A/N: OK lovely readers, here are the spoils of my Saturday afternoon in bed writing for you all!
Emma joined the short line for lunch behind Red and Snow. Red was talking about one of her friends whom Peter was now dating and the two women were trying to decide if Red had a right to hate said friend for dating her ex or not. Phrases such as "bros before hoes" and "chicks before dicks" were quoted as the two women debated.
Half listening to her two friends but not contributing to the conversation, Emma stood pondering how she could get back in favour with Mills. Well, maybe not in favour but at least out of trouble. She didn't notice that the older woman had entered the dining hall soon after herself until she watched the brunette walk straight past her and right to the front of the queue. None of the inmates even grumbled or questioned at the queen bee's actions. The blonde watched as Mills leaned over the service counter, spoke to the head chef, a young girl with bright red hair, and then walked around and disappeared into the back of the kitchen.
"Hey guys," Emma said, catching her friends' attention. "Why did Mills just walk into the kitchen?"
"Dunno," Snow shrugged before turning back to speak to Red.
Red herself said nothing but Emma saw her eyes dart momentarily to the prison kitchens before she and Snow resumed their conversation.
Strange, Emma thought, as they finally reached the front of the line. Sliding her tray along and being handed her lasagne, Emma peered past the servers and tried to catch a glimpse of the brunette to see what she was up to. The head chef, whom Emma though was called Athena, had also disappeared from the front station but the blonde could see neither woman further back in the kitchen.
Turning to follow Red and Snow to their usual table, Emma absentmindedly sat down and tucked into her lasagne. Snow was right, it was one of the best meals she had so far eaten inside. She ate quickly, enjoying the tasty food for once and soon got dragged into the girls' conversation about whether dating your friends' ex was acceptable or not.
"Enjoying your lunch, Miss Swan?"
Emma almost choked on her mouthful of lasagne as she looked up in shock and fright at the brunette stood before her.
Clearing her throat, she wiped her mouth with a napkin before replying. "Erm, yeah it's actually good food today."
"It's the red pepper flakes. Gives it some kick," she informed, her tone deep and sultry. "May I have a word please, Miss Swan?"
Dumbfounded, Emma nodded and stood to follow Mills from the dining hall. Snow and Red watched her leave with their mouths open. The brunettes exchanged a worried look as their new friend trailed out of the dining hall after the older woman.
Emma walked behind Mills through the corridors until they reached a door at the far end Emma had never been through. The plaque on the door told her they were entering the chapel. Regina opened the door and stepped back to allow Emma to pass. Despite every nerve screaming at the blonde that this was a bad idea, she stepped through and waited for the older woman to follow her.
The room was dark and when the door clicked shut behind them, the gloom became so intense Emma could barely make out Mills' face. Which was a shame, her brain supplied unhelpfully.
"Come," the brunette said as she set off walking down the aisle. At the front row of chairs, Regina stopped and turned right, taking a seat and patting the one next to her. Emma sat down.
Silence.
"So, Miss Swan," Regina's voice was quiet yet confident. "I wanted to speak to you about what you said to me earlier this morning."
Emma nodded slowly, not trusting herself to speak without making the situation worse.
"You've been in this place for over a week now and I think you are aware of my position here. I am not someone who appreciates vindictive comments and I am certainly not someone it is wise to pick a battle with."
"I'm sorry," Emma exclaimed. "I didn't mean what I said. It's just when I'm around you I say stupid things and I don't know why."
Regina's eyebrow raised at the rushed explanation as she regarded the petrified blonde before her.
"Be that as it may Miss Swan, I am sure you have told your little friends about our altercation, judging from their reaction back in the dining hall. I have a reputation to uphold and regardless of what I think of you, I cannot be seen to be going soft."
"What you think of me?" Emma asked, confused.
An almost imperceptible flush coloured the brunette's cheeks but the darkness of the chapel hid this from Emma's gaze. "I have been inside for 29 months Miss Swan," Regina admitted, "and there are very few women I have met in that time who interest me as much as you do."
Emma's mouth fell open slightly at the comment. "Interest you? What do you mean?"
"To be honest," Regina sighed, running a hand through her thick hair, "I'm not entirely sure but there is something about you, Emma. Something I can't put my finger on."
The blonde gasped. "That's the first time in eight days someone has said my first name," she whispered, her heart racing faster. "How did you even know it."
Regina laughed lightly. "Oh, as I told you, I know everything that goes on in here."
There was a pause as the two women looked at each other, both unsure quite how to proceed. Emma wanted to ask so many questions but decided it would be safest if she kept quiet.
"So you see my problem, Miss Swan," Regina said. "I must be seen to punish you for your insolence towards me but at the same time, I find myself not wanting to see you hurt."
"Hurt?" Emma asked, worried.
A dark laugh echoed around the empty chapel. "Don't be so coy Swan. You were there in the dining hall and I'm sure your friends told you what to expect for pissing off the queen."
"You know they call you that?" Emma asked, surprised.
"I like it," Mills admitted. "It's what my name means after all."
"Mills?" Emma questioned.
"Regina," the brunette spoke softly.
"Regina," Emma repeated, enjoying the sound of the name on her tongue.
The older woman shivered. "You're right, there is something strange about people saying your first name after you've been inside for so long."
There was another silence, neither woman quite sure how to proceed.
Eventually, Emma spoke. "So what do you want to do?"
"I need to punish you," Regina said, her voice sounding resigned to the conclusion.
Taking a deep breath, the blonde took a chance. "I asked what you wanted to do, not what you needed to do."
Regina's eyebrows raised once more. It was a facial expression she had been forming more and more since meeting the blonde. Emma surprised her, challenged her, intrigued her. But could Regina trust her? Regina didn't trust anyone, not any more.
"What do I want to do?" Regina repeated, licking her lips subconsciously. "I want to get to know you Emma. I want to understand you. I want to experience every aspect of your personality. I want you. Like I haven't wanted anyone in a long time."
The honest admission hung in the air between them. Regina was shocked at her honesty and openness with Emma whilst the blonde herself was trying to understand the exact meaning of the words. Whatever the brunette meant, Emma felt a twinge low in her abdomen at the older woman's last statement.
Regina held her breath, knowing she had exposed a vulnerability to the blonde and praying her reading of the younger woman as a fundamentally good person was correct. Emma sat stock still before her, staring through the gloom at the stunning but apprehensive face before her.
"You want me?" Emma whispered.
Regina nodded, not trusting herself to speak without saying something she would regret.
At Regina's confirmation, the coiling heat between Emma's thighs intensified. Her brow furrowed as she tried to understand the sensation. She had never been attracted to girls before. Well, not since Lily and that had been years ago, they were just kids.
Suddenly, Emma jumped to her feet and all but ran to the door.
"Emma, wait!" Regina called.
The blonde froze, her hand outstretched to pull open the door. Soft footsteps behind her told Emma the older woman was approaching. She waited, her heart pounding in her chest. Regina walked past Emma and turned around to face her. Green eyes met brown ones. Emma was shocked to see fear and confusion in the glittering chocolate orbs. Regina stared intently into the emerald eyes before her. She didn't know Emma. She couldn't trust Emma. She needed to send a message to the others.
The blonde reeled back as stars exploded in her vision. Regina fist flew out of nowhere and collided with her right temple. Staggering backwards, Emma clutched at her pounding head and blinked rapidly, trying to focus her vision. The brunette stood immobile before her, arms hanging limply by her side but a steely look had replaced the tortured one Emma had seen moments before.
"Regina," Emma gasped, touching her head tenderly and checking her fingers to see if the punch had broken the skin. Her hand had no blood on in but the throbbing in Emma's head made her feel like she was about to be sick.
"Get out," Regina hissed, glaring at the blonde and stepping aside to allow Emma to pass.
With a final, disbelieving glance at the brunette, Emma pulled the door open and rushed away down the corridor. As soon as the room was once again encased in darkness, Regina leaned against the wall beside the door and slid down it, wrapping her arms around her knees as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
Emma didn't stop running until she got to the bathroom. It was mercifully empty as most inmates were still eating lunch. She raced into a cubicle and locked the door behind her. Sitting heavily on the closed toilet lid, Emma held her head gently in her hands as tears ran down her face. She wasn't even sure why she was crying. The pain of Regina's punch? The fact that it had been Regina who punched her in the first place? Or the confused emotions which were currently flying around her head?
Emma sat in the stall for fifteen minutes before she wiped her tear streaked cheeks, blew her nose on a tissue she had in her pocket (something she made sure she always had since arriving in FCI), and stood to open the door. The bathroom was still empty so Emma made her way to the sink and splashed some water onto her blotchy face. Raising her head, the blonde looked at the slightly fuzzy reflection of herself in the plastic mirror. She was even paler than usual, her eyes were bloodshot and a bruise was already colouring the right side of her face.
Sighing, Emma leaned heavily against the sink edge for a moment longer before taking a deep breath, standing up straight and walking back out of the bathroom.
By the time she reached her bunk, Red and Snow were inside, both sitting on the brunette's bed and obviously waiting for Emma to return.
Snow gasped and Red swore as they saw their friend's face.
"What happened?" Snow asked, jumping up and crossing over to Emma's bed where the blonde had sat down.
"Mills," Emma muttered as she reluctantly allowed Snow to inspect the bruise.
"Shit, Swanny," Red said, her eyes sympathetic.
"You need to get some ice on this or it will swell," Snow said adamantly.
"No," Emma replied, pushing Snow's hands away from her. "I'm fine,"
Frowning slightly, Snow stood and returned to sit beside Red.
"Are you ok?" Red asked, knowing it was a stupid question but not able to think of another one.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Emma nodded before lying down on her bunk and rolling away from her friends to face the wall.
Red and Snow looked at each other before they both stood and headed towards the archway. "I'm gonna go to Snow's bunk for a bit Swan. Come and find us when you feel better," Red offered.
When Emma didn't respond, the two brunettes walked away despondently, knowing they could do nothing to help their friend.
As the sound of Red and Snow's footsteps retreated, Emma let out a sob, stifled by the fist she forced into her own mouth. She knew she couldn't show weakness in here, not if she wanted to survive the next ten and a half months. Biting down hard on her own hand, Emma forced herself to remain in control, to remain strong. She would not let Regina Mills get to her. She would not let herself get emotional over some psychotic, power hungry bitch. Even in her own mind, Emma knew the words were meaningless. Regina Mills had already got inside Emma's head and judging from the turmoil currently residing there, the brunette wasn't leaving any time soon.