Authors Note: So here it is, the sixth chapter. I hope it doesn't dissappoint. I loved hearing all of your ideas about what happened in the last chapter. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter as well!
Again, I own nothing Once Upon A Time related :(
Chapter Six: In Truth and Trust
"I trust that you can manage to dress yourself?" Regina inquired, averting her eyes away from the shivering body in her bathtub. She motioned to the countertop which held a stack of clothes and a bleach white towel. Emma nodded her head, not quite trusting her ability to speak and watched as the Mayor turned stiffly on her heels and walked out of the bathroom.
Regina was leaning with her back against the bathroom door, brows furrowed in deep concentration. She – the Evil Queen, the destroyer of happiness and hope, the most powerful woman to live – had just helped the one person with enough power to break the curse. Not only was this person capable of breaking the curse, but she could be the one to take Henry away from her. Anger surged through Regina's veins at the thought of it. Not to mention so highly exalted Savior was blessed with the mind of a prepubescent boy, all the grace of a rhinoceros, and fashion sense of a Neanderthal.
But none of that changed the fact that Regina had actually helped her. Emma had been fine when she followed Regina into the bathroom, wordlessly accepting her offer for a cold bath. After filling the tub, Regina left the room to check in on Henry. He was sleeping soundlessly, looking peaceful and carefree, and probably dreaming up a storm. Satisfied with her darling little angel, Regina made her way into the master bedroom, removing her coat as she did so.
Fishing through the pockets - a habit she'd developed soon after her arrival in Storybrooke as she quickly learned that cell phones were not waterproof - Regina's fingers brushed against something hard in the pocket. She pulled it out and looked at the forgotten item in her hand. The Sheriff's phone. A deliciously evil grin spread across her face as she thought about all the wonderful chaos she could create with this simple device.
Regina felt a familiar tingling sensation in her fingertips as her powers trembled just below the surface of her skin. It was a pleasing sensation, one that the Queen reveled in. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, welcoming the teasing shivers her powers produced. Regina smiled as she opened her eyes to look at the phone once more. A most sadistic thought ran through her mind; a mind tainted with hatred and revenge.
After a good few minutes perusing through the Sheriff's phone, Regina came to the conclusion that Emma was decidedly…boring. She had half expected the phone to be filled to the brim with risqué pictures and chockfull of vulgar noise apps. Emma's phone was clean. Too clean. And judging by the amount of phone calls and text messages on the phone led Regina to believe that perhaps she just wasn't as reliant on technology as she had imagined. Well, it's either that, or the Sheriff was meticulous enough to delete her logs quite frequently throughout the day.
The Mayor pondered on that thought for a moment. It seemed both perfectly logical and illogical at the same time. She'd seen the way Emma lives; boxes placed haphazardly about the room in no particular organizational pattern with the contents regurgitating from the too-many-times taped flaps, clothes littered upon the floor much like her entire wardrobe had spontaneously combusted, an array of empty chips and cheese curl bags tossed carelessly in the general vicinity of the trashcan – yet most of them seemed to have missed the target, showcasing just how well the blonde faired at basketball – and not to mention the soda bottles - some empty, some only missing a few sips – adorning every visible inch of surface area in bedroom. God the woman was really a slob.
Strangely, her phone juxtaposed the constant state of disarray Emma's life seemed to entail. Though, such carefulness could almost be expected. She had grown up by herself which forced her to do, well, who knows what just to survive. Covering her tracks must be a natural instinct.
Filling out her mother's shoes nicely, eh?
And surely working as a bounty hunter only reinforced her need to destroy any and all evidence of a setup. Yes, Regina was quite sure that Emma was very adept at hiding things; never wanting to give someone the chance to dig up any dirt on her. Isn't that why Henry's prison-born story had been buried so deeply? Rage sweltered in her heart just thinking about it.
Regina's nimble fingers made quick work typing out a text to send to Mary Margaret all while her smile threatened to stretch from ear to ear.
Something came up…have to leave town for a bit. Don't worry. See you soon.
She read and re-read the message multiple times, editing it here and there to make it sound more like Emma. But in the end, Regina decided on the least descriptive, shortest version of them all. And then a plan – nothing short of evil - formulated in that nefarious mind of hers.
Unsure of how much time she had wasted sifting through the Sheriff's phone, Regina quickly changed into something a little more comfortable, and a little less wet. She opted for a pair of black silk pajama pants and a blood red camisole top. Feeling much less like a wet dog, Regina entered the bathroom en suite and draped her wet clothes over the top of the shower, not wishing to throw them in the hamper with the rest of the dirty clothes, lest she wanted her entire room to smell of sodden fabric.
Regina turned to face herself in the large bathroom mirror and frowned at her ruined hair. She ran a comb through it just a few times before huffing in annoyance at the stubborn damp strands that just refused to comply with her wishes. Fighting the urge to wash and blow dry her hair for vanity's sake, Regina managed to tear herself away from the mirror, remembering that she had a guest in the next room.
Emma was just leaving the bathroom as Regina walked through the bedroom door. Catching a brief glimpse of the Mayor before averting her eyes to the floor, Emma was sure she had at least mouthed the word 'damn'. The red camisole was both complimentary to her skin tone and did wonders outlining her dangerous curves. Emma had never seen that much of Regina's skin on display. It was strange – so very unlike the Mayor to be seen in clothes that qualified as comfortable by any woman's standards.
"I see the clothes fit you well enough," Regina spoke, breaking the silence between them. Emma shrugged, a little weary of Regina's definition of 'well enough'. The black camisole, that seemed to be the same style as its counterpart on Regina's frame, fit perfectly. The shorts, however, were a different story.
"Are these Henry's shorts?" Emma questioned, picking at the material clinging tightly to her thighs. Regina nodded, not caring to hide her amused smile as the shorts were clearly too small for the Sheriff. "Couldn't you have just lent me a pair of sweatpants or something? I look ridiculous wearing an 11-year olds basketball shorts."
"Nonsense, dear, you look just fine. Besides, it's only sleeping attire so you needn't be dressed to impress." Regina dismissed the blonde's statement. "Besides, I'll have your clothes here in the morning for you."
Emma looked at her slightly confused but couldn't find the strength to press the situation further. Instead, she just nodded in acceptance and sunk down onto the bed. Regina delighted in the fact that the Sheriff was so compliant right now. It truly was a breath of fresh air to not have to defend or explain herself to the irritating woman with every breath she took. And it was going to make everything just that much easier as Regina created the mental image of the game board in her head. Almost all the pieces had been placed and soon they'd begin to move. Then would come the time to sit back and relax once more.
Smiling, Regina crossed the room to stand in front of Emma. She brought the back of her hand to the Sheriff's forehead; a gesture that Emma had flinched away from. Emma retracted from the brunettes touch so quickly it was like she'd been burned with a hot poker.
"What are you doing?" Emma questioned. Regina rolled her eyes in annoyance.
So much for compliance.
"I would have thought that to be obvious, Miss Swan," Regina's clipped words sounding harsher than intended. "Hasn't anyone ever touched your forehead to see if you're running a fever?"
"No. Some of us grew up without parents to do such nurturing things."
"Surely the doctors, or a teacher…?"
"Nope. The only time I had my temperature taken was at the hospital. And the only time I was at the hospital...well…" Emma chewed on her lip as painful memories of her past resurfaced. "I'd rather not talk about that."
"As you wish, dear."
Emma expelled a breath of relief and closed her eyes, trying to fight away the dark memories. With eyes still closed, she felt Regina's hand lay tentatively across her forehead once more. Emma's eyes shot open only to see Regina looking down at her, smiling slightly, and then withdrawing her hand from the Sheriff's forehead.
"Seems like that cold bath helped your fever a bit," Regina spoke reassuringly as she turned and walked towards the dresser, sifting through the top drawer for something – though Emma had no idea what she could be looking for.
"Speaking of…how is your neck?" Emma questioned, dropping her gaze into her lap and fidgeting nervously with her fingers. Emma remembered the angry red collar embellished on the older woman's neck. A mark produced from her own internal rage.
Regina turned to look towards her with confusion clear on her face.
"What are you talking about, Sheriff?"
Emma's eyes shot up to look at the Mayor. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times as she tried to formulate her next sentence. But no sentence came. Emma's eyes trailed from Regina's face, down to her neck, tanned and – other than a small beauty mark just above her right collar bone – completely unmarred.
"What? How is that possible!? I…I attacked you…and Henry…oh my god, is Henry okay!?" Emma stammered, rising from the bed impossibly fast and running her hands frantically through her wet hair.
"Miss Swan, I have no idea what you're talking about. Henry is fine, he's been sleeping the entire time. And you most certainly did not attack me. If you had, well, let's just say things wouldn't be as cordial as they are now." Regina said, finally locating the item she had been searching for. Leaving the drawer open, Regina was crossing the room to the Sheriff once more.
Emma had her face buried in her hands, head shaking fervently back and forth as she tried to grasp at straws of reality. Had she imagined all of that? Surely not, it was so real. She could feel Regina's pulse in her own two hands wrapped mercilessly around her neck. She felt the panic – the terror – the Mayor was feeling as she realized the life was slowly being choked out of her.
Emma felt her hands being pulled away from her face and closed her eyes stubbornly. This was all too much. She was unable to keep her eyes focused on the Mayor's. They were so close, only inches of space separating them. Regina smiled, but Emma didn't see it. Her eyes were trained on Regina's neck. The untouched, undefiled, perfectly regal neck. Gathering her strength, Emma raised her eyes to the smoldering coals possessed by the older woman.
"So…if that didn't happen…if I didn't attack you…did I, you know, at the door?" Emma stammered, feeling her face turn bright red. She pulled away from Regina and fell down onto the bed once more, her legs no longer willing to support her.
"Again, Miss Swan, I have no idea what you're talking about." Regina stated as she climbed behind Emma on the bed. Sitting up on her knees and running her hands through Emma's tangled mane. "Honestly, Sheriff, do you not care for your hair at all?" Regina asked irritably as her fingers were met with knot after knot.
"Oh I must have forgotten about my appointment at the salon, what with being poisoned and all," A viscous sarcasm smothered Emma's words. Emma half expected Regina to come back with an equally sarcastic remark, but all she heard was a slight chuckle come from the woman positioned behind her.
"Poisoned or not, that's no reason to overlook an appointment at the salon," Regina lectured her in a playful manner. "Fret not, dear, I'll get you all fixed up. Now while I attempt to work some magic on your hair, why don't you tell me all about your hallucination?" Regina brought the brush Emma's chaotic – almost vibrissal – mane.
Emma closed her eyes at the sensation of the brush foraging through her long blonde hair. She relaxed slightly, forgetting that it was the avaricious Mayor Mills sitting so close, so very close, behind her brushing her hair as if she were a child. Emma's mouth had gone dry as she felt the alternating strokes of the brush, then Regina's fingers, raking gently across her scalp.
"How about you just tell me everything that's happened since we arrived here," Emma suggested, not too keen on the idea of telling the Mayor that she envisioned pushing her up against the front door and threatening to fuck her right then and there. That would just go over so well. "Wait, and how do you know that I was hallucinating?" Emma asked, shooting her eyes open and attempting to turn and face Regina.
Regina laughed and grabbed her by either side of her face and pointed her head forwards. Whether the gesture was for her own sake – or Emma's – she was unsure.
"It wasn't difficult to tell that you were hallucinating. Not with all the screaming and thrashing about you were doing." Regina chuckled again.
"Why do you keep laughing?" Emma asked quietly, almost afraid to question it. Afraid that if she mentioned it, Regina would throw those cold walls up again. And for whatever reason, Emma didn't want that. Hearing Regina laugh – not that fake politician laugh – but a real laugh…it was beautiful.
"Because it was amusing, dear."
"Schadenfreude is a really unsettling quality for a Mayor," Emma quipped, feeling her mouth form a small smirk.
"Glad to see you've surpassed elementary vocabulary, Miss Swan." Regina countered.
"Shut up," Emma rolled her eyes and smiled.
"But my dear Sheriff, if I shut up, how will I ever tell you about the events since your arrival here?" Regina asked innocently, continuing the lulling motion of brushing through Emma's now somewhat tamed hair.
"Oh, who's acting like an elementary child now?" Emma scoffed, unable to wipe the smile from her face.
"Just catering to my audience."
Emma said nothing, just shook her head back and forth. This playful banter was so unlike all their previous interactions, Emma couldn't be sure if she was hallucinating again or if this was real. After a moment's pause, Regina began to speak again, still pulling the brush through Emma's hair, transfixed by the damp golden tresses succumbing to her ministrations.
"There's not really much to tell, Miss Swan. I brought you up here and tried to explain the dangers of the poison, you hit on me once, then I drew you a cold bath and let you soak for a while, hoping that it would help bring your fever down. While you were in the bath, I checked on Henry and gathered some clothes for you. I was gone maybe five minutes before you started screaming. I rushed back into the bathroom only to find you thrashing about as if you were having a seizure. I didn't want to force you to wake from the hallucination, as that could have some very terrible repercussions, so I just held you still until you came to."
Emma listened intently to Regina's story. She still couldn't understand it. The attack and everything that followed was all – if Regina was telling the truth – a hallucination. Okay, that was understandable...kind of. But why would the Mayor want to help her? That was the part that made absolutely no sense.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Emma whispered as she stared at nothing in particular in front of her. Regina stopped brushing and moved from behind Emma. At once, Emma noticed the lack of warmth that was produced by Regina's body being in such close proximity to her. She shivered.
"You don't." Regina said, sitting next Emma on the bed, keeping a moderate amount of space between them.
"That's reassuring." Emma pursed her lips and looked at Regina who was staring at the brush clasped between her hands.
"It wasn't mean to be reassuring. You'll just have to trust me."
"It's just…I mean c'mon Regina. You've wanted me gone since the second I stepped foot into your town. Hell, you tried to drive me out on many occasions. And now you're asking for me to trust you? No offense, but how the hell do you expect me to do that?" Emma struggled to keep her voice calm.
Regina rose from the bed and moved to replace the brush into the drawer from whence it came. Turning around to lean on the dresser, Regina crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"I realize that our interactions in the past haven't been the friendliest and asking for your trust – something I know is not easily given – is a loaded request. But as it is, I am the only person that can help you right now, the only person that has endured the suffering you're about to go through."
Emma's eyes went wide as she finally understood how Regina knew so much about this poison. It had been inflicted upon her too. When? By whom? Rapid fire questions shot out from her brain but none of them made it into an audible format. All she could do was gape at the brunette woman standing defensively against the dresser. The look on her face was so raw, so telling…Emma knew that the older woman was thinking back on her experiences with the poison.
"…I had…no idea…I'm sorry" Emma managed to whisper.
Regina's head snapped up at the blonde's words.
"I do not need your condolences, Miss Swan. It was a long time ago." Regina barked and turned to leave Emma in the room by herself.
Oh, hello there ice queen, thought we had lost you for a minute.
"Wait!" Emma all but yelled. Regina stopped but didn't turn back to look at her. "Just tell me, why? You despise me and yet you're…being kind to me. You're helping me. Why?" Emma questioned.
Regina was silent for a moment before responding. Turning ever so slightly, Regina stared into Emma's eyes – so reminiscent of her mothers.
"Because things are not always what they seem to be at first glance, Miss Swan."
Regina left the room, pulling the door shut quietly behind her, leaving Emma alone in the guest bedroom with just her thoughts for company.