Chapter 8
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to figure out which way is going to be quicker to get to Boston," Emma told her.
"You don't know?"
"Well it has been a few years since I've made the trek, so yeah, I don't know."
"I'm sorry. I'm just on edge. I don't like this."
"And, you think I do?" Emma questioned in response.
Regina flinched. She just wanted to get to Coraline. She wasn't going to feel better until she saw her again. She knew that it wasn't rational, but it was her daughter. It would have been the same way with Henry if he was missing. Neverland...she didn't want to think about that right now.
"It'll be okay, Regina."
"Don't stop telling me that," she replied.
"I thought you hated the 'Charming' optimism."
"Sometimes, I'll admit that it is needed."
"I'll remember that later."
Regina laughed lightly. She actually gave Emma a slight smile. She watched as Emma plugged away at her GPS entering her old address for directions. She picked a route and began to pull away from the curb. She headed out of town and over the line. Regina sat back in her seat and tried to get comfortable. She idly wondered, again, how long the trip was going to be.
"It isn't going to be that bad," Emma told her.
"Can you read my mind now?" Regina asked her.
"No. I just understand what you are feeling and why you are fidgety. It will be okay. Just stay calm and breathe. This is going to take us about three to four hours to get there, if I don't speed too much."
"You are the Sheriff. Go as fast as you deem it necessary to go. And, yes, that was an order from the Mayor."
Emma laughed, but she knew what Regina meant. Regina was actually giving her permission to drive unsafely for once. She was that adamant about them getting to Boston...tonight.
"It is barely after five, Regina. We'll be fine. Just relax. I got this."
"That is only partially what scares me."
"I scare you?"
"To a degree, yes, you do," Regina answered.
"You want to have this conversation, now?" Emma asked only slightly surprised.
"No time like the present. I can't go anywhere. I don't have any magic over the town line. You basically have me at your mercy, Sherriff. I can't do anything that you don't want me to. I can't do anything that I would want to with magic. I see this as something that you would like, is it not?" Regina asked.
"I want to talk to you. I don't want it to be forced. This isn't exactly what I meant about us talking about it later, but you're right. You can't go anywhere. But, that doesn't mean that I am ready for this discussion. I mean, you didn't really give me a choice in the matter back at the diner with Ruby."
"I didn't have one either."
"I know."
"Then, what is it?"
"I really haven't had a chance to digest it all. First of all, we have a daughter...together. That thought alone is daunting in itself. Then, when I ask you how that could happen, you don't really know except for magic and the possibility of True Love. Which brings me to the last thing that caught me completely off guard, you care for me. I think it is more than that, but I am not going to push."
"Why not? You have in any other situation. What makes this one so special?" Regina inquired.
"You."
"No, you are not allowed to do that. You can't blame this all on me. It isn't fair."
"I didn't say that I was blaming anything on you. I simply stated that you make this situation special. I am not sure how you'll respond to anything I say and that is a little scary. I know what you are capable of doing when you get angry. I don`t want to make you angry, Regina. Is that a problem?"
"No."
"Look, I am just as weirded out by this as you are."
"That isn't a word, Miss Swan."
"Sure it is. Anyway, I am not trying to argue with you. I want to know what you feel."
"What I feel?"
"Yes, what you feel. I know that you have been hurt in the past. Emotions aren't something that you show easily. I get it. Above everyone else back in Storybrooke, I get it. You can't lie to me anyway. I always know when you are lying. If you don't want to talk, we don't have to," Emma offered.
"We have nothing else to do for the next few hours; we might as well."
"We could play 'I spy'," Emma stated.
"As much fun as that sounds, no," Regina replied.
"You like to spoil my fun, don't you?"
"It isn't so much as spoiling it; it was more of the fact that you are Snow's daughter."
"That is a problem for you, isn't it?" Emma asked.
"It does make caring for you difficult. On one hand, I know that it could upset Snow and that makes me happy. On the other hand, I know that it might put you in a difficult position with your mother. I wouldn't want you to suffer on my account. I believe I have caused you enough suffering to last anyone a lifetime. So in the end, I favor towards that instead of revenge on Snow," Regina explained.
"So, now, I have to make the decision?"
"No, Dear, I didn't say that. I was just stating that caring for you will cause you pain in one of two ways. It will either be directly by me or directly by your mother. I have chosen to keep my emotions and thoughts to myself. By doing that, I have removed the problem from the equation and everyone can remain happy like they already are," Regina stated.
"But you aren't happy," Emma replied.
"Who says I am not?"
"Your eyes."
"Em-ma…"
"Listen, it's okay. I get it. I am not the easiest person to like. Then there is the problem with my lineage, but that didn't stop you from loving Henry."
Regina turned in her seat to stare at her. When Emma turned to meet her gaze, Regina simply shook her head and pointed back at the road. She saw Emma's smile get bigger.
"You can't deny it, can you?"
"Why should I? I love my...our son. He has made me happier than anyone else in a very long time."
"I know. I also know what it was like for you when I showed up, when you thought I was going to take him from you. I know what you've been through for him, with him, and to get him. I applaud you for that. I know that you love Henry."
"Then, what are you asking me?"
"When did you start to have feelings for me?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It obviously does."
"Why?"
"Because our daughter came back to save us."
"But, why does it matter when I started to care for you, Miss Swan?"
"Stop with that. Call me Emma, and just answer the question. It isn't that hard. When?"
"In Neverland."
"That long?" Emma asked full of surprise.
"Yes, that long."
"And, you never thought to tell me?"
"I tried once." Regina admitted.
"When?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, it does. I want to know. I think I've earned that right, haven't I?" Emma asked her.
"Yes, you have."
"So, when?"
"I really don't think that it is that important."
"Sure it is."
"Why is this so important to you?"
"Besides Coraline?" Emma asked in response.
"Yes, besides our children, why is it so important to you?"
"Maybe, because I've cared about you as well. I didn't know how you would respond to any advances that I would make towards you, so I never did anything overt. I just tried to be nice and make sure that everyone knew that you were changing. Eventually, I wasn't the only one who saw it."
"What about your mother?"
"What about her?" Emma asked.
"Does she know?"
"That I like you? No, I haven't told her that yet. I was waiting to tell her when we got back, but I think the little tidbit about Coraline being mine kinda crushed her dreams a little. She isn't stupid, just naïve. She'll eventually figure it out on her own and then she'll come question me about it, like she has with everything else," Emma explained.
"Does that bother you?" Regina asked.
"No, not really. Should it? Wait, does it bother you?"
"No, it doesn't bother me, Emma. I just don't want to be the reason that you don`t have a good relationship with your parents. I've already caused enough damage in that department."
"You cast the curse. You weren't the one that sent me away. Eventually, she is going to have to own up to her own mistakes in that situation and quit blaming you. She had a choice and she made it. I don't agree with it. Right now, we both agree to disagree about it. That is not your fault," Emma said.
"She`ll see it differently."
"Then let her. It is her problem, not mine. I'm a grown woman. If she wants someone to dote on, she has Neal to deal with. I am sure that he will love it."
"I didn't mean to upset you."
"It isn't your fault."
"I brought it up. I cast the curse. And, I shouldn't have remained silent. I kept the truth from you because I was selfish. There is plenty to blame me for, Emma, especially to your parents. Hell, even Henry blamed me. It is easy to do. The only thing is that you don't blame me."
"Your choices affected me, yes, but it was the choices of others that caused me to be where I was and what I went through. There could have been other options. They didn't try. They locked on to the one chance that they saw as the only way to save themselves. My life wasn`t thought about it. I was born to be the Savior. It didn't matter how it happened but I was going to be this person. That was all they thought about."
"That is a very cynical way of thinking," Regina mused.
"You didn't grow up here. It is easy to become disillusioned with the establishment. Life isn't easy. I've had to fight for everything that I have, everything that I wanted, and to survive. Maybe it was to make me tougher and more spirited. I don't know. But, I decided early enough that I was going to make my own destiny. I was going to live my life my way and I was going to be damned if I was going to let anyone else tell me otherwise."
"That is a good mentally, I believe," Regina replied.
"Not when you do things my way."
"Which is?"
"I tend to over react on the violent side. I don't think things through. I would rather fight someone than back up and think things through first. You of all people should know that. I've hit you. It makes liking me harder for those around me."
"Not really."
"Well, not you, you like violence."
"What an awful thing to say," Regina retorted.
"Isn't it the truth?"
"The only people I have ever sought out for violence were your parents."
"And then you cursed an entire kingdom," Emma added.
"The curse wasn't violent. It was deplorable, but not violent. No one was hurt because of the curse. No one was injured. They just didn't know who they were. I didn't raise an army to destroy someone. I kept an army to defend my lands and myself. I personally sought out your parents."
"True and they did the same."
"I don't see how raising an army for the sole purpose of killing me isn't considered violent."
"Yeah, well, I don't think that they had much choice."
"They could have let me kill them," Regina added.
"See and that is why we get along. You're amazing sarcastic wit is astounding. Plus, I know that you would have killed them given the chance. I am sure that you tried, but in the end...and I mean now, you realized, too late, it seems. It wouldn't have solved your anger, grief or need for vengeance."
"No, it wouldn't. It is a dangerous and dark slope. I was pushed hard by not only my mother but also by Rumple. I think I learned to forgive your mother years ago, but my need for vengeance, my want for her punishment at my own hand, outweighed the desire to just simply live," Regina explained.
"It does make loving someone difficult. What changed? Why did you stop going after her?"
"The curse and then Henry."
"Ah, the heart of the truest believer saves the day again."
"That he did."
"How do you think he is going to take it about Coraline?"
"I have no idea."
"Do you think that he'll think we are trying to replace him?"
"I doubt it. He knows that we love him. He shouldn't feel like we are replacing him. He would know that we love him just as much as we will love Coraline. Why do you ask? Are you still upset about Neal and your parents?" Regina asked her.
"It just gets to me sometimes. I get that they weren't there for me and they want that. What mother doesn't? I wish that I had that with Henry, but I wasn't in a good place. He needed more than I could give, you know? And, then you gave me the fake memories. So, in a way, I did end up getting it. Thanks for that, again, by the way. It just seems selfish on Snow's part, having another kid. I mean I want siblings, but now, my kids are going to have an uncle that is around their age or younger. Our family tree is seriously fucked up. I can't imagine what this going to do them as they grow up together. I mean, Henry technically out ranks Neal in the line to throne and he'll be older than Neal, but still the younger heir. It's a mess," Emma stated.
"That is if you allow Henry to be named as their crown prince," Regina told her.
"What does that mean?"
"You are next in line, dear. Henry after you and then Neal, but ultimately, the decision on who is to rule after Snow's demise, whenever that may be, would be you. You are the crown princess. Why do you think that the towns people let you get away with so much and don't fight you on things? You are their princess and the savior. They'll listen to you because you are Snow's daughter. Your blood affords you more respect than your actions to a lot of the town."
"I don't want that. I never wanted that. How do I make it stop?"
"Being with me would do it," Regina teased.
"Seriously, now, you joke about it."
"Well, it's true. I don't know how they will react when you tell them that Coraline is your daughter, too. Now, wait and tell them that we made a child together. That is going to go over just as well as last curse with Zelena's memory wiping addition. They aren't going to be pleased with you. It certainly isn't going to win you any favors, I'll tell you that."
"I don't care."
"You should."
"Why because they are my subjects?"
"Yes," Regina replied, making her face stone again and hiding her emotions.
"You want to know something?" Emma asked her trying to ease their emotions.
"Sure," Regina replied.
"I think I began to feel something for you in Neverland, too," Emma confessed.
Snow was still sitting in the booth hours later. Her hands were wrapped around the coffee mug she had been sipping, out of earlier. She was looking off and was completely dazed. The look on her face had been plastered there since Emma and Regina left an hour before. Ruby had been watching them talk, but had been good and not eaves dropped. Now, as she looked at her friend, she wished she had. She couldn't imagine what they had said to her. Ruby finally couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed a tray from behind the counter and went over to the booth to clean it off and talk to Snow.
"Hey."
"Ruby?"
"Yeah, Snow?"
"Does she love her?"
"Does who love who, Snow?"
"You're friends with Emma. Does she love Regina? I mean, does she really love her?"
Ruby sat down. This was not what she was expecting. Her clear blue eyes met the questioning hazel. She didn't know what Emma had told her and she didn't know how much to divulge, either. Snow was her friend, but she was Emma's mother. Emma was her friend, Goddaughter, and over all drinking buddy, but she was Snow's daughter. It was a fine line and one that she didn't want to cross.
"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked her.
"You know exactly what I am talking about, Red. You know something. I can see it on your face. What haven't you told me? Does Emma love Regina?" Snow demanded.
"Whoa, calm down. I don't know. I do know that Coraline is also her daughter. I can't explain that. I don't know what to tell you. I don't know if they conjured Coraline in the future or something else. Magic isn't really my forte, being a wolf is," Ruby stated.
"I know that, but…"
"But, what?"
"I…I…I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean you don't know what to do?" Ruby asked her.
"It's Regina, Ruby. She is with Regina. How am I supposed to react to that?"
"Like you don't know what's going on, because we don't."
"They have a daughter."
"They already have a son," Ruby added.
"This is different."
"How?"
"Because she is theirs."
"And, Henry isn't."
"Henry isn't Regina's."
"Don't let her hear you say that," Ruby warned.
"You know what I mean," Snow replied.
"No, actually, I don't. But, given this reaction, I can see why Emma came to me be interim mayor. You need to go and take care of your son and grandson. I am sure that David is waiting for you at home. Try not to think about it. I am sure that they will explain everything when they get home. They may not even know how it happens. Coraline from what I understand has been pretty vague about it. Hell, she might not even know."
"The diary!"
"The what?"
"Coraline's journal," Snow stated.
"You wouldn't. Besides, it was Regina's. You wouldn't be able to read it. It has a blood magic lock on the words. Coraline could read it because she is Regina's. You wouldn't be able to at all. It would look like blank paper."
"But, Coraline is finishing it. I would be able to read the end. I could find out things."
"Really, Snow. You would invade the privacy of your granddaughter just to get an answer to a question that you really don't want an answer to. Wow, that is mature. I am going to need you to grow up and put your big girl panties on. Go home to your husband and talk to him. See what he says. And, for the love of Emma, don't tell Henry that Coraline is his baby sister."
"Why not?" Snow asked, cocking her head in naivety.
"Are you fucking serious?"
"What?"
"Everyone in town thinks that she is Belle's little sister. Do you know what that would do to him? 'Hey, kid, just so you know, your moms had a daughter, but we don't know how. By the way, it's Coraline. You're a big brother.' That would be insane. He has been through enough. Leave him out of it, Snow. You have questions, I get it. Hell, I am sure that Emma and Regina do, too. Let them figure it out and then, let them tell you. Don't push Emma away further."
Snow sat there and regarded her friend's words. They were true. She did have a tumultuous relationship with her daughter. She knew that Neal complicated things further, but she saw the way that Henry and Emma were with Neal. She had always wanted a big family. Now that she had it, she would end up destroying it because she had to know. Was she willing to lose Emma, again? That was the real question that Ruby asked her. Could she handle being the reason that Emma left her, again? Once through the wardrobe because of the curse, twice as they fought to save Henry in Neverland, third when Pan cast the second curse, and fourth with birth of Neal…Snow wondered if they would survive another push apart.
"I don't want to. I want my family. All of it. I don't want anyone to be in pain."
"And, neither does Emma. Besides, Regina is your family. You've forgiven her. She's changed. They both have. They understand each other. They have a connection that you can never understand," Ruby told her.
"Yeah, and what's that?"
"You mean, besides Henry, magic."
Snow knew that Ruby was right. She needed to wait for Emma to tell her however she felt. It wouldn't do for her to go off before she had the facts. She had to remember that she didn't want to upset Regina either. She knew that Regina deserved her own happiness, but Snow now had to look inside herself and see if she was willing to let it be with her daughter.
"But, it's Emma."
"And what is so wrong with that?"
"Nothing, I just never thought that Regina liked women."
"Snow, Regina had both men and women when we were in the Enchanted Forest. Her orgies were something of legend in the pubs and taverns. For someone who lived on the run and in the forest, I know that you frequented those establishments. We didn't care about it then. Why do you care about it now?" Ruby asked her, trying to temper her anger.
"Because it is my daughter."
"And, if it were me?"
"Then, I would wish you all the happiness with her," Snow told her.
"Regina was right when she said that you lived by a double standard. Grow up, Snow. Look around you. This isn't the Enchanted Forest. These people aren't your subjects. They are your fellow townsfolk. No one here is better than anyone else. We are equal. Regina cursed us, but she gave us so much more in that curse. If you can't see that, then you are as blind and naïve as the child that hurt her so deeply all those years ago. Grow up. Regina has. Emma has. So has most of the town. Because I promise you this, right now, you decide to oppose them when they get back and you will start a war that you cannot and will not win. Emma will take her side and you know it."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you would ask Emma to choose between you and her children. Who do you think will win that battle? I'll give you a hint. It wouldn't be you," Ruby told her, grabbed the coffee carafe and walked off in a huff.
Emma pulled her phone out. She knew that she shouldn't be on it while she was driving, but it was Ruby so it had to be important. She had told the Wolf that she would text her when they got to Boston so she could relay the message that they had made it safely. They were coming up on a toll road anyway. Emma needed a break. The drive was becoming monotonous.
"Hold on, Rubes," Emma said into the phone as she laid it on her lap.
As she looked forward, she realized that there was construction on the road. It would take them longer, because her GPS didn't know. Traffic was flowing but at a crawl. Now she didn't feel so bad about taking the call. She looked over at Regina who had falling asleep about twenty minutes ago, mid-conversation. Emma hadn't the heart to wake her. She knew that she was emotionally drained and without her magic, who knew what else. She needed her rest. Plus this gave Emma time to think about everything. She finally had some alone time.
"What's up, Ruby?" she said picking up her phone.
"I might have to kill your mother," she replied.
"What did she do?"
"She knows about you and Regina."
"Knows what exactly?" Emma asked her.
"She knows that you like each other. She wasn't very…accepting. I really want to smack her upside the head. Why did you have to off so close to the full moon?"
"Ruby, you know why we left," Emma stated.
"I know, your kid. Find her yet? Wait, there yet?"
"No, I just ran into some construction and there is no nice way around it. We are still about an hour or so away. Well, we were. So go back to what Snow said," Emma told her.
"She told me that she didn't know if she could accept you two."
"And, what did you say to her?" Emma asked, really wanting to know.
"I told her that if she pushed you hard enough away from Regina that she would lose you for good this time. And with that loss, she would lose her grandchildren and any hope that you would be a big family. Hell, I actually cussed."
"That doesn't surprise me."
"That I cussed?"
"You do that daily, Ruby. I mean what she said. She is set in her ways. She tries to rationalize things based on what she knows, not what she feels, Rubes. She only uses emotion when it comes to Dad. Hell, you've seen that," Emma told her.
"She is your mother!"
"Yelling at me isn't going to make it any better," Emma replied.
"But…grr…can I at least slap that smile off her face?"
"RUBY!"
"Sorry, I just…you're my friend. She's my friend, but this is killing me. I'm on your side if you didn't already know. I hope you two the best. You're perfect for each other. But, you have to do me one favor," Ruby told her.
"Yeah, Red, what's that?"
"You have to tell me how she is in bed," Ruby stated.
"Are you fucking kidding me right now? I don't think so. You'll just have to let your imagination run with that one, Rubes. That is so never going to happen. Sorry, Wolfy."
"Wolfy?
"Would you rather I call you Wolf Pup like Regina?" Emma asked her seriously.
"No, that is Regina's. I get it though. I understand why you are so good together."
"Care to clue me in to that, then," Emma said.
"You both have dark childhoods and you did whatever you had to survive. You bottled it all in and started to run when things got emotional. Regina did the opposite. She let it all hang out. If she was mad, the whole world knew she was mad. You temper each other."
"Huh?"
"You're the first person that I've seen her hold her tongue for. And, you have admittedly stated that you find it hard not to lash out at her, when you would normally just leave. You bring out the best in each other. You share magic and together your magic can do anything. And, now, I seriously mean anything because you have a beautiful daughter," Ruby told her.
"Don't need a pep talk, Rubes."
"I know. I know. I just…you're good together. Just think about it. I promise that I'll stay out of it. Well, I'll try anyway."
"Are you calm, now, Rubes?"
"Yes, I am. Thanks, Emma. Just remember to think about it. She might surprise you."
"She already has," Emma told her, hanging up the phone.
Emma dropped her cell into the cup holder in the console. She looked over to see that Regina was awake and staring at her. She looked like she waiting for something.
"What's wrong?" she finally asked.
"Nothing, just some construction. It is slowing us down, but unfortunately we aren't in area that I could take a detour. We'll just have to ride it out. Sorry. Google didn't really prepare me for this. Hopefully will be out of it soon," Emma told her.
"That isn't what I meant," Regina replied.
"Then what did you mean?"
"Ruby called you."
"She did."
"Why?"
"She got into it with Snow and she needed to yell at someone. She figured that I would be the best option because I could only yell back. That way she wouldn't phase with her anger."
"Your mother has that ability with anyone, dear. That is nothing new. Did she say why?"
"She did," Emma replied, punching the GPS hoping for an alternate route.
"And?"
"And, what?"
"Are you going to tell me?" Regina questioned, sitting up a little more fully in her seat, stretching her neck and back in the process.
"You really get off on my making my mother miserable, don't you?" Emma countered.
"It does bring a slight joy, yes. I won't deny it. Old habits and all."
"That's bullshit, but okay."
"No, it really isn't. We have been at odd for most of our adult lives. Whereas she might not wish me ill, ill things have happened to me because of her. Where I wished her ill, it only came back on me. You would think I was a masochist because of our awesomely epic love-hate relationship. Just remember that it wasn't always like this. I have tried to not hate your dear mother, but sometimes her sickeningly sweet optimism and happiness make me want to choke the life out of her. It is good to know that I am not the only one," Regina explained.
"Well, that is going to make Thanksgiving interesting."
"Don't forget Christmas," Regina added.
"Did you just make a joke? Did you really just make a joke about a family dinner with me? That did not just happen. You didn't do that. Regina Mills doesn't joke," Emma stated.
"You've just never given me the correct occasion, dear. Your mother is usually the butt of all my jokes. You just earn a lot of my sass and sarcasm. Your father…well, I'll be nice."
"No, oh, no…now you have to tell me," Emma demanded.
"He is a mix of both. I see how you are like him, but he takes Snow's side even when he doesn't want to sometimes. I can see it in his eyes. He is an idiot in love and that rules him."
"There is nothing wrong with that," Emma stated.
"There is when it would have killed me and you would have kept them both."
"What are you talking about?"
"The day I was to be executed, your mother stopped it. David obviously didn't want to, but he went along with it. He knew that I would bide my time and come back at them stronger. They had moved into George's castles in the Summerlands. They were preparing to go to war with me. Snow wanted to have the Winterlands back to the House of White."
"So?"
"You would have grown up and been queen of both kingdoms, and you would have had your parents," Regina told her.
"But, you would dead."
"You would have been happy."
"I would have never had Henry."
"Would that have been so bad for you?" Regina asked her.
"I don't want to think about it. It is in the past. I have Henry. I have my parents. Henry has you. We will deal with the rest. Just let it go, Regina," Emma told her.
Emma shifted in her seat. She didn't know what else to say to Regina. First she tells her that she cares for her and then she tells her that she'd been better off if David had let her die. She didn't know what sort of reaction Regina wanted. Did she want her angry? Was that easier for her to deal with because she had been angry for so long? Did she honestly think that she didn't deserve happiness? Had Henry and she not done enough to prove that she wasn't the Evil Queen anymore? Could she not accept that she had a second chance now to make things better?
"Regina, I …" Emma started, but her cell phone rang.
She grabbed it out of the console. She opened it without looking at the caller ID. She figured that it was Ruby calling her again to bitch about something else that her mother said.
"Rubes, now isn't really a good time," Emma said, answering it.
"Um…Sorry, love, but this isn't Rubes. It's Will. You okay, love?"
"Yeah, Will, I am fine," Emma replied, shaking her head.
"You on the way, still?"
"Yup, we're on I 95, stuck in some construction. I'm trying to find a way around it. I know that it is getting late. I meant to be there by now."
"Don't worry about it. I've finally got her calmed down from earlier when I told her you were coming to get her. I'm still not sure how she got here and she wouldn't tell me. She kept just rambling on about finding two apartments in New York. She told me that there was a talisman in one of them, but she wasn't sure which one. That mean anything to you?" Will asked her.
"Not really," Emma lied.
Her thoughts immediately flew to Neal's apartment. He had their dream catcher in the window. She remembered seeing it when she took Rumple to him. Then, she remembered fingering it after Hook took her to his apartment before she had her memories back. Why would Coraline need that? What was she really up to?
"Anyway, she's knocked out on my couch. Take your time. I'll make sure that she is still here when you get here. I doubt that she is going to want to leave in the morning, anyway."
"Why?" Emma asked cautiously.
"She is going to have a monster of a headache, dear. She sure can sling them back, but I don't think she realized that the morning is going to be a wanker of bitch. I've already shoved some Tylenol and water into her. Hopefully she won't be a bear like you when she wakes up."
"I only bit your head off once. How was I supposed to know that they drugged my drink? By the way, thanks for taking care of me that night. I don't think that I ever properly thanked you."
"You did when you woke up. I wasn't sure that you were. I know that we were after a guy, but I still don't know how you lasted that long with that much shite in your system."
"Magical genes, I guess," Emma stated before she realized that it was true.
"Anyway, take your time. Get something to eat, because if you did what I think you did, you haven't. You got some things in order and left town. I get it. It's all good. I hope that her mother is a looker. Cause damn, this one is a heartbreaker."
"I know," Emma replied, looking over at Regina who had falling back asleep.
"Wait…what?"
"Don't worry about it, Will. Thanks for keeping her there. Do me a favor. Call the Westin and book a room. I doubt we are going to make it early enough to make an appearance. And, can you get Monty to come over in the morning. I have a feeling that a change of clothes is going to be in order," Emma stated.
"For you?"
"Nope, I am going to raid your closet. They're for Regina. Trust me. Monty is going to love playing dress up with her. Make us an appointment around ten. We'll meet you at the diner for breakfast at nine. That should give him plenty of time to set up in your place, right?"
"Yeah, but why my place?" Will asked.
"You'll see when we get there."
A/N: This is the end of what I already had written. I am working furiously on getting more done, but I realize that I have a lot of open stories at this point. I am working on them all. It is just with work, my family and trying to work on my novels that my fanfic is suffering the worst. I will do my best to still put up a chapter every week, but again, I promise nothing but good fanfic in the future. Peace, Love and Review.