A/N: Special thanks to my beta VP for taking on this fic! I mean she swoop in when no beta was able to do document editing and cleaned it up! You my dear are awesome.

So this had to be spilt in two, or else there was going to be a 10k chapter. I lost on the 2-shot bet. Grrrr oh well.

Warning: Triggers for child abuse and sexual assault. Proceed with caution. And be gentle, some of this stuff was taken from a person's real life.

"Hey. Hey!" Emma pushed at the sleeping woman, shaking her shoulders and then just going to tapping her on the face and yelling. "Wake up!"

"What the…" Regina opened her eyes a little, before shutting them, wincing at the lights in front of her that were shining into her eyes. Her head was hurting and she felt seriously drowsy. Looking around, she saw she was in her car, but she was not in the driver's seat. "I'm sleeping. Leave me alone."

Emma sighed as the executive turned over, laying her head back on the door.

"Oh no you don't." She got out of the car and opened the passenger side door, allowing the intoxicated woman to nearly hit the ground.

"T-Tha-That w-wasn't nice!" Regina said, using the open door to sit herself up. "Do you even know who I am?" Emma didn't bother to answer, glad the woman was making more sense now than she was when they left the club. She pulled Regina out of the car and steadied her, hands on the woman's shoulders.

"You need carbs and coffee." Emma ignored any mumbling and grumbling going on and moved the semi-sober woman over to the diner door. This diner was her favorite spot to hit after work. It was 24 hours with good food and nice staff. No one ever asked her why she came between 1 and 4 am every time she ate there.

They entered the sparsely populated establishment and sat down in the nearest booth. Well Emma sat down, Regina practically fell into the hard pleather covered seat, resting her head in her hands.

"Two waters and two coffees please," Emma ordered as the waitress came passed. She hadn't even looked at the menu but knew the woman across from her was still trying to get her head together. Emma had no idea where the confident woman she had seen earlier that night went, but when she had found the brunette sipping vodka drinks she knew something had occurred.

Emma watched the woman in silence, seeing the way she occasionally shook her head as she looked down at the plastic table top.

"What can I get you?," the waitress said as she placed the mugs and waters down on the table. Regina waved her hand, never looking up at the young girl.

"Two Bacon Cheeseburger deluxes," Emma answered for them both. "And don't be stingy with the fries," she added with a smile. The waitress nodded taking a glance at the smartly dressed brunette before rushing off to put the order in.

"I don't eat that stuff," Regina said. It was the first time she had spoke since sitting down.

"Well you need something to soak up all you drank." Emma pushed the mug filled with the hot brown liquid over to her. "What do you like in your coffee?"

Regina didn't respond, but picked up the mug, taking a sip of the dark liquid plain. She scrunched her face in disgust at the coffee. These were not the freshly ground beans she was used to.

"Okay," Emma said. "Black, then." Emma filled her cup with four creamers and was on her fifth packet of sugar before Regina looked up at her in bewilderment.

"Like a little coffee with your cream and sugar do we?"

"Oh I hate the stuff, but I need the caffeine most days. Only plenty of cream and sugar will make it drinkable." Regina shook her head as Emma stirred the mixture and took a long gulp. It wasn't long before the waitress came back with two plates, laden with greasy food. Regina turned her head as the smell of a deep fryer wafted up from the hot plate.

Emma picked up her burger immediately and took a big bite, relishing the taste of quarter pound of beef with cheese and bacon.

"Oh that is good eating," she murmured, chewing constantly.

"That is just disgusting," Regina scoffed, pushing her own plate away towards the center of the table.

"Oh no. Come on. You have to eat something."

"I will not put that poison into my body."

"Well you already poured several liters of poison into it earlier this evening." Emma grinned at the scoff she received. "If you don't want to try the burger, at least eat the fries. You need something on your stomach." Emma pushed the plate back over to the slowly sobering woman, waving her hand over the fries.

With the timidity of a person on Fear Factor, a show that ended way too early in Emma's opinion, Regina picked up a piece of fried potato and put it in her mouth. She chewed the small piece slowly, wincing as if expecting to go into cardiac arrest immediately. Emma smiled and nodded, putting four of her own fries in her mouth at once with gusto.

"This is the best place to go after drinking," Emma said between bites. "Not that I drink a lot. But if I did, this is the best place. Put a deluxe meal in your gut, drink some water and a hangover won't even exist."

"Thank you for your opinion, but I don't foresee needing to visit this place again."

"Ah, have your own cure for drunken nights?"

"I don't get drunk." Regina said, finally picking up the burger. It wasn't anywhere near USDA choice, but she bit into it anyway. She could feel her head starting to clear and wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, and if eating this garbage would hasten her leave…she'd do it.

"Well you certainly got drunk tonight," Emma said with a snicker. "Not your usual thing huh?"

"Is there a reason you are pursuing this conversation?"

"Well, I don't know. You seemed perfectly fine one moment, then I come out 45 minutes later and you're drinking like a fish looking like someone just died and endangering yourself by being intoxicated and alone. Excuse me for being a bit concerned."

"I didn't ask for your concern."

"What, you wanted me to leave you there? Not all strippers are as nice as me. And the customers there definitely are not. How about a little gratitude for keeping you from getting robbed, car jacked or assaulted?"

"What are you waiting for; a gold medal for being a Good Samaritan? You're going to be waiting a long time."

"Well sorry for being a decent human being," Emma mumbled. "This is what I gave up being home early to Henry for." She heard the scoff come from across the table and shook her head. The brunette laughed, shaking her head.

"Excuse me dear for keeping you from your boyfriend. You are welcome to go anytime."

"For your information, Henry is my five year old son." Emma smirked at the shocked look that went across the executive's face. She wanted to say more, but they were interrupted.

"Everything good here?," the waitress asked.

"We're good." Emma said. The young woman nodded and quickly left the table, sparing Regina another glance. Emma wondered what was so fascinating about the older woman to the waitress. Maybe it was the woman's clothes. They were obviously expensive. The pants suit probably cost more than what she took home tonight.

"So you have a son?," the older woman asked, not looking up from her plate.

"Yep. My little prince." Emma took another bite of her burger, using her finger to scoop up some mayo that fell off and put it into her mouth. "Got any kids?"

"No."

"Ah, waiting for the right time huh?"

"I wouldn't say that. It…" Regina started with a far off look. "well, I did want…well…it…just worked out that way."

"I get it," Emma said wiping off her mouth using a napkin for once. "I didn't plan on having Henry myself. He was definitely a surprise, but a welcomed one; though I didn't see it that way at the time."

Regina nodded, putting another fry in her mouth and chewing carefully. This was not how she expected her night to go. All she had wanted to do was make sure Whale didn't destroy the company by making deals and promises that they couldn't financially backup. Instead she became entertainment for the good ole' boys, gave into desires she hadn't acted on since freshman year in college, got drunk and ended up eating grease in a grungy diner with the stripper. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

"So you know my name is Regina, but I doubt 'Princess' is what's on your driver's license."

"Nope! Name's Emma. Emma Swan. And you're Reginaaa….?."

"Why? You have my first name. Just because you chose to give me your government name doesn't mean I have to do the same. Regina is just fine dear." Regina noted the resigned expression on the woman's face and sighed. "And thank you for preventing any harm from coming to me. I appreciate it."

"Well you're welcome," Emma said. The two ate in silence, burger and fries disappearing slowly. Well Regina's was disappearing slowly, the blondes was vanished at a rapid pace. Regina sat back in her seat to watch as the woman stuffed five fries in her mouth at once, and took a large drink from her cooling coffee to push it down her throat with minimal chewing.

"I may be completely off, but were you ever in the military?"

"That's a first, and no. Why would you think that?"

"Because you eat like a marine. No…faster than a marine." Emma grinned at the question.

"I learned to eat fast as a kid." When the executive raised an eyebrow the blonde sighed. "In foster homes, the bigger kids would swipe food from your plate if you didn't eat fast enough. I learned to eat what was put in front of me pretty quickly because if another kid ate it, there wouldn't be seconds."

Regina nodded, processing the information. In Cora's home, stuffing your face would have gotten her a missed meal and several lashes with a belt. She couldn't imagine being in a home where rushing to eat would be a requirement. She stared at the woman in awe, waiting to see how long it would take her to finish the last quarter of her burger.

"Oh god. No. No. No" the younger woman suddenly said.

"Wha-"

"You're looking at me with pity. Don't give me that pitying look. I don't need it."

"I am not pitying you. Obviously you didn't starve. I am simply not accustomed to seeing someone eat that way."

"Well sorry, there was no time for me to take a course in Emily Post." Regina rolled her eyes. The woman didn't know how lucky she was. Sure she had to rush to eat but at least she didn't have to sit at a table for hours to learn what spoon to eat with or risk a swat to her hand with a ruler if she picked up the wrong one. She'd have taken speed eating any day.

"Trust me. It's overrated," she said aloud, rubbing her knuckles.

"If you say so." Emma shrugged finishing the last of her burger. She leaned back, patting her stomach. "Man that was good. Totally hit the spot."

Regina couldn't help but smile at the woman's antics. She had never seen anyone enjoy such a simple meal so much. It was nothing but grease, yet Emma ate it as if it were the tenderest cut of steak.

"Okay, I gotta know," the blond said sitting up. "Just tell me, how the hell did you end up in that room full of entitled pricks? I know the usual…customers and you just don't seem the type."

"What makes you think I 'ended up' there?"

"Firstly, you were stiff the entire night, barely talking to anyone, plus, when that creepy dude bought you the dance, I saw the panic on your face."

"I was not panicking."

"You were panicking. I thought you were going to toss me off your lap at one point," Emma had to calm her body down at the thought of what happened after Regina loosened up. If she concentrated she could still feel the woman's hands on her hips, controlling her movements, pushing her rapidly towards a climax.

"Well if you must know, I was there to stop a bad business decision," Regina said pushing her plate away. Sure it wasn't the woman's business, but who was she going to tell. "I am the only female executive where I work. The man who bought me the dance had been trying to push this deal through and decided to meet there; assuming I wouldn't show up. He obviously doesn't know me well enough."

"You showed up alright," Emma laughed. "I take it you're not out at work?" Emma stopped laughing as the olive skin on the woman across from her paled. The calm was drained from the attractive face and Emma could see a brief flash of panic before arrogance and anger were painted over it.

"I am not gay." Emma wanted to disagree. If she wasn't gay, she was sure as hell bi, because during the second half of that dance, the brunette definitely knew what she was doing. That wasn't the result of instinct…that was experience.

"So…that's a no."

"I said-"

"Hey. I know what you said and I'm not going to judge. Gay, bi, heteroflexible or no labels. I didn't ask if you were a lesbian. I asked if you were out."

"Just because I played around with you in front of some board members to prevent a co worker from getting one up on me, doesn't mean I'm into women."

"So you've never been with a woman?"

"No."

"You're lying."

"Oh please your delusions-"

"I happen to be really good at telling when someone is lying," Emma said waving down the waitress for a refill. "I just don't get why you are lying to me now. It's just me, at a random diner, at 2:15 in the morning. We will more than likely never see each other again. So who the hell cares?"

The waitress came and refilled both cups of coffee, despite Regina having never asked. Emma was right. They weren't going to see each other again. So why was she so afraid? Even if the woman said anything, no one would believe her. Regina had kept that part of herself under wraps since college.

"Her name was Mal."

"Huh?" Emma said looking up from her fifth pack of sugar.

"Mallory, or Mal for short. The woman I was with. Her name was Mallory, but people would call her the Dragon. She was on the fencing team and facing her was like going up against a fire breathing dragon," Regina laughed slightly. She cleared her throat and took another sip of her drink before continuing. "We dated the entire fourth year, and through my 2 years in business school, in secret ofcourse as my mother would have lost her mind. After graduation, she wanted to continue seeing each other, in the open, and I didn't."

"Why? You we no longer dependent on your parents right?"

Regina nearly laughed at the question, as if it wasn't obvious. "Do you how hard it is to be a woman in business? In the finance industry? It's bad enough I am a woman, but I am also a minority. And you want me to add lesbian on top of that? I'd have never succeeded."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If people hate me, let it be because I am a bitch. Let them think I am a bitch because I am focused on work. I don't want them adding man-hating lesbian on to that title." She had dated random men, never more than 2 or 3 dates over the years. Never anyone at work, but just enough for there to be no rumors. After a while everyone just figured she was focused on work and had no time for romance.

"I guess that makes sense," Emma said. "Just sounds lonely."

"Why thank you doctor. How much do I owe you for that opinion?"

"Oh come on Regina," the blonde said sipping her coffee and flagging off down the waitress and mouthing the word 'bill' to her. "I'm not judging you. Hell we all have roles we have to play. Hell I play a role every time I step onto the stage or sit on some bastard's lap."

"Oh you break my bastard heart," Regina said sarcastically. "But if you don't like it, then why do you keep doing it?"

Emma didn't respond verbally. Instead she pulled out her cell phone, a cheap flip phone that Regina hadn't seen anyone use in years. Surprisingly the device had a camera because the dancer opened up a picture.

It was a little boy, beautiful hazel eyes with just enough green to resemble his mother's. Brown hair, definitely in need of a cut, but there was no denying how adorable the child was.

"Henry?" Regina asked needlessly.

"My little prince," the blonde said looking at the picture. "I was only 18 when he was born, but from the moment I held him, I promised that he would never want for anything. Clothes, food, toys…nothing. I mean I can't give him everything, but I can make sure he has enough to be comfortable."

"But why…dance? There are so many other jobs."

"Like what? I don't have a GED, I never graduated high school. I have no skills," she said shaking her head. She had never told anyone this, but she knew she was a complete failure. "I work at coffee shop during the day, but for minimum wage. I get assistance, but not cash assistance. I have to make up the difference somehow. So when I need to, I head to the lounge and dance."

"And his father?"

Emma scoffed. "Locked up, and good riddance," She gave a sad smile. "Yeah, I'm not proud of what I do, but when I look at my little boy I know its all worth it. He won't have a life like I did."

"What do you mean? And feel free to tell me none of my business."

Emma looked at the woman. Regina was nothing like someone she would normally talk to. She was the exact opposite of someone she would be sharing her life with. She was rich, educated and was usually the type of person who set her on edge. However when she looked in the executive's eyes as the woman asked, she didn't see judgement or even pity, just curiosity and compassion.

She never talked about her life. Only Ruby, and her ex Neal, knew where she was from.

"When I found out I was pregnant with Henry, I was 17. My boyfriend had been arrested for robbery and when they arraigned him there were several other charges added. When I went to the clinic for prenatal vitamins, they told me I could put my child up for adoption. That as an infant it would be adopted quickly and into a good home. That the parents would probably help take care of me during the pregnancy."

"Obviously you didn't give him up."

"No," Emma said. "What they didn't know was that I had been adopted as a baby. And the adoption was later dissolved. I was 3 and placed back into foster care. I wasn't going to give my baby that risk, no matter how small it was."

"I didn't know that could happen."

"Oh it happens. And when you have an adoption dissolution, it's really hard to get adopted again. It's like a scarlet letter on your file, no matter what the reason is." The dancer's coffee was now cold, but she kept sipping. At this rate she was definitely going to have the jitters. "I had a hard time adjusting after that, which meant I went from home to home. I was labeled as having RAD, which made it is even harder to be placed. When no one wants you, only the worse take you."

The blonde stopped talking, looking up at the woman across from her. She didn't see confusion, but understanding.

"Oh," the woman murmured. Emma stared into the brown eyes. When she had told Ruby her story, there was no empathy, just hurt. Same with Neal. With Regina she was seeing something deeper. An understanding, a….kindred feeling.

"Yeah," Emma said. "You too?"

"What?"

"That look on your face. I just…well…you seemed…well...familiar….."

"No not that," Regina nearly whispered. "But I dealt with….well… with things."

"Oh," she didn't know why, but she felt a bit of disappointment at having misread the woman. "So after that, I ran away. I preferred to be on the streets than with some abusive rapist. I met Neal, and the rest is history."

"You never report-"

"Who was going to believe me? I had a file 3 feet wide and 'severe emotional issues' they said," Emma said. She waved her hand, dismissing any other questions. "Either way, no matter how small the chance was. I wasn't going to let there be any risk of Henry ending up hurt."

"I can see why."

"So I don't care what it takes. My boy is going to have a good home and if that means shaking my ass and giving lap dances to closeted sexy executives, then I'm going to do it." Regina laughed. She wasn't sure if it was a compliment or not, but she was going to take it as one.

"Glad my embarrassment helped clothe your son." The waitress finally came with the bill and dropped it in the middle of the table, giving a glare to the brunette. Emma fished out her wallet to pay for her portion before a perfectly manicured hand covered hers.

"You prevented me from making a drunken fool of myself, drove me to get a meal and helped me sober up. The least I can do is pay for your meal."

"No that's not…."

"Yes it is," Regina pulled out enough cash and a more than decent tip before standing and putting on her jacket. She knew it would be best if they parted ways. It was now after 3am and she had to be in her office by 9…10 if she came up with some emergency. However with the coffee and the food, she wasn't going to be sleeping. "Come on, I'll give you a ride."

[SQ]

"It was my mother," the brunette said into the silence of the car as they drove down the street. They had left the diner not 10 minutes ago and were heading down into the heart of Manhattan.

"What?" Emma asked. The brunette had a knack for starting sentences in the middle of a conversation she didn't know she was having.

"When you said that I….seemed to understand you," Regina sighed. "It was my mother who….who….."

"Oh I get it," Emma interrupted, not forcing the woman to continue.

"She wasn't….I can't…she wasn't the nicest person," Regina muttered finally, she was never able to call it abuse. "While she made sure that I was exposed to the best and brightest, and had a grand future placed in front of me, she often made sure I knew what was expected of me and what would happen if I failed."

"I don't get it."

"Failure was not an option Emma."

"Oh."

The brunette looked down briefly, her hands shaking on the wheel as she spoke.

"I would try to make sure I never made a mistake, but for some reason nothing was good enough," Regina blinked back tears. "As I got older I learned to be careful, watching the mistakes my older sister made, careful not to repeat them, but…God I was a slow learner. You'd think the first few times would have taught me, but it didn't."=

"Did she…like….what would…."

"Depends. Most of the time it was a hit or slap. And she made sure to never leave a mark. A few times it graduated to switches or extension cords, but I learned fast to just keep my mouth shut and do what I was told. To meet and exceed every expectation."

Regina looked up and Emma knew she was looking at the same sad smile she had on her face earlier that night. It was the smile that said everything was fine. That it wasn't that bad, even though it was. It was the fake smile you plastered on your face when you were embarrassed that it even happened.

"I remember the first time I failed my mother's expectations. I was 7 or 8. I had gotten an A minus on a test. I didn't know what the minus was for, or if there was a difference actually. So I put the test in my bag and I asked her. I said 'mama what's an A minus' and she told me that it was in a person almost had a B but they did a little better. Not quite a full A," Regina let out a sad laugh at the memory. "She then asked me 'Who had an A minus….it better not have been you.' That was the first time I lied about my grades. The way she grabbed my chin and looked me in the eyes as she said it scared me. It was clear to me that if I came home with an A minus or anything less than a solid A she was going to be angry."

"But I mean, what were you supposed to do? Never get less than a 4.0?"

"Exactly. I got straight A's through elementary and middle school. I graduated valedictorian with a 3.99. Had a B in 9th grade French that I was never able to live down till I graduated summa cum laude from Yale," The executive's eyes never left the road as she turned. "I made sure I never failed in school. Became class president, student representative to administration and any other titles I could get."

"Why?"

"She told me I was destined for greatness," Regina said with a shrug. "I'm lucky I was able to pursue business. She wanted me to go into law and politics. My father was able to persuade her otherwise."

"Is this what you wanted?"

"My job?" Regina asked, receiving a nod. "Yes. I enjoy what I do. I have a bossy streak in me that is met at work."

"Well I mean you are CFO of a Fortune 500. I'm sure she is beyond proud."

"Both my parents are dead," she replied with no emotion. "Thing is I never managed to marry a rich politician, so no. I didn't make her proud."

Her answer would have been hurtful if it hadn't been something she accepted a long time ago. When she was first promoted at work, she went and told her mother. She was low level executive, but it was the first step to reaching her goal. Her mother only nodded and asked if she was seeing someone. Having not be open about her desires for the fairer sex, Regina told her she was focusing on work, and putting romance off until she was a bit more settled.

It was never enough for Cora Mills. Nothing ever was

Her verbal lashings hurt worse than the actual hits. She would rather her mother continued hitting her than telling her how much a failure she was. How she was useless. How she wasn't what she wanted as a daughter but 'would have to do'.

The accusations of impropriety were the worse. When she turned 12 the humiliating checks she received when she came home from anywhere a boy could have been were started. It had been years before she realized that wasn't normal, but by that time she was an adult. Once Cora had realized that she couldn't check her underwear every evening, she would call her into the study and 'debrief' her. If there was any hesitation in her answer, Regina was called names and interrogated until Cora believed that she was still innocent. It didn't matter if she had been talking to a young man her age, or her elderly neighbor….she was always under suspicion.

"Geeze if Henry grew up to be some hot shot businessman," Emma broke into the woman's thoughts. "hell if he just manages to graduate high school, I'd be the proudest parent in the world."

"He's lucky to have you."

"Naw, I'm lucky to have him." Regina turned and gave the mother a small smile as they continued down the road, heading towards the bridge. But she didn't want to drop the woman off.

"So, are you in a rush to get home?"

"Well….I dunno. I don't work till noon tomorrow and other than getting Henry on the school bus, I was planning on sleeping in. Why?"

"I don't know why…but I'm kind of enjoying the conversation," she grinned. "How about we continue it."

"Where?"