A/N: I'm so sorry for dropping off the face of the planet. I got a bit overwhelmed with university work and starting my new job. Anyway, I'd really like to say thank you to everyone who has been reading this story. There's going to be three more chapters after this one and then I think I'm going to finish. I'll try to make sure the last one is something spectacular, but I also thought I should let you know that I'm switching a chapter showing James reaction to Graham being in Emma's room (Chapter 5) as requested with the second Bluebeard chapter, so they'll be chapters 18 and 19 respectively. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I hope the extra length makes up for my lack of updating. Let me know what you think!
Duel
"Emma, hold on a second," Snow begged. "Let's talk about this."
"We have talked about this," Emma pointed out, not letting her former friend's grip on her arm slow her down as she marched out to the woods. Any other time she would have twisted out of the grip, but she was all too aware that Snow had been nearly shot just days before and though she had avoided serious damage; the area was still bandaged and the skin raw from the bullet's scorching path. "We've talked about this for days. The time for talking is done."
"You're far too stubborn for your own good," Graham called from behind, out of breath from jogging to keep up with Emma's determined pace.
"She gets it from her mother," James muttered, the words not quite quiet enough to evade Emma and Snow White's hearing, the both of them tutting and glancing back with the exact same look of annoyance on their faces. Realising this, Emma looked away; still unsure how she felt about her connection to the woman she had been roommates with.
"Look, I've made my decision. Regina wants a fight? That's what she's going to get."
"You can't!" Snow and James both yelled.
Emma sighed and fought to keep her temper. The amount of times they'd had the same argument was mind boggling. No matter how much she tried to reinforce the point, her parents seemed unable to grasp the fact that Emma was no longer their little girl and was fully capable of making her decisions. Maybe she didn't always make the right decisions – Marcus was proof of that (and she still couldn't quite believe what had happened when her mother had showed up) – but they were her decisions and mistakes to make.
She was just about to repeat what she had said before, when Graham spoke.
"Maybe Emma's right. Maybe it needs to be done. Or Regina's never going to leave any of us alone."
She couldn't help the look of shock that flitted across her face as she regarded Graham, the man in question offering her a half-smile that didn't look quite genuine. She gave him a grateful look as James whirled on her colleague who had been called to help convince her that taking on Regina was stupid and would only result in her arrest. Emma wasn't bothered by that line of argument. She knew the dangers. And she'd been arrested before. It wasn't much of a threat, given that even though it had been three weeks, the legal system had yet to fully return to some semblance of normality. Old fights and deep-running vengeances meant that the sheriff's station and the District Attorney were almost constantly busy. Moe French, Captain Hook and Gold were frequently in contact with Albert Spencer.
"Are you mental? Emma's as good as dead if she goes and meets Regina alone! You read that letter. You know Regina; you know better than anyone what she'll do."
Graham shuddered in response. "You're right I do know what Regina plans to do, but you're forgetting one thing. Emma's the saviour; it's not going to be as one-sided a battle as you think. Why not have a little faith in your daughter?"
"We do have faith in Emma," Snow began, turning to face Emma, before James took over.
"But this isn't like the beanstalk. Regina isn't someone you can take on alone."
Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes and ask how many times her father had tried to fight Regina by himself. Without taking into account his time in fairytale land, she'd witnessed him attempt to throttle the woman twice in the last week. Hypocritical wasn't the word.
"I'll be fine," she insisted. "She said she just wants to talk."
"You don't know her like we do. She'll trick you. Look what she's done to our family already. She's framed us for murder, put us under sleeping curses, shot at us, locked us in cells, interfered in our lives more times than it's possible to count," James argued.
"That may be, but she won't stop interfering in our lives unless I do this."
"But she'll…" Snow trailed off, her last words stuck in her throat.
"Kill me? You don't think I know that?"
"Then why are you going? Please, just come back to the apartment. We'll figure something else out," James pleaded.
"You know I can't," Emma responded, looking at him with sorry eyes before darting away as quickly as she could.
Before James could rush after her, Graham grabbed the back of his jacket, ignoring the King's struggling.
"Let go of me! Let me go after her! Emma!" he shouted, cursing Graham and calling for his daughter.
Snow stared at the spot Emma had been stood, one of her hands reaching out to trace the air where her daughter had been as though she was touching her cheek. Without being called tears spilled out of her eyes and fell down her cheeks. Upon seeing this, James finally stopped struggling with Graham and pulled his wife into his chest, murmuring soothing words and stroking her back, all the while glaring angrily over the top of her head at Graham.
"Sorry," Graham mumbled, looking down at the ground unable to meet James' eyes without feeling guilty for letting Emma go. The trouble was he understood Emma's mind completely. He had spent every day at the station with her since Regina had first reappeared.
He had felt her terror every time one of the phones rang, her heart jumping in fear at the thought that it was going to be Snow White or James ringing to say that something had happened to Henry. It was slowly driving her insane. He had longed to do something to help, but she wouldn't even look at him. She always arrived in the station at the last possible minute before half eight and left as soon as she could. Where she spent the rest of his time, he didn't know. But she certainly wasn't spending it at the apartment. Snow had rung him before, asking whether she had left the station and always sounded disappointed when he said she'd left an hour before.
And then the letter had arrived, already on her desk when they had walked through the door together, an unusual occurrence given that she was prone to avoiding him. At the time he had thought nothing of it, but now he wondered whether there was a reason she had not bothered going to Granny's that morning for a coffee. As he removed his leather jacket and sat down at his desk, he had watched her from the corner of his eyes, as he always did. He didn't quite know why he insisted on it, but he found it unbearable not to be able to see her. He had seen the slight crumple of confusion written across her brow as she picked up the letter and inspected it before sliding a finger along the seal on the back and tearing the envelope open.
She could only have been reading it for a few seconds before the paper fell from her hands, fluttering onto her desktop with a slight rustle that caused his head to flick up. His eyes had no difficulty noticing her shaking hands and his sharp ears easily heard her shallow, panicky breaths.
"Emma?" he asked in concern.
She didn't reply, but instead grabbed her keys and rushed out of the station.
Interest piqued, he crossed the room, glancing at the door to be sure Emma wouldn't return as he read her letter.
The Woods. The Playground. Friday. Eleven.
Should you not turn up, you'll regret it. Already a storm is about to hit Storybrooke. My diviner tells me that the apartment you share with the delightful Snow White and her beloved Charming will be just one of the areas hit, but if you don't give me what I want the land will be razed before the sky even has the chance to thunder. I'm sure it wouldn't even take too much effort to redirect a little thunder and lightning to the stupid sheriff's station. I decide what happens in this town.
Graham gulped. He recognised the neat, cursive hand of the Evil Queen.
Emma shivered though in her fur-lined leather jacket she wasn't cold. It wasn't fear per se, but wariness. She had no idea whether Regina would have arrived yet, nor what would happen once she did. Would they talk or would she kill her on the spot?
Regardless, Emma knew she was ready for whatever was going to happen. She'd been preparing all week ever since she'd received the letter. Okay, so she'd panicked a little at first, but once she'd left the station and had a cocoa, she'd been fine.
Fingers wrapped around the cup, Emma stared unseeingly at the newspaper lying on the bar in front of her, just focusing on breathing in and out and slowing her heartbeat.
"Anything else I can get you, Emma?" Ruby asked tentatively, standing a good distance away.
Emma still flinched and eyed her warily.
"I'm fine," she blurted, averting her eyes again.
Ruby sighed in frustration, but tried not to begrudge Emma for her inability to accept her wolf problem, and wandered back into the kitchens to set a fry-up on the stove for Sneezy who had just walked into the Diner. Without even meaning to, she slammed the frying pan down and threw in the bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomato and bread. Angrily dousing the lot with a slosh of oil, she turned on stove and turned to grab the eggs, only to find Emma stood in her way.
"Emma!"
Her heart fluttered with fright from her friend's daughter's unexpected appearance.
"Sorry," Emma muttered, scooting back a few steps and leaning her back against the edge of one of the cupboards that housed a million mugs and cups, some of them chipped and cracked.
"It's fine," Ruby told her, squeezing her arm lightly and retrieving the eggs before the rest of the fry up burned.
As she cracked the shells and poured the white and yolk into the scalding oil in the bottom of the pan, Emma said, "It's not though."
Ruby frowned, unsure whether Emma was just referring to her startling appearance in the kitchen or something else.
"Are you okay, Emma?" she asked, peeking sidelong at the blonde saviour.
Emma was silent for a few moments, internally struggling with the instinct to respond with a 'yes' and brush off the offer of help.
"No," she finally whispered, almost breaking down again.
"What is it?" Ruby asked, pulling the frying pan off the heat so she could devote her full attention to Emma.
As Emma relayed the story of Regina's attack at the school and her threatening letter, she couldn't help thinking with some humour how odd it was to be seeking help and advice from Ruby rather giving it to her as she had just a month or so before when Ruby and Granny had argued.
Once Emma reached the end of her story, Ruby squeezed her arm reassuringly again. She was pleased to see that Emma didn't even cringe at her touch, but pushed the thought aside to focus on Emma's problem.
"Whatever you do, Emma, don't go head to head with Regina," Ruby warned. "Your parents will never forgive me if I let you walk out of here with that idea in your head."
Emma couldn't help picturing her parent's reaction, and stifled a chuckle. Sometimes, they could be a bit melodramatic when it came to her safety. It had been bad enough when she'd returned from beanstalk. As soon as they were away from Rumplestiltskin, Snow White and James had been quick to sternly tell her that she was 'never to do anything like that again.' In a way their worry was nice. It had been a long time since anyone cared what Emma did, but at the same time because of that, their care was a nuisance.
Blinking, Emma refocused on Ruby and what she was saying.
"But is it about Henry, or is this all this about Daniel? I mean, I miss Peter, but he wouldn't want me to suffer any more than I already have. I don't think Daniel would approve of Regina's behaviour…" Ruby mused, seeming to be thinking aloud more than instructing Emma on what to do.
Emma paused to steel herself, able to see the playground Regina had had built looming ahead. Her eyes flitted from tree to tree, searching but not finding anyone. Finally, she pressed on and entered the clearing that housed the playground. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on Regina lounging against the side of the 'Castle' in yet another of her designer suits, looking ridiculous in the setting of the woods.
In a second, before Emma could even blink, however; she was at her side.
Emma fought against her body, willing herself not to flinch, not to react as Regina regarded her coldly.
"Before you do this, just tell me why," Emma said simply. If she was going to die, she wanted to know why.
"Because I will have my happy ending."
"And Henry's your happy ending?" Emma questioned, trying to understand what was motivating her.
"He's my son, of course he makes me happy. He's all I've got. I lost everyone else – Daniel, my father-" Regina answered, her voice turning from bitter to despairing at the thought of Daniel, her one true love.
"-Daniel? Who's Daniel?" She already knew, of course, some of the story from reading Henry's book; but she wasn't entirely sure.
Tears clouding her eyes, Regina turned away. It wouldn't do for Ms Swan to see her in such a moment of weakness. Even with her back turned though, her voice carried to Emma as she told her story. Despite only intending to reveal what Snow White had done, she found herself practically pouring her heart out to Emma Swan, telling her all about how her mother treated her and what she taught her.
"But don't you see?" Emma interrupted. "It may not be intentional, but you're acting the same way as your mother by not giving Henry a choice-"
"-I am not my mother!"
Regina whirled around, fire in her eyes. She was anything but her mother, she thought vehemently. Lost in fury, Regina approached, her hands fully prepared to conjure spells that would deprive Emma of oxygen.
"Whatever it is you're going to do, just get on with it. What are you waiting for?"
From the trees, it sounded like there might have been a gasp, but when no further sound was heard, both Emma and Regina were left to conclude that it could only have been the wind.
Emma shut her eyes, unable to stare into Regina's empty eyes any longer whilst she waited for her to rip out her heart and crush it like she'd done to Graham and so many others.
But nothing happened.
Slowly, she opened one eye, then the other, to find Regina simply regarding her.
"Perhaps I underestimated you, Ms Swan," Regina murmured, just traces of anger left in her eyes. "Maybe we can come to some arrangement. I gather you were crucial in negotiating the custodial agreement between Jefferson and the Millers."
Emma nodded, bewildered by Regina's sudden change of heart.
After a brief discussion, they had come to an agreement. Henry would stay in the apartment with Emma, Snow and James during the week as it was more convenient for the purposes of Henry's schooling. The weekends, he would spend with Regina.
"Thank you…Emma," Regina said, giving her what looked like a genuine smile.
Emma nodded and turned to leave before remembering the storm Regina had mentioned in her letter.
"Regina?" she called, whirling around.
"Yes?"
"The storm, were you being serious?"
"I'll do what I can to direct it away from the town, but I've already summoned it…" Regina trailed off and glanced at Emma, wondering whether she might revise her recently changed opinion of her.
Emma nodded, grateful for the help anyway. She smiled uncertainly, just a small gesture, and walked away. The instant she was out of the clearing, she was surrounded.
Snow swept her into her arms and James trailed his hands through her hair in disbelief.
"You're okay," Snow breathed.
"I'm fine," Emma promised, making sure she made eye contact with the both of them.
As they released her, Red walked up reproachfully.
"Emma, you said you wouldn't take her on. Did you listen to a word I said?"
"Yes! I didn't take her on," Emma professed. "We just talked."
"Well-"
"-Thank you. Red."
Ruby smiled at Emma calling her by her real name and the four of them began walking back towards town. As Snow and Red gossiped, James just happy to be in their company, Emma found herself thinking. She found herself reflecting that perhaps Regina wasn't all bad.
A/N: So, what did you think? I hope you guys liked what I did. I've really liked the way the writers have developed Regina in this second series and decided I wanted to do something similar. Hopefully, the next update won't be so long coming. I'm skipping lectures tomorrow, so you never know, you might see something else quite soon.
Anyways, thanks so much for reading! As always, much love, SabreDae
xxxxxxxxxx