A/N: so what I did today was drive through town with "All I wanna do" blasting from the speakers. let me tell you it was worth all the stares. also a new chapter, yay.


26.

Emma groaned quietly and rubbed her eyes. She trudged across the street and hid a yawn behind her hand.

When she'd taken the job as deputy, Graham had more or less promised her manageable hours and lots of days filled with boring paperwork, but apparently that wasn't the case now. It was barely past three in the morning and Graham's call had woken her from a very pleasant dream about a white sand beach and Regina.

"At least no cowboys and horses," she mumbled to herself and pulled her leather jacket tighter around herself.

As soon as she set foot into the Sheriff's Station she had to turn right back around because Graham hurried past her to the cruiser, clipping his gun to his belt along the way. "Come on, we've got a break in."

"Seriously?" Emma asked, getting into the car as well, "I thought things like that don't happen in Storybrooke."

"Well, not very often, but every once in a while they do," Graham answered, putting the car in reverse and speeding down the deserted street.

"So what's happened?"

"I got a call from Mrs. Burrows down on Wesley Avenue. She said someone was sneaking around in her vegetable garden and even went to her backdoor."

Emma rolled her eyes and burrowed into the car seat. "That sounds more like some prank than someone trying to break in."

"We still need to check it out," Graham answered.

After a short ride he turned onto a dimly lit street and stopped the car in front of an ordinary looking town house. "Okay we'll go separately. I take left, you go right. If you see something or someone, don't try to engage them. Come find me first, alright?"

"Yeah sure," Emma mumbled, climbing out of the car and following Graham up the darkened driveway. She'd been in far more dangerous situations than this and had never needed any backup whatsoever, but since Graham was technically her boss, she was willing to do the whole teamwork thing.

He gave her some weird hand signs to which she nodded in return before walking around the house, trying to go about it as quietly as possible. The small path led her to a wooden garden door that stood slightly ajar. She stepped closer and carefully opened the door so she could slip into the backyard.

Everything was pretty dark and the clouds above blocked out any and all moonlight. She squinted and tried to rely on her hearing rather than sight while she slowly moved further into the backyard. She could make out the shape of a tree, something that looked like a large rain barrel near the house and a small areaclosed off by a tent that was probably the vegetable garden.

She looked around, still walking slowly toward the back of the house. Something soft was squished beneath her boot and she knelt down, finding a trail of something round leading from the vegetable garden. She picked one of the round things up and raised her eyebrows as she brought it closer to her face. A tomato.

"Interesting."

She sighed quietly and dropped the tomato. Some wild animal had probably tried to steal a couple of veggies, got too close to the house and scared the owner. Case closed. Maybe she could go back to bed now. It was way too early and therefore too chilly to be traipsing around town like this.

It seemed completely unnecessary that Graham had called her out for something like this but maybe it was some kind of test - to see whether she was willing to do the job properly. Well next time he could go chase some raccoon by himself.

Emma lazily stretched her arms above her head and kept on walking toward the back of the house to meet Graham. She was just about to round the corner when something dark and decidedly larger than a raccoon blurred past her, knocking her flat on her ass.

It took her a moment to get her bearings and suddenly Graham was beside her, grabbing her shoulder. "Emma. Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, I think someone just bumped into me. They went that way. Go."

After looking her over, Graham jumped up and hurried in the direction of the garden door.

Emma groaned quietly and got to her feet, brushing dirt and the remains of another squished tomato off her boot. "Great, just great."

She slowly followed after Graham, keeping her eyes peeled for any and all movement. She crept around the house and through the garden door, back to the driveway. She glanced up and down the street but the only thing she saw was Graham jogging back in her direction.

"Find anything?"

Graham shook his head. "Whoever that was, they're gone. Did you see anything? Was it a man or a woman?"

"No, all I saw was a shadow. I couldn't even tell you whether it was taller than me or not. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're okay. You can wait in the car if you like, I'll go talk to Mrs. Burrows for a moment."

Emma nodded and shivered in the cool nightly breeze. She took a deep breath, the smell of oncoming rain causing her to quickly move to the car and climb inside. She cranked up the heat and burrowed into the seat, staring through the windshield at the darkened houses on either side of the street. What the hell had just happened out there?

She was pretty sure someone had bumped into her but it had been way too dark to really see anything. Maybe someone had really tried to break into the house but in that case it had been a very clumsy attempt to begin with. Emma was familiar with the methods most small-time crooks used and at the first sign of being detected they made a run for it. As soon as Graham's car had pulled up in front of the house, anyone with malicious intent and the tiniest bit of skill would've run for the hills, not waiting for police to stumble across them.

She rubbed her forehead with her knuckles before tugging on the collar of her jacket. Whatever, there would be time to sort through this in the morning. She jerked slightly as Graham opened the door dropped into the driver's seat beside her.

"Mrs. Burrows didn't see much either," he commented, starting the car. "She said she saw something big and dark sneaking through her yard and called us. Not much to go on. I'll come back in a couple of hours and look at everything again, maybe I can get some prints or something."

"Sounds like a plan," Emma mumbled.

Graham took her back to the apartment near the station that she'd rented earlier in the week. She shot him a small smile when he told her that she didn't have to be at work until noon before she trotted to her front door. She gave Graham one last wave before unlocking the door and stepping inside.

Her apartment looked still pretty bare. Aside from a few clothes strewn about, a couch and a small flat screen there was nothing in the apartment that would indicate someone was actually living here.

Absolutely nothing like Regina's house. The white mansion on Mifflin Street was impeccably decorated, speaking of an owner with a great taste in interior design, and there was always the smell of flowers or cooking in the air. It just seemed much livelier with two more people in the same place. It was a home.

Emma shrugged out of her jacket with a sigh, took her boots off and dragged her feet over to the bed, only to collapse face first onto the mattress. She groaned quietly, too tired to change out of her clothes. Dragging the comforter up with her foot she pulled it over her body and fell asleep mere minutes later.

An incessant knocking sounded inside her skull. She buried her head further into the soft pillow and tried to ignore the pounding until she realized that the noise was coming from somewhere outside.

She pried one eye open and tried to figure out what was going on. Storybrooke. Her apartment. Right.

And someone was knocking on her door. She knew that knock.

She pushed herself up and got out of bed, raking a hand through her tussled hair. "Coming," she yelled.

Pulling the shirt that was bunched around her waist back down to cover her stomach, she hurried to the door and pulled it open, finding a frowning Regina on the other side.

"Uh…hi."

"Why didn't you call me?"

Emma stepped aside as Regina entered the apartment with a few quick strides. She scratched the back of her head and closed the door, watching Regina take in her surroundings.

"I was asleep," she replied, trying to stifle a yawn.

"So I had to hear it from Sheriff Humbert that you were attacked last night?" Regina asked quietly.

Emma blinked several times, realizing that Regina was actually pissed. She raised her hands in a calming gesture and took a few steps toward the other woman. "I'm sorry, I really wasn't thinking. Truth is, I wasn't actually attacked, someone merely ran into me."

"Someone who could've had a knife on them, or a gun," Regina hissed.

Emma inclined her head and opened her arms slightly. She was aware that Regina wasn't actually mad at her for what happened, but rather scared of what could've happened.

"I'm okay, I'm right here. And I'm sorry for not calling. I fell asleep as soon as I got here and well," she looked down at her rumpled shirt and open pants, "I just woke up."

Regina followed her gaze, briefly stopping at her unbuttoned, tight-fitting jeans.

She took a deep breath and her face softened. "I apologize Emma, I'm… not sure what came over me. When Graham called earlier I simply overreacted. I've never had to deal with worrying about anything like this. Aside from scuffed knees and getting the cold a few times a year Henry has never actually been hurt seriously, for which I am more than thankful. It's just new to me, that's what I mean."

Emma smiled and finally closed the distance between them, pulling Regina into a tight embrace. "It's new for me too, having someone worry about me," she whispered.

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's waist and they stayed silent for several moments before Regina held her at arm's length. "So you're really alright?"

"Yeah. There may have been someone trying to break into the house and they got scared and ran, I just happened to be in the way. I got knocked on my butt and that's it."

"Does it… hurt?" Regina asked, a playful smile lifting the corners of her mouth, the worried look disappearing from her face.

"Not at all, wanna see?"

Emma grinned and Regina licked her lips, her eyes roaming across Emma's body before pulling her close again and kissing her soundly. Emma hummed happily and let her hands travel along Regina's back up to her shoulders and down to her waist.

She buried her hands in the soft material of Regina's blazer and sucked a full bottom lip between her teeth to soothe the sting of a gentle bite with her tongue. A small noise escaped the back of Regina's throat and warm feeling centered in her lower belly.

They broke the kiss and Emma panted gently, lips barely touching Regina's. "Do you ever think about that night?"

There was no need to clarify which night she was talking about. Brown eyes searched her face briefly. "I have," Regina whispered, her voice that deep velvety caress Emma enjoyed so much.

"Me too," Emma answered, pulling their bodies together. She raised her hands and buried them both in soft dark hair, leaning in to claim red lips with her own.

They kept kissing and somehow managed to stumble through the small living area toward the bedroom. Only when her knees bumped into the edge of the bed, did she realize that this was going much further than she'd anticipated.

Struggling to break from the kiss, she panted quietly, watching the dazed expression on Regina's face.

"Are we… don't you have work?"

A sound of displeasure escaped from Regina's throat and she closed her eyes briefly. "I do."

Emma smiled and leaned in, her lips close to Regina's ear. "You know I don't want you to go right?"

Regina sighed and wrapped her arms around Emma's waist. "Yes, but you're right. I got carried away. I came here to also invite you to dinner again. Henry will be with friends and it would be just the two of us."

Emma leaned back and grinned happily. "Maybe we could pick up where we left off."

A strange expression flittered across Regina's face, her brows and lips drawing into a frown. "There is something I need to talk to you about."

"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good." Emma chuckled but Regina's serious stare sobered her quickly. "Alright."

Regina reached up and cradled Emma's face between her palms, leaning in to brush their lips together. "It won't hurt us. I promise. I've made the mistake keeping something very important from you and I won't repeat it."

Emma took a quiet breath and nodded. "Okay."

Regina pulled them together once more before stepping back and tugging at her blouse and jacket. "I'll see you tonight."

Emma smiled and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Regina's mouth. They stared at each other for several seconds until Regina seemed to shake herself out of the moment and turned to walk out of the bedroom, toward the front door. Emma heard the faint noise of the door opening.

"Make sure you're hungry," Regina called from the living area before the door closed again.

Emma raked both hands through her hair and tugged at the strands between her fingers. Regina wanted to talk about something and it caused an instant knot to form in the pit of her stomach. Naturally. None of those conversations had ever ended well but this time she was willing to believe in Regina's promise.

She was actually glad that they wouldn't be keeping secrets from one another anymore, not that she'd planned on lying to Regina or Henry in the first place, but it was something she now had to rely on.

The first time it had hurt way too much and she couldn't go through something like that ever again. It would destroy her. It was hard enough to trust people, to let others into her life because that meant making herself vulnerable to pain and disappointment.

She took another breath and flopped down onto her bed. "No reason to freak out just yet. Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll handle it."

She closed her eyes and bit her lip in thought. There were much more pleasant things she could be focusing on. Like the way Regina had kissed her, fingers insistently tugging at her hair, and that tongue doing wonderful things.

Emma groaned quietly and rolled onto her side, grabbing a pillow and clutching it to her stomach.

Dinner time found Emma nervously shifting on Regina's front step. She had yet to knock because that strange feeling in her belly was still there, causing her to hesitate.

She'd been telling herself all day that there was absolutely nothing to worry about, at least not yet, but a small part of her was still convinced that things would come crashing down around her without a warning.

The door in front of her swung open and she took a small startled step backward.

"I was thinking that you would get a cold if I let you stand out here any longer," Regina said quietly and Emma slowly shuffled toward the warmth emanating from the open doorway.

She hadn't realized that it was actually pretty chilly but now her entire body began shivering slightly. "Sorry, I was just trying to convince myself that this is not a typical 'we need to talk' conversation."

Regina stepped aside and let Emma enter.

She frowned slightly as she took the red leather jacket to hang it in the closet in the hallway. "I wish I knew what I could to do to help you disperse these doubts."

Emma shook her head and immediately pulled Regina into a tight embrace. "You are doing it every time we're together. I trust you Regina, I truly do. I haven't said that to a lot of people in my life and I know that I don't open up very easily, but I want to let you in, more than anyone ever before."

Regina leaned back and stared at her, her dark eyes searching Emma's face. "Even after what I've –"

Emma interrupted her with a quick kiss against still moving lips. "It's in the past. I trust you and I know you wouldn't hurt me, not if you could avoid it, but I also know that I'm just starting to become a part of your life and that there are things I will learn and issues we're going to have to deal with together from now on. If you want that, I mean."

"I do," Regina whispered, resting her forehead against Emma's.

"Great," Emma answered with a bright smile, pressing a long kiss to Regina's lips before turning and leading them both toward the kitchen.

"I remember you telling me to come hungry and I'm basically starving, so how about some food before the heavy talk."

Regina laughed, a sound that tugged at everything inside of Emma, and nodded.

"That sounds reasonable."

Emma leaned back into warm body behind her and took a sip of red wine. The rich flavor coated her tongue and smoothly ran down her throat. She closed her eyes and felt Regina nuzzle against her temple while gentle fingers were running through her hair.

"Alright, so you're saying that you asked this guy, Gold, to find me in Boston and now he wants something in return?" Emma asked.

She was comfortably reclining on the couch in Regina's study, sitting between the brunette's legs and trying to focus on the conversation at hand. So far she wasn't quite sure what exactly Regina was getting at but she was content to listen quietly and ask a few questions now and then.

"Essentially, yes. Gold may seem like he's just a pawnshop owner, but everyone knows that there's much more to him than that. Often Gold can acquire things or procure information no one else could and his price is usually high."

"So you risked owing him only to find me?"

Regina huffed quietly behind her and Emma turned her head to look at her.

"I had to tell you that I did the things I did for a reason. And even though you may have never wanted to see me again I at least had to try. And truly, it was worth it. Any deal with Gold would be worth having you right here."

Regina leaned in and warm lips covered Emma's. A curious tongue snuck past parted lips. Warmth and the taste of red wine made her mind swim for a few seconds and Emma had to tear herself away to continue her previous train of thought.

"Okay… that's… I uh… I'm glad you did, obviously, but I still don't get what any of this has to do with me."

Regina's eyes darkened and Emma turned her upper body to sit sideways on Regina's lap, her arm resting on the back of the couch. She curiously studied the almost angry expression on her face.

"Last week Gold came to call in his favor," Regina said between clenched teeth.

"So, what does he want?" Green eyes widened suddenly. "Oh my god, is it something nasty?"

Emma's entire body tensed and she started getting up from her comfortable position. "I'm going to kill that bastard, I'll just get Graham's gun and then…" She trailed off as Regina's arms wrapped around her and pulled her down again.

A small smirk was curving the corners of her mouth. "I'm very pleased you're willing to defend my honor, albeit with drastic means, but no, he's not asking for anything immoral."

Emma relaxed again and took a deep breath. "Fine, okay, so then what is it?"

"He wants you to find someone for him."

"Uh…that's not what I expected."

"Neither did I," Regina sighed, "because the deal is clearly between him and me, and I find it extremely insulting that he is involving you."

"Well, I am good at finding people, it's what I did for a living after all. It's where I learned how to disappear off the grid."

"You mean it's also the reason why it was pretty much impossible for me to find you without Gold's help?"

"Sort of, yes. But what's the big deal then?"

Regina stared at her. "The big deal?"

Emma half-shrugged. "Yeah, I mean he wants me to find someone? Fine. I'll go do my old job for a little bit and make sure you're no longer indebted to that creep."

"I don't think it's going to be that easy," Regina answered with a furrowed brow.

Emma snuggled back into Regina with a sigh, pulling on Regina's arms with her hands until they were securely wrapped around her. "It's going to be fine. I really thought you were going to drop some huge bomb on me, but I'm sure we'll work it out."

The arms around her tightened. "I really hope so."