Pixie Dust Never Lies

Chapter 12

Mountains of multicolored papers were piled on my desk. Some needed to go to the sheriff's office, some needed to go to the courthouse, and some needed to be labeled and filed away. I had been working all day, and yet it seemed like I'd hardly gotten any if it done. I would have been completely on top of it these past two weeks of it hadn't been for...distractions.

I set my pen down and rubbed my temples. I knew it wouldn't help me at all, but I couldn't help looking at the clock on my desk; the red digital numbers read 2:14 PM. I still had three more hours before I could take Henry home. Ugh.

Suddenly the phone rang. Odd; I wasn't expecting calls today. I picked it up. "Hello, this is the mayor's office."

"Regina?"

"Doctor Hopper?"

"Something's happened, and I'm afraid that it directly concerns you. You might want to come down here. As soon as possible."

I arrived at Doctor Hopper's office ten minutes later. As I walked into the building, I noticed Emma's yellow bug parked outside. What was she doing here?

I ran up the stairs and down the hall; the door was already open. Odd. Then I noticed the glass fragments covering the green carpet.

"Archie?" I yelled, rushing through the doorway. Thankfully, he was standing in the middle of the office with Emma; his blue collared shirt was neatly buttoned, his kakis nicely ironed. Only someone who knew him well could tell that he was really shaken: his sleeves were rolled up different lengths, his hair was slightly ruffled, and his eyes looked tired.

His office was a sight; papers were strewn across the floor, pencils laid all across his desk, and every drawer seemed to be open.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Break in," said Emma. "Would be your standard deal, but it doesn't look like they stole anything of value."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Archie contradicted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma said.

"Whoever came in here knew what they wanted, and unfortunately, they got it."

"Well, what did they get?" I asked, exasperated by the delay; I wished he would just get to the point, instead of giving us this suspense.

He looked up at me with remorse. "They...they took your file, Regina."

I didn't move. I didn't speak. It didn't quite register for a moment. Then I felt my heart sink with dread. Everything that I had ever told him---every lie, crime, and murder I'd ever committed--was in that file. Things that I had only ever told him and Emma.

I sunk into one of the armchairs and put my head in my hands. I didn't know how to handle this situation.

"What?!?" Emma exclaimed. "Why would they take her files?"

Archie opened his mouth to speak, but shit it quickly. He looked at me questioningly, asking my permission.

"It's okay, Archie," I said, nodding.

He nodded in return. Then he turned back to Emma. "Regina has come into my office more than once for a session; it helped her come to terms with her past, and overcome it."

"Okay...I still don't-"

"I told him everything, Emma," I snapped, looking up. "Everything I told you about who I was and what I did...everything." I sighed, and hung my head. "You and he were the only ones I shared that with. But now...now someone has their hands on all of that."

"Despite how far she's come, there are still many people in this town who consider her an enemy. Some who are willing to...take things into their own hands."

Finally the severity of the situation dawned on her. She stood still, her mouth slightly agape. "So they could use it to..." She couldn't even finish her sentence. She rushed over to where I was sitting, kneeling so that her face was level with mine. With her soft hands she gently lifted my chin until I was staring into her beautiful green eyes.

"I will find them, Regina," she said. Her voice was low, deep, and determined: protective, even. "And I won't let them get away with it." Then her voice became softer, and comforting. "Everything will be okay. Don't worry." She leaned forward, lifting herself up slightly, and kissed my forehead. It was tender and caring, very different from the kisses we had previously shared. It made me feel something deeper in my chest, and I smiled instinctively. Suddenly she stood up, determination set on her face, and all but ran out of the room. I was alone with Archie.

We sat in silence for a minute, unsure what to say. I was still in a state of shock. Finally, he spoke.

"I know that you might not want to talk about it at the moment, but as your doctor," he paused, "as your friend, I need to ask...what is going on between you and Emma?"

I hesitated. "Honestly...I don't know."

"Last time you were here you sounded like you were going to break things off before it got too far."

"I was!" I insisted. "I asked her to come by the office and I told her it couldn't work. Then there was the big storm and things got...complicated." I squirmed in my seat, remembering that night.

"Ah, I see." He sat, thinking for a moment. "What does Robin think of this."

I tensed up; I had been afraid of this question. "He...he doesn't know."

He sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his head. "Regina, we've talked about this. You need to be honest, especially with those you care about."

"I know, I know I have to tell him," I sighed. "It's just...I don't want to see what it will do to him. I love him."

"And Emma?"

"I...I don't know."

"Well, you'd better figure it out soon, Regina; the longer you wait, the more severe the consequences will be."

I nodded. "I understand, Dr. Hopper."

"Good." Then he smiled. "You know, you've seen me enough that you could probably just call me Archie."

I laughed. "Yeah, I guess so." I stood up and started to walk out. I stopped in the doorway, and turned. "Thank you...Archie."

His smile widened, as if I'd just made his day. "My pleasure, Regina," he said, placing reassuring hand on my shoulder. I smiled back in return, then walked out the door, careful to avoid the sharp glass shards. Before leaving the building I paused, considered for a moment, and waved my hand over the mess. The glass rises from the floor, swirled briefly in the air, as placed themselves back in their original positions on the door. Finally deciding that it was good enough, I turned and walked back to my office.