A/N: As promised, here is the next chapter that twisted my arm to finish and update for you all! :) I'm very happy with the way this chapter turned out. I loved every small and large minute of it of how everything played out. I hope you all will, too. And unfortunately, I won't update tomorrow, so you all will have to deal with this cliffhanger until Friday. (Sorry, NOT sorry!) Happy reading!
Chapter 28: Suspicions
"You're not going to eat breakfast? I cooked your favorite." Zelena asked Robin, who gathered up his suitcase after taking the last sip of his coffee.
"I can't," Robin shakes his head. "I have to get going. My father is expecting to sign off on a deal with another oil company and we all have to be there." His eyes look over to Zelena, who reaches for another strawberry and takes a bite. "Since when have you developed an appetite in the morning?"
"Since you spent all of the previous night with me," Zelena smirks, her arms wrapping along Robin from behind. "That was fun. When will I get to enjoy the pleasure of another sleepover with you?"
Robin takes Zelena's hands and removes them. "I'll let you know. Like I said, I have work. It's been a busy couple of days since Ms. Swan joined the company."
"Could you come after work?"
"I'd love to, but no," he straightens the knot along his tie. "I have a wife who expects me home, remember?" The corner of his lip lifts.
Zelena rolls her eyes, "A wife who isn't a wife to you, Robin. You two haven't slept in the same room since your wedding. When are you going to realize that Regina will never love you like I do?"
"I am not having this discussion, Zelena." Robin glared. He reached for his briefcase and began marching toward the door, only to halt as Zelena blocked it. "Move."
"No. Not this time." Zelena shakes her head.
Robin withdrew a sharp intake of breath through his nostrils. "Either you move or I'll move you."
"Just promise me you'll come by after work, and I'll move." Said Zelena. "Please. I have a surprise for you." She grins.
"You know I hate surprises, Zelena."
"Just trust me, Robin. You'll love this one."
"I doubt that," said Robin, forcefully brushing past Zelena to get through her front door.
"I'll see you after work! Seven O'Clock! Don't be late!" Zelena calls out, her grin reaching her eyes as she watches Robin leave. "You'll love this surprise…" she murmured as she shut the door to her apartment. Her hands cradling along her flat belly. "And after this. You'll have no choice but to leave Regina and marry me."
"Regina," a voice called out followed by a hand waving so close to her eyes that the motion caused Regina to blink. "Earth to Regina." Mary Margaret sat back, grinning. "Welcome back."
"I'm sorry," Regina shook her head, giving a small smile. "What were you saying?"
"I asked if you wanted more tea," Mary Margaret chuckles.
"Oh. No. No, thank you. I'm fine."
"You are such a liar," said Mary Margaret, reaching for the pot of tea and refilling her cup. "You haven't been fine since Emma's return. Nor have you been fine before that."
Regina sighed, looking up at the way the wind blew the tree branches above her head.
"Have you tried talking to her again?" Mary Margaret asked.
Regina shakes her head again. "She doesn't want to talk to me, let alone see me. She made that pretty clear."
"Well, if I remember correctly, you are just as stubborn as she is. Maybe you should make her listen to reason."
She chuckles, "You can't make Emma listen to reason, Mary Margaret. You and I both know that."
"The hell you can't," Mary Margaret sits up straight. "Emma's head might be as strong as a coconut, but even a coconut can be broken. You just have to know what equipment to use." She takes a sip of her tea.
"What Emma wants is to see me as little as possible, Mary Margaret. She isn't interested in talking about the past. And honestly, I'm starting to think that's the best thing for the both of us." Regina frowned. "After last week, her saying she no longer loves me, was enough for me."
"Was it?" Mary Margaret's brow lifts as Regina gives a single nod. "Then, why don't I believe you? If you think moving on is the best thing for the both of you, then why do you keep coming here to vent every time you have a nightmare with Emma or every time you have something deep within your chest?"
"Do you not wish for me to keep coming to visit?" Regina's eyes swell up at the thought that not even Mary Margaret wanted her around anymore.
"No, no, that's not what I'm saying at all." Mary Margaret raises her palm. "Don't ill-interpret my choice of words. Please. All I'm saying is, you love Emma. Maybe it's a curse and you'll be doomed to love her forever, but, if you don't talk to her. Really talk to her, Regina; Emma will never begin to understand the reason behind your sacrifice."
"She will never see it as a sacrifice at all," Regina sighed deeply. She knew that to some extent, Mary Margaret was right. "I see what you're saying. I do. But it's not that simple. If Robin finds out-"
"Who says he has to find out at all?"
"When Robin really wants something, Mary Margaret, he goes to extreme lengths to achieve it. Look at what happened with me. Besides, I honestly don't think I could ever be brave enough to tell Emma what truly happened." Her frown deepened. "Maybe things are better left that way. She should just go on hating me and that way no one gets hurt."
"Right. Except for you, who will continue to sacrifice herself for everyone else, but your own heart. That's a brilliant idea." Mary Margaret glared.
"If this is the card I've been dealt- then so be it!" Regina breathes, feeling her eyes sting with tears. "As long as my father is safe, as long as Emma is safe…"
"Emma," Mary Margaret leans in, reaching for Regina's hands. "Is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She's a grown woman. She can handle this."
Regina shakes her head, causing a single tear to slide down her cheek. "Not this." Her whisper breaks.
Mary Margaret sits back, releasing Regina's hands as a sign of giving up. "Fine. Go ahead and live miserable for the rest of your life and never tell her the truth. That's a way to live."
"You don't understand, Mary Margaret," Regina raised her voice a little this time. "The bastard threatened my father! Who's to say he hasn't already tried to kill him once as a simple warning? What if I tell Emma the truth and Robin finds out, and he goes after her?"
"I will admit it, that thought does knot my stomach," Mary Margaret admits. "But, Regina, if Emma came back after these past four years… It has to be for something."
"It's called work, Mary Margaret."
"Oh, please," she waves a dismissive hand. "You and I both know that is not true. That may be what Emma wants to make herself believe, but you and I both know that she came back for you." She points a finger in Regina's direction.
The thought of Emma coming back for her did bring a small smile to Regina's lips. Could it be? And then that smile was gone. "You know, in the beginning I did believe that. I told myself that maybe Emma never stopped loving me, that her feelings were just as strong as mine have been for the past four years. But, then she showed up to my house with Lilith Page clinging to her arm." Her eyes rolled back in annoyance at the memory.
"So what?" Mary Margaret shrugged. "She practically admitted to you that between her and Emma only exists a friendship."
"Right," Regina glared. "A friendship that she won't waste to turn into more. Especially now that Emma's single. You should have seen her at brunch with her," her eyes narrow. "All over her. Wouldn't leave her sight for a minute."
A small smile stretches at the corner of Mary Margaret's lips. "And you're willing to waste time instead of fighting for Emma? Are you really going to let some girl steal her from you?"
"It's not by choice," Regina frowned. "And I am married."
"The last person you owe anything to is Robin Locksley, Regina." Mary Margaret's brow lifts. "Besides, if the girl is as beautiful as you say she is, if Emma really wanted to date her, she would have done it already. But she hasn't. You have to ask yourself: why?"
"Because being married to Robin Locksley isn't torturous enough, that's why." Regina huffs. "Now, I have to watch the love of my life be with someone else."
Mary Margaret leans again, her elbows resting along her knees. "It doesn't have to be that way. If you don't want to tell Emma the truth, then at least… leave breadcrumbs."
"Breadcrumbs?" Regina's brow furrows.
"Yes. A trail that Emma can follow and start figuring things out for herself. That way you won't feel so pressured or worried for your father's safety, or Emma's."
Breadcrumbs. That is something Regina had never thought about. But the question raised to, which breadcrumbs could she leave? Would it even be worth leaving them when Emma was so reluctant to listen?
"I can't," Regina finally shook her head. "Robin might have me followed. He already doesn't like the idea of having Emma around his father's company. You should have seen him, how jealous he became when Emma gifted me one of my first drawings. I thought he would be able to tell that it was her and I in that picture. And now that he has an inkling that Emma likes women, he's even more crazy that she'll hit on me and I'll leave him to run off with her." She chuckles at the thought, wishing it were true.
Mary Margaret scratched her chin. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Morning."
"I have some drawings I need to pack up to be shipped out. Also, Kathryn and I are going to be giving art lessons to this orphanage, of course that's a little later. Around three." Said Regina.
"Oh, that's nice," Mary Margaret smiles. "Then, you have your morning free?"
"I'd say so," Regina nods.
"Great!" Mary Margaret beams. "Then you can come with me on a boat ride, tomorrow morning at nine AM sharp. Oh, come on," she pats Regina's hand. "You have to distract yourself. Clear your head. I find the sea to be very therapeutic for such things. The answers just flow through you." She waves her hands in the air. "What do you say? Your husband won't oppose to that, will he?"
Regina chuckles, "He doesn't even know I come here." She admits.
"Well, there, you go," Mary Margaret grins. "Then, he doesn't have to know. And if he asks, you simply tell him that you were interested in buying the boat from me but that the asking price was too much."
"You do realize that Robin might try to buy it off of you after I lie to him with that story, don't you?"
Mary Margaret's finger wags. "My dear, Regina, if you think Emma is stubborn. You haven't met me yet." As she stands to pick everything up, so does Regina, helping her place everything in the sink. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" She asks, turning to face Regina.
Regina hesitates for a moment, but then settles on, "Okay. Fine. Tomorrow at nine AM, sharp." She chuckles with delight after receiving a big hug from Mary Margaret. "Thank you. I really appreciate this."
"Sometimes one has to get away from everything that surrounds her." Mary Margaret smiles.
"I sure do," Regina sighs. "Do you need help with-?"
"No," Mary Margaret lifts her palm. "You go, finish doing what you need to do and meet me on the boat tomorrow, nine, sharp."
"Okay," Regina smiles, giving off a little wave. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Nine, AM, sharp!" Mary Margaret chuckles, shutting her front door as she ushered Regina out. As she turns, she fishes for her phone inside of her apron pocket. She taps her thumb along a name, brings the phone up to her ear, where the line rings only once before it is answered.
"Mary Margaret?"
"Emma!" She beams. "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
"No. Not at all. You never disturb me. What's going on?"
"Well, call me crazy, but I had this wild desire to go sailing tomorrow. Test the waters, as they say. You know, recharge, get away from all the noise, the people." She leans along her kitchen counter.
"That sounds wonderful, Mary Margaret."
"It does, doesn't it?" She grins. "However, this is the first time I've gone sailing alone in years, and anyway, I know I always promised you we would go someday, so I thought, Gosh, why not call Emma up and invite her to come with me? So, what do you say? Are you busy tomorrow, say around nine, AM, sharp?"
"Tomorrow?" She could hear papers rustling on the other end and a chair squeaking. "I can, but not at nine. I promised Lily I'd help her unpack some last minute boxes at her new place."
"Does it have to be tomorrow? The girl moved into her new place a week ago. Does she really have that much stuff?"
"You know how moving is, Mary Margaret. It's never ending."
"But, surely she can get help from someone else?" Mary Margaret shifts. "How about getting Graham to help out or Ruby? They both like her. What about that driver of yours?"
Emma chuckled, "I can see that you aren't taking no for an answer."
"I'm sorry, Emma. But it's been so long and I would really love it if you and I spent some time together. What better way than to go sailing? Just you and me." Her eyes shut tight as she begins to pray for the answer she wanted to hear.
"Alright," it only takes Emma a minute to reply. "I'll see if Ruby would like to lend a hand tomorrow. Will you be driving the boat?"
"Me?" Mary Margaret scoffs, "Not a chance! My father was the sailor in the family. Not me. But I have a friend who will meet us there. Ask for Horace."
"Sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Nine, AM, sharp." Mary Margret hangs up the call with a victorious grin.
"You can't go in there, sir, your father is in a very important meeting."
Robin marched into the board room, pushing his way in so hard that the doors slammed against the walls. His eyes darkened at the sight of his father and Emma, along with other businessmen that looked vaguely familiar.
"Robin. Would you mind? We're in a meeting." Samuel said.
"Having meetings without me?" Asked Robin, following further into the room. His eyes ended on Emma, who sat calmly along her chair. "Ms. Swan, I wasn't aware that you formed part of this meeting. Or any meeting for that matter."
"Of course she should be here," Samuel said. "It's because of her that we're here."
"I don't understand." Robin's eyes narrow.
"Well, Ms. Swan has promised us good profits if we sign with Mr. Hiro and split the oil." Samuel beams.
Robin frowns. "Split it?" He looks to Mr. Hiro. "And you accepted?"
"Why shouldn't we?" Mr. Hiro said vaguely.
Robin snatched the folder from his father's side of the table and read over the report. His eyes crazed as they looked back to Mr. Hiro. Owner of a company in Japan. "I proposed to you the same contract years ago. You turned me down."
"Years ago, Mr. Locksley, there was no Ms. Swan to come to your aid." Mr. Hiro gave Emma a single nod of respect. "But, now that she's fully on board and has shown us her plans for better safety measures, not to mention big earnings for both your company and mine," he smiles. "I want in."
"It makes no difference." Robin seethes.
"It makes a huge difference, Mr. Locksley. I know Mrs. Page, and I've come to know Ms. Swan well. This isn't as you Americans would say… our first rodeo together." He chuckles while Emma grins. "We trust, Ms. Swan and all she stands for."
Despite his new found hatred for Emma, Robin gave a single nod. "Alright. Where do I sign?"
"Oh, no, Mr. Locksley," Mr. Hiro shakes his head.
Samuel lifts his palm as he turns to Robin. "Mr. Hiro, son, is only interested in doing business with Ms. Swan and myself."
Robin's eyes grow darker as he glares directly at his father, "And you're allowing this? I am part of this company, you can't just-!"
"Robin, Robin," Samuel stands. "No one is casting you aside. All Mr. Hiro simply asks is that you are in no way involved in this new contact. The only ones allowed to make decisions in this is either myself or Ms. Swan." He walks over to his son, stopping in front of him. "You just have to sit there and gain from this, hm?"
Robin's eyes glared in Emma's direction before he tossed the folder across the desk, papers fluttering everywhere, and walked out. The door to his office slammed shut as he moved over to his mini bar and served himself a drink that was chugged instantly. The phone to his desk rings, leading Robin to walk over only to toss it across the office. As far as it could go being pulled back by its cord.
"Who does she think she is?" He breathes heavily to himself. "What?!" He shouts, hearing a knock outside of his door. His head whips around to find Killian entering his office. "This better be good."
"I brought back reports on that drawing Ms. Swan gifted your wife," said Killian.
"And? Did you find out which auction it came from?" Robin asked. His body leaning over his desk. Back hunched over.
"No, sir. I'm afraid there was no such auction." Killian hands over the folder to Robin, who snatches it from him. He continues, even if Robin is already reading over the report. "The drawing was in fact one of Mrs. Locksley's firsts, however she didn't auction it."
"Kathryn," Robin murmured, his eyes glaring at the information printed along the page.
"Affirmative, sir," Killian nods. "Ms. Midas sold it off of that website she and Mrs. Locksley run together. It was years ago, before she even became famous for her line of work. However, the purchase transaction didn't confirm it came directly from Ms. Swan. She could have bought it under an alias, or had someone else purchase it for her."
Robin's lip curls as he slams the folder shut and tosses it across the room. The palm of his hands sting as he slams them along the desk. "Question is, Killian…" he breathes. "Why would Regina lie about that? And if it is in fact a lie. What else has my dear wife been lying about?" His blue eyes look up at Killian.
"I could dig a little deeper."
"Oh, you will." Robin held up a single digit. "You will. But first, I need you to follow someone else for me."
"Who, sir?"
"Emma Swan." Said Robin. "I want you to follow her, wherever she goes. And I want you to report back to me. I want to know everything, Killian. Who she talks to, who she sees, what she eats- everything. Understood?"
Killian nods, "Yes, sir." He turns on the balls of his feet and walks out the door. Once outside, he feels along his jacket pocket, withdrawing his cell phone and dialing a number. "It's me," he says to the person on the other line. "I'm going to need that money wired into my private bank account if you want me to do you that favor."
"You'll get your money. But remember… you keep her safe. I don't think I have to tell you that this conversation never happened, Mr. Jones."
The line clicked following the distorted voice on the other end of the phone, leaving Killian to shove his cell back into his pocket.
"Where are you going so early?" Cora caught up with Regina the next morning as she was rushing down the stairs.
"Meeting a friend," said Regina.
"A friend?" Cora's brow lifts.
"Yes, mother. I have other friends besides Kathryn. If Robin calls, just tell him I'm out running some last minute errands." Regina heads toward the front door.
"Regina," Cora calls out. Keeping her voice low as she leans into the parted door. "This friend wouldn't be Emma, would it?"
Regina chuckles, "You flatter me, mother. But I'm not like Robin, who sleeps around with Zelena almost every night. But to ease your mind, no. It's not with Emma. Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to be late. I'll be back later."
Cora watches her daughter leave, her eyes narrowing before she closes the door.
Regina sits along the boat, shielding her eyes from the sun. She glances down at her watch, "Excuse me!" She calls out, leaning over to see a red bearded man look her way from inside the boat. "Did Mary Margaret say she was going to be late?"
"Women are always fashionably late," Horace chuckles. "Especially a lady like Mary Margaret." He looks over his shoulder at Regina. "I have some cool water in here if you want some. Help yourself," he nods.
Not that Mary Margaret would put her in harm's way with a total stranger, but Regina reluctantly stared at Horace. She waited until he picked up on the hint and exited out onto the deck for her to reach for a water bottle.
Emma looked up at the ship, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Horace?" She called out.
"That depends," Horace said, looking down at Emma. "You Ms. Swan?"
"That'd be me." Emma nods, giving a friendly smile. "Mary Margaret here?"
Horace chuckled mischievously. "Climb aboard and see for yourself," he nodded, quickly moving back inside the boat without alerting Regina.
Emma climbed on up, no questions asked. Despite the lovely breeze, she decided on wearing her red leather jacket along with her tucked in shirt and jeans. Her hair was picked up in a messy ponytail. The boat wasn't huge, so the fact that Emma and Regina would spot each other almost instantly sat in the back of Horace's mind. Which led him to begin steering the boat as soon as Emma climbed on up.
"Whoa! Horace!" Emma called out, moving along the deck until she reached the inside. Almost losing her balance. "Her, Horace, we still have one more person to wait for, remember?"
"She's already here, Ms," Horace smiles, steering the boat patiently onto the sea.
Regina's eyes are wider than Emma had ever seen them as soon as she faced her. Bottle of water that was once nestled in her hands, thumped along the ground, right below their feet. Emma's eyes locked onto Regina's while her lips thinned into a confused frown.