was calming her anxiety. She didn't like these beasts. A horse was a lot more scarier than a car. A car didn't bite or make you fall. She could control her car, it was mechanics. A horse was a living being. They had their own mind and they were too tall, too strong and too stupid. They kicked for nothing. She had never had the opportunity to ride and she was definitely not regretting it. She had swore to never approach a horse even if the fate of the world was in her hands and riding a horse would save it. But right now, the fate of her purse depended on it. There was irony everywhere. Fate was a bitch, it seemed.

" What are we going to eat for lunch? " asked Ruby.

August rolled his eyes. And people said Emma was the unsatiable one but Ruby's stomach was like a black hole. And she was as thin as a rake.

" Try pasta. Our wallet can't take it anymore. " August admonished.

" I think I could have a kebab. " Emma said waving a flyer.

August took it.

"I'll take a club sandwhich. "

He handed the paper to Ruby and went to the bathroom. Ruby was still choosing when August came back and glanced at his laptop.

" Guys, did you order this lunch to go? " said August.

Emma looked up from the computer, confused by his worried tone.

" Not yet " Ruby answered concentrated.

" August, what's happening? " Emma asked.

" There she goes ! " August yelled. " Regina left ! "

Emma stood up, almost knocking down her laptop.

" What ? Where is she ? Did we lose her ? "

" I don't... No, she is at the reception ! " August informed her as she took her black jacket and ran into the corridor of the hotel.

" Your earpiece ! " August called back when Emma ran out of the suite.

When silence established itself, Ruby turned to August.

« Do I order lunch ? »

Emma ran out of the hotel, looking for Regina. She was getting into a taxi on the other side of the road. She was wearing a black peacoat and a red foulard covered her head. She looked at Emma over her sunglasses. Emma ran to the car but it went off just before she could catch it. Regina waved at her smirking, her face equal parts malevolent and mischievous. Emma was fuming.

" August ! " Emma shouted " find me a grey taxi. Its license plate end with 603 "

" Which brand ? "

" I don't know ! It's wasn't a firebird anyway ! "

Emma looked around searching for anything that could help her to catch Regina up. Emma was going to yell Regina a piece of pissing thoughts she was having. There was a bike not chained up, certainly belonging to one of the two guys engaged in a deep conversation. She approached them.

" C'est pas ta copine là bas ? "

" Copine ? "

" C'est pas possible ! " The guys laughed.

She took advantage of this diversion to get on the bike.

" Elle se tire avec ton vélo ! " she heard

The two guys that were not laughing anymore ran after her but Emma outran them, pedaling like crazy following the same direction the taxi left.

" Where is she ? " Emma asked.

" We're searching ! "

" Hey ! I see you ! " Ruby exclaimed.

Emma rolled her eyes.

" So useful ! " she breathed.

" I found her ! She is getting out near the Pont des Arts. "

" Lead the way ! " she screamed her lungs out, completely pissed off.

Emma followed the directions August gave her. She pedaled as fast as she could, crossing in front of the cars and the pedestrians, almost being knocked down by the first and nearly knocking down the second. A few times, she would have been scared for life if she hadn't so much adrenaline flowing through her veins. She pedaled and pedaled and pedaled until she arrived to the said bridge where she stopped on the middle.

" She got out somewhere there " Ruby said.

From the height, Emma had an overview of the docks and the streets on each bank. There were too many people walking on the sidewalks and she couldn't even differenciate them. She looked down at the docks and narrowed her eyes, Regina's silhouette with the black coat and the red foulard. She was boarding into a small boat which wasn't too far. Emma could do it.

" I got you ! " Emma smiled proudly.
The time Emma reached the end of the bridge, the boat was unmooring. She accelerated thanks to the slops leading to the docks. When she arrived to the pontoon, the boat was drawing away from the bank. She jumped off of the bike and ran as fast as she could. The boat was taking off. It didn't stop Emma. At the end of the pontoon, she jumped and barely catched the guardrail, almost falling into the Seine. She pulled herself up. All the tourists were watching her like they had just witnessed the modern Tarzan. Regina was standing away from her on the front deck. Emma couldn't hide her smugness when she realized she had succeeded tracking her target down while Regina thought she had succesfully managed to escape. Emma approach the not-so elusive woman.

" Did you think you could get rid of me just like that ? " Emma gloated with pride.

The bodyguard would take no shit from anyone. She turned the woman around.

…

She blinked. And take a minute to realize…

A chinese girl.

" It's not her ! " August was astonished.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious " Emma said exasperated.

They had completely been fooled. Shit ! If Regina wasn't here, where was she ? Emma sighed, pissed with herself. She had claimed victory too early. She should have known better, Emma knew who she was dealing with. She rubbed her eyes, recollecting herself.

" Nihao " she said to the tourist that was eyeing her like she was an martian. Emma excused herself before stepping back.

She took a closer look at all the other passengers. Regina wasn't here at all. They had got completely scammed. Emma gritted her teeth. She was trapped in the boat that had already taken off and couldn't leave until it moored. Emma wasn't insane enough to jump into the Seine anyway.

" Where is she ? " Ruby asked " I saw her ! She got off there. I swear on Granny's food ! "

Emma leant against the rail ready to give up when her eyes were caught by a light yellow scarf with printed white clematis fluttering in the wind. That person was wearing clothes that seemed far too business-like for a boat ride. Their eyes met. Regina. She was there. Twenty meters away on a boat. On another boat. Grinning at her.

Fuck ! Emma gawked. So stupid ! How could she be so stupid ? She felt even more dumb when she realized that Regina had planned all of this and her plan had worked. Regina was smiling devishly at her having that smug face again. Emma's blood was boiling. She wanted to piss her off, not the other way around ! Regina won the battle but she didn't win the war. Emma wasn't going to give up yet, not when Regina was laughing out loud at her face. She would do anthing to get that Oscar for being a bitch. But she didn't know what to do. They were in different boats and they were way too far away from each other even if the boats were drawing closer to each other.

Emma came up to the front rail. Regina was in the front deck, waving to Emma. The boats were going nearer. Regina's face was enlighten by a mischievous smile. When she was within earshot, Emma yelled :

" You're not going to get rid of me so easily ! "

" You could have fooled me. " Regina answered lightly, her smile going wider.

Emma pouted. Regina's devilish grin changed into a genuine burst of laugh catching Emma by surprise. She had gone from one extreme to another and her ludicrously contagious laughter made Emma's lips curled up against her own will. The bodyguard clenched her jaws when she remembered she had to be pissed, steaming, seething, fuming or furious but not stupidly smiling.
The boats were still coming closer. Emma followed the rail as Regina was passing by, going towards the Ile de la Cité, the heart of Paris. She was a few meters away. None of them looked away from each other, boring into the other one's soul. Emma's phone vibrated but she didn't cared. Regina wanted a fight, she'll have it. As she approached from the end of the rail, Emma's blood had not said her last words yet. She had to take a decision and fast. A new light shone into Emma's eyes.

"Don't you dare " that husky voice warned as if she understood what Emma wanted to do.

Emma's rebellious side flickered in. Without second guessing, she ran to the back of the boat, climbed up the rail and jumped.

« Emma ! » she heard her friends cried out in the earpiece.

It was near. A few centimeters. She tried to reach further. " Further ! further ! " She tried to reach Regina's boat by extanding herself mid-air before falling.

Sharp gasps from the passengers followed. The ones that heard a splash turned over the sound. Regina put her sunglasses back on the top of her head, wide-eyed. Nobody moved for a moment. Even the sailors had stopped and ran to the rim, watching worriedly the water. Some pedestrians had stopped in their track, looking at the commotion, taking pictures or filming the scene.

" Une femme dans la Seine ! " People shouted.

Regina sobered up and ran to the edge of the boat. Emma was hanging onto her rail, her legs in the water. The owner of the boat ran to help her.

" Merci "

" Vous êtes completement folle ! Vous auriez pu vous tuer ! " He was pissed off. It was understandable.

" Are you insane ? " Regina was irritated, her eyes dilating with rage… and worry ? " What the hell were you thinking ? "

" Doing my job. " Emma answered with certainty.

" You're out of your mind. "

" You have no idea what I am capable of, Sister. Your shoddy escape wasn't enough to get rid of me, you're going to have to do better than that ! "

For once, Regina seemed to be at loss for words. But then she surged forward.

" Have you any common sense ? How could you be so stupid ? That was dangerous ! You could have… "

Regina stopped in her track. Her eyes wild and insecure were shining. A smidgen of guilt crawled into Emma's heart and got bigger each seconds. Uncomfortable, she wanted to squirm. Regina pinched her nose, trying to regain her composure.

" Everything went fine. " Emma tried to reassure Regina. She approached Regina and rose her hands as a sign of peace. " I am paid for keeping you safe. I intend to keep it that way. "

" I don't want to cause the death of someone… " Regina cut herself. There was some sadness in her tone. Her shoulders sagged.

" So stop running away ! Because I would follow you to the end of the earth even if you don't want to ! "

Time stopped. They both stared each other in surprise. Emma did mean it and in the same time she didn't mean it like this. Emma rubbed her neck not self-confident anymore. Regina turned her back to her. The bodyguard sighed. Unfortunately, she was as stubborn as her target… they had to stop this cat and mouse game before something bad happened…

" If you keep going like this, you are going be the death of me, like it or not " Emma whispered under her breath, looking away. When she looked back at Regina, the other woman was staring at her again, with an unreadable face. Shit, has Emma just talked out loud ? Regina looked away, where Notre Dame was appearing. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed exaperatedly.

"Fine. " Regina said with finality like she had taken a decision.

Emma felt relieved at some point and another part of herself no matter how small was disappointed. Regina hadn't even asked her if she was okay. She hadn't expected Regina to care even a little about her well-being but it troubled Emma anyway and she couldn't even understand why. The false bodyguard had to remember that Regina was The Wondrous Bitch. But a part of the bodyguard rose up yelling Regina wasn't just that.

" Are you hurt ? " took Emma by surprise. She didn't know whether she had just hallucinated it, or if it was the wind in her ears or... Her boss was looking expectantly at her.

" I am tougher than I look ! " she held up her right hand and clenched it.

They gazed into each other for some time as if Regina was searching answers for her silent questions before she whispered :

" Idiot " which lacked the usual venom in her tone. Emma believed there was a hint of fondness… Maybe ? A small smile crept onto Regina's lips. The first sincere smile - no matter how small it was -that was directed to Emma since they met each other. And Emma didn't know what to think, only that she really liked it.

Maybe it wasn't so bad to be crazy. If the consequences of her actions was to get that kind of smile, then it was worth it.

Emma darted a glance at Regina who was looking at the cathedral. Her hair in the wind, her honeyed coloured skin glowing with the sunlight. Her boss was like series of tracing papers stacked drawing a final shape. When Emma thought she found who Regina was, it was just a layer. Once you lifted a layer, the next one was showing something else, entirely different. Emma was fascinated. For once, riddles could be interesting to solve. She was going to find who that mysterious and elusive woman standing in front of her was.

PS: "could fart higher than their ass" is a French expression I translated word for word. It means someone believe that they are allowed to do anything