A/N: to the guest who was wondering about Henry being 13 and Regina only 28, that will be explained is this chapter. If there are more questions please review or PM me and I will try and answer your questions as quickly as possible!
Song: Whore by In this Moment
The next morning Regina woke at her usual Saturday morning time at 8:00AM. Regina got up, pulled her sleeping shorts down and and grabbed her robe. She knew Henry was still asleep from the snoring coming through his bedroom door.
Regina made her way downstairs to start a pot of coffee when she heard what sounded like someones voice.
Regina listened more closely and followed the sounds. Regina opened the basement door and could her the distinct sound of a voice. Regina walked down the stairs, quietly, to not disturb Emma.
Regina stayed on the stairs for a moment just listening. Emma was in the process of writing a song; she was reading what she has so far.
"I'm the girl you've been thinking about
The one thing you can't live without
I'm the girl you've been waiting for
I'll have you down on your knees
I'll have you begging for more
You probably thought I wouldn't get this far
You thought I'd end up in the back of a car
You probably thought that I'd never escape
I'd be a rat in a cage, I'd be a slave to this place
You don't know how hard I fought to survive,
Waking up alone when I was left to die
You don't know about this life I've lived,
All these roads I've walked
All these tears I've bled
So how can this be?
You're praying to me
There's a look in your eyes,
I know just what that means"
Emma was bitting on the end of her pen and mumbling words to herself, "I can pretend to be.. Damn it.." Emma scratched out what she just wrote and reread what she had, "I know just what that means... I can be, I can be your anything."
Emma nodded and waited a second before writing more. Regina was going to go upstairs but Emma took out her guitar and started playing. She didn't have the amp plugged in so Regina had to strain to hear.
Emma opened her computer and pressed record.
Emma started singing,
"I'm the girl you've been thinking about
The one thing you can't live without
I'm the girl you've been waiting for
I'll have you down on your knees
I'll have you begging for more
You probably thought I wouldn't get this far
You thought I'd end up in the back of a car
You probably thought that I'd never escape
I'd be a rat in a cage, I'd be a slave to this place
You don't know how hard I fought to survive,
Waking up alone when I was left to die
You don't know about this life I've lived,
All these roads I've walked
All these tears I've bled
So how can this be?
You're praying to me
There's a look in your eyes,
I know just what that means
I can be, I can be your everything
I can be your whore!
I am the dirt you created
I am your sinner
I am your whore
But let me tell you something baby
You love me for everything you hate me for
I'm the one that you need and fear
Now that you're hooked, it's all becoming clear
That all your judgments that you placed on me
Was a reflection of discovery
So maybe next time when you cast your stones
From the shadows of the dark unknown
You will crawl up from your hiding place
Take a look in the mirror
See the truth in your face
So how can this be?
You're praying to me
There's a look in your eyes,
I know just what that means
I can be, I can be your everything
I can be your whore!
I am the dirt you created
I am your sinner
I am your whore
But let me tell you something baby
You love me for everything you hate me for"
Emma stopped singing and ended the video. Regina stood there in shock. Not just by the sound of Emma's voice, but by the words Emma was singing. How could the world be so cruel that people could treat Emma so terribly?
Regina was too wrapped up in her thoughts to know that Emma was now looking directly at her. Emma stood up and walked over to Regina; Regina jumped, startled by Emma standing in front of her.
Emma smiled and said, "Sorry. You were completely zoned out."
Regina nodded and said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."
Emma shook her head, "No, I had the beat and a few of the lyrics rattling around in my head. I figured I should write them down and play them out before I drive myself crazy. I hope I didn't wake you."
Regina shook her head, "No, I was already up. I was just getting some coffee when I heard you singing."
Emma nodded and saved the recording.
Regina looked at Emma and realized that Emma is beyond her years, far beyond Regina when she was Emma's age.
Emma looked over at Regina and blushed a little, "What? Is my makeup running from last night? I haven't looked in the mirror yet."
Regina shook her head and said, "No, I'm just realizing that you are way more mature than I ever was at your age."
Emma laughed and said, "I'm glad you think so, but I don't think so. I have made some pretty bad choices."
Regina nodded and said, "All teenagers do."
Emma looked at Regina and asked, "Did you make any bad choices? Or ones you regret?"
Regina thought it over, "Yes and no. I made some choices that were very adult and I didn't understand the repercussions until it was too late."
Emma looked at Regina and trailed her eyes down Regina's body starting at her head going down to her feet.
Emma nodded and said, "Pregnant?"
Regina gasped and said, "Excuse me?"
Emma laughed and said, "Not now, when you were a teenager. You got pregnant, I'm guessing with Henry?"
Regina opened and closed her mouth, "How.. how could you have possibly guessed that?"
Emma smiled and said, "One Henry is 13 you are 28 simple math puts you at 15 when you had him, two Henry has your bone structure but someone else's body type, three you show off your legs in silk pajama shorts but hide your torso with a size too large top and a bathrobe. That tells me you want to hide something, something like a scar or your stomach in general. I'm guessing Henry was delivered Cesarean?"
Regina nodded and said, "Yes."
Emma smiled softly at Regina and asked, "What's the story? I mean no offense you just don't seem the type now to have been extremely wild in you teen years."
Regina nodded and said, "Typical teenage love story. Girl meets boy, boy says he really likes her, loves her even, girl falls for it. Girl ends up pregnant and boy takes off, never to be heard from again.."
Emma smiled sadly and said, "Yeah well, teenage boys are assholes.. Except Henry. He isn't bad. What was boy's name?"
Regina sighed and said, "Daniel."
Emma nodded and said, "Well if I ever run into a Daniel I promise to deck him."
Regina laughed and said, "That's quite alright dear, Daniel is long forgotten and out of my life."
Emma smiled and said, "How did you do it, you know? Finishing school, college, becoming mayor; all with a kid?"
Regina sighed, "It was hard. Kids can be cruel, but my best friend Kathryn was there supporting me. My father helped me through the pregnancy. My mother helped after she first saw Henry. I commuted to college everyday, studied a lot, sacrificed. But in the end it all worked out. I wouldn't change a thing; maybe wait a few more years, but I'm happy."
Emma smiled and said, "Yeah, I guess everything did work out."
Regina looked at the clock and said, "Well its almost 9:30AM, Henry will probably be up in a little. Would you like to help me make breakfast?"
Emma shrugged and said, "Sure. But fair warning I've have never successfully cooked anything besides frozen waffles and cereal for breakfast."
Regina smiled and said, "Well how about we fix that."
Emma smiled and nodded. Regina and Emma walked upstairs and started making pancakes for breakfast.
Emma, Regina, and Henry all ate breakfast together at the kitchen island. Emma only burned three pancakes, which is an accomplishment in itself.
Regina asked them both, "What would you like to do today?"
Henry groaned and said, "I have tutoring with Adam in like a half hour and after that I was going to meet up with Hansel at the park, hopefully learn some new tricks."
Regina nodded, "Alright. Do I need to take you to meet Adam?"
Henry shook his head, "No. I'm meeting him at the library today so I can ride my skateboard."
Henry stood up and said, "I should shower and get ready."
Regina nodded and said, "Text me when you get there and when you get to the park. Be careful!"
Henry nodded and walked upstairs, throwing down a bored sounding, "Yessss, moom".
Emma laughed and said, "They grow up so fast."
Regina rolled her eyes smiling and said, "Shut up. What are your plans?"
Emma shrugged, "I'm not sure. I was going to find a store but I don't think the stores here are really my style."
Regina smiled and said, "No, not really. If you want we can head to the mall. You could meet Kathryn, she is always up for a shopping trip."
Emma shrugged and said, "Sure."
Regina nodded and said, "Alright, go get ready, I'll clean up."
Emma looked at Regina and asked, "You sure? I don't mind helping."
Regina nodded and said, "It will only take a moment. I should be ready in 20 minutes. "
Emma nodded and headed downstairs.
Regina cleaned up the kitchen and went upstairs to get ready. While she was upstairs she called Kathryn asking if she wanted to meet Emma and join them on a quick trip to the mall.
Of course Kathryn said, "YES!"
Henry had already left by the time Regina was finished getting dressed, since 20 minutes somehow turned into 45 minutes. Regina walked downstairs and waited for Emma.
While waiting for Emma Regina got a txt from Henry letting her know that he and Adam had nearly finished and was going to be at the park in about 30 minutes. Regina was replying when Emma came upstairs.
Emma was wearing skinny jeans and a oversized tank top which showed off her toned arms and tattoos. Emma kept her hair down and let it fall, is it will, under her snapback.
Emma walked into the kitchen looking down at her phone.
Regina tried to ignore the well defined muscles and the tattoos that were on display and grabbed her purse and her keys and said, "You ready to go? We have to pick Kathryn up."
Emma looked up and said, "Yeah, I'm ready. Do you think I will need a sweatshirt?"
Regina thought for a second and said, "Yes, I would bring one."
Emma nodded and went to the stairs grabbing a sweatshirt that was laying on the top step.
Regina lifted a eyebrow and Emma shrugged, "What? I always leave one there, this way I don't have to go all the way downstairs."
Regina shook her head and said, "That is a new level of lazy."
Emma gasped in mock horror and said, "I am not lazy, I am conserving energy."
Regina rolled her eyes and said, "Lets get going."
Emma smiled and wrapped the sweatshirt around her waist.
Emma walked to the car and hopped into the passenger seat.
Regina drove to Kathryn's and parked outside. From Kathryn's building she could see Henry at the park with his friends.
Kathryn came down and knocked on Regina's window startling her.
Regina jumped and scowled, "Kathryn Nolan! Get in!"
Kat laughed and got into the back.
Emma was laughing while Regina continued to stare daggers.
Kathryn leaned forward and smiled at Emma, "Hi, I'm Kathryn."
Emma looked her over and said, "Emma. Nice to meet you."
Kathryn nodded and leaned back fastening her seat belt. Regina waited for the seatbelt to click and then they were off towards the mall.
The mall outside of Storybrooke was much different than the malls Emma was used to in major cities.
When they parked Emma got out and looked around noticing only a few stores that peaked her interest.
Emma looked at Regina and said, "I'm going to head to Zumiez. I can meet you somewhere if you want to do your own thing."
Regina shook her head, "No that's ok. I did all my shopping and Kathryn here is just here to keep me company. You go ahead we will be behind you."
Emma nodded and headed towards Zumiez.
Regina watched as Emma entered the store. Kathryn looked at Regina and asked, "Are you sure she is the kind of person you want around Henry?"
Regina was shocked that Kathryn said that, "Kathryn! Why? Why would you ask something like that?"
Kathryn scoffed and said, "Look at her. Everything about her screams rebel and bad influence. Did you see the tattoos? I mean I saw her online when Henry showed me, but I never thought she dressed like that everyday."
Regina stopped Kathryn and faced her, "Look, she isn't what I was expecting. Her style is different, but you of all people should know not to judge a book by its cover. Emma is not only a kind person, she is extremely intelligent, and an amazing musician. So actually I think she is a great influence on Henry. And don't you dare share your opinions with anyone else without getting to know her."
Kathryn looked at Regina and nodded, "Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to look out for you and Henry. I don't want to see you hurt."
Regina nodded and walked towards a bench to sit down and wait for Emma.
Barely 15 minutes later Emma was walking out of the store with two bags. Emma walked over to Regina and said, "Well I'm done. I got everything I need."
Regina and Kathryn stood up and said, "Well then lets go. But first I need to use the bathroom."
Kathryn nodded and said, "Me too."
Emma nodded and tilted her head towards the door, "I'll wait outside."
Regina nodded and she and Kathryn headed to the bathroom.
Emma went outside and pulled out a Hookah pen. Emma did it more for the taste than anything else but it also helped to keep her calm around new people and crowds. Plus she promised her 'sister' Natalia that she wouldn't go back to smoking cigarettes.
Emma took another drag and closed her eyes. All of a sudden her pen was snatched from her hand.
Emma rounded on the person ready to snatch it back when she came face to face with Kathryn.
Emma looked at Kathryn and asked, "What gives?"
Kathryn scoffed and looked at Regina who was just exiting the mall.
Kathryn handed Regina the pen and said, "See. She is smoking weed in one of those vaporizer things. I saw it on the news; It's how teenagers are getting high now-a-days."
Emma looked at Kathryn and rolled her eyes, then looked at Regina. Emma was waiting for Regina to explode and yell, not giving her the chance to explain... but she was wrong.
Regina looked at Emma and asked, "Is that true Emma? Are you smoking weed?"
Emma shook her head, "No. It's Hookah. Flavored tobacco."
Regina looked at Emma and said, "These are bad, you know."
Emma nodded and said, "Its a little better than cigarettes.. I use it to take the edge off. It keeps me calm."
Regina nodded and handed it back to Emma, "Not around Henry and not in the house."
Emma nodded and said, "Of course. Thank you."
Regina nodded and said, "Lets get going, Henry needs me to pick him up from the park."
The car ride back was tense, Emma got into the back seat and put her headphones in while Regina and Kathryn sat up front not talking.
When they pulled up to Kathryn's parking spot Regina tapped Emma on the knee and waited for Emma to take her headphones out. "Emma, could you go get Henry for me. I need to speak with Kathryn."
Emma just nodded and said, "Sure"
When Emma got out of the car she started walking towards a group of kids who were skateboarding.
As soon as Emma closed the door Regina turned to Kathryn, "NO! Don't speak. I know that you have always been there for me, through everything... And I appreciate and love you for it. You helped me raise Henry. But what you just did to Emma, the way you judged Emma... I don't even have words. We have always had each others backs, we have always had looked out for Henry, but Emma...Emma has no one. She has best friends who became siblings, but she doesn't have what Henry has, hell what we had. She doesn't have parents or aunts who are willing to fight for her. She fights for herself. And so along the way she stopped wearing dresses and sandals, and started wearing jeans, t-shirts, and converse, so what? Emma is an amazing person. And until you apologize to her we can't be around each other. You don't know Emma's story, I don't even know all of it. But what I do know is that she didn't deserve your judgment."
Kathryn was looking at Regina shocked, not once in their entire friendship had Regina ever sided with someone else. Kathryn at least had the decency to look ashamed. "I-I. You're right. I just saw her smoking something.. I just.. I can't imagine what she has been through. But I guess I don't want her to rub off on Henry too much. I mean honestly, Henry loves Emma. She is his musical idol. I just don't want her bad habits to influence Henry."
Regina nodded, "I get that, I do. But Henry makes his own choices. And I'd like to believe that Henry is smart enough to use his head and not let others make decisions or influence him."
Kathryn nodded and looked Regina in the eye, "I truly am sorry. I need to apologize to Emma."
Regina nodded and said, "Yes you do. How about we head over and you can apologize."
Kathryn nodded and they got out of the car. As they were walking they heard someone yell, "Ms. Mills. Ms. Mills!"
Regina panicked, "What is it Hansel? Did something happen to Henry?"
Hansel nodded and grabbed her hand, "Pan and his boys were messing with us all day, but we ignored them. Then the pretty blonde came over and showed Henry a trick. And it was a trick that Pan had been trying to get for forever; and she did it perfectly, so Pan got jealous. Then he pushed Henry and the blonde told him to back off. Then he shoved Henry to the ground and now she is beating him up."
Regina then took off in a run towards where a large group of kids were standing in a circle.
When she finally got close enough to the circle she saw Henry standing to the side yelling at Pan, "Stop it Pan! leave her alone!"
Pan was circling Emma, before Regina could say anything Pan pounced. He threw the first punch at Emma. Emma quickly moved out of the way and was standing there smirking. Regina was trying to break up the crowd but it wasn't working. Kathryn was right behind her looking on in shock.
Regina turned to Kathryn and said, "Run over to Granny's, tell her I need David and Killian NOW. Hurry Kathryn!"
Kathryn took off in a run.
Regina was still trying to break up the fight while keeping an eye on Emma and Henry. Nothing was working.
Regina then saw Kathryn running back with David and Killian in tow.
Then Regina heard the crowd gasp.
Regina turned to see Emma ridding her cheek of spit and slowly looking at Pan. Pan then threw another punch but this time Emma grabbed Pan's fist in her hand and started twisting. Pan was screaming and trying to break free. Emma then spun and put him into a choke hold. Pan was struggling and hitting at Emma's arm. Emma was whispering something in Pan's ear when David and Killian broke through the group of kids and pulled her away.
Killian was holding Emma back and David was standing in front of Pan with a menacing stance and coldly told him to leave.
Pan growled and got up telling his 'friends' the lost boys to come with him.
Since the fight was over the other kids disbursed and went about their own business.
Killian was still trying to calm Emma down when David and Regina went over to Henry and asked, "Hey Henry, you ok?"
Henry was trying to act tough but his true feelings were slipping through, "Ye-Yeah. I'm ok. "
Regina had her arm around Henry in a protective manner and kissed his head, "You sure you're ok?"
Henry nodded and said, "Yeah. I'm ok. Emma stopped him before he could do more. Is Emma going to be ok?"
David nodded and said, "She will be she just needs a moment to cool off."
Regina looked at Henry and said, "Go grab your stuff and get in the car. I will be there in a moment."
Henry wanted to argue but decided against it, and left.
Regina walked over to Kathryn and asked, "Do you think you can come home with me and Henry? I might need you to talk to him while I talk to Emma, Killian and David."
Kathryn shook her head and said, "Of course not, whatever you need Gina."
Regina smiled and said, "Thanks. Henry is in the car. I'll be there in a minute."
Regina was walking towards Emma and Killian when David grabbed her arm, "Don't, not now. Emma isn't calm."
Regina looked at him and asked, "What does that mean?"
David went to answer but Emma screamed, "GET YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF OF ME!"
Regina jumped and took a step back. David stepped in front of Regina and said, "Em.."
Emma was breathing hard and pushing Killian away from her.
David motioned to Killian to back off, "Em. listen to me, it's David, ok. You're safe, ok. It's just me, Killian, and Regina. Ok? It's me, it's David."
Emma looked at David and had tears in her eyes, "David, I - I , I'm so-o sorry."
Killian walked Emma over to a bench and helped sit her down.
David then told Regina, "Go home I will be over later to talk to you about what happened".
Regina went to protest but David just said, "She needs to calm down some more before she can be in a car. You have Henry and the blonde lady waiting for you. Go, I got Emma. I promise to bring her back soon."
Regina sighed defeated and walked to the car. Regina opened the door and both Henry and Kat asked, "What's going on?" "Is Emma ok?" "What happened?"
Regina held up a hand and said, "I really don't know. David is coming by a little later to explain, until then lets just go home."
Regina started the car and headed home. Regina could see David and Killian rubbing Emma's back as cried with her head down.
On the ride home Regina thought about what David said, 'she needs to calm down more before getting into a car.' Regina now wanted David to hurry up and come over so he could explain what the hell happened today.
A/N: so here is the next chapter. Hope y'all liked it and everything made sense. I am not sure when the next chapter is going to be posted but hopefully it will be soon or by next weekend.. sadly no promises. Please Review or PM me with your thoughts, I love reading them! Thanks again for reading! :)