Chapter Fifty-One: The Tapes
Emma was biting her lower lip as her eyes scavenged every single detail on the screen. The security company responsible for monitoring the cameras on Regina's stable had finally sent the first batch of footage and Emma had been in front of the screen ever since they arrived, nearly five hours ago. So far, she got nothing! Whoever painted the cameras had their face along with their body well hidden.
She increased the velocity of the video for the morning footage, she doubted whoever did this worked while the place was open. The only thing odd she found on the footage she saw was the fact that one of the guards never seemed to be in his post and Emma made a note of asking Regina all the guard's schedules and if they were allowed to wander around the stables. But apart from that, the only thing she had to go on was the person in the black hood that seemed to materialize themselves in front of the camera and paint it black. Not a single footage she saw for the past five hours showed her from where did that person came from, it only showed when the camera was already being painted black. That was so strange! Surely this person didn't simply materialize in front of the camera like magic, that was beyond absurd. But why couldn't she figure out from where this person was coming from?
"Hey, Emma" David said pulling Emma out of her thoughts "Any luck?"
"Nothing!" Emma sighed "You?"
"No! I have the front camera footage and it doesn't even show when it was painted black" David said as he threw a paper ball into the trash.
"What?" Emma asked and rose from her chair, walking to David's desk. She stopped behind him and looked at his computer screen "Let me see it"
David returned the video and then hit play to show Emma. On the screen, Emma saw the visitor's parking lot at the entrance of the stable. It was dark and the security guard was walking from one side to the other and then everything turned black.
"See?" David asked "I think there was some sort of malfunction"
"Or the videos were edited," Emma said.
"What?" David asked looking behind her.
"I think the videos were edited before they were sent to us," Emma said "I've been looking for five hours now from all different angles and none of them show me where this guy came from. The only proof I have that a person actually did this is one footage from Regina's office and even so, this guy is covered head to toe"
"But nothing was stolen," David said "This seems like a lot of work over nothing"
"You think this could be some sort of rival competition?" Emma frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, maybe this person was looking for administrative secrets or something like that"
"Do we even have another stable here apart from Regina's?" David asked.
"Not that I know of" Emma scratched her head.
"Maybe we should call Regina and ask her" David suggested "Perhaps she is having trouble with some of the farmers around her property"
"Yeah, maybe," Emma said and made a face.
"What?" David asked looking at her "It's your theory"
"I know, I just…I don't know" Emma sighed "This just all seemed a little too strange"
"I still think it was just kids messing around," David said.
"And how do you explain the edited videos?" Emma asked.
"Maybe they are not even edited, Emma," David said "Maybe it is just technology playing a trick on us"
"Maybe," Emma nodded and then looked at the watch on the wall "Shit, is it seven already?"
"Yeah," David smiled "Hot date?"
"Yeah, with Archie" Emma laughed as she walked back to her chair to get her coat.
"You dating men now?" David asked confused.
"Oh Gog, no" Emma made a face as she put on her jacket "I have a session"
"Oh!" David looked embarrassed at her "I'm sorry, Emma I didn't mean…"
"It's okay" Emma shook her head.
"So, you are seeing Archie?" David asked.
"I am," Emma nodded "And it's been really good for me"
"That's great, Emma" David smiled at her.
"Yep! And now I have to go because I'm already late for my session" Emma said "I'll see you tomorrow, David"
"I'll see you tomorrow, Emma"
Emma walked out of the station and quickly entered her bug. She had been so lost on watching the footage that she completely lost track of time. It was funny how at ease she felt now about telling people she was seeing a therapist. Before, Emma thought nobody could ever know, that they would think less of her because of it. That they would think she was weak. Emma shook her head as she drove to Archie's office. If only had she look for help sooner she could have avoided so much. She could have spared herself so much hurt.
Emma parked the bug across from Archie's office and ran to the entrance of the building. She was fifteen minutes late. Her phone rang inside the jacket pocket. She picked up while jogging up the stairs. She looked at the screen and saw the call was from Archie's office, probably his secretary calling to see if she was going to make the appointment.
"I'm here," Emma said out of breath when she entered the office.
"Miss Swan," the secretary said "I was just calling you"
"Yeah, sorry," Emma said "I was at the stairs that's why I didn't pick up"
"Dr. Hopper is waiting for you" The secretary smiled gently at her.
"Thanks,"
Emma smiled back and opened the door. She found Archie sat in his usual armchair, taking notes on a yellow notebook.
"Emma" He greeted her, "I thought you were canceling on me today"
"Sorry," Emma smiled apologetically as she sat down on the couch "Got caught up at work"
"So, you decided to stay!" Archie asked smiling at her.
"I did" Emma smiled back "Storybrooke is my home"
"I'm really glad you are here, Emma," Archie said "But I have to ask, what made you change your mind? You seemed so determined to leave last we talk"
"Something happened the night before I was supposed to drive to California," Emma said.
"Oh! May I ask what?"
"I ran into Regina at our bench. Or she ran into me" Emma laughed.
"Our bench?" Archie asked confused.
"Oh," Emma smiled and shook her head "We have this place at the bay, it's a special place for us. It used to be mine but when Regina and I started dating it became ours. There is a bench there we call 'our bench'"
"That's very sweet" Archie smiled "So, what happened with Regina that made you stay?"
"When I told her I was leaving she accused me of running away" Emma nodded "And I'm not even going to pretend I wasn't doing that. I was"
"Yes, I know that," Archie said "But I also thought you needed the time away"
"I don't need to move my entire life to do that, Archie," Emma said "And I really need to start facing my problems instead of blaming everything and everyone else around me"
"I know you don't realize that yet, Emma, but you are already doing that"
"It doesn't really feel like it" Emma frowned "I fucked up a lot"
"You did," Archie said and Emma widened her eyes at him "Don't give me that look"
"You are not supposed to judge"
"I'm not judging, I'm just agreeing with you" Archie teased her.
"Haha!" Emma rolled her eyes playfully "I think these sessions are really helping me, Archie. If I moved away, I would have to start new all over again with a new therapist and I'm not sure I have the energy for that. Or the trust!"
"Yes, I can understand that," Archie said "For what it's worth, I'm really glad to still have you here"
"Something curious happened Saturday" Emma commented.
"And what is that?"
"We had a call from Regina's stable, someone broke into her office," Emma said and bit her lower lip thinking about the footage she saw earlier.
"Okay?" Archie said looking at her.
"Sorry," Emma said a little embarrassed "When we arrived there, I saw Regina standing next to Robin talking to him"
"Oh!" Archie exclaimed and look directly at Emma "And how did you feel about that?"
"Like she was just talking to her employee in her place of work," Emma said simply.
"Really?"
"Don't get me wrong, I still don't like the guy" Emma said "And I'm still sure he was in love with her or had a crush on her on whatever. But that rage I used to feel deep inside me, the one that always made my blood boil every time I saw Regina near him, it was…it was gone"
"Well, Regina is not your property, Emma," Archie said "You have to trust she is capable of having a conversation with a male colleague without an agenda"
"I never thought Regina was interested in him"
"But you always thought she could fall into his arms"
"I did," Emma sighed and tilted her head on the couch looking up the ceiling "And more often than what I care to admit I wished I could forbid her from seeing him. That's so wrong!"
"Yes, it is," Archie said "But I also think you are making excellent progress, Emma," Archie said "You should give yourself more credit. Look how much progress have you made in such short time"
"Archie, can I ask you something?" Emma asked looking into his eyes.
"Go ahead,"
"Do you think there is any hope for me and Regina?" Emma asked, "Do you think we are capable of getting past all this hurt, all this heartache, and start over?"
"I don't know Regina, Emma," Archie said "But I believe love is capable of conquering so much. When it's good, and honest, and free of strings, when you are capable of trust the person, you are with, to respect, there is nothing love can't conquer"
"Regina did all of that for me," Emma said looking down "And I've done none of that for her"
"But you are trying," Archie said "And that's one of the bravest things in life, Emma. The first step is always the hard one"
"Tell me about it," Emma laughed.
"The progress that you made is impressive, Emma," Archie said "I'm really proud of you"
"Thanks" Emma smiled.
They continued the session with an easy conversation. Emma told Archie more about the encounter she had with Regina but decided to leave behind what Regina told her when she was walking away. True be told, that was an important part of the reason why she decided to stay, yes, but it wasn't the only one. Emma meant what she told Elsa. She was going to fight like hell to get Regina back but if at the end of the day Regina didn't want anything to do with her anymore like she had all the right to, Emma would move on with her life and hope with all her heart she could find happiness again.