I apologize for the wait. When I started this chapter, it wasn't coming out the way I wanted and I needed to redo everything and figure out which direction I needed it to go. With that said, this chapter focuses on the trial. I know nothing of how courts and trials go. I only know the bare minimum as I don't study law. So I wrote it kind of vague. Fanfiction is fanfiction so it is what it is. Also I hate writing court scenes.
This chapter does deal with heavy and dark themes so beware of the usual trigger warnings - abuse, violence, rape and talk of miscarriage
I hope all of you are healthy and staying home! Enjoy this chapter and hopefully I'll have the next one up really soon. There's only about a couple chapters left. I'm working on a sequel which will deal with life after trauma and Regina's PTSD. I'll explain it more when I'm down to the last chapter of this fic.
Thank you and please review.
Chapter 23 Stories of the Past
The morning of the trial finally came and with it came fear and anxiety. Regina was a nervous wreck no matter how much Emma and Henry tried to comfort her. She was like a walking zombie the entire day leading to the trial. She was pale and shaky. She couldn't eat. At times Emma had to remind her to take a deep breath. The moment they had walked into the courtroom, Regina could feel his eyes on her. The smug son of a bitch enjoyed seeing her so shakened. He enjoyed seeing her fear. Emma squeezed her hand in support before she took her seat up front beside Mr. Gold. Spencer and Leopold were seated on the defendant side.
As the trial started, both defense attorneys were brutal in questioning their witnesses. Ruby, Katherine, Mary Margaret, Graham, Dr. Roe and a couple of Regina's students had taken the stand. Emma had even taken the stand. They had accounted the times where they had seen her with injuries or times where they had seen Leopold handle her violently. Emma was shocked when Katherine and recounted the night of the dinner party all those months ago when she and Regina had been fighting.
Now it made sense.
She remembered walking into the kitchen that night, after Henry had grabbed his overnight bag. She remembered seeing Leopold hugging Regina while she had been crying. She realized he had been in the middle of beating her when she had walked in. Maybe she shouldn't have been so cruel with her words that night.
She wasn't surprised when Katherine had admitted Leopold had pulled her aside that night and threatened her to stay away from Regina. Of course Leopold denied that ever happening.
Ruby's testament was no better. She had recounted times before Emma had even arrived at Storybrooke. As a waitress at Grannies, she saw a lot. When Leopold thought he was being discrete or when no one was looking, Ruby was actually seeing everything. She saw when he pulled her outside or in the hall that led to the bathrooms to yell at her. She'd seen him grabbing her violently by the arm or face or even her hair. He'd yell in her face and called her despicable names. She'd seen her come to class with covered bruises on her face, neck and even her arms. She always seemed to be in pain as if she were hiding injuries that couldn't be seen. She then described the incident from last week when he had marched into her lecture hall and assaulted her in front of her students. The other two students that were there to testify backed up Ruby's statements.
Graham's statement was the worst. He admitted to everything. From the first day Leopold struck Regina all the way to the day he resigned and made Emma deputy. He had witnessed so many beatings, took care of injuries, and covered up everything. He knew about the rapes and did nothing. He did nothing when she pleaded for him to help her. Each time she ran he brought her right back home.
Dr. Roe described the night Regina had come into the hospital with broken ribs after escaping Leopold. She described the evidence of rape and that she had injuries that proved it had been going on for years. She had reviewed Regina's medical files that night only to find so many unexplained injuries. She pointed out all statements were given by Leopold or Graham. There were injuries that didn't fit the story the hospital was given. She even mentioned a miscarriage when Regina was about 5 months pregnant a year before she adopted Henry. Emma froze in shock at that one. Regina had never told her she was pregnant. She had come into the hospital beaten up and bleeding from a ruptured placenta. The baby didn't survive of course. Leopold's statement was she had fallen down the stairs. That was a bullshit story if Emma had ever heard one. Apparently it had been so extensive, it had left a lot of scar tissue where it would be extremely difficult to ever have a baby again.
Emma could see Regina trembling in her seat as her miscarriage was brought up. She realized then and there, there was so much Regina had gone through that she had yet to know about.
Mary Margaret described their past and what it was like living with her father after he had married Regina. She described how he had changed. He seemed angrier especially when it came to her stepmother. She recounted times where she felt like something was wrong between her parents. She remembered little instances where Regina was hurt or seemed as if she were in pain. She then talked about the night she came home from college and how she watched her father smack her across the face. After that she explained how she and her father got into a huge fight about the abuse. She tried helping Regina but the mayor had such a tight grip on her stepmother, she couldn't get away. Not even when she bought her a bus ticket to Atlantic City. Regina was accused of stealing and was arrested by Graham and brought right back to Storybrooke. After endless attempts on trying to help Regina, Mary Margaret admitted with shame that she had given up and just completely cut off ties with her father all together. At the end of her statement, she looked at Regina with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I know you blame me for what happened, and I'm so sorry I gave up trying to help you," she said before stepping off the stand. Regina didn't even look at her.
Soon enough Emma found herself taking the stand. She was so nervous but determined to put this bastard behind bars. She made eye contact with Regina, trying to silently give her support. Regina looked at her, giving her a small smile and then taking a deep breath. She then told the court how she and Regina met through Henry. She described what happened the night Regina was taken to the hospital and then arresting the mayor after. She explained what she had found while looking through files at the station. She even recounted the night at the station when she heard Graham talking on the phone with Leopold and how she had followed him to the mansion on suspicion of him going to treat an injured Regina. She brought up how Regina had passed out the next day at the mines from a possible concussion. She described the injuries she had seen since day one of coming to Storybrooke. Regina wouldn't look at her and Emma could imagine how hard it was to hear someone else validate the abuse.
And then it was Regina's turn. She put on a mask of bravery, hiding the fear and anxiety she felt deep down. She clenched her hands into fists to keep them from shaking as she took the stand. Spencer was brutal in his interrogation in trying to prove she was making up the abuse and sexual assault allegations. She didn't back down. Not even when he tried to prove she is an unfit mother. If anything, it made her angry and Emma smirked as she verbally told him off.
An observation about her anger was made and if anything got Regina more heated. Leopold wanted everyone to believe she was an angry power hungry wife of the mayor that was trying to get rid of him by making false allegations. Fortunately with all the evidence stacked against him, no one seemed to believe him.
And then she told her story…
She talked about her family history with the Blanchard family. How she was friends with Mary Margaret. She recounted the night of the crash and the events that led up to it. She told the court about her parents and Leopold's involvement in her trial after the death of Daniel. How evidence was tampered with to make her look guilty so that she was forced to marry Leopold to drop a lawsuit against her parents and herself. She described her wedding night, how he had forced her and told her it was her duty as his wife to please him. She told them about the first time he struck her. She described every beating, every rape, and the emotional and mental abuse that Leopold bestowed on her each day. She even told them about the night he beat her so bad she lost her baby.
He found any little excuse to punish her. He'd whip her back with a belt and Emma suppressed the urge to run out and vomit. She remembered seeing the marks on her back and wondered how she'd got them. He would strangle her until she would pass out. He would kick her until her ribs broke and she couldn't breathe. He would lock her in the study or in the bedroom for days until she was healed enough to see people. He isolated her and controlled every part of her life. He took what he wanted whenever he wanted, not caring that she never consented.
When she was done, the courtroom was so quiet you could probably hear a pin drop.
Regina was losing her grip on her emotions. Her mask of bravado was crumbling. She couldn't look at her husband. She didn't make eye contact with anyone. Her gaze was fixed on some point in the back of the room. Her hands started shaking and she buried them in her lap to stop it.
"Thank you Dr. Mills," the judge nodded, dismissing her back to her seat. She kept her composure, taking a deep breath and not looking at anyone as she got up and took her seat by Mr. Gold. The judge cleared his throat and looked at Leopold. He was sitting there with a stony emotionless expression. He didn't even bat an eye at Regina's statement. "Mayor Blanchard, before we end this case and decide who the guilty party is, do you have any last words?"
"Yes, your honor," he replied, his voice just as stony as his expression. He took the stand and fixed his eyes on his wife. Emma practically growled in her seat at how much terror he still held over her.
"I'm a good mayor. I'm a good father and I tried my best to be a good husband. This witch is manipulating all of you into believing her lies. She just wants my money and my mansion. She doesn't care about Henry. Why do you think he calls her the Evil Queen?"
"And what proof do you have of that!" Emma rose to her feet, unable to stay silent any longer. "You won't even sign the divorce papers!"
The judge slammed the gavel, silencing Emma and the now murmuring court. Regina turned towards the sheriff as she slowly took her seat. She could see how mentally exhausted the professor was and how much of a toll it was taking on her. She imitated taking a deep breath and letting it out. Regina hesitated for a moment before following her lead and taking a much needed breath. Emma nodded her approval and then she turned back to the judge as he regained order in the court. Leopold was taken off the stand and took his seat by Spencer.
"The court will decide and recollect in 24 hours. Other than that court is dismissed," the judge announced, banging his gavel and signaling the end of the trial.
Regina stood, the beginnings of a migraine seeping into the edges of her temple. She gathered her things as Emma and Mary Margaret approached her and Gold.
"You ok?" Emma asked, slipping her hand into hers and squeezing. Regina looked at her, nodding although she was sure a migraine was starting.
"So what now?" Mary Margaret asked, glancing at her father as he and Spencer spoke in hushed tones to themselves.
"Now, we wait," Gold answered the young school teacher. "Although I have a feeling I know which side the jury is leaning towards."
Henry was eagerly waiting at the loft with Granny. He wanted to know what happened. He was terrified of his mom losing and he would possibly end up with his father. He was afraid his mom would have to go back to him as well. He didn't want her getting hurt anymore. When both his moms, adoptive stepsister, David and Ruby finally came through the door, he instantly ran over to them.
"So what happened?" he asked.
"We won't know until tomorrow sweetie," Regina pulled him into a hug, holding him tight and breathing in his comfort he so willingly gave. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she thought about the worst possible outcome that could happen. She could lose her son to that abusive bastard.
"Mom, it's ok," Henry whispered, letting her hold him.
"Let's give them a moment," Emma whispered, ushering the group to the kitchen where Granny started serving the hot chocolate she had made.
After a moment, Regina finally pulled away and lifted Henry's chin so he would look at her. Her eyes were full of tears. The migraine she had felt seeping in earlier was already at its peak. She felt nauseous and dizzy and just wanted to sleep the pain away.
"I love you Henry," she whispered, kissing his cheek. "And I tried so hard to make sure he doesn't win. I'm so sorry."
"He's not going to," he said. "Good always wins."
Regina smiled, her heart warming at the fact he no longer saw her as the Evil Queen.
"I wish I was as brave as you," she whispered and then led him over to the kitchen where everyone was discussing the trial. Ruby was getting heated as she described what happened to Granny.
Regina approached Emma where she was sitting on the stool sipping her hot chocolate. Mary Margaret served some to Henry as he took a seat next to his blonde mother. Regina hugged Emma from behind and kissed her cheek. Emma turned in her embrace and kissed her lips, ignoring the smiles from their friends and family.
"Are you ok?" Emma asked, getting up and taking her hands in hers.
"I'm going to lay down," she said. "I seem to have gotten a migraine."
"I'll come with you," she whispered and then looked at her friends. "We're going to lie down for a while."
Regina was lying down the moment they went up to the loft. Her head was pounding and Emma could see the tension in her eyes and face. She closed the blinds, making the room as dark as possible. She then grabbed the bottle of aspirin she kept in her dresser and took a seat on the edge of the bed beside the brunette.
"Here, take these," she said, handing her the pills along with the cup of water she had thought to bring up. Regina took them and then set the glass on the nightstand.
"Thank you," she sighed, settling into the pillows. Emma kicked off her boots and snuggled behind her, pulling a blanket over them. "You don't have to stay."
"Let me take care of you," Emma whispered, wrapping her arm around her waist and pulling the shorter woman closer. Regina snuggled into her, soaking in her comfort. She knew she owed Emma an explanation about her baby. She didn't know where to even begin to bring that painful subject up.
And then it was like Emma read her mind.
"You were pregnant," she whispered, her voice trembling and Regina felt Emma tighten her grip as if to protect her just from the memories alone. "And not just by a few weeks, you were five months."
"I was," she swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. She didn't elaborate anymore. She couldn't without the possibility of breaking down. She can still remember it like it was yesterday. The feel of a life growing inside her belly. She had already named her. Had the nursery set up. Even if she hated the father, she loved her daughter so much already. And then Leopold brutally took it from her. He killed the last shred of hope she had of being happy that is until she adopted Henry.
Emma seemed to sense that she didn't want to talk about it, because she didn't say anything else. Although, she can hear the silent tears the sheriff was so desperately trying to hide.
Instead, they lied in a comfortable silence until Regina's breaths evened out. She was asleep and all Emma could do was hold her. She couldn't shake the deep sorrow she felt for the baby Regina lost. She couldn't get the images of everything she heard out of her head. She heard things that Regina hadn't even told her about yet. Details of Leopold's abuse. The miscarriage she suffered from. It made her sick to the stomach. She couldn't wait till this was all over so that way they can start the healing process and move on with their lives.
Her head was so full she couldn't relax and decided to head back downstairs. She gently slid out from under Regina. Once she made sure she was still out and comfortable, she headed back down to her friends.
"How is she?" Mary Margaret asked at the foot of the stairs. She came over to the staircase when she heard Emma coming down. Henry was at the breakfast bar going through his book with David while Ruby and Granny were fixing some lunch.
"Sleeping off a migraine."
"She's been so strong through all of this," her roommate observed.
"I just can't wait till this is all over and we can start moving on with our lives."
"We'll get there," Mary Margaret smiled, beginning to turn back to the kitchen but Emma stopped her. She gently took her arm and squeezed it.
"How are you taking all this?" she asked worriedly. "It can't be easy watching your father take the stand."
"No, it's not,"she sighed. "Even after all the horrible things he's done, I still love him, but I hate him as well. I don't know how to feel."
"I get it," she whispered. "If I were ever to meet my parents, I'd still want to love them even after they gave me up. He's your father. You have every right to forgive him."
"I'm just so conflicted," she sighed, her eyes misting over with threatening tears. "I miss him, I really miss him but I just can't stand to look at him knowing he… I remember when she was pregnant and then she wasn't. I believed his lies when she lost the baby."
She let out a sob and Emma immediately pulled her into a hug. Everyone has been so worried about her stepmother and keeping her safe from Leopold that no one has really taken a moment to check in on the younger woman. He was her father after all and from the sound of Regina's story, he wasn't always a bad guy before his wife died. He was a good father to his only daughter.
"I'm sorry," Emma whispered. "I'm so sorry."
She wasn't sure when she suddenly became everyone's shoulder to cry on. After all she was the one who had set things into motion the day she decided to help Regina. Maybe in some way she really was the savior from Henry's book.
Her sleep was plagued with nightmares of Leopold... of her baby. The trial had stirred up all her past traumas and Regina was now reliving them in her subconscious. She must have been crying in her sleep because the next thing she knew Emma was shaking her awake. She had tears on her cheeks as she looked up at the worried blonde above her. Emma was sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, her hand smoothing stray strands of hair behind her ear.
"You were dreaming," she explained, with a slight frown on her face. Her green eyes were shining with concern. Regina sat up, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm her racing heart. The stress of the trial was getting to her. "How's your head?"
"Better," she said. "Although it's still lingering." She looked around, wondering how long she had been out. "What time is it?"
"You've been asleep for about five hours. Everyone went home and Mary Margaret took Henry out for some ice cream with David. She wanted to cheer him up."
"I'm still exhausted," she groaned, wiping away her tears.
"I know," Emma whispered, kissing her gently on the lips. Regina hugged her when they pulled away, holding her tightly. She was terrified of what might happen. She didn't think she could handle living in a town where her abuser walks free or losing custody of her son. All she could hold on to at this point was the woman she loved. No matter what happens, she had Emma and hope for a future full of unconditional love.
Emma lied back against the pillows, pulling Regina with her. The brunette snuggled against her chest, breathing in her comfort and allowing the feel of being in her arms force away the lingering nightmares. They lied in a comfortable silence, stealing kisses here and there. Emma couldn't help but think what comes next once this whole nightmare was behind them.
"I know we're taking things slow but when this all over, do you want to move in with me?" she asked, her voice trembling just a bit from nervousness.
Regina immediately sat up, shock clouding those dark eyes as she looked down at her girlfriend. For a moment, Emma thought Regina was going to bolt and run. She thought she was going to shut down and push her away. Instead she saw hope shining in her eyes.
"You really want me to move in?"
"Of course, I do," she whispered.
"In this loft?" Regina asked, looking around in disgust.
"No, hold on," the blonde said, getting up from the bed. Regina watched her pull a newspaper clipping out of the dresser drawer. She brought it over to the brunette and handed it to her.
"You found a place?" she asked, surprised as she noticed a house listing circled with a red pen.
"I'm building roots," Emma shrugged, her gaze turning away as a sense of uncertainty washed over her. The orphan in her told her Regina was going to reject her offer. She was afraid to look at the woman before her.
Regina stood, the height difference between them more noticeable as Regina had kicked off her heels before her nap. She reached out, taking Emma's chin and coaxing green eyes to meet her gaze.
"Yes," she whispered, her brown eyes shining with so much love. Emma let out a relieved breath, a breathy chuckle falling from her lips. Regina caught the insecurity that flashed in her eyes and tilted her head in curiosity.
"Did you think I was going to say no?" she asked carefully. Emma moved away and sat on the edge of the bed. Regina followed her lead and sat beside her. She looked at the blonde with questioning eyes.
"Maybe," she blushed.
Regina gave her a soft smile, leaning in and sweetly kissing her lips. "I love you, Emma," she admitted. "You saved me in more ways than one. Of course I would take this next step with you."
"I know… I just sometimes resort back to the girl I was before,"she admitted shyly. "The lost girl with no family and no roots."
"And now you do," she whispered. "I won't ever leave you. I won't ever take our son from you."
"Our son?" Emma asked, astonishment in her voice as she looked at her girlfriend for validation at what she just heard.
"Our son," Regina confirmed with a curt nod.
A beaming smile erupted from the blonde. The insecurities she had, washed away. Regina was giving her a family. Her son. She was giving her a future she never thought possible when she was 17 and pregnant in prison. She was giving her hope.
