The wrong swan

44

It's later that evening, Regina and Emma were cooking in the kitchen. Actually, Regina was cooking and Emma was holding a knife to look like she was helping.

"I'm home, are you decent" Steph called out, closing the front door behind her.

"Yes, we're in the kitchen" Regina replied with a giggle, knowing they will never hear the end of this.

"Hey" Steph said with a smile, looking in quickly to wave. Emma noticed something different about her daughter's appearance. "I'm just running up stairs to shower before dinner"

"Hang on, come here" Emma quickly said, putting the knife down to step closer.

Stephanie looked confused but walked back into the room. Emma just looked at her, studying her daughter. Stephanie was now more puzzled by the actions, looking to the brunette for an answer.

"Ma, what's mum doing"

"Examining you" Regina said with a laugh, knowing the blonde's detective skills are in motion.

"What" Steph quickly asked, the look of fear in her eyes as this has happened before.

Emma looked at ever detail of her daughter's appearance, picking out the few things that didn't seem right. She then looked into her daughter's eyes and saw she was nervous. Both knew Emma figured it out.

"Steph, where have you been" Emma simply asked, giving the girl the chance to own up.

"A friend's house" Stephanie quickly replied, trying to play as if she didn't understand the woman.

"And what were you doing" Emma asked, her serious mum face coming out on show. Steph just frowned as if she was confused, worried about her secret getting out. "Your top is on backwards, your hair is a little messy, your pink lipstick has been wiped off but there is some red lipstick behind your ear and a little on your thigh"

"I-" Steph tried to say but unable to get any words out due to shock.

"You had sex, didn't you" Emma asked with a small smirk, already knowing the answer.

"You did WHAT" Regina asked in shock, dropping her knife as she looked up. "You are 15, what are you doing having sex? You could get an STD or, god forbid, pregnant"

"It's fine, the lipstick shows it was a girl" Emma said with a chuckle, glancing over her shoulder.

"She still had sex, what were you doing having sex" Regina asked in her stern mother tone, feeling her protective side coming out.

"Wait, that's the part you have a problem with? Not the fact it was with a girl and that I didn't tell you" Steph softly questioned, feeling somewhat relived by this realisation.

"Why did you think we'd have a problem with you liking girls" Emma asked, stepping a little closer as she locked eyes with her daughter.

"I don't know, it's just... Everyone in my school makes comments about how I'm probably gay and caught it from you two or I must be a lesbian because I think being with a girl is the norm" Steph awkwardly explained, looking down as if she was nervous about this.

Emma let her jaw drop a little at the words, not expecting that. She glanced over to see Regina had the same expression. The brunette walked around the island and over to her daughter, brushing past her wife. She lifted Steph's head up a little to look into her eyes.

"Don't ever listen to people who say that, ok? Just because me and your mum are both women, doesn't mean you 'caught' this from us. You are who you are and there is nothing to be ashamed about. If people want to make comments, that's their time wasted, not yours. Don't ever, ever, let people like that make you feel uncomfortable about who you are. You are my baby and nothing about your sexuality or gender will ever change that, do you hear me" Regina said in her soft and calm mother voice, holding the love for her daughter in her eyes.

"What if people make comments or I loose my popularity because of this? I'm the most popular girl in school and I still get sly remarks about having gay parents. I don't want this, mum, I don't want to be gay, my school is too horrible for that" Steph questioned in a cracked voice, tears fighting to come out but being held back.

"Oh, baby, come here" Regina said, stepping closer and pulling her daughter into her arms. Her heart broke as she heard her daughter cry on her shoulder. Emma watched with heart ache, knowing not to overwhelm her daughter by stepping in. "Don't say you don't want to be gay because of other people, don't ever say that. I know how hard and scary it is to accept who you are but it's something you can never change; you can't stop because you don't want it. You can't fight it because the longer you do, the hard will be for you"

"But what if people don't like it"

"It doesn't matter what others th-"

"Yes it does! To me, it matters!" Steph huffed, pulling from her mother's arms and moving backwards. "I've gone my whole school life as the popular girl and caring what people think about me. That's how school works! If you are different, you will get bullied and put down for it"

"Steph, calm down and let us talk" Emma softly said, knowing now is the time to step it.

"No, I don't want to talk! I don't want this life, I can't be different" Steph snapped in anger, sobbing as she gripped her hair due to stress.

Emma stepped closer and put her arms around Steph, being pushed away instantly. Emma kept fighting her daughter's arms until she finally hand them around her. Steph clung to her mother as she cried on her chest, letting all the pain she had built inside her. Regina stepped closer and hugged her daughter the other side, kissing her head softly to help sooth her.

"It's going to be ok, kid, I promise. I know a 15 year old girls main focus is being the same as everyone else but a being gay doesn't make you different" Emma softly said, holding her daughter close to her body.

"Your mum and I went through a lot but we learnt who we are and who our real friends were, we learnt who to keep in our lives" Regina added, stepping back to look at her daughter's face. Steph looked up and wiped some of the tears, still crying in fear. "You don't have to tell anyone until you are ready, it's at your pace. If they want to leave, let them. It's going to be hard but if they love you, you'll know. Don't rush, you're only 15... Never wish to be anyone but you because we love you no matter what"

"I love you too" Steph said in a cracked voice, resting her head back on her blonde mother's chest.

Regina hugged them and held both of them close; she knew her daughter's pain. Emma kissed her head softly before repeating the action to her wife, showing her love. Stephanie smiled the smallest bit as she saw her mother's action, seeing that the end goal is worth it. They stayed like this for a while until Steph finally calmed down.