A/N: Sorry for double posting Chapter 7! I had to make a quick edit, and instead of allowing me to just update it, it was deleted and posted again! Oops! (: Thanks again for all of your awesome comments/favorites/follows, etc. You all rock my socks off! I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters mentioned, but I do own this (hopefully) lovely little story! I hope you continue to follow along, as things continue to grow between our favorite student/teacher pairing! Also, fluffy moment ahead! 3
XX
Class had gone by without a hitch, although Emma had noticed an unusual amount of stares from her peers, especially James, who continued to smile gratefully at her for getting Mister Glass off of her ass. As the bell rang and students filed out obediently, he stopped by her table and offered her a handshake.
"Hey, again, I really appreciate what you did for me back there."
Emma gave him a noncommittal grunt and a nod, muttering something about how it was the right thing to do and surely anyone would have done the same. He smiled back before his friends at the door called his name and he rushed over to them, leaving Miss Mills and Emma alone once more. The brunette sighed heavily before gracefully waltzing to her door and shutting it with a soft click, locking it to avoid intruders for the meeting that she knew she would have to have with her student. Emma gulped, somewhat audibly, allowing a crooked grin to spread across her lips as she looked at her teacher with profound admiration.
"Miss Mills," she asked tentatively, as Regina once more took her place in her chair. "May I ask what that was about?"
Regina ran her hand through her hair slowly before turning to look at Emma. "Miss Swan, there is a time and a place, and unfortunately that is not now. I will not commit to answering your questions, especially not after the taxing day I have had. However, I will inform you that by no circumstance should anything you witnessed today be discussed. Are we at an understanding?"
Emma nodded, a little offended at the thought that Regina believed her to be a gossip, before her teacher continued on.
"I meant what I said, in that you will spend the remainder of your civics class in here, if you so wish, during my study period. You should have ample time, and young minds often wander, so I suggest you bring a book or some homework to catch up on."
Emma nodded, a little too enthusiastically, and a light blush tinted her cheeks.
"Yes, ma'am, I greatly appreciate it. And also...thank you, for standing up for me today. Nobody has ever done that."
Regina's eyes shot towards the girl's face at her soft admission, and Emma thought she may have seen a flash of recognition run through them before she looked away, finding the teacher's stare to be much too mesmerizing.
"You are very welcome, dear. Now, shall we go?"
Emma nodded sheepishly before shouldering her backpack and dutifully waiting for her teacher before the pair left the classroom, oblivious to the dark eyes of Sidney Glass watching them from a distance.
XX
The rest of the week passed in a flurry of whispers and interested faces. Nobody knew why the 'Evil Queen' had suddenly become so soft, especially with one particular student, and male and female students alike were envious that the blonde Swan girl had been allowed to spend so much time with the angelic brunette. Sidney Glass had given Emma a passing grade, albeit barely, and she shrugged it off, knowing that although she had earned at least a 'B' she should not push her luck. Emma's eyes often wandered over to Regina's scribbling form as the teacher graded test after test, sometimes sucking her bottom lip between her teeth as she marked papers with fervor. Emma would blush when Miss Mills would catch her staring, a smirk plastered across her face as Emma's eyes would travel lower, from her face to her exposed throat, resting atop a mountain of cleavage. Emma was uncertain how her teacher always knew she was looking, although in all honesty, the teacher spent quite a bit time looking, as well. The last week of school arrived, and the students spent that entire Tuesday, in high spirits. It was the mark of their last day of school; for seniors, the last day of mandatory education; for juniors, moving up to be the top class. Emma wore a grin to rival that of the other students all day long, allowing for a quick hug from her art teacher, who made her promise to continue on with her talents after high school. Her mathematics teacher was a little less dramatic, simply allowing the students a free period in which to talk to one another. Emma gave Belle one last hug before the two split ways, one headed to Civics, the other headed to English. As Emma neared the classroom, she realized that tomorrow would begin her 'punishment' for defacing Miss Mills car, and she hoped beyond hope that the tentative, quiet companionship they had formed would hold true. Emma heard a raised voice and stopped just outside of the English classroom, her heart racing as she heard a crash followed by the loud voice of none other than Sidney Glass. Quietly pushing the door open, she found him inching closer to Regina Mills, who either looked positively terrified or positively pissed, Emma was unsure which. Emma had always been foolhardy, and this trait held true as, without much thought, she padded quietly to the teachers. Regina had glanced at her student, pleading with her eyes for the girl to leave before the insane asshole managed to make more trouble for her, but her eyes immediately shot to Glass as he gave a derisive laugh and continued, with a mocking tone.
"Where is your white knight now, Regina, hmm? Where's your little whore?"
Quietly pulling out the thickest textbook she had, which, she quickly noted with an air of amusement, just so happened to be her English book, Emma held it high above her head, waiting for the right moment.
"Actually, Glass, I'm right here."
Sidney whirled around, shocked, and the sickening crunch made when his momentum and the momentum of Emma swinging the book had his eyes roll back in his head before he lost conscious, crumpling in a heap. Regina Mills gave Emma a horrified, if not a little bit appreciative look, before clearing her throat and walking over the teacher, 'accidentally' smacking him in the face with her heels.
"Are you alright, Miss Mills?" Emma scowled at her civics teacher before voicing the concern in her system. For a second, Regina looked at the younger girl, almost as if seeing her for the first time, and cleared her throat once more. "Right. I'm quite alright, thank you Miss Swan, it seems you are my white knight once more."
Emma could not help the blush that spread across her cheeks as the pair made their way up the room, towards the desk, and Regina pulled out her cellphone to call school security. Within minutes short men, although quite muscly, ran through the door, assessing the situation before one who appeared to be the leader walked over to the pair, eying them both wearily.
"Name's Leroy," he grunted, "what happened?"
Emma went to speak up but was quickly cut off by her English teacher.
"Mister Glass had, once again, invaded my personal space. Miss Swan here just happened to be here in order to pick up her text book, that she left in my class. She rushed in when she heard a crash, which was the small vase of flowers in the window falling, by the way, and I used his confusion to hit him in the face with the text book."
Leroy raised an eyebrow, regarding Emma, who sat through the semi-lie silently. "Is that exactly what happened?"
Emma nodded nonchalantly, a small shrug rolling through her shoulders. She wasn't quite sure why Regina had lied, but she wouldn't go against her teacher, especially not now.
"This isn't the first time, I think, sir. He is always muttering angrily in class, and scares a lot of the students, so we just stay away from him."
Emma played up her 'traumatizing' experience, and Leroy took the bait almost instantly, his tone shifting to one of understanding.
"Of course, of course, we'll take care of it. Miss Mills, would you like me to get the cops involved?"
"Yes, please, three strikes and all." Leroy nodded at the teacher and student before he left, the three members of his security team dragging a still unconscious Sidney Glass out by his clothes. Emma could not help but giggle as the man's head slammed against the door frame before the trio managed to straighten him out, pulling him through and shutting the door with a click. Regina swiftly leaned over, locking the door, and before Emma could say anything she found herself engulfed in warm, strong arms. Emma's head swam as Miss Mills held her tightly against her, and she could feel terror resonating within the older woman. Without thinking, Emma wrapped her arms softly around Regina, her hands splaying and rubbing circles across her back, unknowingly taking the older woman's breath away.
"Miss Swan... thank you.. so much, " Regina barely managed to get the words out, and without thinking, Emma pulled her even tighter against her.
"It's okay, Miss Mills. I've got you." Regina nodded against Emma's head, sighing softly. "White knight, huh?" Emma couldn't help but giggle at her own words, but a blush crept across her face as Regina nodded in agreement, and Emma's eyes traveled up Regina's face, seeking solace in her dark chocolate, slightly watery orbs.
"Yes, Miss Swan, you are my white knight."