Double Trouble 22

Chapter 22 "You and me"

"David, we have a problem," his wife informed him. She propped her hands on her hips and squinted down at David's desk at the Sheriff's station like he was a misbehaving student of hers.

"Mar. Don't start." David said warningly.

"This is a disaster."

"Yeah, I saw who came out of who's bedroom this morning too. But I'm sure Emma knows what she's doing. I doubt she'll want us poking our noses into this."

"What?" Mary Margaret stared at him in confusion and shook her head quickly as if to clear cobwebs. "What are you talking about David?"

"Er, Emma and Regina? What were you talking about?"

Mary Margaret sighed. "The Acting Mayor quit. Apparently he's had a nervous breakdown."

"I thought you said he was doing a bad job of running things anyway?"

"Dismal. But the problem is we have no-one to step in. There's no-one in this town who is even remotely qualified."

"Maybe we could run things for a while, you and me?" suggested David.

"This isn't the Summer Kingdom, David! You and I are only experienced at swordfighting and trading sheep-for-wood in the five minutes we actually ruled before the curse came. We don't know how to organise things in this world. We both have jobs of our own now."

"We're just going to have to make it work then. Somehow."

David's suspicions rose at the look that gleamed in Mary Margaret's eyes right now. It was familiar to him, more in his memories of her as the woodland princess rather than the schoolteacher, but it usually signalled a crazy idea. Like adding extra turrets to the West face, or asking the trolls nicely for a refund, or putting the baby in the magic wardrobe.

"There is one person here who is qualified to be Mayor," started Mary Margaret.

David raised his eyebrows incredulously. "Regina?! You really want to give the keys to the city to the Evil Queen? You want to put your head back in the lion's mouth?"

"Yes."

"This is gonna be one of your ideas isn't it," said David ruefully.

Mary Margaret genuinely looked offended. "What's that supposed to mean, Charming? My ideas have always paid off in the past."

"Oh yeah? What about that time when you said we should go skinny dipping in Lake Nostos, the water that returns what was once lost? That was not a good idea."

"Okay apart from that one time, David," said the pixie-haired brunette, rolling her eyes. "You know I'm right about this."

"Regina might not even agree to it."

"True, but I know just the person to help us sell this idea. She won't be able to say no."

David sighed warningly. "Mar, that's kinda evil..."

"It's not evil if everyone's doing it."

The woods

"Are you going to enlighten me as to why we are walking to the border like peasants?" said Regina, grimacing as her shoes bit it into her.

"Because we don't know where it is, Your Majesty, and I'm all out of pumpkin coaches," said Emma, trudging along beside her in the comfort of well-worn low-heeled boots that'd seen better days.

"Yes and why exactly does that preclude us from using either magic or a car?"

"If you use magic to transport us and we land outside the border we might not be able to get back inside with what's been happening. We don't know what will happen if you cross the border, Regina. At the very least you'll lose your magic."

"I created the town border. I'll be able to sense it when we get too close."

"Exactly. Hence the no driving thing."

Regina scrunched her face in irritation. "What?"

Emma shrugged. "Okay, I made that up. The border's not going anywhere - okay well, it is, but hopefully not that fast. If it is we're screwed anyway. I thought we'd walk so that - I just wanted to uh, talk to you."

"About what?"

Emma was watching the tarred road in front of her disappear under her feet with a gravelly crunch. She fidgeting with her gloved hands. "You and me ... and the younger you and me. They love each other, in fact they hit it off immediately. Why do you think that was?"

"Like you said," Regina paused. "They're us before life got in the way."

"Yeah, but when we were their age we hadn't even met, we were falling in love with other people and getting our hearts broken. They found each other before all that happened and they didn't fight about Henry like we did five seconds after we met because they don't even know. Everything comes back to our son."

Regina glared at her incredulously. "Are you blaming Henry for the state of things between us?"

Emma was quick to clarify. "No! Of course not. It's so not his fault. But still, we were fighting because of him."

"So your thesis is that we would've fallen in- ... become romantically attached if not for that. Like the girls did? Even though we have nothing whatsoever in common and you are incredibly irritating in addition to being sartorially challenged."

Emma pursed her lips, hiding a grin at Regina's dodging of the L word. She wasn't fooling anyone trying to cover it up with half-hearted insults.

"Maybe," said Emma. "Things are a bit rough between them at the moment though. That feels kinda familiar."

"Do you think that's a coincidence?"

"What is?"

"That things are changing for us right after they start having problems?"

Emma cocked an eyebrow and gave her a side glance. "You mean, is there only enough room in the universe for one Emma-and-Regina love story?"

Just the mention of that word startled Regina, enough that she scuffed her toe on rough gravel causing Emma to grab her elbow so she wouldn't stumble. The blonde used the opportunity to stop them both and turned to face her, standing only about a foot apart. She didn't call Regina out on her obvious reaction to the word that still hung in the air between them.

All was quiet this far out of town in the woods without even the sound of their footsteps. It was just them.

"How did Em and Ri get here in the first place?" wondered Regina, looking somewhere over Emma's shoulder into the peaceful verdure.

"It wasn't the Blue Fairy's do-over spell misfiring," said Emma confidently. "And I don't think she granted Henry's wish."

"Then what caused it? If not her incompetence."

"I think it was you and me. Our magic."

"I told you I didn't-"

"Not consciously. Not on purpose. I think we brought them here to save us. Separately and together we're both in trouble. They're not here so that we can save them and change the past... they're here to save us so that we can change our future. We brought them here to show us who we are and who we can be together."

Regina rolled her eyes sarcastically at the sappy words. "If I'd chosen my rescuers they wouldn't have been a petty larcenist and a doe-eyed ingenue."

"Ri isn't as innocent as you might think. She knows enough about the world to be frightened of it. That's wise. The world is crap."

"And Em never takes what anyone can't stand to lose. A noble thief."

All it took was one look at Regina's sly grinning face and Emma burst into laughter. They were both full of it.

Despite the fact that they had originated from Fairytale Land at different times, they'd both exhibited typical teenage personalities: snarky Em was a girl-crazy brat who never met a rule she couldn't bend and kind-hearted Ri was obsessed with clothes and desperately wishing for her first kiss.

They'd grown up now but the years behind them were stained. Both of them had been used and abused by life, then chewed up and spat out as a mess. Everybody expected them to just clean themselves up and get on with being good.

Well. Fuck that, thought Emma.

"The world failed us both, Regina," said Emma, staring intently into her face. She took the Regina's hands in both of hers, feeling their warmth even through the leather. "It's time to take back what's ours. Our tragic teenage romance isn't over yet."

Regina started to shake her head a little. "You said yourself that too much has happened for us to be together?"

"I lied. Adults can have pretty tragic romances too. Look at you and me. Our relationship has been a total disaster from the start."

"We can't-"

"Actually, we can. I can make things happen remember? We deserve another chance."

"You weren't so willing to give me another chance the other day," Regina pointed out.

Emma paced a few steps backward and let her arms fall to her sides with a slap. "That's because - come on, you gotta know why, Regina!" she growled.

"I can't read your mind."

"I was hurt cos of how I feel about you and after what happened the night of the KidSpace party I thought it was all one-sided and that sucked hard..."

Emma sighed roughly. "Anyway. Um, I don't really do the relationship thing. Ever. Feeling nothing is a pretty attractive option when what you feel sucks but after a while it gets old. I never stuck around anywhere long enough to … I dunno, it just never seemed to work out or I'd start to want to move on to a new place. When I came here ... well, it's a small town, people talk, everybody knows me cos I'm Sheriff. I couldn't exactly have a one-night stand with some random and have it get back to Henry. Or you. Spose it's a good thing I didn't since I might've slept with someone who turned out to be Goldilocks or whoever."

Regina actually growled possessively. "That trollop? Yes, she'd have found you 'just right' I'm sure."

Emma was delighted by what that little drop of jealousy might mean. It made her wonder just how long Regina had been holding out on her.

"Ever since we met I..." Emma smiled sheepishly. "Well, you were pissing me off all the time and I knew you hated my guts so it was kinda er, embarrassing as hell to realise I was attracted to you."

"Of course."

"Hey! Do you mean 'of course I'd be attracted to you' or 'of course I oughta be embarrassed'?"

Regina smirked and ignored the question. "Go on. I believe you were saying how attractive I am?"

"Cute. Not funny, but cute," said Emma wryly. "I had to see you all the time because of Henry and because you were always involved in everything that was going on. Sometimes when we'd fight you'd be looking at me like - I dunno, I actually thought you were gonna kiss me that day at the mine. But I figured I was just seeing what I wanted to see. Especially after you told me to get lost once Henry was safe. I never intended to make a move on you or anything."

"So you changed your mind and decided to declare your affections for me?"

"Hardly. I think I lost my mind. Ugh, I dunno. The first time, I got caught up in trying to comfort you. But you kissed me back so I thought maybe you did feel something. The second time was a different thing. We were getting on great the whole night of the party and then talking in your study with the wine and the fireplace ... What was I supposed to think? That's the best date I've been on in ages."

"You are easily pleased then. I'll remember that."

Emma brightened. "Hey, was that you asking me out on a date?"

"No." Regina rolled her eyes. "If I had you would certainly know it. But you are sorely mistaken if you think I could be satisfied with only one."

The teens had been left alone together in the apartment today, which should've been an opportunity for them to work things out but it wasn't happening so far. They still weren't talking and it was getting awkward for everyone now that the Regina's were back under the same roof with the whole family. Ri had tried a few times to talk to Em, but all the bratty blonde did was make a smartass retort or ignore her completely... and it was really pissing Ri off.

She didn't know why Em continued to be so cold to her, she'd caught Em looking at her sadly a few times like she was missing her. Why then was the other girl still being so stubborn?

Ri approached Em like one would a hurt animal, afraid of the rebuff she knew she'd get but willing to try again. The young brunette held out her hand where a shiny foil blister pack lay.

"Em? You need to take your medicine. Emma said to make sure you took the last one. She said that it's important to finish them all."

"Why."

Ri frowned. "So you don't get sick?"

"Who cares if I do," said Em sarcastically.

"Oh stop it!" Ri snapped. "Don't be so melodramatic. I care and of course the others do too. We've been here for over two weeks and if you can't see how much they all care about you then you're-"

"What, an idiot? Yeah, thanks Ri. I already know."

"That is not what I was going to say."

Em crossed her arms and fell into the couch in a huff. She grabbed her aviator sunnies and then propped her feet up on the coffee table.

"Please Em, can we talk about what happened," said Ri, softening her voice.

"Fine. Now you wanna talk? You coulda backed me up the other day when Emma was getting in my face basically accusing me of molesting you. It was your idea, Ri! You asked me to take you away … What was I supposed to think! You let me take the rap for all of it and then disappeared."

"I - I'm sorry, Em."

"Yeah well, whatever. I told you something I've never told anyone before. You don't feel the same way. It sucks hard, but I get it. Story of my life."

"Em-"

"I said I get it, Ri!"

Ri shook her head, trying not to get upset. "If you'd listen to me maybe I could tell you! Of course I have feelings for you, Em, I - …No! I'm not going to tell you when we're shouting at each other. You don't deserve it right now."

Ri strode over to the front door and grabbed Mary Margaret's coat to put on.

"Where are you going," asked Em flatly.

"Mary Margaret said we could go out today."

"Yeah, she said 'we'. She didn't mean that you could go by yourself and get run over, or lost, or befriended by the local psychopath."

"I'm not a child," said Ri haughtily. "Stop treating me like one."

Em looked at the floor. "Ri, I'm sorry. Don't go out alone, please? I don't want you to get hurt."

"As opposed to staying here where you can continue to hurt me?"

As Ri turned and opened the door, she heard Em call out to her as she left. She was barely out of the apartment before she started to regret it. What was she thinking leaving by herself in this unfamiliar world! She'd never even left the estate before. She trusted the people who had been taking care of her here, but she did not trust herself to navigate her way alone through even a single day.

Ri was started to feel scared already, but there was one person she trusted more than anyone and the words she'd received like a parting gift now bolstered her courage:

"I can find you in five seconds if you get in trouble, Ri. Don't be afraid!"

After Ri left the apartment she started walking down Main street just for an excuse to get away. She hadn't intended to go very far before turning back but now she wasn't sure where she was. The landmarks were so strange here. All of the shops looked the same to her and there were so many of them.

Ri murmured to herself with a sigh. "I'm afraid I'm quite lost."

One of the shop signs caught her eye with a funny term she'd heard before. She stopped at the curb for a full five minutes this time before crossing the street, waiting to see if one of the amazingly fast horseless carriages was going to come and nearly collide with her again.

The bell rang as she pushed the door open so she could peer inside. This shop appeared to be full of artefacts and treasures.

"Hello, is anyone here?" called Ri. She went in and began looking around at the array of curiosities.

A smooth voice came from behind her. "You know what they say... profit in business comes from repeat customers."

Ri jumped and whirled around. A slight well-dressed man appeared, leaning on his silver tipped cane and smiling mildly at her. She wasn't used to greeting strangers and this man seemed well, threatening for lack of a more polite term - but then so did everybody. Whenever anyone came to the estate she was always carefully guarded by her mother or attendants. There'd been no opportunity to get used to different people.

"Sorry to intrude upon you like this but I need directions," said Ri, trying to hide how startled she was. "Can you help me?"

"Possibly, yes. I know who you are. Regina."

"Oh," Ri realised. "You must know me, the older me?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mr Gold," said the man, with a flourish and a genteel bow. "But that is not how I know you, dearie. I knew your mother. I remember the day you were born. It rained, just like you will one day. I held you in my arms and I even gave you a gift."

Ri smiled bashfully, as if he were some kindly relative. "Indeed? Thank you but being an infant I have no memory of it."

Mr Gold paced around her slowly, never breaking his piercing gaze. "Perhaps you don't. But I thought your heart did not easily forget?"

Ri shrank a little. "H-how do you know that?"

"That's the beauty of my gift. I'll tell you if you tell me what you're doing here."

Ri gulped and accepted the bargain. "I had a fight with my girlfriend so I left home. Now I'm lost and I don't know how to get back. I need to put things right. Can you help me?"

Mr Gold gave her a crooked smile. "I'm only too happy to help and show you the way. But first, you are going to tell me what you are really doing here."