My writing this fiction had gradually gotten weirder. Lots of love to you all! Thanks for almost 100 follows!
The alarm blared, Regina groaned at the awful sound, in that moment there was no uncertainty that it was the bane of her existence. With a heavy groan she pushed it off her nightstand, that shut it up.
Monday again, she thought as she flung her legs off the bed and walked into the bathroom. She got light headed and tripped up into the threshold, but didn't fall. This in it's own was surprising, it had become ritual that she would fall at least once on Monday mornings. Thank God she lived alone or her guise of undeterred grace would be compromised.
The brunette turned on the shower without turning on the lights, she truly hated fluorescents, and went for showering in the dark if she had any say in the matter. Regina waited until the temperature was just right, a little on the cold side while still providing enough warmth to sustain a climate change from the outside world. She washed her hair, still half asleep as the foamy creme scented bubbles fell into her face. Wash, rinse, repeat and she reluctantly offed the system, now feeling somewhat refreshed and ready for the day.
Flicking through her mass amounts of clothing articles, she chose something professional but not uncomfortable; charcoal slacks and a navy turtle neck, then to top it all off navy kitten heels. Regina always loved the way heels sounded when she walked, it made her feel powerful and like she could kill the nearest bystander with just a glance. That was the attitude she wanted everyday, so she always wore heels.
On her way out of the door her phone hummed with a new message, she didn't get to read it until she reached the elevator. It was from her latest client, though she was hardly a client now.
Goodmoring, sunshine! Call me when you can, I have something to ask you.
Regina smiled and pressed the call icon at the top of the screen. It rang five times, then there was an answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's Regina."
"Oh, hey! Wow, you are up early." Athena laughed.
"I could say the same to you, dear."
"I suppose that's true, so I was wondering," She trailed off.
"Yes?" Regina grinned.
"Right, so I have tickets to this festival and I wanted to know if you'd like to join me." She ran off.
"When is it?"
"It's tonight and tomorrow night, but the passes are only good for one. So, you know, either way."
"So, music or food? I want to know what I am getting into." Regina chuckled.
"Yeah, of course. It's both, the food is great, too. I went last year and really enjoyed myself. The music is kind of underground but really good, since it's not just one style, it's just, it's really cool I can't explain." She rambled.
"In that case, yes." Regina said with a smile, the elevator door opened and she strode out.
"Really? Yay!" Athena cheered. "So, tonight?"
"Tonight would be lovely, I look forward to it."
"As do I, I'll pick you up around 7, cool?" She asked.
"Yes, cool." Regina iterated. "Until then, dear."
"Until then. Goodbye." Athena finished and hung up the phone. Regina smiled to herself, she had a date tonight.
At the office she arrived early, the receptionist, Violet, just stirring up her morning brew. The woman looked up and glared, this had become routine. Regina smirked and raised a brow at the older woman and made way to her office. Upon entering she found her door to be unlocked, which was odd, she always made sure to do so herself. She almost, almost, jumped when she saw David Nolan sitting in one of her chairs, typing up a storm on his smartphone.
"Chief Nolan, what are you doing?" She asked, closing the door behind her, following the path to her desk, she set her purse and keys down on it.
"Sorry, I just wanted to be sure to catch you. I didn't mean to intrude." David said, turning off the device so it went dark.
"It's fine. What's the problem?" She asked, taking her seat, folding her hands to show he had her full attention.
He looked at her water bottle then his eyes flicked back up to hers. "It's Emma, she got into some trouble this morning, and I don't really know what to do. I've not had to deal with teenage girl's in such close proximity since high school." He laughed.
"What happened?" She asked, already knowing full well, but he didn't know that part, he didn't need to.
"I don't know, she was with this friend and didn't call, turns out they were doing drugs or something, she's not really been great with the details, but it's pretty clear what went down."
"I see, and you're afraid this will become habitual?" She asked, he nodded.
"I don't want her to go down that road, Regina, I know if she does she might not come back." He told her. "There's something else, but you have to promise not to tell Emma."
"Of course not." She shook her head and rested it on her hands under her chin.
"Remember in school, when Mary Margret left to stay with family in Vermont? It was early in Junior year." Regina nodded. "Yeah, well she, she was pregnant."
Regina saw it coming, David and Snow had been pretty active in those early years, but what did this have to do with.. "David, what are you saying?" She shook her head.
"We gave the baby up, she, we couldn't do it, we were just kids, we didn't think we could do it." He said, looking at his hands as her pinched them together. "She found us."
"Who?" Regina asked.
"Emma. Emma is the baby we gave up, Regina, fuck! We did this to her, I can't stop thinking about it, this is all our fault." A tear fell down his cheek.
"Oh my God," Regina whispered. "No, but, no, this isn't your fault. David." He looked up to her, eyes red rimmed. "This isn't your fault, you couldn't have stopped what happened to Emma, it was inevitable, you thought you were doing the right thing." He nodded. "There was nothing you could have done. But you have a chance now, to make up for all the years she didn't have you."
"How? How can we ever make up for that? You know what happened, how could she ever forgive us? We ruined her life before it even began."
"No, you can make up for it, just show her that you want to. Don't be sorry, that will make her feel like a victim, she's not a victim, she's a survivor. That girl is so strong, can't you see that? She tries so hard everyday to be happy because she was given this second chance, by you." Regina said, not holding back at all.
"What do I do? If I can't be sorry what do I do?"
"I can't tell you that, she's your daughter, David, you should know this better than anyone."
"But I don't." Was all he said.
"If I know Emma, all she could ask for is assurance, that you are going to stay by her even if she messes up, like she did this weekend."
"You do." David nodded.
"What do you mean?"
"You know her, she likes you, Regina." He looked up to meet her gaze. "Help me, help me save my daughter."
"I don't," Regina began, her voice cracking. What does he mean? She didn't know how to save Emma, not in the way David so clearly wanted, why was he looking to her for this help?
"Please." He added, his voice as pleading as his words.
"Okay, I can help you." She nodded. "Where do we start?" Regina asked, then cringed at the way she was treating this like some kind of business meeting discussing construction plans and not an actual human being, whom she cared for a bit more than she should.
"Will you see her? She's pissed at us, after this weekend we restricted her to the house, she was less than pleased."
"See her as in a session?" Regina asked.
"No, not unless you think that would be right?" She shook her head. "Maybe take her to I don't know, buy makeup? God, I don't even know what she likes." He bit out.
"Okay, no, it's fine." Regina blurted. "Yeah, I can do that, should I pick her up from school, then go from there?"
"Yes, please, that actually works perfectly, since Snow had open house until six and no one will be home."
Regina nodded in thought. "So does this mean I get half the day off?" She grinned.
David laughed, allowing good humor back into his features. "Yes, I guess it does." He stood. "I should get back, I'm avoiding paperwork again." He said and made way to the door. "Regina. Thank you." He smiled warmly, she nodded, matching his expression. Regina let realization wash over her, Emma had found her family after all these years, and they loved her, she was so lucky. Was it fate? Regina was a firm believer in such things, it honestly brought her more joy than she could suppress in that moment as a wide smile lit up her face. She really wished she could tell this to Emma, she knew how happy it would make her.
But would it? The blonde hadn't exactly been given a great deal of cards, fact for a while it seemed as if they were all stacked against her. No, she couldn't tell her, it wasn't her place, and David had asked her not to. Regina cleared her throat and turned on her computer, she had about six hours until she was due to retrieve Emma, and she was going to get some work done in the mean time.
Emma had gone to school looking exactly as she felt; like shit. With a loose pair of sweats that she assumed we Davids, a beige tank and gray hoodie, she was just the poster child for not giving a flying damn. Lily had been trying to get more than a few words out of her since first period, it was now lunch and Emma had only uttered about ten different words to the girl. In class this could fly as Emma could direct attention to the teacher or whatever assignment they'd been issued. Now it was lunch, and her hoagie wasn't a pliable distraction.
"Emma, I have news." Lily told her. "And now you have to listen to me, so I'm going to tell you."
"Okay." Emma sighed.
"So, Belle is coming up this week, tomorrow actually, and she's really mad at me so I wanted to know if you would come over to soften the blow?"
"Can't, grounded."
"Emma, for real?" Lily groaned. "She's so going to dump me." Lily fell into her arms on the table.
"Why?" Emma asked.
"Okay, so," Lily perked up. "she called me after she got to her dorms on Sunday all mad since she left her school bag here, and her shirt which I'm wearing." Lily opening her knit beige sweater to reveal a silky pink button up with daisies sewn into the collar. "And I didn't really react because, what does she want me to do about it? Yeah, and she thinks I am 'unemotional' and don't love her or some bullshit. But, now she's coming up and I think she's going to dump me and I'm sad because we've been together for almost two years, like, I don't know what to do. This is so stupid." Lily told and looked to Emma who chewed slowly, not knowing what to say, she avoiding eye contact. "Emma!"
"What?" She said, spitting lettuce in her blurt. They both chuckled.
"Help me!" Lily shook her wrist dramatically.
"I'm not good with relationship advice, but you should do some sort of grand gesture, is she into that kind of sappy shit?" Lily nodded slowly, shugging. "Then do that, show her you love her and don't want to lose her."
"Okay, I can do that." Lily turned and sipped her soda. "Oh!" She hit the table, Emma started and spilt her drink.
"Ah! What?" Emma cried, scooting to avoid the leakage as she threw away the now empty can, moving to the oppisite, dry side of the table.
"Who's Regina?" Emma's heart stopped, she was unaware of the flush of her cheeks.
"Uh, what? I don't know."
"Liar!" Lily accused, pointing a finger in her direction. "You said that she carried you out of the party and took you home with her!" Emma scrunched her face.
"Oh, uh, did I say that?" Emma stalled.
"Yes, now tell me all the details! Is she your mystery lover?" Lily oozed.
"God, no! I like her, a lot, actually, but she just thinks I'm a fucked up kid." Emma shrugged. "Plus I think she's seeing someone."
"Oh yes! An older woman? I like it, I like it." Lily nodded. "Wait, how old?"
"Uh, like twenty seven." Emma said quietly.
"Shut the front door!" Lily exclaimed. "Oh my god, and she saw you drunk? Tell me all about it!"
"Uh, it was so embarrassing. I was so wasted and she was on a date when I called. I called her girlfriend the muffin man for an hour and made her take us to get muffins." Emma shook her head and laughed. "Then I couldn't even take off my clothes and she saw me naked and put me to bed naked, in her bed!"
"She's in love with you."
"How do you know?"
"Duh, she ditched her date to help you and took you home with her, showered you, then let you sleep in her bed. What kind of adult does that?"
"I know, but I asked her and she was like 'what else should I have done? Leave you there where you could have been taken advantage of?'" Emma mimicked Regina's strict tone. "Then I told her I thought I was in love with her and get this, she never denied her feelings for me, well she did but I know she is lying because she thinks it immoral or some bull."
"Can I meet her?"
"No! Why would you want that?" Emma blurted.
"To assess the situation." Lily added.
"Maybe." Emma began as her phone began to blare, she went white when she saw the name. "Shit, it's her!"
"Ah!" Lily scooted in as Emma answered.
"Hello?" She said quickly.
"Emma, it's Regina."
"Yeah, duh I have your number." Emma giggled, Lily looked at her with knowing eyes and a smirk to match.
"Right, what time do you get out from classes?" She asked.
"Uh, 1:30, why?"
"I am going to pick you up, I wanted to be sure you looked for my car."
"What? Why?"
"To kidnap you, of course." Regina laughed. "No, but we're going out, wherever you like."
"Okay, what's the catch?"
"Nothing illegal."
"Damn." Emma laughed. "Okay, well sounds fun. I'll see you in a bit?"
"You will." Regina agreed. "I'll see you soon, Miss Swan." And she hung up. Lily sat up and grinned at her friend.
"What?"
"I told you she was in love with you." Lily admitted, Emma laughed and put her phone away, finishing off her food quickly as the bell for fifth period was just going off.
"I doubt it, I'll see you later!" Emma called as they went their separate ways.
Regina arrived ten minutes after final bell, Emma had been standing by the flag pole, wishing she looked less horrible that day. When she spotted the Benz she tried to contain herself and not smile like an idiot, but that wasn't happening. Sliding into the familiar leather seats, she shut the door, on her hair, which was tied up in a ponytail.
"Ow, dammit!" She swore, opening the door and collecting her hair then slamming it once more. "Rude. Hello, how are you?" She went on.
Regina chuckled at her struggle. "Nice. I am well, you look comfortable."
"That's a nice way of saying 'terrible.'" Emma laughed.
"If I had meant terrible I would have said so, I'm not one to beat around the bush." Regina retorted, pulling out in front of an incredibly slow minivan, which honked in return. "Fucker." She uttered.
"People suck at driving around here." Emma commented. "I am happy to not be one of them."
"This is true. But you should consider getting your license, it makes getting places much less taxing."
"Mary Margret told me she wanted me to, but I'm lazy and she basically told me I would be just driving her and Henry around." Emma told.
"Well, of course, while you have your permit, but once you get licensed, you're home free. Did she say what car you would be driving?"
"She said I could have David's truck."
"Emma! What are you doing, you should get this done, then you're golden."
"Eh, so lazy. It's not like I have places to be anyway."
"You could." Regina replied. "You could get a job, make friends." She listed.
"I know where you live." Emma stated.
"Yes, I know where you live, too." Regina laughed.
"I don't think I should drive, since I would only come and annoy you."
"I think you should drive, Emma." Regina grinned.
"Me, too." Emma agreed. "Okay, so where are we going?"
"Up to you." Regina
"Pizza, we should get pizza." Emma decided.
"Pizza it is." Regina turned heading towards the city. She sat in her silence as Emma rolled the window down and lolled her head out into the breeze, she leaned on the sill and closed her eyes. Regina tried to keep her eyes on the road as much as possible but she snuck more than a few glances; the girl was mesmerizing.
It took more than a few minutes, traffic being as heavy as possible at that moment, not that either minded in the least. But, before too long they inched into a place before a small pizza joint that was highly underrated, in Regina's opinion. The pair strolled in and took a seat, only having to wait a few moment when a young waiter clad in jeans and a button up, topped of with a tie, walked up, took their drink orders.
"I love the way it smells in here." Regina gave, inhaling to prove her point. "I used to come here when I was in school and spend all day with my friend, her name was Mal, we would order a pizza and just mass amounts of french fries. It was wonderful."
"Are you still friends?" Emma asked.
"No, no. She moved away a long time ago, I never knew where." Regina shrugged as the waiter returned with a sprite and iced tea.
"Ready to order?" He asked, Regina nodded and told him their request; cheese pizza, house salad, and a side of fries. Accordingly, this place had the best fries, and Emma couldn't leave until she had some.
"Thank you." She said as he left. "Anyway, I never saw her after freshman year."
"Will you tell me about her?" Emma asked.
Regina sighed and went back to the place in her mind where Mal still lived. "We had been friends by default, in first grade no one wanted to be friends with us, we were freaks." She laughed, kids were so rude. "So, we would talk and draw together during recess. Plotting world domination was a feat, we thought we could actually do it. She was an interesting girl, intuitve, it was scary sometimes just how much she could figure with just a look. I remember that when, when my mother was taken away, she had told me to stay with her. When I had asked her why she didn't answer, she just said that I don't want to see it. She really scared me that day, and I was really uncomfortable sitting in her car for so long without speaking. Mal was older, she got her car freshman year and finally everyone wanted to be her friend. But she still hated them, the only person who stepped foot in it was me and her. I was so sad when she left, she never even said goodbye, not really, she left a note though, saying she'd never forget me, that I would do great things." Regina finished her tale with mocking jazz hands. "I think she'd be disappointed."
"Why?" Emma asked.
"I've not done anything great."
"You mean not yet?" Emma continued.
"You're right." Regina agreed, their food had arrived just then and they dug in. "Try the fry." She held one up to Emma, or rather smacked her in the face with it.
"Eh, I'm going to get acne." She said in a mock disgusted accent as Regina wiped the stick on her nose. "Stop!" Emma drew out.
"Then eat it!" Regina urged, Emma grinned as she took the culprit and popped it in between her teeth, chewing slowly as Regina eyed her expectingly.
"This is great." Emma gave finally. The 't' in this sounding much more like a 'd.'
"I told you so!" Regina announced, victoriously.
"Can I ask you something, you don't have to answer but I have to ask?" Emma let out after a few moments of food silence.
"Okay," Regina nodded slowly.
"You said your mother was taken away. Why?"
"Oh, you caught that." Regina's heart rate picked up.
"It was a key exponent in your memorial." Emma nodded. "You still don't have to answer." She repeated.
"Well, I," Regina began but she could feel the emotion picking up, threatening to take over. Some wounds never heal. "Maybe another time."
"Okay," Emma smiled reassuringly as she leaned away from the table. "I need to stop eating so much, I'm going to die." She groaned.
"But what a way to go!" Regina laughed, though it held little humor. "What should we do next?" She asked.
"You should choose." Emma breathed, it was hard enough deciding on pizza.
Regina thought for a moment, before the perfect idea came to mind. "How do you feel about goats?" She asked.
"I mean, they are cute, they eat cans. Right?"
"Some," Regina smiled. "well, I know just the place, ready?" She asked, Emma stood and after they paid and tipped the lovely waiter they were out the door.
So, I'll stop here and we'll pick up where this left off next chapter. Goats! Also coming up, Regina's cute date, and Lily and Belle have at it. DragonQueen bff reunion? How could I resist!