( one; voice )

[cursebreaking]

[Emma has read what information has been made available, she’s walked the grounds and the corridors of some of the mansion’s ground floor, and she’s combed through what public postings she could find to look through on the device she’d found in the pocket opposite of where she kept her own phone. She’s been digging for evidence since she got here, but what she’s found?

She’s not buying it. The message that comes through is voice only, not wanting to reveal her face or her exact location right away-- though she’s pretty damn sure that whoever’s responsible for this is watching her and has a good idea of where she is, if not who.]

Look. I know someone is out there listening.

[She doesn’t know exactly who, but someone.]

This game of yours? I’m not interested. I don’t know how you got me here, or how you set all this up. Maybe it’s some messed-up alternate reality game, but I didn’t opt in for any of this. I don’t care how elaborate it is, or how much work went into it-- my kid is at home waiting for me, and I am not screwing around.

[Her tone is hard, angry rather than anxious, determination winning out over uncertainty.]

‘Wonderland.’ Cute, but I’m not impressed. All I want is for you to point me towards the exit. You can do me a solid and we can do this the easy way-- or we can do it the hard way. Trust me, whatever weird stuff you might be into, I can promise you won’t be happy if we go that route.

[She stays on the line, just to wait for any kind of possible response-- but she doesn’t really know what to expect. This entire thing has her out of her depth, even if she’s not willing to admit it.]

Comments

[cursebreaking]

[The two of them should definitely compare notes, given the chance.]

If it makes you feel any better, it's not like you're special. I don't believe anything most people tell me.

[Her trust issues are still present and out in full force.]

Also, that definitely sounds like something a stalker would say.

[madehervows]

[She's getting distinct Season One vibes here, but unfortunately they're no longer in her favour.]

Trust me, I'm aware.

[Give her a moment, she needs to think. There are a few stories she could use, but this needs to be done delicately.]

Alright, I think I have something you would've only told someone you trusted.

[cursebreaking]

Try me.

[She's skeptical, but of course that comes as no surprise.]

I'll warn you, I have a superpower.

[Season One vibes intensify.]

[madehervows]

[Laughing in her face would only make things worse, so Regina holds her tongue. But oh, honey, she knows all about your 'superpower.']

Does the name 'Lily Page' ring any bells, Emma?

[cursebreaking]

[It sure as hell does, and Emma stiffens immediately upon hearing it. Regina is right; nobody would know that name unless Emma had told them-- it wasn't on record anywhere, couldn't have been dug up by anyone looking into her history.]

Maybe.

[She sounds even more wary now, if that were at all possible.]

What about her?

[madehervows]

[Regina can tell she's both on the right track and on thin ice. The simple fact Emma didn't lie means she got through to her and it's a start.]

Lovely young woman, if a little... damaged by everything the two of you did to each other.

[Not that Regina got the entire story, just enough to explain why Lily reacted the way she did and was the way she was. As far as Regina knows, she's still in Storybrooke...

And she's anything but lovely.]

[cursebreaking]

[She remains tense, her voice terse when she speaks.]

I'm not convinced you know anything.

[She could just be taking a stab in the dark after tossing the name out there, right? Emma can't believe that she would share the details of that with anyone.]

[madehervows]

Fine, Emma.

[God, was she always this difficult?

Yes.]

Do you want to talk about her ruining your chance at having a family, or something else? Maybe the lies, or the star on her wrist?

[cursebreaking]

[It's far too many specifics for Emma to dismiss now, and she clenches her jaw.]

Alright. Why would I have told you any of that?

[In what situation would she have been willing to share?]

[madehervows]

[Success.]

Because Lily's birth mother wanted us to find her.

[That's honestly about as much as she can explain without getting into the whole Savior/Anti-Savior/babynapping thing.]

[cursebreaking]

[The reason itself would have been a good enough one for Emma to be willing to share that info, but it doesn't make sense.]

What, we work together?

[Regina doesn't seem like the bailbondsperson type.]

[madehervows]

[Oh thank god, Emma did the work for her.]

You could say that. Our interests align often enough that it's the smartest choice.

[This would be so much easier if she could just say "we share a son."]

[cursebreaking]

You don't really strike me as the type. You know, for hunting people down.

[Suspicions haven't abated, but hey, she's trying.]

You're more polished than most other people I meet in the business.

[madehervows]

You'd be surprised.

[She definitely had outfits specifically for hunting down Snow White, so.]

But I'm actually a mayor. It was... something of a favour. [A beat.] Does that mean you believe me?

[cursebreaking]

'Believe' is a strong word.

[One she's not willing to use just yet.]

But you know things you can't have without my telling you, so consider me slightly more open-minded than I'd be inclined to be otherwise.

[madehervows]

At this point, I'll take what I can get.

[Sometimes, Regina doesn't know when to pick her battles. Fortunately, this isn't one of those times. She got Emma to at least listen, and that's a huge step.

She's about to say goodbye and hangup, but... there's one more thing.]

You'll get back to your son, Emma. You always do.

[cursebreaking]

[Smart choice, Regina.]

You seem pretty confident about that.

[Emma isn't sure if that's comforting or not. It's certainly what she believes herself to be capable of; she can't imagine not finding her way back to him-- but for a stranger to say it with such certainty? She's not sure how to take it.]

I hope you're right.

[madehervows]

Nothing in any world is going to stop a mother determined to find their child.

[Not a curse, not Peter Pan, not the Black Fairy, nothing.]

I'm just a call away if you're ever in the mood for... listening again.

[And she hangs up.]