I don't own these characters; Disney/ABC does.
A/N: this is an SQ story. It is actually a filler story for my story Devil's Spawn. We get to find out what happened to Emma, Regina, Henry, and Neal in between chapters 12 and 13. You should probably, definitely read that story before you read this. Yes, this is very late for people who kept asking me about what happened in between the move to New York and the Swan-Mills clan move to California, but better late than never, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
As always, thanks to my beta, The CrowDawg. Come say hi to me on Facebook or catch me on Tumblr.
Devil's Brew
1: A Bitter Taste of Hell
Regina had expected to come into her New York apartment to many things, but Emma drowning in cheap whiskey was not one of them. Looking around, Henry did not appear to be home, so she assumed he was with his father. She sent a text to confirm that and closed the drapes by the balcony doors, cutting out the artificial light of the city. She turned on the living room light, as it seemed Emma missed that through her whiskey-tinted gaze.
She moved to sit with Emma, on the cold, tile kitchen floor, to find out what the hell was going on with Emma. She could smell the whiskey wafting off of Emma like a terrible perfume. Maybe she's getting into the sullen New York attitude. Of course, that seemed to be a myth from what she could tell of the people around the city, but Emma might have given into the myth. Regina straightened her skirt as she went down next to Emma, sitting like a proper lady even now, even though she was in her own home, alone with Emma.
"Regina!" Emma grinned. Her face was flush and her eyes were dull, glassy. Her clothes, just a plain shirt and jeans, somehow seemed wrinkled, as if she was drinking for a while and twisted around in her clothes for whatever reason. The two empty bottles suggested she had been drinking for a while.
Regina sighed. Of course, drunk-Emma had no volume control. Why would she? Sober-Emma barely had volume control, or control at all. Glancing around the kitchen and seeing every dark wood cabinet door open, dishes out, but unused, food stacked on the counter, apparently drunk-Emma also had no kitchen control. Great, something else to clean up. Not that Regina minded. It was not like she had things going on beyond researching to control her demigod magic and exploring social cues of the city.
"Where are all my snacks?" Emma's mood shifted and the question was rough. Her grin became a frown, as if she recalled she was angry with the world. "How the fuck am I supposed to eat chips if there aren't any fucking chips." Emma snarled and glared at Regina, as if she was the person who hid food around the house.
"Well, I'm pleased you had the presence of mind to drop Henry off with his father before you started drinking," Regina replied. Henry did not need to see this side of Emma.
Emma scoffed. "This wasn't even a good start. You don't even have any good damn booze here."
"Ah, so my wine and cider survived this." Regina held up the empty whiskey bottle by her leg. She curled her lip. "It doesn't seem like you needed more than you had."
"Fuck that shit." Emma waved the bottle off and then slumped forward.
"Emma?" Regina waited for Emma to move, but she did not. Is she asleep? "Emma?" Regina poked her.
Emma snorted. "Fucking bullshit. You're going to get rid of me, too. You, Henry, and every fucking body."
Regina's brow furrowed. "Excuse me?" What the hell is going on here?
Emma growled and glared at the floor as if it had wronged her. "That's the kind of bullshit that happens, right?" She turned and put her finger in Regina's face, holding it up as if to scold Regina. "Henry's got his dad, so he doesn't need me. You've got a stupid brother. The stupidest."
Regina chuckled. "I don't doubt you, but you're still my idiot. No replacing that." There was no doubt that she loved Neal already like the brother he was trying to be, but Emma held a special place in her heart. She was not sure what it was, but Neal could never replace Emma, no matter how stupid he was.
She expected Emma to laugh, but Emma Swan was quite the miserable drunk. She groused and scowled. "Easily replacing that." Then, a sharp sniffle escaped her. "Ask my damn parents."
Oh, Snow White and her pretender were responsible for this. That was hardly a surprise. Emma and Henry had just taken a trip back to Storybrooke. They had returned sooner than expected. Snow and the shepherd had ruined Emma's time back home.
So, apparently, Snow and David took the idea of parents screwing up their children no matter what to heart with Emma. Regina could not understand it. She was thankful for her second chance with Henry and would do everything in her power to do things right this time around. Why were they not the same with Emma? Well, remember, Mother wasn't always delighted with you and made every second of your life miserable. Of course, her mother was a villain, so it could be explained away. These people were the supposed "good guys," so they should do better. They should definitely be doing more than Cora-level parenting, even if Emma was an adult.
Regina took Emma's hands in hers. "Look at me, Emma."
"Why?" Hazel eyes focused on the floor, scowling at the peach tiles. "No point."
Regina put on her sternest voice. "Emma."
Emma snarled and peered at her with fiery, bloodshot eyes. "What?"
"Look at me."
"I am," Emma replied through gritted teeth.
"No, really look at me." She needed Emma to pay attention to her for Emma to understand someone was there for her, someone was paying her mind.
For all of her fire and fury, Emma did as she ordered. Of course, she still glared at Regina in a very un-Emma like way. There was a different type of anger there. Not hatred, but something almost worse. Almost like blame. It took all of Regina's willpower not to flinch and wither under the gaze. Emma was helping her and now it seemed like she was hurting Emma, the last person she desired to hurt at this point.
"What happened?" Regina asked, doing her best to maintain her composure, but the look grabbed hold of her heart and squeezed.
Emma sniffled, but a growl tore at her lips. "The only logical thing happened. Just like you getting rid of me for Neal.''
"I haven't gotten rid of you." And she had no plans to do so. Emma was one of the few things keeping her from falling apart. So, you need to return the favor. If you selfishly continue to take from Emma until there's nothing left, then you're no better than when you were the Evil Queen and she believes you're better than that, so be better than that.
A loud sob escaped Emma and she fell over, right into Regina's lap. Regina did not hesitate to caress Emma's head. Emma wept into her abdomen as she brushed Emma's hair back.
"Why don't they want me? I've wanted them my entire life and tried to be everything they expected since I found them, but they don't want me!" Emma wept as if the world was coming to an end, wetting her shirt instantly with tears and spit.
Regina growled. The Charmings had done this, shattered one of the strongest and most stubborn people she had the privilege of knowing. A fire in her belly sparked and flared out under her skin. Her nerves jumped and itched to destroy Emma's enemies. No, they're not her enemies. They're her parents and she wants them to want her, not have them murdered.
"Your parents do want you, Emma. They just don't know how to express it," Regina said. She believed that to be true. Snow White and her pretender went through too much for this child to not want her.
Emma bawled, body shaking from the effort. "They don't care. No one cares. They moved out of the loft without saying anything, without considering what the loft meant to me."
"What did the loft mean to you?"
"It was home! Real home! They got rid of real home, like they got rid of Mary Margaret. Like they got rid of me!"
Regina gnashed her teeth. No, you can't judge. You once made Henry think he was crazy. But, I never wanted to be rid of him. She treasured Henry, maybe not in the right way in the beginning, but he was always precious to her. He was everything. How could Emma not be the same to the Charmings? She took a deep breath to keep herself under control.
"They gave away my fucking home like it was nothing!" Emma punched the floor, hard, probably too drunk to care about her poor hand. "Threw me away like I was nothing! Twice yet. Who puts a fucking newborn into the damn unknown without a care? Who the fuck does that?" Emma sobbed.
"Home isn't just a place." Regina had only recently learned that and still did not fully grasp it. She had never had a home before and she was not quite sure if she had one now. But, she understood the basic components.
Emma growled, pulling away just enough to eye her as if she was the dumbest thing on the planet. "What the hell would you know about it?" That almost made her flinch, but she felt it in as Emma was about to unload. "Pretty little rich girl. All powerful queen. Badass witch and head bitch in charge." Each thing was said with a sneer. "What do you know about being hungry, being homeless, being nothing! I was nothing! I am nothing. They just wanted their stupid curse broke and then they threw me away. Left me, told me to go, but my dumb-ass didn't listen. Well, now the statement is so fucking clear. They don't want anything to do with me or my life. So, the loft's gone. Mary Margaret's gone, replaced by fucking Snow White, who missed out on being a mom, but not really. She and her precious David can have their little fucking replacement baby. Fuck them!"
Regina had to swallow down her own fury at Emma being so dismissive of her life, especially since Emma knew her pain. Emma's drunk. She doesn't know what she's saying. Except, it seemed like she did. It seemed like Emma was spouting off at things she kept buried inside of her. Does she really think so little of me and what I've gone through? No, that had to be the anger for the situation with the Charmings, losing her home, her friend, and apparently becoming a sibling. There was no way Emma would go so far out of her way for Regina and care so little for her. It's just her anger and you know how that can be.
"Fuck them for taking my home and fuck you for replacing me. Fuck everyone for taking everything all the time!" Emma snarled like a caged animal and Regina felt it down in her bones. This was raw agony.
Regina had little idea what a physical home felt like. Wealth, status, and even magic did not factor into the notion of home. Bringing Henry home had changed it for a few years, but when his attitude turned, so did the idea of having home. Home had escaped her most of her life, but this was not about her. This was about Emma, a woman who put herself in a tight spot to help Regina, even if she was taking shots at Regina right now. It would not do for Emma to feel like such garbage. She was not something to be thrown away.
"There's no replacing you," Regina said, focusing on Emma rather than the burning itch to avenge Emma. Emma did not need slaughter. Emma did not need things to burn and watch the ashes blow away in the wind. Emma needed care. Emma offered her what she needed when she needed it. She had to do the same.
"The fuck are you talking about? They did it!" Emma waved her hand around wildly, barely missing hitting Regina in the face several times. "They erased me! They fucking erased me because they don't need me anymore. Curse broken, throw the damn tool away!" Emma punched the wall just above Regina's head. She panted in Regina's face, breath nothing but whiskey and agony.
Regina cupped Emma's face. "You are not a tool." Even though they both felt that way back in Storybrooke, things to be used and discarded after. Emma, made to break the Curse while she had been made to cast it, but Emma was so much more than that. "You are not disposable, so you can't be thrown away."
Emma curled her lip. "The hell do you know about it? They're about to have their perfect little prince or princess and never think about me again. They're gonna raise that baby exactly the way they want and probably tell people it's their first child."
Regina shook her head. "No, Emma. Children can't replace each other."
Emma sucked her teeth and glared with an incredible amount of fury for someone who was still weeping. "Stop acting so fucking dumb, Regina. They don't care." She tore herself away with a grunt. She stumbled to her feet, almost falling over, and turned to the living room.
Emma managed to stumble from the tile of the kitchen to the hard wood of the living room without falling into the partial wall that separated the two areas. She fell onto the sectional sofa with a twist, landed on her side, and was snoring immediately.
Regina had to take several breaths before she picked herself up off of the floor. Her nerves vibrated, her blood boiled, and she was ready to rip the world apart. For Emma. Not because of Emma and her harsh words, but for Emma and her pain.
"How dare they treat her like this?" Regina could feel fangs growing in her mouth and snapped it shut. A dark cloud surrounded her. She took several deep breaths to calm down. The cloud faded, as if returning to her with each breath. She flicked her tongue across her teeth. Everything seemed to be in order.
Damn. Her powers were still full on, and utterly dangerous, in a world without magic. Not good. She needed to step up her research, but before that, she needed to take care of Emma.
Emma was her priority because Emma had done so much for her and did not need to, so Regina went to settle Emma for a night on the sofa. She straightened Emma's prone form. She pulled off Emma's boots, socks, and peeled off her jeans. Emma did not make a sound as this happened.
Going into Emma's bedroom, Regina grabbed a pillow and a blanket while ignoring the mess. It was Emma's room and she could do with it as she pleased. Later, Regina would make that even clearer if necessary considering Emma's state of mind. She covered Emma with the blanket and then put the pillow under Emma's head. With that out of the way, she put a glass of water and pain pills on the coffee table for Emma in case she somehow woke up before Regina.
With that out of the way, Regina retired to her room. She had to hit the books. There were ants under her skin, begging to be let out and that would not do. She would not let their work be in vain. She would not become a demon right before their eyes. She definitely would not let Emma know her idea of leaving Storybrooke did not work.
-8-8-8-8-
Emma woke up to the smell of bacon, but her mouth tasted like she swallowed an ashtray. There was a thick pounding at the base of her skull, but that did not stop her from moving. Sitting up put a waiting glass of water right in her line of sight and caused a blanket to drop from her shoulders to her side. Thank you whoever did that. She wasted no time taking a gulp and noticing the headache pills. She popped the pills and finished the glass of water with hardly a breath in between. She sighed as soon as she was done.
With a groan, Emma picked herself up from the couch, causing the blanket to fall from her legs, draped part way on the couch and floor. Her body throbbed with her head with each movement. She cringed as she felt the air on her naked legs. She grabbed for the blanket, but then stopped. Henry's not here and Regina's seen me in less. That should not make things okay, but Emma was beyond caring at the moment. She needed to get herself together, so she could be a person for the rest of the day.
While her stomach wanted her to go to the kitchen/dining room, the rest of Emma's body begged for a shower. The shower won out. The hot spray rained life into Emma's weary body. It even dulled the headache traveling her entire nervous system.
As the exhaustion washed away, it took some pain with it, but uncovered even more still along with memory fragments. She had dropped Henry off to Neal and then picked up some whiskey, as if it would help her make sense of her so-called parents. Instead, the drink lit a fire to the emotions already blazing through her. And, why not? She had earned a right to be angry.
Her parents had all but abandoned her, several times over. They sold her home, killed her best friend, and replaced her within the blink of an eye. Before that, they had been trying to give her away to the first asshole to come along — Neal or Hook. It did not seem to matter to them. It was not like they bothered to look into the character of either of those guys to figure out if they were even good for Emma. They had been trying to be rid of her since they realized who they were, since her job was done. They did not want her. She was a tool they used, a key to escape a prison. Once out, they did not hesitate to throw her away, so now they could have their Happily Ever After and perfect little family. Fuck them. She growled in the water, taking some into her mouth.
Her thoughts spoiled the shower, only serving to fuel the fire the water should have doused, so she got out. She brushed her teeth and went to get dressed. The blanket from the sofa made its way back to her bed without her moving it and the bed was made. For some reason, that pissed her off.
Emma yanked on a tank top and jeans. She would give Regina a piece of her mind. You don't get to just pick up after me like I'm some little kid! I know what the hell I'm doing! She marched out of her bedroom, footsteps hard on the wooden floor, and went to the kitchen, which was almost a completely open space with all of the kitchen necessities up against the wall. It doubled as the dining room now, as they moved a lot of books to where the table had sat by the balcony doors.
Regina was at the glass table with a cup of coffee and a book, glasses perched on the end of her nose. She was fully dressed, red shirt with several buttons open and a black pencil skirt, like she was still the mayor of Storybrooke. Emma's heart thumped and her anger drained out of her as if someone pulled a plug in her. What the hell? I'm gonna give myself emotional whiplash at this rate.
"There's pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit on the counter," Regina said without glancing at her.
Emma nodded, even though Regina did not look at her. Her true purpose for coming to the kitchen was forgotten in favor of food. She stacked pancakes and the other things on her plate. There was a glass of orange juice waiting for her on the counter as well. She covered everything in syrup. She sat down across from Regina, who still did not look at her. The silence was thick and Emma could not even eat her way through it.
"What you reading?" Emma asked. In the back of her mind, she heard echoes of swearing, but she was not quite sure what it was about. She shook it away. Probably some drunken babble when I got liquor last night.
"Just some research," Regina replied and she sipped her coffee. Pinky up because she was classy like that.
Emma nodded again, starting to feel like an idiot already. The whole reason they were in New York was for Regina to find a cure for her demon powers, so they could go back to Storybrooke. The idea of returning there turned her stomach, but she ate that feeling. "I'll help you out after I eat."
Regina's eyebrow ticked up. "Are you sure you can handle it? You were in a bad way last night."
Emma frowned. "I said I'd help you. I'm not going back on my word." She was useful.
"You are helping. You don't have to do it every moment of the day."
A growl escaped Emma. "So, you don't think I can handle it."
"I didn't say that." Regina sighed as she locked eyes with Emma. "I think you need to take care of yourself before you jump back into this with me."
Emma ground her teeth together. "There's nothing wrong with me."
"I didn't say there was, but it seems you drank enough last night to forget last night."
Emma scowled and huffed as she tried to remember whatever the hell last night. While no memories came to her immediately, the way her stomach twisted, pain was at the forefront of her mind. It was like her soul had been balled up and tossed in the trash. That explains why I got the whiskey. But, she knew why even without that feeling.
"I can read. I'm not an idiot, despite what you think," Emma said.
Regina scoffed. "If you're not hungover, please, pick up a book. Just be aware, I'm not replacing you because you can't read for one day."
Emma blinked. "What?" The way her body shook and then felt light, this was something significant. Why the hell would she say that of all things?
Regina tilted her head and removed her glasses. "You really don't remember last night, do you?"
"No." But, apparently, she said something to Regina. "What happened?" What had she said to Regina? Did I confess stuff to her? Well, she obviously said something about being replaceable. Did I say why? Her stomach twisted again. She had probably embarrassed herself in front of Regina and now Regina thought she was irresponsible. Well, I'm not. I can handle things!
"You drank two bottles of whiskey on your own."
Emma's face fell into a deadpan. "That I know. I brought the bottles to drink."
Regina was not put off by her tone and continued on as if she said nothing at all. "And said your parents sold your home, killed your best friend, and replaced you."
Emma flinched and was not sure what to say, so she ate some of her short stack. "Just unloaded with both barrels, huh?" Way embarrassing.
Regina's face twitched. "You have no idea."
"Sorry if I was harsh." Her mouth got away from her when she was drunk, or so she had been told.
Regina made a noise, like a laugh and a scoff combined, and turned her attention back to her book. Emma was not sure what that meant. Maybe she offended Regina's royal sensibility. But, as swearing echoed in the back of her mind, she was not sure. She could feel great anger, but she was not sure if it was for her situation or toward Regina. Unfortunately, her mind gave her no context to figure out what the hell happened. It did not matter. She would keep her promise to Regina, even if Regina did not seem to think she had it in her.
Despite feeling quite off and not hungry, Emma still ate everything on her plate. She made a show of putting her dishes in the sink. Then, she moved to get her own book from the stacks they had in the living room. She stayed on the couch, not wanting to be in the same room with Regina, but not quite sure why. I probably just told her too much last night. But, it should not matter since she could not remember. No, it was something else. Instead of pondering it, she opened the book and got to work. She was still useful to someone. The apartment was quiet, but only for a moment.
Not too long after that, Neal and Henry showed up, just for breakfast. Henry went to the couch and hugged Emma before going to eat. There was chatter in the kitchen between Henry, Regina, and Neal. More conversation than Regina offered her. Dark thoughts hovered.
Not so useful, after all, huh? Couldn't even offer up stimulating conversation. She was as useless to this family as she had been to every other family to look her way, including the Charmings. Henry now had his mother and his father. What did he need her for? And Regina could research for herself. She did not really need Emma to do anything. Nobody really needed Emma.
"Hey, Emma," Henry said, as if he had been calling her for a while.
Emma turned toward the kitchen to see Henry staring at her over his short stack. "Yeah. What's up?"
"Me and Dad are going out to the High Line. Wanna come?" he asked.
Her brow furrowed. "You're not going to stay and read?" They were supposed to all be digging in and doing research to save Regina. Don't they care? She almost growled, but kept it in. This was Henry. Of course, he cared. Maybe he just did not know it, like when they told him Regina killed Archie and he acted like it all made sense and did not affect him until he found out it was a lie. Then, he was relieved and all too happy to hug his mother.
He shook his head. "We read last night. No luck. So, we're taking a break to relax our brains before we start again. You in?"
Emma held in a frown, not really hearing what Henry said before the fact that they had worked last night. They had read while she got blackout drunk. Why should Regina keep her around if she could not even make it through a book to help save her? You're acting like they're the problem, but it's obvious you are. You've always been the problem. That's why no one wants you.
"Emma," Henry said.
"Oh." She blinked and shook her head. "I have reading to do." She waved her book at him. The broken cover flopped in the air.
That made him frown. "You can't work too hard. I was just telling Mom the same thing. If you work too hard, you'll burn out and you might miss something. Your brain needs to relax."
He did not think she could keep her promise, thought she would miss something, just like with breaking the curse. She would botch this and Regina would never be able to go home. Just like the residents of Storybrooke. She would just repeat her fuck up on a smaller level. No, you can do this!
"I'll see you later, Henry," Emma said.
He stared at her for a long moment, lips pursed. "Okay. Take a break at some point, though, okay? And make sure Mom takes a break, too. It's healthy."
She nodded and that was enough for him. Then, he and Neal were gone as suddenly as they arrived. Regina was quiet in the kitchen. The air was thick again. Emma wanted to say something, but she was not sure what and she did not want to chance saying the wrong thing. She did not want to get thrown away sooner.
-8-8-8-8-
Regina stayed in the kitchen for the day. She made lunch for Emma, but was silent in cooking and delivering it to Emma on the sofa. She did not want to speak, did not want to add to the pressure Emma put on herself. She did not want to blurt out how she felt like she might come out of her skin last night as Emma sobbed against her. Her magic, that dark, demonic force, was still there and as strong as ever, even in this world without magic. Emma's idea was not working, but she did not need to know that right now. Emma had too much on her heart.
Emma did not join her in the kitchen, even when lunch was served. Emma ate her grilled cheese and fries into the living room with her book in her hand. She left the dishes there to be collected later, too engrossed with her research to prove her worth to get up and walk the ten feet to the kitchen.
Regina ate some fruit and yogurt while resisting the urge to throw her book. It, like most of her collection, was useless. It had nothing on how to control the power within her, nothing to do with how to contain the power. It had nothing about saving her, which would also pile onto Emma's misery. Regina could not do that.
Emma had given Regina some hope, but Emma was more invested in this than even she was. Emma pinned her self-worth on her ability to help others. She had to heal for Emma. So, I need a book that's worth a damn!
With a grunt, Regina got up to get another book. Emma watched her as she went to the book pile. Emma's gaze burned her skin. Regina ignored that as best she could. Focus on the work. If you fix yourself, it'll help you fix her.
"Getting a new book?" Emma asked the obvious. Maybe she wanted to talk now or maybe she just could not take the quiet anymore. It was not like Emma to exist in silence.
"Yes. This one was about as useful as the others before it," Regina replied.
"We've gone through a lot of your books already." Emma glanced at the dozens of books they had read through, in a separate stack from the few books they still had to go.
"We have." Regina took in the mountain. There had been a few that seemed like they had something, but whenever she dug a little deeper, it led to a dead end. "I might start looking online. They'll have books and information all around the world."
"Maybe you should get a library card."
"Excuse me?" Regina turned to look at Emma, a woman who cursed her out last night, offered her harsh words, and just came up with yet another good idea. "New York's public library must have thousands of books on the occult."
Emma nodded. "Yup, even though this is a world without magic, there might be something."
If only this world had no magic. It would save them all a lot of trouble. "But, just as our stories leaked over here, maybe tales of magic and such did the same. So, how would I get a library card?" Of course, she knew how, but Emma needed to feel productive. With luck, that would pull Emma away from the dark place her parents abandoned her in.
"You wanna go to the library now?" Emma asked.
Regina glanced at the analog clock on the wall. It was still the afternoon and, yes, she understood they were in the "city that never sleeps," but the library could not stay open all night like some bar. "Will they be open?'
"Hmm…" Emma pulled out her phone. "They should be. It's only four and this crazy city never sleeps anyway. The library might be open all night."
That was probably a joke, but Emma did not laugh and Regina did not fake it. Getting out would help take them both out of their heads. It was a momentary distraction for her, but Emma might be able to bounce around to bounce back. That was what Emma did, after all. She might pause or have a set back or even get turned around, Emma came back, usually with a fiery vengeance.
They left the apartment and jumped into Emma's car. Parking in Manhattan was a nightmare, especially when Emma refused to let her just pay for a parking garage. It was always best to take the smaller car to fit into tighter spots. For the library, they ended up parking a few blocks away, so they had to walk, which would not be a problem if Regina's magic was not still in effect. They were barely ten feet from the car before a man approached Regina, blocking her path.
"Excuse me," he said, yet remaining in the way.
"Yes?" Regina replied.
He smiled. "You're gorgeous. Could I get your number?"
Emma tensed, even though the man was obviously not a threat. Regina had to get used to random people approaching her as well. Not just because it was strange, but because life had taught her to be on guard all the time. But, she knew hostility and so far no one in New York was hostile. Although, Emma's posture suggested otherwise. No, they were bewitched for the most part.
"I don't make it a point to give strangers my number," Regina replied.
The man smiled. "I'm Miguel. Now, we're not strangers."
Emma groaned. "This is just painful. Let's go." She grabbed Regina by the hand and yanked her down the street, away from Miguel. It was a powerful tug and Regina had to pull away.
"You don't have to lead me away by the hand like a child," Regina said.
"I'm just trying to get you away from a creep. Unless, of course, you wanted that schmuck."
Regina frowned. "This has nothing to do with him and everything to do with you pulling me. Please, don't do that." She made the request polite, as Emma might still have some sting from last night. But, no one, not even Emma, would yank her around like that. No, she was well past that part of her life.
Emma snarled. "You know what, fine. You wanna fuck with random dudes, go ahead." And she stormed off, as if she forgot they were meant to go to the library.
Regina ended up on her own. She went to get her library card and began her search for books. At some point, as she scanned the shelves, Emma appeared by her side again, no apology, no word, nothing. She did not press. Emma needed time and she had done enough, done more than anyone else ever did for Regina. It was time for Regina to save herself.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: Emma's spiral continues.
