Because I met you

15

Emma got up at six am, after laying awake for nearly five hours. She made herself breakfast and ate it. She was the only one up, Mary and David were off work today and slept in. When Emma was done eating her breakfast, she continued studying for her exams. She had started a few weeks ago and felt pretty good about it already. She studied her maths and was solving a problem when Mary walked into the room. "Good morning," she greeted her daughter. "Morning," Emma said. "What's the time?" Mary looked at her watch. "Nearly 9:30." She walked into the kitchen to make herself and David, who still had to get out of bed, some scrambled eggs.

~

Emma sighed. She was tired, having slept for only about three hours and having studied for 8 hours - with breaks though. 'Finish this page, then we're gonna put the book away for a good hour,' she thought. Emma was on the middle of the page, when she heard a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw Regina standing there. She smiled and let her in, kissing her when the door closed. "Hi ducky," Regina greeted her when they pulled away. "Hey," Emma said tiredly. "Are you tired?" Regina asked as she took off her coat. Emma nodded. "How come?" Regina led Emma to the couch and they sat down. "I woke up from a nightmare around 1 am and couldn't sleep anymore," Emma explained. "Oh sweetie I'm sorry," Regina said, "do you want to lay down with me for a while?" Emma scratched her neck. "Only if you really don't mind." "I don't," Regina said. "Wait! Don't you want anything to drink or...?" Emma asked. "No thank you, now come lay down with me," Regina said as she put her shoes away. She took a blanket and led down on the couch. "Come," she gently said as she patted the space in front of her. Emma smiled and led down as well. Regina put the blanket over them and put her arm around Emma. "How was your day so far?" Emma mumbled. "It was good," Regina began softly, "I slept in and woke up around nine. I made avocado toast for breakfast and ate it outside, the sun in my face." "That sounds lovely," Emma whispered as her eyes slowly closed. "It was. After breakfast, I took a shower and got dressed before I went down and checked some assignments another class had made," Regina said. She looked down at Emma and saw her fast asleep. She smiled and softly kissed her head. She looked up again as she heard someone cough softly. "Hi," Mary said. "Hello," Regina whispered. "Is she asleep?" Mary asked. Regina nodded. "That's good. I heard her coming down at six this morning. At one I heard her screaming again. I don't think she slept anymore after," Mary said. "She didn't," Regina said. Mary frowned slightly. "Can I get you something to drink?" "Just some tea, please."

TW: abuse, locking in small space and hurtful words. 🌊 when safe. It will be briefly talked about, so 🧸 when the talking about it is done

"Emma!" Emma flinched. "Come down! Right now!!" her foster mother, Amber, called loudly. Emma rushed down the stairs. "Yes?" she quietly asked. Amber slapped her hard across the face. Emma pursed her lips and firmly closed her eyes, knowing it was best not to show that she was in pain. "You pathetic bitch! You can't do anything right! Your parents were right to give you up! You are good for nothing!" Amber spat as she kept on hitting Emma. "I'm sorry," Emma whispered as tears escaped her eyes. "You fucked up dinner again!" Slap. "You." Slap. "Are." Slap. "So." Slap. "Fucking." Slap. "Stupid!" Slap. "Stop," Emma cried softly. "Oh you want me to stop now? I give you food, a bed and a house and it's still not enough? You are so ungrateful! Harold!" Amber called her husband. Harold came into the room. "No I'm sorry," Emma cried, "I won't ever be ungrateful again!" Harold looked angrily at her and barged across the room towards her. He grabbed her harshly by her arms and pushed her roughly against the wall. Emma cried out. The bruises and wounds from the other days weren't healed yet. He pushed and pushed and pushed as Emma cried. "Ow! Stop!" He made a fist from his hand and hit her in the stomach, on her face and on her arms. He had let her go and Emma used her arms as a shield above her head as she sank to the floor. He kicked her. "Ow! Please stop!" "You don't get to tell me what to do you little bitch!!" He pulled her up by her hair. He dragged her with him and walked towards a very small room, a person couldn't stand in there. "No!" Emma cried, having experienced this a couple of times already. Harold opened the door and threw her inside. She smacked against the small wall and Harold threw the door closed. He locked it as she begged him to let her out. "No!" she screamed. "Let me out!"