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Regina stirred slowly from a sound sleep. Surely that couldn’t have been the doorbell at this ungodly hour. She rolled, trying to find that sweet spot to drift back to sleep when she heard the bell again. Her eyes flew open and glared daggers at the bright red numbers on the alarm clock. She let her head flop back down onto the pillow. Maybe if she ignored it long enough, whoever it was would go away. She had just begun to fall back asleep when it went off again. There had better be a damn good reason for this. She made her way out of her bedroom, pulling her arms through the sleeves of a silk robe. She had half a mind to send a fire ball through the front door to incinerate the fool that was brave enough to ring her bell at 3AM. As she descended the stairs, the bell rang again, this time accompanied with knocking.
“Someone better be dead, or so help me,” she yanked the door open and the rest of her threat died on her lips. Emma leaned against the door frame, her shoulder pressing just enough of the button to cause it to ring. “My god, are you alright?” Regina took in the sight of the blonde in front of her. Her usual loose flowing curls were thrown up into a bun. She had blood stains on her t-shirt, blood drying around her nose and the corner of her mouth. There was a cut and bruise forming on her cheek and what looked like fingers marking her neck. Emma wrapped her arms tighter around her midsection, her body swaying causing the doorbell to go off again.
“R’gina,” was all she said before all but collapsing, giving Regina no choice but to catch her before she landed face first into the foyer. Regina gently placed Emma’s arm over her shoulder, helping her into the house. Emma whimpered as Regina laid her down on the couch. “Didn’t know where else to go,” she said softly.
“You know you are always welcome here, Emma. What happened?” Regina brushed a couple loose tendrils of hair out of Emma’s eyes. She magicked a wet rag and a first aid kit onto the coffee table. Emma didn’t respond. Regina gently began to wipe the blood from around her mouth and nose. She worked in silence, letting Emma to her thoughts. She’d get her to talk eventually. When Emma’s face was clear of blood, Regina moved on to the first aid kit on the table. She searched for the antibiotic ointment to dab on the cut on her cheek. “This might sting a little bit,” Emma winced when the medicine touched her face. They sat in a comfortable silence, Regina waiting out whatever demons were running through Emma’s head.
“Henry?” Emma eventually broke the silence. She glanced toward the stairs.
“He spent the night at Nick’s, he’ll be home in the morning.”
“Good,” Emma nodded. “Kid deserves some fun. It’s been a rough couple of weeks.”
“He’s a good boy.”
“Because of you,” Emma said softly. “I’m glad he found his way to you, Regina. I’d never want him around this.” She waved a hand over herself, as if that explained everything.
“What happened?” Regina asked again. She knew already, but she waited for Emma to put it into words so she could decide between maiming or murdering the person responsible for her pain.
“What do you think happened, Regina? I pissed him off. Again.” The last time Emma found herself on Regina’s porch, she had been sporting a black eye and a couple broken ribs. She swore it was the last time, and then spent the next few weeks avoiding Regina, and in turn, Henry. Regina shifted from the coffee table in front of Emma to beside her on the couch. She cupped Emma’s face with her hand, her thumb brushing against bruised lips to silence the rant about to spill from Emma.
“There is nothing you could ever do to deserve this. This is not your fault.”
“I was a cop, ‘Gina. I’ve seen this shit all the time. I know better.”
“You were a cop, yes, but you’re just Emma now. Emma is in over her head, but it’s okay, because you’re going to stay right here and we’ll figure it out together.” Regina rubbed Emma’s back as the blonde broke and sobbed against her chest, making a mental note to pay the pirate a visit in the morning.