Self Defence
A/N: Hey there! This is my first Once Upon a Time fic. I have written for Gilmore Girls before, but after reading hundreds of OQ fics, and having many ideas lie around, it was about time I wrote one myself.
I would like to thank my friend Lea, who has encouraged me over and over again to finally write for this ship. This story originally came from her, so thanks for letting me write it, dear.
Thanks also to my friend Niamh. She has beta'd for me for my Gilmore Girls fictions and decided to beta this as well, even though she doesn't watch the series. It is very much appreciated. You're a doll!
I have most chapters planned, and it will be a multific. I already started chapter two, but I've got exam week coming up, so it might be a while.
I'll leave you to the story then. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 1: Regina
"Henry, are you sure you're okay staying with Rose today?" Regina calls from her bedroom into the living room, where Henry is laid out on the ground watching television, his face propped up on his hands, as she fluffs her hair some more in front of the wall length mirror.
He lets out a deep sigh. "Yes, mom," he replies. "I'm ten, you know. I'm not a little kid anymore," he adds smartly, and Regina lets out a sigh of her own as she is once again reminded about how fast her little boy is growing up, and that he seems to have inherited her own smart mouth.
"We'll be fine, Regina!" Rose adds as Regina puts in her other earring and takes one last look in the mirror, satisfied with the result. "You go have some fun with Emma! God knows you need it," she finishes under her breath.
"I heard that," Regina calls back, emerging from her bedroom, silently asking Rose for her approval.
"Good," Rose calls over her shoulder, with a smirk, but when she sees Regina, she turns around fully and her tone changes to something less teasing, "Wow, Regina. You look absolutely beautiful." She is wearing a red dress with a triangle at the top that shows a bit of cleavage, but not too much; it has small sleeves covering her shoulders, and the skirt flows freely from her waist down to her knees. The whole ensemble is finished off with six inch black pumps. Her makeup has been carefully applied, her mascara making her long lashes look even longer, and her full lips coloured bright red—the same colour as her dress.
"I know," Regina replies with a roll of her eyes, causing Rose to chuckle, "But is it too much?"
Henry tears his attention away from the telly long enough to give her a once over. "I think you look great, mom," he tells her before returning to his program.
"It's not too much," Rose tells her, as someone knocks on the door, "It's just enough."
Regina nods and quickly heads to the hallway, letting Emma in.
"Are you ready to party?" Emma asks.
"Ready for some shots," Regina mumbles under her breath, causing Emma to let out a laugh.
"Hey Emma!" Henry shouts from the ground, finally getting up to hug his favourite aunt.
"Hey kid." She gives him a hug back. "You'll watch over Rose, right?"
Henry gives a firm nod. "And you'll watch my mom."
Emma smirks and takes his outstretched hand. "Deal."
"Alright, you two," Regina breaks them up, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Now," she turns her attention on Henry and places her hands on his shoulders, "You be a good boy, and I'll see you in the morning, all right?"
"Yes, mom," he sighs, "Now go!"
She smiles at him and presses a kiss to his cheek. A stripe of red is left behind, which she cleans of with her thumb, before grabbing her leather jacket and leaving her two-bed apartment with Emma.
"So, now that we're finally having a night out without the kid, it's time you let loose for once," Emma determines, placing a shot of tequila and a mojito on the table where Regina is seated.
She arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow at Emma, but doesn't say anything. Instead, she lifts the shot glass to clink it with Emma's before downing it.
"Ah, that's good," Emma breathes, sucking on a lemon slice. She grabs Regina's arm and drags her up. "Now, let's dance!"
"Just for a little while," Regina replies, picking up her mojito and following Emma to the dance floor.
She's actually enjoying herself, even without a big amount of alcohol in her system. She forgot how much she loves to dance. It only takes a few songs, however, before some guy is dancing behind Emma. She looks behind her, and must like what she sees, for she turns around and starts dancing and chatting with him. Suddenly Regina feels rather stupid, dancing by herself. Heading back to her table, her half full mojito still in her hand, she is stopped by a man. He holds her hand out to Regina to dance, and she remembers Emma's words from before—Just let loose for once—and decides to take up on them. What the hell right?
The guy looks several years older than she is, but it's just a dance, nothing else. He's a good dancer, she notices, but soon he's moving too close for her liking, his hands moving from the small of her back down to her buttocks, and she pushes slightly at his chest, silently asking to stop the descent of his hands. He does, but instead moves his mouth to her ear, and she feels uncomfortable as his breath blows over her ear and neck.
"I'm Sydney," he tells her and she gives her name with a tight smile. "Regina," he repeats her name breathlessly, and she feels even more uncomfortable. She looks over his shoulder at Emma, but she's too busy with a very attracted man, she must admit. Unfortunately, that means no rescue party for her, so she tells this Sydney she needs another drink and he takes it has his cue to follow.
As she walks to the bar, she can feel his eyes on her backside. She rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh. She feels ridiculous, for going in the first place, and for wearing a dress that stands out too much. This is not her scene anymore. Not since Henry was born, perhaps not ever. She wishes she were at home on the couch, in her comfy pyjamas, with a glass of wine, and her son right next to her, watching one of the Harry Potter films for the umpteenth time, because Henry loves them so much.
It's just one night. She can survive one night.
Reaching the bar, she asks for another tequila shot and from the corner of her eyes, she sees Sydney hold up two fingers. She sits down at one of the stools, and he takes the one next to her. She wishes this guy could just take a hint. All she wanted was some dancing, not some puppy following her around.
Two shots are placed in front of them and Sydney lifts his' and she clinks it begrudgingly. "To her majesty", he tells her.
She quickly downs the drink, coughs a little, before she raises her eyebrow, as she asks him, "Excuse me?"
"'Regina', it means 'queen'. Didn't you know?"
"I did," she replies, "I'm just surprised you knew."
Sydney simply shrugs his shoulders. "It suits you," he tells her.
She lets out a laugh. "It doesn't always feel that way," she tells him darkly, thinking of her life as a single mum. It's almost like having two full time jobs. Working at the publishing house and raising Henry by herself, barely leaves any time for just her. Ironically though, now she'd much rather be working on one of her two jobs than spending alone time in a club she doesn't want to be in.
"What? A beautiful woman like yourself?" he flirts, giving her a one sided smirk, that doesn't become him.
"Thanks," she mumbles, with another tight smile, asking the bartender for another. If she's going to get through this night, she's going to need a whole lot more than two shots. Though, she tells herself, not to drink too much, or she might actually find herself interested in this man due to the alcohol intoxication, and she can't have that.
"The fairest of them all," he continues, as if she's actually showing him interest. She keeps her focus on the bartender, refusing to look at Sydney, as she lets out a tired sigh, before downing her third shot. She asks for another mojito, which the bartender quickly supplies for her, giving her a sympathetic smile.
She grabs the glass tightly, her knuckles turning white, as she tries to stay polite. "Look-" she says, turning to Sydney.
"Trust me, I'm looking," he interrupts her with a smug grin as his eyes roam over her body once more, and she feels a pang of disgust towards this stranger.
She takes a deep breath and starts over. "I just wanted to thank you for the dance, but I'm heading back to my table now, if you don't mind."
"I can join you," he offers.
"No, that's okay," she tells him, "I'm here with my friends. I should probably spend some time with them." With that she heads back to the dance-floor, looking for Emma. It doesn't take her long to find her.
"Regina!" Emma shouts happily, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to her mystery guy, "This is August."
She smiles politely at August and offers her hand. "Regina," she yells over the music.
"Where's that guy you were dancing with?" Emma shouts in her ear, causing Regina to move away from her before she goes permanently deaf. "He looked nice," she continues.
Regina scoffs. "Yeah, right," she shouts back. "Trust me, he was only interested in one thing. Couldn't keep his eyes on my face."
"Can you blame him," Emma jokes, earning an eye-roll from Regina.
"Not my type, all right," Regina ends the conversation. "I'm gonna find a table. Sit down for a while. I didn't exactly wear my dancing shoes."
Emma pouts, as she looks down at Regina's heels, but nods her head anyway.
"Nice to meet you," she shouts at August, who smiles and nods back at her, before taking Emma back in his arms. She turns around with a roll of her eyes and heads for an empty table, hoping to be left alone by Sydney.
As she's sitting down with her drink, looking around her, she wishes she had brought a manuscript to read. Instead, she pulls out her phone and texts Rose.
Is the apartment still standing?
She gets her answer almost immediately. Everything is fine, Regina. Henry and I are just playing a game. Now put your phone away and have some fun! Nothing to worry about here.
What game? she texts back, wishing she was there instead, knowing she would be having a lot more fun playing a game with Henry, than spending her time alone drinking, where the music is too loud and her friend abandoned her for a hot guy—not that she blames Emma.
Sigh... Mario Kart. How is the club?
A disaster. Emma is dancing with some guy. I'm at a table by myself.
Go find some guy to dance with yourself. Take Emma's example.
And have another perv to shake? No thanks.
More luck next guy? Rose replies, quickly followed by, But I gotta go. Henry wants to continue beating me.
Don't let him stay up too late! she mothers her friend, before closing her text messages and opening an ebook on her iPhone.
She has actually been able to finish a few chapters without being interrupted too much, before Emma joins her at her table. She realises it's just passed midnight. Emma looks over Regina's shoulder at her phone, exclaiming, "Seriously? You're reading a book?"
Regina just shrugs her shoulders, but places her phone back in her bag.
"Regina…" Emma starts, "If you want, I can ditch August and it will be just you and me tonight."
"I don't want you to do that," Regina replies quickly, feeling too old to have to be entertained by her friend, who deserves to have her fun as well. "I'm fine. I think I'm heading home soon and you can spend more time with August."
"I don't have to, you know," she offers again, "I'll get his phone number and we'll meet up som-"
"Emma, really, it's no big deal," Regina interrupts her, "I shouldn't have come in the first place. This isn't the kind of place for me."
Emma sighs deeply. "I feel kind of responsible. You were having fun when we were dancing, right?"
"I was," Regina admits.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just left you on the dance-floor."
"I'm a big girl, Emma. And I want you to have fun as well." Emma smiles gratefully at her, before Regina adds, with a mischievous grin, "Just make sure you're being safe."
"Yes, mother," Emma replies with a chuckle and a roll of her eyes.
To Regina's surprise, Emma gives her a hug goodbye—she is not the hugging type—and whispers another apology in Regina's ear. "Well, at least they had good mojitos here," she chuckles, trying to make light of the situation and causing Emma to laugh too before they part ways.
The club is close to her home, so she decides to walk, rather than call a taxi. After all, it's only about five minutes. It does require for her to go into an alleyway after passing the busy town-square, but she has walked that path a hundred times over.
She has barely left the club and is still putting her arms in her jacket when she hears a voice from behind her.
"Hey!" Sydney calls, jogging a bit to catch up to her, "Leaving already?"
"I have to get up early tomorrow," she lies, increasing her steps, just wanting to go home already.
"Shame," he tells her, "I wouldn't have minded another dance." He looks at her devilishly as he roams his eyes over her curves.
"Yeah, well. Maybe some other girl," she grumbles at him, not at all in the mood.
"Where are you going?" he asks her needlessly.
"Home. To sleep," she replies through gritted teeth.
"And you're walking?"
"I live close by," she's getting more uncomfortable by the minute, looking around her, but no one is paying attention to her. She feels vulnerable alone on the street with a stranger who won't leave her alone.
"I'll walk you home," he offers her, presumably politely.
She's nearly in the alley, so she stops in her tracks to face him. "I'd rather you didn't," she snaps at him, before continuing her way home, hoping he won't follow her.
"I didn't pay for those drinks for nothing," he tells her angrily.
"Fine. I'll pay you back," she snipes back at him, reaching for her bag, "How much was it?"
Before she has the time to reach inside her bag, he pulls her the final few steps into the dark alleyway and throwing her violently against the brick wall. She lets out a surprised yelp, followed by a loud gasp as her head bangs the wall hard. "I don't want your money," he snares back at her, trapping her between the wall and his own body, and holding both of her arms nailed against the wall as well, as he moves forward and crushes her mouth painfully with his own, thrusting his tongue inside.
Regina doesn't know what's happening. Everything seems to go so fast. One moment she's walking and the next she's thrown against the wall, being violated, with no way to defend herself. But she's not going down without a fight.
As she feels his tongue press against her teeth, she opens her mouth, just to bite him, hard. She can taste the blood in her mouth as he pulls back and looks even angrier. Sure enough, he slaps her hard across her cheek. She looks to her right, back at the square, but she doesn't see anyone from where they're standing. She decides to scream loudly for help, but knows people probably won't hear her over the loud music. Sydney places his hand over her mouth, as his other one moves to squeeze her arse. She mumbles behind his hand, tries to get free. She pushes at him with her now free hands; she hits him; she tries scratching him, his face, his arms, his chest, anything she can reach—but even though she's given him some good blows, it's not doing her any good. He just laughs at her and she can smell the alcohol on his breath.
He removes his hand from her mouth, and she starts yelling immediately—shouts for help, desperate pleas for him to get away from her, to please don't do this. She tries kneeing him, but he sets his foot on her own, his whole weight crushing her toes, and she cries out in pain, tears escaping her eyes.
He moves his hands to her small cleavage, still pressing his body against her to keep her in place as she hits, and shouts, and squirms to get away, to no use. She can feel his arousal against her hip, and feels absolutely disgusted.
In one quick motion, he tears the front of her dress all the way to her navel, revealing her red lace bra to him. He licks his lips in anticipation and she cries for help even more. She feels the front clasp of her bra open, and she curses herself for wearing one of her sexy bras, with easy access. She tries to stop him, tries to cover her half naked breasts, but he grabs both arms and presses them against the wall again, with a strength she didn't expect just looking at him. She feels the scrape of the wall against the back of her arms, feels the skin getting torn, but that's the least of her problems right now. As he bends over her, she squeezes her eyes shut and tries to shout for help one more time. She can feel his disgusting hot breath graze her cheek, down her neck, her shoulders, and then down between the valley of her breasts.
She swallows deeply, her eyes still shut tight, still squirming against the wall, as she waits disgustingly for his lips on her upper female parts, but it never happens.
A/N: Thanks so much for reading. Reviews are very much appreciated.
