Prompt by luveverythingtv
Haley, Emma's old foster sibling of 6 months contacts the blonde in the hope of being reunited. Unfortunately for Emma, this brings back memories of her past which she shares with Regina despite being in a new relationship. Will the former siblings be able to reconcile?Warning: angst on Emma's background. Nothing major just slight violence.
When I Grew Up
It had been a quiet few weeks in Storybrooke and Emma found herself doing the usual thing in the sheriff's office when she gets bored. Paper toss. Screwing up a piece of paper in between her hands and creating a ball, the blonde threw it across the room to the now half paper filled tin can. Hearing the phone start to ring, Emma sighs, leaning back into her chair and grabbing the phone. "Hello Sheriff Swan speaking?"
"Emma?..is that you?"
The blonde frowns, sitting forward to rest her elbows on the desk. She knew that voice. "Erm..yes? Whose this?"
There was a short pause in which the blonde thought the person may of hung up until she heard that voice again.
"It's...Haley..Clarkson..well you knew me as Johnson"
Emma's eyes widen at the revelation of the caller. "Haley..yeah of course...hi"
"I have been looking for you for a while now..I..never heard from you..after.."
The blonde nods to herself trying to find the words. "Yeah..I know..but you know..what those places were like..hard to keep track of yourself half the time.."
"That is true..I heard you are living in a little town now...Storybrooke?..maybe I could come and say hi?...in person and we can talk, catch up?"
Emma looks a little panicked then spots Regina standing in the door way looking rather concerned. The blonde turns back to the phone quickly. "Listen I don't think now..is the right time..I'm really busy and.."
"It's okay Emma, I get it..if you change your mind, I'm staying in Boston at the Wellington..give me a call"
The blonde takes a breath and puts the phone down. Regina walks into the office and over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Emma?.."
Emma stands up, moving away from the brunette's touch quickly feeling herself start to shake slightly from the shock. "I need to take a personal..I'll call David to come take over"
The mayor watches with worry as the blonde grabs her jacket and proceeds to the door. "Emma wait..."
The blonde looks over gripping her hands into fists by her waist. "Regina I'm sorry, I..can't be here right now.."
Regina nods understanding and walks over taking one of Emma's balled hands and linking their fingers to comfort her. "Then let's just go for a walk? We don't have to talk..just get some air?"
Emma slowly nods and leaves the station with the brunette, heading to their usual spot of the docks. Sitting down on their usual bench, Regina keeps a firm grip of the blonde's hand, stroking her knuckles with the pad of her thumb. Looking out to the water, the brunette stays silent as promised.
Emma glances over at her nervously. "The..phone call..it was someone I knew years ago. Haley, we was in the same foster home at one point for about 6 months...when we were 14"
The mayor looks at her. "I take it..you lost touch?"
The blonde stays quiet but nods. "We..used to be really close which you probably think is weird right, I mean 6 months and we were calling each other sisters but..the home we was in, we only had each other..no one else understood and the other children there..were just too young.."
Regina continues stroking Emma's hand as she watches her explain. Emma blinks back the fact that her eyes are getting teary and turns her attention to the water ahead. "You know..in the system, you get to a certain age and you go from being the cute child that you can use to get support money for, to..a slave. Fend for yourself and look after them when it should be the other way around. Despite the circumstances, I was still your typical, stubborn, independent teenager..and that usually landed me in trouble. Minor things..but when I was there it was okay because Haley would stand up for me, like I would her. Then one day...it went..too far, I had stood up against my foster father, first time and he lashed out. It's all a blur now really but I just remember, feeling pain on my cheek..then I was on the floor and I could hear a loud scream..Haley..she literally threw herself at him and the next thing, he was falling down the stairs"
The brunette having watched Emma the whole time, reaches over with her spare hand and wipes a tear from the blonde's face, knowing full well her own eyes were filling up for her girlfriend. "Did he...was he okay?"
Emma nods again. "He was fine..but we got the blame. Haley for her actions, she got sent back to the care home. Me for..provoking him, I got sent to another home..this time with a nice blonde lady. We never spoke since..and she sounded so eager, saying she had been looking for me but..what do I say? Thanks for helping me..oh and sorry you got sent back to care instead of another family?..it was all my fault"
Regina moves her arm around the back of Emma, pulling her close and kisses the side of her head. "It wasn't your fault. You should of never been treated that way and by the sounds of it she doesn't blame you..she has been looking and like you said..you were like sisters. That has to count for something"
Emma rests her head against Regina's shoulder with a pout. "I'm sorry for just pouring all that out..not exactly what you want to hear when you haven't been together that long"
The brunette chuckles. "Emma I don't think anything you could say or do would surprise me or frighten me away"
Emma smiles slightly and squeezes her hand. "...thank you.."
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A few weeks later, Emma was sat in the diner in her usual booth mulling over a possibly cold hot chocolate. Ever since she had received the phone call from Haley, she couldn't stop thinking on it and truth be told, it was affecting her more than she would let on and people had started to notice. Her mother for one had now decided to call her every day for a 'chat' and Emma knew it was just to dig deeper into what was bothering her.
At the beginning, Regina had let Emma's behaviour slide and gave her the time she needed but now, she too was worried for the blonde and wanted to help her anyway she can. Strolling into the diner, the brunette made her way over to the occupied booth immediately and sat herself opposite the sheriff.
Emma peered from her mug that was clasped in her hands and gave a small smile. "Hey.."
The mayor looked over and sighed. "Emma, I'm concerned...and I know this is probably not my place but..I miss you, I miss my Emma who at least once a day has some trick up her sleeve to tease or wind me up"
The blonde lets out a half hearted chuckle. "..I'm sorry.."
Regina bites her lip and stands abruptly, holding her hand out to the blonde. "Come with me?"
Emma sighs and lets go of her mug also standing, knowing that if she does not do what Regina says, there will be trouble. Taking her hand the sheriff follows her girlfriend out of the diner.
Upon exiting, the brunette lets go of her hand and looks ahead of her. Emma curious to why they have stopped, peers over the mayor's shoulder as she is still on the second step of the entrance and sees Haley standing there awkwardly.
The blonde looks shocked as Haley gives a nervous wave. Regina turns to Emma, guilt written all over her face. "I'm sorry..be angry at me later..just talk to her?"
The sheriff takes a breath and nods as the brunette walks on past Haley and away from the diner. Emma walks towards her old friend and shoves her hands into her pockets nervously. "..hey Haley.."
Haley picks up on the blonde's usual habit when she is nervous or scared and pulls her into a hug to reassure her. "Hey sis"
Emma's breath hitches at the nickname then hugs back, relief washing over her. Pulling away, the blonde looks to her former foster sister and offers a small smile. "It's good to see you..I..I did want to talk to you but truthfully? I didn't know how to..I mean, what happened..."
Haley hooks arms with her and starts walking down the street. "Wasn't your fault okay? I chose to intervene and I am glad I did because it was the right thing to do" the redhead looks down. "He was hurting you Em, I couldn't just stand and watch.."
The blonde looks over and bumps her shoulder to grab her attention. "I know..it's not you if you did..and thank you..really thank you"
Haley smiles then looks ahead. "Anyway..we would of been moved sooner or later..foster is not permanent right? And from what I heard he got arrested and loads of other stuff came out about him. I really didn't care that I was put back in the home..I was glad you were safe and I only regret not keeping in touch"
Emma nods, walking in the direction of Regina's mansion. "Me too..it was difficult. I wanted to talk to you but then I was put in with another family and it was in a different town"
The redhead looks over and squeezes the blonde's arm. "Well we are here now..talking it out like we used to..but I do have one serious question for you?"
The blonde pauses on the steps of the house and looks to her friend seriously. Haley raises an eyebrow playfully. "Do you still have cinnamon in your coco?"
Emma laughs and pushes Haley's shoulder as she opens the door. "Yes I do! And there is nothing wrong with it!"
Haley chuckles following her inside. Upon entering, Regina appears from the kitchen with a smile at how happy the pair seem, (more so her girlfriend of course). "I thought you might end up here..it's a good job I made extra for dinner"
Emma smiles at the brunette. "That sounds great.."
Haley notices the look between the pair and untangles her arm from Emma's and points to the kitchen door. "Kitchen through there? Yeah..okay I will get drinks.."
Haley walks off into the kitchen as Emma walks up to Regina and wraps her arms around the brunette's waist who smiles. "Thank you for caring so much"
The mayor presses a kiss to the blonde's forehead. "You're welcome..I am glad you two talked"
The sheriff nods. "Yeah..getting there" leaning forward she gives Regina a quick kiss.
The brunette kisses back then pokes her head through the kitchen door seeing Haley search through the cupboards to get wine glasses. "Now I see where you get it from.."
Emma screws her nose confused. "Huh?"
The brunette gestures with her head to inside the kitchen. "Making herself at home?...next she will be borrowing my clothes.."
The blonde grins at the meaning of her taking Regina's shirt then pulls her girlfriend into the kitchen to have another catch up with her long lost sister.
