If it can be broken, it means it still works.
The words echo in her mind as the weight of their meaning freezes her. She can't do this, not here, not now.
~/~
Granny's is nearly empty when Emma takes her seat at the bar. It takes all of 30 seconds for Ruby to set down a hot chocolate with cinnamon in front of her.
"I'm going to need something a little stronger tonight." After the day she's had, nearly finding the wicked witch, instead finding out Rumpelstiltskin is still alive, David's courage has been stolen, and Hook. It was a lot. She sighed and took of a small sip of the whiskey Ruby had just brought over. It burned pleasantly.
Swirling the liquid, she mulled over the day's events, deliberating pushing away all thoughts of Hook. But everything kept leading back to him. He was always around it seemed and all thoughts somehow went back to him. He was always around because he was helping. He wanted to be here. Was it just for Emma? He had saved her. He brought her back to reality and her family and friends. New York was a dream, she'd thought it was a good one but Walsh didn't love her. Now Hook was making it perfectly clear how he felt. He didn't have to say it in so many words. She knew. But how could Emma give him any kind of piece of her when she wasn't hole right now. She was broken. She wouldn't allow herself to even think it anymore; she brushed those thoughts away, taking another sip of the whiskey.
Until that moment Emma paid no attention to her surroundings. The restaurant was empty and fairly quiet, allowing Emma to pick up on the song playing on the radio. Granny and Ruby must turn it on when it's late and empty to keep them company. This station was clearly Ruby's pick as the voice she recognized as Justin Timberlake sounded through. She wasn't really paying attention until the lines that kept repeating themselves seemed to get louder in her head.
So don't act like it's a bad thing to fall in love with me
'Cause you might look around and find all your dreams come true, with me.
Spend all your time and your money just to find out that my love was free.
So don't act like its bad thing to fall in love with him me.
That last line just kept getting stuck. She could hear it over and over again. It was like magic only she knew it was all in her head. What were the chances that this particular song would be playing after the day she'd had. Ever since she'd come back to Storybrook she'd hardly had a second to breathe let alone process what had happened the past year. The moment she does both, this song of all songs decided to get in her head and play tricks.
Nothing was normal about this town. Nothing had been normal about the past year in New York, as much as tried to convince herself otherwise. She longed to feel normal, happy and in love but none of it was real and deep down she had probably known that. And then Hook found her, the man she loved in this life – wait what? She clapped her hand to mouth, slowly looking around, as if she'd said the words out loud and someone might have heard her. But no one did. No one could see inside her head but herself. And it scared her. Walsh had broken her heart and she didn't think she could handle it again. Emma shook it off.
When someone cuts your heart open with a knife, and you're bleeding
Don't you know that I could be that guy to heal it over time?
And I won't stop until you believe it
'Cause baby you're worth it.
Oh god, this song was going to kill her. Yes, she thought, I get it. Hook's always been there. He came back for her twice! He found her and he did save her, from a loveless marriage, as he put it. It was all so overwhelming. She didn't want to deal with it.
So don't act like it's a bad thing to fall in love with me.
That was it; Emma stood up from the stool and threw a bill on the counter. If this song was going to play, endlessly, it seemed, she'd have to get out of here. The thoughts were breaking down her walls with every honey-like note of JT's voice and she knew it. She just knew it. Hook was the one. She knew it. And now she had to deal with it. Or hide. Whichever this night would allow.
The bell on the door rang. Emma's gaze snapped to the door. And just as this night was going, there he stood. Brushing the snow off his lapels before turned his attention on the bar and his gaze landed on her. Emma stood, gaping a little, as he made his way over without missing a beat. She heart hammered in her chest.
"Swan."