"Emma, hurry up, the portal, it is going to close!" Called Snow. There was a tunnel of green around her, wailing in horror. Her words were drowned out by this torrent that sparkled like a million stars.
For a split second she was back in 8th grade.
"Nebulas." Croaked Emma's science teacher named Ms. Norris, an old widowed woman that belonged in a retirement home. "Anyone know of them?"
No one answered.
"No one?" She asked, the high-pitched screech in her old, shattered voice ear deafening.
The looks on the kid's faces were pure boredom. Several were drifting off to sleep. Emma just blinked, no respect for the old witch. But of course, as if reading her mind, she turned to her. "Ms. Swan?"
Her head bobbed up and she sighed, "I don't know." She mumbled.
"What?" She croaked, nearly deaf.
"I don't know Ms. Norris." Emma said louder. Her eyes rolled. She could seriously care less about the old witch.
"Well, a Nebula is a space cloud, the dust of hydrogen, helium …" She yawned as the old lady went on and on about space crap and the forming of stars and planets.
After what seemed like an eternity the woman pressed a button on the projector, slapping some dingy picture onto the glowing board. Several of the class awed at the sight of what they saw, others just looked with interest; but all of them were alert.
It was the picture of a tunnel of black, surrounded by greens and purples. Stars sparkled white in the distance and nothing could look more serine. She showed the class many forms of a nebula and in time they lost interest and continued to daydream. But the picture never left Emma's mind. Even in her age she sought the familiarity of that old expanse that shined so pretty on such a dingy and dirty projector.
She was so consumed in this memory that she didn't notice that Hook had gotten a hold of her ankle before it was too late.
She screamed an empty scream and eyed him with hostility. But he only smirked, "not getting away Princess."
Shaking her leg didn't seem to throw him so she curled her body until her face was near his arm. Taking both hands she pushed at his face, but the grip only tightened. As a last minute resort her teeth fell onto his arm until she could taste blood and feel the wither of his arm in agony. He let go then and she made her way up, feet scratching at the earth.
"Emma!" She heard her mother shout somewhere in the distance, somewhere near the Nebula.
Her eyes were clogged by dirt but she could still see the imprint of her shadow. The taste of blood however, refused to leave her tongue however much she tried to shake it.
Running on flaccid legs was difficult and she knew at any moment Hook would recover. So she made forth like a dog, hands digging into the dry earth.
"You can't shake me Swan!" Called Hook and she could hear his footsteps gaining on her.
The Nebula grew smaller by the second and for a moment she thought she wasn't going to make it.
"I can at least try!" She retorted. Oh come on, she was mere feet from Henry.
And that was when she knew; she wouldn't make it unless she jumped. So, pulling herself upright she softened her already limp legs she pounced. There was the feel of hand and hook on her back and the touch of magic. But she didn't care, she had made it. And not even a moment left to waste. Only seconds later the portal closed, leaving Cora at its empty mouth.
"Emma, you made it." Snow smiled, relieved, and seeing her daughter's crumpled body at the maw of the well.
She looked up to see Mr. Gold, Henry, Regina and the Princess Squad smiling at her, all dirty but all happy. "He… he made it to…" she mumbled, catching her breath.
Regina and Gold looked at him with curiosity but Mulan, Aurora and Snow, there was horror strung out on their faces.
"Who did Ms. Swan?" Asked Mr. Gold, his accent strong.
"Kill… Killian…"
Just at the moment a body whammed into the scene. It took him a moment to recover but he looked up, glee on his face.
And then at that moment there were two sets of eyes staring at each other, disbelief and hostility etched on their faces. And then Emma passed out cold.
A / N And that is my interpretation of how next Sunday's episode will end. Sorry if it isn't the best, I only had 20 minutes to write it. Hope you enjoyed and have an excellent day. (: