Emma returned to the hotel after she failed to get any more information from Hannah about what was going on with Regina. She spent the whole drive back wondering who this Hannah was. Nothing made sense to her about this woman.

Why would she ever believe a word Regina said once Regina told her the actual truth?

None of this made sense.

She was still deep in thought when Lily came into the room.

"You been sitting here all day?" Lily asked.

"Nope," Emma said, and then she went on to tell her about her day.

"Wow, that is … I don't even know what to say," Lily said.

"Neither do I."

"Well, let me tell you about my day," Lily said. "because it is about as unbelievable as your day. Daryl took me around to show me a bit of how this whole operation works and it's impressive."

Lily told her how Daryl showed her how the drug part of the operation worked – or at least gave her an idea of how it worked. He was being honest but at the same time cautious. She assumed Regina had given him instructions on what to tell her or not tell her.

"This operation works like clockwork. The money drops and the drug deals are like scheduled down to the second," Lily said. "And there is no violence. Regina doesn't mind letting her people use intimidation but violence is a no-no unless Regina has given the go-ahead for it."

"Does she do that often?"

"I don't know. I gather there was some violence in the beginning, but once she took firm control then everyone fell in line," Lily said. "As I said, no one disobeys her. "

"What about the money?" Emma asked. "Where does it go?"

"Back to Regina."

Emma stood up. She had already suspected that Regina had used the money to make Hannah's dream of a new orphanage come true. But if the operation was as massive as Lily was saying then Regina probably had more money coming in than what she was using for her philanthropic side project.

"Ok, but she has to be giving money to other people – you know giving them their part of the pie or something," Emma said.

"I don't know. If she is, she didn't let me see any part of that today," Lily said. "Here is the thing, all these deals I did see, they were all high-end clients. We're talking guys in suits and women in tailor-made clothing. None of this is going on street level. I asked Daryl and he said one of the first things Regina did was shut down that part of the operation – the nickel and dime drug dealer stuff. She only wanted to target the rich."

Emma walked over to the window. Her mind was trying to work through all of this, but nothing was making any sense to her. It's like she was reading a mystery by opening it in the middle and not knowing anything about what happened before she started reading.

Then a thought entered her mind and she couldn't help but laugh a little.

"What's so funny?" Lily asked.

Emma turned back toward her. "Don't you see what she is doing?" Lily just shrugged.

"She's taking from the rich and giving it to the poor," Emma said. "She has set herself up like she is …"

"Robin Hood," Lily finished for her.

That was it, it had to be Emma reasoned. In her own warped way, Regina was doing something to honor Robin's legacy.

"This is good," Emma said.

"How so?"

"It means she isn't too far gone," Emma responded. "A part of her still cares if she cares enough to do this for Robin's memory."

"Yeah, but how do we use that to our advantage?"

For that Emma didn't have an answer and she took a seat once more.

"Have you spoken to your mom today?" Emma asked.

"No, I was planning on calling her tonight, why?"

"Just wondering what's going on back home," Emma responded. "Wondering how much time we have left."

Emma bit her bottom lip. She needed to get Regina back to Storybrooke. She had told Henry she would, she had told her parents she would and she had told the citizenry she would. Only Regina could set this right.

"If there was anything pressing going on back there mom would have called so we at least have some time."

"Let's hope. I just wish Regina would sit and talk to me, so I can tell her what is happening, but she isn't interested in listening to me at all."

"Then maybe she will listen to me," Lily said. "She doesn't know me so she doesn't have any particularly strong feelings about me either way. Look, she wanted me for her crew so at the very least she should be willing to meet with me face-to-face. I can explain to her what is happening."

"Ok," Emma said, even though she felt like she should be one to explain it to Regina. That is why she was here after all – because she felt like it needed to be her. Beyond even what was happening back home she needed to have some time with Regina and really talk to her. "But you will probably get one shot at this, so you need to make her understand why we can't leave here without her."

….

Lily took another drink, feeling more and more nervous although she couldn't say why exactly. She had come to the club and asked to speak with Regina. That was nearly an hour ago.

She understood that Regina was a very busy woman but this still seemed like it was taking longer than it should.

"Need a refill?" Daryl asked, taking a seat next to her at the bar.

"No, I'm good yet."

"I'm sure her majesty will be done soon enough and talk with you," Daryl said. "She wouldn't leave you sitting here if that is what you are worried about."

"I'm not worried, just don't like waiting."

"Should I be worried?"

"Huh?"

"I just mean I spent all day with you and now you are here to speak with the boss, so did I do something wrong?"

"No," she smiled, as she could tell Daryl was genuinely worried. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just want to speak to her about this job offer."

"Are you going to take it?"

"You know how I told you that my mom and Regina go way back? Well, my mom sent me here to find Regina. And I can't say yes or no to this job until I speak to Regina about what my mom wanted me to tell her. I am hoping to resolve that part of things tonight."

"You close with your mom?"

Lily took another drink. "I've been getting closer with her. She didn't raise me. We were reunited a couple of years ago and part of that was due to Regina and my friend Emma."

"Your friend Emma is the one our queen dislikes."

"Two questions – why do you call her queen or your majesty? How do you know Regina doesn't like Emma?"

"I call her that as a sign of respect. And her majesty likes and gets along with everyone I have ever seen her interact with so when she banned this Emma chick from here, I knew it was serious. What is the story there anyway, lovers quarrel of some sort?"

"You mean Regina and Emma? No. They aren't like that. At least as far as I know they aren't. Besides Emma said Regina has something going with someone named Hannah. What's the story there?"

"That might be something you want to ask her about if you want to know the answer."

One of the waiters came up to the table. "She will see you now," was all he said before walking away.

Lily downed her drink and laid the glass down in front of Daryl. "Wish me luck."

"For what it's worth, I hope you take the job," he said.

As she walked up to Regina's office she had the feeling like this was all more dangerous than she had previously thought. She wasn't sure why she was feeling this way all of a sudden.

The door to the office was open when she got up there but she still paused in the doorway.

"Come in," Regina said. "Go ahead and close the door behind you."

Lily did as instructed and took a seat in a chair in front of the desk where Regina was sitting. Regina didn't say anything to her as she did, merely kept working on something on her tablet.

"You know I'm not taking the job, don't you?"

"I do," Regina said, putting the tablet down on the desk and looking at her. "Although I can't say I'm all that sure as to why."

Lily shook her head no. "I didn't come out here looking for a job."

"That is a shame. I do hope you are as smart as I think you are and will not speak of what you learned about my business operations to anyone, not that it truly matters, but still, I do hate it when people can't keep their mouths shut."

Having learned Regina's background from her mom and to some extent Emma, she knew that this might be the truest statement Regina had ever said to her.

"Well if that is all, I wish you good night," Regina said, putting her focus back on her tablet.

"That's not all," Lily said. "I came up here not just to tell you no about the job. I came here to ask you to come back to Storybrooke with me and Emma."

Regina looked up at her once more, her expression one of annoyance.

"Would you at least hear me out?" Lily said.

"No," Regina said, waving her hand and Lily suddenly found herself outside of the club.

Lily started walking back to her car. "The hard way it is," she said.