"Mother? Mother?" At getting no response once again, Regina sighed. She hated being forced to attend these stupid receptions. Quickly trotting down the stairs, she headed for her mother's office, hoping to get the Mayoral seal of approval on her outfit so she could at least relax a little before taking her usual role of opening the door to greet guests. Knocking on the door, but getting no response, Regina nonetheless slipped inside anyway, thinking her mother probably just hadn't heard. The room was empty however. Sighing, she was about to leave when the name on a file laying on her mother's desk caught her eye. Emma Swan. Glancing around to make sure she was alone, she quickly flipped open the file, eyes widening when she realised it was full of papers detailing Emma's time in foster care. No wonder the girl didn't like to talk about personal stuff, or her past. Leafing through a few of the papers, Regina was horrified to find hospital reports, photos attached, and numerous police reports. Snatching her hand back as she came across a photo of only a slightly younger Emma, her face and body heavily bruised. She shouldn't know this. This was Emma's past, her story to tell, and not Regina's to simply read through at her leisure. Closing the file, she stepped back. She felt guilty at having intruded, however unintentionally. She also felt, however, like she understood the girl a little more, and realised part of why she liked Emma. The girl was a fighter, just like her.
Mary Margaret watched Emma pace in front of the window, smiling at the nervous ringing of her hands. It had never been said aloud, but she knew the blonde liked the girl she was currently waiting for to give her a ride. In fact, she was fairly sure Emma was smitten with one Regina Mills. Of course, Emma's sexuality wasn't something they had discussed. They talked openly, but not that openly. She had her suspicions though. Just the same as she had her suspicions about Regina. She had been at town events, and had seen Regina's mother, Cora, try to set her up with potential dates. The girl, however, only ever looked uncomfortable and quickly retreated back to her friends. And, more tellingly, she had once taught the girl. At such a young, innocent age, Regina hadn't paused to question why in the childish stories or pictures she drew there were no handsome princes to marry, only beautiful princesses.
"You have your cell phone, right?" she asked, causing Emma to jump.
The blonde nodded. "Yeah. I think I have everything. Thank you for letting me go this weekend," she added after a few moments. "I know my file probably suggests you shouldn't let me go, but I promise, I am trying to change."
The school teacher nodded. "I know." A loud horn outside had the blonde whipping around to the window with a grin. The pixie haired brunette smiled. Young love. "You go and have fun, and remember, call me if you need me. I don't care what time, or what for."
Grabbing her bags, Emma nodded. "I will, and thanks again, really."
Mary Margaret nodded. "Now go, before she gets fed up waiting and drives off without you." She chuckled at just how quickly Emma barreled out the door, laden with her bags.
Regina watched as Emma stumbled out of her front door, laden down by her bags. It was the first time she had seen the blonde since accidentally finding her file on her mother's desk, and was sad that it made her look at her differently. She was no longer just the shy girl unsure of her new school. She was the girl who had been through countless homes, not all of them kind. The girl who wasn't just nervous about moving to a new school, but about having to adapt to a whole new life…
"Hey!" smiled the blonde as she opened the back door to load her stuff in.
"Morning," replied Regina, drinking in her smile. She was glad that despite everything Emma had been through, she could still smile so openly like that. Pushing everything she had saw in the file to the back of her mind, Regina forced herself to focus on the girl sliding gracelessly into her passenger seat. Emma's past was Emma's to tell. If Emma wanted to tell her, she would, but Regina wouldn't press her to. She was happy to get to know the smiling girl next to her as she was now. As the girl she was trying to be, not the girl her past told her she should be.
"Thanks for picking me up."
Regina smiled. "It's not a problem. I could hardly let you walk to school with all that stuff. And while I'm sure Mary Margaret offered, being dropped off in her mom mobile is hardly the image you want to create, as good as her intentions may be."