So this chapter was hella delayed and I apologise, it's significantly shorter than the others but it seems to be getting harder and harder to write :( I'm starting to blather on and on again so from this chapter onwards, I'm going to cut down on all the feelings and focus on the adventure and villainy of the story I initially had in mind.

Also, this song doesn't necessarily match the subject matter of this chapter but I quite like it anyway :)

And you guys should follow me on Tumblr (un-rustledjimmies over there as well) because that would be cool and we could be friends ;)

Disclaimer: If I owned any of it, lots of 'main' characters would be dead. *Cough* Neil *Cough*

Song: The Wire - HAIM


Chapter 12: The Wire

You know I'm bad at communication; it's the hardest thing for me to do

And it's said; it's the most important part that relationships will go through

And I'd give it all away just so I could say that

I know, I know, I know that you're gonna be okay anyway


"Seriously Em, I don't see what the big rush is."

Lexie sat reclined on top of Emma's bed, watching as the blonde zipped throughout the room, dressing the kids at an alarming speed. At some ungodly hour of the morning, Lexie had been woken by the inappropriately loud shrilling of her phone followed by a distressed Mary-Margaret pleading with her for Emma's whereabouts. After that, Lexie had spent the entire morning scouring their usual spots in search of her best friend. Storybrooke's beach – or so it was called – was the last place Lexie had thought to look, but one glance at the yellow deathtrap of a car had Lexie sprinting across the parking lot in a split second.

"Lex, I don't expect you to understand right now, I just really have to see Reg- Miss Mills. Its important."

Lexie just shrugged as her eyes travelled to the pair seated close together and watching Emma from the opposite side of the room. Henry was pushing a comb through his hair, his eyes conveying a vast amount of concern where Charlotte looped a curl through her fingers and troubled her bottom lip between her teeth.

When they had pulled up at the house, Emma had visibly freaked out. Of course, neither girl said a word when she 'missed' the keyhole 4 times nor had she said anything in regards to the way Emma snuck through the lounge room casting nervous glances to Mary's door.

It hadn't really seemed like a big deal at first. Maybe a fight, or Emma had forgotten to call.

But the sense of dread coiling in her stomach told her otherwise.

"You guys ready?" Emma's question was fired over her shoulder as the blonde violently tore a brush through her curls before the mirror.

The kids nodded in response before standing and shouldering their backpacks. Emma swung her bag over one shoulder and snatched her keys off the dresser before turning to face the kids, only now noticing the solemnity of their faces.

"Let's go- are you guys okay?" Emma dropped in front of them, placing a hand on each of their knees, "is everything alright?"

"Ems, are you still sad?" Charlotte spoke up first, her chin quivering as her eyes filled with tears.

Emma had barely opened her mouth to respond before Henry threw himself into her arms, followed closely by Charlotte, leaving Lexie to sit and ponder just what in the hell was happening with everyone. Emma slowly hugged the two and Lexie barely caught the soft spoken words that left the young boys mouth.

"I'm sorry I made you sad, Emma. I'm sorry I made Regina leave. I'm sorry."

"Hen, you didn't do anything. All you did was help me and help Regina, I swear, okay? I'm all better now, anyway. But we have to go, okay?'

Emma pulled back from the two and wiped the few tears that had fallen down the brunette's cheeks, "C'mon"

Lexie followed the trio out of the door and watched, intrigued, as the blonde visibly bristled at the sound of someone in the kitchen. Emma ushered the kids towards the front door, the shuffling of feet slightly amplified upon passing the door to the lounge room.

"Emma?" the sounds of the kitchen ceased to the questioning voice that filtered through the doorway. Emma stopped dead in her tracks, her shoulders tensing as she threw her walls up – something Lexie had not seen her friend do for years. Especially not in regards to Mary. "Em, is that you?"

The pixie-cut brunette walked through to the lounge-room, eyes red and swollen from tears. She looked absolutely devastated, her usually cheery demeanor suppressed to an anxious air. She looked at Emma as if the blonde held her own life within her hands, as if she held all the cards. The silence only thickened the tension between the two as Emma lifted her green eyes to match those of the brunette.

"Em-"

"No. I have to go."

Both Lexie and Mary flinched at the venom in Emma's voice, but it was obvious the brunette wasn't going to back down.

"Emma, we have to talk."

"Not now we don't. We can talk later, I have to get to school."

"Emma this is important."

"Can we please not do this right now-"

"You have to listen-"

"I don't have to do anything-"

"Emma, you don't understand."

"You're right, I don't but-"

"I just need you to-"

"Please Mary, can we not-"

"I know it's hard-"

"PLEASE!" the blonde snapped, now completely facing the brunette, "Please, please, just leave it alone. I- we'll sort it out later."

And with those last words the blonde flew out of the door - followed closely by the two kids and, after a quick, sympathetic glance at Mary - Lexie.

Some shit was definitely going down.

After a very emotional parting at the primary school – one that involved not 2, but 4 whole minute hugs of reassurance – Lexie made sure to settle her thoughts with Emma.

"Em?"

"mmhm?" She didn't think the blonde realized, but they had taken the long route to school. 4 times, now.

"Uh. You alright?"

Emma's brow creased and she feigned confusion, an obvious attempt to diffuse the conversation, "What? Why wouldn't I be?"

Lexie rolled her eyes at the answer. Seriously. You'd think after knowing someone for 3 years, they would understand you knew pretty much all of their emotions and states. Lexie knew all of Emma's. Emma knows Lexie knows all of them. Which only adds to the suspicion that the blonde was really struggling through some emotional turmoil right about now.

"Bullshit." After all, the only way to get Emma to spill anything ever was anger or alcohol. Unfortunately, Lexie only had one on hand – and it wasn't tequila.

"Excuse me?" Emma snapped. Boom. One point Boyd, zero for Swan.

"Bullshit. I call bullshit, Emma." The blonde driver sat outraged at the wheel and immediately pulled the car to the side, refusing to let down her walls. Emma's emotions were the hardest thing about the woman. She could guard them so well, throw up so many walls and make herself appear as if she were the happiest person alive.

So this little 'offended' act would not affect Lexie.

Not in the slightest.

"Emma, I have known you for three years. I know everything about your past. You told me all of it. You can trust me, Emma. You can trust me enough to know that I know something is up. You and the kids, for one. I have never seen them act that way before, Em. And then with Mary. Mary of all people."

The blonde just stared blankly back at her, refusing to both answer and drop her guard. Lexie forced her glare further, until it's intensity was almost scorching, and held, daring Emma to break. Daring Emma to trust her again. Bit by bit, Lexie watched as the blonde relaxed dropping her eyes and sighing. The walls were down. Her Emma was back.

There were so many things Emma wanted to tell Lexie. She wanted to unload the giant weight of everything onto a shoulder that was willing to share the burden, but she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to push Lexie into a position that, though it may seem simple enough now, has the potential to become the heaviest thing yet. No. Until Emma knew more about the situation herself, and could therefore understand the weight, she would not put her friend in the crossfire. Even if it meant she were squashed. But how could she assure Lexie now? Oh, Hey Lex. So it turns out the mother that abandoned me happens to be Mary, which is fun. Oh! And before I forget, now I have magic and I have to save an entire realm in which no one knows exists except for myself, my mother, my lover and her secret group of secret agent people. So I'm just a little confused and upset, sorry for being a bitch. Forgive me?

Emma shook her head at herself and forced her eyes to Lexie's. She opened her mouth to speak, to apologise, but rather than words, a large sob tore its way up from her chest. Lexie flinched and her face dropped as she watched Emma attempt again, only to be cut off once more by a chain of harsh sobs. Within seconds, Lexie had unbuckled the woman and slid her into her own lap, cradling her head between her neck and shoulder whilst the blond silently broke. Emma was a master at hiding her emotions, but in times like this, when they overflowed, she had other means. Lexie smoothed Emma's hair back from her face, hearing the swallowed sobs as Emma tried to force the emotion deep inside once more. Despite Lexie's reasoning, Emma refused to believe that one day her emotions would burst and she would break for good. Bottling them up was just easier. Hell, she'd been doing it her whole life. So she just sat and let herself be held until her breathing resided once more. Her face was stiff from the tirade of tears, her eyes felt swollen and puffy but overall she felt slightly better. Wordlessly, she slid of Lexie's lap, offering a grateful hand-squeeze, and drove them both to school.


Sneaking out of the house early that morning proved harder than expected. Shortly after waking, Regina and Belle had sped throughout the top floor, quietly gathering bags and papers before sliding their way down the steps and out of the house. It was a miracle Belle's miraculous clumsiness had managed to be held at bay.

Both women were thankful they managed to avoid the others that morning – after a long night of emotional hardship, neither would be able to manage list of orders thrown in their face. Especially if it involved their 'new' mission. To be honest, Regina couldn't be more thankful Belle had agreed to leave early with her… after another untimely ending to her dream life, she was almost buzzing with excitement to see the blonde. Even if it meant the two had a very serious conversation to be had.

"Gina, I don't know if I can do this to Ruby. I know your mum's going to be on me as soon as we get back – about Ruby, about Emma – I don't want to do this."

Regina and Belle sat within the front seat of her car, where they had remained since they first arrived to the school – half an hour earlier. The younger woman sat curled within the passengers' seat, her knees tucked just under her chin. Her long brown hair was pulled high in a ponytail, adorned with a baby blue ribbon. Regina looked down at her hands, wrung tightly around each other in her lap, before raising her head and staring thoughtfully out of the windshield.

"No matter how horrible this feels, Belle, this is what we are here to accomplish. We have searched all through this land looking for this woman, for most of our lives, and we finally found her. It seems so simple, yet, two women who are vital to this case also happen to be vital parts of our lives, and I for one, am unwilling to let that slide."

Belle's head snapped to Regina at those words, an incredulous look upon her face. The daughter of their leader – the prophesized – was daringly defying orders?

"Emma knows, Belle. I- we have this… connection. For months now, actually, we've been a part of each others dreams. We speak, we touch, we – uh, other stuff – and we remember everything. Every single detail. Vividly. And physical aspects of the dream remain after we wake. In one of them, Emma had left a… mark… on my… neck," worried chocolate orbs flicked to Belle and back to the windscreen, "When I woke the next morning, it was still there. It was there for days." Regina's hand had subconsciously moved to caress the once bruised skin around her collarbone, her fingers playing lightly over the bone.

"You know that sounds a lot like- "

"I know what it sounds like." The older brunette snapped, glaring at Belle, before her gaze softened, "I know, okay? I just… would rather… not think about that for the moment." Or ever if at all possible.

True love is the most powerful magic of all.

Or so they all say.

Regina had never considered true love an option in her life. It hadn't really bothered her, either. The stories full of fanciful adventures, courageous acts and true love were just that – useless fairytales read to children to lull them into a false sense of security, provide a sense of comfort, ward off nightmares for the night.

Needless to say, Regina had not ever had a bedtime story read to her.

Still, the two sat in silence right up until the final warning bell of the morning had been rung. Only then did they scramble from the car and off towards their respective rooms, both attempting to shake the weight from their minds. Naturally, Regina was at ends all day. Currently, she sat at her desk awaiting the bell for the final period– Her senior English class – and thanking every god she could think of that she had managed to procure a series of worksheets, which were strategically used to keep her previous 3 classes mum.

Regina's excitement for this last hour had only built in intensity and abundance as the day passed on. She let herself feel excitement, allowed the reprieve from the anxiety built within her chest. She thought she should feel nervous, but rather, she was completely relaxed. She didn't worry for what the blonde would say, how she would act. The knowledge was instilled in her. She knew.

The door flung open as the students began filing into the classroom – the brunette far too gathered up in her emotional thoughts to catch the bell. She managed to bark out a quick "take a sheet" or something of the sort – she wasn't entirely too sure – before the first senior had taken their seat. A small victory, considering that throughout the day, her brain could barely form a sentence edgewise. Regina's eyes remained glued to the door, assessing each passing student for a flash of red leather or a cascade of golden curls.

After a minute, her eyes met an empty doorway, failing to catch a glimpse of Emma. The brunette's eyes roamed the classroom until they fell upon the chair – two from the end, one from the back – the only empty seat in the house. An unwanted flare of disappointment flew through Regina, guiding her eyes to meet her desk. Her hands began slowly twirling the pen she had cradled all day, scowling when the tip would scrap paper leaving a messy scratch. There were plenty of reasons Emma could not of shown. Regina trusts her intuition, and it had neither aimed to drive her to avoid the school today, nor to run in an entirely opposite direction.

Her gut was never wrong.

A faint sound of thumping footsteps sounded throughout the corridor briefly, drawing Regina's attentions to the door. Brown eyes flew to green as a breathless blonde appeared in the empty space, an easy smile making known upon the younger woman's face. The brunette's features flooded with relief before she could stop them, and to save embarrassment, she tucked her chin to her chest.

The blonde stood immobile at the door, catching her breath, before slowly making her way inside. The sound of her boots the only thing breaking the complete silence of the room – it seemed the students were all either far too concentrated on their work or too entranced by Emma's movement, to break it themselves. Emma walked very slowly past her desk, trailing her fingers along it before gracefully sliding the last question sheet off the edge and into her possession. Somehow, within this movement, she managed to slide a small, folded note onto the desk before the older woman. Covering a smirk at Regina's surprise, Emma whispered a simple, "Sorry I'm late" before walking, slightly quicker now, to take her seat.

Regina and Emma watched each other for what seemed like millennium before the brunette realized the small, jerky movements of the blonde's head were hints towards the mystery note. She let her eyes fall to the paper, her shaky fingers reaching to unfold it. Her breath caught as she took in the slightly messy, though weirdly elegant, scrawl.

I love you too.

Regina stared at the note until she could feel Emma's brain almost frying with an attempt to decipher the brunette's reaction. She met the blonde's emerald sights and leant back in her chair, the note now pressed firmly to her chest. Both women completely content for the shared look to last forever.

Her gut was never wrong.


Always keep your heart locked tight, don't let your mind retire, oh

But I just couldn't take it, I tried hard not to fake it

But I fumbled it when I came down to the wire