So we already reached chapter 10. I hope I didn't scare you away with such dark themes. There will be some more SwanQueen from now on, promise. Enjoy reading!
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IX. At the Rabbit Hole
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The loud stuffy atmosphere reminded Regina why she usually avoided this place. That night, however, she had let Emma talk her into visiting the Rabbit Hole with her, Ruby, and Robin for a drink and a game of pool. She was afraid, however, that all three of them would be amused by her incompetence with a cue. Normally, she didn't tend to waste her time at a gaming table. She had never quite been able to comprehend Emma's friendship with the rather free-spirited girl who worked at her grandma's cafe, but she accepted it, as well as hers with Robin was accepted by her girlfriend. The four of them sat down at the bar and Hook joined them.
"Regina Mills herself." He gave her a mischievous grin. "How do I get you to grace my humble establishment with your presence?"
"I've been on her nerves long enough, I guess," Emma returned in her place. "Give me a beer, please, and I think two more for Ruby and Robin."
They both nodded in unison, whereupon Hook turned to Regina again. "What can I get you, dearie? I'm afraid I don't have champagne, but I do have exquisite Caribbean rum."
"A glass of your draught wine will do."
"Aye, my pleasure!" He slid them a bowl of peanuts before setting about taking glasses from the cabinet under the counter.
Regina, seated between Emma and Robin, glanced boredly around the diner while following the active chatter beside her with only half an ear. It was after eight o'clock in the evening, so several tables were already occupied. Two young men had grabbed cues and a set of balls, just about to start a game of pool. She recognized August, the old carpenter's son, as well as Keith Nottingham and she looked at Robin beside her. He, too, had already spotted him the and his nostrils flared telltale. And then she noticed Zelena, who was wearing a short skirt and heels, walking among the tables with a tray.
"That guy is up for nothing," Robin grumbled glumly.
They both watched as the pretty redhead, who had tied her messy curls up, collected Keith and August's empty glasses, whereupon the greasy scapegrace unabashedly stared down her neckline. Her blouse wasn't tight, but it was cleaved low enough to offer glimpses.
"Are you still with us?" suddenly teased Emma, distracting her friend. "Who's up for a game of pool?"
Ruby's hand shot up enthusiastically, nearly knocking over her beer glass. Only her lightning-quick reaction prevented that, and she grinned sheepishly.
"I'm in," Robin joined in.
Regina, however, shook her head. "You guys just want to see me make a fool of myself, but I'm not doing you that favor. I'm sure August would love to be your fourth husband. Or ask Nottingham, at least he'll be busy then."
The friends grabbed their drinks to head to the pool table, where they first watched the outcome of the game in progress. Because Regina continued to decline joining in, Ruby perkily recruited August. She sat down at a table from which she watched, rolling her eyes, as the stakes were set. To her distress, Keith came over with his glass of beer in his hand to keep her company. She pointedly treated him with disregard, so he preferred to watch the action. Soon their drinks were finished, so they ordered new ones when Zelena came to their table. Regina stuck with the draught wine, which even tasted acceptable for such a cheap swill. When the redhead had collected the empty glasses and was about to head for other guests, Keith's hand touched her butt as if by accident. Zelena winced, but otherwise didn't elaborate, while Regina skewered him with an indignant look. Of course it had been purely intentional, she had no doubt about that. The next moment Robin, who had apparently observed it as well, reared up in front of him.
"If you touch her again, I'm going to make you miserable," he hissed menacingly, and Regina could see that he really wanted to shake him by the collar.
Zelena turned jerkily to the two men, her eyes narrowed to narrow slits. "You think you're some kind of Robin Hood, but I don't some testosterone-driven wannabe protecting me!"
Before marching off, her gaze lingered at the bar too long as if by chance, and Regina automatically turned in the same direction. There sat Zelena's husband, staring over at them with a petrified expression.
"Sorry, dude, I had no idea you were into her," Keith returned with his hands raised placatingly.
Robin patted him on the shoulder. "See that guy at the bar looking over at us right now? That's her husband, a rather unpleasant fellow. So if I may give you some good advice, keep your hands to yourself. Just because Tink lets you get it on sometimes, a woman with a low neckline and short skirt isn't fair game. I hope that fits to your hollow head."
"Easy, I got it," he returned nonchalantly. "Redheads aren't really my type."
As the two men parted, Regina's eyes absently roamed the room and once again found Zelena placing her tray on the bar counter in front of Hook so he could load it with fresh drinks. They exchanged a few words, after which Zelena disappeared through the door leading to the backyard with a crate full of empties. As soon as she was out of sight, Freek slid off his stool and marched the same way. Since a labeled arrow indicated that it also led to the guest bathrooms, this was not unusual, but Regina didn't trust him. She decided it was time to freshen up a bit. As she rose and smoothed her navy blue satin blouse, Emma looked up from the game. With a nod of her head toward the door to the courtyard, she signaled that she would be right back. Entering the short hallway, she felt the cool breeze blowing in through the open doorway at the end, carrying two restrained voices with it. Cautiously, she peered into the dark courtyard beyond and saw Freek there, who had grabbed Zelena by the wrists. With her back pressed against the brick wall, she stood in front of him, tiny and intimidated.
"Do you really think I don't notice that guy making eyes at you?" he accused her angrily. "You're mine, Zelena, never forget that!"
Regina swallowed hard before pushing the door all the way open so she could walk through. Her heels audibly clacked on the floor, whereupon he immediately backed away and let go of Zelena. She quickly grabbed the empties and disappeared through the warehouse entrance. Freek and Regina's eyes met for a moment, his piercing gray eyes giving her goose bumps. Stubbornly, she pressed her lips together as she headed for the ladies' room. She was sure he wouldn't threaten Zelena again as long as she was right next door to hear everything, so she waited until she could hear the other woman's footsteps in the yard before leaving the washroom again. Relieved, she registered that Freek was no longer there.
"Are you all right?" she inquired, whereupon Zelena, now lugging a heavy crate of full drink bottles, turned to her.
"Stop constantly interfering in things that are none of your business, Madam Mayor," she hissed icily.
Calmly, Regina pointed toward the restroom doors. "I just wanted to freshen up, that's all."
Without another word, Zelena stalked through the entrance to the guest room with her load. A soft sigh left Regina's lips before she followed her and returned to the pool table, where Emma and Ruby were currently toasting their victory over the two men with beer. For the rest of the evening, she couldn't get Freek's rude possessive behavior toward his young wife out of her mind. Zelena certainly hadn't been so spooked for no reason, even if she had immediately dismissed it in his absence.
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Zelena knew that her father was watching her keenly, so she stubbornly focused on her work and didn't risk so much as a glance at the mayor or Robin until they ordered drinks. She was sorry to have snapped at both of them, when they were just trying to be friendly to her. The fact that Robin had stood up for her already gave Freek enough reason to be upset when she got home. She was all the more relieved when three of the four friends finally paid up. Only the young woman with the long dark hair, wearing a red miniskirt with fishnet tights and boots, remained to put her excess energy to work on the dance floor. She remembered that the sheriff had addressed her as Ruby. Obviously, she knew exactly how she looked to men, and enjoyed it immensely. Her impetuous movements exuded so much youthful exuberance and lightheartedness that Zelena's guts tightened. Freek had forced her to grow up too soon.
After closing hour, she hurried to collect the remaining empty glasses and wipe down the tables, while Hook was busy doing the checkout. She was used to working a lot, but lately she often felt tired and worn out. Maybe it was the tough dark winter months. A yawn escaped her as she slipped into her jacket to head home.
"Wait, Zee." The bar owner pulled out an envelope and held it out to her across the counter. "I got you something, you deserve it."
Puzzled, she accepted the envelope, in which she found a few dollar notes. She raised her eyebrows. "What is it for?"
Hook smiled indulgently. "Have you looked at the calendar? Christmas is in exactly two weeks."
"I completely forgot," she admitted sheepishly. "My husband and I don't celebrate."
"Neither do I; the colorful glittery stuff isn't for me. I wouldn't spurn a delicious holiday roast, though, I admit. It's not worth it to open the store for the few Christmas grouches there are in this town, though, so you'll have some leisure on the holidays. You look like you could use it."
Zelena shrugged her shoulders. She actually longed for a little rest, but when the bar was closed, Freek had nowhere to go in the evening either, and she had to spend all her time at home with him. Quickly, she tucked the envelope into her jacket pocket before wishing Hook a good night. As she pushed open the door to the courtyard, an icy December breeze hit her. Making her way to her bike, she slipped on her gloves and pulled her hood over her head. The air smelled like snow.
…
Devoutly, Emma and Regina strolled through the deserted alleys late at night. Outside the bar they had said goodbye to Robin, whose small apartment was in one of the houses just off the main street. Usually they did not reveal themselves as a couple to the public, because Regina felt that their relationship was nobody else's business. This time, however, she didn't protest when Emma grabbed her hand.
"This will be our first Christmas together," she stated quietly. Her breath became visible in the cold as a fine white vapor. "Henry's looking forward to it."
"Me too," the blonde agreed. "You have no idea what it means to me to spend the holiday with you two. You're my family."
They stopped in front of the apartment building where Emma lived, and Regina looked up at the dark-screened windows on the top floor. Although it wasn't necessary, because there wasn't a soul around except them at this hour, she pulled her girlfriend with her into the small alley that led off the main street next to the building. It was silly because even if Mary Margaret or her husband woke up and looked through the window at those very minutes, they would not have to justify their feelings. She slipped off her leather gloves to tenderly cup Emma's face, which felt icy cold.
"It means just as much to me," she replied with a smile on her red-painted lips before locking her girlfriend's lips in a loving kiss.
Emma grinned coquettishly as they broke away from each other heatedly. "There could be no better gift than the one I already have. Except maybe when you wrap yourself up nicely with a big bow for me and put it under the tree."
Amused, Regina nudged her in the side. "I don't know what your idea of Christmas is, but in the Mills household, it's still a reflective family holiday."
"Which consists of you, me, and our son." She shrugged innocently. "Or did you invite your mother, too? That would be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other."
At these words, Regina narrowed her eyes skeptically. "Believe me, you don't want that."
"She is your mom, after all, and of course I am very grateful to her that she brought you into the world."
"It needs a little more to be a mother than just giving birth to a child." She made a throwaway gesture when she realized she had struck a nerve with Emma.
"You know, all my childhood I wanted nothing more than a mother. You have one and you shut her out of your life. And out of Henry's, she's his grandma too."
"Even if I invited her, she wouldn't come," Regina returned somberly. "It's better that way, and I'm not discussing this further."
She pressed a parting kiss to her girlfriend's forehead and pushed her back on the street into the light of the lanterns. Of course, Emma had no way of knowing what the state of her relationship with her mother was. By now it had been several years since Cora had last left her penthouse in New York to visit her daughter and grandson in Storybrooke. As a child, Regina had always wanted only one thing, her mother's love and approval, but it had been impossible to live up to her demands. Emma put her arms around her and hugged her lovingly. She could tell she was asking herself a lot of questions and was grateful to her for not voicing any of them for the moment. At the entrance to the house, the blonde turned to her once more to blow her a kiss. A smile flitted across Regina's face.
