It was getting late. Another whole hour had passed since Emma sent that last text to Regina about coming over with news.
Regina checked her phone for what seemed like the millionth time since then, but it was all the same.
Not a word from Emma.
She took a deep breath, smoothed down her blouse and took a quick glance in the living room mirror. Moments later, she heard car tires crunching over the gravel of the driveway.

"Regina! Regina it's me, open up!"
Emma yelled from behind the front door as she knocked.
Quickly running over to the foyer, Regina opened the door to find a frantic Emma Swan. Not waiting for an invite, the blonde pushed passed her, into Regina's home, A worrisome look upon her face.
"Emma.." Regina started, "What is it? You look worried.. is it.. is it Henry? Is he ok?"
"..I need a drink." Emma replied looking weary.
"NO!" Regina answered, grabbing Emma's shoulders to face her, "You tell me my son is ok!"
"Regina, please.. it's alright, it's not about Henry.. not exactly."
"Oh.. I see." She replied nervously, releasing her grip on the detective, "my apologies.."
"Honestly, no need to apologize.. I know how it seems."
Regina quipped a small smile, "Let me get you that drink.. shall we sit?"
Emma smiled, walking into the living room and taking a seat by the fireplace.
Regina, having poured them each a glass of scotch, followed into the room.

Handing Emma the drink, she sat on the sofa across from her.

"Alright, what's going on? What's got you so upset Emma?"

Staring at the ice in her glass momentarily, Emma took a deep breath in, quickly tipping the entire contents of the glass into her mouth in one complete breath.
"You got anymore of this?" She asked, using the back of her wrist to wipe the sticky sweet residue from her lips.
Regina raised her brow in shock.
"Uh, yea.. Of course I do.. but please Em, what's going on? I've never seen you like this.. if it's not about Henry, then what is it??"
"Alright." Emma began, "I went to see Robin.. the good news is, it's not him. He didn't take Henry."
"....and the bad news??"
Emma took a long look into Regina's eyes, "The bad news.." she paused, "the bad news is.. I have every reason to believe Cora is behind all of this."
"My mother?" Regina replied in disbelief, "Emma. I know my mother can be a bitch.. but why on earth would she kidnap Henry?? He's her grandson!"
"..Which gives me the hope she won't actually hurt him." Emma answered, "I know this is surprising to you Regina, but you have to at least consider it. If I'm right, we'll be on our way to getting your son home. If I'm wrong... then, I'll help you find a better detective."
"I just don't want to waste any time with dead ends Emma.."
"I get that, I dont either, but I am certain she's involved. I just know it!"
Regina stood up. She walked out of the room, shortly returning with the bottle of remaining scotch. Pouring a few ounces more into Emma's glass, she took a swig of the amber liquid right from the bottle before sitting back down.
"Fuck.." Regina mumbled quietly as she thought over the information Emma had fed her.
"Fuuuckkk!!"
A few moments of silence passed before Emma spoke up, "Also, I'm getting nervous about Killian... I havnt heard from him since this afternoon."
"Oh?"
"He was to have a conversation with Cora at 7 this evening, ask her a few questions, get her talking.. and then call me after. It's getting close to 9, and I havnt heard a thing."
"Have you tried calling him?"
"Twice."
Gesturing for the bottle, Emma continued, "It's not like him to not touch base."
Regina watched as Emma drank also from the bottle. The wincing of Emma's eyes turned her on slightly; knowing the burning of the scotch scorched her throat as it trickled down, ounce by ounce.
Shaking off the thought, Regina replied "Do you think we aught to take a drive to where he was meeting my mother? Perhaps Check up on the situation?"
Emma chuckled, holding up the near empty bottle in her hand, "If only we had thought of that thirty minutes ago..."
"True.." The brunette sunk back into the sofa, "...we can call a cab?"
A look of astonishment sparked across Emma's face,  "You're so fucking smart, you know that?" She replied, taking her cell from her pocket. Just as she did, the phone slipped from her shaky hands onto the floor. As she bent down to grab it, Emma fell forward, losing her balance, falling face first onto the floor.
"Emma!"
Regina immediately moved to help her up, "Are you alright??"
Emma softly laughed, Don't worry, I didn't spill the scotch!"
"There's more where that came from Emma, I'm more concerned about you. Did you hurt yourself? You took quite a tumble.."
"I'm fine, I'm fine.. where's my phone, I thought I -"
Regina relaxed slightly, sitting on the floor next to Emma as she trailed off, searching for her phone. Gazing at her, Regina took in every detail. Even in her drunken, clumsy state, she was beautiful. She focused on the soft delicate curls of her golden blonde hair, the bright beautiful glow of her beautifully blue determined eyes.. everything about Emma captivated Regina. It always did. Sure, Emma came from a broken home, and broken family.. Up until Mary and Dave adopted her of course, but what Emma didn't know was that she was always the glue that held Regina together.

"Fuck, I know it's here, I just saw it.."
Emma said out loud to herself, still searching for her phone. "Perfect," she whined, "now it's ringing! I can hear it and I still can't find it!"

Snapping Regina from her daydream, she realized it was actually her own phone that was ringing. "Hello?" Regina answered into it, "Mother. Yes, what is it?"
She listened as she watched Emma, "Yes, I'm alright.. what do you mean?.. What??! Yes. Yes, of course. I'll be right there."

"Emma, we have to go, something's happened.."

"Ah-ha!" Emma replied, "Found it!"
Grabbing for her cell, she held it up to her ear  "Hello?.. hello?? Shit, I think they hung up.." Emma stared at the dark screen of her cell, her face scrunched in disgust. Slipping the phone back into her pocket, she reached for the now empty bottle of scotch, "I guess it wasn't important.."

"Ok," Regina said rolling her eyes, "Clearly you are drunk, my dear."

Helping Emma back into the wingback chair, Regina took the bottle of scotch from her and set it back on the coffee table.

"Let's get you sobered up, there's somewhere i need to be."

"You??" Emma asked, "You mean, we. Where are we going?"

"We aren't going anywhere. You're drunk Emma... and you got there rather quickly. Did you eat anything today?" She replied, hands on her hips.

Emma sat back into the chair, "Does a cinnamon bun and two cups of coffee count?"

"Hardly." Regina replied, arms crossed in front of her, "I'm going to bring you some water and you're going to lay on this couch until I get home, do you understand me?"

Finally accepting the circumstances, Emma replied,

"Sure.. yeah, ok." She was starting to become disappointed in herself.

"Listen Em, I'm not upset with you, not at all. But, my mother called and something happened at the office. I won't be gone long, I promise."

But by the time Regina finished explaining, Emma had already begun snoring.

*****

When Regina pulled up to her family's law firm, she was horrified and shocked to see the flashing lights of police cars and an ambulance there.

Bursting into the door, she took Ruby by surprise. "What the fuck is going on?? Ruby, where is my mother?!"
Before Ruby could respond Cora briskly walked into the room flanked by two officers. "Thank you for your time ma'am, we'll be in touch." One of them said as they both walked out the door.
"My dear! Thank goodness you're here!" Cora exclaimed, arms outstretched toward Regina.
"Mother..? What's going on?" Regina replied confused, her brows pinned together, "Why are the police here?"
"Someone came to see me today," Cora explained, "... a man. I think he works with that wretch of a woman you speak to - "

"Mother!"
"...Anyway, he came in here demanding answers to questions I have no idea about -"
"-I heard yelling in Mrs. Mills' office as I was locking up, so I came running in to make sure she was ok.. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone, honest!" Ruby piped in.
"Slow down.. what the hell are you two talking about?" Regina asked, looking at the two of them.
Cora took her daughter's hand, "Ruby saved me, honestly. If she hadn't come into the room when she did.. well, I.. I don't know what would have become of me.."
At that moment, a third police officer and two EMTs came from the direction of Mrs. Mills' office. The police officer jotted down notes in a small yellow note pad as he trailed the EMTs pushing the man lying in the stretcher passed them and out of the firm.
"Fuck..." Regina whispered to herself as she watched them walk through the door. The man in the stretcher was unconscious. His face was covered in blood, and his hair looked disheveled, but she recognized him.
Looking her mother dead in the eye she asked, "What the hell did you do??!"
"Me?" Cora asked shockingly, "I didn't do anything!"
"Regina, honestly.. your mother-"
"Not now, Ruby!" Regina replied, walking through the two women and down the hall.
When Regina stormed into her mother's office, she was horrified at the scene before her. The office was a complete mess. Papers from client's files filled the floor, there was a chair on its side, filing cabinet drawers ripped open with their contents spewed everywhere, and there on the white marble floor just inches from her mother's desk was the ornamental fertility vase Regina bought for her while on vacation in Africa a few years ago. It's beautiful clay artwork was now shattered across the floor. It's shards, riddled in blood, stained the white marble in a deep, dark crimson.
"What the..." Regina's bewilderment had overwhelmed her.

"What the hell happened in here?!" She demanded, "it looks like a murder scene!"

"And it almost was, had it not been for Ruby!" Cora explained, "She's a godsend, and you should be grateful she saved your mother."

Regina rolled her eyes "Im sure you would have managed." Sarcasm dripping from her red lips.

Ruby touched the brunette's arm gently, "it was nothing, really. Its true i probably came into the room at the right time though. Killian was becoming very angry, i was a bit scared myself."

Regina stepped back, "Are you saying you think he would have honestly hurt her? Ruby, i thought you dated him?"

"I did." Ruby admitted, "but it was brief and it was a long time ago. I wouldnt say that i know him all that well. Truthfully, he could be capable of anything."

"Mmm.." Regina thought to herself. "So, what happened then?"

"When i came into the room, and saw him yelling at Mrs. Mills, i just reacted.. I grabbed the closest thing i could find, and just hit him over the head with it. Honestly, i didnt think it was going to hurt him so badly.. I hope he'll be alright."

"I think he'll be fine." Regina replied as she peered around the room. "Perhaps one of these officers can tell me what hospital he's being sent to - "

"I don't think that will be nesecary," Cora quipped, "For heavens sake Regina, you hardly know the man! What's it matter to you?"

"I know him well enough." Regina replied. Then, glancing at Cora she continued, "It seems as though you're fine Mother. I'll be leaving now. Ruby..?"

"Yes Ms. Mills?"

"Help my mother straighten her office before locking up, will you?"

"Yes, of course."

Regina turned on her heel and headed out the door. Just before she approached her car, she paused.
"They're still here." She thought to herself.
Switching directions from her car toward the officers, Regina approached them.
The two uniformed men stood by their police car, chatting. A short stocky man with his hand on the hilt of his gun resting by his hip, listened to his taller, more handsome companion, as he chatted away.

"Where have they taken the injured young man?"

"What was that now?" The shorter, balding officer asked, "didn't quite hear you lady."

The taller man shot a sideways glance at his partner. In a deep voice he answered,
"Boston Medical. Most likely the Trauma Unit." He continued, "I'm sorry to hear your mother was attacked Ms. Mills."

With a smile Regina replied, "oh, my mother can handle herself, don't you worry. Thank you for the info."

She then turned, making her way back to her car.

*****

"Hi there," Regina said, flashing a pearly white smile to the nurse behind the desk in the ER, "A young man was just takin in moments ago, I was hoping you could tell me what room he's in? Last name Jones."

"And you are?" The nurse replied.

"I.. I'm Mr Jones' attorney." She lied, still holding her smile. "Regina Mills, from Mills & Associates."

The woman stared back at her, not really sure if she believed Regina's claim. After a moment, she gave in, realizing she had no way to prove or disprove Regina's story.
"Let me see.." she tapped away at her computer, "ah, yes. Detective Jones is on the fourth floor. Room 422B."

Without so much as a 'thank you' Regina made a bee line for the elevator.
When the doors opened on the second floor, she stepped out, gathering her surroundings. "Room 422B..." she thought out loud. When she realized where she needed to go, she walked quickly, reaching Killian's room in no time at all.
Regina hated hospitals more than she hated the city itself. Surrounded by the loud beeping of heart monitors and plaster walls whiter than milk, she stared into the large window of Killian's room. He lay there on his back, eyes closed. A saline bag pumped fluids into his arm as his heart monitor beeped away.
Fuck... Regina thought quietly to herself, this cannot be happening..
She tried for the door to Killian's room, but it was locked.
If Emma's accusations are true.. can my mother really be behind all of this??"
"Hello, ma'am?" A deep, scruffy voice found its way to Regina's ear, "Can I help you with something?"
When she turned, she found herself face to face with a man in a white lab coat, a doctor, no doubt.
"Do you know this man?" He asked her, gesturing to Killian through the window.
Regina thought quickly, remembering the fib she fooled the nurse with, "Oh Uh, yes. Yes I do."
The doctor raises his brow anticipating her further explanation.
"I am Mr Jones' lawyer. My name is Regina.. are you Killian's doctor?"
"I'm one of them, yes." The tall man answered.

"Will he be ok?" Regina asked.
"He will." The doctor replied, adding "It seems Mr Jones suffered a serious blow to the head, resulting in a pretty bad concussion. There are some contusions by the area of impact, and there was a bit of blood loss.. nothing serious though. I do believe he will be fine once the medication wears off and he wakes up."
"Thank goodness.." Regina said quietly. Flashing her perfect smile she continued, "Thank you, doctor...?"
"Dr Whale," the man replied, "No need to thank me, Killian seems strong, he'll be just fine." Smiling, the doctor dismissed himself, walking down the hall to the room of another patient.
Regina took one last look at Emma's partner through the glass window of the room before taking her leave.

*****