Reset

Starting the Bug and driving away from the house Emma started to realise that that was exactly why she wasn’t panicking about the start of their relationship, because they already kind of had one. They were already constantly thinking about each other and supporting one and other, the romantic side to their relationship was all that was missing, they were already practically married. The idea of a relationship with Regina had slowly crept up on her but Emma was beginning to realise that it wasn’t the idea that had crept up on her but the actual relationship.

They had gone from enemies to tolerating each other to caring for each other to being deeply supportive and rescuing each other to roommates so naturally that Emma could barely remember the time where she hated the brunette. The natural progression of their relationship was what had made it so much easier for her to accept. Of course her heart was practically beating out of her chest the first time they kissed but that was normal for a new relationship, especially when you couldn’t be one hundred percent sure of the other person’s feelings.

That’s not to say that Emma didn’t feel frightened or worried about this new phase in their relationship, she had her doubts and her concerns but somehow being with Regina just seemed so right and like there was no alternative than to go headfirst into whatever was coming next.

The fact that it was Regina seemed right and the fact that she knew Regina had experienced troubled relationships in the past and was also clearly hesitant about messing things up actually helped soothe Emma’s fears. The few times Emma had attempted a serious relationship she was always on the back foot and clueless as to what a real serious relationship should look like. Always worried about messing things up and making things worse. But with Regina, who seemed to have no expectations of her and just wanted Emma to be herself, she didn’t find herself worrying about anything. She was just Emma Swan, a dorky goofball with a chip on her shoulder and so much baggage she couldn’t fit it all in her beloved Bug. And Regina didn’t seem phased.

Regina was probably too busy worrying about her own shortcomings like being a fairy tale character and ex Evil Queen who had tried to kill Emma’s mother on many occasions. Emma considered that for a moment and thought that maybe Regina’s baggage was also quite substantial.

Emma wasn’t sure how long her optimism or bravery for this new relationship would last but she hoped she could keep it together while Regina was in the nervous phase she seemed to be in. She considered that it was positive that both of them were convinced that they would be the one to mess things up rather than having doubts about each other.

What she did know, without a shadow of a doubt, was that she was going to do all she could to make it work because she could see a future where she was happy and where she could be a part of a real family and that was worth fighting for.

Chapter 76

As she pulled up outside Gold’s shop she could see the man himself pacing outside the doorway with barely concealed rage, rage she could fully understand because if something happened to Regina she could be exactly the same.

She quickly got out of the Bug and pulled out her crutch and approached the man with a frown as she wondered why he was stood outside.

Gold quickly understood why Emma was looking at him in the way she was and explained, “Belle doesn’t like to see me..”

“In a murderous rage?” Emma guessed.

Gold nodded, his face pinched with anger as he attempted to keep calm.

“What happened?” Emma asked in a business-like tone, she knew she had to keep the man calm or there would be trouble all round.

“I don’t know,” he said with anguish in his tone, “I went out for less than half an hour and when I got back she was unconscious. Bleeding,” he held his hand up to the back of his head, “someone..” he paused.

Emma nodded, “let’s go inside,” she said gently and was pleased when he nodded his agreement and they both entered the shop.

As Gold walked through the shop to get to the back room Emma looked around the interior and could see that a tall glass cabinet to the right of the shop had been broken into and there was glass everywhere.

“What’s missing?” Emma asked as she pointed to the cabinet.

He turned around with a confused expression before looking at the cabinet as if it were the first time he had seen it and then shook his head distractedly, “I don’t know..”

“You don’t know?!” Emma raised an eyebrow.

He looked at her with irritation, “I haven’t exactly had time to take inventory, Sheriff,” he said bitterly.

Emma nodded, “I understand but the Gold I know would have been complaining about his missing possessions,” she pointed out.

He shrugged, “I had more important things to worry about,” he seemed almost embarrassed as he turned and led her through to the back of the shop.