Life. Sorry! I'm back, and here ya go. :)
Behind Enemy Lines
Chapter 38
Jefferson was pacing furiously when Regina and David entered Town Hall. He spun around quickly when he heard the door.
"You said forty-five minutes!" he spat. "It's been almost an hour and a half!"
"Yes," Regina agreed. "The best man and maid of honor can't exactly waltz out of the reception. There were a few things we needed to take care of before we could leave."
"None of which could possibly be more important than what we have to discuss."
"Maybe," she said, shrugging, "but for now, it's important to keep up appearances."
Jefferson shook his head in bafflement. "I don't understand any of this," he told her. "You never cared what any of the town thought of you before, and what are you doing with him?" he asked, gesturing wildly at David.
"Jumping to quite possibly the least relevant thing when it comes to your involvement," she noted. "As always Jefferson, you're sticking your nose into business you'd be better off staying out of."
He narrowed his eyes at her, not liking that she wouldn't give him answers. "Fine then. Who's taken the apple?"
"I have no idea," she said irritably. "I told you that. I'll need your help to figure it out."
He let out a loud bark of laughter. "You need my help?! I already gave you my help. I got the apple for you. It's not my fault you were foolish enough to let someone else get their hands on it." She scoffed and looked off to the side, and he stepped in closer. "No! I did my part. We made a deal, and I kept my part of it. Now it's your turn."
"Help me figure out who did this, and I'll consider giving you what you want."
"Regina," David said warningly.
"Yes, Regina," Jefferson mocked. "You already made your deal. You can't keep holding things over my head. I've earned this. Let me see my daughter. And then perhaps I'll consider helping you. You have no leverage in this situation. It makes no difference to me who has the apple. The curse breaking or not...that has no effect on my plans. Give me what you promised - give my Grace new memories, I'll help you, and then you can give me memories to match my daughter and we'll disappear. You and I can be out of each other's lives for good."
"Just what you've always wanted," Regina sneered. "You should never have come into my life in the first place."
"It's up to you," Jefferson said. "If you want my help, you have to keep your promise."
Regina looked to David, who gave her a solemn look and a small nod. Sighing heavily, she waved an arm at the stairs. "We should talk more in my office."
"Because someone's going to come in to Town Hall on a Saturday?" Jefferson asked sarcastically.
"Because I'm tired and I want to sit down," she snapped. "Just go."
He scowled at her, but started up the stairs, not looking back to see if they followed behind him.
David took the steps a few at a time until he was just behind Regina, and Jefferson watched him put a hand on the small of her back, his eyes narrowing. What could it possibly be that was keeping the prince with Regina? If he remembered, that meant he knew who she was, and it made no sense for him to be with her. The man was supposed to be madly in love with Snow White, which wouldn't bode well for any sort of relationship with Regina, be it romantic or platonic.
It had to have been some sort of spell, but that didn't make sense, either. Regina didn't have magic, unless she'd been pretending not to in order to gain some kind of upper hand... But no, she wouldn't have sacrificed the ring that had seemed to be so important to her if she hadn't needed to. Unless that was all a part of the trick as well. He sighed. Regina may think it was none of her business, but at this point, all of her business was his. It was the only way he could know for sure that she was telling the truth.
"After you," Regina said tightly, holding the door of her office open wide for him and gesturing him inside.
He watched her until he couldn't anymore. Making his way to the center of the room, he asked over his shoulder, "All that time, and you didn't even change?"
"I told you, we were busy," she answered easily. After her door was shut, she bypassed him completely and headed for the couch, sighing as she eased herself down onto the cushions and pulled her shoes off.
"You doing okay?" David asked, sitting next to her and putting a hand on her leg.
"Fine," she answered. "Just tired.
Jefferson frowned at the exchange, but was too impatient to really care, and he walked around to face the two of them. He opened his mouth to say something, but Regina beat him to speaking, shocking him with what she had to say.
"I'll do it."
"What?"
She let loose an irritated sigh. "You tirelessly harass me about keeping my end of the deal, and when I finally agree, you ask me to repeat myself?"
"Because I can't believe that what I'm hearing is right."
"Would you rather I not?" she snarked.
He drew his lips into a thin line and watched her for any sign that she was toying with him. Unlike almost every other interaction he'd had with her, however, there seemed to be no trace that she was lying.
"I thought so," she said.
He thought about asking her what had changed her mind, but he knew it would only work to change it back again, so he kept his mouth shut on that topic. Instead, he asked, "How will you do it?"
"It won't be the way you wanted," she told him truthfully. His face hardened, and she continued, "Not at first anyway."
"What point is there in me helping you if you're not giving me what I wanted?"
"How did you expect me to give you and Grace new memories without my magic?"
He opened his mouth and then shut it again, swallowing heavily as the rage built up in him once more. "You lied!" he yelled. "You knew you wouldn't be able to keep your end of the deal when you made it!"
"I did," she admitted simply. Traveling with her to Wonderland seemed to have taught him nothing all those years before. And this time the truth had been much plainer to see, he seemed to have just ignored it in favor of his hope for the life he could have with his daughter. "And in the beginning, I had no intention of doing anything for you. However, it seems I've changed my mind." She glanced sideways at David, narrowing her eyes at him for a brief second before she turned back to Jefferson. "You will be able to see your daughter again, but she won't know you're her father."
His face reddened and he started to shout, but she cut him off before he could even get the first word out.
"I don't have any magic. That is the best I can do for now. If you'd prefer your visits continue through a telescope, be my guest, but I'm offering you an alternative. It's a temporary solution, but it's something. Once the curse breaks, it's possible that magic will arrive, and if that happens, I promise to work on new memories for you and your daughter."
Jefferson shook his head angrily. "I have no reason to trust you."
"I'm the only way you'll be able to see your daughter. You don't really have a choice."
He stood up, pacing furiously in front of the couple while they watched from the couch, David a little tense and Regina eyeing him lazily.
"So you arrange for me to see my Grace on a regular basis and I will consider helping you find that turnover."
"No. You find me the turnover, and I'll set up the meetings."
"No deal."
Regina sighed and David leaned forward a bit. "You have to meet us halfway on this one," he told the pacing man. "You promise to help us after you've seen your daughter, or I'll make you regret ever crossing us."
"Idle threats from the gentle prince?" Jefferson mocked.
"I'm far from gentle, and I promise you my threats are anything but idle. Snow and I did not get our kingdom back by sitting on our hands. It would be wise for you to follow through with your promises, and trust us to do the same." He looked at Regina. "From here on out, we deliver on our deals."
Regina scowled but nodded, and looked to where Jefferson was looking back and forth between them with interest. "So tell me what this is," he said, gesturing between the two.
"Excuse me?" Regina lifted her head from where she'd had her hand pressed to her forehead.
"If I'm going to be making any more deals with you, I want the truth. The whole truth."
"I don't think our relationship is any of your business," she told him. "And it has nothing to do with our deal."
"I disagree. The prince was in a coma for twenty-eight years and then suddenly he wakes up, remembers everything, and falls in love with you? And yet you claim there is no magic. I demand an explanation."
"Fine." She glared at him. "David woke after the curse had been weakened when Henry brought Emma across the town line."
"The Savior," Jefferson nodded. "And he somehow remembered the truth?"
"I believe because he was in a coma the whole time we were in this world, the fake memories never had a chance to take hold. And when he saw something that reminded him, it triggered both sets of memories."
"So why not use that against you? Help wake up the rest of the town? Surely Snow's prince would do everything in his power to get her back and end the Evil Queen's curse?"
"That is exactly what I tried to do in the beginning," David spoke up. "Except the curse was still too strong. Everyone thought I was crazy when I tried to convince them of the truth."
"And so you ended up dating the Evil Queen instead? You're not convincing me."
"To try and gather information that would help him break the curse," Regina explained. With a pained expression, she added, "He and Henry came up with the idea together."
"And you had no idea?" he asked skeptically.
"I had both sets of memories," David said. "It made it easier to cover my tracks."
Jefferson squinted. "I don't see how this ends with both of you trying to break the curse. It makes no sense."
"I didn't want to hurt her anymore." David rested a hand on Regina's leg.
"You actually fell in love with her?" Jefferson looked at him with a dark sympathy. "And she managed to figure out the truth and somehow convince you that she would help you break the curse."
"I told her the truth," David corrected. "And asked for her help."
"Well you were foolish to believe you'd succeeded. If nothing else, the apple should be proof enough of your mistake. She was using it to poison your daughter."
"I realize that," David said. "And I also understand how scared she was. I've already forgiven her for it."
Jefferson shook his head in angry disbelief, but was surprised to see the look Regina was giving David. He didn't think he'd ever seen such a loving, trusting look on her face as she put her hand over his and slipped her fingers through to tangle with his.
"You fell in love with him, too," he realized quietly.
Regina turned a sharp gaze to him. "Are you going to agree to our deal or not?"
"Just one more thing…if you really are in love with him, why did you come to me to retrieve the apple?"
"Surely you realize what this curse breaking means for me?" she asked him incredulously. "Everyone in this town will be out for my blood. I'd most likely lose my son and what I have with David, probably even my life. Can you blame me for wanting to avoid that?"
"Well you'll have your prince to protect you."
Regina remained silent, grateful that Jefferson seemed to accept her explanation. "Are you in or not?" she asked icily.
He took one last look at the two of them, their hands still laced together. "I'm in. No more lies. You tell me the truth and I'll help you."
"The same goes for you," she told him, eyebrow raised.
"Yes, yes. So where do you want me to start?" he asked.
"You're an observant one. Observe. Go do your creepy telescope act and see if you notice anything out of the ordinary."
"When will I see Grace?"
"I'll work on setting something up. You'll hear from me tomorrow."
"I'd better." He straightened his jacket. "I'll hold off on my…observations…until I hear from you."
"Very well," she agreed in irritation. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Any reason you're still standing in the middle of my office?"
He scowled, but stalked toward the door.
"Make sure to close that behind you."
He turned to glare at her before slamming the door shut.
"Finally," Regina sighed, dropping back into the cushions and closing her eyes. She grimaced before rearranging a pillow behind her back.
"Here," he said, holding another pillow out to her. "Turn and lean against the side. You'll be more comfortable and you can stretch your legs into my lap. I know your feet are killing you from those heels and all that dancing."
She followed his directions, settling back into a more reclined position, sighing in relief as it eased some of the pressure on her back.
He lifted one foot and began kneading her sole.
"Mmm," Regina hummed. "That feels nice."
"Hopefully it'll help. You really should stop wearing those heels."
"Never." She hummed again in satisfaction as he worked out a kink in her arch.
He chuckled. "We should head home. It's been quite a day, and I don't know about you, but I'd very much like a nap."
She put a hand to her middle and nodded tiredly. "It'll feel nice to get out of this dress and into some sweats."
"I never thought I'd hear Regina Mills say she was excited to wear sweats."
"Hmm. And no one else will if you want to live." She moved her feet off his lap and placed them back on the floor.
He stood quickly and offered a hand, pulling her to her feet. "I had fun dancing with you today," he told her as he pulled her in close."
She slipped one arm around his waist as she moved the other to grasp his hand. "Then we'll have to make sure to dance together more often," she told him with a smile. "Because I enjoyed it, too." Then she smiled and stepped away. "But for right now, you're right. My feet are killing me, and nothing sounds better than a warm bath and sleep."
Regina had gone straight for the tub when they walked into the house, leaving David to check in on Henry, so when she came padding into the living room clad in a pair of grey sweats, forest green tee topped with a long loose cardigan, and wavy wet hair framing her face, Henry grinned.
"What took you so long?" he asked. "I've been done with my homework for ages and you said we could have a movie night if I finished everything."
She laughed. "I suppose I did."
"You look nice, mom."
She glanced down at her casual wear. "This is quite possibly the simplest clothing I've ever worn."
"I know. I don't get to see you in it very often. It makes you look…" he scrunched his face in thought. "Like my mom," he shrugged. "I like it."
Her smile softened as her eyes watered. She took a few steps forward and pulled him into a hug. "For the record, I really love being your mom."
He hugged her back tightly. "Me, too. I mean, having you be my mom."
"Alright," David clapped, coming into the room. "I made popcorn. And this is no ordinary popcorn. This is gourmet, I'll have you know."
He set the bowl down and Regina leaned over to peek into the bowl. "Are those melted bits of chocolate in there?"
"Junior Mints," he nodded.
"Yes!" Henry cheered.
"Alright, I approve," Regina laughed. "That's a new one, but it sounds interesting."
"It's not interesting, it's delicious."
Henry plopped into the chair and hit play on the remote while David and Regina took the couch. As the titles started, Regina nestled back into David. "It's still early, so I'll have time to make all of my phone calls before bed," she noted, glancing at the time on the DVR.
"As long as you promise to relax for the next two hours and not think about curses or work."
"I think I can manage."
"Good."
She smiled as his hand snuck around to rest on the small swell of her stomach. She glanced over at Henry to make sure he wasn't watching and was put at ease to find him fully engrossed in the movie. She realized their angle would hide it from him even if he did happen to look over, so she laid her head back against David's and brought her hand up to rest atop his, allowing herself to enjoy the movie.