Chapter Nine
Regina left the main hall and made the short journey to what was once her office. No longer it seems. She didn't have many personal artefacts there so it didn't take her long to gather them all together. A photo of her and Henry from when he was younger, the chest that sat on her desk a reminder of the sacrifice she had made to bring everyone here. A few more bits and bobs and Regina was ready to go.
She waved her hands and her objects disappeared. Regina had sent them to her home so she didn't have to carry them all the way. As she moved to the door she took one look back at her office. She had spent many hours here and for a moment she was worried about what the future actually held for her. She had done this job for 28 years. But her real journey had just started. She was Regina again. Not Queen. Not Madame Mayor. Regina. She turned off the lights and closed the door behind her.
Back over in the main hall Emma was visibly seething at the appearance of her surprise.
"What are you doing here?" She asked again when he failed to answer the first time. He just looked at her parents. Emma spun around and pierced her parents with a stern glare, daring the to lie to her.
Snow moved forward with a smile.
"We found Neil in the enchanted forest at his fathers castle and we got talking and he saw a picture of you in davids wallet and he told us you were together and how much he loved you and we had this bright idea to bing him back to you" she said with a big grin on her face. Emma turned back to Neil.
"Your father lived in the Enchanted Forest?" She asked approaching with some menace making Neil take a step back. The look on his face made Emma seethe.
"Did you know who I was back then, where I was from?" She asked appalled. Sensing that Emma wasn't overly pleased Snow and David made their exit, taking Henry with them leaving the two alone.
Neil watched them go helplessly. Emma paid no attention to his discomfort.
"Im still waiting for an answer" she told him and the look on her face told Neil that she was serious.
He nodded slowly and it took all of Emmas strength not to punch him in the face. He held up his hands.
"Im sorry" he rushed out thinking that this would calm Emma.
It didn't work. If anything it made Emma explode.
"YOU'RE SORRY!" She shouted. Is that all you have to say. You LEFT me to take the wrap for YOUR CRIME" she told him punctuating her words with sharp jabs into Neils chest. "I Was 16 and sent to juvie because of you!" She screamed walking a short distance away from him trying to calm herself.
"I had too. I was told that if we were together you wouldn't fulfil your destiny to break the curse" Neil said.
"Told?" Emma questioned. "By Who?" She asked and Neil motioned for her to take a seat. Still visibly seething she took a seat and Neil took one too, a safe distance away.
"I Promise I will tell you everything" Neil said and Emma fixed him with a stern look daring him to lie about anything. Neil took a breathe before starting. Emma listened, praying to make sense of what had happened.
Regina made her way out of the town building. She listened towards the main room and heard nothing so she assumed the meeting had ended and everyone had gone home.
She made her way to her car. As she approached she pressed the button and unlocked it. Opening the door she took one look back at the building that had been Luke her second home and got into the car. She closed the door and placed the key in the ignition. She didn't turn the key though. Just as she was about to, something at the entrance to the town hall caught her eye.
A flash of blonde hair at the entrance had her hooked. Just as she was about to exit the vehicle and shout to Emma another person exiting after Emma gave her pause. She sunk into her chair and watched.
Over at the entrance Emma had exited followed closely by Neil. What Emma had heard had not pleased her and she needed the time by herself to process. But Neil wouldn't have that. He followed her out and grabbed her arm to make her face him. She did.
Regina watched with baited breath as the man pulled Emma back by her arm. Emma faced him. Regina didn't recognise the fellow.
Neal looks over Emmas shoulder and noticed the black merc parked up with a female insoe. Snow had told him that it was Reginas car and although he hadn't met Regina he deduced that the female sitting inside was Regina.
Neil pulled Emma inclose and placed a kiss to her lips. Regina had seen enough. She started the car and pulled out of the parking spot.
When neil pulled her in and kissed her Emma as taken aback. She heard the start of an engine and pulled back to see Reginas car pulling out of her spot. She turned to look at neil with a furious look on her face only to see a smug look on his.
"What The Bloody Hell was That!" Emma screamed at him, pushing him with two hands far away as she could before Turing and following the direction Regina had driven off.
Regina drove away from the scene. She didn't know where her mind was but it certainly wasn't on the road. How she made it back to her mansion without causing a crash was beyond her.
She exited the car and made her way into the house, poring herself a stiff drink.
Emma was kissing a man. Regina took a gulp. A man Regina didn't know, who hadn't been in Storybrooke before. Another gulp. Regina didn't know why she was soo frustrated. Emma had the right to kiss whom she wanted. She poured herself another drink, the first going down too easy.
A knock on the door brought her out of her trance. She made her way to the door, glass in hand.
Throwing it open she was surprised to come face to face with Emma.
"Regina!" She breathed out. She looked out of breath. Throwing her arms up she breathed out.
"What you saw. That wasn't what it looked like" Emma said, placing her hands on her knees to try and regain some go her breath. Looking at the depleted sheriff Regina held the door wide and turned around walking back into the house. Emma looked cautiously after her and followed, closing the door behind her.