Trigger warning - abuse/non graphic rape


Chapter 19 Miner's Day

Since Emma had won the sheriff's deputy election, Leopold had been laying low for weeks. Emma was sure it was because she was now deputy and had the power to make a report on him if he were to hurt Regina to the point of acquiring medical services. She suspected he was still being rough in the way he'd grab her at times, or even the bruises she'd see on her arms, but she hasn't seen any new visible ones on her face and neck. Regina had confessed that his beatings were less intense and much more calculated now. He was being careful. Emma had gained just a bit of power over him, and she hoped it would at least keep Regina safe for now until they were ready to pull her out.

She spent the afternoon in the loft going through all the old medical files Mary Margaret had been able to procure this month. Files that belonged to Regina, Daniel and even Mary Margaret from the incident. She had buried herself in her work, barely pulling herself away until Mary Margaret was setting a mug of tea down before her and taking a seat across from her at the dining room table.

"Find anything?" she asked. Emma finally tore her eyes away and gratefully took a sip, letting the warm herbal liquid warm her up from the inside.

"Something isn't adding up," she answered, setting her mug down. "These numbers don't look right." She had the documents that listed Regina and Daniel's blood alcohol reports laying side by side. She could have sworn the ones listed in the police documents were different. She could have sworn Regina was listed at .08.

"What?" Mary Margaret stood and came up behind her to look over her shoulder.

"You said Regina wasn't drinking that night, right?"

Mary Margaret nodded in confirmation.

"Hold on," she said, quickly getting up and rushing to the locked trunk in her room where she kept Regina's police records. She grabbed the file, pulled out the report that listed her blood alcohol from that night and brought it back to the table.

"I fucking knew it," she whispered under her breath as she placed the report beside the two medical ones. Mary Margaret's eyes widened in shock and she had to put her mug down before she dropped it.

"They're switched," her roommate gasped.

Regina's medical report listed 0 traces of alcohol where Daniel's autopsy report was listed at .08. Her police record however listed her blood alcohol as .08 with a use of a breathalyzer. Someone switched the numbers.

"Who would do this?" Emma asked angrily. "And how was this not caught during Regina's trial? Whoever switched the numbers tried to make it look like Regina was the one who was drinking that night. It's a pretty sloppy frame job, if you ask me."

"I wish I could remember more from that time," Mary Margaret sighed in disappointment just as there was a knock on the door. They both froze, instantly becoming paranoid when they had all these documents spread out on the table.

Emma silently moved towards the door, looking out the peephole and then sighing in relief to see it was just Katherine. She opened the door, standing back to let her in.

"Hey, just in time," she said determinedly. "You won't believe what we just uncovered." The blonde woman looked at her in confusion and then over at the table where Mary Margaret was standing over the reports.

"Are those Regina's medical records?" she asked, moving over to the table and looking at the documents. Emma closed the door and joined them.

"Police records too," she said and then pointed at the three blood alcohol reports. "Look at these numbers. Also according to the EMTs, she had also passed out at the scene before the sheriff showed up. The records at the station say a breathalyzer was used on her. How is that even possible if she was unconscious?"

"No…" Katherine whispered in shock. "Someone switched the numbers. I was at that party that night. Regina didn't even have a sip. She was too afraid of her mother finding out."

"Well, someone tried to make it look like she was driving drunk."

"Who was the reporting officer at the time?" Katherine asked.

"It's not listed," Emma scoffed in disbelief. "Do you remember who the sheriff was at the time?"

"Kurt Flynn, but he disappeared. No one knows where he is. Some say he left town but he had a son."

"Is the son still in Storybrooke?"

"Owen Fynn? He's locked up in the psychiatric ward. He had a breakdown and tried to kill Leopold before he was even mayor."

"Is he allowed visitors?" she asked.

"He doesn't get any," Katherine said. "But if you were to go talk to him, it might get back to Leopold. You'd have to do it under the radar."

"Of course," Emma sighed in frustration and then looked at Katherine. "Did you get the list?"

Katherine pulled a list from her coat pocket and handed it over.

"These are all the people in city hall that are close to Leopold. Stay clear of them while you're investigating."

Emma's eyes scanned the list names until her eyes landed on Graham's. She once again wondered why he was covering up for Leopold when he clearly felt guilty for letting him abuse Regina. She was sure Leopold must have something on him, otherwise what would make him cover up the domestic violence. It couldn't just be the fear of losing his career.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret spoke up. "What is it?"

"Nothing," she said, shoving the list in her pocket and then gathering all the files so that she can lock them away. She wanted to catch Graham at the station before he left for the miner's day festival. "I gotta go. I'll see you at the festival later?"

"Sure… although I'll be with David. Maybe Regina would like to go with you. You need to work on gaining her trust."

Emma raised an eyebrow at her.

"If she could even get away from Leopold for more than a second."

"He usually lets Regina take Henry to enjoy the booths while he mingles and smoke cigars with all his important political friends."

"You know what," Katherine said. "Keep her towards the back of the fair. Mary Margaret and I will keep a close eye on his whereabouts and send you a warning if he's near."

"Are you serious?" she asked. This was extremely risky and besides, with Leopold being more cautious, what if this year he decided to keep her near him. "What if this doesn't work?"

"We have to try," Mary Margaret urged. "This is the perfect opportunity for Regina to open up to you. Since the fight, you two haven't exactly been talking."

"We talk!"

Katherine and Mary Margaret gave each other a disbelieving look that had Emma rolling her eyes at them.

"She's not opening up to you anymore and you're not pushing her to," Mary Margaret stated.

She was right, Emma knew she was because even though they still had their daily lunches when Leopold wasn't demanding her to be at the office, or even their Thursday dinners at the diner, Regina was very closed off. Emma was afraid of losing her further, so didn't push her to open up.

"Fine," she sighed in defeat. "But you two need to make sure Leopold or his list of goons don't see us. Make sure you fill in Ruby."

She took the files up to the loft, making sure to lock them up and then grabbed her red leather jacket and coat before heading back down.

"Where are you going?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I need to take care of something at the station. I'll see you at the festival," she said before rushing out the door. It was time she started questioning the sheriff of Storybrooke.

She found him just before he was about to head out for his patrol before being stationed at the fair. Emma came into the office as Graham was putting on his jacket. He looked a bit tired, his beard looked a bit uncombed and his eyes had deep dark circles. In fact he hasn't been himself since Regina passed out at the mines. She wondered if the guilt was finally getting to him.

"Hey, can we talk?" Emma asked.

"Make it quick, I need to finish patrol before the fair," Graham replied, leading her to his glass cubicle where he took a seat at his desk. Emma remained standing, his sheriff name plaque staring at her like a joke.

"I could see how much you've been beating yourself up since Regina passed out at the mines. I could see that you don't like the way Leopold puts his hands on her, but what I don't understand is how you can keep helping him despite your guilt. I have a feeling it's not just about losing your career. He has something on you, doesn't he?"

Graham paled at those words, his mouth falling open in shock for a minute before dryly swallowing nervously. Emma finally took a seat before him as he defeatedly rubbed his hand over his face and beard.

"You're really going to pull her out, aren't you?"

"What do you think?" Emma asked with heated sarcasm which had him raising his hands in surrender.

"I am not going to stop you, in fact I want to help," he said.

Emma scoffed in disbelief.

"So now you want to help?"

"I do care about her, Emma. She's been through a lot, and I've seen him…" He shook his head, unable to speak about the horrors he must have seen over the years. "He just has me in a rough position that I can't talk about."

"No…" Emma shook her head. "You don't get to say you care about her and then let him beat her! If you cared about her you would have done everything to save her and to hell with whatever leverage he has on you. Not only is it human decency, its your damn fucking job to protect her!"

Graham hung his head in shame and Emma couldn't help but think what a coward he was.

"If you can't tell me what he has on you, then answer this, who is Kurt Flynn?"

"Kurt… Flynn?"

"Did I stutter?"

"No… I'm sorry. How did you know about him?"

"Just answer the question," she sighed, not wanting to give him any more information than she had too. She didn't entirely trust him.

"He was the sheriff before me. He was a good man… and then he disappeared during Regina's trial."

"Was there an investigation done?"

"Yes, and there were no leads. Just a dead end, although his son Owen Flynn believed Leopold had a hand in it. After the disappearance of his father, his uncle took him to live in Boston. He came back years later to confront him and landed himself in the psych ward for trying to kill him."

"Why did he believe it was Leopold?"

"I'm not sure. We had a relief sheriff come in out of state before I took the position. I was just a deputy in training at the time, but in his reports he noted that Owen claimed that on the night of the crash, Leopold visited him at the station. Owen was hiding under a desk when he came in and heard him threatening him to cover up some evidence."

So it was Leopold… Emma thought, her mind reeling with this shocking new information. He forced the sheriff to tamper the evidence from the accident so that Regina was at fault. Why did he go through all that trouble to marry a teenager? Was he really that angry at her for his daughter being hurt?

"Because of that confrontation he overheard, Owen was convinced Leopold did something to cause his father to disappear. He went mad trying to prove it."

"Do you think he's right?" Emma asked, her voice low and shaking because if Leopold had kidnapped that man, or worse, murdered him, who know's what he'll do to keep her out of the way. She was playing with fire.

"I don't know," he sighed, getting up and approaching an old looking filing cabinet in the corner of the room. He opened it and flipped through the old files until he pulled one out. He came over and handed it to her. "This is Kurt and Owen's file. Don't let Leopold know you have it or that you even know about the case in the first place." His voice was determined, so unlike the guilty tone he had earlier. She knew it was imperative that Leopold didn't find out about the information she uncovered.


It was the end of her last class, and the students were getting more and more excited for the miners day festival tonight. Regina had to keep reminding them to focus on the lesson. She started writing their homework assignment on the board, less than what she usually gave them because of the festivities. She pretended not to see Ruby answering a quick text on her phone as she turned to address them. She wasn't always the evil queen professor that the students claimed she was.

"I know you all want to enjoy your miner's day weekend, but you still have to complete your reading assignment for Monday. However, instead of assigning two chapters, I'll just assign one. It's a short one and you have to do the review questions at the end," she explained. "You're dismissed and don't forget to turn in your assignments before you leave."

Regina sat at her desk as they started packing and turning in their assignments before excitedly heading out. Ruby came towards her, adding her own paper to the growing stack.

"Are you planning on joining the festival today?" she asked.

"Of course," she smiled. "Henry loves…" She trailed off, unsure if this year Henry would want to spend the evening with her. Usually Leopold lets her take him to enjoy all the booths instead of forcing her to be on his arm all night as he did before they adopted Henry. Perhaps he would want to hang out with his friends or even Emma instead? If that was the case she was willing to let them enjoy the festival together. She was starting to trust Emma to be alone with him now. Emma had proved she cared about her and Henry and wouldn't just take him and leave Storybrooke.

"Granny is having a booth with all her famous pies," Ruby said. "Hope to see you there?"

"Sure," Regina smiled and watched as Ruby rushed out among her classmates. Her smile died however when her phone vibrated. She looked down to see a text from Leopold.

He was waiting outside, demanding she hurry up so that he can get back to town hall. She gathered her things, made sure to lock up her classroom and then rushed out to the parking lot. She saw the benz right away and got in, not even looking at her husband as she put her bags in the back seat and buckled her seatbelt.

"Phone," he demanded gruffly and Regina had to fight the urge to roll her eyes as she slipped her phone from her coat pocket and handed it over. She always made sure to delete everything, even her history before leaving work. He scrolled through it and after he didn't find anything that he didn't approve of, he handed it back and then started the car.

"Now, I know Henry would want to enjoy the booths as usual, and I'm aware that there is a chance of you running into people that I don't approve of… Emma Swan for instance. If you happen to run into her do not engage her into conversation. I better not see you anywhere around her. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," she answered, her voice cold and detached as she stared straight ahead at the road.

They made it back to town hall, the booths for the festival were all built and ready for tonight. The townspeople were setting them up with products they planned to sell and hanging fairy lights on the rims. The rides were being tested and the smell of fried food wafted heavily through the air. She and Leopold walked through the rows of booths and into town hall. She followed him into his office.

"My assistant will bring Henry when he's out of school and pick up our dinner order from Grannies. I have a lot to do before the festival," he said sitting at his desk. Regina placed her things on the conference table and approached his desk.

"You know I prefer picking him up myself," she said.

"And you know I can't trust you since Miss Swan became deputy," he fired back at her with a hard stare. His tone left no room for argument. He's had a tight leash on her since the election. She was hardly able to get away from him these days. She was even surprised that he still allowed her to accompany Henry to the festival alone.

"Sit down," he ordered. She took a seat at his desk without a word of protest as he placed a stack of paperwork in front of her. "Finish these."

She worked in silence, afraid to say or do anything else despite how much she hated doing his damn paperwork. With the amount of work she does for him combined with her expertise, she could run the town as mayor herself. Perhaps even better.

A sudden knock on the door had her flinching out of habit. Leopold got up, answering the door, and letting in defense attorney Albert Spencer. She kept her eyes on her work as they spoke in hushed tones by the door. She tried to hear what they were saying but all she caught was a name that she couldn't decipher was asking questions around city hall and writing names down. She was confused, wondering who they were talking about.

"I'll take care of it," Leopold said before shutting the door and heading over to his mini bar. Regina felt her heart racing out of fear as he poured himself some whiskey. This time she refrained from saying anything, afraid of him lashing out as he always did each time she tried to stop him from drinking. He took a large swig and then was suddenly behind her and roughly pulled her up from her seat by her arm.

"Leopold!" she cried out in fear as he drugged her from her seat and pushed her to the floor by the conference table where she had put down her briefcase and computer bag.

"Open your laptop!" he snapped harshly, making her scramble to her feet and comply. She opened her computer with shaking hands, unsure what he was looking for. The minute she started it up, he pushed her out of the way and started going through her emails and search history. "Have you been talking to Katherine?" he asked, leveling her with a hard glare when he didn't seem to find anything.

"No," she shook her head, terrified that he was going to hurt her. She was confused. Was Katherine the one Spencer accused of going around asking questions and writing a list of some sort? She thought Emma said she, Katherine, Mary Margaret and Ruby were laying low.

He approached her and she could feel herself trembling as he grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. She could smell the whiskey on his breath and it made her feel sick to her stomach.

"If you're planning anything, I will find out," he threatened. "Remember what you lost the last time you tried to run."

Of course she remembered, and that was enough to make her tremble in his grip. She shook her head furiously.

"I do remember," she assured him fearfully. "I'm not planning anything! I promise you. I would never do anything to go against you. Believe me…" Not at the expense of Henry!

Leopold smirked at her reaction, getting off on the power he had over her. He tightened his grip on her face, and she whimpered in discomfort.

"We shall see," he questioned her pleas.


Henry was bouncing with excitement, not even seeming to care that he was spending time with the supposedly evil queen. He insisted on playing every single game and was actually laughing and having fun with her. Regina's heart melted because it had been so long since she had been able to spend time with him like this where he wasn't painfully twisting her heart and she wasn't feeling like a disappointment to him. It was like old times when he was a small child and looked up at her as if she were his entire world. Despite Leopold's terrifying confrontation in his office that afternoon, she felt herself finally relaxing and allowing herself to just live in this moment with her son. As long as she didn't run into Emma or anyone else Leopold forbade her from talking to. She stayed near the back, as far away from the entrance where Leopold was socializing with his buddies over fancy cigars.

"Mom?" Henry looked up at her after finishing up one of the gaming booths. "Could we meet up with Emma?"

As much as she would love to join Emma, as she had grown quite fond of the blonde deputy that had been a thorn in her side, she was too afraid with Leopold's threats still ringing in her ears. Of course she couldn't tell Henry that.

"I'm not sure if she's here, honey. She might be working," she explained, the scent of baked apples and cinnamon wafting deliciously in the air. She looked around and saw Granny's booth set up with different slices of pie. Ruby was beside her grandmother, helping her tend to the growing line. A perfect distraction. "Come on," she said, taking his hand. "Let's get some pie."

Some of her students that were in line supporting their classmate said hi to her as she and Henry approached the busy booth. She smiled at them in greeting and tried not to show how much the crowd was making her uneasy.

"You made it!" Ruby smiled, enticing a genuine smile from her.

"Apple, dear," she said. "And peach strudel for Henry."

"Here, on me," Ruby offered, handing over the paper plates of strudel and pie. Regina thanked her as she handed Henry his plate.

"Thanks Ruby," he said, taking his plate happily. "Have you seen Emma anywhere?"

Regina's heart felt like it jumped in her throat. She had hoped she had distracted him. Ruby looked at her unsure of how to answer him before coming around the booth so that Granny could keep the line moving.

"She might be around, but you and your mom are having a great time, right?"

"The best!" he grinned, and Regina couldn't help but light up at his admission, however it didn't last when a familiar voice sounded behind her.

"Wow! Can I get an apple pie too? It smells amazing!"

"Emma!" Henry hugged her as the blonde deputy came up beside her. Her heart started racing and her hands shook out of nervousness, because all she could think about was her husband seeing her with the woman he had forbidden her to even look at. Henry was telling Emma about all the booths they tried but she couldn't comprehend a single word he was saying.

"That's great kid, I'm glad you're having fun," Emma laughed as Regina's eyes scanned the crowds of people for one particular person. Her pie slipped from her shaking hand and she barely registered it hitting the ground.

"Dr. Mills?" Ruby's hand was suddenly on her shoulder, and she flinched, taking a step back and feeling like she couldn't catch her breath.

"Regina? Are you ok?" Emma asked, the concern heavy in her tone.

"I'm fine," she whispered, her eyes still scanning the crowds. She was starting to panic.

"No… you're not," Emma observed, stepping up to her and taking her shaking hands in an attempt to get her to look at her. "Regina, slow your breathing. What's wrong?"

"I can't… He doesn't want me near you," she whispered, finally looking at her and letting her see her fear even just for a moment.

"I think you're hyperventilating," she said, squeezing her hands and then looking around as if looking for something. When she seemed to have found it, she asked Ruby to stay with Henry and was then leading her to a secluded nearby area away from the booths and behind a couple of large trees. Moving away from the festival seemed to help just a bit. Somehow, Emma knew just what she needed.

"You're ok," she whispered, moving as if she were about to hug her but then refrained herself, suddenly looking so awkward. They've never hugged or touched, besides from Emma taking her hands out of comfort. "Slow your breaths, he's not here. I saw him by the entrance."

She couldn't seem to regulate them and when tears started streaming down her face from the constriction on her lungs, Emma went ahead and just pulled her into her arms, holding her tight as if to ground her with the physical comfort that she was too nervous to initiate at first. Regina stiffened at the contact, tensing at being held and then finally allowing herself to relax after a hesitant moment. She held on tightly, following the rise and fall of Emma's chest and using it as a guide to regulate her own erratic breaths.

"There you go," Emma whispered in her ear when she finally started to take slow even breaths. The panic she had felt earlier had finally loosened its grip. Emma pulled away to look at her and Regina could feel her cheeks heating up from embarrassment. She quickly wiped her tears with shaking hands.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, painfully losing her pride. "I just felt like his eyes were suddenly burning through me and I couldn't see him."

"Don't apologize," Emma shook her head, watching as she shoved her hands into her coat pocket. "Are your hands always shaking like that around him or when you think about him getting upset with you?"

Regina nodded, unsure exactly when it had started, but her anxiety has been increasing this past year to the point where she'd start trembling if Leopold was even in the same room as her. The thought of him even made her paranoid, and her eyes started flickering towards the festival again. Emma must have caught it because she was suddenly catching her gaze.

"Hey," she said, gaining her attention. "You're ok. Remember, I saw him by the entrance of the fair. I'm sure if we stay towards the back and avoid the booths by city hall, he won't see us hanging out."

"Hanging out?"

"That's what friends do," Emma grinned and Regina felt something within her stir at the sight of her smile. "I'll keep an eye out too. That way if we see him, I'll shove you into a bush or something," she joked.

She hesitated, not sure if she should take Emma's offer on spending the evening together. For some strange reason, she wanted to. Emma offered her a strange sense of security. She made her feel safe.

"Ok," she nodded and that grin on the blonde's face turned into a full blown smile. "Only because Henry has been asking for you all evening."

"Sure," she laughed, hooking her arm into Regina's and leading her back to their son.


They spent the rest of the evening playing different games and eating treats. Emma couldn't help but notice the weird looks Henry was shooting at both her and Regina as if he thought it was weird that they were getting along so well. This wasn't the first time he's seen them interact together, but Regina was a bit different this time. She was smiling and enjoying herself. Despite her panic attack over Leopold seeing them together, she was letting her guard down for the first time, and even Henry was picking up on it.

"You're enjoying that way too much," Emma chuckled as Regina happily ate a candied apple. They were walking through the booths with Henry running ahead to find something new to play. Emma was sure they tried all the booths already aside from the ones in the front. He had complained about being restricted to only the back booths but then understood when Emma explained that the only way for her to stay with them was to make sure his father didn't see them.

"It is fruit after all," Regina replied with a smug smile as she took a bite of the treat. Emma couldn't understand how she made eating a candy apple look so damn adorable.

"Covered in candy?" Emma scoffed. "Funny, I thought you didn't have a sweet tooth."

"I don't."

"Well I guess you wouldn't mind if I took a bite then, huh," she laughed, reaching for the apple. Regina immediately pulled it away.

"Get your own Miss Swan!"

"Oh now it's back to Miss Swan?"

If looks could kill, the glare Regina shot her would.

"Ok, ok," she relented, holding her hands up in surrender. She could see a glint of smugness in those shining brown eyes. She's never seen her so relaxed before. This happy carefree side maybe only Henry ever saw before their relationship started crumbling.

Up ahead something caught the brunette's eye. Her whole face lit up and Emma was amazed at the glowing smile that embraced her lips. She looked ahead to see Henry playing and laughing with the other kids as a man made animal balloons.

She really does love him, and despite her situation with her abusive asshole husband, it was all Emma ever wanted for the little baby she couldn't keep. She was sorry if she ever doubted Regina's love for her son.

Henry rushed back, his eyes sparkling.

"Mom, can I get a balloon?" he asked.

"Of course, sweetie," she said, handing him a five dollar bill. He thanked her with a hug and rushed back over to the group of kids waiting for their balloons as well.

"This is what I wanted for him, you know," Emma said with a wistful look towards him as he laughed with his friends while they watched the man tie balloons into different shapes. Regina must have seen the look in her eyes because she was suddenly taking her hand, initiating contact for the first time, and leading her to sit on a nearby bench while they waited for Henry.

"I was terrified when I first held him," she admitted and Emma looked at her curiously. "Leopold had adopted him as a way to keep me from running again. At first I resented Henry for it. I remember sitting up at all hours of the night with him while he cried, wishing for someone to take him from me. I even prayed that the birth mother would change her mind and come back for him."

She shook her head in disgust at her own admission and Emma could see the guilt in those dark brown eyes. She was shocked that Regina was even sharing this with her. She was opening up to her, trusting her with this information and to not use it against her.

"And then one day I snapped. I couldn't take the crying. So I picked him up and asked him what he wanted. I told him I'd do anything for him and then he stopped. He looked at me with those expressive big eyes and reached his little hand out to me. Before I knew it, he became my baby and not the chain that Leopold had shackled on me. He became my everything."

Emma could see she still felt guilty for being unable to bond with the baby that was forced on her in the first few weeks of adopting him. She could see the love in her eyes and in her smile as she looked at the boy that eventually won her heart and became her whole world.

"You're a good mom," she assured her, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

"It doesn't feel like it," she whispered, her brown eyes watering and her voice cracking. "At least not like it used to be, when I was the hero and not the villain."

"Hey," Emma said, squeezing the hand that was still holding hers. "He's a kid. He's going to grow up and realize everything you did for him. He's just angry and confused right now, but underneath he still loves you. You're still his hero."

Regina looked at her with some kind of hope in her eyes, hope that she was right and their relationship would get better one day.

They sat there in silence, holding hands and watching their son wait for his balloon and playing with the group of children. Emma noticed Regina's eyes nervously searching the crowds for a certain someone.

"If you're uncomfortable we can go somewhere more secluded," Emma suggested.

"No, Henry's having fun," she said, watching as he ran back over with his sword balloon.

"Look what I got!" he exclaimed excitedly, showing off his sword.

"Woh, just like from your stories!" Emma pointed out, just as excited as the young boy.

At those words, the excitement in his eyes died and he suddenly became serious as he observed his purple sword. "Yeah… stories," he murmured.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing his sudden change in mood.

"Nothing," he said. "The Zimmerman twins are going to the bouncy house. Can I go?" He looked up at Regina.

"Meet us back at Grannie's booth in an hour," she said.

"Yes!" He ran off back to the group of kids. Among them were the twins, and the three friends ran off in the direction of the bouncy house.

"Despite everything, you two do seem to be getting along better," Emma observed as they walked through the booths once more. Regina had given Emma the rest of her candied apple and she happily munched on it.

"We are," she admitted. "Although I'm not exactly sure why."

They came across the ferris wheel and Regina looked up, her eyes sparkling with the lights. Emma couldn't help but gaze at her, suddenly realizing just how beautiful she really is. Those glowing brown eyes and those red lips made her heart soar and her chest clench. The sun had gone down and the fair was illuminated with lanterns and the colorful lights from the Ferris wheel reflecting off her beautiful golden skin.

She suddenly had the urge to jump on the ferris wheel with her, but then was disappointed when she realized they couldn't risk Leopold seeing them together. Regina seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she wistfully looked away.

"You know, if you ever want to talk about that night, you can. You can tell me anything and I won't ever hurt you over it," Emma said softly, wanting her to know that she could trust her. Of course she heard Mary Margaret's side of the story, but she wanted to know Regina's perspective and what she had gone through on the night her life had been ruined. Regina looked at her with uncertainty as if she were afraid of even considering talking about it.

She didn't answer right away and Emma could see she was rolling the invitation around in her head, as if debating whether she should open up about her past or not. Eventually the uncertainty was pushed behind a wall and her face became indifferent. She was shielding herself, her eyes becoming hard.

"I got into some trouble when I was a kid and he took advantage of that. That's all you need to know."

She wasn't ready. Emma understood that, but she needed to know one thing. Something she and Mary Margaret have been so unsure of since they started Operation Save the Queen.

"Can I ask you something?" Regina nodded, although she seemed a bit hesitant. "If it came down to us having to pull you out, would you trust me to do it?" Fear flashed in those brown eyes like a flash of lighting. Her hands trembled and she immediately shoved them in her pocket as she usually did when she was trying to hide it. Regina had finally come to her for help, the night they had fought, but it didn't reassure Emma that she had gained Regina's ultimate trust when the time came. Regina was still so afraid.

"I…" she swallowed hard, having trouble answering the question. "I want to," she admitted. "But he's just too powerful. I've tried running away. I've tried hiding at Katherine's and even at Mary Mary Margaret's loft before I adopted Henry. I even reported him to the sheriff until I found out he's in on it too. There's nothing I could do! There's nowhere I could go without him finding me! I… I'm starting to trust you, but how could you keep me or even Henry safe from him? He's shown me what happens if I ever tried to run again, and that's not a risk I'm willing to take."

"I can protect you," she assured, wondering what it was that Regina had lost. She remembered Mary Margaret had mentioned it once but didn't elaborate. "I won't let him put his hands on you anymore."

"You can't promise that," she whispered through threatening tears that shone in her eyes. Emma slowly brought a hand to her cheek, but then hesitated when Regina suddenly flinched away with fear in her eyes as if for a moment she expected Emma to hit her instead of the comfort she was only trying to initiate.

"Ssh, you're ok," Emma assured her, hoping to calm the increasing panic she could see blooming within the terrified brunette. She softly caressed her cheek, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. After a tense moment Regina finally relaxed and leaned into her touch. The feel of her warm cheek in her palm sent shivers down her spine and for a terrifying moment Emma suddenly wondered what it would feel like if she could hold and touch her like this all the time. She was starting to realize with a heart that was beating way too fast in her chest, that she was starting to have a crush on the woman who was raising her son.

Regina closed her eyes, and the tears that she had been holding in, finally started to fall. For the first time since they met, Regina was showing Emma her vulnerability, the deep rooted hurt and fear she was constantly living with. It was coming out of her in waves and her body shook with silent sobs. Emma immediately pulled her into her arms, trying to comfort her the best she could.

"Don't be afraid," she whispered into her ear.

Don't be afraid…

Those were the words that Regina couldn't get out of her head. Not even when she and Emma finally parted for the night or as she made her way back to the front of the fair to meet up with her husband. Even after they had gone home, the fair lights disappearing from the rearview mirror of the Benz the further and further they drove away and towards her own personal prison.

Even as she laid beneath him.

She shivered in fearful anticipation of the pain she knew was coming as Leopold slid on top of her, smelling of cigars, whiskey and caramel popcorn as he started kissing her neck and then forcing his lips onto hers. She nearly gagged but forced herself to keep her composure. A drunk or tipsy Leopold was always dangerous. It didn't take much to set him off. Although, she couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks as he groped her breast and pinned her to the mattress with a thigh between her legs. She couldn't move and each breath she took was filled with his musky scent. She wanted to vomit.

She closed her eyes as he started to slide his hands up and down her body, pushing her nightgown up until it was bunching around her chest and he slightly lifted her to pull it off over her head. He tossed it aside and she could feel him removing his boxers against her. Her breath started to become heavy with fear. Her chest felt tight and she started to think about the fair to keep herself from falling into a panic attack.

She thought about the lanterns glowing against the wooden posts of the boots, the fairy flights that shone through the night, the sound of people laughing and the excited screams coming from the rides, the smell of candy apples.

He parted her legs and she sobbed.

The lights of the ferris wheel and the way they radiated and shined upon beautiful golden hair. Green eyes… Warm smile… comforting soft and gentle hands that would never hurt her.

Leopold entered her and he slapped his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming out and waking Henry. She cried under his suffocating palm and tried struggling away from the unbearable pain between her legs.

"Stay still!" he snapped at her, tightening his hold on her and speeding up his thrusts.

Don't be afraid.

She needed to be brave. She needed to fight. Emma awoke some kind of long defeated fire within her. The will to break free and run. Emma was offering her hand and as afraid as she was, especially after losing her baby, she decided she was going to take it. The question Emma had asked that night, and the answer she was so afraid to admit was now sure in her mind. She trusted Emma to pull her out safely. She trusted her to keep Henry safe.

When he was finally done, he rolled away from her as if she were only good for warming his bed. She curled up within herself, far away from him and trying her best to stop her tears. She swallowed her sobs and dissociated herself from the pain between her legs. She swallowed her emotions, her pain, her fear so that all that was left was the fire burning within her.

She grabbed her cell from the nightstand and with a quick glance over her shoulder at her snoring husband, she quickly sent Emma a text.

I trust you. Don't reply.

She deleted the message, placed the phone back on the nightstand and tried her best to not cry herself to sleep.