Well, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It's longer than the others, for that I apologize, but now is that we are really getting to the meat of the story. Let me know what you think! :)
It was roughly a week later before the two really saw each other again. David was just finishing dinner and putting his dishes in the sink when he heard his doorbell ring. He hated how he had potentially made Regina feel worse about how she was raising or treating Henry and Emma. He knew that their conversation had broken her to tears as well… David noticed her in her bedroom that night when he went into his office to go through some finances of the shelter. He wondered if he could fix it; amend what happened considering that had been his ultimate goal.
Drying his hands, he walked over and opened the door. To his surprise, he found Regina standing on the other side, holding a glass platter and she had a… Smile on her face?
"Regina, hi," he was slightly confused as he leaned against the threshold and opened the entrance to his apartment a bit more, "Sorry, I wasn't really expecting anyone." He admitted.
She gave him a smile, "I figured so. You caught me off guard several times too. May I come in?"
He nodded, "Of course," and stepped aside to let her in.
She walked in and couldn't help but look around the recent bachelor's apartment. Upon entrance, she was in the living room. He'd decorated it with a fuzzy red rug over the already existing beige carpeted floors; a chestnut-colored coffee table occupied the center of the red rug. He had two deep brown-leathered couches; one long, against the wall, and a smaller one to compliment it, alongside the other wall, by the windows. His flat screen television was mounted on the wall and under it a small table that held a stereo and his cable box and she even noticed a few game systems that were similar to Henry's.
"This is a very nice place, David; quaint… Cozy too," she turned to look at him and grinned.
David smiled, "Thank you. You're welcome to take a seat," he motioned for her to do so, and sat down beside her when she sat.
"I promise I won't be here long, I'm sure you're busy," she began but David did a waving motion with his hand as if to tell her that he wasn't. Regina gave a half nod, smiling at David and she opened up the glass platter that was now on her lap and the smell of fresh brownies pervaded the room. "I made you some brownies. As a thank you, I suppose you could say." She handed the un-lidded Tupperware to him.
He was slightly taken aback by the reason, "Thank you for what, Regina?"
"Well, what you said the other night. It got me thinking, David, and I suppose you are right… What will I do when Henry is older and can make the choice for himself. Like I told you, he's all I have and I can't lose him," she swallowed hard.
David didn't stop himself from reaching out and taking her hand like he'd tried to do before but had coward away; but not this time. Nope, this time he would follow his instinct and do what he felt was right. Gently, he took into his large, warm hands her small, cold ones and gave them a squeeze. "Regina, do you remember a few weeks ago..? What happened when you found me at the diner after a meeting with Kathryn and the divorce lawyer?" He swallowed too because he hated how much he had hurt Kathryn.
Regina looked at him oddly; what did that have to do with anything? "Yes, I remember…" She replied slowly.
"Well, you told me that you were my friend too, despite being Kathryn and that you were here for me. What I didn't get to tell you that night was that I'm here for you too, Regina. Anything you need, if you just want to talk or cry or whatever… What you tell me will always stay between us."
The knot in Regina's throat grew large and she bit down on her lip while her eyes swam in unshed tears. She couldn't bring herself to speak out of fear of a sob coming out instead. She was sure David didn't know how much those words meant to her. Nobody had ever told her that they were willingly on her side, willingly offering themselves to this… this… -whatever she was- to help her. Oh, that meant so much more than David would ever know.
She gave him a very faint smile and she whispered, "Thank you, David. That means a lot to me…" And then it happened, a tear fell.
He didn't seem shocked though. He didn't seem bewildered or baffled at her façade melting away and that's what caused another tear to shed. He saw her as a human being, as a person. He saw her as a person with feelings. But what if this was all out of pity? Pity from what though? She's never allowed herself to look weak in front of him nor anyone for that matter. She looked up into his ocean blue eyes and the sincerity in them made a shiver run down her spine. She'd not seen such a look in someone's eyes toward her, since Daniel… Another tear fell for Daniel.
His hand came out of hers, which they'd been gripping onto each other without noticing, and with his thumb, he tenderly wiped away that tear that fell and gave her a smile, whispering, "And I'm here to wipe your tears too if you'd like."
She mirrored his smile with a watery one and she bowed her head to let out a low laugh, "Goodness David, you've no idea what you're getting yourself into. But thank you."
He watched her closely. David wasn't sure how, why or when it started happening, but there was something different here. He felt different about her. Maybe it was his overwhelming need to take all her pain away; the feeling as so much stronger than it was when he first started this "mission".
The hand that had wiped her tears, found its way to her chin and he delicately lifted it so he could look into her eyes. Regina's heart swelled at the care he used with her. As if she was a fragile glass that would easily break if handled too harshly. If it were anyone else, she'd snap at them and call the stupid for using kid-gloves on her. But she was tired of fighting, so tired of hiding; so tired of building up these walls that kept her locked away from the world.
Then in comes Prince Charming in his white horse with a sword and a magical wand, which at the wave of, he'd just made her walls tumble down. The ones she'd been putting up since before this whole mess started. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that easily he was able to bring them down but at the same time, she was so relieved that someone finally cared enough to bring them down.
"Hey… I don't care what happens from here. I know that you need someone, Regina. I know that it's hard to trust people cause you don't know if they'll hurt you or not. I ask that you give me the chance and let me in. I want to help you. I ask for nothing in return. If you ever need someone to call, a friend or someone to talk to, I'm here for you. You won't be a burden to me, if that's what you're afraid of…"
He trailed off when he watched her lean forward, bury her face into her hands and a low sob escaped her lips without her consent. David blinked, not expecting it to be that simple. He had just made a promise to Regina now, and he knew that he couldn't break it. Bringing his hand up to her back, he began rubbing it soothingly while her shoulders shook. David leaned up as well and got up to the edge of the couch like she was sitting and continued to rub her back. The blue-eyed man noticed that the brunette was holding in her sobs and he whispered, "It's okay to let it out, Regina… This is what I'm here for."
It was just a kindhearted reminder and it was enough to make her dam break. The sob that escaped her lips next was not out of her merit but its own. Regina found herself sobbing like she usually spent in her nights alone. David felt his heart snap at the sounds that left her lips. They were so raw and broken and he wanted nothing more than to remedy it. He was moving unconsciously when his arms wrapped around her shaking form completely and he pulled her close. He didn't care about how it looked; this was the best way he could think of to help her at that moment. Hold her while she cried; something she didn't seem to have very often if ever at all.
At first the raven-haired woman was very tense in his arms, unsure of what was going on. In her muddled thoughts, she tried to figure out if she really wanted to give herself away to this man. If she was ready to allow him to see her naked, something she hadn't done in such a long time. Soon she realized she didn't have much of a choice as her body leaned into his touch and her face burrowed into his right breast. She felt his hold tighten slightly when she leaned in and for the first time in a long time, she felt safe. She felt that she didn't need to fight anymore. Regina gave in completely that night.