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I Do Not Own Once Upon A Time.

That Mischievous Grin

Chapter Seven

By LoveMeNever

Jaime and Ruby made their way into the Rabbit Hole. The bar had dark lighting and music was blaring. People were shooting darts, playing pool, dancing, and drinking. It had been a while since Jaime was here.

The pair sat at the bar on stools, the bartender was the owner of the place, Mr. Aison White. He grinned at Jaime, "It's been a while, Jaime! Heard about your accident... you look great for someone beat to hell." He hollered in laughter.

"Gee, thanks." Jaime rolled her eyes but she was grinning. "Have you stayed out of trouble?"

"I own a bar I think it's impossible to stay out of trouble." He smirked. He had a point too. Then he noticed Ruby sitting next to Jaime. "Well, well someone has a date! I have to admit I'm a little surprised."

"It's not a date, she's just buying me a drink." Ruby clarified which made Jaime chuckle.

"Yeah, she thinks its not a date." Jaime winked at Ruby and ordered them both a drink. "Two White Rabbits, house special."

Ruby had never heard of the drink before and she has been to parties here plenty of times. "What's in it?" She sounded disgusted as Mr. White placed a shot of black liquid in front of them. Jaime laughed and brought the shot glass to her lips then knocked it back. Her face scrunched up in disgust for a second.

Now Ruby really didn't want to drink it.

"It's just about every liquor you can imagine in one tiny little glass." Jaime held up her index and thumb into the size of the shot glass. She grinned.

"Seems lethal."

"Where's your sense of adventure?"

Ruby faked being insulted but she knocked the shot glass back as well. It was the most disgusting thing she had ever tasted in her life. It was sour and bitter and fruity all in one. It took a lot of strength to not barf all over the place. "Ugh! That was awful!" She coughed a few times.

"I never said it was good." Jaime stuck her tongue out at Ruby playfully. "It does the trick though!"

This was probably Jaime's favorite place when she was feeling a little wild... no one judged anyone here, everyone was just out for a good time.

"Another?" She asked Ruby.

"I thought you didn't have money." Ruby raised an eyebrow at Jaime.

"I never said I was broke, I just don't have money to pay for hospital bills."

"But you do for alcohol?"

"Of course." Jaime smirked at her friend.

Ruby held her hands up, "Hey who am I to complain?" She signaled for Mr. White to get them both another shot. Jaime grinned widely.

After a couple more rounds of shots both Jaime and Ruby were a mess. They were now dancing in the crowd, a song with a good beat was playing, Jaime didn't know the name of the song. Not that she really cared at the moment.

She wondered if the alcohol helped numb the pain from her injuries. Before she started dancing her bruised body had begun to hurt but once the alcohol kicked in she didn't feel it anymore. Probably not good.

"H-hey Rubes... I'm gonna go get... that plain stuff, water? Ya want any?" Jaime slurred and stumbled but she caught herself.

"Sure! I'll help you!" Ruby hollered over the loud music.

The pair made the way over to the bar. Jaime tapped Mr. White on the shoulder, "Hey, Mr. White Rabbit... where do you keep the water?" she laughed at nothing in particular but it made Ruby laugh as well.

"Here you two lovely ladies go, why don't you sit down and take a break, yeah?" Mr. White didn't want to be responsible for either one of them trying to drive home. Hopefully he could get them sobered up enough to function.

"Okie dokie!" Jaime laughed but she sat down at a table with Ruby. Mr. White saw her rest her head on the table and Ruby starting to poke her shoulder.

Still drunk, Jaime could feel her head pounding, morning time was going to be a bitch. "Ruby... stop poking me." She grumbled with her head still on the table.

"Awe, you don't like it?" Ruby whispered in her ear.

Jaime imagined Madam Mayor here with her, getting drunk, dancing, and whispering things in her ear... it seemed perfect. The Mayor is way to uptight for those kind of things... maybe I can change that. She smirked at the challenge.

She also liked Ruby though so things were starting to get confusing, but maybe it was the alcohol.

"It's a secret." Jaime's eyes flashed in mischief.

She felt a wave of nausea hit her hard. Ruby didn't look like she was doing to good either. They must be coming down from their drunkenness now that they were relaxing.

"I-I'll call you a cab." At least she didn't make poor choices while drunk. "Driving would be disastrous." She smirked and put her arm around Ruby's waist to support her and herself. Ruby did the same.

This time Billy wasn't the one driving the cab it was his father. Jaime didn't know his name. She helped Ruby get into the back. "Take 'er home mate!" Jaime and Ruby giggled.

"Wait... what are you gonna do?" Ruby asked, Jaime thought she looked adorable right now practically falling asleep in the cab.

"I'm gonna go back to the bar and wait to drive, I don't want to leave my car." She grinned sheepishly.

"Okay! Thanks tonight was really fun!" Ruby hugged an unsuspecting Jaime. It almost knocked her off her feet since she was still drunk. She smirked and before she really thought about what she was doing she lifted Ruby's head up.

Their lips met into a deep hungry kiss.

Jaime was the first the pull away, they were both drunk, so this wouldn't be right. Ruby looked slightly disappointed. "See ya round!"

Billy's father rolled his eyes and waited until Jaime shut the cab door to drive off to the inn.

She smirked to herself and walked back into the bar.

At the graveyard, Emma, Graham, and Regina were having an argument. It resulted in Regina and Emma getting into a fist fight and Graham siding with Emma. Even though Regina didn't have any real feelings towards Graham it still hurt and pissed her off.

She didn't take rejection well.

Once the couple left, Regina angrily went into her vault placing her father's flowers on his stone casket and then she pushed it to the side revealing a staircase. She descended into the vault where she had all her magical items and hearts.

Her eyes watered in anger and she walked over to her wall of hearts pulling out Graham's heart.

Emma just has to ruin everything in my life... so I'll ruin hers. Starting with Graham. She held up the heart and gazed at it. All she had to do was squeeze and Graham would be dead.

This is not the first time you've failed me, Graham, but it will be the last. Regina applied pressure to the heart and slowly crushed it in the palm of her hand.

She let the dust fall.

A few hours past and Jaime was feeling a lot more sober. Her whole body ached though, her ribs throbbed, she had an ice pack on her forehead will she laid down on a couch in the bar. Music was blasting around her and people were still partying.

"Ugh... why did I drink so much?" Jaime asked no one in particular.

"Having a nice time?" Mr. White came over and sat down on the same couch near her feet.

"Oh loads of fun!" She said sarcastically. "I'm not that drunk anymore at least. I think I'll head home."

Mr. White chuckled, "Here's a bottle of water, drink it and then I'll let you leave." He patted her leg and left her to drink the water.

She downed the bottle of water then left the bar after showing Mr. White the empty bottle.

Jaime walked out to her car and fumbled with the keys, she climbed in the car and drove off. After driving down the road she came closer to the police station, there were flashing lights that just about blinded Jaime. It was an ambulance.

"What's going on?" She asked herself. She parked her car on the side of the road and got out.

The paramedics were hauling away a body on a stretcher with the cover over the face. Don't tell me that's Graham!

Emma Swan was sitting with her head resting in her hands on the sidewalk. "Emma?" Jaime called out to her.

She looked up at Jaime with unshed tears in her eyes. "He just fell over..." She muttered.

"Who? Graham?"

Emma nodded her lips tugging down in sorrow, "He's gone." The paramedics pulled Emma away to ask a few questions and Jaime saw them get in the ambulance and leave.

Just about that time Regina pulled up in her car. The minute she saw Jaime she walked over to the woman looking utterly shocked at the scenery.

"Madam Mayor, it's the Sheriff, he's dead." Jaime said slowly, she didn't know Graham well but he was a decent guy and she actually felt she could trust him. It really was sad that he was gone now.

"Oh..." Regina summoned tears to fall down her face, she had to play the part of a grieving girlfriend. Well, ex-girlfriend.

Jaime couldn't stand it here any longer, the flashing lights, a few townspeople gathering around whispering, and not to mention the killer headache she was struggling with.

Regina noticed Jaime squinting her red eyes, they weren't red from crying though, it was from drinking. "Ms. Foster, are you alright?" She asked genuinely concerned but she tried not to show it.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine. I should ask you that question."

"I'm fine."

There was a still a slight slur in Jaime's voice that she tried to hide but Regina caught it. "Did you drive here, Ms. Foster?"

Jaime looked panicked for a second. I can't exactly tell the Mayor that I was driving while still feeling a bit of a buzz, now can I? I don't want to lie either though. "I called a cab." It wasn't a lie but not the truth either.

"Do you need me to drive you home?" Regina knew the Mayor usually wouldn't be driving anyone around but she would make an exception for Jaime.

"Um... no, no I can make it back." Once again she didn't want to leave her car parked in the middle of Storybrooke.

"I insist. You're in no condition to go alone."

I can't really refuse her insisting now can I? ...Crap. Part of Jaime actually wanted to go with the Mayor which she didn't understand at all. "Okay, sure. But I'll owe you."

"I might take you up on that some time." Jaime grinned at the woman and nodded.

They both got in Regina's car.

"So... it's pretty terrible what happened to Graham. He was a good guy." Jaime said once they were headed to her house. She noticed Regina tense up but just assumed it was grief.

"Yes, it is terrible." Regina wanted off this subject, she could never lie to Cheshire without her knowing and she didn't want to find out if Jaime had that particular skill. "May I ask why you're out drinking? Did something happen?"

"Mrs. Lucas blew me off, basically. Said they didn't need help when Ruby has been picking up extra shifts just to keep things running." She scowled and leaned her head back against the seat. "And after being released from the hospital I needed to do something... fun."

"I see." Regina quirked an eyebrow at the woman. "I'm sorry about the job. Mrs. Lucas doesn't have a good eye for talent."

Jaime laughed, "I wouldn't call me talented at all. I can't really do anything special."

Oh how untrue that is, my dear. Regina wanted to say out loud. Cheshire had many, many talents... smart and quick witted being the first and foremost. And there were other talents that Regina loved most.

They pulled in her driveway and sat in silence for a good minute or two. Neither women wanted to say goodnight.

"Madam Mayor..."

"Call me Regina, dear."

"Regina." Jaime wondered if this was the alcohol talking but she was curious, "Why are you so nice to me?"

The Mayor thought about the question and what would be a good way to answer it without freaking Jaime out. She wanted to say because she was the only person in the world she actually trusted. "I guess I'm just a nice person and its my job as the Mayor to make sure everyone is taken care of."

"Sorry, I must still be drunker than I thought." Jaime laughed it off but she could have slapped herself for speaking so freely.

"You don't have to be polite and proper with me, dear. I want you to be yourself around me."

Regina knew she probably sounded ridiculous but she hoped it would be hazy to Jaime in the morning. "Trust me, I appreciate you not being hostile towards me. I've heard what hostile Madam Mayor can do." She laughed.

If it was anyone other than Jaime saying this, Regina probably would have been insulted. It was a compliment coming from Jaime. Even in the Enchanted Forest Cheshire always enjoyed it when Regina got pissed off.

Then Jaime noticed that the woman had a small cut at the bottom of her lip. "What happened?" She almost wanted to kiss the cut to make it better, but she didn't think that would be wise.

"I got into an argument with Emma Swan." Regina answered truthfully.

Jaime was furious. "What?! She hit you?"

"Not before I hit her. She was putting thoughts into Graham's head that were not healthy for him."

"If anyone lays a hand on you again..." Jaime stopped herself, it made no sense why she was getting so defensive of the Mayor. She cleared her throat. "Sorry, so you think that's what killed Graham? Think he drove himself crazy?"

Regina shrugged. "I'm not sure what happened. I guess we'll have to wait for the coroner's report."

"I don't understand... one minute your grief-stricken and the next you don't seem very surprised or even all that sad he's dead."

Now Jaime was walking on thin ice, Regina didn't like where this was going. She couldn't let Jaime read her so easily. "Sheriff Graham was an upstanding citizen and our sheriff, I am very upset that he is gone." Her voice was harsh and stern.

Jaime backed off, "Sorry, of course your upset. As I said before, I must still be drunk." She opened the car door. "Goodnight Madam Mayor."

She sighed as she shut the car door and went into her empty house. She glanced out the window to see Regina backing out of the driveway.

Great, now I'm probably on her bad side.

Sleep was starting to sound good so Jaime pulled off her bar smelling clothes and put on her sleep clothes. She went into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and placed a few aspirin in her hand to take. She took one then placed the others by the bottle on her nightstand.

She lazily plopped on her bed and passed out in a deep sleep almost instantly.

Her dream felt very real to her while she slept.

She was in a beautiful castle. The room she was in had a balcony that looked out across the thick forest plains. Jaime was someone different, the world seemed a lot bigger than normal, then she realized it wasn't the world that was bigger it was she who was smaller.

Looking down at herself all she saw were two cat paws. What was so odd is that they were stripped purple and pink.

Jaime jumped and sat atop the balcony stone railing. Her body was moving on it's own like she was simply a spectator. She grinned at the scenery, something about it was familiar.

It made her feel at home.

The doors behind her opened and Jaime barely recognized the woman gracefully sauntering in the room. It was Regina dressed in an elegant dress and dark makeup. She looked rather good Jaime had to admit. Something about her screamed evil though and it was giving Jaime a rush.

"Cheshire. I have a task for you. It is a delicate matter that I can't give to my guards." Regina said.

'Cheshire? As in the Cheshire Cat?' Jaime thought but her cat self jumped down from the balcony railing and jumped on the vanity close to where Regina was standing.

"A delicate matter? Oh! My favorite kind." She felt herself grin and cock her head to the side.

"I need to get information on Snow White. My guards are completely useless and have lost her to many times to count. You will find her and bring her to me, understood?" Regina smiled menacingly.

"Information gathering is my strong suit. Hmm... suit? Cat's don't wear suits, do they?" She felt herself furrow her cat face in confusion. "I'll be back shortly, don't loose your mind while I'm gone." She laughed hysterically and then her cat body slowly disappeared.

Her grin was the last thing Regina saw.

Jaime's eyes snapped opened but she instantly shut them again due to the bright light shinning through the windows. Her head was throbbing.

She spotted the aspirin and bottle of water on the nightstand and clumsily grabbed for them while shielding her eyes. Once she took the pills she let her head fall back on the pillow. She was lying on her stomach without any sheets over her body.

That was the strangest dream. She groaned in her pillow when her cell phone started buzzing on the table in the kitchen. She ignored it but as soon as it stopped buzzing it started again.

"Alright! I'm coming!" Angrily she got out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. She answered without looking at the caller I.D. "What?!"

"Jaime, it's Mrs. Lucas."

Jaime mentally cursed herself for sounding so rude. "Oh! Hi, Mrs. Lucas." She wondered why the old woman would be calling her at, she glanced at the clock... two o'clock in the afternoon. Shit that's late...

"I just wanted to let you know that I've reconsidered letting you work in the diner. You start tomorrow." Mrs. Lucas sighed like she hated she was telling Jaime she could work for her.

"What? That's great! Wait... why did you change your mind?" She sat down with her head throbbing from her getting to excited with a hangover.

"I don't know why but the Mayor wanted me to give you a job. She insisted so I couldn't exactly refuse. But if you have one screw up..."

Jaime smirked even though Granny couldn't see. "Yeah, yeah I'll be fired on spot right? Don't worry I'm not planning on screwing up."

Granny said "Good." and then hung up the phone.

"Damn, so much for sweet and nice old Granny." Jaime put her phone back on the table and rested her head on the cold surface.

Wait, she said the Mayor put in a good word?

She wanted to know why Regina would do that especially after she all but accused Regina of not caring about Graham's death.

Now she was really confused by the Mayor. Guess I'll just have to ask her.

Thanks for reading! Next Chapter is back to the Enchanted Forest! I am so excited for the new episode of OUAT tonight! xD

Your feedback is always appreciated! ;)