A/N: So here we are, finally, the sequel to "a mystery without a clue", this story will take place during last part of high school for our seniors and POV will alternate between Regina and Emma. This fic will also be darker than its prequel, and will deal with both emotional and physical child abuse. The chapters in which such abuse take place will be properly tagged with trigger warnings. But this is going to be a general warning for abuse, sexual situations involving minors, and alcohol usage by minors. Also I know I promised this fic yesterday but FFN was down for 36 hours, if you follow me on AO3 and this happens again, you'll see my fic there. Updates will happen every other Tuesday.

Emma could swear the world around her stopped when Regina kissed her. Regina kissed her. She could swear the world around faded away and suddenly the two of them were all that existed in this world. Emma could barely believe what was happening. The last couple of days had been a whirlwind of emotions. Fiona had broken up with her, and she had been so conflicted about everything that she was feeling. She had liked Fiona, but the feeling that she got when she sat up all night talking to Regina was better than anything else. She had known that whatever she was feeling for Regina had only been enhanced over the past few months.

Regina had gone from being her crush to being her friend, and in that process Emma had learned so much about Regina and about herself that it scared her. It had been easy when Regina had been out of her reach, simply an idea, but as their friendship grew Emma had found herself falling for Regina in a way that she had never felt before. She wouldn't say she was in love with Regina, but she was certainly headed that way. And now they were here, at the Snow Ball, dancing together to the last song, and Regina had kissed her. Regina had said that she wanted to try. And Emma was so conflicted. In so many ways this was what she had wanted for months, but Emma was wary. Regina had run away after the kiss at Mary Margaret's birthday, and she had made it very clear that she wasn't what Emma was looking for. But on the other side, she and Regina had grown closer over the following months. Regina had never shown any negative about Emma being gay, other than her clear distain for, and history with, Fiona. She never got a real explanation on why Regina had run away instead of talking it out, what her history with Fiona really was, or much of her past in general.

Emma was happy, but she realized that she and Regina needed to talk about this. Talk about everything; the things that led them here, and why Regina had suddenly changed her mind about their relationship. A part of Emma just wanted to enjoy this moment, this perfect moment with Regina. But another part of her realized that they needed to talk.

"Want to get out of here?" Emma asked. "Go somewhere and talk?"

"You sure?" Regina asked, and Emma could tell the other girl was extremely nervous.

"Yes. I think we need to. Don't you?" Emma asked. "I'm okay with taking this slow, and I do want this with you," she added reassuringly. "But we have to talk."

"You're right. I owe you a couple of explanations, about a number of things," Regina said.

"Is Granny's okay? It's open all night," Emma asked. The truth was that the reason why she wanted to go to Granny's was because the diner, and the apartment above it, was like her second home. It was one of the very few places where Emma felt safe. And while Emma didn't think Regina would hurt her, she felt like the conversation that they were going to have was going to be heavy, one way or another. And being at Granny's would help her feel better.

"Yeah, I guess that's fine," Regina answered, a little absent minded. "I'll drive."

"Thanks," Emma said, and gently touched Regina's arm. "Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll figure out where to go next."

"I know," Regina answered with a smile. "I guess it's just all starting to crash down on me."

"I know how that feels," Emma said, and remembered back to when all of the pieces had finally made sense to her. Why she couldn't feel anything for the boys she was dating, why she always felt that tingly feeling when she saw Regina in the halls or on the morning announcements. That moment it all hit her, and she realized that she was gay. She had been terrified, not just how people would react, but what it meant for her and for her future. Realizing you're gay is like realizing your entire world just changed. Emma had no clue if Regina was gay, or bisexual, or questioning, or something else entirely. But whatever it was, it was clear that Regina was struggling with it; probably had been for a while, and she could tell that it had taken a lot of courage for Regina to make the first, or second in this case, move on Emma.

Emma had no intention of pushing a label on Regina in any way. She knew that this was something Regina needed to figure out on her own, but it was clear that Regina wanted Emma in her life as something more than a friend. They just needed to figure out what that meant and how to move forward. Emma knew what she wanted, what she had wanted for months. She wanted Regina; she wanted to be with Regina, to love Regina. She wanted the kind of epic love story that television had showed her. She wanted Regina to be her Ashley, to be her Peyton. She wanted everything with this girl in the way that a sixteen year old girl wanted someone else to be her everything.

"Look, I'm just going to say goodbye to Ruby and tell her where we're going, just in case something should happen," Emma said. "I'll meet you outside in a couple of minutes."

"Okay," Regina said, and as she started to walk away she turned around. "Look, all of this is making my head spin. But I meant what I said. I' done running."

"I know," Emma said, walking up to her and kissiing her gently on the cheek. "I'll see you in a couple of minutes. I'm not running anywhere either." And for the first time since she was adopted, Emma had no intention of running from anyone. Emma had spent her life running, from foster homes, from boys, from friends, and from emotions. Very few people were ever truly allowed into her life, to be let inside her head and her heart. While it'd been years since she physically ran anywhere – she couldn't dream of leaving her family – for the first time since the adoption papers were signed, she didn't feel like running away emotionally either.

She walked over to where Ruby and Peter were standing getting ready to leave, with a huge smile on her face. The band had finished up, and the door was closing in 30 minutes,.

"Did I just see what I think I saw?" Ruby asked the moment Emma was within earshot of her best friend.

"Depends. What did you see?" Emma asked coyly.

"You and Regina. Kissing," Ruby said. "Did that really happen?"

"Yes. Regina kissed me," Emma said and she couldn't keep the grin away from her face. She was still so in awe that Regina kissed her.

"So does that mean she's a lesbian, or bi?" Ruby asked, understandably confused. She had been there with Emma all along. And after the kiss at the birthday party and their following talk, Emma had believed there had been no hope with Regina. This was why she hadn't told Ruby the truth until Graham's party. She didn't want to linger on the hope that there could be something more with Regina. But there she was, hoping that there was going to be something more; more than hoping, facing the very real possibility that there was going to be something more with Regina.

"I don't know. I'm not sure she knows, but what I do know is that we are going to figure it out together." Emma could still feel Regina's lips on hers. The kiss was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Not the first time, not with Fiona, never. It felt right.

"As in together-together?" Ruby asked.

"I hope so," Emma answered. "But I was just coming to say goodbye. Regina and I are going to go to Granny's and talk. I just wanted you know where I disappeared to."

"And tell people you were with me if someone asks?" Ruby asked.

"Would you? I have no idea how long it will be, and I told MM that you or Peter were driving me home."

"Just text me when you know something more; anything," Ruby said, and winked. "We'll make a battle plan."

"Thanks, Rubes. I love you," Emma said and hugged her best friend.

"I love you too, Em."

The car ride to Granny's was silent, but not uncomfortably so. Their relationship might have been changing, but their dynamic remained the same. Emma had always found it strange how she and Regina could sit in silence without it being uncomfortable. It was like they understood each other on a whole other level. It had been that way since the beginning, and Emma was grateful that it didn't seem to change as their relationship moved into a new territory. No matter what tonight brought, Emma knew that going back was impossible. The door that Emma believed had been bolted shut had now been opened, and she wasn't sure what she would do if Regina tried to close it again. She wasn't sure she could, even if she tried. It had been hard enough the first time.

The two girls walked into Granny's and Emma could see that it was Gus that was working the night shift. She was glad. She liked Gus and as far as she could tell he liked her. He was a couple of years older than her and Ruby, having graduated the year before, and had worked at Granny's for years.

"Hi, Emma," Gus said as the girls entered.

"Hi, Gus. Is the booth in the corner empty?" Emma asked. That booth was the furthest away from the door, and usually pretty quiet. Emma didn't expect a bunch of people to come through at this time of night, but she figured Regina would want the privacy anyway.

"We're pretty dead tonight." He gestured to the mostly empty restaurant. The only people who were there was doctor Emma recognized from the hospital, and a couple of college kids home for Christmas. "So you guys just make yourself comfortable, and I'll be over in a second. You going to need menus?" Emma knew he asked mostly for Regina's benefit. Emma hadn't had to look at the menu for Granny's in years.

"No. I'm good," Regina said as soon as she realized that the question was directed at her.

"Thanks, Gus," Emma said and the two girls walked towards the corner booth. Emma sat down on one side, and Regina sat on the other.

"I don't even know where to start," Regina said.

"Let's just order something first," Emma said as she was removing her coat and scarf. The diner was hot, and it was a stark contrast to the cold outside. Emma loved winter. She loved the snow, she loved the cold, and she loved coming into the warmth after being out in the cold. "Do you have to be home soon?"

"No. Mother is gone until Monday. And Dad won't be home until the 23rd," Regina said. "No one is waiting for me."

Emma had noticed that Regina spent a rather large amount of time alone. Emma had never been to the Mills Mansion, but she had seen it from the road. It was a huge estate, with separate stables and the main house was enormous. It was probably the biggest of the five large mansions in this town. Emma couldn't imagine how it would feel to be all alone in that house.

"Then we have all night. We can take it slow. No need to rush anything." Emma said with a smile.

"What about you? Won't your dad miss you if you don't come home?"

"I'll tell him I'm staying with Ruby," Emma said. "It wouldn't be anything new. And since school is out there is no reason for me to come home early. We can stay as long as you need us to."

Just as Regina was above to say something, Gus came to take their orders; Emma could tell that Regina still needed some time to figure out where to start and what to say. "So, girls, what will it be tonight?"

"I'll just take an order of fries and some cocoa with cinnamon," Emma said.

"Got it. And for you?" Gus turned to Regina.

"Uhm, I'll have a black coffee and some pancakes," Regina said.

"You got it." Gus wrote down their orders and left the girls alone.

"Emma…" Regina started, "there are so many stories you need to hear to understand how I acted these past few months…"

"And the only thing I really need to know is do you want this?" Emma said and gestured to the two of them. "Because I'm not sure I could go back now. Not after you kissed me."

"I do." Regina said, "I mean I'm scared. I 'm more than scared; I'm terrified about so many things."

"What are you so afraid of?" Emma asked, despite being pretty sure she knew the answer.

"Everything. How people will feel about this, that mother will find out, that I am going to destroy you." The last part was said barely above a whisper.

"Why would you destroy me?"

"I don't know how to love very well," Regina answered honestly. "I've never been very good at it. I push people away. I always have."

"Regina, I have abandonment issues you could see from the moon. I was tossed around and kicked out from countless foster homes before I came here. I'm not without fault either. But we are who we are," Emma said. "And at some point we need to face that fact, and we need to own it. No one can tell you who you are or what to do."

"I'm not sure who I am anymore."

Emma reached across the table and took Regina's hand, "You're Regina Mills. You have excellent management skills, you cry at the Lion King, you would make a mad dominatrix if you wanted." Regina laughed, "You're a better friend than you know."

"Thank you."

"But can I ask? Is this…" she gestured to the two of them, "why you and Graham didn't work? Are you gay?"

"I don't know," Regina paused. "No, that's not true. I do know. I've known for a very long time. And I've been fighting it for so many years. I've tried so desperately to be what is expected of me. I'm student body president, I'm editor of the school paper, I take all the AP classes, I got early acceptance to UPenn, and I got an SAT score of 2350. But the one thing I can't change is going to be the only thing that matters if mother finds out."

"You got into UPenn? That's amazing, Regina," Emma said, choosing to focus on that part of the sentence. "MM got offered a place there but she chose to go to Thomas."

"Your sister chose Thomas over UPenn?" Regina asked, and Emma could tell that Regina was surprised. After all, UPenn was an Ivy League University, Thomas was not.

"Well, Thomas offered her a full scholarship while UPenn only offered a partial one," Emma said. "Technically, it shouldn't have to matter for her as her mother set up a college fund when she was a kid. She could go anywhere she wanted…"

"But you can't?" Regina guessed. Emma hadn't shared that much about her background with Regina, but enough that Regina could make that assumption.

"I'm not going to get a scholarship. College is expensive, and dad doesn't make that kind of money. The reason why we have money is because of Eva. Her family was rich – is rich. And I'm sure that if she were still here I would have a college fund as well, but as it stands right now, I have some but not enough for four years. I don't want MM to give up UPenn for me, but she insists that Thomas is the better fit."

"You have an amazing family, Emma Swan-Blanchard. You should be proud," Regina said sadly. "They seem to really love you."

"They do," Emma said. "And you deserve that same love Regina." Emma tried to broach that part of the conversation again. She had a feeling that Regina had so much she needed to say, so many things that she had never told anyone else.

"I'm not sure what I deserve," Regina said. "But I know that I need to tell you some things. Because I want to try to be with you. And for that to happen, you need to know why I reacted the way I did when you kissed me."

"Look, I don't need to know more than you want to tell me. But if you want to be with me, I want to be with you. I've wanted to be with you for months. I tried to tell myself that I didn't want to be with you, that being friends was all I needed. But when you kissed me I realized that I've been lying to myself since that night at the party. Because I am falling for you, Regina Mills, and I have been for a long time. I don't expect you to feel like I do, but I want you to know that I am all in," Emma said.

"You deserve to know why I acted the way I did. What really happened between me and Fiona, and why things went down the way they did with Graham. You're important, Emma. And I think I'm finally ready to tell someone."

"Okay then…" Emma said with a smile. "Tell me your story, Regina Mills."

AN2: Super-duper thanks to my beta, Jennifer (iFlipForRizzles), and I'll see you on the 15th. Thanks for hanging in there, guys