Author's note: Yei for new chapter! Again thank you so much for all your follows and reviews about the story. Because of you I did notice some mistakes with the timeline of the story, so I tried my best to fix them in this chapter. Again, no Beta so it all comes from me. Thank you again for your support and hope you like this chapter :)
After a crazy day that included finding out that her mother loved the same woman she loved, and then confessing those feelings to her, Emma was relieved when she saw that her shift was almost over. It had been so difficult to concentrate, and thankfully Regina had not been so hard on her about it. She probably understood her reasons, hell, she must have been as distressed and confused. Mary's confession had shaken them up completely, and although right now the last thing she wanted to do was see her mother, Emma knew that at one point they would need to talk. She wanted to know the truth, and the idea of suspecting the involvement of other people in those drama was driving her crazy. It seemed as if Regina's and her own life were manipulated by others so they could get their own goals set and that sucked immensely. It was very fucked up to realize that the people that were supposed to protect you from the world did the complete opposite. Thinking about their conversation, Regina was right at saying that Mary was closer to being like Cora and she had been naive enough to miss it. Mary had abandoned her in order to chase her dreams, to become someone special, someone powerful. She took Regina in when she saw her potential and her vulnerability. She brought her to a god-forsaken town and became her sole company, somehow ending falling in love with her when she knew that the young woman was completely heartbroken. She had abused of their friendship, and when she realized that Regina didn't return her feelings decided to blame it all on her and abandon her just like Cora did. This made Emma huff in anger. No one had ever stood up for Regina, no one had tried to protect her and that broke her heart because the brunette was such a sweet and wonderful woman. Emma still found it hard to believe that with such a shitty life Regina managed to become such a beautiful person. That made her have some faith in humanity and the capacity of people to be the best they can be under any kind of circumstance. I bet that's why I love her, Emma thought while smiling softly and looking at the clock again. They were already done with all of Regina's surgeries and the brunette had asked for some space to think. Emma understood her necessity to delve on the events that occurred earlier and her need to do it by herself. To go from thinking that a person you looked up to hated you to realizing that in fact loved you had to be overwhelming.
"Hey, you ok?" she heard Belle ask her while coming inside the inters' lounge. "Haven't seen you at all today."
Emma nodded. "Yeah, just had a rough day with Dr. Mills."
"Yeah, I saw she scheduled two surgeries for today." Belle nodded in understanding. "I bet she was wonderful in all of them." she gushed in admiration.
Relax Emma, she told herself while trying to keep her emotions at bay, Regina loves you.
"She is really something." she managed to say while looking at Belle.
"And did you hear that she is seeing someone?" Belle gossiped excitedly. "Apparently Neal was not so far away from the truth."
This made Emma pay attention to the brunette.
"The nurses told Ruby that they saw her having a heated discussion with Robin Locksley and that he called her a bitch."
"Probably deserved it." Neal said while coming inside and smiling.
Emma saw red and did her damndest to not react at all. No one could know that the two of them were in a relationship because people talked.
"No one deserves to be insulted in public." Emma still tried to defend her woman. "That behavior is so unprofessional."
"She would be one that deserves it." Neal continued to comment. "And she so left Robin because she found a new toy."
"Women like that never commit." Hook added while waiting for Neal's confirmation. "They are incapable of falling in love because they think of themselves as better than the rest."
"And that kind of behavior is so unattractive." Neal smirked. "Yes, she is really hot, but like an itch. You know, once you scratch it enough the itchiness goes away."
Emma suddenly stood up and all of them looked at her. It was taking all of her might to not punch and kick the two men.
"I think the real problem is that you are too proud to admit that you have been getting owned and taught around by a woman." Emma pointed at the two of them. "And that in reality you are terrified of her strength. You are just a pair of cowards." she spat in anger.
"And you are an asshole." Neal spat back. "Just because she paid attention to you that doesn't mean you are better than us."
"I don't think that I'm better than any of you." Emma approached him and Neal flinched. She smirked. "I know that at least I am better than you."
This made Neal puff in anger and start approaching. Emma was ready for him, so the moment the man threw a punch at her she simply avoided it and returned it by kicking him in the balls.
"Shiiiiit!" he screamed in agony while bending down. "You fucking bitch."
"Pussy." Emma huffed in annoyance. "Beaten so fast and by a woman."
Emma saw that Belle and Hook were staring at the scene in complete shock, clearly not expecting Neal to react like that. In all honesty Emma was not surprised. She knew a snake when she saw it, and Neal filled the definition. The only thing he cared about was himself, and she was aware that the man would do anything, anything to be better than the rest.
"Shit Swan." Hook finally spoke. "You probably left him without offspring."
"Probably did a good to them and the world."
"I can't believe he tried to hit you." Belle said while approaching the blonde. "He is usually a jealous but harmless man."
"He is a snake that is only worried about himself." Emma said in anger. "Don't trust him because the moment he realizes that the only way he can win is by taking you out of the equation he won't hesitate to do so."
"Come on man, stand up." Hook tried to move Neal from the floor but the man was still grabbing his crotch. "She didn't hit you that hard."
"She hit me in the balls!" Neal screamed in agony. "I will not forget this." he threatened.
"Good, because that was the idea." Emma said while making her way out of the interns' lounge.
She was not going to lie: Hitting Neal in the balls improved her day in a huge way. They guy totally deserved it for being an asshole and self-centered jackass. By hitting him she was doing a favor to the hospital and humanity. Regina is going to be so happy when I tell her, or pissed, Emma thought quietly. She was not scared of Neal, and knowing the man he was not going to report her because doing so meant that we would have to admit that a woman bested him.
"Miss Swan?" she heard a voice from behind and she stopped. Please don't tell me that that we are getting new patients just when I am leaving.
"Yes?" Emma asked while turning around and seeing a woman with dark hair and brown eyes staring coldly at her, analyzing every single thing about her posture and presence.
"So you are the famous Miss Swan." she huffed in surprise. "I was expecting someone different."
"It that was a compliment I appreciate it?" she said while looking at the woman. "And you are?"
"I apologize for not introducing myself. My name is Dr. Cora Mills and I am the new Chief of Surgery." Cora said while smiling darkly.
Regina was right, Emma thought to herself while watching the obviously fake smile, this woman is scary.
"Pleasure to meet you Dr. Mills and welcome to Storybrooke Hospital." she tried to remain indifferent. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Oh no Miss Swan. I just wanted to put a face to the name that all of the attendings are mentioning when asking for interns. You see..." she continued while approaching Emma in a clear game of dominance. "You have made an awful good impression on all of them, including my own daughter."
"Oh, you mean Dr. Mills?" she pretended ignorance, hoping that Cora was unable to hear the attempt.
"Yes, and I bet that many told you about my daughter's selectiveness when choosing interns." the woman smirked. "Which makes me be interested in your capabilities as a doctor since she seems to like your assistance."
"Dr. Mills is a very good doctor. Once you prove your knowledge to her." she said, trying to feign some sort of contempt at working for Regina.
"Good doctors are usually like that." Cora said and for a while Emma saw pride in the woman's eyes. "But of course, my daughter wasted her potential when she came here and ran away from fame and glory."
"I don't understand." Emma said honestly.
"Elaborate."
"I don't understand why you are sharing all of these things with me. I have heard that Dr. Mills does not take kindly to people meddling in her affairs." Emma said while pretending to look around in concern. She was going to play Cora and make her believe that she didn't like Regina.
"You shouldn't worry about my daughter." Cora smirked. "Especially if you are under my protection."
"Your protection?"
"Why yes dear." Cora smiled darkly. "You see, one of my 'hobbies' is to find talented doctors and teach them what I know."
"Just like that?" Emma asked sarcastically.
"Just like that." Cora replied with a fake smile.
"All knowledge comes with a price." Emma replied and Cora smirked.
"You are smarter than what you look dear." Cora retorted while chuckling. "The one thing I ask of you is to owe me a favor."
"Owe you a favor?" Emma asked suspiciously. She was not liking this at all.
"Yes, anything that I ask of you you will have to do it."
"And when will you collect this favor?"
"I do not know. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in 10 years." Cora feigned disinterest. "But I will collect it at one point Miss Swan."
"I do not like to make a promise when I don't know the whole story." Emma simply said.
"Even if that promise can bring you glory and esteem?"
"That makes me question even more what kind of favor you could possibly ask of me." Emma replied honestly. "But I will think about it." she said. She couldn't directly become an enemy of Cora, not if they wanted to know the truth. "Could you give me some time?"
"Of course dear!" Cora said while smiling. "Take all the time you need." she said while glancing at the clock. "I do feel better now that we talked about this." she grabbed Emma's hand and it took all of her might to allow the touch. "If you accept, I will make you a star." Cora promised and left the blonde before she could give an answer.
Shit, Emma said while continuing her walk towards the exit, that is Regina's mother. A cold, manipulative and power seeking bitch. Thank God Regina is nothing like that, Emma mused. How is Regina not like that, especially after living and being raised by that woman? Once she thought this question she remembered that Regina in fact had not been 'raised' by her mother. The word that she was looking and fitted Regina's upbringing with her mom more was manipulation. Emma knew that she now needed to tell Regina about her mother's proposal and that scared her a little. She wanted to protect Regina from her mother's grasp, but at the same time she knew that the worst thing that she could do right now was hide the truth from the older doctor. And talking about Regina...
"Lesson tonight?" Emma saw the text and smiled softly.
"Nothing would make me happier." she replied. Especially after that weird meeting with your crazy mother.
"Come to my place. I am waiting for you."
"Kinda confident about my answer, weren't you?" Emma teased.
"A woman can only assume."
"Well, to see you right now would definitely make me feel better."
"Something happened?"
"I just kicked Neal in the balls." And got the scared the life out of me when your mother basically offered me a deal like some sort of devil.
"And why is that bad news? I am quite proud of you."
Emma smiled brightly and started to make her way towards her car.
"Dr. Mills encouraging violence?" At least it seems that I know Regina's reactions.
"Only when Mr. Cassidy is the recipient of it."
"Then I guess I should get a reward." That is until I kill the mood by telling you about my conversation with your mother.
"Come and get it then. Mifflin Road, house number 801."
"Mifflin Road?"
"The street with the nicest houses in town. Mine is the white one."
"I could read the sarcasm in your last text."
"It was meant to be noticed. Now you should be driving instead of texting me."
Emma momentarily forgot about her conversation with Cora and groaned in excitement: Regina was such a tease and she loved it. Her older partners had never been so strong-minded and usually allowed her to take the reins in the relationship. She pretended to like it, and for a while she did enjoy being in power. Nevertheless, she always seemed to reach a peak when the boredom was bigger than the commitment and instead of staying she decided to end things and move on. To be that way had earned her the hate of many people, and although she now felt guiltier about the way she treated older lovers, the end result led her to Regina and nothing could make her regret that.
She drove crazily fast from the hospital and turned at the street where all the nice houses were. Trying to see the color of the houses during the night was kinda hard, but she was determined to find the house without asking Regina for more instructions. She was nearing the end of the street and that was the moment she saw the big white house with its lights on. She parked her car at the other side of the street and slowly made her way to the front porch. She had no doubt that this was Regina's house because the house itself screamed 'property of Regina Mills'. It was as sophisticated and as classy as its owner, and while blindly trying to find the doorbell she saw the door open.
Come on Emma, you can do this, she started the mental pep-talk. You can tell Regina everything that happened and still have a good time, she tried to convince herself to no avail. Fucking timing of fucking Cora Mills, she huffed in annoyance and that was the moment when the door opened.
"Someone is not in a good mood." Regina smirked.
"Someone was at the door waiting for me." Emma teased.
Regina huffed. "I saw you parking your car. Were my directions clear enough?"
Emma smiled at the competiveness of the older doctor. "Well, I am here, aren't I?"
"And then you say that I am the sassy one." Regina smiled while shoving the woman inside and closing the door. "I am glad you are here Emma." she said suddenly serious.
"And I am happy to be here." Emma said while getting closer to the woman. "I missed you."
"We spent all day together." Regina argued but still smiled sweetly.
"And clearly that wasn't enough." Emma said while cupping the brunette's face. "I have missed this too." she said while kissing her cheeks. "And this." she now went for her nose. "And definitely this." she stopped at Regina's lips.
Regina closed the space and kissed Emma with all her might. She had been distant from the blonde, trying to understand what had happened with Mary and what they had promised each other. The moment she made it home she was finally able to relax and realize how poorly she had treated the younger doctor. That and the fact that Emma loved her too and wanted to be with her. It had been such a long time since she felt such excitement about sharing her time, her experiences and emotions with another person. There many questions that needed to be asked, and just as Emma had argued earlier, a lot of colleagues were involved in the story as well. Mary knowing about her mother's presence in the hospital meant that she had a contact inside, possibly someone who could answer them some questions about the brunette. She had grown quite tired of half-truths and hidden schemes.
"Oh Emma." she separated with one last kiss. "I was so horrible with you earlier."
"You weren't." Emma said. "You just had a lot of shit to deal with." And soon I am going to add things on the pile.
"That's a very crude and yet correct way to summarize things."
Emma smiled softly. "And that also gave me a lot of time to think about things."
Regina looked down in fear. "You want answers from me."
Emma tried to calm the brunette. "You can choose not to answer."
"I do not want to." Regina said dejectedly. "But I have to. I don't want to keep any secrets from you."
"I am so happy to hear that." Emma exhaled completely relieved. "Because I also need to tell you something."
Regina contemplated the blonde's face and saw the hesitation in sharing what was troubling her, which in return made her become more curious. "Ok, but before we get to the 20 questions and answers any game we do have a lesson due." she hoped that by focusing on something else the two of them would be ready to open up.
"So you were being serious?" Emma asked surprised. "Thought it was an excuse so I would come here."
Regina smiled and approached Emma. "I don't need an excuse in order to bring you here." she said seductively. "Do I?"
"No, no excuse." Emma swallowed loudly. This woman will be the death of me.
"Then let's go to the kitchen." Regina said while standing and making her way towards the kitchen.
"Very nice kitchen." Emma noted once they were inside.
"It's my second favorite part of the house." Regina smiled warmly. "I love to cook."
"Bet you are really good." Emma said.
"You can make sure of that by tasting my food." Regina said while getting a plate out of the microwave.
Emma groaned in happiness when she saw a big lasagna staring right at her. She took the fork that Regina gave her and immediately dug in.
"Oh my God." Emma moaned. "This is the best lasagna I have ever had.
Regina smiled happily. "I am glad you like it."
"Seriously Regina, you could be a fucking chef!"
"Dr. Swan!" she reprehended the blonde while smiling.
"Just keeping it real." Emma huffed and kept eating. "So, tell me about the lesson."
"I thought we could practice some stitching and cutting techniques." Regina said while going to an extra small fridge and opening it.
"Holy shit! What the hell are you doing with two pig hearts!" Emma screamed while pointing at Regina's hands. "And how did you get them?"
"The butcher?" she feigned surprise. "We are friends and he knows that I like to practice with them."
"Ok, not creepy at all." Emma said sarcastically.
"Small town Dr. Swan."
"Creepy town. I bet the name of the butcher is Jack."
"It is Jack." Regina cackled. "Quite a morbid fitting."
"You bet." Emma shuddered. "Not so excited about meeting the guy."
"He is very nice and has a young daughter." Regina smiled at their teasing banter. "Do you know what my name means?"
"Oh my God, you too?!" Emma faked shock. "And here I thought that we were the only sane ones in this town."
Regina laughed loudly. "All names have meaning Emma."
"Then what does yours mean?"
"It means Queen." Regina said while blushing. "Quite fitting to my Evil Queen alias."
"Well, you do look like a queen." Emma said softly. "A Queen of Hearts."
Regina flinched immediately and Emma noticed it.
"Did I do something Regina?" she asked when the woman looked clearly bothered. "What did I do?"
"That name." Regina said while trying to keep a neutral stare. "That's how my mother likes to call herself and I despise it."
"Then I will never say it again." Emma promised. There you had to go and ruin the whole dinner, she groaned when she realized that this was the right opportunity to tell Regina what happened earlier. "But now that you mentioned your mother, something happened, after you left."
Regina looked at the blonde and saw the doubt and hesitation staring clearly at her. Whatever had happened Emma was not sure how to communicate it to her.
"Emma." Regina said while grabbing the blonde's hand. "We agreed on no secrets from each other." she reminded the blonde. "So whatever you have to tell me rest assured that it will not make me change my mind about you or my feelings for you."
"I talked with your mother." Emma decided to just spit it out.
"You did what?!" Regina screamed and shook the woman in front of her. "Emma, are you out of your mind?! The one thing we agreed on was that we would stay away from her and bring little attention to us."
"I know." Emma said while grabbing the brunette's hands from her shoulder and squeezing them. "I was leaving the hospital and she came to talk to me." she clarified. "And to act hostile towards her would have revealed that I knew about her."
Regina relaxed after feeling Emma's soft hands touching her own. "You are right Emma." she apologized quietly. "You did the right thing by staying and talking to her."
"Regina, I did not like a single moment of it." Emma admitted while shuddering. "The whole time I felt like I was in a chess game where each move led me closer to a checkmate."
"My mother is a very manipulative and cunning woman." Regina agreed. "To her, everything is about power and who plays the game of politics better."
"I kinda noticed that." Emma retorted while approaching the pig hearts and getting a scalpel. "She told me that she had heard about me from the attendings."
"Well, that is not necessarily a lie." Regina followed her and did the same thing. "All of the attendings are desperate to have you work on their department."
"There is only one department where I want to be." Emma flirted and that earned her a soft laugh from Regina.
"Teacher's pet." Regina teased while showing Emma what to do with the scalpel and opening the heart. "But I suspect that my mother did not stop there."
"She did not." Emma conceded. "She offered me a deal."
Regina stopped the movement of the scalpel and dropped the heart on the table. "Please tell me you did not accept it." she begged the blonde.
"I didn't." Emma promised. "She wanted me to, and I am sure she was disappointed when she saw that I wouldn't be so hard to manipulate."
"Good." Regina breathed again and took the pig heart once more. "The worst thing you can do is have a deal with my mother."
"Why?"
"Because you either make it or face the consequences." Regina said softly. "And when my mother asks for her favor back it will be for the sole reason of benefiting herself."
"You did one with her, didn't you?" Emma asked softly while lowering the heart and stopping Regina from cutting more.
Regina lowered her own heart and stared at Emma while nodding softly. "Daniel was dying." she confessed sadly. "And I thought she would be able to save him."
"But you told me that she refused to help him." Emma asked.
"And she did." Regina told her while washing her hands. "But I still made the deal. In exchange for her 'trying' I would stay by her side."
"Trying?" Emma shrugged. "Isn't that word a little ambiguous?"
"It is." Regina said angrily. "And my mother took advantage of it by claiming that trying for her standards meant to look at his exams and give a diagnosis."
"She tricked you. She manipulated you." Emma said in complete shock. "What kind of mother does that?"
"One that doesn't love you." Regina said simply. "And she succeeded in manipulating me because I was in love and desperate."
"I'm really sorry Regina." Emma said while going to the sink and washing her own hands.
"Thankfully you are cleverer than me." Regina smiled softly. "And saw the truth behind her promises."
"She promised me the world." Emma huffed. "Fame and glory."
"Most people are unable to resist such an offer." Regina said.
"Everything in life has a price. And I'm sure that something from your mother comes with interests."
Regina chuckled. "I won't deny that."
"You know what is making me rot in anger?" Emma asked. "That all these women that claim to be such amazing doctors are only interested in getting people to learn from them so that they can become their future."
Regina froze and looked at Emma with surprise. "Emma, you are right!"
"I know." the blonde said confused. "But why does that make you get all excited?"
"Because now it makes sense." Regina said while moving to the studio. "Why my mother decided to come now to Storybrooke." she clarified for Emma who had followed her inside. "She somehow found out about you and wants to make you her new pupil."
"Just like that?" Emma asked surprised. "Why? And how did she find out about me?"
"I don't know." Regina replied. "But it wouldn't be beneath her to find some sort of dark amusement at becoming your teacher. Especially if she knows that you are Mary's daughter."
"Do you think she knows?"
"With one mother one can can never know?" Regina said in exasperation. "That is what terrifies me about her."
"About that." the blonde said. "When you were in shock, from finding out about your mother's presence, you told me that she found you after all these years."
Regina nodded in agreement.
"But your sister works here too." Emma said. "She could have told your mother about Storybrooke."
"Half-sister." Regina clarified. "And she didn't." she said with determination.
"Not that I don't want to give your sister the benefit of the doubt."
"Half-sister."
"But how can you be sure?"
"Because we have a deal." Regina smiled and for a moment Emma saw a resemblance between mother and daughter. "I had just been nominated for the first time for the Snow White Award." Regina told the blonde while pouring them some drinks. "And I remember how terrified I became because they listed the name of the hospital where I worked at. I was expecting my mother to appear in town and demand me to leave with her." she admitted.
"I can guess that didn't happen."
"No, instead of my mother came Zelena." Regina said while her gaze sombered. "And she was just like my mother: Desperate for power and recognition. She wanted to tell mother about me so she could be proud of her." Regina spat angrily.
"Why didn't she? She had all the reasons."
"Because before leaving she messed up. She became infatuated with a man who could never love her." Regina confessed. "Dr. Gold."
"No kidding!" Emma said surprised. "But still, that doesn't explain why that is such a shocker."
"It turns out that my mother and Mr. Gold share a tumultuous past." Regina admitted while shrugging. "They were lovers before she met my father and married him."
"With Gold?" Emma said while yucking. "That is just plain disgusting. And how come these many people from your past have found their way to this small town?!"
"I do not know Emma." Regina confessed. "But there is something that seems to bring all lost and desperate souls here. Like some sort of magnet."
"Come on Regina, things do not happen because of magic." Emma huffed.
"I know they don't." Regina replied. "But I cannot find another explanation for our presence here. All of us have suffered some sort of tragedy: Gold lost his wife and son when he was younger. Jefferson gave her daughter for adoption and he has regretted that decision immensely. Ashley was bullied by her stepsisters and stepmother. Eugenia lost her daughter on a hunting trip and had to take care of Ruby. Mary Margaret abandoned you and couldn't live with her decision. Katharine is in a loveless marriage. I lost Daniel." Regina continued arguing.
"And I was an orphan during my whole life." Emma finished for her. "I see your point."
"Once I found out about Zelena's infatuation and attempt at seducing Gold I threatened her. I told her that if she told mother about me I would spill everything about her relationship with Gold."
"I don't see your mother caring much about that."
"And I didn't see it either. But Gold helped me."
"He helped you?" Emma asked surprised. "I find that hard to believe."
"So did I." Regina admitted. "But he told me quite a bit about my mother's past and to why she became the way she is now. How in her search of power she gave up on love, abandoning Gold on the way."
"So your mother loved Gold."
"I do not know if love is the right word. But my mother is quite territorial with what she considers are her belongings and one can assume that Gold and I are seemed as such."
"And he also didn't want her here."
"You are right. It seems that he is not happy about her being here."
"And Zelena went back to New York and told your mother that you were no longer in Storybrooke Hospital."
Regina nodded. "Since I didn't win the award I didn't need to travel to New York to receive it, but the next time they nominated me I sent them my research from an independent study."
"So that it wouldn't be associated with the hospital."
"Yes, my father left me a small fortune after his passing, and I have been investing it in the medical field." Regina confessed. "So by funding my own studies I didn't need to list the name of Storybrooke Hospital. And the Board have always been a bunch of assholes who think of themselves as the royalty of Storybrooke."
"Not surprised there."
"After all of this Zelena came back to Storybrooke and applied for a job. My mother had sent her here so she could wait until my return." Regina said in anger. "And two years ago I got nominated again. This time I was not worried about my mother finding me because I was listed as an independent doctor."
"So Zelena didn't tell her." Emma finally admitted. "Which in return brings us to the question of who told her about your presence here. Because someone did. Who knew about your relationship?"
"Mary Margaret,Zelena, Gold and you." Regina said but then stopped and froze. "And David Nolan."
"David as in Chief Nolan the husband of Katherine?"
"Yes." she said and groaned. "I'm so stupid. How could I forget."
"What Regina? What did you forget?" Emma asked.
"David Nolan was the one that recommended your mother for a job as attending."
"So they knew each other before coming to Storybrooke?" Emma asked surprised.
"But it doesn't make sense." Regina said. "Because David and Katherine arrived to Storybrooke 2 years before Mary Margaret and I did. And they were in Washington, DC. before they even got here."
"Where did Mary Margaret finish her medical internship?"
"New York I think she told me." Regina said.
"And David?"
"I'm not sure." she said while taking her phone out and googling his name. "It says that he finished it in Washington."
"So they never crossed paths?" Emma asked surprised. "They must have, at some point in their lives. What about high school?"
"David finished high school in Boston." Regina informed her.
"And Mary?"
"Also in Boston." Regina whispered.
"You seem to know quite a bit about her." Emma said a little hurt.
"During three years I was her only friend." Regina smiled sadly. "Just as I know about her she knows about me."
"But instead of you she uses that information to hurt you." Emma spat angrily. "But I guess that there is our connection. The two of them met in Boston."
"Boston is a big city Emma." Regina tried to dissuade Emma.
"You said that David was the one that recommended her for the job."
"I did." Regina agreed. "But why contact him at all after all that time."
"Perhaps because she needed a place to run?"
"Yes, but why did she have to choose Storybrooke. She could have gone anywhere but she still chose to go where David was."
"You mean that Mary followed him here?"
"I guess I am saying that." Regina said exasperated. "Almost as if they were lovers."
"Why do you say that?"
"At what time did Mary Margaret have you?"
"17, 18?"
"Ok, so that only makes her be old enough for senior year of high school or freshman in college." Regina reasoned.
"And she told me that after she got me she went to medical school." Emma said.
"Which means that she started college after having you."
"And she started it in New York." Emma finished for Regina. "It was on her letter."
"And once she got her degree in General Surgery she went to work at New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell where I met her. One year after that meeting we came here to Storybrooke where she taught me for 2 more years and that is when she stopped her lessons."
"And David was here already with Katherine." Emma saw Regina's reasoning. "That gives us enough prove to go talk to him."
"Yeah, but not enough to suspect that he was the one that told my mother about my presence here. He knew how scared I was of her."
"Maybe it was part of a deal? Maybe he had no choice?" Emma asked. "The only way we can make sure is if we confront him." she stood up and went to grab her purse.
"Now?" Regina asked in complete shock.
"Yes now." Emma said while doing the same for Regina and pushing her towards the exit. "You and Katherine are bff. Tell her that you are passing by her house."
"Emma, that is rather imposing." Regina scolded her. "And the last thing we want is more people knowing about us."
"I know that Katherine already knows." Emma winked at the brunette who blushed. "And if our assumptions are right, David was going to find out sooner or later."
"Emma, I'm not so sure about this. Remember what I told you about Katherine."
"That she doesn't love David?"
"Well, it's more complicated than that." Regina kept on saying and again froze. "Oh no." she whispered.
"Regina, again, don't keep shocking ideas to yourself please." Emma teased the brunette.
"Oh Emma." Regina whispered while kissing the blonde woman sweetly. "My sweet Emma."
"Regina, you are scaring me. Please tell me what is going on."
"David cheated on Katherine."
"Poor Katherine." Emma said sadly. "But that still doesn't explain your sorrow for me."
"Emma, don't you see? David cheated on Katherine while being in Storybrooke."
"So? Could have been one of the nurses."
"David wouldn't sacrifice his marriage for an unknown woman." Regina said. "But he would do it for a person that he may have loved in the past."
Emma realized what Regina had meant. "My mother."
Regina nodded and kept quiet so that Emma could reach the same conclusion she reached.
"They met in high school, Mary had me and abandoned me. She went to New York, David to Washington. Years later they find themselves in Storybrooke. David cheats, Mary abandons you." Emma's eyes opened in complete shock. "But it can't be. He can't be."
Regina simply looked at Emma and felt all the need to hug the blonde and protect her from the truth. Emma had suffered enough during her life, and based on what they suspected, she would continue to do so until all of this was solved. She realized then that the only way in which things could end was by them ending them.
"He cannot be my father." Emma whispered again. "But when I told him that I was the daughter of Mary he looked at me in complete shock, clearly not knowing that Mary had a child."
"There is only one way to find out." Regina said while taking her phone out and texting Katherine.
"Now I'm not so sure about going."
"Now we must go." Regina said while holding her hands. "You deserve the truth Emma. You deserve answers."
"But what if I don't like those answers?" she asked completely scared.
"That will happen." Regina said while kissing her softly. "But don't you think that it's better to know than live in the shadows for all your life?"
"I think you are trying to manipulate me?" Emma tried to tease.
Regina smiled. "Well, Cora did manage to teach me some things."
"Ugh. As long as you don't go batshit, power-thirsty crazy on me."
Regina laughed loudly, somehow dissipating the dark mood that was dominating the room. "Good thing I have you around to keep me grounded then."
Emma smiled and hugged the brunette. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For wanting what is best for me." Emma replied softly while tears started falling from her eyes. "No one has ever put me first."
"I love you." Regina said firmly. "And I want you to be happy no matter what. Even if that happiness is not with me, I want you to find it because you deserve it."
"And so do you." Emma cried more and hugged Regina. "And I will also do my damndest to help you get it." she separated and cleaned her eyes. "And right now that happiness means finding out how your mother got here."
"Even if that means finding things about your past that you may not like?"
"Yes." Emma said honestly. "Because I know that you would do, and have done, the same for me."
The moment the door of the Nolan's house opened Regina held her breath and tried to give a reassuring smile to her old friend. They had a quiet drive from her house to Katherine's place, both too consumed in the things they learned and the questions these answers brought to the game. Katherine had answered back immediately and welcomed them no questions asked, which made Regina even more adamant about protecting her from her husband's mistakes. Not that Emma was a mistake, because she was honestly conflicted about how to treat David: She wanted to kill for cheating on her friend but also thank him for helping to create the love of her life.
"You have that look." she heard Katherine joke with her after opening the door.
"What look?" Regina said while grabbing Emma's hand and pulling her inside.
"The one where you are thinking too much about something." Emma said and she earned a cackle from Katherine.
"It's nice to see you both. Together." Katherine smiled at the two women. "But it also makes me wonder why I am seeing you. I thought that you wanted to keep your relationship under the lid?" she looked at Regina for confirmation.
"I am not ashamed of Emma or our relationship." Regina said while kissing the blonde's knuckles. "But my mother's presence is only going to endanger our relationship."
"But Regina she is your mother. She should be happy for you."
"She is not because she is fucking crazy." Emma said, earning an amused look from Katherine.
"Although Emma said it in a rather crude language, I assure you Katherine that my mother does not have my happiness as one of her interests."
"More like her unhappiness." Emma whispered and kissed the brunette's cheek. "But we won't let her win, not this time."
"Not this time." Regina replied. "Which is why we need your help."
"Regina, you are my best friend." Katherine said and smiled at Emma. "Which means that I am your friend too. So of course I will help you with what I can."
"I am afraid we will interfere with a very difficult topic for you." Regina apologized in advance. "But you know that I wouldn't do this if I wasn't almost completely sure about it."
"Regina just tell me." Katherine said. "You are scaring me."
"Ok." Regina took a deep breath. "Emma is Mary Margaret's child."
"She is?" Katherine asked in complete shock. "That is a surprise. But at the same time it also explains why you are so smart. Your mother was a wonderful doctor."
Emma and Regina flinched internally when they saw how much Katherine respected Mary. This was going to be so much harder than what they expected.
"And did you know that David was the one that recommended her for the job at Storybrooke Hospital?"
"Yes." Katherine replied. "They went to high school together."
Regina looked at Emma and saw how pale the younger woman had gotten. They were closer to the truth more than ever.
"And you said that David started to behave strangely once you came to Storybrooke."
"It wasn't right away." Katherine answered. "I think it was after two or three years. Why are you asking?" the older blonde finally asked.
Regina looked at Emma for confirmation to share what they knew, and when Emma nodded she took another breath.
"Katherine." Regina started while grabbing the blonde's hand. "We think that Mary Margaret had Emma when she was 17 years old. She abandoned Emma on an orphanage and then went on to study her doctorate."
"Ok, I am sorry about hearing that but why does that relate to me?"
"Not to you." Emma whispered. "But to David."
Katherine opened her eyes in complete shock. "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"
"Katherine, before you do something..." Regina started but then had to stop when Katherine screamed for her husband to come down.
There was some grumbling upstairs and a few minutes later David was coming down with boxers and a baseball club in his hands.
"What is going on?!" he screamed while looking for any kind of dangers. "Why did you scream?"
"Did you cheat on me with Mary Margaret?!" Katherine screamed at him and all the persons in the room froze.
Emma got closer to Regina and unconsciously grabbed the brunette's hand, trying to somehow calm herself for what she was sure was going to be a big fight.
"Katherine..." David said cautiously while finally noticing the presence of Emma and Regina. "Regina, Dr. Swan, what are you doing in my house?" he asked angrily.
"They came to talk to me." Katherine answered for them. "And you will answer my question now!"
"I asked you to not ask me that question. The only thing I asked was that. And now you are breaking that deal?" he looked at Regina. "This is your fault. You have been filling her with these ideas."
"Don't you dare blame Regina for your cowardice." Emma finally spoke.
"Dr. Swan, I don't even know what you are doing here, but this clearly doesn't involve you." David said and then looked at the woman's hands. "Are you together?"
"That is none of your business David." Regina spat angrily at him. "And Katherine asked you a question."
"And it so involves Emma!" Katherine smirked darkly. "Turns out it does because she is your love child." she spat at him and the man froze again.
"That can't be." David said again. "Mary and I only saw each other for a couple of months. And it was here in Storybrooke."
"Asshole." Katherine muttered while crying. "You got Mary pregnant when the two of were in high school."
"That's impossible, we used protection." David started to mumble.
"I don't think we need to answer you that question." Regina said angrily.
"You don't understand." David said while looking at Emma. "Mary and I broke up once we were done with high school. She wanted to have a family and stay in Boston. And I..." he continue while sitting down in one of the couches. "I wanted to see the world. I wanted to become the best doctor I could ever be. I couldn't be what she wanted me to be so I left and went to DC, where I met Katherine." he said while looking at his wife. "And fell in love with her."
"Then why did you cheat?" Katherine asked while crying. "If you loved me, why did you go astray?"
"I don't know Kat." he said dejectedly. "She called me out of the blue one day and asked me for a favor. I still felt guilty about not being what she wanted me to be, so of course I tried to assuage my guilt by recommending her to the Board. When she came here with a doctor's degree and a younger Regina I assumed that she moved on and that this was a new beginning for us: A way to be friends again. One thing led to another, and soon enough we found ourselves in an affair. I didn't know she still loved me."
"So when you were sleeping with her it wasn't because of love, it was just lust." Emma said angrily.
"She lied to me." David said. "She never told me about you."
"Why would she?" Emma spat angrily. "I was the biggest mistake of her life. And I bet you left her before she could tell you about the pregnancy." when she didn't get a negative she huffed. "And you wonder why she lied to you. She clearly wanted to destroy your marriage David and you fell in the trap."
"But that's not the Mary I knew in high school! She was sweet and loving and patient."
"A person that you destroyed with your abandonment." Regina replied. "Trust me, something like that can change a person."
"I don't want to be related to you." Emma said in anger. "I refuse to believe it until we have a DNA test."
Regina looked at Emma and saw how the younger woman was trying to hold the tears at bay. How hard it must be for her to learn that none of her parents wanted her and that the two of them had hurt each other so much in the process. She had issues with her mother, but if there was one thing she was sure of was that Cora had wanted her.
"We can do that tomorrow at the hospital." Katherine finally spoke. "I will tell Granny to put you with me so we can go and do the test."
Emma and Regina nodded in agreement.
"So this is why you barged into my home? To finish the job that Mary started and destroy my marriage?"
"No David." Regina replied. "You did this to yourself. And the reason why we are here is because we want to know how Cora found me."
"You, along with Mary, Zelena and Gold, were the only ones who knew about my relationship with her." Regina said angrily. "And I am sure that neither Mary or Gold or Zelena told them about me being here."
"Which only leaves you as the snitch." Emma spat at the man who flinched at the tone she used. "So tell us, what did Cora had on you?"
"Nothing." David stuttered. "I told her nothing."
"Then who did?" Emma asked again.
"I don't know. I got a call from the Board and they told me about her coming to work here. Apparently she wanted to relax and work in a less competitive hospital but still have some sort of administrative powers."
"And that's it?" Regina asked.
"That's all they told me." David promised. "I am not sure how she found you Regina, but it wasn't because of me. I would have never brought that horrible woman here if I were to control it."
"I believe him." Emma said to Regina. "I think this is the first time he has told us the truth without us pushing him for it."
"If you believe him then I believe you." Regina replied while putting a lock of blonde hair behind Emma's face. "Which still leaves us with the question of who could know about the two of you."
"I think I may know a way to finding out more about this." Emma said and the three other adults looked at her. "But you won't like it." she told Regina.
"No Emma, you can't." Regina said. "I will not let you do that."
"Do what?" Katherine asked.
"She wants to make a deal with my mother."
"No Emma." David said while standing up. "That woman is a viper, and making a deal with her is almost as a death sentence."
"The only way she will let me get close enough is by pretending to be shadowing her." Emma explained to all of them. "And shadowing her is the only way we will find the truth."
"Regina..." Katherine started to say but the brunette moved around the room.
"No Emma, I don't like it. My mother, she is dangerous, and she doesn't care about others. She won't hesitate about backstabbing you if it means she gets more power."
"Then you will protect me." Emma replied simply. "I know you will have my back."
"Of course I will have it Emma! I love you." Regina said and heard the surprise gasp from Katherine. "Which is why I don't want you near her."
"If you love me, then show me." Emma manipulated Regina and hated herself a little for it.
"I know what you are trying to do Emma." Regina said sadly.
"Show me you trust me." Emma continued speaking and grabbed the older doctor's face. "Let me go."
"But what if I lose you like I lost Daniel?" Regina whispered.
Katherine looked in complete shock at the exchange between the two women. It was clear that they were in their own world, and it was also the first time that she saw Regina in such a vulnerable state. The brunette in front of her was completely terrified of her mother and what she could do to destroy her happiness. It was sad and heartwarming to see how much Emma meant to her friend and how desperate she was at trying to reassure her that they deserved happiness.
"You won't." Emma smiled softly. "Because you are now a super badass doctor and if I may say so I am kinda of a badass too."
Regina smiled softly. "Idiot."
"Your idiot." Emma smiled and kissed the brunette softly. "So, does this mean we go forward with Operation Cobra?"
"Operation Cobra?" Katherine asked amused. "Regina, you fell in love with a child."
"It seems I did." Regina replied.
"And it also seems that you have two extra members on it." Katherine said while pointing at herself and David, who simply nodded and looked down.
"Katherine, we are so sorry." Regina started to apologize.
"Don't." Katherine smiled softly. "Because for the first time in a long time I feel free. I had such a burden for not knowing the truth that it was unconsciously bringing me down."
Emma smiled softly. "You are kinda awesome Katherine."
"And also quite protective." she smirked. "So don't you even think about doing something stupid that could compromise your relationship with Regina."
"I won't." Emma replied while smiling at Regina who just huffed in acceptance.
"And yes, we may go forward with Operation Cobra."