Double Trouble 40

A/N: Shhh! I'm posting from work like a ninja. Sorry for the wait on this one. My internet connection has been down since Friday because it doesn't work in heavy rain/bad atmospherics. Or when the wind blows. Or when I'm shooting arrows at it.

Last month it was bushfires and now it's flooding rain that's wrecking my internet fun. Ah Australia, where every day is like Survivor: Natural Disaster Edition. I swear I had to battle a poisonous snake just to get into the office this morning.

tldr; Enjoy! Thanks for reading.

Chapter 40 'Prejudice'

Town Hall

Emma's phone rang again just as she was about to leave Regina's office and the caller transmitted no good news.

"Yeah?" Emma said into the handset. "That's me ...What happened, is he ok?... Why didn't you try to reach- Oh yeah, she's here. We'll be right there."

Emma frowned as she hung up and Regina looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to explain.

"That was the school principal's office. She wants to see you. She has Henry in her office right now and is threatening to expel him."

Regina glared. "What for!"

"I don't know," said Emma defensively. "I didn't ask. I guess we'll find out when we get there. You would've got the call first if you were answering your phone, Regina. She's been trying to call you all morning. Officially, Henry only has one mother. Reminder: it's you. Lucky the kid's not dying of poison in a hospital this time."

"Shut up," Regina snapped. She hated that memory and having it thrown in her face out of nowhere was extremely irritating. Their truce had held long enough for an office tryst but it was short-lived and their fight was instantly back on. If Emma was cranky from getting all worked up without release then it was her own damn fault.

"Get your purse, we're leaving," said Emma.

Regina gritted her teeth, trying not to make it worse by letting her know how angry she was with being ordered around. She snatched her belongings up and called out to Emma's retreating form. "I'm driving."

"No way," Emma retorted without looking back. "We're taking the cruiser."

Storybrooke Elementary, Reception office

Emma fidgeted and tapped her foot impatiently while they waited. "What do you think this is about?"

Regina was annoyed by the question being asked yet again. "I don't know. For the tenth time. Henry's never been called to the principal's office before, except to receive awards."

"As if they're gonna expel the Mayor's kid. Nobody in this town is gonna risk pissing you off."

"Don't be too sure of that. You seem happy enough to risk it on a daily basis."

After another twenty minutes of excruciating waiting they were called in by an older severe-looking lady who barely stood five feet tall. She had her white hair scraped into a tight bun and though she was thin as a rail she carried herself with the proud bearing of a military officer. Her beady eyes had the perpetual squint of someone who had spent her entire life looking down upon others. Even her voice sounded like a honky bark.

"Miss Mills. A shame to see you under such unpleasant circumstances," said the school's principal.

"Yes, Mrs Gander. It is." Regina said, before glancing at Emma to introduce her. "This is Sheriff Emma Swan, Henry's other parent."

The severe woman cast a critical eye over Emma as though to question the validity of her presence.

"I'm beginning to see where the problem lies. Where is your uniform, Sheriff?"

Emma frowned. "Uh, I-"

"Speak properly, girl, and stand up straight. I cannot abide slovenly language and bad posture. These are the hallmarks of a disordered mind."

The principal turned on a heel and indicated for them to follow her into her office.

"I can see why she likes you," Emma said in a petulant voice under her breath.

Regina hissed back. "She doesn't!"

The miniature principal pointed sharply for them to sit in a pair of rigid hard-backed chairs placed in front of her desk. She took her own seat and and clasped her hands primly on the barren surface in front of her. When she spoke though, she was talking only to Regina.

"I have called you here today to discuss a matter of serious import. This institution prides itself on the order, respect, and obedience of the pupils who study here. Naturally, since the breaking of the curse we have had to make some adjustments. However we are not in the business of making exceptions for the unacceptable behaviour of certain high-ranking children. Parents were instructed to notify us if their child was discovered to have any magical ability or latent power from the other realm. Why were we not informed?"

Regina resisted the urge to send Emma a questioning look. She hadn't received any such school correspondence because her son hadn't been living with her for some time after the curse broke. She didn't want to give Gander the satisfaction of knowing they'd had issues with Henry's custody and living arrangements.

Emma cleared her throat. "I didn't return that form because Henry doesn't have magic. He was never from that other place."

Gander regarded Emma with an unimpressed stare and it was clear she didn't believe her. "We have a zero tolerance policy for the use of magic against another student and it will be strictly enforced."

"One of the kids used magic on someone?" said Emma.

"No, Sheriff. Henry did it."

"Henry used magic against another child?" said Regina, shocked by the news.

"What! How," said Emma. "What'd he do?"

Mrs Gander seemed slightly ruffled and it made her tone even more clipped. "We were not able to ascertain exactly what was done. Neither the boy in question nor the multitude of students who witnessed the attack are willing to talk. They are too distressed and fearful to give lucid testimony."

"Attack?" said Regina. "Was anyone-"

"No-one was injured," said Gander, sounding almost disappointed that she didn't have a bloody corpse to present as evidence. "The victim supposedly can't remember why the altercation started."

"So basically it's Henry's word against the other kids'?" said Emma in disbelief. "You can't expel him when you don't even know what happened. You're only assuming magic was involved. Where else is he supposed to go to school, there's only one in Storybrooke and we're all trapped here. He's a good kid. This is bullshit!"

"There's no need for violent outbursts, Sheriff. I think it's clear what has led to this kind of behaviour from your son. Lack of discipline at home. I suppose that's to be expected given his situation and what he's been exposed to."

Emma was clearly struggling to restrain her temper. "Where is my kid? I want to talk to him."

"Miss Blanchard has him. Another one who is far too soft on children."

"Emma," warned Regina, hastily placing her hand on top of hers. The last thing they needed was for Emma to lose control of her magic in front of the prejudiced teacher. She sent her a pleading look.

"Why don't you go and wait outside. I need to discuss a proposal for additional school funding with Mrs Gander. Perhaps we can come to an agreement regarding Henry's future as well."

Emma ripped her hand away and rose to leave with a final glare at the principal.

"I suggest you re-evaluate your choices in life, Miss Mills," said Mrs Gander, not even bothering to hide her disdain until Emma was out the door.

Emma was leaning against the brick wall of the school's office building when Regina spied her and went over. She knew Emma would be seething over Gander's jibes, but she also knew that underneath that angry demeanor she was just worried about Henry. Parenthood was catching up with her fast and Regina certainly knew that feeling. They'd clashed with each other over it enough, both last year and this year. Emma was staring across the empty schoolyard but her eyes flicked over when she noticed her approach.

"Henry isn't going to be expelled," said Regina. "He's been sent back to class and will have lunchtime detention for the rest of the year as punishment."

"With Gander? Poisoning his mind, telling him god-knows-what about his family?" said Emma.

"No, not with her. Your mother supervises detention every other week so I'm sure he won't be too disappointed. I don't think he has friends to play with anyway."

"You used your political clout to get Henry out of trouble," said Emma in a fairly accusatory tone. "How much funding are we talking about here?"

"I did what I had to. It's done all the time."

"Still doesn't make it right."

"We have to find out the extent of Henry's magic, for his safety if nothing else. We may have to conceal whatever power he has from common knowledge. Mrs Gander is not the only one in this town who dislikes magic."

Regina spoke calmly but she was concerned to find out that Henry had magic and she was even more distressed to hear that he had used a spell against another person. That behaviour rang far too familiar for her and she couldn't bear the thought of her son following in her footsteps. Or worse, Gold's. Even though Emma had blindly defended their son, insisting that he was innocent, Regina was far less certain. Henry had not been like himself lately. Was magic corrupting him already?

"But how?" said Emma. "Where did he get magic from. Did he learn it like you did? Or is it innate like mine? Either way we're going to have to teach him to control it."

"I'm not teaching him. My magic is dark. I want him to have nothing to do with it."

"Well, he's already messing around with magic. We still don't know who's responsible for everything that's been going on. Do you think he did it?"

"No. Whatever is going on with the border is not our son's fault. It can't be."

"Why? You said you felt someone's magic out there, someone who loves you. Unless you're still doubting that."

Regina's eyes flashed. "He wanted to get rid of magic remember? Not use it. He could've gotten himself killed trying to blow it up. How long did it take before you realised where he'd gone?"

Emma glared at her. "I'm not going to watch his every move like a hawk and turn him into a complete neurotic. Kids need a bit of freedom. I would've found him in time. Just like you did. He used to run off on you all the time last year."

"Yes, to be with you, Emma, and it used to worry me to death. It is of no comfort to me that our son runs away from you too."

"'Our son'? You called me Henry's parent in there too, you never admit that to anyone else if you can help it. What are we, Regina?"

After a long pause, Regina said quietly, "I thought we were family."

"Yeah, we are. But in the eyes of others we're not. Gander doesn't think much of the fact that Henry has two Mommies. You're my son's mother but that's not all you are to me and I don't know what else to call you. My partner? Too business-like. My girlfriend? Too teenager-y. My lover? Sounds like Mills & Boon. See what I mean?"

"Since when do you care about what people think."

"I don't, but I'm starting to realise that they won't take us seriously because we don't have a bit of paper. I don't have have any legal right to be here and it scares the hell out of me. What are we doing here, Regina? We've got a kid together. We're always going to be in each others' lives because of that, no matter what happens between us. But we also have this connection and I don't know about you, but to me it feels like much more than love and sex. There's no word that's enough to describe what we have."

There's one that comes close, thought Regina. But you won't ask the question.

"I feel it even when we're fighting with each other," said Emma, looking away.

"I feel it too."

It seemed silly now to fight over inconsequential stuff when there were far more enemies outside their relationship than within. Whatever issues there were between them would be worked out… eventually. But both of them were a little bit too stubborn to apologise just yet and it was their first real fight since becoming a couple so they hadn't had much practice at making up. Regina didn't exactly feel up to making the first move either.

"What the hell went on in there," Emma started her rant again. "How could you tolerate that? Did you hear the way she talked about Henry and our 'situation'? To our faces! What kind of teacher in this day and age is still so… so… wrong.I wasn't just going to sit there and let that old biddy make thinly veiled slurs about us."

"She was careful not to say anything explicitly. You can't force people to change their minds when they persist in wilful ignorance. There's more to it in this case. Let it go."

"I'm not really a 'let it go' kinda girl. I'm more of a 'give her a piece of my mind' kind of girl. I wanted to take her pinchy wrinkled old face and slap it. With a chair."

"It won't do any good if either of us loses control with our child's school principal. She has influence with a lot of parents here. I can't afford to get her offside if I'm to win this election."

"Yeah, I think I'm beginning to see how the game's played. I hate this shit."

Regina knew that Emma had little patience for politics and diplomacy, which was odd for someone who was an elected official. But those who had dealt with her trusted her and anyone who mistook her youth and pretty looks for weakness soon found out that she was made of stronger stuff. It was her sense of justice and integrity which made her in some ways unsuitable for her job and, paradoxically, better suited to it than anyone Regina could've imagined in that position.

Regina knew it was on her as to why Emma had been unknowingly ambushed by Gander this afternoon. Because of the curse, Emma hadn't lived in the Enchanted Forest or known anyone who had. That was why she didn't know any of the old politics.

"Lucy Gander comes from an old clan," explained Regina. "They were famous for their hatred of magic and acts of persecution of people from certain Royal bloodlines. They believe that Royals have been allied with Fairies for too long and that magic has contaminated the objectivity of their rule. She is certainly aware of your Royal blood and knowing who your parents are, she'll have assumed where you are situated politically as well. She and my mother were connected socially."

"How?"

"By a stalemate. They hated each other with an enmity so deep it makes Snow White and I look like the best of friends. I think they had enough dirt on each other to bring them both down. Most likely Gander expects that I've inherited the information."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "And have you?"

"You are not a Mills so you can't know."

"Fine," snapped Emma. "I know when the vault's being slammed shut in my face."

"It's not like that," Regina implored her to understand but she wouldn't even look at her. "The information is protected magically, I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. As for what she knows about my mother, I have my suspicions. She was a dangerous woman in the other world, Emma. Like it or not, you and Henry are of Royal blood. I won't put you at risk over ancient history."

"I have to get back to work," declared Emma.

Town Hall

After Emma dropped her off Regina swiftly returned to her office. She had already missed one meeting and had neither the time nor the inclination to reschedule another. Her assistant Martha wasn't at her desk when she breezed through and after throwing her purse onto her own desk, Regina headed straight over to the crystal service to pour herself a finger of alcoholic cider.

"Bad day, Your Majesty?" an accented voice asked behind her.

She hid her surprise and turned around with a sickly sweet smile. Years at court had taught her to force politeness when she would rather offer none. Her sarcasm would've been undetected by simple nobles but not by this man who knew her unfortunately well.

"Would you care for a drink, Gold?"

"No thankyou, dear. I know better than to partake of any of your apple-themed delights. I might not survive. Oh no, wait - you reserve your precious fruit for murdering the ones you love most don't you? Mary Margaret. Emma. Henry."

Regina held her breath to compose her anger. Was everyone going to kick the sands of her past in her eyes today? This day was obviously determined to get worse. She just had to get Gold and his stirring over and done with. Like a root canal or any other unpleasantly invasive procedure.

She snatched her drink up and walked over to her desk. Gold followed her over and took the visitor's seat in front of her desk without asking. He adopted the tone of a concerned friend, although he was anything but.

"I hear you had a run-in with the formidable Mrs Gander today," said Gold. "Be careful there, dearie. She's just about the most dangerous non-magical being there is."

That happened barely an hour ago. How could Gold know about it already?

Regina gave him a perceptive look. "You have someone at the school. Who is it. A teacher? A student perhaps?"

Gold chuckled. "Yes, you could say that. A rather promising young man actually."

"Well, there's no use trying to ally yourself with Gander against me. She hates you just as much as she hates me. She'd happily burn us both and dance around our pyres."

"I don't know about that, Regina. You've recently taken up with Royals and gotten yourself a new fairy godmother. With Cora gone, I think you've risen to number one on her list."

"I won't lose sleep over it," Regina said vaguely, as she browsed through her schedule to check who her next meeting was with. Gold seemed to take her nonchalance as a challenge to needle her.

"It must be difficult for you, tolerating the Charmings after hating them for so long. You're going to be stuck with them forever now. They're a package deal. You must know that Emma will never choose you over them if it comes to it. If you make good on your revenge you will certainly lose her forever."

She did know, but Regina couldn't resist retorting this time. "Her parents may be a royal pain in the proverbial, but so are everyone's in-laws and I can put up with them for her sake. I think I know Emma better than you do."

"Then you know that after a lifetime of feeling abandoned her natural instinct is to be the one who leaves first, before you get the chance to leave her."

That definitely rankled. After the problems they'd been having ever since moving in together, Regina had been wondering if Emma was feeling trapped or like she'd been coerced into it before she was ready. She hated the idea that circumstances forced Emma into that choice, the way she as a young woman had been forced to marry and to become mistress over a castle and its hundreds of occupants. Her path had been planned out for her and she couldn't have refused the King's offer or anything that came after their marriage. When the King asks you for something, the only answer is yes - if you want to live in society ever again. Or live at all.

Once, when she and Emma been making love they'd tried a new position that had some unfortunate memories attached to it for Regina. Emma had noticed her go quiet and she'd figured out quickly that there was something wrong. She'd held her until the tears of frustration dried up and listened to her vent her feelings of powerlessness over both the events of the memory and why her mind was bringing it up again now. Why now when Regina knew she was with someone who always made her feel safe and loved? "You always have choices with me. You can say no at any time for any reason, if that's what you want," Regina clearly remembered her saying.

In the bedroom (or wherever else they happened to be having sex), Emma always checked with her before doing anything new or different. She'd said it was because Regina had had her consent abused in the past and that she'd noticed that Ri had problems speaking up for herself. She never wanted to be just another person in her life who took something from her that she didn't want to give. The first and last thing with Emma was taking care of her. The least Regina could do was give her the same freedom. Emma had led an itinerant lifestyle ever since she ran away from the foster system and it was only in the last year that she'd stayed in one place for any substantial length of time. She didn't seem to be dealing very well with being tied down. The question was: did Emma want to leave?

If she does… will I be strong enough to let her go?

Regina grabbed the stack of mail that Martha must've left on her desk and started slicing the envelopes open with her apple knife.

"How are things between you and Emma," asked Mr Gold.

"Like I'm going to tell you. Shall we braid each other's hair and share secrets too?"

"We already share plenty of those. I remember you were quite fond of braids as a young lass weren't you? So hopeful. So trusting. Not like now."

"I was wrong to put my trust in you. Each and every time. That's a mistake I won't make again."

"Is trust an issue in your relationship with Emma? Are you able to trust her fully with your heart? Can you let go of your control and really give yourself to her? Emotionally, I mean. Or are you still too damaged from a lifetime of mourning the loss of your first love. Have you let that pain go yet?"

Regina nearly sliced her hand open with the knife. "If I need useless psychoanalysis I'll talk to Dr Hopper."

"It is strange now to realise that only last year you tried to poison the woman you now claim to love. She was already on her way out of town, but you couldn't let her go could you. What made you think of the Sleeping curse in the first place? A rather cruel fate for someone who may or may not have a True Love waiting out there somewhere. For someone who was already offering you a truce and trying to get away from you. Unless you were hoping to test your own love for her to see if it was true. Would you have kissed her lifeless lips to see if she'd wake for you and only you?"

"Why are you here, Gold," asked Regina, rapidly losing her patience. "Why are you asking about Emma and I?"

"How are things between you physically?"

Regina made a noise of incredulity. "What are you - jealous? Or are you getting off on this? Might I suggest an evening with Lacey. Buy her dinner. Take her dancing. Or call a 900 number, I don't care which."

"Lacey refuses to talk to me." Gold pierced her with his gaze, letting her know he blamed her for it. "She doesn't remember who I am, or who she is for that matter. She won't give us the chance to fall in love again. That's why I'm here."

"What have your romantic deficiencies got to do with me?"

Gold's stare turned menacing. "Well, since you took Belle's memories away… you're going to help me get them back."

"I've told you before, I can't-"

"You will. When the time comes you will give me what I need. In fact, you already have. It's written all over your face."

Gold leaned on his cane to rise and gave her his crooked grin, the one that promised nothing good. He reached over to her shoulder and made as though he was picking a piece of lint of her blazer.

"Good day, Your Majesty."

The second he was out the door, Regina downed her drink in one burning gulp.