A/N: After this chapter, there shall be two more to write and upload, and this story will reach its shocking end. I want to thank each and every one who have been giving my very first Halloween ff a chance. This is certainly different and has been every bit of fun to write out. Happy reading! :) Stay tuned for the last two chapters later tonight.
"Did you see anything or anyone roaming about?" Graham asked Regina, all while placing a cup of coffee in front of her.
"No." Regina shook her head, her eyes locked on the steam that lifted off of the hot black liquid in front of her.
"And what were you doing out in the woods alone at that time of night?" Graham caught Regina's gaze glare up at him and away from the coffee.
"What else would I be doing, Sheriff, if it's not looking for my son?"
"Alone?" Graham's head tilted.
"Emma was sleeping after her incident with," Regina looks over Graham's shoulder at Sean who is sitting quietly in his cell. "Whale gave her the clear on having any type of concussion, and as you saw for yourself, she took quite a hit. I just wanted to look for Henry." Her eyes tear up and her voice breaks. "I can't imagine him out there, somewhere, frightened and all alone."
"Regina," Graham leaned in and reached for her hand. Their eyes meet. "I more than understand your situation."
Regina looks up from their hands into Graham's eyes. "Are you a father?" She asked him.
"I was," Graham murmured. "Long ago. Before I came to this town."
Regina's lips part and she can't look away from the sadness that shines out of his eyes as she listens attentively. "May I ask… What happened?"
Graham's jaw sets. He always tried so hard not to remember what happened, but it was something not easy to forget. Or forgive himself for. "He died in a car wreck we found ourselves in years ago. It was my fault. There was rain and the roads weren't in my favor. I blame myself for it every rainy night."
Regina remained silent, her eyes seeming lost as she looked away in thought.
"Regina?" Graham called out, sitting back in his chair. "Regina?" He calls out again, seeing Regina look back at him. "God, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I can imagine the millions of thoughts that are racing through your mind right now regarding your son-"
"No," Regina shook her head, a crease formed in between her brow. "It's quite alright. Sometimes all one needs is to talk things out to center back into reality every now and again. Like my mother used to say, 'A calm before the storm.'"
Graham's brows furrowed as his head tilted quizzically. "Why would she say that?"
Regina shrugs and chuckles, "She always expected the worst, I suppose. Not the best I could have said to you right now. I apologize."
Graham chuckles and shakes his head.
"You must miss him terribly." Regina's voice is soft.
"Every day, more and more." Graham nods.
"How did you… Cope?"
Graham inhales slowly, his chest rising and falling calmly. "Acceptance. After drowning myself in years of alcohol, blaming myself I reached a breaking point where I needed to accept that my son… He was gone."
Regina frowned.
"I eventually went to therapy and that helped me out a lot."
Regina hums and nods.
"Have you and Emma… Ever considered it?"
"Therapy?" Regina nods once more. "Once. Sometimes it felt like it helped, others… We always felt…" Her voice trails off in thought.
"What did you feel?" Graham asked, seeing Regina shake her head.
"Like it didn't."
"Well," Graham breathed and stood up from his chair, seeing Regina mimic his stance. "Listen, Regina." He reaches into a drawer of his desk and pulls out a card, holding it before Regina. "This is a uh, support group place. It's just out of town, a few miles out. If ever you need anyone to talk to, I highly recommend it."
Regina hesitated but took the card from him. "Thank you. I'll consider it."
"Regina," Emma breathed as she ran into the station. Her arms extended out and pulled her wife into a hug, which Regina equally gave. "Are you okay?"
Regina nodded, "I'm fine."
Emma placed a kiss against Regina's forehead before she looked at her again. "What the hell were you doing out in those woods at night?"
There was a knock at the door as it opened, a younger officer popped his head in. "Sheriff, Whale is asking to see you. Ruby's body was brought into the hospital, and he needs you there for when they do the autopsy."
"Right," Graham scratched his scruffy cheek. "Tell him I'll be right there." He turns his attention back to Emma and Regina. "Well, you two go back to the bed and breakfast and lock up tight, hm? I don't need something happening to one of you or both of you while you're out there searching for your son. Which, I will find." There was promise in his voice.
Regina flashed him a small smile as she clung to Emma's side. "Thank you, Sheriff. And thank you for the small talk."
Emma's eyes exchanged a look between her wife and the Sheriff, ending on Graham's smile directed at Regina.
"Think about what I said, about the support group, yes?"
"We'll talk about it. Thank you." Regina gave one last smile and her and Emma followed him out of the station.
"Would you mind telling me what we have to talk about?" Emma asked as they entered their room, shutting the door behind them and locking it.
"The Sheriff was talking to me about this support group just miles out of town. A way to help grieving parents." Regina glanced down at the card that had been given to her, before looking up at her wife who was standing in the middle of the room with her hands placed on her hips. "What?"
"Maybe we should consider it." Said Emma.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that we should consider the fact that-"
"Do not." Regina raised a single digit in the air. "Do not finish saying what I think you're going to say."
"Regina," Emma breathed. "Look around us." She motioned around the apartment. "This town is fucking crazy, and it's bringing us down with it, okay?"
"Our son is out there, Emma-"
"And whoever is out there probably has him, and they've probably already-"
"Enough!" Regina shouted as tears spring from her eyes. "I want to get out of here as much as you do, Emma, but I refuse to leave anywhere without our son. He has to be found!"
Emma moves in and embraces her wife. "I'm sorry. Yes. You're right. He has to be found." She cups Regina's face with both of her hands, wipes away her tears. "He will be."
There's a knock at the door that disrupts them both.
"Are you expecting someone?" Asked Regina.
Emma shook her head. "No." She moved along with Regina toward their door, pulling it open. "Mary Margaret."
Mary Margaret greeted them with a smile. "Hi. How are you feeling Emma?"
"Better. Thank you." Said Emma.
"Oh, good! Good. David will be very happy to hear that."
"Is there something we can help you with?" Asked Regina.
"Yes, well, I'm here more in the form of an invitation."
"An invitation?" Emma's brows furrowed quizzically.
"Well, with everything that's been going on around this town. Poor Ruby," She shook her head, reaching for Regina's arm. "Poor you, Regina. It must have been so horrific for you. How are you feeling?"
"It shook me like it shook everyone else in this town, but I'm okay." Regina nods. "I'm more concerned for Eugenia. With everything that happened, she hasn't been at the bed and breakfast, as to be expected."
"Oh, I know. It's such a tragedy." Mary Margaret placed a hand against her chest.
"Is there something we can do for you, Mary Margaret?" Emma asked.
"Oh, yes." Mary Margaret smiled. "David and I wanted to courtly invite you over for dinner on Saturday."
"Saturday?"
"Yes. I'll be making my famous pasta." Mary Margaret definitely appeared to be too chipper for living in a town where people were spontaneously being murdered. "So will you two join us? We can have a couple's night."
Emma and Regina exchanged a quick look.
"I'm afraid David and I won't take no for an answer."
"We'll…" Emma gave a quick glance to Regina. "We'd love to." She smiled.
"Really?" Mary Margaret's eyes light up.
"Absolutely. Count us in." Regina forces a smile.
"Well, great! We'll see you two on Saturday, then." She waved and walked off.
Emma shut the door, releasing a heavy sigh. Her eyes closed upon feeling Regina's arms wrap around her from behind.
"When will this end, Emma?" Asked Regina in a whisper. "We should be looking for our son. Not having dinner. We don't know these people."
"That's exactly why we need to attend their invitation." Said Emma, her forehead leaning against the door before she rotates her body to face her wife. "Sean said that if there was anyone suspicious in this town, it was David and Mary Margaret."
"And you believe him?" Said Regina, her eyes locked onto Emma's. "Emma for all you know, he's lying. For all you know, it's him who has Henry, he's hiding him somewhere. Him and Gold are into something- you said so yourself. What if it's them? I heard the Sheriff say Sean was being released tonight. Whatever is going on between him and Gold, I'm sure they'll meet up somewhere to talk about it. We could follow them."
Emma's brow creases in a frown. "Well, let's find out."
Emma and Regina sat inside the yellow bug. Emma's thumb tapped softly against the steering wheel, while both observed Sean running back into the garage to retrieve a folder, tossed it inside the red convertible and drove out.
