FFB10

The day had started off well and the emotions that seeped from Regina were warranted. It was finally her last day with David Nolan as her partner.

It was bittersweet to have to say goodbye to a partner she'd had for a little over 2 years. They'd gotten to know each other well.

The only positive was that they precincts worked together at times, so there was possibility of working together in the future.

"Come on, it's going to be fine." David urged her to be in a good mood and to drop her bitter façade.

"I know. I'm just gonna miss you." David smirked, "can you say that again Just for me?" Regina shoved him off as they walked down the sidewalk, "stop it."

"I'm gonna miss you saying that. Even if it is to scold me. I was thinking…" Regina glanced at him, "what?"

David stalled, "well what if you brought Henry over for dinner on Fridays?" Regina shrugged, "like every week?"

Hoping she'd agree, he pressed, "yeah, I mean that way we see one another regularly. Would you be okay with a big family dinner?"

Regina paused, "something tells me you're asking because you want to invite Emma too."

Guilt shaded his expression, "Yea, I mean she is family too and you're going to partners. Would it kill you to spend just a little time outside of work with her?"

"Actually, yes. It might." The sarcasm was dripping from her tone. David laughed, "you are so bad. Please? It would mean a lot to Mary Margaret.

Regina sighed, "you had to use her as a weapon. Didn't you?" Smiling, he pushed his shoulder into hers, "you know you like her."

Grinning, Regina agreed, "I do. So, I'll do it for her. Plus, it'd be nice for Henry to get out and see you guys. He's always alone or with Conner."

David knew, "he's a kid. He reads a lot and you know he's not getting in trouble. It'll be good for him to spend time with family."

Regina raised her head as Emma walked out of the precinct, "hey I was looking for you guys."

Emma looked frazzled and her hair was wild, which normally meant she'd been looking over a case.

"What's up?" Regina sounded aloof and uninterested, knowing it was probably some drama she'd concocted.

"Booth called, he wants to see us in the unit tomorrow." Regina scoffed, "wait, tomorrow? I thought we had a few days."

Emma shrugged, "I guess they need us on that Neuman case. The DA is pressing them hard about results."

Regina sighed, "What is so pressing that it can't wait a few days?" David stood aside to let the women discuss the news.

Emma put her hands in her back pockets and shifter her weight to her right side, "A new perp that arrived in station. They want us to interview him."

"How are we supposed to conduct an interview on a case we haven't even been able to research yet?"

Emma gave her a knowing look, "we both know that you already read the case file. Don't pretend you haven't. I know you."

Regina rolled her eyes, "fine. I may have read it, but I'm not ready to jump in this yet." Emma didn't argue, "I'm not either but we don't have much of a choice."

Annoyance sprung from her body, "this is just great." Emma shrugged, "I'm sorry. Booth said be in unit by 8."

Regina closed her eyes to calm herself, "does he realize that our shift ends at 5?" Emma sighed, "your shift ends at 5? I'm off in an hour."

The anger filled her tone, "well isn't that nice for you? Guess I'm the one who won't be sleeping."

Emma said nothing but sympathetically smiled, "talk to Gold. He may be able to let you off early."

Regina countered, "I can't leave my partner to work alone. I'll bare it, don't worry about me. You go home and rest, I'll meet you at unit tomorrow."

Emma rushed off and Regina turned to David who was staring at them. "Wow." Regina crossed her arms, "wow?"

David smiled in amusement, "I see it now." Regina asked, "see what?" David grinned, "that sexual tension. I didn't see it before, now I do. You two really have some work to do."

The embarrassment wasn't her only problem. Regina worried about the work dynamic between her and Emma and worried it would suffer.

David wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I'm just teasing. Come on. You can help me wrap up this nonsense of a case."

"Gladly. Something to take my mind off things."

.~.

Emma struggled to keep her emotions in since her fight with Regina in the stairwell. There was a lot that had to be said and she wanted to tell Regina the truth.

The next day they'd be embarking on a journey together as partners. It was nerve wracking and no matter how much she wanted to admit truths, it was too hard.

Regina knew what she wanted her to know and all she could handle. Outside of that, she accepted that she'd hate her.

The last time they were together was in Gilly's when they'd gotten smashed. Emma regretted the things she said when she got loose.

The look on Regina's face when she joked about their sexual relationship to her bosses, haunted her.

No words could express how sorry she was for that, but there was more than what she knew.

Sleeping with Graham had made Emma want to vomit, but she had no choice. Allowing Regina to find out that they'd hooked up wasn't her choice.

Seeing the look on her face and the hurt made her heart burst. Emma sighed as she let that night come into focus.

**2 years ago**

The bar smelt of peanuts and alcohol mixed with a subtle wooden Aire. Regina sipped on tequila as did Emma. They flirted and enjoyed their first night outside of the comforts of Regina's apartment.

The secrecy of their relationship was Regina's doing, it was partly to hide from Henry. Regina worried it would cause upheaval at work.

Emma agreed to keep it to themselves, after all it was new and they were still figuring it out.

After a few drinks, Emma spotted Graham, Dawn and a few of their layers join them at the bar.

They enjoyed drinks and they laughed and had a great time. That was, until Emma began to spout out intimate details.

Regina tried to shush her but to no avail. Emma kept on talking until Regina was embarrassed enough to leave.

Instead of following, Graham stopped her near the women's bathroom and cornered her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Wrapping her into his arms and letting his hands caress her, he grinned at her.

Emma felt uncomfortable and tried to push him off, "stop. I need to go, Regina left."

Laughing, he dismissed it, "who cares. Why don't you join me for a nightly rondeau?"

Emma scoffed, "yea right. You think I'd sleep with you? I just told you I'm with Regina."

His grip tightened and his eyes turned dark, "you work for me, and I can take your job in a second."

The threat rang loud and clear; his fingers were digging into her skin. "I tell you what, you do this tonight and I'll let you off the hook."

Emma's eyes widened, "What?" Graham softened his grip and kissed her neck lightly, "either you come home with me tonight, or tomorrow I fire your girl."

The ultimatum made her want to throw up, knowing that the decision was a hard one. There wasn't time to think, so as his lips ventured on her skin, her mind was jumbled.

The alcohol had taken its toll and she knew she'd forget a lot of it, so she agreed. "On one condition."

His eyes met hers, "Regina can never know about this." With a creepy grin, he captured her lips and took what he wanted.

Emma felt dirty, disgusting and hated that she was betraying Regina.

Tears streamed down Emma's cheeks as she tried to shake the memory from her mind. The only thing she thanked herself for was the amount of alcohol she'd consumed.

Although she remembered bits and pieces, her mind had blocked out the sex. It was something she didn't want to remember.

Regina found out shortly after what she'd done, but there was no going back. To Emma, keeping that secret would save Regina's job.

The choice was easy; she chose her over herself. Regina hated her after and never let her see Henry or let her explain the reasoning.

After a few months, Emma tried to go to her and explain what happened. The truth needed to be spoken. Regina thwarted every attempt.

Emma couldn't break into that wall that she'd built up. The few times they came into contact, Regina was gone.

The anger and the resentment was all that was left.

Emma wiped her eyes and tried to be strong. Tomorrow, Regina would be her partner and she promised to let go of the past.

Eventually she'd get her chance to explain what happened and her side of the story. For now, she put it away.

.~.

The next morning at 8 Regina arrived at her new unit to meet Booth and Emma. They sat in the media room.

Booth spoke to the women to update them on their new assignment.

"Jessica Neuman, 32-year-old female was reported missing five years ago. Her friend Carla reported her missing after they'd spent a night out on the town."

Regina kept her eyes on him, noting Emma taking notes next to her. "The investigation yielded nothing. The party they attended got her on camera. After leaving they had no more information."

"Did they find out which way she exited the building?" Emma was quick to pipe in and ask questions.

"Yes. The camera indicated she left out the right side leading towards her home. Street cameras picked her up within a block of the building. Neuman was ushered into a white Sudan, then there was no trace."

Regina watched the wheels working in Emma's head, "did you pick up footage of where the car went?"

Booth smiled, maybe at her enthusiasm, "that's where you come in. See we are investigating her murder, but there's' a lot about this case that fell through the cracks."

Regina asked, "where exactly do we start?" Booth sat and slid the folder across the table. Regina raised the top and looked at a picture of a male.

"Is this the perp?" Emma looked up and expected an answer. Booth continued, "this is Raul Santiago a gang leader in the area. He's known for delivering women to Pixman."

"Pixman?" Regina scoffed at the name. "Pixman is a known pimp, who we think may have made Neuman turn tricks before she was killed."

"What makes you think that?" Emma was quick and Regina allowed her to do what she did best.

"Well Raul just squealed on him. So, you get to interview him. Before you do, I'm giving you this room for an hour to prepare. Samuels will bring in the casefile."

Booth excused himself and the women sifted through the file on the table. "This sounds like shitty police work to me."

Regina agreed, "It does. Sounds like the cops and the detectives shifted it off their deck. There seems to be more than what's here though."

Emma turned to her now paying attention to the look on her face, "what?" Unable to place it, "I don't know. I mean why would this guy suddenly talk? Does that sound plausible?"

"It sounds like a trap. I'll get to working on deciphering the casefile, you start on the reports."

Emma nodded, "Alright." Samuels dropped off the files in the media room and left the women to work.

Oddly, they fell into step in their duties. Words weren't expressed but at least the silence between them was productive and not hostile.