A/N: the truth comes out! All of it! Finally!
She opened her eyes slowly. Her vision was fuzzy but she could make out the outline of some furniture and a television. The dimly lit room was familiar but she couldn't place it. Frowning in confusion, she tried to sit up.
"Hey, hey, lie back down."
Gentle hands landed on her shoulders, coaxing her back against the soft cushions. She didn't have the strength in her to resist.
"Emma?"
"Yeah," the blonde said, her face swimming into view and slowly sharpening as she perched on the sofa beside Regina . "How are you feeling?"
"Where am I?" Regina asked, ignoring the question.
"My house," Emma replied. "I brought you back here after you fainted. When you came to in the car park, you said you didn't want to go to hospital and there was no way I was taking you back to Robin. You passed out again in the car. You've been asleep for about an hour."
"Thanks," Regina said, her hand rising to rub her throbbing forehead. She felt thoroughly confused. Usually she knows who she's meant to be. Robin's Regina, or the real Regina. Now however, she had seemingly collapsed as Robin's Regina; guard up, defences in place, submissive and in a constant state of fear. And yet she had woken in a safe haven, with a friend, with someone who she knew was worried about her and someone who suspected exactly what was going on behind the grand mansion door. Who was she supposed to be now? Regina realised she needed to find out more before deciding which persona to become.
"What happened to me?"
"You fainted," Emma repeated. "As for why, I guess you'll have to tell me." The blonde peered questioningly into the pale face before her.
"Can I have some water please?"
Much as she wanted to scold the woman for her blatant diversion tactics, Emma obediently picked up a glass of iced water and brought it to Regina's lips. She raised her head and sipped lightly, her throat protesting at the movement.
"I skipped dinner," Regina admitted after the glass had clinked back onto the placemat. It seemed the real Regina was beginning to come back to the foreground.
Emma stood up without a word and left the room. Frowning, Regina rolled onto her side and craned her neck towards the door. Seconds later, Emma retuned with a cereal bar which she unwrapped and thrust into Regina's hand. Sitting down once more, Emma stared pointedly between the food and Regina's face. Rolling her eyes, the brunette nibbled the corner and the younger woman seemed somewhat satisfied.
"Why did you skip dinner?" Emma asked. "You hardly ate any of that god awful chicken Eugenia served at lunch. I was starving all afternoon and I bet you were too."
Regina pushed herself into a sitting position, ignoring Emma's protests as she did so. A blanket fell around her waist, and Regina realised the blonde had clearly tried to make her as comfortable as possible whilst she was unconscious. The loss of the fabric suddenly made her feel exposed, vulnerable. What was she doing? Why was she here talking to Emma? She needed to leave right at that moment. Robin's Regina fought her way back into control.
"I need to get back home," Regina said, readying herself to stand. Her head still felt rather confused but she knew one thing for sure. "Robin will be wondering where I am. I told him I was going to get milk."
"You've gotten pretty good at lying then," Emma said, sitting back against the sofa cushions and levelling the woman before her with a steady gaze. "Regina, please tell me what's going on. I can help you if you need it. And if I've got it all wrong, then just tell me that too. Whatever it is, I'm here for you."
There was a long silence. Regina reached for the glass of water and drained it, her lungs burning as the cold water hit her throat once more. She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell Emma. She couldn't tell anyone what was happening to her. Robin's Regina wouldn't let her. And anyway, it wouldn't make a difference even if she did tell someone. Not against Robin. When she looked up, Emma was waiting patiently for her to speak, a determined but concerned look etched on her face. The real Regina pushed her way forwards again, strugglingly impossibly with Robin's Regina. Even the brunette didn't know who was going to win.
Regina took a deep breath and spoke at last.
"It wasn't his fault."
The real Regina. She had done it. She had, at last, overcome the oppressive strength of Robin's Regina and the walls began to crumble.
The sofa dipped beside her as Emma moved across, their fingers at once intertwined as Emma pulled Regina into her arms. She hadn't even realised she was crying until a huge sob wracked her body. Emma held her close, murmured soothing words in her ear and softly stroked her back as her chest heaved with shallow, ragged breaths and her tears fell.
When Regina at last pulled back, her eyes were red-rimmed and raw. Emma's cheeks were streaked with tears too but she wiped them away as she turned herself to fully face Regina on the sofa and taking both her hands in her own.
"Tell me."
The real Regina nodded and began.
"I met Robin when I was seventeen. He was friends with my first boyfriend, Daniel. They were in the year above but we all went to the same school, although neither of them were particularly academic. They stayed in our home town when I went to Cambridge but Daniel and I remained together all through my undergraduate degree. The summer I graduated, he told me how Robin and some of their mutual friends had started breaking and entering, targeting the wealthy and making off with whatever they could find. I was horrified but I loved Daniel so much and I just … went along with it."
Emma squeezed her hands reassuringly when Regina faltered.
"I should have stopped them. I should have known it would end badly."
Regina paused again, her gaze focused on a blank spot on the opposite wall. Emma could practically hear her brain whirring, the memories and emotions flickering all over the beautiful face.
"What happened?" Emma pressed gently, seeing Regina getting lost in a world of regret and misery and wanting to steer her back to the story, back to the truth.
"A home invasion went wrong," Regina explained. "The home owners were meant to be away. Victimless crimes and all that. But for some reason the husband was there. And armed. The rest of the crew got away but Daniel … he was killed. Robin phoned me and told me the next morning. I cried for a week. I had just returned to Cambridge to do my Masters and I didn't really know anyone. Robin came up to meet me. He was so sweet back then. He'd loved Daniel too and we both missed him terribly. I don't quite know how the relationship started but I guess the seed was sown then. As the months passed, Robin's visits to me became more and more frequent and soon we were involved. And I think we were happy together. It wasn't the same as it had been with Daniel but it was ok."
Emma's heart clenched as she heard how Regina had lost her first love, how her boyfriend had been taken away from her, much like Neal had. Before their time and against their will. She knew how Regina felt. She knew how much loss hurt.
"We got married in under a year," Regina continued. "It was all very rushed but neither of us were really thinking clearly. Robin and his crew moved up to Cambridge where the pickings for his burglaries were far richer. They even managed to get into King's College once and made off with a portrait of an old alumnus. I know you're probably wondering why I was with him, why I was involved at all with a criminal and to be honest, I can't answer that for you. Daniel, he was a good man who got caught up with his friend's idea and dragged along. Robin however, he's the leader. He's the one who pushes the group forward and goes for bigger scores. One time, just before I completed my PhD, they overstretched themselves. They were caught by the police as they were leaving a huge manor house in Cambridgeshire. The owners had two security systems and they had failed to override the second correctly. Robin and his friends were in jail awaiting trial for months and I was worried sick. I didn't know what I would do. Regardless of what Robin was, is, we're married and I knew I had to stand by my husband."
Emma frowned at the way Regina spoke, as if her marriage was an obligation rather than anything borne out of love.
"They got let off on a technicality," Regina said. "One of the detectives however, Keith Nottingham, had it in for Robin and trailed him for months afterwards, convinced he would find something to put him away for. At the time I was working at a research centre in Cambridge but one day, Robin came home and announced we were moving. We packed that afternoon, the van came in the middle of the night and we left our house. I didn't even know where we were going. As soon as we turned onto the M5, I realised Robin wanted to get as far away from Cambridge as possible. We pulled up at Plymouth as the sun was rising and I have to admit, I was a little excited at the prospect of a new beginning. I hadn't been enjoying my work and had always known I wanted to teach. I joined a teacher training programme at once. Robin took my maiden name and I changed mine back, to throw Detective Nottingham off, and we bought our house."
"Robin took your name?" Emma said, surprised.
"I know," Regina nodded. "He doesn't seem the type but it served his purposes and he's been living as Robin Mills rather than Robin Locksley ever since."
Regina paused, her mind flashing back to the first few years in their house in Plymouth. It hadn't been perfect, far from it. But Regina had certainly been happy. Or happier.
"What went wrong?"
The prompt forced Regina to turn back to Emma, bright green eyes pleading for the truth.
"I don't know," Regina admitted. "It happened so slowly. He just began to be more controlling I guess. Not allowing me to go out, refusing to have my friends over, insisting I cook and clean for him whenever he required it. It was gradual though. I almost didn't notice, to be honest. And I feel so stupid now because it's become so obvious. I mean, you noticed straight away, right?"
"I knew something wasn't right, yes," Emma nodded.
"He's clever. He's manipulative. And we have a very long history together," Regina said. "I've known Robin since I was seventeen years old. We've been married for twelve years."
"Neal and I were married for twelve years but he never split my lip open," Emma remarked.
There was silence.
"You're not going to deny it?"
"Is there any point?" Regina asked, slumping back on the couch and raising her hand to run her finger over the marred flesh. It no longer hurt but she already hated the way it made her look. Damaged. Unloved. Broken.
"What happened?" Emma asked, sinking into the cushion beside Regina.
"When I got back from your party, I could smell perfume in our bedroom. It wasn't mine and I know Robin has cheated on me before. When he told me he wanted to have sex, for the first time in our marriage, I said no. He hit me."
"He tried to rape you?" Emma asked, her face darkening with anger.
"It isn't rape," Regina defended. "We're married. A husband can't rape his wife because I belong to him."
Emma's mouth fell open in shock. "Do you hear yourself?" she asked. "Please, think about what you just said to me. Do you really believe you belong to Robin? Regina, you're your own person and you have the right to say no to anything Robin asks of you, especially sex. Please, please tell me he hasn't raped you in the past."
"It's not rape," Regina repeated.
"It is," Emma insisted, the anger inside her rising as she heard her friend talking. "There's even a fucking law explicitly saying that a husband can be charged with rape. It was passed in 1991 for Christ's sake! It's been a recognised crime for over two decades. Regina, he's brainwashed you. You're fantastically clever and one of the most educated people I've ever met but that bastard has got inside your head and fucked you over so badly that you can't even see what he's doing to you. Please, please tell me you understand that him insisting on you having sex with him is wrong."
"We're married," Regina all but whispered.
"It doesn't matter," Emma said firmly. "Robin has no right to your body. Your body, Regina."
Regina turned away from the imploring look on Emma's face and stared at a spot on the far wall. Emma waited patiently for Regina who was clearly struggling to gather her thoughts. The clock over the mantlepiece told the brunette it was after eight o'clock. Robin would doubtless be going out of his mind with … worry? Anger, more likely. She wondered how many missed calls her mobile would display.
She could return home, apologise for being out for so long and accept her punishment. That's what Robin's Regina wanted her to do. She allowed her mind to briefly wonder what that would be. Increased chores and loss of her mobile phone, again, probably. But if she did that, Emma would know, real Regina remarked. Emma knew everything now. Emma, the woman she hadn't even met five weeks ago had somehow seen what Rose and Ruby never had. She had seen through the facade of the Mills marriage and pushed and pushed until, at last, Regina had admitted the truth. But what more could Emma do? Could this blonde woman really save her from the life she had tumbled into? And if she did get out, get away from Robin, what would become of her life? She had never been alone. She had never really been single. What would she do?
"What do I do?"
If anyone knew the answer to that question, Regina was ready to bet it was the woman sat quietly beside her.
"You can stay here for tonight and we'll go to the police tomorrow," Emma replied, calmly and confidently.
The police? "No, I have to get back," Regina said, standing up. The sudden movement caught her body off guard and she swayed where she stood.
"Woah." Strong arms, wrapped around her, supporting her back onto the sofa before Emma sat beside her again. "You're not going back to that monster. Not tonight, not ever. It's over, Regina. He's never going to hurt you again."
"How can you promise me that?" Regina asked. "He's got every cop in the district kissing his boots. He pays off anyone who suspects him. He's practically untouchable."
"I promise I will protect you," Emma assured. "You are going to stay here with me tonight and tomorrow we are going to go to the police station and you can file a report, a restraining order, whatever you need. And then we're going to go to a lawyer and get the ball rolling on a divorce. You're not trapped any more Regina. You can get out and I'm going to help you."
"Why?" Regina asked.
"Because you're my friend and I know what it's like to lose someone and not know what to do with your life. Robin took advantage of you when you were most vulnerable and it's been going on for too long. Daniel wouldn't want this for you, would he."
The anguished cry which escaped Regina almost made Emma feel bad for mentioning her lost love but she knew it had done the trick. The brunette collapsed into her arms, wails reverberating off the walls as the woman finally accepted what was happening to her. Henry poked his head around the door moments later but a slight nod from Emma made him retreat, leaving the two women locked in a tearful embrace on the sofa.
After a long time, the tears finally stopped.
"Do you want to go to bed?" Emma asked.
Regina nodded and sniffed. Coaxing the older woman slowly to her feet, Emma steered Regina gently from the room and up the stairs. The guest bed was mercifully already made and Regina sat down on top of the duvet in a kind of daze. Emma quickly left and returned seconds later with an old t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts, a new toothbrush balanced on top.
"The bathroom is right next door. Let me know if you need anything else, ok?" Emma said as she placed the night things down on the bed.
Regina nodded mutely, still staring at the floor. The shock of the evening's events had left her mentally and physically exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to climb into the soft bed and forget the world.
"Goodnight, Regina," Emma said, placing a soft kiss to the top of Regina's head.
The brunette didn't respond.
Emma retreated from the room and closed the door. She leaned against the wall outside and sighed, rubbing her hands heavily over her face. She felt drained, her brain struggling to comprehend what Regina had told her and her heart overwhelmed with pain for her friend.
"Mum?"
"Hey Henry. I'm so sorry about tonight," Emma said, smiling at her son as his head appeared in the hallway.
"It's fine. What's going on with Mrs Mills?" he asked, peering past his mother and noticing that the guest room door was shut.
"Come downstairs and I'll reheat some of that pasta from last night," Emma said, leading the way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Henry followed, intrigued.
"Is Mrs Mills staying here tonight?" Henry asked as he sat down at the small dining table.
"Yes. Her husband is … not a nice man," she finished, not sure how much Regina would want her to tell Henry. Nothing, probably, she mused as she pulled the leftovers out of the fridge.
"He's the one who split her lip, isn't he."
Emma had made a promise to herself a long time ago never to lie to her son. And technically Regina couldn't get mad because she hadn't actually told Henry, he'd guessed.
"Yes," she said after a pause. "But you mustn't tell anyone at school, ok? This is a very private matter and Regina doesn't want anyone else to know."
"Ok," Henry nodded. He understood better than most how it felt when everyone found out about your personal business. "Is she going to be staying here for long?"
"I don't know," Emma admitted. "But right now she doesn't have anywhere else to go. Is it ok with you that she's here?"
"Well I already live with one teacher. I don't think living with two would make school too much worse," he joked.
"Do people bully you about me being your mum and a teacher?" Emma asked as she turned on the microwave and leaned against the counter.
"No," Henry shook his head. "They think it's cool that I have a 'hot mum'." He used air quotations and made a face. "And because you don't teach me it doesn't really matter too much. They always complain to me when you give them crap grades though."
"Well I complain when they give me crap homework," Emma replied.
Henry laughed and Emma chuckled too before they both fell silent.
"I'd never do that," Henry said after a pause.
"Do what?"
"Hit a woman."
"I know you wouldn't," Emma said, smiling at her son. "But Mrs Mills' husband also abused her in other ways. Controlling her, making her do things, punishing her for any mistakes. It's all wrong Henry and some women don't realise what's happening until it's too late. But Regina, she's going to be fine. I'm going to go with her to the police tomorrow and we're going to keep her safe."
"You're a good friend," Henry said. "Mrs Mills is lucky to have you looking out for her."
"Well, sometimes people can't stand up for themselves so they need someone to do it for them, at least until they're strong enough again."
"Is Mrs Mills going to be strong again soon?"
"I hope so, Henry. I really hope so."
A/N: just to address a few things some reviewers have said and others may be thinking but not typing. I myself have never been a victim of domestic abuse. I am, however, the daughter of a psychologist and whilst I never studied the subject, I have always been quite good at reading, understanding, and apparently writing emotions. Also, in regards to what Regina says in this chapter: I have a friend who is considerably older than me and we have always argued about whether a husband can rape his wife. She always claimed that it couldn't happen because a wife would never truly fear her husband in the way a rape victim fears an anonymous attacker. I cannot tell you the number of arguments we have had about this ridiculous opinion she holds. Last year I found out that her ex-husband raped her several times after she left him. We've not spoken about the subject since. In hindsight, that may have been where the idea for this story stemmed from. Either way, I know what I write about does happen but I have luckily never been a victim of it myself. Sadly, someone I love has.