AN- I'm new to posting things, so I'm still trying to figure out my way around. So I'm grateful to all those who actually stick with the story
Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4

Emma walked in a minute before seven to find the room set up exactly as it was last time.

She glanced around at the people there, Regina was there already and she smiled at Emma nodding as Emma took seat, there was somebody who wasn't at the last meeting sat next to Ashley so she opted to sit next to Robin instead. The woman Regina walked in with last week was there, slumped down in her chair and staring into space, Killian was there again as was Lacey, Ashley, Leroy and Jefferson. There were two other people there that weren't at the last meeting, the woman next to Ashley had bright blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair, she was trying to chat to Ashley who was just nodding and smiling at the other woman who was talking animatedly and was bouncing in her seat as though she couldn't keep herself still. The other person was a man, who was stood at the refreshment table making himself a drink, he smiled at Emma and winked, he was tall with dirty blonde hair, blue eyes and a cheeky smile, Emma just rolled her eyes at him and looked down.

She would just have to make herself through this one more session and when she hated it she could tell Archie and she wouldn't have to go again.
When the man took his seat Regina coughed a little and stood up

"Right then everyone, we'll get started then" Emma looked closely at the woman, she had a kind smile, but there was something that wasn't quite right about it. "it's lovely to see you all here today, who would like to start tonight?"

"I will" it was Robin, again. Emma looked at the other people sat around the circle whom all seemed to expect this, he clearly kicked off every meeting.

"So I'm Robin, and I stole once this week"

"And what was it that you stole?"

"It was a toy, my boy came home and told me about how this kid in his kindergarten told him that he didn't have toys at home like they did at kindergarten, and I mean they don't have that great toys anyway, so we were walking round this shop, when I saw it and I took it, and then I gave it to the kid when I dropped Roland off the next day"

"That's very honourable of you Robin" Regina replied

"Aye, you're a good man mate" Killian commented

"Thanks Killian" Robin nodded at him then looked eagerly at Regina

"Can I make a suggestion?" Regina asked.

Great Emma thought here comes the goody goody bit.

"Of course Regina, anything."

"Well maybe next time give him a toy that Roland doesn't use anymore, then he's getting a toy but you're not risking being arrested?"

"Yeah Regina, I know, you're right, I'll try to think that way next time"

Regina smiled at him and patted his hand before turning back to face the group.

"Killian what about you? How are you? And where is Will tonight?"

"Ah well lass, I'm not doing too bad, only woke up once this week not remembering what I'd done the night before"

Emma rolled her eyes, she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear this guys care free attitude to his issues.

"But Will is at the bar I'm afraid, he's not doing too good this week, but ah well we can't make progress all the time can we?" he joked;

"And what about that hipflask?" Regina asked pointing over to him

"Oh well there's rum in there of course there is, but you can't expect me not to have one can you?" He laughed shrugging.

"Well just remember we're all here if you need to chat" Killian nodded at Regina then looked down uncomfortably "right who's next then? Ashley?"

Ashley shook her head just like she'd done last week, then another voice spoke up.

"I am"

They all turned it was Jefferson, he was rolling the dice in between his fingers just like last week and he never stopped rolling the dice the entire time he spoke nor did he look up from the floor.

"I'm Jefferson, I have a gambling problem" he paused, but nobody spoke, barely anyone breathed.

Emma pressed her fingers into the bridge of her nose trying to keep her sanity, she could feel someone's eyes on her again, Regina was looking at her with one eyebrows raised questiongly, thankfully Jefferson spoke again "But I haven't gambled with money for over a week now"

Everyone clapped enthusiastically at this, it was clearly a big achievement, but he didn't look up or even flinch at the praise.

Emma expected Regina to interrupt, but she never.

"Right ok any-"

But she was interrupted by someone else.

"O-o-o-! Me Regina! I'll go!" Emma glanced to see it was the woman sat next to Ashley who looked like she had ants in her pants

"Of course Anna, off you go"

"Well I'm Anna! Hi everyone! And well I haven't actually done too well, as you can probably tell, but I mean I did try, but I just got into this fight with my sister and then she said we could just eat chocolate instead, but I didn't really fancy chocolate which was odd in itself I guess so I should have really noticed that something was up but I should have had the chocolate instead but I never"

She said all this really quickly that Emma had a hard time keeping up with her, she looked to see that everyone else in the group seemed to be in the same situation as Emma, except Regina who was of course smiling at Anna and nodding along with what she was saying.

"So then that was the other day, but I did well then I went days without even thinking about it, but then I got into this fight with my boyfriend I mean he wants me to stop spending so much time with my sister, and he wants his brothers to come and stay with us, but we just don't have the room! Who has enough room for 12 brothers! But then it wasn't an argument per say I just got a bit down about it all and I knew I was coming here later on but I didn't think I could last that long so I guess I just found my way to the pharmacy some how", Emma rolled her eyes, great, this one was addicted to pharmaceuticals, she really had made the wrong choice to come here.

"Right well I think that is enough for now we'll take a quick ten minute coffee break and then come back and have another little chat" Regina told the group.

There was a scrapping of chairs as several people moved, including Emma, if she was going to get through the rest of this session she was going to need a coffee.

Emma started to make a coffee when she felt a presence next to her, she looked up to see the man with blonde hair standing next to her grinning at her

"Hi" he said looking at Emma, his smile not faltering

"Hi"

"I'm Whale" he held out her hand for her to shake

"Emma" but Emma continued making her coffee not shaking his hand in return.

"So you're new here then?"

"What gave it away?" Emma was in no mood for his crap, she lifted her drink to her lips

"I think I'd remember a pretty face like yours if you'd been before." Emma scoffed again nearly choking on her drink.

"Look I'm not here to flirt" Emma told him.

"Sorry, sometimes I can barely help myself" Emma couldn't help it, he still had that stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Oh why is that your issue, you're addicted to flirting?" Emma laughed until she noticed that Whale's smile had suddenly disappeared. "Seriously?"

/-/

Regina was stood at the table sorting out some snacks when she heard Emma nearly choke on her drink when talking to Whale, she watched the interaction noticing the blonde woman's clear lack of sensitivity.

"Oh why is that your issue, you're addicted to flirting?" Regina heard Emma's laugh and looked to see Whale's face fall. "seriously?" The nerve of this girl, she'd left the meeting last time and had showed zero sensitivity to the people here. Regina walked over to the couple

"Excuse me is there a problem?" Regina asked smiling at the blonde

"No, you know what I think I'm just going to go, this was not what I signed up for" Regina raised her eyebrows at the blonde as she placed the cup down and started to walk out. Regina shot out after her

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah?" Emma replied turning back round with a sigh

"You didn't sign up for what?"

"That crap!" Emma said pointing back towards the room, "some of us actually need a bit of help and yet I come here and people are talking about sleeping pills and dice, and there's an alcoholic who treats it like a joke, some of us have real issues"

"My, my. Somebody is a bit judgemental"

"What?!" Emma said glaring at Regina

"Well this is your second meeting, the first of which you left early may I add, and yet you claim to know what this group is about and the problems that the people face"

"I've seen enough, you get off helping all these people? I mean judging by your designer suit you're clearly well off, so you just feel like helping those less fortunate than you?"

"You don't know anything about me, maybe you should come back in and listen to a few more stories and then you can share yours"

"I don't need to share mine with a bunch of people who don't have a freaking clue!"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I mean Robin stole a freaking Banana or whatever and some kids toy, some of us actually have issues, not just about watching porn either or flirting with everything that has a pulse! Some of us can't go half a day without wanting to head to a bar, without shaking every time they go in the supermarket and pass the alcohol, some of us get stranded places and have too many drinks, then think it's a great idea to drive home, ending in a court ordered therapy session, where some wacko therapist thinks it'll help to send me to this group where the people are crazy I mean even that woman that you arrived with last week, she doesn't want to be there, she looked like she couldn't give a damn!"

Something in Regina snapped

"Ok, stop right there, you don't know anything about the people in that room, for one she is stoned"

" I- What?"

"Maleficent is stoned, yes maybe I did drag her along last week, but that is only because Maleficent is dependant on Marijuana, so no she doesn't look like she gives a damn, but if she doesn't attend then she smokes more"

"Oh I-"

"Jefferson rolls the dice because it distracts his mind, because he developed a gambling addiction leading to him having a breakdown which then led to the state taking over custody of his 11 year old daughter, he now only sees her once a week. Anna's an orphan, she lost both of her parents in the same evening, yes she takes pills you can buy over the counter but 12 months ago she was taking illegal highs, so you may think that it isn't a real problem but that is only because of the progress she made, her sister is Elsa and they take it in turns to attend the meetings. As for Robin, he goes into a shop and can't help but pocket something, and the stuff he does steal he gives away, and he's not that well off himself, but he can't stop himself, sometimes he doesn't even know he's doing it, he's been arrested 5 times this year already and he has a son and a pregnant wife to look after, he's lucky he hasn't been charged"

"I'm sorry I-"

"No. You don't get to speak, you don't get to judge the people in that room!

Aurora takes pills because she was in an accident and stuck in a coma for a year, she takes the sleeping pills to stop her from dreaming about the accident, then in the day she drinks energy drinks to stay awake, then can't sleep of an evening, it's a vicious cycle and yes Killian makes a joke of his problem because he can't admit it that he has one, but his brother died and he started drinking, then he got married and she helped him, but then he lost her and that is the only way he gets through the day, he lives with Will whom he has mentioned who is in a similar situation to him, they support each other but they also make each other worse. Whale he is a terribly infuriating man, but he has a kind heart deep down, and he is a great doctor, but yes he does flirt with every woman he comes into contact, but since he lost his father and brother in the same week his natural façade is to flirt and being a doctor you can see how that could bring about problems. And no watching porn may not seem like a problem to you but he watched porn so much he preferred it to his wife, so she'd had enough and left him so dear if you think that the issues here aren't real then maybe you should ask them for their back story and the impact it has on their lives."

"I didn't mean to cause offence"

"No I know you didn't "

"I don't need to know all this"

"No but you seem to think that we can't help you, speak to Lacey, she has a drinking problem, she was a student and got involved with the wrong crowd, she ended up dropping out of university as she was too hungover in the morning to attend her lectures, yet she would still drink during the night. It has now been a month, she is 25 and it this has been the longest she has gone without a drink since her 21st birthday, you can imagine the implications it can have on your health"

"I don't think the group is right for me, I think I may just quit"

"Maybe it's not, but I wouldn't say you've given it enough of a try would you? You've only ever seen the first section of the meetings, and that is more like an update introduction"

"I think I should just go"

"Maybe that is wise for tonight, but I also think it would be wise to come back, I don't know your story enough to comment, but if you are struggling with your drink then I think you should return. No one here judges anybody else for their issues, they listen, they understand and where they can they help each other, maybe you will be ok without this group, but I get the impression that what you have told me only just scrapes the surface"

"I'll be fine"

"Maybe, but you may not be, but if your therapist has recommended you attend then he clearly thinks it will help you in some way"

"Yeah well Archie isn't exactly sane himself" Emma said tucking her fingers into her belt loop

"Archie Hopper? I know him well"

"You do?"

"Yes, I tell you what, come back next week, stay the entire meeting and if you don't get anything out of I will call Dr Hopper myself and tell him that I don't think this will help you"

"Really?"

"Yes" Regina looked deeply into Emma's eyes, the blonde looked unsure but Regina knew she'd made some form of progress.

"Ok fine then, I'll see you next Thursday"

"Goodbye Miss Swan"