The next week passed with Emma and Regina establishing a rhythm to their days. Emma would work at least one shift a day, more often than not taking on David's, as well, with Tink picking up the slack – after several grueling training sessions and orientation classes. Sometimes, Emma felt ridiculous for hiring the woman as a second deputy, as the smaller blonde didn't know how to drive, and the speed of response was one of the necessary things for the police in any town, but the spunky fairy managed to be on top of the demands. Both Henry and Regina had their business hours figured out, he in school, she in the office, unless she needed some on site meetings or inspections. Henry would come to her office in the afternoon, do his homework, then depending on Emma's schedule, the two Mills' would either go to the mansion or to Emma's apartment, more often than not sharing the evening meal with the Town Sheriff. Every so often the three of them would meet up with the Charmings and spend some time together. Emma would often visit her parents on her own, during her lunch breaks or before her shifts, slowly but steadily warming up to the infant, and using the small breaks as a convenient excuse for not having more time to stay around, giving her mother less time to pester her with uncomfortable questions. However, the only two people she never missed to see every day, even if she had to invent official business to stop by the Town Hall, or the school, were Henry and Regina, and honestly, she liked it that way – the domesticity of it peculiarly soothing and empowering.
It wasn't just the extra shifts at the Sheriff's station that kept Emma busy. The various sightings of their newest not so evil villain had to be investigated, and more often than not, the Sheriff was tasked coordinating with the Merry Men and other volunteers in the Town who wanted to help finding Elsa. It was during those searches and investigations that Emma learned more snippets and facts about the Ice Queen. The queen had a younger sister that had gone missing from their kingdom months before Elsa had been trapped by Rumplestiltskin, and the woman had been on her quest to find her, her search leading her to the Dark One. And, Rumplestiltskin, in the true Dark One fashion had tricked the young desperate woman, encasing her in the metal jar.
It was after one of such searches that Emma had finally managed to track down the woman, finding her hideout in the forest out of town, the house built completely out of ice standing before her intact, despite the warm temperatures of the air and stuffiness of the forest. However, the habitat was empty, and waiting for the angry woman with the power to control ice, alone and without back up, was dangerous. Downright idiotic and utterly irresponsible - Emma's mind supplied, oddly enough in Regina's voice. So Emma took in the position of the house and directed herself toward the town, knowing that she was beyond late for the promised dinner at the Mayor's manor. In fact, if the phone display wasn't lying, Henry was already in bed and she had still a two hour trek before her. It was just her luck that when the tip had come in, no one was around to come with her on the follow up, and the cell reception was tricky at best that deep in the forest, and nonexistent in most cases.
Trudging through the forest, she held her flash light in front of her, watching the forest floor, not willing to break her ankle, or neck, on a hidden root or something. It had been drizzling the whole day, and now that the Sun had been down for some time, the air actually grew a lot colder. The dim ambiance of the night woods made Emma think of all the vampire movies she had seen, along with the stories Ruby had told her. All in all, she wasn't happy to be stuck where she was, tripping over vegetation. And, the first thought that came to her mind when she reached civilization wasn't to get warm, or to have a shower and change. No, she needed someone to talk to, a friendly face, someone who would let her talk and relax. Ruby, she thought. Yes, she could see the young shifter, they were due for another girls night anyways. But, despite her hazily made decision, her own body seemed to have another idea, parking the patrol car on the Mifflin Street, right in front of the white mansion she had visited many times. She didn't even have time to hesitate over it as her body continued on autopilot and before she could even comprehend how to take over the control, she had already knocked on the white door, squinting when the porch light went on.
"Emma," came Regina's surprised murmur when the door opened slightly, showing the Mayor in a robe and soft slippers as she blinked at the Sheriff at her door. "Is everything alright?" The sleepiness instantly turned into alertness as Regina appraised the blonde, looking for any sign of distress. After Emma had sent out a short text explaining that she most likely would not be able to make it to dinner, having just caught a new lead, Regina hadn't hoped for the blonde stopping by that evening, especially not after midnight.
"Sorry, I…" Emma shuffled from her foot to foot, not really knowing what to say. "It's late, I shouldn't have bothered you, I should go," she mumbled quickly as she turned to leave, but she was stopped with an utterance of her name.
"Emma," Regina called out to her, not wanting the blonde to leave. Not when she was finally there. Opening the door wider, the brunette gestured the Sheriff inside. The second the blonde passed the door, however, she stopped and took off her boots, and only then did Regina see the mud encased on them or on the Sheriff's jeans. "Tough day?" she asked as she guided the blonde into the kitchen, knowing this kind of night called for a hot chocolate.
"Not really, no," Emma said in false cheer as she sat on the chair at the counter, watching Regina hustle around the stove, recognizing the ingredients she had pulled out of various places instantly. This was what she needed, she realized. This feeling of homeliness. "Well, it was going great, until I received a tip that I thought was sending me on the wild goose chase, but I had to check anyways. So imagine my surprise when after three hours of stumbling around in that goddamn forest I actually found something." She didn't know what made her more irritated, that the tip had been good, that she had to trek for three hours there and back, coming pretty close to the town line, that she had to wait till morning before forming a team to go with her, that she had missed dinner with her favorite people, or that the tip was anonymous. Most likely it was the combination of all.
"You did? What?" Regina asked with interest as she placed a cup with the chocolate, whipped cream and cinnamon in front of the Savior, taking in the grateful smile crossing over Emma's face.
"A freaking house! Made of ice, no less. In the middle of nowhere." Emma pulled out her phone and showed the picture she had snapped before she had left to the woman, drinking her chocolate while Regina scrutinized the image on the picture.
"I've never seen anything like it," the brunette spoke, returning the phone. "You don't know who gave it to you?"
"Not a clue…"Emma said tiredly before she drained the cup and placed it in the sink. "Thank you for the…" she gestured vaguely to the cup, but Regina knew that Emma wasn't thanking her for the chocolate. "I should leave, it's a school night after all."
"If you think I am going to let you walk out of here in this hour, you are horribly mistaken, Miss Swan," Regina spoke firmly, already going upstairs, her tone clear. Emma had a feeling that if she even made a move toward the door she would find herself bound and transported upstairs like a recalcitrant child, so she followed the brunette, trudging up her shoulders drooping from the exhaustion. "Here," Regina offered a pajama set, gesturing her toward the bathroom.
Five minutes later, Emma was back in Regina's room, looking sheepishly at the woman already in bed. "What are you waiting for? Get in." The Mayor turned down one side of her downy comforter, her eyebrow going up in expectance. This was a new development, and they were both aware of that. Before, when Emma would stay over, they would spend their evening talking in the study, or living room, and then when Regina would see the blonde's eyes drooping she would send her to the guest room. But, now, Emma was here, in Regina's room for the first time and she didn't know how to deal with it. However, she followed Regina's instruction and got in, sinking into the most amazing mattress she had ever had under her, sighing in comfort. Regina turned off the lamp she had on, plunging the room in darkness.
Even though the tiredness and the exhaustion she felt after her odyssey into the forest, she just couldn't turn off her mind. She was lying next to Regina, and despite the fact that they had shared a bed before, in light of their newly revealed feelings it seemed different. But, it wasn't the only thing that kept her awake. The whole hunt for the Ice Queen seemed unfair, as the woman was just trying to find her sister, in more unorthodox methods, she would admit, but hardly a cold hearted murderer at large. In all honesty, Emma felt like she should arrest Rumple, but she couldn't, not for something that had happened a long time ago. And, there was the mystery of Anna, the missing sister. But, her mind always returned to the brunette beside her. Emma lied on her back, afraid to move, not wanting to keep the already accommodating woman awake for longer.
"I can hear you thinking," Regina murmured as she turned toward the blonde. "Can't sleep?"
"I just think that all the manhunt is unnecessary. It's not like she is hurting anyone."
"She did fling a car off the road, Emma. And, the first time, if I hadn't had my magic, we would have suffered the same fate." Regina's voice was heavy with sleep, but she still fought valiantly to stay awake for Emma. "At least, someone needs to talk to her, to prevent her from doing it again." Then, the brunette came closer to Emma, moving the golden tresses that seemed silver in the light that was coming from the street off the blonde's face, the soft caress pulling a gratified moan out of the Savior. "At least, when we find her, and find out the whole story, perhaps we could help her find her sister." Then she flicked Emma's nose playfully, before returning to her previous position. "You can get yourself comfortable, Emma, I don't mind. Just get some sleep." After she spoke those words she felt the bed shift, as Emma turned around, heeding her advice of getting better situated, lying on her side facing Regina. "Good night," she murmured lightly, sure that the Savior was already asleep.
"G'night, R'gin'," Emma mumbled back, her consciousness fading, making Regina smile in warm affection, as she was feeling the blonde's body warmth on her back, meaning Emma was almost close enough to initiate spooning, despite their unspoken deal to go really, really slow. It was a necessary choice as neither of them knew how to be in a loving and stable relationship, and the both women wanted this to last, with the blonde thinking in the terms of years and decades for the first time in her life. And, before they threw sex and its consequences into the mix, the women needed to deal with several more pressing issues in their communication, as it was too volatile at the moment. But, their agreement did not mean Regina could not offer comfort to the obviously taxed Sheriff, and the brunette gave it, gladly, feeling immeasurably pleased that the blonde was coming to her for it. But, her heart also broke at the weight that had settled on Emma's shoulders, the burden caused by the people of her town, wanting the Sheriff to deal with many of their problems.
The morning found them together, turned toward each other, holding each other's hand in the small strip of space between them. Regina woke first, but she did not move away or get up, not willing to leave the blonde in front of her just yet. Her eyes passed over the fair skin, the Savior's face relaxed in sleep, and Regina could not get her fill of it, adoring the sight of it without the accompanying tightness around the eyes and mouth. Emma seemed so young, with her hair strewn across the pillow, one of her hands under it, despite the small worry and stress lines having formed on her face. Regina sighed happily, this was the face she loved waking up beside.
"Do I have something on my forehead?" the blonde murmured, before lazily opening her eyes. And the moment she saw the vision of the woman in front of her, she fell in love all over again, wanting this for the rest of her life. The slightly mussed dark hair framed the sparkling eyes and even shinier smile of the beautiful woman, the sight of it making Emma's heart pump harder and faster, as Regina drew herself closer to the blonde, and with the childish exuberance kissed her forehead.
"You do, now," the brunette spoke in her still sleep roughened voice, the huskiness of it bringing heat and thrills to the Savior's skin, pooling it in the lower regions of her body. Reaching for Emma's cheek, Regina smiled lovingly at the blonde, caressing the skin beneath her fingers. "I am glad you came," she spoke seriously after a moment. "And, I am glad you stayed."
"It's not like I had a choice," the blonde murmured, her attempt of joke falling short. Regina knew it was a defense mechanism, something that Emma used to deflect, to diminish the emotional magnitude of the moment, and she didn't let it go this time.
"You always have a choice, Emma. I will never force you to stay against your will, or make decisions for you." Not like they had been made for both of them by other people, often ruining their lives in process, be it for the greater good or some other trite excuse.
"I know that," Emma replied earnestly, and she did know that Regina would try her best to do well by her. "It's just, as long you want me here, I am choosing to stay." Perhaps her voice broke at the end of her sentence, or it was just that her throat was dry from sleeping, but the words she spoke, she meant them with her whole heart – and in her mind it was a promise, an oath, she never wanted to break.
"What if I want you here for a long time?" The here they talked about had nothing to do with the mansion, and they both knew that.
"Then, I am a happy Savior," Emma replied flippantly, her answer not less true.
Unfortunately, they had to get up, with Emma needing to organize the trek to the ice cottage, and Regina busy with school board meetings, now that the school was out. They shared a quick family breakfast, Henry joining them despite the fact that he could have slept in. With a kiss to his forehead and a squeeze on Regina's upper arm, Emma left, feeling rested enough to actually be happy for going to work, her energetic behavior making the Mills' chuckle.
After impressing the importance of having his phone on him and available at all times, and making him promise that he would not wander off, or spend much time alone, Regina dropped off Henry at Mary Margaret's place, and with a light kiss on his cheek she wished him a good day and left to her office. He came to her later, bringing lunch and reading a book he brought while his mother finished up with her work, waiting for her to go to Granny's for their weekly family dinner, the women had decided to proceed with it, regardless of the very possible likelihood of Emma and David not making it. Although he had opportunities to spend his time with his school friends or with Ruby at the dinner, he knew that with Emma gone more often than not, his mother would worry much more about him than usual, so he had chosen one of the books bought in New York and taking it to the couch in his mother's office, he started reading. Instantly, he could see that him being in plain sight eased the strain in the Mayor's shoulders, even though he knew that Regina would never begrudge him spending his time with friends. And, shrewd woman as she was, the Mayor knew what her son was doing, and appreciated it greatly, proud and touched by his kindness and thoughtfulness.
They drove in silence to the dinner, as it was a very short ride, and the minute Regina parked beside the Granny's, they were met with Snow pushing Neal in stroller. As Ruby gestured them to the window table, their usual, as it was slightly bigger than the rest in the diner, capable of seating them all, Regina checked her phone, disappointed when there were no new notifications.
"Hey, guys," David spoke from the door as he rushed in. "Emma's not back yet?" he asked after he kissed his wife and son, patting Henry's shoulder.
"I thought you were together?" Regina asked pointedly, as she took her phone, dialing Emma's number.
"We split up, to cover more grounds. Emma took Tink and Mulan with her, along with the big guy, John." He leaned back, gesturing for Ruby to bring him water. "The house was gone by the time we got there, only a foot of ice was left of it. There were tracks going from it, but they went in two different directions a bit further down. Perhaps the other path veered a bit farther into the forest?"
Regina listened to David's explanation, frowning when she instantly got Emma's voicemail, as if her phone was turned off. She tried again, getting the same result. "Something's not right," she murmured to herself, as she dialed Tink's number. "It's ringing out…" she told the others, her worry ratcheting up as the fairy deputy failed to answer her phone. She rose from the booth, ready to summon her magic, hoping it would be able to help her to find Emma, but in that moment a very loud thunder passed through the small town, startling everyone.
"They didn't announce any storms today," Mary Margaret spoke softly, joining Regina.
"It's not storm," Regina spoke clearly. Then she turned to the people beside her, David holding Henry. "It's magic." She rushed out from the diner, followed by the others, Ruby and Granny joining them. Regina felt the familiar feel of her tutor's power and it guided her toward his shop, from where another loud bang was heard. Rushing, almost running on her heels, she was the first to lay eyes upon the scene before her, it making her blood freeze with fear, just as another boom rolled over her.
There she was, the platinum blonde woman in shimmering blue dress, engaged in what seemed to be a magical duel with Rumplestiltskin right in the middle of the street, all the while she was screaming at him about her sister. And right behind her was Emma, kneeling down as her arms were spread wide, held in that position by two pillars of ice encasing them, just as her knees and lower parts of her legs were submerged in the clear ice. From where Regina was standing, Emma seemed unconscious, her head hanging low on her chest, the blonde hair covering her face. At least, Regina hoped she was unconscious, that the unnatural stillness of the Savior wasn't due something else – something more permanent, something Regina couldn't even think about.
"Regina!" the brunette heard a gruff voice calling to her, shaking her out of her stupor. Luckily, Henry and the others still couldn't see what was happening, and she couldn't let her son witness it so she placed the barrier, stopping the Charmings, including the teenage boy, in place. She turned toward the man who was calling her, and recognizing John right away, despite the fact that he was lying down in a heap, injured and covered in blood, she walked to him, ready to heal him. "We found her. Both of them. Tink left to bring her here, hoping to calm Elsa down. Can't come any closer, magic strikes, Mulan down." The man gasped in short breaths, his lungs definitely collapsing, fading too quickly. The brunette poured some of her magic into him, before she sent him away with her transportation spell, making him appear in the Storybrooke ER immediately after.
She then looked toward the fighting two, noticing that both ice and Rumplestiltskin's magic were going off, hitting at random, and making it extremely dangerous for anyone in the vicinity, and those two seemed lost in their own fight, heedless to anything that was happening around them. The glass window of the shop shattered when a white bolt struck it, the glass exploding over the street, while at the same time, the ray of blood red magic scorched the pavement, melting the ice that had encased it, forming a deep burrow on it and a large quantity of steam hanging in the air. The electric lights were going out, unable to stand the amount of loose energy in the air, their loud pops sounding like a gun fire. She couldn't just run to Emma, as she would only get hit by the crossfire, and she needed to think. Think of a plan that wouldn't get them both killed, as she couldn't even conceive of leaving Henry with no parents. Knowing she would need help she released the protective border on the Charmings', letting them come to her, stopping Henry from going any further, her heart breaking as she listened to his angry shouts to go and help Emma.