~Chapter 2~
"You're lying. You know I can tell when people do that." Emma was sitting at the foot of Regina's hotel bed, still prodding for information, as the brunette held a pillow over her face in an attempt to block the other woman's voice out.
She hadn't slept in 19 hours and she was barely hanging onto sanity, her buzz long worn-off. She loudly mumbled something from under the pillow, as she forcefully kicked the pestering blonde in the thigh.
"Damn it, Regina! Stop kicking me, take the pillow off of your face, and quit being such a whiney little bitch!"
The brunette shot up, chucking the pillow into Emma's face. "I said, 'I already told you everything'. Whether or not you believe me is your problem, Miss Swan. I am severely sleep-deprived and ready to turn your very soul inside-out, if you don't give me some peace and quiet!" She emphasized the last part by getting into Emma's face.
"Which brings me to my next question," replied the blonde, ignoring her. "Is that what you normally wear to bed, or is this just a special occasion?" She cocked an eyebrow at her and gave a wide grin.
Up until now, Regina had completely forgotten how scantily clad she was in red lace panties and a black button-up shirt. She threw the covers back over her legs with a huff. "Not even in your wildest dreams, Sherriff."
"No need to get so touchy. Was just wondering." Emma was clearly getting too much entertainment at Regina's expense tonight. She just couldn't help it. Finally, it was Regina's turn to be cut down and victimized. It was the least she deserved, after the hell she'd put thousands of people through.
"Look," Emma continued with a sigh. "I'll leave you to sleep."
A relieved sigh escaped Regina's lips.
"If…" Of course there was a condition. Regina just couldn't win for losing. "If you give me the actual truth tomorrow. None of this 'I was going to run away to Canada and never bother anyone again' bullshit. I think I know you well enough, Madame Mayor, to realize you don't just leave an opportunity of revenge, for the land of maple syrup." She paused, giving Regina a more serious look. "And I also know you really do love Henry."
Regina met her eyes at that. She really did love him. He was all she had, even if he wasn't ready to see the love she had for him.
Emma continued. "But know this, Your Majesty. He's also my son, and I love him too. I know he doesn't wish any harm on you. But if you truly want him back in your life, then you have some serious shit to sort out. So whatever you may be plotting, put it aside. It's our son, or your revenge. You can't have both."
It was the most deadly Regina had heard her sound all night. It was the last thing Emma said before getting up and leaving for her own room to get some sleep.
She had been right. Regina was plotting. But of course, Regina wasn't going to cave that easily. Old habits die hard. She was hell-bent on having her cake and eating it too; getting her revenge and keeping Henry. Facing the alternative, harsh reality was too much for her at the moment. She had no real hope of getting anywhere with her scheme, without her beauty sleep.
The brunette gave into her exhaustion, allowing it to consume her as she fell asleep faster than she had in her entire life.
She didn't dream that night. But then again, Regina Mills hadn't dreamt in years.
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She awoke to the sound of persistent knocking on the door. She would have just ignored it and continued her blissful slumber, but whoever it was just wouldn't quit. Regina grudgingly crawled out from underneath the warm sheets and blindly made her way to the door, her eyes struggling to gain focus.
As her eyesight began to clear, she peered through the small peep-hole to find a very petite, very awkward woman in a maid's uniform, standing next to her cleaning cart. Regina opened the door to tell the woman that her services were not currently needed, but before she could say a word, the small woman's face flushed a bright pink and she began to nervously ramble in Spanish, taking her cart and scurrying down the hallway.
What the hell, Regina thought to herself, stifling a yawn. She closed the door and began to walk to the bathroom, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was still in her "pajamas". Regina gave a small chuckle at the image in her mind of the maid blushing. It wasn't usual for Regina to be so easily flattered by people she considered to be "the help". In fact, there was once a time in her life when she could really turn a few heads, and break a few necks. But while everyone else in the world seemed to be out for her head at the moment, she'd take whatever compliments she could get.
It then hit Regina that the maid wasn't the only one who'd recently seen her in her bedroom attire. She made her way into the room next door, looking forward to waking the blonde in the most inconvenient, rude way possible. After all, she would have deserved it after procrastinating Regina's sleep last night.
Emma, however, had already been up much earlier; her bed having been made and her bag no longer in the room.
Hmm. Perhaps she left? Regina entertained the idea, and finally decided that must be what happened. Emma would never give her even the smallest window of escape by accident. But what if she just left to fetch the mob? Terror hit Regina to her very core.
She wasn't going to stick around to find out just where Emma had gone. For all she knew, Emma got a head start back to Storybrooke and was on her way with the vicious crowd right now.
She quickly threw on clothes, tossed all of her belongings back into her bag, and stormed out the door. She power-walked her way down the hallway, her suitcase barely staying balanced on its wheels as she juggled to get her purse on her shoulder. As she rounded the corner into the lobby, her body impacted full-force with another. The next thing she knew, Regina was flat on her ass, staring up at a very pleased-looking Emma Swan.
"Great! You're up. I was just coming to wake you. We need to get going." Emma Swan did her best to hide a cocky grin, but from the look on the mayor's face, she wasn't succeeding. She held her hand out to assist the woman in standing up; a sort of unspoken apology.
Regina reluctantly took the blonde's hand and stood up. "I thought you'd left. I was just-"
"Making a break for it," Emma interrupted her. "Sorry to get your hopes up. I ate some breakfast, packed my stuff back into the car, and checked out. I suggest you do the same. There's no food at my house."
The brunette scoffed. "Your house? What makes you think I'm actually going to stay at your house, in Storybrooke, the exact place I'm trying to get away from?! And besides, I thought you were living with Mary Margaret. Excuse me, I mean Snow White."
"Well, for one," began the blonde in a very matter-of-fact tone, "you're going to stay with me because right now, your life is in my hands. So if you value your life, I'd say it's in your best interest to do as I say. Secondly, it won't exactly look great for me to still be living with my mother, if I want to get custody of-"
Emma stopped, mid-sentence. She realized she'd just stuck her foot in her mouth, noting the evident hurt in the other woman's eyes. She quickly tried to compensate for her previous statement. "Look, all I'm saying is that someone needs to take care of Henry until you can get your own life sorted out."
Regina simply stood up straight, holding her head high as if this conversation wasn't ripping her heart to shreds. "And how, exactly, do you expect me to stay at your" she paused, rolling her eyes, "home, without Henry noticing my presence?"
She rested a hand on her hip, waiting for a response. Of course, Emma immediately had one ready. "Well, Henry has actually been staying with my parents while I get the house fixed up. I'm also pretty busy with my Sherriff duties, since you seem to have left the townspeople in total chaos, which is also why we need to be getting back today. Someone has to keep order."
"And what do you propose I do when he is visiting you? Hm?" Regina was seriously doubting Emma's plan, although she could clearly see how much thought the blonde had put into this. Interesting that she would be so enthusiastic about me living with her, Regina thought to herself, before pushing the thought aside as she waited for a response to her question.
"I have a basement. We can set up a living area for you down there, during the few hours he visits, and you can come out whenever he isn't there. I can just tell Henry that the stairs are a little rotted and that I'm not really comfortable with him risking injury going down them. He actually listens to me." She smiled to herself when the last bit made Regina stare daggers at her.
"Excuse me? A basement? Who do you think I am?! Maleficent?" Regina's voice had raised, causing people in the lobby to stare.
"Can't say I'd be surprised," Emma retorted. "You both have bad attitudes and breathe fire."
"Well aren't you just a snarky little brat, Sherriff Swan," Regina snapped back in a mocking tone.
Emma laughed. "'Brat'? Really? What happened to 'bite me'? Your vocabulary seems to get a little less colorful when you're sober, Madame Mayor."
"Don't be mistaken, Miss Swan. I am still much higher than you on the social class ladder."
"Oh yeah. I can see that." Emma gestured to Regina's wrinkled clothes and messy hair. "Let's just get going. I'll go put your bags in my car. You go check out. Grab a banana or something for the road. We need to be going now."
They didn't say a word to each other the whole car ride. Emma thought about what she was going to do to keep Regina hidden, and more importantly, how she could help Regina change for the better.
Regina, on the other hand, thought about nothing but how impatient she was to get used to her magic again. She'd do her best to turn this awful situation into something advantageous, allowing her power to build up until she would finally be able to rid herself of the blonde for good. Regina's plans still weren't going to make her, hopefully short, stay at Emma's any easier.
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Emma's house was small; two bedrooms, one bathroom. The basement was dark and smelled musty, boxes of Emma's things were still piled in random corners of the room, and Emma had been right about there being nothing to eat. It definitely wasn't a comfortable mansion or a huge palace, like she'd always preferred.
Emma's room was very plain. It consisted of a half-empty closet, a queen-sized bed, an oak dresser, and one night stand. Regina was appalled by Emma's lack of style in the interior design department. It was even worse than her sense of fashion.
The smaller room across the hall wasn't much different. There was a twin-sized bed, a nightstand, an empty closet, and a bookshelf. Regina paused to examine the books, a sudden realization hitting her. They're Henry's books. She didn't know what to make of the sight, and whether or not she should feel angry. It had only been a day and he was already starting to move in with Emma.
The blonde approached and quietly stood in the doorway. "You're welcome to stay in here when Henry isn't home. We can get the basement properly set up for you tomorrow. I've also got an air mattress if you'd prefer it."
Regina met her gaze, trying to keep her composure as best she could. "I- um. I think I'll just sleep in the living room, on the air mattress, tonight. I can set it up later when I'm ready for bed."
She didn't feel right staying in Henry's room. She didn't feel like she truly belonged in Henry's room. He wouldn't want her there, so why should she be? She felt a pang in her heart.
Emma nodded. "Well, I have a few phone calls to make and some errands to run. I assume I can trust you to stay put? The dwarves started a "town watch" team, so I don't think you'd go unnoticed if you tried to run."
"Fine," Regina replied, in a monotone.
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Emma was out most of the day. Meanwhile, Regina did her best to keep herself preoccupied.
She began with Henry's books. She remembered when he was much younger and he would beg for her to read him stories, many of which were there on the bookshelf. He'd sit in her lap as she read the Harry Potter books or "The Boxcar Children". She'd only gotten to the 5th page of "The Boxcar Children", before she realized her tears were falling onto the pages.
Regina Mills hadn't felt this heartbroken since she lost Daniel over four decades ago. Stopping time in Storybrooke had never stopped the pain of losing him though. She didn't think she'd ever be able to let go of the past. Then again, she didn't really want to. Revenge was all that had fueled Regina all these years; it was her only companion.
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Night seemed to fall quickly. Emma came back at around 10 o'clock, a McDonald's dinner for Regina in hand. Emma couldn't cook to save her life, and everything in Storybrooke was closed at this hour, so it was the best she could do.
Aside from the fact that Regina hated fast food, she didn't really have much of an appetite tonight. She picked at her chicken sandwich for a while before finally wrapping it back up and setting it in the refrigerator.
Emma had taken a shower and gone to bed without a word. Regina did the same, after her.
And still, no dreams invaded Regina's sleep.
Note: To be continued...
But until then, reviews would be just wonderful. :)