A/N
Just borrowing the characters except for Ana.
And yes the dead man was on the show. Kudos if you know who I'm describing.
Italicized text is a memory.
Chapter 12
Archie pauses at the edge of the sand dune, taking the opportunity to observe the interaction of the two women when they weren't verbally fighting or…his face heats up remembering the heated kiss he had inadvertently interrupted in the garage. Emma continues to search around the dead body while outwardly Regina appears to be the epitome of calmness but he recognizes the tenseness in her shoulders and the slight flaring of her nostrils as the only clue that she was deep in thought yet still aware of everything that was going on around her.
He's pulled out of his musings by Emma calling his name. He shakes his head, "Sorry Emma. What did you ask me?"
Emma quirks an eyebrow at his uncharacteristic absentmindedness before continuing, "Did you touch the body because he's not wearing any shoes or socks? And have you seen him before?"
"Only to see if he had a pulse and no, I haven't seen him before."
"Good. I need you to do two things or rather three things for me." Archie nods his head in understanding. "I need the camera from the police cruiser and to call the ambulance so we can remove the body."
"What was the third thing you need me to do?"
"Make sure Henry is still with Mary-Margaret and Ruby. The last thing I want is him to see this dead body."
A softly whispered, "He already has," has Regina spinning, her glare pinning Archie in place. The iciness of her tone has him shivering from the sudden drop in temperature, "What do you mean Henry's already seen the body?"
Archie was not by nature a wishing man but he was wishing fervently that the sands under foot would open up and swallow him whole. Or even the ghost, that he didn't believe in, would appear and create a distraction, allowing him to escape. Regina's glare was intimidating and even though he had seen it often, this was the second time it had been directed at him and it still terrified him. But what made the situation even worse was an equally terrifying glare coming from Emma. He had read somewhere, though not really sure where, that the mother bear was at her most dangerous when her cub or cubs were being threatened. And standing before him was not one but two mother bears and by their stances and glares they were ready to protect their own, no matter what the cost.
He nervously adjusts his glasses as he takes a step backwards. "Ummm, I'm gonna go and…I'm gonna go." He starts to turn and stops at the commanding, "Archie?" He glances backwards and gulps at the sight of Regina's arms around Emma, not vice versa, to stop her from following him. Archie doesn't recognize the hoarse and stuttered, "Ye…ye...yes." as his own voice. "You are going to explain exactly how Henry came to see this body and how you two knew there was a body in the first place." Archie opens his mouth to answer but nothing comes out as his vocal cords seem to have become paralyzed in fear. So he simply nods in understanding and quickly leaves before he does anything else that would further infuriate the two mother bears.
Unbeknownst to either woman Ana sits upon the remains of the roof of the fort. She chuckles in amusement at the role reversal she sees before her. Most anyone, herself included would have expected that Emma would be the one holding Regina back from going after Archie. And yet it was Regina that had her arms around Emma and whatever she was whispering was calming the blond enough that her hands had come to rest on the arms around her and her tense body was relaxing against Regina's.
Ana almost listened into Regina's whispers but decided that they deserve their privacy, no matter how temporary it was. And whatever was being said was calming to both women and that ability to calm each other was going to be needed far sooner than either knew.
As the mother of the fates, she knew what was going to happen to every person but on the rare occasion, and those occasions were very rare indeed, certain individuals were able to surprise her. In fact she had been surprised more in the past few days than she had for her entire existence, which is saying something since she had been around since the beginning and this new sensation of being surprised, especially by the actions of these two women was like a breath of fresh air, or beguiling or enchanting or or… Well she couldn't put a name to what she was feeling but whatever this was, she was going to enjoy every moment she could.
"So if you had gone after Dr. Hopper, would you have arrested yourself?"
The remaining tension in Emma's body, from Archie's revelation, finally dissipates from Regina's question. "It would be rather hard for me to drive to the station if I handcuffed and then locked myself in the back of the cruiser."
"Perhaps Leroy could give you lessons or even drive you to the station."
Emma laughs at the image of Leroy enjoying way to much the chance of escorting the Sheriff, who had arrested herself, to the station. "He'd probably ask you for my job." Reluctantly she steps away from and immediately misses the cocoon of warmth that Regina's body and arms had created. She turns toward the dead man. "And speaking of jobs, I'd better do mine before the paramedics arrive. I'm sure they're going to destroy any evidence."
Regina tilts her head to one side, "Why would you say that?"
"Because Archie is one of the most level headed people in town and he is still spooked by the ghost story."
The smallest of smirks appears, that Emma fails to see, on Regina's lips at the thought of how her little escapade as a ghost still held sway over the townspeople. She works hard to keep the amusement out of her voice, "And if he's still spooked, then others will be even further unnerved and be in a rush to get in and out of the dunes as quickly as possible."
Emma quirks her eyebrow at the faintest traces of amusement in Regina's voice. She shakes her head and makes a mental note to ask Regina for the true story of the ghost but this is neither the time nor the place. She walks over to the body, kneels down and studies the almost serene face. Whatever had caused his death was quick as there was no outward signs of him struggling for life. It was almost as if he sat down, leaned to one side, as if to sleep, and died. "Regina, have you seen him around town?"
This was the question that Regina had been dreading, but thankfully Emma was looking away from her when she answered. "No, I've never seen him in town." When Emma didn't challenge her on the statement, she released a deep sigh of relief. Technically she wasn't lying when she said she hadn't seen him around town because until today he had never set foot in the town. She knew this was a grey area but as the Queen and later the Evil Queen lying by omission had quickly became a survival tactic.
As the Mayor, she didn't need to lie either directly or by omission, but it had become second nature to her, to protect herself she argued, that it became a habit. And habits, whether good, bad or evil, are very hard to break.
She crosses her arms, tightening them around herself as her head tilts back, her eyes closing. Like lying, this protective movement had become a habit. It was her way of protecting her heart and yes regardless of the many stories told about the Evil Queen being heartless, she wasn't. This heart, in conjunction with her shattered soul fragments had continued to wage its own war against the darkness that had seeped into her entire being. This battered union of her heart and her soul is what kept her from killing Snow White, kept her from destroying everyone in the Enchanted Forest by taking their lives, that encouraged her subtly to accept Henry and raise him as the son she could never have.
And now this battered union of her heart and her soul was asking, no demanding that she trust Emma with every part of her past life. Especially the how and why she became the Evil Queen. It was a story that had never been told and if Henry's infernal fairy tale book was any indication, the true story of the Evil Queen never would.
Her eyes open, looking into the greyness that dominates the sky. In the distance she can see the building storm clouds but within both areas are slender piercing shafts of sunlight. Each time one shaft of light is swallowed by either the greyness or the storm clouds another shaft appears. Some are less brilliant while others are stronger and more vibrant and they have a habit of appearing in the most unexpected of places.
Even when the storm clouds were at their darkest and angriest, the fury they released often creating the sensation that everything you knew was coming to an end, a single shaft of light, no matter how minuscule it was, gave hope that better times were coming.
Her father, Henry and now Emma were her shafts of light. Always piercing the darkness, whether they knew it or not, to find her no matter how dark her life had become. As for Daniel, he represented both the light and the darkness in her life.
Her eyes narrow in contemplation as she realizes that even that infernal Snow was a shaft of light in her darkness, no matter how narrow and weak, the light was there.
Snow had no idea that on one occasion, she had almost given in and expelled the darkness from herself. It was when she was in disguise and was traveling with Snow and the perfect situation presented itself to her and yet she couldn't draw her sword and end her tormentor's life once and for all. What helped stay her hand was Snow's comments that she knew there was still good inside Regina, she had seen it and would forgive her and let her back in if Regina truly wanted forgiveness for everything she had done in the quest for revenge.
When they came upon the village, or the remnants, and had seen the destruction she had caused not with the eyes of the Evil Queen but through the eyes of Snow. She had seen and felt the pain in Snow's demeanor at how this entire village had refused to turn her in and had paid the ultimate price. Those simple comments burned far deeper into Regina's darkness than either she or Snow would ever know.
But the moment of vulnerability was quickly destroyed by the darkness that consumed her. It quickly reminded her of Snow's treachery, of the pain that she had to live through because a secret that couldn't be kept, and the farce of a marriage that she had been forced to endure.
For a moment she felt the fear running through her body when she realized that Snow could easily kill her as she had no magic to protect herself. She fully expected to feel the arrow slicing into her unguarded back, and a part of her fully welcomed the thought that all of her pain and suffering would finally come to an end. And yet, as she ran from Snow, nothing happened. Why Snow didn't kill her and purge the lands of her evil presence was a question that Regina, in her darkness moments of dispair, would often ponder.
She tilts her head to one side watching Emma gather what little evidence there was from around and on the dead man. The gulf that existed between what Regina was and what she wanted to be was vast. And yet this longing to let go, to simply be Regina was a feeling the darkness was trying hard to keep buried. Images were slamming into her subconscious of every nasty deed she had done and how no one could ever forgive her.
Once again her arms tighten around her as she tilts her head back, her eyes close. She had read somewhere that without hope then all is lost. And despite the pain and the emptiness that surrounded her heart, and though it was reminded on a daily basis of everything she had done and everyone that she had hurt, there was still a flicker of hope. She could feel that hope creeping out of the shrouds of her darkness like minuscule shafts of light. She could feel it breathing, calling out for more strength and perhaps it was time for her to believe in hope again.
She had been taken down and broken. Then made to believe that giving into the darkness was her only recourse to heal herself. So consumed by her hatred, and those constantly reminding her of her pain, she failed to see the truth that the darkness was working so hard to hide, that forgiveness freely given was the first step to healing a broken heart.
So entrenched on this dark pathway that it was far easier for Regina to stay on this path to what she had become than trying to change and asking for forgiveness. And yet she was being given another opportunity, but she had to wonder why. Years of mistrust and learning to read the truths hidden behind the spoken words had taught Regina to question everything, especially the true motives of anyone bringing her helpful information.
So she had to wonder why Ana had revealed her knowledge of the incident at the river? What did she hope to gain? Why was this all happening now? How did the dead man figure into everything? And what else was yet to happen?
Still kneeling, Emma glances toward Regina and despite the circumstances and as inappropriate as it may be, all she can see is a beautiful but hurting woman. She wasn't surprised that the Mayoral mask, that Regina wore like armor, was now absent. She watched as her arms tightened around her body, her eyes close and her head tilted back as if these simple motions could offer some sort of protection from her memories.
She had told Regina that she wanted to be the person that cared, that she wanted to be the one that listened, the one that wanted to be with her not because of an obligation but as a choice. To be the one that tore down the massive walls that Regina had built up over the years as protection. To be the one that Regina willingly trusted with her heart and her soul. Yet she was also asking Regina to do the same for her.
It sounded so simple to ask someone to take your hand, to simply to let go of everything hurtful from their past and to trust, especially when they have no reason to do so. To listen with their heart and not their head to the promise that you will be and remain there for them no matter what.
Being allowed to see Regina hurting, as she was at the moment, strengthened the feelings Emma had. She was sure they would continue to fight. She couldn't ever see them agreeing on everything nor would she want that. Life would be boring if everyone agreed about everything.
Truthfully, she enjoyed the fiery Regina. How she deliberately invaded Emma's personal space when they argued. How her eyes would slowly roam over Emma's body, before connecting with her own green orbs. How those beguiling brown eyes, that usually conveyed indifference, could in an instant flare, especially if Henry was in some sort of danger, and threatened to incinerate everything and everyone in her path.
Each encounter left Emma feeling as if every inch of her skin had been scorched by those brown eyes until the incident at the mine That's when everything changed. Those eyes that rarely revealed Regina's inner thoughts or emotions, would slowly change to a mesmerizing deeper brown that often made Emma feel as if she was surrounded by liquid chocolate. That made her want to dive in rather than want to escape. The feeling of not being able to escape, or truthfully, as she was just now admitting to, not wanting to escape, became more frequent every time Regina invaded her personal space.
At first she thought it was simply a method of intimidation, and it was, but she quickly realized that while Regina would invade other people's personal space, she never stepped or stayed as close or as long as she did when it was Emma's personal space that was being invaded.
When those beguiling brown eyes turn, capturing her gaze with so much intensity that she feels her breath catch from the shear amount of emotions that are swirling in those darkening orbs. She feels the beckoning call to lose herself and wonders if this is how the sailors felt when they heard the call of the Sirens.
From her perch upon the remnants of the fort roof, Ana watches and feels the wealth of emotions from Emma and Regina. She holds up one hand and waves the other over it. A scene showing the inside of the cave appears and zooms in until Emma's life thread becomes prominent and what she sees makes her smile even greater. The smaller threads that were connecting Emma's vibrant red thread to that of Regina's darker thread were once again threatening to breach the darker thread's barriers. And with each surge of the red against the thin black barrier, it became even thinner. But unlike the last time, the invasion of the red life force this time already had a foot hold. And it was drawn to the pocket of Emma's life force that had been left behind when the two women were kissing in the garage. She flicks her wrist and the view of the cave disappears.
Ana knew that there were a few extra components to the curse that Rumplestiltskin had deviously included. Components that Regina was unaware existed and therefore would not know how they could or would be activated.
Now normally Ana had few issues with how Rumplestiltskin conducted his business. Those that were desperate enough to make a deal with him deserved what they got even if the deals that were made were often to his advantage. Even those he had killed, as the Dark One, usually deserved their punishment.
When she had discovered the extras that Rumplestiltskin had included in the curse, she was furious until she saw how they could work to her advantage. She had made subtle changes to those extra components and yes she needed to be subtle as she knew that Rumplestiltskin could and would feel those changes. One of the most significant changes he had made was to ensure that he did not lose his memories as most of those from the Enchanted forest had when the cursed was cast.
Ana chuckles softly at the mother of the fates being subtle. She wanted nothing more than to send Regina and Emma to a remote place and state the obvious to them, You love her, she loves you. You want to be together so what's stopping you? The problem was simple, free will. You can set up the perfect situation to bring two people together but that doesn't mean they'll choose to be together. And with these two stubborn women anything was possible.
This was not the first time she had changed the course of someone's life by making subtle changes to their life thread, but to actively interfere through their entire life was something new for Ana. She marveled at the obstacles that Regina and Emma had to overcome and at times wanted to interfere and make it easier for both women but she limited her interference to the times when either woman's life was in danger. Others may have had a worse life, faced worse obstacles and survived and learned to love but these two stubborn women were different.
She had to sit back and watch as Regina's training, by her mother, became brutally intense. There was one time, Ana's hand clinches tightly at the memory, where she had to manipulate the situation so that Regina could have a greater chance of survival. She was so enraged by Cora's cold heartedness towards her own daughter that she had actually picked up a pair of shears and was preparing to cut Cora's life thread. The sound of Regina's labored breathing, that was slowly growing stronger, cut through her anger causing the scissors to pause after cutting through the outer strands.
Ana felt regret at what this beautiful young woman had to endure but the steely determination for survival, that was now evident, was the armor that Regina was going to need to continue to survive. But this armor that would protect her was also her greatest weakness.
This armor allowed her to justify her manipulations of everyone around her, of her unending need to destroy Snow White, and those that helped her, and of the casting of the curse. And yet it also made it harder for her to end these actions. It clouded Regina's vision where she couldn't see that at times she was also being manipulated, that her happy ending didn't rely on the destruction of Snow White and, even though Maleficient warned her, what the real price of casting the curse would have on her heart and the remnants of her soul. It's this armor that Emma was battling against to find not the Evil Queen or the Mayor, but the real Regina and the love she is still capable of.
Archie hurries out of the sand dunes to find a rather large crowd of people. Even Mr. Gold, wearing his trademark smirky smile, is per usual standing to one side away from everyone else. He sighs with relief when he sees that Henry is still with Mary-Margaret and Ruby because the last thing he needs is to tell Regina and Emma that Henry was loose in the dunes or worse Henry to appear in front of his mothers at the fort.
As he gets closer, the questions that are flying at him has him shaking his head and holding up his hands which to his surprise quiets everyone. "I know what everyone wants to know and yes, there is a body in the dunes and no, it has nothing to do with the alleged ghost and its supposed treasure."
A muffled, "How can you be sure it wasn't the ghost?" has Archie sighing. "If you feel so strongly that it was this ghost, then by all means please tell the Mayor and the Sheriff your theory." When no response is forth coming, Archie continues. "I don't know who the man is nor have I seen him around town. I'm sure that both the Mayor and the Sheriff are going to ask you the same question but until then I want you all to think if you've seen anyone hanging around or going into the dunes in the past twenty-four hours."
The crowd begins to talk amongst themselves as Archie steps toward Henry, who's questions come fast and furious. "Did my mom and Emma find anything on him? Do they know who he is? Why wasn't he wearing any shoes or socks? Do they know how he died?"
Archie sighs, "Your mom and Emma are doing everything they can." He sees Leroy coming closer, "Leroy, can you go to the Sheriff's car and get the camera and also call in the paramedics." Leroy nods and hurries towards the Sheriff's car.
Asking Leroy to call the paramedics has Archie turning to look towards the dunes as that simple request has him remember something odd about the dead body. The man may have been wearing a trench coat but he wasn't wearing the clothes you would have expected. Rather he was wearing hospital scrubs under the trench coat. He mutters to himself, "Why is he wearing hospital scrubs?"
He turns, wanting to ask Mary-Margaret if she had seen the man around the hospital but
hesitates for a number of reasons. One reason being he didn't have a picture of the dead man. But the biggest reason being that nothing like this, as far as he could remember, had ever happened in Storybrooke and he didn't want to impede Emma and Regina's investigation.
Henry notices Archie is deep in thought and grabs his arm. "Archie you know something. What is it?" Getting no answer from Archie, Henry turns and starts towards the dunes but his forward movement is halted by both Ruby and Mary-Margaret grabbing his arms and Archie stepping in front of him. "You're not going into the dunes Henry. Emma and your mother need you to stay here."
"But I can help."
"How?"
"I can help look for clues that weren't shown in the book."
Ruby kneels next to Henry. "Henry I know you want to help. We all do. But this isn't the time nor the place to tell them you may have seen the man die in your book."
"You don't believe me."
Mary-Margaret steps in front of Henry, ignoring the siren of the approaching ambulance, and kneels. "Henry, it's a lot to believe. But I agree with Ruby that this isn't the time to discuss how you and Archie knew about the man in the dunes. Okay?"
He nods his head, "Okay. But I don't like it."
"I'm sure you don't."
Ruby bumps his shoulder and smiles, "Besides I want to see this new story that's appeared in your book as well as the other stories. It would be interesting to see who in town is supposedly which fairy tale character."
Raised voices has Archie, Ruby, Mary-Margaret and Henry looking towards where Leroy can be seen talking to the paramedics. A gurney with a stretcher strapped on it stands nearby. Archie has a pretty good idea, if Leroy's angry gestures are anything to go by, what they are arguing about.
Henry shakes his head at the irony that the one person who wants to enter the dunes can't and those who are scared are the ones that have little choice but to enter the dunes. He realizes how loosely he is being held and knows with the right distraction he still might be able to enter the dunes.
Leroy approaches carrying the camera and a scowl on his face. Okay, a deeper scowl than the one that he normally has. "We have a problem."
Archie turns to Leroy, "They're refusing to enter the dunes."
"You got it Doc."
"Go and ask them who they fear more, the ghost or the wrath of the Mayor?"
"Doc, you know we all fear the wrath of the Mayor." A smile appears on Leroy's face, "Well everyone except Emma."
Before anyone can react, Henry grabs the camera and sprints into the dunes. An exasperated Archie watches Henry disappear, "This is not good."
Mary-Margaret puts her hand on Archie's shoulder and squeezes, "It'll be okay. Emma won't….."
"It was Emma that told me to keep Henry out of the dunes not Regina. In fact it was Regina that was restraining Emma from coming after me when I said something I shouldn't have."
Ruby and Mary-Margaret both mouth in surprise to each other, "Regina was restraining Emma." Mary-Margaret clears her throat before continuing, "Okay, but I'm sure Emma will understand. She knows how resourceful he can be."
Leroy returns with two very nervous paramedics carrying a stretcher with a black bag strapped on top. "Okay Doc, they're ready. Lead the way."
Archie smiles tightly, turns and walks into the dunes followed by the nervous paramedics and Leroy.
Ruby starts to follow and is stopped by Mary-Margaret, "Where are you going?"
"To bring Henry back so that everyone can do what needs to be done." Ruby starts into the dunes, glances over her shoulder, "Call Emma and tell her Henry is coming. Maybe she and Regina can stop him before he sees something he shouldn't."
"Okay." Mary-Margaret wants to go and help bring Henry back but sighs as she looks down at her sock covered feet. She takes out her cell phone and quickly dials Emma's number. "It's Mary-Margaret, Henry got away and is heading into the dunes." She ends the call and feeling someone watching her, she looks around to find Mr. Gold's smirky smile trained on her. Her eyes drift down to the faint glow that seems to be emanating from the eyes in his cane. As her eyes narrow in thought at whether she is actually seeing the cane glowing when the glow suddenly disappears. She looks up to watch Mr. Gold turn and limp away.
Henry clutches the camera to his chest as he darts through the dunes. He knows that his mother and Emma are not going to be happy with him defying their orders to stay with Mary-Margaret and Ruby, but he needed to see for himself, and regardless of what Archie had told him, if what he had seen in the book really existed. If it did, then he had the evidence to prove to Emma that she was the savior and that Regina was the Evil Queen.
He stops running just a few turns from the fort that he and his mother had spent months building. He remembers the fun they had finding various objects that had been washed ashore by the ocean to enhance their fort and make it the bestest ever. He never questioned why the objects he had thought would improve his fort would, in a short amount of time, be found. He always wondered if his mother had deliberately found the objects and hid them in the dunes so he could find them and think they washed ashore with the tide.
He pauses remembering the conversation he had had with Archie just prior to coming to the dunes that there were at least two sides to every story. "Why did she cast the curse? What happened to her? Why was she given the title the Evil Queen? Did she create the curse or was it given to her?"
He knew that Emma was destined to break the curse and be the savior. That, "Emma has to defeat the Evil Queen. That's what the savior does." But what if the book was wrong. Archie pointed out that, "If Emma saves the Evil Queen from herself, isn't that a way of defeating her?"
He had to wonder what else had been deliberately left out of the book and why. So lost in thought that he fails to notice someone approaching until he feels a hand on his shoulder. It's his mother's touch and he looks into her face with tears glistening in his eyes.
Whatever scolding comment that she was about to utter dies on Regina's lips when she sees the unshed tears in her son's eyes. "Henry?" She's unprepared when he drops the camera and suddenly launches himself into her arms and hugs her. "Henry, what's wrong?" She tilts his head back and wipes away the few tears that have escaped from his eyes.
"Mom, I'm sorry I came into the dunes. And," he looks down ashamed at how he has treated his mother. "And what Henry?" He meets her gaze and to his surprise he sees more of his mother than the Evil Queen. "Can we talk? I mean you, me and Emma."
Henry has rarely if ever seen his mother speechless and unsure of what to say. Much less hear the hesitation in her voice and yet her softly, "You want to talk to me? Why?," makes him realize how much he has hurt her.
He shrugs his shoulders, "Because of something Archie said to me and I know you want to know how we knew about the body at the fort."
The hope that is radiating from her eyes has him smiling and she returns the smile. "All right. Emma and I both want to know about the body. Also Dr. Hopper should be there." Henry smiles, "Could you promise me one thing?"
"Henry?" Regina tries to maintain her emotional distance but the young man that is holding tightly to her is her son before the book came into their lives. She sighs and smiles, "What am I promising?"
"That you'll listen to everything Archie and I have to say without commenting until we tell you the entire story of how we knew about the body."
Every fiber in her is screaming at her to say no but she surprises herself by nodding and saying, "I promise." She leans down, "But I can't promise how quiet Emma will be when you're telling your story." She quirks an eyebrow at the huge smile on his face. "Something wrong?" He shakes his head, "You called her Emma."
Regina starts to respond but with the sound of people approaching, she barely has time to school her features. Archie, Leroy, the two paramedics and Ruby come from around a dune. She and Henry step to one side allowing the four men, who nod to the Mayor, to hurry past them.
Ruby stops next to them. "I'm sorry about Henry coming into the dunes." Regina pats his shoulder, "As we all know, my son is very resourceful." She looks at Ruby, "I'm sure you did your best." Henry picks up the camera, brushes the sand off of it and hands it to his mother, who smiles at him and nods her thanks. "I want you to go back with Miss Lucas. I need to get this camera to Emma before they move the body."
Not waiting for a reply, Regina turns and disappears around a corner and further into the dunes leaving a smiling Henry and a stunned Ruby in her wake. "Ruby?" Henry grabs hold of Ruby's arm when she doesn't respond. "Ruby what's wrong?"
She shakes her head. The confusion of the situation evident in her voice, "You mean besides the fact that the Mayor wasn't angry that you came into the dunes? And she gave me a compliment without it being condescending. And she called Emma by her first name and not Miss Swan." She looks at Henry, "You tell me what could possibly be wrong with that?"
She knew Regina had changed since Emma's arrival but the changes in the past few days were mind boggling. They ranged from her comments of Let's find our Sheriff to her softly uttering, Emma, where are you? and the offhanded comment about Emma not being able to control the power that came with using magic. And then there was the town gossip line that Regina and Emma were holding hands as they exited the Sheriff's station on the way to the dunes. And now the Mayor hadn't berated her but had actually given her a compliment. She was starting to wonder if this wasn't just a very vivid dream. She needed to talk to Mary-Margaret about everything that has happened as well as getting a good look at Henry's book. She had a feeling that more changes were coming and whether they were good or bad she wasn't sure. She just knew something was going to happen and that Regina and Emma would be at the epicenter. And she was determined to be by their side no matter what changes were coming.
Regina turns the corner of the dune to find Archie, Leroy and the two paramedics nervously looking around. A smirk befitting the Evil Queen appears on her features as she contemplates yelling boo and almost laughs at the thought of the four men in a total panic. And as much as she would enjoy seeing the manifestation of their fear when they thought the ghost had appeared, she knew that they would hightail it out of the dunes leaving her and Emma to have to drag out the body themselves.
With great difficulty she drops the smirk, before walking over to Emma who has opened the trench coat of the dead man, revealing the hospital scrubs he is wearing. She hands the camera to Emma, who mutters, "Thanks." She immediately begins taking pictures of the body and the surrounding area, not that there is much evidence left behind in the ever shifting sand.
"We're going to have to check the hospital and see if they're missing any patients."
"He could have stolen the scrubs."
Emma nods as she continues to take pictures, "True, but it's a place to start. And maybe we'll get lucky and someone will recognize his face."
Regina's good mood evaporates as she debates on how to reveal everything she knows about him without losing Henry and Emma. So lost in thought she doesn't hear Emma calling her name and jumps slightly when she feels a hand on her arm.
"Regina, You okay?"
"Yes." Emma knows that with that simple statement that Regina's lying but also realizes this is not the time to ask what's bothering her. "We need to get the body loaded and then get out of here." She leans closer so only Regina can hear her, "In case any ghosts decide to make an appearance." Regina turns away and coughs to cover the smile that Emma's comment has caused.
Emma pats Regina on the back to 'help' with her coughing while waving the paramedics forward to begin the process of putting the body into the body bag.
The paramedics quickly open the black bag and place it on the ground. As they lift the body, one arm shifts and seems to latch onto the arm of the nearest paramedic. His eyes widen in fear and as he jerks his arm free, the movement causes the body to shift and tumble out of the arms of both men falling and landing on its side. The body teeters and then slowly falls over planting the dead man's face into the sand. A soft puff of air, that in reality was only the displacement of air as the body fell onto the sand, could be heard. The story of the ghost had made everyone jumpy and jump they did. The paramedics, Leroy and even Archie's eyes widen in fear, their faces blanch as they begin to frantically look around expecting the ghost to make its appearance at any time.
Ana sits on top of the fort, her arms wrapped around herself laughing. Tears are streaming down her face at the comical eyes that have widen in fear that are on the paramedics, Leroy and even Archie's face. Only Emma and Regina aren't reacting like the others. Emma is shaking her head at their stupidity. Regina is desperately trying to keep a smirk off of her face and both are trying not to break out in laughter.
Ana is still chuckling when she stops and contemplates the situation. She watches as the paramedics, with Emma and Leroy helping, shift the body into the black body bag. She can't help but notice that everyone's eyes are constantly moving looking for any unexplained movement or a sign that the ghost is present. The corners of her lips begin to crease in amusement from the tension that is radiating from everyone and a huge smile appears. "I know how most everyone is going to react but I have to wonder how Regina and Emma would react if the ghost was to reappeared?"
She waits until the zipper on the bag is being pulled close when she begins to softly moan. As she expected everyone, even Regina and Emma are listening closely. The paramedics, Archie and Leroy are breathing heavier as their fear ratchets up the tension to an almost painful level. Their muscles are twitching in anticipation of having to run for their lives when, not if, the ghost reappears.
Ana is laughing hysterically at the scene unfolding before her. She knows it's wrong but she can't help herself. Besides how often does she get to enjoy a situation, not of her own making, that is tailor made for fun. And as the mother of the fates she can ensure that no one will die from the skyrocketing tension. So yes, she is going to take this opportunity to have some fun.
This time she waits until the body bag has been strapped onto the stretcher before emitting a low and drawn out, "Mmmmiiiiiiinnnnnneeeee." The reactions are priceless as the paramedics, Leroy and even Archie nervously look around and slowly begin to move further from the fort and closer to the corner of the dune that will lead them to the path out of this obviously haunted place. But as they turn to scurry away they come to a screeching halt when Emma blocks their escape.
Her disgust at their reaction is evident in a taut, "Really." She makes eye contact with each man before continuing, "You are all grown men that are letting a little breeze freak you out." The four chagrin men look everywhere but at Emma. "Now you are going to grab that stretcher and then we are leaving. Is that understood?" One of the paramedics starts to say something but before he can utter a single word Emma's exasperated tone books no room for any argument. "I don't want to hear any complaints. Just grab the stretcher and get it out of here." The four men nod in agreement and then return to grab the stretcher and hoist it up. As they walk towards the corner of the dune that hides the fort, a faint howling can be heard and sounds as if it is getting closer.
Hands tighten on the stretcher as the four men frantically look around trying to determine where exactly the sound is emanating from. The acoustics of the dunes makes it seem as if the howling is coming at them from every direction. The tension finally breaks when the thump of something on the dunes behind the fort and another low howl has the four men further tightening their grip on the stretcher until their knuckles are as white as their faces. They glance at each other and without saying a word all four men move as one and scurry from the area carrying the stretcher with them.
Ana's startled by how quickly Regina moves to pull Emma out of the way of the panicked exit by the four men. And short of the ghost appearing in front of them, they weren't stopping for anyone or anything. In their haste they brush against Emma just enough to knock her off balance.
Emma's foot slips in the sand and in conjunction with Regina pulling her backwards, knocks both women off balance. They end up sprawled side by side in the sand. Emma lifts her head just in time to see the scared men turning the corner at a dead run. "Now I wonder why they were so," She turns her head to glance at Regina, "compelled to leave in such a hurry?"
Regina shrugs her shoulders. "Perhaps if they ever stop running, we could ask them."
Emma shakes her head in amusement as she stands, "We both know what the answer would be. It was the ghost." She extends her hand to Regina and helps her to her feet.
Another low howl has Emma turning and taking a protective step in front of Regina but still leaving herself enough room to fight if needed. She smiles when she feels Regina's right hand coming to rest on her back. Both women are strengthen by this simple contact.
"Regina, if I tell you to go, go?"
"I'm not leaving without you."
Emma glances at Regina, their eyes silently communicating what doesn't need to be verbalized. "All right together it is." She turns back toward where the howl is coming from and draws her weapon. Part of her wonders what good her weapon will do if it really is a ghost they are about to face. She draws upon the steely determination that has gotten her through many dangerous situations and yet this situation causes a long ago memory to flash in front of her. Of a rainy day and a woman, who seems to resemble Ana, talking to her, "Promise me no matter what happens, to you or those you care about, that you will never lose that stubborn determination. It will keep you and the ones you love protected." Before she has time to contemplate on the what and why of that particular memory, she feels the hand on her back sliding away as Regina takes a step forward to stand beside her.
The smirk that Regina barely kept hidden when everyone reacted to the whoosh of air that made it sound as if the dead body was still breathing turned into a look of shock when she heard the whispered moan. As luck would have it, everyone was so caught up in the whisper they weren't sure they actually heard, they failed to look at her and she was able to quickly hide her surprise behind a mask of indifference.
The whoosh of air and the whispered, "Mine", could be explained away as the swirling movement of the wind among the dunes. But this howling had her concerned because she had no rational explanation for what she was hearing. It could be the wind but she had spent enough time in the dunes with Henry and from her nocturnal visits to have heard every conceivable sound that could be produced and nothing matched this eerie howling that was irrevocably moving closer.
Her fingers twitch as if they were waiting for her to call forth fireballs but unfortunately she had no magic here. She didn't even have the chemicals she had used during the ghost adventure. She had only one weapon at her disposal and that was her resolve to stand by and with Emma.
As Ana watched the two women stand together, as one, to face whatever was coming towards them, she could feel Emma's life thread straining even harder against the already thin barriers that protected Regina's darker thread. But something was different, something that seemed out of place, something she had never felt before. She quickly opened her view of the cave and what she saw almost had her falling off the fort roof in surprise. In some places Emma's life thread had breached those thin barriers and was mixing with Regina's darker one and at the same time it was also seeking out Emma's life force that had been left behind when the women kissed for the first time. While not unheard of, the threads that connected these two women's life threads were growing larger and more shocking was that there were new threads being created. But to her astonishment it wasn't Emma's life thread that was creating these new threads, that were reaching out for its other half, it was Regina's.
This revelation took Ana unawares. She had experienced, over the eons, the connection of those that were destined to meet and to help each other but their threads always remained separate and distinctive. Never had she ever seen two threads that had been stretched, twisted and challenged as Emma's and Regina's were. Never had she seen the darker life thread create new threads and reach out towards it soul mate. She knew that Emma and Regina were special, which is why she interfered in their lives, but this new development was beyond anything she expected. And it renewed her hope for victory in the fight that had been building for eons.
Archie, Leroy and the two paramedics come racing out of the dunes so fast that if the body hadn't been strapped down it would have bounced off the stretcher. And as paranoid as everyone was, they would immediately think that it was the ghost retaliating for them daring to venture into the dunes.
Henry doesn't follow the progress of the four men. He has his attention focused on the dunes waiting for his mother and Emma. When they failed to come out he turns and runs to Archie and grabs his arm. "Archie, where's my mom and Emma?"
Archie takes a breath, the combination of carrying the stretcher and the fear from the ghost's antics having left him winded. He wipes his glasses trying to calm down before answering Henry's question. "I thought they were right behind us."
Ruby, Mary-Margaret and the rest of the townspeople that had gathered have all gotten closer to hear first hand what had happened in the dunes. But before anyone can ask any further questions, the sound of laughter floats out of the dunes.
Now if anyone had taken the time to actually listen they would have realized that there were two different timbres that were mixing together to create one sound. But the incident with the ghost was still fresh on everyone's minds, hence why no one wanted, to this day, to enter the dunes. And only the wrath of the Mayor and letting down Emma, is what forced the two paramedics and Leroy to dare venture into the forbidden territory.
Most everyone knew of the maniacal laughter that had chased the men out of the dunes during their stakeout of the dunes but this was the first time anyone other than those men heard the actual laughter. Everyone present was frozen in place from fear. And the fear wasn't just about the ghost but the retribution the ghost maybe be inflicting on Regina and Emma for daring to invade the ghost's sandy domain.
Emma and Regina tense in apprehension as they hear whatever is in the dunes is getting closer and closer. There jaws drop and they almost collapse onto the sand from both relief and extreme amusement when the ghost or in this case, Pongo, with the remains of a rusted metal bucket trapped on his head, emerges from behind the fort. His whimpering is amplified by the metal and the sounds of something on the sand is in reality him trying to pull off the bucket in the sand.
Ana is laughing so hard that she has fallen off the roof of the fort. Still laughing, she sits on the sand watching Regina, Emma and the Ghost known as Pongo.
When they look at each other they break into peels of laughter. And each time they try to stop laughing they either look at each other or at Pongo and begin laughing all over again. Their different laughters, one husky and the other lighter, compliment each other. They blend into what sounds like one voice and is amplified by the acoustics of the sand dunes.
Emma unconsciously holsters her weapon as she continues to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. She bumps shoulders with the still laughing Regina, "Now are you going to tell me that Pongo was the ghost that scared everyone that night in the dunes?" Her breath catches at the carefree woman that is laughing with her.
Still laughing, Regina crosses her arms in fake indignation. "Really Miss Swan, are you implying that I might have intimate knowledge about what may or may not have occurred that night."
"Implying? No. Stating a fact, then yes I am. Pongo may be an escape artist but he can't throw fireballs."
Regina starts to answer but Pongo comes up to her, tapping her leg with the metal bucket. She breaks out in another fit of laughter. Still chuckling she works on removing the bucket from around his head. "Well I don't think we should mention it was Pongo and the metal bucket on his head that was the cause of this incident."
"True." Emma helps Regina remove the metal bucket and Pongo licks both their faces in gratitude before bounding off into the dunes.
Emma studies Regina, "But why do I think it has nothing to do with not embarrassing them and more to do with keeping the dunes free of people."
A fake shocked look appears on Regina's face, "Why Miss Swan do you think that I, the duly elected Mayor would want to keep her electorate from enjoying all that Storybrooke has to offer, which includes these dunes, by encouraging rumors of a ghost's haunt?"
"Yes." Emma's fingers on Regina's lips forestalls any answer. "And I'm glad you did. It's nice to know that there is someplace where someone can find a quiet place to be alone."
The ringing of Emma's cell intrudes on the moment. She can feel Regina's lips curling into a smile under her fingers as she answers her cell. Emma starts talking before the caller can start, "We're on our way out now." Her eyebrows raise in response to what the caller is asking, "You heard what?….Maniacal laughter?….The ghost?" Emma quickly shifts her hand to try and muffle the chuckles that Regina can't contain, from being heard. "Neither one of us heard anything like that." She glares at the twinkling but not so innocent brown eyes that are staring back at her. Her eyes narrow when she feels lips moving against the palm of her hand. "Well it sounds like a mass hallucination….No! You don't need to come in, we're on our way." She ends the call.
A still chuckling Regina removes the hand that had been covering her mouth. "They think that our laughing sounded like the ghost." Emma can't help but laugh, "Apparently so."
Regina shakes her head in amusement at everything that has happened as she starts to walk towards the edge of the dunes before stopping and glancing over her shoulder. "Are you coming dear? Our little impromptu sprawl has resulted in sand being in some rather annoying places."
Emma smirks, "And you need my help to rid you of the sand?"
A mischievous twinkle appears in Regina's eyes. "Yes. I need you to help me remove," she shudders slightly, "Miss Blanchard's appalling boots. My feet have suffered enough." A bark of laughter and the sound of Emma's footsteps has Regina smiling as they leave the 'ghost's haunted domain.'
TBC
