Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT in any way, shape or form.
The vault echoed with the noises of fervent research, sliding pages and the murmurs of almost silent reading. Emma's back was sore from hunching over dozens of books in which she searched for god only knew what. Regina, on the other hand, was flipping furiously through texts like a woman on a mission. Most of the sound that bounced from the walls originated from her table on the opposite side of the room from the blonde.
"Please tell me you are directing as much energy into your search as you are into staring at me", Regina's voice startled Emma from her daydreaming, which had indeed left her eyes directed solely at the former Queen. An accusing eyebrow lift in Emma's direction sent her figuratively scurrying away, looking down quickly to continue reading the dry tome before her.
"Sorry." Regina made a noncommittal noise of acknowledgement and said, "Don't be sorry, be productive. This is your brother we're searching for, after all." Gone unsaid was the uncomfortable prickling sensation that jabbed at the brunette every time that Emma's eyes found her. Reminded of the gravity of the situation, Emma's brow furrowed heavily. Giving her head a shake and huffing out of pure frustration, the blonde stood to her feet and paced several steps away from the book-laden table.
Glancing at the woman with a guarded expression Regina insisted, "I'm not kidding. There are a lot of books here, and I believe you to be the most useful of the Charming bunch when it comes to research." The backhanded compliment only barely nudged the surface of Emma's consciousness as she turned to lock eyes with the other woman.
"Who would take a baby? What for? Where the hell would they even go?" Emma grew more worried with each question, evidenced clearly by her contorting expression. Shutting the book before her firmly, Regina pinned the Sheriff with her eyes, speaking slowly as if the blonde might not understand if she didn't.
"Miss Swan", she started, making certain that she first had Emma's attention, "we don't have time for you to fall apart. If there is indeed some sort of foul play going on and the baby did not merely discover his own magic and cause some trouble, then he is depending on us to find him. Do you understand?"
The revelation that her little brother might have magic of his own seemed to have just occurred to the blonde, strengthening her once more. "You think this might just all be some sort of accident?" Emma's voice was wary but hopeful. Satisfaction settled in as Regina realized that she had just managed to actually comfort the Savior herself in some small way.
"Yes", nodded Regina, "I think there's a strong possibility that that is what happened." Breathing easier, Emma nodded along and stepped back towards the table. Mind clearer, an idea came to her suddenly. Slapping her forehead as it occurred, she nearly cursed aloud.
"How could I have been so stupid?" she said aloud, prompting both confusion and an almost laugh from the former Queen. Before the latter could respond with a sassy remark, Emma said, "Can't we just use the same tracking spell that we used before to find Neal? You know, my Neal? In New York?" Regina's amusement vanished with a sour expression as Emma called the dead man her's. Emma didn't notice, and Regina made no move to comment on the word choice, choosing instead to poke a hole in the blonde's plan.
"First of all, the spell that was used on that occasion was in fact used through a magical artifact, one which belongs to Gold. While he may have become more agreeable over time, I highly doubt he would have any desire to assist us without fine print. Second, I have found something similar to help already."
Emma's face fell and then grew hopeful in the spaces between Regina's words, and the hope in her expression did things to the royal that she was forced to shove down lest the blonde notice her eagerness.
Placing a hand on the book she had closed, Regina said, "In here there is a spell that should be able to track down your baby brother through the use of your own magic." She paused, holding up her free hand to keep Emma from interrupting. "There's a catch though. The only way this will work, is if he actually possesses magic of his own." Opening her mouth to respond, Emma was cut off by the loud ringing of Regina's phone. The women shared a glance.
Who would be calling Regina that wasn't already in the vault?
Regina answered with a short, "Hello?" She was met with a low silky voice, speaking urgently. Emma watched with a look that practically screamed of her need to know just what was being said, feet moving automatically towards the other woman. Ruffling her brow as Regina's features twisted with horror and confusion, the blonde demanded, "What is it?"
"This isn't possible", said Regina breathily, responding to both the caller and Emma. On her guard, the royal slid several steps away from the blonde, one hand raised as she listened to the still speaking voice on the phone. "You must be mistaken", she insisted, still struggling to understand the information being given to her. Emma, hating as ever not knowing what was going on, moved impatiently. "Are you certain?" Regina asked once again, eyes fixed to where Emma's frown was only intensifying.
There was an uncertain moment in which Emma saw the wavering in Regina's expression, and if she had been searching for it, she might have been able to see the motion that always preceded the cloud of purple smoke. However, the unsuspecting blonde was caught off her guard, and left alone in the vault without warning.
"What the hell?!" she shouted into the silence, her own voice coming back to mock her. Punching the numbers into her own cell phone, Emma tried to call Regina. Then her father, then Henry. She even tried her comatose mother's cell phone, receiving no answer. No explanation.
If there was one thing that Emma did not take well, it was being confused. She had had enough of that in the first year or so after her arrival in Storybrooke. After awhile, she felt as if she had a pretty good understanding of the town's working and its denizens, even with the occasional magical hiccup. But now, after the mental stress of her injured mother and missing brother, not to mention the lingering idea of some sort of bond between her and Regina, there was very little patience leftover for the mysterious royal's disappearance.
"Alright, fine! I'll just ignore you too then!" Emma shouted into the empty vault, stomping up the stairs. If Regina was going to be mysterious, she would just focus on her family.
The manor was still, as if no one were present, but a stealthy figure slid through the rooms like a shadow. Fingers trailed over pictures of Henry and Regina, lingering on the small but happy family before passing on to the next knick knack adorning the mantle.
"Hello?" Henry called out as he entered the house, having just made his way home from school, sure that he had seen someone moving inside. It wouldn't be unusual for his adoptive mother to be home at this time of day, as she did sometimes work from her study in the manor. But he was sure that she was with Emma, and he hadn't seen the yellow bug parked outside.
The shadow figure stilled in the room beside the boy, debating the wisest course of action. Certainly, the growing child didn't pose much of a threat, but if he mentioned anything out of the ordinary, even as small as thinking someone was home when they weren't, he might alert one or both of his mothers to their newest threat. At least, the figure liked to think of itself as a threat.
"Anybody home?" the boy called out again, taking off his sneakers and dropping his backpack by the front door. Apparently satisfied that no one was there, Henry moved into the kitchen to make himself a snack, unaware of the figure stalking after him.
