Chapter 13.

There was a knock on the door and Regina left a sleeping Emma on the couch to answer it to the small brunette who had visited every day since her friend's latest episode.

"Hello, dear," Regina smiled, widening the door to let Belle in, "She's asleep, but come in, would you like some tea?"

Belle smiled back as she nodded, removing her scarf and hanging it up, "Yes, please. How is she?"

Regina led the young girl into the kitchen as she busied herself making the tea, "Hm, she's exhausted, but okay. She did say she's going to talk to her teachers about the extra credit work, so she can graduate. I think it's a good sign she's thinking about the future like that."

Belle nodded, eyes lit up a little at the news, "Really good," she agreed, "May I ask you something, Regina?" she asked quietly.

Regina's brow furrowed in curiosity, "Of course you may, dear."

Belle licked her lips nervously, "I don't know if Emma told you…I got into Columbia," she started.

"She did," the older woman smiled, "That's amazing, Belle, you should be very proud."

Belle smiled shyly, "Thank you. But…I don't think I should go, not now. I mean, even before…this, I wasn't sure I should go but now? How am I meant to leave my best friend when…" she played with the cup Regina had handed her, staring at her hands.

Regina sighed, "I understand, Belle. Really, I do," she chewed her lip, unsure of the advice she was about to give, "I don't know if Emma ever told you…about my friend, in high school?" she quirked an eyebrow at the teenager.

Belle frowned as she shook her head.

"Well…I had a friend, my best friend, Bianca…she was ill, also," Regina started, before pushing a hand through her hair nervously, "She was amazing, she was bright and she could be funny and witty. We spent all our time with one another and of course, I tried to help her as much as I could…but during our final year of high school," she tensed up as the teenager watched her with wide eyes, "she…committed suicide," she closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing hard.

Belle blinked, "Oh. I…I'm so sorry," she said earnestly before nibbling on her lip, "That's why you took such an interest in helping Emma," she guessed.

Regina shrugged, "At first, yes. The education system didn't do much for Bianca, and it wasn't doing much for Emma either, so I thought I could help…" she trailed off.

"And you have," Belle smiled, "She really, really trusts you. I've never seen her the way she is with anyone, especially an adult. I mean, she has no real family but I think she found some semblance of it with you."

Regina's heart warmed at those words, "Thank you. Now, regarding your university, have you spoken about this to Emma?"

Belle shrugged, "Yes…last week. She'd just convinced me to go, to follow the dream… But, I don't know. How can I leave her when she's just tried to…" she trailed off, unable to say the words.

"What are you planning on studying at university?" Regina enquired.

Belle frowned, "Literature most probably. I think I might want to teach, in high school or maybe higher education, I'm not sure."

Regina smiled, "I think you'd be an excellent teacher, Belle. I will tell you my honest thoughts on the subject, dear," she sighed, "When Bianca passed, everyone in her life wondered what more we could have done. It haunted…and still haunts me from time to time…," she sighed again, "I am certainly not saying you shouldn't chase your dreams. I would never, ever say that. But you're right, Emma is in a very vulnerable state right now and she doesn't have any real family around…" she hesitated, "Columbia will always be there," she finished quietly.

Belle's eyes misted up, "But Emma might not be," she whispered.

Regina pursed her lips, "You know, I will do everything I can to take care of her, no matter what. I want you to be assured of that. I would not judge you for a moment if you decided to leave," she said honestly.

"I know," Belle nodded, "But one person isn't a support network."

Regina rubbed her temples, shaking her head, "I do not want to talk you out of going to university, dear. I am a teacher after all. I mean, you could stay here any time you visited, you are always more than welcome and as often as you would like."

"It's such a long drive," Belle mumbled, "I just want to see her stable…for more a couple of months."

The teacher nodded, "I understand. Perhaps we could research whether Columbia offers any of your units via correspondence…" she mused.

Belle's eyes lit up, "Do you think they do that?"

Regina bit her lip, "I'm not sure about Columbia, but a lot of university's do offer unit's online. You probably couldn't study on a full-time basis, but you could at least get a start. Again, dear, I do not want to influence you either way," she sighed, "But I know I am."

Belle sighed, "It's okay, you're being honest and I appreciate that. I should check the online unit's out though," she said thoughtfully, "It would appease my parents too. I think they would be mad if I didn't study at all."

"Why wouldn't you study?" Emma frowned entering the kitchen area, rubbing her eyes as the two woman turned to face her.

Belle bit her lip, "I don't think I'm going to move, Em. Not now. It's not the right time."

Emma frowned further and looked at Regina before looking back to Belle, "You said the other day… you have to go – "

"Dear," Regina stood up, making her way over to the blonde.

"No," Emma cut in, "You can't support this, Regina. It's her dream, she can't just – "

"Em, you know what my dream is? To see you happy."

"I have Regina," Emma insisted, "You know she'll take of me. You've said how good she is with me, I'll be okay."

"She's just one person, Em. You're my family. It might just be first semester. It will give us some time to get you back on track."

Emma was wide eyed, "That's stupid," she said stubbornly.

Regina sighed and put her hands on Emma's shoulders, "Emma, Belle cares for you. You have just tried to kill yourself. It is natural that she wants to stay. She may be able to study online, so it's not like she wouldn't be moving forward at all. Honey, it's her choice, just let her make up her mind."

Emma chewed her cheek as she took in her girlfriend's words, "I don't want to hold anyone back," she said quietly.

Belle walked up beside Regina, "You're not holding me back, Em," she put a hand on her friend's face, "I'm helping you move forward. That's what family does," she smiled.

Emma hesitated before nodding, "Fine," she whispered, "One semester, okay? Just one semester."

Belle pulled her friend into a hug, "I love you, Swan."

"I love you too, Belle," Emma murmured into her friend's hair.

Emma knocked on the open door lightly to attract her teachers attention.

"Yes, Emma, come in," Miss Blanchard gestured to the seat opposite her as the teenager shuffled over, "Miss Mills has informed me you would like to do some extra credit work, in hopes of passing my subject."

Emma nodded, "If it's possible… I really want to pass. I swear I'll try harder than I have been, I know I haven't done enough and…and I'm sorry for being a pain. It's never been anything personal."

The teacher's eyes widened; she hadn't expected such words from the student, "I appreciate that, Emma," she said honestly, "I suppose some people just clash," she smiled, "But perhaps I have, at times, been too harsh with you. I know you have faced more demons than most… " she sighed, "I think as teachers, we do not have the knowledge to deal with mental health issues and so instead, we ignore them. Clearly, it is not the right way to deal with things. Miss Mills seems to have realised that, and I do plan to follow suit in the future."

Emma blinked slowly; she'd never actually had respect for Miss Blanchard until now, "Wow…that's great. I mean, I think it is important for teachers to have knowledge about mental health stuff, we spend so much of our time here…" she shrugged, "I'm lucky Miss Mills took some time to support me."

The small brunette nodded, "I am glad you are trying, Emma. You have always been more than capable, now, I have the list here of required reading for the state."

Emma took the paper her teacher handed her, "Hang on, these aren't the books we studied though?"

"Some of them are, but this is the list that we as teachers choose the novels from. I am aware that you like reading, so I thought perhaps there would a book there you have already read that you could write on," Miss Blanchard explained.

"Oh," Emma said, "Right. I've read a few of these," she nodded as she continued to scan the list, "So, what do I need to do?"

Miss Blanchard sighed, "With the way your marks at the moment, I would need you to do one analytical essay, a book report and a creative essay. As well as this, you need to score above 70 on the end of year exam. I do not expect this to be an easy task, it is a lot of work, but it is the only way that I can grant you a pass."

Emma chewed her lip, "I see," she sighed as she begun to doubt herself, "That's on top of the rest of the assignments for the year, right?"

"That's right. There is two more standard assignments before the year," Miss Blanchard could see the teenager fighting an internal battle, "I can give you until the end of the year to get all these assessments in, and if I can help in any way please let me know."

"Mhm," Emma mumbled, pushing a hand through her hair as she continued to chew her lip.

"Emma, I do believe you are more than capable than doing the work… It is just the motivation that is going to be your enemy."

Emma nodded, "I'm going to try," she said determinedly, "I really, really want to graduate."

Miss Blanchard smiled, "And you can. That is the only reason I was so…brash with you, Emma. It is very difficult watching students with such potential not utilise it."

Emma looked down, "It probably didn't help I was a little bitch."

Miss Blanchard quirked an eyebrow, "Well, that isn't the word I would have used, but I am glad we have been able to move past that…unpleasant stage of our relationship."

Emma smiled tentatively, "Same," she nodded, "I should go, it's my study period and I have a lot to work."

"Yes, you do. Good luck, Emma," the teacher smiled as the teenager walked out of the room; she'd never expected to actually bond with Emma Swan, but she had come to realise a lot of things over the last few weeks; she was no ice statue and it had saddened her greatly to hear of the teenagers attempt on her own life. It was a teacher's job, after all, to inspire their student's but perhaps, more than that, it should be to support them.

Emma listened to her girlfriend speaking Spanish in front of the class and sighed; this was definitely the thing she had missed the most about school. She didn't know what it was but listening to Regina speak that language just did things to her. The bell rang and she was almost disappointed, but packed her bag slowly as the rest of the class filed out.

"What are you smiling about?" Regina said as she approached the teenager, as her own lips curved upwards.

Emma raised her face to meet her teachers eyes and shrugged sheepishly, "I missed listening to you speak Spanish, it's so…seductive," she licked her lips unconsciously.

Regina chuckled quietly, "Not at school, it's not," she said sternly, though the effect was somewhat lost by the devious smile on her face.

Emma pouted, "Yeah, yeah. Not my fault you're so yummy," she whined.

Regina rolled her eyes, "Silly girl," she teased gently, "Now, tell me quickly, how did you go with Miss Blanchard?"

Emma tilted her head slightly, "It was okay. She was actually really nice. I have to do like three essays on top of my class work and do well in the exam. Plus, I have to do extra work for Ms Nova too, but that's only one report, so I don't think that will be too bad."

Regina nodded, "And, remember, dear, if it doesn't happen, it's okay. You are doing so well, and I will be proud of you whatever happens."

Emma bit back a smile, "I hate not being able to hug you," she mumbled.

Regina hung her head for a moment before she looked back up at the blonde with soft eyes, "Right back at you," she replied gently, "Why don't you meet me here after school and I can bring my marking home, we'll snuggle up on the couch and do our work."

Emma's eyes lit up, "Okay. And you need to help me study for your test next week. My personal Spanish seductress."

Regina rolled her eyes again, "I will, dear, only for my favourite student," she winked, "Now, go and get yourself some lunch, I'm sure Belle is waiting for you."

Emma sighed and nodded, reluctant to leave the company of the older woman, who always made her feel so comfortable, just with her mere presence.