AN: thank you all for the follows and favourites, I do appreciate everyone and thank you to those who have reviewed!
I'm trying to do one chapter a night, but I do have a pretty busy weekend coming up
Also there is a petition going around the internet to get the OUAT cast to come to the UK. So please sign!

petition/once-upon-a-time-cast-in-the-uk

Chapter 5

The next week seemed to drag for Regina, which in hindsight may have been a good thing as it took her nearly that long to convince Maleficent to talk at the next meeting.

With the promise that Regina wouldn't lecture her about anything for the next fortnight Maleficent finally agreed.

Which led them to driving to the meeting on the Thursday with Maleficent very grumpy but also not stoned

"I can't believe you're making me do this" Maleficent complained slamming the car door "you owe me"

"Watch the car!" Regina replied, getting out of the car herself "yes I know I do, but you still can't smoke in the house"

She locked the door and the two of them walked into the building ready for the meeting.

Regina quickly glanced around the room as she walked towards her seat, Emma hadn't arrived yet, but thankfully Killian had, he was standing at the refreshments table, she walked over with a few packets of biscuits

"Ah Killian, I'm glad I managed to catch you before the meeting"

"Hello lass, are you alright?"

"I'm fine thank you Killian, and yourself?"

"Aye I'm alright love, what can I help you with?"

"Well tonight is one of the nights where I'm going to ask people to share their stories" she was watching Killian's reaction, he didn't flinch but he did turn his attention towards making his drink "and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing your story?"

"I dunno lass, I could tell Will's story?"

"You know that's not appropriate, it's just that I think our new girl may be having some issues feeling like she fits in here and I think hearing your story might be helpful to her"

At that moment Emma walked through the door, they caught each others eye and Regina beamed at her, Emma replied with a slight smile and a nod of her head before walking and taking her seat.

"Alright love, I'll do it, but I hope you think about getting some rum for the next party"

Regina laughed as the two walked back to their seats "I don't make any promises about that one"

Regina spent the next five minutes chatting to the people who had arrived, Will still had not showed up and Regina was starting to get concerned about him it had been a month since he had been at a meeting. Robin arrived just before she started the meeting and sat between Leroy and Elsa who was talking to Lacey. She glanced at Emma who was talking to Aurora who was sat next to Ashley who was as usual sat staring at the floor not talking to anyone. Deciding that nobody else was going to arrive Regina stood up clearing her throat and the chatting subsided

"Thank you all for coming out tonight, we are going to do things slightly different tonight, we're going to do our termly meetings where we share our own stories for those of us who want to, so I'll let you all think about whether or not you'd like to share yours, but firstly is there anybody who wants to give an update on their week?"

Everybody turned to look at Robin who much to Regina's surprise shook his head and looked down at the floor.

"I got fired again" everyone turned to look at Leroy who was sat looking his usual grumpy self with his arms folded

"Where was it that you were working Leroy?" Regina asked

"In a car parts retail shop"

"And why did you get fired" Regina was trying to tread carefully knowing who easy it was for Leroy to flip

"Because I threw a spanner at a colleague"

Killian snorted earning a swift silencing glare from Regina

"How come?"

"Because he was being an idiot"

Regina waited for him to elaborate further, but he didn't

"Anything else you would like to share or say?" Regina asked him kindly

"No thanks sister, that's it"

"Right ok, anyone else?"

Aurora gave a brief update, the start of the week had been good for her but the tail end of the week hadn't been so good, but she was hopeful that she could still turn it around. It was then Elsa's turn who chose to vent about her sisters new relationship as she was now talking about marriage and they'd only been dating a fortnight, it turned out that Elsa didn't trust him very much and hoped that her sister would see sense soon.

As nobody else wanted to share Regina called a quick ten minute refreshment break where she went to the bathroom, she was suddenly feeling nervous about the next half of the meeting. The next hour or so would be the deciding factor on whether Emma continued to attend the meetings or not, she wasn't sure why she cared so much about the blondes attendance but as she knew was that she did. Regina splashed some cold water in her face and touched her make up before returning to the group.

Once everyone had took their seats again Regina stood up, she was shaking slightly, although still unsure as to why this was having such an impact on her

"Right then shall we get started? Who would like to share their story with us?" Everybody glanced around at each other, Regina's eyes fell on Killian. He looked at her and sighed nodding

"Aye lass, I'll share my story with everyone"

/-/

Killian sat up more as everyone clapped him, Emma had been nervous about this meeting ever since agreeing with Regina that she'd attend one more, but now she was here, she was even more nervous.

"Well I grew up in a fishing village in Hancock with my father, mother and my brother Liam, my father had fought for the country in his younger days but when we were growing up he was all about me and my brother, we were very close, he taught us all about fishing and more importantly about boats and how to sail them, we weren't well off or anything but we managed to get by"

Killian wasn't really looking at anyone when he was telling his story, he looked as though he was simply getting lost in his memory.

"He left one day to go on a fishing trip and he never came back, my brother liked to think that he got lost or even died, but I think he abandoned us. Then after my mother died and it was just me and Liam he decided he wanted to follow in our fathers footsteps so he signed up for the navy, but then he was killed a few years after joining. So I then I moved to Boston to get away from all the quiet fishing towns, I started drinking, going to clubs, hitting on the lasses, I guess I thought of myself as a bit of a ladies man"

"What do you mean thought?" Walsh joked, but he was instantly shushed by Regina and fell quiet again.

"I may have got a bit big for my boots, but then one day I met this beautiful woman called Milah, and we fell in love, I thought I'd found my happy ending but again it was not to be, we'd only married a few months when she got sick and she died too, so I moved up here, where I carried on drinking and then I met Will, and I started coming to group with you lovely people".

As soon as he'd finished his story he changed back to his usual cheerful cocky self.

Emma swallowed not previously noticing that she had a lump in her throat.

"And how are you doing now Killian?" Regina asked

"Well I still drink quite a bit, nothing like when she first died, but I just feel like I need it sometimes y'know? I'm alright though" he smiled cheekily and slouched back in his chair, everyone clapped again and looked towards Regina.

"Thank you Killian, I'm sure we all appreciate you talking to us" everyone in the group nodded. "Next?" Regina turned to Maleficent who was glaring at Regina who was matching her glare with equal intensity.

Emma watched, it was if they were having a silent argument before Maleficent finally gave in and sat up.

Regina smiled and sat back crossing her legs, Emma couldn't help but allow her eyes to travel up the shape of her legs, it was only that Maleficent spoke that she dragged her attention away from Regina.

"Evening all" Emma had never heard Maleficent speak before and to Emma's surprise she sounded well spoken. Emma sat back in her seat not quite knowing what to expect

"I don't really speak much at these meeting, and I can't imagine that that will change now, but I will give you all a little bit of knowledge about my story tonight" she cleared her throat and looked at Regina, her facial expression had now changed, Regina's face said nothing but support, love and confidence.

"I grew up in a privileged family, I guess I did have things pretty easy, but with that came certain expectations. Expectations that I could not live up to, eventually I rebelled against the class constraints and parental expectations. In the years that followed my life took a very different turn, I made mistakes, I did things I wasn't proud of and my life was headed for destruction. Until a few years ago I fell pregnant, and I thought that maybe I had a second chance, a second chance to make something of my life, so that my life meant something, so it had meaning" her voice was starting to crack and her hands were starting to shake. No one in the room spoke or moved, it was as though everyone was holding their breath.

"I started to get my life on track, set everything up for a life with… eventually I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Lily. But she fell ill, for weeks I stood over her, watching her, praying for her, hoping that she was going to get better, but in the end her little body just couldn't take it, and gave up" the tears were falling down her face now "now I use what I do to take the edge off everything, it was this month 3 years ago, which I guess is why this months is always so bad for me" she put her head down covering her face with her hands without another word, nobody clapped her this time, they all remained silent looking around at each other.

Emma wiped a tear from her eyes and looked at Regina who was doing the same.

Regina followed that by reading the notices out, the annual party where the social groups from Maine all met up together was coming up, Regina informed everyone that she would let everybody know more details and sort out the organisation details as soon as she knew more.

By the time Regina had read through all the notices and answered a few questions from people there was no time for anything else.

Regina said goodnight to everyone and closed the meeting, everyone slowly raised from there seats. Walsh and Leroy left straight away but everyone else stayed around to chat for a little bit. Emma glanced at Regina who was hugging Maleficent. Smiling to herself Emma stood up and walked out, she had only walked a few paces when she heard someone call her behind her.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma turned to see Regina standing there, walking towards her

"Regina hi"

"I was just wondering how you found this evenings meeting?"

"It was certainly more eye opening than the other two"

Regina smiled

"Maybe I was a bit quick to judge"

"I think that maybe true"

"How long have you been organising this?"

"Around three years"

"Wow, you must really enjoy it"

"Something like that" Regina replied looking down at her feet, before quickly looking back at Emma with a kind smile on her face. "So will you be joining us again or would you like me to call Dr Hopper?"

"I guess I could attend a few more" Emma smiled as Regina face turned to a smug expression

"Right then, till next time Miss Swan"

"Night Regina"

"Goodnight" Regina turned and walked away before Emma called out

"What made you get involved with this group?"

Regina glanced over her shoulder smirking "my wacko therapist thought it would help"

And with that she walked back into the building, leaving Emma confused and intrigued.