Am I dreaming, is she really stood in front of me in the flesh, does my face look like hers, like a fish out of water? My whole body was burning with anticipation, I felt each and every nerve ending scratching at my skin. A million emotions filled my body, happy? Anger? Hurt? Rage? Sad? Calm? I have no idea at this moment.

I heard someone clear their throat pulling me from my spaced-out state, I quickly lifted my hand to hers

"you must be Miss Nolan'" I coldly stated, I could feel a pair of eyes burning in the side of my head and knew instantly Katharyn was puzzled at my sudden change of attitude

"Miss Swan" she said and sat down quickly

"What?" I snapped

"Miss Swan, I am not Miss Nolan, I have recently changed my name" she spoke with a bit more confidence. I arched my eyebrow at her trying to figure out the name change before picking up her resume which at this point was a distraction more than anything

"welcome Miss Swan" I heard Katharyn take over with a bit more of a softer tone "thank you for coming along at such short notice, as you can tell from our advert we are looking to on board a new PA for Mrs Mills here"

I saw her eyes widen slightly at the mention of 'Mrs' she looked towards me for the briefest of moments before returning her gaze to Katharyn.

"can you tell us a little bit about yourself?" Katharyn asked

"of course, I have recently moved back here after being away for some time I-"

"where had you been?" I blurted out without thinking

She looked at me with surprised in her eyes, I just stared at her knowing I had put my walls up immediately. She is the only person that has ever seen me weak and that will not happen again.

"I moved around a lot, never stayed in one place long enough to put any roots down, I have just moved back from Boston"

"and what, if any, reassurances you can give m-this company that you will not just up and leave, as you call it, you do not stay long enough to put any roots down?" I snapped

"I have my reasons to be here, I would prefer to not discuss those as they are personal, but what I will say is that I will not be moving any time soon, I can assure you on that" she snapped right back at me. This wasn't the Emma I knew, this Emma was confident, she didn't take any bullshit, she almost looked like didn't want to be here but I knew she needed to be for some reason.

"very well Miss Swan" Katharyn interrupted what was beginning to sound like a show down "As stated, Mrs Mills here needs a new PA and I can see from you resume you have an impressive work history. I see that you were a PA for some of producers in LA for a while?"

"yes, I enjoyed that work immensely. I had landed that job out of college. I started college a year later as I took a year out for personal reasons"

"personal reasons, you seem to have a lot of personal issues?" I couldn't stop what was coming out of my mouth even if I had tried

"Regina" Katharyn hissed

"its ok, I understand my past is a little scattered so to speak, but, don't we all have personal issues Mrs Mills" She countered back towards me

I took a look at Katharyn who had a small smirk on her face "If you would excuse me, I have another meeting to attend, please continue without me. I stood abruptly and went to leave the room, I dared to take a look at Emma who just sat there with her hands on her lap and looking anywhere but me

"Mrs Mills, one moment" I heard Katharyn say "I apologize, give me a few minutes Miss Swan"

I didn't wait for Katharyn, I just walked directly to my office, upon entering I shut the door behind me to have Katharyn storming through it.

"WHAT on earth has gotten into you Regina, I have never witnessed you so, so bloody flustered in all my days" she practically screeched at me

"I have no idea what you're talking about" I walked towards where I hid my drinks and poured myself a rather big shot tumbler of whiskey

"Regina what is it?" she said softly whilst she placed her hand on my shoulder, I sighed as I turned to face her

"that's her" I whispered "that's her that broke my heart"

"w-what? That is your Emma?" I nodded and turned away from her, she was the only person apart from my mother that knew about Emma "are you sure"

I slammed my drink back down in rage "of course it is her Katharyn, don't you think I would know who she was?"

"I am sorry" she spoke again "look, I know you don't want to hear this, but she has the best dam resume we have received so far and we have seen far to many applicants for my liking"

"I don't want her hired Katharyn" I looked at her in the eyes "I mean it"

"everyone is scared of you Regina, but that girl in there seems to be fearless" I lifted my head to look at the ceiling as she spoke, I knew where this was going "we need someone like her in this office Regina, someone who can actually stick up for herself and not be afraid to speak her mind to you"

I swallowed the rest of the drink down my throat before placing the empty glass on the table "Katharyn you have no idea what that girl made me feel, I was someone I wasn't, she made me weak and I won't let that happen again"

"then don't, don't let her make you weak, I mean come on Regina, you were teenagers, you have both changed. You are married, you moved on and I am sure she did too" urgh I couldn't explain this if I wanted too

So I went along with it as I always did when it came to it "you are right" I laughed "god I think it was just a shock seeing her you know, it has been like what 7 or 8 years" 8 years 1 month and 4 days

"there you go" she said turned to walk back to the interview "are you coming"

"I think it is best I sit out for the rest of this one, I don't want to scare the poor girl" I forced a smile "I am sure you will calm her nerves"

"only if you are sure that you trust me with this decision, she may be your PA after all"

Mine? The word that means so much to what I wanted but it would be so far from touching it "of course I trust you"

With that she left the office to continue the interview with Emma, as the next hour ticked on, it took my all not to go back in there and see her again. My mind started thinking about that day in my house, her lips were so soft, I could still taste her, I remember her smell, I had wanted it for so dam long and when I finally had her I didn't want to let her go. I felt the familiar pain rise up in my chest the more I thought of her. I mentally slapped myself to get a grip of this situation.

Katharyn was right, we were just kids, I guess getting left the way she left me and then for her to disappear did more to me than I cared to realize. I sat at my desk with my head in my hands feeling a headache rise in my head with all the thoughts swimming around it. I closed my eyes trying to think of something other than the blonde when I heard a knock on the door "Not now I am busy" I called out without looking up

"Regina" my eyes lifted up slowly as I heard her soft voice, there she was, the women my mind was inconveniently occupied with again, just stood in the door way "can I speak with you"

"you may" I waved to the seat in front of my desk as I took my eyes away from hers.

It was silent for a few minutes after she sat down, I refused to look at her as I pretended to look busy in front of the computer, I started to become impatient "what it is? I haven't got all day Miss Swan I am a busy woman"

"I got the job" it was then that I looked towards her, for the first time since she fell into the door she looked somewhat nervous

"well that's great" I looked back towards the computer

"is it?" my eyes threatened to look at her again but I refrained and only nodded "look Regina I-"

"it is Mrs Mills now Miss Swan" I cut her off abruptly

"sorry Mrs Mills, look I have told your colleague I needed to speak with you before I made my decision. I will only work with you if you are willing to work with me too. I need this job Re-Mrs Mills, what happened in the past, well I am really so-"

"why do you need this job of all the jobs in town" I asked her questioningly as I cut her off, I couldn't bare talking about the past with her

She sighed, and I saw her shoulders drop slightly "I need to be close to my son who is in the school across the road, I am more than qualified for this job Mrs Mills, at least give this a shot and if it doesn't work out in say 6 months I will be out of your hair"

The only thing I heard was that she had a son "your son?" I asked and looked at her

"yes, my son Henry" my heart skipped a beat

"Henry?" I gasped "that was my father's name"

She smiled and nodded. Did she know it was his name?

"how old is your son?" I asked slowly trying to put the pieces together.

She looked down to her hands again, I could tell she didn't want to answer that, and I understood immediately "please" she whispered so softly I nearly missed it, my heart broke slightly for the girl in front of me, images of the teenager I once knew flashed before my eyes

For the first time, I looked at her face, she looked tired, thinner even, she was still beautiful, even more than before? She wasn't wearing those big black rimmed glasses anymore, and if I was honest I was a little disappointed. We sat in silence for a few more moments.

I must have been staring for too long as she stood up to leave "thank you for your time Regina, it-it was good to see you" she sounded defeated. Oh god the pain in my chest rose again, I couldn't let her walk out again. I stood up quickly knocking my chair backwards, not caring at the abruptness of it

"Monday 9am sharp Miss Swan" I said breathlessly

She turned towards me looking shocked but a bright smile formed on her lips "thank you"

"don't be late, and 6 months Emma, you have 6 months" not addressing the fact that I said her name, which fell so easily from my lips, she smiled again and walked out of my office

"it was good to see you too" I whispered to myself only.