Emma Swan drove down Main Street in Storybrooke Maine in her old beat up Beatle Bug. She didn't see anything on the road nor any of the flashing car lights whistling by. Her leather jacket was torn up around the arms, her pants once so tight now hung loosely around her hips, and a dirty tank top that used to be white protected her from the blizzard outside. The heat in the Bug long ago stopped working and Emma couldn't afford to fix it. Her job as sheriff was a short stint and now she bummed around the streets asking for spare change. Living in her car selling everything precious to her expect one item. That item remained around her neck looped up by a silver chain. When she felt the needle stick into her arm and the fire spread to her veins she felt the cold touch of the item over her heart. It prevented her from overdosing. The streets were covered with thick layers of snow with black ice underneath. The Bugs tires need to be changed as well as very other fluid in the car. The gas light had been on for the last week and a half, yet Emma couldn't afford to put no more than $5 dollars in every other week. Her car smelled like vomit and old laundry with the added affect of moldy food. The Bug once a shining yellow antique turned into a rusty death trap.
For the past 6 months, Emma Swan was homeless. She showered at Grannie's without her knowing. Stole food from the dumpsters and bummed all the cash she could to buy her next fix. The next high was all the mattered to Emma anymore. Needles where found littering the floor of the Bug. Old belts and rubber string covering the back seats. And, the drugs located in Emma's body. She never let her drugs want for her. Emma took the medicine as soon as she locked the door of the Bug.
Emma loved someone and for that love to be returned would be like putting a camel through the eye of a needle. So, she filled her time with drinking, sex, and burning. She lost so much weight she was a living corpse. Her hair was tangles and less yellow like the sun never touched it. Her eyes lost the determination and drive that made her into the Savior of Storybrooke. Her hands shook from the loss of drugs in her system. Emma needed the love to be returned, but the high of the moment kept her from ending it all. She closed her eyes to gain composure again. Where the fuck is Ruby?
Ruby Lucas loved Emma Swan. She told Emma when to come in for showers, let her borrow her clothes, and let her do laundry in the basement of the Diner. Ruby's Grannie would have a heart attack knowing that she allowed the addict inside the Inn. Yet, Ruby didn't care. She would do anything for Emma and Emma knew that. Today, Ruby promised Emma some leftovers from the Diner with cinnamon hot cocoa and freshly laundered clothes. Grannie was still in the back doing inventory and Ruby pretended to be cleaning the tables around the diner. Ruby told Emma she would meet her at 8:30 pm at the back of the diner. Yet, it was already 9 pm and she couldn't sneak to the back without Grannie noticing. If only Emma had a phone still. She threw it away because her addiction got so out of control she couldn't pay her monthly phone bills. So, Ruby bit her lip hoping Emma wouldn't barge.
Banging her hands against the steering wheel, Emma yelled in frustration.
"Holy motherfucking fuck! If she doesn't come out in fucking 10 seconds I'm barging in!" hissed Emma.
Grannie still wasn't finished with inventory and Ruby became to walk to the back. Please ignore me. Please ignore me.
"Ruby, where and what are you doing?" asked Grannie. Shit!
"I'm just going to.. ummm…. have a… smoke!" squeaked Ruby. She was never good at lying to her Grannie. Her face was red and her lies were utterly ridiculous.
"I didn't know you smoked, child. Thats a bad habit" shaking her head Grannie ordered, "You can go home, Ruby. I'm almost done here. And, if you want to continue working her then you quit smoking immediately. Understood?"
"Yes, Grannie"
"Okay, leave now. I'll see you tomorrow morning, dear."
"Goodnight, Grannie" said Ruby. What the fuck am I supposed to do about Emma?
As she was walking to the door to leave, Emma barged in. She pushed Ruby causing her to bang against the nearest table and fall onto the ground with fallen silverware.
"Ruby what the fuck!" screamed Emma "I've been waiting for an hour! I'm fucking starving!"
Ruby didn't respond she was so filled with shock that she couldn't answer. Grannie for sure heard the yelling. And, right on queue Grannie's shotgun clicked. She turned her head to see her grandmother walking toward Emma with the shotgun pointed right at her chest.
"Emma," Grannie said in a warning voice "I told you to never show your face in my diner again."
By this time, Emma was frozen. She hadn't thought about the consequences of running into the Diner and pushing Ruby. She was so angry and hungry that she couldn't think straight. Emma took a step back toward the door with her hands up in surrender. "Grannie, I'm sorry. I'll leave now. It'll be like you never saw me." Tears dripped down onto the floor and Emma felt that her knees would buckle any second. She didn't mean to cause this strife between granddaughter and grandmother. The drugs made her mind clouded and the actions had no consequences. Now, the last hit Emma did was over 5 hours ago and she could feel the burning numbness leaving. Emma felt the guilt, heartbrokenness, and emptiness of her life again. A screamed moan left her throat and everything went dark.
Emma woke up with a splitting headache. She didn't know where she was and couldn't remember why she wasn't in her car anymore. She opened her eyes and saw a slit of light streaming through a window. The ground was hard and cold beneath Emma and there was a moth-eaten blanket covering her torso. She rubbed her eyes trying to get moisture behind her eyelids. Once Emma could open her eyes, she realized where she was. Her body became erect and solid. The Queen found me. Not again. The feel of chains at her ankles and wrists where finally connected to her brain. The clothes in which Emma remember wearing was gone expect for her bra and jeans. She shivered. It's freezing down here! Hopefully, she lets me die from hypothermia. The sound of heels echoed across the stone hallway with a swift sound of a dress being dragged behind. Emma swallowed.
The heels continued to click nearer and nearer to Emma. Emma started to panicked. She quickly glanced at her surrounds. Wrists and ankles shackled to the stone wall no way she can break it. Beside the shackles, Emma was the only thing in the cell. Sweat dripped down her forehead she couldn't do this again. Not now! The clicking stopped right outside the door and the door handle twisted. Emma's heart was pumping so furiously she thought her heart would jump out of her chest. So, she put an aching hand over her heart to try to calm the pumping. The door swung all the way open revealing who the owner of the heels belonged to.
"Hello dear," snarled the voice. "Miss me?"
Emma screamed.
She woke up with a start. Grabbing her chest, Regina gasped and tried to gather her thoughts. What happened? There was someone she knew was familiar with the voice, but couldn't picture the face. Robin snored and turned over in the bed. At least one of us can sleep. Regina got up and went down the stairs to the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, she poured fresh water into the coffee machine and started it. Why can't I picture that face? Who was that? Her dream wouldn't stop playing behind her eyes. Golden hair, green eyes, and a blood-curdling scream. Was it her? No, don't be stupid. She moved on and probably has a family too. But, the scream. Regina jumped when she felt arms wrapped around her and a bare chest against her spine.
"Why aren't you in bed?" husked Robin, rubbing his arms up and down her biceps. No causing chills or arousal.
"I had a dream. Or, more of a nightmare actually'
"Do you want to talk about it" queried Robin.
"It was about her' whispered Regina. "I know it was her, Robin. She's in pain and I can't help feel as if I caused it. "
Robin pulled away and turned Regina to face him. 'What do you mean 'her?'"
"Her, Robin!" said Regina "The one I was with before you and Roman."
Robin's face looked almost comical with the shock on his face. Regina only told him once and that was because he wouldn't give up until she told him. He asked for months who that blonde girl was who would stop Regina dead cold. The girl that captured Regina's attention more than Robin ever wished he could get. Suddenly, he felt hurt. His wife-to-be was still stuck in the past and he has a son to think about. When he first met Regina, he felt the instant attractive a man has towards a woman and wanted her so badly. He felt drowned in his lust for her, a slave for the satisfaction of his needs. When Robin first slept with Regina, he felt it. He felt she didn't really belong to him. Her touch was robotic, her moans practiced, and she wasn't aroused. But, Robin still was passionate about Regina and thought with time she would warm up. Even after proposing to Regina, her tears were fake, her words sounding like a soap opera, and the emotions running through her was wrong. Regina did not want Robin Hood. She wanted her.