troubled teachers

Chapter 10

"You've gotten pretty good at lying then," Emma said, sitting back against the sofa cushions and levelling the woman before her with a steady gaze. "Regina, please tell me what's going on. I can help you if you need it. And if I've got it all wrong, then just tell me that too. Whatever it is, I'm here for you."

There was a long silence. Regina reached for the glass of water and drained it, her lungs burning as the cold water hit her throat once more. She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell Emma. She couldn't tell anyone what was happening to her. Robin's Regina wouldn't let her. And anyway, it wouldn't make a difference even if she did tell someone. Not against Robin. When she looked up, Emma was waiting patiently for her to speak, a determined but concerned look etched on her face. The real Regina pushed her way forwards again, strugglingly impossibly with Robin's Regina. Even the brunette didn't know who was going to win.

Regina took a deep breath and spoke at last.

"It wasn't his fault."

The real Regina. She had done it. She had, at last, overcome the oppressive strength of Robin's Regina and the walls began to crumble.

The sofa dipped beside her as Emma moved across, their fingers at once intertwined as Emma pulled Regina into her arms. She hadn't even realised she was crying until a huge sob wracked her body. Emma held her close, murmured soothing words in her ear and softly stroked her back as her chest heaved with shallow, ragged breaths and her tears fell.

When Regina at last pulled back, her eyes were red-rimmed and raw. Emma's cheeks were streaked with tears too but she wiped them away as she turned herself to fully face Regina on the sofa and taking both her hands in her own.

"Tell me."

The real Regina nodded and began.

"I met Robin when I was seventeen. He was friends with my first boyfriend, Daniel. They were in the year above but we all went to the same school, although neither of them were particularly academic. They stayed in our home town when I went to Cambridge but Daniel and I remained together all through my undergraduate degree. The summer I graduated, he told me how Robin and some of their mutual friends had started breaking and entering, targeting the wealthy and making off with whatever they could find. I was horrified but I loved Daniel so much and I just ... went along with it."

Emma squeezed her hands reassuringly when Regina faltered.

"I should have stopped them. I should have known it would end badly."

Regina paused again, her gaze focused on a blank spot on the opposite wall. Emma could practically hear her brain whirring, the memories and emotions flickering all over the beautiful face.

"What happened?" Emma pressed gently, seeing Regina getting lost in a world of regret and misery and wanting to steer her back to the story, back to the truth.

"A home invasion went wrong," Regina explained. "The home owners were meant to be away. Victimless crimes and all that. But for some reason the husband was there. And armed. The rest of the crew got away but Daniel ... he was killed. Robin phoned me and told me the next morning. I cried for a week. I had just returned to Cambridge to do my Masters and I didn't really know anyone. Robin came up to meet me. He was so sweet back then. He'd loved Daniel too and we both missed him terribly. I don't quite know how the relationship started but I guess the seed was sown then. As the months passed, Robin's visits to me became more and more frequent and soon we were involved. And I think we were happy together. It wasn't the same as it had been with Daniel but it was ok."