"So, things seem okay between you and Robin",
Regina glanced at Emma as she browsed the budget proposal of the council for their next project. She's been doing a lot of consultation pro bono for the town since it's the only way she knows how to help and she does not mind. The entire system of Storybrooke is a bit flawed so she got her kick in smoothening it.
They even gave her, her very own office at the town hall. It's flattering since she can work in her own house but the council is adamant in giving her, her own space. They said she's already doing the work for free. The least they can do is to provide her a comfortable space to do it.
After the festival, she noticed, however, that the blonde sheriff made it a regular habit to visit her whenever she's in her office. At first, she thought she's just being her usual self, checking if she's doing everything by the book but after a few visit, she began to suspect the woman's intention.
She's nicer than she used to be which is a big red flag for Regina. People don't just change in a snap. She realized that Emma had been there when she had a melt down during the Winter Festival. In fact, she was the one who brought her home and Granny. That means she saw it all…heard it all.
Regina cringed at the thought because other than Granny and Robin or Gold and Mal, she never dared to be that vulnerable with anyone. She did not like the feeling of being pitied upon.
"Yeah…I think so", she replied.
This is one of her regular visit. She would just came in her office with a kale salad on one hand and root beer on the other. At one point, she asked the blonde point blank why she's doing it. Emma just shrugged and replied that she wanted to be her friend.
Given their history, Regina finds that hard to believe because despite being civil, she did not think they're on the path of friendship just yet.
"I heard Mary Margaret is bugging you to plan her birthday party",
She had to roll her eyes around because yes, that's true and that woman is nothing but persistent.
"Don't remind me. I think I am done with planning events for now. I don't want a repeat of the last one",
Emma fought the urge to wince but Regina saw right through her.
"The last one was not that bad. It was great actually if only Marian did not crash it. Everyone loved what you did with the festival. I loved it", she said.
"Yeah…right until that time when I lost my shit in front of everyone", she scoffed.
If the blonde was shocked by her language, she did not let it show.
"No one blamed you for that one, you know. I mean, you don't hear anyone talking about that part. They understood. We all did",
She eyed the woman. "…and what is it that you understood, Swan?"
Robin is not the type to talk about her with other people although he is friends with Killian and well, Killian lives with Emma so it's not that far of a reach to think he might have slipped at some point.
"I know you're good at keeping a tough face, Regina, but I learned how to read you since I got past all the misconception I had of you. That night, I saw more of you than you would normally allow. I may not know everything but what I saw, it's enough for me to understand the reason why you chose to live an isolated life and why you keep on putting distance between you and the world. I also want you to know that I got your back", Emma answered.
She can see that the sheriff meant every word she said. She's the sheriff for a reason and she believes her when she said that she got her back.
"Thank you. That means a lot",
Emma smiled and handed her the root beer. "So, are you ready to take that break?"
Regina snorted.
"Don't you have a job to do, Swan? Last time I checked you're the Sheriff of Storybrooke, not my babysitter",
"What? A Sheriff cannot take a break? It gets lonely at the station and Killian won't be home until later. You're fun to hang around with",
Watching her go over the numbers is fun? The woman is clearly insane.
"Suit yourself but when you're finally bored watching me stress over these documents, the door is wide open",
Emma did not leave for another half an hour. She only did it because David called saying there's been an incident that needed her attention. Thank heavens for that because she was starting to feel conscious with her just sitting there, watching what she's doing.
She carefully laid out her revisions on the budget before printing the document. Then, she handed it over to Tink so the council can review it.
It's still early and Robin is probably still at work. She still has two more days into her mandatory leave so she has a few more hours to kill.
She thought about preparing something nice for dinner since Robin decided to take over her kitchen. It will be a nice surprise for him and she can finally cook for him without him interfering or insisting to let him help.
"Oh, Regina…" she halted on her tracks when Tink called her name. "This came in for you earlier, but you were with the Sheriff earlier so I waited until you came out to give you this",
It's a brown envelope with her name written on the back. It's probably Gold sending her some homework to utilize her free time. He knows she's helping the town once in a while so it makes sense for him to send it at the town hall.
"Thanks, Tink",
She opened the door to her house and tossed her purse onto the chair before heading to the kitchen.
Lucky for her, the fridge and the cupboard are stocked so she didn't have to run to the grocery store for supplies. She poured herself a glass of water first before settling on the chair to open the envelope Gold sent her.
It took her a while to notice that it was not really a document as it's relatively small to be one. That made her curious in an instant so she hurried in revealing the envelope's content.
What she saw are a bunch of pictures of her outside her house, walking around town, with Robin or with Emma and Mary Margaret. There's also a picture of her talking with Granny outside the diner. There's also one that sent shivers down her spine. It's a picture of her inside her bedroom while brushing her hair.
Her hands instantly shook. Those pictures were not from Gold. She searched the envelope for any sign of its sender but she found none.
Whoever took those, they've been inside her house, her bedroom to be precise.
At the back of her mind, she already knows who it is but she does not want to admit it because admitting that one would mean that he has finally found her…that he is in Storybrooke, and that he has been watching her. He has been close all along. Hell, he already has been in her house!
Her hand immediately went to her phone and dialed Robin's number without thinking.
It's not something she would normally do because she knows he is busy with his new project but she does not know who else to call. The logical choice would be Emma or Granny or even David but her fingers dialed Robin instead.
"Hey, gorgeous…what are you up to?"
The playful tone of his voice got lost on her. She is trembling and she has to force herself to speak.
"Robin…" but she only managed to speak his name.
He instantly picked up on it though.
"What's wrong?"
She hates herself for passing the burden to him but she really needs him right now.
"I think…I think he's…here",
There is a pause on the line and she thought he had hang up on her, leaving her to fate.
"Regina, get to your car right now and go to Granny's. I'm calling Emma and I'm on my way. Don't end the call. I'll be here with you until you reached the diner",
She did not need to be told twice. She grabbed her purse and almost ran out of her house. Finding her car keys had been a struggle but she managed it. As soon as she heard the engine roaring, she immediately drove the vehicle like a maniac and drove straight to the Main Street.
Speeding is not allowed in Storybrooke but she can worry about traffic laws later. She needs to get to the diner as soon as possible. Knowing that Robin is listening on the phone calmed her down a bit but not enough to stop her hands from shaking.
When she arrived at the diner, she burst into the place and searched for Granny.
"Regina? You know that door is not—" one look at her and the woman stopped her ranting about her door being old and fragile. "What happened?"
She could not speak at this point so she simply handed her the pictures.
Granny inspected them and worry filled her features. Yes, she is thinking of the same thing. She guided her at the back of the diner before giving her a glass of water.
Emma came in a few minutes later blurting out how Robin called her frantically, asking her to go to the diner. Granny showed her the pictures as well and the rest became a blur to Regina.
It's hard to think knowing Graham is in the same town as she is. Yes, she said she's going to fight him, that she's not going to let him take over her life again but saying that and now, knowing he's there, she is failing to live up to her words.
Fear is terrorizing her and she is losing her grip over herself.
"Regina",
Once she heard Robin's voice, things came back to her. She now realized that David is also present with them. She ignored the others and immediately jumped into Robin's arms.
"He was in the house…in the bedroom…" she breathed out in his ear and she felt him tensed.
David handed him the pictures and she saw the way his jaw clenched in anger. He then turned to his friend and Emma.
"I thought you said you got the whole town covered?" He growled.
"Yes but we can't patrol the entire town 24/7, Robin. For all we know, he could've slipped into town in the dead of night", David said.
"…or, he's already here before we're even aware of him", Emma added.
Upon hearing that, Regina realized something. That night during the festival, when her eyes was searching for Marian, she saw her talking with someone in the crowd. She did not pay any attention to that person at the time because her mind was somewhere else but thinking about it now, everything clicked in her brain.
She should have seen it right then and there. That hair, that posture, even with his back turned to her, she should have known because she had lived with him for years…but she did not.
"Regina? Are you alright?" Granny asked.
Everyone is staring at her in concern because she can only guess how she looks like at the moment.
"I think I saw him",
"What?" Robin asked.
"During the Winter Festival…I was not sure then. I did not pay attention because I was in a state after you left and I was looking for Marian. She was there talking to someone but I did not see his face. My goal was to talk to her, to ask her what she could have potentially told Graham. I was so focused on that, that I totally missed it",
Yes, everything is so clear now. It was really him that she saw that night.
"He was already here that night. He was there at the festival", as much as she did not want to admit it, there's no denying it anymore. "Graham is here in Storybrooke", she responded.
