A/N: Mentions of rape. Nothing detailed but read with caution.

Chapter 15

"Emma! Come back to bed please!" Regina called out to her lover, who was racing around the room gathering her clothes, "Love, we can deal with this in the morning."

"No! He can't threaten you like that! Rape, Regina! He threatened to rape you!" Emma yelled, her voice reverberating off the walls. Regina cringed and let out a sigh. Rape was the worst thing imaginable to the brunette because she had survived years of it with the King. He would barge into her bedchambers whenever he wanted and forced her to have sex with him. She wasn't allowed to say no. In the beginning of their marriage, Regina fought back by kicking his groin or pushing him but the young queen soon learned that that only made things worse because the rejection made him angry. So, Robin's message shocked her and caused bile to rise. However, after calming down, she realized that Hook was most likely all bark and no bite.

But Emma couldn't be soothed, "I'm going to rip him limb from limb."

"Honey, I'm begging you to stop," Emma dropped the clothes that was hanging from her fingers irritably, "He wouldn't dare try anything. He's scared of my magic, dear. He was just trying to rile Robin up, that's all."

"I can't let him think that he can get away with this. He can't," Emma's eyes glistened and her throat constricted, "Gina, he used your biggest fear against you and I cannot bear that. Not for a fucking second!"

"I know but we can talk to him tomorrow." Regina whispered. The brunette patted the bed and Emma made her way to her lover.

"I love you," Emma cradled Regina's face and placed a tender kiss on her suspecting lips, "I need to know that you're okay when I'm not around."

"My mother had a set of necklaces that would send a warning signal from one wearer to another when distress was imminent. If I went to the vault and got them, would that settle you?" Emma sighed and nodded, wrapping her arms around her tightly, seemingly afraid that she would vanish. Regina pulled Emma back onto the bed.

"We should talk to Robin and hear the full story before we do anything." Emma surmised quietly as she wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, pulling the brunette's front against her own. The blonde rested her temple against her lover's forehead and inhaled the scent of apples. The warmth of their embrace sent them to a peaceful sleep.

Hook was nowhere to be found. He didn't go back to the bar after that night, his ship was missing from the docks, and citizens hadn't spotted him. Emma, though, could feel his presence and his eyes on her, that leer that could chill her bones. Regina tried to sooth her fears, telling the savior that perhaps she was being paranoid. When Emma insisted that something wasn't right, Regina relented, saying she trusted Emma's gut.

So when Emma forced her into the Bug two days after Robin's message, Regina went along with it, no questions asked. The blonde drove them to the cemetery and helped Regina filter through Cora's things, finding the necklaces after an hour of search. Emma even requested that Ruby keep one of Regina's pillowcases so that if she was kidnapped, Ruby could sniff her out easily.

Emma coordinated with Robin and his crew, ordering them to watch over the surrounding forest for a soon-to-be-skinned Captain Hook. Robin agreed readily. Apparently, he was taking the threats just as seriously Emma.

Regina also noticed that she was never alone. At the mayor's office, Snow suddenly volunteered to be her personal assistant, which was strange considering that the young brunette had told Regina that she had planning to go back to teaching that same week. The older brunette narrowed her eyes at Snow, who just shrugged, and Regina knew this was Emma's little scheme. As if Snow White could protect her from a lethal pirate. Honestly, Regina didn't want Snow anywhere near this disgusting situation as she didn't want the young woman to get hurt in the cross hairs. But Snow never left her side during work hours. They even went to the bathroom together.

Then there was Ruby, who wanted to hang out after her shift but only when Emma worked late. Then there was Henry, who asked her for riding lessons at the crowded stables. The timing of the lessons suspiciously corresponded with the time frame between the end of the workday and Ruby or Emma's arrival. Finally, at night, Emma always arrived right at 10:00 pm, her usual bedtime, and they slept in the same bed.

Regina felt like a convict. All she needed was an ankle bracelet and she wasn't going to joke about that with Emma because she might come home with the device and strap it on during the night.

While it annoyed her a bit, it also warmed her heart. So many people were willing to clear their schedules to watch over her because they cared. She mattered to them. She mattered.

So, here she was, in a bathroom stall, hiding from Snow. She needed a breather from everyone, some alone time. She heard Snow screeching down the hallway outside the bathroom, questioning her secretary about her whereabouts. Regina smiled before whipping out her phone and playing Solitaire.

"Come on!" Regina whispered to herself, hoping for an ace. She jumped happily when she got her wish. She managed to get it done in less than three minutes, garnering the high score. Take that Henry!

Regina craned her neck and sighed. She felt the walls closing in the longer she stayed in the stall and wanted out but she also wanted to be alone and get fresh air. She plotted her escape as she heard Snow running towards the bathroom. Regina quickly transported before a frantic Snow opened the door. She appeared in the woods, by the well, and lowered herself onto the steps of the well. She inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp air and silence.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she could practically feel Emma's panic through the device. She didn't want Emma to worry so she swiftly answered.

"Where the hell are you?" Emma screeched. Regina pulled the phone away from her ear until Emma finished.

"Emma, I needed some space. I don't need a babysitter at all hours of the day." Regina sighed.

"And you couldn't have gotten that space at the park where citizens could watch over you?" Emma questioned nervously, her voice sounded constricted.

"Honey, please don't cry." Regina closed her eyes tightly, feeling guilty for making her love upset.

"I'm just so worried, baby. I need to protect you. I can't lose you." Emma released a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry," Regina sighed, "It was selfish of me to just disappear like that."

"It's okay, just please come to the station. I need to see you." Emma pleaded.

"I'll be right there. Give me five minutes, okay?" Emma agreed and Regina groaned as she ended the call. She felt bad for her rash disappearance. She could see Emma in her mind, pacing in her office, panicking about her. And Snow was probably having a coronary. Regina crossed her arms over her knees. She wondered for how long she would need to appease Emma until her love realized that Hook probably sailed away like a coward. The man was most likely in Neverland, terrorizing children, smelling like fish, and drinking rum like no tomorrow. Regina was convinced that Robin scared Killian off.

Or so she thought until now.

"Well, well, well," Regina shivered when she felt his alcohol scented breath on the back of her neck, "I've been waiting to get you alone for a week now, my Queen."

"Hook, get away from me." Regina felt her magic coming to the forefront, tingling her fingertips. Distress was imminent.

Hook grabbed her arm roughly and snapped on a brown, thick leather wristband. She felt her magic deplete as the wristband stifled her magic, rendering her defenseless. Killian leaned forward, awkwardly sniffing her neck before placing a slobbery kiss on her pulse point. Regina squirmed, attempting to get out of his tight hold.

"My Queen, when I first saw you in that blue, velvet dress. I wanted to take you on the floor of that dungeon, right in front of the crocodile's comatose bitch," Hook ran his hands over her the tops of her thighs and Regina violently pushed against him, trying to push him onto his backside, "I always thought you were so sexy but I fell for Swan. Well, I'm single now and I don't give a damn about your newfound preference in women. I don't blame you. Women are such sensual creatures. Unfortunately for you, you don't really have a choice in this encounter."

Hook shoved Regina forward as she screamed, "No! Stop! Help!"

Killian began unbuttoning her pants and Regina placed a swift elbow to his groin. He doubled over in pain and she took her chance, running forward. She didn't make it far as she collided with a flash of blonde.

"Regina!" Emma. The brunette hugged the blonde tightly and Emma felt something strange against her tummy. Emma pulled back and looked down wide-eyed when she noticed that her lover's pants were unbuttoned. Emma felt white-hot anger burn in her chest.

"Where is he?" Emma growled against Regina's lips. The former queen tilted her head towards the well but before Emma could charge in, Hook ran into the clearing in hopes of snatching the brunette. Before Hook could recognize the trouble, he was lifted into the air and began gasping for air, his legs and arms swinging fitfully.

"Emma!" Regina yelled, watching her love strangle the pirate. She ran forward, wrestling for Emma's arm in an attempt to stop her from doing something the savior would regret, "Put him down, please. Please, I don't want you to do this. You're too good for him. He's not worth it!"

"But you are," Emma growled as she watched Hook's face turn red and his breaths become desperate, "You'll always be looking over your shoulder as long as he lives. You just got that security back and he has no right to ruin this for you, for us."

"Emma, you are good. You don't want to do this and I don't want you to do it. If you killed him, I would forever feel guilty for allowing you to do this."

Emma immediately released Hook and he fell into the ground violently but she ran to his side without allowing him time to recover and cuffed his hands behind his back. She transported him using her magic into a cell at the station. Regina finally released her breath in relief. Regina became emotional.

"I'm sorry." Emma whispered sadly as she buttoned her love's pants. Emma shook her head, scuffing her shoes on the twigs on the floor. Regina placed her index finger under Emma's chin, tilting her head upward so that the blonde could see the sincerity in her chocolate eyes.

"You were protecting me. I can never fault you for caring. But I never want you to give in to the darkness, alright? We work because your light and I'm dark. We balance each other out and I can't watch you spiral. No one was there to stop me but I'm here to tell you that I'll always be right here, repelling the dark. Never give in, Emma. Never. Not even if something happens to me, you stay on the good path, for Henry, for me, and for your parents. You hear me?"

Emma nodded jerkily, her lips quivering, "I'm sorry. I let my anger control me. That fucking bastard touched you. No one touches you but me."

Regina pulled Emma into a tight embrace and kissed her passionately. The lovers held each other, never wanting to let go.

A/N: Please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!