When She Goes, She's Gone
The bustle of the city was overwhelming, and Emma was not prepared for it. She thanked the powers that be that Regina was with her. The woman was at home in places like this. The streets were full of vendors, horses, carriages, and kids playing, and Emma didn't like it. She liked wide, open fields, and rolling hills. The only thing that was similar was that the smell of horse poop was strong.
Vendors were yelling in her ears, but the one thing that made her feel not so lost in a huge city was Regina's hand in hers, guiding her along the streets. Regina had taken their horses to a livery stable, paying the stable boy handsomely. Then, she took them to a hotel, and booked two adjoining rooms. Emma was glad that Regina had so much money; usually when she traveled, she went to really cheap motels. Maybe letting Regina come along hadn't been such a bad idea.
Emma hadn't really prepared for this journey—she hadn't even asked Mary Margaret for Ruby's address. She and Regina had traveled light, so taking their belongings up the stairs to their hotel rooms was easy. Regina went to her hotel room, carefully taking each of her dresses out of her bag. They'd stopped by her house on the way out of town, but she hadn't told anyone where she was going. It was an impulsive decision, and Regina didn't often do that.
But to keep this bumbling idiot of a deputy safe, she supposed an impulsive decision was a small price to pay. Having finished her unpacking, Regina walked out to the hallway and softly knocked on Emma's door.
Emma opened the door, but Regina quickly averted her eyes when she saw that Emma wasn't fully dressed. Her shirt had been pulled off (Regina noticed that it was carelessly thrown on the floor) and the woman before her was just in a sleeveless shirt and underwear.
"Miss Swan, you're indecent," Regina said, trying to tamp down the nerves that suddenly sprung up in her stomach out of nowhere.
The woman just shrugged. "I figured it was you, though, so..."
Regina chose not to think about the implications of that sentence. Obviously Emma was totally comfortable letting Regina see her in her underwear. Regina heaved a breath, reminding herself that they had a killer to catch.
"I suggest you get dressed. We are not here to sightsee, Miss Swan."
"Yeah, I know," Emma said, her arms hanging limply at her sides. She still hadn't moved from the doorway to put on clothes, and Regina shouldn't have been uncomfortable. She'd seen lots of girls in various states of undress; in her line of work, it was inevitable. But seeing Emma like this made her wonder just what Emma would look like, totally naked.
That scared the hell out of her.
"Please put on a shirt. Seeing you like this is…distracting."
Emma quirked an eyebrow. "I'm distracting you?"
"Well, yes. Please, just put on a shirt and let me in, so we're not standing out in the hall."
Emma stepped aside, smirking as Regina swept past her. She picked up her shirt and pulled it on, then turned to see Regina sitting primly on a chair next to the desk. Her room was well furnished and the bed was huge.
Regina spoke. "So, since we have no idea where to find this girl, or August, for that matter, we should start asking around. That will take a while though. This city, as I'm sure you've noticed, is a lot bigger than Boston. Since you don't know where Ruby lives, we'll have to go around town and look for her. See if anyone knows her."
"I know, Regina, I was a bounty hunter, remember?"
"Well then, let's get on with it." Regina said, hoping Emma wouldn't hear her teeth grinding.
The two of them walked down the city streets. Summer was slowly coming to a close. It was late August, and they could feel that the air was slightly crisper. Regina and Emma walked down so many streets that Emma got lost, but Regina apparently had a better sense of direction. She walked with purpose to different shops, asking people if they knew Ruby. Emma's feet started to ache after a few hours, and she was sure that Regina's were as well. The woman wore high heeled shoes that didn't look comfortable at all. But Regina didn't complain.
They had been out for five hours before Regina decided to call it a day. Emma sighed in relief, then let Regina take her hand to lead her back through the streets. They were walking down a narrow alleyway, when a man suddenly appeared in one of the small doorways they were passing.
"Hey, sweetheart," the man drawled, addressing Regina. "How would you like to…get to know each other better?" He slinked closer to them, and Emma seethed.
"Get lost, buddy," Emma said, taking a protective stance in front of Regina, all the while trying to pass the guy.
"Don't tell me she's with you?" The man laughed, as if he couldn't believe it. To him, Emma probably looked like a scrawny boy.
"Yeah, that's right," Emma said, her jaw set. Then, before Regina had time to know what was happening, Emma pulled her back. Without warning, she pushed Regina up against one of the walls of the buildings, and caught her lips in a kiss. Regina's eyes widened, and she gave a small squeak of surprise. The kiss was hot, almost desperate. It was different. Regina's eyes soon closed, and she relaxed, instinctively bringing her hands up to tangle themselves in Emma's hair.
Before she could, Emma pulled away. She looked at the man who'd been bothering them, and smirked. The put his hands up, and slowly backed away. Emma watched him go, then turned to Regina, who, by this time, had managed to regain some composure. The feel of the kiss was still on her mouth, her whole being, in fact, but she fixed Emma with a cold glare.
"I'm sure there were other ways to deal with that pest, Miss Swan. You didn't have to…do that."
"I'm sorry…I didn't think."
"Well, next time, ask for permission, or at least let me know what you're doing before you randomly throw yourself at me."
Emma smirked, and looked into Regina's eyes as a twinkle played across hers. "Next time? So…you're saying you want me to kiss you again?"
Regina stepped back, appalled. At least, that's the expression she was trying for. "That is in no way what I just said. In fact, I'd be happy if that never happened again."
Emma nodded. "Fine. It won't."
Regina blinked, trying to put what happened behind her. When they reached a wider street with crowds of people, her hand found Emma's again, and they made their way back to the hotel. The next day, they did the same thing as before, this time covering a different part of town. Near the south of town, they both went into a millinery shop, where a man was arranging different bonnets on a stand. They asked him if he knew a Ruby Booth.
"Yeah, I do," the man said. "She works in the seamstress shop next door."
Regina and Emma exchanged a small smile. They'd finally found her.
"Thank you, Mr…?" Regina looked at the man.
"Jefferson."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Jefferson. Good day."
She and Emma practically ran to the shop next door. They both walked to the counter. A girl soon came to help them.
"Hi," Emma began. "Does a Ruby Booth work here?"
"Yes, but she's not working today."
Before Emma could groan loudly and slam her head against the counter, Regina spoke up. "Do you have her address? We need to speak with her; it's urgent, I'm afraid."
Emma would never admit it, but Regina was starting to be incredibly helpful. She was glad that she'd come along with her.
But again, she had no intention of letting Regina know that.
Regina wrote down the address, and soon, they were out on the street again. Regina pulled Emma harshly along, and she complained more than once that she felt like her arm was about to get ripped off. But Regina paid her no attention. If anything, she yanked harder.
Okay, forget about helpful. This woman was a pain in the ass.
It was getting dark when they reached the neighborhood where Ruby lived. Regina looked at the parchment again, and stopped in front of 213 Perry Street. She looked at Emma.
"Before we go in, Miss Swan, I think we should have some ground rules. Don't scare the girl. Be tactful; if we tell her that her husband is a murderer, bank robber, and who knows what else, she'll be horrified. And we need her to be rational."
"Okay, fine. I'll just say that we need her to come with us to Boston, and not to ask any questions."
Regina frowned. "Maybe you'd better let me do the talking, dear." She patted Emma's hand condescendingly and walked up the porch steps.
Adjusting her hat on her head, Emma swaggered up behind Regina, waiting for her to knock on the door. The brunette raised a glove hand and knocked on the door primly. Emma placed her hand on her gun, in case August was there.
A young woman, probably around the same age as Emma, opened the door. Her eyebrows raised in surprise. Emma noticed that she was little rotund around her midsection. The girl was pregnant. August would have a kid. Sudddenly, Emma realized that she would be stealing someone's father away. Guilt prickled at her.
Regina spoke, always in control. "Hello, Mrs. Booth," she greeted. "We were wondering if we could come into talk? I know you don't know us, but we have important things to tell you, and I'd rather not have this conversation outside."
Wow, Emma thought. Regina was amazing. While Emma would have just barreled into the house, Regina was polite, kind, and classy.
The woman before them just frowned. "How do you know my name? Who sent you here?"
Emma spoke up. "We're from Boston. I'm a deputy there, and Regina and I came to warn—oof." Emma felt Regina's elbow in her ribs. She winced, massaging the area.
"Please just let us come in. I will explain everything." Regina fixed Ruby with a pleading look, and it worked.
The house was well-furnished, with lots of paintings along the hallway. The kitchen looked especially homey, and Emma admired the tablecloth. It was orange with purple flowers embroidered in it. Ruby gestured to the table, and both Emma and Regina sat down. Ruby wordlessly prepared some tea for them.
Emma was tempted to ask Regina why the hell she'd nudged her in the ribs, but she didn't have time before Ruby joined them at the table, a tray of tea in her hands.
"I hope you like it, it's chamomile."
Regina smiled. "My favorite."
Emma hated chamomile tea. In fact, she didn't really like any kind of tea; she was more of a coffee girl. But she smiled anyway, and sipped at the liquid.
Ruby smiled. She was beautiful, Emma thought. Her smile was radiant, and her hair fell in perfect waves down her shoulders. She looked at Regina expectantly.
"We have reason to believe that you are in danger, Mrs. Booth. Your husband is not the man you think he is. We would have sent you a telegram warning you, instead of coming here, but we were afraid he might be here, and intercept the message."
Ruby blinked. "What do you mean, August isn't the man I think he is? He's a carpet salesman."
Regina hesitated for a moment. "He leads a double life, I'm afraid."
"He killed one of our deputies," Emma blurted.
Regina glared at the blonde, who cringed; she'd done exactly what Regina had told her not to do. Emma shrunk a little in her seat, knowing Regina would deal with her later.
Ruby's first reaction was denial. "No. He can't be. I know him, he's a good man, a selfless one. He'd never do something like that." She looked between Regina and Emma, then back. "You and your friend are crazy."
"She's my colleague," Regina corrected smoothly. "We're not friends."
"She's right…we'd never be friends, not in this lifetime anyway," Emma babbled.
Ruby frowned at the two of them, knowing she'd unwittingly hit a nerve. She cleared her throat loudly. "Wait, you're a woman?" She looked in surprise at Emma. "Why are you dressed like that?"
Emma was about to say some very choice words before she felt Regina's hand clawing hers. She groaned in pain, trying to pry Regina's fingernails off.
Regina just smiled at Ruby. "I really have no idea why she dresses the way she does, Mrs. Booth, but as I've been trying to tell you, there are more pressing matters to attend to than Miss Swan's hideous wardrobe."
God. Emma needed better friends…no, colleagues. Preferably ones that didn't insult her at every opportunity.
"I need you to leave; I've heard enough."
"Mary Margaret sent me," Emma protested as a last ditch effort. Regina relaxed her grip on Emma's hand. Ruby's head snapped up, looking at Emma in surprise.
"How do you know her?" Both Regina and Ruby asked in chorus, and Emma looked between them and frowned.
"I met her on my way to Chicago. She was going to New York to get married. Anyway, she's back in Boston now, as you probably know," she nodded to Ruby. Then her eyes swept Regina's face. "Why did you want to know how I met her? Do you know her?"
"It's not important right now, Miss Swan. Mrs. Booth, Mary Margaret is your friend, I take it?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, we're very close."
"Then you should trust us," Emma said. "She just wants you to be safe, and she knows you're not safe here."
"How do I know you're not lying to me?"
"Mary Margaret owns Nolan's pets with her husband, David. She has blue eyes and dark hair, so dark it's almost black. She's kind, and would never hurt anyone," Emma said, not noticing how Regina stiffened at her words.
Ruby believed her, and soon went to her room to pack. The house had two stories, and Emma could hear Ruby's footsteps above them. Emma stood up from the table and started pacing. Once they got Ruby to safety, they would wait for August here. Hopefully he'd come to see Ruby, and they could set up a trap for him. They'd have him in custody…whenever he bothered to show up.
Emma wondered with a sinking feeling if he never would come back to New York. They'd have to keep looking for him.
When it came down to it, though, Emma would never give up looking for the man. Kevin's face flashed into her mind; his heart- shattering scream as Bert fell on the ground. She clenched her fists and paced faster. Ruby needed to hurry up.
"Stop pacing." Regina's voice cut through the room.
"Stop being so bossy."
"You are not going to be of help to anyone if you're twitchier than an adolescent boy. Sit down."
Emma didn't sit, just stopped pacing for a moment. "How do you do it?"
"What?"
"Manage to sit there and be so calm, when there's a killer on the loose, who might be plotting to kill us all even as we speak."
Regina placed her hands on her lap. "Living in big cities like this is hard, Miss Swan. I've been in a lot of dire situations. I've learned that worrying about what will happen does no good. I try to focus on the now."
Emma blinked. She learned something new about this woman every day.
Ruby finally came down the stairs, two suitcases in tow. The three women walked out of the house, and waved down a carriage to take them to the train station. Emma bought one ticket and gave it to Ruby. She told her the pet store address, so she could find Mary Margaret once she got to Boston. It was about a 6 hour train ride from New York. In the meantime, she and Regina would stay in New York and look for August.
Ruby waved to both of them as the train pulled out of the station, its pistons screeching forward. Emma smiled and waved, and when the trail was out of sight, she turned to Regina, who had proven time and again on this trip that she was useful, smart, and resourceful. Emma considered taking her on more of her trips, in case she ever needed to track down more criminals.
But that thought was absurd. Regina wouldn't want to do this often. She wouldn't want to live on the road. Regina was many things, but she made it quite clear that Emma's lackey wasn't one of them. Emma took another look at the people around them, then started walking back to their hotel.
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Regina lied on her bed, clutching the soft pillow to her chest. She pushed one of the tassels out of her face, and contemplated what the next course of action would be.
They were in a city of about 515,000 people, and they didn't even know if August was in the city yet. Maybe he'd gone on to other towns, to rob more banks. Neither she nor Miss Swan had any idea. Regina turned her head to look out the window. There were street lamps that burned kerosene all through the night, and one of them was shining, splashing yellow light on the floor. Regina had thought it would be easier to come back; she'd thought New York City would be familiar, and comfortable. But she'd gotten too accustomed to the quieter town of Boston, and the anonymity that she had welcomed in the past just made her feel alone and isolated now.
Yesterday, Emma Swan had kissed her. Regina cursed her mind for pulling her back into the moment when she'd felt Emma's lips on hers. She'd been so quick, so assertive about it. It should have made Regina furious, the way Emma had taken such liberties with her.
No, it did make her furious.
It did.
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The next morning, Regina woke. She'd slept well, which was surprising. She pulled her head off of the pillow, craning her neck to look out the window. The clock on the wall showed that it was a little before 8 o'clock. Regina disentangled herself from her bedclothes and stood up, stretching her arms and hearing the bones in her feet make little popping noises. She made her way to her closet, and picked out a brown skirt and silk blue shirt. Her hair didn't take long to brush as it was rather short.
After her morning toilette was complete, she put on her shoes and knocked loudly on the door to Emma's room. They were adjoined, so Regina didn't have to step out into the hall.
Emma slung the door open, looking like the bad side of awful. Thankfully, she was dressed, though her suspenders were still hanging down. Regina smiled at her.
"Why are you up so early?" Emma asked groggily. "And why are you smiling?"
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Regina smirked.
"Yeah, sure. Just give me five more minutes."
"No. You'll spend those sleeping, and then when I knock on the door again in five minutes, I'll have to drag you out of bed, and that will take another ten minutes."
"That won't happen."
"It did yesterday. And the day before that."
Emma groaned. "Regina, please, you're not my mother. If August even is in the city yet, it'll take forever to look for him. I need to be well rested."
"Ten hours of sleep is plenty, Miss Swan."
"For you, maybe."
"Miss Swan, every second we spend here arguing is one that we are letting the criminal who killed your deputy get farther away from us." Regina knew she had Emma there.
"You are way too good at this," Emma grumbled as she pulled up her suspenders and rushed to put on her boots.
Regina just smiled and walked behind her companion, congratulating herself on the fact that she could make Miss Swan do pretty much anything she wanted. They left the hotel, and walked down the street that wasn't that crowded because it was still early. Emma suggested that they go back to Ruby's house, so they could set up some traps in case August showed up. On the way there, Emma dragged Regina to a farmer's market to buy some bags of hayseed. Regina had no idea what she wanted that for, and, as she was allergic to the stuff, she couldn't stop sneezing to ask.
They stopped by the livery stable, and Emma hooked up Mo and Regina's horse, Destiny, to a cart. She plopped the hayseed inside as Regina watched her, her eyes blotchy. She was grateful when she was able to put a little distance between her and the hayseed.
Emma climbed up on the front of the cart, and held out her hand to help Regina up. Regina took it, but quickly released it when she was settled on the seat. She saw Emma frown out of the corner of her eye, but neither of them said anything.
They got to Ruby's house and Emma unloaded the bags of hayseed, carrying them two at a time into the house. Her shoulder muscles flexed under the weight; Regina could see the tightness there even through the shirt Emma was wearing. Her curls fell about her back in waves, and Regina imagined running her hands through it, caressing her, bringing her hands up to Emma's neck and—
"Regina, you wanna help me out? I know you're allergic to the stuff, but could you just hold your nose or something?"
Regina glared at the blonde, then hurriedly pulled one of the bags of hayseed up the steps and through the red door. She managed to only sneeze three times.
"What are you going to do with these, anyway?" Regina asked, her nose running.
Emma wordlessly handed her a handkerchief, then looked around the house. "I'm setting up booby traps. I'll rig the bags so that if August comes in here, 2 bags will fall on him, and this cowbell—" Emma pulled a brown copper bell out of her satchel—"will start ringing."
Regina was impressed. She tried to keep her expression from betraying that, though. "One problem, Miss Swan. If the bell sounds, how will we get to him in time? We won't be able to hear it."
Emma smirked. "Already thought of that. The house next to this one has a room for rent. We'll stay there, that way we'll be able to hear if the bell goes off."
Regina nodded. "Well done, Miss Swan. You've managed to pull off something bigger than your boots."
Emma just glared at her, pulled out some rope from her bag and began working on the booby traps. Regina had nothing else to do but watch her.
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Ruby opened the window of the train, breathing in the clear Boston air. It was much less convoluted than what she was used to, and her lungs greedily sucked it in. She smiled, took the conductor's proffered hand, and descended down the steep steps. Her luggage was waiting for her, and she lifted both suitcases with ease—a feat for a pregnant woman. She started walking down the street, asking people where Barlow Street was.
She walked down the boardwalk, surprised as people smiled and nodded at her. She was wearing a red velvet jacket, a red bonnet with black feathers in it, and a black skirt that she'd made herself. She was sure she looked out of place, but no one seemed to mind. Her eyes flitted up to the street sign, and she turned, walking down Barlow Street.
Mary Margaret was cleaning a bird cage when Ruby pushed the door to the pet store open. The woman's back was to her, and Ruby cleared her throat loudly, barely able to keep herself from hugging the woman in excitement. Her friend turned, her face exploding into a smile.
"Ruby!" Mary Margaret cried, and encircled her in a hug.
David came out of the backroom, having heard his wife. He joined in the hug, patting Ruby enthusiastically.
"I'm so glad you're safe," Mary Margaret breathed. She slowly extricated herself from Ruby's arms. "But where is Emma? Didn't she bring you back?"
"Uh, if you're referring to the blond woman who dresses like a man, then no. She decided to stay in New York, to track August down. It's still a lot to take in. My husband is a wanted murderer…." Ruby's voice cracked, and she clutched at her chest.
Mary Margaret looked at her sympathetically. "I know. It's been a shock for all of us."
"But I'm married to him. How could I not have known?"
David spoke up. "Don't blame yourself. Don't worry, Emma will find him, and bring him to justice."
Ruby smirked. "Yeah, well, from the way she and her companion were fighting, I doubt they've made much progress."
"Oh, I didn't know Emma had someone with her. Who was it?"
Ruby wracked her memory. "Regina."
Mary Margaret's face turned an odd purple color. Ruby narrowed her eyes, wondering what was happening. "Is something wrong?"
"Uh, no. It might not even be that Regina. Never mind, Ruby." Mary Margaret plastered on a smile, and started to make arrangements for Ruby to stay with them. David picked up her suitcases and led her upstairs, insisting that a woman in her condition shouldn't be carrying luggage.
Ruby was now four months pregnant; her baby was due in January. It was a little overwhelming to think about how, now that August was a criminal, she'd have to raise the baby on her own. But, she reminded herself as Mary Margaret ushered her into the kitchen, she wasn't alone. Not anymore. Her child would be surrounded by love. She sat down in one of the wooden chairs at the small table in the kitchen, and smiled as Mary Margaret just cradled her face in her hands and looked at her with the caring, curious expression that she wore so well.
"So, Ruby, how are you doing?" Mary Margaret asked softly.
"You mean, considering my marriage is pretty much over, and my husband will most likely get hung?" Ruby said, trying to be sarcastic so the situation wouldn't hurt so much. It didn't work, and tears sprung into her eyes of their own accord. "I'm fine," she lied.
"It's okay to cry, Ruby."
"But I shouldn't still love him, or care for him at all. He's robbed, and killed who knows how many people. He kept his whole life a secret from me, from all of us, and in spite of all that, I still want to save him. To see if he ever loved me at all."
Mary Margaret placed her hand on Ruby's. "You did not waste your life, if that's what you think. Even if August was not the man you thought he was, you did have a good life."
"But it was all a lie!" Ruby protested, her tears falling.
Mary Margaret pointed to Ruby's belly. "That lie gave you a child. A beautiful, wonderful being whom you will love with your whole heart."
Ruby smiled through her tears, and leaned forward to hug her friend.
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"Miss Swan, it's bad enough that we have to sleep in the same room. I am not sharing a bed with you." Regina scoffed.
Emma rolled her eyes. Regina had been acting more cantankerous than usual, and that was saying something. She had no idea what brought that on; she'd thought they were getting along better. They hadn't killed each other yet, at least.
Emma didn't know how much longer that would last. Not if Regina kept this up.
"Look, Regina. We are here for one reason: to catch August. I need to be well rested, and not have a back cramp in the morning. I am sleeping in this bed. You can sleep outside in the gutter for all I care."
"You smell like the gutter as it is. Why don't you—"
"What I don't understand is," Emma grumbled, pushing Regina's five dresses to the corner of the small wardrobe in the room—"why you had to pack so many dresses."
"I like variety."
"Well, I thought you'd travel light. I only packed two shirts and one pair of pants, and I'm fine."
"I'm not. That's the reason you smell the way you do. There is no way I am sleeping next to you unless you bathe."
Emma was so tempted to take the sleeve of Regina's velvet dress and choke her with it. A knock at the door drew her attention away from the infuriating brunette in the middle of the room.
Mrs. Logan, the woman who they were renting from, was standing in the doorway. She was an older woman, probably in her fifties, and she looked at Emma with a hint of concern. "Is everything all right, sir?"
Emma nodded. "Yes, ma'am, me and the missus are just having a lover's quarrel."
Mrs. Logan just looked at Regina strangely, then at Emma. "All right then. Have a good night."
"Thank you, ma'am. You as well," Emma called.
She shut the door and turned to see Regina seething. "We're married now?"
Emma rolled her eyes. "You think she'd let us sleep in the same room if she'd thought I was a young man?"
Regina nodded stiffly, shutting up for once in her life. Score 1 for Swan.
"Go take a bath, Miss Swan."
"Fine. But if August comes while I'm bathing, and I'm not able to catch him because I'm buck naked, I'm blaming you."
Regina ignored her.
The water from the well was cold, and it staved off her tiredness for a while. She really wanted to get to sleep; all the anxiety of looking for August had taken its toll on her body. She was aching everywhere, especially her neck and back. She rubbed the rough sponge over her body, down her ribs, and her hands came to rest on her inner thighs. She had small red marks there from riding so much. Her head lolled back, and she closed her eyes, trying to relax. So many things in her life were changing, and she wasn't sure when that change had started to take place.
Then she realized; it happened the second she'd saved Regina from the fire. That had led to Gold becoming her enemy, which led to her looking for Eddie in Chicago. She'd met Mary Margaret on her way there, and now, she was tracking down Mary Margaret's best friend's husband, who had murdered Bert Jackson.
So confusing, Emma mused. Everything in her life had become so confusing since Regina had decided to get caught in that damn fire. Emma was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Regina watching her from the window above.
When she got into the room, feeling much better, she found Regina sitting on the bed, reading a book, but she frowned when she saw that the cover was upside down.
"What were you doing before I came in here?" Emma demanded, her voice full of suspicion. She immediately flew to the drawers, opening them to see if Regina had messed with anything of hers.
"Reading, Miss Swan. My, but you are paranoid," Regina said haughtily.
"What are you reading?" Emma smirked and turned around, satisfied that her belongings were safe.
It was then that Regina's eyes focused on the page, and she hurriedly turned the book right side up. "Anne of Green Gables."
"Ooh, I love that book."
Regina looked at her, shocked. "Really?"
"Yeah, I read it one summer. I love Anne's imagination. And forget about Gilbert; she's obviously in love with Diana."
"Yes, but those kinds of relationships aren't…proper. Or accepted."
"Doesn't make it any less true," Emma shrugged.
She didn't notice Regina's eyes on her form as she yanked her shirt off and quickly dried her hair with the towel sitting by the wash bin. She yawned, pulled on an undershirt to sleep in, then climbed into the bed beside Regina. She closed her eyes, letting sleep overtake her slowly. The two women were facing opposite directions, but the balls of their feet touched ever so gently. Emma didn't move them; she was too tired. She fell asleep quickly, feeling less anxious than she had on the whole trip.
Emma woke to something moving beneath her. She cracked one eye open, then moved quickly when she saw that her arms were encircling Regina's body. The rough movement shook Regina fully awake, and Emma was out of the bed before Regina turned her body to face her.
"It's Sunday," Regina spoke, rubbing her eyes. "It's the day of rest, Miss Swan."
"Not for us. We need to catch August. I'm going out to look for him, and I want you to stay here unless you hear the bell I rigged at Ruby's house."
Regina normally would have argued. But she didn't, and Emma almost thought to check and see if the other woman was running a fever. Regina didn't look sickly, or pale. Emma turned to hide her smile. Score 2 for Swan.
Emma Swan was out on the streets a half an hour later, kicking at random sprigs of grass that were sticking up through the boardwalks. Her eyes fell on a man across the street who was wearing a flamboyant red top hat with a black bow.
She watched the man walk on the boardwalk; he was walking rather fast. She squinted. It looked a lot like the man that she and Regina had talked to in the millinery shop. What was his name? Jeffreys? No….Jefferson. Emma blinked, and focused. She shouldn't have found his presence so off-putting, but something about him was suspicious. She hadn't caught it before because she'd been so set on finding Ruby. Jefferson was definitely going somewhere in a hurry. Emma started to follow him. She stayed on the opposite side of the street, though; she wanted to be discreet. She bumped into quite a few people, some of them shoving past her violently. She hated this city.
She turned down quite a few streets, going further and further into the heart of the city, Carriages flew past her, but she paid them no mind. She ran to keep the man with the top hat in sight, and finally, he stopped in front of a saloon, and went in. Gasping for air, Emma steadied herself, pulled her hat down, tucked her hair into a ponytail, and walked in with a little more swagger than usual. She hoped Jefferson wouldn't recognize her.
She saw him sit down next to a blonde man, and she bit her lip, wanting to hear what they were saying. She took a deep breath and walked to the bar, eyeing Jefferson in what she hoped was an inconspicuous manner. She strained her ears, only able to pick up a few words.
"I saw….they're setting a trap…"
Emma sucked in a breath, inadvertently catching Jefferson's attention. Their eyes met, and recognition flashed in the man's face.
Shit, Emma thought.
In a matter of seconds, Emma had drawn her gun, and Jefferson was mirroring her, pointing his gun straight at her head. Emma glared at the man, who whispered something to his companion. He soon ran away, probably to warn August of Emma's presence. There was no way to get out of this, unless she shot the man in front of her. Nodding her head slightly, she cocked her gun, all the while glaring at Jefferson.
"You sure you want to do that, sweetheart?" Jefferson asked raspily. He took a few steps forward, and Emma froze momentarily.
"Where is August? Did you send that guy to go get him? I'd love to meet him," Emma smirked, trying to show the man she wasn't scared. Fake it until you make it, as her foster dad used to say.
"No, August is going to where your girlfriend is staying. Can't wait to get a go at her, I heard she's really pretty." Jefferson answered, a snarl on his face.
"No…." Emma gasped. In one swift movement, she flew towards Jefferson, hitting him with the barrel of her pistol. He staggered back, giving her enough time to run out of the saloon. She cursed, remembering she'd left Mo at the livery stable. She waved to a man riding, screaming for him to get down off of his horse. When he just glared at her, she jumped forward, pulled him forcefully off of the saddle and swung on before he could do anything.
"I promise I'll bring it back," she called, galloping away. She ignored the man's cursing and kicked the horse harder in the ribs. A few shots were fired, but she dodged them easily.
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It was official. Emma Swan had turned Regina into a sick, perverse peeping Tom. Blaming Emma on her new…feelings was easier than analyzing why she'd watched Emma bathe last night. She shouldn't have, and she really couldn't understand why she had. But the window had been open, and Regina had a full view of Emma's naked body. She'd been brushing her hair by the wash bin, and her eye had fallen on Emma. And she didn't look away.
She had watched as Emma touched her breasts, scrubbing in between them with the sponge. Her nipples were hard, pointy, because of the cold water, Regina assumed. The water splashed everywhere, down Emma's neck and face, and Regina involuntarily touched her own neck, breathing hard. She closed her eyes for a long moment, unable to stop herself from wondering what it would be like to have Emma's naked, wet body next to hers. When she'd opened her eyes, Emma was not in the tub. In a panic, Regina had grabbed one of the books on the shelf. Apparently the last lodger had been an avid reader, and hadn't had the money to send for their books yet.
She didn't realize she'd been reading it upside down until Emma Swan had come in the room, embarrassing her further. Regina's cheeks blushed at the memory.
She was in so much trouble.
She was in the rooming house, and had nothing else to do but lay on the bed and read. She was on the thirteenth chapter of Anne of Green Gables when she heard Mrs. Logan call for her. She rolled her eyes, wishing that the woman would just leave her alone. She'd already been up to her room three times that morning, asking where her 'husband' was.
Putting the book down, Regina straightened her skirts and pushed herself off of the bed. She opened her door, calling down the stairs.
"What is it, Mrs. Logan?"
There was no answer. Regina frowned, placing her hand on the stair banister. She slowly walked down, the stairs creaking under her. When she reached the bottom step, she turned to walk down the narrow hallway, and gasped.
August Booth, wanted thief and murderer, was standing at the end of hallway, holding a gun to Mrs. Logan's head. His arm was wrapped around her waste, and he stepped back, pulling the woman with him.
"Let her go, August. I believe it's me you want," Regina spoke, barely managing to keep her voice level. Goosebumps were running up and down her arms.
"No, actually, it's the deputy I want. Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"Oh come on. You have her so whipped, I doubt she takes a shit without asking you if it's okay."
Despite being held hostage by a madman, Mrs. Logan turned to him, even as she felt the barrel on the side of her head. "Language, young man," she corrected softly.
Regina turned her head to hide a smirk. Bet August just loved being mothered by a hostage.
"Shut up. Now, Regina, where is Emma?"
"I told you, I don't know. How do you know our names?"
August smirked. "You think you're so clever, don't you? I've been at this for fifteen years. I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Who did you send to spy on us?" Regina asked, holding her hands up. She mentally ran through all the people they'd met in the past week; they'd been careful to not let their names slip. When they were at Ruby's house, Emma had said her name, but Ruby couldn't have told anyone. Someone must have been following them.
August suddenly let Mrs. Logan out of his arms, but didn't let her get far. He pushed her against the wall and turned to point his gun at Regina.
"It doesn't matter. You're going to die, because you're too smart and know way too much already."
It all happened in slow motion. Mrs. Logan screamed as August cocked his gun, and he hit the woman across the face. Regina kept her hands up, meeting August's eyes. She was not a coward; she would look her death in the face. She heard a door open behind her, but didn't really register it. She kept her eyes on the barrel of August's gun.
The shot ran out just as she was shoved to the ground by a hard substance. She gasped, then saw a shock of curly blond hair above her. It tickled her face as the head it was attached to fell into her neck.
Emma Swan groaned in pain. Regina couldn't stop herself. She screamed in horror as she saw blood seeping from the left side of Emma's stomach. She knelt down, cradling the blonde's head in her lap. Regina looked up; August was gone. She yelled at Mrs. Logan to go get a doctor, and the woman nodded and ran out the door.
She'd catch August later. Right now, she had another idiot to take care of; one who had literally just taken a bullet for her.
Emma clutched Regina's hand. "That's my three to your one," Emma whispered, her breathing labored.
"Shut up, Miss Swan. You need your strength to keep breathing."
"I've saved your life three times now…and you've only saved me once…" Emma spoke almost tauntingly, totally ignoring her.
Regina would not let this happen. She tried to keep her tears at bay, but one slipped out, then another. "Why—why do you have to be such a noble, stupid hero?"
"It's the only thing I'm good at," Emma coughed. Then she closed her eyes and fell out of consciousness.
"No no no, Miss Swan, wake up. Stay awake, damn it!" Regina slapped the woman's cheeks, but Emma didn't open her eyes.
The doctor arrived at the house fifteen grueling, nail biting minutes later. Emma's face had turned a frightening purple color, and her hands hung limply at her sides. Regina hadn't moved; Emma's head was still in her lap, and Regina had begun stroking her hair, worried that Miss Swan would die at any moment.
The doctor walked into the house, and Regina was surprised to see that it was a woman. She knelt down, checking for Emma's pulse.
"She still has a pulse, but it's extremely weak. I need to take her to the hospital."
Regina was suspicious of newfangled medicines, but in this case, she didn't have any other choice. The only way for Emma to survive was if the bullet was taken out, and the wound stitched back up. She nodded imperceptibly and helped the doctor carry Emma out of the house. Regina climbed up onto the doctor's buggy, then gently took Emma from the doctor's arms.
She held Emma the whole way to the hospital, calling her an idiot over and over again.
When they got to St. Katherine's Hospital, Dr. Amanda Morris called to some nurses outside, who hurriedly ran to the buggy with a stretcher. Regina watched as Emma was hoisted into the hospital. She wanted to go with her, but Joan, one of the nurses, told her it would be best to just wait.
Waiting had never been more of a chore. Regina was usually a patient woman; she'd been taught that patience was a virtue, and her strict upbringing was hard to forget. But now she was so afraid that Emma would die, and then she'd be truly alone. She could never find and apprehend August without Emma's help.
But for her sake, she had to try. Steeling her resolve, Regina wiped away the tears she'd cried, then told Joan she'd be back later that night to check and see how Emma was.
She had a killer to catch. And when she caught him, she'd crush his manhood like a loaf of bread under a meat grinder.
The first thing she didn't understand was why August didn't just kill her too. He'd shot at Emma and then disappeared. He didn't even bother to try to shoot Mrs. Logan, or anyone who might have heard the shot fire. Regina guessed that he didn't want to attract too much attention. Too many gunshots on a quiet street would do just that. So he'd left, like the coward he was.
Her next task would be trying to figure out where he'd gone.
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Jefferson frowned at his hand. He was terrible at poker, and he grumbled as his two playmates grinned and threw more chips in the ring. He lit a cigar, and took a long drag. He was about to fold when the door to the dingy room flew open, and August was standing there, looking more rugged than usual. Jefferson took his attention away from the game, and the other two—Amos and Bud—kept playing without him. August's eyes flitted to the red bruise on Jefferson's jaw (courtesy of Emma Swan) but he didn't say anything. His expression was grim.
"What's wrong, boss?" Jefferson asked.
"I shot her," August breathed, hitting the table hard with both hands. His head hung limply from his shoulders.
"Who?'
"Emma. I aimed for Regina, but Emma leapt in front of the bullet."
"Did she die?"
"I don't know. All I know is, now we have to leave town. Regina is ten times cleverer than the blonde. She'll find us in a matter of days. She probably already knows that you're the one who spied on them," August answered.
Jefferson shuddered. "Okay, then, let's get the money from our last bank heist and clear out of town."
August shook his head. "That's just it. I have another heist planned…we can't leave until then."
"What? August, we don't need to—"
"It's already been set up."
Amos spoke up. "You can give the job to us, if you have somewhere to be."
"Nice try, asshole. You'd probably mess it up and get caught, then rat me out," August retorted.
Jefferson grinned. He was the only one August trusted. He should be, since they'd been robbing banks together for about ten years now. August had been all over the states, changing his name so he never got caught. The man was a genius; he always thought out every possible detail, organizing his plan so thoroughly that it made Jefferson's brain hurt. But Jefferson was sure that if they didn't leave town soon, Regina would find a way to sneak up on them.
He knew the second she had walked into his shop that she was one of a kind. She was smart, pretty and classy, and dangerous if provoked. Jefferson had followed them to Ruby's house, watching her and the deputy talk to Ruby. He admired how Regina had been so calm, yet assertive.
She would make an impressive trophy. If she did come after them, he would be ready.