Is It Too Late? - Swan Queen AU

Chapter 16

A/N:

Hey, guys. I have an update, finally! I am so sorry I have been slacking. I have school, sports, and work all day so I have little time. Hopefully, I can make it up to you. Warning, this chapter is a rollercoaster. I hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think. :)

Thank you,

lyn. x

WARNING: There is a scene of abuse at the end of this chapter. I put a little bold heading before it so beware.

"Regina, love, which nurse did you speak with after Henry was born?" The two sat curled up with one another in the hammock in Emma's back yard while Henry was off at his friends house for the weekend. Regina decided to stop by on the Saturday afternoon to relax with the blonde woman who had she had been spending far too much time with. Emma had her left arm beneath Regina's head and the brunette's body was pressed close to Emma's side. Off and on they had talked over the last few hours, and it felt intoxicating to spend so much time with the other woman.

"Oh, Uhm... her name was Ella, why?" The woman at Emma's side stiffened at the question, but the soothing fingers the blonde ran through dark locks eased the muscles once more.

"I-I've run out of my medicine... I, Uhm, don't feel comfortable with Leopold finding out which medications I'm on. I know he could easily look, but as of right now he has no reason to check. If I were to reach out to Dr. Whale, the doctor could easily tell the mayor to get on his good side."

Regina's hand reached over Emma's abdomen and pulled her closer. Once perfectly manicured nails, but now nibbled stubs were revealed on the woman's fingers, but the blonde decided to inquire about that later.

"Is the medication from the war?" She asked it tentatively, but her eyes flickered up to meet green pools.

A long sigh slipped from thin pink lips, but Emma smiled shyly before turning her eyes to the hundreds of leaves above them. "Yes. I suffer from PTSD, I have phantom pains in my shoulders, sometimes I have these... episodes, and all the other things that come along with being tortured for what felt like years."

The silence that followed encouraged the blonde to continue in her words, "when I first joined, I was just looking for anything to take away the pain, so I threw myself into working out and becoming the best. I graduated the top of my class, easily. After I made it to AIT, I pushed myself even harder. I was terrified of failing. So, after I finished job training, I went into active duty. I was promoted quickly. I served in various places. The worst was Iraq. In one single ambush, I lost 5 men, and in another I lost 2 more. It was devastating. Some of the images will never leave my head, and that's what my medication can help with. I also have sleeping medicine that I'm supposed to take. Key word supposed." She looked down at the woman lying on her chest and took a sharp intake of breath.

Regina was looking up at her with so much love and caring, it caused a lump to form in Emma's throat - there was no pity in those brown eyes. "But the absolute worst thing I ever had to do..."

Emma's Camp - Iraq

"Thompson and I have first watch, boys. Turn in." Emma spoke in a hard, but smiling tone.

"Aye, aye, Captain." Jones spoke, and all the men walked inside their camp for the night.

Emma and Thompson stood outside the camp, walking back and forth, keeping their eyes and ears alert. A soft crunch of rocks beneath a shoe caused Emma to raise her gun and aim it out in front of her. They were in a small run down town, sleeping inside a building because they were separated from the others. A small boy, no older than 9, walked from behind a building, his hair shaggy and black, his shirt tattered and dirt covered, and his frail arms stretched out wide. Within one hand held a grenade, the pin pulled and all left to be done was for him to release it.