Hey friends! I'm super horrible and have been very sick and working two jobs 7 days a week so getting to work on this has been very slow going and I apologize! But thank you all for sticking around! Your reviews mean so much to me!
Huge shout out to my lovely beta Fefifo for helping me out big time with this chapter. Love her she's great and you all should check out her SwanxQueen story A Small Town Life.
Now onto this chapter! This one was a bit hard for me to write so I apologize if it isn't my best.
TRIGGER WARNING for this chapter for physical and emotional abuse.
Emma slowly opened her eyes. Blinking slowly a few times before sitting up, taking in her surroundings. She heard someone call her name again and realized it was Regina.
"Are you ready?" she asked the younger girl. Emma looked up at her and nodded slowly. It was amazing how Regina made her nerves calm yet skyrocket all at the same time. She made Emma feel at ease about going in to talk to her father however, the butterflies in Emma's stomach grew stronger looking at her. She could feel her feelings growing stronger for Regina and couldn't help but hope that maybe Regina could possibly be feeling the same way.
Regina opened the car door first and began to get out when she noticed Emma hadn't even unbuckled her seat belt and just remained sitting there staring out the windshield at something.
"You'll need to actually get out of the car to get in the house, darling." Regina tried joking. When she got no response she got back in the car and placed her hand on Emma's. Emma jumped at the contact but relaxed when she realized it was Regina.
"I know this is going to be hard for you but I'm right here. It'll be okay."
Emma was terrified to say the least she didn't want to go inside. She just continued staring out the window before finally looking down where Reginas hand was on top of her own. She smiled slightly at how much comfort that was bringing her. She could feel her crush on this woman growing by the minute on this trip. Which she knew was a bad thing considering she had no hope.
Regina was the one who broke the silence again. "Is everything okay?" She asked.
"That's Neals truck." Emma responded pointing to the big truck in her driveway.
"Well, two birds with one stone. Now you'll only have to say it all once." Regina offered trying to make the girl feel better though she knew it was no use. After another moment Emma took a deep breath, nodded, and took off her seatbelt and exited the car. They made their way up the walkway to the house but when she got there she hesitated outside the front door for a moment. She looked back at Regina who simply smiled and nodded and she instantly felt a little better. She proceeded to enter the house and turned to hold the door for Regina only she wasn't right behind her anymore she was still standing on the front porch. Emma gave her a questioning look before speaking up.
"I thought that you said you were coming with me?" Frustrated with herself for not thinking this part through she fumbled for an excuse.
"I..yeah yeah I will I just..I didn't know if it was okay that I did..if I was allowed to.." she winced at how silly she sounded. Giving her another confused look and letting out a small laugh Emma shook her head.
"Yeah. Of course you can, come on."
Letting out a small sigh of relief Regina put one foot out across the threshold testing it and continued the rest of the way inside the house when it worked. She hated that part about being a vampire. Needing an invitation in order to come inside a home. Emma continued into the house searching for her father.
"Dad?" Emma called out. "It's me, I'm home."
"Emma!" He called. "We're in the living room."
Emma motioned for Regina to follow her and led her to the living room.
"Babe! I'm so glad to see you!" Neal jumped to his feet to greet her. He pulled her in tight and before she had a chance to resist or turn her head he kissed her and she knew for certain in that moment that she definitely didn't have feelings towards this boy. Regina cleared her throat in attempt to break up the kiss. She wasn't jealous or anything she just clearly could see that Emma was uncomfortable. Okay, and maybe she was a little jealous.
Emma's father noticed Regina standing in the doorway.
"Oh, I see you brought a friend with you, Emma. And who might this be?" Finally Neal let go of Emma.
"Oh, um, this is..um.."
"I'm Regina. I live across the hall from Emma." Regina cut in. She could tell Emma wasn't sure just what to say and figured she looked young enough to pass as a student and friend. Emma let out a small sigh of relief at Reginas cover.
"A pleasure to meet you, Regina. Since she was so rude and didn't introduce me, I'm James, Emmas father." He put his hand out to shake her hand. James glared at his daughter and shook his head disapprovingly causing Emma to start to freak out.
"Nice to meet you as well, sir." Regina responded hesitantly not liking the way he put Emma down that way.
"Please, have a seat you've come at a good time. Today is a special day." He turned his attention to Emma.
Emma turned and looked at her dad confused. She knew he couldn't be referring to her needing to talk to him so why could this possibly be a 'good time' according to him.
"Emma, I know you have something to talk to us about but so does Neal and he'd like to go first."
Emma struggled to not roll her eyes and instead plaster on a smile. Neal got up and walked over towards Emma but then got down on one knee. Emma felt like she was going to be sick. Regina's eyes got wide while Emma's father had a huge smile on his face.
"Emma, from the moment you walked into my life I knew you were going to change things for me. You're the most amazing girl I've ever met and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. These last two years have been the best years of my life and I want to continue spending many more with you. Emma, will you marry me?"
Immediately Emma whispered "No."
Neal thought he misheard he stood and looked confused.
"What?" He asked.
"I..I said no. I can't marry you. I don't love you. I'm..I'm gay!" Emma threw her hand over her mouth shocked about how easily that came out.
Neals eyes filled with rage. He gripped Emma's arm tight and Emma let out a small whimper.
"You are not a dyke! We've had sex!" Neal yelled.
It was quiet enough that no one but Regina heard Emma's whimper and when she noticed Neals grip on Emma tightening she shot to her feet and pushed him away from her.
"Let her go!" Neal just laughed in Regina's face.
"And who are you her dyke girlfriend?! I knew I shouldn't have let her go to that school!"
"Who the hell do you think you are deciding where she goes to school?! She is her own person and you cannot and will not control her."
"Who do you think you are?! I have been Emma's boyfriend for 2 YEARS! You're just some dyke she met at college that is corrupting my girlfriend!"
Regina was distracted by Neal that she didn't notice Emma's father pull her away to the kitchen. Emma knew better than to say anything so she stayed silent waiting for what was to come. He took out a glass, got two ice cubes for it and poured his Jack Daniels into it and sat down. Emma was trying to remain calm and collected on the outside but on the inside she was panicking big time. He was calm way too calm and she knew this was not going to end well. After what had seemed like forever he finally spoke.
"Emma. I don't know what kind of lies this girl has filled your head with but it's not acceptable."
"She didn't -" he cut her off "I am not finished!" He rose from his seat and came towards her.
"You have to marry Neal. We've discussed this. You are to marry him and start a family you are not going to ruin this for me!" With that he struck her across the face causing her to collapse to the floor.
Meanwhile Regina was still arguing with Neal in the living room. She was about to snap when she heard a loud thump come from the other room. Emma. She whispered. Within an instant she was in the kitchen. She froze for a moment at what she saw. Emma's father was standing over her kicking her. He was screaming nonsense about her being a whore, a disappointment, how she was ruining everything. That was the final straw in this incident. Regina lunged towards Emma's father tossing him into the counter leaving him disoriented. She knelt by Emma's side and contemplated what to do for a brief moment. She figured getting Emma somewhere safe fast was more important than compelling Neal or her father.
She quickly scooped Emma up and took off towards the door. She started to walk out of the kitchen at a normal human pace but while she was walking out she ran into Neal. He started screaming at her, blaming her for all the problems that have arisen. Regina tried telling him calmly to move out of the way but then he came at her trying to grab Emma from her telling her that she's the one who hurt her. She pushed him back full strength causing him to hit his head on a wall and passed out. She quickly made her way outside to her car and placed Emma down gently in the backseat. She quickly drove off unsure of where to go. She just knew she needed to get away.
Think Regina, think. You have to know if somewhere near by she said to herself. She drove aimlessly for another few minutes before it hit her. Of course! She half yelled. Immediately she whipped her car around and sped off in the direction of an old friend.