The Magic Within
By Schroederplayspiano
Chapter 2: In A Young Girl's Heart
"You are trying too hard." Rumpelstiltskin said. "Stop thinking, Emma."
Emma groaned and threw down the magical ring she was supposed to be focusing on. It clinked twice on the long wooden table before falling still.
"How do you imagine me focusing and not thinking at the same time?" She spat a retort at him.
"You need to feel it." He repeated for the third time, bowed his head slightly and then walked to his wheel and started spinning.
"What? You're giving up on me that easy?"
Rumpelstiltskin didn't look up when he responded. "I've told you to stop thinking a hundred times, dearie. I'm not telling you again."
A sigh parted her lips. "I don't know if I should be doing this."
Rumpelstiltskin met her gaze at her declaration. "That's your whole problem."
"I though the problem was that was thinking too much." Emma raised her eyebrows at him.
"It's the same thing, dearie."
"You taught Regina how to do magic." Emma addressed the elephant in the room after a month of avoiding it. "I don't want to end up like her."
Rumpelstiltskin returned to his spinning. "It's impossible that will happen."
"Why?"
"Because you have the heart of true love, dearie. It cannot be corrupted like hers."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I can be." He stated. His spinning refocused him again, but Emma's starring started to bother him. "But, you believe I'm not to be trusted, right? That's part of the problem as well. How do think you will go beyond the level you're at if you don't trust your teacher?" He paused for meaning. "Maybe I am wrong. Maybe doubting your heart's power will make it susceptible to weakness like Regina's."
Emma spun on her toes, grabbed her small bag that hung on a chair, and proceeded to the door. "You are impossible."
"Aha." Rumpelstiltskin stood behind her. "Leaving just when we're making progress. Predictable."
Emma turned to see him holding his famous pose; his index finger in the air and the opposite arm across his chest. "We're not making progress. I have been at it for too long. I need to go home."
Rumpelstiltskin dropped his arms. "Excuses. Excuses. You-" He stopped when he noticed Belle entering the room with a tea tray.
"What's going on?" Belle's gaze switched from Rumpelstiltskin to Emma and back.
"Emma is giving up." Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head to its side.
"Emma," Emma emphasized her correction. "Has to go home. She's late for dinner."
Belle smiled with understanding. "A break is always good." She focused on Rumpelstiltskin. "Don't you think, Rumple?"
"A break is not the problem."
Emma ignored him. She reached out and approached Belle. The women grasped forearms. Belle kissed her cheek. "Always nice to see you."
"You too." Emma released her and adjusted her bag strap. "Thanks for the hospitality."
"Any time." Belle watched her exit the room.
Their castle resided on a steep hill. Running down it was not a smart decision, especially when Emma wore an ankle length dress. She stumbled twice before reaching the bottom of the hill. Both times were caused by her dress hem. Marshes followed after she passed their village. She swore, forgetting this particular part of her route, and picked up her dress before stepping from highpoint to highpoint.
A horse's neigh signified how close she was to the woods. Emma leapt two more times until she reached soiled ground. Still adjusting to the new surface, she halted when she heard horse's hooves behind her. The palace guards sprung into her head.
"What the hell are you doing?" Graham's voice announced his presence.
"I could ask you the same question." Her eyes went into slits. "Are you following me?"
"You're late for dinner, Emma."
She sidestepped around the horse. "Thanks for the update."
"Emma!" Graham directed his horse to stop in front of her. The action forced her to step back. Her slits didn't disappear. "Your father sent royal guards out for you! How could you think to stay late at Rumpelstiltskin's?"
"I lost track of time." Emma kept walking.
"That's the best you got?" Graham retorted, following her on his horse. "Really? Because you know that's not going to work."
"Well, I could just say I was with you." Emma spat back. "Everyone would be happy with that excuse."
"You could do that." Graham considered. "Or I could I say where you really were and what you were doing."
Emma halted. Her glare penetrated him. "You wouldn't dare."
Graham groaned. He aligned his horse with Emma. "Jump on."
Emma scoffed at him.
"Emma!" He pulled back violently on the reigns. "Get on the damn horse!" He reached down to her side and started to pull her up.
"Hey!" She protested loudly. "What do you think you're doing?"
Graham waited to speak until she was secure and he kicked on the horse. They galloped through the trees. Emma clung around his waist. She inhaled him on instinct. He smelled like the leaves changing in October. She closed her eyes to soak him up more fully. Inhaling him, however, was an easy way to regret their breakup. Emma leaned back. Graham placed one hand over both of hers. "Saving your ass!"
The pair kept quiet the rest of the ride home. Graham only slowed down when they were within kingdom walls. Automatically, they put on fake smiles as the passed villagers. Emma rolled her eyes when they climbed the castle steps.
David and Snow stood waiting for her. The horse was still trotting when she spotted them. Emma released Graham when before he could fully stop the horse.
"Whoa! Emma!" Graham protest.
Emma ran forward and made sure she had the first word before her parents' inquiries. "I got lost in the forest. Sorry."
"Emma." Snow's stern voice matched her expression. "Do you know how worried we were?"
Emma tilted her head almost to a nod. "Enough to send out the armed guard, apparently."
Snow gaped at her. David stood straighter. "Emma," he whispered.
"It won't happen again. Okay?" She waited until Snow looked at her and lowered her voice. "I promise."
Snow held her daughter gaze before raising her palms and retreating inside. Emma took a step towards her, but didn't follow. Graham mirrored Snow's actions in the opposite direction, leaving Emma alone with her father.
"You were gone for almost four hours, Emma."
"Yeah. Sorry. I got lost." She repeated.
David shook his head. "No. That doesn't fly anymore. You've been here for a month. You don't use that as an excuse anymore."
"Fine."
He shifted his weight before prying further. "Where were you, Emma?"
"Nowhere," came automatically. She regrouped before speaking again. "I told you I got lost."
"You were a kickass bail bonds person. Before that you were a headstrong foster child. You don't get lost."
"Good to know you think you know me so well. I'll remember that."
"I am trying to love you!" David admitted. "Why won't you let me?"
Emma sighed. She made sure to speak softly. "Because I am a kickass bail bonds person and a foster kid. I don't know how to let you."
David released any anger he was still holding onto, his jaw dropping slightly.
"You want honesty?" Emma's voice broke. "There's honesty! Don't you think I want to let you in? If I could, I would. I would give anything to make you happy! I can't. I don't know how!" A tear hung on her eyelash. She wiped it away.
"Emma-"
"No, it's fine." She backed away. "I'm doing the best I can. I am attending Princess lessons regularly. I try during our horseback lessons. I make chitchat at dinner. That's all I can offer you right now. It has to be enough."
"Oh, honey." David stepped over boundaries to close the distance between them. His arms went around her and she fell into them. Tears poured over and she didn't break their contact to wipe them away. "It is enough." He rocked his daughter in his arms. "It's enough."
"Good." She sniffed. "Okay." Emma and David held on to each other for minutes before Emma shrugged him away.
David brought his finger to her cheek to wipe away the remaining tears. "I know you're an adult and checking in with family everyday is something you've never had to do. It's not fair to ask you to do that now, especially when your mother and I were running around this forest at a much younger age-"
Emma lifted her index finger and parted her lips, ready to make a point.
David didn't let her. "But there's a huge difference, Emma. We were on the run. We didn't have a place to call home. Dinner time wasn't set." He leveled her gaze to signify his statement's importance. "Don't take that for granted."
"I won't." Emma promised.
David silently challenged her. "Okay." He conceded and started to lead the way inside. "So, are you hungry?"
"Starving."
He broke into a smile and looked back at her. Emma took a double step to keep up. David rested an arm on her shoulders. "Let's get you some dinner then, huh?"
A/N: Poof! Happy Friday! Thanks to everyone who gave feedback, including the favorites and follows! Chapter 3 is ready so don't forget to review to make it appear :)
