A/N: Hope the formatting isn't too painful, the editor wasn't working for some reason! I'll try and fix it up again tomorrow, but thought you'd prefer it up like this than not at all! Enjoy! Let me know if you have any suggestions/thoughts!

Chapter 16.

"So, how are you with that?" Ruby asked, tilting her head and squinting slightly.

Belle sighed, not bothering to pretend she didn't know what Ruby meant, "It's fine," she shrugged, before attaching her mouth to her straw to attempt to look indifferent.

Ruby quirked an eyebrow, "Bullshit, Belle. Feelings like that don't just go away."

Belle stared at her friend for a moment, "Regina is good for her," she shrugged, "That's really all that matters. I just want Emma to be okay, and she really seems to be comfortable with Regina."

Ruby nodded, "That's good," she agreed, "Still, I know what it's like watching someone you really like fawn over somebody else."

Belle bit her lip, guiltily, "Ruby…"

The other woman shrugged, holding up a hand, "Don't worry about it, Belle. It wasn't a dig," she said honestly, "I just want to make sure you're okay. A lot has happened since…"

Belle nodded, "I'm okay, but thanks. I mean, I'm worried… How can I not be? She's my best friend, my family. Everything else," she shrugged, "It takes a backseat. Plus, there's no use dwelling on something that's never going to happen."

Ruby nodded slowly, "Yeah, I guess not," she agreed, "Let me know if I can help… I mean, I know Em doesn't really talk to me about deep stuff, but, I don't know… I wish I'd been there for her."

Belle nodded sadly, "Even if we all hadn't been fighting, Rubes, she didn't call me either, or Regina. I don't think it would have made a difference."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Ruby replied, "But I wish I'd been there for you. You must have been…" she trailed off.

The small brunette's eyes went soft at the edges, "It was awful," she whispered, "I was so scared."

Ruby's face was etched with concern, "I'm sorry I wasn't there," was all she could think to say, before she hesitated, sighing, "I guess you and Emma have it right though… Putting your friendship before any feelings… I hope we can do that too."

Belle's eyes widened, "I hope so too, Ruby," she said tentatively, "I've missed you," she chewed her bottom lip before continuing, "But I mean, just friends right? I mean, not that you would want anything else after the way I treated you," she added quickly.

Ruby licked her lips, "I still really like you, Belle," she admitted, "I've missed you as a friend and as my girl, but I get that you're not really in a place to be in a relationship and that's cool. I just don't want to lose you completely."

Belle's brow was furrowed; after the way she had treated Ruby, she still had feelings for her? Now she felt like even more of a jerk, "You'll never lose me, Rubes. But I treated you horribly… you deserve better."

Ruby shrugged, "You made a mistake, Belle," she said quietly, "It was shit," she admitted, "But, I don't know, I'm not really ready to be with anyone else yet anyway."

Belle smiled sadly, "Okay, fair enough," she paused, "It's not like I don't still have feelings for you, Ruby, but with everything that's going on," she sighed, "It's complicated."

"Yeah, I know," Ruby nodded, "Who knows? Maybe one day," she shrugged somewhat nonchalantly.

Belle squinted a little before nodding, "Maybe one day," she repeated, allowing herself a little hope that maybe she hadn't completely screwed things up with Ruby.

"Buenos días, princesa," Regina whispered into the teenagers ear as she pressed herself against Emma's back, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

Emma smiled at the tickle of breath on her ear, "Morning," she mumbled, before she turned around to face her girlfriend and sighing, "How do you look so beautiful when you just woke up?" she wondered aloud.

Regina's lips melted into a smile, "Thank you," she murmured, "You look awfully cute too, you know."

Emma snorted, "Yeah, yeah," she burrowed her face into Regina's chest, feeling the familiar sensation of touch in her hair, "I don't want to move," she murmured, closing her eyes again.

"Neither do I," Regina said, one hand in blonde hair and the other tracing patterns on her back, "But, alas, we must."

"No, not yet," Emma whined before yawning openly.

Regina rolled her eyes, "One day, we will start the morning without this argument," she mused.

Emma giggled, pulling back slightly to look at her amused partner, "Never," she poked out her tongue as the older woman rolled her eyes again.

"Such a child," she muttered.

"Hey," Emma pouted.

Regina smiled fondly before placing a kiss on the girl's lips, "It's okay, your immature antics are somewhat adorable."

Emma couldn't resist returning the kiss before she whined, "Hey, I'm not so immature, am I?"

Regina chuckled, "Not always," she teased, "Now, get up before I make you."

"Ooh, kinky," Emma laughed.

The brunette sighed, "No, not kinky dear," she said firmly, "But I will…tickle you," her hands found the teenagers waist, where she knew she was most ticklish and attacked her relentlessly.

"No, stop, stop," Emma squawked through the laughing but the older woman didn't desist, "Oh come on, stop please."

Regina pulled back, smirking at the girl catching her breath, "Well, then you better get up and get ready for school."

Emma sighed and grumbled, "Fine, fine. You're just lucky you're so hot."

Regina snorted, "Yeah, yeah, sucking up isn't going to get you anywhere, dear."

Emma yawned as she balanced her chin on her palm, staring at the screen. She looked around briefly, the rest of the class seemed moderately interested in the movie; she supposed it wasn't the worst thing they'd been forced to endure in English class. Miss Blanchard had busied herself with marking, she'd probably seen the movie a thousand times, Emma figured. Truth be told, the movie was quite good and so she allowed herself to sit back and enjoy it.

Until it hit her. Why hadn't she seen it sooner? She was a writer, how could she not see where this story had been going? She felt her entire being tense up as the teenage boy on the screen went about stealing his father's gun and turning it over in his hands. Emma's mind went blank; sure, she'd used to watch this kind of stuff all the time, almost thrived on it, in fact, but right now, it was painful because she knew just what that boy was feeling. She blinked quickly, wiping a few quick tears, glancing around to make sure nobody had noticed. She could see tears shining in a couple of other students eyes too.

Emma shifted awkwardly in her seat. This feeling in her chest was uncomfortable. She knew she didn't want watch this, but she was trying this whole good student thing. Somehow, she managed to sit through the end of the movie and sighed with relief as the credits rolled.

But her relief was felt too soon, when the class discussion turned ugly.

"Suicide is a sin," one student declared confidently.

"That's crap, nobody would do it unless they were in a lot of pain. It's stupid to say those people would be punished, even in death," another fought back.

"It's totally selfish though, clearly they're only thinking of themselves," another student jumped in.

Emma closed her eyes and tried to remain calm; it's just a stupid class discussion, just sit back and stay neutral, it's not personal.

"I agree," the first student spoke again, "You have to be pretty selfish to put your family and friends through all that. Someone who commits suicide will go to Hell and suffer for eternity and maybe their loved ones will be better off without them – "

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Emma spoke quietly but steadily and felt every eye on her; it wasn't often, or ever, that she spoke up during class.

The first student recovered from the shock of hearing the blonde speak and smirked cruelly, "Well, we all know where you're going."

Emma bit her tongue for the quickest second before shooting back, ignoring the teacher's protests, "You don't know a thing about me, you self-righteous – "

"Everyone knows you tried to kill yourself, and that means you're – "

"Brooke," Miss Blanchard cut in shortly, "Get out, now. Go and see Mr Gold, now."

The student rolled her eyes as she gathered her things, "Plus she's a dyke, so – "

"Now," Miss Blanchard cut in.

Emma could feel herself shaking and clenched her fists, closing her eyes and chewing the inside of her cheek before she stood up and walked out of the classroom. She didn't care if she made a scene, she couldn't just sit there and pretend to be fine. She slammed her back against the wall and closed her eyes, hands still balled into fists.

"Emma?"

She opened her eyes to see Miss Blanchard standing in front of her.

"Are you okay?" the teacher asked.

Emma nodded, "Yeah, sorry I walked out – "

"It's fine, don't worry about that. Brooke was completely out of line, I'm sorry I couldn't shut her up sooner. You know, those things she said…"

"It's fine," Emma muttered.

Miss Blanchard shook her head, "No, it's really not. Here," she handed Emma her bag, "Why don't you go see the counsellor, or have some time to yourself?"

Emma nodded as she took her bag, "Thanks, Miss Blanchard," she said genuinely, swinging her bag over her shoulder and taking off down the corridor.

Wasn't she ever glad this was Regina's free period? The walk to her classroom felt like it took forever though, when all she wanted was the woman's company. Eventually, she knocked on the door lightly.

"Emma," Regina said in surprise, standing up and walking towards the blonde, "Why aren't you in class?"

Emma looked at the ground, "We watched this stupid movie," she said angrily, "And then this stupid bitch was saying I was going to Hell because I tried to kill myself and – "

"Emma, dear, hang on, start from the start," Regina put her hands on the distraught girl's shoulders.

Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose before she started again, "We were watching this movie where the main guy ends up committing suicide and then in the class discussion this stupid girl, Brooke, was saying like suicide is a sin and they were debating about it, and I was getting annoyed but I just thought shut up, deal with it, it's not personal but it got too much so I told her she didn't know what she was talking about and then she got…personal."

Regina unclenched her jaw; she'd taught that girl before, she was a very opinionated student, "Personal, how?"

Emma looked at the anger flashing through the teacher's eyes and faltered, stuttering, "She said…everyone knew I'd tried to kill myself, but the thing was, they know it from years ago, not even recently, and that I was going to hell and Miss Blanchard sent her out but then before she went she had a go at me for being gay too. She's so fucking self-righteous," she finished angrily.

"Sweetheart, you know she is a naïve fool. She has an opinion and a stupid opinion and she is an idiot – "

"Whoa," Emma said, having never seen Regina so mad before, "It's okay."

Regina's nostrils flared before she took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. It just makes me mad, I would like to slap her," she sighed, "But I am a teacher and that wouldn't be appropriate."

Emma shook her head, "No, it wouldn't," she smiled, "But thanks for being so protective. It's kind of nice."

Regina sighed before allowing herself to smile, "I will always protect you, sweetheart," she murmured.

The blonde smiled as she nodded, "I know," she said, sighing, "Just being around you calms me down so much."

Regina felt her cheeks heat as she bit back a smile, "Good. Are you okay?"

Emma nodded, "I am now," she paused as the bell rang, before continuing, "I just needed to get out of that classroom. And see you."

The teacher offered a warm smile, "I'm glad. And I'm sure Miss Blanchard will understand."

"Yeah, she seemed pretty cool with it, actually," Emma's brow furrowed slightly in surprise.

Regina was thankful for that, "Good, not such a bitch anymore, is she?" she teased gently.

Emma rolled her eyes, "She's okay, for a teacher," she paused, "But you're still my favourite," she smiled slyly.

"Mm, come here," she put an arm around the blonde, who instantly burrowed into the safety of the older woman's chest. She loved listening to Regina's heart beat in her ear, it was the ultimate comfort and she closed her eyes now to hear it more clearly, contentedness painted on her face as she breathed in the scent of the woman, feeling her arms tighten around her.

And, it was that moment, where both forgot temporarily where they were and what they were doing, that they may have made one of the biggest mistakes possible to make. Miss Blanchard was left analysing the scene before her; was it merely comfort, or something deeper? The two sure did look familiar with one another, she thought, but surely Regina would never make such a professional blunder.