A/N- This one is more graphic, dark and twisty.
...
"She counts the tiles on the
cold bathroom floor
lays her secrets out like stones
square by square
tile by tile
she doesn't feel anymore."
― Diana Rasmussen, Snow White Darkness
...
The first time he hits her with a closed hand is four months after that.
Regina's successfully elected to the city council, and she's even appointed over a few subcommittees. It feels so great for her to be back in the swing of things, even if it's only a small job working in local politics, it feels like she has purpose again.
One of her subcommittee is working with the sheriff's department on public safety, and on this particular night she has stayed late at the office working with David and Emma on events that they will be providing a police presence at in the coming season.
She returns home sometime around eight thirty, after depositing her coat in the front closet, she finds Daniel coming down the hallway with a drink. For half a second, Regina believes that he's coming to welcome her home, that he realized she had to work late, and he had poured her a glass of cider when he heard her come in the door.
Then the smell of scotch hit her nose, and she saw Daniel's disheveled appearance, and knew her assumption was off base.
He finishes the drink with a single swig and wince at the burn before putting the tumbler on the sideboard next to one of Regina's crystal vases with flowers.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I would be home late." Regina begins, testing the waters to see what sort of encounter this is going to be, "I just got caught up at work."
"With David?"
Immediately something clenches in Regina's gut, she knows where this is going, and she gets a sort of steely resolve behind her shoulders.
"Yes, David was there, he had to leave earlier than I did though, his wife needed help putting the baby to bed, have you met their son Neal yet?" Regina asks, making a point to try and head off what she knows will come next.
Daniel's shoulders slump, and for just a moment, Regina can see the nineteen year old boy who couldn't make eye contact with her when he asked her out for the very first time, "No, I haven't." He says, and though he's definitely drunk (Regina can smell it on him), he seems to soften the smallest bit, "Let's go to bed." He suggests, closing the distance between them, and placing his hands on her hips.
They feel too large, too restraining, Regina can't help the little flinch backwards at his touch, and though he's drunk, he's not out of it enough to ignore the move.
"What?"
"Nothing." Regina lies, "I just don't feel up to it tonight, Daniel."
This is clearly the wrong thing to say.
"You haven't felt up to it in weeks Regina!" He says, his face quickly contorting into something she doesn't recognize, "Are you getting it somewhere else?"
"You know I'm not!" She defends.
"Do I?" He asks, stepping forwards menacingly. Regina takes a step back. This continues until she hits the opposite side of the hallway next to the sideboard.
"I would never be unfaithful!"
"Then what? Am I not enough for you anymore?"
"No, Daniel-" Regina falters as he closes the space between them, one hand on her hip, pressing her back into the wall, the other caressing her cheek in a gesture that doesn't match this intimidation.
"Then what, Regina!? What?" He yells.
When she can't come up with anything to say he smiles this twisted smile Regina's never seen before, "Then let's just go upstairs." He suggests, sure that Regina won't find anything else to protest about.
"So you can rape me?" Regina spits, the words are out of her mouth before she can process them. Once they are out, she can't bring them back. They sit there in the front hall like heavy stones, weighing down the very air around them. The words soak up all the oxygen in the house, and Regina is suffocating, until she is choking.
But when she's choking, it's because Daniel's fist has been rocketed into her abdomen, smartly just below her ribs so there's no chance of breaking something, except the vase that it knocked off the sideboard when Regina falls into it.
Regina is choking because Daniel's fist was in her stomach, Regina's hands are bleeding because she fell on the cracked crystal of her shattered vase. Regina's cheeks are wet, but she is not crying, she will not cry.
Daniel stays for just a moment before grabbing his keys and storming from the house. For one second, just one second, Regina wants to tell him not to go, he's been drinking and he shouldn't be driving right now.
But she's choking, and her hands are bleeding, and her cheeks are wet so her concern comes out in one choked sob as she tries to force air back into her failing lungs.
...
The first time Mary Margaret puts her foot down is that night. David is home from a long meeting at City Hall where he swears 'Regina will run this whole town one day', and they're putting Neil down for the night.
Mary Margaret pushes just a bit of her son's hair off his forehead, and smiles at the baby, "Goodnight, darling." She whispers, leaving the room, and making sure that the baby monitor is on.
She settles down on the couch next to David, leaning into his hold, "He's finally down." Mary Margaret sighs.
"You're amazing." David smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "Did you want to watch that movie you were telling me about?"
"Sure." The brunette agrees, "Or we could not…" Mary Margaret trails off getting a sneaky smile.
"Oh really?" David asks with a smirk.
Just before their lips can touch, a loud yelling catches their attention. Mary Margaret pulls back with concern written clearly on her face, "Did that come from Daniel and Regina's house?"
David groans, "I'm not sure, sweetie."
They sit in silence for a little bit longer, until a particularly loud shout is followed by silence and then crying from upstairs. Mary Margaret stands to take care of her son, "Something isn't right David, you could at least stop over and see if everything is ok."
David follows his wife upstairs, peeking out the window which overlooks their neighbors, "You know Regina wouldn't say anything even there was something going on."
"You're the sheriff, David. You have to do something."
David watches Daniel storm down the driveway sloppily and slide into his car, "I think Daniel is drunk, I'll go get him." He finally decides.
"And what about Regina?"
David hesitates for a moment, "I've got it."
A/N- Review if you feel compelled, thank you for reading.