Trigger Warning - Abuse
Chapter 11 Fight For Her
Emma needed to breathe, so she found herself leaving the loft and taking a walk. She needed to process what she had just learned. Regina's past was dark and devastating. To anyone, her life looked glamorous as the mayor's wife, but really behind closed doors, she was living in a nightmare. The way she ended up married to Leopold was despicable. He took advantage of a hurt and frightened 17 year old girl and blackmailed her parents to approve their marriage. Did he sleep with her on the night of their wedding? She shuddered at the thought of being 17 and being forced to lay with a man that was decades older. She might have even looked up to him at some point in her childhood, she was sure.
She had been so lost in her swirling thoughts that she didn't even realize she had wandered into the direction of the station until she was standing outside of it. Fury washed over her like an angry currant. Graham knew all along and did nothing to help her. How could he watch Leopold hurt her and turn the other way? It had to be more than just being afraid of losing his career.
She couldn't help herself from storming into the station. He was in his office sitting at his desk when she walked in. She slammed her hands on his desk in front of him to get his attention.
"What the hell!"
"I know what the mayor is doing to her and I know you're covering it up!" she yelled. "He's beating her and you're letting it happen!"
Graham paled at those words. He struggled to even say anything at first. Clearly, he wasn't expecting Emma to burst in and reveal the truth to him. He couldn't even begin to deny the truth in the accusation.
"How… How did you find out?" he stuttered.
"Anyone looking close enough at their relationship, can see it," she growled. Graham stood and went out into the bullpen, gathering his jacket from the coat rack and service pistol for patrol. Emma followed him, her arms crossed as she waited for an explanation.
"There's nothing I can do," he said. "He has his hands in the station. He's threatened my career and livelihood if I do anything to stop him."
"Are you sure it's not more than just your job? Because letting a woman get beaten by her husband just to protect a stupid job is low even for you. At the expense of Regina's life, you would let her suffer so you don't? You are selfish! We're supposed to protect the people of this town, not turn a blind eye to their abusers!"
"It isn't like that Emma!" he protested.
"Well then what is it like!" she screamed in his face, unable to control her anger at his pathetic excuses. "What do you call waiting for his phone call to go treat her injuries so that he doesn't have to take her to the hospital? So that you can help cover it up!"
He looked at her, speechless, and she realized that it dawned on him that he knew she found out about his little trip to the mayor's mansion the night Regina got a concussion.
"I heard you talking to him and I followed you to the mansion the other night," she confessed. "I know he had hurt Regina and you treated her so he didn't have to take her to the hospital."
"He cornered her and banged her head back into the wall," he admitted, his head hanging in shame and unable to meet her eyes. Emma practically saw red as she could only imagine how Regina must have felt being being terrorized and trapped in corner by a man who's intention was to hurt her. She must have been so scared…
She couldn't even control herself as she suddenly backed Graham up against the wall, not caring that this was her boss. He could fire her for all she cared. She slammed him against it with a strength she didn't even realize she possessed.
"Is this what he did to her!" she yelled. "And you just let him! How many times has she asked you for help?"
"Too many times," he said with guilt heavy in his tone. She loosened her grip just a bit on the collar of his jacket. "If I do anything then he will get rid of me and then she'll have no one to look after her then."
"Well then you fight for her!" Emma snapped, backing up from him and looking at him as if he was the one hurting Regina himself. In a way he was, by turning his back on her. "Looking after her doesn't mean patching her up after Leopold beats her. Maybe if we had an actual sheriff replace you, then she would have been saved years ago!"
"Emma, it's not…" he trailed off and she could see the longing in his eyes that he wanted to tell her why he was covering up for him, but then held back at the last minute. She knew it was more than just saving his career. She didn't care to find out what it was.
"Look I don't care what he has on you, what I care about is saving Regina. You're either with or without me." She leaned forward, getting into his face. "And if you're not, then you better stay the hell out of my way," she threatened before backing up and leaving the station.
Leopold was furious and Regina shook in his arms as he brought her into his study and laid her on the couch. He always locked her in his study when she was hurt and he didn't want Henry seeing and asking questions. Her head was killing her. She could barely keep her eyes open from the searing pain. She felt dizzy and nauseous from passing out earlier. She knew it was from being out there all day with a concussion and stressing over Henry's safety.
He knelt down in front of her and roughly grabbed her face so that she would look at him. She squinted up at his dark cold eyes in pain.
"You made a complete fool of me today. People are getting suspicious." He tightened his grip and leaned in close to her face. She could smell his cologne and she suddenly felt like she was going to be sick. Her heart was racing and she couldn't help but whimper in fear. Even when she was so hurt, he still bullied and intimidated her. "This is the final time I'm going to ask you nicely. What does Emma Swan know?"
"I don't know," she lied. She didn't know why she didn't just tell him the truth. Perhaps it was because of the warmth and safety she found in those green eyes when she had woken up on that gurney. Perhaps it was the comfort that Emma unknowingly gave her. Maybe it was because for a moment she had been drawn to her lips when they had been fighting.
Why did she suddenly feel the need to protect the woman that she swore she hated?
She watched in fear as her denial caused her husband's face to harden in frustration.
"Leo! I really don't know!" she panicked, feeling as if there was a weight on her chest. Her breaths were labored as she struggled to control her fear.
"You know I don't believe you," he told her. "Instead of punishing you, I'll think I'll let you continue this little charade of yours. The truth will eventually come out, and when it does, there will be consequences."
He let go of her face and stood. She watched fearfully as he lit the fireplace and then went over to the minibar to pour himself some whiskey. His drinking hasn't gotten any better. This time she didn't dare bring up her concerns after what happened last night.
"I don't want you anywhere near Emma Swan," he said cooly, drink in hand as he came back towards her. He stood over her and she curled in on herself, burying her face into the couch pillow. She thought about those green eyes again and tried to calm her breathing. "It doesn't matter if Henry still sees her. Everyone already thinks he's crazy."
Her anger started to simmer from out of nowhere at the disrespect he showed towards their son. She looked up at him, her eyes flashing as she weakly tried to sit up enough. He must have noticed because he chuckled cruelly, before taking a sip from his glass.
"You better control that rage, Regina, or I'll give you another concussion before you even recover from the first one."
She averted her gaze to the flames of the hearth. If she didn't control her simmering rage that so often got her into trouble, he'd punish her regardless of her concussion. She needed to control herself, because her head hurt way too much to take on another brutal beating. For a fleeting moment she wondered what it would be like to rip out his heart like the Evil Queen did in Henry's storybook. How would it feel to crush it to dust and let it slip through her fingers.
"Now, as for Henry," he continued, shaking her from her dark thoughts. "That boy has one more chance. If he ever pulls a stunt like running off to Boston or running into the mines again. I'm sending him to boarding school. That boy is out of control and maybe some harsh structure will knock the fantasies out of his head."
"No!" she gasped, her heart clenching with ice cold fear of losing her baby. "He's just a kid!"
"He needs discipline."
"He's just confused."
"Stop coddling him!" he snapped, making her flinch. He smirked at her fearful response. "Get him under control or he will be gone by the new school year."
"He won't run away anymore, I'll make sure of it," she pleaded. "Don't send him away."
"Then make sure he understands what happens if he misbehaves again."
"Yes," she nodded submissively, afraid of saying anything else that would trigger his anger, especially when there was a drink in his hand and a child upstairs who was the target of that anger. She was ready to jump in front of Henry if he decided to get physical. He never has, but there was a first time for everything.
"Now, he still needs to be grounded," he said, finishing his drink and setting it on the mantle. Regina's eyes widened in fear as he headed for the door.
She immediately got up, fighting through the pain and vertigo it brought. She instantly fell to her knees, holding her head in pain. She felt bile rise up and for a moment she thought she was going to vomit.
"What the hell are you doing!" He was suddenly on her in an instant, grabbing a fistful of her hair and dragging her back to the couch. She cried out from the force of it, barely even having a moment to breathe when he suddenly back handed her so hard in the face she saw stars in front of her eyes. She was dazed from the brutality and was unable to move as he grabbed her by the throat and leaned dangerously into her face.
"You're on thin ice," he threatened in a hushed but dangerous tone. The kind that she knew she was in big trouble if she kept pushing him.
"Don't hurt him," she gasped, his fingers feeling way too constrictive on her throat even if he wasn't squeezing her. "Please, I'm begging you. Don't lay a hand on him." The only time she would ever beg was for Henry.
"Well then since you're begging, perhaps I'll consider it."
He let go of her and just as he was walking away from her, she desperately took his hand and looked up at him, pleading with him to have a heart for once. For some reason his face softened and he nodded at her reassuringly.
"You know I won't hurt him, Regina," he sighed as if he were annoyed. "I'm just going to talk to him."
She looked into his eyes, seeing the truth in his words. Long ago she remembered him as a good father to a little girl that he had spoiled, and deep down she knew he wouldn't strike his son. She knew he just liked to scare her and use Henry as leverage against her. He's never physically hurt Henry even if they weren't close. He didn't care for him. He only adopted him as a way to chain Regina to him and to keep her from running away again. Although, it didn't mean she trusted him to not lose his temper enough to actually hurt him.
"Stay here or I'm locking the door," he growled and this time she didn't stop him. She was too afraid of being locked in if anything were to happen to Henry. He left the study, slamming the door behind him. She curled up on the couch, closing her eyes and listening for any sign of Henry being hurt.
Now that he was gone, the pounding in her head was starting to become overwhelming. Her body felt heavy and she couldn't seem to find the strength to move. She could hear him yelling at Henry about running into the mines. She needed to get up and protect him, but she couldn't and with a brutal realization, she knew she could no longer allow him to live in this environment anymore even if he was oblivious to the abuse that was going on between her and his father. Raising a child in this toxic environment was selfish. Maybe Emma was right. Maybe Henry wasn't safe here because Leopold could so easily knock her down. She decided maybe she should be a little more lenient with Emma seeing Henry. Maybe she should even consider giving up custody before Leopold would eventually hurt him. She couldn't believe she was even considering this. No, for now she would consider letting Emma spend more time with him so she could learn to trust her if it ever came down to her having to give up custody rights.
The yelling had stopped and she hoped that he had kept his word and didn't hurt him. She could hear a door slamming and angry footsteps coming back down the staircase. She tried to stay awake but she was starting to lose consciousness again. Her body was shutting down from the trauma to her head.
She barely even registered Leopold coming in, muttering about Henry's disobedience as he poured himself another drink.
Darkness finally consumed her.
She was plagued with nightmares thanks to her stressed and concussed brain. The wolf standing in front of her car, sounds of crashing metal, the smell of blood, and the sound of screaming invaded her senses. Daniel's lifeless blue eyes flashed before her and she cried out for him.
She woke up with a start, alone in the dark cold study. The fireplace was off, leaving her shivering in the cold air. She tried to control her panicked breaths as she realized she was just having a nightmare.
"Mom?"
Her eyes fell to the door where Henry was standing and looking in. She could barely see him through the darkness. It was late and she wondered why he wasn't in bed.
"Come here, sweetheart," she whispered, about to stand and turn the light on, but then stopped. Her cheek from where Leopold had backhanded her earlier felt tender and if it was bruised, she didn't want him to see it. So she relied on the moonlight coming in through the curtains to see her son walk in and stand before her.
"I came down to get some water and I heard you yelling in your sleep," he said.
"I'm ok," she said as she sat up instead. She took his hands and looked at him through the moonlit shadows from the window. "I think I was just having a nightmare."
"Why aren't you sleeping upstairs?" he asked.
"I… I couldn't sleep and fell asleep reading…" She hated lying to him and found herself doing it way too much. She couldn't exactly tell him the truth, that his father had beaten her to the point where she passed out on the couch. "Did he hurt you?" she asked before she could even think about what she was asking.
Henry tilted his head in confusion.
"Umm… no but he yelled at me. I'm grounded for a month," he sighed in annoyance and she couldn't help the relief that washed over her.
"What were you thinking going into those mines?" she asked and he stiffened at her scolding tone. She could feel the glare he was sending her even if she couldn't see it. "Right, you wanted to find proof that I'm the Evil Queen who cursed everyone to a town in Maine."
"I would have found it too if the minds weren't collapsing!" He tore his hands away from her and stepped back.
"Henry, you could have been hurt," she scolded him and she hoped he had the decency to feel guilty for his carelessness.
"I know," he groaned and by the sound of his tone, she knew he did indeed feel bad. "Dad already laid it on me."
"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him from yelling at you," she solemnly apologized.
"You always say that," he sighed, crushing her heart at the disappointment she heard in his tone. "You're always on his side."
"You know that's not true."
"Do I?" he talked back and she frowned, quickly losing her patience at his snarky attitude.
"I love you, Henry and I'm just trying to protect you."
"By always lying to me!" he shouted and she immediately shushed him. The last thing she needed was for Leopold to wake up in a foul mood. "You'll wake your father. Go to bed," she ordered, not putting up with his behavior any longer.
He grumbled under his breath, but did as he was told. Her heart broke when she was once again left alone in the dark cold room. He really did believe his little fantasy world that he created. He really believed she was the Evil Queen. A small part of her wished he was right, because then she could hurt the ones who had caused her the most pain. If she was the Evil Queen then she would have torn out her husband's heart and crushed it.