Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters that originally are in the cast of the show.
"What?" Emma widened her eyes.
"I'm certain you heard me well, dear."
"But why with me? Why not just with out son? I mean, last time I checked I was your #1 enemy. I destroyed your chance for happiness. And I'm Snow's daughter."
"I haven't exactly cared about that peasant."
"Regina, you got extremely mad at me and got drunk so don't give me that shit."
"Okay, I may have started falling for him..."
"See? I can't go on this trip with you."
"Think about Henry. He would want you to be there with him." She was expecting Emma to be surprised and a little bit shocked but she thought she might like the idea.
"Regina, I... No. I'm sorry. I can't. We would probably get bat shit crazy about each other and fight in Henry's presence. I don't want this. If you want to go, then go." But there was something else on blonde's mind. "And... you don't want me to go just because if you crossed the line you'd lose your memory?" It must be it.
"I'm afraid you're wrong. I created that curse, I created this place. I will not lose my memory." Regina stated.
"But how do you know?" She really hoped it wasn't some trick.
"I've been out of town..." Brunette said slowly.
"When?"
"I believe this conversation is over, Miss Swan." Regina had some weird feeling. Her eyes were filling with fluid and she put her head down as fast as she could.
Emma didn't see the other woman crying but she was clearly not happy about the memory of that. "Look, I didn't mean to... Look, let me think about it, okay?" She felt bad for Regina. She didn't want to be the cause of Regina's misery. She didn't like to be the savior but in this case she felt the urge to help the woman. She just didn't know how.
"I suggest you to leave my office..." Regina said under her breath. Emma didn't need to be told twice. While she was gone, Regina cursed under her breath. Why couldn't I deal with her? My plan cannot fail. Not now, when everything is arranged. It must be the light magic's effect. It makes me vulnerable. It makes me susceptible. When she was calmed she reminded herself of something she should do a few hours ago. She tried to call Sarah, but she didn't answer her calls. She got angry and threw her iPhone over the wall.
Emma filled some papers after coming back from her lunch break. She did herself a break after that. She went to Granny's. Two bear claws weren't enough. When she took a place by the window, Ruby approached her almost immediately.
"How was your meeting with Madam Mayor?" She asked while she leaned to make her words unable to be heard by anybody.
Emma noticed the waitress was followed by the look of Sarah. She ignored the question and asked with a smirk "What's going on between the two of you?"
"Nothing!" She tried to not yell but she failed at this point.
"Then why was she eyeing you all the way here?"
"Um, we, uh, hm, I don't really know, to be honest. We just went to the Rabbit Hole and we woke up in my room..." She didn't know what else to say.
"Someone's slutty." Emma teased.
"We did not! She just rested her head on my shoulder I guess." She tried to defense herself but she wasn't convicting.
"You guess. So you were so drunk you don't remember?"
"I guess. I mean, yes. I, yes." She realized she was mumbling so she stopped the flood of meaningless words from her mouth but just for a while. "We were just talking, that's all. I'm not trying to woo her. Look, Belle..." her voice cracked.
"We're going to find her. And you don't need to justify yourself. You just want to be happy and I get it." Emma said after putting one of Ruby's hand in her own.
"You do?" The question was silencer than she thought it would be.
"Yes. I do. Yesterday Gold stopped me on the street. He wanted to set a deal with me. I thing he ran out of options." Emma stated.
"I can't visit him and offer my help. He never liked me and when I was spending so much time with Belle, it was just worse."
"We don't need his help. I can ask Regina if she could manage something." She tried to be as helpful as she could.
"Okay, thanks. Um, are you ready to order?" Emma nodded. Ruby wiped the tear she just shed and asked "Your usual?" after another nod she disappeared.
Emma quickly grabbed her phone and dialed Regina's number. "Gina?"
"Miss Swan. I'm willing not to talk to you after our last conversation for a while."
"So why'd you picked up your phone?"
"..."
"Gina?"
"Yes?"
"I may need your help on looking for Belle."
"Why, Miss Swan?"
"Hm?"
"Why do you need 'my' help?"
"I think you know a lot about other realms. Enough to trace her down or something like that."
"I was expecting your call to consider the aspect of our trip to New York."
"I didn't have much time to think about it. Um, so, will you help me?"
"Not now, Miss Swan, I'm busy."
"K, see you later." She frowned and put her phone on the table.
Blonde watched as her brunette friend left her to approach Emma Swan. She caught the other blonde's gaze while the other girl was standing right next to her. Damn it. She turned around. She caught the yellow straw with her mouth and she had a few sips. When she turned around again, the brunette was gone. She looked down her phone. She clicked on the Regina's number and then pressed the calling button. All she heard was "The subscriber you have called is not accepting calls at this time..." Damn you she, thought. She looked at Emma and then it was obvious. Ugh, why now? I have a real issue here. Okay, maybe not. But she was calling me and I bet she just got mad or shit. Gee, how long can you talk to her? The whole town knows you visited her an hour ago or so. She face palmed herself. And then she felt some vibration from under her hand.
"Yes!" She yelled. Shit, I said it out loud, didn't I? Gee... She got a text saying Regina's number is available.
"Hello?" Regina said softly.
"Hey, um, it's Sarah"
"Miss Kennedy, I was expecting your call."
"I was calling you, like, ten times and I got no response. So hell, I hoped you'd finally answer."
Then everything around her stopped and she looked into the space as if she saw a ghost. Lots of visions went through her head. It was too much for just one time. She heard somebody calling her name. It was weak. She kept hearing the calling and it got stronger with every time. She finally got her consciousness back and said "Um, Madam Mayor? I think I know what happened. I'm sorry I snapped at you." Her words were weak.
"What, you've just got a vision?" Said a little raspy voice.
"Yes, and, um," She took a breath and quietly added "I think I'm missing something."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing, um, did you finally realize I cut my hand for nothing?"
"Actually, Miss Kennedy, your blood sample was very useful. Why don't you come to my office in half an hour?"
"Wait."
"Excuse me?"
"Um, I mean. I saw something. I saw your conversation with Emma." When she got no response she decided to speak up but it was too late. The line went dead. She approached Ruby who was walking out of the kitchen with a tray. "Ruby, I'm going for a meeting with Madam Mayor. I'll be back in half an hour or so."
"Okay" went from the waitress' mouth. She seemed to not care, but she did. In fact, at this point she was like Regina. She also didn't like to make anyone know she cares about something. That was why she always got angry when Emma asked her about Belle. She preferred to be a little bitchy instead of caring. She didn't even look at Sarah until she headed to the entrance.
Regina had an internal struggle with her Evil-Queen-ish part of personality. She had almost forgotten about it. She was doing right with her light magic until she realized her son is in danger. She hadn't know when the attack on Emma would happen. Henry could be in her presence during it and he would be revealed to "it". She met Leroy and paid him and his friends to get drunk in public and cause some trouble. It would keep Emma at work and Henry wouldn't hang around with her. But she couldn't count on Leroy for ever. He got arrested soon after the meeting with Madam Mayor. She regretted asking him for help. She could predict it but she didn't have time for this. She needed to act. But she had to head the city hall to a meeting with Miss Kennedy. She was already late and didn't feel sorry at all. She preferred to avoid the girl but she had to face her. She was sitting by her desk, toying with her pen when young blonde entered the room.
"Madam Mayor!" She shouted from the door.
"Miss Kennedy." Regina greeted.
"What the hell?" Sarah nearly yelled. She approached Regina's desk.
Brunette stood up from her chair and put her hands on the top of the desk. "Excuse me?" Regina asked in confusion.
"You can't leave the town. Neither can Emma." She said in frustration.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Regina said in anger but quickly calmed down and added "Don't underestimate me, Miss Kennedy."
Sarah burst a laugh. "It was just like that with Emma and now..."
"Now what?" Madam Mayor furrowed her forehead.
"You want to leave the town for her." She pointed.
Rolling her eyes Regina said "It's not for her. It's for Henry. I can't put him in such a danger."
"No,you're doing this for her and you know it right. Just admit it."
Regina didn't say a word. She sat down and Sarah followed her action. There was an awkward silence in the office, but Miss Kennedy felt obligated to break it.
"What did you find about my blood?" She asked.
Handing her some papers she said "The answer is here," She squeezed the files in her hand not letting the other girl grab it. "You'll get it as soon as you leave my family alone." She took the papers in her hands and put it in the drawer.
The girl hit the desk with her hand. The fury was going through her eyes. She stood up and headed to the door. She left immediately. The realization of saying the one word hit Regina. She said 'family'. She called Emma her family. She didn't expect this coming. Some time ago she wanted to throw her against the wall and now she wanted to attack her lips right after... "What's going on with me?" She thought. For a second, but just for a second, she thought, that maybe she could leave Storybrooke by herself. But then she got her conscience back. She couldn't leave Henry and Emma with Mr & Mrs Charming. That would be the end of their lives.
She made a progress with her white magic but when the other curse was involved, she could protect her family, as she said, with only the dark magic. She didn't know the 'good' methods for this, yet. Of course, she knew about some innocent spells, but that wasn't enough. She had to act first, and think later. Just like Emma does. She cursed herself after thinking that. But she was right. She had to act that way. She could worry later.
"God dammit!" Sarah yelled as she left the city hall. She only wanted to help and the only person who could do something about it rejected her offer. She punched a wall with her fist and before she could keep a balance, she got a vision and fell down. Some people passing by noticed that and surrounded her. Mary Margaret was one of them. She leaned to check if the girl was breathing. She was murmuring something under her breath, what was barely heard by Snow. "Regina, don't... you should had listened... the... curse...". And then she went back to reality. She tried to stand up and Mary Margaret helped her with that. The people weren't interested in situation anymore.
"Sarah, right?" the girl nodded. "Do you know who am I?" She had to check if she was alright.
"One of the two idiots." She mumbled.
"Hey!" Snow yelled. "Oh, I'm sorry. Well, you're right. Are you dizzy?"
"No, I'm totally fine." She lied.
"Then why were you telling something about Regina and the curse?" She asked. "She cast another one? What a bitch..."
"NO!" Sarah shouted. "No, it's not Regina's curse. It's something else and..."
"And what?"
"You shouldn't know about it a single thing." She said and started walking to the Granny's. Mary Margaret followed her.
"Why? Why wouldn't I know that?"
"One. You just had a baby. And two, you are a gossip girl. If you spread the rumor about the curse, people would crucify Regina! And believe me or not, she's the one who can save your beloved daughter."
"Is Emma in danger?"
"Shit! Yes! And if you ever mentioned it to anyone, even your not-so-charming husband, people would die. And I'm not sure if you'd noticed but Belle was kidnapped to another realm. God, I hate myself so much right now. Please, shut your mouth for once in your life and let people do their jobs." Snow was speechless. Sarah left her in the entrance of the cafe. She took her favorite place an waited for a waitress.
"Sarah?" Ruby asked sitting next to her.
"Yep?"
"Why are you crying?" The young waitress asked caressing her face.
"Oh my..." She didn't realize until this moment.
Ruby hugged her and said "You're with me now. Nothing can hurt you."
"But it's not about me." The younger girl said. "Regina, she... She wants me to leave her family alone."
"What do you mean by saying family? She's only got Henry..." The blonde gazed at her and she quickly understood. "Oh."
"Yep. And now Regina wants to run away from here with Emma and Henry but it won't end well." She was talking as quietly that only Ruby could hear her.
"Did you have a, you know?"
"Yes, I did. And now MM knows everything. Well, not clearly. But she does."
"Did you tell her?"
"I did. That's because I kind of fainted or whatever during my vision and I was talking by then and I said something about Regina and the curse and... Oh God..."
"Shhh" Ruby soothed her. "It's gonna be alright."
"No, it's not! If they left, not only the three of them would be in danger, but also Belle."
Ruby's heart stopped for a second. "I'm going to force her to stay."
"She asked Gold for help but... He's useless. When Belle was kidnapped something happened to him and he can't use the simplest spells properly." She informed Ruby.
"How do you know?"
"I had a dream about it."
"Oh, so what do you want me to do?"
"I'm not sure. Why don't you talk to Mary Margaret first? You need to calm her down and I'll take care of everything else."
"Do you think you can do it?"
"I have to."
Sarah headed to the police station. She ran to Emma's desk. She leaned above it and looked in sheriff's eyes.
"Don't leave Storybrooke with Regina." She said slowly.
"You don't get to tell me what to do." Emma replied.
Sarah sighed and said with tears in her eyes "Please, don't. And convince her to stay here."
"Why?"
"Because if you left, something bad would happen." Her voice was shaking.
"Like what?"
"I don't know!" She let out a loud sigh and closed her eyes. She saw some pictures in her head and finally said "Belle tried to run away and this beast got her! This is not a solution of this problem! Running is never a solution!"
"That's what I always do!" Emma yelled. She stood up and with one move of her hand, her phone was laying on the floor in pieces. "You gotta be kidding me!" She said when she knelt down along with the younger version of herself.
"Let me..." Sarah tried to speak, after picking up the battery, but Emma cut her down.
"I can deal with it." She took the battery from girl's hand. "Thanks. I, um, I'll talk to Regina." She sat on her chair and the younger blonde took a sit on the opposite side of the desk. She put the parts of her phone together.
"I'm sorry for raising my voice."
"That's ok." Emma wasn't angry at her. She was just confused. There was another curse that she had no idea about and some girl told her what to do. Who wouldn't get angry? Emma launched her computer and opened a file with notes.
"What are you doing?" Sarah asked.
"I'm checking some data." She responded. Sarah stood up and tried to see what sheriff was hiding, but she failed. Emma closed the window two seconds before she got to notice anything. When Sarah sat properly, Emma opened it again.
In fact, she was reading Her notes about the girl. Her senses were not able to recognize her honesty. She was going through some emotional journey. She was considering Regina's proposition, but also thinking about running away on her own. And now Sarah told her a confusing information. Emma's notes were written as some random words and dates. She didn't want David to go through her computer and find this stuff. But she was aware that if Sarah saw this, she'd figure it out without a blink. She wasn't very talkative back then. She looked into Sarah's eyes and her eyes wandered to the door. It was a sign, that was understood by the girl. She left without saying a word. But she left Emma with doubts about her conclusions about the sudden trip. In her eyes, it was a little suspicious. Regina Mills, The Regina Mills, asked her for leaving town with their son and herself and Emma had doubts. At first, she just wanted to accept the proposition, but she couldn't say a word, and, a bit flushed, she said she would think about it. She wanted this to happen, but also she was afraid of it. And Sarah didn't help at all. Why would she go anyway? And she was concerned about Regina's state of mind, if she left. If. This word was in Emma's head drilling a hole in her skull. In one moment she wanted to decline the offer. In another, she was ready to pay her a visit, and with 'hell yeah' attitude agree on it. She really didn't know what to do, but as a daughter of two idiots, quoting Regina, she stood up, grabbed her red leather jacket and headed to the town hall. It was her second time in one and half hour. She ran to Regina's office and accidentally letting her jacket to fall off her arm, she opened the door. Brunette called her name a few times. She turned pale when she got no response. Emma was walking through the room and when she hit the desk, she put her hands on it. She cleared her throat and with her own surprise, she said "I'd like to go with you and Henry on that trip. A journey. A, whatever that is."
Regina's eyes widened. Emma bit the inside of her cheek. The metallic flavor made her hiss. The older woman, still sitting on her comfy chair, barely smiled. She stood up and approached the woman. She invaded blonde's personal space and flashed with the realization of that. Emma was breathing heavier than earlier. Regina noticed than and when she looked into Emma's eyes, they both had cheeks in color of apples from Regina's tree. Her knees weakened and her leg accidentally touched Regina's. With a surprise she didn't step away. She did an opposite thing, actually. Her fingers touched Emma's. Their little moment was interrupted by Henry who opened the door of Regina's office.
"Ma?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
A/N: Sorry for the long waiting. I wasn't home for the two weeks and then I got school. Anyway, let me know what you think.