Shared Pain

Chapter 13

"Done for today already, Ems?" Ruby asked when she saw Emma grabbing her stuff to go home.

Emma looked at her friend and smiled slightly. "I'm allowed to visit Killian today. For one hour, but I'm going to use all those sixty minutes to yell at him," she stated casually as though it was the most normal thing in the world.

For the first time this week, Emma had gathered enough courage to face Killian. Regina had helped her organize her thoughts.

As Killian's shop was closed now, Regina had lost her job and had therefore all the time in the world to help Emma take care of the kids and be there for Emma.

She had helped Emma fall asleep ever since that first night. The blonde had slept in Regina's arms for a week now, twice waking up from a nightmare.

In the mornings, Regina helped dressing up Lola and preparing breakfast and even though Killian had tried to help raising the children more, Emma had never had such help from Killian as from Regina.

Regina had become her closest friends in the shortest amount of time.

"How are you doing?" Ruby kindly inquired. Emma walked over to the receptionist and shrugged with a sigh.

"I don't even know. Regina's helped me a lot lately with everything, so that's nice."

Ruby nodded and offered Emma a sincere smile. "She sounds nice. Perhaps I can meet her one day."

Emma nodded. "Sure, she'd like that. Anyway, I really gotta go now, good luck with work," she said and smiled before she turned around.

"Ems?" Emma peeked over her shoulder to meet Ruby's eyes. "You got this," she said encouraging and Emma smiled before she left the building.

She hurried to the police station which wasn't far from the spa and when she got inside she saw the same sheriffs that had come to her house, through the glass of the office door.

Apparently they saw her, because they opened the door and walked toward her with the most concerned look on their faces.

"We haven't properly met," one of them said. "My name's David, this is my work partner Graham, we're the sheriffs of Storybrooke."

Emma held up her hand to shake theirs and muttered her name softly. The look they held upon their faces, did not calm her the slightest.

"We don't have a proper jail cell, therefore Mr. Jones will be moved to Boston soon."

The blonde woman swallowed and nodded understanding. "How long is he in for?" She inquired.

David sighed and exchanged a look with Graham. "Well, the vandalism alone is a fine, mainly. He has to pay for all the damage he's made. So, his penalty in jail would have been over now. However, after running a background check and confronting him, we discovered that Mr. Jones was involved in the drugs scandal eighteen years ago on July eighteenth. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

Emma stiffened and her eyes doubled in size. "What?" She whispered, as though it was her last breath. "He was involved?"

"Back then only two guys were arrested, one killer and a stooge. However, apparently something's gone wrong in that case, because Mr. Jones confessed yesterday that he was the one that pulled the trigger."

Emma felt her knees becoming weak and searched for anything she could grasp. Her head was heavy and breathing became harder and harder.

"Mrs. Swan, keep calm. We aren't sure yet, we're now rechecking the entire case together with a precinct from Boston," David tried to soothe her and gestured Graham that he should get her some water. The man left while the other officer led her to a chair on the corridor.

"He killed Neal?" She asked, not really expecting an answer. "Why'd he confess? How can it be? I married a murderer?" Emma asked and she started to cry.

"Mrs. Swan, I don't think it's the best idea to face him now. Is there anyone I can call to stay here with you for a moment? Graham and I have to continue working on this case," David said and Emma nodded curtly before she grabbed her phone.

She dialed Regina's number and handed the phone to David as she didn't want to talk herself.

"Hi, it's Sheriff David here. I'm at the police station with Mrs. Swan and I wondered if..."

Emma saw that David got interrupted and he muttered a soft yes before he handed the phone back. "She's on her way," he said as he looked with pity in his eyes at Emma.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said it so bluntly."

Emma shook her head and wiped away her tears that kept rolling down her cheek.

"It's not your fault. It's Killian's. I can't believe I didn't know this."

She sniffed and suddenly she heard heels clicking. Emma looked up and saw Regina with the most concerned look approaching them.

She took place in the chair next to Emma and looked worried at her. "What happened?" She asked softly, but Emma couldn't say it yet. She still didn't believe that Killian had murdered her ex boyfriend.

"We'll give you two some time," Graham said after he had set down a glass of water.

When she heard the door of the sheriff's office close, Emma started crying even harder. She knew that there were two jail cells in that office, one of them with Killian inside.

Regina cupped Emma's cheek and wiped away her tears, but it was of no use as the tears kept coming. She just held Emma's face and tucked two strands of blonde hair behind her ears.

Emma inhaled deeply and pulled away from Regina's hands. She gazed in those beautiful brown orbs that showed nothing but concern.

"They, uh.." Emma cleared her throat and straightened her posture. "They told me Killian was involved in the drugs scandal eighteen years ago on July eighteenth."

Regina gasped and swallowed. "He was there when Neal died and he never told you?" She asked with a voice full of disbelief.

"That's not everything," Emma replied and kept quiet for a moment, thinking of the best way to tell Regina. "David, the sheriff, told me Killian confessed on pulling the trigger. They say he killed Neal."

Tears escaped her eyes again and Emma didn't know what to do anymore. She hated Killian. She absolutely hated him and she couldn't believe she'd been married to him for ten years.

Regina looked full of disbelief at Emma and swallowed thickly again before she grabbed Emma's hand. "We'll get through this," she muttered.

Emma looked up at the brunette and squeezed her hand softly. "Thank you, Regina. For being here with me and I know this is hard on you too," she said before she pulled Regina in a hug, seeking more of the brunette's touch. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Regina replied and felt a warm tear rolling down her cheek as she tightly held on to the woman. She buried her head in the blonde's neck as they both started sobbing.

If anyone could understand Emma, it was Regina and the other way around. Both women felt each other's pain and Emma didn't know what she'd done without the brunette.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Emma softly asked and she felt Regina shrug.

"I told you that, I care about you Emma and you're the only person that understands me," Regina responded and Emma sniffed.

She inhaled deeply and the sweet apple scent of Regina filled her nostrils and it calmed her. It made her feel safe and warm. She always felt that way in Regina's arms, as though nothing could hurt her anymore.

Emma pulled away from Regina and cupped the brunette's cheeks before she wiped away her tears, just as Regina had done earlier with her.

She cleared her throat and smiled comforting at Regina before she shifted in her seat.

"I'm going inside. Alone."