Because I met you

11

It was a few days later, when Emma's phone rang once again. She picked it up. "Hey Mary, how are you guys?" she asked. "Oh Emma," Mary cried, "James is gone." "Shit Mary I'm so sorry," Emma said. "David is devastated," Mary continued. "I'm so so sorry Mary. Is David okay though?" "He will be," Mary said. "Is Regina there?" "Yes, I'll go get her," Emma said as she walked up the stairs into the bedroom. "Regina, Mary wants to speak with you," she said. "Oh, come here," Regina said as she held her hand out for the phone. Emma placed it in her open hand. "Hello?.... Oh Mary, I'm so sorry.... Yes, that's fine by me.... I'll ask her," she said. "Emma, Mary and David don't know when they'll be back, but they think that when they're back they will need some time for themselves, is it okay if you stay with me until then?" she asked. Emma frowned slightly and looked a bit hurt, but nodded. "She's fine with that. I hope you're okay soon," Regina said as she ended the call. 'Time for themselves? Sounds a lot like they can't handle me there. Am I really that annoying? Am I really that loud or hard to handle?' Emma thought. 'Well, I've been told that my entire life, I wouldn't be surprised if I am.' "Emma? Emma!" Regina said, trying to catch the blonde's attention. Emma's head snapped up and Regina frowned at the sight of tears on her cheek. "Ducky what's wrong?" she asked. Emma sighed. "They need some time for themselves? Okay I get that something horrible just happened but it sounds a lot like they can't handle me there. Like I'm annoying, loud, too hard to handle," she whispered as more tears rolled down her cheek. "Oh honey," Regina said as she opened her arms. Emma let herself be embraced. Regina understood why Emma thought like this. "My... my whole life I've been told that I'm annoying, too hard to handle. That I was right to be given up. That there was no hope for me. I believed that, especially the no hope part. Especially when... nevermind," Emma whispered, scared that she'd given something big of her childhood away. Regina frowned and pulled out of the embrace. "Especially when what ducky?" Emma looked down. "Emma?" Emma sighed. "I'll tell you, but not now. It... I've never told anyone this, I need to..." she didn't have the guts to finish her sentence, scared that she would hurt Regina's feelings. But Regina understood. "To trust me," she finished her sentence. "Yeah," Emma whispered, "does that... hurt your... feelings or anything?" "Of course not ducky, I understand that. I need to trust you too," Regina assured. Emma sighed in relief. "Thank you. I'll do my best to earn your trust Gina." "I'll do the same. Now, I know why you think like Mary and David can't handle you, but I've known them long enough to understand that that is not the reason. They simply want some time for themselves so that they won't hurt people that are close to them with their emotions. When David is upset, he tends to yell at people and when Mary is upset she can say some hurtful words she doesn't mean. They only want to protect you from that, they love you," Regina said. "I... guess that makes sense. Thanks Gina," Emma said. "You're welcome. Now, I'm going to make dinner. Do you want to help?" Regina asked. Emma thought about it for a moment. "Okay, as long as I don't have to cut tomatoes. I can cut cucumber, peppers, anything really. Just... no tomatoes," Emma said, thinking about the time when she was six where her foster mother cut her fingers while cutting tomatoes. She knew she would get flashbacks and get a panick attack then. "Why?" Regina asked. Emma blushed. "Ummm I... ummm... I... don't... like cutting them?" she more asked than said. Regina raised an eyebrow but said "okay" anyway. Obviously Emma was lying, but she trusted that she had a good reason to do so.

~

"That was delicious," Emma said after they finished eating their dinner. "It was, you were a great help," Regina said. Emma smiled. "Sooo... what would you like to do now?" Regina narrowed her eyes slightly in thought. "We could... play a game or watch a movie, or do something totally different." "Movie sounds good," Emma said, "which one do you want to see?" "Raya and the last dragon?" Emma raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise. "Never took you as an animation fan," she said. Regina chuckled. "Surprise," she smiled. "But yeah, sure, let's watch that movie. I've seen the trailer, so I kind of know what it's about," Emma said. "I've watched it already, it's such a fun movie! Come on!" Regina exclaimed as she dragged the blonde with her to the couch.