Intrigued

Chapter 6

Regina looked baffled at the blonde sitting beside her. For a second there, she thought Emma was joking, but the girl looked dead serious. She didn't want to make this a big deal, but this was huge.

"Start with something small, you said," Regina said and immediately wanted to slap herself. That was not an appropriate response. "Sorry, that was.. inconsiderate. I.. that's, was that the reason you regret your first time? Is your son the shit that came afterwards? How did that happen?"

"Do you want me to give you the talk? Well, I was naked and he was na.."

"You know what I mean," Regina interrupted. She didn't need the image of Emma having sex with someone else. "Where is he now? What happened?"

Emma exhaled softly and looked at the sky. Regina followed her example and looked at the stars as well. The sky was filled with them and they all sparkled brightly.

"I was sixteen when I gave birth, but I met Neal, the father, when I was fifteen. At that time, he was nineteen, I think. Maybe twenty. I was introduced to him at a party of someone from school. We both drank a little, maybe a little bit more than a little, and we just kissed and made out for a bit. He was older and he impressed me. Please don't judge, I was young, alone and naive."

"Honey, Emma, sweetheart," Regina said, "if there's anyone I'm judging here, it's fucking Neal for going after a fifteen year old. No offense to you, but that's just sick. I don't judge you one bit for this, truly. Don't worry."

Emma showed a grateful smile and nodded. "Anyway, we didn't go any further than that, that night. He totally respected that I wanted to wait for a bit. A bit turned out to be very short, because three days later, I snuck out of my home to meet him in the middle of the night. I'd thought about it and really felt like I was ready to have sex with him, but I wasn't taking the pill and Neal said sex wasn't nearly as enjoyable while wearing a condom. I know, I was dumb and naive. Especially, because I figured the chance I'd get pregnant was very low. It wasn't and I'd highly underestimated my fertility. I didn't have money for the morning after pill and I found out too late for an abortion. Not that I could've afforded that."

"What happened then?" Regina asked. She couldn't imagine what Emma had gone through and she'd developed a deep hate towards Neal. Emma didn't even seem to despise him that much, but impregnating a fifteen year old girl was just sickening.

"I already wasn't on very good terms with my foster family. I'd stolen their expensive bottles of alcohol and ignored curfew. When they found out I was pregnant, they kicked me out as soon as possible."

Emma looked at her and Regina could barely see it in the dark, but it was clear that Emma's eyes were glossy. "I gave birth to him, but social services took him away from me. They said I was far too immature to take care of him, which I probably was, but from the moment I first saw him, I loved him. I knew that if I'd been given the opportunity to raise him, along with supporting foster parents, everything would be better in life, because with him I'd finally created family. But those dreams were shortlived."

She chuckled softly, probably to hide her pain, and Regina noticed a tear escaping. She embraced Emma and pulled her warm body close to her own.

"I so hope he's adopted," Emma muttered. Her face was buried in Regina's neck and Regina could feel her soft lips against her skin. "If I put a child into this world and gave him the same life as I've suffered, I will never forgive myself. But I don't know. I don't know shit about him, because those fucking people who took him away from me won't tell me shit. I hope he's kept his name. Henry. It fit him," Emma ranted. Regina felt her lips move against her neck with every word she said.

Regina held Emma like this for a while. It felt secure to have her in her arms, knowing nothing could hurt her here. "What happened with Neal?" she softly asked.