A/N- trigger warning for abuse/talks of rape and violence.

"Ruby I am serious. Something is seriously not right."

"Bruises...?"

"Bruises. On her jaw."

"I mean...did she admit it or anything?"

"No! Of course not god damn-" Emma could feel herself beginning to lose her mind here. This entire situation wasn't being taken seriously. Not by her friends, her peers...hell even the woman herself denied the abuse that was clearly before Emma's eyes.

"Look Em...I'm not trying to deny the severity of this or-- or dissuade you from doing something. I am just not sure how you plan on taking action when she denies there ever being an issue to begin with."

"Because Rubes...I can't just sit by and do nothing." The blondes head hung low between her knees as she balanced her beer between two of her fingers, shifting uncomfortably from side to side. Memories from her own past continued to try and crawl their way up her throat. Suffocating her entirely. Images she had long since pushed down and buried as deep as they could go.

"I hear you. I do." Ruby finished off her third beer before tossing it into the waste bin and grabbing another. She slapped a fresh beer in front of Emma as well and pulled a box up on to her lap, beginning to undo the poorly wrapped duct tape sealing everything inside. "Awe no way!"

Emma licked her lips and looked up, a soft smile on her face. "Oh gosh...I mustn't have been any more than five years old in that photo?" Emma hummed taking it from her best friends hands. "You look..happy?"

Emma scoffed, nodding weakly as she ran her thumb over the face of the woman to her side. "Yup...two years before I was placed into the foster system. We were so damn happy." Emma set the picture down and shrugged before downing the rest of her beer, opening the next one in an attempt to diverge from this conversation entirely. Not enough beer in the world could prepare her for the discussion of both her parents dying and leaving her all alone in the world. Not enough therapy either.

"I'm sorry you had such a rough go of it..." Ruby's brows furrowed as she looked at Emma, pain for what it must've been like running up her spine.

"Yeah well...we can't always luck out. Maybe the next life." There was a long silence where no one said anything. They just shared small smiles at they stared at the happy little blonde girl and loving mother in the photo.

"Okay okay...enough with the serious heavy for now? I did promise to help you unpack didn't I?" Ruby smirked thankfully sensing the need to move on. She pulled out more photo albums and photo frames, setting them in their designated pile. Emma absentmindedly nodded her head, standing up to retrieve some more boxes for them to unload. They had a whole system down now. Unload the boxes in the middle of the living room floor and then once everything is in front of them begin one big clean up. It may seem messy but it was the only way Emma's mind could compute all that needed to be put away. Not that she owned much. Right around twelve boxes. That was her entire life. Including clothes and all.

"All right so...what about this then?" Ruby laughed, her eyebrows to the roof as she pulled out a strap-on from one of the boxes.

"Ruby! Give that here!" Emma blushed brightly as Ruby laughed, looking over it with a gaping mouth. "This thing is.."

"It was the first one I ever purchased! I didn't really think about ya know...sizing!" Emma whispered embarrassed as she continued to try and reach out for the thing. "I mean...good on ya...I guess?" Ruby laughed, her stomach actually hurting at this point as she finally gave in handing it back over to her friend.

"You know I love you..."

"Yeah yeah yeah." Emma mumbled with a knowing smirk painted on her lips as she frantically searched the other boxes for the rest of her stash before Ruby got her hands on those too.

"Regina?" Daniel searched the top floor of their large home frantically for his oh so beloved wife, his fists clenched tightly by his sides. He'd been on a war path all morning. It seemed every single thing she did lately set him off on some sort of frenzy. She felt like walking on eggshells around him.

"Henry..." Regina mumbled, tears already forming in her eyes as she helped her son into his stay over bag, putting one strap around each arm before laying her cooling palms on his cheeks with a weak smile. They were huddled up in the kitchen, facing the screen door and trying to be as quiet as possibly. Regina couldn't have Henry there...not now. He'd already seen and heard to much. She knew she had to face this head on and when she did she really didn't want her son to be mixed in the middle of everything.

"Henry...I need you to spend a few nights at Peters. I've already spoken with his mother and she's more than happy to see you there darling." Henry immediately began shaking his head, panic and dread filling his brain. The most horrible of thoughts running through his mind. "Mom no! No I can't-" he whispered urgently, gasping when he heard Daniel calling out for Regina once again from upstairs.

Regina visually tensed but quickly recovered running a hand over her sons arm. "Baby...this isn't safe for you here. I should've never allowed you to even hear any of this. I am so sorry." A single tear dropped down his face and he wrapped his arms around his mothers neck tightly as if she'd break the second he let go. "Please ma...please I want to be here. J-just in case!"

"Regina! Where the hell are you!" Daniel bellowed again. The past few days he had been getting braver. Braver with how he spoke to Regina, with how he spoke to Henry and just how he treated her...even if it was directly in front of their son! It had been three full days since Henry had finally expressed he knew something was terribly wrong, and in Regina's mind that was three days to long but...getting away from him was so hard and so scary. Finally she had to decide to do this for Henry and the day was finally here. Two days at peters would do perfectly because it would give her enough time to settle into the hotel she'd booked for the month...enough time to find an apartment for the two of them and enough time to make sure she got away.

"Baby boy...I love you so much and I appreciate how much you want to protect me. I do. But see that's where I've gone so wrong... I am supposed to be protecting you! Never the other way around. I am so sorry. I promise this'll all be better now." Regina looked up and smiled softly when she noticed peters moms green mini van out on the curb. It's time. "Now give me a huge hug!"

Henry cried and held on to his mother like his life depended on it. "I-I love you mom..."

"I love you baby." Regina kept a strong face on. Trying to play it off as if everything was fine and everything would work out perfectly fine...for his sake it had too. "Ok! Go go go...operation getaway?"

Henry was always obsessed with code names and operations for everything. It was kinda their little thing. He smiled softly, stepping outside and waving at Peter before saying "operation find home." Regina felt her heart constrict in ways she didn't even know possible and her eyes clouded with tears. "Two days." She mouthed as he got in the car, nodding and closing the door. And then he was out of sight again. The hairs on her neck stood at attention when she felt a presence suddenly behind her, "have you not heard me calling you?"

"Oh!" She decided immediately to play ignorant. "No im sorry. I was just busy seeing our son off is all."

"Where'd he go?" Daniel growled, putting his hands on his hips and forcing an easy smile that looked more creepy than anything.

"Oh he's...having a spend over night with a friend."

"And since when do we not discuss our child's plans together?" Shit. Think Regina come on now.

"Oh I'm sorry dear. I just figured you wouldn't mind! Maybe it'll give you some more shop time." Anything to get him away from her. If he was in the garage messing around at least she was alone.

"Let's talk about that next time. Got it?"

"Yes darling." Regina averted her gaze from Daniel letting out a breath she didn't even know he was holding when he turned around and walked out of the kitchen and heading down to the basement. To his workshop where hopefully he would spend a few hours. She quickly bolted upstairs and made quick work of packing a bag, grabbing all of her necessary items. A few outfits, a few pairs of shoes both fancy and casual. She ran into the bathroom and collected some toiletries, her hands shaking softly as she placed her makeup bag on top of her suitcase. Every little sound she heard from outside the room made her jump afraid of the moment Daniel would come barging in. Like he always did.

He was never big on knocking... said this is my house. I can go where I please. When I please. That's how he always was...toxic and overbearing. Manipulation was his favorite game and he did it oh so well. He was very good at making her feel like everything boiled down to her being the problem! She made him angry, she caused him to lash out and hit her, she was the reason for their failing marriage. Sometimes she began to believe him...late at night when she was all alone she sometimes allowed these thoughts to creep into her mind, invading her most personal insecurities. No no not anymore. She slammed her suitcase shut and quickly turned around, gasping when she ran directly into Daniel. "D-Daniel..." instantly her blood ran cold and she felt an eerie chill running down her spine.

He stared at her with this...calm look. A look that made her want to curl into a ball and never come out. A look that made her feel a knot in her stomach at the implications of what it meant. "Darling whatever were you doing?" Daniel growled, running his hands delicately up and down his wife's arms. "What's with the suitcase?"

She couldn't speak. She felt frozen in fear. There was no logical excuse why she had a suitcase full of her own clothes, shoes, her toothbrush and makeup...none at all.

"Answer me god damn it!" A sound smack landed against the side of her face, reddening it immediately.

"Ah!" She gasped and covered her face, tears welling up in her eyes. You've got this. It's now or never. "I-I want a divorce Daniel." Regina bit out and whimpered at the instant flash of anger on her husbands face. "Y-you want what?" Another loud slap fell on her opposite cheek along with a hard push that landed her straight on the floor. "I give you everything! Everything! And this is what you give me in return? Lies upon lies!" He opened her suitcase up and dumped all of her belongings on the floor. "You go no where!" He shouted an inch from her face, throwing the now empty suitcase across the room and it crashed against her full length mirror shattering it on impact. "Do you hear me you bitch!?"

A sob left Regina's lips as she looked anywhere but at Daniel. She was terrified. Actually terrified of him. "You hit me! You hurt me! Why would I want to stay with you!" She whimpered and shrunk back again when he got into her personal space but there was a very sudden switch in him. His hand gently caressed her cheek as he hushed her in a soothing manner. "You're right darling...I haven't been myself. I know this. I- it's not right. Not even close." Regina looked up into her husbands eyes and bit her lip, shuttering under his touch. "Y-you raped me Daniel..."

He raised a hand as if to slap her again and she instantly backed up, noticing when he caught himself and slowly inched forward once again. "You're mine...you're my wife. I didn't understand that's what I was doing darling. I- I'm a stupid man. That's for sure. Very much so I see that now but...I'm sorry Reg."

How could she possibly believe him. How could she possibly stay with this monster! Even more so...how could she ever forgive him. Even if he was serious he's crossed a line he could never come back from! She almost spoke, almost agreed but then she thought of Henry. His poor little scared face. His anger towards his father and she knew that was impossible. She looked up slowly, over his shoulder at the lamp sitting on the bedside table and she evaluated her options. Slowly she reached up and cupped his face giving him a warm endearing smile. He leaned into it willingly, smirking his signature disgusting smirk. "Never." She growled and just as he was looking up she grabbed the lamp and slapped him across the head watching him slump against the floor. She made quick work of picking up all her belongings again and stuffing them in her torn suitcase. "Ah!" She groaned and looked down when she felt a sharp pain in her finger. Sure enough broken glass from her mirror had sliced her left ring finger. Symbolic. Without much thought she picked up her suitcase and rushed out the door and into her car. She raced out of the driveway and quickly on to the main road.

The second the house was out of sight she let out a happy sob, laughter filling the empty space in the car. She couldn't even begin to express the power she just gained back. She's free. Actually free oh my god. She quickly grabbed her phone out and texted Henry. "It's gonna be ok baby." And pulled into the motel she'd booked for them. Once inside she quietly reminded them of the situation she'd spoken to the manager about on the phone and they again agreed to let no one in to visit her unless they used a special password she'd given the main office directly. "Thank you..." she mumbled quietly as she took the key from the receptionists hand and walked up to her room. Time to finally get some rest.

Emma shared a happy hug with Ruby once they finally unpacked the last box making her officially moved into her new apartment. "Oh my gosh thank you!" Emma tackled her to the couch and they shared a happy laugh as they went down.

"We should celebrate sometime soon Em! This place looks great."

"It truly does. I'm so thankful you were here to help me. I appreciate you." They clinked their beers together and shared a warm smile as they finished them off, chucking them into the recycling. "Well I better be going. Killian wanted to hang out tonight."

"Okay well...again I appreciate you!"

"Anytime."

Emma's phone dinged and she picked it up frowning when it was an unsaved number. "Holy shit..."

"What?"

"It's Regina!"

"Omg no way. What did she say!?"

"She just uh...asked if I was free tonight."

"Duh. Duh you are!" Emma giggled like a school girl and nodded her head quickly typing out that she wasn't planning on doing anything. She added why? Afterwards to make it sound like she wasn't overly excited. She had to play it cool.

"Would you care to join me for a drink? At the rabbit hole?"

"Omg she's inviting me for a drink."

"Where!?"

"At the rabbit hole!" Ruby shrieked and hugged Emma happily. "Ok we'll probably see you tonight then. Love ya!" She kissed Emma's cheek as she shuffled out the door, slamming it shut behind her. Emma groaned at the loudness of her friend and looked down at her phone again to answer.

" of course! What time? "

"Say...seven o'clock?"

" seven is perfect."

Emma pushed the bar door wide open, a sea of eyes suddenly on her. Nosy assholes. Emma awkwardly smiled and waved noticing everyone's eyes turn away and continue on with their previous activity. In the corner sat the beautiful brunette Emma had been so damn worried about. Her feet couldn't take her there fast enough. "Regina!"

Regina gasped and stood up abruptly pulling Emma into a tight hug. "Emma..." she sighed and finally took in her first deep breath for the day. She hadn't even noticed when a tear rolled down her cheek. "Hey..." Emma's thumb instantly caught the tear and the slight bruising on the brunettes cheek didn't go unnoticed. "What happened?"

"I left..I uh...officially left. I kinda knocked Daniel out and booked it." Emma stared at Regina in shock before nodding at the bartender discreetly who instantly nodded getting together her usual. "Well sit down." Emma pulled out a stool for Regina and kindly took her jacket off of her shoulders.

"I-I don't really know what to say. How can I help?" Regina shrugged at the blonde, tapping the cool glass of her drink with her maroon painted fingernails. "I uh...there's nothing to do really. I'm staying in a motel currently...and Henry is safe. He's staying at a friends until I get some things in order-"

"A motel Regina? No. You must come stay with me."

Regina blushed and shook her head, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I know when you say motel it doesn't sound nice but it actually is! It's more expensive. I've been stockpiling my allowance for months just trying to...build up the courage."

Allowance? I fucking hate this dude. He truly had such a beautiful thing. A stunning wife, adorable son, meals every night...a family! More than she had and he threw it all away. She really wanted to tear him apart.

"I- thank you for coming. I just needed you to know I was okay." Regina reached out for Emma's hand but retracted it fast realizing that may be too much. Emma immediately smiled and pulled Regina's hand back into her own. "I am so glad you called me. Really. I am...so sorry Regina."

"Please." Regina squeezed her eyes closed and pulled her hand away, stiffening. "I don't want pitty. I'm already such a joke in this town. Staying with...a man like that."

Emma's forehead creased and she shook her head rapidly, "don't ever say that." There was a bite in her tone that made her seem so serious but Regina could tell there was no true meanness to it. She sounded more concerned than anything.

"It's just the truth." The blonde just stared at her with a furrowed brow waiting for further reasoning. "I- I stayed with...an abusive, harsh, powerful man...with zero thought for my son. Zero thought for what he might have seen! His safety! I let him..beat me Emma." Regina's forehead vein popped out of her head as she spoke. There was clear self hatred in her heart. "I let him control me. Break me down. That isn't me! Well...at least it used to not be me." She didn't even realize when a sob left her lips and strong tears ran down her face. Her hands began shaking and her body trembled as well. She was clearly in shock.

"Okay okay...shhh..." Emma stood up, wrapping the woman in her strong arms and shot daggers at anyone looking their way. She reached one hand blindly in her back pocket and threw a twenty down on the counter before guiding the sobbing woman outside of the bar and into the crisp air. "Look at me." Emma ordered gently and was saddened when Regina instantly obeyed, her eyes red and blotchy with grief for so much. "Life is not so black and white. You're speaking in absolutes. Life isn't like that Reggie. It sneaked up on you! I'm sure he wasn't always the monster he is now. He broke you down slowly and...you may not even notice at first! And then you didn't have a job, you depended on him. You had his child! He's a powerful man. There's so much more to the story than just you let him. Life is...never so simple."

Regina let out a small whimper and smiled, reaching up and cupping Emma's cheek. "E-Emma...thank you so much." She whispered into the night, her eyes fluttering down to the blondes lips. Emma's breath caught in her chest and she didn't dare move...afraid to break up this moment. She noticed Regina moving in closer and ducked her head discreetly, a small blush painting her cheeks. Regina instantly backed up looking so embarrassed. Not that she should at all! More than anything Emma wanted to kiss those soft luscious lips but the woman before her was filled with grief and trauma. It wouldn't be right.

"I-I'm so sorry Emma I-"

"Hey...no no." Emma gently intertwined their fingers and pulled the brunette against her swiftly. "You're stunning and I'd want...nothing more than to-" Emma smiled weakly, giving her answer with a subtle eyebrow raise rather than words. "But you're...not ready. It wouldn't be right." Emma sighed, rubbing her back.

"You're truly...a prize Miss. Swan." Emma hadn't ever been called that and it sent butterflies coursing through her body and filling her heart with adoration. "I...I was going to say the same for you Miss. Mills" Regina blushed and looked down, shaking her head softly. Her confidence had been completely destroyed and Emma was about to make it her mission to rebuild that.

"Regina Mills?" They both were pulled apart from their moment by a strong authoritative voice standing before them. It made them both jump apart and stare up in wonder at the police officer standing before them. "Miss. Mills you are under arrest for assault and kidnapping... anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law-"

Everything sounded so far away as they handcuffed her hands behind her back. Was this really happening. Oh my god.

"Emma?" Regina whimpered, staring at the blonde in pure shock.

"Officer! Let her go. He's been abusing her. She had to get away from him." He ignored her as he walked Regina towards the back of the police car.

"I told you his reach was vast..." a tear rolled down Regina's cheek as she was gently helped into the car. The officer turned to Emma and sighed, "I-I'm sorry. I'm following orders here." He mumbled and got into the car driving away with a sobbing Regina in the back.

Emma screamed into the abyss and linked her hands a over her head, swearing a string of profanities before ripping out her phone and running toward her car. "Ruby?" Emma whimpered, buckling up and racing off. "Meet me at the police station. Regina was just arrested. No I don't-"

She groaned and slammed her fist against the steering wheel, "just get there! I need your help!" She hung up the phone and sped up with only one thing on her mind. Regina needs me.

A/N- hello everyone. Thanks for reading! I know this just got a lot crazier. Comments and votes always encourage me to write!