AN - In light of the news regarding the show, this one goes out to Bex Mader. Looking forward to seeing her in a show that won't utterly waste her talent.

Chapter 10 – A Strange Request

"Hello? Earth to Regina?"

The familiar accent belonging to Zelena startled Regina from her daydreaming. She had invited her sister to eat an early lunch in her office so they could discuss potentialities for Ruby's upcoming birthday next month. The planning was an impromptu bid to distract herself from recent anxieties.

Two weeks had passed since Ruby and Emma stepped through the portal to the Enchanted Forest. By Regina's calculations, their journey should have required no more than three or four days, a week at the most if things went sideways, which had her speeding past the mile marker labeled "officially concerned" at a breathtaking pace. For days now she had been living in a near constant state of controlled panic, stressing over her obligation to her children and the increasingly unavoidable urge to tear entire worlds apart to get to Ruby, wherever she was. The only reason she was able to function at all under so much self-imposed pressure was due to being an old pro at internalizing turmoil.

Leaning back in her plush office chair, Regina glanced warily at Zelena, who was regarding her with that patented smugness no one else could adequately replicate.

"What?" she said, grousing because she was not appreciative of her sister's obnoxious gloating.

The witch's green eyes twinkled as a wide grin spread across her face. "It's just so cute the way your face betrays your thoughts. And to think, people were actually fooled by your little demure act when you first became Snow White's new Mummy all those years ago." After placing her half-eaten salad off to the side of Regina's desk, Zelena leaned forward to rest her head in her hands, elbows propped up on the wooden surface of the desk. "Well, if I had been there, I would have seen right through it," she continued, batting her lashes to provoke a reaction all the while maintaining a convincing – or at least to any one else besides Regina – facade of innocence. It was a very typical thing for Zelena to do. "One look at your face is all I would have required. It's rather like reading a book really, just open the cover and there are the words, spelled out in big bold letters for all to see if they care to dislodge the scales from their eyes."

Regina glared daggers at her coppery-haired sister. "That may be true, but if you keep egging me on I'm going to allow you the privilege of an ending you won't particularly enjoy."

Zelena tutted merrily at the empty threat, still pompously leaning over the desk. "Now, now. No need to be hostile. I was merely making an observation." When Regina's glare skewed threatening, she finally relaxed back in her chair, hands raised up in submission. Her smile remained intact, however.

Working her jaw angrily, Regina attempted to diffuse her mounting frustration before she, as Ruby would say, flipped her lid. Zelena had meant no harm by the comment, she was just needling Regina much in the same way she was apt to since they had finally put their differences aside. Though they had become quite close and had forged a real familial bond, sometimes Zelena liked to live dangerously and gleefully poke at the hibernating bear that was Regina's temper. Regina often had to metaphorically snap at her sister's prodding fingers as a reminder she was not one to be trifled with. That bite was conspicuously absent today, though, and as her anger ebbed as quickly as it came on, she was left feeling drained.

"If you're so intent on putting your two cents in where they're not invited," she said around a tired sigh, "why don't you leave me be and go do so with someone else who might actually tolerate it."

Pretending to consider the dismissal, Zelena cocked her head to the side then tapped her index finger against her lips. Eventually after exaggerated contemplation, she said, "While that is an option, I think I'll stick around a bit longer. Although for your sake, I suppose I can tone down the ribbing, if only to spare myself from the wrath of Queen Regina." Regina rolled her eyes at that use of her old title, which elicited an airy laugh from Zelena. But then her sister's humor transitioned into genuine concern that would have surprised anyone else but Regina. Although Zelena didn't show it openly or often, Regina knew she cared. "Might I make a more tactful insight without fear of reprisal?" she then inquired.

Regina gave a longsuffering huff. "I suppose. It's not like I could stop you anyway. You always do whatever the hell you want, no matter what I say. And we both know you can take me in a fair fight."

"You're right on both counts, Sis." There was no small measure of satisfaction in that declaration. But while Zelena reveled in Regina's grudging concession to being a slightly inferior sorceress, to her credit she did not gloat longer than necessary. Time, Regina thought, had lent her sister some wisdom after all. "All the same, you know I'm only having you on." Regina nodded. She did know that, which was why Zelena was still in the office with her instead of having been magicked to a remote corner of the forests surrounding Storybrooke. "And now that you've shown your hand," Zelena went on, "I don't want to speak out of turn."

Regina peered accusingly at the ambiguous yet somehow accusatory statement. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Shrugging, Zelena primly crossed her legs beneath the sleek fabric of her sharp gray skirt then smoothed a hand over the white, lacy blouse that hugged her generous curves. "No need to get riled up," she said. "I simply meant that I could tell something was wrong from the moment I stepped in to your office. You've been distant and cranky – I mean, more so than usual. The look on your face whilst you were lost in fancy not a minute ago told me why. You're worried about your little wolf, aren't you? Really worried."

Regina briefly pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers as she heaved out a terse breath. She hated being called out on her weakness. But if anyone in Storybrooke at present was allowed to do so, it was her sister.

"Was it really that obvious?"

Zelena nodded. "As I said before...open book." Leaning forward again, she caught Regina's brown eyes and held them. "Regina, I am your sister. It's become my job – my privilege – to watch over you, even when you don't really need it or particularly want it. I know you think you have to be strong for everyone, for the town and your family and even for yourself, but I can't help but feel like now is one of those times that I, as your elder sibling, should speak up."

Regina said nothing, now listening intently to the affectionate yet stern nature of Zelena's speech. Seeing that her words had their intended effect, Zelena continued on.

"As I said, I know you, Regina, and I know you're already working out ways to get to Ruby at whatever cost. I merely would like to caution you against acting drastically. You're concerned about her, I get that, and I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that you shouldn't be. She's is in a dangerous place and been gone far too long for either of our liking. But she is also a big girl who is perfectly capable of handling herself. And besides that she has the ever-esteemed Savior with her. Whatever reason for the delay in their return, I don't believe it to be life-threatening."

"How can you possibly know that?" Regina asked harshly, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Do you know something I don't? Because last I checked, none of us have even been to the Enchanted Forest in the last decade. There's no telling what they might have encountered there. Anything could have happened! She could be injured or trapped or lost or…"

Zelena shook her head sadly as she interrupted. "You always jump to the worst conclusions. Family curse I suppose."

"Can you blame me?" was Regina's clipped response, giving her sister a pointed look.

"No, I can't," Zelena said. "Both of us have endured much pain and loss. But from what I've seen in the time I've been in your life, all of it had a purpose. We didn't suffer needlessly, Regina. Somehow, from the ashes of our pain and darkness, something wonderful grew and blossomed: our family, our children, our happiness. Sure, we've both made tragic mistakes, but I think we've learned from them. Haven't we?"

Regina couldn't reply. Too many hyper-intense feelings were swirling about, suffocating her, drowning her within the turbulent oceans of her own mind. So she sat there and stared into her sister's impossibly blue eyes and allowed all of her fears to play across her features without making any attempt to conceal them.

Seeing Regina's turmoil filled Zelena with anguish, and she became so choked with emotion that she stood from her chair to cross over to the window behind the mayoral desk so her sister could not see the tears prickling at her eyelids. Like her, Regina was intolerant of even the most microscopic impression of pity. To be sure, they had come a long way as siblings, but Zelena knew that they would never be the lovey-dovey affectionate sort who spilled their guts over tea or gossiped about anything and everything on shopping trips to the mall. They had grown up too hard and too differently to bridge that expansive divide. That didn't mean that she didn't love Regina, though, nor did it mean she wasn't affected by Regina's pain.

Leaning against the frame of the window, Zelena picked at the curtain as she gazed out over the town she had come to call her home, which was amazing considering it wouldn't even exist if she'd had her way all those years ago. Fate sometimes could be as strange as it was cruel and wonderful.

"I am cynical woman, Regina," Zelena said once she was more composed. "That's no secret. Nor has it changed for the most part. I swore you to once that I would always tell you the truth, and I mean to do that now."

Regina tried to hide little sniffles and swipes at her nose that while admittedly cute made Zelena incredibly sad. She wanted to cheer her sister up in the worst way, which wasn't all that foreign of a feeling anymore. A good cheering up was not what Regina wanted or needed, though, and she knew that because they were very much alike in that way. A bitter truth was, in Zelena's opinion, far more preferable than a honeyed lie, for one brought an immediate yet brief discomfort while the other delayed the pain for another day. Pain deferred was, she had learned, pain compounded.

As she considered how best to rip the band-aid off without triggering Regina's prolific coping mechanisms, Zelena peered down below into the town square. Her eyes locked on to the little bench Ruby liked to camp on back when she was still on maternity leave, and she couldn't help but smile at the memories it evoked. Whereas Regina's responsibilities as mayor required her back on the job within a month, Ruby took her full three, but ever the thoughtful wife, Ruby was determined to keep Regina as involved as humanly possible in that critical early stage of their daughters' lives. To that end she would visit Town Hall every day, baby carrier on each arm, and perch upon that bench until exactly one pm when Regina would approach the window and wave her up so they could spend the lunch hour together as a family. Theirs was a bond so essential that thinking about it would have turned Zelena green not too long ago.

But now Zelena loved Regina too much to let petty jealousy ruin their relationship. And in her opinion far too much had already been sacrificed to secure her sister's happiness to consider any alternative other than Ruby coming home safe and sound. The couple were owed that much after all they went through to keep each other alive and then bring their beautiful girls into the world.

"The truth is that after all that you and Ruby have been through together, I simply can't believe this is how it ends," Zelena said, giving voice to her thoughts and sounding almost absent as her mind conjured images of Ruby sitting on that bench bouncing one baby in her lap for a minute while allowing the other child still in her carrier to play with her mother's long fingers. "I refuse to accept that and so should you. Life is a cruel little bitch and the universe a callous bastard, but recompense is due to the both of you for all that you've endured at their hands. Soon enough you will be reunited with your wife and as sickeningly happy as ever. You'll see. So don't go giving up on that too-pretty pup of yours just yet, Sis. Give her a little more time. I believe in my heart that she'll return within the next week. But if not, then we'll discuss the next step."

Turning her head, Zelena gave Regina, who had swiveled her chair in Zelena's direction, a tremulous smile with unshed tears blurring her vision. The background of desperation she had seen in Regina's eyes since arriving for their lunch date was finally beginning to ebb, giving way to a welcome tide of hope. Good, hang on to that, she thought while wondering just when she had started to sound as sentimental as the people she had once hated.

"We?" Regina asked, sounding very much like the insecure little girl Zelena sometimes wistfully imagined herself growing up with.

While Zelena had long since lost her bitterness toward Cora for abandoning her, she would hate the woman until her dying day for keeping her apart from Regina. Zelena did not believe for a second that their mother's choice to commit such an unforgivable sin stemmed from anything other than self-serving malice. Having been the sibling who was raised by Cora, Regina often made excuses for their mother keeping Zelena's existence a secret, such as she had felt guilty for abandoning her firstborn or that it was her lack of a heart that was to blame. Zelena knew better. Cora had kept Regina ignorant of her older sister because she knew that Zelena would inevitably drive a wedge between Cora and the child she had so unfairly pinned all of her dreams and aspirations onto. The real kicker was that their mother's assumption was correct.

As a woman who had ruthlessly eliminated any and all who opposed her, Zelena understood the lengths that one would go to in order to secure power, which was the drug of choice for all Mills women. Just as Cora had sought it, so had her daughters. But unlike their mother, both Regina and Zelena wanted more out of life than power. Regina wanted love and Zelena wanted acceptance, and in each other, both would have found what they were looking for. If they had been allowed to find each other and then to forge a true familiar bond, all of Cora's grand plans and dark dealings would have been for naught. And although she is certain her sister would have remained firmly in their mother's cross-hairs even with her present, she equally sure that there is nothing she wouldn't have done to protect Regina from their mother's machinations. Nothing. They had begun this journey of becoming sisters in the worst way possible, as mortal enemies, but even so Zelena's love for Regina is strong enough to kill for her…and to die for her. How much greater would that feeling have been, then, had they been allowed to have each other when they were young? There is no doubt in Zelena's mind that in that case she would have murdered their mother in cold blood before allowing her to harm one hair on Regina's sable head.

So while Zelena hated her mother, it not because of being tossed away like a useless piece of garbage. No, Zelena hated Cora because she'd been denied the opportunity to grow up alongside her sister, to really love Regina like she knew she could deep down in her bones. But no matter how hard they tried to make up for the loss in the present, she would never know what Regina had looked like as child, would never know what her little baby sister's laugh would sound like as they played together, and she would never know what it was like to live through childhood having one person in her life with whom she could share anything and everything and on whom she could always depend. All of that was lost to her now, as the past was something could never be regained and the missteps that characterized their early interactions would forever color their relationship. And while the profoundly meaningful relationship she was currently building with Regina was slowly filling that void in her heart their mother created, it would never be whole. Such was the awful price of being born to a woman as monstrous as Cora Mills.

"Yes, 'we'," Zelena finally replied, a strange gentleness in her eyes. "Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it without question. I'll traipse about that accursed land right along side you if you wish." Reaching out her hand, Zelena smiled when Regina grasped it tightly. "I know it took us a long time to get to this place with each other, and I'm sorry for that. But we're sisters, Regina. That means I will support your decision, whatever it may be."

"Thank you, Zelena. That means a great deal to me," Regina replied with a watery smile, giving her sister's hand a grateful squeeze. Zelena, she knew, was not the kind of person to show emotion openly or to speak from the heart freely, so whenever she did, Regina knew it was a sincere offering.

Even when an out-and-proud villain, Zelena had never hidden her feelings or intentions from Regina. She'd been blatant about her hatred and jealousy instead of skulking about in the shadows or concealing it beneath a veneer of amiability, and now that they were reconciled she was just as honest with her affection. That emotional accountability was one of Zelena's great strengths, and was a big reason why Regina was able to forgive her after learning that she'd murdered Marian while in the Enchanted Forest circa forty years ago, thus successfully sabotaging Regina's relationship with Robin.

People had openly criticized Regina for eventually including Zelena in her life, which was understandable considering all Zelena did to earn their ire. But Regina hadn't cared to weigh their opinions upon the scales of her decision when she had Ruby's unconditional support. It was Ruby who had encouraged Regina to try and mend fences with her sister, who pushed Regina with delicate tenacity to look past the crimes to the hurting woman crying out for someone, anyone to love her. And even if she couldn't do that yet, Ruby rather shrewdly pointed out that Storybrooke was built on the premise of second chances and that Regina's stubborn refusal to give Zelena the same plethora of opportunities to repent as she'd been extended would only serve to make her something truly loathsome: a hypocrite.

Keeping all of those things in mind made it much more tolerable to exercise patience with an angry, bitter, and envious sister who by rights had at least some reasonable justification for those feelings. Regina is glad for her wife's persistence, if only because she gained in Zelena not only a steadfast ally but a friend and confidante who understood her as few others could. She is glad as well that Zelena has finally found someone to love, and a surprising someone at that, who holds her sister as accountable as Ruby does her, which came in handy whenever the two strong-willed and opinionated siblings invariably butted heads. It didn't hurt that their respective paramours got along so famously, either, though it was incredibly unfortunate that both were currently on other worlds than Earth.

"Of course," said Zelena, brushing off the tender moment when it had become unbearable for her. However reformed, Zelena was still Zelena. They lingered in a brief bubble of quiet contentment until Zelena glanced up at the clock and gasped. "Oh, bloody hell! I hate to run, but I need hurry if I'm to be on time picking Francesca up from school."

Francesca was Zelena's daughter by Walsh, the man who had once been the Wizard of Oz. The relationship initially creeped the hell out of Emma Swan, as she still looked back with some amount of disgust on her near-engagement to the man during her year in New York after Pan's curse. Regina, of course, enjoyed Emma's discomfort to no end, thus her wholehearted approval of the fledgling romance. While the relationship didn't last for more than a year, Zelena wound up pregnant during that time, and though Regina was not all sure it was as accidental as her sister insisted, she was nonetheless happy for the stabilizing influence Francesca provided. Becoming a mother rooted Zelena to life in Storybrooke, whereas before she'd merely been fluttering aimlessly through it, a ship without an anchor in oft stormy seas.

With an understanding nod, Regina stood, and after watching Zelena toss what was left of her salad in the trash and collect her things, walked with her sister to the door.

"Remember what I said," Zelena said as she hovered in the doorway of Regina's office. "Don't do anything rash just yet."

Regina gave her sister a placating smile. "I won't. Witch's honor. Give Frankie a kiss from her Aunty Gina, though, won't you?"

Zelena returned the smile with a sparkle in those amazing azure eyes. "Will do, Sis. Listen, I'll call you tonight after I tuck the munchkin in if that's alright."

"If you must," Regina teased, a bit more chipper now.

"Oh, I must," Zelena grinned, and then exited the office with a theatrical wave. Regina stepped into the hallway to watch Zelena saunter her way down the long hallway, laughing as the less valiant employees milling about parted to the sides as though the Red Sea to allow the red-headed deliverer free passage from Egypt. When Zelena was almost out of eyesight, she called back over her shoulder, "Later, Sis!"

Regina rolled her eyes affectionately. Zelena was just too much sometimes, but she had to admit, the woman formerly known as the Wicked Witch kept her life interesting.

After making her way back into her office, Regina returned to her desk and attempted to get some of her paperwork done. The monotonous task of reading official documents and signing them when necessary helped, along with her sister's unique form of encouragement, to distract her from her worries. Soon enough, six o'clock was rolling around and it was time to head home. After finishing up reading the document she was currently perusing, she signed it and slipped it into a file folder on her desk for distribution the next morning, and then set about the routine of winding up her day with practiced efficiency. First, she replaced her pens in the upper right hand drawer of her desk and then moved her stapler back into its place beside her collator. Next, she deposited the assortment of files she had worked on into their respective cabinets. And then she called in her secretary to set the agenda for the next day. Once all of that was done, she collected her phone and purse, dug out her keys, and headed for the door.

She was just about to reach for the knob when her cellphone rang, startling her out of her groove. Glancing at the screen, she saw that it was a number she didn't recognize and thought to ignore the call. But then something in her gut tightened as if urging her to answer. Reluctantly, she accepted the call and held the phone up to her ear.

"This is Regina Mills. May I ask who is calling?"

"Mayor Mills," the voice of an unfamiliar woman answered. "My name is Reila and if it is possible, I would like to meet with you tonight. There is something you must know."

Regina's brow arched at the strange request. She didn't know any person who went by such a name and that instantly had her hackles raised. Considering how tired she was and the high levels of stress she had been under the past several weeks, her response was unsurprisingly harsh.

"Pardon me for my bluntness, but I don't know you and I'm very tired. I'm sure whatever business you have can wait until the morning. Call my office then and schedule an appointment."

Taking the phone away from her ear, Regina was on the way to hanging up when the woman's voice echoed a desperate plea. "Please, your Majesty! This cannot wait!"

The woman's invocation of her title halted Regina's movements. Annoyance rattled through her bones. Of course someone would call at the end of an already stressful day to complain about something related to the Old World. Eyes narrowed suspiciously, she held the phone back up to her ear and unleashed her irritation.

"Let me spare you any additional waste of oxygen. I'm sure you're unhappy about something that I've done recently or in the past, but let me tell you, dear, that's nothing new. The line of grievances against me is unbearably long and if you simply must air them much to my infinite frustration you are most welcome to place yourself at the back of it and wait your goddamn turn! And I don't know if it's escaped your attention or not, but I am no longer Queen, though I'll be happy to leverage that title right now if need be to get home to my children at a decent hour. As such, whatever it is you have to say can wait until the morning and it will. For your own sake, I suggest you take the hint. I won't give another."

"But your Majesty, the information I have is not about you," the woman replied, her voice audibly trembling at Regina's imperious tone.

That popped the balloon of Regina's indignation right quick. Her interest was immediately piqued.

"Go on."

"It's about a young woman named Ruby Lucas. I believe you know her."

"I damn well ought to! She's my wife," Regina said, her heart speeding up at the unexpected turn this phone call was taking. When the caller didn't immediately respond, Regina barked, "Well? What about her? Speak up, woman!"

The caller's voice sounded even more strained as she said, "I can't tell you over the phone, your Majesty. It's of a sensitive and extremely urgent nature best relayed in person."

Throwing her head back, Regina groaned. Before the call she had so been looking forward to the comfort of home and the joy of some well-deserved quality time with the girls before indulging in a long, relaxing bath and finally crawling into bed. But as much as she needed the rest and as much as she longed for her children, the potential information this woman had about Ruby overruled all other concerns. She was naturally wary to be sure, since she neither knew this Reila woman from Eve nor had heard Ruby mention her, but whatever it was Reila had to say was obviously important enough for her to risk Regina's wrath. In the current predicament, Regina couldn't afford to be dismissive of something that pertained to Ruby, not when she was hamstrung for now to bring her wife home.

"Very well," she sighed. "I'll meet with you. Do you know where my office is?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

Looking at her watch, Regina thought through her course of action, then relayed her instructions once she had decided. "Meet me there in half an hour. Be prompt because I'll have my secretary waiting for you. And for God's sake, drop the regal honorifics. Madam Mayor or Mayor Mills will suffice if you insist on formality. If not, Mrs. Mills is just fine."

"As you wish, Madam Mayor. I will be at your office as directed," the woman said, her choice of address causing Regina's chest to tighten. She had lost count of often Ruby playfully uttered them during the ten years they had been together but had yet to grow tired of hearing them. From the mouth of a stranger, however, they were fretfully disconcerting.

"I'll be waiting," she said, and with that abruptly disconnected the call. On edge yet again, she walked over to the small couch in the corner of her office and plopped down heavily onto the plush cushions that now offered her no comfort. It was hard to explain, but she got the feeling that she was about to receive some very troubling news, which almost made her want to avoid meeting with this Reila woman in spite of her agreement. But her sense of duty to her wife usurped the opposing sense of self-preservation, so she settled in to wait.

Opening up her phone, Regina scrolled through her contacts until she found the name she was looking for and then opened up a call. When the person's voice sounded over the phone, Regina ran an anxious hand through her hair.

"Hello, Snow. I hate to inconvenience you any further than I already am, but I need you to watch the girls a while longer. Something urgent has come up..."