Chapter6

Regina sent her father and Millie home a few hours ago. She was exhausted, but since Henry was with Robin she could stay at the clinic with the youngest Nolan. Her father went back to her place to sleep. He filled Kathryn in on the situation and let her know that he knew what had happened that night at the club. If anyone could reach her best friend, it was Henry Mills.

She leaned back in her dad's rickety office chair rubbing her eyes. She couldn't believe he still had this thing. She was even more surprised it hadn't fallen apart. Regina found herself fighting to stay awake. Even though the chair looked as though it could fall apart any minute now, it was really comfortable.

She stood up, stretching her arms up above her head as she yawned loudly. It was considered rude, but she was alone so she didn't feel it counted. As much as she was a stickler for proper etiquette, she was too tired to care.

A loud clanging of metal hitting the floor echoed through the silent clinic. Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. What the hell was that? Suddenly she felt very much alert. She hurried out into the hallway and down towards room five. She never noticed before how much her father's clinic was equipped for emergency situations. She only took patients with colds, the occasional cut that might need stitches or surgery follow-ups, anything beyond that was transported to the hospital.

Rushing into room five she saw an empty bed and a toppled over the metal tray on the floor, "Miss. Nolan?" She called out.

There was no answer and she found herself holding her breath. The toilet flushed from the bathroom in the hallway behind her and she spun around. Emma emerged with her face drawn up in pain and she seemed to be having trouble breathing.

"Why are you out of the bed?" Regina asked running over to her to help her get back in.

The blonde's painful expression remained, and due to the medications she staggered slightly, "I had to pee."

The brunette rolled her eyes, "Why didn't you call for help?"

"I'm not an invalid. I should be able to go to the bathroom by myself." Emma said as she leaned into the brunette while she helped her back up into the bed.

"Don't be a pain in the ass, Miss. Nolan. You have cracked ribs. You're obviously in pain and the medication has yet to wear off fully, so let me do my job and help you." Regina huffed.

"Have you heard anything from Anton?" The blonde asked changing the subject.

Regina pulled the cover back over the blonde once she was situated, "No. If the man were to call, he would call my father, not me." Emma started to speak, but she interrupted knowing what she was going to say, "No, my father has not called to pass a message."

The blonde leaned back into her pillows closing her eyes. She seemed to be attempting to slow her breathing so that the expansion of her rib cage was less as to not cause as much pain. The swelling in her eye and lip had gone down tremendously, but she still looked like she got her ass kicked.

Regina reached up to re-fluff the younger woman's pillows when a hand touched her arm.

"I really am sorry about your friend." The blonde almost whispered.

Regina glanced down at the hand on her forearm and then into the green eyes that had been invading her mind lately.

"And you're right. I should have gone to the cops." The younger woman continued.

"Damn right you should have." The brunette said raising her voice causing the blonde to flinch.

"I thought I was doing the right thing and I didn't even know you were there with anyone or I would have had someone watching her," Emma said opening her eyes.

Regina pulled her arm away from the other woman, "I know what you thought, Miss. Nolan. You were scared you would upset your daddy and he would take the club." Anger was rising in the brunette's chest.

"What?" Confusion washed over Emma's face, "Where did you hear that? That's only partly true. I don't give a rat's ass about upsetting David Nolan, but if he takes that club, everyone who works there will be out of a job."

"Oh, so now you've gone from wild playgirl to humanitarian of the year?" The question was laced with sarcasm.

The blonde narrowed her eyebrows, "What the hell is your problem lady? You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough and that is exactly why I don't want you around my son, and from what I can tell, I don't want to know you." Regina sneered.

The brunette couldn't miss the pained look that flashed in the green eyes, but Emma closed her mouth and nodded her head, "Okay. I will let Henry know that I have better things to do than to hang around a nine-year-old kid." The blonde sat up, grunting in pain, "I will try and stay out of your way doctor."

Regina closed her eyes for a second. This woman was infuriating. She opened them in time to see the blonde sliding from the bed, "What are you doing?"

"Getting out of your hair. I can lie up just as well back at the club." She said as her breath caught at the pain.

"Oh don't be so dramatic. Get back into bed." Regina said folding her arms across her chest.

"Dramatic. I'm not being dramatic. You don't want to know me and you have made it clear you don't want me around your kid. I will make this easier for everyone and go back to the club." The blonde said looking around the room.

"You can't leave." Regina's heart was now beating faster. She had told her father she would take care of the younger woman, not run her off. He would be so disappointed in her, and oh God, Henry would hate her.

"Where the fuck is my clothes?" The blonde huffed.

Regina touched the other woman's arm, "Just get back into bed. I had to cut your clothes off, so they are trash."

"What? You cut my clothes up?" Emma asked, her own anger rising in her cheeks.

"Yes it was an emergency and I had no other choice. Please get back into bed." Regina looked down at her watch and then back to the blonde.

A slight smile pulled at her mouth, "Oh so I see someone else doesn't want to upset their daddy?"

Regina glared up at her, "First of all my father is nothing like yours and second I told him I would look after you."

"I know your father is not like mine." The blonde snapped, tears welling up in her eyes.

Regina's anger suddenly faded. She was lost for words. Here she was being completely ugly to this woman, for no rational reason other than for her own fear and guilt.

"Please, Miss. Nolan, don't leave." Regina pleaded.

Green eyes glanced up at her. The fire of anger had dissipated leaving only saddened watery eyes behind, "I have to go." Brushing her hand off.

Regina went to grab her again, but the blonde dodged her. What was she going to tell her father? She sighed heavily as she watched the other woman walk towards the door snatching her cell from a built-in shelf.

"So you're just going to leave, just like that?" Regina tried as anger battled with her concern and desperation.

"Yep." The woman said.

Her gown was open in the back. Her black boy shorts played peek-a-boo as she walked. Had it been any other situation and any other person, Regina might have laughed at the scene, but it wasn't, "Stop acting like a spoiled brat and get back here."

The blonde stopped, but didn't turn around, "Fuck off." She unlocked her phone and dialed a number.

Regina folded her arms as she clenched her jaw. As much as she didn't want her father mad at her or her son, she refused to beg. This hard-headed, spoiled brat would not see her crawl, not for a Nolan.

The blonde spoke into the receiver, "Yeah, I need a taxi."

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Emma's phone rang at eight am on the dot.

"Hello?" Emma said as she tried to lie back on the couch in the club office. It was far from comfortable.

"I see that you have become a doctor now." Dr. Mills' voice said over the line.

Emma sat up a little too quickly and hissed in pain, "D-Dr. Mills? What do you mean?"

"Leaving the clinic. You should be in the bed, where we can monitor you." He said.

The blonde sighed. She didn't want to bad mouth his only child, so instead, she said, "Its cracked ribs doctor. Other than pain meds, there's nothing you can do for me, so what difference does it make if I'm there or here?"

"You're right, but at least here, we can make sure that you are getting the rest and taking the proper medications." His voice sounded authorizing, but there was no real bite.

"Well, I'm here now. You'll just have to come by to check on me." She smiled lightly as she was still fighting the pain each time she took a breath.

There was a pause on the line, and then he said, "Regina will be by this afternoon, so I suggest you be there."

Emma straightened up full, "Wait, Doc, don't send…" She was cut off when he ended the call.

She growled out as she tossed the phone down on the couch. She didn't know how many more insults she could take. As much as she loved looking at the gorgeous woman, she didn't want to be around someone who didn't want to be around her. She had told the other woman she would tell Henry she couldn't hang out with him anymore, but she really didn't want to. It broke her heart at the thought that she would break his. Maybe she could just wait until later.

Anton walked in, the door was already opened, "Hey baby girl. How are you feeling?"

She glanced up at him and then closed her eyes again, "Like I got my ass kicked and my ribs broke."

The big man chuckled lightly as he walked further in and closed the door behind him, "I wanted to apologize for not coming to the clinic last night but we had a lot going on down here."

She opened her eyes and looked up at the man, "Like what?"

"Well, for starters, we were still working on finding the fucker's who attacked Mrs. Locksley's friend. When we went all the way to the other side of Houston to pick up the doctor's assailant, he was already on this side attacking you. Then the kid came by."

"Henry came here? When?" She asked standing up and sucking in a hiss as the pain shot through her.

Anton stepped closer, "It was late last night, but I made sure he got home safely, personally."

Emma tilted her head as she drifted into her thought, but then looked back at the man, "What did he want?"

"He told Mulan, who was working the door that he needed to speak with me and that it was important. I tried to get the kid to come inside, but he said it wasn't safe and that he needed to talk to me outside in private." Anton explained and then paused.

Emma waited and when he didn't continue she asked impatiently, "What did he say, Anton?"

The giant jumped slightly at her tone, but then added, "He said there is a leak."

Confusion flooded the blonde's face, "A leak? What the hell does that mean?"

"He said that someone is leaking information to Robin Locksley and your father about things that go on here." He said, waiting for the worst.

The blonde made her way over to the glass wall that overlooked the bar and dance floor. She had wondered how her father knew about what had happened here the other night. She had been under the impression that Robin didn't know about it.

She chewed her lip lightly as she gently held her side, "What else did he say?"

"He said he wanted to talk to you more when you were alone and that he was telling me because his grandfather trusted me and knew I would never betray you," Anton said walking up beside the blonde.

Emma looked over the bar. The place was empty except for them. It would be several hours before anyone else arrived to start their shift and ready the place for opening. She glanced over at the man who seemed to be staring off the same as she.

"Is it safe here? To talk I mean?" She asked. It was probably a little late to worry about that now.

"Yep. Last night after I took the kid home, Mulan, Graham and I swept the entire bar for bugs. We did find a strange device in the office vent, but Leroy is checking it out. The phone lines are the only thing we are not sure about, but I have a guy looking into it." He assured.

She figured she could find out more information from Henry, if she got to see him again, on what all he knew. Emma was in a lot of pain. All she wanted was a glass of something strong, but she didn't want to be weak.

"We need to get a list of every employee and go through them one by one." She said as she made her way back to the couch. "Mulan and Graham? You trust them?"

"With my life. I met them after your father fired me. They were both security detail for some big wigs out of L.A. When Will called me up and offered me a job, I brought them with me." He said watching his boss struggle to get comfortable. "Why did you leave the clinic? You would have been able to relax more there and if your father dropped by, he wouldn't see you like this."

Emma didn't open her eyes as she leaned back into the cushions of the leather sofa, "I kind of got into it with Regina, so I left."

She opened her eyes as her friend and cooler began to chuckle, "What's so funny?"

"That woman is something else. She reminds me a little of someone else I know." He said crossing his arms.

"Oh yeah, and I bet she's a hell of a gal." The blonde smiled up with her eyes still closed. With a small sigh, she opened them, "She is coming here this afternoon, by the way."

Anton raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Emma winced as she tried to readjust her position, "Dr. Mills want me to continue seeing a doctor so they can regulate my meds and keep an eye on me."

The giant nodded, "I can agree with that, but I don't know how well we can hide her when she comes without the leak saying something to your father."

"I'll try and think of something." She said, right now I just need some sleep.

Anton smiled, "Yes you do. I'll be downstairs waiting on my contacts to call. You need something, just holler."

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Regina sat straight up in bed as a blood-curdling scream rang out through the walls of her bedroom. She quickly slipped out of her bed and ran over to the door, throwing it opened. For a second she hesitated. Maybe it was just a dream, she told herself as her chest heaved heavily.

But then she could hear sobbing coming from the guest room, "Kathryn." She said out loud jogging towards her friend's room.

Regina tapped on the door lightly, "Kathryn?"

There was no answer so she gently opened the door a crack. The blonde was sitting upright in the bed, her knees pulled to her chest as she hugged them and rocked. Regina swallowed and walked closer, "Kathryn?"

The woman jumped with a gasp as she looked up. Fear was evident as she seemed to cower slightly, "Kathryn? Are you alright?" The brunette asked.

She heard the woman sniffle, "I'm fine."

Regina sighed. She cautiously climbed up onto the edge of the bed, "Please talk to me." Her voice was soft.

The light from the morning sun shined into the window as it reflected off the tears that streamed down the blonde's face. "There's nothing to talk about. I already told you what happened."

The brunette chewed lightly at her bottom lip, "I know you did. But if it will help, tell me again."

"Why would I want to tell the story again?" Kathryn narrowed her eyebrows. "I just want it to go away. I keep seeing it, I even dream it. Why won't it go away?"

Everything Regina had learned from the phycology courses she took in college, was useless at this point. Even if she wanted to use them as a reference, her brain was drawing a blank, "I know this is hard, but talking about it or your feelings right now will help you to get them out of your head."

"How in the hell would you know how hard this is. You got rescued, remember?" She snapped.

Regina took a deep breath. She had to tell herself that this was part of dealing with sexual assault. It was common for them to be angry and blame others or even themselves. But unfortunately, Regina already felt guilty, "Kathryn, I didn't know any of this was going to happen."

The blonde began to sob again, "I know that. I don't know why I said it."

Regina fought her own tears. This was ripping her apart to watch her friend suffer like this. She climbed closer to her on the bed and wrapped her arms around the other woman, "Its okay. Shhh." She cooed. "I promise we will get through this together."

The woman nodded in agreement against her neck and then rose up, "Your dad told me about Emma Nolan getting beat up, and that Henry was there."

Regina slowly lets her arms fall away from her friend, "Yep, she did and he was."

The blonde wiped her face and sniffled, "You're not liking it are you?"

Regina snorted, "Which part? Miss. Nolan for getting beat up or Henry hanging out with her?"

"Both, I guess," Kathryn said looking at the brunette.

Regina leaned back in the bed letting her head rest against the headboard, "I am not happy with Henry hanging out with her, no. And I am only slightly unhappy with Miss. Nolan's unfortunate meeting."

The blonde playfully slapped the brunette's arm, "Regina. Don't be like that. To hear your father talk, she is just misunderstood."

"Misunderstood my ass. She may not like her father, but she has had no problems living off his money and being a pain in everyone's ass." Regina said, only half joking.

"Why don't you like her?" Kathryn asked.

Regina shifted her position uncomfortably, "Because." She had to think about it. "She is a pain in the ass, and she shouldn't be running around with nine-year-old children she doesn't know."

"Really? That's your problem with her?" The blonde said unconvinced.

Regina stuttered as she tried to think of a more rational reason, "Y-yes and she is the reason those guys are not locked up right now."

She watched the blonde visible tense up, but she said, "Your father said that her crew would get the guys one way or another."

Regina didn't know how to respond to that. She was so angry at what happened to her friend, so much so that she could actually imagine killing the men with her own hands, but at the same time, what Emma Nolan and her crew planned to do was illegal and unlawful. Even though she knew deep down the legal system could and probably would screw them over on the situation because technically there was no proof. She wasn't sure if she could condone taking justice into their own hands.

The blonde gave a small smile to her friend, "Look at this way, Regina. If you are going to continue to hate the girl for being a Nolan, just think, one day someone could hate Henry for being a Locksley."

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Emma was so tired. She had only been able to sleep in twenty-minute intervals due to waking up in pain every time she moved. She stood from the couch and walked over to the desk. Maybe if she tried sitting in the office chair she would be more comfortable.

She slowly sat down. There was a stack of paper lying on the desktop that she assumed were from last night. She looked down and saw they were new invoices from the vendors. She picked up her pen and signed her name to confirm payment. Emma thought it was a little strange that they had to order from every vendor again this soon, but then again she was new to this whole club thing.

Her mind kept going back to that morning. She wanted to scream at the other woman for being so judgmental, but then she shook her head to herself. Maybe she was right. It's not like she had been living the ideal lifestyle. She rubbed her forehead and sighed.

A tap at the door made her raise her head. It was Anton.

"Hey Boss, the doctor is here." He said stepping to the side to allow the brunette woman to pass.

Emma didn't respond to him or greet the woman, instead, she said still looking down at the papers, "Just leave the meds and I'll tell your father that you fully examined me and all that."

"I hate to break it to you dear, but I am not my father's errand girl. I worked hard for my degree and I took an oath." Regina said nearly closing the door in the giant's face.

Emma looked up at her to gauge if that was some stab at her own father, but she wasn't sure. All her brain was currently able to compute was how well the other woman wore the jeans she was wearing and how the tight t-shirt outlined her torso. How could a creature so beautiful be so infuriating?

Regina cleared her throat which caused the blonde to look up, "You look like crap. I take it you didn't get any sleep."

Emma blushed, she knew she had been caught checking the other woman out, "Not a lot, no." This time she tried to look anywhere but at the older woman.

The brunette walked around the desk to where Emma was sitting and sat her black medical bag down, "I need you to stand for me."

The blonde sighed. It had taken her a bit to just be able to sit down. Without saying anything, she stood up slowly.

Regina stepped into her space and placed her hands on the blonde's sides. The earthy and slightly sweet scent of the brunette invaded her senses causing her to hum slightly.

"Everything all right Miss. Nolan?" Regina asked with a concerned look as she moved to open her bag.

Another blush crept up in the blonde's cheeks. Emma hadn't realized she had made the sound out loud. She wanted to be angry with the older woman for this morning, but she was finding it very difficult with her this close, "Uhh… Yeah."

Regina took out her stethoscope and laced it around her neck, "Can you take your shirt off for me?"

Emma's looked up, "Why?" Her cheeks burned red.

"So I can examine the bruising on your ribs, dear," Regina said taking the end of the stethoscope in the palm of her hand and then blowing hot air on it to warm it up.

"Here?" The blonde's eyes were still slightly wide as she looked around.

"Are you telling me that you have suddenly become shy?" Regina asked with a small curl of her lip.

The blonde chuckled nervously. She pulled open her desk drawer and grabbed a small remote and pushed the button. Instantly the office glass was frosted.

Regina looked surprised, but then commented, "I bet that comes in handy."

Emma didn't know if the woman made the comment in general or if she was referring to the blonde's past habits personally. She wasn't in the mood to argue so she ignored the statement. She began doing what she was told but wince as she raised her arms. The brunette quickly took the edge of the shirt and helped pull it up over her head.

For a moment, Emma thought she had heard the older woman take a sharp breath of air. She looked down and suddenly remembered she hadn't put a bra on when she got here. She had tried, but it was nearly impossible for her to get it on by herself.

"Sorry, I couldn't get it on." She quickly raised her arm to cover herself and noticed the curious look the other woman gave her and added, "I guess before long you'll be able to pick my boobs out in a lineup." Emma closed her eyes and subconsciously kicked herself for the bad joke.

The blonde could have sworn the other woman blushed, but then she quickly recovered, "Well now, let's hope it doesn't come to that. I'm sure half of the East coast could say the same."

The brunette placed the stethoscope to Emma side, "Take a deep breath."

The blonde did as she was told but then cried out slightly in pain. Emma was afraid the woman was going to ask her to do that again, but she didn't. Instead, she just slid the stethoscope around her side gently as she listened to her breath, "Your breathing seems fine, so that's a good thing. I just wish you hadn't left the hospital though. You should be in bed resting while those ribs heal."

The door opened, "Hey Boss… Oh Shit, sorry." The short-haired blonde bartender said causing both women to jump. It was getting closer and closer to the time they were supposed to open, "Well hell, if I knew playing doctor would get you naked, we could have been having some fun." The woman laughed.

"What do you want?" Emma asked with a glare. Regina picked up the blonde's shirt up from the desktop where she had tossed it while draping the stethoscope around her neck.

The short-haired blonde eyed the brunette as she answered the boss, "Just wanted to tell you that Killian is going to want you on the floor tonight so he can show you the ropes of bartending."

"Thank you." She said wanting the other woman to leave. The woman must have wanted to be nosy because Killian would have just called her, not pass messages through employees.

The short-haired blonde winked at Emma before she stepped out and closed the door. She so hoped that woman was not the mole. She could just imagine the story she would tell her father about catching her half naked with Locksley's wife.

"Sorry about that. I'll make sure to clear up whatever she thought was going on. Stupid automatic frost, but no automatic lock." The blonde huffed as she fumbled with her shirt. She could just imagine what the older woman was thinking.

Regina started helping the younger woman put it back on as carefully as she could, "Did you tell Henry that you didn't want to see him?"

Emma swallowed. She no longer wanted to tell him. She had only said that because she was mad, but if this woman wanted her too, she guessed she had no other choice, "No. Not yet anyway."

The blonde could see the way the older woman slightly chewed at her bottom lip, same as her son. She was pretty sure it meant she was either nervous or not sure if she should say what was on her mind.

"Don't tell him." She said turning towards her bag and fidgeting with an already closed clasp.

Emma raised an eyebrow, "I thought that's what you wanted." She slowly lowered herself back into the office chair she had been sitting in and let out a small breath of air.

The brunette glanced over at her as she picked up her bag, "I don't trust you."

"You don't know me." Emma interrupted but her tone was neutral.

"I guess that's my point. I have seen my son heartbroken too many times in his short life by his father. I can't keep watching it and stand idly by and allow it." She licked her lips and ran her free hand through her dark hair, "My father trusts you. All I'm asking is that before you do anything stupid, you think about him and Henry."

Emma was a little confused, "Do something stupid? I didn't ask those guys to jump me in the alleyway. I would never put Henry deliberately in harm's way."

"Miss. Nolan, I only meant." She paused and turned to stare hard into green eyes, "He is everything to me. If something were to happen to him…" She hesitated again when her voice cracked.

Emma wasn't expecting the woman to get that emotional, but suddenly the blonde could feel what she meant and she forced herself to stand up again, "I wouldn't hurt him."

The brunette kept her intense gaze and Emma stepped closer, "Look, I know you don't like me." Regina went to argue but the blonde put her hand up as she continued, "You have every right, or at least from what Henry told me you do, but I'm not my father."

Emma heard the woman let out a shaky breath as she turned to place her stethoscope back into her bag, "Wait. What did Henry tell you?"

The blonde smiled. She wasn't sure what she should tell the other woman. She didn't want to seem like she was ratting the kid out because that wasn't it, "Umm. He told me that you dislike my family for a number of reasons. It doesn't matter. I just need you to know I wouldn't hurt Henry."

Regina looked back into her eyes and then gave a small smile, "I hope your right." She pulled a bottle of medication out of her bag and sat it on the desk, "You can take these every four to six hours, but make sure you eat something and do not drink with them."

"I quit drinking," Emma said at the irony.

She watched Regina's eyebrow rise, "In that case congratulations. After the other night, I'm thinking maybe I should as well." The last part must have been more for herself than for the blonde so she chose not to comment on it.

Regina picked up her bag and moved towards the door pausing briefly, "You might want to take a dose of those about thirty minutes before you start your shift. Bartending is going to be killer on your ribs."

Emma smiled and nodded. She watched the woman leave and now regretted it. Those tight jeans were going to be stuck in her head all night. She suddenly found herself wondering when she would see her again. She hurried to the door and called down the stairs to the brunette, "Hey, umm, when is our next appointment?"

The blonde didn't miss the smile that played on the older woman's lips as she turned and looked back, "Same time tomorrow."

Emma couldn't help her own smile as she watched the woman until she exited the club. She licked her lips and turned to go back into the office, missing the curious stare from the short haired blonde and Ruby, nor did she see the small smile and shake of Anton's head.