"Fuck!" Emma shouted at the top of her lungs and made several passerby's look at her. She didn't give a damn. She had just sent her girlfriend fleeing in one of the biggest cities in the world. She had just made her pregnant, crutch-using girlfriend run away.
She had just made her pregnant, crutch-using girlfriend cry.
What sort of monster was she even?!
"Shit, shit, shit!" she yelled and felt tempted to stomp. Or hit herself in the face. Hard.
"Miss Swan? What on earth is going on?"
Emma turned her head. Cora Mills had come out on the street and was on her way towards her.
"Regina took off," Emma said tightly when Cora reached her, once again feeling that urge to slap herself.
Cora raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon? What do you mean she 'took off'?"
"I mean that she left," Emma half-snapped.
Cora's arms folded across her chest. "I don't understand," she said tonelessly. "We were supposed to have a talk."
"Yeah, well, I guess we pushed her too far, didn't we?" Emma sneered and began pacing the street like a caged lion.
"Well, Regina has always been very impulsive, and very drama-"
"Shut up," Emma said exasperated, interrupting whatever sentence Cora was gonna say.
"I beg your-"
"No, you shut up and LISTEN for once in your life!" Emma half-yelled and didn't care that they were being watched. "Gain some perspective, lady! And if you can't, let me help you! Regina just took off. In tears. Because she felt corned by the both of us. Which essentially, is absolutely true! We corned her. I didn't give her an explanation and as a result, Regina know thinks that I've been conspiring with you. And you-" Emma snarled at Cora. "You've had so many opportunities to tell her the truth! When she was in the hospital for instance! You could have shown up! Or tonight! You could have told her what's actually going on while she was standing right here and begging for the explanation, I was too fucking slow to give her! But you didn't. And you know why? Because you're a fucking coward, Cora! You're hiding behind this like it's some deep, dark secret when in reality, it's the easiest thing in the world! Regina is the most openminded person I have ever met, so I don't buy all that crap about being afraid to tell her! It's a shitty excuse to keep hiding because it's more comfortable! Are you really that willing to lose her?!"
"No," Cora said. Her face had paled considerably.
"Good!" Emma hissed. "Neither am I! You can bet that I'll do everything to fix this if there even is something left to fix! I am done helping you, do you hear me?! If she asks me directly, I'm going to tell her what you apparently can't!" she glared at Cora. "From what I know about you, Regina has many reasons to be angry with you. But your sexuality isn't going to be one of the reasons."
"You can't know that for sure," Cora said weakly.
"Yes, I can," Emma said simply, staring the older woman down. "For reasons I have no idea of right now, I have been helping you. Now it's time for you to help me."
"In which way, miss Swan?"
"Quit chalking this up to Regina being dramatic, we both know she had every right, and tell me where she can be. You've been to New York with her and Henry before. Many times, I believe. Does she have a place she likes in particular?"
"Under normal circumstances, I would have said Central Park, but I don't think that's an option because it's getting dark soon," Cora said.
Yes. It was getting dark soon. And Regina was out there all on her own. Pregnant, with a broken ankle and hobbling on crutches. Emma nearly choked on her own fear upon acknowledging how truly vulnerable Regina was right now. A thousand scary scenarios popped up in her head. Regina being mugged. Regina falling over because the pavement was slippery. Regina crossing the street and being hit by a bicycle. Or a car.
Emma turned her head and finally saw something in Cora's eyes that she could sympathize with. Concern. It looked like Cora had finally realized just how bad this situation truly was.
"There is a bar on Times Square that she has frequented a lot during our trips to New York," Cora said slowly. "A Spanish bar. La flecha llameante. It's a flamenco place. I'm not sure whether she would go there now given her… condition, and I don't know the exact address either, but…"
"I can google that," Emma said, finding her phone to write down the name of the bar. "Anywhere else? Think!"
For once, Cora didn't protest at the way Emma was addressing her. "She could be in the Botanic Garden," she said. "She and her father has a tradition of having a picnic in the park."
The botanic garden at dusk where all kinds of shady people could be hanging out. Right now, Cora was saying all the wrong things. Emma felt a wave of nausea rush over her as she nodded. "Right. Anywhere else?"
"Coney island. She always insisted on going there whenever we were in New York. She likes spending time on Brighton Beach."
Regina on the beach. Regina getting swept up by an enormous wave suddenly appearing. This was getting worse and worse. "Where else?" she half-squeaked.
"The edge observation deck," Cora said. "The theater district. And Empire State Building."
Regina falling to her death from thousands and thousands of kilometers. Emma was seeing disasters everywhere.
"Right," she said. "Plenty of places then. I'll get to it." She stomped away from Cora and waved her arms to hail a taxi. Didn't care whether it was going to take her all night or more. She was going to find Regina if it was the last thing she did!
"I'll go with you," Cora said, heels clacking as she caught up with Emma.
"Nope," Emma said simply. "You will not. If Regina sees both of us, she'll think that we're working together. Again."
"Then we split up," Cora said curtly. "You check half of the places and I'll check the other half."
Emma snorted. "What, you actually want to help?"
"Miss Swan," Cora said without taking her eyes off the road as she too signalized for a taxi. "My pregnant daughter is currently hobbling around somewhere in New York with her phone switched off. Of course I want to 'help' as you put it."
"Well, better late than never, I guess," Emma shrugged and waved her arm again.
A taxi pulled up, and after a brief debate on who should go where, Emma hopped into the taxi, googled the address of the flamenco bar and then asked the driver to please hurry. She was going to the bar, the botanic garden and Coney Island while Cora would go to the observation deck, theater district and Empire State Building.
She did not lean back in the seat. Instead she nearly pressed her nose against the car window as she looked out on the street, hoping that she would spot a familiar pregnant girl who used crutches. She hoped, god she hoped! And she kept tricking herself into thinking that every darkhaired girl passing the car was Regina.
She felt fucking useless just sitting here and doing nothing. She found her phone again. Found Regina's number on speed dial and lifted the phone to her ear. Was immediately greeted by Regina's voicemail. Again. Emma let out a pained sigh and didn't bother to clear her throat before speaking. Which resulted in her croaking into the phone: "hi, sweetheart, it's me. I just wanna say that I am so, so sorry about all this! I have handled things completely wrong, and you had every right to leave. We- I- shouldn't have pressured you into talking to Cora. And I definitely shouldn't have lied to you. I've been the worst girlfriend ever, and I'll do everything to make this up to you, Regina! I can't blame you for having switched off your phone, obviously you don't want to talk to me right now, I get that," she let out a choked laugh that was more of a sob to be honest. "But I'm really, really worried about you, beautiful girl. So could you please call me back? Or maybe just send me text so I know that you're okay? God, please reach out to me in some way! This is a… v-very big city and the idea that you're running around all on your own is killing me! I am so, so scared that something is going to happen to you, so please just…" she let out a breath. "I'm rambling. I'm sorry. I have no right to ask you to get in touch with me, but I really hope that you will. Anyway. I love you. So fucking much. I hope there's a slim chance you still love me." She hung up and dragged a hand over her forehead, thinking what she hadn't been brave enough to say. Please don't dump me, please don't dump me, while silently panicking over how horribly wrong everything had gone.
If only she has given Cora that ultimatum. Tell Regina or she would. It would have been harsh, but it would have been better than this. Anything would have been better than this.
Helping Cora was like accepting the poisoned apple from the Evil Queen.
"Excuse me, miss?" the driver asked.
"Yes?" Emma said hopelessly.
"I just wanted to make sure that everything is okay," he said and frowned worriedly at her in the mirror.
"Everything is pretty much going to hell," Emma said, laughing hollowly. "But thanks for asking, though."
"Are you in trouble, miss?" he asked. Now even more worried looking.
Emma let out another hollow laugh. "Yeah. Big trouble."
He cleared his throat. "Do we need to stop by a police station, miss?"
"It's not that kind of trouble," Emma replied, almost smiling. "It's girlfriend troubles. But those can be dangerous enough."
"They sure can, miss," the driver agreed with her.
Emma ended the conversation there and looked out of the window again. She spotted a young woman with dark hair and nearly asked the driver to stop the fucking car. But then she realized that it couldn't be Regina. The young woman on the street didn't use crutches. Nor was she pregnant.
Her phone remained silent. Of course. Regina was not calling her back. But hopefully, Cora would. Hopefully, Cora would stumble upon Regina somewhere. She HAD to be in one of her favorite spots, right? Right?!
She had to be SOMEWHERE. Couldn't just vanish.
Emma's imagination ran amok in scary scenarios again as she imagined not finding Regina tonight. As she imagined Regina being truly lost in one of the biggest cities in the world. God, how badly she had fucked up! Now she couldn't fathom that she made such horrible decisions over the past weeks. She had brought this upon herself.
The bar Cora had directed her to, was exactly the type of place Emma could see Regina thriving in. It was this dimly lit place with lanterns and Spanish music blaring from the speakers. There was a little stage, and on that stage a woman wearing an elaborate flamenco dress was dancing. Emma thought to herself that she was pretty good. But not half as good as Regina, of course.
"Hi," a woman in a white button up and an apron over her black skirt greeted Emma. "Table for one?"
"Actually, I'm looking for someone," Emma said, hauling her phone out of her pocket and quickly finding the most recent picture of Regina from only a couple of hours ago. Before everything went to shit. "Have you seen this girl?" she asked the woman, holding up the phone so she could see the picture. "Dark hair, dark eyes, 5'5, using crutches, six months pregnant?"
"Hmm," the woman looked so thoroughly at the picture that Emma got her hopes up. But her hope was quickly deflated when the woman said: "sorry, no. Doesn't ring a bell. Haven't seen her. At least not tonight."
"Right. Thank you anyway," Emma said hopelessly.
"You lost a pregnant chick in New York?" an old man at a nearby table croaked. "Good luck with finding her!" the last bit was followed by a drunken laughter.
"Shut up!" Emma growled.
"Like looking for a needle in a haystack!" the man hollered, swinging his beer about and smiling everywhere. Including on himself. "She could be everywhere! Maybe she's been abducted! By aliens!" he roared with laughter and took a large gulp of his beer.
"You idiot!" Emma yelled at him, and with that, she stomped out of the bar and back onto the street. She was the idiot too. She had put too much faith into the bar. She had naively hoped that was the place Regina would be. But of course it wasn't that easy.
Meaning that she had to continue to Coney Island. She hailed a taxi and climbed inside, told the driver where she was going and then found her phone. No new messages. No missed phone calls. Neither from Regina nor from Cora. Right now, Emma was desperate to hear from either of them. With good news, of course.
She would just have to hope that Regina would be in the second place she was going to look. For good measurements, Emma tried her phone again. Still straight to voicemail. She didn't leave a second message. Just prayed to whatever god that Regina would call her back. She was suddenly reminded of that terrible week where Regina didn't call her. The week where she had realized that there was a chance, she could be pregnant. That had been a terrible week. But this hour or so, where Regina had been gone, was even worse. A hundred times worse.
Her imagination ran wild and came up with scary scenarios again.
She was not at Coney Island.
She wasn't in the Botanic Garden either. Emma thoroughly searched the place twice (and growing more and more creeped out because of the long shadows that looked like monsters), by the time she had searched the whole place a second time, she was on the verge of tears because Regina. Wasn't. Here.
Emma was panicking. Ful on panicking. She was out of places to search for Regina. Where could she BE? What if something actually had happened to her?!
It was hard to think straight when one's head was full of foggy panic, but Emma pulled herself together and remembered that there was one more thing she could do. Call Henry in Madrid. And possibly alarm him. But if there was anyone Regina would reach out to when upset, it had to be him.
Emma glanced at her watch. Nine thirty. Meaning that it was the middle of the night in Spain. Had it been anyone else, Emma wouldn't even have considered calling. But she knew that Henry had the 'unfortunate' habit of staying up late. He always spend his nights working out new recipe. Regina had told her that. While complaining about her father's mucked up schedule.
Right now, that knowledge came in very, very handy.
Emma wrestled her phone out of her pocket and found Henry's number. Which she also had on speed dial. Brought the phone up to her ear and hoped for the best.
She waited. Shifted slightly because it was getting colder (Regina should not be out in this weather!) and crossed her fingers.
Sounds. A slight shuffling. Then: "¡Hola Emma!"
"Henry. Hi," Emma said, instinctively feeling a bit better when hearing his deep, soothing voice. "I'm really sorry for bothering you so late."
"No me estas molestando en absoluto," Henry said, and Emma could hear the smile in his voice. "How are you two doing? Have you had any adventures in New York?"
"Yeah," Emma said half-heartedly and decided to just get to the point. "But I was actually wondering if you have heard from Regina tonight?"
"No," Henry said, voice immediately getting a worried edge. "I heard from her this morning as always, but I haven't heard from her tonight."
Damnit! "Okay," Emma said tonelessly and felt the panic rise all over again now that she knew that Regina hadn't been in touch with her father either.
"What is going on, Emma?" Henry asked in the other end. "Why would Regina have called me tonight?"
"I…" Emma ran out of words and cleared her throat.
Henry quickly deduced what her silence meant. "Do you not know where Regina is?"
"No," Emma admitted and felt incredibly small. And stupid. "We had a bit of a fight earlier and she took off. I was hoping that she would have called you." She decided not to mention Cora's role in the drama. That was something that either Cora or Regina had to do.
"Have you tried calling her?" Henry asked. Now his voice was tight with concern.
"Yeah. She's not answering. I think that her phone has been switched off."
"I'll try calling her," Henry said. "Perhaps she'll pick up then."
"That was what I was hoping," Emma admitted.
"I'll call her and let you know if she calls back," Henry said. "And you will call me if you hear from her, right?"
"Of course," Emma said quickly. "I'm really sorry for worrying you like this, Henry."
"No, no, no," Henry said kindly. "I am glad that you did. And I can understand why you are worried too, Emma. But I am sure Regina is doing just fine. She has always been very good at taking care of herself."
"I know," Emma said, urging her voice not to break. "It's just… the idea of her running around alone that- I'm sorry. I shouldn't be saying that to you. It doesn't help."
"I'll call her," Henry said firmly. "And then get back to you. I will talk to you in a moment." There was a click and then he was gone.
Emma moved the phone away from her ear and felt like the worst person ever. Now she had worried Henry too. She couldn't do anything right.
She walked back out of the park. Wanted to call Cora but didn't want to risk missing out on a call from Henry. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now. Where should she go? Her panic was reaching an almost unbearable state and quite frankly, she felt like screaming. A good, loud scream would clear her head and make her feel much more clear-minded. But screaming wasn't an option. And this wasn't about her. It was about Regina. God, where was she?! Should she try calling her again? No, that wouldn't work. Regina wouldn't be picking up. Emma already knew that.
She walked around aimlessly without knowing what she should do when her phone rang.
It was Henry. Emma quickly took the call.
"I couldn't get a hold of her either," he said, and Emma felt something pinching in her stomach.
"Okay," she said and tried not to sound as worried as she was. "So she has definitely switched off her phone then. Or maybe the battery is flat."
"I must admit that I am getting quite worried," Henry said in the other end. "It's dark and cold too I can imagine. And she isn't exactly mobile right now."
"No, I know. I won't stop until I find her. And I'm sure she's fine. She just needs some time to…. Cool off." She was only saying this to calm Henry. This wasn't a question of Regina needing to cool off. This was a question of whether Emma still could call herself Regina's girlfriend. She had literally jeopardized her entire relationship with the most amazing woman she had ever met.
She wrapped up the conversation with Henry. Ended it by assuring that she would call as soon as she either heard from or found Regina.
Looking at her phone, she saw that Cora had called her, and so Emma called her back and hoped that Cora had called because she had located Regina.
But unfortunately…
"Nothing," Cora sighed. "I've been to all three places, and she isn't there."
Emma bit back a curse word. "Alright, okay," she said meekly, scrambling to think of the next great idea. What she really wanted to do was to call the police and report Regina missing. But that was not an option. Regina hadn't even been 'missing' for two hours. And pregnant or not pregnant, walking on crutches or not walking on crutches, she was an adult. She doubted that the police would take it one bit seriously.
"I think, Miss Swan, that we have to consider the option that Regina isn't in New York anymore," Cora said.
"What do you mean?" Emma stupidly asked. She already knew what Cora was getting at.
"She could have gone back to the hotel and gathered her things and then gone to the airport," Cora said, voice thin and hectic.
The thought had crossed Emma's mind. Of course it had. She had simply refused to even think the thought. But now it looked like she had to. Cora had pretty much just addressed the elephant in the room.
"It's a possibility," Emma reluctantly agreed. She rubbed her face. "Okay. I'll…. I'll go back to the hotel and see if her things are gone. If they are, I think it's safe to assume that she went to the airport. I'll call you when I'm at the hotel."
"And what do you suggest I do until then?" Cora asked and Emma suspected that the irritation was a cover for the anxiety.
"Go home," Emma scoffed. "If she's on a plane on her way back to Madrid, there isn't much you can do, is there? Talk to you later, Cora." With that she hung up, slipped the phone back into her purse and purposefully walked out on the street where she once again began signalizing for a taxi. She was beyond exhausted. Chilled to the bone. And extremely concerned about her girlfriend. Had she disappeared into the New York night, or was Cora right? Had Regina really gone to the airport? Was she on her way back to Madrid right now?
If that was the case, Emma doubted that there was little she could do to save the relationship. If Regina was going home…. It meant the end of their relationship.
Emma's eyes stung with unshed tears. She couldn't compose herself much longer.
It started raining as the taxi took Emma away from the Botanical garden and back towards the hotel.
And it wasn't just a light drizzle.
It was full on pouring down. The rain was hammering hard against the car windows, and twice the driver had to apologize and pull over because his line of sight had been compromised by the rain. Emma said that it was fine and didn't blame him. The roads were barely visible in this bad weather.
Emma's stomach clenched. She hoped that wherever Regina was, it was somewhere indoors. Hoped that she was warm and dry. Could she really be on a plane right now? Had she already caught a flight back to Spain? Or was she still in the airport?
Either way, if Emma found that Regina's things had been moved from their hotel room, she would go straight to the airport, search the place from top to bottom, and if she came up empty, she too would be booking a plane ticket back to Madrid so she could find Regina.
Perhaps she should check and see whether any flights had left for Madrid. And take a look at the next departure to Spain. She found her phone in her pocket and found the screen dark. She tapped the round button in the middle. Nothing happened. Pressed down harder on the button at the side. The screen briefly lit up. But only to show the 'No battery symbol'. Then it died again.
"Great. Just fucking great!" Emma hissed. Now she couldn't get in touch with anybody. Not Henry. Not Cora. And not Regina. Fuck, supposed Regina called her and needed help? Supposed she was hurt and couldn't get in touch with Emma because her cellphone was dead?
Fresh tears prickled in Emma's eyes. Clearly, this was the night where she fucked up in every possible way.
"We'll continue in just a moment, miss," the driver said. Perhaps he had mistaken her tiny sound for dissatisfaction. "But the rain is coming down too strongly right now."
"It's alright," Emma croaked from the backseat. Under normal circumstances she would have chosen the driver's seat, but she was not in the mood for small talk tonight. Definitely not.
"You all good back there?" he asked. The second person who had looked at her with concern in his eyes tonight.
"I'm fine," Emma croaked. And was doing an even poorer job at sounding convincing than she had the first time. It felt like she could burst into tears at any moment. She had made Regina leave. She had made Regina cry. And all because she had been so wrapped up in 'Cora's secret isn't mine to tell'.
And so what? So fucking what?! Right now her dumbass choices had jeopardized her entire relationship with Regina! To hell with Cora's secret!
It was one very tired Emma Swan who dragged her sorry ass through the lobby and into the elevator. There were two other hotel guests in the elevator when she stepped in, and both of them gave her a look of concern. They didn't say anything, so Emma could continue to quietly despair. She was so fatigued she could have fallen asleep standing up. Before they left, she had joked that she wanted to see every corner of New York.
Safe to say that this was not what she meant.
Emma imagined coming into their hotel room and discovering that all of Regina's stuff was gone. Then she had no choice but to pack her crap and get her ass to the airport asap. Naturally, she had to follow Regina. Try to smoothen things out. If that even was a possibility.
The elevator stopped and the door opened. The couple got out. The door closed behind them and just like that, Emma was alone in the elevator. She felt tempted let herself slide down the wall. Or perhaps even lie down for a quick power nap.
But now was not the time for sleeping. Now was the time to take action. She didn't know what kind of action yet, but she had to do something. So whether it was packing her shit and rushing to the airport, or dashing out the door and into the New York night to search after Regina again, she was going to take some kind of action.
The elevator dinged obnoxiously loudly, and the door slurped open a second time. This time on the correct floor. Emma quite literally stumbled out and immediately caught the attention of a maid who came rushing to her side. "Are you alright, miss?"
"I'm fine," Emma said tiredly. Too many people had asked her about this tonight. The answer was still the same. No, she was NOT okay, nor would she be okay before she knew where the hell Regina was.
"Are you sure?" the maid asked. "You look a bit shaken up, miss."
Yeah, well, it wasn't every day your actions caused your pregnant girlfriend to first bawl her eyes out in a public bathroom and then take off in tears. It wasn't every day that you acted like a fucking monster to your pregnant girlfriend.
"I'm alright," she said automatically. There was no other answer.
The maid didn't seem convinced but didn't say anything else, and Emma got back on her feet and continued down the hallway towards the hotel room. She roamed around in her pocket and found the key card. Thank god. At least she still had that. The last straw would have been if she had dropped it whilst running around searching for Regina.
Reaching the door to the hotel room, she slid the key card through the slot. The door unlocked with a soft, whirring sound and Emma pushed the door opened. It felt like it weighted three thousand pounds. Her arms were tired. Her legs were tired. Her fucking head was tired. And it felt like she constantly was on the verge of tears.
Coming into the hotel room, Emma immediately took a look around. There was no sign of Regina, but…
Her suitcase was still here. The long t-shirt she had 'stolen' from Emma and now used for sleeping in, was still laying crumbled in the bed. And the bra she had worn yesterday was still laying on the floor.
Emma felt a rush of relief. Of course it would have been better to find Regina here, but this was definitely positive too. Regina's things were here. That meant that she had NOT gone to the airport. She wouldn't leave New York without all her things. She had been very upset but not unsensible.
Emma sat down heavily in the plushy chair by the little table. She attached her phone to the charger. She couldn't call anyone until the phone had been charged and she feared that she would pass out from exhaustion if she ventured back into the New York night to search for her missing girlfriend. Perhaps her best bet was to stay right here. Surely, Regina would come back at some point tonight, right? Right?!
Emma's heart started thrumming a little faster in her chest. Regina wouldn't stay out all night. She COULDN'T.
Great. Now she was panicking all over again. She looked at her dark phone and suddenly wanted to call her friends. Or her mom. Bawl like a little girl and telling her mom how utterly stupid she had been.
But she couldn't call anyone. Because her cellphone was dead.
Emma rubbed a hand over her face and didn't even try to suppress the yawn coming out of her mouth. She felt that it almost was inappropriate to be tired, but she couldn't help it. She was completely drained. The concern weighted her down like a heavy stone in her stomach. She reached out and opened the little minibar. Found a cocoa mousse chocolate bar. Regina loved those. Emma put it back and opted for a chocolate bar with almonds instead. She had already messed up plenty tonight and the past few weeks. There was no reason to be an even bigger asshole than she already was.
She stuffed the chocolate inside her mouth and chewed it slowly. The chocolate didn't feel half as good as it normally did. She didn't feel worthy of the chocolate. She definitely hadn't deserved to stuff her face with delicious chocolate. The only thing she had accomplished today was to make her girlfriend cry. Fucking great job, Emma Swan. You're definitely the girlfriend of the fucking year.
She put the piece of chocolate down and turned her head. Glanced at the dark window. She couldn't see anything, but she could hear the rain coming down hard outside. What if Regina was out in this weather? She was not properly dressed to be out in this weather! What if she slipped with her crutches and lied helpless somewhere?!
Emma took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Maybe she should go back outside and try to find Regina. She had no idea where to search, but she ought to do something, right?
The problem was that she couldn't move. Not even an inch. It felt like her ass had been glued to the chair. Her head tipped backwards, and her body grew completely limp as she sat in this extremely comfortable plush chair in this incredible cozy, warm room…
There were voices outside the door. Emma's head snapped up and she cussed when the movement hurt her neck. She was still sitting in the plushy chair. She must have had dozed off. Shit! That hadn't been in her intention at all!
She sat up straighter in the plushy chair and winced at how stiff her neck and back felt. That was what she got for sitting up while sleeping. She had no idea what time it was, how long she had slept. All she knew was that she could hear voices outside the door. Two voices. One she didn't recognize. And one she DID recognize.
Emma jumped up from the chair, ignoring the stiffness in her back. Regina was back!
She was on the verge of pacing nervously when she heard the door unlock with a whirring sound. More voices. Emma frowned. Who did the second voice belong to? She soon found out. The door was opened, and a completely drenched-from-top-to-toe-with-wet-hair-stuck-to-her-face Regina appeared on the threshold. Her face said it all. She had just lived through a fucking hard day, and once again, Emma felt like the worst person in the world.
"Regina!" Emma exclaimed, shocked over seeing her girlfriend in such a state.
Regina said absolutely nothing. She was being supported by a mysterious woman with flaming red hair, and Emma tilted her head. Who was she?
Regina didn't say anything to acknowledge Emma. She didn't even look in her direction. Her jaw was set, and her face scrunched in either pain or exhaustion or perhaps both as she with the mystery woman's help limped through the woman.
"There we go," the redheaded woman said as she successfully helped Regina into the other plushy chair standing in the other corner of the room.
"Gracías," Regina said tiredly and mustered a smile. "I owe you one."
The woman scoffed. "No, you don't. It was a pleasure helping you out, Regina. Are you sure you're okay now?"
"Yeah. Thanks," Regina said meekly.
"Sure thing," the redheaded (and incredibly well dressed) woman said. "Maybe I'll see you around."
"Maybe," Regina said.
The woman flashed her a smile, offered Emma a curt nod and then disappeared out of the hotel room. The door clicked shut behind her.
Emma's first irrational impulse was jealousy, but she quickly pushed THAT back. She had absolutely no right to feel anything but humble and ready to grovel at her girlfriend's feet. She looked at Regina who was shivering and hugging herself. Clearly freezing.
"Regina," Emma said again.
"Vete a la mierda," Regina said without looking at her.
Emma cringed. She didn't know for sure what that meant, but she thought that Regina had just told her to fuck off. In Spanish.
Emma wasn't going to fuck off. "Regina," she said again.
"No," Regina said tonelessly.
Emma went over to her and quite literally fell to her knees in front of her. "Regina, please. I've been so worried about you!"
"Oh, you were worried?" Regina let out an ice cold laughter that was so far from her usual rich and sweet laughter. "Oh, isn't that sweet! Well, why don't I sum up my night in town for you? I wandered around and ended up on a park bench where I sat and tried to wrap my head around how my girlfriend has been lying to me, something I thought that she NEVER would do. Then I got company from a nice, elderly gentleman who ACUTALLY was worried about me. We had a good little chat and shared a box of cookies. When he left, so did I. I wandered around without knowing what to do or where to go. I clearly walked longer than I thought. It started raining. I missed a bus and started walking back to the hotel when Lucy-" she nodded towards the closed door. "Pulled up and asked if I needed a ride. She took me back to the hotel. There. Now you can go back to lying and scheming behind my back!"
"Regina," Emma tried again. "I am so sorr-"
"Leave me alone." There was no warmth in Regina's voice. Her eyes were cold too.
"Please talk to me," Emma begged. "Please!"
"What do you want to talk about?" Regina snapped as she pushed herself up from the chair, conveniently enough pushing Emma in the chest as she went. "How you have been lying to me, or conspiring with Cora?"
"I've been an idiot!" Emma exclaimed, openly acknowledging her own stupidity "A stupid, fucking idiot! I know that, but-"
"'But'," Regina mocked in this gruesome, low voice that Emma had never heard her use before. "'But, but, but!' But WHAT, Em-ma? What is your brilliant excuse for talking to Cora behind my back?!"
Emma drew in a breath, fully prepare to tell Regina everything.
"No," Regina said before she could get the chance. "You know what, I don't give a fuck! No importa. The bottom line is that you have been lying to me. About THIS of all things! You KNOW how I feel about Cora, and yet you still…" she shook her head and limped over to her suitcase. She flipped it open and grabbed some dry clothes. Pajamas, Emma noted. So she was at least not planning on going anywhere tonight.
The offer to help was burning on Emma's tongue as she saw Regina limp into the bathroom. The next second, she cringed when Regina slammed the door so hard a painting rattled in its frame. She heard the shower running and nervously paced the room. Regina hadn't showered on her own after fracturing her ankle!
But she clearly had no trouble with doing so, and not too long after, the door to the bathroom opened and Regina emerged again. Now dressed in pajamas and with her wet hair tied back in a braid. She ignored Emma as she hobbled across the floor, picking up the abandoned bra on the way. Then the jacket she had left. Her mouth was a thin line as she hobbled back to the open suitcase and angrily stuffed the clothes in there. Then she picked up a grey wrap dress and draped it over the back of the empty chair. As though she wanted it to be ready and available.
"What are you doing?" Emma asked nervously.
"Deciding what I'm gonna wear on the plane tomorrow. I'm going home," Regina said shortly.
And just like that, Emma's worst fear became a reality. "Please don't say that," she croaked. "You're scaring me!"
Regina whirled around and glared at her with eyes flashing with anger. "You're scaring ME," she said tonelessly. "You've been lying to me for ages! Who are you even? Do I even know you at all?!"
"Yes, you do!" Emma said earnestly, rushing to Regina's side and attempting to put her hands on Regina's elbows. She wouldn't let her. "You DO know me, Regina!"
But Regina shook her head. "I wonder what else you have been lying to me about?"
"Nothing!" Emma cried, now definitely crying a little bit. "I swear!"
Regina shook her head again. "I'm not so sure I believe that. You've definitely proven that I cannot trust you- owww!" she hunched forward and cradled her round belly with one arm. "¡Por favor deténgase, por favor deténgase, por favor deténgase!"
"What?" Emma asked panicked. "What is it?!" she automatically reached out to support Regina like she always did.
And was immediately rejected. With a nod too gentle smack to her hand. "Don't fucking touch me!" Regina snapped. She slowly returned to her normal posture. "For your information," she said icily. "I have Braxton Hicks and have been experiencing them for the past two hours on and off due to stress! You happy now?"
"No!" Emma half-shrieked. "Of course I am not happy! I am so, so sorry, Regina, I really-"
"I. Don't. Care!" Regina slowly articulated. "I don't care what you are and are not! I just want to get out of here as soon as possible!"
"Please, just let me explain-"
"NO!" Regina yelled at the top of her lungs, now openly crying. "You don't get to explain anything! You had the chance to do that back at the restaurant, and you didn't! Instead you acted like you were all chummy with Cora!"
"I am NOT all chummy with Cora! I made a mistake! I thought I was doing the right thing! I thought Cora would come clean! If you would just let me explain-"
"¡Cállate!" Regina stomped her injured foot against the floor. "Cora has never *come clean* about anything in her entire life! What makes you think she suddenly would start NOW?! What could she possibly have said to make you believe her?! She has clearly sunken her claws into you good!" she let out a shaky breath and wiped her eyes. "It doesn't matter now. None of it matters now. I don't care about what the two of you have been hiding from me. I just want the both of you to leave me the hell alone!"
Emma flinched as though she had slapped across the face and not yelled at. "Are you… dumping me?" she asked, voice as thin as paper and just as brittle. "Is this you… b-breaking up with me?"
"Well, right now that seems like the healthiest thing to do, doesn't it?!" Regina snapped. "I mean, how can I have a baby with someone I can't trust? Someone who is lying to me! How are you even different from Robin? He lied too!"
The words felt like a dull knife slipping under her ribs and the impact had Emma gasping. All evening she had been feeling like she was threating water. She was not. She was fucking drowning. And fast.
"P-please," she whispered. "Please don't do this, Regina! Please don't take all of this away from me!"
"Me?" Regina's anger had subsided and was replaced with sadness. "I am not doing anything. You've done this yourself, Emma."
"I've been so s-stupid!" Emma cried and desperately reached for Regina who immediately pulled away. "I really thought I was doing the right thing! I thought- I hoped that C-Cora would tell you the truth herself, I didn't feel like I could tell you what was going on because I didn't want to take that choice away from her, by revealing her secret, but now I can see that I have been focusing on the completely wrong thing, and I am so, SO sorry, Regina! I really, really am! Please believe me! Please!"
"What choice?" Regina asked, voice sharp.
Emma blinked through her tears.
"Emma, take away what choice?" Regina pressed. "What the hell are you even talking about? What secret?"
Emma opened her mouth to finally reveal Cora Mills' secret which suddenly had turned deathly now that it could cost her everything.
But before she could as much as utter a single word, there was a knock on the door. Regina flinched. "¿Ahora que?" she turned to Emma. "You expecting anyone?"
"No," Emma said and breathed easier for just a second. Regina's voice had sounded so wonderfully normal.
"Well, neither am I," Regina said plainly.
There was a knock on the door again.
Emma's legs wobbled under her as she scurried over to the door to open it. She had no idea who it was. Perhaps the guests or staff complaining over the noise? Or perhaps- an unwelcome image flittered through her mind- redheaded Lucy had come back to check on Regina?
She opened the door. It wasn't guests nor staff or redheaded Lucy.
It was Cora. "Miss Swan," she greeted curtly.
"Now is really, really not a good time," Emma said meekly.
Behind her, Regina laughed bitterly. "¿Es esto una maldita broma? ¡Esta es la maldita última gota! You know what, I'm just gonna sleep in the airport! I am so done with this!" she balanced on one crutch as she hauled her suitcase up from under the bed and began smoothening the clothes in it. Then she slammed the lid closed.
"Regina," Cora said, hastily stepping into the room. She looked relieved. Emma could see that. Could see how genuinely worried Cora had been about her daughter. "You're here."
"Not for much longer!" Regina snarled. "I'm getting out of here right now so the two of you can have another cozy little get-together! Congratulations on ruining another of my relationships. Does it feel as satisfying as it did the first time? Remember? When you chased Dani away!" she hauled up her suitcase and grabbed after her coat, clearly so distressed she didn't realize she was wearing pajamas and wasn't dressed for going anywhere.
"Regina, please don't go," Cora said, voice bared for its usual sneer. She moved to stand in front of Regina. "I am so very sorry about this."
"Not half as sorry as I am! Now get out of my fucking way! I don't CARE about your goddamn secret!"
"No, not until I have told you the truth," Cora said quietly. "The secret I have been keeping was one that miss Swan stumbled on by chance. I was confused and in shock and feared that she would tell you. It wasn't that I didn't want you to know it. I was going to tell you, I promise. Just… not like that."
"What are you even rambling on about, Cora?" Regina snarled. "Have you been drinking or something?!"
"No," Cora said calmly, shaking her head. "I have not. And I am talking about the person I have been…. Living with since divorcing your father. The person Emma talked to on the night where she called me. The night of your accident."
"It wasn't an accident. Marian pushed her," Emma sharply reminded Cora.
Regina ignored that and glared at Cora. "Cora, I already know about Alejandro, okay? I don't give a shit whether you're living with him or not! It doesn't interest me, and-" she glared at Emma now. "That certainly isn't reason enough to lie and sneak around behind my back!"
"I am not living with Alejandro," Cora said, and Emma noted that she had turned as white as a sheet. "I never have, and I never will. Just as there never was a…. situation between myself and Alejandro in the first place."
"What are you talking about?" Regina sneered. "I know there was! Don't forget Daddy caught you! He SAW you!"
"He saw…." Cora swallowed. "He saw what I wanted him to see, Regina. It was a cover up."
Regina frowned in part confusion, part annoyance. "A cover up for what, exactly?!"
"The truth," Cora said. Her voice was nearly a whisper now, and she was sickly pale. "Regina…. I'm living with a woman."
To Be Continued…
Spanish translations:
No me estas molestando en absoluto= You are not bothering me at all
Gracías= Thank you.
Vete a la mierda= Fuck off.
No importa= Never mind.
¡Cállate!= shut up!
¿Es esto una maldita broma? ¡Esta es la maldita última gota!= Is this a fucking joke? This is the fucking last straw!