A/N: This is the third counselling session. Regina thought she would try something different this time. I hope you enjoy it and don't forget to leave a review

Regina parted the thin blinds that hung from her office window. She stared out onto the field admiring the fine weather and the brightness of the sun scorching down onto the grass. Regina happened to notice that Emma wasn't wearing her usual attire. Her hair was wrapped into a lose bun and she was wearing three quarter length jeans and a thin looking long sleeved top. There was something about her that made Regina smile. Even though she was a quiet character and not much of the chatty type there was something sweet about her. She seemed quite cheery and her pleasant smile made the other woman feel uplifted.

She patiently waited for the familiar sound of the knocking against the door. She paced around the office, twiddling a pen between her fingers unsure of what to do with herself while she waited. After waiting for ten minutes the noise she was expecting to hear made an appearance. She let out a deep breath and slowly approached the door.

Regina parted the door open and greeted Emma with a pleasing smile and surprisingly the blonde reciprocated the same response.

"Hello Emma, its nice to see you again and I see you opted to wear something a little more suitable for this kind of weather." She smirked.

"Yeah I didn't realise how hot it was until I stepped outside the house." Emma smiled and made her way over to the couch to make herself comfortable.

"I wouldn't make yourself comfortable on the sofa; I thought we would try something a little different this time. I was thinking about going outside, it would give us both a chance of some fresh air rather than being cooped up in here, if that's alright with you?"

Emma nodded her head in agreement and happily followed Regina out of the office. As both of them made their way down the corridor they were greeted with some peculiar looks while some people just smiled as normal.

As they made their way through the double doors, the heat suddenly hit them. It had to be one of the hottest days of the month and there was only one large tree that was going to offer them some protection from the almost blinding light.

Regina gestured for them both to take a seat under the tree as they wouldn't be able to be disturbed by other people and it would prevent them from being scorched by the sun.

Emma propped her back up against the rough surface of the tree and watched as Regina tried to seat down graciously without exposing herself too much. The dark haired woman placed herself close to the blonde and rested her notepad and pen on her lap.

"I'm surprised you sat down leant up against a tree with those clothes on." Emma smiled to herself as she noticed the other woman's expression change.

"What is that meant to mean miss swan? Do you think I cant be fun and a little more adventurous just because I'm a counsellor?" Regina asked jokingly

"You just seem a little posh I guess, with your nice clothes and the way you speak." Emma giggled slightly and fidgeted trying to get in the right position.

Regina arched one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows in surprise and lowered her eyes onto Emma. "You think I'm posh? I may speak in a more formal manner but I can assure you I'm not posh, quite the opposite actually."

Emma rolled her eyes and both women laughed simultaneously.

"Did you manage to write anything in the journal I gave you? And one question I also haven't asked you is about your childhood? Considering you asked me about mine." Regina took on a more serious tone.

Emma lowered her eyes to the floor and felt more reluctant into revealing the information to Regina.

"Emma you know anything you tell me will be in the strictest confidence and you can trust me." Regina gently placed her hand on the blondes shoulder and gently squeezed it to reassure her.

"If I tell you something please don't freak out and start calling loads of people or going all professional talk on me, I need to do this in my own time and I need your support to do that."

Regina nodded her head and leaned in closer to listen to the blonde.

Emma looked around to make sure no one was watching and slowly rolled up her sleeves. Her arms were covered in scars and some of the lacerations still looked fairly recent. Regina tired to prevent herself from acting out. She was horrified by what she was seeing and Emma seemed to be more troubled than she initially thought.

Regina gently picked up Emma's arm and hoped that she wouldn't recoil from her touch. Emma gave in and relaxed her arm. The dark haired woman looked deeper into the cuts in order to check that there was no sign of infection and what she could have been using to make the cuts so deep.

"Have you been doing this to yourself Emma? And how long has this been going on for?" Regina softened the tone of her voice and tried to remain calm in order to prevent Emma from over reacting.

"Yes I've done it myself, it helps me to release the pain and its my way of expressing emotions, no one has wanted to listen to me before and its been going on for a few months now." Emma hung her head in shame for what she was doing to herself.

"There's no need to be ashamed of this Emma, I'm going to give you the support you need and we will carry on having this sessions which will help you to express how your feeling. I'm not here to judge you; I'm here to help you." She placed her hand over Emma's trying to give her the reassurance that she needed.

Emma slowly lifted her up her head and her eyes met with Regina's. Both women parted a smiled and the blonde kept her eyes focused on the other woman.