Shared Pain

Chapter 12

Emma stared blankly at the ceiling. She didn't know what she felt. This day had been a roller coaster of emotions and she couldn't handle them anymore.

She didn't want to cry, she didn't want to laugh, she just wanted to be held.

She wanted someone to tell her that everything was going to be alright. She wanted someone to calm her, to reassure that things will happen the way they're supposed to and that everything would work out in the end.

But she didn't have anyone. She wasn't going to wake her kids, or anyone for that matter.

It was moments like these that she wished she had a partner she could rely on. A partner she could trust and who trusted her.

Although, if she'd had such a partner, she wouldn't feel like shit in the first place.

Emma grabbed her phone from the nightstand and the screen flickered in the darkness, showing her that it was four a.m. and the still unopened message from Regina.

She stared at the message. You can call me anytime. Always.

Even though Regina had told her that several times and texted it, she wondered whether the brunette actually meant it.

She only knew Regina for a month and she didn't know anything about her. Yet, she did trust Regina. She did feel comfortable around her.

Emma unlocked her phone and dialed Regina's number, one she knew by heart. She was fairly certain that the brunette wouldn't answer and frankly, she couldn't blame her.

Yet, she didn't have to wait too long before she heard the brunette's sleepy voice through her phone. Emma swallowed and when she heard Regina greet her, she almost started crying again.

"Emma?" Regina asked and she sounded concerned.

"I can't sleep," Emma muttered. "Sorry, I shouldn't have called. There's no emergency," Emma said and hung up the phone.

She sighed and groaned frustrated as she spread her arms. The bed was empty. Too empty.

If Killian hadn't been arrested, he would have been home already and she'd be fast asleep. Yet he had to get his stupid ass in jail.

She groaned again when she saw her screen lighting up. Regina had sent her another message.

"I'm at your house," Emma read out loud and looked confused at her screen before she slipped out of bed and hurried downstairs as softly as possible.

She opened her front door and looked at Regina, who hadn't even taken the time to change out of her pajamas.

"I said I'd be here for you and I am here, Emma."

"Why are you doing this?" Emma asked with genuine curiosity. Regina had no reason to help her.

"Because I care about you, Emma. There, I've said it. I care about you and I want you to be safe," she replied and stepped inside without the permission.

"Maybe you don't want to hear this right now, but when Neal passed away, I felt horrible. The whole situation was nothing but horrible and the only thing I wanted was to be held. All I wanted was for everything to be alright and even though the situations are completely different, I figured perhaps you'd like some company as well."

Emma swallowed thickly and nodded curtly. How did Regina know exactly what she wanted? It was as though the brunette had read her mind.

Regina grabbed her hand and without saying anything anymore, she pulled Emma upstairs to her bedroom.

She led Emma to her bed and lay her down. Emma was weak as a doll and let Regina take care of her. As soon as her head touched the pillow, she closed her eyes.

Regina sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Emma's hair while she hummed the same melody as she'd done earlier that day.

"Could you.. lay down next to me?" Emma inquired softly and Regina nodded before she stood up and joined the empty spot next to Emma.

Emma turned and green eyes met with brown ones. Regina moved closer to Emma and wrapped her arm around her waist.

"Everything will be alright," she whispered. "No matter what you do, things will work out the way they're supposed to. I'm going to be by your side no matter what choice you make," Regina vowed and Emma moved closer to Regina, needing more of her warmth and calmness.

The blonde closed her eyes and leaned with her forehead against Regina's. "I don't know anything about you," she muttered and inhaled deeply. She felt safe in Regina's arms. "How did you meet Neal?"

"You sure you want to talk about that?" Regina inquired carefully and Emma nodded.

"Mhm," she hummed confirming and Regina felt her relaxing under her grasp.

She cleared her throat and kept her eyes open to study the blonde's face. Emma looked tired, but peaceful. It was clear she needed some sleep.

Luckily, tomorrow was a Sunday and she didn't have to work on Sunday, Regina knew that.

"Well, you were nineteen when I met Neal, I was twenty."

"You're thirty eight?" Emma interrupted full of disbelief in her voice.

Regina chuckled softly. "Well, yes. What did you think?"

"I don't know, you look young," Emma said and Regina could hear in her voice that she was about to fall asleep.

"I honestly feel ashamed for telling this story, because he started texting me on a dating app."

A soft chuckle erupted from Emma's throat, but she was too exhausted to respond with words.

"We started texting and eventually we met up. Even though I lived in Boston which is like three hours from Storybrooke. We slept together a couple of times and after the first time we met, we only texted each other for new dates to meet up. I knew nothing about him. You know the story from then on, I suppose."

Emma hummed something and moved closer to Regina. "Tell me more about yourself," she muttered softly with a sleepy voice.

Regina couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, I, uh, I have a half sister named Zelena. My parents are named Cora and Henry, same as your son, that's funny. And, uh, I got a PhD in history, but I got info fashion. I've worked in some small shops, but before I moved to Storybrooke I worked at Ralph Lauren's. However, I got tired of Boston and wanted to live somewhere a bit calmer, thus I moved to Storybrooke."

Regina stopped talking when she heard Emma softly snore. She pulled the blanket higher up, covering the woman completely and smiled before she wiped some hairs out of Emma's face.

She had her arms securely wrapped around Emma and hoped that she was giving Emma enough comfort.

The need to help and protect this woman grew stronger with the second and she tightly held onto her.

"Goodnight, Emma," she whispered and smiled softly before she too, closed her eyes.