A/N: Well. No excuse for the late update but I do apologise. It's a shorter chapter but I should be back on word count track soon enough. Please review or comment if you feel like it!
"You're looking a bit peaked there, Regina."
Regina looked up as one of her colleagues, Layton, passed by her cubicle, his arms full of folders looking ready to escape his clutches. He was a desk agent through and through with his gentle paunch and fondness for unhealthy food but despite that, he was a favourite among the rest of the agents, having made it his mission to at least introduce him to every person he didn't know. While she had, admittedly, been a bit cold towards him in the beginning, she soon come to expect and return his warm greetings whenever they bumped into each other. He was the only one she was willing to relax around.
"Gregory," she said in greeting, her lips curving up into a genuine smile. "I've just not been sleeping well."
"Rough night?" he asked, leaning carefully against her cubicle wall.
"You could say that," she murmured, pressing the palm of her hand against her aching eyes. "Hopefully it will pass before I return to the field."
"Hopefully," he echoed, smiling. "But until then, you should enjoy what free time you've got, considering the new operation they've got going. I'm sure they'll be asking after you once you return."
She made a displeased sound. "I don't understand why they'd waste their time on it."
"Yeah, too much investment for little in results."
"Well, if they have reasons for it, they're not sharing with those on my level," she said, sighing. "It's all classified this and classified that which is driving me insane."
"Only because you're level two clearance and you hate not knowing stuff," Layton said, grinning when she shot him a glare. "Lighten up, Regina. It's not our money and energy they're wasting."
"So says you," she snarked back, smiling to soften the blow. "You're not on the field. How many files will you be stamping 'approval' on today?"
"Keep it up, Mills, and I'll stamp 'denied' on your annual leave request," he shot back, straightening. "Anyway, unlike somebody, I have work to do. See you around."
She narrowed her eyes playfully at him in warning and waved him off, her smile fading as soon as he was out of sight. The floor was quiet, most agents having been pulled off for various assignments, which left those that were either on clerical duties or people like her who had to wait for medical clearance. It was only the third day and it was driving her insane. She could never stand idleness and the paperwork only distracted her for a few hours.
She sighed, eyeing the remaining stack of files with distaste before hunkering down and getting to work.
Emma cursed silently as she scrambled for her ringing phone. She had been taking a nap after unpacking her things and the shrill sound had snapped her out of her doze. Diving across her bed, she snatched it off the table and pressed the answer button.
"Hello," she said breathlessly.
There was a pause on the other end before she heard an amused snort. "Did I interrupt anything?"
Emma rolled her eyes and fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "August. What do you want?"
"Is that any way to greet your best friend?"
"Hi, hello, how are you. How's the weather?" she deadpanned.
August chuckled. "Little shit. I was calling up to check on you because I felt bad, leaving you alone. I feel so underappreciated now."
"Oh, August, beloved friend. Thank you for checking up on me," she said, sarcastically. "Better?"
"Much."
"So. I'm doing alright. It's been very quiet here, as expected." She picked at a loose thread on her bedsheet, unravelling it from the weave. "You?"
She could practically hear the eyeroll over the phone. "Explain to me why I decided on Florida for my safe house?"
"'I want a place that's warm beaches, cool winds and beautiful people'," she quoted.
"I got the beach and wind but where are all the beautiful people," he whined pathetically. "It's all retirement villages and old people."
"Should've picked Miami," she pointed out, chuckling. "Don't believe a word they say on the fliers."
"Lies, all lies," he lamented. "I expected buxom blondes and brunettes but all I got were saggy-"
"If you finish that sentence, I will hang up on you. Right. Now." She rolled her eyes at the snicker on the other end. Brat. "But seriously, how are you doing? Have you heard from the others?"
"Yeah, I'm doing okay. Gives me time to work on my writing, if nothing else. Haven't heard from Ruby and all that but I assume they've settled in already. Otherwise, we'd have an alert."
"Yeah," she said, drawing out the word. "Well, as interesting as conversation with you is, Gold will kick our asses if he finds out we've been communicating. I'll talk to you when I can?"
"I'll be in contact," he said, agreeing. "Keep safe, Emma."
"You too, August."
The line went dead and she threw the phone down beside her on the bed, rolling over to curl around it. Three days at her cabin and August's call was the only highlight of her day. It was why she both loved and hated her safe house. She rarely had use for it except for emergencies and that was rare. The few times she came here voluntarily was when she needed a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and just be. She closed her eyes, lulling herself to sleep with thoughts of peace and quiet.
"To come here, you need to sleep and yet when you're here, you're sleeping. What is the point of your presence?"
Emma cracked an eye open and stared up at the woman, looking down imperiously at her. She was dressed in a black coat and slacks with towering heels. Wow. Impractical but hot.
"C'mon, give me a break," she said, sitting up and brushing the dead leaves from her hair and clothes. "Every time I go to sleep, I come here. It doesn't exactly make for a restful sleep when all's said and done."
"And you think I get any sleep? Because of you, I was late for work yesterday, which never happens, and I'm getting exhausted more often when I shouldn't be."
"I'm sorry for your lack of sleep but it's not like I can help it. Hell, I don't even know what this is."
"A nightmare," Regina muttered, looking around. She frowned. "I've never seen this place before."
"Well, yeah, you wouldn't have," Emma said, getting up and brushing more leaves from her person. She was still dressed in the same clothes she fell asleep in so she was slightly chilled. Jeans and a thin sweater did nothing for the cold, even in her dreams. "This is my place."
"Why am I not surprised you live in the wilds?" Regina asked dryly.
"Wow, the hits keep coming, don't they?" Emma remarked, crossing her arms. "How about we don't play the insult Emma game?"
"I rather like it."
"You would." Emma huffed, kicking petulantly at the leaves and scuffing the dirt.
"That's quite the five year old impression, dear."
"I know I am but what are you," Emma shot back, automatically then groaned. She tried to ignore the other woman's smirk. "Shut up, it was supposed to be a good comeback."
"You failed spectacularly," Regina commented.
"Jeez, your friends must hate you sometimes," Emma said, pout firmly on her face. The flinch was nearly imperceptible but she saw it and instantly felt bad. She started to apologise. "Hey, I'm sorry, that was mean -"
Regina cut her off. "No need, Miss Swan. Besides, I've heard worse insults than that so you don't need to worry about hurting my feelings."
"Still...I am sorry."
"And I said there's no need. Do you not listen?"
"I do but I hurt your feelings and now I'm apologising for it."
Regina sighed. "Apology accepted. Happy now?"
Emma frowned, not happy at all. "Not really but if you're sure."
"You must be the only person who's not happy when someone's accepted an apology for an insult designed for a playground."
"Wow, Miss Eloquence, do you practice being snarky in your free time?" Emma asked sarcastically although she did relax at the woman's imperious attitude. A haughty Regina was easier to deal with than a hurt one. Emma smirked when the other woman pointedly ignored her, even deliberately shifting so her body was facing the treeline. Cute. "Well, anyway, since we're here...how've you been? Besides, y'know, the whole late for work thing."
"Why do you want to know? Is this your way of trying to find out who I am?" Regina asked the questions in quick succession, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Emma raised her hand in surrender and rolled her eyes, good-naturedly.
"Whoa there, that escalated quickly. I was just asking, nothing suss." An amused chuckle escaped her. "I thought we already talked about this? Remember the bet?"
"Yes but that doesn't mean I'm about to answer any prying questions about my life."
"In what way is 'how've you been?' prying? Come on, Reggie, it was just me being friendly."
"Call me Reggie one more time and I'll introduce you to the friendly art of eating bark," came the terse reply. There was a beat before Regina grumbled out a reluctant answer. "But to answer your 'friendly' question, I've been tired and I've been cranky. I still am. Again, no thanks to you."
"We really need to talk about your compulsive need to verbally punch me."
"It's the truth."
"I can't help it anymore than you can," Emma said, exasperated, flinging her hands up. "If you can find a way to stop this, I'd be the first in line, believe me."
"You think I haven't tried? Imagine how difficult it is to find help when you're likely consorting with a criminal."
"I'm not a criminal," Emma shot back, her anger rising. "I liberate information from organisations attempting to experiment on harmless individuals with gifts."
"You steal from legitimate and government supported organisations that are attempting to keep those gifted, violent individuals contained so the public remains safe."
"Yeah, I'm sure ripping a young girl from her family is keeping the public safe," Emma snarled back, getting into Regina's personal space until they were merely inches apart. "Do you know what she said to me when I rescued her?"
"I'm sure you're about to tell me," Regina snapped but there was an uncertain and uncomfortable glint in her eyes. A tight ball of discomfort formed in the pit of her stomach.
Emma stepped back, giving them both much needed space, and took a deep breath to control her rising temper. She opened her mouth, the words clamouring to escape, harsh, severe and twisting, but always, at the last second, her jaw clicked shut. Finally, when she spoke, it was with a quiet rage that made her throat tight and her eyes burn. "Nothing. She said nothing."
"I don't...I don't understand," Regina said, quietly, cautiously.
Emma pressed the heel of her hand hard against her eyes, wiping away the stray tears. She swallowed, hard, as the memory of that night reared it's head. "She had the ability to charm with her voice. They forced her to use it again and again and again until she just stopped. I read her file, Regina. I read her file. Do you know what it said?"
Regina remained silent, and watched as the other woman began pacing back and forth in agitation. The ball in her stomach expanded just a bit more as she contemplated what a young girl would have experienced in captivity.
"They forced her to use it on other people," Emma said abruptly, stopping before her. Her bright green eyes had darkened, the fury in them making Regina flinch. "On other gifted. They promised her she could go home if she could make those gifted hurt themselves. And she did it. Over and over because they kept promising her she would go home. And she broke, Regina, she broke. She broke and she won't ever speak because I couldn't even finish reading what they put her through and she lived through it."
She was crying now, the tears falling freely and she was horrified. But they kept coming and her chest hitched from the sobs she trying hard to repress. "Tell me again how goddamn legitimate the Enforcers are when they put a child through that hell. Tell me how legitimate it is to traumatize her beyond the point of speaking!"
"Stop," Regina whispered, her hand reaching out, pleadingly. She didn't want to hear anymore. "Emma, stop."
One moment, they were standing, the next Emma was atop Regina, her hands wrapped around the other woman's throat but not squeezing, not yet.
"Why should I stop when clearly you never did," Emma snarled down into Regina's stunned face. "You people, you have powers like us, and yet you keep taking us. Breaking us. Until we're mindless tools or just existing. You keep breaking us!"
Regina's lungs seized, her eyes widening in fear as she began to thrash. Intellectually, she knew it was Emma above her but her survival instincts kicked in and she wanted her off. And away. "Let me go! Get off me!"
Emma, startled out of her rage, fell back and off Regina. The shock was enough to-
-jolt her awake.
Her entire body jerked with wakefulness as her eyes snapped open. She sat up, panting from the adrenaline. Her entire body was covered in a sudden sweat and she shivered from the cold. She pressed a hand to her chest.
"Shit, what did I do?"