A/N: sorry for the delay. Genuinely didn't mean to leave you hanging. Got distracted by some hot guys. But I'm back now!
Trigger warning for vague descriptions of rape, at least, the start of a rape.
Emma leaned heavily against the door and closed her eyes.
"I can explain."
"Really?" came Granny's sneering tone. "Ok then. I'd love to hear how you accidentally forgot to tell me you had served time for handling stolen goods. It's the first thing that comes up when you google your name, by the way. Something I hadn't gotten around to doing before this afternoon. Please, delight us with your excuses."
Emma slowly opened her eyes and glanced first at Granny and then at Ruby. The brunette was chewing her thumb, a habit Emma had noticed only occurred when her friend was upset. It was obvious she had been crying and her face was red and blotchy. Emma felt a wave of guilt crashing over her.
"I was eighteen," she began. "I was an idiot. I was talked into doing something really stupid by my ex and then he left me high and dry. It was a mistake. A stupid mistake which has haunted me ever since. But I did my time, I learnt my lesson, and now I'm trying to make a better life for myself.
"You lied to me," Granny said icily. "You didn't even lie by omission. I specifically asked you if you had a criminal record and you said no."
"Would you have hired me if I had said yes?" Emma shot back.
"No," Granny replied. "But I'd have preferred you to be honest with me. I'd have respected you for telling the truth."
"And I'd still be sleeping in a tunnel," Emma replied. "I did what I had to do in order to get this job."
"You lied," Granny repeated. "I can't trust you any more."
Emma's eyes widened and she took a step towards the couch.
"Wait, what?" she gasped as the realisation of what might be about to happen crashed over her. "You're not firing me, are you?"
"Of course I am," Granny said, standing up. "I do not have ex-cons working for me and certainly not those who have lied about their history. Ruby, I suggest you check you have all your belonging before she leaves. Sticky fingers, this one."
With that, Granny strode past a stunned Emma and out of the apartment. The door slammed shut, the hollow sound echoing through the silent space.
Ruby was still rooted to the spot, unable to move. Daze-like, Emma walked to the couch and sank onto it, her head in her hands and tears spilling from her eyes. How had today gone from one of the best in her life to one of the worst in a matter of minutes? She cried harder as she realised what losing her job would mean. She wouldn't be earning any more money. She couldn't stay in the apartment, not now. She'd have to go back to the streets. She'd have to go back to her tunnel. Alone. Again.
The couch dipped beside her and slowly Emma raised her teary eyes to meet Ruby's. The brunette was crying too.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, hurt and confusion etched on her face.
"Would it have made a difference?" Emma asked. "You heard what your granny said. She was never going to hire an ex-con and I understand that. There's a reason I lied in the first place. I know people don't trust us. They think we're all thieves and con-artists and I guess they're right. I might not have stolen from you guys but I pretended to be someone I'm not."
"If you'd been honest -,"
"I would never have gotten the job," Emma said flatly. "It's ok, Ruby. I have some money saved up. It's not enough for rent but I'll be able to get by for a while."
"You don't have to leave," Ruby implored. "I know what Granny said but I do trust you. And I want you to stay in the apartment even if you're not working in the diner."
"I can't do that," Emma said, shaking her head sadly. "Sorry, Ruby. I've had an amazing time living here with you but I can't stay any more. I'll get my stuff together and head out."
Before she could stand however, Ruby's hand firmly gripped her wrist. "Stay tonight," came the whispered request. "It's still snowing outside. Just … wait until morning. If you really feel like you have to leave, that is."
"I do have to," Emma said, sinking back into the couch and wiping her eyes. "But ok, I'll stay tonight."
When Ruby woke the next morning, she was unsurprised to find the living room empty. Emma's box which had been stacked by the wall was gone and the couch cushions arranged perfectly. On the kitchen counter was a small stack of notes, a case of beer, and Emma's new cell phone. A sticky note held just four words.
Thank you. I'm sorry.
Regina checked her make-up in her compact for what felt like the twentieth time as Graham swung the town car onto 56th Street. As soon as they pulled up in front of the diner, she hopped out onto the snowy pavement and hurried into the diner. She had been excited all day about seeing Emma. She couldn't even remember the last time she had felt like that about someone and it both thrilled and petrified her. As the bell tinkled overhead however, she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Hi Henry," she said, recovering from the shock of seeing her son in his usual booth. "What are you doing down here?"
"Writing," came the response without the boy even looking up from the paper in front of him.
As Regina approached, she saw a collection of letters scrawled across the page. She could just about decipher 'Mama', 'Henry', 'cat' and 'tree', each letter a different colour.
"Very good," Regina said, ruffling his hair and then placing a kiss to his forehead. "Where's Auntie Ruby?"
"Right here," came the voice from behind her as Ruby swept by with plates piled up both her arms.
Once they were deposited with their respective customers, Ruby returned to the booth and sat down besides Regina.
"How was your day?" Ruby asked.
"Busy," Regina replied. "Where's Emma?"
Ruby let out a long breath, her mouth drooping downwards and her eyes tinged with sadness and regret.
"She left."
"What?"
Ruby nodded and took a gulp of the hot chocolate she had just made herself. The sugary drink usually made her feel better but seemed to have had little effect on her the past few days.
"What happened?" Regina asked, her heart thumping in her chest.
"Emma failed to mention that she'd spent time in prison. Granny found out and fired her."
Regina's jaw dropped. "Prison? Why?"
"Handling stolen goods."
"What? Is that how she ended up on the streets?" Regina could feel her brain racing, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. She knew that Emma had had a difficult life but she'd never envisioned … jail.
"I don't think so," Ruby said, shaking her head. "It was five years ago. She'd only been homeless since last summer."
Regina pulled out her cell phone and opened her messages. She hadn't heard from Emma since their meal together on Monday night. She had been a little disappointed at the silence but now she was simply worried. She began to type.
"Don't bother," Ruby sighed when she realised what Regina was doing. "She left her cell here when she left."
"What do you mean?" Regina asked.
"I bought it for her," Ruby shrugged. "It was a gift the day before all this shit went down. I guess she didn't want to take it with her. And it's not like there are charger sockets in the tunnels of Central Park."
"You think she went back to the park?"
Ruby shrugged again. "I have no idea. I don't even know which tunnel she slept in or I'd have gone to look for her. I mean, she had enough money here to get a motel room but knowing Emma she's back where she knows and in a place that's familiar to her."
"Alone?"
"Yeah," Ruby nodded. "Her friend disappeared to Chicago or somewhere a few weeks ago. As far as I know, she doesn't have anyone else."
"Mama?"
Regina started and turned towards her son. She had almost forgotten Henry was there. She wondered how much of their conversation he had been listening to and whether he had understood what he had overheard.
"Where's Emma?"
Oh.
"She … had to go away for a while," Regina finished.
"Is she coming to the zoo with us tomorrow?"
Ruby raised her eyebrows at that but said nothing.
"No, sweetheart, I don't think so," Regina said, smiling sadly. "But we can still go."
Henry frowned. "No, I don't want to go without Emma."
He went back to his writing practice and Regina turned to Ruby.
"He seems rather taken with our blonde friend," Ruby remarked. "You guys had plans to go to the zoo together?"
"Yeah," Regina nodded. "Emma said she hadn't ever been and since she and Henry get on so well, I invited her to join us."
"She had dinner with you on Monday didn't she?" Ruby said. Emma had refused point blank to tell her friend where she was going that night, just pleading with the brunette to allow her to borrow her coat. Ruby had guessed it had been a date and with someone the blonde liked rather a lot and now, when Regina nodded in response, she knew who.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ruby asked.
"Tell you what?"
"That you like Emma," Ruby prompted.
Regina felt the heat rise in her cheeks again. "I … I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I was worried what you would think. It's not like she and I have anything in common. Even before I found out she was convicted for handling stolen goods, it was clear we came from very different lives. I'd assumed you wouldn't approve."
"Just because you're from different backgrounds, doesn't mean you can't be great together," Ruby said. "And you know I liked Emma too. I can see why you'd be attracted to her as a person as well as the way she looks. I was starting to consider her a friend and I hope she saw me that way too. She was a great girl, Regina. Don't be embarrassed about how quickly you fell for her."
Regina's eyes flicked to her son but he wasn't listening any more. She tried to keep her love life hidden from him as much as possible. In fact, Emma was the first woman she had ever been interested in whom he had met. Although, to be fair, Henry spotted Emma first.
"Well, I guess it doesn't matter now," Regina said. "She's gone."
"She might come back," Ruby said. "Do you think she feels the same about you?"
"She invited me out for dinner," Regina said. "But I think she's also wary of our differences. The penthouse rather overwhelmed her."
Ruby laughed. "It overwhelmed me," she reminded her friend.
"Dani liked that about it," Regina chuckled. "She was always a show-off."
The two women fell silent at the mention of Regina's wife. They both glanced at Henry, sad smiles on their lips.
"What are you thinking?" Ruby asked eventually.
It took Regina several seconds to work out her answer.
"I'm thinking that it's too early to move on from Dani. Maybe it's a good thing that Emma's gone because I don't think I'm ready. I can't do it, Rubes," she said, turning to her friend with her eyes full of unshed tears. "I can't let someone else into my life."
Ruby grasped Regina's trembling hands.
"Regina," she said softly. "I hate to break it to you, but I think someone's already wormed their way in."
The tunnel hadn't changed. Emma hadn't expected it to. Her possessions were once again stashed safely behind the faulty grate and her money had been hidden between two loose bricks. Well, most of it. She kept some tucked inside her bra, of course. The day after she left the diner, snow lay thick on the ground. She had trudged heavily through it, her feet soaking and chilled to the bone by the time she got home. No, not home. Emma refused to think of the tunnel as such. She was going to get out of there again. And soon. But she couldn't deny the way her heart warmed slightly when she settled back down in her familiar spot and wrapped her blanket around her.
That had been ten days ago and Emma was still no closer to getting a new job. She had tried a few restaurants but with no resumé, no references, and no social security number (which wouldn't highlight her criminal past, at least), she had had no luck. The money she had saved was slowly dwindling but at least she was able to buy two hot meals a day. Begging was hard though. The snow had stopped but the rain had begun. The streets were slushy and grey, with New Yorkers hurrying along as fast as they could with no time to reach into their pockets and retrieve a spare quarter.
Emma was trying to decide which area of town to try and look for work next when she heard them. Footsteps. The wet splash of feet through the park's puddles above her. It was rare but not unheard of for people to venture into her part of the park late at night. But as the footsteps drew nearer, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she realised what day it was.
"You're back," he drawled as he entered the tunnel.
Emma struggled to her feet, hurriedly hiding the bundle of money she had been counting under her blankets.
"Yeah, I'm back."
"I came looking for you," the man continued. "Most Thursdays I came down here to see if you'd changed your mind. I knew you would eventually."
"Not by choice," Emma said stiffly, folding her arms protectively over her body as the man advanced further into the tunnel.
"Well it doesn't look like you have many choices left," he leered, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "Come with me and I'll let you choose what position we do first."
"No thanks," Emma spat. "I'll stay here."
"Oh will you now?" asked the man, stepping even closer. Emma's back hit the wall. "But I'm the one with the money and I'm asking you to come with me."
"And I'm saying no thank you," Emma repeated. "I thought my friend made it perfectly clear; I don't do that any more."
"Once a whore, always a whore," came the reply. "And I don't see your friend here now, do you?"
"He'll be back any minute. He just went out to get some food."
"Bullshit," the man laughed. "He hasn't been here any of the times I came to look for you. He's left town and he hasn't come back. No one's here to protect you, Emma. But you know I won't hurt you, not if you come with me now."
His hot breath hit her face, his mouth mere inches from hers. Emma flinched as two hands came up and rested on the wall either side her head. She was trapped.
"Please, Killian," she whispered. "Please don't make me."
Killian Jones chuckled. "Oh I never made you do anything, love," he said. "You liked it. You liked everything I did to you. That's why you're such a good hooker. Most of them just lie there and wait for it to be over. But you, you really get into it."
"I don't want to go with you."
"Fine," Killian replied. "We can do it right here. Al fresco has never really done anything for me but I want you tonight and if this is the only way then so be it."
Emma swallowed, her heart hammering in her chest. Killian reached up and began to unbutton her coat.
"Please, I don't want this."
"Shut up," he growled, any patience he had now evaporating. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
He tugged Emma's coat open and shoved it from her shoulders. She shuddered as it hit the floor and not because she was cold. Killian's fingers reached the button of her jeans and Emma closed her eyes, tears already running down her chilled cheeks.
"Mama, when are we going to feed the ducks?"
"In a little while," Regina told her son as she led him down the damp path.
"It's dark in here," Henry remarked as they entered the tunnel. "I don't like this one."
"It's a longer tunnel than the last ones, isn't it," Regina said, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "But don't worry. We're almost at the end already."
They emerged into the pale February sunlight. After a week of rain, the clouds had finally blown themselves out of town and New York was edging slowly towards spring. Henry ran on ahead, chasing a group of pigeons which were pecking at the ground beneath a tree. Regina smiled and glanced down at her map. She knew she looked like a tourist but she didn't care.
"Henry, this way," she called, taking a path which would lead her to the next tunnel.
Henry obediently followed, running to catch up with his mother.
"Mama, how much longer?" he asked.
"We just have a few more to check," Regina said.
"And then we'll go to the ducks?"
"Yes," Regina nodded. "And then we'll go to the ducks."
They walked along, Henry chatting all the while as they did so. Regina was only half paying attention. Her eyes, all the while, were scanning for a flash of blonde hair. She saw nothing. They had been in the park for almost two hours, walking through every tunnel in the south west corner. She didn't even know if that was the area of the park Emma had lived in but she had a hunch that it was. Henry was getting restless. Regina hadn't told him what they were doing. She didn't want to get his hopes up about finding the young woman. He had mentioned her several times over the past week and every time there was a hint of sadness in his voice.
The path sloped downwards, twisting around a large tree and entered the mouth of one of the longest tunnels in the park. Just as they began to walk towards it, a large group of skateboarding youths came up the ramp, laughing together at some group joke as they powered their way upwards. Henry watched in awe as the larger boys passed him.
"Mama, can I get a skateboard?" Henry asked, turning back to Regina.
"A skateboard? Really?" Regina frowned.
"Yes please," Henry nodded enthusiastically.
"Well you could always put it on your birthday list," Regina suggested as they stepped into the darkness.
"But my birthday isn't until September," Henry whined. "That's," he paused, counting the months in his head, "seven more months to wait."
"It is but by then you'll be five and -,"
Regina stopped dead in her tracks, her words dying on her lips. Even before she had seen her face, she knew exactly who the woman was curled up in the bundle of blankets on the floor. Henry knew too, even through the gloom. He glanced up at his mother, a frown of confusion on his little face. Taking a deep breath, Regina walked slowly forwards, Henry clutching tightly to her hand.
"Emma?"
The bundle startled and Regina could sense the blonde's body tensing beneath her covers. Slowly, the mass of blonde hair emerged upwards until two green eyes blinked blearily through the darkness.
"Regina?"
"And Henry," the boy piped up, peering around his mother's leg.
"Hi Henry," Emma said, sitting up a little and allowing the blankets to fall down.
Regina gasped. Emma's lip had been split open, a trickle of dried blood was smeared across her chin. The brunette dropped to her knees at once.
"What happened?" she asked, reaching out a hand towards Emma.
"Nothing," the blonde said, pulling away. "I'm fine."
"Like hell you are," Regina scoffed. "Come with me."
"No," Emma retorted.
Regina frowned. "Emma, please. You need to get cleaned up. That looks like it needed stitches as well. I guess it's too late now but I can still make sure it heals ok."
"I said no."
The harsh snap in her tone made Regina reel back onto her heels.
"Emma," Regina repeated. "I want to help you. I don't know what happened and I don't have to know. If you don't want to tell me that's fine, but I do need you to come with me. Now. Please."
"Why?" Emma asked. "Why do you care?"
"Why do I care?" Regina repeated. "Emma, I think you know exactly why I care about you."
"Emma?"
The voice was timid and shy. In the dark Henry couldn't see exactly what was wrong with Emma but he knew something had happened. He also knew he wanted Emma to go back to their home with them.
"Sorry, kid," Emma said. "I didn't mean to get angry."
"Let Mama take care of you," Henry said. "She's really good when I fall over and hurt myself. She can help you too."
Emma knew her resolve was crumbling as she saw the hazel eyes shining through the darkness. It would be so easy, just to go with Regina and her son. They'd look after her, she was sure of that. But then what? What would happen when she was better? She needed to stay strong. She couldn't begin to rely on anyone but herself. Emma Swan didn't need anyone else.
Henry reached forwards and held something out to Emma.
"Marlo makes me feel better when I'm sad."
Emma bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself crying as she took the toy monkey. She stared down into his stitched smile, his glass eyes friendly and wide. She looked up and was met with an almost identical expression on Henry's own face. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Ok," she whispered. "I'll come. But just for a bit."
Regina unlocked the door and stood back. Henry rushed ahead with Marlo and disappeared into the living room. Emma followed, her head hanging low and her tangled blonde hair shielding her face. She put her bundle down by the door and stood there, looking completely lost.
"Come on," Regina said, reaching for Emma's hand.
Their fingers laced naturally together and the brunette tugged the young woman gently down the hallway. They continued past the kitchen and living room and turned instead into a bathroom. Regina steered Emma to sit on the closed toilet seat and quickly reached for a first aid kit. Emma just sat there, silent. With an alcohol wipe in her hand, Regina knelt before the blonde. Emma averted her eyes, her cheeks flaming red with a mixture of embarrassment, shame, anger, and … arousal.
Gently, Regina placed a finger beneath Emma's chin and lifted it. Green eyes snapped shut, squeezing a tear from between the lids. Regina didn't say anything. She lifted the wipe to Emma's face and began to clean the dried blood away. When the strong solution touched the cut, the blonde winced but didn't move. Regina worked delicately and patiently, not stopping until Emma's pale lip was clean once more. The injury wasn't as bad as she had expected but in the bright lights of the bathroom, she also noted a dark bruise blooming under one of Emma's eyes and what looked like finger marks around her neck.
"What happened?" Regina asked when she had used two strips to pull Emma's lip together.
"You said I didn't have to tell you," Emma said, her voice little more than a whisper.
"Right," Regina nodded. "Ok. Well, do you want to take a shower? I have some clean towels right there and -,"
Regina lost her balance and almost fell backwards as Emma stood up. She steadied herself on her hands and stood too, following the blonde who was marching out of the bathroom and towards the front door.
"Emma, wait. Please," Regina implored.
"I have to leave," Emma said, bending down to pick up her belonging. "Thanks for," she gestured to her face. "I'll see you around."
She opened the door but a strong hand landed heavily against the wood and slammed it shut. Emma jumped.
"No."
The voice was low and firm. Emma didn't turn around but she knew Regina was standing right behind her.
"Emma, you're not leaving. It's freezing cold outside and you're hurt. Please stay here with us. I want you to stay here, at least until you're better."
"I'm not a charity case," Emma said, spinning around. Her green eyes glinted dangerously. "I can look after myself."
"No you can't," Regina retorted. "Look at you, Emma. You don't have to say what has happened for me to know that you've been attacked. I don't care who by and I don't care what led to the attack. But I do care about you. I don't think you're a charity case, Emma. But I also don't think you should be sleeping in a tunnel, alone, in New York City."
"You can't force me to stay here," Emma bristled. "No one can force me to do anything."
"No, I can't," Regina nodded, her arms folded. "But I would really, really like it if you stayed."
"Is Emma staying with us Mama?"
Emma narrowed her eyes at the brunette as if to say 'cheap trick'. Regina just smirked. Her son had impeccable timing.
"Yes, sweetheart," Regina replied, never once letting her gaze drop from the angry green eyes before her. "She's going to be staying here until she gets better."
"Can we have ice cream?" he said. "You always let me have ice cream when I'm sick."
"Yes," Regina nodded. "Why don't you go and see what we have in the freezer and get three bowls out."
Henry disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the two women alone in the hallway once more.
"I'm not a charity case," Emma repeated before she dropped her possessions unceremoniously on the floor and followed the small boy.