I don't own these characters; Disney/ABC does.
6: Time and Time Again
Regina scanned her schedule and looked where she could make time to speak with Emma, not just about Henry, but about Emma in general. It could not have been a good thing for Emma to wander by the charred ground that was once her house last night. It definitely was not good that Emma tried to resurrect the house without any knowledge on how to do it. Regina had not even been back there. She would probably be able to call Emma after she got all of her mayoral business out of the way. Or so she hoped.
"I can't believe you're not running again." D'Artagnan scowled at the notion as she finished up her breakfast.
"There's no point in me doing so. No one in their right mind would vote for me," Regina replied as she put her phone into her blazer pocket. She moved a container with a three-cheese omelet on a bagel to the side. She would carry that to Emma, who more than likely ate some sugary pastry for breakfast rather than trying to survive her mother's cooking. It was next to a container that held leftovers from last night. Conjuring up a lunch bag, she placed both containers inside.
"I would vote for you," D'Artagnan replied, with a puff of her chest.
"Me, too!" Mikey held up her hand from the breakfast table. She had swallowed breakfast and was now taking some time to do maintenance on her violin. "Faruq, too. He said so."
Regina chuckled, a light blush spread over her cheeks. "Nice to know I got the seventh grade vote. Too bad they don't count."
"Well, his parents would vote for you. They're happy he's safe to hang out with me in school, even though people still look at me weird. No one's trying to fight me," Mikey replied. "Not that they'd stand a chance. I'd totally kick their butts." She held up a mighty fist and grinned.
"I really need you to go back to soccer if you have all this aggression," D'Artagnan said.
Mickey stuck her tongue out at her mother in silent retaliation. "There isn't any soccer, or teams anymore. They were supposed to reorganize them, but then the mobs and stuff happened." Mikey turned to Regina and grinned. "You could fix that if you were mayor."
Regina smiled. "I'd love to. There is a chance my deputy mayor will be able to work on it. Today, we're going to start a plan of action for what needs to be done before the special election."
"Which you should run for," D'Artagnan said with more energy than she should have in putting Regina into a position of power again. "Out of anyone who wants to run you'd be the most fair because you hate everyone equally."
That sounds like something Emma would say. "While that's true, because I hate everyone is why I don't want the job." But, what was worrisome was when someone who hated certain groups more got the job. What would happen to people like D'Artagnan and Mikey? Nothing. If someone dared touch D'Artagnan or Mikey, Regina would wipe their very existence from the face of the Earth.
"We'll see. Let's get going before Mikey's late." D'Artagnan opened the front door. They all exited, Regina making sure to take the lunch bag with her.
They dropped Mikey off. She spotted Faruq almost immediately and Regina could see why his parents would worry. He was not a native of the Enchanted Forest. Probably just got caught up in the Curse. In a time when the citizens of Storybrooke suspected everything unfamiliar as being terrible, it would be easy for them to think he was a defect or magical misfit of some kind. He and Mikey held hands as they ran into the school. As Regina watched them go through the door, she glimpsed Henry. They locked eyes and then he looked away, rushing out of sight into the building.
"You okay?" D'Artagnan asked.
It took all of Regina's willpower not to reach into her pocket and pull out her picture of Henry. "Yes. Let's go." She waved her hand and they vanished to the sheriff's station. Emma was already there. Regina frowned. "You didn't walk Henry to school?"
Emma shrugged from the desk, where she appeared to be doing paperwork of all things. "He didn't want me to. Insisted on going on his own." She did not want to have a fight that morning since they had basically fought last night.
"And you allowed that? He could be hurt," Regina replied shrilly. They had only just gotten him back. Was Emma out of her mind?
"Yeah, well, it was either that or listen to Snow and David back him up. David ended up walking him." She pointed to his empty desk. "I think they met up with the little Dark One along the way." She curled her lip.
Regina mirrored the expression. "Why wouldn't he let you walk him to school? This was one of his dreams only a year ago."
"Yeah, well, I guess he's got buyer's remorse now." Emma looked away.
The rejection had to kill Emma, who was rejected by every single person in her life who mattered. There had to be some solution. There was no way Regina was okay with one of the two idiots walking Henry to school, especially when there were only two brain cells between him and Snow and Snow owned both of them.
"We'll talk to him. As soon as we figure out what we want to say," Regina said.
Emma's face did not change. "Yeah, I guess."
Regina wished she could be more reassuring. "I brought you breakfast, unless you've already ruined the most important meal of the day for yourself." She opened the lunch bag and put the egg sandwich container in front of Emma. "There's also lunch." She held up the bag before putting it down in front of Emma.
A little light returned to Emma's eyes. "Thanks. And I haven't had breakfast yet, so I really appreciate this."
Regina smiled a little. "Good." And then she remembered D'Artagnan was in the room. "We'll talk later." She vanished in a puff of smoke.
-8-8-8-8-
Later never came. Emma's mood darkened as the week went on. She had hoped she would get a chance to talk to Regina, not just about Henry, but life plans in general, like when Regina would find a new house. But, Regina kept coming in with D'Artagnan, like she was walking D'Artagnan to work. Sometimes, she smiled and laughed with D'Artagnan. How could Regina, who declared Henry was everything, smile and laugh while their son hated them?
Emma tried not to be upset. Regina deserved a chance to live life as much as the next person, but how could Miss "Henry is everything" not only accept Henry rejecting them, but move on apparently? She wanted to scream at Regina until her throat was sore, but that would not be very professional, especially in front of her deputies. So, instead, she seethed every time Regina came in, even though she came bearing gifts.
Regina handed Emma a cookie tin. "I'm not sure how you feel about oatmeal cookies, but they're better for you than the donuts you like to wolf down."
"When did you have the time to make these?" Emma asked. She could not get a word in edgewise because Regina's day was full. She spent every spare moment preparing her deputy mayor to lead as she would officially step down today. In a couple of hours actually.
D'Artagnan scoffed. "Late at night. When she should be sleeping. Apparently, she stress-bakes and stress-cooks, which is why you and I will both be fat soon."
Emma arched an eyebrow at Regina. "Really?" Funny, Regina never mentioned that to her. How the hell could she basically tell me her life story, including her living nightmare of being married to Snow's father, but miss a little thing like she bakes when she's in a panic? But, of course, she'd tell her precious D'Artagnan, even though she swears they're not lovers.
Regina waved her off. "New behavior."
"Mikey and I haven't eaten so good since my wife left," D'Artagnan said. Wife? That was even more new information.
"You mean the woman forced to be with you because of the Curse?" David glared from his desk.
"You mean the Curse that kept your dumb ass alive?" D'Artagnan countered and then she turned to Emma. "Sorry about that."
Emma could not respond to that. It was a good comeback, but she had to go home with David at the end of the day. She did not want to seem against him. She also did not want to seem in favor of a Curse that even Regina admitted was bad due to all the mind control. Whenever Emma could break things down as a loss of agency, Regina understood "that's bad" and Emma found out why Regina understood it in those terms thanks to Neverland. Now, she's just gonna throw it all away and start over like everyone else because the Curse is broken, but they're still stuck here?
"Is this working out?" Regina motioned between the three of them.
Emma shook her head. "It's fine." She liked D'Artagnan so far, even if sometimes she wanted to shove her away from Regina, but damn, D'Artagnan acted like she had a Regina monopoly.
Regina narrowed her eyes briefly, studying Emma. "You'll be at the meeting, correct?"
"Yup. On time even." Just in case something happened.
"Are you sure you don't want to run?" D'Artagnan asked.
Regina shook her head. "I'm done with this. If nominated I will not run. If elected, I will not serve."
David scoffed. "I don't think we have to worry about you being elected. No one's crazy enough to vote for you."
Emma shrugged. "I would." So much for not wanting to seem against David. It just came out and it was the truth.
David gasped and looked at Emma as if she were crazy. He did not want to know what she really wanted to say. She would vote for Regina over Snow based on Neverland. Plus, Regina did not cling to Enchanted Forest traditions like Snow and David. Some of those, she felt, were a little dangerous, like trying to gaslight her into going back to Neal. Yikes.
Regina smiled and lingered for a moment before walking out. Emma looked down at her cookie tin and then it hit her. Regina made her cookies. This was not the usual leftovers she got for breakfast and lunch. Regina personally made her cookies.
"Just so you know, you're not alone in voting for Regina," D'Artagnan said to Emma.
It was supposed to make Emma feel better, but D'Artagnan only succeeded in reminding Emma that Regina was not exclusively hers anymore. There would be no late talks or magic lessons or quiet moments like in Neverland. The town had burned that down, too, and had taken the one person she could count on for better or for worse. In her place, Neal and Hook. Two equally undesirable options that her parents and son pushed her toward. Her insides felt like ashes at the thought.
"Emma," D' Artagnan's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "We should make our rounds if we want to get to the meeting on time."
Emma nodded. "You're right." Even though, all Emma really wanted to do was get in her car and drive across the border until everything stopped festering and burning.
They had started "making rounds," which just involved them walking around to see if anyone needed help. There was only one patrol car and they happily let David have it. Any calls that might come in were redirected to Emma's cell, but so far they had only had a call about "Rumple is up to something." Something turned out to be breakfast with Belle and Neal, which meant she had to look at Neal's stupid face.
"Hey, Emma!" Neal had the nerve to smile and wave at her over his plate of pancakes. It was very tempting to go throw them in his face.
"Ignore him and keep going," D'Artagnan said as she hurried Emma along the sidewalk. "There's no rule that says you have to talk to him."
"You know who that is?" Emma hissed, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder. "Does the whole freaking town know?"
D'Artagnan shrugged. "He hasn't really been hiding it. I don't know him personally or anything, though."
"He's an asshole."
"Quite a few of those are in town. He might have inherited it, come across it honestly and all."
Emma did not doubt that, but that did not make her feel much better. People probably supported Belle in her relationship with Gold, so they would probably have no problem trying to push Emma toward the baby Dark One. She thought she dodged one bullet, but when they rounded the corner there was another. Hook. Does the world just hate me now?
"Aw, Swan!" Hook grinned at her. "David said I'd probably find you around here."
Emma growled. "David said what?" He knew she did not want to see Hook again and she had been very fortunate the past few days ducking him.
"Yes, I saw him in his… car, I think you call it, and I asked him where you were. Thankfully he pointed me in the right direction. I was growing bored keeping Tinker Bell's company," he said.
"Wow," D'Artagnan replied. "He really just said that."
Emma shook her head. "It'll get worse the more time we stay." She focused on Hook. "Look, I don't really have the time or patience to bother with you anymore. David might like you for whatever reason, but I'm actually not a big fan."
He snickered. "Come now, Swan, no need to be coy. You kissed me, after all."
"Yeah, but it was a heat of the moment sort of thing. I know you get that." He was too much of a "player" not to, but that was part of the problem. He was not used to women rejecting him.
He chuckled and pressed up against her. "I know about our heat." He gazed at her with what he wanted to be bedroom eyes, but they were intense and creepy. "More than you'd ever have with Baelfire. Imagine the babies we could make."
"Wow, and he said that while I'm standing right here," D'Artagnan said. "And curious as to how I haven't thrown up yet." Hook did not even spare her a glance.
Emma frowned and stepped around him. "Look, I don't have time for this. David might like you, but I'm not feeling it. I've got work to do. Let's go, D'Artagnan."
"You don't have to tell me twice." D'Artagnan hurried alongside her. It was a bad time to not have the patrol car. "So, your dad is offering up the pirate as a suitor?"
"Can we not talk about this, please?"
"But, that's really his counter to your baby mama?"
"I think you mean my baby daddy."
D'Artagnan opened her mouth and then closed it. She stared at Emma for a long moment, maybe looking for some sign that she was joking. Whatever she was going to say, she readjusted and let out a low whistle. "Okay, wow. Son of the Dark One or pirate bastard. Almost like they don't know they're royalty. Your dad knows you're a princess, right?"
"I'm starting to have my doubts." Emma was not even sure they knew she was their daughter at this point. They barely spoke to her unless it had to do with Henry or the two slobs chasing after her.
D'Artagnan did not say anything, but a frown remained on her face. They continued making their rounds and the walk gave them a chance to calm down, as it often did after tense mornings together. Emma was not sure how long David and D'Artagnan would work together, but David would probably blink first in that situation. She overheard him and Snow discussing trying to have another baby, more evidence that she was not quite what she wanted to be with them. They were moving on with their lives. David was too good to be a small town deputy. He was a prince in the old world, for crying out loud.
Emma's thoughts wandered since things were quiet. Storybrooke itself was not really a beehive of activity, especially now. She and D'Artagnan split up at a point to make sure they covered all the ground they needed to before they needed to get to Townhall. It was dangerous, but D'Artagnan was confident in herself and Emma was glad to be alone before anything else embarrassing happened.
Emma stayed on the lookout for Neal and Hook as she walked around. The empty streets were a little eerie. Not that Storybrooke had been very busy before, but it was like everyone was scared to come out, scared to figure out what to do now. But, she could understand. What was there to do now was her eternal question. She had been asking it her entire life and did not have an answer yet, drifting along instead of standing still, though. She would have fumbled through the day and missed the big show, but D'Artagnan texted her. I'm heading over to Town Hall now. Emma checked the time before she responded. Good. I'm on my way, too.
Town Hall was packed already, very surprising for the middle of the morning on a weekday, and for people who tended to stay inside now. People had to know what was coming, as there was barely standing room in the auditorium. They were ready to witness Regina admit defeat. While they waited for that, they threw D'Artagnan dirty looks. Emma moved close to her.
"I'm all right," D'Artagnan said with her back against the wall.
"Huh?" was Emma's brilliant response.
"I can take care of myself. You don't have to protect me."
Emma winced. "Was it that obvious?"
"Only because you're doing what I would do."
"Sorry."
D' Artagnan smiled. "Don't be. I'm flattered. I wasn't sure you liked me, but now that I think about it, you'd throw yourself in harm's way for someone you didn't like, right?"
"How'd you know?"
"Regina often refers to you as a noble idiot. I know what she means when she says it since I was the original noble idiot."
Was that flex? A claim? A reminder that she knew Regina first? No, stop. You're being weird. D'Artagnan had been cool for the entire time she knew her, granted it was only a few days, but still. She had to stop acting like somehow D'Artagnan stole Regina from her. Which is a weird thought in and of itself. I'm probably just going crazy from everything.
"I'll go stand over there." Emma pointed to the other end of the room.
D' Artagnan nodded and Emma was off to the opposite end of the hall. She scanned the crowd to assess the situation. Most people were whispering among themselves. There were a lot of new faces for Emma. She was not sure what that meant, but she did not like surprises. She would not be caught off guard today.
-8-8-8-8-
Regina peeked into the gathering place in Town Hall from a door at the back of the room where the officials entered. She was not surprised by the turnout. Since her spat with the Blue Fairy a mere week ago, everyone had been foaming at the mouth for this moment. They looked at it as her official surrender. She was about to admit defeat. Idiots. They thought they broke her, but she was stronger than ever.
She straightened her suit jacket and checked her vest. She needed to be immaculate. Everything about her needed to communicate how unbothered she was. I should've worn my hair up. If only to remind the peons what she was capable of, but she was beyond that. Some things were more important than lashing out at simpletons. So, with a deep breath, she stepped through the door and made her way to the podium with her head held high, just like at her execution.
The room went silent as Regina stood before them. In the front, off to the right, there was Snow, the Blue fairy, and several other royals. It reminded her of her execution. But, now would be different. This was not a facade to hide her fear and weakness. This was her at her strongest. She found Emma's face in the crowd and cleared her throat.
"Good morning, citizens of Storybrooke," Regina started. It was the least insulting thing she could stomach saying to these people. "I'm sure by now we all know why we're having this gathering. Earlier this week, I handed in my resignation for mayor. I've spent the week making sure my deputy mayor, formerly known as Leandra Melon, but now going by her Old World name of Atalanta and chosen surname of Lionheart, is in the best position to keep the town functional until a new mayor is elected." She motioned to Atalanta, sitting behind her, where the mayor sat to preside over meetings. They were somewhat kindred spirits. They had never met in the Old World, just vaguely familiar with each other and their stories. When the Curse broke, the first thing Atalanta told her was "I should've killed mine," possibly meaning the husband who ruined her life, but it could have been the parent who sold her.
"How do we know she's not just a puppet?" the loud dwarf Grumpy shouted.
Atalanta stood up, sharp in her suit, like armor covering her broad shoulders. Her long, dark brown hair down her back like a lion's mane. "No one controls me and never will again. I am here to simply make sure the town doesn't destroy itself while waiting to choose a suitable leader."
"Bringing us back to the point. It was decided that there would be a two week period to find nominees to run and then a month for campaigning before holding a special election. Considering how things go, this may also be done with council members," Regina said. She doubted they would want to keep the Cursed council members, but no one in their right mind would want to gut the entire government at once unless it was a revolution. But, they tried that for a week while she was gone and she would have none of that now.
"And maybe even a new sheriff?" Someone dared to suggest.
Regina stiffened for a moment, but kept her cool. "I'm sure that will be an excellent way to show gratitude to the woman who broke the Curse and saved your miserable hides from my failsafe. Beyond that, it would be nice for you all to show your true colors to the one person who actually gives a damn about all of you. Any other questions?"
"Who made these decisions?"
"Myself, Mayor Lionheart, and the council. We have to keep some sense of political order or would you prefer anarchy and chaos? Fear not, if any of this is not to your liking, it will only remain for a month and a half."
"And what if the new mayor decides she'd rather stay?"
"Well, I'm sure you could just burn her house to the ground," Regina replied.
"I wish they would try," Atalanta said, voice loud in a challenge. Regina wished they would, too, so she could watch Atalanta rip them apart with her bare hands. The woman wrestled bears for fun.
"How do we nominate people to run?"
"The applications can be picked up at the reception desk at the mayor's office. They do require the nominee's signature, so the person is aware they're running and a notary to make sure there was a witness and the person isn't being forced to run," Regina answered.
"How many people can run?"
"As many as nominated." It would be pure chaos and Regina would get a good laugh out of it. "Any other questions?"
"When are you going to be arrested?"
"The Sheriff's department knows where to find me," Regina replied.
"Yeah, under that defect D'Artagnan again!"
Regina snarled. It was time to give these cretins a taste of what they were fooling with. The lights crackled and flickered on and off. There were trembling murmurs as eyes darted around until a huge column of black and purple fire erupted around Regina. Bolts of golden lightning shot from the lights to join the flames as it sired and it broke through the ceiling, climbing to the heavens like a dark beacon. Then she made the flames roar to really get their attention. They jumped in their seats. She smirked.
"I need to be perfectly clear about something with you idiots." She held up her hand and slowly made a fist, the fire surrounding her dying down as she closed her hand. "This is not a victory. You have not won. My focus has simply shifted. But, understand what you come for if you come for me or anyone close to me, Neverland made me an even greater force than before. Ask your Blue Fairy what has become of me before you approach. It won't be pretty." She doused her light show completely.
"Was that supposed to scare us?" Grumpy asked.
Regina smiled. "I sincerely hope not. I do still owe quite a few of you for what you did to my home and my son's childhood memories. Did it occur to even one of you as you set the place ablaze with the child who worked so hard to free you might want a baby picture of himself? His comic book collection? His laptop full of thoughts and ramblings from his brain over the years? No. Not one of you stopped and considered that was Henry's house, too. But, please continue to pretend you are such good people." There were genuinely good people in Storybrooke, but they did not go around saying it by way of introduction like some people.
"Are there any other questions about the election?" Atalanta asked as the people muttered among themselves. "If not, I'd like everyone to understand while I'm in charge we will not have mob rule. Take the law in your own hands under my watch and I promise you that you will have the wrath of the gods brought down on you."
Regina glanced at her. She was the wrath of the gods. "Atalanta has my full support."
"And the sheriff's department," Emma said.
"Like we didn't already know where your loyalty lies," Grumpy said.
"Oh, you mean a safe town? You hate that so much, get yourself elected mayor, and eliminate my position," Emma replied, holding her arms up in an open challenge.
"I think that's as good a note as any to end this meeting on." Regina looked around for any objections. "Everyone have a safe trip to your final destination."
"You don't mean that," Atalanta said with a laugh.
"Well, it would be rude to tell them all to die in a fire, wouldn't it?"
"You're officially a private citizen, you can say whatever the hell you want. Just don't break the law. Demigod or not, you will be arrested." Atalanta was the only person to respect her powers for what they were, even Regina considered them demonic thanks to growing up hearing Enchanted Forest stories of the succubus Lilith, a terrifying demon, who turned out to be her ancestor.
Regina glanced at Emma and D'Artagnan. "I have two-thirds of a chance to talk my way out of it."
Atalanta chuckled as the sheriff's department directed people out. Soon, it was just Regina and them. David left, meeting Snow in the parking lot to undoubtedly plan for her campaign. whatever. If Snow was elected, it was what the people deserved.
"Sure you don't want to run if only to beat Snow White one last time?" D'Artagnan asked with a bright smile as she approached.
Regina waved that off. "Someone else will have to fight that battle." She would get nowhere with Henry fighting his grandmother. And from what she remembered from her sessions with Doctor Hopper, she had to learn to let go of old grudges to grow.
"You know…" Emma tucked her hands in her pants pockets. Of course, her hands did not even go halfway down. "I'm pretty good at forging Regina's signature."
D'Artagnan tapped her chin. "You don't say. And I just so happen to be a notary."
"And we've just gotten around the rule Regina put there specifically to make sure we don't make her run." Emma grinned and Regina glared at her. Emma knew better than anyone that Regina had never really wanted to be in charge.
"I'm not running," Regina said.
"Imagine all the good you could do," D'Artagnan said.
Emma chimed right in. "You could do things the right way this time."
"Do either of you realize how exhausting that would be?" Regina asked. She was sick of the constant back and forth with morons. It would be much more rewarding to watch them destroy themselves.
Emma scoffed. "Pretty sure Neverland put a battery in your back, so you can keep going and going." D'Artagnan snickered, but she put her hand over her mouth to keep in a full laugh.
Regina craned an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"That didn't land, huh?" Emma rubbed her chin. "What about with great power comes great responsibility?"
Regina groaned and turned to D'Artagnan, hoping for support, but D'Artagnan's attention was elsewhere. Her gaze out in the still dispersing crowd. Regina focused where she looked. There were too many people to spot Nanette easily, but she had seen enough pictures… And there she was. As tall as D'Artagnan, but with regal bearing. She was thinner than D'Artagnan. Thinner than her pictures. Dark hair flowed down her back, over her bronze shoulders.
A young man with his arm wrapped around Nanette's waist stood close to her side. Regina did not recognize him, but next to him were a couple of royals she was vaguely familiar with. Not the most memorable or competent leaders she had ever met, but not so stupid that they lost control of their kingdom with a war raging around them.
Then, the woman looked up and D'Artagnan gasped. Definitely her wife. They both turned away, but Regina kept her focus on Nanette. While D'Artagnan looked sad, almost mournful, Nanette looked sad and frightened, like she was trapped.
"You both should get back to the station," Regina said as she watched the pain grow in D'Artagnan's eyes.
"You're gonna fix that hole, right?" Emma pointed her thumb back inside.
"Yes, Emma, of course I'm going to fix the hole." Regina rolled her eyes.
Emma held her hands up in surrender. "Just making sure."
"If I need a conscience, I'll go see the cricket," Regina replied. Which I should probably do.
"That reminds me, we still have to talk about Henry," Emma said.
"We'll talk," Regina said. She would make sure of it. That simple promise brought light to Emma's eyes. Light Regina knew was missing since their return. Emma was haunted. Regina found herself wanting to banish Emma's ghosts.
Emma nodded and then, she and D'Artagnan started their trek across the street. Regina watched them go. David stayed behind with Snow. Regina put them out of her mind. But, her gaze fell to Nanette, who eyed the ground, who did not seem engaged at all in the conversation. No one tried to engage her either. Regina ground her teeth and then went to fix the mess she made. Nanette would have to fix her own mess.
-8-8-8-8-
Emma frowned while sitting at the extra desk in the bullpen. D'Artagnan had been quiet since they had come in. Typically, she was at her coolest when David was not around and he was still off, plotting with Snow more than likely. That would be a headache to go home to.
"Hey, Charlotte," Emma said.
D'Artagnan groaned from her desk. "Literally nobody calls me that."
"Not true since I just did. You okay? You've been quiet since the parking lot."
D'Artagnan sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I just… I saw my wife."
Emma moved closer, the sound of the old wheels on the chair grinding as she rolled across the floor. "Your wife?"
"Well, Cursed-wife." D'Artagnan's face twisted like her stomach hurt. "She left when the Curse broke."
"Why?"
D'Artagnan blew out a breath and her eyes misted over. "Didn't think what we had was real. Didn't want to be associated with defects. Didn't want to be controlled anymore."
"That sucks. Do you still have feelings for her?"
"I wanna blame the fucking Curse, but if she's anything like her Cursed-self, I could fucking love her so much."
Emma chuckled. "Sounds like it might be too late."
"It's dumb. She was out with her…" D'Artagnan waved as she thought of the word. "I guess, betrothed from the Old World. There with him and his parents." Her hand landed heavy and defeated on the table.
"What about your kid? Does she still see the kid?"
D'Artagnan's mouth trembled, as if she was chewing her tongue. "She hasn't contacted her since she left. Called her all sorts of horrible names and just left us high and dry."
"Damn, that sucks. I know the Curse was fucked up, but I hoped she'd at least be there for your daughter. She still has to have emotions for the kid."
D'Artagnan sighed. "I don't think so. It's stupid to pine after her, not after the things she said about me and Mikey. Plus, I agree with her that the Curse wasn't real."
Emma knew where this was going. "But, you know Charlie was a part of you."
"No, Charlie basically was me. The Curse really just rewired my behavior to fit into this world, but I was me. Yeah, I was me, mind-controlled, but I was still me and doing well. And, it actually feels good to think about me, and to be me because back in the Old World, I was forbidden. My daughter was forbidden. We got to be happy here, to be us. To have our happy ending."
"Do you think your wife is being herself or was the Curse her?"
Down went D'Artagnan's shoulders. "And that's the problem. I don't know. I don't fucking know."
"Maybe together we can figure it out," Emma said. D'Artagnan deserved some happiness if the way David treated her was any indication of how the rest of the town treated her.
D'Artagnan laughed. "Regina's right. You're a noble idiot."
That got a grin out of Emma. "And she's a hopeless romantic, matchmaking for you. Look, we both know most of the day we're not going to be doing anything. Everyone's too scared of Regina to step out of line right now and they've mostly been staying home anyway. Let's do it while we have the time."
"You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"I'm sure Regina has told you how persistent I can be."
"She has mentioned you're annoying a few hundred times."
"And that's only because she likes me now."
D'Artagnan laughed. "Fine, let's do it."
Emma clapped. "Yes!" She was hyped to help a friend, not because in the long run, this would give her more time with Regina. Or that was what she told herself.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: more Nanette and Henry. Oh joy.