Finally the day I've dreading is here and I can't halt the dawn ebbing it's gradual way into daylight.

I'm sitting on my balcony in the warm breeze of the morning, yet I'm shaking. My brain is constantly repeating the answers of the questions they might ask me this afternoon. My stomach shifts uneasily how I think about what it's gonna be like. As a kid
I did some very mischief stuff, so I got to sit in the director's office a lot. Not like they could call in my parents or anything. I was always alone. But as a grew up I got more and more anxious from situations like this. All I got is my profession
and my new family. Without my profession, I can lose them all. I knew I would never be alone anymore cause I found my people, but knowing I could lose the time I spend with them, knowing I'd have to leave them, would break my heart. And all because
of doing the right thing. Everyone is telling me they'll let me go with a warning and I shouldn't worry but they can't possibly know that. I got up angrily, put on my uniform, and drove myself to work. Maybe people around would be a good distraction.

"Hey Emma!" Graham greeted me with a smile at the morning when he entered the common room and found me there alone. The other shift was out on a call and our shift won't start until 6 am, but I was up all night trying to prepare for my hearing.

"Hi." I replied shyly, try to hide the tiredness in my voice.

"You don't seem good Em, did you sleep at all?" He asked, while making a coffee for himself.

"I slept yesterday afternoon, but I was up all night." I replied.

"Worried about the disciplinary hearing?" He asked softly, and glanced at the papers lying in front of me on the coffee table.

"Yeah." I relied, wishing to stop the conversation.

"Want me to help?" He asked softly, and sat on the couch next to me.

I didn't reply but he took my letter and read it quietly.

"Possible outcome can be written warning, final warning, or dismissal. Well fuck them!" He groaned. "Idiot bitches. All they have to know is how to be in charge and they can't even do that good." He frowned, which made me laugh finally in days. "I mean
come on Em! If saving a life isn't enough proof that you do your job perfectly well then fuck them!"

"Yeah but they can still cut my career in half if this won't go well." I say and shrug.

"You have a legal right to take someone with you. Are you taking Elsa?" He asked and I shrugged.

"I can't take her she's the 'witness'. They will question her anyway." I explained.

"Oh right. Good then, you can take one more person who's on your side. It's really worth to take someone. Being alone against those wolfs... I rather go into a burning house all alone." He adds.

"Thanks that makes me feel better." I groan and let out a dry laugh when he smiled embarrassedly about making it worse.

Four hours later we were at the hospital after a call, and I felt like I desperately needed to talk to Regina. Maybe if I apologize she'd come to the hearing with me. Maybe if I could just put aside my pride...

"Hey, Emma." I heard a dry, familiar voice when I was about to leave.

"Regina." I breath out in relief. She didn't ignore me in fact she said hi. A huge stone fell off my chest, and smiled at her slightly.

"Your hearing is today, yes?" She asked, while placing documents into their places.

"Yes, it starts at 3 pm." I replied watching her reaction but her face was unreadable.

"See you there." She said, and walked away with another paper in her hands.

I smiled to myself for a second. She will keep her word even if she hates me for different reasons. This is what makes her her. Regina is not someone who's not truthful to her own words. That's what make her always so confident, and this is why most people
respect her even if they don't necessarily like her.

I was standing at the corridor, while waiting for my hearing to start, and Regina to arrive. I shifted my weight from one leg to the other, and tried to breathe deeply to stay calm. The worst part about these hearings is, you never know if they are in
good or bad mood. They can take away everything you worked for in your whole life without thinking about it twice and then you're left with nothing or they can leave you with a warning and with no serious consequences. It's hard to think about how
both options can happen to me in about an hour or so.

Finally Regina appeared at the end of the corridor with no expression on her face at all. She wore a navy blue dress, hugging her curves tightly, her hair was perfectly straightened, and she wore high heels which made her match my height. She probably
caught me staring, because she cleared her throat, which brought my attention back to her face. I saw a slight satisfied smile dancing on her lips, and I smiled at her.

"Thank you for coming." I said, and looked away.

I need to concentrate on this hearing not how Regina looks. God damn it Swan just look into her eyes.

"I keep my word." She said, and sat down on a chair not far from where I was standing.

The hearing should have started around 3 but it was already 3:20 and they weren't calling us in. I walked up and down on the corridor trying to relax.

"Emma." Her voice echoed on the corridor when she called my name. "Stop acting so nervous it will be alright." She tried to calm me. I rolled my eyes. "Seriously Swan you're acting like a child."

"My career is the one at risk Regina." I murmured. "Not yours."

"What was that?" She asked coldly.

"Nothing." I said, and sat down next to her. "I'm just... acting like a child." I repeated her words and looked up, finding her smile at me.

"Come on, you know I can eat them for breakfast if I wish to." She flashed an devilish smile, which usually made me feel like she's showing desire to cause trouble but in this scenario I felt like she's just trying to comfort me and I found it amusing.

"Look before we get called in. About last time... I feel ashamed of my behaviour. The way I talked to you was terrible and you've been so good to Henry, he can't stop talking about you. You completely charmed him. I know things with the babysitter was
my fuck up and I was angry at myself and I took it out on you. I just want to apologize and I know we had our ups and downs but you can trust me with this hearing. I will stand by you as I promised, and yeah I'm willing to rip their heads off if that's
what it takes." She talked so quickly I could barely follow, and when I opened my mouth to speak, I was speechless, I couldn't manage to split out a thank you. I was lost in the moment.

"You okay?" She asked, and her voice was filled with concern this time.

"Yeah." I sighed finally in relief.

"You don't look good." She said, trying to catch my eyes one more time.

"Thanks, you cleaned up nice yourself." I faked a groan with a smile.

"Oh I knew that already from the expression on your face when you first saw me walk in." She teased. "You can't hide anything Swan. You're face show's exactly what you think."

"Oh really, so you dressed up for me huh?" I teased right back.

"Oh, you got me." She rolled her eyes playfully, and then comfortable silence fell between us.

"So are we back to this again?" questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Back to what Swan?" She asked back.

"Flirting." I stated confidently.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm never flirting with anyone." She stated with faked seriousness.

"Mhm Dr. Mills. Sure not." I chuckled. I like this Regina Mills. The carefree one, with flirtatious, smart comments, who knows exactly what she's doing, the playful and sassy one, the one who cares for everyone...

"Emma Swan?" I hear my name, and it makes my breathing rapid and shallow immediately. I can feel my pulse pounding in my temples. My body is reacting like there's a gladiator about to beat the crap out of me instead of being faced with some people from
above. My body is preparing for a marathon instead of sitting still for a couple of hours, and my brain fights the urge to walk out the building.

Regina must sense how anxious I got, cause I felt her hand on my back just for a brief moment, which caused me relax and take a deep breath. "We got this Emma." She whispered softly into my ear before we stepped into the room.