Okay, here's the next chapter. Sorry it took longer to update than expected.
As always, reviews definitely appreciated. Thank you so much to those who have left a message already :)
Enjoy x
It didn't take Regina long to find Emma. Their bench was a place where the both of them liked to come when they needed to think or be alone.
Without a word she sat down beside the blonde sheriff.
"Please, Regina," Emma started quietly. "Please, just don't ask me anything."
"Oh, I can't promise that," the brunette replied. The Saviour spun around to see a smirk firmly planted on the other woman's face.
"You know something's wrong, Regina," Emma said, frowning. "Something is forcing me to tell the truth. I don't want you asking me anything. So, please?"
The Mayor was silent for a moment, just looking at the blonde. She knew Emma had secrets, they both did, she also knew that she probably also had memories that she wouldn't want to be forced to repeat. However, she was surprised to see something else, almost hidden in those sea-green eyes. She saw what looked like fear.
Without replying, Regina turned her head away and looked out across the water.
"Your mother's facials were extraordinary," she eventually said, grinning.
Emma gave a groan and dropped her head in her hands. She lifted it up again slowly, breathing out deeply as she did. Regina turned her head back towards her and they looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"I can't believe I said any of that, and to my mother. I'm really sorry babe," Emma said chuckling. "You're right though, the look on her face!"
Once they had finally managed to calm down, which admittedly took a little while, Emma shook her head and stood up still smiling.
"Shall we?" she asked, holding her hand out for the other woman.
Regina looked at the offered hand, smiled, and took it. She stood up as well and they started walking.
"Where are we going?" the brunette asked.
"We need to find out what's going on with me," Emma replied, "I figure your books are the best place to start."
"My books?" Regina said, and Emma was sure she heard a hint of ice in her voice.
"Yes," the blond said, frowning slightly. Surely Regina didn't think that Emma was suggesting she had anything to do with it?
"Why?" the brunette continued, not really giving Emma any clues about what she was thinking.
"Well, I sure as hell don't trust Gold," Emma started, receiving a nod of agreement from Regina, "and the fairies are just way too weird."
At that the brunette gave a small chuckle.
Emma sighed and stopped walking. She pulled on their joint hands, turning Regina to stand in front of her.
"Whatever is going on I really don't like it and you are the only person I trust to figure it out," she said, looking straight into Regina's deep brown eyes.
After a moment, the Mayor leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Emma's lips.
"Shall we?" she said, nodding in the direction they had been going. Emma realised the acceptance of her answer as well as the repeating of her earlier words and grinned. She nodded and they started walking again.
"What did you mean when you said I'd figure this out?" Regina asked after a short while.
"Well, let's face it, you are the smart one," Emma replied automatically. Realising what had happened she gave a growl, Regina however, just smirked.
"Why thank you dear," she said.
"Yeah, yeah," Emma mumbled.
After only a few more paces, Regina opened her mouth again.
"What's your favourite food?" she asked.
"Lasagne," came Emma's immediate reply, "specifically your lasagne."
Another pleased smirk for the brunette, followed by another few paces.
"What's your favourite movie?"
"Bewitched," Emma said simply. Her answer caused Regina to start laughing again. "What?"
"Seriously?" the brunette asked.
"Yes," Emma replied, not impressed that Regina was making fun of her. "It's an awesome movie. It's sweet, it's funny and it has magic."
"You have magic," Regina pointed out.
"Yeah, but I didn't always know that," Emma countered.
"You know, I never would have put you down as a mushy romantic," she said, her tone still laughing at the blonde.
"I always have been," the sheriff stated. "Besides it's about someone who doesn't think she will ever fit in, but she does. She finds her place and with someone who loves her."
She looked over at Regina and smiled warmly. Suddenly she realised just how much she'd shared and frowned. Having enough she grumbled and started walking again, this time a little faster.
"Can we just get moving?" she asked.
"Favourite TV show?" Regina asked a few minutes later.
"Addams' Family. The original black and white version."
"Hmm, I haven't watched that," Regina admitted, resulting in a gasp from the blonde.
"Right, when all this is done, we are watching them all," she said with a determined nod. "And then, we can go through the movies and the remake TV show that they did in the 90's."
They continued walking for a while, Emma babbling something about an uncle festering somewhere and a butler named Lunch, or Grunge, or something, and Regina once again found herself regretting opening her mouth. Not that she had a choice, but what had she gotten herself into?
"What's your most embarrassing moment?" she asked, finally interrupting the blonde's fan girling.
"Argh, Regina!" Emma exclaimed, but the brunette just shrugged, waiting for the answer, knowing the blonde would have to tell her. "I did walk in on my parents in bed just after we got back from the Enchanted Forest."
The Mayor's face immediately contorted in disgust. That was not something she really needed to think about. She was about to ask another question, hoping to rid herself of the disturbing image, when Emma continued speaking.
"Oh, actually, there's one that's worse. It was when I was fifteen, just before I ran away from my last home. I had been kinda seeing this girl for about a month and I wanted to do this big romantic gesture for her. Anyway, I set up a picnic and I wrote a song. After we ate I climbed into a nearby tree, with my guitar, and I played it for her. About half way through the song I guess I kinda forgot I was in a tree and leant backwards. I fell out of the tree, broke my arm, and my guitar."
They had to stop walking because Regina was bent over she was laughing so hard.
"I really wish I could have seen that," she managed to say between gasping for breath.
"I asked you not to ask me any questions," Emma grumbled.
"And I said I couldn't promise that," the brunette replied, carefully wiping the tears from her eyes.
Emma gave a huff and continued walking, Regina having to almost run to catch up.
"What I don't get," the blonde said suddenly, "is why this is only affecting me."
"Oh, it's not," Regina replied simply. "We're not sure how many of us are actually affected, your parents and Ruby are keeping an eye out for anyone who is, but you aren't the only one."
"What?!" Emma stopped walking. She stood in the middle of the road, mouth opening and closing like a guppy, shocked that the brunette hadn't told her. "Well, who else do we know so far?"
"So far? Just your parents and me," Regina stated, turning around and briskly walking off."
"You?!" the blonde exclaimed. "Regina!"
"Oh look, we're here!" the Mayor said, managing to ignore the blonde and hurriedly opening, and then descending into, her vault.
"Wait, Regina," Emma called, quickly following the Mayor. "You made me answer all those questions, yet you're also under the affects?"
"Yes," Regina replied.
The blonde stood tall and crossed her arms, a smirk firmly planted on her face.
"I think it's my turn to –"
Unfortunately for Emma, Regina knew exactly how she was going to finish that sentence and really wasn't keen to answer whatever questions the blonde was about to subject her to.
She waved her hand and the last of Emma's words were nothing but silent mouthing. Realising what the brunette had done she shut her mouth and glared at her.
"Oh don't pout dear, we both know you don't need your voice to use your mouth effectively," Regina said, smirking and giving the blonde a wink. Emma just rolled her eyes, this woman was impossible. Sexy as hell. But impossible.
The two set off about the vault trying to discover what could be causing people in the town to have to tell the truth. Well, Regina was. Emma couldn't really read many of the texts so she was just looking for pictures of things she recognised, all the while trying to come up with a really good way to get back at Regina, hiding the smirk as ideas started to form.
In the next couple of chapters we should definitely start to see some more confessions, and get a glimpse of what happens when everyone has to tell the truth. Should be fun :)