Saturday, October 4th - Continued
Emma crouched close to the dingy floor, leaning back onto the cold trailer wall behind her. The sun had set and the temperature was rapidly dropping inside the house. The thin metal walls didn't hold heat for shit. She rubbed her hands together and scrunched her nose at the cold and general funk of the house. The smell of saw dust, grime and oily metal permeated the air. It was musty, but familiar. It was home. More so than the so-called perfect home of her foster parents that never smelled of anything other than lilacs or fresh baked cookies. Mary Margaret and David tried so hard to give her everything they thought she wanted. If only they would stop to ask what she actually wanted.
It was only about a half an hour into the night and there was already a lull in guests coming through. Hopefully it picks up a little bit, she thought. Oh well, It's still early. Hearing footsteps coming her way, she crouched down into position. Wait. There's only one set of footsteps. Not a paying customer.
The footsteps stopped in front of the cage and she heard a "Hello?" just as she popped back up. An unfamiliar figure screamed and hit the wall behind her.
"Oh shit…I'm so sorry. Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. What did I expect? It's a haunted house, right?" she laughed, rubbing her fishnet clad elbow. "Are you Emma?"
Emma's eyes were used to the dim bulb inside the cage and the stranger stood just outside of the light's reach. Not being able to make out more than a silhouette, her other senses perked up. The scent of burning leaves and clove cigarettes cut through the dank odor the of house, floated in the air around her, and made her feel warm. It was slightly dizzying. Or maybe that was her voice. The melodious deep rough velvet resonated through Emma's body. Her brain needed a minute to relish in it before catching back up.
"Oh, uh, yeah… I am. I'm Emma."
"Great, I was told I could find you here. My friend and I came late and I was told to head this way to see you. The guy at the front said you'd probably want to break free of the cage, so I'm here to bust you out."
"Outstanding, thank you." Emma crawled out through the trap door and helped the new girl climb in. She watched and waited as she stepped into the light. The soft blue light shone down onto jet black hair and made her skin glow eerily blue. Dark piercing eyes gazed at her through thick gothic make-up. Bright red lips smiled at her through the cage bars.
"So I hear you're in charge around here." The new girl leaned against the far wall of the cage, slipping her face back into the shadows.
"Well, yeah, sort of, I guess. I just make sure the cast doesn't get too out of control so Grumpy doesn't have to deal with us."
"Oh that's the guy out front? Seems like he tries to be a bit of a hard ass, but nice enough."
"Yeah, he is. Little rough around the edges, but he's kind of like family to me."
"So you've been coming here for a while?"
Emma laughed. "That sounds like a terrible pick up line," From the shadows she could only see a bright white smile shining back at her.
"And what if it is?"
The blonde's cheeks flushed. Her insides went fuzzy and warm again, despite the dropping temperature.
"Then I would say you need to work on your game. It's weak."
The teasing banter seemed easy with her. Natural. Someone so intriguing would normally intimidate Emma, throw her off her game, but this girl seemed to bring it out in her.
New girl chuckled, "You're right that was weak. I just meant because you're obviously experienced enough with the house that he put you in charge. I was just curious how long you've been around."
"This is my fourth year with the house."
"Dedicated. I like it. What's the draw? Aside from the stellar working conditions." She blew into her hands and rubbed them up and down her arms. "It's fucking freezing in here."
Emma leaned against the cage, arms snaking into the bars. "You get used to the cold." Or find someone to warm you up. "And I dunno, I guess I'm kind of a theater geek and Halloween freak. And uh," she probably doesn't need to fill her in on the foster kid thing just yet. "It's a fun group of people. Plus, I guess I sort of like being in charge." Shit, Emma, stop.
"I see. So you being in charge of this group of miscreants. Do you rule with an iron fist? Actually you seem more like the keeper of the peace? Sort of like a small town sheriff," she drawled.
"Ha, well, I've never heard it put that way before, but sure, why not. At your service, ma'am."
"My hero," she teased.
"I suppose this is the part where you tell me you have a problem with authority."
"On the contrary, sometimes I don't mind being told what to do."
Emma gulped and took a step back, leaning against the wall opposite the cell. "So, what's your story? What brought you to our humble town of- what did you call us? Oh, right, miscreants?" She added a sarcastic smirk on the final word, throwing it back at the dark haired girl
"One of your merry men drug me along for the ride. He thought the gig fit my personality, seeing as how I sort of have a reputation of being the Evil Queen at school."
There's no way she went to Storybrooke. Emma would know her if she did. She must be at the private school, Enchanted High, across town.
"I see. Queen Bee? Ruler of the school? You make the peasants quake with fear?"
"Actually, I'm the artsy outcast, but I prefer the term morbidly eccentric. I just got the nickname because I won't take their shit and have been known to have a bit of an attitude. Oh and there was that rumor that I tried to poison the prom queen with an apple last year."
"Just a rumor?"
"They haven't been able to prove anything," Emma could barely make out a mischievous smile spread across her face. "I find mostly they have a fear of the strange and unusual."
"I myself and strange and unusual."
"Ah, a fellow Beetlejuice fan?"
"Burton fan in general. You don't work in a haunted house for this long without being slightly….morbidly eccentric."
"Favorite Burton film?"
"Toss up between Beetlejuice and Batman Returns. You?"
"Solid choices, but I have to go with Edward Scissor Hands."
"Aw, Wino forever."
They chatted easily for a while, while the house stayed eerily quiet. The entire time they talked, mostly about cult movies and terrible music, Emma was painfully aware that she was physically transfixed by this girl.
"Your 80s pop culture knowledge is astounding," the brunette mused.
"Impressed?"
New girl leaned against the bars and broke into a wide grin, opening her mouth to say something, when the front door of the house banged loudly.
"Incoming," Emma said. She put her hand to her ear, so she could hear Grumpy clearly through her earpiece.
"Two couples, royals, easy points," he squawked through the static.
"Two high school couples, popular kids or jocks, and the guys are easy targets. They're probably trying to act tough for their girlfriends, but Grumpy can tell when it's a front."
"And he just told you all that?"
"Well, yeah, basically. Just really go for it, ok? Don't hold back and throw your best stuff at the guys. Let's see what you've got, your majesty."
The brunette nodded, looked around the cage, then proceeded to climb up onto the narrow strip of wood at the top of the bars. Emma watched in awe as she climbed, cat-like and disappeared from view. She quickly took her own place, slinking into the shadows. The group came around the corner, cowering away from the cage, expecting the worst. When nothing happened, they assumed it was empty and the lead doofus got his face right up next to the bars. "Ladies, chill," he got cockier thinking they were safe and visibly relaxed. Poor fool. "It's empty." He poked his head just barely between the bars, trying to show what a hard ass he was. Suddenly, a figure flew down from the top of the bars, landing right in front of his face. His shrieks echoed throughout the entire house. He and his buddy stumbled backwards into the wall, flailing, climbing over each other, trying to run away. The girls jumped back, nearly slamming into Emma in her hiding place and quickly escaped the area. Emma was so in awe of the tactic, she never even tried to scare them. She caught up to the group and followed a few steps behind to just past the next scene, just to make sure they could handle getting through ok.
When she got back to her spot in front of the cage, she let out a low whistle. "Clean up, in aisle 2. I think ol' boy pissed himself. That was impressive."
New girl raised her arms above her head, grasping the bars, barely poking her face out between them. "If I've managed to impress you, I must be doing something right."
Emma couldn't see much in the dark, but she could read body language. A hip, clad in too tight black jeans, was popped out to one side, hands grasping the bars, high above her head, she leaned in towards Emma. Shit. A light hum seemed to be radiating through her body straight to her core. What was this girl doing to her?
Without her permission, Emma's feet took the two steps to the front of the cage, opposite the striking goth girl. Emma's arms made their way through the bars, on either side of the brunette.
"Oh? Were you aiming to impress me?" Emma's voice was barely a whisper, their faces only inches apart.
In the dim light, Emma could see the upturned crescent of glowing white teeth, when her eyes dipped down to the girl's mouth.
The smile slowly fell from the girl's face and her breath quickened, eyes flicking down to the blonde's lips. Emma's own breath, was loud, pounding in her ears. When did it get so hot in the house all of a sudden? Inhaling the intoxicating autumn scents that radiated off the mysterious beauty in front of her, Emma leaned forward, giving in to the magic of the darkness.
"Break time!" Someone yelled from the front of the house, as it was simultaneously radioed into Emma's ear.
The moment was quickly lost and Emma shook her head. The dark-haired girl hesitantly stepped away, offering a coy smile and nodded towards the trap door, "Would you mind helping me out of here?" Emma went to the side of the cage and swung the trap door open.
A hoard of booming footsteps were headed their way, trampling through the house as the rest of the cast made their way to the emergency exit for their nightly break. Robin's voice cut through the thundering. "REEGGGGIIIIIIINAAAAA?! Girl, where arrrrrrrrrrre, yoooooooou?"
Oh, so the little shit did decide to show up tonight. Must have just snuck into the first scene when he got here. I bet he was pleasantly surprised when he saw it was Killian instead of Ruby up there. Killian must not have filled him in that the little home wrecker he brought into the house was in the very last scene. Ha! Serves her right for flirting with my man.
Emma's mind was quickly returned to her current situation when the new girl slinked her way through the trap door. Once she had her footing and stood up, they were chest to chest, looking into each other's eyes.
Time stood still for a moment and Emma was right back under her spell. Her skin was buzzing and her limbs were slightly tingly. A warm flame danced through her core.
The group from the front turned the corner, with Robin leading the way.
"There you are, dear! I've been calling you….Regina?"
New girl's head snapped to the side, breaking the spell. "Sorry, Robin. I didn't hear you. Good, it's break time. I'm dying for a smoke. You got a clove?"
The name registering was like a bucket of ice water being thrown over her head and the lusty fog that had settled over Emma's brain quickly dissipated. "Wait… YOU'RE Regina?"
Regina shrugged at the blonde, not sure what her sudden icy tone was all about. "Um, yeah, didn't we already establish that?"
Emma suddenly saw red. All this hard work to keep this…this…bitch away from her boyfriend and here she was fraternizing with the enemy. And Regina had the audacity to be flirty when she had been doing the exact same thing with Killian the night before! Who the hell did she think she was?
Guilt and shame suddenly washed over Emma as she realized that she had been flirting right back with her. It wasn't right. She was with Killian. Girls like boys.
"No, come to think of it, I don't think you mentioned your name."
Emma turned on her heel and walked out.
"What was all that about?" Robin asked.
"I have no idea," Regina responded watching Emma walk away. "I thought we were getting along quite...nicely actually." She let out a long breath, trying to regain a little composure after the feisty blonde did a complete 180 on her.
"No way, the Evil Queen was getting along with someone?" Robin smirked knowingly.
"Shut up or I'm bringing you an apple next week." She nudged him in the ribs playfully.
"Regina," Killian came around the corner and stretched his neck, looking around cautiously, "is Emma around?"
"She just went outside, Killian. Why? Are you going to embarrass yourself by repeatedly asking her out as well?"
He just laughed and ran a hand through his slightly too long hair. "No, but I was wondering if you had time to reconsider my offer?"
"No, guyliner, I already told you, drop dead. I'm not interested." She grabbed Robin by the arm and stormed out of the house.
Everyone was huddled around outside in small groups, Emma keeping close to Killian. Occasionally she would shoot daggers at Regina, who seemed to know to keep her distance. Regina stayed by Robin, trying to pay attention to him, but mostly watching the blonde inexplicably hover around the slimy fuckboy. When Emma caught her eye, she quickly looked away, taking a long drag off her clove cigarette . Emma wondered for a split second how sweet her lips would taste after smoking a clove. Stop, Emma. Not only are you with someone, but SHE wants HIM. And anyway it's not like she's… And even if she were, you definitely aren't. She waited until everyone had finished their cigarettes and then had them circle up again.
"I know it's a slow night, but try to keep yourselves entertained without roaming around please. Grumpy had a few complaints from earlier, so stick to your scenes. I'll be walking through more this half, so don't let me catch you away from your post." Ruby shot Graham a seductive smile before she looked at the ground. Emma was quick to catch it. "And please try to remember this is a haunted house, not a love shack." Emma dismissed her earlier intentions of helping Ruby out with Graham. They could make a love connection on their own time. "We don't want to get complaints like last year," she gave Belle a pointed look. Belle smiled sheepishly knowing the comment was directed at her.
Last year a customer complained when he and his kids walked into a scene and caught Belle and Tina kissing. Apparently, they didn't realize someone was walking through the house. Tina was so embarrassed, she never came back. Grumpy had been kind of pissed, but what does he expect? They're hormonal teenagers locked in the dark together. Of course the guy had to make a big deal about it being two girls and the house being run by a "family establishment." Most of the other teens in the house didn't give it a second thought, but Ruby confided in Emma that she just could not believe Belle was into girls. Emma's heart sank during the conversation because maybe if she would have had just a glimmer of the possibility of support from one of her friends...
"Yes, Sheriff," Robin joked, pulling Emma out of the memory.
Emma just scowled at him and then shot a quick glare at Regina, "Alright everyone, back inside."
Emma hung back to make sure she was the last one in and could relock the door. She saw Regina shoo Robin away out of the corner of her eye and pretend to fix the laces on her Doc Marten, while the others filed in.
"Did I do something wrong, Emma?"
"No, nothing at all Regina. My boyfriend didn't give you the chance," she leveled an icy glare at the girl.
"Boyfriend?" Regina's brow knit in legitimate confusion. Emma wasn't sending "taken" signals, let alone "straight" ones.
Emma stood up straight, crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head to the side a bit, "Yeah, Killian. You know the one you threw yourself all over last night?"
The confusion on Regina's face morphed into a sneer. Emma could definitely see where the Evil Queen nickname came from. "Oh, is that the story he's going with? Well, Sheriff," the word spilled from her mouth like is tasted vile, "I'll try and stay out of your way." with that she marched back into the house leaving Emma standing alone and confused.
A/N: I'll admit, they're a little OOC. Just roll with me on this. Or not, it's cool, but I hope you stick around. This story is near and dear to me. I hope to update within the week.