Week One Part One
Emma stood at the entrance of Regina's mansion holding Roland's little hand, her other arm wrapped around Henrys shoulders watching the scene unfolding in front them while fighting to hold back tears and stay strong for the sake of the boys.
Lights flashed on police cars and sirens shrieked as they sped away leaving a heavy silence in their wake. As soon as they were out of sight the boys pulled away from Emma and ran back into the house but still Emma remained standing where they had left her staring into nothingness.
"Emma" Archie Hopper spoke into the silence an unknown amount of time later, Emma blinked and slowly looked at the therapist tears blurring her vision as a confused frown formed across her brow.
"Henry called me" Archie explained, and Emma silently nodded her brow relaxing back into a more neutral position then face falling she looked Archie straight in the eye.
"They're asking for their mom" she whispered glancing back at the house voice breaking as more tears fell "What do I tell them?"
At the same time across town Sheriff Graham followed entered an interview room closely followed closely by one of his colleagues. He looked at the attractive red head sitting at the table in the centre of the room with interest as he sat down across the table from her, waiting for his colleague to settle into the seat next to him before he hit the record button on the tape recorder cleared his throat noisily and spoke into the silence.
"My name is Sheriff Graham" he introduced himself "I will be conducting this interview this evening, also present is Officer Nottingham, and, for the purposes of tape would you please state your name " he requested meeting the red heads eyes, she looked straight back at him through dazzling blue eyes and smiled warmly.
"Zelena Ozwald" she replied confidently.
"And how long had you known the deceased?" the sheriff asked…
Six weeks earlier,
Regina stood by a window on the upper floor of her house, a small smile gracing her lips as she watched the blonde on her sunny driveway stretching while she waited for Regina to join her for their morning run.
After a few seconds Emma perhaps sensing that she was being watched paused in her stretching routine and squinted towards the house her eyes quickly finding Regina framed in the upstairs window, thin lips broke into a huge grin as she waved up at her best friend and Regina returning the beaming smile waved back.
"Have you taken you pill yet?" a voice suddenly asked close to her ear making Regina jump.
"I was just about to Robin" Regina sighed in reply,
"You know I still can't understand why that little friend of yours followed us all the way down here" Robin continued, his chin almost touching Regina's shoulder as he looked passed his wife and through the window at Emma who was still looking up in their direction, but her smile had been replaced by a slight frown.
"Because she's my best friend and Henry's birth mother" Regina recited the same answer that she had given to that same comment over and over then she pulled away from her husband and headed down the hall towards her bedroom.
"Seems a bit weird though doesn't it?" Robin pressed following her into the bathroom "We come down here for a fresh start and she follows like a bad smell that we just can't see, to get rid of, and I'm sure she fancies you" he smirked in that annoyingly knowing way of his and Regina paused in front of the bathroom sink, pinched the bridge of her nose all traces of her prior happy mood gone, took a breath and reached into her medicine cabinet pulled out a bottle of pills and tapped one onto her palm.
"Shouldn't you be headed to work by now?" Regina asked popping the pill into her mouth and washing it down with some ice-cold water with a shudder.
"I was just on my way out, enjoy your run, I left a number on the fridge for you to book a cab to take you into work, don't be late for your first day will you, I would have taken you in myself but I have this big case and I need to be in early " he smiled at her but his eyes remained cold, then he leaned in kissed Regina's cheek and left.
As soon as he was gone Regina sighed a sigh relief, pleased to be free of him for a few hours, she used to love Robin so much but these days he made her feel stifled and like she was an inconvenience to him or something especially since the incident, she sighed again glancing at the bottle of pills in her hand then shoved them back in the cupboard feelings of frustration bubbling just below the surface, she knew that she needed them but oh how she wished that she didn't.
Looking in the mirror she stared her reflection straight in the eye took some deep steadying breaths and repeated the same phrase several times until she began to feel better.
"That's it Regina, you've got this" she said, then she grabbed her hairbrush teased her hair up into a high ponytail securing it an elastic hair band, plastered a smile on her face and headed down stairs.
"Morning boys" she beamed genuinely feeling much better as she ruffled Henry's hair affectionately and kissed the top of little Roland's head.
"Your friends out on the drive" the nanny said from where she stood preparing breakfast on the kitchen island "I invited her in, but she went back out after she said hello to the boys, wanted to stretch or something" the red head shrugged.
"Yes, I saw her out the window on the way down" Regina smiled "So tell me Zelena how was your first night? Did you sleep okay? Were you comfortable? Do you need anything?"
"What's this, twenty questions" Zelena laughed
"Not at all, I just want you to be comfortable while you're here with us" Regina replied frowning a little, concerned that she had just inadvertently offended the new nanny on her first morning.
In truth Regina hadn't been too keen on the idea of hiring a nanny at first, she had wanted to stay sat home with the boys herself and she knew that they could easily have afforded for her to do so but Robin had insisted that it would do her the world of good to get back into work and that getting a nanny would be the easiest way for her to do that and so she had reluctantly agreed to interview some.
Zelena had been like a gift from god from the start in Regina's opinion, she was like a breath of fresh air and so amazing with the boys right from the off that Regina felt at ease with her. She had only moved in the night before because at Regina's insistence they had put her up in Grannies b & b to begin with while she and the family got to know one another, now the whole household felt at ease and Regina had to admit that she was looking forward to resuming her running routine with Emma before they both headed out to work.
"Make sure they both brush their teeth before they leave" Regina instructed "and remember that Henry has to be on the bus stop in thirty minutes"
"Of course," Zelena replied taking a bottle of water from the fridge, "don't worry I've got everything under control here now go enjoy your run with your friend" she said offering Regina the bottle, Regina considered her new nanny for a second nodded, accepted the bottle and left.
"Thanks" she called over her shoulder on her way out.
"Emma" she greeted running up to the blonde and giving her a quick hug as soon as she had exited the house,
"Hey there" Emma replied returning the quick squeeze "you ready to go?"
"Yup" Regina beamed following Emma down the drive where the two began to pound the pavement in unison.
"you'll love it round here" Emma enthused "I've had some time to explore and found some awesome places to run, I even roped one of the locals into showing me some places" she laughed heading towards a tree line that started not to far from Regina's house, the two reached the trees quickly and crossed the line into the forest.
Careful to stick to the wide paths and avoid trip hazards growing in the ground Emma led them deeper in, it felt peaceful and serene in here and it was a welcome reprieve from the thoughts that usually intruded Regina's mind, but that was why she loved to run in the first place, as her blood coursed, her cheeks flushed and her breathes came quicker Regina felt a buzz like no other, no pill could ever hope to compare.
"This local" Regina panted "were they male, female, neither?" Emma gave her side glance her own flushed face turning a deeper shade of red because she knew exactly what Regina was getting at.
"Female as far as I'm aware" Emma replied, "her name is Ruby and yes, she is hot, anything else you want to know?"
"What me?" Regina placed a hand on her chest to indicate towards herself ignoring the twang of something like jealously that squeezed at her heart "No" she feigned innocence but the mischievous glint in her eye told another story entirely.
"Hmmm" Emma grumbled pausing for a drink, Regina flipped her own bottle open and took a deep swig of the icy goodness within and then they silently pressed on together.
"I think Robin's having an affair again" Regina suddenly blurted out suddenly breaking the silence and surprising even herself because she hadn't even realised that she was about to say it, but Emma tended to have that effect on her, and it was too late to take it back now it was out.
"What!" Emma exclaimed coming to abrupt halt and turning to face her friend who began to crumble in front of her, "Oh Regina, not again" she soothed pulling her into a hug "are you sure?"
"I don't have any proof and I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am" Regina sighed hugging Emma closer.
"Well, if he is" Emma said leaning back in Regina's arms to look earnestly into her eyes "then he's mental, there is no way that he could have found anyone that even comes close to comparing to you."
"Stop it Emma" Regina blushed and glanced away.
"But it's true" Emma insisted bringing a hand up to cup Regina's chin gently turning her head back to face her, Regina gave no resistance "You're the full package" Emma continued as soon as their eyes were locked together again "You're funny, kind, gorgeous inside and out and you have the warmest heart Regina, if he's cheating on you, that's completely a him thing, it has no bearing on you, the guys nothing but a douche bag, but you, you're perfect and whatever happens with Robin don't you ever forget that" Emma smiled released Regina chin and gently pushed back some stray hair that had fallen from Regina's hairband tucking it behind her ear.
"Okay?" she pressed looking into Regina's eyes again smile broadening when the brunette nodded in response.
"Thanks Emma" Regina smiled back "I can always count on you."
"Always" Emma whispered back, her words hanging in the air as a new silence fell between them, a silence thick with something that felt like desire, Regina felt a pull towards Emma that she had felt several times before, then just like the other times she blinked, regained her senses, and pulled away before it could lead anywhere it shouldn't go.
She could hardly be upset with Robin for having an affair if she did the same thing could she? No matter how much she had wanted to kiss Emma in that moment, or how painful the jealous twang in her heart had felt when Emma had talked about how hot Ruby was, she had to ignore it, she was married to Robin, and they had their boys to think about.
If he was cheating, she had to find a way of proving it, but falling into that same trap herself would be a very dangerous place for her to be especially if Robin found out, if he proved her to be a cheat and she couldn't prove that he was guilty of the same offence then that would prove to be catastrophic for Regina's future with her children.
No, whatever she felt towards Emma, how she had always felt towards her since the woman had crossed her threshold a little over ten years ago when she was twenty-three and Emma was eighteen years old, with a hugely swollen abdomen and ankles to match, and they along with Robin had agreed to the open adoption of Henry Locksley-Mills she couldn't act on it, Roland had arrived five years after they adopted Henry, the result of Robins first affair that Regina knew of.
Regina had suspected it for a while, but Robin had denied the affair vehemently of course and then Regina had found a new born baby boy abandoned on their doorstep with a note pinned to his blanket, he had melted Regina's heart when she had lifted him up, his dark curls spilling out from under his hat and when she brought her hand up to rest lightly on top of his blanket his tiny hand had found her finger and he had squeezed tight as though he never wanted to let her go.
Even as Roland stole Regina's heart she read the note attached to him and devastated tears began to flow, she had been right all along about the affair and here in her arms was the living proof, still Robin had tried to deny it when Regina had confronted him, he had wanted Regina to get rid of Roland, drop him off at the nearest hospital and never think about him again, but Regina had looked down at his little face and just couldn't do it, the poor child had already been abandoned by one mother and she couldn't do it to him again.
Flash back Five years earlier.
"We can make this work" Regina whispered as she cradled the sleeping baby in her arms.
"What!" Robin thundered "there's nothing to make work, that's not mine I tell you, it can't be." He bellowed pointing at his son.
"Then prove it, do a paternity test before we give him up" Regina challenged, "If he's not yours it'll come back negative and we'll give him up, but if he is yours, we'll keep him, I'll adopt him and we'll give him the family that he deserves" she looked down at Roland's tiny fingers still wrapped around hers, heart racing.
"You'd do that?" Robin asked taken aback "Adopt a child born through my adultery."
"Yes" Regina replied without hesitation her mind already made up "But there'd have to be no more affairs" she added.
"Hmm" Robin grunted "well there hasn't been any and there won't be any, get the paternity test kit and I'll quite happily prove that, that little runt isn't mine."
"Less of that" Regina retorted disgusted "regardless of who's baby he is or isn't, he is still just that, an innocent baby and I will not hear you speaking unkindly of him."
"Whatever" Robin brushed her off turning to walk away from her "I'll be expecting an apology when the test proves that I'm not it's father" he called over his shoulder.
On a whim Regina had purchased two paternity kits and she was soon glad that she had because from the second that she had put the first one into the post box which he had prepared and packaged himself, Robin had become very smug, he had walked around with a confidence that had unnerved Regina so much that unbeknownst to him at the time she had personally obtained the necessary samples from Robin and the baby sending off the second test three days later secure in the fact that this one at least definitely contained the correct genetic material for comparison purposes, because as sure as she was that Roland was indeed Robin's she was also as convinced that he had tampered with the first paternity test to make it come back showing that Roland wasn't his.
Thankfully the first test result hit the mat while Robin was at work, Regina had taken some time off to take care of Roland at home while they cleared up this mess as Robin put it.
She picked up the letter and was unsurprised to see it declare that Robin was not Roland's biological father, still not convinced Regina had shredded the letter out of existence figuring that the testing centre would have the test result on record if she ever needed to ask for it for any reason in the future and waited for the next letter to arrive.
If it came back the same then she would make out that there was no other letter but if her suspicions were confirmed she'd follow Robin's lead when it came to questioning him further, she wouldn't bring the first letter up at all unless he admitted to tampering with the test first.
Robins' mood was still extra chipper, and his behaviour was telling Regina that he was either telling the truth or he truly believed that he had managed to pull the wool over her eyes and she was still leaning towards the latter.
Her instinct had proven to be spot on when the second letter hit the mat a few days later, it was a Saturday and Robin was home when the post arrived, he'd been the one to pick it up and recognising the logo on the envelope had cockily handed it to her to open.
"Here it is" he said putting on the kitchen island Infront of where she was sitting feeding Roland his bottle, "the proof that, that" he pointed at the enthusiastically suckling baby, "isn't mine."
Regina just smiled and nodded lifting Roland to pat his back and kissing his tiny cheek as he pulled his knees up against her chest in his efforts to bring his wind up.
"Good boy" she murmured when he had let out an almighty burp a few seconds later then gradually relaxed his limbs again.
She had carried him into the living room and propped him up a little using a nursing pillow which she had rested on the end of the sofa, making sure that he was comfortable, safe, and not restricted in anyway before taking the seat next to him watching his eyes droop closed, a contented little sigh and smack of his lips escaping as sleep claimed him.
She always sat like this with him immediately after a feed, just as she had with Henry before him, giving him twenty minutes or so to allow the heavy contents of his stomach to digest a bit before carefully moving him to finish his nap led flat in his crib.
Today as she had sat watching over Roland, she prized the envelope open and slipped the letter out.
"Here goes nothing" she had murmured sparing one last glance in Roland's direction before opening the letter her hands shaking with nervous anticipation.
"Well?" Robin said having followed her into the room, "what are you waiting for read it out, what does it say" he had grinned so confidently at her, and Regina could already hear the 'I told you so' hanging on the tip of his tongue.
"It says that he's yours" Regina replied trying to hide the victorious smile threatening to take over her face as she watched his fall.
"What? but how is that possible" Robin grappled snatching the letter eyes widening as he read it, "but, but, I" he babbled looking up into Regina's eyes desperately confused, she hadn't said anything but he had seen something there, Regina knew it because she had watched the range of emotions crossing Robins face as he tried to figure out how she had tricked him, confusion had given way to anger, then more confusion, then anger again.
Regina had watched him wrestle with whatever he had figured out trying to find a way that he could get himself out of this mess and then it seemed that he had given up and with a sigh of frustration had admitted defeat and chosen to come clean rather than confront her.
He had begged her not to leave him, agreed to her terms for her adopting Roland and promised to be faithful going forward.
Regina had wanted to believe him she really had, but she had never fully trusted him again, in a somewhat misguided bid to save her family Regina had adopted Roland and tried to move on but things hadn't truly been the same after that.
Then when Roland was about two and a half Regina had become convinced that Robin had begun seeing the boy's biological mother again, she kept insisting that the signs were there and then, well things had gone bad very bad and Robin had eventually decided to bring Regina and the boys out to Storybrooke for a fresh start away from the city in hopes that it would calm Regina's paranoia as Robin had called it.
Emma was the only one from their combined past that had followed them on their journey, she had claimed that it was because she wanted to stay close to Henry and while that was completely true it wasn't her only reason for being there.
The truth was that she wanted to stay close to Regina too, so that she could make sure she stayed safe and happy and felt supported even if she couldn't be with her how she really wanted to be, best friend Regina she had decided years before was much better than no Regina at all.
"So, what do you want to do about it" Emma asked as they resumed their gentle jog along the path.
"Huh" Regina blinked confused as Emma's words pulled her from her thoughts.
"If he's cheating, what do want to do about it?" Emma prompted.
"Oh yes" Regina replied "I want out" she said with conviction and Emma fought hard not to smile at the news, she didn't expect to cop off with Regina the second that Robin was out of the picture, but she couldn't deny how she felt about the woman at least to herself and she felt sure that Regina felt something for her too.
Emma knew that Regina would never stoop to cheating on her husband no matter what he did, and her morals were one of things that Emma loved about her but just knowing that there was a possibility of him being out of the picture soon had given her hope for a potential future where they might be together, a family with Roland and Henry.
"But I can't just walk out based on a feeling" Regina sighed "I'm going to need solid proof that he is cheating again first otherwise he could just accuse me of being paranoid and take the kids and I can't let him do that" her eyes flashed, and tears brimmed as she stopped again and looked at Emma "I can't let him take my babies from me" she choked out tears falling fast.
"Hey, hey" Emma soothed wrapping her arm around Regina's shoulder "that won't happen, we won't let it, now tell me what I can do to help…"
After their jog Emma waited for Regina to get showered and changed then dropped her to her new her job, Regina wasn't a fan of Emma's beloved yellow bug, but as she still wasn't able to drive herself, yet it was that or a cab and of those two choices riding with Emma was always her preference even if the bug wasn't.
She had even offered to buy Emma a brand-new car much more to her own taste but her blonde friend had politely declined her generous offer remaining loyal to her trusty bug, the driver's seat of which Emma was currently sitting in drumming her fingers on her steering wheel as she watched Regina enter the office building for her first day in her new job.
It wasn't like her previous job, she had been a highflyer on a much higher wage than Robin much to his annoyance, but now he gloated from his castle as Regina was reduced to the bottom of the scrap heap forced to accept a minimum wage job that he had secured for her through his long-time best friend John.
Regina had left her whole life and all her friends outside of Emma behind in the big city and she hadn't even expected her to follow when Robin had brought her to Storybrooke, but she had been over the moon when she found out that Emma had moved down to the little fishing town too.
Robin however had essentially brought Regina home, he had grown up in this town, inherited the house that they currently lived in from his parents and seemed to know everybody and unfortunately for Regina most in town loved him. Her only saving grace was the town sheriff's partner.
Officer George Nottingham had hated Robin since he had failed to pin a spate of robberies In the area on him and his gang when they were in their late teens, Robin had humiliated George and the man had made no secret about how much he hated him after that, so if Regina ever needed the law on her side he would be the person that she'd call upon.
While Regina worked Emma headed to her own job, when she got there she parked in her usual spot went in but declared that was feeling unwell almost an hour before lunch break was due to begin and needed to go home, leaving her car behind she called a cab had it swing by her house so that she could pick some equipment up then directed the driver to a restaurant.
"What are we doing here sister?" the cabby asked adjusting his mirror and watching her take a fancy looking camera out of her bag, that had been a gift from Regina one that she had given Emma to help her further pursue her passion for photography, Emma she thought was very talented she had an eye for it and it was that eye, that she about to put to good use right now.
"We're waiting for someone to arrive" Emma replied, and she didn't have to wait long "Right on time" she murmured as Robin appeared stepping out of a car that wasn't his, walking around to the passenger's seat he opened the door and took the woman's hand that extended out of it helping her out. Emma had the camera up to her eye in seconds making sure they stayed in frame as she clicked the shutter closed again and again.
The blonde that subsequently emerged looked young, pretty and very well dressed, Emma snapped pictures of them both as they flirted shamelessly with each other all the way into the restaurant, sighing in frustration when they didn't go in for a kiss for her to capture and wishing more than anything that she could go into the restaurant too but knowing that it was far too risky.
If Robin spotted her, he would recognise her instantly, instead she watched until they re-emerged almost an hour later exactly as anticipated based on the reciepts that Regina had found in Robins jacket pocket when she had emptied it for dry cleaning a few days earlier, reciepts that showed that Robin had been buying lunch for two at this restaurant at the same time, every day for the past three weeks. She snapped more pictures as they returned to the car that they had arrived in but still they didn't give her the money shot.
"Take me home please" Emma sighed defeated
"Right, you are sister" the cabby replied tipping his cap slightly and putting the cab into drive.
Emma developed the photo's later that night knowing that they were a start, but they weren't enough she vowed to keep returning to the restaurant during her lunch hours until she got the proof that Regina needed.
For the next four days that was what she did to no further avail, her frustration at not being able to enter the restaurant while they were inside mounting, until the fourth night she had an idea, she couldn't go into the restaurant but maybe her new cabby friend could…
