It had nearly bankrupt Emma to come back here but she felt she had an obligation to at least show up for the one woman who had changed her life in so many ways. Having spent the majority of her formative years here, in Harriet's Home, it was the longest amount of time she'd stayed anywhere. In a way it would always be her home.
That's why it felt so strange to be back here after so many years by her own choice.
After her stint in jail, it was hard to stop her heart from hardening when she felt so alone most of the time. Most of the time . But, the ever persistent and stubborn Harriet never gave up on her, even in that joint where every day was a constant battle that threatened to snuff out the flicker of light inside of her.
Harriet would visit, rarely, because she had other girls to look after but she made sure that Emma got care packages. Still trying to take care of her when most people would've given up. And when she could, she'd come and visit her behind those grimy glass walls and tell her that she had to fight . That her mistakes did not define her.
You will get out of here, Emma, She remembered the words as though it were yesterday.
By the time she was no longer incarcerated, she found it hard to keep the faith that everything would work out okay. She eventually found a job as a caretaker at one of the local animal shelters, the pay wasn't great but that wasn't what she did it for. She found such strength just working with the animals at the shelter, unlike humans, who didn't judge her for her past.
Emma had made sure to keep in contact with Harriet over the years, but the phone calls and emails had become less and less frequent as Emma herself became more busy with her work and trying to make a life for herself, and she assumed that Harriet herself was very busy with the girls.
She didn't mind that, she knew she was no longer one of Harriet's Girls but she couldn't help but feel a little saddened that the one person that knew her best wasn't around as much anymore, the one constant in her life.
So, here Emma was, entering Harriet's Home for the first time in years, a 24 year old somewhat together adult finally returning to the first place she'd ever felt at home. It hadn't changed much, there were minor updates throughout the large home, she could see that the light fixtures had been fixed, the kitchen and dining area at the center of the house had been rearranged and upgraded. But it wasn't anything fancy, it still felt like home. Leaving the kitchen she jogged back towards the front of the house, made her way up the still rickety old staircase and made her way down the narrow hallway.
Entering the office, a small smile flickered across Emma's lips as she took in the room. It was exactly the same. Exactly. Right down to the owl bookends that Emma recognised straight away, she ran her finger over the slight crack on one of them and remembered dropping it and super-gluing it back together. And three of her fingers. She spent the night in the emergency room being reprimanded by Harriet, she was so mad at Emma but she knew it was all for show because there was a worry brimming in her eyes that she couldn't hide from her no matter how hard she attempted to. Luckily there were a few people involved in Harriet's Home that were qualified to look after the girls in case Harriet wasn't able to be there.
Emma hadn't heard the door open until she heard a woman's voice behind her.
"Miss Swan, I presume?" Her question was clipped, but there was an undertone of amusement.
Emma jumped slightly not having heard someone sneak up on her. She turned around and was met with an unfamiliar face, her posture poised as she leaned her hip against the hardwood desk flicking through a book with disinterest.
"Uh, yeah. Yep, that's me."
This woman was the epitome of authority. Emma could see it from the way she stood exactly like all her teachers had in the past when they were about to hand her a blue slip and send her to the principle's office.
"One of my staff informed me that you were here loitering in my office-"
"I'm not loitering in your office," Emma cut her off defensively. Wait what? "Your office?"
Regina's eyes sharpened when the blonde talked over her, eyes flashing dangerously as she snapped the book shut, her chin pointing upwards in what Emma assumed was an attempt to school her features back into an aura of authority and superiority.
" Miss Swan ," Regina's tone was extremely sweet, but brimming beneath the surface there was a thick and heavy barely controlled annoyance. "Is there something that I can help you with?"
Emma hesitated, she was like a child caught with her hand inside the cookie jar.
"I was looking for Harriet." A sheepish smile edged it's way across her lips. "I used to…" Emma trailed off, her hand motioning to nothing in particular.
But Regina saw it and suddenly something clicked into place. Oh.
A flicker of vulnerability appeared in Regina's dark eyes, but before Emma could decipher what it meant or why it was there, it disappeared, a slight softness remained in the way she now looked at Emma.
"You were one of her foster children." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, an observation, a fact.
Emma's hands found them way into the pockets of her denim skinny jeans, her shoulders hunching forward slightly, waiting for the 20 invasive questions that she knew were bound to come out of those perfectly plump red lips.
But Regina didn't prod any further, instead, she did something that Emma could tell was slightly out of character for the normally poised woman. She walked across the hardwood floors, closing the slight distance between them. Regina stood just before Emma, hesitating slightly as though she was battling herself internally.
"I'm sorry, Emma."
Emma blinked, a sudden deer-in-the-headlights look crossed her face. Then, even more bizarrely, Regina reached out and gently squeezed the blonde's elbow, the reassuring squeeze finally causing Emma to understand. The brunette's touch was soft, tentative, she looked a little lost as though she didn't know how to comfort her as if she hadn't been comforted or cared after enough throughout her life to know how to comfort another.
She recognised that within herself.
"She died?"
"A few days ago." Regina confirmed, squeezing her arm once more before pulling away.
Emma's arm tingled from where the warm press of Regina's hand had been moments before, she didn't dwell on it, a range of different emotions raging up a storm inside of her. She couldn't believe it. She had spoken to her just days before, maybe the day of-
Emma shook her head to stop the tears prickling at the corners of her eyes to show. Crying in front of a stranger? How uncomfortable. She wouldn't allow herself to, no matter how much she felt like she could collapse on the floor right now.
"Emma?" Regina's voice was soft, it sounded foreign, as though she rarely spoke to anybody like this. "Did you hear what I said?"
Emma cleared her throat, shaking her head, having zoned out temporarily. She could feel her defenses building back up but she willed them not to, she was trying not to be that person anymore.
"I assume you came here because of the charity fundraiser that she was holding?"
Emma nodded, her voice slightly shaky but she was determined to not let anyone, even a complete stranger who had a tongue as sharp as a knife that contradicted the soft gleam in her eyes, the squeeze of her fingers.
Regina continued, crossing her arms in front of her distancing herself as she returned to her authoritative role. "We decided to honour her memory by continuing with the fundraiser in her name."
"That's nice." Emma replied, not knowing quite what to say.
A beat of silence filled the space between them, Regina turned on her heel and made her way back towards her desk . Emma assumed that was her way of ending their conversation, so she headed towards the open door.
"I do hope you can make it, Miss Swan."
Regina was standing behind her desk, one hand pressed on the top of her chair as she rolled it back. Emma paused, turning back around in slight surprise, only then did she realise.
Who was this woman?
"I didn't catch your name."
"No. You didn't."
A smile flickered across Regina's lips but before she could make more of it it quickly disappeared and she settled herself in her seat and started shuffling papers on the desk. Emma pressed a hand to the door frame, her eyebrows raising towards her hairline and as she turned away, she couldn't help the small and unexpected smile from gracing her lips.
