Sunday morning was a lazy one in both households, with little joy and even less conversation.
Regina and Leo, though on okay terms, were still avoiding each other, which was also what Emma and Henry were doing with Killian now. Whilst you could no longer say Killian was in a foul mood, he was still in a mood. It was only ten am and he'd already hold himself up in his office. It would normally have suited her, but it currently felt as though she were walking on eggshells around him. She'd set Henry up doing his homework and wondered what she was going to do today. Ordinarily, she'd be thinking about how she can see or speak to Regina, though she didn't think that would help right now and the last thing she wanted was to feel as though any time spent with the brunette was tarnished.
Regina had spent the morning marking and making lesson plans. She was actually on top of her work, which was a rarity, though she was trying to fill more alone time than she'd ever had before. She knocked on the study door.
"Come in." His voice was soft and welcoming. She hung her head on the door for a moment, everything felt so wrong and right all at once. She still saw him as a friend, though there was now an underlying repulsion that still made her shudder, yet he was still a confidant and good man, but also a bad man. He'd always had the capability to be extremely kind and considerate, but also new how to tear one down with only a few words. Everyone was like that to a certain extent, but he could easily fly to either extreme.
She was still lost it thought as the door flung open. She fell through and into his arms. He quickly steadied her before letting go and stepping back.
"Regina, is everything okay?" She felt like she wanted to just melt into a puddle.
"I'm fine. Sorry, I just wanted to check if you'd eaten?"
"No, not yet, I will grab something soon. Shall I make you something?"
"No, I'm going to do the food shop. Did you want me to pick up anything in particular?" He sighed, it was clear he was finding this surreal as well.
"No, but on a positive note, Killian seems to be pretty wrapped up with his business at the moment. David says he's been recording conversations all morning."
"That's great; hopefully he will hear something tangible." She left after offering a small, awkward smile.
She was halfway through her food shop when she felt someone's hand on her arm. She was proud of herself for not freezing for once, but deflated when she turned to see who it was.
"Robin?"
"Sorry, I have been calling you. At least you didn't jump this time." He thought he was being cute. 'Business-like, business-like,' was the mantra running through Regina's mind.
"You know I can't hear well Robin, calling me is pointless. Ordinarily, people just walk up to me until I can see them; you don't need to touch me, or indeed approach at all. Was there something I could help you with?"
Robin internally growled. This woman was hard work and normally he wouldn't be pursuing this, but he needed to keep Killian content right now. Big deals were in motion and without him they would cease to happen. It also annoyed him that this small brunette wasn't showing any interest, she was even giving him the cold shoulder. This was new territory for him. He was handsome, wealthy, tall; that seemed to be what woman wanted nowadays, he believed he was in that one per cent of men, or very close. Whereas Regina merely hoped he couldn't find the aubergines and she would have to explain about eggplants. He was British after all.
He leant in closer, placing his hand on the shelf beside her. In his mind it was casual and friendly. In her mind it was a bit unsettling, though he was just about pulling of casual.
"You can help me by agreeing to go out to dinner with me tonight, just a meal. I will drop you home, just like a true gentleman and it doesn't even have to be late." She didn't even want to entertain this, even for information's sake and that wasn't fair to him either.
"No thank you Robin, now, I need to finish my shopping." She went to move off and he smacked the shelves with his hand, causing a few cans to shake. Now Regina did freeze slightly.
"Dammit Regina…."
"Hey, is everything okay over here?" Mary Margaret approached with her trolley. She placed her hand on Regina's arm, who jumped, not realising she'd approached, but then her mind had also been fixed on Robin's sudden outburst. "Regina?" She looked from Mary Margaret and back to Robin.
"Everything is fine. He was just leaving." Regina looked back to Robin who tensed his jaw.
"Fine, you aren't worth this." He stormed off clearly having been there in the first place without the intention of buying food. As he neared his car, he shot Killian a text.
Robin: Sorry, can't do it mate. She's the bloody ice queen.
On the other side of that message Killian slammed his hands down on his desk, he would have to find another way to keep them apart.
Mary Margaret had insisted Regina go for a coffee with her. They settled down in a booth near the back of the diner.
"Now, I want you to cut to the chase." She made sure to keep her voice as low as possible, leaning as close to Regina as she could. "No more nonsense. I know something has happened between you and Leopold and I know full well it's not either of you having an affair as one of the many rumours suggest. I also know something is going on with our new Sheriff. David doesn't trust him at all and is listening into as many conversations as he can; something about stolen goods and being in partnership with Robin. He's even contacted the FBI and overheard a conversation to someone about wanting to keep you away from Emma." Regina's eyes shot open at that.
"That must have been why Robin has been pestering me. His reaction earlier shows he must have realised it will be fruitless. Emma and I have been seeing a lot of one another, but we are good friends. I don't see why it bothers Killian, unless maybe he feels he's losing Emma, or his control over her." Regina slowed her speech with the realisation. There were the finances, not wanting her to have a job, limiting her access to funds and now her friends. He really was controlling her, far more than Regina realised. They needed to get her away from him as soon as possible. Mary Margaret placed her hand on Regina's to re-direct her attention.
"Regina?" She pulled her hand away sharpish and with a jump, clearly agitated.
"For God's sake will everyone stop touching me!" She placed her head in her hands for a few moments, in an effort to regain composure. "I'm sorry, I've got a lot swimming around my head right now." She looked up just as Ruby bought over their drinks, looking concerned, but Mary Margaret gave a subtle look to confirm all was in hand.
"You can't tell anybody what I'm about to say, no-one do you understand? Not even Belle, Ruby, anyone, with the exception of David as he clearly knows a lot anyway." She'd made the call based on the fact Mary Margaret knew a lot already. It would be worse she spread gossip idoly, than have an idea of how big this could potentially be. The pixie-haired brunette nodded her understanding.
"Of course Regina, I promise."
"I'm only telling you because you are going to hear bits here and there from David and it's dangerous to talk about this. This is what we know, or believe we know so far based on various things. Killian only took the job as Sheriff as a front, it's the same with his marriage to Emma. Upstanding citizen and family man, but really he runs some sort of large-scale smuggling business. He is somehow linked to Robin and his enterprise, it's the only thing that would account for Robin's business being in town too. Leopold is currently gathering evidence with David, Emma and I and the FBI have been contacted to see if they have any information or may even be interested in them themselves. Hell, for all we know they could already be onto these two."
"So we are talking large scale criminals in Storybrooke?" She whispered close to Regina's ear.
"It seems more and more likely, yes. I really want this to progress now so we can get Emma away from him."
"Does he hurt her?" Mary Margaret's concern was palpable at that and Regina internally winced. She really hoped Emma would be honest if he had. She liked to think she would be.
"I don't think so, he's a bit aggressive some times and I know he's grabbed her once or twice, but he's never truly hit or hurt her in that sense… I hope." Regina was beginning to panic internally. She hadn't spoken to the blonde since they got back yesterday. She really hoped she was okay. She made a mental note to check in tonight.
"I really hope they find something to nail these bastards quickly." Regina concurred with that. "So what happened with you and Leo?" Regina scoffed and took a sip of her drink.
"I'm sure you can pick any number of scenarios from the rumour mill."
"I don't want rumours Regina, for the most part they include cheating on either part and I don't believe either of you would have done that." Regina was becoming exasperated.
"Mary Margaret, you knew our marriage was more of an amicable arrangement than anything else. Whist we didn't love each other in that sense and we did grow to care for one another, we were more friends than anything else."
"So that suddenly stopped working? Has one of you fallen for someone else, if not had an affair?" Regina felt like crying; this was such a mess. She felt as though she were going to burst.
"Yes." She confessed burying her hands into her forehead. She did not want to see judgment right now. Mary Margaret carefully took one of her hands and lowered it to the table.
"Regina, it's okay... Is it Emma?"
"How… how do you know?"
"Oh please, I saw the way you two were on our night out and she definitely feels the same way…" Regina began to play with her fingers. "It's okay, it sounds like neither of you were content in you marriages."
"No, but that's not why Leo and I broke up. There were other, less... mitigating factors…"
"Than falling for some…"
"He raped me." That was it, she said it, she finally said it, but those bloody treacherous tears again. God she hated this. Strength and perceived weakness being so intertwined. At least that shut Mary Margaret up from continuing. She now looked like her namesake of Snow instead.
"What?!" And she could barely get that out.
"What the hell do you want Mary Margaret, he straddled me, pinned me down, and gagged me when he couldn't take my protests anymore and a few days later he did something similar. That was why I had to end it. I can live happilyish in an arrangement that works for both parties, but I will not put up with that." Mary Margaret couldn't even begin to speak right now, she just sat contemplating everything she'd heard with tears streaming.
"I have to go I want to check up on Emma." She rose to leave, but Mary Margaret stopped her.
"Wait, if you tell David..." Regina pulled her hand away from Snow.
"I don't want to tell David. I don't want anyone to know of this. Emma looked out for me and I will be dammed if I don't look out for her. Now, I have to go." Regina had now wound herself up, fretting over the possibility Emma could be hurt. Especially after realising just how controlling Killian was being, to the point of trying to keep her from her friends now.