A/N: Sorry I missed last week - I was enjoying Easter weekend with my family and ran out of time to write. This chapter is a little longer than usual, to make up for it! I aim to finish this at about 45 chapters, FYI.

The sound of Emma's voice behind her made Regina jump. She switched off the hair dryer, so her girlfriend didn't have to shout and twisted around on the stool.

"They're back," Emma said. "The jury."

"Already?"

Emma arched an eyebrow. "It's been seven days," she reminded the shocked brunette.

"Yes, but it's only ten past nine."

Emma shrugged. "My guess is there was only one holdout. The moment the judge said he'd accept a majority verdict, they knew they were ready. I suppose it was just a formality to meet this morning and confirm that it really was eleven against one."

Regina placed the hair dryer on the dresser. A few damp patches remained but she didn't care. "So, that means either one person didn't believe me, or eleven people didn't believe me."

"I'm sure it's … let's go. We don't want to miss it." Emma couldn't bring herself to make such a definitive statement. Because what if the jury really did find Killian not guilty? She made it to halfway down the stairs before realising that Regina wasn't following. Retracing her steps, she found the younger woman still sitting at the dresser, frozen. "We don't have to go, if you don't want to. We can stay here. My dad will call to let us know what happened."

Shaking her head, Regina got to her feet. "No, I'm going. I want to be there. Um, give me five minutes?"

"Ok but we don't have long. I'll be waiting downstairs when you're ready."

Regina forced a smile and watched as Emma retreated from the room. She made her way over to the bed and sat on the edge, rubbing her damp palms up and down the front of the smart suit trousers she had put on that morning in anticipation of attending court. She wasn't sure what had come over her. She knew today was the day. She knew, one way or another, she'd find out whether twelve strangers thought her uncle was guilty or decided that she was lying. How was she not prepared? How was she not ready?

Maybe it was because, after seven days of waiting, she really had started to accept the fact that maybe they'd never make a decision. The majority verdict was the last ditch attempt by the judge to try and avoid a hung jury. But Regina hadn't realised that they had been so close. One person, just one. But which way?

And who? She had glanced at the jury many times while she was in the witness box. Who was it who didn't believe her? Or, she reminded herself, which solitary person did believe her? Either scenario was a possibility. And in a few short minutes, she'd know, one way or the other. And once that verdict was delivered, her life would change. The question was, how?

Downstairs she heard the clatter of keys as Emma lifted her set from the china bowl on the side table in the hall. The rest of the house was silent. She had to go, she knew that. She had to find out. Waiting wasn't going to change things and whatever her future held, at least she'd know. A life where she was safe in London, free from the threat of her uncle. Or a city which suddenly became infinitely more dangerous, and one in which she knew she wouldn't be able to stay.

Standing up once more, she wiped her palms on her thighs for a final time and headed out of the room. Emma was hovering at the bottom of the stairs, a reassuring smile on her lips as Regina descended.

"Ready?" Emma asked softly as she reached the bottom step.

"As I'll ever be," Regina nodded, leaning forwards to place a delicate kiss to Emma's cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?" Emma asked, reaching for Regina's hand and leading the way out of the house to the street where an Uber was waiting, having been summoned by Emma while Regina was gathering her thoughts.

"For everything. For being here. For being you."

"You're welcome," Emma replied, opening the car door and confirming her name and the address of the courthouse to the driver as Regina climbed into the back seat.

With their fingers interlaced together, they set off through the busy London streets in silence.

They arrived a mere ten minutes later. David waved at them as they got out of the car, right outside the building, gesturing for them to hurry.

"Did we miss it?" Emma asked as they reached him, following him into the building.

"No, you're just in time. Good morning, Regina. How are you doing?"

"I'm ok, I think," Regina replied. "I just want to know now, I suppose."

"Me too," David admitted.

Emma hadn't share with Regina that her father had expressed his own concerns at how long the jury was taking a couple of days earlier. He had watched all of the proceedings and believed that the prosecution had presented a solid case. As the days ticked by without a verdict, he had become more and more concerned, finally sharing with his daughter that long consideration times were often a warning sign. This fear hadn't made its way to Regina, of course. The brunette didn't need to know that David, with his years of experience taking men like Killian to court, was worried.

David pulled open the doors to the busy court room. There was a group of reporters at the back, murmuring together and glancing towards the empty benches where the jury would soon sit. A few looked at Regina, nudging each other and pointing. Emma put her arm around Regina's shoulders and guided her towards where David's colleagues were sitting. A small team had been working on the case and that morning they had all shown up to see if their hard work had paid off.

At the front of the room, Regina could see Killian, sitting beside his lawyer and looking studiously ahead of him. Regina was glad. She didn't think she could look him in the eye ever again. Hopefully she'd never have to.

"Only a few minutes to wait," David whispered, checking his watch.

Emma reached for Regina's hand once more, feeling the clammy flesh and knowing that Regina's nerves were mounting. If she was honest with herself, she was intensely nervous too. But she couldn't be, at least not outwardly. This was about Regina, not her. She had to be strong. She had to hold it together, whatever was about to happen.

"All rise," a bailiff called.

The collective sound of dozens of people getting to their feet filled the room. Moments later, the judge appeared and walked along the bench to take his seat, high up in the centre of the bench. As he rearranged his robes around him, everyone took their seats once more and the bailiff moved to hover by the door, behind which the jury would be waiting.

Regina stared at the door, not listening to what the judge was saying. And then they appeared, twelve people filing inside and taking their seats. A short, middle-aged woman on the far end remained standing.

"I'll go through each of the charges individually and ask for your verdict," the judge explained. "On the count of human trafficking, have you reached a unanimous verdict?"

"We have, your honour."

"On the count of human trafficking, how do you find?"

"Not guilty, your honour."

Emma squeezed Regina's hand. They had know that was a long shot but it was still a gut punch. Regina's travelling to the UK had not been instigated by Killian. He had not orchestrated the trip, merely taken advantage of it once she was in the country. The prosecution had considered dropping it at one point, fearing it may weaken their case but had decided to push on. Emma didn't know the details but apparently Katherine had testified to all three charges. But there was no time to consider what that meant as the judge pushed onto the next charge.

"On the count of keeping a brothel for prostitution, have you reached a unanimous verdict?"

"We have not, your honour."

"On the count of keeping a brothel for prostitution, have you reached a majority verdict?"

"We have, your honour," the woman nodded.

Emma looked sideways at Regina. She didn't think she'd even seen the Latina look so pale.

"On the count of keeping a brothel for prostitution, how do you find?"

"Guilty, your honour."

There was a cheer from the police officers beside them. Emma let out a sigh of relief, squeezing Regina's hand tighter still.

"You did it," Emma whispered, leaning into Regina's side.

Turning to look at the blonde, Regina's tear-filled eyes locked on Emma's. It wasn't entirely clear whether Regina had taken in the verdict. "You did it, baby," Emma smiled. "He's going to prison."

"For seven years," David added. "He'll get the max."

"Seven years?" Regina asked, turning to the man beside her. "That's it? Then what?"

But before David could answer, the bailiff was calling for court to settle. When there was silence again, the judge turned back to the jury. "On the count of rape, have you reached a unanimous verdict?"

"We have not, your honour."

"On the count of rape, have you reached a majority verdict?"

"We have, your honour."

"On the count of rape, how do you find?"

"Guilty, your honour."

There was another cheer from the police officers. Emma felt Regina's fingernails digging into her palm. She reached her other hand out and placed it on the brunette's knee, pulling her back to the moment.

"Are you ok?"

"He … he didn't rape me," she said, confused.

"I know but the charge was added as the investigation got further along. Dad told us about it. Other people testified to it, remember?"

"So, he was raping the other girls?" Regina asked, turning to Emma as if she had the answers.

"I suppose so? Babe, I don't know but this is a win, right? This means he's going away for a lot longer than seven years."

Regina just looked dazed, as if she hadn't quite processed the words. Around them, the mundanity of the court proceedings faded into the background as the judge dismissed the jury, thanking them for their service, before turning to the defendant to reiterate what he had been found guilty of and asking the bailiff to take him away, ahead of his sentencing date being set. Regina didn't noticed that Killian turned back to scan the crowd, looking for his niece as he was led out of the room. She was staring at her jiggling knees, one of which still had Emma's hand on it.

In front and behind them, people were getting to their feet, congratulating each other on the verdict. Despite Killian being found not guilty of human trafficking, the police were pleased with the verdicts and walked out of the courtroom together, discussing what this may mean for the trials of the other men who were implicated in Killian's business.

Emma and Regina stayed put. Emma was taking her cue from Regina, who wasn't sure if her legs were strong enough to support her weight. Emma was happy to wait. She could see a few reporters hovering by the door. Although Regina's identity was supposed to be confidential, she knew they were loitering to try and get a quote. Hopefully court officials would clear them out and she and Regina could slip out of a side entrance, avoiding the gaggle of media which were sure to be present outside to report on the verdict.

It didn't take long before the last few people left, the two women alone in the room.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked softly for what felt the millionth time that day.

"I think so," Regina replied. "I mean, I should be, right? He was found guilty, that's good, right?"

"It is good but I'm not going to tell you how to feel right now. I have no idea what's the right way to feel, if I'm honest. So, feel whatever it is, and I'll be here when you're ready to go home, ok?"

They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Regina turned to Emma. "I know he was found guilty of running a brothel and that's good but the rape charge is … I had no idea, Emma. I knew he was making us have sex with men but I didn't know he was having sex with other girls. If I'd have known, I would have gone to the police sooner, I promise. I could have stopped him."

"Hey, hey, this isn't on you. This is nothing to do with when you were ready to report. This was all him, ok? Don't feel guilty for a second. No one is responsible for his actions but him and thanks to you and other brave women, he'll be going away for a very long time."

"Who do you think he raped?" Regina asked, her desperation for the truth to this new, even more monstrous side of her uncle clear on her face.

"Me."

Regina and Emma turned around at the quiet but bitter word. In the doorway stood a small, meek-looking woman who was gazing directly at Regina.

"Katherine?"

"Hello, Regina," Katherine replied.

"Katherine," Regina repeated again. "Oh my god, Katherine, I'm so sorry." She got to her feet and started to make her way towards the blonde but stopped, something inside her telling her to wait, unsure how she would be received. It had been months since they'd seen each other. "Are you ok? Are you safe?"

"I am. Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm safe, I'm good. Katherine, I'm so sorry I didn't come back for you. I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I didn't go straight to the cops. I just … couldn't."

"I know. You did what you needed to do to save yourself. I get that. You saw an opportunity and you took it. I'm not holding that against you. And you went to the cops eventually, right? So, yeah, it's ok. We're good."

"We are?"

"Yeah, we are."

Regina let out a shaky breath and stepped closer. "Um, can I hug you?"

Katherine hesitated before nodding. Regina crossed the rest of the room and wrapped her arms around the woman who had been her only friend, her confidant, for all those months she was forced to work for her uncle. "I'm so sorry," she whispered again.

"I know. It's ok," Katherine murmured back, arms encircling her friend.

It wasn't 'I forgive you,' but it would do, Regina decided.

"Where are you staying?" Regina asked as they pulled apart.

"I've got a little bedsit. Not much but something. Better than before. What about you?"

"I'm living with Emma," Regina said, turning to introduce her girlfriend who was hovering by their seats.

"Hi," Emma said, approaching the friends and waving hello. "Regina's told me all about you." It was a lie but her British manners made the words spill from her lips. In truth, Regina barely mentioned Katherine and every time Emma had asked a question about the girl who had been her companion in that awful place, the brunette had shut down. Seeing the undeniable beauty of the blonde woman, a niggling voice in the back of Emma's mind made her wonder whether the two of them had been more than friends. But no, Emma told herself, she had been Regina's first kiss. These two were just friends, a friendship formed under the hardest of circumstances.

"You're the cop's daughter, right?" Katherine asked.

"Yes, Emma's father is one of the men who was working on the case. Katherine, if I'd have known he was raping you, I would never have waited so long to tell the police what I knew."

At that, Katherine scoffed. "Oh come on, are you seriously saying you didn't know what he was doing to every new girl who arrived?"

Emma felt a weight low in her stomach, bile rising up her throat at the realisation. Regina too, appeared to be putting the pieces together. "But he never touched me," she reasoned.

"Yeah, well, apparently he draws the line at incest. Anyone he wasn't related to, however, Killian took it upon himself to break them in."

Regina looked at her friend in horror. "Katherine, I -"

"It's done," she replied simply. "It's done. He's done. It's in our past and we can move on. Look, I've got to go but I'm glad I saw you. I've missed you and it's good to see you. I'm happy for you, both of you. Take care of her," she added to Emma before turning to go.

"Wait, can we swap numbers or something? Stay in touch?"

Over her shoulder, Katherine offered a sympathetic look. "No, I'm sorry. Every time I see you I'll be reminded of that time, of him. I wish you well, Regina, I really do, but I can't have you in my life if I want to move on. And I think I'll remind you of him too. We both deserve a clean break and if we're friends, I don't think that will happen."

The words stung but Regina understood. She nodded her acceptance just as Katherine turned back towards the door leading out of the court, leaving Emma and Regina alone once more.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked, yet again.

"I … yeah, I think so," Regina replied, turning to Emma. "Can we go home?"

"Of course," Emma said at once, gathering Regina into her arms and giving her a quick hug. "Let me call us an Uber."

"No, let's walk," Regina countered.

"But it's freezing outside and it'll take us half an hour," Emma reasoned.

"I want to," Regina replied. "I've not walked outside for so long because I didn't feel safe. He'd taken that away from me and I want it back. Please, Emma."

"Ok," Emma smiled. "Let's walk.

Their fingers tangled together as they left the court. Once in the lobby, instead of heading out the main door, they used a side entrance they'd been shown early on and appeared in a narrow London alley. Regina was surprised to realise just how cold it was outside. But it didn't matter. She was safe. He was locked up. She wanted to walk. With Emma. Home.

A/N: Happy Sunday!