"Trust your instincts." Regina said before throwing a baseball sized green orb.
There was a second of hesitation. But then as if I'd done this my whole life, I knew what to do. Still surrounded by the swirling light, my arms shot out in front of me, and I watched the green light hit the barrier and neutralize into the white. Again Regina threw an orb, this time however I caught it and hurled it back. The pace quickened and we where in an all out battle. But I knew exactly what to do. My head sputtered out commands and my body instantly followed. Even crazier was the fact that my feet hadn't touched the ground! I was levitating and doing acrobatics in the air. Finally I'd had enough. I needed answers, and I stopped. I held my hand out Palm forward and Regina stopped. I twirled my finger three times and as if she where bound by ropes Regina was still.
I lowered myself to the ground. I inspected my body, and then my hands. What just happened?
"Olivia dear?" Regina's voice broke through her reverie. She looked up. Regina was struggling to break free of her invisible binds.
"Oh!" I said, and with a swift wave of my hand Regina was free. The more I thought about everything Regina had said, the crazier it sounded. And the more overwhelmed I felt. "I'm sorry. I have to go. This is too much." I said collecting my jacket, and walking swiftly to the door.
"Liv, please." Regina asked, putting her hand on Olivia's arm. "I can prove it." She said in a rush. Olivia looked at her with disdain and skepticism.
"I'm sorry Regina, I just can't-"
"No, it's completely logical. You're a police officer, yes?"
"Yes?" I said.
"So, have your lab run a DNA test." She said matter of factly. "Then we'll know, irrefutably." Olivia sighed.
"Fine. I need gloves, sandwich bags, and q-tips. And a permanent marker." said exasperated. Olivia collected the samples. And left with the promise of seeing Regina tomorrow.
***************************
Olivia returned to her car after dropping the large envelope in the mail reciprocal. Sitting back in her car, she called Melinda Warner, their lab tech, M.E., and her good friend.
"Melinda Warner." She said in her business voice.
"Hey Melinda, I need a favor." She spoke into the phone.
"Sure thing Liv, what's up. I heard you took some personal time. You okay?"
"I'm fine. I just have some personal stuff to take care of, out of state. I need you to run a DNA test for me."
"Sure thing. I can do that. Anything specific?"
"Mitochondrial Matches. Sister- Sister, specifically." She said her mind reeling. "Can you put a rush on it, if you don't have any cases?"
"I'll do it right now Liv. You'll have them with tomorrows mail, tomorrow morning."
"Oka- wait, tomorrow morning?" She asked confused.
"Yes, the samples just came in." Melinda said. 'Well that was quick', she thought.
"Okay, well thanks Melinda I owe ya one." She said with a tired smirk.
"Yep, bye Liv."
After pouring over the pictures and more of the letters, it was hard to contest the resemblance, she shared with Regina, and even this Cora women. Her head and heart where at war. Her head was telling her this couldn't be true. Too many thing didn't line up. Regina, heck, even Serena would have to be a lot older than she looked, for one. But the most glaringly obvious thought occupying her mind was this realization: If Regina was her sister, which she felt in her famous Benson gut to be true, then this magic nonsense had to truth. And that thought was what frustrated her to no end. One couldn't be separated from the other. Finally, she gave up. Fluffed her pillow, turned off the dome light in the car, and drifted off into a dreamless, yet turbulent slumber.
