Six was too far away. It left a lot of time for her to work up a sense of paranoia. She had even jumped at the sound of her cell phone ringing. Why was she so goddam afraid? Fuck him! She kicked her desk in anger. It didn't help and she felt even more exhausted now.

"Emma I'm heading down to Granny's want me to pick you up something?" David asked.

"Surprise me." She wasn't really hungry. Which was a first for the sheriff.

He smiled and left. It made her overly aware of her sudden vulnerability. However, she had a gun here and it would be stupid on his part to try anything. Just in case though, she didn't absorb herself too much into her work. Her ears strained for any unusual sounds as she read and reread the same piece of paper. There was the dull hum of a mini fridge off in the corner, the quiet ticking of a clock, and their ancient block of a computer's fan just barely making a sound. Nothing unusual, nothing to worry about.

She carried on this way for a good ten minutes until David came back. He walked into the sheriff station with two brown bags. She hadn't been aware of how motionless she had been until she felt the crick in her neck upon sitting up more.

"Pick a hand." He grinned. She smiled, and pointed to his left one. Upon her decision, he thrust the bag into her hands and went over to his desk.

"So...that fight at the Rabbit Hole. Was anyone hurt?"

She had to wrack her brain for the lie she made up and felt guilty for doing it again.

"No. Just a hot tempered dwarf and a... Munchkin." She internally cringed at how lame that sounded but if she didn't name them he couldn't ask around.

"Well I'm not surprised they feuded all the time in the Enchanted Forest."

Really? He bought that?

"No harm no foul. I let them off with a warning." The more she lied the easier it became and this worried her.

Before anymore conversation could take place the phone rang.

"Sheriffs office."

"Mom!"

"Henry? What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No. At least I don't think so... Im near the park. There's some man... I think he's following me." Henrys voice went quiet.

"OK you listen to me. Don't hang up. Keep walking. I'm coming to get you okay."

"Mom. Just hurry okay?"

"I'm already heading out! Stay on the line with David."

David perked up at the mention of his name.

"It's Henry I need you to talk with him. He thinks he's being followed."

"Hey buddy."

The rest of the conversation faded as she ran to her patrol car. It couldn't be him...it just had to be a mistake. Her sirens blared through the otherwise quiet town and she was barreling through at a dangerous 80mph.

It frightened her thinking how vulnerable Henry was. He didn't stand a chance.

Cars parted and within minutes she was at the park. No sign of Henry though. She slammed her cruiser door and broke into a jog, keeping a hand resting on her gun's holster.

There were hardly any people around and that worried her. Less people made for less witnesses to any potential crime.

She ran down the path Henry would have been walking.

There was a figure further down, it looked like Henry but she couldn't tell. She broke into a sprint now. In her mind if she reached him he would be okay.

It was him. Relief flooded her but she saw no sign of the man Henry had said was following him. She stopped dead in her tracks and took a look around. Henry was right in the open. If the man was in hiding there were plenty of vantage points, and foliage. She swallowed her fear. She could do this. For Henry. She drew her gun and continued closing the distance.

He turned and started running to her.

"Mom!"

"Henry!"

"I didn't know what to do I'm sorry." She lowered her gun and took him into an embrace.

"You did good kid."

"He... Was there and then he wasn't. I know he was following me."

"Its okay." She ran her hand along his back and released him.

"Let's get back to the cruiser."

"Yeah." Henry gripped at his backpack and they started down the path.

She kept scanning the area and not once did Henry question why she still had her gun drawn.

When she saw the cruiser, a relief so pure and unfathomable overcame her that she was nearly shaking. Thankfully Henry hadn't seem to notice. Only when they got to the car did she holster the gun.

"So how was school?" It was a stupid question considering what just happened but she needed to feel some normalcy.

"Do you really want to know?"

"No," she laughed. "But I'll listen."

"Can't I just play my game-boy?"

"Have at it."

Suddenly, her phone was vibrating angrily on the empty passenger seat beside her. 4 missed calls. She admonished herself for stupidly leaving it in the car. What if something had happened and she needed it?

"Hello."

"Emma." Regina sighed. "I was worried when you didn't pick up..."

"I'm fine. Henry's with me."

"Okay. Good." She paused and the switch was made, to a more composed confident Regina the one she, and all of Storybrooke were used to. "I'm leaving work early today. Bring Henry and meet me at Granny's. I'll be there soon. "

"Um...sure." She hadn't even bothered asking. She just assumed...typical Regina.

"Just stay safe." Regina said before hanging up.

Just stay safe. What? The three words sent her heart into a gentle flutter. How was it that Regina could be rude, and demanding one moment but kind and understanding in another?

She was like day and night with the occasional dark cloudy day obscuring the two. For reasons she didn't want to acknowledge, Emma obeyed. She ordered two hot chocolates and took up a booth in the corner.

Henry silently observed her almost jittery behavior and realized something was off with Emma lately.

"Emma. What's going on?"

Her eyes shot to his with a flash of fear.

"What?"

"You. Whats up? You never turn down food. Ruby just offered you free cake..."

"Henry I'm just not hungry..."

"Mom. I'm not dumb. You can tell me."

"Nothing's going on." He glared at her but didn't prod anymore. Until about a minute later.

"Is this about that man?" The question instantly struck her and she tried so hard not to react. He didn't know he was just talking about the park.

"That does worry me...but I'm telling you I'm fine." She kept her tone firm hoping he would just drop it. Thankfully Regina showed up.

"Hello Henry." The brunette smiled instead of sitting beside him though she chose to sit near Emma. This was a first but Emma was happy she did. She could feel the warmth radiating off her body, and it oddly made her feel better.

"Hi Mom."

"So what were you two talking about?"

"Nothing." Emma quickly cut in. Henry looked over at her twisting his brow in confusion. Why was Emma being so weird?

"Okay..." Regina drawled. "In that case. Let's talk about something. Henry did you get back your history test yet?"

Emma was finding it hard to listen in on the conversation. Her mind was traveling too far away, back to the man that was haunting her very life but the sudden presence of Regina's hand resting on her thigh brought her back. It was warm, and reassuring to feel. Slowly she slid her own hand over it further deepening this strange connection she felt. Regina didn't even twitch as she carried out her conversation with Henry and she knew it wasn't just her that felt like Regina's hand on her thigh was the most natural thing in the world.

"I'm so proud of you." Regina beamed. Her hand gently squeezed the flesh of her thigh. As if to say you're okay now relax.

"Yeah kid that's great." He looked between the two of them.

"Are you guys going to tell me what's going on or are we going to keep pretending everything is okay?"

Regina's smile faltered.

"Henry..." She started

"No. Don't start that! I know you two are keeping something from me!"

"Hey!" Emma snapped. "Don't talk to us like that." What she really meant was stop treating Regina like a punching bag but she couldn't say that.

"Emma." Regina snarled back just as vehemently."Don't you think we should tell him?"

Great now he knew they were keeping something from him. She couldn't keep lying but she didn't want to tell him either. She just gaped at Regina feeling betrayed.

Regina removed her hand from beneath Emma's and the knife in her chest dug a little deeper.

Regina pleaded with her eyes for her to understand but Emma was too busy swallowing down her heart to look.

"Emma and I are together."

Holy fuck! Did she? Oh my god. Her breath stopped and she whipped her head towards Regina.

She actually looked shy right now, awaiting both of their reactions. It was a look she never thought she'd see on her and it did strange things to her.

Then she realized Regina just took a bullet for her, now she wouldn't have to worry about telling Henry the truth about that man.

"but...you two are women."

Shit. Henry had never been exposed to homosexuals before and she never heard of any gay fairytale characters. What do they say to that?

"Well sometimes... People feel an attraction to the same sex. It doesn't necessarily mean procreating. It's more about building a relationship. "

"Oh ..." He looked a little uncomfortable.

Regina visibly swallowed and now it was Emma's turn to comfort her. She grabbed Regina's hand and let her know she was okay with what she said. However, a part of her wasn't sure if Regina really wanted them to be a couple, that it wasn't just a cover.

"Does that bother you?" Regina's tone dropped to a near whisper. Henry shook his head.

"I'm not sure yet. Its strange but...I'm glad you two have been getting along." He sipped his cocoa and the stress of the day went away with his disappearing beverage.

"Just if you two...kiss and stuff." He twisted his face. "Don't do it near me. I don't want to even know!" Emma laughed and Regina smiled. Maybe things could work out.

"Emma. I'm sorry about earlier... It was the first thing that came to mind. "

"Its okay Regina. I understand." Neither of them addressed the question they both had on their minds. Did this mean they were officially a couple? They hadn't really discussed it after that morning.

"I have an idea on how to find this man." Regina said. "But it might not work."

"What do I have to do? Hop on one leg and rub my stomach." Regina wasn't amused.

"Its not what you have to do but what I have to do."

That seemed to knock Emma into serious mode and her goofy smile was gone.

"We have his fingerprints on file now. If I have the original copy I may be able to track him down."

"Then what?" Emma sounded like she was afraid to know.

"We lock him up but for good this time."

They held each others gaze and an unspoken understanding passed between them. They would find him and put an end to his sick game. For Emma.

"Before we do this...I think we should consider how dangerous this is. We don't know anything about him but he seems to know everything about you. We have to be prepared for anything."

"Yeah. " Emma shook her head in agreement, but she seemed to be zoning out into a sort of trance.

"Where do you keep the files?"

"Oh um... They're locked in the top drawer of our filing cabinets-" Regina was gone in a cloud of purple smoke before she could finish. So much for going with her...

She took a seat on Regina's couch anxiously waiting for her to return. Logically it would probably take several minutes but mentally she was expecting her back just as quickly as she disappeared.

It left her with a need to occupy herself. She fiddled with her hands, twisted in her seat and eventually, much to her own displeasure, started to read a book off of Regina's bookshelf...

"What are you doing?!" Regina snapped making a grab for the book.

"Reading?"

Emma was confused by Regina's quick lunge for the reading material. She hadn't actually read the title or gotten past the acknowledgements. Was Regina embarrassed by it? Regina shoved it into her desk drawer and that's when she caught the title name. 50 shades of Grey. A laugh came pouring out of her, she just couldn't help herself. Regina's reaction was priceless.

"Emma." Regina warned. "That was private."

"I knew you were into that kinky shit!"

Regina blushed full force now.

"I've got the file." Regina tried to change the subject.

"Yeah? What about the handcuffs?"

"Really Emma. Its just a book!"

"I wasn't talking about that...How else will we restrain him?" Emma smirked well aware of the trap she had set her up for.

"Oh." Regina cleared her throat and it seemed the blush was there to stay. "I can use my magic. Are you ready to do this?"

"Yeah." She swallowed thickly.

"OK. Grab onto my arm." She did so and Regina went on with the spell.

A dark blue hue radiated around them, dancing around their bodies before quickly dashing out of the room. She turned to look at Regina and found the brunette's eyes clenched shut. Regina was sweating and the arm beneath her grip was shaking. Then they were ripped away from her study. She leaned into Regina as a wave of light headedness washed over her. She expected Regina to have experienced the same sensation but she was standing stone still.

"Regina?"

"Shhh." When her breath fully returned to her she followed Regina's gaze. In front of them was a small shack just off the harbor. The blue light stopped just outside the door.

"We've found him." She said.

"Maybe." Regina replied. Regina started to approach and an unsettling feeling stirred in the pit of her stomach. Something didn't feel right.

"Wait!" She quickly pulled her back. "I don't think we should go in there...this doesn't feel right."

"Oh please. " Regina pulled her arm free. "He couldn't possibly expect us."

"I don't like this." She whispered back. Regina considered her for a second.

"How about you stay here then? "

"No. I'm not leaving you."

"Okay let's go then." Emma frowned but went along.

Regina wasn't subtle about her entrance. The door was quickly ripped off its hinges with a wave of her hand. The moment the it was gone she realized just how much of a mistake they made. It was a trick. A powerful blast knocked them backwards, hurling their bodies backwards. She landed hard against the pier, her head bouncing off it like a rubber ball. Immediately her vision started to fade, and her limbs went heavy. During her last moments of consciousness, she saw Regina's own body slipping off the dock and into the cold water. A cry out to her bubbled up in her throat but it never made it out into the night air as she quickly succumbed to darkness.

A/N: I hope I didn't disappoint with this one. Not too much SwanQueen going on here but its a nice little filler.