Coveted - Chapter Nine

When Emma opened the door to her apartment she wasn't expecting to find her girlfriend standing there, angry, arms crossed, foot tapping almost comically. She might have chuckled if she weren't so fucked.

"Where were you today?" Ruby asks, her nose flared in clear sign of agitation.

"At work?" Emma responds, her voice going up at the end conveying her confusion at the question. There is silence after her words. Big brown eyes cast downward at the hardwood floor. For a moment, a single misguided ridiculous moment, Emma thinks that might be the end of it.

"Anywhere else?" Ruby's eyes remain trained on the uneven ground.

"I mean . . . I was around town." Emma says, her voice trailing off into nothing. Ruby's eyebrows jump to the middle of her forehead. A scarlet blush migrates from Ruby's chest to her neck and face.

"Did you see Regina today?" Ruby finally asks directly, growing tired of the cat and mouse game they are playing.

"No." The words fly out of Emma's mouth before she can think. It's the knee-jerk reaction of her guilty mind, and she instantly regrets it.

"Really?" Ruby asks again, as if giving Emma one last chance to confess will do anything to quell her anger and quiet her rage.

Emma doesn't respond this time. The silence is deafening.

"I saw you there." Ruby says after a long while of uselessly waiting for her girlfriend to speak.

The words fall like ice water over Emma's skin. Her heart jerks in her chest and then beats faster than she knew was possible. Emma tries to keep a poker face, but bright blue eyes have gone wide, and her face has turned a ghostly white. Emma knows she must speak. She knows that every second she remains silent is another nail in the coffin of her credibility. And yet, when she opens her mouth, she cannot will herself to produce a sound. Her body staging a rebellion against her pursuit of this game.

"You are unbelievable." Ruby's words tangle with unspoken emotion and form a mass in her throat. She grabs her bag and jacket from the kitchen counter and starts to push past Emma.

"Wait!" Emma finally reacts. Her hands wrap around Ruby's waist to stop her. The brunette twists in her arms and struggles to get free.

"What?" Ruby shrieks, her voice trembling with anger. She never imagined Emma would lie straight to her face. She never envisioned any of this. "Do you need some more time to come up with more bullshit?!" Ruby's voice cracks, but not from weakness. She restrains the furry she knows is building. Something about it terrifies her more than the prospect of Emma cheating on her.

"Listen, please, I'm sorry. I don't know why I said I didn't see her. I did, okay?" Emma's face conveys nothing other than miserable regret. Ruby softens at the sincerity, but only slightly. Emma releases the woman from her grasp, and takes a step back. Emma's head drops to signal her defeat.

"Why did you lie to me?" Ruby demands.

"I-I really don't know." Emma sputters, and then pauses to think. "I thought you would take it the wrong way. I was just there for a few minutes and it was just work stuff." She lies.

Ruby remains silent. She wants to believe Emma more than anything else in the world, but she knows Emma is still lying. A sadness cuts its way to the brunette's pounding heart. Ruby had happened by the Mayor's office on her way to run an errand. She had seen Emma's police car parked outside for at least an hour. The sight of the car had made the hairs on the back of Ruby's neck stand on end. It shouldn't have. A town sheriff visiting city hall, or even the mayor, during work hours should have been perfectly normal, but Ruby knew something was off. . . she could somehow just sense it. Ruby had spent the day wondering about Emma's visit to Regina's office. The doubt building and compounding, and now Emma had lied to her. Twice. It was all too much.

"Listen, I have to go." Ruby's voice is laced with more sorrow than rage. Her hand finds the handle on the front door.

"Ruby, please just wait. I can explain-" Emma is right on her heels. Her words uttered in pure desperation.

"No more lies Emma. And no more of this sick game you have with Regina." Ruby cuts Emma off before she can spew anymore bullshit. Ruby has stopped her advance through the door, but she can't turn to face Emma. She can't stomach the pained look on the blonde's face. It will only feed her anger. "It's me or her." She chokes out. After another second of hesitation, the brunette speaks again, her voice shaking from the tears that are starting. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to cry. "I just need some space. Okay?" And with that Ruby is gone.

Emma has no idea how long she has been standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. . . her brain working hopelessly to put it all together - to understand what she has done, and how she could have hurt Ruby so badly. Emma had never seen Ruby so angry. She was never the kind of person who lost her temper. Emma felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. She had done this to Ruby, and for what? For the satisfaction of beating Regina at some twisted competition. She had crushed Ruby just to one-up Regina. Ruby didn't deserve that. She was a good and kind soul. She was no monster as Emma had become. Emma sighs with the weight of her thoughts. She decides that she must call a truce with Regina. She has to end this before it consumes her.


On the third knock and ring of the doorbell, Emma gives up. Obviously no one is home. The blonde sits on the front steps for a moment. She lets the cold wind of the winter night chill her. She deserves the punishment.

Emma glances at her phone, but she still hasn't heard from Ruby. Not that she expects to, but hope is a silly thing with a mind of its own. Given the time, Emma decides that Henry is probably at his session with Archie. That means Regina is probably still in the office. Emma decides to go there. Maybe it's better that they talk there anyway, she doesn't want Henry to hear them.


"Hey Doris!" Emma calls to the portly redhead cleaning the front door of the building.

"Evening Sheriff Swan! What brings you here at this time?" The lady greets Emma cheerfully, and the sheriff tries to respond in kind, but it feels wrong to smile. Even if it is forced.

"Just need to drop a report off for the mayor." Emma lies as she gestures to the empty manila envelop under her arm.

"You both work so hard." Doris comments, and opens the door for Emma. Emma manages to nod as more guilt gets piled onto her already heavy soul.

Once upstairs, Emma notices how quiet the city building is without the dozens of workers milling about. It's creepy and unsettling, and Emma picks up her pace.

The light to the mayor's office is on. Regina is still hard at work, just as Emma suspected. Likely coming up with new ways to make my life miserable. The thought riles Emma, but she shakes it off. She came here to make peace, she reminds herself. She came here to make this right. . . for Ruby's sake.

A soft knock at the door goes unanswered, and Emma opens the door a crack.

"Regina?" Emma asks as she pokes her head into the front part of the mayor's office. She doesn't want to catch Regina off guard and have this conversation start off on the wrong foot. As it is, Emma is sure that Regina is still going to be pissed after Emma left her handcuffed to her chair. A swell of heat floods Emma's face. Now that the adrenaline of the moment is gone, Emma is more than a little embarrassed about her behavior.

Ug, this is going to be so fucking awkward. Emma realizes and her stomach does a back flip.

"Regina?" Emma asks a little louder as she steps into the office. She notices Melanie's coat is missing. She must have gone for the day, but why would she leave the front door to the office unlocked? Emma wonders.

The mayor's inner door, the door that leads to her private office, is shut but Emma can tell the light is on. She takes a deep breath. Emma hadn't thought this part through yet. What am I going to say? Hey, Regina, sorry about the whole bathroom thing, and the pie thing, and the other bathroom thing, oh and uh sorry about getting off on top of you and then leaving you handcuffed to your chair. . . but can we just let bygones be bygones? Thanks. See you later. Emma sighs, already feeling defeated before even walking into anything.


Regina's mind is a snarled sticky jumble. She probably should have gone home early today given the morning's events, but that's not in Regina's DNA. It would have been a signal of defeat. Of weakness. Instead Regina had stayed in the office, getting nothing accomplished. Thinking only of the incomprehensible turns her life was taking. Sometimes appearances must simply be maintained.

Then Melanie had walked in to say goodnight. Her cheeks slightly pink. Her stance unsure. Regina had avoided her all day, and she wasn't expecting the girl to even say goodbye, but she had. And here she still stood.

"Madam Mayor?" Melanie spoke knocking Regina out of her distracted state.

"Yes, I agree. You should make those changes." Regina said nodding her head. Her assistant had been going on about a new filing system, or something of that nature. Regina had stopped listening. It seemed like the girl had collected every thought she had throughout the day and was now purging before her drive home.

"Okay. Excellent. I will start that first thing tomorrow." The blonde smiled enthusiastically.

"Very good." Regina offered the girl a small smile. "I will see you tomorrow then." Regina nodded, and waited for the girl to take her leave.

"Right. Good Night Mayor." The blonde smiles again before turning on her heels toward the door, but she stops short of the exit. "Madam Mayor, if I may, I just wanted to say something." Melanie walks back across the office and stops in front of Regina's desk. The temperature suddenly skyrockets, and Regina dreads where this is going. She knows the girl is going to say something about Emma and the handcuffs. A new wave of embarrassment strikes her.

"Yes, dear, what is it?" Regina asks coolly, as if she expects another work-related conversation to ensue, even though she knows better.

"Well," Melanie begins as she moves around the desk. Regina stands, for some reason she feels more in control on her feet. If Regina standing caught Melanie off guard, the assistant didn't let it show. She continued forward stopping inches from her boss. All concern for personal space forgotten. Regina moves back, but her chair catches on something and only gains a foot. "I realize that you and Sheriff Swan have a special relationship-"

"Melanie, I don't think this is an appropriate topic of conversation." Regina wanted to put a stop to this before she went any further. The girl seemed woefully undeterred, and Regina was sure she had managed to move even closer. She was close enough for Regina to smell her perfume. For Regina to hear the quickening rhythm of her breaths.

"It's not really her I wanted to talk about." She interrupts with a sultry expression Regina has never noticed before. She has come to see Melanie as a sweet innocent girl, but is now questioning how accurate that assessment has been. "I only mentioned her because I think you deserve something better." Melanie tries to close the gap between herself and Regina, but the mayor moves to the left in a halfhearted attempt at escape. Melanie moves with her, and succeeds in positioning the mayor against her desk. The backs of Regina's thighs resting against the wooden surface. Her assistant standing with her hips pressing into her.

The mayor is already so weary, and she doesn't know how much fight she has left in her today. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be swept up in the current. To just be wanted. Regina can see the girl's pulse jumping in her neck, and she realizes hers is beating just as fast. The mayor stays silent, but she lets her eyes slip closed. She feels fingertips move over her hands, hands that are griping the edge of the desk for dear life, and continue softly up her arms.

Melanie can't believe her own nerve. Her whole body is shaking, and her mind can't accept that this is finally happening. Even as she feels Regina's warm skin beneath her fingers, she thinks that maybe she is dreaming. She would never have the courage to do this. This must be a dream. Regina is a thousand miles away. Her mind only minimally aware of what is happening.

When the doorknob to Regina's office turns, and the door creaks open quietly, it is only Melanie that hears it. She sees little more than a shadowy silhouette at first. Melanie should have jumped back and away from the compromising position, but her hesitation pays off when she realizes the person skulking at the door is none other than Sheriff Emma Swan. A devious smile plays on her lips. She feels a renewed sense of self-confidence and she leans into Regina, her lips grazing the shell of her ear. Her heart is really pounding now, and she is already so turned on she knows she won't be able to stop.

"You deserve someone who will give herself to you completely." She speaks softly, but the office is so silent, save for their breathing, that she is sure Emma can hear her from her place behind the door. At least she hopes Emma can hear her. "Someone who is unattached." She continues, moving Regina's hair to side exposing her neck. "Someone who can be completely yours in every single way you want." Pink lips press against the nape of Regina's neck and the brunette gasps at the heat of the contact. The blonde's lips move gently, placing small kisses in a row all the way up to Regina's jaw. Melanie glances at the door and sees the shadow present but unmoving. "Someone who will give you everything your heart, and body, desire. Everything that you need." Melanie's voice has turned to silk and left Regina as malleable as putty.

The mayor can certainly feel the trail of goosebumps Melanie's lips are leaving in their wake, and she knows that this is so wrong, but she has let go. This feels too good and Regina can no longer deny herself. The brunette's hands tentatively release the edge of the desk. They move to feel the girl's waist. Regina runs her open palms over the smooth material of Melanie's black dress. A small groan rings out when the blonde runs the edge of her tongue along Regina's pulse point. Regina instinctively grips the girl tighter and a pounding moves from her chest to between her thighs.

Emma has finally had enough. Anger has turned to furious rage as she storms out of Regina's office. Emma can hardly even feel her legs beneath her as she runs out of the building. Emotion swells in her chest but she crams it down with fury. Not that she cares what Regina does with her fucking assistant.

The blast of cold air that hits Emma square in the chest does nothing to cool off her anger. She feels her skin actually burning. A physical manifestation of the state of her mind. She looks back at the mayor's office window, which is visible from the parking lot, and she wonders if the pair is already sprawled out on the floor. A cold sweat forms on Emma's skin. Emma feels like she is going to explode. Like she is going to actually tear apart from the pressure growing inside of her. She reaches her car, but Emma can't will herself to leave. Her sights narrow on Regina's office window once more. She imagines throwing a rock through the glass, but decides against it. Instead she walks over to what she imagines is Melanie's car, as it is the only one other than Regina and Emma's in the lot. With all the force she can muster, Emma kicks the bumper. It doesn't leave a mark, but it causes the car alarm to ring out into the stillness.

Emma drives away quickly before anyone can spot her. She leaves content with the fact that she has successfully disrupted Regina and her assistant. She just knows Regina will send the girl on her way. She will take the alarm going off as some kind of sign. A signal that they should stop.


Emma watches the sunrise from the window seat in her apartment. She hadn't been able to sleep a wink, and after a few hours of tossing and turning she finally stopped trying. All Emma could do was alternate her thoughts between Ruby and Regina until she was wallowing in a pool of self-pity. Ruby wanted nothing to do with her and obviously neither did Regina. Not that she wanted anything with Regina, she told her self. Even as Emma continues to play the evening over and over in her mind, she doesn't stop to wonder why she is so angry. Why the image of Regina in the arms of another had caused her to become unhinged. Why the thoughts of Regina dominated over her thoughts of Ruby even now.

With a heavy sigh Emma tears herself away from the window. She showers and dresses. She makes herself coffee. She goes through the motions. Hoping that it will help her feel normal again. Hoping routine will offer a respite from the never-ending thoughts. From the sadness. The anger. The jealousy.


A/N: Thank you guys for reading, and waiting patiently for this update! I worked on it all weekend! All mistakes are mine. I usually give it a few days from writing to posting, but I didn't want to put it off so I apologize for any typos I may have left!

So just clarify, Emma and Ruby don't live together although Ruby spends a lot of time at Emma's place.

What is Regina thinking after all this? Maybe we will get a peek into her mind next chapter. ;)

I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think?