Underneath The Surface
Chapter 28
Contrasts of Love
One day you will meet someone who doesn't care about your past because they want to be in your future.
origin unknown
The ride back to the command trailer was a quick one. Emma held on to the grab bars as they bounced over the trail, and she was more than grateful to see a portable outhouse at the end of the trailer. Her part in the search and rescue seemed to have stretched on, and she was glad there had been a positive outcome.
As she was exiting the outhouse, she saw Turk being put into the back of a police cruiser and she shook her head at the man's stupidity.
"Sheriff Swan?"
"You can call me Emma, Genesis, it's okay."
"Thank you for finding me. I ... I thought..."
Emma stepped closer so that she could lower her voice and still be heard. "I understand in ways you don't know about yet. Callie can fill you in, ask her once the two of you get to catch up. But you need to believe me when I tell you that I can be a pretty good sounding board. I don't judge. I've been through more than you might think and I understand all too well the feeling of not belonging and not knowing where you come from. Come see me if you want to talk, okay?"
Genesis nodded, too overwhelmed to put her thoughts into words.
"Callie, you want to walk your friend home?" Stirling called out. "Sheriff Swan and I have some paperwork to do."
"I'll drive us back when it's all done." Emma added.
"There you go." Emma handed Stirling a sheaf of papers later. "Incident report, chain of evidence form, receipt of loan and return of firearms and unused ammunition. I've piled all the equipment you loaned us in the back room. Do you need anything else?"
Stirling leaned back in his chair and regarded Emma thoughtfully. "I have to say, at first, I was skeptical of your involvement. But it all turned out well. While you were filling out the reports, Callie swore you were nothing short of amazing." Stirling rose and took a step toward Emma with his hand out. "Damn good work out there, Sheriff Swan. I'm glad you were on this."
Emma blinked. "Umm, thanks."
Stirling chuckled. "Last week I would have argued that a female Sheriff was a foolish notion. Today...I'm impressed."
They shook hands and Emma left the trailer.
She found Callie leaning on the truck. "Ready to go home?"
The teenager nodded and they both got into the cab. The truck started easily, but instead of putting it in gear and driving back, Emma turned to her passenger. "Callie, I'm pretty sure this was a new experience for you. If you want to talk about it, any time, don't be shy, okay?"
Callie nodded. "It's just kinda ... all still sinking in I think."
"Things like this have a way of slamming into us in ways we don't expect, when we least expect them. Even if it's at three in the morning and you need to talk. Come and talk to me." Emma reached out and gave Callie's shoulder a brief squeeze, then put the truck in gear and left the field.
When they pulled into the driveway, Regina and Patty were on the front porch waiting for them. Callie opened the door and slid out as the truck was shut off, Emma only a few steps behind her. Patty came down the front steps and met her daughter half way to the house. "Olivia called. Said you found her." She smiled.
Callie hugged her mother fiercely. "Thanks for always being honest, Mom." she mumbled. Then she let go just as suddenly and went into the house.
Patty watched her go, then turned to look at Emma quizzically.
"Talk to her. She'll be changed by this. She'll need some support I think." Emma stuck her hands in her back pockets and gave Patty a small smile. "She'll be okay."
Patty nodded and went into the house.
Regina came to stand in front of Emma, reached out for her hands and studied her intently for a minute. "You seem changed too. Let's go in."
"I could use a bath."
Emma took the two packs from the back of the truck and they went up the steps holding hands.
Just before they reached the door Regina turned her head and gave Emma a wry look. "Gina? Really?"
Emma laughed as she held the door open.
Upstairs, Regina let Emma precede her into their room. She shut the door quietly and made her way over to the bed where Emma sat. The former Queen bent and began to untie the tall leather boots she had always secretly admired.
"You don't have to ..."
"Emma, we've been over this. I want to. And besides, no matter how good a bed you may build out of boughs, I know you're tired." Regina looked up for a moment, then turned her attention back to the boots. "Word has it you saved Genesis from something unexpected, the least I can do is take my girlfriend's boots off for her." Regina felt Emma still above her. It still felt heavy, using the term. She waited, hoping Emma would not make light of it.
She felt a hand stroke her hair and only then did she look up.
"I like the sound of that." Emma was smiling down at her with a smile that reached all the way to her eyes.
"As do I." Regina straightened up before leaning in slowly to kiss the blonde. When a wave of happiness flooded in, she pulled back and stroked Emma's face. "I'll run your bath, if you like."
"Hot, please. I need a good soak." Emma leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Regina. "I missed you so much..."
"I missed you too, love." Regina bent and kissed the top of Emma's head. "Would you like some help washing your hair?"
"Does it involve you naked in that tub with me?"
Regina chuckled. "I believe that can be arranged."
It wasn't long before they were in the large tub, Regina guiding Emma to lean against her. "Have you noticed how our bodies fit together so well? Strange that it took us so long to stop fighting."
Emma stroked one of Regina's calves. "I'm just glad we did stop fighting."
They were quiet for a few minutes, each lost in her own thoughts before Emma asked, "So what did I miss?"
"Well, it seems Patty and Charlie have been carrying a torch for each other for quite some time. They've finally decided to move forward with a relationship."
Emma twisted against her to peer back in surprise. "You're kidding."
"I'm not." Regina chuckled. "Oh, and I was offered a job. Charlie wants to hire me as the baker for The Sneezing Moose."
"Are you going to accept?"
"I think so. Patty's gardens won't need 24/7 attention and you know I enjoy it. Here, scoot forward and lean your head back. I'll wash your hair."
Emma did as she'd been asked. "I think that's a great idea."
"So of course, there's all sorts of rumors about what happened out there. What really happened?" Regina wet Emma's hair as she spoke.
"What sorts of rumors?"
"Thought you didn't like when people answered a question with a question, Miss Swan?" Regina tugged gently on one of Emma's earlobes.
Emma chuckled.
"Rumor has it that you saved Genesis from a rapist."
"It was Turk." Emma said simply.
"What!" Regina straightened abruptly.
"Apparently Genesis had an argument with her mother and went to a childhood hideaway to cool off. Ruins of a building out in the woods. Turk stumbled across her there and forced her to walk at gunpoint. I still don't know where they were going. I imagine it'll come up when Stirling questions him."
"Was she hurt?" Regina began to massage shampoo into Emma's scalp.
"No, but he was." Emma chuckled. "She had chucked a rock at him shortly before we found them. He'll have a small scar on his forehead I guess. I asked him later what he thought he was doing, and you know what he said? Kids go missing all the time, he didn't figure it would matter much if she was found!"
"I'm guessing that's when you 'built a tornado', as you put it."
"Yeah, after his face met with the gun-stock."
Regina made a sound in the back of her throat.
"Bastard's lucky you haven't taught me how to rip out hearts."
Regina's hands stilled. "That's not your way, Emma. There's a world of contrast between defensive magic and aggressive.
I controlled. You defend.
That's the difference between being an Evil Queen and The Saviour."
Emma straightened and turned as best she could to see Regina. I don't see you that way...as evil. You may have been before, but you aren't anymore. I still don't see myself as a Saviour, either."
Regina laid a wet hand against Emma's cheek. "But that's who we are, Dear, at our core, we are who you insist we are not. I may not rip hearts out any longer, but it was not so very long ago that I did just that. I ruled through fear, intimidation and misused power. I had people killed merely because they defied me. You know all that already, and yet ..."
"Still, I love you." Emma finished quietly.
"You have always been a Saviour." Regina continued. "Henry was right, the legend was right. Yes, I played a part in creating that legend, as did your parents, Gepetto and that damned Blue Fairy...but as you are fond of saying, we make our own choices. We forge our own paths. But for all of your choices, you have always been the Saviour, just as you were with Genesis today. I love you for many reasons, not the least of which is the light you bring to me. Your light balances my darkness, and without one, the other is not whole. We needed to be who we were, to be who we are today."
Emma studied the emotional brown eyes that peered back at her. "You've given this a lot of thought."
In answer, Regina leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Yes, I have. And when we get home and your parents protest our relationship, that will be my explanation."
Emma returned the kiss and soon, the touches meant to comfort and reassure turned to heated passion.
"Let me...finish...washing and then I'll...show you how much I missed you."Emma said between kisses.
Regina whimpered in answer.
Later that day, Patty knocked discreetly on their door and called out. "Ladies, dinner is almost ready if you're hungry."
Regina raised her head from Emma's shoulder. "We'll be right there, Patty."
Emma sighed. "I guess we'll have to get dressed then."
"I'm fairly certain that it's not appropriate to go to the table wearing nothing but a satisfied smile, Dear."
"Not even if it's a very, very satisfied smile?" Emma laughed and kissed Regina once more.
When they entered the kitchen, everyone looked freshly scrubbed. Regina made small talk as she helped Patty set the table, both of them insisting that Callie and Emma deserved to rest.
"Do you realize that you two are being talked about all over town?" Patty said as she set a jug of juice out in the middle of the table. "Everyone is calling you heroes, including Sheriff Stirling."
Callie made a face. "Mom, we didn't do anything special."
Regina crossed the room and kneeled beside the teen's chair. "Callie, you are a hero. You and Emma worked together to not only find your friend, but rescue her from the control of someone who clearly did not have good intentions. I'm sure your mother will agree with me when I tell you that you had a part in that."
Patty leaned against the counter, and faced the table, nodding.
Emma spoke up. "Callie, Regina will tell you that I have a bit of a reputation for saving people, whether I want that reputation or not. I would not have known where to look if it weren't for you. You not only held your own out there, you did it without complaint. You did what needed doing. People expect that of me, I'm a sheriff. No one expected that of you. You went above and beyond to save someone in need. That makes you a hero."
Callie sighed in resignation. "I guess..."
Regina chuckled, knowing that tone all too well.
A knock rang out from the front door and Charlie called out. "Is that invitation for dinner still good?"
**Author's note: Next chapter, Patty and Charlie tell Callie about their on-again/off-again relationship and Emma gets serious about finding magic in Desperation Lake**