Emma peered into the darkness, trying to figure out where Regina was going, all she could hear was how she went further and further away. Graham, on the contrary, approached and the flame of his candle lit up the girl's face.
— Emma! — Graham noticed how pale she was. — Emma. Where are you!
— Graham. — Emma breathed out. — Is it a through tunnel?
— I do not know. I know that there are many branches in it, it is almost a maze. And what?
— Nothing! Let's go from here. — Emma said angrily and went back to the exit.
The young girl came out of the gloomy tunnel, sat down on a stone and wrapped her arms around herself - she was trembling. She couldn't calm down.
— Emma... What's wrong with you? — Graham was surprised.
Emma Swan, always brave and desperate, not afraid of the most ferocious criminals, who knows how to shoot well, now looked frightened and ... confused. Graham was not just surprised, he was puzzled.
— What are you... doing here? — Emma suddenly got angry. — How did we agree?
— Well... I looked around the house, it was boarded up and I came here. In case you need help. Yes, what happened then?
— She was here. — Emma said reluctantly. — And she took my revolver.
— "Queen"? — Graham was surprised. — So, why did we leave? Let's go find her!
— How? — Emma got angry again. — You said it yourself, it's almost like a labyrinth! We will wander there forever. And then! Even if we find her, how are you going to catch her there? This is a tunnel, any bullet with a probability of up to ninety percent will recoil. Have you ever had a bullet taken out of you? Not?!
— Emma. We will catch her, don't worry. — Graham tried to pat the young girl on the shoulder, but she pulled him away.
— When? She's going to hide now because she knows we're looking for her! — Emma freaked out.
— We'll come up with something. Let's go have a drink. — Graham smiled.
— Back off. — Emma spat savory at her feet and hobbled towards her house.
She was angry at Graham for not being able to catch the culprit even though she was so close. And that the plan failed. But most of all, she was angry at herself, because she realized that she wanted to see Regina and seemed even more. Touching... Kissing... Passion?
"Damn it, that wasn't enough! Fall in love with a criminal! No. Crap!" Emma thought as she walked towards her house.
Regina lit a match and exhaled nervously. She hid in one of the corridors of the tunnel. Swan's face, up close, lit by the candle flame, looked beautiful.
"Yes, beautiful, so what? I'll still get my revenge on you, Swan. Your pretty face won't save you…" thought Regina, standing in the corridor, leaning her back against the cold stone wall. The match burned down and burned her fingers. Regina dropped it with a grimace and lit a new one. And she went down the corridor. After a few meters, she saw a dimly lit exit. It was closed by bushes, Regina pushed her way through it and went exactly to the clearing where the guys were waiting for her. She was in the forest, on the outskirts of the city.
— Hello… — said the fat guy.
— Little John. All here? — Regina said, blinking her eyes.
She looked around, letting her eyes adjust to the sunlight coming from the dark tunnel.
— Yes. — The guy answered. — What is it?
— I need to tell you something important. Where is Robin? — She asked.
— I'm here! — Came an approaching voice and the clatter of boots.
Robin ran up and bent down, putting his hands on his knees. He was breathing heavily, catching his breath.
— Excellent! — Regina said and put her hands together, locking them together. — Now everyone is here. Guys, you're probably wondering why we're here. I explain: sheriff Swan, found our lair. She's on the heels and I think it's better for us to scatter. She's cunning and brazen, I don't want her to shoot us all.
A murmur began in the crowd of bandits, but Robin hissed at them and everyone fell silent.
— I understand your indignation, but it would be better if you go to another city or state. One by one or all together, I don't care, but from this day on we are each for ourselves. Thank you for your attention. It was a pleasure to work with you guys. Farewell, guys!
And she moved aside, going deep into the forest, not listening to anyone. Although she heard a heated discussion behind her back, she was sure that she had done the right thing. Soon Robin caught up with her.
— Are you going far? — He asked.
— I think I have already explained everything.— Regina answered without slowing down.
— And I think I said that I wouldn't leave you alone. — Robin stopped and grabbed Regina by the arm. — Can you explain finally: what is between you and the sheriff?
— She is my worst enemy. — The brunette answered, looking directly into the guy's eyes. — I swore to kill her.
Emma came home and sat down at the table. She wrapped the wet towel around her leg again and felt better. Looking out the window, the young girl began to think. She tried to understand what happened there, in the tunnel. Emma knew what Regina was doing, it was on purpose to confuse her, to distract her. And also a look, the blonde clearly remembered him - Regina hates her. But for what? Now it became clear why she returned: to take revenge. Take personal revenge on Emma Swan.
— When did I manage to annoy you like that? — Emma asked herself aloud.
Desperately hungry, Emma pulled off her towel and hobbled into the kitchen. There she found only an old shriveled apple and became sad. Her stomach growled nastily. The girl sighed - she didn't want to leave the house at all, but she didn't want to die of hunger. On the street she met Belle. Belle was delighted with Emma and adjusted the basket she held in the crook of her elbow.
— Sheriff! — Belle said. — Where are you going?
— Actually, to the saloon. I feel like eating. — Emma replied.
— How wonderful! And I go there. I went to the wagon: for fresh vegetables and herbs. — Belle nodded at the basket.
They walked towards the saloon and Belle noticed that Emma was limping. Then she took her by the arm and they went on like that.
— Ouch. It was the criminal who wounded you, right? — Belle asked. — Is that why you're limping?
— What? — Emma blinked a couple of times. — What criminal?
— The one you catch. "Queen" it seems.
— Not. — Emma chuckled. — By the way. Belle, what's on the menu tonight?
— Chowder of beef tripe, beans for garnish. And a pie.
— Not apple, I hope? — Emma grimaced.
— No.— Belle smiled. — Chicken.
— This is good. — Emma said. - I don't like apple pies. And coffee?
— And coffee. — Belle nodded.
So the two of them entered the saloon, where Belle helped Emma to a table. Emma gave her a grateful look. Ruby was sitting by the window, biting her lips. Seeing the whole picture, she was terribly jealous. The sheriff flirted with everyone. With everyone but her.
In the evening Anita went wearily into her room and sat down on the bed. She thought about Regina and out of the corner of her eye noticed a shadow in the window. She didn't even change her posture, only slightly twitched the corners of her lips.
— You won't even ask "who's there"? — Came from the window.
— No. — Anita got up, locked the door and turned around.
— Why? — Regina asked, sitting on the windowsill and arching an eyebrow.
— Because you enter without knocking, Your Majesty. — Anita chuckled and went to the window. — Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to hide?
— I love excitement. — Regina shrugged her shoulders and jumped into the room.
Half an hour later they were both lying in bed, breathing heavily. Anita rested her head on Regina's shoulder and sighed. She began to wind the brunette's curl around her finger. Someone passed by the room and Regina abruptly sat up in bed, looking at the door. Anita sat down too, interrupting her work. Regina hastily got dressed.
— You know, we'll have to part ways. — She said, tucking her shirt into her trousers.
— Who is she? — Anita asked.
— What? — Regina put on her boots and turned around. — What are you talking about?
— I don't know who you were having sex with now, but definitely not with me. — Anita answered. — Are you going to her, my Queen?
— Anita, your jealousy is ridiculous. I will hide. — Regina threw on her cloak and put on her hat.
— And where? — Anita asked.
— I will not say! It's dangerous to be with me now! — Regina answered and kissed her on the lips. — I'll come to you myself. And get all the nonsense out of your head.
She left the same way she entered: through the window. And Anita smiled bitterly and thought, "I've been in this business for twenty years. Who are you lying to? Already someone who, but I distinguish when you fuck, but as if not with me". And tears flowed from her eyes. She decided that she would find out who this woman was and kill her rival. But first, need to find out where they meet.
In the evening, Graham burst into Emma's house with a bottle of bourbon. He was a little drunk.
— Emma, I don't argue with my fault, but let's think again how to catch her. — Graham said.
— Is that how you say "I'm sorry"? — The young girl smiled.
— Yeah. — He handed her the bottle. — And this is to come up with a new plan.
Emma smiled wider and they walked into the kitchen. Graham found a couple of glasses and poured the alcohol into the glasses.
— Well, tell me. — Said the guy. — What happened in the tunnel?
— Awareness. — Emma swirled the liquid in her glass. — She came back for me.
— Yes ? — Graham took a long sip. — What does she want from you?
— My death. She hates me. I just can't figure out why.
— We will definitely find out. And we'll put her in jail. Or vice versa. — Graham's tongue began to stutter. — First we will put her in jail, and then we will find out.
— So let's go to bed. — Emma said and got up.
Graham got up, not quite straight, and trudged after the girl. She put him to bed in the spare room and went to hers. Lying in bed, she kept thinking: how could she annoy the criminal so much. But still the alcohol took its toll and she fell asleep.
Emma woke up with a vague sensation, the presence of another person in the room. In the chair next to the bed sat Regina Mills. The blonde was literally nailed to the bed, fear and thoughts rushed through her head. "How did she get in? Graham didn't hear her? He's sleeping? Did she kill him? Yes, he's drunk! What does she want from me, Lord!"
— What do you need? — Emma asked hoarsely and did not recognize her own voice.
Regina didn't answer. She moved to the bed next to the young girl and stroked her head with a smile. Then she ran her fingertips along Emma's face. From forehead to chin.
— Why did you come? — Emma asked another question.
Regina leaned very close to her face and whispered:
— You know very well why I'm here. — She glanced at the blonde's lips. Her hands rested on Emma's shoulders and moved up, converging at her neck. His gaze was filled with malice, his mouth twisted.
— To kill! — Regina hissed and began to choke Emma.
Emma screamed and woke up. She sat up abruptly on the bed clutching her throat. There was a piece of cloth hanging around the neck. She grabbed it with both hands and yanked it off, examining it. It was a towel. The same towel that she threw on the bed during the day, with which she wrapped her leg. Apparently she forgot to put it away and at night, tossing and turning, she wrapped it around her neck. She tossed him onto a chair and groaned slightly as she leaned back against the pillows. Ten minutes later she was asleep again.