The real sound of truth
Emma looked at the empty wine bottle then at her watch 9.30. Hook was supposed to meet her at the restaurant an hour and half ago. While Emma had been waiting she drained a bottle of wine on her own, which had made her pissed off and impatient. Deciding to give up, she left a couple of bills on the table and headed home to her large empty house.
The next morning Emma was very grumpy and heading to Granny's for a very strong coffee, when Hook rudely accosted her just outside the diner.
"Morning love." He said cheerily
"Where the hell were you last night?" Emma said icily.
"Oh yeah. Well about that. I kind of bumped into someone on my way to you and well something happened." Hook trailed off and the reason for his distraction became apparent. Milah of all people sauntered over and kissed Hook, whispering morning. And realisation hot her like a sack of bricks to the gut.
"So that's how it is?" Emma said rhetorically.
"Emma I still love her." He said meekly.
"I don't care, you selfish ungrateful, piece of shit." Emma barked then slugged him in the face. "I don't know or care how you got out of the underworld, but you two can sink back there for all I care!" In a tornado of white smoke Emma disappeared. On the way home she stopped at a store and what bought was...well a lot of booze.
Two days later at Granny's
"Has anyone seen or spoke to Emma?" Mary Margaret asked Regina, Henry and David. Everyone shook their head. "She isn't even answering her phone or the door. I went up there this morning and I couldn't even get up the drive." Mary Margaret looked worried.
"In that case I bet she's put up a protection spell. I'll go up tonight and see if I can smoke my way through it." Regina said sounding a bit sneaky.
That evening Regina walked towards Emma's large house set out on the hill. She could feel the magic as she go closer but the protection spell wasn't cast very well and Regina easily found her way inside magically. She appeared in Emma's living room and found the blonde sprawled out on the couch with a bottle of whiskey.
"You must have cast that protection spell while drunk because it is not very strong. I thought I taught you better than that?" Regina said sarcastically.
"Well it stopped most other people knocking on my door. It's just you that to be picky and nosey and find a way in." Emma bit back. Regina just stared for a few minutes as Emma kept working her way through the bottle of alcohol.
"Did you magically break in here to stare at me?" Emma dead panned.
"No. You have people worried about you Emma. What's going on?" Regina asked, concerned herself. Emma leaned over and filled the glass on the table generously. She sat up and offered it to Regina.
"I am not talking unless you drink with me." Emma stipulated and patted the seat next to her.
Regina took the glass and elegantly sat down next to Emma, who took a long swig from the bottle.
"Some how that old sea hag Milah, got out of the underworld and it turns out Hook is over the moon. To the point where he was screwing her while I was in a restaurant waiting for him supposedly for a date." Emma took another long draught from the bottle that was now half empty and Regina gasped.
"That son of a bitch. After all you did for him going to the underworld to bring him back and he does this." Regina genuinely felt bad for Emma, despite all she had been through herself, she really did care about the blonde.
"Yep, I guess it's what I deserve for what I put everybody through." Emma said remarkably calm.
"Emma don't say that, you don't deserve to be treat like that. In fact you always deserved better than that bastard." Regina took Emma's hand and squeezed it.
"I don't deserve love Regina. I don't get a happy ending. Neal landed me in prison. I nearly got you and my family trapped in the underworld for a man who would drop me faster than a hot potato. I am through with it" Regina schooled her features quickly and took a large drink, emptying the glass.
"You are awfully calm Emma. Last time you though you lost Hook you were a crying mess." Regina said.
"It was different then. I believed what I thought I felt. Now I feel used and pissed off. When I feel like that I usually run. Because of Henry I locked myself up here so that myself and Mr Daniels here can deal with my demons. And we are doing a very good job." Emma said cheerily.
"Yes I can see." Regina said checking out the line of dead Jack Daniels bottles on the kitchen work top. "What did you believe you felt Emma?" But Regina could feel the shift in Emma's mood.
"I am done talking for today." Emma said swiftly standing up.
"OK." Regina stood up and put the glass on the table. "If you find you do want to talk, you know where I am. Or if you just decide you want a drinking partner again." Regina said before disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.
Regina warned the others about what had happened but to leave Emma alone to deal with her demons in her own way. Saturday evening, three days after Regina had paid Emma a visit and Regina had a knock at the door. Henry was at his grandparents and she wasn't expecting anyone. When she opened the door Emma was stood there with a fresh bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand.
"I'll answer your questions if you answer mine." Emma said. Regina wasn't sure if she wanted to answer questions herself but this could get interesting. Regina waved the blonde in, closed the door, then lead her into the living room where a fire was already crackling. Emma dropped her jacket onto a chair and sat on the couch in front of the fire, while Regina retrieved two whiskey glasses from her study. When she returned she filled the glasses and passed on to Emma then sat next to her on the couch. They were quiet for a few minutes as Emma watched the flames dance in the fire place.
"How are you feeling Emma?" Regina opened the dialogue first.
"Used. Discarded. After everything we did for him and he dropped me like a used whore." Emma said emotionless, then took a large drink from her glass.
"Emma. I said it before that you are too good for him and it is still true. You are better off without him." Emma gave her a faint smile, the first Regina had seen from her in a long while. Emma took her hand and squeezed it, her way of saying thank you. She didn't pull hand away from Regina's and the brunettes heart began to beat a little faster.
"How are you doing since forest fart died?" Emma asked. Regina sighed and took a drink.
"I am doing OK to be honest."
"Really?" Emma sounded incredulous.
"Really. What did you think you felt about Captain Guyliner?" Regina wasn't giving everything up about her feeling towards Robin just yet. Emma drained her glass before finally admitting this out loud.
"I thought he loved me and I convinced myself that it was enough to make me love him. It wasn't real though, I didn't feel anything for him really. I don't think he felt that much for me, just another conquest." Emma sighed, putting the glass on the table and leaned over to grab the bottle and refill her glass. This statement made Regina fidget and she drained her glass, which Emma noticed and topped up. "That got a reaction. How did you feel about Robin?"
Regina swiftly stood up, pulling her hand out of Emma's and turned her back to Emma. This was what she hoped Emma wouldn't bring up but she really wanted Emma to know the truth about her feelings for Robin. Regina went and sat back down next to Emma.
"He was supposed to be my soul mate, but I did not feel that way. I did not choose him. I cared for him but I didn't live him. I realised that a while ago, I also realised I had bigger feelings for someone that I chose." Regina watched the fire the whole time she spoke and took a slow draught of her drink when she finished. Regina could feel Emma watching her intensely.
Emma took a long drink and without thinking the word was out of her mouth.
"Who?" Regina took a deep breath and a swig of her drink before turning to Emma and giving her a meaningful look.
"Emma I want you. I choose you." Emma's heart leapt but her stomach sank all in one go.
"Oh Regina." Emma took her hand again. "Please don't think what I am about to say is a rejection." Regina could see the heartache in Emma's eyes. "This whole thing has shook my trust in myself and my belief in what I perceive. I don't trust at the moment and I don't trust what other people may say they feel now. If you had said this a while ago, like before or after Neverland, things would be different. At the moment I am just full of rage and mistrust and I am not very nice to be around." Emma put her glass down, stood up and kissed Regina on the forehead. "Please just give me some time Regina." Emma headed for the door.
"Emma." Regina called and turned on the couch to face the door. Emma stopped and looked at the brunette. "I spent a lot of my adult life filled with rage and hate and mistrust. I know how it feels. You helped me see good in people. I want to do the same for you." Emma smiled at Regina, nodded and left.