Bluest of Grey Skies

Chapter Thirteen

"Yes," she said through clenched teeth. "Is that all? I have work that needs to be done."

Regina reached for her gun and winced as Gold brought his cane down hard against the back of her hand. "I am unimpressed with the unorthodox use of your lunch hour, Sheriff Mills," he said and he rose from the chair slowly, holding the cane hard against the back of her hand. "I suggest in the future you and Ms. Swan take separate lunch hours or I'll see to it that she is fired. Do you understand, Sheriff?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Jones, escort me to my car, please."

"Yes, sir," Jones said with a nod and Gold lifted the cane from Regina's hand with a pointed look in his eyes that held a silent threat of their own.

Regina groaned quietly as soon as they had left the office and she rubbed over her now swollen and red right hand. Tears sprung to her eyes as the stinging pain only grew instead of subsiding and she slipped her gun into the holster with a shaky left hand, making it awkward as the holster was on the right. She moved to sit behind her desk, flexing her right hand gently.

Gold knew exactly what he was asking of her and she knew that she just put her life at risk just from agreeing to his absurd proposition. Regina had been so afraid that he knew she was a part of it already, on the good side and not his, and that he knew she was conducting an investigation of her own. He had made no mention of that, yet she knew that didn't mean he likely had his own suspicions. A man like Robert Gold had eyes and ears all over town and she was in a very dangerous position, one she wouldn't be able to get herself out of anytime soon.

She pulled open the small drawer just under the top of the desk in the middle and reached for the matchbox. Inside was her safety net for moments of weakness, for moments when the anxiety and the stress was just far too much and that stupid little toothpick habit did nothing to quell the intensity of her cravings.

She placed the hand rolled cigarette between her lips, sucking on the unfiltered tip lightly, tasting the slightly stale tobacco, her first taste in a long time. She shakily struck a match against the desk and lifted it up slowly, watching the flame for a moment before she lit the cigarette and snuffed the match out with a wave of her hand. She leaned back in her chair as she took a long drag of the cigarette and inhaled deeply.

Regina knew that she needed to get in contact with Agent Chapman and soon, to inform him of what Gold had asked of her. The sooner they were aware that he was going to stop at nothing at keeping them from entering Storybrooke to further conduct their investigation, the better. She knew there had to be a way for her to work with the FBI without Gold becoming suspicious. She wanted that man in prison as badly as the feds did.

Regina took another long drag, inhaling deeply and closed her eyes as the nicotine buzz flowed through her body like an old, lost friend. She barely flinched at the knock that resounded on her door and she opened her eyes to see a worried looking blonde staring at her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I need a moment alone, Emma."

"You're smoking."

"I am," she sighed.

"What happened in here with Gold?" Emma asked and Regina pinched the bridge of her nose and motioned for her to close the door. "Gina, what happened?"

Regina looked around her desk for something to use as an ashtray, avoiding Emma's question for the time being. Answering it would involve telling her everything and she wasn't sure she wanted Emma to know anything at all for her own safety. Emma walked over to the bookshelf and reached up, grabbing a small glass ashtray Regina had forgotten about and placed it on the desk in front of her.