Chapter 20 Come On And Dance With Me
Emma was sitting in her patrol car in the hospital parking lot, waiting for the signal from Regina. Leopold was finally going out of town for his business meeting in Boston. It's been a few weeks since Miner's day and Regina had expressed that she was looking forward to a weekend without him breathing down her neck. Just by her increasing anxiety and tired dark circles under her eyes, Emma knew she desperately needed a break from him. In fact she had a plan to make sure Sydney wasn't hanging around and keeping an eye on her for Leopold. She gave him a cold case to investigate which worked like a charm, and now he was obsessed with solving it so he could publish it in the newspaper, which distracted him from Regina. She had plans on taking her to dinner as promised. She wanted to give her a night where she didn't have to fearfully look over her shoulder every minute like she did during their lunches and Thursday dinners together with Henry. It was just her way of thanking her for warning her about Leopold firing her. Of course they really couldn't go anywhere too popular at the risk of someone seeing them, so Emma chose a bar and restaurant just outside of Storybrooke. It was only a 30 minute drive out, not too far off in case they needed to rush home for some reason.
She had asked Mary Margaret if Henry could stay at the loft. Of course, she agreed but also asked Emma a question that had her nervously stuttering out an answer.
Are you having a dinner between two friends or a date?
This wasn't a date! She had assured her roommate that this was just dinner as friends, and the reason why she didn't want Henry there was because she wanted Regina to be comfortable enough to talk about things she wouldn't say in front of their son. She had finally earned her trust and she wanted Regina to be able to fully open up to her if she needed to.
Mary Margaret only smiled and nodded in a way that had Emma believing she didn't believe her for a second. She let out an annoyed sigh, her eyes lingering at the hospital entrance where people were going in and out. She thought about the questions she had planned to ask Owen Fynn. With Leopold going out of town, this was the perfect opportunity to pay him a visit.
A loud buzzing sound shook her from her racing thoughts and she immediately pulled her phone from her jacket pocket to see a text from Regina.
He's gone. Be careful Swan.
Her heart melted at the use of her surname. Regina took to calling her Swan every so often and for some reason, it stirred up feelings within her. It woke up a kind of desire that she fought so hard to accept. For the sake of her heart, she couldn't let her crush turn into anything more. Regina was in an abusive marriage and then once she was freed, she couldn't imagine Regina would even consider going into another relationship so soon, not after what she's been through.
I will. I promise.
She shoved her phone back in her pocket and headed for the hospital, determined to get this mission over with so she can get home and get ready for her date… No! Dinner with Regina, as friends.
Mary Margaret, who was volunteering with the psych patients on the communal floor, created a diversion at Emma's signal so that she was able to slip down to the psych floor. She bypassed the unattended desk without signing in. She couldn't risk Leopold or anyone seeing her name on the sign in sheet.
She quickly found the room she was looking for thanks to Graham's help and opened the viewing slot on the door. She could see a bald middle aged man sitting on his bed, rocking back and forth and staring at an old photo. He was pale from not seeing the sun in years, making him look pasty and sickly looking from the lack of sun.
"Owen Flynn, we need to talk."
The thin man suddenly looked at her, making eye contact and Emma had to force herself to stay put and not step back. She couldn't let him see she was intimidated.
"No, we don't," he sneered, his yellow teeth bared in a snarl like a wild animal. "You can't possibly give me what I want, so why would I give you what you want?"
Emma huffed in annoyance for his blunt assumption.
"You don't even know that."
At those words he rolled his eyes and focused on his picture once more, a sign of him dismissing her.
"I know you tried to kill Leopold Blanchard because you believe he had your father murdered."
Those words had the man looking up at her with curiosity, a determined spark in his eyes replaced the insanity. He stood from the bed, and looked at her with icy blue eyes that made Emma shiver. He was so close, his eyes fixated on her through the viewing slot of the door. His teeth looked yellow and dirty as he spoke in a chilling voice.
"Who are you?"
"I can't tell you for the risk of him finding out I came down here to speak to you, but I'm working on a plan to bring him down. Tell me what you know and I could help bring your father justice."
He became silent for a moment, regarding her as if deciding whether to trust her or not.
"And would I be free of this prison?" he asked, a glimmer of hope in his tone.
"I can't promise you that," she hung her head. "You tried to kill him, but I can try and get your father's case reopened, and when Leopold is proved he was a part of his disappearance, maybe the court will decrease your sentence."
"The girl…" he spoke after a moment of tense hesitation. "He had my father forge her incident reports so she looked guilty. I was in his office late that night of the accident. There wasn't a sitter, so I was at the station when he got the call. I waited until he came back, and as he was filling out the reports, Leopold walked in. I hid under the desk because I was afraid of him. I bullied his daughter, so he wasn't fond of me."
"He was angry. His daughter was hurt and he wanted the girl to pay. He forced my father to forge the reports so she was responsible for the boy's death. I remember him saying that he couldn't afford to lose another loved one, and that her debt to him could never be repaid. I had no idea who he was talking about. It wasn't until days later did I find out it was Regina Mills that had crashed her car that night. My father's guilt ate away at him, and the day of the trial he was about to come clean, because he didn't want Regina to pay for a crime she wasn't at fault of, especially after he found out Leopold was blackmailing her parents to force her hand in marriage. It wasn't enough that he hurt her, he wanted to own her."
Emma felt sick to her stomach. Leopold married her to hurt her. So he could own her, like she was some kind of object he won just because his daughter happened to be in the car that night.
"My father left the day of the trial to confess his crimes but never made it to the courthouse. He never even made it home. I know Leopold had something to do with it! That bastard killed him because he tried to stand up to him! He threw me in this prison and threw away the key because I know the truth. He's a murderer…"
Chills ran down her spine. Emma knew Leopold was into some dark shit, but she never would have thought he'd go as far as killing a man to cover up the truth of that night. She didn't know Owen, but she had the impression that he was a good man once who went mad trying to prove the real evil behind his father's disappearance.
"Thank you Owen," she nodded. "There's not much I can do to help you, but I could promise you one thing, Leopold will get exactly what he deserves."
"I'm counting on it," he snarled.
Emma gained exactly what she expected she would. Answers to who tampered with Regina's incident reports from the night of the crash. She had a feeling it was Leopold, but Owen only confirmed her suspicions. She also gained information that might just put Leopold away, if only she had evidence that he was responsible for Kurt's disappearance and tampering with official documents. She couldn't prove anything and it made her frustrated. She went back to the loft and spent a few hours just re-examining all the case files and reports from the night of the incident as well as the one Graham gave her on Kurt and Owen. She nearly lost track of time until her alarm went off indicating it was time to get ready for dinner, so she locked up all the files in her trunk and then proceeded to get ready.
She stood in front of her closet, examining her clothes and completely lost as to what to choose. What the hell was she supposed to wear? This wasn't a date. She couldn't dress up too nice but then she didn't want to show up in worn jeans and a tank top. Regina was classy, always dressing impeccably, and she didn't want to show up looking underdressed. She decided maybe some dark jeans with a nice black dress top. She pulled out some heels and couldn't help but slip her red leather jacket on. Despite their new found friendship, she still needed to annoy Regina in some way. She smirked as she imagined the eye roll Regina would most likely give her.
She fixed her hair, letting it come down her back in curls. She touched up her make up and gave herself a once over in the mirror. She hasn't dressed up since she left Boston. For some reason, she felt a different kind of self confidence when dressing up for Regina and not some twerp she was trying to catch as a bail bonds person. She felt a bit giddy, appreciating how the jeans accentuated her curves. She wasn't sure of Regina's sexual preference, but a small part of her hoped to see Regina's eyes sweep over her, and then she had to shamefully remind herself for the hundredth time that this was not a date.
Mary Margaret and David were taking Henry out to the movies, and she was sure they picked him up by now. Now she was finally ready to pick up Regina. Her giddiness turned to nervousness. Would Regina think she over dressed? Would she think Emma was being misled and thought they were going on a date? Doubts started rushing through her head and she had to force herself to push them away. Regardless, they were two friends having dinner. That was it. She took a deep breath, grabbed her keys and wallet, and headed out the door.
Emma pulled up in front of the mansion soon after, appreciating the missing Benz in the driveway. It felt good to be able to hang out and text Regina freely without the risk of getting caught.
The minute Regina opened the door, her jaw dropped and her eyes couldn't help but sweep over the brunette's body. She looked beautiful in a black evening dress, short dark hair curled and red lipstick. Her brain short circuited for a moment, her eyes suddenly meeting chocolate brown orbs. Regina's eyes swept over her, just as she hoped they would. At first she had felt silly thinking about the possibility, because there was no way she would. She was proven wrong.
"You… wow…" She was stuttering and she felt her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. Regina's red lips curved into a smirk, her eyes shined in a way Emma had never seen before. "You look beautiful," she whispered, finally gaining control of herself. This time Regina was the one to avert her eyes and blush.
"Thank you," she murmured, her tone taking on a hint of melancholy. Somehow Emma knew where her mind had gone too. She couldn't imagine Leopold ever complimenting her or had ever once made her feel beautiful.
"Hey," she said, ducking her head to meet her gaze and giving her a small assuring smile. "Are you ready to go?"
Regina nodded and bit her lip as if she were unsure of something. She took her phone out from her purse and crossed the foyer to leave it on an accent table. Emma frowned in confusion as Regina came back to the door.
"You're leaving your phone?"
"Either I miss one of his calls or he looks at my location to see I'm outside of Storybrooke. I'd rather miss his calls. Besides, he only usually calls late at night before he's about to go to bed just to check in with me, and if he's drinking…" she scoffed at that notion. "He might not even call at all. We just can't stay out too late."
"Got it," Emma nodded, moving aside so she could exit the mansion. "We'll be back in time."
The drive was a bit tense. Regina seemed to be a bit standoffish. Emma wasn't sure why. Maybe she was nervous that someone would see them. Maybe she was nervous Leopld would call and she wouldn't be able to answer her phone. She started fidgeting with her hands in her lap, and Emma desperately wanted to reach over and calm them, but something about Regina's tense body language told her she didn't want to be touched right now.
So she put the radio on, hoping to fill the silence between them.
What she hadn't expected was Disney's greatest hits to come on and she nearly died from embarrassment when Can You Feel the Love Tonight blasted from her speakers. She had let Henry choose the music the last time he was in the car.
"Shit! I'm sorry! Henry insisted on Disney when I last picked him up…" she fumbled, changing the station to something more current. Pink's latest single started resonating from the speakers instead. "That's better," Emma sighed in relief. It wasn't that she didn't like Disney. Who didn't? But she didn't want to look like a child in front of Regina… Was she smiling?
"Go ahead! Laugh it up Mills!"
Regina brought a hand to her lips, hiding the smile she was fighting to hold back.
"Don't be ridiculous," she denied, hiding her smirk behind her hand even when her eyes were sparkling with amusement. Emma shot her a look, raising her eyebrow with complete disbelief which caused the brunette to break out in giggles. Emma was surprised at her reaction but subtly kept her face neutral in case she embarrassed her. This is what she was aiming for tonight. A dinner with two friends where Regina could be herself. Where she could feel safe enough to let her guard down and Emma could catch a glimpse of the woman underneath the ice cold queen she hid behind.
It wasn't long until they were finally pulling up to the bar. It didn't seem too crowded, and they were able to find a parking space right away. Regina seemed to be in light spirits, the radio mishap seemed to amuse her enough to chase away her anxiety. They had actually started talking for the rest of the drive. It wasn't until Regina opened the passenger door and started to exit then Emma's gaze darkened when she saw her wincing as she stepped out.
That son of a bitch! He better have not hurt her before he had left for Boston. She debated whether she should bring this up or not. She didn't want to ruin Regina's good mood. She stepped out of the car, closing the door, and decided not to bring it up just yet. She smiled at Regina as she rounded the car and led her to the entrance of the bar.
They chose a table at the back, and Emma, who insisted on driving and letting Regina enjoy herself, ordered a coke while Regina chose a red wine. They also ordered tacos for dinner which Regina was delighted to add extra salsa to hers.
Regina sipped her wine as they waited for their food, and Emma could feel her eyes on her.
"Thank you," she said solemnly, and Emma had a feeling she was thanking her for far more than just dinner and a drink. "It's been a really long time since I've actually been able to go out and feel… feel safe." She whispered those last words and quickly averted her eyes as if she were embarrassed to admit it. She shouldn't be. She couldn't imagine that anytime Leopold took her out, Regina was able to feel safe. In fact, everytime Emma saw them in public, he always seemed to have some kind of possessive hold on her.
"We're friends now," Emma assured her. "It's part of the package."
Regina finally met her eyes again and all Emma could see was trust reflecting in those dark eyes that used to be filled with so much anger towards her. Emma held her gaze, unsure of what to say or do for a moment until the waiter was placing down a platter of tacos and a bottle of extra salsa in front of them, breaking the sudden spell that had washed over them.
"These look amazing!" Emma said, picking up a taco and licking her lips.
"Try it with the salsa," Regina recommended, tipping the bottle onto hers before offering it to Emma. She was never really good with spicy food, but if Regina was recommending it, then of course she would try it. She allowed her to add several drops and then took a bite. Her mouth watered from the spiciness and she immediately set her taco down to wash it down with her soda. Regina laughed, taking a bite of her taco with far more salsa on it than Emma's. How the hell was she able to eat that without dying?
"Stop exaggerating, dear, even Henry could take it."
"My tongue is on fire!"
"You'll get used to it," she smirked, taking another bite of her taco and letting out a satisfied mmm which immediately short circuited Emma's brain.
Emma skipped the salsa after that, and between the two of them, they finished off the platter. Regina was well into her second glass of wine. They had some interesting conversations and Regina only playfully bantered with her a few times, a huge progress from their arguing days. She wasn't so defensive as she usually was, and Emma was actually enjoying this carefree relaxed side of her. She was no longer anxiously fidgeting or looking over her shoulder. Her eyes didn't wander everytime the door opened and someone new walked in. Regina was genuinely having a good time.
And then Emma was reminded of the horrors Regina faced at home, when she stood to go to the bathroom, and couldn't seem to stop the hiss of pain from escaping her lips.
This time Emma didn't stay silent.
"I'll come with you," she offered, standing up and following her. When they got inside, Emma took her hand before she could approach a stall, stopping her in her tracks and coaxing her to face her. "Where are you hurting?" she asked gently, not wanting her to shut down on her.
Regina's hand shook in hers and Emma only squeezed it in comfort.
"I'm fine," she shook her head in denial.
"I saw you wince when you were getting out of the car, and just now when you were getting up from the booth. You know you could talk to me about this."
"I know…" she nodded. "I just didn't want to ruin our night."
"Is it bad?" she asked, her eyes watering at the chance of her being in pain this entire time.
"I could handle it," Regina assured sternly, pulling her hand away. "Emma, please let's not talk about this right now. I don't want to think about him."
She more than understood, and so she allowed Regina to do her business while she returned to their booth. She ordered another red wine for Regina and a coke for herself. She couldn't stop thinking about the injury she seemed to be hiding. From the way she held her side while standing, Emma guessed it was either her belly or her ribs. Regina said Leopold had been laying low since she became deputy, but now Emma was questioning exactly what that meant. Was he being careful by refraining from hurting her, or was he just making sure he wasn't leaving any visible marks where people could see?
Regina came back just as their drinks arrived. She sat down carefully and took a long sip of her drink. Her cheeks were a bit flushed now and her eyes were a bit unfocused. She was getting a little tipsy, and despite knowing she was in pain right now, Emma was happy she felt safe enough in her presence to drink this much.
Regina finished off her drink in record time and then tilted her head to the dance floor where couples were swinging to some slow song on the jukebox.
"Dance with me Swan."
The assertiveness went right between her legs and she had to remind herself again for the millionth time today that this wasn't a date. That Regina could never have feelings for her and that they were just two friends having a girls night out… She had to say it in her head over and over as she shamelessly allowed Regina to take her hand and lead her to the dance floor.
"Only if it's not too painful," Emma said, concerned for the injury she was hiding.
"I have a high pain tolerance," she quickly dismissed her, leading her into a slow dance. She wrapped her arms around Emma's neck, pulling them into close proximity to each other. Did friends slow dance like this? Emma wasn't about to complain, especially when she got a whiff of her apple cinnamon scent. She smelled so good, and her body close to hers felt warm. Her eyes were unfocused, and Emma could only hope she'd remember this tomorrow.
She could remember hating this woman and now here she was dancing with her and completely lost in her dark eyes. Now instead of fighting with her, she was willing to do anything to keep her safe. Her heart was falling for her, and even if Emma knew there was no chance Regina would be interested in pursuing anything with her after everything she's been through, she let herself fall anyway. Because having Regina in her life as a friend was better than not having her at all. She's been alone for so long, with no family, no home growing up as a foster kid, and for some reason, Regina and Henry were starting to fill that hole in her heart.
Regina was a bit annoyed as Emma led her back to the bug after only two dances. Emma had to remind the pouting brunette that they needed to be home in case Leopold called to check on her. It was inconvenient having to rush their evening when they were having such a good time, but risking a beating for Regina if she wasn't there to answer his call was not something Emma was willing to let happen.
So when Regina invited her in for a night cap, Emma accepted, not exactly ready to end their evening so early as well. Regina just needed to be home and near her phone. That didn't mean they needed to end their evening so soon as they both thought. Once Regina checked her phone for any missed calls or texts from her husband, she led Emma down to the basement where she kept her stash of apple cider. She had claimed Emma had been sober all evening and it wouldn't be fair if she was the only one drinking. Emma felt her face go red when she made a point of her spending the night if needed. She figured it should be ok when Leopold wasn't due to come home until Sunday evening and it was only Friday night.
They made it up the stairs with a couple of bottles in hand and situated themselves on the living room floor right in front of the hearth. Regina lit a fire for them, chasing the away the chill and then sat in front of Emma as she poured them each a glass.
Regina held her glass out.
"How about a toast to our new friendship?" she asked, her words serious as she held Emma's gaze. She became a bit sober on the ride home, and to Emma's relief she didn't forget anything.
Emma nodded, giving her a smile as they toasted their cider and took a sip.
"Your cider is amazing!" she complimented. "Let's just hope I don't go crashing into signs this time."
"Don't be silly," Regina said. "There was a wolf in your path."
"You believe me?"
"Of course I do," she said, her tone a bit more solemn this time and Emma was suddenly reminded that a wolf in her path was the reason she was in this mess to begin with. "Just like there was in mine…" she continued, her gaze fixated on her drink and unable to make eye contact. Emma's heart sped up in anticipation as she realized she was about to share her story for the first time.
"I know Mary Margaret must have told you what happened by now," she said, her voice trembling. She still hasn't made eye contact, and Emma frowned in concern.
"She did," she nodded with a heavy swallow. "But I'd still like to hear you talk about it."
Regina took a long sip of her drink, finishing it off and then taking a moment to refill her glass. Her fingers were trembling and she still wasn't looking at her. Emma has never seen her this shakened before, not even after Henry had run into the mines or even when she was having a panic attack at the Miner's day fair. A dark shadow crossed over her face, and Emma could see the pain and trauma from that night reflecting in those dark eyes. She may already know some of what happened, but seeing Regina's haunted eyes, and feeling the pain that radiated from her before she had even spoken a word, was far different then from hearing Mary Margaret tell it.
"How much has she told you?" Her tone was a bit bitter, and Emma had the feeling she didn't like the fact that Mary Margaret had shared so much.
"I know your mother was hard on you and that you were forced to help raise Mary Margaret after her mother died. She told me about showing up to a party that she wasn't supposed to be at and the accident driving home, and how Daniel…" she stopped as Regina emptied her glass in a single shot as if trying to drown the memories herself. "She told me how it happened and how you ended up with Leopold."
"There was a wolf in the road, and no one believed me," Regina began, her words starting to slur a little bit. "I swerved and I could remember hearing both of them screaming as we went into a ditch and then crashed into a tree. And then there was just silence… I could remember the smell of the car fumes and blood…" Tears were suddenly streaming down her cheeks and Emma didn't dare move or even touch her in case she'd shut down on her. "I turned around to see Daniel's glassy empty eyes… He hit his head and blood was all over his face and I started to panic when I realized he was gone. I looked into the rearview mirror to see Mary Margaret was passed out and bleeding from a deep wound on the side of her head. I managed to call 911 before I passed out too. When I woke up in the hospital, I could remember my mother talking with Leopold but I was too out of it to comprehend what it was about. I didn't really come back to consciousness until the next day and that was when I found out I was being held responsible for everything and that I was being accused of drinking and driving. I never even took a sip of alcohol at that party, but apparently my blood reports stated that I was. There was no one to fight for me. Daniel was dead, and Mary Margaret was in a coma with a brain injury. Leopold was so angry at me, he threatened to sue my family and the only way out was to take his deal. Marry him and he drops the lawsuit and gets the judge to lessen the charges and keep me from going to prison."
She stopped for a moment, and Emma was worried she was going to pour herself a third drink. Instead, she finally looked at Emma, letting her see the grief and pain she has been trying to hide this whole time.
"I would have rather gone to prison. I would rather have paid my debt behind bars if it meant I didn't have to marry an abusive man old enough to be my own father. I escaped prison just to go into another."
Emma took a long drink, nearly finishing her glass as she processed Regina's word. Hearing the story from her was far more heartbreaking than hearing it from her roommate.
"There was never a debt for you to pay," Emma said. "It was an accident."
"It doesn't matter anymore," she shrugged, looking away.
"Hey…" Emma ducked her gaze trying to get her to look at her again. "Remember when I told you I found discrepancies in your incident reports and your medical records?"
"What?"
"The reports have been tampered with. I have a lead, but no definitive evidence yet, but I believe Leopold was responsible for making you look guilty by altering those reports."
"Wait… What are you saying? That he knew I was telling the truth so he made it look like I really was drinking?" Her dark eyes were suddenly blazing, the tears she had shed earlier were gone but made her eyes shine with fury. "He told me that I was too drunk and injured to really remember what happened and convinced me that I was wrong. And over the years I started to question whether I really was sober that night."
"He's a lying piece of shit!" Emma snapped, her own anger rising.
"Emma?" Her voice was determined, nothing like the fearfulness she had seen when they were arguing in the cafe bathroom after Emma revealed she had pulled her records. "I'm not afraid… Not anymore… Just promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise," Emma whispered and then noticed Regina starting to shift uncomfortably as if she were in pain. "You're in pain."
"I'm fine."
"I could see that you've been hurting all evening. Why don't you change into something a little more comfortable while I clean up? I'll even get you some ice."
To her surprise, Regina didn't fight her and instead rose from her spot and headed for the stairs. While she was gone, Emma finished off her drink, and then took the glasses to the sink where she washed and dried them and placed them exactly where they had been before. She wasn't sure how hyper focused Leopold was of his surroundings and didn't want to leave any evidence that she was here. She disposed of the empty cider bottles and then found an ice pack in the freezer. The fact that there were several of them made Emma's stomach feel like it was tied up in knots because she had a feeling as to why there were so many. She had the same feeling as she went into the guest bathroom to look for aspirin and found just as many first aid kits and supplies under the sink.
Regina was sitting on the couch when she returned with a glass of water, aspirin and the ice pack. She was dressed in blue silk pajamas. Her make up had been scrubbed off her face, making her look so much younger. The fact that Regina was allowing her to see her like this meant she trusted her. It was a huge step, exactly what she had been aiming for since she started Operation Save the Queen.
She handed her the water and aspirin first as she sat beside her. Regina gratefully took them, and when she finished off the water, she placed the glass on the sofa's end table. When she handed her the ice pack, Regina traced the hem of her night shirt with hesitant fingers.
"You don't have to show me," Emma assured, not wanting her to do anything that made her uncomfortable, but Regina just shook her head.
"I want you to take pictures and send them to Katherine."
She lifted her shirt just beneath her breasts and Emma had to force herself to ignore the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra. This wasn't the time to be checking her out! However, those thoughts vanished the minute she saw the deep dark purple bruising along her right side and up to her ribs. They looked fresh as if it had only happened today. She flashed back to a similar moment when they had been standing in the loft bathroom and a bruised and fearful Regina was showing her the bruises on her belly for the first time. Those had just healed, and now she had new ones.
"Emma…" Regina snapped her out of her frozen shock, and she immediately took her phone out and took two pictures at different angles. She put her phone away as Regina carefully placed the ice pack over them, letting out a hiss of pain. She let her shirt fall down and allowed herself to sink into the couch. She was starting to look pale from the pain as her alcohol induced buzz started to wear off.
"When did he do this?" she asked, her tone heated with anger for that bastard.
"This morning… He was going over all the rules I'm supposed to follow while he was gone and I gave him an attitude. He lost his temper and… He cornered me and pushed me down, and kicked me."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, realizing it must have happened while she was sitting in her car right outside the hospital waiting for Regina's text that he had left.
"I didn't want to ruin our evening," she confessed.
"Hey, come here…" Emma coaxed her into leaning against her so that her head rested on her shoulder. She knew this might be a little past the friendship boundary, but she just wanted to comfort her. Regina hesitated, but then allowed Emma to hold her. She was rigid, but then after a moment she finally allowed herself to relax. She melted into Emma's embrace almost as if she were just too exhausted to be on edge.
"Friends don't cuddle."
"Yeah, they do," Emma smiled, gaining an eye roll from the brunette.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a long time, listening to the crackling sparks from the hearth. Emma thought Regina fell asleep until she suddenly spoke up in a hoarse voice.
"The first time he hit me, it was 6 months after we were married," she admitted quietly, almost as if she were far away and lost in her memories. "I was yelling at Mary Margaret to clean up after herself and he got angry. He slapped me hard in the face the minute we were alone. After that it just escalated. I ran away so many times and he always found me and brought me back. His drinking became worse and so did the beatings. Eventually he did get help and he became sober for years, until recently."
"I've noticed him drinking early in the day now?" Emma confirmed, realizing just how many times she had gone to his office in the early afternoon to see a drink in his hand. Regina nodded and then shifted a bit.
"His beatings were getting bad again, up until you won the election. Now he's being careful, but I can see just how much he's holding back at times. I'm afraid he'll lose his temper and…" She started shaking, unable to even finish that horrifying thought.
"We're going to get you out of this," Emma whispered assuringly.
"How?" she asked, her voice shaking with so much emotion and fear. Her eyes were getting glassy again. Emma knew she was still so afraid of escaping him even if she was finally allowing Emma to help her. Even if she was trying her hardest to be brave.
"I'm not sure yet, but when I do, he won't ever hurt you again," she said, her heart breaking. "I got a lead. I just need hard evidence to break the case."
"You really think he murdered Sherriff Flynn?" she asked in a hushed tone as if she were afraid of being overheard. After she had read through the Flynn files from Graham, she had updated Regina on all the new information she had learned. "Just because he was going to reveal the truth about the tampered records?"
"His confession would have led to your freedom. I'm sure he had something to do with his disappearance."
"How are we going to find evidence that proves it? Owen was the only one to witness Leopold forcing the sheriff to tamper my reports. But because of his mental instability, he might just get dismissed, especially since he tried to kill Leopold."
"I'm not sure, but there has to be some kind of trace," she said and then felt Regina shifting against her again. "How's the pain? Do you need another ice pack?" Regina shook her head and instead cuddled in closer and closed her eyes.
"Can we just stay here for a while?" she asked, her words starting to slur with exhaustion now. Emma didn't mind. She was still so shocked that Regina had opened up so much about her past and was accepting physical comfort so easily. They've really come a long way since their fighting days. They fell into another silence and it wasn't long until Regina had fallen asleep.
Emma must have dosed off too, because the loud ringing of Regina's cells resonated throughout the foyer from where she left it earlier, waking Regina and nearly giving Emma a heart attack. She had no sense of time as Regina groaned in annoyance and then cried out in pain when she sat up too quickly.
"Woh, hey easy," she said, gently moving out from under her. "I'll get it." She got up, quickly grabbed Regina's cell, and immediately saw Leopold's name on the caller ID. She was tempted to hang up as she realized the time. It was nearly midnight. Why the hell was he calling her at this time? Why didn't he call to check in on her earlier like he said he would? Wasn't that the whole reason why they rushed home? She rolled her eyes at the time they wasted because of him. She quickly brought it over to the sleepy brunette and remained silent as Regina answered it.
"Leo, it's late…" Regina started to say and then was clearly cut off by him. Her eyes grew dark as he seemed to be berating her over the phone for something Emma couldn't quite distinguish. She quietly sat beside her. "I didn't answer your text because I was asleep. It's midnight! And I'm in pain!" she snapped so furiously Emma was impressed. For being so fearful of him, Regina was also gutsy. She was so strong, and Emma couldn't help but admire her for it. He seemed to be yelling at her now, because Emma could practically hear him on the other end. Regina let out a growl of frustration.
"Put the drink down and go to sleep…" she growled angrily and then flinched at whatever response he threw at her. "I don't care!" she snapped. "See if you even remember this in the morning!" She hung up and Emma just stared at her in shock.
"Regina! You just pissed him off! What if he comes back early and…"
Regina scoffed.
"He was so wasted he's not going to remember a thing."
"Has it happened before?" she asked. "Him going away and calling you while intoxicated?"
Regina shrugged and then slowly stood with a hand on her side.
"Are you ok to drive home, because if not you're welcome to stay here."
She was changing the subject. Her eyes had averted to some point past Emma's shoulder. She wasn't making eye contact. Her body language was tense. She was shutting down, hiding herself behind her walls. What the hell did that bastard say to her to have her so on edge?
Emma wasn't comfortable leaving her alone in this big empty house while she was in pain and mentally shutting down after her husband just yelled at her over the phone, but then again she could see just how uncomfortable Regina was getting with the idea of her staying. Hours ago she had been so confident in inviting her to stay when her eyes had been bright with excitement and she was giddy from the alcohol, and now despite her invitation, she seemed paranoid that her husband might find out somehow. It was as if she had just snapped back into her reality after spending a night out forgetting her troubles.
"I think I better get home," Emma admitted with a heavy sigh, going against the fact that she really wanted to stay with her. She knew a closed off Regina would only get defensive. She didn't want to lose the significant progress in their relationship that she had made if they ended up fighting.
Regina nodded, what looked like relief flashed in her eyes, confirming the paranoia Emma was suspicious of. She made the right choice even if she really didn't want to leave her here alone. She walked her to the front porch, and just before Emma could walk down the driveway to yellow bug, Regina was suddenly taking her hand and finally looking at her since Leopold's angry call.
"Thank you," she said, her voice so sincere and grateful Emma could feel tears welling up in her eyes at the fact that a simple night out with a friend was something Regina has never been able to do. The fact that she had missed out on a normal life hit her like a ton of bricks and she had to force herself from tearing up from the emotions of it. She gave her a small smile, wished her a goodnight, and then hid her tears as she headed for the bug.
