Boston was a place Regina initially would have avoided at all costs. The streets were packed with people and cars, the sun beams down on them as they sit in the sweltering Jeep in the middle of lunch-hour traffic. It was a place where she would stick out immediately; there was no where to hide.
But it was a necessary stop during their trip, the only city they would be pasting for miles really. Until they reached her castle. Regina's heart hurt just thinking about all the danger she was putting Emma in just by sitting next to her in this stuffy car.
Rolling down a window, Emma shrugs out of her jacket. "So, where exactly is this castle of yours anyway?"
Ripping her eyes from the blondes' muscles Regina smirks. "It's not obscured by one of these buildings if that's what you're implying."
Emma rolls her eyes. "Not what I had in mind. But where exactly is it located?"
Regina hesitates. "Lets just say you wouldn't know it was castle if you were passing by." She bites her lip, not wanting to share any information, no matter how much she trusted the woman.
"Okay..." Emma leans back against her seat; "Hey Neal as soon as you find an opening out of this mess why don't we stop for a bit?" He nods.
"Stop? For what?" Regina didn't like this idea; her former clan could be lurking anywhere. If Emma got hurt…
"Supplies. We're running low on food and I don't know about you but, I'd like to change clothes and shower."
Regina huffs but nods. "But as soon as we have everything were leaving, right?"
"Right. Damn, Regina calm down, we'll be fine." She gently touches her arm. "He'll be fine." She adds softly.
In all honesty her love wasn't who she wanted to protect most at the moment. "I know. But thank you for worrying about him." She touches her hand briefly, heart pounding.
Emma pulls back, smiling softly. Finally seeing an opening, Neal pulls off a main street and starts looking for a place to stop. They drive for a while before coming across a smallish gym.
"Think they'll let us shower?" Neal asks, resting an arm on the steering wheel as he gazes at the building.
Emma shrugs. "One way to find out." She opens the car door and slides around back to grab their bags. Neal files out with her, leaving Regina in the car. Pausing at the front doors, Emma looks back at the car. "Regina?" Handing a disgruntled Neal the bags, she walks back to the car. "You okay?"
Regina jumps slightly, blinking up at the blonde. "I'm fine. Let's go. But if you get us arrested keep in mind that vampires don't have magical bailout powers." Regina quickly closes off any grim thoughts and focuses on enjoying her time outside her dark castle for once.
Emma grins, opening the door for her. Neal slides inside, grumbling to himself. Regina smirks as she steps inside, taking in the heavy equipment and posters of overly muscular men and women. The vampire wrinkles her nose at the smell. "You couldn't have found a fresher place to shower?"
Emma chuckles. "You don't like it, drive down to the river and bathe in that." She walks towards the front desk, where a man who could've peeled right off one of the posters on the wall, stands. "Hi, we were wondering if you charge to use your showers? We've had a pretty long trip." Emma casts the man a radiant smile, brighter than Regina had ever seen.
The man smiles back, pearly white teeth looking odd against his tanned skin. "No problem at all. Won't cost ya a thing." He moves around the desk, exposing short-clad muscular legs. "It's a helluva day out there, huh?" He grins.
Emma smiles politely, motioning the two to follow. "Sure is, it's like melting in a giant pot."
The man chuckles throatily, leading the trio to the back. "Men's showers to your right, women's to your left. You all have a good day now." He smiles at them each before stomping back to his desk.
Neal shudders. "I don't think I've seen a man that….big before." He grips his backpack tightly.
Regina rolls her eyes. "Then you need to get out more. They're everywhere." She snatches her bag from his grip and heads into the showers. Emma shrugs and follows her in.
"What's your problem today?" She asks as she sets her bag down.
Regina doesn't make eye contact. "I suppose the heat is just getting to me."
Emma smirks. "Is the vampire cranky when shes hot?"
Regina flicks a towel in her direction, rolling her eyes. "Yes, and she'll bite your head off. Now go take your shower so we can leave this place."
Emma smiles, grabbing her bag and heading for one of the rows of showers lining the back of the room. Stepping inside the small space she peels off her clothes, tossing them out into her bag.
Regina's eyes flicker to them as she undresses herself. Keeping her tone calm she calls out "You might want to put your items in the bag; someone might need your panties." She smirks as she sees Emma's hand dart blindly out and place her garments completely inside the bag.
They turn on the showers simultaneously, both flinching at the sudden rush of cold water. Regina does her best to keep flying out of the space; the coldest she had ever bathed in was luke-warm. This was no way for a Queen to bathe but, she thinks with a jolt, it is how a fugitive would. Or an outcast.
Regina sighs, quickly lathering on soap. She hated this, the feeling of uneasiness she felt every waking moment, not able to trust anyone she once thought was loyal to her. But if it keeps him out of harms way she would gladly endure it. She concentrates on the chipping brown tile.
Emma, on the other hand, was doing her best not to concentrate on anything. She had come to the realization that she was alone with a vampire in a shower room, with only a thin wall separating them. Cold water splashing down her back, Emma feverishly tries to block out any images of the woman scrubbing soap all over her wet body or where that soap might be traveling. The burning between her thighs was enough to overcome the icy water.
She hears the squeak of the rusty knob turning off and the soft patter of flip-flop clad feet hitting marbled floor. Emma huffs out a breath as she pictures Regina wrapping herself in a towel, covered up from sight. She turns her own shower off, drying as best she could and steps out.
Regina's eyes immediately dart toward the flimsily dressed woman, watching her pin her wet hair up into a bun. As her eyes scan over the blondes' body she notices a scar starting from her left shoulder that seems to elongate down her side.
"What happened?"
Emma jumps, clutching her towel closer to her chest. "What?" Regina sets down her clothes and walks over to the doe-eyed huntress. She stands completely still as the vampire places a finger onto her shoulder, tracing it slowly down her side. "Oh that." She shivers. "I think I was about five or six. I was playing in the backyard and didn't notice the pitchfork sticking out." She meets the light brown gaze. "I had to get at least fifty stitches. Couldn't sleep on my back for a month."
Regina's mouth twitches. "Emma Swan: the six-year-old rebel." Her tone suddenly lowers huskily. "Did you cry?"
Mouth incredibly dry, Emma shakes her head. "Not once." Her eyes dart down the vampires' body then quickly meets her eyes. It felt as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room, leaving the women obscured in their own bubble, with only the other in sight. Emma licks her dry lips, not sure what would occur now. Regina begins to lean forward slightly, eyes mirroring the blue before her. Mere inches from her face the vampire comes to a stop, eyes flicking towards the door.
In one swift motion, Regina was back to her side of the room gathering her clothes and rounding a corner to change.
Emma gazes after her curiously, chest heaving in exhilaration. Disappointment and bewilderment course through her, much to her surprise. Sex in public was one thing but sex with a vampire? Even inside her head it sounded bizarre. It probably wasn't even what Regina had on her mind, she most likely just had soap somewhere and the brunette was just getting it off…The analogy didn't sooth her in the slightest. What was most bothersome was the fact that she hoped that wasn't the vampires' intentions; she…wanted her to want her. She thinks….
A light rap on the door jolts Emma out of her muddled thoughts. Neal's voice bounces off the marble walls. "Hey, you still in here?"
Hoping her voice won't crack Emma calls back. "Yeah. I'm almost out." She drops her towel and quickly re-dresses before the cold seeps into her bones. Or worst, Regina decided to come back in. But would that really be a bad thing?
The trio meets up in front of the showers, feeling fresher than they have in a week.
"Can we please go now? That guy keeps looking at us." Neal whines, glancing over at the front desk, where the odd-looking man was in fact, watching them.
"We're going. But maybe we should look around first? This place is kind of cool." Emma glances around the small area, a bit intrigued by its unique design. Regina and Neal groan but allow themselves to be dragged around the building. Pictures of famous bodybuilders hang from the walls, along with odd knickknacks, animal horns, swords, and old newspaper clippings of a mysterious creature being sighted within various small towns.
Regina wasn't impressed. She wanted to get out of here, the smell of fish and sweat was starting to become overwhelming. She gazes around lazily, taking in the odd decor and finding it almost familiar. Looking towards the entrance for the third time she meets the bright green eyes of the man from the front desk. Something seemed off about him but Regina couldn't put her finger on exactly what.
Emma was completely taken by all the items the building had to offer. It felt more like a memorabilia museum than a gym, all she needed was soft music playing in the background. As she finishes reading a framed article on a sighting of a dark figure near the Ohio River she hears a splash from behind her. Turning, she notices the door leading to the pool is cracked open. Eyebrows furrowing in curiosity, the blonde steps closer to investigate. The clear blue water is still beneath fluorescent lighting as though it hadn't been touched in hours.
Cautiously, Emma steps closer to the pool, eyes darting around for any moving shadows. The strong smell of chlorine and saltwater fill her lungs. It quickly became apparent that she was the only one here.
"Emma?" She whips around to see Regina standing in the doorway. "What's wrong?"
Wide-eyed Emma shakes her head. "Nothing. I just wanted to see the pool."
Regina nods back towards the entrance. "Now that you've had your fun can we go?" Emma nods, glancing back at the still water before leaving with the brunette.
As the women make their way back to the front Emma notices Neal wasn't behind them. "Where's Neal?" She pauses, turning back from the doorway.
Regina sighs. "He's probably in the car." Just waiting to drool over you. She adds internally.
"No. He wouldn't leave without us." Emma starts back to the showers. "I'm going back to look for him. He probably went to the bathroom or something." She quickly rounds the corner in search of her partner.
Regina rolls her eyes but quickly follows her to the back. Rounding the corner, she doesn't see the blonde anywhere. "Emma?" Her blood runs cold as silence greets her. She quickens her pace, keeping out an eye for Neal as well. "Emma!" She calls out, feeling as though she were going in circles. Surely the building was smaller than this before? Her heart pounds at the thought of them both dying. Sure she and Neal weren't the best of friends but he cared enough for Emma that she could set her rivalry aside.
"Emma? Neal?" She calls out once more.
"Regina!" Emma's voice carries out down the corridor. Regina immediately starts in that direction. They nearly collide with another in front of the pool door. "Are you okay? I lost you..." Emma voices cracks with emotion and fatigue.
Regina nods, looking over the huntress protectively. She breathes out a sigh of relief at finding her in one piece. "I'm fine. Did you find Neal?" That was a stupid question. Obviously the man wasn't by their side.
Emma shakes her head, "We should go check-" A loud rumble and what sounded vaguely like snuffling cuts her off. The pair's gaze shifts to the door leading towards the pool. "Neal..?" Emma calls out hesitantly. They step inside the now somehow bare room and the blonde nearly slips on a large puddle in front of the door. Regina's arms dart out to catch her before she hits concrete. Both their eyes widen as they realize the blonde hadn't slipped on water, but blood. Getting back on her feet, Emma stares at the sight in front of them.
What once was the man from the front desk now was…well neither woman was quite sure what it was. The muscles the man had proudly displayed were now covered in rubbery thick skin, some of the veins pulsing as if trying to break free of their leathery entrapment. The rest of his body was covered with coarse brown hair, flowing over his torso and nether area. But Emma was a bit more focused on the large bull head resting on the monsters shoulders.
The bull-man pierces down at them with large yellow eyes. As Emma looks closer to him she realizes there was something…someone behind the boulder of a man. Emma's eyes widen as she realizes who it was. "Neal…" She whispers, reaching for Regina.
The vampire takes one look at Neal then to what once was a man and comes to a conclusion. "The Minotaur…" She mutters. Emma looks to her curiously. "That's why he seemed so familiar….the intricate hallway. It's a maze." She appraises the man darkly.
Emma's eyebrows rise. "Well. That explains a lot." She sighs, looking to a struggling Neal. "But what would The Minotaur do in a gym?"
The creature himself speaks up. "The bigger the prey the fuller I am." He hisses in a gruff voice. "Mostly men stop by so I can be fulfilled easily." He looks down at Neal, who struggles meekly in a bind of chains. "Not only do I get a meal but also a large array of entertainment." He smirks as a meaty hand strokes Neal's back. "If they survive."
Emma shudders, trying not to picture it. "Okay…but do you mind sparing this one? We kind of need him." Regina rolls her eyes from behind her.
The Minotaur barks out what most likely is a laugh. "I like you, Swan. You can stay calm even in the most awkward of situations. If it were up to me, I'd let you all go."
Emma's eyebrows furrow. "First off, how the hell do you know my name? Secondly, what do you mean 'if it were up to you?' Who is it up to?"
The bull-man hesitates, his green eyes briefly darting to Regina. "I can't dispatch any information." He quickly replies. Regina's eyes narrow. "But if you give me the vampire I'll give you back your friend."
Both women pause, exchanging a quick glance. Regina walks up to the blonde, speaking quietly. "I understand if you want to go through with it…"
Emma stares back in disbelief, slightly offended. "No! I'm not going to just trade you away, what kind of person do you think I am, Regina?"
Regina sighs, smiling slightly. Of course she wouldn't. Because she wasn't like the others, that crucial fact always seems to slip Regina's mind at the worst of times. Her heart swells a bit; the blonde really wasn't going to give up on her. "Right, I forgot for a moment. I'm sorry."
Emma returns the smile then looks back to the monster. "No deal. Either we all walk out here or we all stay." She replies briskly. Regina watches her in awe.
The monster shifts his gaze between the women. His thick lips turn up in a soft smile. "I was right about you, you aren't like the rest. You're compassionate." He looks to Regina. "You got lucky with this one."
Regina smirks. "Yes, I suppose I did."
"But I'm afraid the higher powers would not be very forgiving if I disobey orders." The Minotaur bows his swollen head.
Emma's forehead creases in concentration. "Isn't there something we could do for you? I won't leave without either of them." She glances down at Neal, who looks slightly irritated while yanking at his chains.
The bull-man looks deeply troubled. He glances between the women and Neal, momentarily conflicted. Then, sighing, he releases whatever hold he had on the chain, allowing Neal to wiggle free.
Emma runs to him immediately, helping him out. "Thank you."
The Minotaur nods. "The powers will not be pleased. But I think I did a good thing. You got lucky, Emma Swan, that I admire you. Not many of your people are so easily forgiving." He smiles up at the trio. "Good luck to you all. But beware; there are others that aren't as kind as I."
Emma nods in thanks, guiding a shivering Neal out the door. They stand in the lobby of the gym; Neal rubbing his wrists, deep cuts had formed from the rusty chains. Emma looks over to Regina. "Do you think you can heal those wounds?"
Regina looks over to hunter. "Yes, I suppose I can." She replies boredly. Lifting a hand, palm facing outward, she conjures a small white ball and tosses it to Neal.
Instead of catching onto the fabric of his clothes, the fire dissolves like water, flowing down the mans body. He gazes down at his fully healed skin and grumbles his thanks. "Guess you are kinda useful."
Regina smirks. "Glad I finally found your approval."
Emma rolls her eyes fondly. "I think we've all had enough of the gym today." She steers them both back to the Jeep.
"If I can recall you were the one who wanted to stay and explore." Regina comments, sliding into the backseat. "So if anything had gone wrong you'd only have yourself to blame."
Neal snickers. "I'm actually with the vampire with this one. Your curiosity got the best of you, Ems."
Pulling on her seat belt, Emma huffs. "I love how the only time you two team up is against me." She makes a face. "But I still got us out of there right?" They nod. "So shut up and drive Neal." She grins.
He chuckles as he pulls out of the parking lot and back into traffic.
"I'm starving. Do we have anything left back there?" Neal calls back tiredly.
Regina shakes her head. "Unless you either eat raw meat or blood you're out of luck." She rests her head back, catching Emma's eye in the mirror. "Perhaps we should stop before your friend here decides to make a meal out of us both."
Neal grunts. "I wouldn't eat you if you were the last bit of food on the planet." He puts on his blinker, eyes searching for a place to eat.
Regina smirks, licking her lips. She pulls herself up to his ear, making him swerve off the road momentarily. "That's a shame. I think I'd make a delicious meal." She whispers, grinning. A shiver runs down Neal's spine, he clears his throat and tries to concentrate on the road. Regina chuckles throatily, retreating back in her seat.
The trio rides around until they spot a small café on a quiet street. Cool air blows into their faces as they step inside the sweet-smelling building. Emma silently prays they wouldn't run into any monsters enjoying a vanilla-soy latte and powdered donut.
The group looks around for a table near the back of the place, Neal just about tripping over some teenagers' messenger bag to slide into the booth beside Emma. Regina smirks at his pettiness, crossing her legs into the aisle after taking a seat opposite them. She gazes around the place, closing her eyes contently at the homely scent of pastries and freshly brewed coffee. After their little adventure in the gym, the peaceful aura swirling around the café was welcoming. Emma watches the vampire thoughtfully. She looked…happy. A small smile flits across her lips at the sight but fades as she realizes this wasn't going to be a normal occurrence.
A waitress stops by to take their orders, giving them a cheeky grin. Emma envied her. She got to have a normal life, worry about paying bills on time or if her boyfriend was cheating on her, not whether a monster was lurking around every corner to kill her.
Regina's eyes open just as Emma turns her gaze to the front of the café, eyeing the menu chalked in cursive on a small blackboard. The brunette licks her lips as she shifts in her seat, gazing at the huntress. Soft sunlight streams in through the window, highlighting her blonde hair. Regina's mouth parts slightly in awe of the woman's beauty. She desperately wanted to take a strand of that hair and twirl it gently around her finger, maybe wrap the other hand around her waist, pulling her closer…
A flash of red and black in the vampires peripheral pulls her out of her daydream. She looks towards the movement and is rewarded with a familiar face grinning at her. Regina's eyes widen, "Ruby?"
The girl's black eyes sparkle as she weaves her way through the line and towards the booth. "Regina! Oh my God, I thought you were-"
"I'm fine." The vampire quickly cuts her off, darting her gaze around the curious café-goers. "What are you doing here? The city isn't safe." She wraps the girl in a hug, heart swelling as she inhales her scent.
Ruby hugs back tightly then bounces back on her heels. "I could ask you the same question. Basically everyone knows about your…problem. And I know you asked me to watch over him in case this ever happened."
Regina's eyes glisten with tears. "He's here? In the city? Is he okay?" Her heart pumps rapidly in her chest, but wanes immediately. She couldn't see him. That would be suicide for them both.
Ruby rubs the distraught vampire's arm soothingly. "He's fine, Regina. He's in good hands. Well, great hands at the moment." She smiles. "What's important is keeping you safe so you can see him again."
Emma watches the whole exchange with narrowed eyes. Who was this mysterious girl? She couldn't be any older than eighteen. Why would Regina entrust her loves safety into a child's hands? "Um, Regina….?" She stands beside the woman.
Regina whips her eyes to Emma, blushing slightly. "Oh. Ruby this Emma my prote-" She pauses, glancing at a red-faced Neal. "One of my protectors. Emma, this is Ruby, one of the few people I can really trust." They smile at another.
Emma didn't like it. "You don't look like a vampire." She nods to the girl.
"I'm not. Well not fully anyway." Ruby smiles.
Emma's eyebrow lifts, exchanging a glance with Neal. "You're a half-breed?" Ruby nods. "That's why you're out in the daylight with people." Emma confirms to herself. The girl didn't look like a vampire in the slightest. Her skin was more of an ivory than pale, and lips almost as red as Regina's. But she definitely moved like one. Her movements were swift, like lightning bolts slicing through a stormy sky. Compared to Regina's smooth motions, the girl may not have had the proper training in blending in with mortals. The pure human façade would work if you didn't watch her movements too closely.
Ruby stares at Emma, smirking. "So you're Emma Swan. You're more…fit than I thought you'd be." She bites her lip.
Emma blinks. What was with monsters knowing her name around here? "Um…thanks…? How exactly do you know my name?"
Ruby giggles, tossing her hair. Regina rolls her eyes; the girl will flirt with anything that has a pulse. And sometimes without. "You're only like, the most famous hunter in the country. Everyone knows about you."
Well, this was news to Emma. She'd never thought about whether her work would become the talk of the town; she just wanted to do her job. She didn't think she was that great of a hunter, she has had multiple close calls. It both flattered and terrified her that she was famous in the NightWorld community. "Lucky me."
Ruby giggles again, biting her lip so hard Regina was afraid it would slice right through. The vampire steps in front of Emma, gazing down at her half-breed friend. "Ruby I think you're frightening her." She warns. Ruby's eyes widen, catching the double meaning behind the woman's words.
"Sorry. So Neal…" Unfazed by the territorial stance Regina had in front of Emma, Ruby quickly turns her gaze to Neal, whose skin flushes when eye-contact is made.
Seeing her chance, Emma pulls Regina to the side. "Why didn't you tell me about her?" She whispers.
"What was there to know? She's harmless; in fact she's doing me a huge favor." Regina smirks. "Don't tell me that the big, bad hunter is feeling intimidated by the half-breed?"
Emma's feels her cheeks redden. Regina found the color beautiful against her skin. "Don't be ridiculous. I just think it would be better for all of us if I know exactly who you associate with." Shit. That sounds fearfully similar to a crazy girlfriend wanting to know every detail of her life. "It'll help determine who I can trust or not." She hastily adds.
Regina's eyes twinkle in amusement. "Of course. Well that list is done. Ruby is the only person I know I can trust through and through." Besides Emma, Ruby was the only one Regina could let her guard down with.
Emma nods slowly. "Are you sure there's no one else?" That seemed a bit odd; surely if she were Queen you'd think she would have more loyal subjects.
Regina shakes her head. "Other than you, Ruby's all I've got." She admits quietly.
Emma pauses, taking in the beautiful, broken Queen before her. "Okay…" She replies softly, wishing she could think of something comforting to say. She touches her arm gently, watching her with sad eyes.
Regina meets her gaze silently, refraining the urge to lean in and capture pink lips onto hers. They stare at another, momentarily forgetting they were in a public setting surrounded by curious glances. Regina clears her throat and looks away, turning back to a smirking Ruby and annoyed Neal.
"Ruby, you should probably go. It's not safe to stay near me." Regina orders quietly.
The half-breed blinks, brown eyes shifting from a slightly red Emma and Regina. "Okay. I know you'll be fine, Regina. You're in good hands." She smiles at her softly, stepping towards her. "But Regina," Her eyes shift to Emma, "Don't get sidetracked."
Regina nods. "I'll do my best." She sighs. They embrace once more, Regina trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "Be safe." She whispers as she releases her.
Ruby nods. "You too." She steps around her to face Emma. "Try not to break her. She's been through a lot." Emma nods, not fully understanding the meaning of the warning. Ruby turns away from her and starts for the door. "Bye guys." She waves once then exits the café.
Regina watches as she crosses the street, back to safety. Back to him. She huffs out a breath, glancing at the confused hunters. "We…we should try to find a store to restock our supplies." She averts her gaze out the window, hoping there weren't tears in her eyes.
Emma nods. "We'll head out after we finish." She looks at the vampire with clear concern. "You okay?"
She nods. "I'm fine." She takes a seat back into the booth. "He's fine so I'll be okay."
Emma's stare doesn't falter. "And if he's not?" Regina doesn't respond. "Regina…"
"I said I'm fine." The vampire snaps. "The whole point of this is keeping him safe, I don't matter."
Anger smolders through the blonde. "Don't say that. Of you course you matter, your life is just as valuable as his." Emma hisses softly. "What is he to anyone if you aren't alive?" Her voice drops.
Regina pauses. "He's a friend. Ruby would be devastated…"
"And she wouldn't be if you died?"
"It takes quite a bit to kill me but not much to injure him." Regina counters quietly. "Only Ruby would be affected by my death, I wasn't a loved ruler."
Emma opens her mouth to argue when Neal interrupts. "This guy still needs you. You can't give up on him." Both women turn to him with bewildered expressions. "What? I can set differences aside for the protection of a human. The bloodsucker can take care of herself but we can't have this kind of attitude in the group." He meets Regina's eyes. "He's not dying and neither are you, not if we can help it. It's our job after all." He glances at Emma, who shoots him a grin.
Regina allows small smile. "Thank you, Neal. That was very kind." He nods, looking back down to his sandwich. Regina leans back in her seat, a feeling of hope trickling inside her. She knew the chances of anyone emerging out of this situation unscathed were slim, but the least she can do is pretend she was confident about everything turning out okay.
"Can we get gummy bears?"
"No."
A sigh. "Fine. But when we're all slow from low blood sugar you're gonna wish you'd said yes."
"Emma, we're here for basic necessities, not bear-shaped sweets." Regina scolds, scanning the aisle for beef jerky.
Emma rolls her eyes, clutching the bags of candy tightly. "Sweets are apart of the food pyramid. So technically, it is a necessity." She smirks.
Regina sighs, knowing she was going to lose this argument. "Okay, but only two bags." Emma grins, making Regina chuckle. "You're such a child."
Putting the bags into the cart Emma smirks. "A child who now has gummy bears." She bounces down the aisle, glancing around the store.
Regina smiles, finding the childish demure utterly adorable. "How you became a hunter I will never understand."
"Yeah me either, it wasn't exactly the job I had pictured. But I can't see myself doing anything else."
Regina glances over to her. "Killing monsters became your dream job?" She figured it had something to do with her shaky past.
Emma shrugs. "It's the only thing I know I'm good at." Fighting for innocence was a skill the huntress had mastered.
"I doubt that. You could be something so much better, Emma. Find a job that isn't so…" She pauses, unable to find the right word.
"Violent? Angry?" The terms were often used in her job description.
"Lonely." Regina replies. "Think about it, you're killing monsters for a living. You can't tell anyone what you do, you've probably had multiple partners before Neal and I'm guessing the separation wasn't because of a quarrel inside the office." Emma pauses. "Emma, this is no way for anyone to live."
The blonde looks away from the vampires gaze. Anger surges through her momentarily. Regina was right; her last two partners' fates weren't pleasant. But this job was perfect for her; she had isolation and it's not like she had family worrying about her anymore. "I don't mind it. It keeps me on my toes." She replies easily.
Regina sensed this wasn't the case. "Emma…" She starts but freezes as they reach the end of the aisle. Two men stand down the opposite end, their backs facing the women. Neal was just on the other side of the aisle. This wouldn't be alarming to anyone else but Regina knew if the men turned around all hell would break loose. Quite literally.
Emma stops besides Regina, gazing at her curiously. "Regina…?"
Regina keeps her eyes on the men. "I know them." Her voice drops to a whisper.
Emma's head whips to Regina's gaze. She scrutinizes the men, her stomach churning. "I take it you all didn't usually have tea together?" She matches the vampires tone. "Who are they?" Her eyes flick to an unsuspecting Neal.
"They were my guards. But they immediately turned against me once they learned about my views on mortals." Regina's eyes widen. The men turn to the side, muscles looking huge at a profile.
The women duck around the corner into the next aisle, breathing heavily. "Do you think they saw us?"
Regina shakes her head. "But no doubt they'll pick up on my scent soon." She gulps, her mind racing with ideas to separate herself from the group. She couldn't allow either of the humans to get hurt.
Emma somehow sensed her plan and begins to shake her head. "Take off your jacket." She orders.
"What?"
"Take off your jacket." Emma slides her own off her shoulders, holding it out for it the vampire. "We're switching so they won't catch your scent easily."
Regina shakes her head, heart beat picking up. "No, this isn't your fight."
"I don't care. Take off the jacket." The huntress stares at her with unwavering stubbornness.
Regina sighs and slides her blazer off her shoulders, knowing going along with this idiotic plan would give them more time to escape. The women switch jackets, glancing over to the men and Neal, who was still ignorant about the situation.
"This is insane. You could get killed." Regina hisses.
Emma shrugs. "It's you they want, not me."
"But once they do pick up on my scent and begin to pursue you, what do you think will occur when they realize a mortal has the scent of a vampire on her? A vampire they recognize?" Regina searches emerald eyes pleadingly.
"I'll improvise."
"Improvise!? Emma, we don't have that kind of luxury!" Regina hisses. "I-I can't afford losing someone I…" Regina trails off, choosing not to finish the sentence. This wasn't the time for that. "If you value your life you won't do it, Emma." Her chocolate eyes scream for her to stay. "Please…"
Emma shakes her head, already backing away from the vampire. "That's the thing Regina, you have someone who loves you out there, so you can't die. But me?" She chuckles darkly. "I don't have anyone. So what do I matter?" She starts to turn but Regina swiftly catches her arm.
Eyes shining with tears, Regina lets out a shaky breath. "Believe me, your death would be a terrible thing." She whispers, "You have so much to live for, Emma. Don't do this. We can just…try to maneuver our way to the front without being seen. There's no need for us to split up." Regina's voice cracks with emotion she hoped Emma wouldn't pick up on.
Emma's eyebrows furrow. "What does my safety matter to you? I'm just your bodyguard." She takes another step towards the men's line of sight.
Regina doesn't answer the question. "You've risked your life enough times for me, Emma. There's another way out of this." Her heart pounds against her chest. "Please…" She whispers. If the blonde walked one inch further the men would catch her scent and then…well that was the part Regina wouldn't be able to survive from.
Emma sighs, glancing at the men once more. "Okay." Regina's eyes widen. "I don't get why this is such a big deal to you but fine, we'll do this your way." She glances to Neal. "But how do we get to Neal?"
Regina refrains from wrapping Emma into a tight hug. Her heart rate slows as she sighs. "Thank you. You go tell Neal and I'll stay here, but give me my jacket back." She holds out her hand for it.
Emma huffs out a breath but shrugs out of the blazer. Her eyes land on her own jacket and her lips twitch. "You know, you look good in red." She smirks.
Regina flushes, glancing down at the leather. "Flattery with get you no where, but walking certainly will." She turns the blonde about face and nudges her toward Neal. She watches as Emma casually crosses in front of the aisle her former guards stood in and reach Neal. The huntress catches her partner up on their current dilemma his eyes nearly pop out of his head. Emma calms him, then looks to Regina. The brunette nods encouragingly.
As soon as Neal reaches the vampire his eyes narrow. "Only you can turn shopping into a life or death situation." He flusters. "What are they doing in here anyway? Re-stocking on cookies to go with the blood?"
"They most likely were patrolling the area in search of me and decided to pick up items for," She clears her throat. "Dinner."
Neal didn't like the sound of this. "Dinner?"
Regina nods. "Blood is more satisfying if the human has food in their systems. The taste still lingers inside the tissue, making the blood filling." She explains quietly.
Neal groans. "That's just great. So I bet their hungry too huh?" He risks a glance at them. The pair of vampires begin to walk out of the aisle. "We are so screwed." He whispers.
"Not if we stay together and don't draw attention." Regina replies. "I should keep Emma's jacket on so my scent won't be as strong. But no one wears mine." She looks to Emma sharply. "This is completely risky but I don't see any other sane options." She licks her lips. "We're going to have to sneak by them to get to the front, pay for the food and leave quietly."
Neal snorts. "Wonderful. A field trip."
Emma rolls her eyes. "What are we waiting for? The sooner we move the safer it'll be for you."
Regina shakes her head. "No, they're too close to the front. We need them to be in the back or else they'll spot me." She meets Emma's eyes intently. "Do you trust me?"
Emma blinks. "Yeah…" They both pause in mild surprise.
"Good. Because I'm going to need you to stay with me on this, no matter what idiotic urge to sacrifice yourself for me runs through your mind, you don't leave my side, got it?" Emma nods, licking her lips. Regina flicks her eyes from the blonde to her former subjects, who were making their way out of the aisle. "Now we wait."
