A/N: oh god! I'm awful I know. So sorry for the delay guys! I had some major exams to study for. Sort of like SAT's but they're done now so I'm back. Yay…?

Enjoy!

"Don't sound so grave dear."

"It's two in the morning mother."

"And yet you sound as lively as ever."

Regina did not have the strength to argue with her mother. She wished that she could have hung up the phone and not have the action come back to bite her in the ass. She was curious as to why her mother was calling and so early too. The woman only ever called when she wanted something.

"What do you want mother?" Regina asked through gritted teeth.

"Watch you tone Regina." Cora quipped.

Regina had no idea why she was still afraid of her mother. She was a highly successful business woman who had the power to do almost anything she so pleased, but as soon as her mother spoke, she would climb into her shell and hide from the world. It disgusted her and yet she couldn't stop herself from doing it.

"Yes mother." Regina resisted the urge to roll her eyes in fear that her mother would sense it through the phone.

"Now, how are you dear? It's been a while." And Cora was back to playing nice. Regina hated when she did that; punish her or shout at her then two minutes later, act like nothing of the sort happened.

"I'm fine mother. Regina was doing her best to keep the conversation between Cora and her as short as possible without having Hurricane Cora come down on her. They might be miles away but the woman still sent shivers down her spine.

"Your sister tells me you've found a new rag doll to play with." Regina tensed at that.

She was going to kill Belle.

The girl was so close to their mother she didn't realize the woman was the devil in disguise. Cora had tried her very best to hide that side of herself from her younger daughter. No, that side was for Regina and Regina alone.

"She's not rag doll mother. She has a name." Regina had no idea where the sudden courage and need to defend Emma came from but she was going to make good use of it.

"Oh? Do tell me what her name is dear." She could hear the smirk in her mother's voice and knew immediately that Cora Mills knew everything there was to know about Emma Swan. She must've used her husband's powerful links to get access to the information. She pitied her father. He still had to live with the woman."

"Her name is Emma but I guess you already knew that."

"Smart girl. But really darling, a bail bondsman? I thought you were classier than that. Well it's not surprising, it seems everything I taught you went through one ear and out the other." Regina closed her eyes and tried in vain to get her building anger to recede.

Regina decided to use the distance between them to her advantage. Her mother was miles away so she couldn't hurt her. Right?

"It's almost three in the morning mother. I have a business to run and I would very much like some rest so please, did you call for any specific reason?"

There was a pregnant pause and Regina became anxious thinking that she had upset her mother.

"Oh, thank you for reminding me dear. I'm inviting you and that- Emma girl to come with me to the stables next Sunday."

Regina suspicion flew to an all time high there. Her mother despised horses. They were smelly she said. Yes, she knew how to ride one but only because she insisted that proper ladies must know how to ride. The last time she had been to Storybrooke Stables was to take Regina to her first lesson. After that she had assigned her with a driver to take her and pick her up afterwards.

So why was Cora Mills suddenly interested in going to the stables?

"I thought you hated horses mother."

"Where did you get that preposterous idea?"

"Well I-"

"It doesn't matter dear. I want to meet this girl and see if she's a proper lady."

Regina inwardly scoffed at that. Emma Swan was far from being a proper lady. But that was one of the things that drew Regina to her. The blonde like to defy the status quo.

"Why can't we just have dinner instead?" Regina loved to ride but not in the presence of her mother. The woman would always find something wrong with anything she did.

"Because I said so. Now don't forget. Sunday morning 10 in the morning, bright and early. And remember, tardiness-"

"Is unbecoming of a lady. I know." Regina just wanted the woman to hurry up and end the conversation.

"Good to see that your skull isn't as thick as I thought. Goodnight Regina."

Cora hung up the phone before Regina had time to respond.

It was just like her mother to shove things down her throat and expect her not to protest.

Why are you still afraid of her? She can't hurt you anymore.

She knew though, that that was far from the truth. If her mother wanted to hurt her, be it physically or otherwise, the woman had the willpower to do so; which is why she had no choice but to do as she was told.

She knew her mother was up to something but she had no idea what. She only hoped it wasn't a plan to push Emma away from her. She had done enough pushing herself and would not let her mother add to that. She only hoped Emma had the capability to handle her mother. She lived with the woman for 20 years and she still wasn't able to do so. But Emma was strong and very stubborn. She could do it.

She could face the Big Bad Wolf.

Emma had jumped at the idea of meeting Regina's mother. However when she had heard it was at Storybrooke Stables, she became extremely nervous. She had no idea how to ride a horse and she doubted she could learn in a week.

They were in Regina's office eating the lunch the brunette had ordered her secretary to bring to her office from the downstairs cafeteria. Emma had complained about the salad but Regina had bribed her with kisses and in no time, the container was empty.

"I don't have to actually ride a horse do I?" Emma asked.

"No, but you can just ride with me."

Emma smirked. "We've only been on one date and you want me to ride your horse?"

"Don't get any ideas Swan." Regina said while trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably.

After they had finished eating, they had made their way to the couch in Regina's office. The same couch Emma had woken up on only a week ago.

"So, anything I need to know before I meet your mom?"

"She's a bitch."

"Regina!"

"It's true. She'll try to say a lot of hurtful things to get you angry just so you can answer her and have her point out your bad attitude. I'm just preparing you for what is to come dear." Regina said it so matter- of- factly that Emma had to wonder how often it had happened to her.

"I'm sure she's not that bad."

"Oh, Emma. You have no idea."

"Well if she's anything like you, I think I can handle her." Emma gave a cheeky smile but when Regina didn't return it, she knew the woman was being serious.

"She's not as bad as I am."

"So why-

"She's a million times worse"

"Okay, on a scale of Cruella de Vil to Ursula, what is she?"

"Satan."

"Damn."

"I'm not joking Emma. That woman is the Devil incarnate. You have no idea what I went through because of her. She treated me worse than a stray dog and then had the audacity to reenter my life when she found out I was a millionaire. She's a bitch, trust me on that."

Emma could see by this time that Regina was struggling with the endless emotions swirling in her eyes.

She could not think of anything to say. She never knew Regina's life had been so… awful. The woman was an entrepreneur, a big shot. No one would have guessed that her life was so much hell. Emma would've never guessed it if she hadn't been told. And she knew that anyone else who knew Regina Mills probably thought she grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth, living the life of the rich and famous. Little did they know how very far from the truth they were.

"Wow. She really is a bitch." It was the only thing she could think to say and she slapped herself mentally for it.

Fortunately for her, Regina found it amusing.

"That she is." Regina's gaze became serious once more as she spoke again. "She gonna try and push you away. I just know it. Then she's going to say it was for my own good." What irked Regina the most was that she had no idea how her mother was going to do it.

"Hey, nothing you mother, or any other human being on this planet, says will get me to run away from you. Okay?" Emma was beside the distressed brunette now, both hands on either side of her face.

Regina was touched that Emma felt so strongly for her. But her mother always got what she wanted.

"You don't know my mother Emma. She doesn't use words. She takes action. She'll use brutal force if it's necessary. That woman will dig up your past and use it to blackmail you if it means she'll get what she wants."

Emma stiffened at that. Dig up her past? There were a lot of things in her past that were meant to stay where they were; dead and buried six feet under.

"Do you know if she…"

"I believe she already has." Regina sighed at that. She looked up and saw the turmoil in Emma's eyes.

"How do you know?" Emma asked.

"When she had called me this morning, she knew your name and occupation. Information which neither I nor Belle had given to her." Regina again saw the turmoil in the blonde's blue- green eyes. This time it was panic that overshadowed the other emotions.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Regina asked, concerned.

Emma took a deep breath and tried to keep calm. She had to tell Regina. And she had to do it now before her mother got a hold of her and exaggerate the truth.

"I need to tell you something. Before you mother does."

"Emma you don't have to tell me anything if you're not ready. I won't let my mother convince me of anything, I promise."

"No, it's okay. I want to tell you. Actually I've wanted to tell you since our date when you told me about Danielle but I didn't want you running off on me." Emma said with a cheeky smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I won't run." Regina said softly, gripping the blonde's hands tightly in reassurance. She had never said that to anyone. She was a runner after all. When things got too hard for her, she ran for the hills and didn't look back. But for Emma, she was willing.

"Promise?" She had never seen Emma this nervous before.

What was this secret that had turned the strong lion hearted woman in front of her into a nervous wreck?

"I promise."

Emma took another deep breath, longer this time, and then lifted her eyes to meet Regina's.

Come on Emma. You can do this.

She's not going to run she promised.

She decided that blunt was the best way to go with the admission that she was about to make.

"Well see… I sort of, maybe, probably, kinda had to-"

"Emma."

So much for blunt Swan.

"It's okay Emma. You don't have to do this."

"No, I-"

"Emma, it's okay. I see how hard this is for you. You don't have to-"

"I killed someone!"

.

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