This Ain't Right

It was the most excruciating pain Emma had ever felt. It ripped through her abdomen like a shiv, and took the only breath she had, making them labored and slow. The thing she saw before the world went gloriously black was a pair of brown eyes, brimming over with tears.

It was worth it, Emma thought, before she closed her eyes.

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Regina had to keep busy. She would go insane if she spent one second resting, because she knew that if she had time to think, the reality of what Emma had done for her would come crashing down on her, and it was too overwhelming to think about. She had no idea why Emma had risked her life again—for her. They despised each other; that was a fact. The woman must really be a complete blockhead, jumping in the line of fire for her enemies. If she made a habit of doing that, she wouldn't live much longer.

She might not live long as it is. That fact scared Regina more than she expected. More than she cared to admit.

The first order of business was to send a telegram to Sheriff Graham in Boston, telling him of Emma's condition. She warned him to keep it secret; she didn't want the whole town of Boston in a panic. She also didn't want anyone knowing that she had dropped everything to follow Miss Swan's incompetent behind all the way to New York. But that was not important at the moment—the only thing that mattered was making sure Miss Swan would get better, and finding August.

St. Katherine's Hospital was on the north side of town. After the shooting, Regina had moved her and Emma's belongings back to the hotel. She didn't want August coming back to finish what he started. She wanted to make sure that he had no idea where she was. She hoped that was the case.

Regina would go to the hospital each night, asking for updates on how Emma was. Dr. Morris had given her adrenaline to keep her blood from clotting, and then dressed the wound. She hadn't had surgery yet, because Dr. Morris said it would be best to keep the wound bandaged for 24 hours so it wouldn't get infected. Regina didn't care about all the specifics behind the medical sciences; all she knew was, she needed Miss Swan's help, however loath she was to admit it.

On Tuesday morning, after having sent the telegram, she rode Destiny to the hospital. She looked more put together than she felt, but making sure she looked like her old self was the only way to cope with all the crazy things going on. She walked into the hospital, nodding authoritatively to nurses in the hall. She made her way to the ward where Emma was, and pulled a dark oak chair out from behind the table by Emma's bed.

She sat on it, crossing her legs. Emma was sleeping; in the two days she'd been at the hospital, Regina hadn't caught her at a time when she was conscious. Regina began trailing her fingers along her skirt, just to have something to do. She breathed, trying to relax. What she wanted to do was wake Emma up and start screaming at her for being such an idiot, but she wasn't sure the nurses would be happy if she did that.

Fortunately for her, she didn't have to 'accidentally' nudge Emma awake; the blond started to stir, and Regina immediately straightened. It was about eleven o'clock, and Emma was probably getting hungry. Joan usually gave her soup, so she didn't have to make much of an effort to chew and swallow.

Emma's green eyes fell on Regina, but the light that usually shone in them was dimmed considerably. Regina knew she was still incredibly weak, so she staved off the desire to start yelling at her.

"Hi," Emma said, looking around the hospital ward. "What happened?"

Regina breathed. "In an act of stupid heroics, you jumped in front of a bullet that was meant for me. August got away, and here we are."

"A thank you would be nice," Emma coughed.

Regina just pursed her lips.

Emma rolled her eyes. "God, Regina, now is not the time to be mad at me! I'm suffering enough as it is. We can't fight now; we have to figure out how to catch August and Jefferson."

Regina's ears perked up. "Jefferson? The man at the millinery shop?"

Emma nodded. "That's the one. He's August's accomplice." Emma stopped, as if she just remembered something. "Oh, and I—uh—I have something that you need to do for me."

"What makes you so sure I'll—"

"Three to one, remember? You owe me."

Regina clenched her fists. She'd be beholden to this imbecile for the rest of her life. "What is it then?"

"I kinda—stole a horse from somebody."

"Miss Swan!"

"Hey, if I hadn't, it would be you in this hospital bed. I couldn't let that happen…"

"Why not?"

Emma frowned. "Because I wanted to protect you," she said, like it was obvious.

Regina leaned forward. "I am not a frail child, Miss Swan. And if you wanted to protect me, you wouldn't have tried to get yourself killed," she said sharply, trying to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill. She didn't want to show this woman just how much anxiety she'd caused, but it was harder to hate Miss Swan when she kept doing things like this.

Emma raised her head a fraction of an inch. "You really care that much?"

"No," Regina said quickly, defensively. "But I am not sure I'd be able to catch August without your help. Not to mention Sheriff Graham would be mad at me when I come back and you're not with me. So don't you dare die." Regina ordered, trying her hardest to slam her cold, indifferent veneer back into place. It would not do to have Emma thinking she actually cared about her when she certainly didn't.

"Funny, I kind of figured you'd be my cause of death. Guess I didn't quite picture it like this, though," Emma joked.

Regina glared at her for a moment. "So, the horse you stole. Where can I find the man you stole it from?"

Emma bit her lip, deep in thought. "I was outside of a saloon near the south of town…that's all I know."

"That's great, Miss Swan. I'll find him in no time," Regina said sarcastically.

Just then, there was a disturbance in the ward. The door burst open, and a figure came stomping through it, heading straight towards them.

"Oh shit," Emma said, shrinking underneath her blanket.

Regina would have enjoyed seeing Emma cower a lot more if the woman's health wasn't already at risk. She had a bullet still lodged in her abdomen, for God's sake. The threat of whoever this was certainly wouldn't be good for her stress levels.

The cowboy stalked up to the bed. "You took my horse," he said, but his voice was higher than Regina had expected.

"Yeah, about that…I kind of…lost it," Emma looked up at the intruder sheepishly.

"What?" The cowboy shrieked.

"Miss Swan, how do you expect to pay this man back?" Regina demanded.

The cowboy cut in. "Woman," came the voice, and Regina audibly gasped. The person standing before them took off their hat, and thick brown locks flowed down their shoulders.

So Emma wasn't the only woman liked to dress in men's clothes. Well, more power to her, Regina thought.

"What's your name?" Emma asked.

"Jacquelyn. But everyone calls me Jack."

"Well, Jack, I'm sure Regina can pay you back for the horse," Emma grinned evilly as Regina whirled on her.

"All right. That would be a hundred dollars," Jack said, holding out her hand.

"You're going to pay me back every penny of this, Miss Swan," Regina gritted, and opened her purse. She placed some bills in Jack's hand, then watched her leave. Emma slid under the covers, and Regina could tell she was expecting her to blow up. But Regina plastered on a smile, however fake it felt, and reminded herself that she was in a hospital, and it was tacky to hurt someone that was already injured.

"I will pay you back, I promise," Emma said.

"Good. Just make sure you get better."

Emma smiled. Regina managed to give a small smile in return, because she didn't want to seem ungrateful.

"Thank you. But this doesn't change the fact—" she smirked—"that I still despise you."

Emma donned a look of mock hurt. "Love you too," she said, her tone playful.

Regina momentarily froze, looking down at her hands. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and she didn't dare look at Emma in the eyes. Miss Swan just had to keep surprising her. It was in her nature to be unruly, unmanageable, and unpredictable, which didn't really sit well with her. Regina liked control. She liked being able to know how people would act and use that to her advantage. Some would call that manipulative, but Regina didn't care. She liked order.

And Emma Swan was the opposite of order. She'd burst into her life the night of the fire, saving her from certain death. Her whole life had slowly changed, becoming something that Regina couldn't compartmentalize. She hated that.

She hated what the deputy was doing to her. She was still blushing when Emma cleared her throat.

"I was kidding. You know I was kidding, right?" Emma asked, raising her hands in surrender.

Regina shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. "Your sense of humor is atrocious, dear. You may want to work on that."

"Sure. I'll make sure to, once I get out of here." Emma smirked, unfazed.

Regina left a half an hour later, feeling decidedly confused. Her feelings for Miss Swan were becoming harder to deny. But she would keep on denying them, even if it killed her.

Ironic, considering what Emma had just done for her.

Regina swung onto Destiny, making a soft clicking noise with her mouth. She rode English style, loosely holding the reins in her fingers. She'd been getting more used to riding, now that she was in a huge city where walking across town took the better part of a day. She walked her horse down the streets, looking for the Sheriff's office. She stopped by a candy shop on the way there, buying herself some chocolates. She placed some pieces in her saddle bag, thinking that she'd give Miss Swan some if—no, when—she got better.

The Sheriff's office was right in the heart of town. Destiny was dog tired by the time Regina finally found the building sandwiched in between a saloon and the post office. She gracefully swung her legs on the same side of the saddle and slid to the ground, then tied her horse to a post.

She pushed the door to the office open, then looked around for a man with a badge. The place was crowded—apparently a lot of people had crimes to report, and Regina saw that there was a line forming, leading up to a desk where the sheriff was sitting. Grunting, she stepped at the back of the line and waited. When she finally reached the table, she saw the sheriff, a scruffy looking man with a blue bandana tied around his neck. Regina cleared her throat, and the man almost fell out of his chair as he craned his neck to look at her. He blinked his eyes a couple times, and Regina cleared her throat again, impatiently. She was used to men ogling her; she was not a bad looker, and she knew that. But she really didn't have the time to be objectified today.

The man's eyes came back into focus, and he fixed Regina with a warm smile. Being beautiful had its advantages. "What can I do for you, ma'am?"

"August Booth shot a fr—an acquaintance of mine, and I need you to help me catch him. I have reason to believe he is a big time criminal. He may go by different names, I'm not sure." She reached into her purse and pulled out August Booth's wanted poster. Miss Swan had suggested that they bring those and ask people if they'd seen him, and Regina was glad that she had thought of that.

She showed the poster to the man, and he frowned. He looked around the office then leaned closer. "Come with me outside."

Regina wordlessly followed him out of the crowded building and onto the boardwalk.

He looked at the poster again. "I think—yeah, we've been looking for this guy for a while. He goes by the name of Frank Mankiller, though."

Regina wrinkled her nose. "Frank Mankiller? Really?"

The man nodded. "I know. I guess he thought it was intimidating or something. The reward for him is 1000 dollars here. If you manage to nab him, it's all yours."

"Thank you, sir, but once I catch him, I'm planning on bringing him to Boston. He killed one of the deputies there."

"Here, he's responsible for at least ten murders—that we know of. I'm warning you, ma'am, the man is dangerous."

Regina suppressed an eye roll, tired of men treating her like a piece of china. "I know. Did I not tell you he shot at me?"

"No, you said that he shot a friend of yours."

"I said acquaintance. Miss Swan is not my friend."

"Lady, you just spent all afternoon looking for me, judging by the state of the wrinkles on your dress. Not to mention your horse looks beat. My old lady wouldn't even care to avenge me if I got shot, hell, she'd probably give the guy a kiss. This 'Miss Swan' is totally your friend," he smirked.

Regina just glared at him. She didn't even know the man, and he was being awfully presumptuous.

The sheriff stopped smirking, sensing her discomfort. "My name is Phillip Grey, nice to meet you." He held out his hand, but Regina didn't shake it, just burned her eyes into his like lasers. He slowly retracted his hand and cleared his throat.

"Now, what is your master plan to outsmart this 'August?'"

Regina shrugged and leaned against a tying post. "I don't know. Normally, Miss Swan is the brawn of the operations, and I'm the brains. But because she's in the hospital, the balance is off."

"Wait, I'm confused. Did Frank—er—August—shoot at you, or her?"

"He shot at me, but Emma jumped in front of the bullet."

Phillip gave a gasp. "Wow…ok. I'm amazed that you've been able to convince yourself you're not friends with her."

"Just shut up and let me think," Regina huffed. She closed her eyes for a moment, folding her arms in front of her chest. Jefferson. Jefferson was the key; he was August's accomplice. August had killed Rick and Niles, his two previous partners, back in Boston. If she could find Jefferson and convince him that August was planning on double crossing him, they might stand a chance in bringing August Booth to justice.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone galloping down the street. Regina looked up for a moment to see Jack swing herself off of her horse with ease. She smiled cockily at Regina, who just stared back.

"Oh, hi Jack," Phillip greeted. "She's one of my deputies. She's been working undercover to catch August for a while now," he said to Regina. "Thanks to you, she has a lead now."

Jack looked at Regina, a flash of recognition falling over her features. She adjusted her hat as Regina looked. She did look a lot like Miss Swan; she had the same swagger and confidence that she did. Her hair was tied back in a braid, and she had two guns hanging from her hips.

Regina nodded. "Nice to see you."

Jack just scowled. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks for paying me for the horse your friend stole."

Regina bit her lip, knowing it was futile to keep protesting that Miss Swan was most certainly not her friend. It's not like anyone would believe her. She was starting to not believe it herself.

"You're welcome. I know Miss Swan tends to act before thinking, and I apologize."

Phillip looked between the two of them, then excused himself, walking back into the crowded Sheriff's office.

Jack looked at Regina as she tied her horse up. "You're trying to catch August?" She sauntered up, standing by her.

Regina nodded.

"All I have to say is: good luck."

"Jefferson is one of his accomplices. He owns a hat shop on Miner's street. Do you know it?"

Jack shook her head. "I don't. But if you show me, I could probably meet him and get him to trust me. Like Phillip said, I've been working undercover."

Regina studied her. "I could use your help, thank you."

"Hey, it'd be my pleasure to see that scumbag hang."

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The city streets were dirty, as usual, and Regina made sure to walk carefully around the horses. She didn't want to ruin her shoes. Jack walked behind her, leading her horse with a long rope. Across the street was the millinery shop, and Regina waved to it. Jack's eyes snapped over to it, observing. She hoped that they were being discreet enough. After staying there for a few minutes, Jack climbed onto her saddle, then reached her hand down. Regina grasped it and pulled herself onto the back of the horse. It wasn't the most comfortable way to ride, but Regina didn't complain.

They rode back to the Sheriff's office, and Regina was glad to see that Destiny had had some time to rest. Regina turned to Jack.

"Be careful. If Jefferson knows that you and I know each other, he won't trust you," Regina said.

Jack just smirked, reminding Regina of a certain blond ex-bounty hunter. "Relax. I know what I'm doing."

Regina couldn't help but wonder if everything that she and Miss Swan did had been an exercise in futility. Now, Emma was in the hospital, and she wasn't even sure if she'd survive. Regina had to do this without her, and she was relying on the off chance that Jefferson might distrust August enough to betray him. She felt like she was gambling, rolling the dice over and over, and never winning anything.

But she kept throwing the damn dice, just because of the thrill it gave her.

That was why she had accompanied Miss Swan to New York, after all. She had a craving for adventure and danger, however much she tried to deny that fact.

Jack galloped off, and Regina climbed on her horse as well, riding back to the hotel. She'd see Miss Swan tomorrow, and tell her of their new plan.