I cannot get over the responses I get from this story! Thank you for all your comments/review/follows/favorites. Thank you also for all your suggestions! This was a picture prompt and I had no idea where I was going with it when I took it (still don't completely lol) so seriously, the suggestions/comments are so helpful. This is going to be deep in the beginning. It's also longer as I didn't expect it to get so deep lol. P.S. Maggie is a made up character, not based off any show.

**Trigger warning** mentions of past abuse (of all kinds)

Read~Enjoy~Review

Chapter 6

"No! Get off me! Please stop hurting me! Maggie, please make him stop! Please!" Emma yelled from her sleep, causing Regina's eyes to snap open. Regina sat up a bit and gently shook Emma. This, however, made Emma whimper more and then lash out. "Stop! I don't want this!"

"Emma, baby you're okay. Wake up, Emma. It's Regina and I've got you." Regina said, wrapping her arms around the blonde. She didn't know what else to do, but when Emma started shaking, she got a bit more forceful. "Emma, wake up. Baby wake up please." She said, stroking her cheek and then guiltily slapping it a little.

It did the trick and Emma's eyes snapped open; her body covered in a layer of sweat. "I…I'm going to be sick." She said and ran to the bathroom, leaving Regina on the bed. Regina wasn't at all sure what to do, so she grabbed her robe and went into the bathroom. She draped her spare robe over Emma and knelt down to rub her back. "I'm so sorry, Regina." Emma said, flushing and resting her head on her arms.

"For what, love?" Regina asked, pulling the blonde closer.

"For this. I haven't had a nightmare like that for a long time. I would have warned you if I would have known, but it's been years."

"Nightmares or memories, baby?" Regina asked, and the way Emma sniffed back a cry, she knew. "Come on. Sit up here and I'm going to run us a bath." Regina helped Emma sit on the lid of the toilet and then started her large, jetted corner tub. "We don't have to talk about it, but I think you'd feel better if you did." She looked over at Emma. "Have you ever talked to anyone about it?"

Emma grabbed a tissue. "Lilly once, when I was drunk." She admitted and then, not liking sitting there, she grabbed her toothbrush out of her bathroom bag and started brushing her teeth.

"Baby, who's Maggie?" Regina watched as Emma froze, her face turning even more pale. "It's just that you asked her to make him stop." Regina didn't know if she should be pushing this, but she knew it couldn't be good for Emma to hold it in.

Emma finished with her teeth. "She was my last foster mother." She said quietly, pulling the robe closer around her. "Regina, if we do this, you have to swear to me that you won't think of me differently." She said, large unshed tears in her eyes. "There are things you may not understand, and I can't stand the thought of you thinking badly of me."

Regina was up and holding onto Emma in a heartbeat. "Nothing will make me think differently or badly of you, Emma. I promise you that."

"I've never talked about this sober, either." Emma admitted, looking at the tub. "If…maybe if you sit behind me so I can talk without seeing your face, it'll be okay."

Regina stroked Emma's cheek. "Whatever you want, love. Please don't feel you have to, baby, I just think it'll help you."

"You're right. Besides, we already said we love each other, I'm meeting your mother, it's only fair you know my history before we go further."

Regina kissed Emma's cheek. "I do love you and this won't change that."

Emma gave a nod and Regina turned the lights lower and put some soft music on. She stepped into the tub, took her robe off, and sank into the water, turning the faucet off. "Come on in baby." She said gently.

Emma snapped out of her daze and gave a nod. She dropped the robe and came into the large tub, easily sitting between Regina's legs. She felt Regina pull her back against her and she lay back, relaxing into the embrace. "I'm sorry…it's just…I need to sit up to do this." She sat back up, feeling guilty, but felt better when she felt Regina's hands on her back. She could tell Regina must have been ready for this because she was rubbing some oil into her skin.

"It's okay, Em. Take your time." Regina used the lavender oil. "Maybe start before that? Before you went to her?"

Emma hugged her legs and nodded. "My parents died when I was ten and it honestly felt like my world fell apart. I was this young, slightly spoiled, slightly sheltered, daddy's sunshine, mommy's baby, not a care in the world little kid who lost everything. I said goodbye before school and never saw them again. The crash was so gruesome that they had to use DNA and dental records to verify it was them." Emma closed her eyes. "The social services picked me up after school, told me that my parents were dead, took me home and told me to pack one bag, and that was it. Everything I knew was gone. I had no aunts or uncles or grandparents, so I went to a group home. Regina, this was such a different world for me. These kids were so different. They were guarded and possessive and hardened. I was nothing like them and had no idea how to act or how to fit in."

Regina already had tears for this woman in front of her, but she stayed quiet, not wanting to butt in. She did, however, take the sprayer and start wetting Emma's hair. As a child, she would love when her mother washed her hair and massaged her scalp when she was upset, and she hoped Emma was the same.

Emma leaned her head back. "No one asked how I was, no one told me it would be okay, no one comforted me when I cried myself to sleep that night. I had just lost my parents and I literally felt all alone. They didn't even have a funeral for them. They were cremated and I was told I'd be given their ashes when I turned eighteen. It wasn't until a few years ago that I saved enough money to get them a plot and a gravestone. I had nothing of them. I mean, when they had me back a bag, I had no idea I'd never go home again, or I would have taken pictures instead of the few clothes I grabbed. Luckily, I did get some pictures when I turned eighteen as well, along with some other stuff the police collected at the time."

"That's awful." Regina sighed, working some shampoo in the blonde curls. "I can't imagine how hard that was for such a young girl."

"It was terrible. So many times I wished I had been with them when it happened because living without them was near impossible." Emma sniffed and wiped her eyes with the washcloth. "If I thought that group home was bad, I was in for a shock after that. You hear about foster care and even see commercials for it, and it all looks so nice, right? Families taking in kids and making them a part of them. Maybe that's true in some cases, but it wasn't for me. I'd go to a home and have high hopes after the social worker told me about them. I'd do my best to be good, I'd follow rules, I'd do chores, but every time, they'd send me back. I was too quiet, I talked too much, I cried to much, I had no emotions, I was too old, too young, too ugly, too dumb, too this or too that. I just never was good enough. The ones that kept me longer were the ones that wanted the money. They were the worst. I'd have rather been given back then kept and starved, locked in a room, hit, smacked, even whipped at times, all with terrible verbal abuse that had me believing I was just a worthless waste of space."

Regina's heart was utterly shattered, and she sat up and wrapped her arms around Emma. "I'm so sorry." She whispered, her tears falling on Emma's back. She hadn't even gotten to when she was with Maggie and her life was already hell.

Emma took some deep breaths. "Can…can we maybe get out before the next part? The water is getting cold."

"Of course. Emma, if you need to take a break…"

"If you don't mind, I'd rather keep going. I mean unless you've changed your mind. I just don't know if I'd be willing to talk about this later."

"That's fine, baby. I do want to hear about it if you're willing to tell me." She stood up and grabbed a towel. "Come on, I can brush your hair while you talk, but let's get comfy first."

Emma followed suite and wrapped a towel around herself as she stood. She dried off and accepted a pair of the softest, fuzzy pajamas she'd ever felt. Once in them, she and Regina sat on the bed, a nest of blankets around them. "You don't have to brush my hair, Regina."

"I know, but I'd like to. I understand you don't want to look at me while you tell me this and I get it. I really do understand. This way, we're both slightly preoccupied and hey, I loved it when my mother would brush my hair when I was upset."

Emma smiled softly and kissed Regina's lips tenderly. "Thank you. I know I haven't gotten to the nitty gritty yet, but this is already helping me. I just hate that it's now 430 am and I'm keeping you awake."

"Better like this than with your nightmares." Regina said and she stroked Emma's cheek. "Emma? You're not worthless. You're not a waste of space. You're not ugly, dumb, or any of those things they told you."

Emma smiled softly. "Thank you. That part of my story I have told Lilly and believe me, she has worked hard to help me see that. It means a lot coming from you as well." She kissed Regina. "Honestly, though it still hurts, I'm over that part of my life. I've worked hard to get to a better place. The next part…well it's a bit harder, but other than these nightmares, I'm mostly over it."

"The marks on your back. Are they from those people or Maggie?"

"They're the work of the family right before Maggie." Emma swallowed. "Maggie was amazing at first." She said, letting out a breath. Regina gestured for her to turn, so she did, bringing her legs back up and hugging them as Regina started brushing her hair. She loved Regina, she knew that, but she felt more at ease when not facing her. "She'd been a foster carer for years and had told them she was looking to retire. However, when she heard I was fifteen and was in the hospital, she agreed to take me as her last case. She came and visited me and was so kind and caring. I honestly had stopped hoping for things to work out, but the minute I met her, I couldn't help but hope she'd be my last stop before adulthood."

Regina gently brushed Emma's hair, shifting to also towel drying as she went.

"She wasn't like the others. She wouldn't let social services just dump me and forget me. She pushed to get me therapy, pushed to get a steady social worker, pushed to get me caught up in school. It seemed perfect; and it was…at first. Once I felt I had gotten all I could get out of therapy, Maggie agreed to take me long term, which meant I'd be with her until I was eighteen. It also meant less visits from social services and less check ups from my social worker. I didn't mind because things were great. So when the visits stopped all together shortly after my sixteenth birthday, I felt like a 'normal' child."

Regina sensed Emma holding her legs tighter and she went from brushing Emma's hair t rubbing her back – something she found Emma loved and she loved doing. "I'm right here, my love."

Emma gave a nod and took some breaths. "I came home from school on the last day, all ready for summer break to find a man in the kitchen. Maggie didn't have many visitors, so it seemed odd. She told me to come in and have a seat, so I did."

"Emma, you like being here, don't you?" Maggie asked, giving the girl a glass of lemonade.

"Yes, ma'am." Emma answered, not touching the drink.

"I know you know I get paid for having you, but frankly, you require more than what they give me. The food, clothes, shelter, phone, school stuff, Emma it all comes with a price."

"I'm sorry. I can get a job. The Dinner is hiring."

"I'm not allowed to let you do that, Emma. However, there is a way you can make money and pay for your keep." The woman glanced towards the man and back at Emma. "It's a job as old as time."

Emma's stomach knotted. "No. Maggie, no. I can't do that. I don't even like men."

"You don't have to like it, foolish girl, you just act like you do." She stroked Emma's cheek before grabbing her chin. "This is going to happen, Emma, I just wanted to give you the chance to want to help me first. Being that you don't seem to want that, I'll be taking every cent you earn."

"You can't do this! Social services will…"

"Will never know. They haven't called in over six months, Emma. If you tell them, if you even think about telling them, you will be sold and taken by Mr. K here to the life of a true sex slave." The woman sighed. "Emma, you don't want that. I don't want that for you. I just need you to make me a little money and then we're done. If I have to sell you to him, you will be chained to a bed and forced to do things to at least 10 men a day. That will be your life and you know no one will come looking for you as you have no one."

Emma felt the tears stream down her face, knowing the woman was right. She'd heard of sex trafficking and knew the hell those girls went through. "Ho…how many?"

"How many what, dear?" Maggie asked.

"How many times?"

"Until your debt is paid off. Don't worry, it will only be one, maybe two men a day. Also, those vitamins I've been giving you are actually birth control, so we don't have to worry about that."

Emma's mind was buzzing. One or two a day? "For how many days?" She asked, panicking inside.

"Don't you worry about that. I'll tell you when you're paid up. Now, let's move on. Have you had sex before, Emma?"

Emma shook her head, her stomach hurting. "No."

"Then we'll have to break you in." Maggie said, looking to the man. "You can charge more for that."

"I'm aware." He said with an accent and a sick look in his eyes. "Tonight. Have her ready."

Emma closed her eyes and curled up on her side, her stomach aching the way it did that day. Regina, who was now crying, held Emma from behind. "How long did that go on?"

"Every day that summer. At first the guys weren't terrible. I mean, I didn't want it, but they were gentle, I guess. Then, because I 'was obviously a whore', they started "selling" me to rougher guys. Guys who wanted more. I guess one good thing is that Maggie insisted on it only being "traditional" and I didn't have to do oral or…" Emma took a breath and turned to face Regina. "I know this probably doesn't make sense to you, Regina. I mean, how can I have gone through that and become a stripper, right? How can I have gone through that and want to do anything sexual?"

Regina stroked Emma's hair behind her ear. "I won't lie; I am curious about that. Emma, if you ever feel like I'm forcing you…"

"I don't Regina. I swear I don't." Emma laced her fingers with Regina's. "I've done a lot of research on this, Regina and not every woman who's been raped doesn't like sex afterwards. It's weird, I know that, but…with you it's different. I'm not saying I've had a lot of sex since then, because I haven't, but with you…and with the stripping too, it's different. I'm in control. I get to decide how much they see, I decide who I dance for. With you, I know that if I want you to stop, you will." Emma sighed. "I don't know, maybe I am fucked up."

"No baby, you're not fucked up." Regina said, lifting Emma's chin. "My god, after what you went through, you're still fucking standing. Have you ever gone to the police?"

Emma shook her head. "I just left. The minute I turned eighteen, I left. I stayed in a shelter for a while where I met Lilly when she was volunteering. She had been a foster kid too, but she had a social worker who helped her. When I told her some of my story, she had me talk with her social worker and they helped set me up with a job and I became Lilly's roommate. That's also when I found out about my parents ashes and their things."

"Emma, what state were you in when it happened?" Regina knew that in Maine, once a child was sixteen, there was an eight-year statute of limitations, but other states were different. Emma would be past that limit by a year.

"Massachusetts." Emma answered, knowing where she was going. "I was sixteen, so not technically a minor though."

Regina, knowing the law very well, shook her head. "It doesn't matter. It was rape and the statute there for rape of an adult is seventeen years. Emma, you could go after her."

Emma sighed. "She didn't rape me, Regina, and I don't know the names of those that did." She looked at the woman. "Regina, I get why you want me to do that, but I've put it behind me."

"Have you? I mean yes, you've survived, Emma, and you're doing a great job at it, but that nightmare…"

"Was brought on by what happened at work." Emma said, looking at Regina. "I don't want to bring it up. I don't want to live through it again by telling detectives and police and then a judge and jury and risk not being believed. I have no proof, Regina, and I can move on now, but not being believed would break me."

Regina sighed. "I get it. Okay, my love, I get it. You mentioned you went to therapy before; have you thought about going back?"

"Yes, but the one I used to see is back in Boston and only sees kids. I would need to find someone I'm comfortable with."

"I know someone who I think you'd be comfortable with if you want. You remember David? The police officer from that night with Killian?"

"Yeah. Don't tell me he's also a shrink."

"No." Regina chuckled. "His wife Mary Margaret is. I'm not telling you what to do, but if you do decide to see someone, I can give you her number."

"How about you give me her number and I'll think about it." Emma said, to which Regina agreed. "Regina, please don't treat me differently now, here or at work. I love what we have, and I don't want it to change."

"So long as you always promise to tell me to stop if you don't like it. Emma, I don't want to be in the same category as those men."

"You never would be." Emma said, stroking her cheek. "I do promise." Emma couldn't stop her yawn. "We should try and get more sleep before your mom comes."

"Emma, I'm going to cancel the visit."

"No, please don't. Honestly, I feel so much better after talking to you."

"You swear it?"

"I swear it. Come on, we can get a good few hours."

"Okay, if you're sure." The two got more comfortable and Regina cuddled with Emma. "Honey, I just want you to know that you are the strongest, bravest, most amazing woman I have ever met. I thought that before tonight, and I'll continue thinking that forever."

Emma gave a small smile, tears filling her eyes. "You see? Lilly can say that, and it just doesn't mean the same as when you say it. Regina, there's just something about you that makes me believe the words when you say them. I love you so much."

"I am glad you believe me because it's true. I love you, too. I love you so much."

The two quickly fell back to sleep and slept hard until about eleven when Regina's phone woke her up. She cleared her throat and answered. "Hello?" She smiled over at Emma sleeping. "Sorry, we had a late night. No, we're not cancelling." She got up and went to the bathroom. "There was a situation that had Emma having flashbacks and she told me about her past last night. Mother, she's the strongest person I've ever met. I can't tell you because it's not my story to tell, but ugh, I wish you knew just how amazing she is." Regina smiled. "Yeah, I guess you'll find out today. Thank you so much for pushing me to go for it with her. Okay, we'll see you in an hour." Regina hung up and then freshened herself up, deciding not for a shower since they took a late-night bath.

Emma had felt Regina get up and she stretched before looking at the time. She also saw she had a couple texts from Lilly and smiled. "Morning. I'm fine. Actually had a great night last night. Talked about my past and feeling pretty good. Not sure if I'll be home today or tomorrow. Have fun!" She then got up and smiled when she saw that Regina had taken her clothes from her bag and hung them in the closet. She had a nice blouse with some skinny jeans and hoped that was good enough to meet Regina's mother.

Regina came out and hummed. "You look sexy, Ms. Swan. Classy and sexy; my kind of woman."

Emma blushed and smiled. "Thanks. I was hoping this was okay."

"Better than okay. I think I'll have to ravish you the moment my mother leaves." Regina said, kissing Emma and pressing her body against her.

"Regina? The last few times we've been together, I feel like it's been all about me." She wrapped her arms around Regina. "Is there anything you'd like me to do for you?"

"Baby, what you do for me already is amazing. I have always been a top and not a dominatrix per say, but definitely more dom than not. You allow me to let that out and that pleases me more than you know."

Emma's brow rose. "You're sure that's enough?"

Regina grinned. "Baby, we're just getting started. I'm in the process of something, so don't question it."

Emma smiled softly. "Okay fine, as long as you're getting something out of this as well."

Regina stroked Emma's cheek. "I'm getting more than you realize."

Regina had just finished making a rather large brunch when Cora knocked and came in. "Regina, darling it smells amazing in here."

Regina smiled and kissed her mother's cheek. "Come on in, Emma's starving and I don't know how much longer I can hold her off."

"Hey now, I'm not that bad." Emma said, wiping muffin crumbs from her mouth.

Cora smirked; she could see why Regina had a thing for this blonde girl. She was adorable and probably had no idea. She schooled her features and raised a brow. "So, you meet your girlfriends mother with a mouth full of food?"

Regina rolled her eyes, knowing her mother enough to know it was a joke. Emma, however, froze, her heart pounding. "I…I don't have food in my mouth, Ma'am, but I'm sorry if I came off as rude."

Cora let out a laugh. "Oh honey, I'm messing with you. Please, do not call me ma'am or even Mrs. Mills. I'm Cora."

Emma let out a breath. "You got me, Cora."

"Yes, good job, mother." Regina said sarcastically.

The three sat down and chatted as they ate. Emma really liked Cora and could see what Regina got from her. She learned more about little Regina and loved hearing stories. Cora really liked Emma and found herself hoping more and more that she and Regina would work out. Sure, it was early days, but Regina hadn't had her meet anyone she dated since her failed marriage, so this gave her more hope.

That night, after a few hours of gentle but passionate love making, Emma smiled as she was in Regina's arms. "I really like your mom."

"She likes you too, Emma. You really impressed her."

"I did? I was just being me."

"I know and you, my love, are amazing."

Emma smiled softly. "You know when you and your mom went to get her prescriptions today?"

"Mhm." Regina hummed, lazily.

"I called Dr. Nolan – er, Mary Margaret as she insisted, I call her. I was surprised she answered on a Saturday."

"You did? And?"

"And we talked for a bit and I decided to set up an appointment. I'm going on Monday."

"Emma, that's great. I'm so proud of you."

Emma smiled a bit. "I actually asked her if she would judge me based on my job." She said with a chuckle.

"She won't, Emma. I used to go see her after my divorce. She's the least judgmental person I know."

"Yeah, I got that vibe from her." Emma chewed on her lip. "I also got a call from Detective Benson."

"You did? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm telling you now." Emma said with a shrug. "That jerk isn't fighting the charges, so I don't have to go to court or anything. They think he's getting like six months in jail and some probation. Not enough, according to Benson, but he has no record, so the judge will probably go easy on him. I…I asked her about statutes of limitation for people that force a sixteen-year-old to have sex for money."

"Emma…really?" Regina asked, surprised but proud.

"Yeah. Of course, she wanted to know why I was asking. Would you mind if I go down to see her tomorrow? I don't know if she can even do anything, but I can at least try." She bit her lip. "Thank you, Regina. Thank you for…just being you and for loving me."

Regina smiled lightly. "No thanks needed, my love."