DISCLAIMER:: do not own ouat or any of its characters. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.
A/N:: long update for everyone to apologise for the fact that dreamscape probably won't be updated until next weekend. there were a few hiccups this weekend that cut into my writing time. I struggled with the August interaction in this chapter so I apologise if they (the one between Emma/August especially) are a little rough and unpolished, but they were important in establishing some stuff that will come up in the future as well as confirming a few things that I'm sure have been apparent to at least a few of you for a while. please enjoy. and review if you would be so kind.
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
Chapter 38: With Voyeuristic Intention
"Emma, darling, slow down!" Regina reached for but just missed grabbing the other woman's arm before she could jump out of the still-moving car as it just crossed the threshold of the driveway, wincing as she watched Emma stumble a little as her feet hit the ground. She pulled up to the head of the drive and cut the engine. Emma was already halfway up the side walkway by the time she locked the car and set off after her.
Emma'd had nothing on her mind since they'd left the diner but August Booth and his newly remembered connection to her past. Her entire past was a series of question marks and he may have the answers to some of them. He'd always seemed familiar to her and now she had a theory why. She unlocked the front door with her own key, throwing it open and heading straight for the stairs with single-minded determination.
Regina had never seen the younger woman so intensely focused. It unsettled her. She hadn't explained her words in the diner. She hadn't answered any of the dozens of questions Regina had asked her or even spoken a single word the whole ride home. It worried her. They'd strengthened their relationship this morning; Boston had accomplished all it was supposed to and more. But she'd couldn't help feeling that the progress made was slipping through her fingers. "Emma!" She closed the front door just as the other woman reached the second floor landing.
She had no choice but to follow her upstairs and track her to the open door of the guest bedroom. She leaned against the frame as she watched Emma rifle through a box, oblivious to anything but the task at hand. "Will you tell me?"
"Once I have something to tell." Emma didn't even pause in her search.
Regina determined quickly that was the best she was like to get for now. "Alright, well I need to go pick up Henry from the Nolan's then."
"Okay."
Regina crossed the room, leaning down close to Emma. She waited a few moments, but couldn't get the young woman to look at her. Finally she sighed. "I'll be back soon."
Emma distractedly pecked Regina on the lips, her eyes never straying from the work of her hands seraching through the contents of the box.
Regina frowned, leaning in a pressing a long kiss to Emma's temple. Her frown only deepened when Emma still didn't look up. But as she turned away to head out, Emma's hand caught hers and gave it a quick squeeze. She released it a second later without a word. Regina thought of saying more, of trying to build upon that small little indication that Emma wasn't totally lost in her own mind, but she couldn't come up with any words that would make this better. So she instead left Emma to her silent quest.
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
She pulled up in front of the Nolan's residence fifteen minutes later. Katherine waved from the window before disappearing. Regina was just closing her car door as her best friend opened her front door and stepped out onto the porch. Regina tucked her hands into the pockets of her trench coat as she came up the walk.
"Hey. How'd it go this weekend? Things good with you and Emma now?"
It was a simple question, but Regina found herself shrugging, unsure now of an answer she could have given with confidence mere hours ago. "I don't quite know."
Katherine gestured over her shoulder. "Come on inside, tell me all about it. Henry's down for his nap and David's out at the market picking up the groceries."
Regina couldn't think of an adequate reason to object to the offer so she finally nodded in resignation. She followed her best friend inside her modest little American dream house.
Katherine led her straight back to the kitchen, patting the back of one of the chairs at the dining table. "Sit. I'll make us some tea." She was already moving off to put the kettle on as if she already knew Regina would obey the request.
And she did. She fell down into the wooden seat with an audible thump, not caring at her lack of her usual polished demeanor.
Katherine held her questions at bay while she heated the tea. It wasn't often she saw Regina with such a lack of certainty and confidence. It was her trademark, part of an image carefully constructed through years of hard work. It was slightly unsettling to see the one person who had always been unbreakable looking so out of sorts. When she finally poured the tea and set a cup in front of her friend, taking the seat across from her with her own cup, she was nearly bursting with curiosity. "Spill."
Regina took a sip of her tea, flinching at the scalding temperature, before setting the cup back down and tracing the rim of the porcelain with her finger. "Boston was... wonderful." She thought back to the hours they'd spent wrapped in each other over the past two days. "Emma... she was perfect. It was perfect."
"I sense a but coming on."
Regina wasn't sure how much she should share. She knew Katherine; the other woman wouldn't tell a soul anything that Regina told her in confidence. Unlike most of the housewives in this small town, she wasn't a gossip. In fact, she was one of the most trustworthy people Regina had ever met. She knew her secrets would be safe with her. But that didn't change that this was Emma's secret, not hers. The younger woman was so fragile, especially when it came to things regarding her past. "It's complicated."
Katherine wrapped her hands around her own cup to warm them. "Are you two doing okay?" She didn't understand how Regina could describe the weekend as 'perfect' but still look this stressed.
"We're fine." She sighed. "I'm just worried about her. She found out some news about her family today and it has her on edge." She took another sip of tea and ran a hand through her hair. "I just... I can't let her slip away from me." She met Katherine's eyes, her own sad. "I love her and I'm afraid I might lose her to this. I've never seen her so lost. I just... I love her."
Katherine reached across the table and placed a hand over Regina's. "I know you do honey. I don't know what Emma's dealing with right now but I don't believe for one second that whatever it is changes how she feels about you or Henry."
Regina nodded, her eyes staring into the brown liquid in her cup. "I don't know what to do."
"Just be there for her, whatever she needs. Hold her, give her space, help her... whatever she asks for."
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
The house was dead quiet as Regina opened the front door for her son. No sound emitted from anywhere, upstairs or down.
"Momma, where's Emma?" Henry tugged on her hand that was clasping his to bring her attention back down to him.
"Why don't you go upstairs and get your stuff put away and I'll go find her?" She smiled to reassure him that nothing was amiss, smoothing down his soft brown locks and urging him towards the stairs. She waited until the door to his room opened and subsequently closed before heading upstairs herself, unsure of what she'd find once she got there.
She paused with her hand on the doorknob of the guest bedroom, listening through the white door for even the smallest hint of sound. She heard nothing. She pushed open the door to find Emma, quiet and lost in her own thoughts, sitting, her legs folded up against her chest like a scared child, her chin resting on her knees, with her back ramrod straight against the headboard. Her eyes were trained on a pile of photos on the bed before her, but they weren't truly seeing them; her mind was somewhere else entirely.
"Emma?" She closed the door gently behind her, not wanting to unintentionally spook the other woman who seemed unaware of her presence.
Nothing. No response or acknowledgment of any kind was forthcoming. Emma's gaze remained glazed over, lost somewhere deep in the recesses of her memory, a place Regina wasn't positive she could reach her.
"Emma..." Regina took a step towards the bed. "Henry's home." She took another step closer, her panic like a clog in her throat. Now that she was closer to the bed, she could see that the pile was actually two separate piles, one larger than the other, though not by much, just close enough together to appear to be one from a distance. She ignored them for the moment and reached out, stroking the younger woman's cheek. "He's been asking for you. He missed you."
Emma finally looked up, her eyes haunted, though she tried to cover up the buried emotion and put on a smile for Regina that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I should go ask him about his weekend. I'm sure he has a new high score to tell me about on those video games he plays with David." She got up off the bed.
Regina put out an hand to stop her from moving past, wanting desperately to comfort her.
Emma flinched before she could control it. It was a reflex and her eyes, when turned to her girlfriend, were instantly apologetic. She bit her lip, wanting to utter an apology but unable to find the right words. Finally she just moved past and off to find Henry.
As soon as the door behind her had closed once again, she moved forward and took the spot Emma had just vacated. Something had happened to Emma while she'd been gone picking up Henry. In the past hour Emma had found something that had taken her from distracted woman on a mission to numb little girl. That was the only way to describe how she looked. The answer to her sudden mood change had to be in the two stacks of photographs.
And it was.
The first photo she reached for, the top on the smaller pile, was a candid of Emma, possibly taken by some passerby in front of the display window at Macy's in New York. There, barely perceptible in the glass was the reflection of people walking by and milling around on the sidewalk. One in particular had eyes turned towards the young woman getting her picture taken. The face was distinctly familiar. August Booth. The next in the pile was of Emma with an assortment of men and women at a concert of some sort. Milling in the crowd behind the group was the same face. August Booth.
One by one she flipped through the photographs in the smaller pile, playing an infuriating game of Where's Waldo? with the figure of August Booth. In every single picture he was captured, sometimes hidden at the fringes of the frame, other times dead center, just seeming to be another face in the crowd. Across state lines, through each of Emma's new starts, he had been there.
She looked at the slightly larger pile, the photos in which he hadn't appeared. She wondered how many of them he had been present for but just managed to avoid the camera's all-seeing eye. There were probably several he'd watched being taken without being captured on film himself. How long had August been stalking Emma? There was no way to know from the photos alone.
But one thing was for damn sure, Regina intended to find out.
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
Emma wasn't in Henry's room or their bedroom but Henry's giggles immediately drew her back down the hall to the family room. She opened the door to find a spinning Emma Swan, Henry's small body lying across her outstretched arms, his own arms splayed out like the wings of a bird.
As he caught sight of Regina mid-spin, he grinned happily. "Look Momma! I'm flying! I'm an airplane!" He made a zoom-like sound to emphasize his point.
She smiled at him, secretly warring against the sting of tears behind her eyes. He looked so happy in Emma's arms, so free. It was something she was seeing more and more the longer the other woman was in their lives, something she hadn't seen on his face in a long time.
Emma slowed him to a stop, setting him down gently on the couch and holding his arms while he regained his equilibrium.
The moment the dizziness passed, he jumped down to the floor and ran over to Regina. He grabbed her hand and pulled her across the room back towards Emma. "Emma, make Momma fly too!"
Regina shook her head at her son. "Oh honey, I don't think..." She was cut off as she was scooped up into a bridal-style lift. She looked into Emma's eyes in surprise as the other woman spun her around several times. She didn't realise she'd stopped breathing until her feet were set back down on solid ground.
Henry was bouncing. "See Momma! You flied!"
"Flew. I flew." Regina didn't break eye contact with Emma as she corrected her son.
"Can we play a game together Momma?"
Regina glanced down at her son's hopeful face before looking back at Emma with raised eyebrows, wordlessly asking if she was okay with the request. At Emma's almost imperceptible nod, she in turn nodded to Henry. "But you need your bath first young man."
He pouted.
She shook her head. "Nice try." She put one hand on her hip, the other pointing to the door. "Bath. Now. I'll be there in a moment."
His joyous mood somewhat deflated, he trudged off in the direction of the bathroom.
Regina turned back to Emma, who was regarding her warily now that they were alone and she no longer had Henry as a buffer. She looked instantly defeated again and Regina realised she had just been putting on a mask for Henry's sake.
Emma saw in her girlfriend's eyes that she knew the truth. She must have seen the evidence Emma had left the on the bed. She had seen what Emma herself had. She could pick out anger, concern, and much more welled up just beneath the surface of Regina's calm expression. "I..." But she couldn't discuss it, not yet. She couldn't face it. She shook her head, looking at Regina with a plea in her eyes. "I need to go clean up the guest room."
Regina heeded Katherine's advice and did what Emma had wordlessly asked of her. She let her go.
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
Emma closed the bedroom door softly as she came in from tucking Henry in for the night. Their game of Scrabble had gone past his bedtime. She had considered sleeping in the guest room simply to avoid the coming conversation but, not only did the thought of not sleeping in Regina's arms lose its appeal more and more with each passing day, she also knew that running from the mayor's concern was only like to make matters worse.
Regina looked up from the proposals she was looking over. She set them on her bedside table, sliding her glasses off and placing them on top.
Emma watched her movements carefully. "I didn't know you wear glasses."
"Only for important papers. The extra magnification ensures I don't miss anything." Her eyes scaled up and back down Emma's body. She was withdrawn, her body slightly curled in on itself, typical of defensive postures. She lingered close to the door as if ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
As if suddenly aware she was just standing there, Emma began to move, using getting ready for bed as an excuse to refrain from speaking.
"Emma."
She couldn't stop herself from tensing, her back to the woman on the bed as she dug through a drawer for a pair of pajama pants. She stopped digging, rigidly righting herself and glancing over her shoulder. "Hmm?"
"I want you to be able to talk to me about anything..."
The younger woman cut her off. "I know." She ducked her head in shameful defeat.
"But, that doesn't mean that I will force you to do so."
Emma turned back to the drawer, her body relaxing slightly. She pulled out a pair of flannel pajama pants and kicked off her jeans before pulling them on. "He... played me."
Regina watched Emma rest her hands on the dresser, leaning her weight on them as if her legs were no longer strong enough to carry the burden. "I know."
"And I just can't talk about it yet, not until I figure out how I feel about it, because right now... I just don't. Feel. I'm not sure whether I feel so much that I've short-circuited my emotions or whether I've buried it under so much denial that I'm not allowing myself to feel it. But either way, I can't feel anything about it."
"So tell me about something you can feel."
Emma glanced at Regina once more, her gratitude evident in her eyes. She pushed away from the dresser and padded over to the bed. She sat on the edge. "I think Henry needs to go back to school."
If Regina were standing, she would have toppled over in shock at the sudden and unexpected change in direction. "I'm sorry... what?"
"He needs to interact with some kids his own age, or at the very least, someone under the age of twenty. It's only four hours a day Regina. I'd pick him up on my way home from work, getting him from school instead of coming straight here to relieve Katherine. I'm sure she could use the break. It's a win-win." She crawled under the duvet on her side, sitting back against the pillows and letting the other woman consider her words.
Regina mulled it over for all of about five seconds before choosing her answer. "No. He's not ready to go back."
"He's not ready to go back or you're not ready to let him?" Emma raised her eybrows in askance.
Regina narrowed her eyes.
Emma leaned in and pecked her gently on her pursed lips.
Regina wouldn't be deterred. "No."
Emma kissed her again, lingering a breath longer this time.
"No." It had lost a little bit of its adamancy.
She kissed her again, slow and drawn out this time.
"No." It was a whisper.
Emma knew she had all but won. She kissed her again, cupping her cheek and sucking ever so gently on her bottom lip.
Regina leaned after her girlfriend's lips as Emma withdrew once more. "I'll call the school tomorrow."
Emma kissed her quickly once more in thanks. "I knew you'd see things my way."
Regina pouted. "You play dirty." She glanced down at her mouth. "Those lips of yours are quite persuasive."
Emma's mouth quirked up in a small smirk. "You like when I play dirty."
Regina stole another kiss, grateful that Emma seemed to be coming back to her. "I love when you play dirty." She slid down until she was resting flat on the bed, her head on her pillow. She flipped off her bedside lamp.
Emma naturally moved to cover her, magnets pulled together by that unopposable force inside them, be it true love or fate or even a mix of both, neither of them could more than speculate.
Regina stared up into a face she couldn't imagine her world without. She pushed blonde locks behind the woman's ears. "I want you to know something."
"Hmm?" Emma wrapped her fingers around Regina's wrists as the woman held her face in her hands, her thumbs stroking Emma's cheeks in a way that was purely loving and so intimate it made Emma want to cry.
"Henry and I, we will always be your family. When you've searched and found the answers you're looking for, come back to us. Take your time, find what you need, and we'll still be right here, always waiting, already yours."
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
Emma was up well before dawn. No trace of light sprinkled the sky yet, all was still dark. It was easy to be up to welcome the dawn when she hadn't really slept. She had been fine, distracted by Regina's presence, until the older woman had fallen asleep. Once that had happened and she'd been left with nothing but her own thoughts to fill the void of silence, that was when things had taken a dark turn.
Her slipping out of Regina's arms did not go unnoticed by the other woman. "It's early darling, come back to bed." She reached out a tired arm towards her girlfriend's retreating form.
"Run." She was already peeling off her nightwear in favour of running gear.
"Mmm, come back to bed and I'll give you a work out of my own design. I promise you'll like it."
Emma smiled, pulling on a fresh tank top. "Tempting." She walked back over to the bed and sat on the edge so she could lace up her sneakers. "But I'll be back in an hour and I can make it up to you in a nice long hot shower."
Regina's eyes were already closing again in appeasement. "Deal."
Emma kissed her forehead gently. "Go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."
Regina was already asleep once more by the time she exited the room.
Emma knew exactly where she was going when she left the house. She crossed Mifflin Street and headed towards Main. The sun would be up soon and she needed to get where she was going before it did. She had to do this before the rest of Storybrooke was up to witness it. The last thing she needed was more of her dirty laundry becoming the latest town gossip; they already whispered constantly behind their hands about her quick and unexpected integration into the mayor's life.
She made it to Marco's shop just as the first lightening of the sky had begun above the horizon line. No rays were visible yet but they weren't very far off. Her time was dwindling. She stared up at the windows along the second floor, where Marco's apartment was located above his shop, contemplating them. So, okay, she hadn't actually considered what to do once she got there. She had forgotten her cell phone at the house, so she couldn't just text August and the windows were a guessing game. She didn't know which one was nearest to the couch August slept on and she really didn't want to accidentally wake Marco. How would she explain away to the kind old carpenter what she was doing here before six in the morning?
Gulls called out from the harbour a block away, as if reminding her to get a move on. She picked up a handful of gravel and began with the window directly over the shop front. That had to be the living room right?
Finally, after 8 hits directly to the window and a few that missed the mark and thudded uselessly against the wall beside it, the light went on and a bleary eyed August stuck his shaggy head out of the window. His eyes narrowed, trying to focus on the figure below through the haze of sleep. Recognition dawned after a moment. "Emma? What are you doing here?"
"Trying to get your attention."
He raised a tired eyebrow. "By throwing rocks at the bathroom window?"
The bathroom window? Well that was good to know for future reference. "Can you just get down here please?"
August frowned down at her, looking confused. "What's this about?"
Emma sighed. Just looking up at him was causing her feelings of betrayal to bubble back up. She didn't realised she was squeezing her hand into a fist until she felt the pinch of the unthrown gravel against her palm. She relaxed her hand, watching as the small rocks fell back to the ground before wiping the dirt and dust off on her leggings. "Just get dressed and meet me at the waterfront." She didn't give him a chance to object, turning and jogging away.
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
It took August twelve minutes to catch up with her. He walked the short distance to the paved path that ran from the woods at the edge of town to the boardwalk that ran the length of the more developed parts of Storybrooke to the harbour and the boating piers. Emma was leaning against the wooden fence that protected people from toppling down to the water, staring out at the water, still dark in the barely there light of pre-dawn. Her blonde hair whipped gently around her stoic face as she stared intensely at the water. He could tell by the rigidness of her posture that she was tense about something. He came up beside her. "Are you going to tell me what's so important that you had to see me before the sun even came up?"
Emma had promised herself that she wouldn't let her emotions get the better of her. She had spent most of her sleepless night thinking about what she'd seen in those photographs and what it all meant, how she felt about it. Most importantly, she had thought about where to go from here. And she had told herself that she would approach this with a calm clear head. But in the twelve minutes she waited for August, her self-control had rolled out with the tide. She turned, saw his face, and her hand went flying on reflex. Damn him and his face. The cold caused the impact to sting her hand just as much as his face, but she felt a certain satisfaction as her palm connected with his cheek.
August was more taken aback by the surprise of the blow than the actual impact. Still, he put his fingers to the spot where her palm had connected. His eyes were wide as he looked at Emma. "What in the hell was that for?"
She narrowed her eyes. How dare he even ask that when he knew what he'd done? What he'd been doing for years now? "To get you to move your hand so I could do this."
He had no time to react before her knee made contact with his groin. A sharp pain sliced from his crotch up his right side. He clutched at the crotch of the sweats he'd thrown on and doubled over. He wasn't sure what he'd managed to do to piss Emma off, she'd been gone all weekend, but obviously something had angered her and whatever it was, he was at the center of it. "What. The. Hell. Emma?"
Now that she'd opened the floodgates on her emotions, they came in a downpour. "You lied to me! You fucking asshole!" She wanted to hit him again, but his posture was protective and defensive. Even if she could, she wasn't sure she had the energy. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes and she felt them prickle before falling down her cheeks.
August was confused. He took a step back, just out of her reach, before standing up fully and regarding her. "What's this about?"
"How long have you been following me? How long have you known who I am?" How long had he been lying to her? She suddenly needed to know.
August couldn't contain his surprise. How long had she known the truth of her identity? He had assumed that he would have to guide her away from discovering where she came from, where they all came from somewhere down the line. But maybe coming back to Storybrooke, coming back to Regina had done more for her memory than he had anticipated, sooner than he'd expected. There was no use lying now that she knew. "I've known since the beginning."
"Since we were kids?" Emma felt like she couldn't breathe. He'd known about her almost all their lives and he'd never approached her, never said a word, in all these years. She couldn't even wrap her head around it. She didn't want to be here in his presence anymore. She wanted him gone. She held up her hands, taking a step back. "Nevermind. I was wrong; I don't want to know. I shouldn't have come here." She took another step back.
Realising he'd read her questions all wrong, that she still didn't remember, he reached out for her, trying to stop her retreat. He needed to do damage control, and fast. If she hadn't found out herself, he couldn't let her know the truth. "Wait, Emma..."
"No!" She shook her head, taking several steps back. "I have a new family now. Stay away from them and stay away from me. I don't know you." She looked at him with cold eyes, building back up her walls to block out the hurt. "And I don't want to."
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
Regina hadn't been in such a foul mood since before Emma had come into her life. She had woken up to find that not only was she not going to get her promised shower, but Emma had reverted back to her previous emotionless state. She had just gone through the motions of getting ready for her first day back at the station. The only time she had even noticed anything thaw the cold front was when she'd said goodbye to Henry. The smile she had given him was as close to genuine as Regina suspected she was capable of.
She didn't understand it. She may have been half asleep when Emma had left for her run, but she remembered that the other woman had been responsive, even flirtatious. Running was something she claimed calmed her down. How had it managed to reverse everything? She couldn't puzzle it out and it frustrated her to no end. She couldn't ask Emma, not if she wanted a direct answer.
Her heels clicked on the pavement as she approached her destination. She had taken an hour off work to come over here and confront August Booth for his role in Emma's past. Obviously her girlfriend hadn't realised she'd been followed for who knew how long by the man she'd once called her 'saviour'.
The metal roll up door to Marco's shop was wide open as she peered inside, seeing the old man at work on a chair with his sander. She cleared her throat.
Marco glanced up, unable to control his surprise when he saw who was waiting just inside the door. "Mayor Mills, what a surprise. How can I help you?"
Regina glanced around the shop, her eyes taking in the sawdust on the floor with a critical eye. She pursed her lips. "Actually, I need to speak with Mr. Booth. Is he in?"
Marco sighed. "Two women in one day. I didn't know he was a Lothario." He shook his head but turned to the stairs at the back of the shop that led up to his apartment. "August!"
Regina frowned. "Two women in one day?"
Marco nodded. "Yes, the deputy was by early this morning, tossing rocks at the window." He grinned conspiratorially, leaning his head closer in her direction and lowering his voice to a whisper. "I think she's sweet on him, no?"
Regina felt the corner of her eye twitch imperceptibly. To think Emma would ever go for some hairy, backwoods, sorry excuse for a man...
The man in question chose this moment to appear. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who had come to call. "Mayor Mills." His wariness was evident in his tone.
She glared up at him. "Mr. Booth."
August glanced nervously in Marco's direction, noting that the older man was trying to conspicuously look busy, but his head was tilted towards where the mayor was standing and he knew the old man was listening. He came slowly down the stairs to the cement floor of the shop. "Let's go outside." He gestured over her shoulder back out the door.
Regina didn't say anything, she'd seen Marco listening as well; she turned on her heel and exited the shop, just expecting him to follow. There was a small alley between two buildings that connected the street with Marco's shop and residence and the next street that ran along the waterfront. Once she was certain they would not be overheard, she turned and waited for August to catch up.
He came up beside her with a sigh. "What is it I can do for you?"
"I think you know what I want Mr. Booth; you seem like a passably intelligent being." When his expression didn't change and no response was forthcoming, she huffed impatiently. "I want to know what you're planning on accomplishing here in Storybrooke Mr. Booth. It is clear you have been stalking my deputy for quite some time. It is my job to protect the people of this town, of which Deputy Swan is one, so I would like to know what you are doing here in my town." She stepped up to him, getting right in his face. "Now."
He rolled his eyes. "Your intimidation tactics aren't going to work on me Regina." He didn't back down from her challenge. "I'm here for Emma. I want the same thing you do; I want her to remain safe. That's why I've been shadowing her. I'm protecting her; I promised that I would always protect her."
Regina frowned, her posture relaxing a bit. "Who did you promise?"
He shifted, looking uncomfortable for the first time. His eyes studied her and it was obvious he was deciding whether to tell her the truth or evade the question entirely. "Her parents."
Regina felt her eyes grow wide. "Her parents? So they're not yours as well? You're not her brother?"
August shook his head. "Just a family friend."
That was a lot of commitment for just a family friend. But regardless, he was a link to Emma's family. He was their only link to the one big question mark remaining in Emma's complicated past. It made him valuable. "Where are her parents now?"
He shook his head. "I can't tell you that. Part of keeping her safe involves her never knowing the truth."
Regina turned away from him, biting her lip as she considered this new piece of information. August knew the identity and location of Emma's biological parents. Part of her wanted to pull the information from him; she knew Emma wanted closure with that part of her life and she would do anything to make her happy. But on the other hand, she knew that this would do nothing but destroy the other woman. These people may have cared enough to have someone monitor her life and keep her safe, but they didn't care enough to be that person for her themselves. And they obviously didn't want her in their lives.
She turned back to him. "Understand, your job here is done. She has me now. I will do everything in my power to protect her." Her hard exterior was back. "You can leave town."
August raised an eyebrow. Before he could stop himself, it just came out. "And who's going to protect her from you?"
SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN
Emma walked into the outer office at the mayor's office. She had been summoned by the mayor herself when the woman had called Graham a half hour before. She waved half-heartedly to John as she came in.
John gave her a bright smile. "She's expecting you."
Emma nodded and went straight through the door and into the inner office.
Regina looked up as the door opened and then closed. She saw Emma standing there looking just as blank as she had after she'd returned from her run. She pushed back her chair from the desk and stood.
"Graham said you needed me to bring these files by." She picked at the corner of the folders she held. She shuffled forward and held them out for Regina to take.
She took the folders from Emma's limp grip and tossed them down on the desk without even sparing them a glance. They were just her excuse to get Emma to her office; she had no real need or interest for the archived reports. She came around the desk to stand in front of the younger woman. "Mr. Booth told me you went to see him on your run this morning."
Emma's lips pursed but she didn't bother denying it. "Yea, I did."
"Is that what's been bothering you?" Regina reached out and pushed a strand of golden hair behind Emma's ear, trying to get her girlfriend to make direct eye contact.
"I'm fine." It sounded rehearsed, even to Emma's own ears. She decided to amend the statement before Regina called her on it. "I'll be fine."
Regina stepped closer, putting her hand under her chin and lifting it. She stared deep into Emma's eyes. "It's okay to not be okay." She brushed her thumb across her jaw. "It's just you and me here; there's no one else around to see you break. You're safe with me."
Emma didn't even know the tears were on their way until she felt them running down her face. The second she realised they had begun, the floodgates opened and a choked cry came from her throat. She stepped forward and fell into arms that instantly opened to catch her. She buried her face against the soft skin of the mayor's throat, her arms wrapping tightly around the other woman, hands tangling in the material of her blazer, twisting it between grasping fingers.
Regina stroked her fingers soothingly through her hair. She saw the door open and John peek in, most likely brought forth by Emma's loud sob. She glared at him with a look that threatened painful things if he didn't turn right back around, which he did immediately, closing the door softly.
Regina guided her gently over to the couch to the side of her desk, easing them both down onto it. She held Emma to her as the younger woman cried. She wanted her to let it all out. That was what it would take to bring her back. She needed to stop burying her emotions. "Let me take you home darling?"
Emma nodded, her face still pressed against Regina's neck.
The mayor eased Emma off her and let her rest down on the couch. She got up. "I'll be right back."
Emma nodded, laying down with her head resting on the arm rest and tucking her legs up.
Regina moved to the door and stepped into the outer office.
John looked up from his desk, ever ready for his next order.
"I'll be working from home for the rest of the day so I'll need you to reschedule my three o'clock and forward all my calls."
John nodded, already flipping through her appointment book to find the contact info for her afternoon appointment.
Regina left him to his work and went back into her office. She found Emma exactly as she'd left her, but very much asleep, curled up on the couch much like Henry did when he spent the day at work with her. She knew Emma hadn't slept well, if she'd even slept at all. Best not to disturb her.
Walking back around her desk, she pressed the intercom. "Cancel that order John, change of plans. I will be staying in office today, but all calls go through you first and I'll still need my three o'clock rescheduled."
She spared a quick glance at the sleeping blonde before sitting back down in her chair and reaching for the phone. She had call Katherine and ask her to stay late; Emma would be coming home with her.