Chapter 8 My Reflection (The Plaintiff) Warning! Mention of rape

All the grammatical errors are on me. My beta didn't have the time to check this one and I Really wanted to post it.

Regina dismissed Gold and Martha right away. She didn't want to deal with them now, she had bigger problems. In fact a huge problem that was living and breathing in front of her. How did she find her? Why? She thought she had made it clear all those years ago that they couldn't find one another. What did she want from her? And why did she seem so happy and carefree? That made Regina angrier.

Trina was just staring at the fuming judge. The brunette was pacing, looking at her every now and then. She knew her questions, she had the answers to some of them, but someone had to break the ice first, she was hoping that the judge was the first one to throw the punch.

Regina stopped and faced the brunette in front of her. She took a few deep breathes to even out her raising heart. After being 'at peace' with her internal turmoil she decided to speak.

"What in the hell are you doing here Trina?" Regina was answer by a deep and complete silence.

"Well? What are you waiting for? I asked you a question. Why in the HELL are you here?! I told you a thousand times that we couldn't find each other. Why, why did you break the promise? Are you dying? Because you don't look like a walking corpse to me."

She ended up gesturing at her. The judge could see Trina's fear in her eyes, fear and sadness. It was heartbreaking; she missed her, a lot. But her fear of being found by the lab people after all these years was greater. She couldn't afford that, but she was tired to be alone too.

Trina could see the change in Regina's face, more so she could feel it running through her veins. Her fear and sadness was transformed into love and sorrow.

"Regina…" She whispered her name so lovingly and kindly that the judge couldn't stop the tears running down her cheek. Trina stepped forward cautiously just in case Regina changed her mind. When she saw no drastic variations on her emotional or physical stage, the brunette ran to her and embraced her with a tight and loving hug. The judge gasped at the sudden intrusion and tensed when Trina's grip grew even tighter. After a few seconds Regina felt trap of her own emotions and return Trina's hug. The doctor could feel the judge shaking and sobbing hysterically against her.

"Oh Regina!" Trina said placing a hand over Regina's head. "What happened to you?"

Regina's shaking body was getting even worst. After all, somebody care, after all this years someone was there for her.

"So much!" She managed to say between sobs.

It took a while for Regina to come down of her emotional breakdown. Trina held her until the sobs disappeared and the shaking stopped. Now they were seated on the big sofa facing each other with a whisky on their hands. Trina was the first one to break the silence.

"Gina?! What happened after that night at the hospital?" Regina eyes felt to her drink while she swallowed hard. She didn't want to open those wounds again. It didn't do any good in the long sessions with the therapist. But it was Trina that was asking her, and maybe, just maybe she was going to be able to help her get rid of the nightmares hunting her at night and the fear that invaded her body every time someone touched her gently. Regina cleared her throat before answering.

"Is not a fairytale story, more like a constant nightmare. It makes what happened in the lab look like child's play. I don't know if you are ready to hear it."

Trina placed one of her hands over the one on Regina's lap, giving the formal judge a gentle smile.

"Tell me… I am here to listen to whatever you got to say. You are my sister, I need to know what happened to you. What's the story behind the…" she hesitated before calling Regina by that title, but she figured that if this was the masquerade she was wearing might as well not evading the mention of it "…the heartless judge."

Regina didn't so much of a blink. She was known as that, she had a reputation that preceded her so the title didn't bother her at all.

"Well… After they practically ripped me away from you I ended up in an office filling up paperwork. I didn't know what to do, the information was scarce and they thought I was trying to hide something. I didn't mention the lab because I was pretty sure I would have ended up in an asylum and not a group home. But now that I think about it I would've been better off at the looney place." She let out a sarcastic laugh. Her eyes looked down at her drink and then up at the ceiling. "What an idiot!"

"The paperwork was done and they shipped me to a home group here. I wasn't there long when I was placed under the care of a foster family. They were very wealthy people, with no children. I thought I would get some attention or even love from them, but I was wrong. Eva and Leopold were on the human trafficking business. I was just a pawn for their chest game."

Regina pause, tears were starting to fall. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was about to come.

"Leopold was the first one to 'try the merchandise', when he found out that I was a virgin he organized a party with all his acquaintances. It was mainly to show me off and show them how he could dominate and take away the innocence of a child. Sick bastard!"

Trina didn't want to hear the end of the story, she knew what happened, at least she had an idea. But she also knew that Regina needed this more than ever. So she gave her a choice.

"Gina, it is okay if you want to stop. We can do this another time."

"No Trina, I need… I need to do this, please. "

Trina nodded.

"That night he display me like an animal ready to be slaughter. He raped me and when he was satisfied he led his friends have a piece as well. I remember their names clearly: Midas, George and Estefan. Can still smell their stinky alcohol breathe when I close my eyes."

"When they were done with me they left the room and then I could let out what I was feeling. I cried, screamed and cried some more. They broke me, they took away everything. It seemed that my screams were heard by one of Leopold's guest. He opened the door and I was so terrified of what I was going to find. When he laid his eyes on me I knew, I knew that he was going to save me."

Regina's sorrow was erased at the thought of that man. He had the most loving and kind eyes that she have ever seen. She felt a connection right away with him. It wasn't a love connection it was more than that. She figured that that's what a little girl felt when she looked at his father for the first time.

"His name was Henry, he was an agent for the FBI and was trying to catch Leopold and Eva for a long time. He didn't have any evidence until that day. He called reinforcement and took me to the hospital to take care of the wounds and also to see if no damage was made. After I was released from the hospital I found out that I wasn't going to return to the group house. He adopted me."

Trina was happy to know that Regina at least had the chance of been happy with someone that loved her as a father. She wasn't as lucky as she was. But after what happened to the brunette in front of her, knowing that she had someone to have your back was what she needed. But, what Trina didn't understand was how Regina became the person she was today. After a loving father who took care of her. She guessed her question was going to be answer shortly.

"I live the best 10 years of my life with him. Henry was divorce and had a daughter who died when she was really young so we were each other's light. He loved me and I loved him. He was actually the one who taught me to braid my hair." Regina laughed at the memories of her in front of the mirror and Henry behind her showing the teenager for the 10th time how to do the perfect braid.

"A year before his retirement he got caught up in a bad case. I was almost done with my law degree. After class I received a call that he was killed on sight." Regina placed a hand over her mouth to stop a sob but she was unsuccessful. Trina leaned forward and hugged Regina who didn't hesitated this time and hugged her clone back.

"I loved him so much!" she managed to say between sobs.

"I can see that!" Trina said trying to contain her tears.

Regina cried for a few minutes. When she was ready to talk again she loosened the grip and stepped away a few inches.

"Revenge took me over; I had to find out who was responsible for my father's death. So I hired a private detective who turned out to be my mentor. We found the guy and brought him to the authorities. At the end the judge dismissed the case allegating that the evidence was gathered illegally or how we call it 'the fruit of the poisonous tree'. So the case was build based on evidence that couldn't be admissible in court. The bastard got out and I just sunk on my anger. After that I did my best to get the judge position and implement justice. The justice that I thought was fair. But it seems that I am not doing a good job at it" She laughed nervously.

"Not you are not!" Trina said quietly. "It seems that you haven't let go of the anger of losing your dad and not getting the one responsible behind bars. But that can't be the driving force of who you are Regina. I know you since we were in diapers, you are better than this. I know that your life wasn't easy and I feel horrible for what happened to you. That is something that no one should go through, but you don't deserve the title of a heartless judge. You are capable of love unconditionally."

"I don't think that is possible." She interrupted Trina. The doctor grabbed Regina's right hand and place it over her heart. The judge could feel her steady and strong heartbeat

"Do you feel that? That's the evidence that you are not heartless. Your love for your father was what made you who you are today because you feel things deeply. As much as you can love you can hate. Your heart will lead you to your greatest joy but also to your undoing. You still have time to turned the wheels around and go to the light. I believe in you." Trina's cheeks were wet with tears, old and new ones. She could see the doubt and fear on Regina's eyes, but also the willing to give it a try. She knew that it was going to be a long road but she wasn't planning to leave her side.

"I'll help you if you let me." Trina whispered.

"Are you a psychologist by any chance?" Trina laughed at Regina's comment.

"Sort off"

Now it was Regina who hugged Trina.

"I missed you"

"Me too"