Chapter 12 The Right Choice

The ride home from the hospital was silent. Regina sat in the passenger seat of the police cruiser as Emma drove them home. She had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on Regina's thigh in an attempt for reassurance and comfort. Regina kept thinking about the meeting they had with Dr. Roe and Dr. Hopper. Should she really be on meds? Was she that damaged from Leopold? Was she that bad that they want to do an evaluation on her. She didn't see how any of this was fair. Why Leopold got to live his days without an ounce of guilt or remorse for what he had done to her and she was left with all the mental repercussions of surviving an abusive marriage. She placed her hand on top of Emma's and squeezed. Emma glanced at her in concern but then averted her eyes back to the road.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Can we pull over?" she asked, not wanting to distract the blonde from driving. She didn't want to talk about this at home with Henry around. Emma nodded and pulled over to the side of the road. She turned off the engine and looked at the anxious woman in the passenger seat.

"Did I make the right choice?" she asked, looking apprehensively into green eyes. Her hands started shaking and Emma right away took them into her own to calm her.

"Are you talking about not wanting to be on meds?" she asked and Regina nodded.

"Am I that emotionally damaged?" she asked in a small shaking voice and Emma felt her heart break in her chest.

"You're not damaged," Emma assured her. "You survived. You're trying to get your life back. Going on meds to help is just an option. You don't have to go on them."

"What if I get so bad and I lose sight of what matters. Of being happy with you and Henry. I need you to remind me of that. And I need you to make the call whether I should be on medication or not."

"Regina…" Emma started, not at all liking this. She didn't want to be the one to call the shots in her recovery.

"Emma, please…" she interrupted. "If I fall further into this depression and I'm unable to see reason or listen to what is best for me I need you to be in control of what happens to me. I trust you."

"It won't get to that point," Emma's voice trembled, her green eyes shining with unshed tears. She was terrified for the woman beside her. She was terrified of losing her. She can see her struggling each day to overcome the depression and anxiety she felt. She was so strong and it scared Emma to death to hear her talking about what ifs.

"I need you to decide what's best for me when I no longer can," she stated seriously. Emma took a breath and brought up the hand she was holding and pressed a sweet kiss to it. Of course she will honor Regina's wishes even if she refused to believe Regina could get worse.

When they got home, Henry right away had his arms around Regina. He was worried the moment Ruby picked him up from school and explained to him what had happened. He barely ate his dinner and could barely focus on his homework until the police cruiser pulled into the driveway and both his mothers were walking through the door.

"I'm ok, sweetheart," Regina whispered, kneeling to his level and hugging him tightly. She made eye contact with Emma and can see the concern reflecting in those green orbs. She pulled away to look at him and gently raised his chin so that he could meet her eyes.

"I was worried he had hurt you like…"

"He just shakened me up, that's all."

"Hey, kid. Your mom is due for some hot chocolate and snuggles. Why don't you two head into the living room and I'll make us some?" Emma asked. She wanted to get them settled before she and Ruby worked on her statement. They didn't want Henry overhearing or Regina having to relive the afternoons events.

Henry agreed and soon enough they were both on the couch with hot chocolate for Henry and tea for Regina. She had claimed she didn't need a sugar crash on top of everything. The fireplace was lit, giving the room a cozy and relaxing atmosphere, exactly what Emma was aiming for. Henry was drawing in the special drawing pad he used only for his stories while Regina insisted on finishing up some last minute work on her laptop considering how she wasn't able to complete anything after today's events. Emma would have preferred if she rested or slept but she didn't argue. In fact distracting her mind was the way she seemed to cope with stress.

Emma shut the door to the study and both she and Ruby got to work. The younger woman had explained the events of the day and what she had seen when walking in the classroom. She described Spencer's hand on Regina's arm and the close proximity he had to the terrified brunette. She described the words he spat at her. Emma saw red and felt the anger building up inside once more. She pushed it down because right now she needed to have a level head. When they were done she watched Ruby take a sip from her hot chocolate with trembling hands.

"Thank you Ruby for everything. You didn't have to stay."

"I know but I want him to pay as soon as possible and I want her to feel safe again. I've seen her when she was with him and I see her with you and I've never seen her so happy and relaxed as she is with you. Seeing her confronting Spencer today, I could see a kind of fear in her eyes that only Leopold ever put there."

"He'll get what he deserves, trust me," Emma scoffed in disgust at the mention of Spencer. "He'll be served with a restraining order and a fine or jail. Although if it were up to me, I'd rather just kick his ass."

"I'm all for giving him a taste of his own medicine. He and Leopold were friends and I don't doubt that he probably witnessed Leopold hurting Regina at some point. They're both assholes."

Emma nodded in agreement. She definitely would beat the shit out of Spencer if given the chance. The bastard reminded her too much of Leopold and she shuddered.

"So how did the meeting go with Dr. Roe?" Ruby suddenly asked.

"Could've been better," Emma sighed leaning back in her seat at Regina's desk. Ruby sat on the other side. The paperwork was completed in front of them. The reminder of Regina possibly having to take medication at some point flashed in her mind and she took a shaky breath. "I don't want to discuss the details without Regina's approval, but we've come up with a plan."

"And how is she?"

"She's scared, but she's hanging in there. She wants to get better."

"She's a strong woman who has been through alot. She'll get through this and she has you and Henry."

At those words, Emma felt the same emotional stress she felt in the hospital waiting room bubbling up from deep within. She felt like there might come a point where she and Henry might not be enough. She's seen the effects of abuse when she was in the foster system. Although everyone has their own experience and their own way of dealing with it, nonetheless she was terrified.

The question Regina had asked her in the car still echoed in her mind.

Did I make the right choice?

She wasn't sure. But that didn't mean she wouldn't try her damn hardest to help Regina through this. To help her learn to cope and accept everything she has been through. Even if it did come to a point where Regina's depression swallowed her up so deep that she was unable to listen to what was best for her recovery, she wouldn't let her fall.

Regina finished her work and closed her laptop and set it on the coffee table. She slid to the floor, back against the couch right beside Henry. She watched him sketch a drawing from a story he had been working on. To her amazement the Queen he was sketching looked alot like her. When did he become so good at drawing? Her heart swelled with pride for her talented young son.

"She's beautiful," she whispered. Henry looked up at her with shining eyes. There had been a point in their relationship where his drawings and stories had hurt her. Had driven a wedge between them. Now Regina was sitting here, awestruck for the first time.

"She's the Good Queen of all the realms," he explained. "But she's troubled."

"Troubled?"

"The Dark King took away her fire and she couldn't get it back, but then..." He turned the page to a completed drawing with color. Regina's eyes widened. It was a swan. A beautiful swan, and then he flipped the page once more to show her the swan had transformed into a knight. She and Emma had heard him talk about the fairytale he's been writing about the queen and her knight. This was just the first she's seen his illustrations of the two. "...the knight he had cursed as a swan, helped her get it back and together they defeated him and they lived happily ever after."

"Wow, Henry," she whispered. "These drawings are so beautiful."

No longer was he writing stories of the Evil Queen. He was filling the pages with stories of the Good Queen and her Knight. It was no mystery as to who had inspired his characters. She can see this was his way of coping with all that had happened. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him against her, pressing a sweet kiss to the top of his head.

"Do you want to draw with me?" he asked, ripping out a blank sheet from the back of the pad and handing it to her. She took it, suddenly reminded of Archie's advice of finding a hobby or joining in on one of Henry's as a way to ground herself. She nodded and picked up one of Henry's pencils. She laid the paper on the coffee table, unsure what to draw. How did he come up with inspiration, she would never know.

He saw her hesitating.

"Draw what's in your head," he advised.

She felt lost. She felt anxious, sad, and unable to cope with the violent abuse she had suffered. How would she draw that? She grabbed her lesson portfolio that was stacked on top of her laptop to use as a table. She didn't want Henry to see and he somehow understood that because he did not question her. He resumed his drawing of the Good Queen. They silently sat there in the warmth of the flames as they drew together, their minds both on the the past they had suffered through. They didn't have to fill the silence with words. They found comfort in this shared activity together and that was enough.

That was how Emma found them and she hated that she somehow interrupted them just by walking in with Ruby. Regina was suddenly shakened and was stuffing her drawing in her portfolio and placing it under her laptop. Clearly she didn't want to share it and Emma didn't question her.

After saying goodbye to Ruby, Regina claimed she was tired and headed up for the night. Even if it was early, just after 8pm, Emma and Henry followed her lead. After today, Emma was wiped as well. Henry was given till 9 to read or do whatever activity in his room that didn't involve a screen.

Emma was almost asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. It wasn't long until she felt a warm body pressing up against her back and an arm wrapping around her. She felt Regina bury her face into her neck and tangle their legs together. A warm kiss was pressed on her neck and Emma turned in her arms so that they were facing each other. Emma kissed her lips and Regina melted further into her.

"How are you feeling, love?" she asked, wanting to check in. Regina had been quiet since they got home.

"A little overwhelmed," she confessed.

"We'll take it one step at a time," she assured her. "We'll come up with a workout plan tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan," she approved and Emma pressed another kiss to her lips.

It wasn't long till Regina had fallen asleep with her head on Emma's shoulder. Emma stayed awake, watching her sleep through the darkness of the room. Her mind was still full of all the thoughts and emotions swirling in her head from the events of the day. She forced her mind to shut it all out.

"One step at a time," she whispered to herself, pressing a sweet kiss to Regina's cheek and finally succumbing to sleep.

Everything was in order, the statements Emma received from Ruby and Regina were processed along with the restraining order. David and Emma were at Spencer's doorstep the next day. He opened the door and smirked at the sheriff and her deputy.

"Sheriff Swan, what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked as if he had no idea.

"Cut the crap Spencer!" she growled out, the same anger she felt yesterday was brimming to the surface and this time she couldn't control it. She was suddenly pushing him back against the door to his house with her arm against his chest. "Don't you ever come near her again! I will end you myself!"

"Emma!" David was pulling her back and Spencer took a moment to catch his breath and straightened his tie. Trying to remain professional, David handed the bastard the restraining order and fine. "You are being served with a restraining order and a fine. If you fail to pay or come anywhere near Professor Mills, you will be arrested. Consider this a warning, because the next time you won't get off so easy."

"You're lucky Regina is not suing!" Emma spat. Emma had brought up the subject this morning and Regina claimed she had enough to worry about as it was. Emma could understand that.

"She's lucky I don't take her to the educational board! She has been singling out my nephew!"

"We all know that's bull! Your nephew is a lazy entitled piece of shit! You better not be anywhere near campus during his meeting. I'll make sure of it."

"That sounds like a threat, sheriff," he smirked.

"Well then consider it as one," she warned. "Let's go David." Without even another glance in his direction, Emma took off down the walkway with David following right behind her.