Boston: Twenty One years ago....
"We may have a potential family lined up for Regina," Miss Charlotte explains to Katie as they sit at the dining room table and discuss the foster children.
"That would be lovely, but what about Emma?" The redhead questions in concern for the little girl who has been in her care far too long now.
Miss Charlotte clears her throat and ever so slightly shakes her head. They are both well aware of the horrible track record the poor child has endured and neither one truly knows how to navigate through the unexplainable series of misfortunate events.
Miss Charlotte busies herself with reorganizing her files, regardless of the fact that she just rearranged everything in front of her. She pushes Tonya, Trevor and Charlie's folders to the side and focuses on the two remaining. Miss Charlotte peeks inside Emma's once more, but quickly snaps the file closed and redirects her attention to Regina's.
"How has Regina's progress been since her arrival?" The older woman questions as she grips her pen and prepares herself to record every specific detail, indefinitely ignoring the interrogation about Emma.
"Horrible. Both girls refuse to speak to anyone besides each other," Katie admits in defeat.
This is the first time ever she has not been able to open up a foster child and make them feel comfortable. Emma has been in Katie's care twice now. She understands the little girl's heartache and pain, she just wishes there was something she could do or say to help. In some sense she's relieved Regina came, because at least Emma is finally speaking to someone.
"Do they know of their past?" Miss Charlotte questions as her hand glides across the page, never once making eye contact with the other woman.
Miss Katie is already shaking her head in sorrow. "I've tried asking them if they have talked about it, but neither one responds. They both shake their heads and walk away. Two peas in a pod."
"Stubborn," Miss Charlotte confirms dismissively because truthfully she doesn't care for children. How this ended up her career she hasn't a clue.
The women's conversation is suddenly interrupted when Emma is scurrying by with Regina following closely behind. Katie notices a candy bar in Emma's hand, that she knows she doesn't keep in her home, but decides not to comment on the matter because something more important needs to be addressed.
"Emma, Regina," Katie's kind voice ceases the two little girl's footsteps. Emma shoves her candy bar into her back pocket and meets Katie's gaze with a stoic expression. "Girls can you two have a seat please. Miss Charlotte and I would like to speak to you."
Regina's big eyes double in size as she turns her attention to her new friend. She's fairly confident that at any moment her heart will beat right out of her chest from the fear of being caught. When she catches a glimpse of her partner in crime, she's as cool as a cucumber.
Emma slides into the seat across from Katie and folds her arms upon the wooden table. Regina follows suit and climbs into the chair next to her friend. She fiddles with her fingers below the table so nobody can detect how nervous she may be.
"Regina, lets begin with you," Katie softly speaks to the raven haired child, hoping she doesn't spook her. Regina doesn't bother meeting Katie's eyes, she cannot stand that this woman rejected her. "Sweetie, did your parents ever explain where you came from?"
Regina stiffens the slightest bit, but to the naked eye most would have missed the movement, except for one. Emma tilts her head toward her friend and rests her cheek upon her folded arms. She offers a small smile to Regina to help her relax, but Emma wouldn't dare show that smile to anyone else.
"Yes," Regina meekly replies, "I was adopted, my real parents left me on someone's doorstep."
Little sandy blonde eyes brows pinch together as Emma learns this new information about her friend.
This girl is just like me...
"That's right," Katie replies with a warm smile. "Emma was found," Miss Katie stops there knowing how much Emma hates hearing how she was abandoned on the side of the road. "So you see, you two have a lot in common. You were also both adopted and ended up back here."
Emma turns her head to face her foster parent. Her other cheek rests upon her arms as she glares at the woman.
"That's not something to be happy about," the blonde dryly replies earning a smirk from Miss Charlotte. The older woman always enjoyed Emma's sharp tongue.
"No, it's not honey," Katie acknowledges with a heavy heart, "but that is something you two both share in common. Maybe you can help each other feel better when the other is sad about it."
Regina eyes her friend carefully not knowing how to travel through this conversation any longer. She hates these two women with a fiery passion. Miss Charlotte, who still makes her nose curl from the awful stretch, refused to allow her in her own home. Miss Katie, pretends to care when she really doesn't, because in Regina's mind, if she was a good person she would adopt her and Emma and save them from their destined misery.
"Are we done?" Emma asks as she thinks about her chocolate melting in her back pocket.
"Sure Emma, you can head back upstairs. We need a moment with Regina." Their foster mom pats Emma's shoulder before the little girl scrambles upstairs. The redhead turns her attention to Regina who is awfully quiet.
The young girl thinks she's about to be scolded for stealing candy from the store, while Emma somehow escaped clean.
"Regina, tomorrow Miss Charlotte will be taking you to a center to meet with a potential family." She pauses and allows the information to seep into the little girl's mind. "We ask that you keep an open mind, but if you really, really don't like them, you tell us, okay?"
Regina only nods in return, still refusing these women to ever see the real her. They don't deserve her kindness, not after the way they have been so dismissive toward her.
"You may be dismissed," Miss Charlotte coldly responds, persuading Regina's little feet to tumble to the floor and follow Emma's path upstairs.
Regina barges into her shared room and closes the door behind her. Emma's head flicks up to discover Regina rushing to her bed. The little girl gasps for air from running the whole way, along with the fear of being adopted and having to leave her new friend behind.
"What happened," Emma asks as she fiddles with the loose strings of her blanket. "You didn't get blamed for the candy did you? Because I'll tell Miss Katie it was all my fault."
Regina smiles, grateful that her friend wouldn't allow her to take the wrap for something she didn't do. Her raven locks whip around her face as she climbs onto Emma's bed.
"Someone wants to adopt me. I have to meet them tomorrow."
Emma's nose crinkles in distaste. On one hand, she's happy that Regina might find a happy home. On the other hand, she's utterly jealous that her friend was chosen over her. Every time, every single time, another child is chosen and Emma is left behind.
"I'm happy for you, but I like you. I don't want you to leave," Emma finally confesses after a few minutes of silence.
"I don't want to leave either. You're my best friend."
Emma purses out her thin little lips and out of sheer kindness offers her blanket to Regina. The raven haired little girl doesn't hesitate. Over the last four months she likes to think of that blanket as hers too. She hugs the soft woven fabric close to her chest and cuddles into the fetal position. Emma mimics her friend, their knees touching as their eyes meet.
"I don't like people," Regina admits as her upper lip quivers.
"I do, but I know better than to trust them," Emma answers with a sad smile.
"Do you trust me?" Regina shyly questions hoping that maybe Emma would be the one that would never abandon her. Emma smiles from ear to ear and nods against the pillow they share. "Friends forever?"
"Forever."
And Emma meant that simple word, with all her heart.
~~~~~~~~
"Emma?"
"Hmmm," the blonde hums softly as she breaks away from her wandering thoughts. She turns her head toward her boyfriend just in time to meet his worried eyes.
"Are you alright? You've been awfully quiet the passed few hours," Neal brings to her attention with a concerned squeeze to her hand, hoping he can relax her enough to talk about what's on her mind.
Emma rests her head against the back of her seat and offers her best smile, even though to Neal, it's practically a frown. She sighs heavily expressing her conflicting heart and anguish about this mission.
"I'm alright, just thinking I suppose."
"We don't have to do this, we can turn around right now. I know some guys that we could pay to find her. We just recently fell into some money," he chuckles softly and brings Emma's hand to his lips. He softly kisses the back of her hand, desperately pleading for this journey not to continue.
"No, I have to." Emma shifts in her seat as the leather sticks to her slick thighs. The south was always unbearable this time of year and leather was not helping her situation. "Neal, you know I can't leave Regina. She was always there for me."
"I know," her boyfriend sighs with the deepest of regret.
They should have never settled down, Neal thinks to himself. He should have kept running with Emma by his side and never looked back. She would have been all for it, but him and his crazy ideas of a family ruined everything.
"Do you think August is tired yet?" Emma inquires forcing Neal back to his reality.
"Nah, he's always up late and partying. I'm sure he's fine. He will tell us when he's tired of driving."
The tiny car falls silent as boyfriend and girlfriend wallow in self pity. They both have too much consuming their minds to hold a steady conversation between the two of them. Finally, Emma's thoughts become too much and she blurts through the deafening silence.
"Fuck Neal," Emma groans and rubs her face furiously. "What if she doesn't want to see me?"
"Baby, why would you even ask that?" Neal finds Emma's jittery hand and clasps his hand over hers for comfort. "The last time you saw her was when you were sixteen. It wasn't your fault or hers that she was taken away to Maine."
Emma inhales sharply and slowly releases a ragged breath. A sinking feeling in her gut forces her knees to pull toward her chest like a magnet. She recoils knowing the truth. He doesn't know. He's oblivious. Emma wasn't sixteen. That's not why they are apart.
Emma's slowly reaching her way toward a panic attack. Her lungs are constricting. No air is sufficiently flowing. Her heart is hammering erratically. Her jaw clenches as she attempts to keep her secret hidden for a lifetime.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Memories that haunt her dreams flash before her. That malicious smirk formed by the most plump lips as she stalked her way toward Emma. That warm sexy body pressing her against the cool metal of that old Camaro. Velvety tongue. Clothes being ripped away. Heaving chests. Nails clawing. Teeth biting. Lips discovering. Wild screams.
"Emma!" His voice vibrates through the tiny bug and rips apart her flashing thoughts.
"Wha-" she can't even formulate one single word as she gasps hopelessly for air.
"Breathe!" The panic is evident in his voice as he tries to keep his focus on the road ahead while calming his hysterical girlfriend. He squeezes her hand trying to calm her erratic breathing. "In and out Em!"
Emma follows his instructions, breathing in and out. Her heart is about to explode provoking her knees to pull further into her chest, like maybe this will help keep the organ within her chest. The blonde folds her arms over her knees and rests her forehead against her arms, taking slow and steady breathes.
What the hell did I get myself into....