Helping Emma

Chapter 15

Regina walks outside with Bash and Franky. They take her to the edge of the farm where the forest starts. "Oh no. I wonder what happened here". They are all looking at a light brown dog, with her three little puppies and unfortunately they all seem to have died. "I have to call animal control". She takes out her phone and dials a few numbers. She tells the officer what they have found and they said that someone will be right out there to take a look. Emma notices Regina and the boys in the distance so she picks up the puppy and walks over to see what's going on. "Hey guys. What's up?"  "I'm sorry Emma, I think we may have found that puppy's mother". Emma looks down. "Oh no. What happened?"   "I don't know sweetheart. I just called animal control, they are on their way". Regina can see some tears forming in Emma's eyes. "Thank you guys. Why don't you go finish up and then go get cleaned for dinner". Regina says to Bash and Franky, and they walk away. "My love, I'm sorry you have to see this."  "Do you think they were attacked by a wild animal or something".  "I don't know sweetheart. There is some blood, but that could have been from the birth. Maybe there was some complications".  "Look at this puppy Regina, he looks at least a month old. How could he have survived a whole month all alone". She says as tears roll down her cheeks. "Oh my love". Regina gives her a kiss then notices two men in uniforms walking their way. "Sweetheart why don't you take the puppy up to the apartment and I'll come up when we are finished here".  "No it's ok. I'll stay. I want to know what happened".  "Someone here call animal control?"  "Yes that was me. I'm Regina Mills, and this is my girlfriend Emma Swan. A few of our workers found this poor mother and her puppies".  "And this I assume is also one of the puppies". One of the men says as he looks at the small dog Emma is holding. "I found him under the stairs about an hour ago". The guy nods then they start to take a look at the mother and the puppies. "Well I don't see any bite wounds or any other kinds or wounds, her death could have been from the birth. We will take her and do an examination, we will also examine the puppies. So we will need to take that one too to run some tests".  Regina looks at Emma. "The hell you will. This is my puppy".  "Emma please let these men do their jobs".  "They can do their job, but they are not taking him". Emma says as she holds the small dog tighter. Everything is quiet as the men put the dogs into their van and then come back for Emma's puppy. "I'm sorry, but we really need to take him. He needs to be looked at".  "Then I will take him to the vet. He's not going with you so you can just kill him because he's some runt of the litter. He's alive and I'm going to make sure he stays that way".  "Look. I need to take this dog. I'll call the Sheriffs office if I have to". Emma laughs. "Go ahead call them. I'm still the Sheriff of this town".  "Oh ya Swan, I thought that name sounded familiar. I read about you in the paper". Emma looks at Regina. "Officer, if we let the dog go with you and all the tests come back clean, can we take him back home here?"  Regina asks. "I don't see why that would be a problem, so sure. We should have the rest results in the morning".  "Emma sweetheart. We can get him back in the morning, so please let him go with these officers. Please my love".  "Regina I know what it feels like to be all alone with no one to care for you, I can't let that happen to him". Emma says crying. "My love he's not alone, he has us now. This will be his home, but he needs to be looked at to make sure he is ok". Emma looks down at the dog as he looks up to her and gives her a few licks on her chin. "You have to go now buddy, but only for a little while ok. I promise I'm coming to see you in the morning". The puppy licks he face again and she hands him to Regina, who hands him to the officers. "I want all his tests as soon as possible. I will pay extra if I need to. Also, he is not to be left in a cold cage alone. I want someone with him at all times. I will also pay for that as well. Do you understand me?"  The young man looks a little scared as he takes the dog from Regina. "Yes ma'am. I will take personal care of him myself. I will call you as soon as I get the results back. I promise".  "Good. Thank you for all of your help". The men leave and Regina wraps her arms around Emma. "He will be fine Emma. I know it". Emma nods and just cries on her shoulder. "Thank you for doing that Regina. I just don't feel right leaving him alone he has nothing now, and that sucks".  "I know sweetheart. Let's go to the apartment and try to relax a little ok?"  Emma nods and they walk up the stairs to the apartment. They both take a shower and Regina is so attentive to Emma. She knows she needs to be held and loved right now. She washes Emma's body then her hair. They get out of the shower, dry off and get into some comfortable clothes. They lay on the bed and Regina holds Emma tightly. "Sweetheart are you hungry? Neither one of us ate anything today".  Emma just shakes her head no. "My love, you need to eat something honey. How about I go make is a little plate and we can eat up her?"  Emma just shrugs. Regina gives Emma a kiss. "I love baby. Everything will be ok. I just know it". Emma nods again. "Im going to get us some food, I'll be right back". She gives Emma another kiss then gets up and walks downstairs. She feels so bad for her love right now, she knows how much Emma has been relating to the animals and to have this puppy taken from her must be hurting her so much. She walks into the kitchen and her mother is there making up plates of food for everyone. "Oh there you are dear. I haven't seen you all day, I was beginning to worry".   "Everything is fine mother. Emma and I are just tired. We are going to have dinner up in the apartment tonight".  "Again Regina? Your father and I are leaving in two days and we've barely seen you".   "I'm sorry mother. Emma and I are going though a few things right now. I need to be with her tonight. We can do something tomorrow ok?"  "Regina are you two having problems. I knew this girl was no good for you. Just cut her loose now before you get to close to each other. Cut your loses now dear, maybe you can marry a nice rich man like I've always wanted for you". This of course pisses Regina off. "Mother how dare you. I am I love with Emma and I have no doubt that she loves me and right now I don't care if you can't accept that, but don't you dare ever say anything like that to me again".  "My dear I only want what's best for you".  "Like hell you do, it's always been about money for you. You married daddy because he came from money and he owned this farm".  "Regina dear he still does own this farm, your name is just on the papers as a shareholder, just like Zelena is".  "Fine mother why don't you come back and live here and do all the work we do. I don't think I've ever seen you do anything around here besides spend daddy's money and treat Zelena and I like shit". Regina can tell her mother is getting very angry right now. "You will watch you mouth little girl or I'll". Regina interrupts her mother. "You'll what mother?  You'll kick me out of here. Fine do it. My whole life I've lived for this farm and all the animals, trying to what was best, none of that was good enough for you. Well I'm done mother. Emma and I we'll be out by the end of the week. Good luck taking care of the farm". Regina takes the two plates of food up to the apartment. Her and Emma eat in mostly silence. Regina is upset about her mother and Emma is worried about the puppy. After dinner they snuggle for a little bit on the loveseat watching some tv, then they decide to go to bed early. Unfortunately Regina can't sleep. Her and Emma need to find a place to live by the end of the week. She hopes that Emma still has her condo so at least they have a place to go. She can't believe how her mother talked to her earlier. Sometime during the long night she did end up falling asleep. Then her phone rang first thing in the morning and It was animal control. All of the puppy's tests came out fine and the puppy was cleared to come home. Regina told them that she would pick him up by noon. When Emma woke up Regina told her what the man said about the dog and that the mother died from complications from birth and the puppies were stillborn, all except the one Emma had. "Emma sweetheart, do you still have your condo?"  "Ya babe, why?"  "Well what do you think if we move out of here and into your condo?"  Emma is more than confused. "Why, do you not want me here anymore?"  "Oh no. Not at all my love. My mother and I had a business argument last night and I kinda quit. I told her she could work here and that we would be out by the end of the week".  "You argued with you mother, was it about me?"   "No my love I swear. It was about money. Everything with my mother is about money. We all know that's why she married daddy. She thought we were having problems so she said I should cut you loose and marry a rich man. I love you Emma and I want you. My mother doesn't know love, daddy was the only one who loved us and he worked so hard to make mother happy while she spent his money. I am done with her. If she wants to run this farm she can have at it. You and I will make a wonderful life for ourselves. We can take home our new puppy and live our happy loving lives together".  "Regina. You shouldn't have been fighting with your mother about me. I don't want to cause a strain in your family. I can't blame you if you just want to ask me to leave you. Yes I love you, but family should come first. They should always be there for you. I think that's what family means, I never had one so I wouldn't really know, but I hope that's what it means".  "Emma you are my family. I love you so much that I would give my own life for you. I gave up this farm. Doesn't that tell you something?"  "You really want me Regina?"  "Yes Emma. With all I am. I want you". They share a kiss and Regina pulls back with tears in her eyes and says. "This maybe to soon but I don't care. Emma will you marry me? I love you so much and I never ever want to be without you. Please make me the happiest woman in the world and marry me".   "Regina. Are you serious?"   "You better believe it my love. I want you for now and always".  Emma doesn't know what to say. She wants to say yes, so that's what she does. "Yes babe. Yes. I love you. I want you. I love you so much. I want to marry you". They have a passionate kiss. "Thank you sweetheart". They make love, and it feels so good to both of them. Then they fall back to a much needed sleep. Right around 11am Regina's phone starts ringing and it wakes them up. She's tired but she answered the phone. "Hello?"   "Regina. I'm not covering for you again. Get your ass up and get to work".  "Oh Zelena. Mother didn't tell you. I quit yesterday. The farm is hers now. Make sure she gets to work". She says and ends the call, then turns the power off and tosses it aside. "Everything ok babe?"  Emma asks. "Yes sweetheart. Zelena was wondering were I was. I told her I quit and to call mother. Now let's go back to sleep". They both let out a sigh and hold each other and fall right back to sleep.