"July flame
Ashes of a secret heart
Falling in my lemonade
Unslakable thirsting in the backyard" ~Laura Veirs 'July Flame'

A/N: Thank you to sqevilducklings for editing the first half of this that I had completed early.

...

The air was so humid it stole her breath away, and the browning, drought ravished grass crunched under sandaled feet, while giving the wide expanse of 'middle of nowhere' a faded look like an old, worn postcard. Emma swatted away mosquitoes and hiked up the dirt path to the office to check in and get her assignment. Junior high kids were not her forte, but they were hopefully at a young enough age to still be obedient.

It was going to be a long summer, but at least it was a guaranteed month of employment with no overhead costs like rent or food. She walked down the hallway and the scent of pine assaulted her senses. A proudly hung American flag was stationed front and center, the wood paneled walls were lined with pictures of past year's campers and she studied them slowly as her feet creaked along the old hardwood floor. The prospect got even longer when Emma entered the office, and met the camp's director: What a bitch.

The woman didn't even look up when Emma entered; she had to clear her throat to get her attention. "Um…Hey there."

"Ever heard of knocking, dear? With manners like that what value do you have to instill in the children?" Regina Mills, head director of Auriga summer camp scolded.

"The door was open so…" Emma bit her tongue. Her mouth had gotten her into a bit of trouble in the past, and she found it was best to just nod and agree readily with these types of women. A long moment of silence passed while both women simply looked one another over. Regina was wearing a pale blue t-shirt with the camp logo etched on front, a khaki colored blazer, despite the heat and a knee length light brown skirt. She had her ankles crossed under the desk and Emma noticed with a raise of her eyebrow, that Regina was wearing high heels and pantyhose. She frowned as she passed judgment on the woman, but knew all the same that Regina was certainly sizing her up as well.

"Emma Swan, I presume?" Regina clasped her hands together and leaned her elbows on the desk. "I hope we don't have any issues that make me regret hiring you as a counselor here. I take great pride in the rigid and structured nature of my camp and I assume you will follow all of my rules to the letter. The rules may be strict, but they are necessary. Do you think that makes me evil?"

"What? No…Okay…yeah, I can follow rules," Emma felt on display in her cut off shorts, and simple tank. The way Regina was looking at her was unsettling, but she realized a moment too late she was staring back just as hard. She was certainly beautiful and there was something intriguing about her, but she certainly seemed uptight. The woman seemed like she hadn't been laid in years.

"Very good, Counselor Swan. I expect to see you in the main hall in uniform tomorrow at 5am for set up. The campers will be arriving throughout the morning and you will check them in, and help them set up their bunks. Understood?" Regina rifled through a pile of packets, and plucked one from the stack.

"5am? Wow, you people get an early start around here," Emma cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. She usually went to bed at 5am, and getting up with the rising sun was going to be a challenge.

Regina ignored her observation and finally stood up, primly moving around the desk to hand the packet off to Emma. "This has a map to your cabin," she smirked in a strange manner. "You'll be doubled up with Counselor Lucas. She's one of our tenured counselors so don't hesitate to ask her any questions that may arise."

"What if I want to ask you?" Emma blinked innocently. Judging from Regina's immediate posture change she had just poked the bear.

"Ms. Lucas will be available for any petty concerns you may have. I myself am very busy, but I do keep a close watch on my camp, make no mistake," Regina's eyes narrowed as her eyes flitted over Emma's form like she was hungry and Emma was lunch. Just when Emma was beginning to think that perhaps Camp Director Mills liked what she saw, she shattered that illusion. "I hope you packed some more suitable clothes. I can tell already that your wardrobe choices will be problematic."

Problematic for whom? Emma thought silently. Her cutoffs were short, but it was the middle of summer in Maine and while the average temperature was about 80, this July seemed unseasonably hot.

"You are dismissed, Counselor," Regina ushered her out the door and it slammed behind her as soon as she was out. She went outside to examine the contents of her packet and found directions to her cabin.

….

She lugged her bags all the way down a steep hill and found her 'cabin' assignment. It was practically a tin shed, situated on the river bank. The water was low from the drought and the mud stunk terribly. The cabin was like an oven, dust covered every surface and the thin, ratty sheets on the bed had moth holes in them.

A few minutes after she walked in, her bunk mate came through the door. "Hi! You're here!"

"Hi, I'm Emma. You must be Ruby?" Emma shook the excited woman's hand and could already tell she was far too perky and cheerful for her.

"So this is our cabin, you can have the top or bottom bunk, whatever you want. I don't spend much time in here sleeping," Ruby opened her arms and smiled widely as if she was giving a grand tour of the place.

"Cause it's a shit hole?" Emma asked in dead seriousness.

"Cursing is against the rules, Emma. Haven't you read your handbook?"

"I haven't had a chance yet. I just got my assignment from the director. Are all the cabins this sh—erm..rundown?" Cursing was going to be a hard habit to break.

"Well, no…this one is particularly…homey. We'll make the most of it!" Ruby bounced down on the bed and one of the cot's springs popped off and clattered to the floor. She laughed with hesitation as her arms flung out to keep her balance on the now uneven mattress. "I'll leave you alone to read the rules. I'm sure Ms. Mills told you that I'll be showing you the ropes?"

"Yeah, she told me," Emma wanted to ask Ruby what she thought of Regina, but they didn't know each other well enough yet to dish on that level. For all she knew, Ruby could be stuck up Regina's ass (because something was definitely lodged up there) and snitch on her.