A/N: Trigger warning, loves: mention of rape and abuse, and should you choose not to read them you will not miss entirely too much of the plot, only bonding moments. I will section them off. Here's another chapter, dears, I do hope you enjoy it. As always, I do not own Once Upon a Time or any character likenesses, however the story itself is mine. Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!

XX

Regina fought hard against casting her eyes up to the hallway, where she knew Emma sat, helpless, waiting for her return. She wasn't sure exactly what had transpired between them, but she hoped it would claim the girl's attention long enough for her to deal with the moron in front of her. Sighing, she pinched the bridge of her nose, shooting a deathly glare at Glass.

"What exactly do you want, Mister Glass?"

The man's eyes revealed someone not quite all there, and Regina tried her absolute best to hide the fear that lay dormant beneath her stoic gaze. She would never allow this man the satisfaction of having terrified her so deeply, so instead, she kept up her unusually cold demeanor.

"You know what I want, Regina, and this time, now that you're whore isn't here to 'protect you'," at these words, Regina's gaze hardened and Sidney sneered. "Now that you're alone, Regina, I will have you."

Regina gasped as Sidney shifted and she noticed the large knife the man held. Her mouth suddenly dry, she gave a sharp nod before moving to the front door to close it. She could feel the hairs stand at the back of her neck, so she knew that Emma would be watching; all she could hope for was the blonde's safety, and shutting the door allowed her to face the stairway where she knew the blonde would be watching. She shot a quick look up the stairway and quickly caught Emma's eyes, with a very determined and calculating look in them, as the blonde gave her a quick hand motion signaling that the two should make their way up the stairs. Regina could feel terror grip her as she gave back an imperceptible nod before making a move towards the stairs. Sidney seemed gleeful, unaware that he hadn't cornered Regina in the manner he wanted, and paid no mind to the fact that the brunette left the door unlocked. Regina gulped before making her way up the stairs, taking her time and hoping that Emma, who she had become quite fond of, would be alright. She was barely aware of the knife that the man now held to her back as she made her way slowly towards her bedroom. Sidney let out a gleeful cackle as they arrived in the room that he had thought about for so long.

"Take off your clothes."

"You know better, Mister Glass, then to think I would make this easy on you."

Staring at the man, Regina realized she should have seen this coming. Ever since her mother had fostered this infatuation with her in his mind, she had been in danger. However, hindsight is twenty twenty, and there wasn't much Regina could do except await her fate and pray that Emma would stay out of harm's way once it was all over with. Regina needn't have bothered with prayers, however, as Emma appeared to have her own idea on handling the situation.

XX TW:

Emma had seen it far too often, and she knew that her former teacher was doing her best to be strong. However, the telltale signs of defeat hung about the air, and it became increasingly more difficult for Emma to stomach them. She couldn't handle the smell of whiskey on the man's breath. She could not tolerate his grunts as he slapped Regina across the face for what he referred to as 'her insolence'. She couldn't accept his maniacal laughter as she crept closer to the bedroom, She simply could not endure the sight of Sidney Glass, looming over the queen that Emma had almost reluctantly began to care for. But above all, Emma would not endure the look in Regina's eyes, the once vibrant, deep pools of liquid chocolate that had become so cold and lifeless, as Regina stared into the face of her attacker, unblinking. Emma realized with a jolt that that is what she must have looked like during so many of her previous foster fathers' drunken tirades. Comatose, insensate, completely beyond the bounds of caring. Emma had been angry before, true, but seeing that look upon the usually so lively Regina Mills caused something within her to snap. Emma spared a quick glance to a bleeding cut on Regina's face before rushing into the room, silently and with as much haste as she could muster.

/TW

XX

Regina barely registered the blonde snaking her way into the room before a loud crack echoed through the air; Emma followed up her seemingly ingenious move of slamming the Oxford Dictionary into Sidney's face with a quick knee to the groin. Sidney, although inebriated past the point of caring, still proved too quick for her, though, and a quick jab to her stomach sent Emma to the floor. Regina soared from the bed, crying out Emma's name, but the blonde's vision began to fade as Sidney sent a boot into her face. A warm liquid trailed down her face as her eyes closed, and she felt warm arms spread around her, holding her close, before blacking out completely.

XX
Three days later...

Emma awoke with a start, causing a strangled cry to escape the lips of the woman seated next to her. The blonde teenager hurt everywhere; her eyes were on fire, her tongue dry and the consistency of sandpaper, and her body felt as if she had been repeatedly run over by a semi. However, the look of pure gratitude- along with what was unmistakably something else- in Regina's eyes as the brunette handed Emma a cup of ice water allowed the pain to diminish substantially.

"What," Emma attempted to speak, but it all simply hurt so much, and she thought better of it. Regina, fortunately, recognized this, and held up a quick but kind hand to stop Emma's questions.

"Just a moment, Miss Swan, I do recall having assured your parents that I would inform them when you awoke." Emma made a move to nod, but a groan tore from her throat in earnest; it would appear that she had taken quite a bit more injury then she realized, and her body punished her relentlessly for each new infraction upon it's healing process. Regina slid her cellphone from her pocket, and a quick call to Mary Margaret and David had both foster parents scrambling to leave their respective jobs. Regina, however, assured them once more that she would stay with 'Miss Swan' until they were able to visit her, and they seemed inclined to agree, however reluctantly. David was unsure of whatever relationship the teacher had with his daughter, but it seemed an amicable one, and he trusted Regina to take care of her no matter the cost. Throughout this time, Emma allowed herself to admire the brunette in the uncomfortable hospital chair beside her with curious eyes, noticing for the first time how puffy Regina's face seemed to be.

Had she been crying?

Emma gingerly reached out to Regina, sliding her hand into the brunette's and attempting a weak squeeze. She had meant it to be reassuring, but the wince that she tried, in vain, to hide gave her away, and before she knew it Regina had stood up, disentangling their hands and moving away from the girl. Emma did her best not to allow it to hurt her, but a sad sigh escaped her lips regardless. Regina merely moved throughout the room, closing the curtains that allowed patients a sense of privacy, before moving back towards the blonde and leaning over her, their foreheads touching. Emma's heart thumped wildly in her chest, and an amused half smirk from Regina proved that she, too, heard the heart monitor chirping erratically. Regina placed a feather light kiss on Emma's forehead before moving back to her seat and clearing her throat. Emma took a moment to clear her mind before sipping her glass of water once more as Regina opened her mouth to explain what the blonde had missed.