Chapter 5

Just when Regina came back to the sheriff station after her little adventure with the tree, she saw Elsa waiting in front of it.

"Well if isn't the little ice princess in person.", she stated, already stressed out by what the other woman probably would have in store for her.
"Hey Emma…", Elsa replied, a little irritated by the untypical reception. "We agreed to meet today, so you could help me look for Anna, do you remember?" Seriously? After climbing a tree to save a cat, now I am supposed to hunt down a ghost? She took a look at Elsa's apparel. And why on earth is she still wearing this ridiculous gown? We're no longer in the enchanted forest or in… Arendelle. What is it with her and this pirate anyway, always walking around in the same clothes? Whatever, that's fortunately none of my business… Okay, pull yourself together now!

Meanwhile Elsa had already started talking again. "But you seem a bit… prickly today. Is everything alright? If you don't have time right now we can gladly postpone it…"
Prickly? Really? Oh, whatever… Regina put on a crooked smile. "Hi Elsa. I'm sorry; I had a rough day so far… Of course I do remember. Come on, let's talk inside." With an alleviated smile Elsa followed her into the station. "So, what kind of plans do you have exactly regarding your sister?", Regina asked, trying to be cooperative. The other woman hesitated, then diffidently replied: "I thought we might take our chances on interviewing people, showing them a picture of Anna, you know."
Regina had a hard time trying to detain herself from rolling her eyes. That is not a plan – that is just a waste of time… We couldn't find her with magic, why should we find her showing a picture around?
Elsa had been looking at her very intense and now, just as if she had read Regina's thoughts with her quite sensitive attitude, she added: "What I mean is, maybe someone has seen her back in Mist Haven – the enchanted forest. I know it's not much but it is the only possibility left I can think of."
The older woman hesitantly gave her a little pat on the back. "I know this is important to you. Maybe it isn't such a bad idea after all. There is a good chance someone here in town might have seen her." Internally Regina was shaking her had. My, my, did I just really give someone a pep speech? This whole body switching thing is driving me little by little out of my mind. And why is this girl even so obsessed with her sister? I'm quite content with mine having disappeared and hopefully never coming back again… Oh well, if I have to be Emma for one day I can as well act like her...
To Elsa she said with a winning smile: "Let's get going!"

After Emma had gotten rid of Granny, she had tried to deal with the tax payments and the expenses the city had made, but after a while the numbers had started dancing in front of her eyes. To many of them, not clear enough what they were standing for – this clearly wasn't Emma's favourite occupation. She started to get a strong headache with all the emails incoming (and the numbers still increasing), when the phone began to ring. Groaning she picked it up: "Mayor's office, Regina Mills?" She listened to wild clamour. "No, I don't think I can help you with that. …what do you mean, this is my job? I'm not some kind of charity foundation! What… would you please stop yelling at me? Now would you just shut up? Call again when you have calmed down - and get yourself some manners!" These last words Emma almost had yelled herself. Angrily she hung up the phone. When people shout at you, just shout back. Check.
Yes, it was official now: people were annoying.

Looking around for something interesting enough to distract her from work, Emma's eyes fell onto a picture of Regina and Robin Hood. She felt a pang of guilt. Damn. That really was my fault. I don't regret rescuing Marian, but I really do regret ruining Regina's relationship with Robin… But despite my "help" it's kind of awkward right now for her. With Marian being frozen she has been asked by her true love to help him save his wife… And she even agreed to help! What if she succeeds? Whom will he choose? This is definitely a big mess, totally screwed! Poor Regina – I wish I could help her with that. But first of all, I need to be myself again...
Emma glanced at her watch: Damn… still three hours to go… How on earth am I supposed to survive this afternoon? I wonder how Regina is doing.

After hours of inconclusive search for Anna, hours of driving around town, interviewing people who had not the slightest clue about the missing princess, Regina dropped of Elsa at the library where she was supposed to meet up with Belle. With the switched bodies and therefore switched Henry-times she almost forgot to pick up her son after school.
Being quite the attentive one, as usual, and because of Regina being quite distracted, he almost got suspicious then and now. Luckily she managed to dissipate his doubt every time. Despite this, they had a nice meal together. Far too soon she had to bring him to the mansion and be back at the station where she had to fix a few minor emergencies – luckily via phone – before she could make her way back to Snow's apartment where she arrived pretty exhausted.

Finally home. Taking a look at the clock, she found herself with only fifteen minutes left to refresh herself and make her way to the vault. Maybe she had underestimated Emma's schedule a little bit, but nevertheless, she would be on time.

At least that was what she thought when Snow approached her as soon as she entered the loft.
"Oh thank goodness you're here Emma, I really need your help right now, could you take care of Neal for half an hour, I really need to go grocery shopping – otherwise we won't have any food left tomorrow!"
"Are you serious, Snow? You can't even take care of your own child by yourself for one day? Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all to throw your first baby through a wardrobe… ", Regina stated indignantly. Oops. That wasn't Emma-like at all.

Snow gasped for words. "You know, Emma, maybe you're spending to much time with Regina… You two sound so alike these days, it's almost frightening!"

Regina put on a bashful smile. "I'm sorry, Mom. What I really wanted to say is, that I already have an appointment to keep so I unfortunately don't have the time." Maybe I should try the puppy-eye-thing Emma so often does; it seems to work most of the time… She made big eyes at Snow and twisted her mouth apologetically. Mary Margaret's anger seemed to melt away in almost an instant and Regina exhaled internally.
"I am sorry, too, Emma. I shouldn't have sprung on you like that. But I really do need your help."
Damn… there seems to be no way out of it. "Fine, of course I'll help you. Just… be quick okay?" With a short nod the other woman was out of the door and Regina was left behind with a lack of time and a baby in her arms. Being the saviour officially sucked. At least now she had a little time to refresh herself.

After twenty minutes there was a knock on the door.
"Finally you're back, Mary Margaret, I thought you had fallen asleep at the checkout…"
"Sorry to disappoint you, Swan, but it's just me…", she heard someone mumbling. Unbelievingly she turned around.
Oh no, please, no. Not the pirate… Not today. "What do you want?", she greeted him unenthusiastically. Damn, I need to be more careful! "Right now is not a good time, Hoo- Kilian… I'm a little stressed out today and in fact I ought to be somewhere else."
"That's no problem Swan; I'll come back tomorrow then, if that's better with you."
Regina just nodded, watching Hook with surprise who, with a sad little smile, was leaving the loft. So easily he had accepted how she had just sent him away, and he was not the least suspicious. But then again, wasn't that how Emma always did behave? Even though she seemed to have kind of a crush on the pirate, she always was holding him at distance. I wonder where this might come from. But regarding Emma's past, it's not really surprising – she always had been alone, with no one to trust - and the ones she trusted turned her down or disappeared… Well, after all, a part of it is, in fact, my fault. If I hadn't cast the curse, she would have grown up quite different. If she had stayed with her parents maybe now she would be able to trust people more easily… She felt a pang of guilt. Back in the enchanted forest when she had casted the curse she had not even considered how much pain the curse would bring to innocent people like Emma for instance. Maybe this is a good sign – me, being able to comprehend the full impact of my deeds. But right now, I just feel depressed…
Interrupting her thoughts, the door opened once again and this time it really was Snow White. Regina sprang to her feet and took a look at the clock. Oh no. Being on time was now impossible, even if her magic had been working right now.