Emma was pacing around the jail cell for 20 minutes, fuming with anger at Regina. How dare she do this, Emma thought. Seeing those papers again, where she had signed away her parental rights, was like a punch in the gut. Giving Henry up was her biggest regret and Regina had thrown if back in her face.
Henry was her son, and she would be damned if she was going to let Regina take him away from her.
As soon as the thought came into her head, she stopped pacing. She was prepared to do anything to keep Regina from taking Henry from her. It seemed Regina was prepared to do the same.
"Damn it," she yelled punching the wall.
And what about Regina's confession of love? Did she mean it in New York, and if she did, had Emma ruined things already?
She was there for another 30 minutes before her father – now sheriff – came in and ordered the deputy to release her.
She hadn't called him, not wanting to explain, which meant one of the deputies had.
"What is going on? Why were you arrested for interference with custody?"
"Because I gave Henry up," Emma said. "Regina is legally his parent, I am not and you know I don't really want to talk about it. Can you give me a ride to Regina's? My car is there."
"Yes," he said. "And then perhaps she will explain what this is all about."
"Dad, I really need you to not do that. Let me handle it."
"You were just arrested, I think as your dad and as sheriff I should hear from you and not read it in some report."
Emma sighed. "I will explain later. Please. Just take me to Regina's so I can get my car and go to Granny's to get a room for the night."
"So you aren't planning on staying long?"
"No, I don't suppose I am."
She knew her decision to move back to New York had hurt her parents, and it seemed that was still a sore subject as her father didn't say much on the ride over. He parked behind Emma's car.
"Are you sure you want to go to Granny's. You can stay at the house."
"It's probably for the best if I stay at Granny's. I will talk to you tomorrow."
"Ok," he said.
She got out and walked to her car, purposely waving for him to go ahead and leave as she unlocked the door and got in. She started the car and turned on the headlights as he pulled away. She pulled out and turned to head the opposite direction, but as soon as she saw him turn the corner she parked her car – this time in Regina's driveway where the sheriff cruiser had sat earlier.
She marched up to the door and pounded on the door, not caring how late it was getting.
Regina opened it. "I saw your father dropping you off," she said. "I guess that saves me the bail money."
She moved out of the way for Emma to come in.
"You were going to bail me out after you had me thrown in there in the first place?" she said upon entering.
"I was. I thought an hour or two in there might help you clear your head."
"The only thing it did was make me angry. Now where is my son?"
"Henry is upstairs in his room. I can ask him to come down if you want, but he is in bed. Now that you are out of jail, I think I can probably turn in as well. You can take one of the spare bedrooms, or you can go to Granny's or your parents, I don't care which you choose."
"Bed, you aren't going to bed. We are going to talk about this."
"No Miss Swan we are not, at least not now when you are still worked up over this. You have every right to be. I am sorry for what I did. I am sorry that you had to see those papers, but you needed to understand that I am not going to sit idly by while you try and keep me out of Henry's life. I meant what I said earlier, I do not want to contest your rights in this matter, but we do have to come up with an agreement – one that is fair to Henry, and hopefully fair to the both of us. But if you think you treat me like you did in New York, like I have no say in any of this, then we can let our attorneys argue it out. Again, your choice. Now I am going to bed. There are two spare bedrooms at the top of the stairs on either side of the hall, you can choose whichever you want if you are staying. Either way, lock up if you are leaving, or lock up if you are staying. Good night Miss Swan."
Emma stood there as Regina walked away. All the anger, the all the things she wanted to lash out and say to her died at the tip of her tongue. She came in there ready for a fight, but Regina had somehow defused the situation.
She walked back outside to her car. She stood there beside it thinking.
"Fuck it," she said, pulling her bag from the back and going back inside – locking the door behind her. She walked up to one of the spare rooms, pausing as she saw Henry's room was beside hers and Regina's was at the end of the hall.
She went inside, tossed her bag down and laid on the bed. How on Earth had she ended up here, lying on a bed in Regina's house after the woman had had her arrested?
The thing was, she believed Regina when she said she didn't want to fight Emma on whether Emma had any rights to Henry. She believed her that she did want to work things out. It only made her feel worse though because if they had spoken before Emma had returned to New York with Henry none of this may have been necessary.
Emma had been eager to leave though. She didn't want to stick around in Storybrooke with Regina knowing there was no future there. She wasn't even sure there was a future to be had now with the other woman.
If she had just kept her mouth shut in New York she wouldn't be here now. But she also may not have known Regina loved her if she hadn't said anything.
She was less worried about talking with Regina about Henry than she was about actually talking to Regina about her feelings. Regina had no idea that Emma had fallen in love with her. Now she wondered if that even made a difference anymore.