The plan was simple. Too simple, actually. Wait until Regina's mother was out of the house, break in, and dig up some dirt. Where they were going to look for it, they weren't sure, but they knew they had to find something, and they had to do it quickly. Getting inside went off without a hitch, but once they were in, they realized just how lost they really were.

"Now what?" Emma hissed quietly, looking around at the perfectly clean living room.

"Bedroom."

The two made their way inside the room and glanced around before either made a move. Regina was first to initiate their mission. Thinking that, in the typical fashion, her mother would hide whatever was meant to be kept secret, in the top of the closet, she started her search there, pulling down an old, dusty shoe box first. She blew off the dust and wiped off the cobwebs, then opened the lid.

Receipts, dating back to 1999.

"Shit," Regina cursed.

Emma looked over from her own project - the night stand beside the bed - and waited for the woman to explain the exclamation.

When Regina said nothing, reaching up for more artifacts from the closet, Emma asked, "What?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Besides, what's she even going to be hiding?"

"It doesn't matter what it is. We just have to find it."

"I guess you're right. Keep looking. This is a little cliché, but check between the mattresses."

Emma nodded and did as the woman suggested, but found nothing.

"Nope."

Regina sighed and kept looking. Eventually, finding only hats, shoes, coats, and dresses, she gave up on the closet. Next, she turned to the dresser, which was set back against the wall with two big windows where bright sunlight poured in. After a while of digging, she finally made it to the bottom drawer.

"Oh, my God. Emma..."

"What? What is it?" the girl asked, hurrying over to her lover's side.

"You're not going to believe this."

"Believe what?"

"Look at this."

Regina held up a photograph of a younger version of her mother kissing a handsome man - much older - in a suit and tie.

"So? She's kissing a guy. Big deal."

"He was her therapist, Emma! This is un-fucking-real."

"I don't get it."

"I've met this guy. She introduced him as her psychologist."

"Seriously? If she really had a relationship with her therapist, why would she keep this around?"

"I dunno. Maybe she loved him."

"I guess so."

"Anyway, that's all we're gonna need. I show this to the board, and they'll know exactly why she's trying to get me fired. They'll never buy her claims after that."

"That's too perfect," Emma said with a grin. "Now let's get the Hell out of here before she comes back."

Unlike in most hollywood movies where almost everyonegets caught, the two made it out safely without being seen. Regina's mother was halfway across town, and by the time she realized they'd been there, it would be too late for her to do anything about it.

"Regina," a tall man with a thick, dark beard said, knocking on the frame of the woman's open office door. "I need to speak with you. Urgently. In private."

"That's interesting, because I need to speak to you as well, and I think we'll be discussing the same thing," the woman said calmly in response.

Once in the older man's office, the two sat down, and Regina fingered a plain white envelope in her hands.

"So what is this about, Doctor Hodgson?"

"I'm sorry to say that this is about your relationship with one of your patients, Miss Emma Swan."

"What exactly about the relationship? She is no longer a patient of mine."

"It has been brought to my attention that the nature of your relationship is a sexual one. Of course, you know what this means for your practice."

"Actually, that is what I wanted to discuss with you."

"Oh?" the man said, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her with interest.

"I know who made those claims, and I have a rebuttal you may be interested in investigating."

"Is that so?"

Regina handed over the envelope and watched as the man removed the picture of the woman who had reported her.

"This is Doctor Jonathan Brown," he said plainly, gaping at the photograph. "And your mother."

"As you can see, she has her own motives for making claims against me that would jeopardize my job. Surely, now that this has been brought to your attention, you have nothing further to add to this ridiculous accusation."

"No, Miss Mills. I do not. I appreciate this piece of information, and I'm glad to say that he is no longer practicing psychology, so it will not be an issue I need to pursue. In regards to the claims made against you, I can clearly see that there were ulterior motives for the accuser's statements."

"Thank you, Doctor Hodgson. If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to work, unless there's anything else you wanted to discuss."

"Quite right. I'll let you be on your way."

And with that, Regina left his office, heart racing and filled with relief. Too easy, she thought. Something's gotta go wrong. Similar thoughts ran through her mind as she drove back to her apartment later that night. As soon as she reached the door, she threw it open and burst into the room.

"Emma!" she yelled, excitement in her voice. "I'm home!"

The blonde stood up from her seat on the couch and looked nervously towards her lover.

"Well, come here, my beautiful girl!" Regina said with a grin.

Confused but grateful for the woman's promising enthusiasm, Emma rushed over, arms open. Rather than a simple hug, Regina lifted the girl off her feet and into her arms.

"We're home free, baby. It's over. It worked."

"Really?" Emma squeaked, looking down into her lover's face.

When the woman nodded, Emma finally smiled.

"I'm so happy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd be fine, honey. But I'm glad we don't have to find that out."

Emma wanted to protest, to tell the woman that she definitely would not be 'fine,' but her words were silenced by the woman's lips.