"How was therapy, dear?" the blonde's mother asked her brightly.
"Fine," Emma grumbled, slouching in her seat at the dinner table.
"Well?"
"Well what?" the teen snapped.
"Well, what did you talk about?"
"Isn't that kind of confidential? Isn't that the whole point?"
"Well… I suppose…"
"Honey," the girl's father cut in, "let's give Emma a break. I'm sure she's had a long day, and if she doesn't want to tell us the private things she talks about in therapy, she shouldn't have to."
The woman sighed deeply and turned her attention back to the food in front of her, taking a few bites before speaking up again.
Suddenly, the girl's mother blurted out, "I just don't understand why you won't talk to us!"
"Dad!" Emma cried, slamming her fork down on the table.
"Mary Margaret," the man sighed. "Please. Just leave her be. She's going to therapy. That's all we can ask of her."
"Thanks," Emma muttered. "Can I be excused?"
"But honey, you haven't eaten anything!" the woman cried, looking at her daughter's full plate.
"Lost my appetite."
Without waiting for the permission she'd requested, Emma got up from the table and made her way up the stairs and into her bedroom.
On the second day of group therapy, the following week, Emma arrived early again, but this time, the doctor had not yet arrived, and it was only Regina who waited in the room.
"Hey, friend," Regina greeted her with a smile.
"Uh… We're not friends."
"Yet."
"Pardon?"
"We're not friends yet."
"What makes you so sure I'll be your friend?"
"Oh, I don't know," Regina laughed. "Maybe the way you checked me out last week?"
"I wasn't ch-"
"Oh, come on, Emma. I'm not that stupid."
"Whatever," the blonde grumbled, walking away and sitting down on the opposite side of the circle of chairs.
Before Regina could make a retort, the doctor walked in and silenced them both without words. Neither of them wanted to make their conversation public – especially not Emma.
Once everyone had gathered in the room and the session had begun, one of the girls volunteered to tell her story. It was darker and more graphic than Emma had ever expected anyone to tell in public, and as soon as the girl relayed her experience of being raped the previous summer, Regina rose from her seat and hurried out of the room. Of course, Emma couldn't help but notice – everyone did – but she couldn't find the courage to follow the girl out of the room. Instead, she waited until the session was over, and then, instead of mingling with the rest of the students in the group, she made her way out into the hall, where she found Regina sitting alone on the steps to the second floor.
"Hey," Emma said slowly, noting the tears on the girl's cheeks. "You okay?"
Regina, startled, looked up, but instantly broke the gaze when their eyes connected.
"Yeah!" the brunette said, as cheerfully as possible. "I'm fine. Allergies."
Emma raised an eyebrow as Regina bit her lip.
"You're a pretty shitty liar yourself."
When Regina continued to look away, Emma sat down beside her.
"Seriously. You gonna be okay?"
"I'll be fine. Thanks. You should go back in there and talk with everyone."
"So should you."
"Yeah, but I-"
"Do you wanna get out of here?"
"What?"
"You know. Bail early. Ditch the second half of the session. G.T.F.O."
"Uh… sorry?"
"Get the fuck out," Emma explained with a laugh. Regina still looked confused, so the blonde continued, saying, "Let's just go. This is bullshit anyway."
Regina made no move to stand, so Emma stood first and held out her hand, which the brunette simply stared at. When the girl realized that Regina wasn't going to take it without a little push, she leaned in and grabbed the girl's hand, then pulled her off the steps.
"Come on. I'm kidnapping you."
"I really can't. My mom-"
"Fuck your mom. Let's go."
Emma was grinning, and Regina was too captivated by the girl's smile to let go of her slightly sweating hand. Instead, she followed the blonde outside as they made their way down the sidewalk, heading towards the downtown area of the city. Emma let go when they were just around the corner from the therapist's office.
"Where are we going?" Regina finally asked, looking a little apprehensive.
"We're teenagers. We're going to the mall, duh."
"But I hate-"
"Oh, hush. There's gotta be something you like there. What about the pet store?"
This brought a bright smile to the brunette's face, and Emma stopped suddenly as soon as she saw it.
"What?" Regina asked, looking a little dumbfounded at Emma's sudden lack of movement.
"Nothing. I just knew I'd find something you liked."
At the pet store, the two of them huddled close to each small pen of puppies, gawking at them and cooing over their cuteness.
"They're so adorable!" Regina cried. "I just want to take them all home!"
"You don't have any pets?"
"No… My mom is allergic. She says pets are silly."
Emma looked surprised, then offended.
"You should come over and meet my dog, Thor. He's a corgi."
"Aww! That's such a cute name! How old is he?"
"He's only two, but I can't believe how fast he grew up."
"I really wish I had a dog," the brunette sighed sadly, reaching down and scratching behind the ears of a particularly adorable German shepherd puppy.
"I'm serious. Come meet Thor."
"Now? What about our parents? My mom is supposed to pick me up after therapy… I'm going to be in such deep shit."
"Just tell her… Tell her Doctor Wilson wanted you to stay late. We'll swing by my place really quick and then head back."
Regina hesitated, but eventually agreed.
As soon as they arrived at Emma's apartment downtown, they were both pleased to see that neither of Emma's parents were home, and that Thor came running to the door as soon as it opened.
"Hi, baby!" Emma cried happily, lifting the dog into her arms and embracing him.
"Oh, my God! He's perfect!"
"I know it!" the blonde agreed with a smile, kissing the dog's nose. "You're perfect! Aren't you, handsome man? Aren't you? Yes, you are!"
When Emma set the dog down and looked over at Regina, she saw that the girl was grinning from ear to ear as she crouched down to take her turn at showing the adorable dog affection. Instantly, Thor rolled over onto his back, exposing his stomach, which Regina promptly scratched.
"He's perfect," Regina sighed again, this time sadly.
Emma watched them for a moment, then put her hand on Regina's shoulder, saying, "Hey, listen… You can come over and hang out with him any time. My parents would be happy to think I've got a friend."
"Ha!" Regina said quickly. "Told you!"
"I said think I've got a friend," the blonde corrected the girl. "Don't get excited."
Regina stood up and looked into Emma's eyes, this time not breaking her gaze.
"I don't think you would have done all this for me if you didn't think of us as new-found friends."
"Well… Well… Whatever. Look, I should get you back before your mom wigs out. Let's go."
Regina, saying nothing else, nodded and followed Emma out the front door and back towards their therapist's office.