Chapter Eight - 24 days left
Regina has been on the verge of throwing up for the last four days. That's how long it had been since Emma and her decided tonight would be the night. The night they breech the security of a hotel guest's suite. But, shit, not just any hotel guest. The night they steal information from their direct competitor. The night the bile rising up in Regina's throat might actually spill out.
Damn Emma and her knack for always being right. Regina had fallen for Robin. Hard. It was difficult enough to keep her emotions in check but now the guilt of what they were about to do seemed to be materializing in nausea.
Regina knew Emma assumed Robin and herself had a physical relationship that went along with their close companionship. And because Regina was a masochist she did not correct her cousin. The truth was Regina had been trying to avoid an attachment with Robin since day one. But that was a battle she had been sorely losing. Now she was just trying to manage not jumping the man's bones every time she was alone with him. Because she knew if she did, she would be absolutely done for.
But Emma didn't need the satisfaction of knowing she was right again. So Regina decided frustrating the shit out of her cousin was the best alternative.
The plan they made with the men was to meet in the lobby at 5pm to make it to the Ed Sheeran concert in the city by 7pm. Idealistically, the drive should only take twenty minutes but with LA traffic who knows how long it would actually be.
The real plan was the girls would make their way up to the boys room at 4pm claiming the Plaza had a burst pipe on their floor and they had to vacate. This plan wasn't ideal and would only work if the men hadn't already showered. Honestly, it was a long shot but the girls knew they had to give this plan a go before they added another crime to their record and made copies of the suite's key.
As the thick white door swung open, Robin looked back at the women confused, "Ladies! Are we late?" He stood with his hands on the frame inside the massive suite's doorway.
"No, we're just early, a pipe burst on our floor and maintenance said all the guests had to vacate." Emma said smoothly, no hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Bullocks, well make yourself at home, Killian should be out of the shower soon as I was just about to jump into my own."
Emma's heart soared at the information. What were the odds that this plan was actually going to work out?
Once Robin disappeared behind his door Emma moved. She knew she didn't have much time. She had no idea how long Killian had already been in his bathroom so she needed to work fast.
Regina watched nervously as Emma silently disappeared behind Killian's door without a second look.
Damn, guess they were really doing this.
Turning her troubled gaze to the painting on the wall, Regina emptied her mind and focused on unlocking the suite's safe.
It only took two attempts. She had hoped Robin wouldn't be dumb enough to make the security code something as simple as his birthday. Well, you know what they say about hope...it breeds eternal misery.
As she opened the metal door, only a thick manila folder stared back at her. By the looks of it, the folder contained two or three hundred pieces of paper. She knew she didn't have time to look through each page to find something of value, so instead she took out her iPhone and opened the camera app. A feeling of dread ran through her arms as she started to take a photo of each sheet. There were so many pages she was thankful for the monotony of it all. She got into a fast routine of flip and snap, flip and snap. Her mind was blank, refusing to focus on her betrayal and deceit.
Years ago, Daniel had been the one to betray her. She knew how that felt. And now, she was doing the same thing to Robin? Albeit, they weren't in a committed relationship but still, those familiar feelings were still present. And Regina was using him to further her business. A business that was a direct competitor to his. God this was all so fucked up. She was so fucked up. But if she focused too hard on that, the plan would go to shit. So Regina continued to flip and snap, flip and snap.
Leaving the double doors into Killian's room slightly ajar, Emma looked towards the en suite to make sure the water was still running. Keeping that sound in the back of her mind, Emma focused on the desk drawer she had snooped through weeks ago. There was no chance she was going to hack Killian's password to his laptop, so she came prepared with plan B.
Silently pulling the short black cord from her back pocket, Emma quietly took hold of Killian's external hard drive from the bottom drawer. Plugging one end of the cord into her iPhone's charging port and the other into the hard drive, she waited.
After a pregnant pause an unfamiliar window popped up on her iPhone's home screen. Releasing a sigh of relief that there was no password prompt, Emma quickly pressed the 'import all' button and a gray bar replaced the word. A small amount of green was filling the empty bar but it was moving agonizingly slow. Shit. She didn't have time for that.
After what seemed like an eternity the bar was just past half way. As Emma was willing the green bar to move faster across the screen she heard the running water shut off.
"Fuck," she whispered to herself. What was she supposed to do? Killian would be coming out of that bathroom any second and the download was only about 75% complete.
Option #1: Abandon ship
Emma Nolan is no quitter, even when it came to corporate espionage
Option #2: Steal the hard drive and return it after the files have successfully downloaded
IsThat defeated the whole, 'leave no trace' angle she was aiming for
Option #3: Use mind control to make that stupid fucking green bar move faster
She is so fucked
Opting for idiotic option number three, Emma stood rooted in her spot next to the thick wooden desk.
…85%
…92%
…98%
"What are you doing?"
Emma will never understand how
#1 her phone completed downloading the files
#2 she was able to stash the hard drive back in its proper place in the desk
and #3 she managed to sit 'innocently' at the end of Killian's bed
before he came out of the bathroom and before her heart exploded.
She should move to Vegas now and see how well she does against the house.
Looking up casually from her phone, "Mind if I use your—"
Of fucking course Killian would be coming out of his own bathroom half naked and dripping wet. She was lucky he wrapped a towel around his waist, or else she really would need a defibrillator.
"—your bathroom. Mind if I use your bathroom? Robin is taking a shower in the other one."
"Of course, Swan." He replied smirking at her, planting his feet and running a hand through his dampened hair. His cerulean eyes shined brightly at her with amusement.
Her embarrassing falter at the sight of him was made worse by the fact that he was completely unashamed by his state of undress. Sure, she had seen him in his board shorts a thousand times this summer, but this was more…intimate. And her anxiety from the situation at hand was only aggravating matters.
He must have sensed her tenseness as he nodded and disappeared into his closet, shutting the door behind him.
Moving to where he stood moments before and reclosing the door, Emma exhaled deeply as she looked at her reflection through the slightly fogged up bathroom mirror.
He had almost caught her.
With shaky hands, Emma retrieved her cell phone and checked to see how many files she had collected. There were a couple dozen there—expense reports, financial analysis reports and what looked to be a new partnership contract. All things that could help her company. She tried to form soothing breaths but they only came out in short rasps.
Shit, she cannot have an anxiety attack in this bathroom. He didn't catch her so she needed to relax. Now.
She couldn't tell if the anxiety that filled her was from the close call of Killian walking out of the bathroom or the guilt of her crime. Either way, apprehension was clutching her heart and she couldn't shake it. Emma thought about splashing water on her face to calm herself but she knew it would only melt off her make up and she wasn't prepared to look like a raccoon tonight. So instead she opted for washing her hands and smoothing down the fly-aways of her fishtail braid.
Once her breath was more under control, Emma sighed and checked her appearance one last time. She straightened the light washed, distressed denim shorts and her faded blue, sleeveless "boyfriend cut" tank. This had always been one of her favorite shirts; the intricate compass design on the front was classic and beautiful. Retying the red plaid flannel around her waist, Emma exited the en suite.
Killian was nowhere to be seen.
She did not wait for him, rather, choosing to see if Regina needed any assistance.
The Staple Center was filled to capacity tonight. The air was thick with body heat and exhilaration. Emma had never been to a real concert before. Symphonies, yes. But a stadium filled with screaming millennials, laser lights and clouds of marijuana? Her family would certainly not approve.
"Can you see them anymore?"
Robin and Regina had disappeared a few songs ago to get a closer look on the main floor of the arena. Emma didn't see why. Their seats were amazing and they didn't have any drunken idiots obscuring their view.
"They will be fine Swan. Robin will take care of Regina." Killian all but yelled over the upbeat song.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Emma retorted under her breath.
As the previous radio hit end, the artist on stage started a song unfamiliar to Emma. She enjoyed the British song-write but didn't know his entire catalog. To her surprise, when she glanced at Killian, he seemed to know all the lyrics to the new song.
Just as the song was ending, Emma joked, "So you and Ed are both from England, you must have grown up together, right?" She said teasingly to the taller Brit.
With his blue eyes still on the red head on stage Killian replied, "Yeah, right down the street from the Beatles. Oh and have I told you about my old schoolmate Adele? We go way back."
Emma's lip twerked at his quick response. Before she could bait him more her mind was interrupted by another song's intro, this one with more familiar cords.
We'll do it all, everything
On our own
We don't need, anything
Or anyone
Her face turned back to the stage and relaxed. A small smile graced her sweet lips and Killian could not ignore it. He watched her face soften with the dimming lights.
"I love this song." Her voice was barely audible over the arena singing along with the Snow Patrol hit.
Her lips easily formed the words but she kept her vocals silent.
It was a Chasing Cars cover. She loved the sultriness of it. The artist made it sound heartbreakingly sweet. It was a great song but now with the slowness of it, Emma's heart stirred with sequestered emotions. Swaying slightly she pushed the previous nervousness and guilt out of her mind and focused on her tender surroundings.
As her bare arm brushed Killian's, a slow heat flooded her left side. Enjoying it, Emma leaned more on the tall Englishman next to her.
It was the same heat she felt 6 weeks ago laying on the grass, listening to him talk about the stars. And 3 weeks ago when he held her hand in the coffee shop after they each talked about their mothers. And now again tonight.
These moments were few and far between and they were innocent...right?
Feeling her weight next to him, Killian looked down at the blonde to his right. Her misty green eyes were glazed over as she sung along with the lyrics. Did she even realize she was leaning on him?
He knew Emma had been keeping him at arms length this summer, for reasons he assumed had to do with a previous relationship. She was skittish and he didn't want to scare her off, reverting them back to square one.
But despite that, Killian was feeling bold and decided to further their contact.
She had initiated it so, why not be optimistic?
Emma was so wrapped up in the beautiful song she almost didn't notice Killian's arm wrapping around her lower back. Almost. His right hand was resting on her hipbone and the previous warmth she felt turned into an all out inferno in her chest. But, fuck, the atmosphere just too perfect for her to care about the repercussions.
She was listening to gorgeous music with a just-as-gorgeous guy next to her. Her life could be worse. She would worry about the consequences tomorrow.
Emma only relaxed further into Killian, resting her head on his shoulder as another hit love song played through the speakers.
The urge to vomit had subsided on the slow ride through Los Angeles traffic. But it was now replaced with an internal argument Regina was having with herself.
Robin is so perfect and he has no idea of the betrayal he will feel in less than a month when Regina vanishes without a trace. Should she just delete the pictures and tell Emma the safe was empty? Should she give up this pipe dream that this plan might actually contribute something of value to the company? She could work at the Plaza for a little while longer. Robin would keep her company once Emma went back home... Wait, no. God, Regina was going bat shit crazy. And the romantic songs playing through the speakers did not help her flurry of emotions.
It was a good plan. This would give them the upper hand now. Robin was just a summer crush. This didn't mean anything to her. And Cora would be so proud that Regina put power before her childish feelings.
Just as Regina thought her sensible side was going to prevail, the world famous artist started the opening cords to Kiss Me.
And hearing the familiar lyrics being sung next to her, Regina's heart leapt into her throat.
Of course Robin's British lilt was just as gorgeous as the famous singer on the stage in front of them.
Forgetting all her sly moves of flirtation, Regina turned fully to the taller man next to her, mesmerized by the movement of his mouth and smoothness of his voice. Glancing at her out of the corner of his blue eyes, a loving smile came across his face as his voice continued to mimic the lines, "Kiss me like you wanna be loved. Like you wanna be loved…"
Regina stepped closer and her eyes darken as they focus on Robin's moving lips and the words coming out of them. She glanced up at him through her thick lashes and grasped onto the shirt material covering his obliques. Her small hands balled the fabric pulling him slightly closer to her.
To hell with the company. To hell with Emma. To hell with all utter trace of logic and reason.
Robin stopped singing along with the music as Regina gripped her hands tighter on his sides, still slowly pulling him towards her, their legs brushing now.
Robin's large blue eyes widened a fraction of an inch as realization hit him. He could see it in the desperation of her amber eyes. All of her perfectly calculated walls were down and all that was left was pure need.
And he was not going to miss this chance to show Regina how much he had been needing her too.
Moving carefully, Robin gripped the soft tendrils of her dark hair just above her neck. Regina's breath hitched just as Robin's lips softly met hers in the sweetest moment of serenity.
All those weeks of fighting her attraction to him. All those weeks he patiently waited for her to be comfortable enough to make a move. They were all culminated in this blissful moment with everything else falling away except the melodic tune surrounded them now.
This feels like falling in love
Like falling in love
We're falling in love
I had been planning this chapter for a while. Its not perfect but I think its the best I could have done today. I'm on spring break and I reeeeally want to make more progress with this fic even though I was not super inspired. I am excited for the next chapter thought but I've got to get it down on paper! Hope you guys are still enjoying!