Very A/U - my first story in 10 years.
Emma realized her life was about to fall apart, and wanted to spend her last days of freedom with the only person who mattered, Killian.
When the knock came at the door, Emma had no idea what to expect. She hadn't ordered anything online, and her life didn't really include any friends who would just drop by. She opened the door to find two well-suited gentleman and a constable looking quite grave. She was sure that in normal circumstances people in her situation would automatically assume that a loved one had died, but along with the not-really-having-friends thing, she also didn't really have loved ones. She was an orphan, having lost her mother at birth and a dad she was told hadn't stuck around long enough to see her be born.
"Ms. Swan, may we come in?" Not exactly waiting to be given permission, the men walked in to her living room and asked her to sit down on her own couch. "We have some news for you that might be quite disconcerting." She sat down, really very curious about what they might possibly have to say that could affect her. My name is Lieutenant Griggs and these are Detective Inspector Spencer and Officer Charles. Cutting straight to the point, you're not actually an orphan. Your parents are Queen Mary Margaret and King David."
Emma got up, cutting off D.I. Spencer as he tried to continue Griggs' story, ordering the gentlemen to leave, threatening to call the police if they didn't get out of her living room immediately. All three promptly handed her business cards, while stating "Ma'am, we are the police. Please sit down and we can finish telling you what you need to know."
Griggs continued. "Just as you were about to be born there was a terrorist threat from the Regina Group. The terrorists sent letters and tapes to the Palace, detailing exactly how they were going to steal you and kill you if their demands weren't met. Rather than give in to their demands or risk losing you, the King and Queen decided that the best option was to send you away, to be raised with another family where the Regina Group could never find you or get to you. The only way for this to truly work would be for them to have no contact with you. This group has been quite active continuously for the past 28 years, and have never let up their threats to you, your parents and the kingdom."
Emma had remained very quiet as she received the information, but decided it was time to speak up. "Okay, say I were to believe you, what's changed now? Why am I being told that my parents are actually King David and Queen Mary Margaret? What good does it do now? I'm 28, I don't exactly need parental guidance anymore."
"We're here to tell you because this information has leaked, someone has put the pieces together, and Sunday night there will be a television show leaking the story and your identity to the nation. We'd like to take you in to protective services to for your safety. We're still worried about the RG, and the press will be unrelenting when they find this out. The king and queen have never had another child for fear of the threat, and you will be exposed as the rightful heir to the kingdom. People will want to see you and know everything there is to know about you." Griggs stepped in and quipped, "frankly, I'm not sure who we should be more worried about: the press or the RG."
Emma sat silent. These men were no-nonsense, and as they continued she could just tell they were not lying There was no mistaking their sincerity. Her mind was racing, trying to process the fact that she had parents, and also figure out what her next move would be. There was no way she was going in to protective custody. Having been independent since she left the foster system at 16, she was not about to lose control of her life now.
The men, having allowed her to sit in silence for quite some time, finally snapped her out of her thoughts to discuss the plans for removing her to a safe place, and telling her how much her parents were looking forward to meeting her now that her anonymity was gone and she would no longer have further protection by not knowing them.
"I'm not going yet," she finally stated. "There are three days until the news story. Let me have these last three days of my life to be normal and do things I'll never be able to do again." Firmly she added, "I think I'm owed this." After much discussion, and plans for her coming to them on Sunday, the men left her.
Finally alone, she pulled out her phone and texted the only person in her life who mattered, Killian.
a month is too long to be apart
Her phone immediately rang, and it was him.
"I can be there in five hours, love. Is that soon enough?"