In The Depths Of Her Soul

Chapter Twenty

"Emma."

There's no time to hide the destruction evident on her face because those stern eyes are drawn to the swollen lip like a moth to a flame. Regina's mouth pops open to reveal her protest about Emma's living situation once again, but no words ever escape her perfectly painted lips. Subconsciously, Emma's tongue sweeps across the raised wound to confirm that the cut is still in fact there.

Regina takes a forceful step forward, causing Emma's hands to react instantly, pushing the door closed in her friend's face. She just can't do this right now with her. She doesn't need Regina berating her and making her feel worse than she already feels, but her friend is stubborn and challenges the door slam with her entire body. She plants her foot firmly across the threshold while her hip pops out and presses against the door.

"Emma, please," and it's a desperate whine, thick with unshed tears and Emma's body reacts immediately, slumping in defeat. Regina shoves her way inside and quickly shuts the door behind her.

"Regina please, you have to go. He can't find you here. He will be so upset and so ashamed if he knows that you know."

And as the words slip passed her lips, she hangs her head in shame and folds her arms protectively across her chest, shielding herself for the scolding that she knows is about to come. However, Regina gently places her index finger below her chin and guides her head back, so she can inspect the swollen lip. Emma's heart races from those enchanting brown eyes upon her but it's the good kind of racing heart. The one that makes her feel giddy inside, excited for what's to come and ready to take on whatever life has in store for her, nothing like what she has been experiencing in the last eighteen hours.

"What happened, Emma?"

Regina completely ignores the previous plea for her to leave before Jack comes home, but mostly, Emma just doesn't want her friend to see her like this. This isn't her. And she knows how weak she appears in this moment and she can't stand the thought of anyone pitying her, especially Regina.

"I'm fine. Seriously. It's not a big deal. It was an accident," she rambles off those incoherent, short phrases to protect herself from seeming so fragile.

"An accident." Regina releases her chin and crosses her arms over her chest, expressing she doesn't believe one damn word she is saying. Why should she? "Let me guess, you accidentally fell into the corner of your glass table again?" She bites out, her words dripping with sarcasm and Emma's body deflates in response because she just doesn't have the energy to lie to her only friend.

"Regina please, I need you to go home," she pathetically whines like a small child and flashes her most pathetic puppy dog eyes.

"Emma, I'm not leaving."

Regina abruptly storms off toward the kitchen without another word spoken, leaving Emma cluelessly behind. Green eyes fall closed as she takes a few steady breaths to calm her buzzing body down. Truthfully, all she wants right now is a nap. She wants to crawl beneath the covers and just escape to another land where none of this happened and she can maybe live in peace for a few hours.

Reluctantly, her tired feet pad across the floor to meet Regina in the kitchen. The woman is shutting the freezer when she enters and begins wrapping an ice pack in a paper towel. The way Regina tentatively approaches her, is like she's trying to capture a wild animal. She's cautious, gentle as she take a few steps closer in fear that Emma might take off running.

"Let me see."

"Regina, I said I'm-"

"Emma Swan, stop acting like a stubborn child. Let. Me. See," she enunciates and clicks her tongue for added affect. Emma blows out an exaggerated breath to express her disapproval, but she still tilts her head back, so Regina can inspect the horrific wound. She gently places the ice pack against the lip, provoking Emma to wince from the throbbing ache. "You need to keep this on, I swear it's already doubled in size since I stepped through that door," she sternly states as her eyes try to search for hers but Emma refuses to meet her gaze.