As promised, the latest chapter, fresh off from my documents!
Enjoy the escalation, but don't worry, it ends on a good note!
The next day begins like every other day. Breakfast, flying, coffee, office, schedule, work. Endless boredom. Yep, working for MillsCo isn't all that it's cracked up to be. It isn't all exciting news reports and brilliant exposes. Some days it's just all very, very boring.
Emma keeps glancing towards Regina covertly, and her boss is deep in her work. Of course, she can see it's all an act to appear unfazed. In the hours she's been in the office, Regina has gone to her en-suite bathroom six times already, and Emma's pretty sure it's not a bladder problem. The tell that gives it away every time is that, before Regina gets up to go to the bathroom, she shucks her glasses off and rubs the bridge of her nose. It's clearly a nervous tick of hers, and Emma wishes she could help alleviate the tension. She knows Regina is at an impasse: react and be seen as weak, or pretend nothing happened, and leave the door metaphorically open for another attack.
But the day has been calm so far. Sure, she could naively hope that it was just a one-time thing, but Emma doesn't think it's that simple. If it was meant to be a simple prank, they wouldn't have dragged Supergirl into this. No, this is something more, and Emma has a sinking feeling that this is only the beginning. She has to stop thinking about it, but the day is so tediously slow, her mind can't help but wander.
"Miss Swan!" Regina calls, and Emma doesn't waste a second before promptly getting off of her chair and walks into Regina's office, standing by the couches.
"Yes Ms. Mills?" Emma prompts, careful to not seem eager for the distraction.
"Call Donovan, I need to have a meeting with him regarding that new-"
SPLAT!
Both women jump a mile when they hear something relatively liquid slam against the wall of windows. They whip their heads around just in time for another splat to hit the glass, and then another one.
It's yet another message.
THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING. HEED IT OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES
Below it is the S shield again.
The entire message is done in a peculiar way. There's a bright green substance covering the entirety of the three floor-to-ceiling windows in Regina's office, and the letters are the only clean part. It's puzzling to say the least.
"What is that?" Regina breathlessly asks, referring to the green goo that's coating her windows.
Emma approaches the window, and as she stumbles a bit, she whispers, "Kryptonite."
"What was that?" Regina clearly didn't hear her, and Emma is thankful. She doesn't want to explain how exactly she knows this, without explaining that she's increasingly growing weaker as she nears it.
So Emma just thinks of something else. "I said that I will call the authorities."
"You will do no such thing!" Regina hisses. Then she glances outside her door, to see that the splatter and their conversation has garnered some attention, and prying eyes are watching over their cubicle walls. Regina huffs and finds a switch that fogs up her windows, and instructs Emma to close the doors.
She does so and Emma thinks that in another context she would be very excited at being in Regina's office with the doors closed and the glass fogged up. It wouldn't be the first time that she has fantasized on a scenario that started just like this. But it certainly wouldn't end like she usually imagined because this is a serious situation and she needs to get her head out of the gutter.
Whipping around to face her boss again, Emma tries to explain her point. "Ms. Mills, forgive me for saying this, but someone is clearly threatening you."
"I can see that." Regina then seems to realize she's taking her anger out on the wrong person, and rectifies it after taking a deep breath. "While I appreciate the concern Miss Swan, I prefer to handle this myself. I would appreciate your discretion, and not spread the details of this incident around the office."
"Of course. I will be outside if you need me. " Emma knows that Regina isn't paying attention anymore. She is staring intently at the window, and the message. So she pulls away and is immediately accosted by Marian and Walsh.
"What happened?" Marian's the first to ask, glancing at the frosted windows as if she could see through it.
"Another attack," Emma mutters as she sits down on her chair and pulls out her phone. "I have to text Ruby to investigate this with the DEO."
Walsh frowns. "And why did Mills ask you to call the DEO?"
"She didn't. But this is Kryptonite, and even if Regina doesn't realize it, whoever is behind these attacks is very dangerous. And if she doesn't want to admit it because she thinks it'll make her look weak, I'll just do it for her," Emma explains as she types out a quick succinct message for Ruby.
Marian sits on the edge of her desk and mulls over her words. "And what, pray tell, will you tell Regina when she asks why a team of covert DEO agents have burst in to her office?"
"I-" Emma hadn't thought of that. She looks down at her phone when Ruby texts her back.
'Kryptonite!? WTF? I'll be there ASAP. You have a lot to explain.' Emma cringed. Oh she was screwed. Even without the intonation, she knew that Ruby was glaring daggers at her.
Not even five minutes later, a troop of no less than ten DEO agents burst in to the office. Her sister is among them, geared up from head to toe, heading her way. She looks like a woman on a mission. Beside her, Director Fa isn't looking much happier. They both look like they're ready to get down to business. Every head is turned their way, and Emma groans. So much for covert.
"Miss Swan, could you please let your boss know we would like to have a word with her?" Although Mulan Fa didn't seem to cut an imposing figure at first, she is a force to be reckoned with, and Emma didn't hesitate for a second before picking up the phone.
Marian and Walsh make themselves scarce, because the troop of agents really didn't make anyone want to be around them.
"Yes Miss Swan?" Regina still had her windows fogged up, and Emma bites her lip.
"There are some people here to see you." Emma keeps it in general terms. The DEO had visited Regina before, as disguised FBI agents, but she figures that won't fly here. She would just let Director Fa do the talking.
Regina sighs audibly on the phone. "Who are they and do they have an appointment? I am not in the mood to entertain visitors."
Emma fumbles and Director Fa rolls her eyes before holding her hand out for the phone. Emma relinquishes it without any thought. She doesn't want to be in the middle of this.
"Ms. Mills, we have met before a few months back, after an attack in your office?" Even if Emma doesn't want to be directly related to this incrementing fiasco, she is curious enough to want to know what is happening.
"Yes I recall you. FBI agents with a penchant for too many questions. What are you doing here?" Regina's voice is cool and unassuming. Good for fooling the unwise into thinking the tone is professional.
"I would prefer to not disclose this over the phone. Could I have a few minutes of your time?" Mulan glances at the office door as if expecting it to open.
"Fine. Please come in." The phone clicks and the Director hands Emma the phone back, barely sparing her a glance. To be honest, Emma has never been sure if Director Fa's attitude is meant to be cool professionalism because she's on a mission, or detachment because supposedly, Emma Swan and Director Fa shouldn't know one another. She supposes it's both.
Director Fa signals for the rest of the troop to hold as she walks in alone.
Ruby rounds on Emma and levels her with a glare. "What the hell is going on?"
So Emma explains, about the box yesterday and her talk with Regina and the attack today.
"And why didn't you tell me this earlier? We would've had a detail on her," Ruby comments, hands splayed on the desk between them, glare no less intense.
Emma sighs, shrugging her shoulder. "I- she didn't want anyone to know. After the whole Twitter trend thing, she's been paranoid. And I knew the moment I told you, you would come in guns blazing!"
Ruby snorts. "Damn right I would."
"And how exactly would I explain that to her?" Emma asks.
Ruby retorts just as quickly, "How do you want to explain how the DEO showed up?"
"A Kryptonite tracker?" Emma tries. When Ruby doesn't seem convinced, snorting and informing her that such a thing doesn't exist, Emma groans. "Semantics, it's not important. The point is that someone is targeting her and I'm worried for her. I know you're not her biggest fan, but we can't let her get hurt because some psycho is pretending to be me and is threatening Regina."
Her sister frowns. "My dislike for her is mostly because I'm worried she'll be a vulture the minute she finds out your identity. That doesn't mean I don't want to prevent her becoming a target."
Emma decides to tease. "You sound so certain she'll find out my ID. Do you have so little faith in me?"
Ruby doesn't even deign it with an answer. She just rolls her eyes and stands back upright, just in time for the door to open and their bosses step out.
Regina asks, "And I didn't catch how exactly you were aware that there had been an attack…?"
"Kryptonite tracker," Ruby blurts, and at the silent confirmation from Director Fa, she gestures for the other agents to follow her in.
"We appreciate your cooperation with this," Mulan graciously says, nodding her head in respect. She wants to get this done quickly, and it's already enough of a disaster. Kryptonite tracker? What kind of nonsense is this?
Regina huffs. "It's not like I have much of a choice. And exactly how long must I stay outside my office while your crew finishes investigating?"
The Director of the DEO clasps her hands behind her back and meets Regina's glare head-on. There's not many people who would do that, and Emma commends her for it. "You don't have to leave. My people will be in your balcony."
"As if. I will probably get an aneurism just by glancing up and seeing the mess your lackeys leave, and I'd rather not be distracted in my work. I will be working by Miss Swan's desk if you need me."
Emma blanches and is rendered speechless as Regina goes back into her office to collect her laptop and a few folders, before dragging her fancy office chair out to Emma's desk. After a few seconds of standing there, gaping, Regina glances up at her. "Miss Swan, the point of an office desk is to do actual work on it, if I had wanted some fresh-faced, slack-jawed person staring at me while I worked, I would've stayed in my office. So please, close your mouth, sit down, and work."
And Emma does as she's asked, going through the day trying to not freak out over her boss sitting right beside her, sometimes accidentally brushing her leg or having their elbows touch as they work. It's nerve-wracking, and Emma is glad when reprieve arrives in the form of Marian.
"So, what happened?" she asks apropos of a greeting, looking at Regina.
"Apparently whoever is behind this decided that the obvious upgrade from a prank gift was to make liquid kryptonite and fire blobs of it towards the glass, where the surface was already coated with a hydrophobic agent that spelled out today's cryptic message."
Emma's still fuming about this. Whoever is behind this is taking ten steps at a time. Marian comes to the same conclusion.
"Do you think they're going to do something tomorrow? Go even further?"
Regina sighs. "I have no idea and frankly I'm not sure I want to know. It's hard enough having to be a CEO, even worse with a death threat looming over. But I won't let this deter me. This isn't my first threat, and sure as hell won't be the last, so I'm not losing sleep over this."
Marian nods and then glances the slightest bit at Emma before posing her next question. "And the Supergirl angle?"
"Someone trying to use a fad against me. I created Supergirl and someone is capitalizing on it for whatever reason," Regina responds nonchalantly.
"So you don't want me to call in Supergirl?" Marian asks disbelievingly.
"No no, I'm sure she has more important things to do than being my bodyguard."
The temptation to turn around in her chair and tell Regina otherwise is definitely there, but then she remembers, secret identity. So she just bites her lip and continues working, but she knows that tonight, Regina Mills is getting a visit from Supergirl.
That night, Supergirl approaches Regina's office a bit more assured. After their talk last night, she knows that Regina wants her to be there, but her public image prevents her from outright asking. After living as the public face to MillsCo for so long, it's ingrained on her. Regina is back inside her office and the windows have been scrubbed clean. The DEO are inspecting the samples for any clue as to who the attackers are, and it seems Regina isn't letting these attacks get in the way of her work.
She lands on the balcony and approaches the open door. Talk about staring danger in the face, Emma muses as she knocks on the window pane.
"Supergirl, I had a feeling you would show up, despite my not having contacted you," Regina greets with a smirk that Emma has dubbed as sexy. And with the glasses on, it's like a double dose of sexiness.
"I heard about the attack and wanted to make sure you were okay," Supergirl responds, walking a few steps inside.
Regina raises an eyebrow and gestures to herself. "If the lack of any news of my death didn't do the trick and seeing it for yourself was necessary, here I am, you may leave."
With a huff, the hero tries again. "What happened to yesterday? We were making progress and you were opening up to me."
"Correction dear, I was explaining myself and closing the matter altogether. That wasn't an invitation for anything and I certainly am not opening up to you."
"Whatever makes you sleep at night. But anyway, that's not all I'm here for."
Regina blinks. "Then what are you here for?"
"You." Rather than savour the moment of making Regina speechless, she continues, "I'm here to take you home."
With a sigh Regina shucks her glasses off and says, "I have a driver who will pick me up when I leave the office."
"Can your driver fly or do even half the things I do?" Emma counters a bit cockily. "Come on Regina. You can lie to me all you want, but I know that yesterday, you were beginning to trust me. I know we've only known each other for two months but you can count on me. I'm here for you."
Regina stands up and regards the hero thoughtfully. "And pray tell, what did I do to deserve such a distinguished treatment from the girl of steel?"
Supergirl doesn't answer, and just looks pointedly, holding a hand out. It's a distraction technique, but she knows better.
"Very well, I don't suppose I can deter you, and I'd rather not have to make small talk with Sidney," Regina finally relents, gathering her papers and stuffing them into her briefcase. She saves those for trips, but Emma supposes that flying won't be too kind to folders and loose papers. Putting her jacket on, Regina nods. "Alright, let's see if flights with a superhero are all they're cracked up to be. My nemesis on the Daily Planet considers it to be an experience unlike any other."
Emma steps forward and before Regina can even process it, she gathers her boss into her arms, bridal style.
"What the- let me down this instant!" Regina demands with a bit of fear in her voice, but the hero doesn't release her hold.
"This is the safest way to carry you. Unless you want me to carry you by grabbing you by your underarms?" Emma smirks, and notes satisfactorily that Regina's grip only tightens.
She walks out onto the balcony and lifts off, mindful of her passenger and making her movements slow as to not jostle the intrepid reporter and CEO. After they reach her regular flying altitude, they begin flying, steadily picking up speed. "At this moment, I'd like to thank you for flying Air Supergirl," she quips after a few moments of silence.
"Just focus on getting us to my place in one piece," Regina scoffs, but Emma can see the subtle smile.
They land there soon enough, in the expansive backyard, but Regina doesn't get off right away. In fact, if Emma has to take a guess, she'd say that Regina seems to have dozed off a bit.
Emma clears her throat. "We're here."
Regina stirs from her slumber and looks in vague surprise at where she is. Clearly she hadn't expected to feel so comfortable that she would sink into a sleepy trance in the hero's arms. She clears her throat and Emma takes it as a sign to let her down. Once Regina is once more standing, and her skirt is straightened with clumsy hands, she turns to Supergirl and flashes her a soft smile, one that the blonde is sure she's never seen before, or thought possible for Regina to muster.
"Why don't you come inside for a bit? I just want to put Henry down to sleep and we can talk for a bit?" Regina offers, beckoning her inside.
Emma figures that Regina probably wants to talk about whoever might be targeting her, so with a nod, she agrees and silently follows behind her, keeping a few paces behind to not intrude.
They find Henry sitting in the living room with Belle, who is reading him a story. Emma smiles at the scene, a confirmation that she picked the right person to take over the babysitting duties.
When Henry notices his mom, he bolts right to her, hugging her tightly. He hasn't yet noticed that Supergirl, his hero and inspiration, is behind his mother, and the blonde doesn't mind, the family scene between mother and son isn't something she would want to interrupt.
Belle, however, does notice, and her gaping is enough to warrant Emma to shyly wave at her with an awkward smile. Part of the brilliance of her superhero identity is that no one ever gets too close to Supergirl. She's never been a big people person, unlike her cousin, so she's happy to just save people, wave to the crowds, and stay at a distance. The whole revered, larger-than-life thing isn't her speed.
And then Henry gasps. "Mom, mom…Supergirl is right behind you!"
Regina chuckles and wraps an arm around Henry's shoulders. "Yes she is. She gave me a ride home."
The young ten-year-old is looking wide-eyed between his mother and his hero. "You flew with Supergirl!?"
Emma hears Belle let out a soft laugh and gather her stuff while Regina tells Henry about the flight. "I did, I flew over your school if I'm not mistaken."
"Were you scared?" Henry asks.
Regina makes a noncommittal sound, and then turns to Belle, thanking her for taking care of Henry. She pays the sitter and Belle takes her leave with a small wave to Emma, who reciprocates the gesture. After the door closes, Emma breathes a bit easier. She feels more at ease with just the Millses, even if neither of them know who she really is.
"Are you staying over?" Henry suddenly inquires, and Emma jumps a bit, having been distracted.
"Congratulations Henry," Regina smirks, "You managed to get the drop on Supergirl herself."
The hero merely glares and scoffs. "I was thinking, that's all."
Regina doesn't look convinced at all, but Henry answers, going to hug her, "It's okay Supergirl, you're probably tired, saving the world can't be easy."
It isn't often that she gets to interact with Henry as Supergirl, having only met him once before when Regina demanded one of her earlier interviews in the middle of the night via Marian, and the boy was not-so-subtly peeking from behind a corner. After pointing out the interloper, Henry had shyly come forward to introduce himself. Now he seems more at ease with her, and she couldn't be happier. She would hate to have a child fear her.
Emma lets out a soft laugh, returning the hug before they part. "It does have its days."
Regina cuts the conversation short when she looks at the time. "It's a school day tomorrow for you, so come on, I'll tuck you in."
"But moooom," Henry whines, clearly not enthused at having to head to bed when Supergirl is right there.
"No buts, young man, I saw you yawning," Regina enforces, and Henry has no choice but to relent.
"See ya Supergirl!" Henry hugs her again.
"Bye Henry," Emma waves, and nods when Regina silently gives her a sign to hold on for her to return as the family heads upstairs.
It doesn't take long for Regina to head back down the stairs, and Emma suddenly feels nervous about what Regina wants to talk about. What if she's going to question her on her identity more?
She decides to bite the proverbial bullet and ask, "What did you want to talk about?"
Regina doesn't answer right away, instead, she just saunters closer to the hero. "I wanted to thank you for being here for me, and for the flight here."
Emma shrugs it off with a smile. "That's what I'm here for. You can trust me Regina. Like I said earlier, I know we've only known each other for two months but-"
"Only two months?" Regina asks with a coy smile, standing closer than she ever had, eyes staring into her own with an intensity that Emma wasn't sure what to make of it. "I was under the impression it has been much longer."
With a frown, Emma makes the count in her head, though with her crush's proximity, it was moot point to actually expect her to do much thinking. "I-I'm pretty sure it's just two months."
Regina seems to leave it at that, and her hands inch up Emma's arms, fingers barely touching the clothed arm; the hands come to rest splayed on her chest, eyes never wavering. "Well, nonetheless."
Emma freezes as Regina comes closer to deliver a soft kiss to her cheek. "Thank you," Regina whispers, "Emma."
She scrambles away in surprise. "Wha-what? I'm not Emma, I mean, who even is Emma?"
Regina sighs and levels her with a look. "I stand by the fact that I told you that you are a terrible liar. But even if you weren't, the fact that you're always absent when Supergirl is off gallivanting and saving the world is a dead giveaway."
"Coincidence?" Emma tries. Vainly it seems.
"Grilled cheese?" Regina continues.
"It's good!" Emma defends.
"It's also not an advertised meal at Tiana's. Come on Emma. Your number is on my phone, which would explain why I had to contact Marian to get to Supergirl. And, speaking of Marian, yesterday it was quite clear she hadn't spoken with Supergirl to meet me for lunch. Ergo, it was you. And you contacted the DEO, because there is no such thing as a Kryptonite tracker."
"There could be."
Regina rolls her eyes. "Are you really going to keep insisting that you aren't my assistant? What are you so afraid of? I gave you my word that I wouldn't make an expose on your identity."
Emma sags. "I guess I just thought I'd be better at the whole secret identity thing. Plus having Supergirl hiding as your assistant-"
"Don't," Regina interrupts. "Don't finish that sentence Emma. I was determined to find your identity, and I noticed the signs. I'm sure if your friends hadn't been notified of your identity, they would have found out without much difficulty. I know that my being the owner of a major news corporation means that you are naturally worried you will become the next big scoop, but I wouldn't do that. If you were terrible at hiding your identity, I'm sure everyone would know by now. I mean for heaven's sakes, your only disguise is a pair of hipster glasses and a hair tie. It's a gutsy move to manage to keep your identity hidden with such little barriers."
Emma smiles softly and nods, knowing Regina's right. Returning her smile, Regina moves forward to deposit a soft kiss on her lips.
Regina lets out a laugh at seeing Emma's dumbstruck face. "Oh come now, don't tell me you didn't honestly think that I wasn't aware of your crush on me."
"W-well maybe yeah but I didn't think you liked me back," Emma stutters.
"Of course I do. Why do you think I kept calling you Miss Swan?"
"Because you wanted to keep a sense of professionalism?" Emma ventures.
Regina bites her lip. "Try again."
"Because Emma is too short to come up with a similar alternative like the rest of the office suffers from?"
Now Regina lets out a full laugh. "Certainly not. It's because I've been attracted to you ever since I laid eyes on you, but I had surmised that a meek assistant, as you presented yourself to be, would not be interested in being with a public figure, so I kept you at arm's reach, because the minute I let myself get close, I would not let you go. Little did I know I would come to find you are anything but meek, or a wallflower, as you told me before."
Emma blushes at that, and moves to cup Regina's face before kissing her soundly. It's a slow kiss, but Regina is fully enjoying the feel of Emma's lips against her own.
When they part a few moments later, they are both breathless and flushed, grinning. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Emma asks, finally breaking the silence.
Regina nods and steps back, clearing the way for Emma to leave. "Don't be late, Miss Swan."
Emma grins and gives her a peck on the cheek. Before she exits into the night, she hears Regina call for her and she turns around.
"Meet me in the lobby tomorrow."
Although Emma doesn't know what exactly it means, she still flashes Regina a bright smile and waves before flying off, feeling she was on cloud nine.
See! I'm totally capable of ending a chapter without a cliffhanger!
And yeah! I figure that Regina would totally find out soon enough that Emma is Supergirl, I mean come on, she's not exactly the epitome of secrecy.
I hope to have a new chapter for you guys soon!
Let me know what you thought of this!