Love, Fate And Magic
Chapter 11- Stranger Danger
Regina slammed around her room, grumbling to herself while shooting resentful looks towards her bed. The brunette had waiting ever so patiently for Emma to show up the previous night, but had been stood up. Regina knew there was probably a good reason for the blonde's absence, but it did not quell the anger bubbling inside. The mayor had gone through this before with Emma, the patient waiting for her to get over her pride and give in to what she wanted. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Regina had displayed the most amount of will power she ever had when it had come to the stubborn Princess. Sure blackmail may not have been the most romantic of first meetings, but how else would she have gotten a hold of Emma in the first place?
Pushing the draw shut with far more force than needed, Regina whirled around to glare at the bed once more. Atop its surface lay a gently glowing heart, one she had spent many nights staring at.
"You couldn't have at least called?" She seethed, glaring at the small organ. She growled and snatched it up staring down at the only piece of Emma that couldn't leave. "I am trying to give you the space you need but you aren't making this easy!"
The brunette sighed and sank on to the bed, cradling the fragile heart against her chest. She knew everything was far more difficult for Emma without her heart. She understood that everything the blonde felt would be disconnected, like a bad signal. It was there just not fully. Regina shook her head, running a fingertip along the crack of Emma's heart. She never should have let the Princess away from her. If she had kept her close, Emma would never have gotten a chance to find the curse and leave.
"You shouldn't have run away, you could never truly run from me." She cooed down at the heart, which continued to gently beat in her hand. She jolted back as her own voice filled her head, a familiar feeling pulling at her heart.
"I know running is a natural instinct, but what on earth did you think running from me would achieve?" Regina tightly shut her eyes, the memory of the argument between herself and Emma sweeping over her as clearly as if it had happened mere moments ago. She could still remember the fear in the blonde's eyes, the moment she had truly seen the Evil Queen within her, and not Regina.
"I'm not that person, not anymore!" She snapped at herself angrily. No matter what had happened between them in the past, Emma could not remember it in the present, there was no fear of the Evil Queen.
Regina's attention was suddenly drawn to the heart in her hand, which had begun to beat rapidly. Over the years the brunette had held Emma's heart in the moment's the blonde had been in distress elsewhere, always wishing to know what was causing the panic within her. Regina gently rubbed it as she always did, never knowing if it helped or if it made any difference at all. She frowned when the heart continued to beat frantically and she again tried to sooth it before a loud spluttering sound came from outside.
Snapping her head to the window, Regina spotted a strange shape lurking behind her hedge. The brunette's eyes quickly spotted Henry darting down the path to the mysterious noise.
What could it be?
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Henry had heard the irregular sound outside the house almost instantly. He recognised it to be a motorbike, he had often seen them on TV and knew for a fact there were none in Storybrooke. Zipping up his coat, the young boy pulled open the front door and scurried down the path towards the noise, his eyes widening when he caught sight of a strange man he had never seen before. Setting his jaw and tilting his head up, he approached the stranger confidently. His mother's voice rang in his head about stranger danger as he approached the man but he ignored it, instead closely inspected the stranger. He looked familiar, but Henry couldn't pin point where he had seen him before.
"Who are you?" he asked boldly, watching as the man paused in his fiddling with the bike and turned his gaze to Henry. Hazel eyes met brilliant blues ones as the stranger smiled warmly.
"I could ask you the same question." He asked in a deep voice, making Henry tilt his head in thought.
"What are you doing here?" Henry tried again, frowning at the bike.
"Fixing my bike." The stranger replied, reapplying his hands to the bike as he continued to fiddle.
"No… I mean in Storybrooke." The younger boy clarified making the stranger smile.
"Just visiting." He shrugged turning to readjust the odd box tied to the bike.
"What's that?"
"A box."
"What's inside it?"
"Just something I need to do what I came here for." He said vaguely, putting on a helmet before sitting down on the bike.
"I thought you were just visiting." Henry pointed out with a smirk.
"Doesn't mean I don't have something to do." The stranger brought the bike back to life and turned back to look at Henry who frowned still.
"Who are you?" He asked again and the stranger smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Let's just say we have a familial bond." He winked, revving the engine of the bike. "You better get to school. Looks like a storm is coming." He grinned widely before shooting off down the street, leaving Henry to gape after him.
Familial bond?
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Emma stared down at her cereal with unfocused eyes, vaguely aware of the fact she should be going to work. It had been a very long night for the blonde, which had been spent going over every person she had ever encountered, trying in vain to place the strangers face somewhere. However the familiar face of the stranger stilled remained a mystery to the blonde. She sighed heavily as she jammed another spoon full of cereal into her mouth before pushing the bowl away. What was it about this town? Ten years had gone by without her encountering anyone who might have been a part of her past and now she meets two in the space of a couple of months.
Emma pushed herself away from the counter, turning to grab a jacket off the wall, her eyes glancing out of the window at the hostile looking sky. The blonde reached into her pocket, fishing out her phone. If a storm was coming, the blonde would need to get together some supplies and would need Morgan's help.
The sheriff felt a rush of panic go through her at the several missed calls from Regina on her phone. She cursed herself for forgetting to tell the mayor she wasn't coming the previous night. Emma had gotten so distracted by the arrival of the stranger her arrangements with Regina had all but disappeared from her mind.
Making a mental to do list in her head, she clicked on Morgan's contact and held the phone to her ear, chewing her lip as she listened to the dial tone.
"Yeah?" Morgan's groggy voice filled her ears.
"Hey, I need you to meet me at Granny's." Emma said, grabbing her keys off the table.
"Why? It's like seven fifteen!" He complained in a whiny voice.
"Yep, and there is a storm coming so we need to prepare." The blonde listened to an audible groan from the other end of the line.
"Fine, but you're buying coffee."
"Deal, I'll see you in ten." Emma hung up the line and pulled open the door but stumbled back, a sudden pain shooting through her chest. She clapped her hand over her heart instinctively, but as soon as the pain was there, it was gone.
The blonde stood for a moment, leaning against the door frame, her hand still resting over her heart, massaging the skin gently. This feeling had hit her often before, it used to happen quite a bit after her car crash. Shaking it off, Emma pulled the door shut and headed down the stairs, her hand still resting over her chest protectively.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Emma smiled gently as May Margaret sadly explained her abrupt departure earlier that morning. The blonde understood the teachers need to see David, but she also knew it was a lost cause, the guy was married.
"Love is the worst. I wish there was a magic cure." Emma nodded and gently took hold of Mary Margaret's hand, squeezing lightly.
"I know." The blonde muttered and she felt the brunette squeeze her own hand back.
"You worried about seeing Regina after you stood her up?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I'm more worried about how she's going to take it out on me." The blonde chuckled dryly. "Hey do you want to see something to cheer you up?"
"Absolutely." Emma grinned and silently gestured over to the counter, where Morgan was leaning, looking like a love sick puppy as Ruby talked animatedly about something.
"They are so cute." Mary Margaret muttered and the sheriff nodded.
"And so cowardly." She said, watching as Morgan turned an amusing shade of red when Ruby leant over to wipe away some cream from his face.
"I really do need to get going now." The brunette said lightly, standing from her seat.
"Okay, I'll see you later then." She nodded before disappearing through the door, leaving Emma to continue watching the love birds flirt in the corner.
"Hey Scott! We going to work or what?" She called and he vaguely waved his hand at her.
"Yeah, in a minute." Emma sighed and stood up, striding over to the counter.
"Okay, I'm just going to do this, since I fear I may never make it to work if I don't." She began, and Morgan started shaking his head violently. "Ruby will you go on a date with Morgan, since you to clearly have the hots for each other but are to chicken to do anything."
"A-a date?" Ruby spluttered, her eyes darting between a bright red Morgan and a smirking Emma.
"Yep, a fancy one too." The waitress beamed from ear to ear at the deputy who looked like he might faint.
"I'd love to!" she said eagerly.
"Really?" Morgan asked, the embarrassment disappearing in seconds.
"Yes really! Now we need to go." Emma said, grabbing the darker haired guy by the arm and tugging him to the door while he called back to Ruby.
"I call you!" Laughing, the sheriff yanked him out of the diner and towards the car.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
"I mean should I bring flowers or chocolates?" Morgan babbled as they loaded the back of the police cruiser together. "Or maybe wine! Women like wine right?"
"Yes we do. I could really do with some now." She said, grinning at him.
"Am I really that boring?" he smirked, dumping some jackets into the car boot.
"Yes." She teased making him deadpan at her.
"Hilarious." He grumbled. "You know I could have asked her out myself."
"But you didn't."
"I was going to."
"Really?"
"At some point." The blonde laughed and he grinned as well. However his playful expression melted away as Emma watched his body tense up and his face harden. The blonde turned and spotted Regina striding towards them.
"Err Morgan-"
"Yeah I got it, I'm not sticking around for this." He said as the mayor came to a stop next to them. He glared at her for a moment before giving a stiff nod. "Madame Mayor."
"Deputy Scott." She greeted, smiling at him. Morgan's nose twitched before he turned on his heel and climbed into the car, slamming the door loudly. Emma frowned at the back of his head through the window before turning to look at Regina.
"If you're looking to blame me for the storm, I think you're taking things a bit far now." The blonde said coldly. She felt all her walls go up as she took in the Mayor's hostile body language.
"I'm not here to blame you for the storm!" she snapped, making Emma huff. They stood in silence for a moment before Regina spoke again. "Why didn't you come over last night?"
"I got distracted." Emma replied, holding her ground as the brunette took a step towards her.
"And you couldn't at least call?"
"I meant to, but something came up and afterwards I just went straight to bed." Regina glared at her, crossing her arms.
"That is an awful excuse." She hissed.
"It's not an excuse!" Emma retorted, slamming the boot shut. "Look I'm not doing this in public, so unless there something else, we can talk about this later."
"Yes there is actually."
"Well?"
"I need you to look into something, Sheriff." Regina started, eyeing Emma closely. "Someone's in town. Someone new."
"Yeah. I know. I gave him directions to Granny's last night." The mayor frowned at this.
"Last night? You met him last night?" Regina practically growled.
"Really? You think I was with him all night! Oh my god Regina." Emma glared at the mayor who glared back. "He asked for directions, that's it."
"But yet that small meeting managed to distract you so much you completely forgot to at least call me?"
"Yes! What's the big deal? Who is he?"
"I don't know." Regina grumbled. "But there's something about him. Something familiar." Emma agreed with Regina on that. Maybe they all knew it each in the past and somehow Regina forgot as well. Emma pushed the thoughts aside as she turned her attention back to the mayor.
"He must be one of the untold millions you cursed." The blonde said jokily.
"What?" Regina said her voice slightly higher than usual.
"Never mind." Emma grumbled, leaning against the car, noticing Morgan making the "Ok" hand gesture through the window. The blonde ignored him.
"Sheriff, I need you to find out who he is." Regina stated. "What he wants. And what he's doing here."
"You know, as hard as you tried to find one in my case, there is no law against visiting Storybrooke."
"This isn't about the law Ms Swan. You're gonna do this because I asked you to."
"And why is that?" The blonde asked irritably.
"Because he was in front of my house. Taking a particular interest in the one thing we both care about. Henry." The Mayor said, and the blonde noticed a small sign of vulnerability flash in her eyes.
"I'll look into him." Emma said finally and Regina smiled at her. The blonde's eyes widened as the mayor stepped into her personal space, leaning in close.
"Whatever you were trying to pull last night won't work, you can't push me away Emma." She mumbled and blonde sighed.
"It's complicated Regina, but I'm not trying to pull anything. I want this." Emma admitted.
"Perhaps in time you'll trust me enough to let me help." Regina whispered and leant in to gently kiss Emma, who slowly kissed back.
"We'll see."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Emma threw herself through the door into Granny's, quickly shaking off the rain, the weather man really wasn't kidding when he said storm! Taking in the dark diner, the blonde's eyes fell onto a man sitting alone at one of the booths. Emma stood rooted to the spot for a moment, staring at him, her stomach doing front flips as she stared. If this man was from her past, he could finally unlock what she's lost, give her back the one thing she craved more than anything, herself.
Pulling off her beanie and gloves, Emma slipped towards him, watching as he became aware of her presence.
"We need to talk." She said coming to a stop next to him.
"Why?" he asked, not turning to look at her.
"Because you're suspicious."
"Sitting here. Out in the open. Drinking coffee." He said, his bright blue eye connecting with Emma's, sending a jolt through her. "Wonder what kind of hell I would've raised had I ordered a doughnut."
"Who are you?"
"I feel that question is far bigger than it sounds." Emma narrowed her eyes at him and he smiled.
"Tell me your name." she said, sitting down across from him.
"Lucas." He replied simply.
"Lucas…?"
"Swan." Emma felt her stomach drop and she paled.
"Why do you know my name?" she kept her voice even as she stared at him, watching for anything .
"You caused quite a commotion several years ago." Emma frowned at him making Lucas smile. "Amnesia patient admitted after life threatening car crash, goes missing." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Only to be thrown in jail no more than three months later."
"How do you know this?"
"Something called a newspaper." There was a glint in his eyes that made Emma instinctively touch the ring on her finger. She glanced down at the action and immediately stopped. She had started wearing the ring from her satchel some time ago, but never before felt the need to do that.
"We have the same surname."
"We do, like so many people in the world."
"I know you."
"Do you?" He titled his head to the side, the light catching the scar on his eye.
"I don't know." Emma said, her words seemed empty.
"Maybe you do, and maybe you don't." he shrugged. "You lost a good eighteen years of your life, who knows who you might have met in that time."
"Can you just tell me!" The blonde snapped, growing bored of his vague answers.
"No."
"What?!"
"You still have a very long way to go before I can give you the answer to that." he smiled at her. "But don't worry, I'm here make sure you remember."
"Why were you talking to Henry?" Emma remembered her conversation with Regina from the morning.
"The lad who was asking all the questions? Is it unusual for him to being curious and precocious?" Lucas replied grinning at Emma's bemused expression.
"What's in the box?" she tried a different question, eyeing the strange wooden box at his feet.
"This?" he asked, hauling it up onto the table. "You really want to know?"
"No." Lucas raised an eyebrow again. "Well maybe."
"it's awfully frustrating not knowing, isn't it?"
"I don't like games." She growled at him.
"Then let's not play one." He laid the box down flat, and moved his hands over the clasps at the front. Flipping them up, Lucas lifted the lip to reveal a telescope.
"Really?"
"I've got a thing for stars." Emma examined the telescope closely before looking back up at Lucas. He snapped the box shut and stood up.
"That's it?"
"For now." He took a hold of the handle and began walking towards the back of the diner. "We'll talk again soon."
A/N: 200 followers! How exciting :D God I love you all so much! So to all those who guessed about the stranger, no it isn't Hook. But that's not to say our one handed friend won't be along at some point ;) Please review and tell me what you think, I love to hear everything you say. I know there wasn't much Swan Queen action in this chapter, but rest a sure it will come (and so will they ;)) Till next time Kids.