A/N: I am on fire with updates tonight, and I couldn't be happier about it! I am as eager to get to Emma and Regina's first kiss as I was when I wrote the third-person version of this story lol. To all of you who have read this story before, I thank you and welcome you for reading it all over again. Thank you for loving every minute of it, even as you know what's to come. I will try to knock another update for tonight, but if I can't- tomorrow for sure. Stay tuned, and happy reading! :)

For all you new readers, I advice you to PLEASE- read the third-person version of this story first.


Chapter 16: Regina


I couldn't sleep that night as I continued to stir in bed. I had a smile on my lips and I couldn't understand why. Why was I smiling so much? With Emma and Audrey going off to bed, I had a lot of time to think about tonight. I couldn't stop. I had danced! That was the most surprising turn of events this night took for me. That and the surprisingly empty feeling I gathered after Emma had let go of my hand.

I grab hold of the same hand Emma had been holding that night. The feeling of her hand along my waist still lingered there. And then I see her disappointed eyes staring back at me as she danced with Audrey. Was she disappointed?

I know I was. I wanted to keep dancing. Keep learning.

Dancing tonight gave me a sense of freedom I didn't know I could have. Normally around that time of night, I would be curled up somewhere along this house engraved in a good book or two. Not that there was anything wrong with that. But dancing… With Emma proved to be much more enjoyable than it had actually seemed at first glance for me as we arrived at that club tonight.

I had known Emma to be rather carefree, but tonight, while dancing with me made her look possibly more radiant than I had ever seen her. Not to mention, she was centered in me having a good time. I don't know much, but I can imagine teaching anyone anything, it would require you to have a lot of patience. Patience that Emma had with me tonight.

And her eyes… The way they looked at me. The way her touch didn't even make me flinch. Not once. What was the story behind Emma Swan's eyes? Not to mention the close proximity she took to inviting herself into tonight with me. Something no one had ever done. Not with good intentions, at least.

I shake my head as I sit up, feeling that unsettling flapping feeling settle along the inside of my stomach once more. I reach for my book along my nightstand, ready to distract myself and hopefully tire my eyes out enough to get some sleep. As I flip open the cover along with the page number I had bookmarked. My eyebrows wrinkle at the sight of a piece of paper, placed right in between that same page. It was a note.

Thank you kindly for the dance.

Emma. I recognized the handwriting immediately. My cheeks rise up as a smile splits in between my lips. It was so big, it made my face ache.

How could anyone do this without me even realizing? If Emma had placed this note inside here, that would mean she had to come inside my bedroom while I wasn't aware. But, when? I knew then that I would never know, leaving it as one of Emma Swan's greatest mysteries.

I shuffle out of bed and walk straight toward my vanity, pulling open the drawer until I am able to pull out a wooden box. It was meant to be a jewelry box that once belonged to my mother. A gift from my father to her. That was about the only thing she kept once my father passed, given that it had been about the most expensive item he had ever given her. But I didn't use it for jewelry. In fact, I never had use for it, until the day Emma left me her first note.

I open the lid, hearing a faint creak as I do and my eyes fall on the same first note from Emma, wrinkled up from where Leopold had squished it inside of his palm and tossed it along the floor that dreadful day. I place Emma's second note safely inside and immediately close the lid. I place the box back where only I know it's there.

The last thing I needed was for Leopold to find this note and create havoc where there was no need to.

As I close the drawer to my vanity, my head turns to the sound of laughter coming from outside. As I walked toward my window, I looked out the parted curtains and I see Emma carrying Audrey in her arms, Audrey's legs were wiggling as they shared a laugh or two between the two of them. The sight of them brought a smile to my face that soon disappeared as a ping of sadness remained in my heart. Why? I couldn't understand it myself, but it was there.

Suddenly, I think that maybe it's due to the memory that pops into my head. That night Emma jumped into that very pool to save me without a second thought. The look of worry and fear in her eyes that took over them as I finally opened mine and gasped for a new breath of life. I will never forget that look.

I would never forget her muttered words with each huffed out breath. 'It's okay. It's okay, Regina, I've got you now. I've got you. You're safe.'

Safe. That's how I wanted to feel. That's how I imagined Audrey felt anytime Emma held her like she was holding her now. That's how I felt the night we danced, strangely and confusingly enough. Why, just the way Emma held my hand that night made me feel safe. And she was so protective of me when it came to walking past that crowd, along with those two men who were eager to share a dance with me that I would have never accepted in the first place. But, I had from Emma. Because there was just something about her. About the way she carried herself. The way she looked at me. Smiled at me.

I felt safe that night Emma pulled me out of that very pool and held me in her arms. My own hands cradle along my arms, wrapping myself in a hug that I hadn't realized was happening. I smile as I watch how playful Emma is with Audrey, right below me, oblivious to my watching over them. They look happy. Without a care or worry in the world. Emma chases Audrey around the pool until she grabs a hold of her once more before cradling her in the safe environment of her arms and jumps right into the pool. Audrey shrieks but it's a delight sound that makes Emma explode into laughter along with her.

Was this what true love was like? I wondered, never really having had the joy of experiencing it myself.

Then again, maybe it wasn't how it was. Not for everyone. But it was how Emma was.

The way Emma kissed Audrey it made me want to experience it. Someday. I wanted to be given the joy of sharing a love with someone- like Emma- someday. Give myself willingly to the one person who instead of hurting me was going to live to love me, like I was going to live to love them. Silly dreams, I know, but Emma was right. I was a dreamer.

Was I jealous?

With the fact that my daughter had someone as wonderful as Emma and I didn't?

A little. Mind you, I realize that happiness isn't for everyone. It probably isn't for me and never would be. But one could dream. And dreaming was something not even Leopold could rip away from me. I mean, I was even jealous of Belle, who from what I knew- had the world's perfect marriage. Robert Gold- her husband- wasn't the world's most attractive man. Not to me at least, but Belle had been one of the lucky ones. She had found herself a good man who loved her and whom she loved with all her heart. He pampered her to her every desire, and I have never once known for Robert to raise a hand at her in anger. And Robert would never force himself on Belle if she did not wish to have sex.

She was one of the lucky ones. Unlike me.

Why, I could honestly tell you that had Leopold been an entirely different man, and held my best interest at heart and actually cared to make me happy, I could have possibly fallen in love with him. Age difference there, or not.

But, Emma was right. I didn't love my husband. Not in the slightest.

Leopold White could have a change of heart and decide to surprise me with a bouquet of flowers and I still couldn't amount to loving him. My feelings toward Leopold were completely different- if there were feelings to be had for him in the first place.

I watched as Audrey ran inside, through the kitchen doors, a towel wrapped around her waist. Emma was pulling herself upward, out of the pool until she was completely out. I jerk back a little as suddenly, Emma's eyes are on me. She is drenched, her tank top sticking to her skin very much like that night she pulled me out of the water. Her hair looked darker as it was wet. But her eyes looked up to me with kindness and something else I couldn't decipher. She had the same look in her eyes that she had while we danced. While she sat so close to me, I could pick up on the rich scent of her perfume and leather jacket. The scent lingered to my nostrils with strange familiarity.

It was amazing to me how rapidly someone like Emma could linger in my mind, so much that I could easily remember how she smelled. What was wrong with me?

I smile down at Emma, giving her a curt nod. She smiles back and waves up at me. I chuckle as I wave back next.

I am so distracted by Emma that I don't hear the door to the bedroom open behind me. It isn't until Leopold lets out a loud grunt of exhaustion that I jump a little. My eyes closed and I chose not to turn around. I don't have to see him to know it's him. As my eyes open, I can see Emma slightly frown from down below, no doubt she took notice of my change of mood.

"You're up." I hear Leopold say. I roll my eyes to his surprised tone, hearing him shuffle along behind me.

"I was reading," I responded, my eyes trained on Emma. On the frown along her lips. I watch as Audrey happily runs out, embracing Emma in a hold from behind that breaks our eye contact.

I hear a chuckle erupt from Leopold, "Reading? While standing near the window?" He doesn't believe me. No surprise there. I hear him walk behind me until he is standing at close proximity to my back, causing me to cringe a little. A chill runs down my spine at the sound of a familiar hum escaping him. I hated all the sounds he made.

"So, that's what you've been looking at?" It isn't a question. I close my eyes as I can feel his nose pressed up against my neck as he inhales. "Is that a new perfume?" He notices my new fragrance.

"I'm surprised you noticed." I murmur, my eyes trained on Emma as she is staring back up at me once Audrey rushes inside the house. She's angry. I can tell by the way her jaw sets tightly, even from afar. I feel Leopold's hands cling onto my waist as they pull me into him. His nose buried deep within the crook of my neck just as his groin buried against my behind. My eyes close and my brow crinkles in disgust. Not this again. Not tonight.

My eyes open to find Emma staring, standing still as a statue. Why? Why did she have to witness this? Why couldn't she just go inside and pretend like she hadn't seen anything? She didn't have to see any of this. I didn't want Emma to see it. To know what was about to take place within the four walls of this bedroom again tonight. But, she did. Judging from the look in her eye I know she did.

"You know…" Leopold's breath brushes along my neck, rough and eager lips brush along my skin. "I'm still open to having another woman join us in the bedroom. If that's what you want."

Of course he would talk about that. I swallow so hard that my throat aches. I can see the disgusted and angered look in Emma's eyes through the window, down below. "Since when do you care what I want?" I ask him. The one thing Leopold allows me to do and it has to do with a sick fantasy lingering inside of his mind. I feel his hold along my stomach tighten and abruptly I'm turned around, forced to face him.

"Think about it," He chuckled rather sinister. His fingers trailed along my cheekbone until his entire hand caught my jaw. I tensed at the rough feeling of his thumb scraping along my bottom lip in what to Leopold, was nothing more than a caress. "You'd finally have something you truly want." His eyes grow dark not only with lust at the thought of me and another woman, but anger. More anger than not.

I chuckle at this. "You don't know what I want, Leo. You never have." I spit out a shuttered breath. I feel my bottom lip quiver.

He chuckles. Despite how much the thought of him with me and another woman in bed would excite him. I knew it would anger him all the more if I would have what I truly wanted. Leopold was never a man to give me what I truly wanted. And he never would be. Fact of the matter is, more than his wife to him- I was property. A piece of land he could mark his territory over, and he would.

"No?" He clicks his tongue the same time he shakes his head. I watch him take one last step near me before I find his eyes looking over my shoulder. And what happened next, as much as I shouldn't surprise me- it did. His lips pressed possessively over mine, so hard my hands balled into fists as they rested along his chest and my eyes shut tight. So tight, I could feel tears wielding along my tear ducts. I tensed as I felt his arms wrap tighter around me, determined to keep me at his mercy.

My mind wondered if Emma was still standing there, watching all this take place along the bedroom window. In my mind, I could see the anger build up inside of her and it worried me. For a moment it frightened me. And something told me Leopold knew Emma was still watching.

I try pulling away, but that only makes Leopold hold me tighter, keeping me there. His arm wrapped around my waist. Hurting me. My eyes shut tighter as his tongue possessively enters my mouth. I detested when he did that. I can't help but grunt as he finally pulls away. "You don't think I know, Regina," he whispers along my lips, keeping the distance between us as closed as possible.

I want to grab his hand as his feels up my breast, grabbing it with such possession. But I can't fight back. Not with my hands held onto between me and his chest. "Leopold, don't- please." All I could do was beg.

"You don't think I know about the way you look at our daughter's girlfriend?" He holds on tighter.

What? I blink. My head tilts back, fearful to find something behind his eyes that would only frighten me more. What the hell was going through his mind? How did I possibly look at Emma that made him ask such a question with a tone of possessive jealousy and anger?

"What the hell are you talking about?" I try to fight, to push myself off of him, but fail.

Leopold was a man that once something entered his mind, he didn't easily let go of it. Not until something was done about it.

I gasp, not only by the way he closes in on me, so roughly, forcing me to feel his grown erection along my pelvis, but his hand as it quickly wraps along my throat. And squeezes. "Now, Regina- you know better than to insult my intelligence. Frankly, I don't give a shit if you look at her, or Belle, or any other woman on this fucking earth, because at the end of the day, sweetheart- you belong to me. And I am the only man in this universe who can have you."

What the fuck? What did Belle have to do with any of this? Or Emma for that matter. "I know that," I decided not to push my luck. Not to push him. Another gasp escapes me as his hand loosens along my throat, and his grip is replaced by a different one this time. My eyes shut as his lips take in the skin behind my pulse point. He sucks- hard. So hard it aches, as if his teeth grazing along my skin wasn't already painful enough.

He sucks again before finally giving the skin along my neck a break. "Be sure that you do," his dark eyes locked menacingly onto mine. "And Regina, if you so much as dare try to take your life again without me knowing-" my eyes grow wide. "I will make sure to make it real next time it crosses your mind."

How in the hell did he know? He passed out drunk. How did he know? On second thought, I didn't want to know.

"If I am allowing this little friendship between you and Ms. Swan, is because in a way I am grateful that she stopped you from committing the stupidest mistake you could ever make. But, do not think me a fool, sweetheart." He raised a single digit in warning. "And just remember one thing, as your husband, I am the one who decides when you will draw your last breath."

Good God. What else did he see?

How the hell did he know?!

As always I underestimate just how powerful and sinister a man like him can be. Whatever I did, as long as he was a part of my life, came right back to him.

"Now, close the curtains, and get into bed." He murmured. His eyes looked over my shoulder into the pool area- at Emma- who still stood there, looking up at me with anger in her eyes as I turned around. I feared as Emma marched inside, soaking wet, with her jaw clenched, that she would bust through that door and God knows what would happen next.

I feared it, but I also hoped for it.

Except, she didn't come. As I closed the curtains and climbed into my side of the bed, hesitantly, Leopold was quick to hold me to him, his lips closing in along my neck again, kissing it roughly that his beard prickled along my skin. My back hits the mattress and I shut my eyes until my body goes numb. This was happening tonight. It was sealed as soon as Leopold climbed on top of me, forcing me to hold onto his weight all on my own. He did that so I wouldn't dare move. Even though a good fight from me always excited him.

As I feel him shift on top of me, my eyes remain closed and I try to imagine something. Anything to make my mind escape from this moment.

I catch myself back inside that club, a smile is stretched along my lips and I am dancing. Emma is dancing with me, guiding me, teaching me, showing me that even learning to dance was possible. Making me feel free and as if I was able to do anything. I feel the caress of her thumb along my shoulder. I see the gentle look her eyes give me, her smile. The way it stretches along the corners of her eyes.

I am no longer here, but there.


I shower early that morning, relieved that Leopold left a little earlier than usual and I woke up in bed alone. It always took me a while to feel cleansed after being with him intimately. Even then, I don't think I ever felt cleansed enough.

I check my neck along the mirror, seeing a very noticeable blue and purple bruise along where my pulse beats. There wasn't enough make up in this damn house to help cover this up. My lip curls up in anger as I quickly change into a suitable outfit that would go along with my red scarf, forced to wear it.

Reality was, I grew to hate scarfs. If it were up to me I would never wear one again, but as unpredictable as Leopold was- I had no other choice.

Fully dressed and ready to face yet another day, I adjust the scarf along my neck, double checking that the bruise there is covered up to perfection before heading downstairs.

I see the table is prepared with breakfast as I walk into the dining area, greeting Sidney as he is coming in with a fresh pot of coffee. "Good morning, Sidney." I nod curtly with a smile.

"Good morning, ma'am." He frowns as quickly as he smiles. Sidney knows the meaning of my wearing scarfs over the summer heat. But he also knows well not to bring anything up, especially with company around the house. "You must be famished." Is all he says.

I was famished, actually. "Yes… Very." I breathe, taking my usual seat at the table. I begin to serve myself some breakfast, followed by some coffee. The house is quiet today. Quieter than usual. "Audrey and Emma?" I ask Sidney.

Sidney looks around as if searching for any sign of them. "This is the first morning, I haven't heard a peep from either of them, ma'am."

The corner of my lip slightly tilts, "Perhaps they're still asleep. They did dance all night, after all." My own moment of dancing with Emma comes to mind.

Sidney smiles, "I do hope you enjoyed yourself last night."

"Clubs aren't exactly my thing, but…" I shrug a shoulder, holding the cup of coffee close to my lips, cradled in my hands. "It wasn't completely boring."

Sidney grins but says nothing.

My brow lifts, "What?"

"You had fun." Sidney states, seeing right through me. He could always see right through me.

I smirk but say nothing, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Good morning, mom," I catch Audrey entering the dining room out of the corner of my eye.

"Good morning, dear." I smile, taking another sip from my coffee before setting my cup down.

Audrey looks around as she asks, "Did dad leave early this morning?"

"Yes," I nod. "He's been behind a lot of work lately from what he tells me." That's a lie. Leopold never tells me anything.

"Have you seen Emma this morning?" Audrey asks, and I can sense an urgency to her voice.

"No, I haven't." My eyes train on Audrey and I immediately sense there's something off about her this morning. She looked as if she had been crying. I watch her sit along the table, and serve herself some breakfast. My eyes move to Sidney, who leaves the room immediately. I finally ask, "Audrey? Is everything alright? Did something happen between you and Emma that I should be aware of?"

"No," Audrey shakes her head, her chest deflating with a heavy sigh. "Yes- I don't know." Her shoulders slump. "We had soft of a fight last night."

"A fight?" I'm on alert now as I adjust in my seat. "How is that possible? When I saw you two last night, you were so happy together."

They looked more than happy. They looked in love.

"Yeah, well," Audrey chuckles as she takes her fork and pokes along her eggs. "I guess she wasn't that happy after all."

Dare I ask?

"What happened?" I do ask, hearing another deep sigh from Audrey.

"I wish I knew, mom, I really do." She chuckles once more. "I mean, there I am up in the bedroom looking at apartments for us, and the next thing I know, Emma is sitting me down asking me how well do I know dad. It was stupid."

What? I drop my fork along my plate, not even fidgeting to the loud clank against it. "She asked you that?" My eyes are wide. If Emma dared ask her that, what more could she have said to Audrey?

Why was Emma even speaking of this with her, when I specifically asked her not to! When I trusted her!

"Yeah," Audrey nods, taking a small bite of her eggs.

I wasn't sure what to feel. Was I angry? Yes. I was angry. But other than anger, I wasn't sure what to feel. Betrayed? If Emma dared to say this to Audrey, she might question her later regarding it. Things could get messier if it traveled to Leopold's ears. What would he say? What would he do?

What if Emma got hurt because of her stupidity of being unable to keep a damn secret between us?! My heart starts beating- aching- at the horrific thought of Leopold doing something to Emma.

"Mom," Audrey's voice interrupts my panicked thoughts. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

I swallow down the hard lump along my throat and put on my best smile, trying my best to hide my frustration and worry. "Of course, dear. What is it?"

"Has dad ever…" As Audrey takes a pause, I suspect she knows more than she's telling me. What did Emma say?! I almost want to run to find her myself and demand an explanation. "He would never hit you, would he?"

I am no longer hungry as my stomach ties itself in knots. I jerk, attempting to stand which ends with me knocking over my coffee along the table. "Ugh!" I reach for a napkin and focus on the puddle that quickly darkens before me, other than Audrey's question.

"Are you alright?" Audrey asks.

I chuckle as I shake my head, "Your mother is all thumbs today, dear. That's all." As I clean I am drawing in a few calm breaths, willing myself to calm down. "Why on earth would you ask me that question about your father, Audrey?" I am brave enough to ask, fainting cluelessness. Putting on my best act as I knew how to do by now.

"It's crazy, right?" Audrey shakes her head, and I am glad my question goes ignored. But at the same time I want to know. Then again, I know all I need to know. Audrey wouldn't be this unsettled had it not been because Emma mentioned something to her. "I mean, why would he ever mistreat you when I know he loves you."

I force a small smile and focus on my own question. "Did… Emma… Say something to you?" I stop breathing.

"No, of course not." Audrey shakes her head. "She just- I don't know- she just seemed so sure last night like something was going on between you and dad. But, that's crazy. Right?"

How could she do that? I draw in a calm breath that turns out to be just a little sharp. Luckily, Audrey is entirely oblivious toward my anger, let alone my behavior. "Don't be angry at her, dear." Once more, I put on my best act, masquerading my anger before my daughter. Because if anyone deserved to be angry here- it was me. "Maybe, it was a simple misunderstanding. You know how intimidating your father can come off sometimes." I chuckle for effect. "And maybe… Don't mention it to her father. He's stressed enough with work lately, you wouldn't want to upset him with silly things."

I could only hope Audrey would keep this between us. But I knew I was hoping for too much in the long run. Audrey was the apple to Leopold's eye. They told each other everything. Well… Almost everything.

As for me. I had to find Emma.


I searched for Emma all throughout the house, except for Leopold's office, because why on earth would she be in there? Audrey had gone out in search of Emma or to her friend's apartment- I forgot which, therefore I was able to storm across every end of the house in search of her myself. Turning up empty.

"Sidney," I ran into Sidney in the kitchen. "Have you seen Emma anywhere?"

"No, ma'am. But, I do believe Ms. Audrey once mentioned she likes to run in the mornings, perhaps she-"

"Went for a run. Right. Thank you." I don't allow him to finish. I know he is questioning my anger and why I was storming all throughout the house as if I was some other version of Leopold. I march across the foyer, reaching the double doors of the main entrance to the house. I pull with all my might and march directly outside. I wait.

My foot stomps along the graveled ground, my arms are dramatically crossed over my chest and I am fuming.

It doesn't take long for Emma to appear along the corner, running up along the driveway as she stops as soon as her feet touch the gravel. I march directly toward her, my heels scraping along the gravel. Emma is yanking her headphones off of her ears, and as she faces me, my hand lashes across the air and the entire inside of my palm and fingers smack her across the face. I feel a sting, but at the moment I don't care.

"The next time you want to go making accusations to my daughter, you better think about packing your bags and leaving this house, Ms. Swan." I snarl. My eyes glare right into Emma's wide green eyes.

I was as surprised as she was right now. I had never raised my hand in anger before and I never thought I would. My palm stung so much more as I thought about what I had just done. But it was too late to take it back. Yet my stomach turned on me as I witnessed Emma's cheek immediately redden before me.

"Except they aren't accusations." Emma states, a little too calmly for my liking.

Emma should be angry at me. Not that I wanted her to be, but I would understand if after this she never wanted to cross paths with me again. After all, I was no one to have struck her face the way I did. I became angrier and hated myself for it.

"You and I know that, Regina-" Emma bites back through her words, and I don't allow her to finish.

"Yes! You and I! Which means I thought I could trust you to keep my secrets. Remember? I keep your secrets from Audrey, you keep mine? Whatever happened to that, Emma? I thought you were my friend!" I am yelling at the top of my lungs now. I need to yell, to vent, to cry.

"I am your friend, Regina!" Emma finally shouts back at me.

"Are you?! Because I may not know much about the world like you so claim to, Ms. Swan, but I do know this- friends keep their words to one another."

"And I've kept mine." Said Emma.

"Not according to my daughter!" I am fuming, as I suspected so were my eyes as they glared furiously in Emma's direction. "She told me what you said last night."

"Regina-"

"And if she told me, what makes you think she won't run off to tell her father? What do you think will happen to me when he finds out, Emma?!" To me- to Emma herself.

"He's not going to do anything to you!" Emma didn't yell this time, but she most certainly fought me on this.

Emma most certainly had a fighting streak to her. A sharp edge that she kept under wraps, but right now I was too angry to truly admire it.

"How the hell do you know that? You don't know him like I do! Once Audrey opens her mouth to him, he'll-" This time, Emma interrupts me, but to my surprise, her voice remains calm.

"He won't do anything, because I will make sure that Audrey doesn't say anything to him." Her voice is so calm, it wounds me that I struck her. I was stupid for hitting her. And it didn't help that her eyes looked at me with kindness and not anger. "And I've told you, even if that means I have to sleep outside of your bedroom door-"

This again, I scoff and shake my head at Emma's chivalry antics, cutting right through her words. "Stop trying to act like a white in shining armor, Ms. Swan. Or some sort of super hero, because you aren't invincible to him. No one is. Can't you understand that?"

I watch Emma rake a hand across her hair, clearly in frustration- or anger- or both. Her jaw sets tightly so hard that I hear a faint click.

"And now with this I can see I can't trust you at all. I can't trust anyone. I thought I could trust you." My voice breaks and tears pool along the corners of my eyes.

"You can trust me, Regina." Emma sighs, her shoulders slump. I see her lips thin out into a frown. "Look, I'm… I'm sorry. Okay? I realize now it was a waste of time trying to get Audrey to see the truth that goes on here."

As sincere as Emma's voice sounds, because I can see she is truly sorry, I shake my head in anger. "You don't know what the hell goes on here, Emma."

"Yes, I do. I've lived it, remember?"

Our eyes lock, and this intense feeling takes over me that I can't quite explain. After the life I've lived, it was hard to imagine anyone else going through the same situation as mine. I almost had to remind myself that I wasn't the only one.

"Well, if you've lived through it- why betray the trust I had in you? Why couldn't you have kept quiet?" My lip quivers and Emma takes a giant step toward me. I almost flinch backward, especially when her hand reaches for me in a sudden, unforeseen manner. I gasp at not only her touch that is surprisingly gentle, but the way her entire hand cups my face. The way her thumb softly caresses my lower lip. My eyes can't look away from Emma's as I watch them observe- what? My own lips? My scar?

Her eyes were so gentle as they looked down at me, "Because…" Her voice is a soft whisper that turns my stomach upside down. Why did I feel this with Emma? What exactly was this with Emma? "A woman like you doesn't deserve a life like this. You deserve so much more. Can't you see that?"

What was happening? Why couldn't I look or move away? I'm frozen. My eyes are frozen onto Emma's. I am thankful once her hand moves from my cheek, even if I feel an empty hollow feeling settle upon it by the absence of her touch. But I am even more frightened by the fact that her fingers gently curl along my scarf that hangs along my neck, not at all shy to reveal the bruise there.

"You deserve to be with someone who doesn't mark you like a damn animal, thinking that you are his property when you aren't." Anger lingers in Emma's voice as well as her eyes.

Emma's proximity to me was incredibly close. Too close. Close enough that I could pick up a whiff of her scent of deodorant, and a bit of sweat. Sweat that glistened along her neck, her jaw, her reddened cheek. I can't blink. All I can think of at that moment is, how can anyone look this good after a morning run? I want to pull away from her, but I don't. I can't. Why can't I pull away?

I had to pull away.

"Don't pretend like you know me, Emma," I finally reach up, grabbing Emma's wrist and removing her hand away from my neck. Feeling the absence. For a moment, Emma made me forget all about my anger. But I can't forget. Not about this. "And I hope you do fix this mess you might've gotten us into, otherwise I don't think I can continue being your friend."

My eyes threaten to shed tears. I realize then and there, as I speak these words aloud, that I didn't want to stop being Emma's friend.

"Mom?" I turn, as does Emma- to the sound of Audrey's voice. We step back from one another, and I feel my heart sink to my feet. "What's going on?" She asks.

Emma looks as nervous as I feel then and there.

We look at each other in silence before turning back to Audrey. Unable to produce any words.