Because I met you

10

TW: abuse. 🌊 when it starts and when safe

Regina laid in bed, wide awake. She could hear Emma breathing softly as she slept. Regina couldn't stop thinking about all the consequences there would be if she chose Emma or her job. 'If you choose Emma, chances are that people will find out and you'd lose your job,' she thought to herself. 'But if you choose your job, you won't have Emma... You like Emma. But what do you like more? Your job or Emma?' Regina tossed and turned in her bed as she came to a conclusion. 'I like Emma more... Besides I could easily get a new job, if I were to get fired. If I didn't choose Emma, I would never know what it would be like to be lo-liked by her.' Regina smiled at her thoughts, having finally come to a conclusion and falling asleep peacefully.

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"Emma!" she yelled. Emma flinched. "Get your ass down here NOW," her foster mom yelled again. Emma went down the stairs into the disgusting living room as fast as she could. There were clothes, broken jars with pieces of glass next to them and pans all over the floor. In the middle of the mess stood her foster mother, looking furious. "You little bitch!" she spat. "Danny broke up with me and it's all your fault! If you just did what he asked he wouldn't have left me!" "He tried to rape me!" Emma said. "I don't care! And don't you use that tone with me missy!" her foster mom yelled. She stepped furiously across the room, towards Emma. She slapped Emma across the face hard. "Ow!" Emma put her hand over her hurting face. Her foster mom balled her hand into a fist and hit Emma across the face with it several times, until Emma stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. She landed on her back right on a pan with sharp pieces sticking up. She cried out as the pieces stabbed her back. "Shut up! The neighbors will hear you!!" The foster mom kicked Emma in the stomach, crotch and hit her on her legs. "Stop! You're hurting me!" The foster mom stopped kicking her and looked at her with a glare that said murder. It went so quick, Emma didn't understand what had happened until she felt more squeezing around her throat. She gasped for air. "S-stop, please," she got out. In response, her foster mother only squeezed harder. "Stop-" Emma whispered, still gasping for air. She saw stars and started losing consciousness. "You are so pathetic," her foster mother spat. "I- I can't..."

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"I can't breathe!!" Emma bolted upright with a gasp. Tears were streaming down her face. She needed air, she needed to get out of the room. "Emma?" Regina asked groggily, being awoken by Emma. Emma had struggles with breathing and getting out of bed. "I- need to... air," she got out. "Emma stop, breathe with me," Regina said in an attempt to get Emma to stop hyperventilating. Emma didn't listen and finally got out of bed. She rushed out of the bedroom and ran downstairs. There, she couldn't breathe as well and ran outside, in Regina's backyard. She stopped and found she was finally able to take a few deep breaths so she could stop her hyperventilating. She sank down on her knees and cried. She was out of breath. Regina, who had followed her, stood in the opening of the door. "Emma?" she asked, "do you want me to come outside and sit next to you?" Emma shook her head. Regina kept on standing there, not knowing what to do. She shivered slightly, it was very cold outside. Emma  covered her face with her hands as she cried softly. 'This fucking nightmare always knows how to get me,' she thought. After a few minutes, her crying ceased and she stood up shakily, her legs weak. She turned towards the door and saw Regina standing there, looking at her with concern. "You okay?" she asked. Emma hesitated, then shook her head. "Oh honey," Regina said and opened her arms. Emma buried her head in Regina's shoulder as she let herself be hugged and sobbed. Regina stroked her hair softly with one hand and drew circles on her back with the other. They stood like that for a few minutes. Emma's sobbing ceased until she was only breathing unevenly. Regina placed a kiss on top of her head. Emma pulled out of the embrace and together they walked inside. Emma only noticed how cold she was when Regina pulled a blanket over her when they sat on the couch. Emma knew she wouldn't sleep anymore after this nightmare. "What's the time?" she whispered. "Nearly two thirty," Regina said softly. Emma sighed. "Great." "What is it?" Regina asked. "Because of this nightmare I won't sleep anymore," Emma answered. "How do you know that?" Regina asked. "I've had this one multiple times before, all those times I didn't sleep again." Regina sat more comfortably on the couch. "I'll stay awake with you," she said. Emma looked way too surprised for her liking. "You don't need to do that," she said softly. "I want to, you need someone now," Regina said. Emma smiled and hugged her. "Thank you," she whispered.