"You're dating August," Regina argued, the inflection in her tone rising defensively.
"But he's here," the younger brunette said softly.
Regina was taken aback by the sudden turn of conversation and pressed herself against the cushions in thought. She always thought she was irrational, falling so hard and so quickly for a soldier, for Emma, but to hear it voiced aloud was another story. There was an awkward silence surrounding them with the only sound coming from the television set as Josh Hartnett chased Kate Beckinsale playfully around an airplane hangar. Yes, it was unorthodox, and something Regina would never think she would have done. But things changed.
Ruby patted her leg sympathetically and Kathryn reached over and squeezed her arm, but it was Tina who voiced the unasked question so many residents in Storybrooke asked among themselves. "How do you do it?" Regina quirked an eyebrow for clarification. "Long-distance relationships are one thing, but this—Regina, she's fighting in a war."
"This is not some 1920's battle where she's sleeping in a trench every day," Regina cut in haughtily.
"No, but she has a bullseye on her back just by wearing that uniform. What if something happens to her?"
"She's a good soldier, Ms. Bell," Regina said sharply, her mayoral tone leaking through as if she could block the voiced fears in her head with a quick tongue. "She sacrifices a lot just so you have the right to even voice your doubt in her."
"I'm not doubting her, Regina, I'm being realistic."
"You act as if it's a death sentence."
"I'm asking how you don't think that." Tina was on the edge of her seat now, talking loudly over Ruby and Kathryn's head who had made themselves small as the two women argued. "I'm not doubting her or questioning you. You're so strong, Regina, and I'm just asking how because you, out of all people, would never do something so crazy like that."
"Crazy," Regina enunciated slowly. Tina winced and Kathryn visibly flinched. Ruby was in the right to shimmy over and away from the Mayor as Regina stood from her spot in the couch. "You think I'm crazy."
"Not crazy," Tina amended, easing herself cautiously to her feet. Whatever explanation the preschool teacher had was interrupted by Regina's harsh retort.
"And how crazy are you for solely taking on the responsibility of four teenage boys who have done nothing but vandalize and steal?"
Tina's face darkened. "They're good boys."
"And Emma is a good soldier. Arguably one of the best, and I don't appreciate you slandering her name."
"Regina, I'm not trying to offend you."
"Oh, you don't have to try, dear." She simply deposited her glass on the table and stood, gathering her coat and purse from the breakfast bar.
"Hey, guys, come on, let's just finish the movie," Ruby hoped.
But Regina didn't answer, too consumed in her own head to even figure out the thinly veiled compliment behind what she perceived to be an insult. Emma always came back. Even if it was just for a month, a week, a day, a phone call, she always came back. She didn't need to have that belief stripped from her. Not from someone who didn't understand.
"Regina, don't go," Kathryn pleaded, but all it was met with was a slammed door.
Despite the setback in their ladies night and the silent treatment Regina gave Tina for two solid days, the change in the once hardened Mayor clearly had long term effects since the following Friday, Regina had sent an email saying she was happy to host the next get together. Still, all four women never brought it up again and avoided war films despite how dreamy the lead actor was. Ruby had pouted at that since she had a sudden hankering to watch Saving Private Ryan , but the three of them secretly agreed that a distracted Regina was a happy one.
Regina knew they were beating around the bush about her relationship with Emma, but she couldn't tell if she appreciated or hated it. Pretending Emma was away on business, that she was just a simple cop living in another city, even travelling abroad, could only do so much. At the end of the day, her fears Tina was brave enough to voice assaulted her mind with what ifs and scenarios she had no control over. For two months, she batted away the insecurities, and with every letter she sent to Emma that went unanswered and every day that passed without receiving a call, Regina was going stir crazy.
Until one night her fears caught up with her in the form of a 3 AM phone call.
"Hello darling," Regina greeted sleepily.
"How'd you know it was me?" Emma asked.
"Other people aren't as brave to call in the middle of the night."
"I woke you," she observed not even sounding apologetic. "I know, it's been a while. Things are. . .tough."
Regina settled into the comfort of her pillow, using the plush beneath her to press the phone to her ear as she sighed contently to the sound of Emma's voice. "I don't mind."
A heavy, burdened sigh echoed over the phone as the soldier exhaled as if wishing to expel all that weight. "I really needed your voice right now."
Regina's eyes opened slowly in thought, the what-if scenarios coming to the forefront of her mind faster than she could push them away. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Who's hurt?"
"No one."
"Is it Neal?"
"No."
"Emma." Regina sat up, flicking the bedside lamp on and resting against the headboard. "Don't lie to me."
A hitch in the younger woman's voice told Regina she was close at the very least that she was right.
Emma laughed to herself, a dry, sardonic mock of a laughter at herself as she muttered, "this seemed better when Neal does it."
"Does what?"
A sniffle. "I don't want to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Regina's heart was beating double time. Images of dead soldiers, a disfigured Emma, if Emma wasn't on the line she'd picture her body left abandoned—she stopped herself from letting that thought flourish completely. "Emma."
Long moments of silence passed, and Regina could hear the soft wind blowing in the Middle East where the blonde wasn't speaking. "My General," she finally said. "He got relocated to a different unit. I heard he's in Germany or Russia or I don't know."
Regina let out a sigh of relief, tucking strands of hair behind her ear as she breathed easier. "Isn't that good news?"
"Yeah." But it was barely a whisper, and Regina wasn't sure she had caught it.
"I don't understand," she said slowly. "What aren't you telling me?"
Another breath of silence. "There was an incident." Regina's heart sped up. "Two months back." She held her tongue. "He, uh, he did something."
"To who?" She asked carefully.
"I think you know who," Emma finally voiced.
"What—" Regina gulped and pushed her hair back from her forehead and sat up straighter. "What—are you okay?"
The incoherent mumblings through the line was the only answer the brunette got.
"What did he do?" Regina demanded in a low hiss.
"Noth—" Her words caught in her throat, and there was a muffle over the line, following by sniffling and breathy gasps before Regina could clearly hear her breathing again. In a tiny voice Regina would never have associated with Emma since the blonde either exuded confidence or awkwardness, Emma admitted, "he attacked me."
"What?" Regina nearly shrieked loud enough to wake Henry, and before she knew it, she found herself yanking herself out of bed and pacing the floor as quickly as her rambling. "What do you mean? Are you okay? What did he do? Emma, did he hurt you?"
"No, I just—" she huffed breathily before conceding. "Yes."
"What's his name and unit number?" Regina demanded.
"What are you going to do? Track him down?"
"I'm going to destroy him," she promised, rifling through her bedside table for a notepad and pen.