A/N: So, here we are with the next chapter where things are escalating a little lol I hope you all continue to enjoy this story because there is far more to come! Stay tuned for the next chapter. :) Happy weekend and reading, everyone.

On a quick note: Please, do not ask to translate this or any other of my stories. Especially NOT for other fandoms.

Chapter 29: Warnings

"What are you doing here?" Asked Emma.

"Same thing as you, I suspect; waiting on Mary Margaret." Regina replied.

"No," Emma shakes her head. "No. That can't be right. Mary Margaret told me she wanted to sail with me today."

"She told me the same thing."

"Horace," Emma brushes past Regina to stand behind Horace. "I'm sorry, but there's been a mistake. I'm going to need you to stop the boat."

"Sorry, Ms. But I was given specific orders to just have you two on the boat for this morning." He said.

"Turn the boat around, please. I have to get off. I'm not sailing today." Emma demanded. She sighed, brushing back strands of her hair away from her face once Horace didn't answer. "Alright. How much?"

"Excuse me?" Horace's brow lifts.

"How much is it going to take to get you to turn this boat back around?" Emma reached into her back pocket, ready and willing to pull out her wallet.

Horace chuckled, "Unless you can bake me the same delicious batch of cupcakes Mary Margaret makes, I'm sorry to say that I can't turn this boat around."

Emma rolls her eyes as she places her hands on her hips. Her lips thin out as she sees a small smile playing along Regina's lips. "I'm glad this is all very amusing to you." Her eyes glared.

"I'm sorry, but it is a little funny. She tricked us." Regina lightly chuckled, suppressing a smile.

Emma shook her head as she marched out of the boat, past Regina and onto the deck. She fished for her phone out of her jacket pocket and dialed Mary Margaret. "Come on, pick up," she murmured.

Regina took a seat along the outside part of the boat, right under the roof, and she watched Emma pace back and forth along the deck, just listening to that line ring. Ending up stranded on a boat under false pretenses wasn't exactly how Regina saw her morning going. It was low of Mary Margaret to trick them this way. Regina knew why she did it. It didn't give her the courage to just want to tell Emma the truth about why she decided to end things all those years ago, but ending up stranded in a boat with Emma wasn't the worst thing in the world. Looking at her now, even Regina had to admit that anger was a sexy look on Emma.

Emma's thumb danced along the screen of her phone, punching away at Mary Margaret's name, for what seemed like the third attempt.

Mary Margaret's hand stopped stirring the cake batter as her eyes fell upon the flashing screen of her cell phone along her kitchen counter, displaying Emma's name over and over. The corner of her lip twisted upward mischievously. Her stirring continued.

"Ugh!" Emma grunted, muttering something under her breath that Regina couldn't quite catch.

"She's not going to answer, Emma," said Regina. "Don't you get it. This is what she wanted, to get us together. Alone."

Green eyes glared in Regina's direction before they looked away, "Mary Margaret," Emma breathed through clenched teeth. She struck the edge of the boat with her palm as she grounded herself, seeing as there was nowhere to go. Her eyes kept clear of Regina and focused on the water that surrounded them.

Now that she was here with Emma, with a chance to say whatever she wanted without feeling Robin's breath brush along her neck every five seconds, Regina didn't know what to say. But she was enjoying looking at Emma, even if all she got from her were occasional glares.

"Horace," Emma calls out, walking into the boat to stand behind the man. "How far are we going?"

"I can take you as far as the Charles River. That's a good distance to settle your affairs." Horace glanced, taking note of Emma's glare. "I was told not to ask questions or even listen in. Whatever is going on here is your business."

"We have no affairs to settle, Horace," said Regina, standing near the entrance. "According to Ms. Swan, of course." She finds Emma's eyes glaring back in her direction.

"Well, whatever," Horace shrugs. "You two don't have to talk on my account. I was just instructed by Mary Margaret to sail you out of the city and give you two however much time you needed to talk. Or until we run out of gas. Either way, you're both already here, so why not just sit back and enjoy the beautiful day?" He smiles.

Emma jaw clenched as she stormed out of the boat, brushing past Regina and onto the deck again. She stood along the edge, her knuckles white as they squeezed the rails. This was a sight Regina could marvel in. Emma's beautiful profile, her strands of golden blonde hair dancing along the wind. The color green of her eyes matched along with the color of the sea that now surrounded them.

Regina dared to move forward and stand alongside Emma, but not too close. Respecting her space. She waited until Emma's eyes turned in her direction. "Do you remember when we talked about sailing in this very boat?" She chuckled, but her smile vanished at the sight of Emma's frown. "Look, Emma, we don't have to talk-"

"Good. I would rather not." Said Emma.

"But Horace is right. We were both obviously tricked into being here, we might as well make the best of it, don't you think?" Asked Regina, getting no reply from Emma. "God," she shook her head. "I remember you being stubborn, but I don't recall you being this stubborn."

Emma rolled her eyes and moved all the way to the front of the boat, perching herself along what she used to consider their spot. Right up front. She could feel her throat knot, forcing her to gulp it down. It wasn't long before she was joined by Regina again, who perched right beside her.

Robin watched as Regina's name flashed across the screen, but his call ended unanswered. His eyes looked to Killian who drove along the road. "How much longer until we arrive?"

"Won't be long now, sir. Traffic." Said Killian.

"Well, drive around it." He demanded, seeing Zelena's name flash across the screen, instantly ignoring it.

"My contact that's been following Ms. Swan, just as you requested, reported back to me that they watched her sail off on a boat this morning." Killian informed him.

"And what of my wife?"

"No word on Mrs. Locksley. As far as I know, my contact said Ms. Swan was alone." Killian quietly observed Robin through the rear view mirror.

"Change of plans, Killian," said Robin. "Drive over to the other address I've given you. I want to see something for myself."

"Yes, sir," Killian nods, continuing to observe Robin through the rear view mirror.

Robin attempted to contact Regina one more time, hearing her voice through her voicemail message. "Regina, this is the seventh time I've called you. Where are you? Call me back." He hangs up.

"Nice jacket," Regina eyes the jacket around Emma's body. "Red is a good color on you." After a moment of silence and not getting any reply from Emma, Regina finally looks out to the sea before them. She waited another minute, before turning back to Emma. "So, are you this quiet with Lily?"

That made Emma's head finally whip in Regina's direction. "We're going to talk about Lily?" She asked.

"Well, you don't seem to want to talk at all. But look at that! I say Lily's name and already you've said six words to me." Regina rolls her eyes as she's the one who turns away this time. Her arms resting along her raised knees.

"I thought Lily wasn't indifferent to you." Said Emma.

"She isn't," Regina shrugs. "What do I care if you are or not dating her? I couldn't care less."

"Well, good." Emma looks back to the sea.

Regina waits another minute before she continues again, "Of course, you know, she'll break your heart." She nods as soon as Emma turns to look at her. "I mean, assuming you are dating."

"And how would you know that, Regina? From experience in breaking hearts? Not everyone is like you." Emma replied.

An ache sat along Regina's heart, but at least Emma was calling her by her first name again and not Mrs. Locksley. There was a look in Emma's eyes, but she couldn't tell if she felt bad for her poor choice of words or not. And she didn't dare ask. "You're right," she murmured, keeping her eyes glued to the white color of her shoes. There was a blue spot of acrylic paint that never washed off. "I did break your heart. I made the biggest mistake anyone could ever make."

Emma chuckles, "Now, you're going feed me this sob story of how you're sorry and that you realized, after four years, that you made a mistake, right?"

This time, Regina glared. "This might come as a shock to you, Emma. But I realized I made a mistake the moment I broke up with you. I didn't need four years to pass for me to realize that."

"And that's supposed to make this better?"

"No-" Regina shakes her head.

"What, then, am I supposed to forget what happened and leap into your arms and tell you that I never stopped loving you just because we're here? This isn't some magic boat ride where everything ceases to exist, Regina!"

"Yeah, I guess not, Emma! Because apparently neither does your stubbornness- you stubborn ass!" Regina stands in a huff, walking further out onto the deck, and sitting far from Emma as she possibly could manage.

Emma turns back to face the water. Only to look over her shoulder a minute later, finding Regina's eyes glaring in her direction.

"Right here, stop." Robin rolled down his window to look better at the bar where Graham worked.

"Isn't he dating Kathryn, sir?" Killian asks, looking on through the car window.

"That's my understanding. However, how true could that be, is beyond me." Said Robin. He looked down at his phone, seeing Zelena's name flash across his screen again. Ignoring the call, he pocketed his phone. "Go in there, but be quick."

Killian dismounts the car and casually enters the establishment. His eyes take in everything and everyone in one sweep.

"Hey, welcome!" A young waiter greets him with a smile. "Have a seat anywhere you'd like. We'll be right with you."

"Thank you, but my mistake. Sorry." Killian marched right out of there and mounted the black SUV.

"What the hell was that about?" Graham neared the waiter, his brows furrowed as he observed Killian sitting in his car.

"Don't know," the waiter shrugs. "He didn't say his name or anything. It was weird."

"She's not in there, sir." Said Killian.

"Strange," Robin murmured, observing Graham from afar. "Cora once revealed to me that this was the guy whom Regina had a romantic interest in, long ago. Regina goes on about how she can't move on from her first love… So, why wouldn't she be here?" His icy blue eyes look to Killian's through the rear view mirror. "Drive. We are heading back." He orders, feeling the car instantly in motion.

Emma huffs as she stands to her feet. As much as she didn't want to talk, as much as she wanted to stay away from Regina, something kept pulling her toward Regina as she rounded the deck, taking the seat right across from her. Neither of them said anything for a good five minutes. Their eyes just played a game of tag with one another, to see which one would look back first.

"Why are you crying?" Emma asked coldly, attempting to appear that she didn't care as she saw Regina wipe away a single tear.

"What do you care?" Said Regina, sniffing through her nose.

Emma looks away for only a second before she looks back again. "Crying doesn't solve anything, Regina. Trust me."

"That would explain why you've become so cold hearted." Regina frowned as did Emma. "Did living away from here, in New York, even make you just a little bit happy? You know what, don't answer that." She held up her palm. Bile raised up her throat at the thought of Emma and Lily together in New York.

"To some extent," Emma's sudden reply surprised Regina. Especially to find her green emerald eyes looking back at her. "But, I had to move on. As you did. Why shouldn't I, when you didn't even think twice about leaving me and enjoying everything you have now along with this marriage of yours?"

"Do you honestly think that I enjoy everything this marriage comes with?" Regina chuckles. "You couldn't be more wrong, Emma. If that's what you think then you don't know me at all."

"You're right," Emma leans in, resting her elbows along her knees. Her eyes locking onto Regina's with such recent in them. "I don't know you as well as I once thought I did."

"Pretty much the same way I no longer know you." Regina's head tilts. "Look at that… Finally, something we can agree on. We're both total strangers stranded on a boat in the middle of nowhere. It's funny how even total strangers can strike up a conversation when not given much of a choice."

"What do you want from me, Regina?" Emma sat back.

"First, I want to thank you." She continued through Emma's puzzled look. "I have to confess, I couldn't stand you calling me Mrs. Locksley. I'm happy to know that at least being stranded with you has gotten us to a first name basis again."

"You haven't answered my question."

"I want you to stop looking at me as if I am your biggest regret. Or worse, your enemy." Said Regina, seeing the glare in Emma's eyes lessen, but not enough. "I can learn to handle that you no longer love me, but do not hate me, Emma."

"Alright," Emma nods. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't hate you. But don't expect me to forgive you."

"Of course not," Regina shakes her head. "Forgiveness is beyond you." She said coldly.

Emma's frown deepens as she stands, taking a step toward Regina. "Try walking in my shoes, Regina! Try loving someone who just crushes your heart into a million pieces the day you ask her to marry you!"

"Why don't you try walking in mine, Emma?!" Regina stands, looking up, nose to nose with Emma. "Do you honestly think I've had it easy these past four years? That I didn't cry my heart out until it shriveled up every fucking night?" She sobs, unable to help it. "Do you think that I still don't love you?"

Emma chuckled coldly, "You say that… and all I can see is that diamond ring on your finger. Because that's what you said, wasn't it? Robin can give you what I couldn't, remember?"

Regina looked down at her ring. That damn ring that tormented her just as much as the person who gave it. "So, that's it?" Her eyes look into Emma's cold ones. "That's what it'll take for you to believe in me?" Without a second thought, she slips off her wedding band, walks toward the edge and releases into the sea.

Emma stares, not showing any emotion at all. She buried her emotion deep inside, despite the fact that Regina's action did take her by surprise.

Regina walked back to Emma with a single tear pearled along the corner of her eye. "Believe me or don't, Emma. But I don't and I never have needed riches to make me happy. My only happiness was the times we spent together, and it's because of those memories that I am still alive today. Because I thought," her voice breaks. "That someday, you would come back and you would catch me like you promised you always would when I fell." Her tear falls. "Well, I'm standing right here, begging you to catch me. Because whether you want to believe it or not, my marriage… it's not a marriage. It's a farce. At least to me."

A vibration captures Regina's attention as she feels along her jeans pocket. She couldn't even feel it before, but now that she pulled out her phone, she frowned at Robin's name flashing across the screen.

"Go ahead," said Emma, catching Robin's name along the screen. "Your husband is probably concerned about you."

Regina looks down at her phone, which vibrates again, forcing her to turn her phone off entirely.

"I'm not looking to get in between you and your husband, Regina. That is not who I am."

"I wouldn't expect you to," Regina shakes her head. "That's not what this is. It's clear to me that you don't love me anymore, but don't expect me to stop loving you, because I can't. I won't." Another tear falls along Regina's cheek as she holds up her left wrist to show her tattoo. "I'm eternally yours, and you are mine, remember?"

Emma's eyes look down to the infinity symbol branded along Regina's skin. Her throat bobs, and just as she's about to allow the tip of her fingers to graze along the skin, Horace retracts her back.

"I'm going to be heading back! I hope whatever's going on was cleared out." He said, popping his head back inside the boat.

Regina sighed, closing her eyes for a single second only to find Emma's eyes staring back. "Yeah. Everything is clear now." She said, moving over to the edge of the boat and taking her seat, away from Emma.

Robin's black SUV pulls alongside the docks. His eyes staring out onto the boats that are continuously coming and going, not seeing any sign of Emma yet. "This is where you said she was?" He asks Killian.

"Yes, sir."

Robin reaches for his phone, feeling it vibrate inside of his jacket pocket. His eyes roll as Zelena's name flashes across the screen. "What do you want, Zelena? I'm busy." He answers.

"You're still coming after work, aren't you?"

"I already told you, Zelena, I don't know. I have a lot of work to do."

"Robin, please. You have to come. Please."

Robin's eyes target Emma as she climbs down from a boat that just docks. Suddenly, Zelena's voice falls on deaf ears as he sees Regina as well, dismounting the same boat.

"Robin? Robin, are you there?"

"I can't talk right now." Said Robin, hanging up and exiting the car. He marched all along the dock, his eyes casted in shadow.

"Robin?" Regina shields her eyes from the sun. Her heart was accelerating inside of her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same question." Said Robin, his eyes targeting Emma. "I'm even more surprised to see you here, Ms. Swan."

"Mr. Locksley," Emma nods. "Just doing a little morning sailing."

"Is that so?" His brows lifted. "Funny. I didn't figure you for much of a sailor."

"Oh, you'll find that I can be quite hysterical, Mr. Locksley." Emma suppressed a smile as she locked eyes with Robin.

"And, you were with her? This whole time?" Robin's eyes look over Emma's shoulder to pin on Regina.

"Well, I was looking at that boat that was for sale and I ran into Ms. Swan here," Regina's eyes flicker over to Emma before turning back to Robin. "Of course, she bought it. Isn't that, right, Ms. Swan?" Regina's brown eyes look pleadingly in Emma's direction.

Robin studies them for a moment in silence, seeing a nod and a small smile come from Emma. "Sweetheart," he looks to Regina, outstretching his hand. "We should go. We promised your father lunch today, remember?"

"Right," Regina nodded. She walked past Emma, not taking Robin's outstretched hand as she turned back to Emma. "Goodbye, Ms. Swan."

"Mrs. Locksley," Emma gave a curt nod. Her eyes pinned to Robin's who wouldn't look away even as he took two steps forward with Regina along the dock.

Regina grunted as Robin pulled her into his side, his outstretched arm squeezing around her waist. She fought him to remove his arm, only to feel him lock her in. "Don't fight me," he murmured. "Let's just get in the car. Don't make a scene."

Emma watches them silently before heading in the direction of the Lexus and driving away.

Robin feels his phone vibrating inside of his pocket as he mounts the car right after Regina. He sighs as he settles into the seat. His eyes watching Emma drive on by. "Drive," he instructs Killian, feeling the car make its way out onto the road.

Regina finds Robin's icy blue eyes locked on her.

"I called you several times. Left you messages." Said Robin.

"My phone didn't have service out at sea." Said Regina.

"Perhaps it's time you upgrade to a new phone."

"I like my phone." Regina glared. "Were you following me?"

"Following you?" Robin's brow bunches.

"It wouldn't be the first time you have me followed, Robin."

Robin chuckles. "Whatever gave you that idea, Regina? I was however following Ms. Swan, and was completely surprised to find you there with her."

"I wasn't there with her. I told you, I was interested in the boat they had for sale and so was she. It was purely coincidental." Regina locked eyes with Robin's, attempting to sound convincing enough. "Do you want the owner's information? It's right here in my bag."

But Robin didn't care about any owner of some cheap boat. Not when he noticed Regina's left hand. "Where's your ring?" He asked, his eyes staring menacingly up at her.

Shit! Regina looks down at her left hand, seeing the tan line along her finger. "I didn't want to tell you…" she murmured. "I lost it."

"You lost it?"

"I was clearing out some old clothes the other day to donate and it must have fallen off. I didn't want to tell you because you would be mad and think the opposite of me, like you are now. It was an accident. I swear." Regina prays she sounds convincing enough. The last thing she needed was for Robin to know she willingly threw it at sea. On the other hand, it felt nice to free her finger of such confinement. "You believe me. Don't you?"

Robin's eyes give nothing away as he says, "Accidents happen. We'll get you a new one."

Whether he believed her or not, Regina decided not to press the matter. "Why were you following Ms. Swan?" She asked.

"Because," Robin sighs. "She seems determined to fuck me over on every turn. Or did my father not tell you already that he signed a deal along with her with Mr. Hiro? A deal that I've been fighting tooth and nail for years." He pulls on the knot of his tie to loosen it. "My father has made a mistake hiring her, only he doesn't see it. But, I'll show him."

"Show him?"

"I'm already having her investigated. Profoundly. I want to know everything. From the day she was born up until now." Robin misses the worried look on Regina's face.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Regina asks, feeling her chest tighten. Both she and Robin neglect to see Killian observe them from the rear view mirror.

"Why do you say it like that?" Robin's eyes narrow.

"Well, that is an invasion of privacy, Robin. Besides, aren't you worried that you might find something about her that will trouble you?" Like the fact that Emma and I had a relationship. Regina's throat bobs nervously at the thought of what might happen if Robin ever finds out.

"All the more reason to go ahead with this, sweetheart. You know what they say, keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer."

Regina scoffed, "She's not the enemy, Robin."

Robin chuckles, "She's not the princess she appears to be, either. We all have a dark past, Regina. We all have secrets," his eyes pierce through Regina.

"If there's something on your mind, why don't you just come out with it?" Regina seethes.

"Very well," Robin nods. His body hunches in his seat. "Why don't you start by telling me your secrets, sweetheart?"

"What the hell are you talking about? What secrets?" Regina lightly shifts in her seat. She hated that stare he was giving her.

"For starters… Why don't you start telling me about the person who has your heart?"

"What?" Regina murmurs, her eyes widen.

"Graham Humbert. He is the guy, isn't he? The guy you were once seeing, four years ago."

Oh. Regina blinks as her shoulders relax a little. "I rather not talk about him, Robin. He's irrelevant to my present. Besides, he's with Kathryn now. You know that."

"Kathryn," Robin murmurs. His eyes darkened. "Are you certain of that? You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?"

"Of course not, Robin! What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting so jealous of Graham all of a sudden when you know I haven't seen him."

"Calm down," Robin reaches to brush a strand of black hair from Regina's cheek. "It's just an occupational hazard. I just wanted to confirm that you weren't lying to me. That's all."

"Well, I'm not." Said Regina.

"Good." Robin forces a smile. "Because if I find out that you are in fact seeing him, or anyone behind my back, Regina…" his head shakes. "Well, there's just no telling what I would do."

"Robin," Regina attempts to take her hand back, but fails as Robin's grip tightens along her fingers. "Robin, let go." She pleads.

"You wouldn't want to find out what I'm capable of. Would you?" Robin's crazed eyes shadow over.

"I know what you're fucking capable of, Robin- let go of me!" Regina seethes through her teeth, yanking her hand back and massaging it.

She knew what Robin was capable of, because it was Robin who was the true enemy in this story. And she needed to warn Emma.