Warnings: same as the first chapter really, mild descriptions of abuse, some sexy bits and Emma being all bitter.
This should go a little way towards explaining Emma's conduct in the last few chapters. One day I might actually right straight up fluff. Doubt it will be in the SwanQueen pairing though because they've just too broken to be completely soft with each other. (Which is why I love them.)
Thanks to all you that have come along and even encouraged this story.
XxXx
Emma didn't like Regina.
Regina Mills was a snob. That's what Emma had thought the first time she laid eyes on the prissy school girl. Truthfully, the thought never left but as the years went on it held less and less bile until it was almost fond.
However at school Regina personified everything Emma hated. She had money, opportunity and a misplaced sense of entitlement that she had never worked for. Emma had worked for everything, she had slaved away at the inner city school filled with drug dealers and future prisoners to get good grades and get out of there. She had lived in foster home after group home after foster home and wherever else the government shoved her and still managed to keep her grades up enough to win a scholarship.
The scholarship to Skycastle was a chance for her to escape. She didn't want to be like the other kids in the group homes she had grown up in. They were lost and abandoned and only had short term aspirations of survival. Emma thought bigger. She didn't just want to survive, she wanted to live. She learned not to get attached the hard way as most of those kids wouldn't even meet their short term goal of surviving.
No one bothered trying to steal off her. Her ratty clothes and sneakers that were falling apart let everyone know she was far too poor to have anything more substantial than dreams. It didn't stop the beatings but Emma had learned to fight and she was hell of a runner when that failed.
When she turned twelve she was shoved into a particularly bad foster home. The mother was a drunk and the dad was an abusive asshole but luckily for Emma he only cared about boys. Little girls held no interest to him other than a source of government income.
It was still a horrible place to be with the poor boys having dead eyes that flinched at every squeak of the floor board. She stayed out most nights so she didn't have to listen. She usually took her math book with her since she had to concentrate a hell of a lot harder on those sums which helped block out the crying. She was glad when one of the boys had finally had enough and killed the dad.
The day her acceptance came from Skycastle was the day Emma's whole life changed. She was in her last years of school but it didn't matter. College's loved a sob story especially when the teller managed to graduate from one of their own schools.
That way they could pretend to be charitable without having to get too close to 'real poverty.'
But Emma couldn't care less, she would take their finishing school education and get her degree and never have to look back. The best thing about being born in the gutter was that she couldn't fall any further. The only way she could go was up.
Skycastle was her way out. Her chance to make something of herself, to have more than the government paid for clothes on her back. Regina Mills ruined that for her and Emma hated her for it.
XxXx
Emma tried to stay in her school uniform as much as possible. The crisp white shirts and pleated blue skirts where the first things she had ever owed that were meant for her. All her other clothes had been second or third hand which never fitted properly. She hated weekends as she was forced into her own clothes that she was either growing out of or that had been ripped and mended so many times they were more thread than cloth.
"Aren't you coming into town with us Emma?" Mary-Margret asked again.
"No I'm okay," Emma shrugged. She couldn't afford the bus fair into town and after Mary-Margret had tried to be nice and insist that they would only window shop she didn't want to mention it. Mary-Margret had once thought she was being kind by offering to pay for Emma but Emma had got so angry she had walked the whole way back to school. It was frustrating that she just didn't understand that no, Emma couldn't pay her back later, because Emma still would never have the money.
It was better if they just never talked about money.
Mary-Margret looked like she wanted to protest but stopped herself. "If you're sure," she sighed and ran off to catch up with some of the other girls in their year.
Emma did what she always did when she was frustrated and disappointed. She grabbed her books and studied because if she did that, then one day she would be able to go into town and not worry about bus fare. Hell she would drive into town in her own damn car.
The good thing about the school library on Saturday was that it was almost always empty. Even the librarian didn't bother to come in. It was supposed to be locked but never was because no one in their right mind would try and steal Skycastle books, Emma had seen pawn shots with less security.
"What are you doing here?"
Emma looked up to find Regina Mills glaring down at her. Regina wore a red polo shirt that was obviously new and black designer pants. Her shoes were shinned until they reflected like mirrors and the mandatory tennis bracelet on her left wrist completed the attire. She looked as if she was fresh from the country club and ready to be mugged.
"Obviously I'm plotting a way to be with my lover from a rival house," Emma made a show of holding up her copy of Romeo and Juliet and looking confused. "Nope, that's actually the character in my English book."
Regina frowned, "that essay isn't due in until next Friday."
"So?" Emma raised her eyebrow.
"It's just suspicious that you're in here on a Saturday," Emma could feel Regina's gaze weighing her up, noting every rip and tear in her clothes and the ugly school issue books and pens that all the other girls eschewed for the supplies they bought themselves. Even her school bag bore the Skycastle crest.
Emma stood up and smirked when she noticed Regina jump back. She walked away and was surprised when Regina followed her down the aisles.
"Your kind doesn't belong here," Regina said obnoxiously and oddly brave. Usually she waited to insult Emma when there was a teacher around.
"My kind? You mean white people?" Emma said sarcastically as she turned around sharply causing Regina to flinch. She then glared as if to make up for the momentary weakness.
"No, I don't mean white people," Regina huffed still glaring, "poor and stupid." She ran her gaze over Emma again and folded her arms.
"Maybe you should get over yourself and learn not to judge a book by its cover," Emma bristled and shoved a copy of Pride and Prejudice at Regina.
Regina frowned as she looked at the book and then turned and walked away. Emma thinking she had won went back to looking for the actual book she needed. She had yet to learn that fighting with Regina Mills would rarely be a quick affair.
Regina returned looking smug and shoved a copy of Plato's Republic at her. "And you should learn that classes should never mix."
"Cute, but there's a reason that Plato refers to the segregation of class as Socrate's 'noble lie,'" Emma gave the book back dismissively. Regina was obviously startled that she had got the reference.
"Really I'm trying to be kind," Regina tried to smile sympathetically but her scorn got in the way, "living with the wrong dreams never works out well," she reached around Emma, steeling herself at being so close to white trash like Emma. Their arms brushed as she showed Emma a copy of Death of a Salesman.
"False elitism usually meets a bad end too," Emma smirked and reached for the same shelf to pull out A Street Car Named Desire. "Maybe I should call you Blanche?"
Regina sneered and looked around "well, Stanley, it's sad but the more you try and escape your fate the more you fulfil it," she reached up and used one finger to tip a book off the shelf. Oedipus Tyrannous fell between them like a tossed gauntlet.
Emma snorted and dropped To Kill A Mocking Bird on top of Oedipus Tyrannous to cover it. "You know perpetuating social hierarchies often leads to injustice." She smirked as she pulled out her ten dollar words.
"Social structures are there for a reason otherwise there would be chaos," Regina let a copy of Lord of the Flies drop on top of To Kill A Mocking Bird.
"Yes, because complete conformity in civilizations always works out so well," Emma said sarcastically as she held up Fahrenheit 451.
"You should just give up on unobtainable dreams," Regina tapped the spine of Moby Dick.
"Actually I think you should give up on insane and pointless vendettas," Emma smiled condescendingly and flicked the Moby Dick cover herself.
"It's plain you don't belong here and everyone can see it," Regina reached across the isle and pulled out The Scarlet Letter.
"I'm different but at least I'm not phony," Emma handed her The Catcher and the Rye.
Regina tossed it over her shoulder with a huff. "You're not different, you're just out of place and those that try to rise above themselves are quickly slapped down," She kicked a dusty tomb of Paradise Lost that had sat on the bottom shelf for years untouched.
Emma raised her eyebrows, "did you just compare yourself to God?" She asked in disbelief before handing her a copy of The Picture of Dorian Grey "you are so damn vain."
"I didn't mean it like that! It fitted the theme," Regina defended hotly shoving Dorian Grey roughly back into the shelf.
"Sure," Emma mocked. She strolled past Regina idly tossing a book over her shoulder. Regina caught it by its middle pages and fumbled frantically trying not to rip them.
"Taming of the Shrew!?" Regina read shrilly.
"It fitted a theme," Emma smirked as she slung her back around her shoulders and didn't look back.
XxXx
"She's staring again," Mary-Margret mumbled as she sat down beside Emma in the lunchroom.
"Man, she really hates you," Emma laughed.
"It's not me she's staring at." Mary-Margret shot back smugly.
Since almost the very moment Emma entered Skycastle Regina watched her. It reminded Emma of the rich kids who thought they would be brave and take a drive on the wrong side of the tracks. She watched Emma as if she was some dangerous animal she had spotted while on safari.
Emma couldn't go a day without feel the girls glare cutting into her. The constant sound of paper tearing as Regina gave her yet another detention slip haunted her dreams. Everywhere Emma went Regina seemed to be lurking with her judgemental sneer. She went out of her way to constantly remind Emma that she didn't belong.
It amused Emma to no end. Regina was all but pulling Emma's hair and running away. Emma knew that she wouldn't fit in with the people at Skycastle. She didn't go there to make friends, she went there for the opportunity. She was fully prepared to ignore everyone and put her head down to study like she always did. Regina was all but begging her for attention but dealing with privileged rich girls wasn't part of Emma's escape plan. Maybe her life would have been better she had ignored Regina and kept to her plan.
But then she saw Regina dance.
Emma didn't know a thing about ballet but Regina could move. For once, it was Emma that couldn't stop staring. She had never seen anyone so graceful. Even Mary-Margret who was also in the ballet didn't come close to Regina.
She looked so poised, every movement had a deliberate flow as it glided from one step to the next. There was none of the teenage awkwardness to Regina, she was fully in control of her body, the stage, Emma. It was her face that usually stopped Emma dead. It was could be serene and distant, completely absorbed in the dance, or a traumatic violent surge of emotions that cut away the grace and replaced it with raw power that bludgeoned its way confusedly through the still beautiful movements.
Regina was petty, prejudiced, entitled and deeply repressed. However when Emma saw her dance...it was the first time she actually noticed that Regina was also pretty, as well as all those other things.
XxXx
When Principal Mills took over the rehearsals to the ballet she was harsher than any drill sergeant. She didn't scream but she snapped and unlike her daughter could insult everyone around her in the most effective way possible. The backstage hands were little more than servants to her. It was their job to run and fetch, clean and carry and any other menial task that Mills wanted done on top of their other duties.
Emma who had been struggling with this new awareness of Regina was both glad and pissed at the extra work. She joined the back stage crew as a light distraction because she was aware studying all the time would lead to academic burnout. She did not join to be a rich woman's indentured servant. She also didn't join in order to spend even more time with Regina.
But that's what she ended up doing.
Since she was one of the few girls that was decent with a hammer and had an aptitude for actually working, it wasn't long before the wood shop teacher Mr Goss kept her close to the stage helping out building scenery.
Mills had ensured that her daughter always had centre stage, even when practicing, which meant that Emma always had a perfect view of Regina. She would watch Regina go through the steps, bend and twist her body in a way that brought a blush to Emma's cheeks. It was hypnotic and more than once the only thing that snapped her out of the show was whacking her finger or thumb with a hammer.
Outside of rehearsal Regina was the same snob that tried and usually succeeded in getting Emma into trouble. Ignoring her then was easy, it was only when she shut her spiteful mouth and moved that Emma couldn't take her eyes off her.
It got worse as the weeks went on until she would be happily ignoring Regina one minute but then she would toss her hair or move a certain way, echoing the grace she had on stage and Emma was hooked. When Regina thought she was alone or that no one was paying attention she would go through the movements of her part. A quick step here, a graceful arch of an arm there, as she revised her part. It drove Emma nuts because since Principal Mills had kicked everything up a notch, Regina had been too busy to stare at Emma like she used to.
She remembered the weeks leading up to the first kiss as a painful boil of frustration. The last person Emma wanted to want was Regina Mills. She hated that she would give someone like Regina that sort of power over her. She fought it with all her considerable will power but her subconscious betrayed her and every night Regina would dance through her dreams.
Kissing Regina had been an act of self defence. She needed to do it or she would have gone crazy.
"Why did you do that?" Regina sounded alarmed and shocked, like she hadn't been waiting for Emma to do that since the first day they met.
Emma was nearly out of her mind at this stage, almost crazy with want, which was the only reason she could think off to explain why she actually told the truth. "I like you watching me...I missed it."
XxXx
When James went to kiss Regina as a joke Emma didn't realise she had let go off the sandbag until he was sprawled out flat on his back. After practice she had hauled Regina into the closest empty classroom like she always did.
"You were jealous," Regina said smugly looking so damn pleased with herself.
Emma locked the door before she pushed Regina up against it and kissed her harshly. She hated the fact that she couldn't control herself around Regina. It was always her seeking Regina out, always her that couldn't keep her hands to herself. She was losing control and Regina was revelling in the power she had over Emma.
"The bag slipped," Emma panted and it sounded like a feeble lie even to her so she added defiantly, "he can't kiss you like I can."
She had to believe that.
"And why not? He'd probably kiss better, he's a boy," Regina needled her. "He wouldn't need to stand on his toes to kiss me," Regina smirked at Emma who was standing on her toes right now, "he's handsome, tall and broad-"
"-And not what you want," Emma's snapped. It was Regina that couldn't stop staring at Emma, it was Regina that used to beg for Emma's attention. Or it was at the start. Now things had somehow shifted and Emma was the one that sought Regina out, she was the one that was ignored.
"I don't want -" Regina started to deny but Emma made her shut up. "Oh," Regina gasped out as her face lost its fight and went slack as her hand pressed against Emma's breast.
Emma was worried that Regina would feel her heart beat thudding hard even through the shirt. Regina's eyes darkened she couldn't stop staring at their hands. Emma's hand still covering Regina's squeezed and they both moaned.
There was no way Emma was the only one affected. Regina wanted her just as much as Emma wanted Regina. She could be as prissy and aloof as she wanted but she still let Emma drag her into empty rooms and make her melt.
"Can-can I...?" Regina stumbled and she had to swallow as Emma pressed their bodies closer together. Regina pressed back against the wall and her legs spread slightly in invitation. Emma grinned and stood between them causing Regina's skirt to ride up slightly, as they pressed together in a whole new way that stole both their breaths.
How could Regina deny this?
Regina gripped either side of Emma's shirt to pull her into a hot and heavy kiss. Emma might have had more experience but Regina was quickly catching up in talent. Regina tugged pointedly at the buttons begging wordlessly.
Emma braced one hand on the wall and slid the other between their bodies. She could feel the soft swells of Regina's own breasts against the back of her hand as she unbuttoned her own shirt. Her own skin was obnoxious in how it brazenly reacted to Regina. She couldn't deny the deep blush or the heat and as Regina traced the outline of her bra, she couldn't deny the prickling sensation as her nipples hardened.
She rocked forward softly again and again, and Regina rocked back as she moaned into Emma's mouth. Her other hand came up to trace the top of Emma's other breast and Regina broke the kiss with a desperate gasp for air. She looked dazed.
Emma chuckled with breathless relief that she wasn't the only one affected. Regina's eyes snapped down looking sharp at the sound. Her face was flushed and there was a light sheen to her skin as her chest heaved. She looked overwhelm holding onto the sides of Emma's shirt in retreat.
The sight made Emma feel oddly protective and she drew Regina into a hug letting her bury her face in Emma's neck. She softly stroked her still shuddering back as she kissed just below Regina's ear. "He can't make you feel like this," Emma said and there was a slight threat to it, "no one can."
Regina nodded slightly against her and Emma ran her hands through Regina's hair as she smiled possessively.
XxXx
"So I'm thinking about fucking the boy who plays the prince," Maleficent (the rich with their stupid names) voice didn't lower just because she was in a library and it was common decency. "But since he's in ballet I'm wondering if he's queer?"
"How would I know? And would you lower your voice," Regina hissed. She sounded resigned yet still pissed at Maleficent's behaviour.
"Well, you do dance close to him in those thin tights, anything ever come up during all that grinding?" Maleficent didn't lower her voice.
"Don't be so disgusting!"
Emma smiled as she imagined Regina's face. She was just about to grab the book she wanted but her hand paused as Maleficent's loud voice stolen her attention.
"That's right, I completely forgot that the only wood you want pressed against you happens to be Emma Woods," Maleficent laughed. Emma froze.
"That's ridiculous," Regina snapped after a too long pause.
"Darling, don't feel so bad, all good girls like a bit of rough. If you were going to fuck girls then you might as well start off with her. She looks like she knows what she's doing, one of her foster parents probably taught her how," Maleficent took out a magazine and then muttered, like it was an afterthought, "and I supposed she's pretty, in that too poor for a salon way. Those ill fitting t-shirts do leave little to the imagination."
"Shut up," Regina said coldly. She stood up and shoving her books into her bag. "Emma Woods is not pretty, she shouldn't even be here. I'm offended that you would connect us in anyway let alone such an intimate one. If I hear anyone else talking about this then I'll bring my mother into this."
"Whoa! No need to alert the dragon lady, Regina I was only teasing," Maleficent said quickly "it's okay that you have a stupid crush-"
"I do not have a crush! Emma Woods is beneath me! Future presidents are not gay Maleficent," Regina said hotly. "And I've warned you about your magazines – I'm confiscating it," she snatched up the magazine and all but ran from the table.
Emma roughly jerked the book out of the shelf and went back to studying.
XxXx
"Ah, Ms Woods, I have to admit, this is the first time I've ever had anyone in my office complaining that the grade they received was too high," Principal Mills took sat primly behind her desk as she flipped through Emma's paper.
"I know that it wasn't an A paper," Emma admitted honestly. She had been too distracted by what Regina had said in the library to focus on her paper. She knew that she hadn't handed in her best work and had planned to do extra credit to compensate.
"Hmm," Principal Mills acknowledged as she finished reading the paper. She looked up taking off her reading glasses to give Emma a pleasant smile. "You are correct, the work here is a definitely B- effort. The grade was brought up due to the points you earned through your extracurricular work."
"What extracurricular work?" She was a stage hand but that activity didn't count towards academic credit. She'd already checked.
"Pleasing Regina of course," the Principal laughed lightly.
"What?" The colour drained out of Emma's face.
"Ms Woods, did you honestly think that I wouldn't know what's going on with my own daughter?" Principal Mills tone was light but there was definitely a condescending edge to her tone that cut through Emma. "Playing around with the likes of you keeps her relaxed. This is a big year for my Regina and anything that safely allows her to let off some steam is to be encouraged. That's why you've coasted through the advanced classes of Skycastle. Being top of the class at public school, I'm sure that was a feat for you, but Skycastle demands excellence. Top grades here are not so easily achieved. Luckily your other skill set allows you to compete," the Principal gave her an invasive once over before smirking.
"Are you saying that I've only achieved good grades because of Regina?" Emma glared.
The Principal gave a pained grimace before explaining again – like Emma was a dim-witted child. "So long as you continue to service my daughter, then you shall be paid in kind. Ms Woods, you seem irritable, is this partnership not to your liking? Would you also like a cash contribution?"
Emma's face flamed in both anger and embarrassment as she surged to her feet. "I am not for sale! How dare you! I could tell the school board!"
Mills looked extremely amused at this, "tell them what exactly? That your good grades are the result of you 'occupying' my daughter? You don't think they would launch an inquiry to see if the rest of your grades were attained in the same way? And who's to say that your grades aren't the result of a computer error? Simply a mix up of student names? It's the school who controls what papers are sent to external examiners and trust me when I say yours would reflect what I mean it too. What this all really comes down to is," Mrs Mills' face never lost its amusement even as her eyes sharpened with a vicious satisfaction, "who is going to believe someone like you, with your background and reputation...over me?"
Emma fumed and clenched her fists. She wanted to jump right over the table and punch the smug look off the other woman's face. She was messing with her grades, her chance to have a better life.
The Principal reigned in her smirk and leaned forward trying to be friendly. It didn't come naturally to her at all. "Emma, why are you fighting this? Pursuing my daughter was your own idea, was it not? This is just incentive to keep making her happy. At the end you will have your grades, sparkling letters of recommendations and some spare cash if you need some more convincing. Your acceptance to college is almost assured, and all you have to do is something you had planned to do all along."
"And if I don't keep Regina happy?" Emma asked bitterness tinting her voice as she weighed her bleak options.
"Well," Mills face went dangerously blank but the loathsome gleam in her eye couldn't be smothered. "I can give you a great many things Ms Woods, but I can take away so much more."
Emma saw the warning in her stare and had to look away. "I could have done this on my own," she bit out, "I could have made it without you. I'm smart," she said defiantly.
"Doubtful," Mills huffed dismissively. Her smile held a downward twist of dark amusement as she reclined back in her chair like it was a throne. "But prove to me you're a smart girl Emma. Keep your end of the deal."
Emma turned to go, her helplessness causing her to shake with anger.
"Oh? Ms Woods, knowing about this wouldn't make my Regina happy," Mills warned her "and we do want her to be happy don't we?"
Emma slammed the door behind her.
The next week had a math test. She wrote her name and nothing else, it came back an A+.
XxXx
"What's wrong with you lately?" Regina frowned.
"Hm?" Emma pulled away and stepped back causing Regina's frown to deepen.
"You're...distant," Regina crossed her arms over her chest. It was late at night and Emma had been making a late snack run to the kitchens when she had come across Regina making her rounds. The smothered excitement on Regina's face at seeing her had caused Emma's stomach to clench with bitter dread as she realised she wouldn't be able to escape this time.
Emma had been deliberately avoiding Regina since meeting with the Principal. Regina at first had been too busy to notice but as the days dragged on and Emma ignored her obvious invitations she had grown more snappish. As a result one of her papers came back as an F, glaring like a warning.
"You've ignored me and now you don't seem to be into this," Regina tilted her chin up arrogantly as she continued, "if you're bored or hanging around out of pity, then just leave. I don't need you."
Emma snorted because that was the truth wasn't it? Regina didn't need Emma but Emma needed Regina, especially now. Except every time she looked at Regina, all she could see was her mother. Every time they kissed Emma felt she was in a transaction. Keep Regina happy, stay in school. She didn't do it because she wanted Regina, she had to do it because she needed her now and Emma hated her for it.
"Of course you don't need someone so far beneath you," Emma snapped back to keep herself from telling Regina all about her mother's creepy involvement in her love life.
Regina blinked and had the decency to look caught. "You heard me..."
"I suppose it wasn't anything you haven't said to my face," Emma shrugged and leant against the teacher's desk.
Regina drew herself up but she didn't have her mother's presence and Emma could see straight through her bluster. "If anyone were to find out about us, we could no longer continue. People like me, with my aspirations don't carry on les...gay affairs."
"Especially with the likes of me?" Emma said sounding bitter when she meant to sound sharp. She was starting to realise that the only time she ever actually liked Regina was when she was dancing, anytime she talked she said something that made Emma hate her a little more. "Forget it, it's not as if I care about that," Emma pushed away from the desk but Regina stopped her from leaving. Not that Emma could leave with Regina so upset. Her next grade might be an F-.
"Emma," Regina looked hesitant and out of her depth as she look at Emma seeming lost. "My mother would kill me if I ruined my reputation. I'm...really sorry."
Emma looked away.
"I lied," Regina said abruptly and bit her lip. She faltered before forcing herself to go on, "I do want you. Sometimes all I can think about is wanting you."
It always astounded Emma that for someone who wanted to be a politician, Regina was a terrible people person. However there were a few times that she managed to understand Emma better than Emma understood herself and could tell her exactly what she needed to hear even if she didn't realised she needed to hear it.
When Regina kissed her again that night Emma didn't feel cheap.
In the end Regina always made a fool out of her.
XxXx
Emma was so absorbed in her own situation that it took her awhile to notice the flinching.
Regina was good, so good it had taken Emma months to figure it out. She had obviously had practice hiding it but Emma had grown up with violence and knew it intimately. She didn't expect it here at Skycastle, didn't expect Regina of all people to be the victim and so it had taken her longer to come to the obvious conclusion.
She might have still been ignorant if Principal Mills didn't start getting over zealous during the run up to opening night.
Regina was looking at a message board as Emma and some friends passed by. Emma was used to ignoring her in the hallways. As far as Regina Mills was concerned she didn't exist unless she was breaking the rules or dragging her into the empty class rooms.
And then Regina flinched.
Emma's attention immediately snapped to her. Her shirt was gaping at the collar and just at the edge; almost out of sight, was an angry red welt. The rest of Regina was smooth and unblemished but she cradled her ribs with a false casualness.
"Regina, are you okay?" she couldn't stop herself from reaching out.
The look of scornful contempt on Regina's face as she stepped back struck Emma. Regina eyed Mary-Margret as she snapped, "mind your own damn business Woods."
The derision in Regina's tone made Emma draw back. How stupid of her to try and offer the mighty Regina comfort, like she would take sympathy from the likes of Emma.
"Emma what's wrong?" Mary-Margret called to her.
"Nothing," Emma answered. She took one last look at Regina's scowling face and turned away. "Nothing, that's any of my business anyway."
XxXx
Emma was heading back to the dorm when she spotted Regina hurrying towards the stables. She remembered practice being particularly brutal with Principal Mills being especially frustrated with Regina's inability to dance the white swan's part.
It had nothing to do with her. Sure, she was supposed to keep Regina happy but Regina was obviously off licking her wounds and dealing with things herself. She didn't need Emma stick her nose in. It was none of her business after all.
Emma hated horses. She didn't trust any animal that was bigger than a dog, and yet here she was, in the dead of night in a shadowy stable filled with large animals that could kill her with one kick. Regina, of course, had to be standing with her face buried in the neck of biggest damn horse in the place.
"You have blood on your shirt," her voice was cold as she realised what the red was. Her hands clenched into fists.
Regina turned sharply "what are you doing here? It's after curfew!"
"Pot, kettle," Emma dismissively as she took in the tear tracks running down Regina's face. Her face was red and puffy and Emma felt like she was intruding. Regina didn't like her, barely tolerated her, Emma was the last person that she would want to see her this way.
"I came here to think, a crime that no one would accuse you off," Regina said sharply trying to discreetly tidy up her face.
The words held less bite than usual but Emma was extra sensitive about accusations against her intelligence, especially coming from Regina. "They also can't accuse me of abuse," she snapped and folded her arms grimly. "What she's doing to you is wrong," why couldn't Regina see that?
"What would you know about it?! She wants me to do my best. She pushing me to be better, that's what a good mother does." Regina snapped defensively. Her voice was ragged, like she had to believe that.
"So beating you so badly that you've ruined your shirt, that's just a prized technique of good mothering? 'Cause I got to tell you, I know a few foster parents that have plagiarised it," Emma glared.
She wanted to reach out and shake Regina. To get her to understand that what she was going through wasn't right. She could stop it, she didn't have to live like this. At the back of her mind her self-preservation was tugging at her. She shouldn't interfere, interfering would mean going directly against Principal Mills and throwing away her escape plan.
...and was Regina really worth it?
"Shut up! What would you know about mothers?" Regina sneered.
Emma flinched and Regina didn't look at all repentant.
"My mother loves me and I don't need you sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong," Regina's voice was indignant. "The thing I want from you isn't advice," she sneered.
Emma squared her jaw but forced herself to speak in a light tone. She wouldn't give Regina the satisfaction of knowing that she had got to her. "You're right," Emma shrugged lightly, "it's your life." She would just do what she had been paid to do.
Emma pulled Regina into a kiss. Regina's back hit the wall she hissed as the fresh welts were aggravated. Emma eased up not wanting to hurt her but Regina pulled her back. Her kisses were frantic and hungry and maybe even a little desperate. She didn't protest when Emma started to unbutton her shirt. With a snap the bra came undone too.
Emma didn't actually think Regina would let her get this far. The newness of being able to actually touch Regina caused her to truly become excited for the first time in ages. Her hands came up to feel the soft flesh and she moaned into Regina's mouth as she forgot that this was something she had to do. She pulled back desperate to finally see and the desire crashed to a halt.
Regina's torso was livid. On her collar bone was what looked like a bruise shaped like the buckle of a belt. Emma could see all her ribs crisscrossed with welts as well as discoloured smudges along the bottom of her stomach. She bet Regina's back was worse.
She was pulled back into a kiss, Regina's desperate energy trying to overwhelm her. Regina tried to cover up and Emma stopped her. "What are you doing? These are the marks that make you better right? Shouldn't you wear them proudly?" She said sarcastically. Her thumb traced the welt on Regina's collar bone and she could only think about what a bitch Regina's mother was.
Regina looked at her pathetically and Emma couldn't hold back her anger. She didn't protest when Regina drew her back into a kiss. She could feel herself get rougher but she couldn't stop herself. She wanted Regina to just wake up, to stop letting her mother do this to her, to stop letting her mother do this to Emma.
Regina's hand came up to tangle in Emma's hair but she grabbed it and shoved it towards the drawstring on her pants. Her own hand fumbled with the button of Regina's jeans. She just wanted to forget about Mills for a little while, to stop feeling so damn trapped. She ignored the hands that pushed at her and growled a warning before slamming Regina against the wall to make her point.
"Stop! Just stop!" Regina cried out and jerked away. She clutched the sides of her shirt together to cover up as she stood hugging herself. "Stop," she said again, and looked terribly small.
The sight hit Emma like a truck stopping her dead. She clenched her fists and felt like a right bastard for reducing Regina to this. Guilt churned in her stomach, she knew she was being too rough, she should never have-
"Stop," Regina whimpered again.
Shame and guilt made Emma snap and lash out. "I'm nowhere near you! I don't need you accusing me of anything, especially considering how friget you are!" Immediately she wished she could take it back. "I'm sorry," she said looking away. She couldn't stand to see how bad she messed up. "Listen, I'll just let you get back to what you were doing..."
Regina grabbed her as she tried to leave. "Stay," she begged. One hand was clutching her ribs and the other was gripping Emma tightly. Regina's face was red and puffy from crying and her eyes were dark and sad still wet from unshed tears. Emma's stomach churned as she realised that she had contributed to Regina's fragile state. She had let her anger out and kicked Regina when she was down.
The silence stretched on and Regina's hand fell away as her face closed down. Too late Emma realised that she had messed up again. "Regina..." she tried to reach out but her hands were slapped away.
"It's after curfew, if we're not careful we might get locked out. I'll head back first and leave the kitchen door ajar. You should have no trouble sneaking in," Regina said looking as closed off and aloof as the day they met. She sniffed and added spitefully, "your kind never do."
Emma bristled at those words trying to hide how much they hurt. She knew Regina was just lashing out, much like she had done. "This changes nothing between us," Regina glared and pulled her into a punishing kiss to drive home how much Emma didn't mean to her.
"And don't you dare speak badly of my mother," Regina added as she roughly shoved Emma out of her way. Emma watched her go and she honestly didn't know who she hated more, herself or Regina.
XxXx
During the dress rehearsal Emma nearly broke the spotlight. She was up at the top of the stage to make sure the lights did what they were supposed to when Regina took centre stage in full costume. Emma gripped the cold iron of the hand railing as she stopped breathing. The spotlight followed Regina cutting through the darkness and making her shine.
James stretched enjoying the fact that his costume left little to the imagination. Mary-Margret who was also enjoying James costume crashed into Regina and they went down Regina letting out a pained yelp.
By the time Emma got down from the scaffolding the nurse was already there ordering Regina into the dressing room so that she could remove her costume. Regina looked panicked and Emma immediately knew why. Her costume was a one piece and she would have to get naked for the nurse to look at her ankle.
"Mary-Margret," Emma grabbed her as she rushed passed.
"Oh, my god Emma, Principal Mills is going to kill me," Mary-Margret whimpered.
Emma didn't really have time to comfort her, "stall the nurse, I need to help Regina with something," she ordered.
"You're going to help Regina?" Mary-Margret asked sceptically.
"Do you want to die or not?" Emma snapped.
"Okay, sheesh," Mary-Margret ran off and Emma slipped into the dressing room.
Regina was hyperventilating as she sat on one chair her foot propped up on the other. When she saw Emma at the door her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" She snapped.
Emma rolled her eyes at the reappeared of the old Regina. She snatched a pair of scissors off the table, "hold still," she ordered and the whole way down Regina's injured leg. Regina started to protest but then relaxed as she realised the nurse wouldn't have to see her bruises.
Emma couldn't believe she was helping to cover up abuse.
She looked away in shame as she remembered Regina's pain filled gasps and frantic attempts to push Emma off her. "About the other night...I'm sorry," she said and gently reached out to brush Regina's hair out of her face, she did it slow so as to give Regina a chance to stop her this time. Regina didn't move and Emma let her thumb stroke over Regina's cheek softly before she rested their foreheads together.
I am so sorry, she thought and closed her eyes tightly.
Regina's hand cupped her own and it felt like forgiveness.
XxXx
Regina's ankle wasn't broken but she had taken to watching every version of Swan Lake ever committed to film because she couldn't attend practice. Emma got her the animated movie but they both agreed not only was it terrible but that the songs were painful to sit through.
"Why is your last name Woods?" Regina asked her one night as they lay on her bed. Regina was lying on her stomach on top of Emma who was still wary of pushing her into something she didn't want.
"They usually name orphans after where they found them. Most of the time its after the hospital or fire station that they were left, I'm just glad that they didn't name me 'Emma I 95 North,'" she grinned.
Regina smiled at her and placed a light kiss on her forehead. They were supposed to be watching the ballet on the tv but most nights devolved into this. Kissing, groping (on Regina's end, Emma was still hesitant to touch her) and little questions.
It turned out that away from everyone else, Regina could actually be really sweet.
"So why did you kiss me that night?" Regina asked running her finger over Emma's bare shoulder.
"Why not?" Emma dodged with a cocky grin. She didn't want to say how crazy Regina made her or how when Regina danced Emma forgot everything about escape plans, poverty, and never being good enough. "You've seen yourself in a one piece, you look hot."
Regina shook her head fondly. "It's past your curfew."
"You are not going to give me detention," Emma said scandalised at the notion. "It is just not right to give a half naked girl on your bed detention because you made her break curfew. That is completely unfair."
"I won't but some other prefect might," Regina smirked.
"Then I'll just be half naked on their bed too," Emma grinned sitting up.
"Don't you dare," Regina mock growled and Emma laughed. They kissed goodnight and Emma left Regina on the bed. She was really starting to feel sorry for Regina's roommate that was more or less banned from the room these days.
Emma stopped short as she excited Regina's room having looked up to find Principal Mills in front of her. She was dressed in a black and white hounds tooth skirt suit and ever present smug smile. "How is her ankle?" She asked ignoring that Emma was out after curfew. Her sharp eyes took in Emma's dishevelled appearance, the late hour and where she had come from and made the logical conclusion. Her smile deepened like a gash as she moved closer to Emma. "I trust you've made her feel better?"
"It's still hurt, you shouldn't force her to practice on it, feeding her painkillers will only hurt her in the long run," Emma glared and tucked in her shirt. She realised that some of the buttons were done up wrong and flushed. Mills, of course noticed and her smile was predatory. "I mean it," Emma snapped "just leave her alone. She's-"
Principal Mills struck quickly. Emma's back hit the wall as the older woman loomed over her until they were almost at eye level. She never lost that smile. Emma felt her place her hand under her chin and draw her face around. She remembered glaring fiercely at Cora trying her best not to seem like a cornered animal.
"She," Cora hissed softly still seeming largely amused at Emma, "is my daughter. I know what's best for her."
"Like abusing her?" Emma bit out and Mills grip on her jaw tightened painfully. It pried Emma's mouth open slightly as the Principals fingertips dug into her cheeks.
"I do what I can to make my daughter better, sometimes that conflicts with her happiness but sometimes not, after all," Cora's thumb softly stroked over Emma's protruding bottom lip which was still slightly swollen from Regina's kisses. Cora smirked lazily as she continued "did I not allow her to keep you?"
Emma jerked her head cringing at the other woman's inappropriate petting. "I'm not a goddamn pet!" She growled.
"Pet? Oh no," Cora laughed light and drew back slightly to once again take Emma in, "more like a valuable service provider. I'll admit that at the start I failed to see your charms," her gaze raked over Emma making her extremely aware of her rumpled attire, "but it's obvious you have your uses."
"If you don't let me go..." Emma swallowed the threat. There were very few times in her life that Emma would feel impotent with rage and most of them involved Cora in some way.
"You'll do what?" Mills mocked she waited but Emma stewed in silence. There really wasn't anything she could do without ruining her chances. Mills' smile deepened in satisfaction as she stepped back to reach into her purse, "with opening night so close, why don't you get Regina a present? Something nice, to relax her." She pulled out a small envelope and slid it into the chest pocket of Emma's shirt. The movement was slow and lingering and Cora even patted the pocket to make a point. "This should cover the expense."
Emma was shaking with anger and, despite her determination, shame. Cora slipped past her letting her touch loiter until the very last moment. She stopped with a hand on Regina's door. "Oh, Emma dear, don't worry about the change," she called out lightly "keep it as a tip for the excellent job you've done so far."
Emma tore the envelope from her pocket and savagely threw it to floor letting the money spill everywhere. She stalked away with Cora's laughter echoing after her.
XxXx
There was something different about Regina on opening night. Before she was as waspish as usually but as soon as she was on stage she seemed to transform. Emma didn't know much about ballet or dancing but she knew about Regina and for the first time since Emma knew her she looked happy.
If Emma thought she was graceful before that was nothing compared to that night.
In the later years Emma had to stop herself from comparing Regina to every cliché but the truth was she was all those stupid poetic things and more. When they called the final curtain Emma stood off to the side. The room was packed with thunderous applause and congratulations as Regina took her bow. She seemed to swell under the rare shower of praise, lighting up like a star. She turned towards Emma and smiled.
Emma's heart thudded and she knew she was in trouble.
She managed to contain herself and waited until the dressing room cleared. Technically she was supposed to be helping the other backstage crew clean up but she didn't care. Regina seemed to know to linger in the dressing room because as soon as Emma closed the door Regina was on her.
"I did it!" She said between kisses happy and excited. "I didn't fumble once!"
"You did," Emma was equally happy and surprisingly proud.
Regina gave a wicked grin and used all those dance muscles to twirl and lower Emma gently to the floor. She straddled Emma with a grin and Emma suddenly didn't mind or even remember the cold tile leaching her body heat. She was suddenly too hot anyway.
"How's your ankle?" she cleared her throat trying to regain some composure under Regina's heavy stare.
"Just dandy," Regina teased her as she knelt over Emma and placed small kisses around her face. She playfully smeared Emma's war streaks and rested her forehead on Emma's. They smiled goofily at each other. Regina bit her lip looking happy but unsure, she sat back and guided Emma's hand to the zip on the back of her costume. "Is this okay?" She asked shyly.
"Yeah," Emma choked out, this was suddenly the best idea Regina had ever had.
Regina smiled and helped Emma slid down the zip. She hesitated for all of a second before shrugging out of the top half of the costume and unhooking her bra. Emma's elbows nearly gave out as she saw Regina's bare breasts. There were still bruises but they were faint and easily ignored because of Regina's happy smile.
Emma did fall back when Regina took her hands and placed them over the soft flesh. She might have whimpered, Regina's smug grin said that she definitely did. Regina definitely gasped when Emma squeezed and her mouth fell open slightly.
"Did that hurt?" Emma took her hands away quickly. She didn't mean to treat Regina like glass but guilt and shame still ate at her from the night in the barn.
Regina rolled her eyes and brought her hands back to her breasts. Emma swallowed thickly wrestling with her own excitement as she lightly pinched the flesh beneath her hands. Regina's eyes fluttered shut but when she opened them again her face got suddenly serious, "Emma I'm so sorry about everything-"
"-The star of the show herself!"
They both sat bolt upright but it was too late. Principal Mills stood frozen in the doorway with a dozen other men in suits. Regina scrambled to her feet and used her arms to cover herself. "Mother-" She spluttered but the door had already slammed shut.
Emma lay frozen on the ground and Regina turned towards her deathly pale. "She's going to kill me..." Regina said dully as dread carried her voice far away.
"Not just you," Emma said grimly.
XxXx
"You were paid to provide my daughter with some relief, not to embarrass her in front of the wealthy alumni," Principal Mills stood behind her desk glaring down at Emma. "Do you know how embarrassing that incident was to my family?"
"Principal-" Emma started but Cora cut her off.
"Do not speak!" The older woman snapped. "This arrangement is at its end. Regina needs to put on a presentable front, to do that you will stay as far away from her as possible. I've already entered into damage control. Luckily I've managed to set her up with the son of a business associate and I don't need her distracted by you. I want you to break up with her and I want you to do it in a way that will cause her to hate you."
"What?" Emma protested.
"I've seen your lustful gaze molest my daughter, I know what sort of deviant thoughts you have. You were the one that started this perversion led by your own desires. They stop now, your services are no longer required," Principal Mills straightened up and glared imperiously down at Emma. "End this dalliance with my daughter so that she may salvage her reputation."
Emma's gaze fell as she realised she didn't want to end things with Regina.
"End it," Mills hissed her mouth twisted in a snarl, "or I will end you."
Emma glared up at her, "I told you I'm smart. I can get the grades on my own, I don't need you. I'll keep things with Regina discreet and you let my work get fairly marked. Everybody wins."
"I don't think so," Cora sneered, "child, you are in no position to bargain with me."
Emma gripped the armrests tightly. Cora meant every threat. Without graduating, she couldn't apply to colleges, she wouldn't get a good paying job and she would be doomed to be another failure of the system.
"You said you're smart," Principal Mills drew back to regain her temper, "where's the brains in giving up all your opportunities for a girl that would dump you in a heartbeat if I said so?"
Emma looked at the floor and thought about it. "If you're so sure that Regina would choose you over me, then why are you even giving me this offer?" She said at last with a defiant glare.
Principal Mills gave her a slow smirk "you think because I'm being generous I'm unsure of my position in Regina's affections? Oh, no, dear, I just wanted a simple solution but mark my words if you force me, I won't hesitate to get my hands dirty."
Emma left without another word.
XxXx
She didn't break up with Regina. It turns out she didn't need too, Regina took to actively avoiding her and when that didn't work to ignoring her completely. Emma would catch the Principal in the halls smirking at her and her fists would clench in anger.
All her tests came back with Fs even ones she knew she had got right. Teachers were quick to give her detention for minor infractions that a week ago they wouldn't have noticed. Any book Emma checked out of the library always got late fines no matter when she returned them. She had to spend most of her evenings working in the kitchen to pay off the fines because she didn't have any money. This was usually after a round of detention making her days unbearably long.
She was fired from being a stage hand and locked out of the auditorium so she couldn't watch Regina dance. Mary-Margret was subject to the same harassment until she finally stopped being friends with Emma for an easier life. Emma shouldn't have been surprised, everyone eventually left her. She was just annoyed that she broke another one of her rules by getting attatched.
Emma felt like yelling all the time. She wanted to tell the whole school about her and Regina and how Cora abused Regina and blackmailed Emma. She didn't care if no one would believe her, the rumours would be enough. As the old saying went 'there's no smoke without fire,' and people would wonder. If they examined Regina's back and saw all her bruises and welts then they would be inclined to believe the other things Emma said was the truth.
It was Regina's face that stopped her. Every time Emma came close to telling someone the look Regina wore the night in the stables would flash into her mind and her throat would close up. Exposing her like that, hurting her and opening her up to the ridicule that she would face if anyone believed Emma or worse the punishment Cora would inflict if no one did believe her...Emma couldn't do it, even now.
"Ah, Ms Woods, I'm afraid to say that there has been some allegations as to your cheating," Mrs Mills smiled at Emma across the desk her fake look of concern fooling no one. Mr Scrolls and Ms Tremaine, Emma's English teacher stood behind her in a unified show of intimidation.
"What?" the colour drained from Emma's face. She wouldn't possibly...
"Some of your teachers expressed some concerns about your recent plummeting grades and so looked over your last test and do you know what they found?" The Principal grinned and pushed a test paper towards Emma, it was blank save for her name and the stark red A+ in the corner. "This has of course got us worried and so we launched a full investigation into the matter. Normally this would have been put down to a computer error but most disturbingly, the key to the records office has went missing, as you know the records office is where the grades are stored. With that key it would be simple to change someone's recorded score."
"I didn't do it," Emma bit out. She glared incredulously at the Principal, she couldn't believe the other woman could keep her face straight.
"There's no evidence yet, but I thought it my duty to inform you of the investigation," Mrs Mills smiled keenly, "if we were to find the key in your possessions...well Ms Woods, I'm sure you know that it wouldn't look good for you."
Bitch, Emma nearly spat she was so disgusted.
Principal Mills' smile said it all, be good or that key will turn up.
XxXx
Emma was the last one in the shower in gym class. Everyone else had left and Emma rested her head against the cool tiles, her grades had started to be fairly marked again but she was working her ass off on extra credit to make up for the deficit. She would be lucky to graduate with a decent ranking let alone with top honours. She could feel her hope for a scholarship slip further and further away.
Damn Regina and her fucking bitch of a mother.
Emma growled with rage and slapped the tile wall again and again but it didn't make her feel even a little satisfied. She went to get her towel from where she had hid it, the last time she didn't hide it that and her clothes had disappeared.
"Emma," Regina's surprised voice made her look up.
Regina was in her gym class but she never actually took part and used it to practice ballet. She must have been surprised since this was the first time she had spoken to Emma in weeks. Emma glowered at her.
Regina looked away. She crossed the room and picked up the bag that she must have forgotten. Emma let her go without a word, Regina had made her choice and it wasn't Emma. It was never Emma.
"I'm sorry for the way my mother's been treating you," Regina didn't look at her, "I'm sorry I've caused you...I'm sorry."
Emma looked up but only to see Regina with her back to her. Regina was wearing a suspiciously large school shirt with long sleeves and casually had her arms wrapped around her ribs. Emma was across the room in seconds and pushing her against the door.
Regina cried out and tried to fight but as quickly as Emma was there she was back across the room stuffing her gym clothes into her bag. "She's ruined another one of your shirts," Emma said stiffly and walked out leaving Regina gasping in pain behind her.
She had thought that if she did everything Cora asked then she would somehow leave Regina alone.
That night she proved all the rumours about her upbringing true. She had easily snuck into the teachers quarters without being spotted and picked the lock on the Principal's room. Seeing the neat perfection Emma clenched her jaw. She spotted a birch stick and an assortment of belts and canes tucked away in the closet. She threw them on the bed and turned the chainsaw on.
Emma would later reflect that her life would have been so different if she never got involved with Regina Mills and the bitch that birthed her. She would have stuck to her plan and made something of her life. Instead she got attached to a girl that left her, got her academic career ruined by blackmail, and lived up to every stereotype of crazy white trash as she assaulted an 'upstanding' member of high society. She would finally come to accept that she was everything Regina and her mother said about her.
By the time Cora got there everything in her room was at least in two pieces. Emma stood in the middle chainsaw at her feet. "I found the key to the records office," she said throwing the key at the Principals feet.
"You little wretch!" Mills screeched, "security is on its way. You're out of here tonight. You've really screwed up badly this time Woods. When I get through with you-"
Emma's right hook hit her square in the jaw. She would always remember that as one of the most satisfying moments of her life. Cora looked up from the floor wide eyed in her shock as she cradled her jaw. "It's not as fun when someone hits back, is it?" Emma sneered. Already security was rounding the corner. She knelt down and pulled Cora up by the lapels of her business suit, "if you ever hit her again. I'll come back and the chainsaw won't be for your stuff."
Cora looked worried for a second but then security roughly hauled Emma off her. She gave an amused laugh that was only half forced, "I knew you weren't very smart," Cora sneered getting to her feet. "You're kind always find a way to sabotage themselves."
Emma spat in her face.