A/N: Happy Sunday people! In case you hadn't worked it out, I'm posting each Sunday…
Rage was radiating off the woman standing before her, so much so that Emma almost recoiled. But while those eyes blazed, the ever-purpling skin on the woman's jaw and the raw gash which she'd just stuck back together, reminded Emma that she was doing the right thing. Without saying anything, she sidestepped the shorter woman and reached for the door, grateful for her father's impeccable timing.
"Dad, hey, come in." She was also grateful that when he had texted to say he was right outside the room, he literally was right outside. Ever reliable, her father.
David Swan smiled at his only daughter and walked into the treatment room. "Hi Emma. How can I help?"
"Regina, this is Sergeant Swan, and yes, he's my father but he's also a specialist domestic abuse police officer. I called him to come and talk to you because I think he can help and I trust him to keep you safe."
Anger turned to incredulity as Regina took in the words. Emma felt her cheeks flush slightly in a subconscious acknowledgement that her actions had been, perhaps, a little unorthodox and her father's presence was, certainly, unasked for. However, she pushed those feelings aside and folded her arms, staring resolutely at the seething woman before her, knowing in her heart that she had done what was needed.
"Hello, Regina. It's nice to meet you," David said softly, switching instantly into his professional role and away from being Emma's father. It wasn't the first time his daughter had called him to meet with a patient at the hospital but the look on the young brunette's face told him that this visit had been very much his daughter's idea. Ending up at a hospital was often, unfortunately, the event domestic abuse survivors needed to experience before they were ready to admit that they needed help. In this instance, however, he could tell the woman was rather far from accepting her situation. This meeting had been orchestrated by his daughter. But, he was here now, and he trusted Emma's instincts.
The room was silent. Regina ignored David's words and instead glaring at the nurse who was still stubbornly gazing back, unwilling to back down over what she had done. Emma wasn't going to feel bad about what she'd done. Her father could help, she knew that. And while Regina hadn't told her anything, Emma was confident in her own assessment of the woman's injuries. Just because Regina wasn't ready to ask for help, that didn't mean Emma was going to let her walk back home to whomever did that to her and wait around for her to come back again, battered and bruised even worse than she already was. And that was the best case scenario.
"Ok, how about we all take a seat," David suggested after several seconds without anyone speaking, knowing that he was going to need to go slowly with the woman who was giving nothing away. That said, the damage to her jaw spoke volumes. Just like his daughter, David had strong suspicions about how such an injury could have occurred.
Emma nodded and returned to her own seat with David taking a chair on the far side of the room, leaving the seat Regina had just vacated waiting for her to sit back down. She didn't however. Instead, her eyes flicked between father and daughter, taking in the family resemblance, her insides coiling in discomfort as she read their expressions. They felt sorry for her. They pitied her. No. That wasn't what she wanted or needed.
"I don't have time for this," Regina spat, wheeling around and heading for the door once more.
"Regina, we can help." Emma jumped to her feet as she spoke but didn't try to physically stop Regina leaving this time. The way the woman flinched before, coupled with the suspicions she had told her that reaching towards Regina was a bad and insensitive action.
"I don't need your help. Stop meddling in things which don't concern you."
"You concern me," Emma replied quickly, noting that the woman had at least stopped walking. She might have been talking to her back but at least Regina hadn't left the room.
At those words, however, Regina let out a huff of annoyance. "Well, don't bother. There's nothing to be concerned about. I'm fine."
"Like hell you are. Regina, there's a fist shaped bruise on your face. Come on, you're not fooling either of us. We know what happened. We know someone hit you. Don't you want to be safe? Don't you want them to stop? Whoever hurt you, we can stop them."
The brunette spun around, radiating anger as she hissed, "back off, Nurse Swan. You have no fucking idea what you're talking about. This has nothing to do with you. It's my life. My decision. Just, yeah, just back the fuck off."
"Ok, I think we need to cool off here for a moment." David got to his feet, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Emma, why don't you go and get us some food. It's lunchtime and I'm sure Regina is hungry after having been in A and E all morning. Sandwiches?"
Emma knew better than to argue with her father and she also knew he was probably right. She did need to cool off. She wasn't sure why but there was something about Regina which had got to her. This wasn't the first domestic violence victim she had treated by any means and she also wasn't the first to refuse to admit she was in a dangerous situation. But something she couldn't quite put her finger on was different about this brunette.
"Fine, I'll be back in a bit," Emma nodded, walking past Regina and deciding it was a win simply to not have the brunette storming out of the room too as she shut the door behind her, leaving Regina alone with her father.
Maybe some food would do her good. She was hungry, she realised, as the door to her treatment room shut behind her. The rooms were pretty soundproof, otherwise she might have considered loitering outside and trying to eavesdrop. But she decided that it was best to do as her father asked, and to leave him to his job which, she knew, he was excellent at.
"Emma, is Regina still here?" She looked up and saw Doctor Fisher walking towards her.
"Hey, yeah she is but she's talking to my dad. He just arrived and, well, I guess Regina wasn't exactly thrilled to realise what I'd done."
Doctor Fisher pursed her lips. "Well, while I admire you actions, I can't say I blame her. You did rather blindside her. It might take her a while to realise you were acting in her best interests."
"Yeah, well, she seems pretty mad at me. Which, I guess I deserve. And to be honest, I don't even mind if she hates me forever as long as my dad can get her to accept some help. I just … I'm scared for her, Ingrid. She hasn't admitted anything but I get the feeling that whatever is going on, it's really bad."
Ingrid offered a small smile. "Don't worry, dear. If anyone can help her, you know it's your father. I assume you're standing out here to give them some time alone?"
"Dad sent me to get us all some lunch. I mean, he was clearly trying to get rid of me so he could have some time to talk to Regina without me there. She seemed unwilling to admit I was right and I think it'll go better if I'm not there, to be honest."
"In that case, I'll come back later to take her for her x-ray rather than interrupt. I know we set that up just to keep her here a little longer but I think it's a good idea to do our due diligence with that jawbone anyway. Shall I come back in thirty minutes? I'm not sure how long it takes your dad to get people to open up but I won't be able to hold her appointment for too long."
"Half an hour is fine, thanks Ingrid. I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome but Emma, just remember that you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved."
Emma hated that expression and pulled a face which would have made Ingrid laugh had the situation not been so serious. "I know but I can try. Just because she's not ready, doesn't mean she has time on her side. I can't let her go back to whatever situation she's in, Ingrid. I can't."
The older woman patted Emma's arm lightly and offered her a sympathetic smile before continuing down the corridor, leaving Emma to compose herself before heading down to the canteen to gather some food.
She took her time, knowing that the longer her father was alone with Regina, the better. For whatever reason, Emma had to admit that her presence didn't appear to be helping matters. Well, that was fine. If Regina didn't want Emma's help, she didn't need to take it, just as long as she was in some small way open to the help and support of her father and, by extension, the metropolitan police.
Fifteen minutes later, she was walking back down the corridor towards her treatment room, arms laden with a choice of sandwiches as well as some snacks. But before she could reach the door, it burst open, Regina storming out and yelling over her shoulder. "- so I'm not telling you anything!" Emma heard as she broke into a run.
"Regina, please, come back inside so we can talk," her father said as he chased her out, keeping a little way back from her but not allowing the woman to go without protest.
"Get away from me," Regina yelled, storming off down the corridor with David on her heels and Emma hurrying along behind them.
"Regina, please, just tell me who you work for," David pleaded.
"Fuck off."
By now several people had spilled out into the corridor, the noise enticing them out to get a look at the scandal happening in the hospital.
"Regina, wait, don't go!" Emma shouted, causing her father to look around in surprise, not realising that his daughter was back. Her voice made Regina stop too which Emma thought was a good thing until the woman wheeled around to face her, the thunderous look on her features making Emma think twice about whether she'd even survive this interaction.
"You," Regina screamed, her entire body vibrating. "You've made things so much worse calling police in. You have no idea what you've done, the gravity of the damage you've caused. Why couldn't you just leave me alone?"
Emma's words failed her and she just stood there, helpless, clutching armfuls of food. David, thankfully, had years of training on his side and took advantage of the fact that Regina had, at least, stopped walking away.
"Regina, I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to. Let's just calm down and talk things through, ok? Whatever your situation, I promise you I can help. I won't let anyone harm you again, but I do need you to talk to me. Or at least listen, to start with. I can do the talking for now. But, please, come back and sit with me."
Breathing heavily, the woman focused on the Sergeant and Emma could see she was listening to her father, weighing up her options. Hardly daring to move, she waited to see what Regina would decide. Several curious faces up and down the corridor were also poised with baited breath.
"I have nothing to say," came Regina's whisper, eventually. "There's nothing to tell."
"Regina, I … I don't believe you," David said gently. "I know something is going on and I can help, I promise. And not just you, other women in your position. Other women who work for whomever you work for. You can help them all, but I need you to be honest with me."
As she took in her father's words, Emma realised that whatever the two of them had talked about while she was away, something had made her dad think that this was not domestic abuse. From what she'd heard, from what her father had said, it sounded as if Regina was … her brain struggled even to compute the information and she felt her eyes prickle, unexpectedly, with tears.
Through her blurred vision, she saw Regina tuck her bag under her arm and pull herself up to full height. "Sergeant Swan, I have nothing to say. And now, if you don't mind, I'll be leaving."
"Regina, no," Emma gasped, desperation in her tone as she saw their opportunity to convince the brunette to stay slipping away.
"Goodbye, Nurse Swan," Regina said, her voice cold and detached.
"Here's my card," David said, accepting the situation more willingly than his daughter. There were some people who were just not ready to accept his help. "I know that it's hard but if you do ever feel like you need or want to talk, my phone number is underlined. Any time you need me, day or night, I promise I'll be there," he reassured.
Regina, surprising everyone including herself, reached out and took the offered business card, slipping it into her bag before nodding at the Sergeant, a silent acknowledgement that she understood his offer. With a final glance at Emma who was standing helpless beside her father, Regina turned on the spot and marched down the corridor, ignoring the dozen set of eyes which followed her until she was out of sight.
A/N: Oh dear, Regina. Why walk away?